Ultraviolet.... no one expects the British Inquisition

Right now I'm typing on a borrowed computer , while suffering a bit of cabin fever, confined in the perimeter of Palm Cove during what could be the most boring Christmas vacation ever .
A couple of things saved me from suicide of the mind... the fab 42 inch flatscreen/home theater combo (thanks Santa) and Mariah's yearly reminder that in fact I will watch all vampire films/ series ever created. Thanks my friend. I really loved this piece of the BBC, and in other circumstances I would write a through, insightful review, but I need to entertain myself... so here it is, a brief trivial list on HOW MUCH I LOVE ULTRAVIOLET

• Emotional relationships with vampires, are almost by canon, doomed to fail miserably. Usually the relationship is romantic, either straight or gay. ULTRAVIOLET brings about the coolest BROMANCE ever, and congratulations to the male subjects of each species, somehow, bromance just survives, almost unscathed...
• The Spanish Inquisition never made much sense, the British Inquisition, however...being as composed as they are, will manage to successfully combine government bureaucracy and religious fervor, kinda the X-Files with holy license to kill. For once, even if I don't like the Inquisition, this series made me root for the Grand Inquisitor, more than once. I just loved the cool marriage of stream data and faith. As much as it hurt this happy vamp camper, 98% of the decisions toward extermination were right on the spot.
• The other 2%, though, bothered me enough to get me thinking. Of course it is fiction, but it is the scariest fiction I've seen in a while. A simple question: How far would you go to protect someone you love? If someone told you that the guy who has in his hands the opportunity to eradicate AIDS, CANCER, and all frigging blood borne patogens in the world is a guy on the top ten terrorist list of all time... would you negotiate or take him down on the spot? As I told you, I have cabin fever...

Ohhhhhhhhhh... the trivial list, yep, the cool stuff...

• You will never get over your BFF being a vampire, and you know it, because you love that man... here to chicks and pints, mate!!!
• If you have more than $58,000 pounds in the bank the British government might think you are a vampire.
• When it comes to hunt for pedophiles, and your choices are a priest and a vampire... go after the priest, even if the vampire seems reasonable, it will shorten your investigation.
• Man Bangs rocked ten years ago, in fact they did look hot, but it's time to let go, Mr. Moyer, you might have played a vampire twice, but time alone says you are not immortal.
• Hurray for the vamps who run against time to produce artificial blood!!! Thanks to your clever investment in worldwide research, we got TRUE BLOOD.

Gotta go now... the quote:

"Code V, cannot be killed, only reduced to ashes..." the fun thing is to find out how they regenerate

15 things I learned from New Moon

The picture on the left hand side is the sole reason why I'm not dead of boredom, so let's give a round of applause to the Ballsy Vampires of the Emo Vamp saga... since they will not get their own awesome vampire movie series... well I'll just sigh deeply and tear apart the Second installment of the Twilight Saga.

I wanted to kill this movie in 15 bullets or less, but that would be doing the world a favor, and there are not 15 plot points for me to spoil in this linear, predictable, nauseating fest anyway.

Intro: Why am I watching this? After all, I have sworn once and again to destroy everything Twilight... well, I love my nieces more than I love classic kick ass vampire movies and although I have persuaded Kendra not to loose her time around the Godforsaken book series, I just can't deny her an afternoon at the movies... after all she is too good to be the one person in her whole wide school who didn't catch the flick during the weekend.

Without further ado... these are the 15 things I learned from New Moon:

