Three Obsessions of the Week

1. Sophie's World: My latest bit of reading material is quite the page turner for anyone interested in the world of philosophy. It's actually a fantasy story about a young girl named Sophie who starts getting mysterious philosophical messages from a stranger. The book acts as an entertaining story as well as a history about philosophy starting from the Greeks and ending with todays. Each chapter is meant to make you think about the world today as it relates to philosophy from the beginning. Think of it as an entertaining text book.



2. Legend of the Guardians : Although 3-D still has a long way to go to impress me, I found this film to be one of the best uses of the technology, even to rival "Avatar". It's an animated story but is rather dark, for some reason the animation reminded me of the old Don Bluth films of the 80s ("The Secret of Nimh", "An American Tale") The animals in this film along with Bluth's films always had a more sinister look to them much different to Disney or even Pixar. I recommend this film to anyone who wants to see a good 3-D movie.



3. Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks: My favorite Dylan album and one I thought was lost forever in my collection. I found it the other day and kept playing it. The album was made in the mid-seventies, Dylan was approaching middle age and was in the midst of a nasty break-up with his wife Sara. The songs are powerful and there's something about Dylan's voice in this era that I like so much. Lyrics and music of this magnitude is hard to come by.

A New Season, New Beginnings

Summer is gone, it was so fleeting, I'm left once again forging ahead like everyone as the temperature drops and the snow drifts in.

There is a change in the air, and it's not just coming from the season. Pretty soon, I will be moving out of my house, the place I've called home for the past two years, and will be moving into a new place with a new roommate.

The move is rather bittersweet as I've been waiting for this day to finally happen especially since our landlords have been screwing us with rent since we signed our last lease, plus they have barely lifted a finger to fix anything around our house.

Still I was sharing the place with two of my best friends and some of the memories in this house with them are the things I will remember the most.

I've taken to some life changes this season as well, I've decided to take the advice of Thoreau and simplify. I will start by selling my car, it's become a nuisance, I've put too much money into it, yet there always seems to be a never ending oil leak that despite my best efforts doesn't ever seem to get sealed. It's like having my own BP oil well, except the only person it effects is myself.

I've taken to going for long walks, and when my car is sold, I will probably purchase a bike which will get me by until the snow comes, then public transportation will suit me fine. I have been warned, but you don't know what a load off my mind not worrying about my car breaking down again.

Another bit of bittersweet news, but I sense my days in Red Deer are numbered, I have one last job left, directing "It's a Wonderful Life" for the Matchbox, then I feel there's nothing left keeping me here. It's kinda sad, I've built a small life here in Red Deer, all my friends are here, my family is here, but it's time to move on. I feel like I've been postponing the inevitable for long enough, I don't want to leave, but there doesn't seem to be much of a future.

I've been thinking of moving to Calgary or Edmonton, particularly Edmonton as I have cousins living there who I'd like to build a relationship with. We've had multiple tragedies with the family over the summer, and I really want to get close to them, plus my family has never been close, I feel it would be good.

I feel like I'm in a good place, I'm starting to realize what makes me happy, I've been doing more writing both as a playwright and on my own, it's something I want to do more of. I also want to make a film, I feel I have so much knowledge about filmmaking, it would be a great regret if I waisted that.

Acting has become less and less an ambition, more than often I've been tired of doing projects I haven't been passionate about, doing roles that no longer interest me, the hunger just doesn't seem to be there anymore.

I still like performing, but I want to do things my own way, and if that's writing my own material, or just doing something because I want to do it, then that's the way I want to do it, it may not be the way to get famous but that no longer interests me.

I will always consider myself an artist, there's nothing more I like better than art and what it can do to you when it really effects you.

There's still so much more about the world that I want to explore and discover, also about myself.

I think I'm in a good place, maybe it's the fact that I will be 30 soon, I've become more reflective, maybe I've just started to figure life out, all I know is I don't want to stop learning and seeking out more possibilities.

Three Obsessions of the Week

1. Before Sunrise/Before Sunset: When romance works in movies, it's a beautiful thing, these two films should be seen with someone you love, forget all the rotten Katherine Hegel romantic comedies of today, rent or buy these two movies and fall in love.



2. Ida Lupino in "They Drive by Night": Lupino is like one of the great screen sirens of our time, but she was also much more. Back when women weren't getting work as filmmakers, she broke the barriers and directed many memorable film noirs. She was also a great actress, I most recently saw her breakthrough role in "The Drive By Night", where she steals the film from stars George Raft and Humphrey Bogart. Her final courtroom scene where she cracks up is stellar.



3. Against Interpretation and other essays: By Susan Sontag: I have heard the name Susan Sontag but never really knew what she did. I saw this book in Chapters one day and remembered the name and thought to pick it up to see what she's all about. In this collection of essays made by Sontag in the 1960s, she discusses many forms of art and how it should be perceived. Her main discussions focus on literature, theatre, and film. Sontag's writing seems sometimes above my head, I don't always know what she's talking about, plus many of the books and plays are ones I've either have never seen or never heard of before, but she is a passionate voice about art and some of her essays are opening up a new way I see things.

