2013 Recap + Big Announcement

2013 Goals Recap

You may remember this post from about a year ago.  Time to check in and see how I did! 

Open up an Etsy shop.  X  Didn't happen.  This is still something I want to do, but right now doesn't feel like the right time to start a small business (however small!).

Read more history and poli-sci books.  ✓-  Replace "history" with philosophy and this holds true.  I did read Thirteen Days and From the Ashes of Sobibor, though, which were both great historical memoirs.

Watch more operas, and become generally more opera-savvy.   ✓  This one passes by a smidgen.  I watched the entire Il Trovatore and Eugene Onegin, which were firsts.  I discovered new operas, in bits and pieces, added Kwiecien and Alvarez as favorite artists, and rediscovered Kaufmann through his magnificent interpretations of Wagner.  

Eat less and exercise more.  ✓-  I lost about ten pounds.  Exercised less, if anything.  :(

Be a happy, good person.  I don't know how to describe this part adequately.  For sure, 2013 has been a happy year; I'll remember it as one of my favorites.  It wasn't me - I can't brag about myself; I haven't acted the best this year.  (I also had unusually bad allergies and was sick for several weeks in the spring.)  But God has been merciful, has opened my eyes through disappointments, and answered prayers I'd been praying for so long.  2013, unforgettable.

A few of the unexpected goals accomplished:

Finished a multitude of sewing projects
Cooked salmon dinner by myself
Read a paper in front of students and history faculty
Went to "beautiful Hawaii" (which is as beautiful as everyone says!)

Announcement

1.  First of all, if you're this far through the post, you probably read my blog fairly regularly.  Thank you for that.  I'm 100% serious; regardless of whether you comment or not, it means a lot to me that you read the blog and get something out of it.   

2.  It's time to move!  That's right.  I'm moving to a new blog and url.  Brand new.

If you like what you've read here, please meet me at noonlight (url: noon-light) for blogging adventures in 2014 and beyond.  Think of it as a remix of this blog: some old and some new, all for the better.  I'll not be deleting all-that-is-gold - might even post here once in a blue moon - but good change is a domino effect.  I'm more than ready for it. 

Of course, I will still be on Tumblr, Pinterest, and all of those cool places.  The big change is that Blogger will be a priority again.  Blogger's still my fave.  ♥

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Merry Christmas Eve!

I haven't done a sort of "life update" post since September . . . how fast time flies!

Since my last final exam a week and a half ago, basically all I've been doing is watching cute movies and drinking large quantities of delicious tea.  No complaints there.  ^_^  Fall quarter was on the order of "almost bad," but I passed all the classes, praise God!  Most important to me was passing discrete math II, one of those jolly prerequisites for so much else.  (I got decent grades, too, which is still hard to believe.) 

My sister and I usually play a violin/cello duet before Christmas Eve service - this year we're playing Bach's Sinfonia from his Christmas Oratorio.  Our sheetmusic is pieced together from the cello part and a piano transcription; all the notes are original, but the instrumentation makes it sound a bit different.  (I hope we can record it eventually so you can hear it.)

Hope you have a beautiful Christmas week!  Stay safe and warm.  : )

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The Orange Orchard

   Any moment, I will fall asleep.
   The ground intrudes onward with parched grasses and muggy soil.  Bits of it bleed into my ankles as I limp slowly, tediously, downhill in the tropical arboretum.  It is actually a forest.  There is no one in earshot, and the sky, a little hazy, cannot white-out the reach of the trees.  It is a new sight for old eyes; it tires these conveyors of mountain vision.  Green, green—and the color of rejection.  Light smudges the outer edges of everything.
   If I sat down under that reddish trunk, I could lose myself in a long, guiltless nap.  Wrapped up in grass stains and a little dirt, no one would miss me, and it would make no difference to me.  The thought of throwing myself down where I stand and shutting my eyelids hard is also irresistible, almost.  'Almost' changes the world.  I dream without 'almost.'  Oh, a nap would be gorgeous.


   The forest pathway drops downward for the next hundred feet.  I am wide awake now.  Down below is the orange orchard; I see it clearly, even without my glasses.  Traces of orange in masses of green, a small white house, an old Volkswagen.  You only have to make it down the hillside, and you are practically there.  My aunt lived there once; she left it to us.  I know every foothold and false step by heart.
   Eyes closed again.  As I return to the orange orchard, even the grass feels familiar through my shoe soles.  The scent used to disarm me with thoughts of all things sweet and self-assured.  I run through the orchard now, towards the little white house, and the sight of oranges dabbed here and there in the leaves is still thrilling.  It is about 3:00 in the afternoon.
   You don't need to explain, his eyes said.
   "I had to get away," I said anyway.  Inwardly.
   He and his parents were our company.  They were indoors.  It was 90-degree weather, and they couldn't be used to it yet.
   "I wondered when you'd come back," he said.
   I sat down on the ancient swing-set, and was up again in an instant. "Can I get you some ice water?"
   "No, thanks."
   It was hard not to look at him too hard, and I was miserably muggy.
   "You're used to all of—this.  Aren't you?" he began.
   I shrugged.
   "It's a beautiful place..."
   I nodded.
   He didn't see it, so he turned round, a little slowly, as if expecting a response.  He knew me too well, though, and gave me a somber expression instead.  The topic was changed.
   "I'll never be completely used to it," I looked down.
   We began to move away from the porch.  He walked like a silhouette, his black-brown hair juxtaposed upon the blaze of light in the orange trees, and at our footsteps.  His smile was wry and reluctant.
   "I can't help it—" was his reply.
   Nobody could help it.  The humidity of the weather was making it difficult to see clearly.  My hair was flat and growing wet; far off, there was a neighbor's lawnmower.
   "It's not as bad as you think," he assented, finally.
   Our faces met a second, and, for once, a look left his eyes that was more than sympathy.  A look, and he did not hide it.  It went straight to the back of my mind, to stay.
   The orange orchard overpowered him; he could give me nothing else.  Turning again, he led me on, at an unreachable meter's length away.  The smell of the oranges came back to replace the blink of feeling left and gone. 

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The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (reactions part 2)

(Part 1 here)

*** BOOK SPOILERS AHEAD ***

There is no doubt one of the most memorable scenes in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is Barrels Out of Bond.

The film is breathlessly action-packed all the way through, but this scene may be the capstone of fight sequences.  If you love choreographed martial arts in a whitewater river  rafting (barreling?) setting, this will be a highlight for sure.  I got a kick out of seeing elves racing/flying/dancing through the trees like it's nothing.  And, for all that, Bombur gets the award for most win fighting skills.  A great scene from the book, taken to a greater level.

I've gone on quite a bit already about the monsters and action - by no means does this take away from the cinematography and scenery, the Middle Earth we all know so well.  Every landscape was a work of art.



Mirkwood, and in particular Thranduil's fortress, was woodsy yet elegant and elven at the same time.  Erebor, Thorin's kingdom under the mountain, was reminiscent of Moria, yet more elaborate.  Emiko said it resembled a forest, over a floor of gold, and I can definitely see that!  Lake-town looked properly cosy and cold, with canals instead of roads, and just like a fairytale town (Baroque?  Elizabethan English?  Something like that...I don't have my history cap on today...)  Dol Goldur was hideous and depressing, as you might expect.

As an aside - one bit of imagery I want to point out.  It seems to me that Thranduil's crown, Smaug's head, and Sauron's helmet all have the same sort of shape and design.  Intentional, or coincidence??  (I feel a photo of Smaug would be too spoilery, so just take a good look at him when the time comes.)