• Digital cameras are evil. This horrid contraptions were made with the sole purpose of facilitating your recording events in your sad pathetic life and be a witness on how the years roll by without pity. A picture is never taken for fun or to create a cherished memory- nah- pictures are means to torture and bring about grief, even the happy ones.
• After your 18th birthday, there is nothing but death and desolation in the horizon. If you don't have a man secured by your 18th birthday, you will die and old, barren woman with no life experience worth mentioning.
• When there are vampires in your birthday party, please, ask for the presents to be unwrapped... paper cuts are a risk you don't want to face.
• When a guy is honest enough to tell you, "the issue is not you, it's me'... you must bitch and bitch and bitch until everyone around you secretly whispers, girl, the issue is soooooooo you is not even funny.
• It's good to keep a Native American friend close by, you never know when you'll need to emotionally exploit someone, and you know Indians are such an easy target... duh
• There is no need for a K9 unit in your backwards town, as long as you have werewolves hanging in the woods.
• By the way, never, ever slap a werewolf and while we are there... domestic violence is always right, hell it's even fun if your fiancee is a werewolf.
• Go ahead, introduce a smart comment about consumerism inside the greatest merchandise juggernaut movie of the decade and keep a straight face... anyhooo, 95% of your audience wont catch it.
• There is a small town in Italy were people celebrate a festival in honoring the destruction of vampires in the middle ages, and that is exactly where the Volturi decided to set their coven. Ballsy, I tell you...
• If you are a sparkly vampire, you have no right to go and bother the cool Italian vamps with your sobby, mopey stories of unrequited love, if you do, then don't be surprised if they want to kick your ass for it. While I am at it... never console yourself thinking this movie might have a glimmer of hope because Dakota Fanning and Michael Sheen are in it and they are extremely talented people, because some moron will cut their scenes to about 7 minutes at all why you cry whyyyyyyyyy, whhhyyyyyy, whyyyyyyyyy!!!!!
• By the way, if you see a Vampire Tour announced in at least 7 languages, do not go, is errrr, literally, a deadly tourist trap (with a bit of inside Italian Vacation Humor). While I'm at it, props to the idiots in the audience who said... OMG, are they going to kill those people? Nah....they just meant to shower them in sparkly delight, I'm sure (insert eye roll here)
• Please, always pay attention to what your friends have to say, stop thinking about your obsessions. Maybe one of them dropped a big hint about being a werewolf and you just didn't notice because your mind is full of sparkle.
• Sometimes people are not able to read your mind because you have a strong psychic shield, sometimes, it is because you are an airhead.
• Why should you have an emo vampire after you when you can have both an emo vampire and a sick puppy of a werewolf? When your feelings are solid for one of the guys, pleeease keep the other close enough to hurt him.
• And finally, the end of all troubles is, whenever you have an argument you cannot win against your guy, get his sister to vocalize her rocking humble opinion, because getting everyone involved in a very private argument is the leveled, mature road to travel.

I'm going back to my cave and hide away from the sparkle. If anything , the one thing that consoles me is that the great Ken Ken found this a scrambled plot mess, now go baby, be a good girl and finish Bram Stoker's Dracula... make auntie proud.

"Bella is alive after all... what a wonderful surprise, I love a happy ending"- Aro (Michael Sheen) being, of course kind of sarcastic.

plot bunnies

I haven't eaten or slept in the last 24 hours in an effort to put things in order. Usually at this point in time I would be writing under the banner The State of My Union. The thoughts would be collected and flow steam-like. Not this time. I have so many things in my head right now that instead of a cohesive story, I'm nothing but plot bunnies hopping around, which makes for crazy rants and more trivial stuff to consume my time and honor this blog's name.

• I am not mad as much as I am disappointed. The level of disappointment is high because I was let down by myself. See, I try to look for good in all, specially people. Sometimes people are complete idiots, and yet I can find a connection. With idiots, I usually go for the nurturing side of me. I do my best to help them adapt and shine in their brief moments of possibility. Now, when people pose as idiots and I don't sniff it in time, I leave myself exposed in all my vulnerability. As of late I have been covering some one's ass in order to avoid them trouble, because I thought this person to be a lovable idiot, a pet project. Against all my sensors, the lovable idiot was nothing but a scum sucker out to get me, and I just recently found out. I went through the stages: surprise, outrage, immediate response, hurt, and finally, that big, deep feeling of disappointment that's been bothering me. I hate to go on the war path, but the gloves are off. If you have me in the cross wire baby, better make sure that I'm blown away, 'cause if I make it out unscathed, I'll take my time and come for you. I'll fuck you every which way, and you will see me coming, and I won't pretend to be what I'm not to get you.



• I love my perfect pink and whites, haircut shampoo blowdry style... when I feel like it, I'll flash a smile that will touch your heart, and when I really, really want to, on the chubby side and all... I have a rack and I know how to use it. However, when it comes to the very complicated dance/battle between the sexes, I tend to think like a guy, which is kinda scary, but I find it fun. So, don't even try it if yours are not bigger than mine, boy.



