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enthusiastickHello journal. How are you? I've missed you, sort of. We have a lot of catching up to do.
For those who haven't caught up with recent developments, I am once again among the ranks of the employed. I started temping through an agency a while back. Through them I now have a good if un-thrilling assignment working for a research company here in Cambridge, hopefully for the next few months. I have not shaken from my conviction that the world owes me a living, but a guy's gotta eat, so its back to the salt mines for me, at least for the time being.
For a long time I fixated on the notion of going back to work. On what a relief it would be, because so much of my stress seemed to revolve around not having any money. And being ashamed, of course, that sort of deep fundamental shame that comes only when you know your parents aren't proud of your choices. And while those burdens have certainly started to lift, I apparently underestimated how much of my worry was tied up in feeling adrift, as though I am spinning my wheels. Temping may be good for my budget but it doesn't solve that other problem at all, and of course working comes packaged with a few stresses all its own. On balance I'm doing better than I have been, but unsurprisingly just going back to work did not instantly solve all of my problems.
The rest of my life remains much the same as it ever has. I still have a LARP post in the backlog, and its grown pretty massive at this point, as it covers highlights from three full-weekend events this Fall. Legends is some good boffer LARPing. And there's at least a half dozen other developments worth mentioning. I posted some thoughts about old television a while back, but there's been a lot of development on the new television front (Heroes, Studio 60 and Torchwood most notably.) And its not as though the old television world has been static in the interrim; Gilmore Girls keeps kicking me when I'm down and Battlestar Galactica has hit the ground sprinting ever since the season premiere. I'm sure I'll get to touching on some if not all of these things in time.
Generally I separate movie reviews out into their own posts. But in order to feel as though I've posted something of substance, let me make mention of:
The Prestige -- 4 stars -- I hardly even know where to begin praising this movie. Its got a stellar cast, obviously, and it uses them all to good effect (of particular note is David Bowie taking a turn as Nikolai Tesla so engaging I barely noticed his unconcealed heterochromia.) The framing devices are folded in on themselves a little intricately, but they straighten out pretty clearly well before the story reaches its climax. This movie delivers on all fronts. I walked out of the theater brimming over with how well the total package fit together, putting across a simple message with crystal clarity while actively encouraging the reader to unpack that deceptive simplicity into oodles of complexity and nuance.
And, as I mentioned to my fellow theater patrons, the film bore at least a passing conceptual resemblance to Primer. Obviously no one has ever steered wrong by reminding me of that movie, as its one of my quiet favorites. So I'm happy I listened to everyone and went to see The Prestige. Next on the list of movies I absolutely have to see ohmygod right NOW is Borat -- anyone interested?
For those who haven't caught up with recent developments, I am once again among the ranks of the employed. I started temping through an agency a while back. Through them I now have a good if un-thrilling assignment working for a research company here in Cambridge, hopefully for the next few months. I have not shaken from my conviction that the world owes me a living, but a guy's gotta eat, so its back to the salt mines for me, at least for the time being.
For a long time I fixated on the notion of going back to work. On what a relief it would be, because so much of my stress seemed to revolve around not having any money. And being ashamed, of course, that sort of deep fundamental shame that comes only when you know your parents aren't proud of your choices. And while those burdens have certainly started to lift, I apparently underestimated how much of my worry was tied up in feeling adrift, as though I am spinning my wheels. Temping may be good for my budget but it doesn't solve that other problem at all, and of course working comes packaged with a few stresses all its own. On balance I'm doing better than I have been, but unsurprisingly just going back to work did not instantly solve all of my problems.
The rest of my life remains much the same as it ever has. I still have a LARP post in the backlog, and its grown pretty massive at this point, as it covers highlights from three full-weekend events this Fall. Legends is some good boffer LARPing. And there's at least a half dozen other developments worth mentioning. I posted some thoughts about old television a while back, but there's been a lot of development on the new television front (Heroes, Studio 60 and Torchwood most notably.) And its not as though the old television world has been static in the interrim; Gilmore Girls keeps kicking me when I'm down and Battlestar Galactica has hit the ground sprinting ever since the season premiere. I'm sure I'll get to touching on some if not all of these things in time.
Generally I separate movie reviews out into their own posts. But in order to feel as though I've posted something of substance, let me make mention of:
The Prestige -- 4 stars -- I hardly even know where to begin praising this movie. Its got a stellar cast, obviously, and it uses them all to good effect (of particular note is David Bowie taking a turn as Nikolai Tesla so engaging I barely noticed his unconcealed heterochromia.) The framing devices are folded in on themselves a little intricately, but they straighten out pretty clearly well before the story reaches its climax. This movie delivers on all fronts. I walked out of the theater brimming over with how well the total package fit together, putting across a simple message with crystal clarity while actively encouraging the reader to unpack that deceptive simplicity into oodles of complexity and nuance.
And, as I mentioned to my fellow theater patrons, the film bore at least a passing conceptual resemblance to Primer. Obviously no one has ever steered wrong by reminding me of that movie, as its one of my quiet favorites. So I'm happy I listened to everyone and went to see The Prestige. Next on the list of movies I absolutely have to see ohmygod right NOW is Borat -- anyone interested?
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Date: 2006-11-15 04:33 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-11-15 04:55 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-11-15 05:16 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-11-15 10:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-11-16 12:50 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-11-15 02:10 pm (UTC)1) I had no idea that David Bowie was in the Prestige--- now I'm so seeing it! (It's not a sock!)
2) You absolutely have to see Borat--- I can't remember when I laughed so hard at a movie.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-11-15 02:27 pm (UTC)I have been trying to see the Prestige for a few weeks now but Revere only shows it like once a day and I keep missing it and end up seeing something else.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-11-15 07:59 pm (UTC)I know I've probably said things you know already and don't need to be reminded of, but I thought I'd say them anyway. I care about you, and so do many other people. You're going to be okay, this won't be forever. Love ya, ebeneezer.