Thorin's meeting with Thranduil was a really excellent scene.  Thorin is certainly too stubborn, and he's obviously shooting himself in the foot, but I can't help rooting for him in his confrontations with Thranduil.  It will only get more interesting if/when this comes back to haunt him in the last film.

On the subject of conversations, Bilbo meeting Smaug is #1 on my list of scenes to rewatch.  As a kid, I loved reading about mythical monsters, so finally seeing a convincing dragon and hearing him talk and watching him fly - well, it was nostalgic.  Bilbo is scared speechless, then starts talking nonsense.  Funny and scary at the same time, just like the book!

I should mention I didn't grow up reading The Hobbit.  It simply has all the right elements from fairytales you knew about before.  It takes you back to some of the best parts of your childhood, because we've all been Bilbo Baggins, at some point or other.  You just have to want to go on an adventure.

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The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (reactions part 1)

Side effects may include exhaustion, increased arachnophobia, and random quotations.  Ask yourself if The Hobbit 2 is right for you.

The first question you should ask yourself is "Do I want to go on adventure?"  And then, "Do I believe in dragons???"

My family and I saw The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (a title I love writing out) earlier today, and still it is impossible to put my thoughts into coherent words. Basically I love Smaug, I love Thorin, and I love that Tolkien and Peter Jackson are utter geniuses.  All of them at once, I suppose.

We rejoin Thorin & Company after they have narrowly escaped Azog and his orc gang.  Their narrow escape was actually a fail.  A LOT of bad things happen.  For the plot, I really can't say more than the trailer does.  Even the trailer only shows you PART of the story.  If you thought the last film was a journey - well, this is the real deal.  So real I felt literally exhausted at the end.

Can we talk about characters for a bit, and then favorite scenes?



Beorn.  The bear shapeshifter dude.  My expectations were low, but Beorn was so well-written and emotively portrayed.  And very, very scary.

Hold on, let's go ahead and mention Beorn's house.  Beorn's beautiful house!  And the gigantic bumblebees.  I hope this scene has an extension.

Legolas.  It's as if PJ was thinking "Oh, purists hate Legolas's martial arts, do they?  Let's double it for the Hobbit!"  Confession: I love Lego's fighting stunts.  It's great seeing him as a hot-headed young prince.  With a bloody nose.

Tauriel.  I felt Tauriel was sadly non-descript, not nearly as compelling as Eowyn or Arwen.  On the other hand, her religious/spiritual convictions gave her character a little more depth in a couple of scenes.  Overall, not a bad addition, just not a great one.

Thranduil.  Lego's dad.  On the surface, he is calmer and more levelheaded; in reality, not much better than his son.  Thranduil oozes royalty and contempt, from the top of his artsy crown to the bottom of his regal gown robe. You kind of love to loathe him.

Bard.  I liked Bard.  I like the fact he has a family, and can read through Thorin's obsession and the Master of Lake Town's politics.  He's well-written, and though I once thought Richard Armitage had to play Bard, Luke Evans does a great job.

Gandalf.  Some great Gandalf moments, if rather few and far between!  I always miss him when he's off-screen.  There is a magnificent battle of wills between Gandalf and one of the antagonists - you definitely want to see that part.

Bilbo.  Once again, Martin Freeman puts life into a protagonist I used to think was a trifle flat.  I love how Bilbo's double life, if you will, is subtly and deftly portrayed.  On the one hand, he has gained real, substantive courage of his own.  On the other, he is becoming increasingly dependent on the Ring.  The scene where he momentarily loses the Ring is stunning, like a flash-forward to Fellowship.  (My sister and I both thought for a minute he looked like Ian Holm, too.)  Even though I know the story, I can't wait to see where this goes in the last film!

Thorin.  THORIN THOUGH.  I love this guy.  He's stubborn and way too self-assured (*cough* Boromir *cough*), and if you first saw Richard Armitage in North and South like I did, this casting makes perfect sense.  I like Thorin better than Thornton, though.  Thorin (and Boromir)'s downfall is half naivete and half willful blindness.  He believes good intentions are everything, and that ends could justify means.  The Hobbit 3 is going to break my heart.

Smaug.  The only character to possibly outshine Thorin.  Though I've seen Benedict Cumberbatch in several movies now, and though it was obviously his voice behind the dragon's head, it was also Smaug, 100%.  He's very book!Smaug, convincingly so.  He just might be my favoritest part - the cliffhanger was infuriating, if that's any indication.  If I had to pick one scene to rewatch right now, it would be his conversation with Bilbo.  You thought Thranduil, Thorin, Master of Laketown - hey, even Elrond - you thought those guys were regal?  They don't hold a candle to the King Under the Mountain.

And...it's almost 2 am here, so I will follow up with another post(s) tomorrow (er, later today)!

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Beware the Frozen Heart

My sister and I saw Frozen on Sunday.  I don't know what is harder to admit - that I finally wanted to see it, or that it's been haunting me ever since!

First what I didn't like, just to get it out of the way.

The movie, unfortunately, has a lot of cheesy scenes like what you see in the trailer.  I don't mean just Disney cheesy, but really, dreadfully idiotic scenes.  Usually it involved Anna acting exaggeratedly scatterbrained, or Olaf the Snowman.  A lot of people love Olaf, so maybe it's just me, but I cringed every time he came on screen.  He is so annoying, not in a cute and funny way like Tigger, just plain old cloyingly obnoxious.  I can't think of any other Disney comic sidekick or villain as aggravating as this guy.

Alrighty.  The other disappointment was several of the songs.  It makes me wonder what they were thinking to include "Fixer Upper", "Love is an Open Door," and "In Summer."  Even the (very popular) "Let It Go" and its corresponding scene felt more like a pop music video than a Disney song.  The lyrics in general aren't all that bad, but the genres are so out of place in this Nordic-inspired movie.  You just can't insert country/rock/20s music into a 19th-century world and call it good.  It's embarrassingly bad, especially contrasted with classics like Beauty and the Beast. 

These two cons give Frozen a sort of "group project" vibe, as if the director's vision was overridden at times.  Not good for a final draft.  (It's finals week, so pardon the analogy!)

From the songs, I can transition into what I loved about Frozen.   There were three songs I liked: "Frozen Heart," "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?", and "For the First Time in Forever (Reprise/Duet)."  The second two are heartbreaking songs about Elsa and Anna, while "Frozen Heart" is the EPIC intro song that is sung by the ice workers.  Epic, as in, it sounds like the dwarves singing in The Hobbit.  It set my hopes very high; maybe they should have saved it for the end of the story...

What really gives Frozen 4 out of 5 stars from me is not the three good songs nor the graphics (truly stunning, though).  It's the story, and messages.  Plot-wise, this is the Disney movie for people who despise Disney movies.  Wait, what?

Elsa is a princess who was born with the golden touch - only, she turns things into snow and ice instead of gold.  This unpredictable ability can result in either works of extraordinary beauty, or accidental hurt.  Afraid of hurting someone, she hides herself from the world, including her younger sister Anna, who becomes lonely and frustrated by Elsa's secrecy.  When their kingdom of Arundelle is hit with a sudden snowstorm, Anna believes her sister, once found, can undo the magic.  With the help of a suave Prince Hans and rustic ice-seller Kristoff, Anna sets off through the snowy mountains, determined to break through to the person who was once closest to her.

"An act of True Love!"  As in every fairytale, it is going to take true love to break the wintry spell.  Without divulging spoilers, I can only say that I was seriously impressed, and moved, by the unique, multiple (!) ways it unfolds Frozen.  

"Please don't shut me out again."  The song "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" is Anna begging Elsa to take the time to be a sister.  A good thing to see a story calling for oldest children to be best friends with their siblings, not avoid them.