• I change moods according to my hair color. When I'm a brunette is all shy and withdrawn. Any shade of red will be fun, fun, fun. Blond, I tend to keep away from because it will make me crash diet and use my wits for evil purposes. It will unleash my tongue, to over compensate for the possible dumb jokes. As of late, the word platinum is buzzing and burning like a neon sign in the back of my head.



• Today's classic cheer is be aggressive, be, be aggressive... darn it's been a while.



• I have two Eric's in my Facebook. Both of them are quite striking. One of them is a fictional character- I'm a fangirl- shout out to Viking vampires!!!, woot, woot. The other one is quite real and much the stuff of legend. Self described as a "young, elegant guy who likes to make the best out of life and who is otherwise, very much compromised" Eric Perez is God's gift to Earth, I swear. Which brings me to think, God loves us all, who are we to hate one and other? This last couple of days I was shaken to the core as I followed an incident of hate crime in the Island, and caught myself with a knot on my throat thinking, it could have been anybody. It could have been my friend. Damn you, damn you to hell, all of you that corrupt principles of love to conceive your own ill willed theologies and create monsters filled with hate.



• Talking about friends, they do keep me grounded and help define me. My goal in life is to be half as faithful and true to them as they are to me, even when I'm going through one of those cult of personality phases and seem completely obscure.



• A final thought, random? Not if you know me.... Remember when the cover of NEAR DARK looked like this...

How come now it frigging looks like this?!@##...

I soooooooooooo hate the Twi-Effect, ten years from now, people will look back and think, what the heck we were smoking???? Come on join me... AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

The Quote:

"It's only possible to live happily ever after on a day to day basis."

- Margaret Bonnano

Cirque du Freak.... no spoilers

Yep, there I was front line and center, because I just don't learn.... What the heck am I doing on a Saturday watching a PG-13 vampire movie? We all know how it all ended the first time around (Throw in some sparkle and screams of delight here- duh) Anyhooo, thanks to John C. Reilly, who scared the hoards of screaming fangirls with his solid acting and not so charming good looks.

First and foremost, I might have the dubious reputation of watching every single vampire movie ever made, but don't have yet the honor and the time to read all books, so no. I am not a fan of the books. I don't think the movie will turn me into one. I went for a good ol' time with a nice popcorn flick and got exactly what I wanted.

Plot wise it is simple to follow. Typical teen movie about finding your place. There were two boys who were friends, one was obsessed with vampires, the other one with spiders... once they met a vampire that had a spider for a pet and things started unfolding.

It was not the theme. but the peculiar setting of it all I found fascinating and fun. The whole morbid Cirque served as a heck of a place to start a journey of Discovery. I am not a freak, is Darren's (Chris Massoglia), marching anthem. And yet, the more he time he spends with the deformed and the odd and in cases the truly supernatural, the more alienated and sad they make him look. The crew at Cirque has come to terms with their place and function, having overcome their "emotional" adolescence. I thought the freaks wonderful, and my only regret is that I wanted more of them , ( yes I wanted to know what made the Little Biter Tick.)

Of course there will be no Vampire Assistant without the vampire who needs the assisting, which brings me to John C. Reilly. He might not be tall, dark and handsome, but he will sell it and 5 minutes into his lines, you will buy it. (Hurray for average folk creatures of the night) Single handedly the man takes apart the myth without hacking it to pieces. Crepsley, the Ring Master maintains the integrity of the vampire, while making intelligent choices.

• First and foremost, they do drink blood. The consumption of blood is at the core of the vampire. Not only it is a base of sustenance, but it is the one thing that marks the moral path of the character. In Cirque's case, you can either splatter or sip it, but it's there. Crepsley's little number about the less violent approach will save you an eternity of pitchforks and fire, albeit funny, is quite logical.
• Yes, we all know vampires are lonely, predatorial creatures stalking the night, but so are most of the Big Cats. And yeeeeeeeeeeees, we must all strive to hold on to our humanity... errrr the same way we did when we were alive, because there are enough man made horrors out there to make you think twice about it. One thing that I loved about this movie is the idea that the vampire itself is an extension of the human being they once where... if you were shy and withdrawn, why the heck would you turn all of a sudden in a volatile diva? There are enough bloodthirsty humans to make horrid, "vampazines," as there are average good hearted joes to make sensible vampires. Which brings me to the main point of this movie...