My Summer Book Reviews!!!

Well summer is pretty much all over, it's the day after Labour Day and while it isn't really technically over, the days are getting shorter, the leaves have begun to fall, the kids are back at school, and that chill is back in the air. So I proclaim the summer season to be officially over, kinda sad. As you may remember if you are a faithful reader of this blog, a while ago at the beginning of the summer season I wrote down the books I intended to read during the summer months. I admit I may have been a bit too ambitious, but I really wanted to read as much as I can, most of the reason was because I love to read, but also I have a huge library of books that have been on my shelf for years and I still haven't gotten around to reading them, my problem is I just keep on buying new books.

There were 8 books on my list that I was going to read, with a few more just in case I finished the others in record time. I was however unable to finish the 8 books on my list and only was able to finish 6 (I blame "Lost"!) But despite the setback, I must admit all the books I read were thoroughly enjoyable and couldn't have been more different from the others, so without further adieu, here are my thoughts of the books I read over the summer.



The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: By Mark Twain What better book to start off with than probably the quintessential summer story. Reading "Tom Sawyer" actually began for me back in the sixth grade, when I was supposed to read it for class; strangely enough however, I stopped reading it when I was only 90 pages away from finishing, I supposed my mind was on other things back then. I always wanted to go back to finish the book, so finally I have. I'm sure everyone knows the name Tom Sawyer who shares the same kind of fame as Twain's other creation Huckleberry Finn. The story is pretty much about the innocent trouble a young boy gets into. Tom Sawyer isn't really a bad kid, he just likes doing things kids like to do. I found the book utterly charming and I love Twain's way of writing, it's so funny and he seems to love his characters, I found the best time to read this was on a lazy, hot, summer day.



Franny and Zooey: By J.D. Salinger J.D. Salinger has become one of my favorite writers after reading "The Catcher in the Rye", and "Nine Stories" earlier this year. "Franny and Zooey" just seemed to be the logical step for my further exploration into his stories. The book is actually two stories, the shorter one primarily focuses on Franny, and the second one is on her brother Zooey. The two of them are a part of Salinger's Glass family who's different members have their own stories written by him. The two stories are brilliant little pieces, and I love Salinger's use of dialogue, it's almost as if I were reading a play sometimes rather than a book, since he uses dialogue a lot. Franny and Zooey are a wonderful duo and I suspect anyone who has a sibling they are close to will love this book.



Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: By J.K. Rowling I finally finished the literary phenomenon of the century. I've read the other Harry Potter books and thoroughly enjoyed them, I actually bought this book way back when it was first released, and I actually thought I was going to read it right away. I'm not sure why I didn't, things just kept getting in the way. Perhaps I got interested in other types of stories and the whole world of Harry Potter no longer interested me as it once did. Still I wanted to finish the saga, and the book was always there staring me in the face, so I finally read it. That being said, I was fully satisfied with the ending, (SPOILER) I didn't want Harry to die, and I never really thought he was going to, I never really understood those people who thought he would, Harry's the hero. However when he does die for that small moment and reconnects with Dumbledore it was quite touching. I wouldn't say Harry Potter is as emotional to me as it is with others, but it was good escapist entertainment for the summer.



Little Dorrit: By Charles Dickens Perhaps my favorite book I read over the summer, but I could be a little biased, it is after all written by the man who I consider was the greatest writer who ever lived. In "Little Dorrit", Dickens perhaps outdoes himself with the large cast of characters, I never count how many characters are in his books, but this must be one of his most. The story concerns a young girl who is raised by her father in a debtor's prison. Her father was put away there 25 years ago and it is the only home she knows. A young man takes an interest in her and tries to get her father out of prison. I've written about Dickens before and why I love his books, he has such a great way of describing his scenery, and the people in it, he also has a charming sense of humour, his characters remain most eccentric and lovable. His books may be on the long side at times, but it's like a feast for the mind, his worlds are worlds I love to go to time and time again. To read "Little Dorrit" is like returning to a world I know and love so well.



The Wrong Side of Paris: By Honore De Balzac Probably the most obscure title I read this summer, even one that may not be recognizable for people who know Balzac's work, certainly not for me. By chance, I happen to be glancing in a bookstore in Edmonton when I came upon it, I read the synopsis and found it interesting. The story takes place in Paris not too long after the French Revolution, it concerns a young man of 30 who becomes disillusioned with life, but by chance falls in with a group of good Samaritans who remain anonymous to the people they help. Perhaps it was the fact that I was going to be 30 this year I thought the book would be an interesting read. I read it and for a long time it stayed with me, it deals with past of some of these Samaritans and what brought them to do this in their lives. I found the subject very contemporary, and you could sense that Balzac was trying to depict what the feelings of many Frenchmen were like after the revolution.