"Didn't your parents ever warn you about strangers?"  Anna is so sure that her dreams of romance and independence are coming true, Cinderella style.  This appalls one of her friends, who speaks the words of sense long overdue from Disney...

Change of heart.  Anna wants to change Elsa, but no matter how far she goes, she can't.  She can only love her, and it is up to Elsa to find her own change of heart.  Pretty deep, and very true.

Despite its problems, Frozen was worth seeing (I give it a 10+ age rating), and I would watch it again on DVD.  It's great to watch/discuss with your sister(s) and would also be a good mother-daughter movie.

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Lights

Then birds flew up as if in showers, I followed them with my eyes and saw how high they soared in one breath, till I felt not that they were rising but that I was falling . . .

—Franz Kafka, "Children on a Country Road"

• Read comparatively few books this year.  It feels wrong.
• Current excitement in my life is planning a 2014 reading list.  (nothing pathetic about that)
• Can we not talk about school, ever, ever again? 
• Electronica.  Kafka.  See the connection.
• "Above all, don't lie to yourself." * 
• "Live not by lies." **
• Joseph Conrad's birthday today. 
• Razumov lingered in the well-lighted street. He was firmly decided. Indeed, it could hardly be called a decision. He had simply discovered what he had meant to do all along. And yet he felt the need of some other mind's sanction.
  With something resembling anguish he said to himself—
  "I want to be understood." The universal aspiration with all its profound and melancholy meaning assailed heavily Razumov, who, amongst eighty millions of his kith and kin, had no heart to which he could open himself.
• Do I understand him? - did he understand me?  (which comes first?)
• . . . and holding fast to the ropes began to swing a little out of sheer weakness. Soon I was swinging more strongly as the air blew colder and instead of soaring birds trembling stars appeared.

* Dostoyevsky
** Solzhenitsyn

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the world may know

I saved growing-up for later, as a great honor and nice mystery.  I decided to spend no time thinking about it.  That makes it a second childhood, because everything is new, quietly terrifying, and brashly beautiful.

Part of me hates poetry, like my child-self did.  Things were better straightforward, once upon a time the end.  Green tea is good for you.  Coffee is a good thing at the right time.  Poetry (cryptic words) is a bit of both.  Mostly coffee.

A million changes have taken place in me this year, yet I know if I counted them up, the constants would be sure to equal them.  Sometimes an ambiguity can be a constant.  If you find yourself getting older and more narrowminded, it only requires a quick check in memory to bring back some simple truth, however ambiguous, you once understood perfectly.  If it is not too selective a memory, it can only help and encourage you.  How many things I let myself forget are things I think I haven't learned!  (There I go with the poetry again.)

This year has been like waking up after two weeks of a bad cold and realizing you can breathe and smell food again.  I was going to wait until New Year's to say that—probably I will say it again then—I like saying it now.

I still don't feel invincible.  There is something else there is no English (or possibly any language) word for.  That is me today.  It is the kind of feeling you get when you look at the moon in the middle of the day, added to the nighttime phenomena that that great, white light shining out of space is something you and people far away are looking at during the same time, and if it were a mirror—! 

No, that's not the feeling.  It's a good feeling, but inaccurate as a description.  I wish there were ways to explain it all, but as it is, we can't talk in mathematical summations.  I can write monstrously long posts, like a person walking leisurely in a maze; it's still a maze.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  I have never had more to be grateful for.  Two years ago I had a nervous breakdown, the most painful experience I have ever been through.  It was psychological pain.  The moment it started, if you told me I was going to die, I would have believed you.  I didn't know what was happening.  Within seconds I felt nothing, complete detachment, the meaning of words stopped creating any reaction in me.  Emotionally deaf.  I prayed hard and felt nothing, since even words I had always found to be moving were just sounds.  For a week I was depressed for no immediate reason at all; it was the result of a long, long buildup of reasons.

God gave me the strength to recuperate.  He brought me tremendous hope through my family and the people around me.  Since then, too, God has healed me of my anxiety problems.  My longterm anxiety is gone—not in the background, not on hiatus, but truly gone!  It was gradual, but it happened this year, like something that sneaks away from you and only shocks you with its absence when you finally understand it.  It's a miracle to me.  You can't explain involuntary mental unhappiness—you can't explain what it feels like to try every single day to think positive and be good and walk upright, yet be tripped up for five years by fear, senseless fear that disguises itself as reality and disables you when you don't expect it.  I wish I could explain even that.

What I can and am doing now is speaking plainly.  It's out of my comfort zone, for sure; it might make me uncomfortable just reading this, if I hadn't been there.  But this isn't about me, no more than any moment of life is.  This is about what God did, what He does.  When the miraculous happens, you just can't sit still and quiet at home.  You go walking, and leaping, and praising God.

He is with you always.

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Trust Not Technocracy

Few things give me such mixed feelings as hearing people discourse to laypeople in technobabble, as if It is all magic spells and you must TRUST ME.  When done right and done well, it's not a bad thing; with the wrong attitude or intent, you see the wrong results.  Either way, there is far too much trust in technology and in those who develop it.  I am as guilty as everybody else studying computers: we can hardly resist saying the "magic words" - legit terminology we know they don't understand - and watch delightfully as the audience responds with instant respect.  This effect is not good at all.  (The other parallel, dumbing-down technology as pop computer science, is not much better, but in this post I will just look at the first case.)

Disclaimer:  I honestly believe anyone, with the time and proper instruction, could excel at math and technology.

What I Am Learning (as a computer science major):

1. Math.  My degree requires three months of stats, six months of calculus, and six months of discrete (a hodgepodge of set theory, probability, proofs, graphs, etc.). 
1. There is really nothing mystical about these classes.  Stats is about punching buttons on a calculator.  Calculus and discrete are about juggling long lists of rules, staring at pictures, and headdesking.
2. You don't have to be smart or intuitive.  I still haven't got there and probably never will.  You only have to be horribly stubborn and hardheaded, and find some patient teachers/tutors/superheroes.
3. For the record, calculus 1 & 2 aren't harder to understand than precalculus 2.  They just take a lot more time.  
2. Programming.  They call the different programming methods "languages" for a reason.  You literally learn programming like you learn Spanish or German or any other language.  Lots of homework and memorization.
1. Programming involves math, but overall it is much easier.  You get to check your answer as you go, and it's like a puzzle: if a piece fits, you'll know it, and if it doesn't, you'll almost always know that, too.
2. Learning to write code is like immersion language-learning.  When you start, you just type what you're told to type.  You only understand about 1% of what you're doing.  Gradually it makes sense.  Gradually what you read in the book makes sense.
3. Again with the analogy: programming involves grammar-like rules and terminology.  (That's where the technospeak comes in.)  Just like verb conjugations, programming grammar rules help direct your learning and make it easier and easier to learn more quickly.
3. Data Structures, Algorithms, and Hardware. 
1. Data structures - basically every kind of list you could ever imagine or want.  Plus trees and graphs and other linked structures, involving points connected to each other. 
2. Algorithms - "to do" lists and loops.  Sets of instructions.  Ways of doing things.  Sequences of steps.  Not magic.  (Confession: next quarter is when I actually take the "algorithms" course, but I have been studying algorithms all along, so the gist of it is here.)
3. Hardware - how computers work electronically.  Computer science only takes an introductory look at this part.
4. Hacking
1. The computer science degree doesn't require you to study security (or breaches of security).  That and networks are more the focus for the information technology degree.  Computer engineers, by further contrast, learn more about the electronics/hardware of a computer, and less about the programming/software or networks.
2. In one lecture, the guest professor demonstrated what must be the mildest form of hacking.  It was extremely boring and read-only.  