Be it vampire, accidental executive assistant, president of the United States, or Catholic nun... is not who you are, but what you are in this point in time, you can always embrace it, or find a way to learn from it and walk away.... did you hear that?, moping vampires of the Emo Teen Saga? your current condition, no matter how permanent might seem, will never cripple your spirit, unless you allow it too. This is a better message than love is pain and I'm an idiot, but since it was not delivered by the likes of RPatz, this will be the lesser vampire movie...

Did I mention Willem Dafoe is here, and that I'm still trying to figure out what the heck did he do? The moustache gave me nightmares though....

The quote:

Crepsley: Looking amused "Ohhhhhhhhhhh Bloooooooood"

Darren: Looking Scared ( bares his neck)

Crepsley: Mocking... "from your jugular, can't take blood from an artery, I'll just kill you that way"- and all conventional vampire stuff goes down the drain, Rilley's style....

Touch of Dead and other matters

October is here, more than half way already. I didn't really notice due to minivac agenda... however, along with my thoughts, October is here again.

October is the month of convergence. No matter how much I try to avoid it, there's a happy little pagan that rejoices in me, there is also a bit of Judaism that squeezes in to bring spice to my Christian faith.

October is Sukkot and Tabernacles and being a stranger in a strange land and hoping to cross paths with people bound to change our lives. It is also a time of everlasting dusk and orange, black, crimson old and Irish. It also marks the Anniversary of my leaving New York and my promise to comeback in better shape than when I left. Nine years and counting, something tells me 2010 will bring me back to it in October to take in that particular smell, a mix of edge of winter, spark and mass transportation. It's hard to describe, and sounds nothing romantic, but it's there and belongs solely to the heart of New York. As of late, I just want it.

Anyhooo, I've been doing some light reading to deal with my True Blood separation anxiety, which lead me to pick up A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris. It's a short story collection taking place in the Sookieverse, sorta in between book whereabouts of Ms. Stackhouse. It is a fun read, like all things Harris, but as I read, I couldn't help but wonder how much has the HBO adaptation influenced her writing style, if only at an unconscious level.

Best example is perhaps DRACULA NIGHT in which Ms. Harris took the bold step ( and made my fangirl heart beat 3 times faster than usual) to give a shout out to Louis through no other than Pam.

By far, that was my favorite story, kinda a wacky retelling of It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, courtesy of the staff of Fangtasia and an Eric Northman shivering with antici... pation!

The fact that this particular incarnation of Pam is fiercely loyal, yet as not adoring of her maker as in the books and that Eric is a little bit somber and broodier than usual made it even funnier. This woman needs to have a talk with Anne Rice and send me straight to vampire heaven... LOL.

I did miss, and it will sound weird coming out of my mouth, the weres. I find Harris' take on high-end shifters fascinating and was looking for sorta of a Smoky Mountain Christmas at Hotshot instead of the Christmas bit GIFT WRAP, which in my opinion was the weakest of the shorts.

I'm done with my reading, and it's still October, although no one has told the State of Florida yet, 'cause it's hot and muggy and bright and I still need to wait a half hour for nightfall...

Minivacs... random thoughts

Yes, it happened. I finally got some days off with cash to spare. The agonizing countdown to my I'll sleep when I'm dead weekend is done and it was worth it. Here are the shimmering

highlights:

• The safe arrival of Mariah Cotto is an event all in itself. She is my BFF and to have her around guarantees a wonderful time through and through. My sisters are a triumph, the ones that life game me as well as the one God made me cross paths with. As soon as we made sure there was no post traumatic flight syndrome, it was on with the agenda....