Stories: By Anton Chekhov I just finished this yesterday, even though I haven't read many short stories, I find the ones by Anton Chekhov to be the most relevant to me. Perhaps more than any other writer, I think his sensibilities speak the most to my own. However, that being said, Chekhov is probably not the best writer to choose on a nice summer day. I found many of his earlier stories very sad, but always full of humanity and warmth. "A Boring Story" is perhaps the saddest story I've ever read which concerns a dying man who comes to the realization that his life doesn't amount to anything. I also found his "The Fidget" very touching as well which deals with a young woman who takes his husband for granted and does not realize how much she loves him till it's too late. There's also "Ward No. 6" about a Doctor who only finds solace in conversation with a patient in an insane asylum, in the end, his colleagues deem him crazy as well and put him in the asylum where he dies. However it's not all doom and gloom, Chekhov seems to be more romantic in his later years and maybe a little bit more hopeful. "The Student" which is very short but is probably his most optimistic story, and then there is "The Fiancee" about a young woman who decides she wants more to life than getting married, although her freedom comes as a price, yet the ending remains cautiously optimistic. Probably the most famous story is "The Lady with the Little Dog" which describes the love affair between a middle aged man and a younger married woman. The story is quite touching particularly when you discover that it's the first time this middle aged man has ever felt real love. Chekhov remains one of my favorite writers, he goes for universal themes, they are sometimes hard to take, but it's always worth it, much like life.

Three Obsessions of the Week

It's been over a month since I last did a "Three Obsessions" list, for those of you who read this blog consistently, I apologize, I'll try not to fall behind again.

1. Stories by Anton Chekhov: Expect a thorough review of all the books I read over the summer, with this one probably being my last one to finish before labour day. Chekhov is one of my favorite writers, and the one that sort of fits the change of the season, he's sort of not the writer you expect to go with summer, but autumn is more his style. I'm enjoying his stories immensely.



2. The Films of the Coen Brothers I've been sort of having a Coen Brothers marathon. I started at the beginning of the summer with their earlier films, than I took a break and now moved on to their latter day career. I even watched the one Coen Brothers movie I've never seen before: "The Ladykillers", it wasn't all that great, but it does have a few touches I as a Coen fan appreciated.



3. It's a Wonderful Life Radio Play: Speaking of the end of the summer and the change of season, Christmas is fast approaching and I am just getting started putting together this play at The Matchbox theatre in Red Deer. I just had my first real sit down meeting for it yesterday, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed but excited at the same time. I know this will be in my head for awhile so I might as well get used to it.

My Lost Experience

Summer is winding down, it's been rather disappointing weather-wise and movie-wise. I'm a movie buff, and there's nothing more annoying than a summer with such weak uninteresting movies. What does a man do, but turn to television.

For those of you who read this blog on a regular basis know that I started the summer watching "Dr. Who" which is like the coolest thing I ever experienced, but after "Dr. Who" was over, I was still starved for my next summer type show. I've heard by practically everyone I know that I should start watching "Lost".

I gave "Lost" a bit of a chance a while ago, my roommates bought season one on DVD and I started watching it with them. We watched about three or four episodes and I just couldn't get into it; my roommates on the other hand couldn't stop watching it; often I knew if it was on if I was in my room and below me, I could hear on the tv the deep voice say "Previously on Lost..."

I didn't think I was ever going to get into it, but finally this summer, I dived right in, and I must admit, I did get hooked. I probably wouldn't have started watching it if my co-workers weren't doing it at the same time. They were watching season one, and since I was living out at work most of the time, I would borrow a disc as it became available to me.

At the end of season one, I wasn't quite convinced of the hype surrounding the show, it ended with Jack and Locke opening a hatch and looking inside it. Personally I didn't think the hatch was all that mysterious, but I continued watching.

I think I liked the show not so much of the mystery surrounding it, (although later on I was intrigued) but I was invested in the emotional core of the characters and their situations. To me, the show started resembling a Dickens novel, it was about a wide variety of characters who are all brought together through fate or coincidence, in other words just what Dickens did.

Dickens after all was a popular writer and originally his books would be released only chapters at a time in magazines, people had to wait until the next publication to see what happened next. "Lost" pretty much worked on the same principle, all I can say is thank God for tv on DVD, I don't think I could make it if the I watched it regularly every week on regular television.

"Lost" became my summer movie experience, it was just what I wanted from the movie theatres but I was at home watching it on tv. By the time I made it to the season five cliffhanger, which itself had better production design than most Hollywood movies produced, I was literally at the edge of my seat.

I have now finished "Lost" the entire series, I am satisfied, I'm not sure what to think about the who mythology of the Island, it being a huge cork that keeps all the evil from spreading over the world, but emotionally I was not disappointed. I felt a connection with all of the characters and I loved seeing them all come together in the end.

The unanswered questions don't bother me so much, if they were to attempt to answer everything, it might've become a bit too convoluted, I'm willing to just accept the mystery that was the Island, and perhaps I'll return to it again in time, for now, I'll leave you with this, Desmond was so full of awesomeness, to "Lost" I'll say "See you in another life brotha".