And - that's all there is to it!

No, that really is all there is to it.

This is not to belittle the degree, only to put it under a light and dust off anything that disguises its meaning.  It is cool stuff to learn; it continues to leave me awestruck and (just healthily) proud.  On the other hand, I find it sad that the terminology often leaves people with the wrong impression.  Computers science is more down-to-earth and accessible than its reputation says.  I want to see more people studying it - doesn't matter if they're college students or self-taught learners, for income or for personal enrichment.

The truth is, there are technology-savvy people - of varying degrees of skill - with less than benevolent intentions.  I don't just mean people who start viruses and steal identites; I mean people who simply use their knowledge wrongly.  They can, for example, price their services outrageously high and get away with it, because their customers believe the illusion that those services are actually worth that much.  Even with very rudimentary services, you'd be surprised how easily a customer can be legally, openly scammed, without them ever being the wiser.   Of course, if this happens on a small scale, it can happen on a large one.

The point here is, simply, public knowledge.  Technology is not an equalizing sphere of society.  Everyone owns a computer, but what percentage can describe how the internet operates?  Technology, in fact, is an area that inherently creates hierarchy and elitism.  In the future this may change - for now, this is how it is.

The public needs to educate itself.  As if we lived back in ancient times where only the upper class could read...everyone must educate themselves.  If you have internet or a public library with internet, you have the means to learn.  Any little aspect of computers you understand is a step forward!  Take that as your starting point, and find out what the next or related step is.  Every piece of knowledge counts.  Learn what you can, so you won't have to trust potentially shady characters. 

I am being serious.  I don't want to see any kind of class system, and yet here we have one on the verge of reality.  Or maybe it's already here.  We would tolerate the abuse of technology less if we had the capability of protecting ourselves.  Should we increase tolerance or capabilities?

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NaNoWriMo: Recap

Nanowrimo is essentially over now.  I lost, but I've come to look on the bright side.  If other obligations had not taken priority during these last couple of weeks, I would have made it to the end.   For a long while I was on top of things, and, in spite of being a losing number, 18922 words in a month is still gold for a slow writer! 

It was an experience packed with surprises.  Not least of all is the fact I'm not ashamed of The Impressionists.  The characters became much more than cardboard cutouts; the plot picked up speed until an outline emerged.  A couple of scenes were practically spine-tingling (if I may humbly say so)!  I managed to squeeze in references to cryptozoology, classical music, German lit, and other rad stuff.  The book flows better than any of my others.  I kept going and didn't get tired of it.

In December I am going to finish it.  Speed writing doesn't scare me anymore.

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Eugene Onegin Read-Along - Schedule

Read more at Tanglewood!

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Eugene Onegin Read-Along?

(reblogged from Tanglewood)

With the New Year coming up and everybody looking at their reading lists for 2014, I have thought of hosting a read-along/book club for Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin.  Would anyone be interested? There are ten chapters, all poetry, so a month would be just about right for reading and discussion.  Maybe January, February, or March?  If you're interested and would consider it, please let me know when would be the best time for you!

Free online editions: 

• Project Gutenberg (trans. Spalding - HTML/Kindle/Epub/Plain text)
• Poetry in Translation

Hard copies: 

• Amazon 
• Barnes & Noble

Free audiobooks:

• Librivox
• Stephen Fry Reads Onegin

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NaNoWriMo notions

Well.

The Impressionists is actually a thing.  I'm about a day behind schedule, or on schedule if you factor in the late start.  Right now, in fact, I am supposed to be working on it, but it seemed like a good moment to drop in and give a verbal update.

Honestly, if it stopped here, I would still be quite happy.  If I ever wrote at this rate before, it was either for an essay or an old fanfic ten years ago.  I just write before I go to bed, and catch up during the day if I have to.  Kind of a flaky schedule, but so far it works.

The book itself is a challenge to see if I really could write a "better love story than Twilight," as the saying goes, which is something I have always speculated but never tried to prove.  The way things are going, I would say this is a case of "equal to but not greater than" in terms of the romantic plot.  On the other hand, the whole "pale brunette naive schoolgirl in Washington state" part is guaranteed authentic.  That's something I just happen to know about (by virtue of being myself) better than Stephenie Meyer or E. L. James.  :P

So that is the inglorious premise...  The sci-fi element is the fun part.  In fact, the more I stare at the concept cover, the more I picture some pterodactyls flying about (because seriously, pterodactyls > cougars).  Sasquatch is supposed to be our local cryptid, but somehow a sasquatch in the book would be less interesting.  Probably because seeing a sasquatch is about as likely as seeing a dinosaur, and in some ways less likely, because your hopes of seeing sasquatch are higher and the probabilities seem higher, and the disappointment is greater, and nobody expects to see a dinosaur....

By the way, did I ever mention the time I dreamed about an entelodont, without knowing what it was?  (Before you Google it, be warned.  Stuff of bad dreams.)

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October in November

"October" is one of twelve piano pieces Tchaikovsky released in 1876, each themed on a particular month and published consecutively in a music magazine.  This is my favorite (slowly learning it), though "June" (Barcarolle) and "December" (Troika) are more well known. 

As if I had nothing else to do, NaNoWriMo started a few days ago.  Oh, yes, this year I joined!  I figured this was my last year to find time for it.  Speed writing is out of my comfort zone, for sure, but that's not a bad thing; in fact, it's good.

Would you believe it, fall quarter is already drawing to an end.  Classes have been intensely frustrating, but now midterms are over things are better.  I'm eagerly anticipating moving ahead.

The other thing I should do is start planning next year's reading.  This was not the best year for books read.  My reading list grew exponentially and my read list only logarithmically.  You see the problem.  (FYI: Fanda is hosting a History Reading Challenge for 2014!)  One year of slacking is ok, but next year I've got to read more.

That's what I'm up to.  How about you?

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Eugene Onegin

Opera review: Eugene Onegin (2013)

Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1879)
The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD
In Russian with English subtitles 

A good opera critic would not let personal feelings get in the way of her review.  Good thing I'm not a good critic.

I was surprised to hear one of between-acts interviewees (if I recall right, the conductor Valery Gergiev), describe Tchaikovsky's music as not sentimental.  There is a meaning of the word, however, that has to do with excess and extravagance, and there I absolutely agree with him.  Eugene Onegin is a quiet opera, nothing like the extremes of Verdi, and the best productions of EO understand that.  This is a best production.

One person dies in the storyline, but the opera goes on.  It is hard to say if there is a hero character, but there is most certainly a heroine.  The harsh, even violent, contrast between realism and fantasy is a fine line in Eugene Onegin, and amazingly, this new production by Deborah Warner is right on target.  I say "amazingly"; well, being mostly dialogue, EO is infamously difficult to stage.  I have tried before to watch the previous Met performance, starring Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Renee Fleming.  That left me extremely bored (not a good thing when you are watching the opera of your favorite book, sung by your favorite baritone).

This production is quite different.  It was surprisingly Wagnerian, the way it kept moving.  The entire beginning of the opera was particularly well-done, with the overture, quartet, and chorus pieces all blended together into one, actually good intro.  There was no carousel of set transformations, but it wasn't woefully minimalist, either.  Instead, the costumes were tasteful, the props were lovely, and every moment was intensely choreographed.  It was like a movie (better than the movie).  It was one of the least "stagey" operas or opera clips I've seen, and it managed to be cinematic without giving up the integrity and artistry of the music.