• Howl-O-Scream 2009 brought along the presence of the divine Ms. Michelle who was happy to bring her crazy peep antics and whom I just noticed, managed to dodge pics of herself... hmmmphhhfff. Although the idea of House of Vayne and vampire fashion smashion was brilliant, I found the Scarezones were not effective, in fact the werewolf scarezone which appears in the promos was nowhere to be found.... I guess the scariest thing of all is the recession we are still trying to conquer. We had fun though, laughing more than we should have. Suggestion to the organizers, for next time around...The idea of a vampire Clubhouse with a $10.00 cover fee and drinks bought on the side was not too appealing. In the words of Mariah, for an extra cover fee with no fringe benefits, they better turn us!!!! And besides, since one of the vampires in Taste of Blood dared say "You are Mahhhhnnn, now", I just didn't want to be disappointed at a Fangtasia ensemble in the Marrakesh Theater... which brings me to
• TRUE BLOOD Marathon... yes, getting anyone hooked on True Blood, even if they are secretly team Sam is worth it!!!! One thing of notice that sent a shiver... at an unconscious level I have more in common with vampire BEEEEELL than I had noticed before, like I've been channeling red bangs... note to self... self, change the style as soon as you can. LOL
• The only thing worthy of separating us from an unfinished TRUE BLOOD Marathon was of course U2 360. I can dedicate word after word to the funny parts that will bring about a quasi-panic attack and vertigo for the sheer height of our assigned seats... ( not only I started a U2 savings account as of yesterday, but I swore not to procrastinate when it comes to buying tickets). To the wild goose chase that was running around the four glorious corners of the Raymond James Stadium looking for the frigging car (yes, little aliens, you have won the battle of wits, you and your dizzy spell ray). The thing is all that could go wrong was nothing compared to the religious experience and all that the Gospel of Bono entails. And before someone says it is all one of my infamous hyperboles... it is religious as in the Latin RELIGARE... to reconnect with something thought to be hopelessly lost. I left that concert with a sense of community (you could actually count the countries about by listening to people around you, in fact as we ran through the concourse I captured a mental pic of a father and son wearing the same concert shirt ans said to my self, coolest way to bridge the generational gap EVER, and more than once I felt it was cool to live in the USA and believe me, as things are, sometimes people just need to remind me). Of course in every religious experience one waits for that moment of revelation and for me it was Sunday Bloody Sunday. I've always loved this song, in fact I fell in love with U2 because of it. Back in the 90's when the peace talks began and the cease fire looked feasible, I thought, well, the song is Rock n' Roll history now. Unfortunately, ever since at least one country has taken the turn to adopt that tune as their own and human nature turned the question " How long must we sing this song?" into a rhetorical one. It just broke me down and schooled me in so many ways that of course I cried, like I unashamedly cry in the presence of genius and in the presence of God. There you have it without a bit of heresy. Note: if you haven't seen Paul Greengrass' documentary style film about what started it all... rent it. Now. Going back to my mini vac train of thought there are religious experiences and then there are just plain nut, you have to be there 'cause I just don't feel like recounting...
• Yes, we went to a theatrical presentation of the ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, and there is a reason why there is no photographic evidence. I'll leave you with this http://www.cheaplittlepunks.org/index.php If you think your mind is dirty and you have extracted every single double entendre out of Tim Curry and Co. you are fucking wrong.... wrong, wrong, wrong I tell you!!!!!! The phrase "elbow sex" will haunt me for ever.
• Big Cat Rescue was a little Tampa Treasure that I wouldn't have discovered if it wasn't for Ms. Lightshadow's obsession with the feline, and I'm grateful for it. Besides the beautiful wild things, I learned that J-lo and Beyonce are in fact monsters of legend. Well, I shouldn't say I learned, just corroborated.
• The Dali Museum allowed us to drag the Great Ken Ken along, who was not feeling as artsy as she was feeling silly, but unfortunately, that is one of those places you need to visit to grasp, Larger than life and sublime and of course, surreal. Sorry Lysania, you just can't eat your way out of this one... and it is worth the price, even if there are no fritters involved. LOL
• Opa! Tarpon Springs came courtesy of Dad, just because I didn't want the little aliens to get me lost in a place where the streets are hard to pronounce. I was a little ticked off because we got there late, after we had already eaten Greek food , when most of the shops were closed, after the last boat tour had departed and specially when the handsome, olive skinned Greek guys had gone to do whatever Greek guys do on Sunday night and left their grandpas behind :(... LOL

In all, it was fun fun fun, thanks to all who lend a hand and Ms. Lightshadow, I haven't been able to sleep thinking I owe you the easiest thing there was to get.... a SONIC shake!!!!

EUREKA!!! I've found it

This weekend came across as a great leap in the advance of my TV Land influences as I proved myself able to answer 32 out of 35 questions correct in a Test regarding Ethics in Medicine just by watching re-runs of THE PRACTICE and because it happened... Finally, I can scratch out that pesky note on the things I have to do before I die. I have found the vampire show that will save Western Civilization.