• Anna Netrebko.  I first heard of her some years back, when she collaborated with violinist Joshua Bell.  I don't listen to sopranos generally, but here it became suddenly clear that casting Tatyana is the most important thing - it is her story, anyways.  Netrebko's singing sounded very heartfelt; she was invested in the role, which you don't see all the time.  She also looked the part, easily portraying Tatyana at both stages of her life.  Five stars just for her. 
• Some were disappointed Hvorostovsky was not cast as Onegin (which part, opposite Netrebko, he sang in Vienna this spring).  To be honest, I think Mariusz Kwiecień is better in this particular role.  Like Tatyana, Onegin has an emotional, vulnerable side - he's only supposed to be twenty-six.  Kwiecień looks much older, but in my book, he aced the character and matched Netrebko's portrayal very effectively in terms of stage presence.  His voice is gold, and in this performance he was totally charming, callous, and tragic...in a word, Onegin.
• Lensky (Piotr Beczala) and Olga (Oksana Volkova) were both excellent.  For some, Lensky's aria was the highlight of the show.  I thought he sang it beautifully, but something about the set/costumes was a little off (maybe anti-climactic?).  
• The whole cast was very good; I was especially impressed by the performances from Elena Zaremba (Mrs. Larina) and Larissa Diadkova (Tatyana's nurse). 

A few more thoughts on the production... I'd had doubts about the Anna Karenina-esque setting, but it did not detract from the story.  Admittedly, it fit into Tchaikovsky's music very well.  Tatyana herself was also wonderfully scripted, as her noble-hearted, unoperatic self.  The seconds of silence at the end were perfection - no flailing or crying, but absolute deliberation, just perfect.  (Proof: the audience was remarkably quiet, too.) 

In short, I left the theater, as another blogger put it, "emotionally drained."  Literally.  It deeply moved me and stuck with me for days.  It was that feeling you get when you read the book for the first time.  It was that good. 

Between acts they played an ad for next year's Werther.  Maybe I will go (because Jonas Kaufmann).  Yet the irony is Eugene Onegin is great because it's not Werther.  EO is so diametrically opposite that it has no character substantially like him, not Onegin and not even Lensky.  Onegin is vastly more endearing than Werther, despite his faults.  I guess that is why Werther must remain in the Romantic Era, and Eugene Onegin, though equally poetic and Byronic, has stayed relevant.  

***

Going out on a limb now - there is a particular issue with these Live in HD screenings I just wanted to mention.  For those of you who have attended these Live in HD shows, what are your thoughts on the following?  Am I just reading into it too much?

In both this and last December's Un Ballo, at least one of the between-acts interviews with the major leads unfolded rather awkwardly.  What happens is that as soon as an act is over - literally minutes after stepping off-stage - the singer is expected to answer questions to the international audience of Live in HD viewers.  This strikes me as somewhat unreasonable.  It is no wonder that after an emotional closing scene, the singer comes into the interview a bit dazed, the Live in HD hostess is put in an awkward situation, and the interview is not very flattering to either of them.  (Again, this is not the case with every singer interviewed, but this has certainly occurred once at both live screenings.)

It might be better if the interviews were prerecorded, instead of conducted live.  In that way, the singer has time to consider the question, and neither s/he nor the hostess is put on the spot.  Live interaction with the audience could then be omitted, or limited to a simple greeting that is much more manageable for all concerned...  Just an idea.  :)

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"Another! No, not to any other..."

I've really been a bad blogger of late - hopefully this post of bullet points will not compound bad with worse!
*  This is week 3/10 of school, and all my classes are incredibly fast-paced.  I haven't had much time or inclination to do any reading, so poor Tanglewood, along with most of my other projects, is indefinitely on hold.
*  Last Saturday was the big day that finally arrived.  I got to see the Met Opera's live streaming of Eugene Onegin with Anna Netrebko and Mariusz Kwiecień.  It was INCREDIBLE, the best production I have seen yet and probably ever will.  So romantic, devastating, and of course poetic (Tchaikovsky - enough said). It will be performed in NY for the next few months; I will try to get up a proper review of some kind later this week.
*  Well, I thought I had a lot of points to write about, but those two are the gist of it. I don't actually have a ton of homework, but I end up spending so much time on it that the net effect is the same.
*   P.S. I moved my art blog to Blogger and have another installment coming up for the OC Origami series...hope to post it soon.

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Biber - violin sonata no. 1, "The Annunciation"

It has been a few years now - can it be so long? - since my last violin lesson, but I still play a bit now and then.  Taking a long break has been a good thing, incredibly refreshing and interesting.

For example, instead of listening to only classical music, I now listen to more genres, weighted heavily toward electronica/synthpop and opera.  The former has really made me look at intonation/tone in a new light, while the operatic expressions and "breaths" - which teachers used to try to teach me - have become easier to understand and implement.

Another benefit of the break - I have given up the shoulder rest, temporarily and perhaps indefinitely.  The shoulder rest is a piece of equipment that fits onto the base of the violin, right under the place where you put your chin; it is mostly hidden from the audience's view, but to a violinist it makes a world of difference.  There was always a sense of insecurity when I tried to "lose" the rest before, but now I think I found the right balance to play without it, certainly for Baroque music.

Baroque music can be very hard to listen to.  This sonata wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, but to me it's a gorgeous piece bringing out the best in Baroque, without sounding like Bach (nothing against Bach!).  Indeed, if you don't care for Bach, you just might like Biber.  [Then there is Vitali, who is even harder to dislike...and also very difficult to play.  ;) ]

I'm trying to teach myself this piece; I like to take it a bit slower, 19th century.  This recording is more era-accurate (17th c.); it is wonderful how the notes ring, and the runs are so light and calm-sounding.  Even back then, composers were into painting imagery with the notes - I think Biber was trying to evoke the angel's disappearance or ascent at the end, much as in parts of Handel's Messiah. 

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Elegant Blogger Award

- When you receive the award, link back to keepcalmandsparkle1099.blogspot.com and the blog that nominated you.  Thanks to Carissa at Musings of an Introvert!
- Display the award button in the post
- Answer all of the 12 questions given in this post (do not make your own questions)
- Nominate 8 bloggers (see below)
- Notify them that they have been awarded.

1.  What made you start blogging?

Well, I guess it really started when a discussion forum I used to be part of basically fizzled out. There had been a great community there, and afterwards I missed talking to people with similar interests.  I finally started blogging in 2009, while watching the new Little Dorrit; one of the best decisions of my life!

2.  What is your fashion style?
I'd like to call it "eminently practical," with a touch of old-fashioned.  :)  I tend to wear untrendy classics - collared blouses, jackets, and sweaters, in neutrals, earthy colors, and blue.  Usually no jewelry.  Love tasteful florals and plaids. You can check out my style board here, though it's more inspirational than descriptive.

3.  What is something none of your followers know about you?
Might have mentioned it before in passing - I have a lot of trouble sitting still and concentrating.  During high school, sometimes I would actually do schoolwork standing up, because it was more comfortable and conducive to focusing on tedious problems.  Fortunately, homeschooling allowed me to stand up and move around whenever I wanted.  It seems much healthier overall than sitting glued down the whole time.

4.  What are some of your blogging goals?
Quality content with more PICTURES.

5.  Where is your favorite place to shop?
Anywhere with self-checkout.  Only partially joking...  Honestly, my favorites are the local grocery store and thrift stores.  For fun "window-shopping" places, Barnes & Noble and Bath & Body Works are another two I like.

6.  What would your ideal amount of blog followers be?
The people who regularly visit and benefit from my blog(s) make up the ideal amount, whatever the number.  I'm honored to be any part of their internet surfing routine, and to me they are real friends!

7.  What are your talents?
I write fiction/poetry pretty well, and my non-fic has earned a few accolades at school.  My second language is classical music/composers/performance.  I can design a decent website in HTML, CSS, and, at long last, PHP.  :)

8.  Are you a leader or a follower?
Most of the time, I end up being the reluctant leader.  I try not to volunteer for it.

9.  What is one of your favorite quotes?
"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."
- Aesop, "The Lion and the Mouse"

10.  Do you have a favorite book or series?
My most favorite is Heart of Darkness, the anti-imperialist classic (in my understanding, it is vehemently anti-racist as well, though some people claim otherwise).  My close second-favorite is Eugene Onegin, which I re-read every year.  You can find my top 10 here!

11.  Out of all the synonyms for elegant, which would you describe yourself with?  (smart -- stylish -- dressy -- graceful -- dainty -- fine)
"Smart" sounds like someone who looks impeccably pulled together; dressy, graceful, dainty, and fine could hardly describe me either.  Stylish is perhaps the least least-accurate, especially since textured hair, natural makeup, and neutral nail polish are supposedly in right now.  That is me all the time...

12.  What is your favorite flower?
I'm afraid if I name one, it will be inadequate to show how crazy I am about flowers.  Besides, I might entirely forget flowers like rhododendron and azalea blossoms, or yellow water lilies (the ones with round petals).  I guess my favorites are generally deep pink or bright yellow.

As is often the case, I have decided not to tag anyone specifically.  However, please feel free to consider yourself tagged!  If you'd rather answer in the comments section than on your blog, that is a perfectly good option as well.

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Change

It came suddenly this year.  Fall in the Pacific Northwest is not always magnificent; the trees are just slowly beginning to turn; the weather, overall, has been alternatively dry and muggy the last few months.  Nonetheless, fall is here and everywhere. It is not so much something you can see - just a thunderclap sense that something has changed.  (Oh, all right, Pumpkin Spice Lattes help...)

*These photos are from earlier this month; we are indeed getting real thunderclaps today!

What a year this has been already!  In a week and a half, my fourth and last year of college begins.  *double-take*  Can it be so soon?

Everybody is asking me what my post-graduation plans are.  Abridged answer is "get a job," but the other day I took time to jot something more thoughtful down in my journal.  Here is the paraphrased version:

• becoming self-sufficient (don't get me wrong, though, my family is the best!)
• pursuing perpetual education (self-taught)
• following God's Will above all
• using my independence, education, ideals, etc., etc., towards the best possible purpose (i.e. previous point)

This summer I had no job, internship, or classes.  It was intensely disappointing, for a variety of reasons.  But ultimately, I realized (for the umpteenth time?) it is silly to compare myself to others.  What was my goal in college?  To get a degree; to get a job with that degree.  So far so good.  It happens I am not a typical comp-sci student and couldn't possibly be.  I have other interests, just as strong and worthy to have majored in.  It's ok.  Comp-sci feels right (I'm quite happy with my choice) but it's not the be all and end all.  There are so many options. 

"The good thing about all of these deliberations, doubts, and possibilities is that I feel something  is changing and happening."  Couldn't say for sure what  is happening, yet, but I'm ready for this academic year.  Wherever you are in your own life, I hope it is a good year for you, too.

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Open letters and whatnot

Dear you,

Your name completely escapes me, but you've long deserved a thank-you.  We were never friends, oddly enough, but the point really is that you told me about Yiruma, which is a big deal now.  There was a time relaxing contemporary piano music would not have been my thing, but (excuse the quote) it is not this day.  In all seriousness, his music has been a blessing to me, and it's largely due to your mentioning him I recognized the name and bothered to listen.  Thank you for spreading the word.

///////

Dear blog readers,

Thank you for sticking by me all this time.  The dilemma of blogging hasn't gone away - let's face it, I have in many ways outgrown all that is gold - but sooner or later it will all be sorted out.  Meanwhile, it makes me glad to know there are people reading it (I have looked at my blog on bloglovin', so I know who some of you excellent people are), and getting something out of it.

///////

It's almost two a.m.., so apologies if any of this is incoherent.  I spent most of the day cross-stitching and listening to political commentary.  I have not cross-stitched in ages and eras, so getting back into it this past week is a bit shocking mentally.  It is like repetitive games; the level of intense focus and, at the same time, freedom to think about other topics is remarkable.  I recommend cross-stitch kits, with reservations: they are incredibly addictive.

I haven't blogged about writing since February.  You might have wondered, what's up with that?  I don't know.  I don't know what's up with a lot of things, but it's ok.  I still work on my novels, if infrequently.  In fact, my main book in progress is coming up to the scene that inspired it.  (Silly, but I ought to have written that part first!  It won't be too different now, but surely not as good...)

It is best to blog about real life as objectively as possible, the good and the bad equally.  Anyway, I have blogged before about sadness, so hopefully it is not ostentatious to say that things are really good right now.  And I'm extremely happy, the kind of down-to-earth giddy happiness that seems like it could never be divided up or put into boxes - infinite happiness. 

It should be unsettling, having doubts and concerns about things in my life (like writing).  Sometimes, though, there comes the ability to just smile at uncertainty; you can even say, does it matter?  Marcus Aurelius (the only philosopher I am qualified to quote) had a Stoic notion for that.  His idea is that hurt (or to broaden the concept, negativity) does not exist unless you allow it to.  Of course this is idealistic and simplistic, but sometimes - more often than not - it is practicable. 

Well, I'll let that train of thought fizzle out, because it is by no mean the origins of happiness, and I wouldn't want it to appear that way.  Perspective helps, though.  It's not everything, but it can catalyze real change.

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The Virginian TV series (mega!) review

Aaahh, where to start?  The Virginian is my favorite TV show, even more than Star Trek Next Gen.  And here's why (extra credit if you have the patience to read a rambling review).

Background (semi-important)

A few years back, some of my family members were in a classic/pre-Eastwood Westerns phase.  They loved it, and...I tried.  My attempts were episodes from Bonanza, Gunsmoke (many, many episodes), Zorro's Fighting Legion, The Big Valley (part of an episode), High Noon, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, etc.  I never warmed up to John Wayne or his characters, so that was no recommendation to the genre.  While I liked Along Came Jones (a comedy) and Wagon Train, neither of them made me a fan of Westerns per se.*

One day Dad got The Virginian season 3 from the library.  We were still watching Wagon Train, and I wasn't excited about starting a new Western series, at its third season, too.  Ironically, S3 ep. 1 introduces my favorite character - and as we later found out, S1 ep. 1 is one of the worst episodes.  Starting with S3 turned out to be a good move; we have watched other seasons in the following order: 4, 1, 2, 5, 9 (partially watched), 6.  Chronology is not a big deal here, though I would recommend starting with S2.

This is one of the few shows our whole (picky?) family enjoys.  6.5 seasons of 90 min. episodes is probably a record of patience/dedication for us, and the fact we are still looking forward to seasons 7 & 8 (when the library gets them) is kind of amazing.  If that weren't enough - I love classic Westerns now!

Characters

The show should be called "Shiloh Ranch."  Close to the respectable town of Medicine-Bow, Wyoming (late 1800s), Shiloh is one of the biggest, most prosperous cattle ranches in the area.

Lee J. Cobb as Judge Garth (L), James Drury
as The Virginian (R). Photo by NBC TV.

"The Virginian" - who goes by no other name - is the ranch's practical, fair-minded foreman.  He does not actually feature in many of the episodes; in fact, he holds onto his reputation as a mysterious drifter, while putting his whole heart and loyalty into his beloved Shiloh.  As long as he believes in Shiloh, he stays there indefinitely, keeping a good watch over the ranch and the growing town.

Another main character is Trampas.  Trampas is the Virginian's top hand, but his frequent witty humor and good-natured swagger don't always win him the bossman's approval.  He's a skilled and dependable cowhand, suffering only from his doubtful success with the pretty girls in town, and the occasional boredom with his day job at Shiloh. Like the Virginian, he has come to adopt the ranch as his home, and he can never bring himself to leave it for good (at least, not for long).

Doug McClure as Trampas
(photo by NBC)

Throughout the series, the cast changes, while the roles remain basically the same.  The stubborn yet conscientious owner of Shiloh is first Judge Garth, then later Morgan Starr, John Grainger (the best IMO), and Clay Grainger (along with his wife Holly).  Judge Garth has a daughter Betsy, who is naive but well-meaning (and loves horses and new dresses); Lizzy Grainger (S5), John's grandaughter, is very similar.  Lizzy's brother Stacey creates a new role as a sort of gentleman-cowboy and dutiful grandson.  There are MANY other great recurring characters, like cowhands Steve, Belden, and Randy, and Sheriff Abbott.  To name a few.  I think we've come to like all  the characters, for different reasons!

The one I left out is lawman Emmett Ryker (mostly S3-S4); he's my very favorite.  Just throwing it out there...

While we're not always fans of guest characters, The Virginian does feature a lot of actors and actresses from back in the day, many of whom we recognize from other Westerns and classic TV shows.  As a Trekkie, I was excited to see Spock, Kirk, and Bones in some of the episodes, and Han Solo also stars in a season 5 episode.

Story

(photo by NBC)

Shows like Gunsmoke and Wagon Train are pretty easy to summarize.  The Virginian, however, being a show on such a big scale with a good diversity of characters/settings, takes just about every classic Western plot you can imagine (and then some) and makes it an episode.  Outlaws, drifters, range disputes, court cases, chase scenes, moral dilemmas, mistaken identity, romance, humor, tragedy, adventure, etc., this show covers a pretty decent bit of subject matter.  On the downside, that means some episodes only have one or two of the main characters in them.  The plus side is that you can watch all these seasons without finding them utterly predictable (there are some repeated plotlines, but they are extraordinarily few).

Given its age and budget, the sets and filming are quite good.  Both Shiloh and Medicine-Bow feel like familiar places you want to go to.  The costumes are often over-the-top (60s influence), but there are glimmerings of historical accuracy.

Speaking of historical accuracy - like Star Trek, The Virginian tries to promote multiculturalism and racial equality.  Unfortunately (also like Star Trek), it falls into the unintentional and woeful trap of stereotypes (not that the white characters are not also stereotyped, but they are less so).  Some people may also view the Shiloh owners' benevolence as unrealistic - well, if you don't believe charitable "capitalists" exist, this is not the show for you.  ;)  There are many avaricious ranchers portrayed, though, and plenty without principles.

The one season I don't recommend to anyone is season 9.  It is a revamped version called "The Men from Shiloh" and pretty cheesy and dreadful compared to The Virginian.  Seriously, avoid it, avoid it.

Returning to the storyline again: what makes it great are the recurring themes.  Honesty, sense of duty, defending people treated unjustly, loyalty (but not blind loyalty), upholding the law, and avoiding bloodshed as much as possible.  Revenge, a big motif in many Westerns, is not as much of a focus for The Virginian's good guys.  The fragility of a "civilized" West and the importance of peace are two of the driving themes, giving you a sense of closure/resolution in the show as a whole, plus a major reason to like the characters.

Content

This is a pretty squeaky-clean Western, even by classic TV standards.  It has its share of gunfights, fistfights, and farming accidents, but there are many episodes focused simply on the story and characters.  There is no cussing to speak of and there's lots of clean, actually funny humor.  Consistency is one of its strengths; there are fewer dumb/cheesy episodes than you typically see in other series.  It could be argued the Wild West is here portrayed as too clean and gentle.  Don't watch it for historical accuracy, then - watch it for the escapism, the old-fashioned characters, and a welcome relief from the many other more gritty Westerns.

So, basically...

...if you want to like old Westerns, then give The Virginian a try.  It won't make you a John Wayne fan, but it will help you appreciate the classic Western tradition, which is what his roles were about.  You just might love this series, too!

---

* I wrote these mini reviews a while back:

Bonanza - The plots were lukewarm entertaining.  The characters were not very interesting, and according to my family (who are more informed), most of the romantic interests get killed off.

Gunsmoke - I liked Marshal Matt Dillon a lot.  He is definitely a character with a conscience.  But, as the scriptwriters would have it, there is constant carnage in this series.  Practically every episode involves a nasty shootout and lots of dying, and Matt Dillon, despite his reluctance, is generally in the thick of it.  The plots are very predictable and often involve some lunatic coming to Dodge City.  It all gets old and wearisome.  (In fact, the intro to the series shows a cemetery and/or a shootout--an apt summary.)  A real shame, since the main character is likeable.

Wagon Train - This is the best of these three.  The plots and settings are a tad repetitive, but with a visibly small budget, they still made an effort.  There is less gratuitous violence than in Gunsmoke.  The more you watch it, the more you enjoy it.  I think its main fault is an unusual lack of main characters--there are only two, and sometimes just one, with the focus being more on guest characters. 

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Star Trek: Into Darkness movie review

Disclaimer: I missed the ending, due to poor planning . . . however, I know the gist of it and want to write this review with first impressions fairly fresh in my head.

So, initially I had no interest in watching a new casting/scripting of Star Trek, especially with the original characters.  After its release, I heard good things about it and eventually went by my lonesome out of bored curiosity.  (And failed to allow enough time to see the grand ending.)

The script spends so much time reintroducing Spock et al that the plot's details are pretty much cough-and-you-miss-them.  You can bet your bottom dollar that it involves a young Captain Kirk breaking rules to stop John Harrison (spoiler in white:  KHAAAAAN) from terrorizing Earth. This is set before the days of Picard diplomacy, so many chase scenes and action sequences - benefiting from the big screen - take place before the end.  Another spoiler: I missed the Spock vs. Khan duel and left right after Kirk supposedly died and Spock, in one of many emotional moments, epically yelled Khan's name.  That really should have been the ending right there; it was the best part!

As you might guess, I have quibbles about the script.  Too much cussing; it wasn't what is rated "strong," but it really dumbed down the film.  Kirk and Spock act like smart-alecks at the beginning, which discredits them both (yes, Kirk, too).  Thirdly, I can scarcely get past the fact that, though the Enterprise has come a long ways from the original's cardboard-esque sets, the old stereotypical portrayals of characters are still there.  Chekhov's exaggerated Russian accent, check....Kirk's cute-smart-objectified-crush, check.  Kind of shocking.  To a point, I also agree with some of the criticism (spoiler-related) of casting Cumberbatch as Harrison (as much as I am a fan of BC, and as much as he did a truly excellent job).  Overall, I had to try too hard to like the script; the effects and music were more fun.

That said...it fits the recipe for a very good Star Trek film.  Basically, it's comparable to the original films I-III, with enough to make you groan but also, somehow, enough to make it worth a Trekkie's while.  It might be that one scene I loved, plus the awe-inspiring effects, plus the soundtrack, plus the exciting (though dubiously advisable) save-the-world storyline.  The revamped original characters aren't too bad, either; I was impressed by the cast's impersonations of the classic actors everyone knows so well (one original actor has a cameo, too!).  I wouldn't buy it, but I'm looking forward to seeing it on DVD, with the full ending, of course.

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Moby Dick (2011): Call me Bored

I was so keyed up to find out that the library had Moby Dick (2011).  New cinematography, new CGI, new costumes - what could be more amazing, right?  Nobody else in my family was interested, but I popped disc 1 into my laptop and settled down for a good show.

Only to be thoroughly underwhelmed.  I don't know if I even watched half of this miniseries.  It is hard to pinpoint what is so bad about it, but there are three things that stood out to me:

1)  This is a TV production.  The problem is not a low budget and poor design, but, rather, a good budget and excellent design not used to their full potential.  The costumes and sets are nice, but they look like costumes and sets.  Very contrived.

2) The script is pretty lame.  For example: Father Mapple's "Jonah" sermon is shortened (as I would expect in a movie), but it completely fails to mention God giving Jonah a second chance.  Queequeg observes it was too late for Jonah, "eaten" by a fish, to learn his lesson, which Ishmael thinks is funny. This joke falls flat if you know the whole story of Jonah, or, ahem, read the book... 

3) Captain Ahab is everywhere, but he has no stage presence.  Oddly enough, I think he is more like book!Ahab than Gregory Peck's version.  Still, he is less mysterious here than he is in the book.  We get to see him very early on in this show, as opposed to the book/old film where he doesn't show up until later.  Kind of anticlimactic.

Things I liked.  Well, the filmmakers added an interesting aspect to the story: a sort of friendship/camaraderie between Ahab and Ishmael.  Also, I liked Mrs Ahab (played by Gillian Anderson, aka Lady Dedlock in Bleak House); she seemed like a very real character, especially for one mentioned only in passing in the book.  Thirdly, I liked how the people of different ethnicities were portrayed as people, not just "characters."  While the book contains some seemingly racist elements, I think that the international aspect of the Moby-Dick story translates well to this adaptation.  The fact that men from different countries united under Ahab's will and rule is an important, symbolic point. 

Content-wise...  They show Queequeg naked from the back, and they come a little too close to showing him from the front, too.  Just skip the scene where he meets Ishmael. 

I LOVE the book and I have patience to watch long productions, but this one wasn't worth it, and it had nothing to do with length.  Save yourself the disappointment and watch an old classic like the 1956 version, or even The Old Man and the Sea, instead.

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Victorian "usernames"

Have you ever wondered what the Victorians - if having a computer in their possession - would choose for their usernames?  A year or two ago, I read Lewis Carroll's A Tangled Tale, an entertaining set of logic/math puzzles published serially in a magazine.  Readers of the magazine would submit their best answers and guesses to Carroll, who would respond in the answer key.  What struck me was that their pseudonyms (and I post here a selection) sounded remarkably like prototypes for internet forum members.  What do you think - and which are your favorites? 

Alphabetical Phantom
An Ancient Fish
Bog-Oak
Bo-Peep
Bradshaw of the Future
Cheshire Cat
A Christmas Carol
Common Sense
Dinah Mite
Duckwing
Galanthus Nivalis Major
Knot I
Mad Hatter
Money Spinner
A Mother's Son
Mrs. Sairey Gamp
Old Cat
Old King Cole
Rags and Tatters
A Ready Reckoner
The Red Queen
Scrutator
Sea Breeze
Seven Old Men
The Shetland Snark
Spear Maiden
Three-Fifths Asleep
Vis Inertiae
Waiting for the Train
Yahoo
Yak

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Raid on Entebbe (1977) movie review

Entebbe Airport (actual photo, not a film screencap)

Interestingly enough, Raid on Entebbe was filmed and released soon after the real-world event that inspired it: Operation Entebbe.  From Britannica's entry:

Entebbe raid, (July 3–4, 1976), rescue by an Israeli commando squad of 103 hostages from a French jet airliner hijacked en route from Israel to France. After stopping at Athens, the airliner was hijacked on June 27 by members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Red Army Faction (a West German radical leftist group) and flown to Entebbe, Ugan., where they were joined by additional accomplices . . . In response, Israel, on July 3, dispatched four Hercules C-130H cargo planes carrying 100–200 soldiers and escorted by Phantom jet fighters.

If I were to describe this film briefly, it would be "historical drama done right."  Between Titanic sentimentalism and Lincoln stoicism, I'll always vote for stoic facts, since it is in subtle scriptwriting that you can really feel history.  This film tends toward the factual approach, though not in an emotionless way.

Raid on Entebbe is generally regarded as historically accurate.  It avoids creating elaborate backstories for the people it depicts, instead focusing on the innocent civilian victims of terrorism and the incredible rescue led by Brig. Gen. Dan Shomron (well portrayed by Charles Bronson).  The script maintains a good balance between action and realistic buildup; the costumes and cinematography tend towards realism as well.  In this way, you are brought straight to the point of these events, and what you see comes across as fairly convincing, without too much Hollywood to distract.

The human side to this quasi-documentary is just enough to make you care, in the way you would sympathize for the real-life victims.  The passengers are ordinary people, people holding onto a quiet courage under the tedium of uncertainty.  Michel Bacos, the French pilot, chooses to stand by them instead of accepting his release. The disappearance of the elderly woman, Dora Bloch, is heartbreaking (as well as factually correct).  You don't have to invent melodrama to film a historical event - as Raid on Entebbe shows, the reasons for caring about these people are all there in the original.

What about the hijackers?  They seem to be fairly portrayed, as far as their actual deeds allow.  Idi Amin, president-dictator of Uganda, is depicted in a few scenes.  (He is worth reading about; this article from the BBC is a good place to start.)

5 out of 5 stars.  Suitable for family/older kids viewing (due to the subject matter, there are scenes of crossfire).

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To Kill a Mockingbird movie review

This summer my sister and I both read To Kill a Mockingbird.  Our favorite genres tend to differ from each other, but this was a book we both enjoyed.  Afterwards, we watched the classic 1962 adaptation, a first for us both.

The story is told from the perspective of Scout Finch and her brother Jem, whose blissful, surreal childhoods are interrupted by a controversial court case.  The accused is Tom Robinson, a black man alleged to have raped a white girl; the lawyer defending Tom is Scout and Jem's father, Atticus.  Atticus's personal convictions about race and justice make the Finches' hometown of Maycomb uncomfortable, setting the family against many of their neighbors.  Those who agree with him wish him well, but are reluctant to speak out.  As the trial approaches, public hostility grows, and Atticus must decide how far he will risk their threats to keep on fighting for Tom's life, and his own unpopular beliefs.

The movie is beautifully filmed and scripted.  It combines the old black-and-white film style with 60s "artsy" cinematography, which I think fits the story's mood well.  Modern color cinematography could be used to excellent effect in a remake - but then, you wouldn't have the original casting.  I really liked Mary Badham as Scout and John Megna as her friend Dill.  Brock Peters' portrayal of Tom Robinson was really moving, and, as others have said, Gregory Peck is Atticus Finch.  One of my favorite actors from old-school Hollywood, Peck is good at playing angelic characters with a certain credibility and humble dignity.  Under the glasses and "everyman" clothes, he looked the part of Atticus, too.

By Dominic Sherony [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

This adaptation really tries to stay close to the book.  While the script is accurate enough, it suffers from the two-hour time constraint.  Some of the scenes, such as the classic "mad dog" scene, are too short to convey their complete psychological importance.  Minor scenes like the visit to Calpurnia's church - indeed, most of Calpurnia's scenes - were not included, which is especially unfortunate since she was one of my favorite characters.  The book takes you on a rich reading experience; you really get inside Scout's head, and Maycomb, with all its quirks and gray characters, grows up out of the pages, a complex character in itself.  I think that understanding Maycomb is essential to understanding the story, so it could be argued that a two-hour adaptation falls short from the start. 

Still, To Kill a Mockingbird is a worthy classic film with the book's fundamental storyline and message, so it gets 5 out of 5 stars.  I will definitely rewatch it in the future, and being more distanced from the book will no doubt help me appreciate the film even more.

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