Well actually, my quest is more about the media that will bring about the definite return of the Vampire, because 8 years of zombies is too much to take. I'm just sooooooooo happy it is not TWILIGHT, though I must concede EMO TEEN SAGA definitely reigns supreme in it's own little world, but being me, I need my vamps with a little more depth and whole lotta meaning, things I never thought I would find it in the Louisiana backwoods. After tonight's episode however, I can assert, hands down that TRUE BLOOD is not only must see TV, but one of the most poignant contributions to the vampire myth since the arrival of Interview with the Vampire some 30 odd years ago.

It is in fact a pleasant surprise since I've never fully trusted adaptations, let alone material that was not originally conceived for TV, but Allan Ball and a very talented group of writers took Charlaine Harris original concept and knocked it out of the park.

As a Literature fiend first and vampire fangirl second, Southern Vampire Mysteries by Harris proves to be a fun read. However as it happens with pieces of writing that are not shattering in their own category, it reads like a PoBoy's guide to The Vampire Chronicles in which our heroine is involved in a weird love/hate triangle with the most pathetic version of Louis you'll come across ( vampire Bill screaming Sooookiiiiiieee is mihne!!!, more than we can bear ) and Lestat's inner child, you know, the one who should have stayed a rockstar instead of looking for spiritual insights (because Eric will always have his way or the highway with his long blond hair and his devilish smile).

What HBO delivers every Sunday is something different altogether. It is a blend of witty and funny, a hell of a lot sexier and much more social/political/humane in general than one might expect. They had reverted the vampire to what it has always meant to be, a dark mirror of the human psyche, the manifestation of Freud's infamous Id or Jung's often misunderstood Shadow.

Once in a while pop culture, when placed in the rights hands, can provide a world of insight. In this show, it's premise alone has opened a window of opportunity to bring about a whole series of subjects, some of them pleasant, most of them not. Funny thing is that for once in a long time, the point of view of both the human being and the supernatural entity are on the same level. By dragging the undead "out of the coffin" and throwing them into the daily (nightly grind), the figure of the vampire no longer needs to lurk in the shadows, or in this case, the fringe of society. They are front an center patiently waiting for mere mortals to face their fear, that when confronted with monsters of legend our humanity more often than not proves to be just "so called".

Season One was basically character set up with a bit of spice thrown in the mix, after all, it is HBO. Season Two has been coming at it as a freight train and all of the sudden, the audience finds itself questioning set views on human interactions-family dynamics of all things- morality, religion, fanatical extremism, justice, choice, compassion and forbearance. There is a lot to learn about ourselves from the archetype still, and HBO is taking us to school one Sunday at a time.

And yes because I'll be a hypocritical scholar wanna be if I didn't say so... looking at Alexander Skarsgard doesn't hurt either... I would place a quote, but I'd rather leave this... is funny as hell and will give you a True Blood fix if you happen to (GASP!!!) miss your weekly episode.

http://bloodbonds.wordpress.com/

Randomness of Thought in absence of a computer

Hmmm... typing away furtively in a loaned computer.... trying to keep up with my promise to write something, anything, at least once a month.

Not that it is the most important promise to self I've ever made (shut up, you diet, don't be a bitch now!!!) It's just that this is one of the most fun to keep.

Sooo... if I were to condense the three most significant things that happened this week, I'd have to say....

• Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee... made if through 90 days unscathed . I'm grateful for a job I love, even if it means wearing makeup on a daily basis.


• OPA!!!! Had a wonderful time in Tarpon Springs, which is the closest I'll get to the Greek Isles in quite a while. A cup of Greek Coffee can carry you through ANYTHING, I swear, and the pagan in me couldn't help but play around with the notion of reading my future off the sludge in the bottom. Everything will be a OK.


• As part of my Summer " inducting the child in their due course" responsibility, I picked up THE SANDMAN: PRELUDES AND NOCTURNES. This time, I read it with the critical eye of an aunt trying to decide if her 12 year old quasi Gothic niece can handle it. Decided to wait, maybe it will make a cool Christmas present. Anyhooo, taking one volume in is not enough, so I decided to re-read the story. Off the pages of FABLES AND REFLECTIONS, fell a dedication I wrote some 11 years by. I didn't remember writing it, but it turns out that I had decided, a long time ago to give the Sandman Compendium to Kendra. My dedication was sorta dark and cryptic, like everything I wrote back when I was 24 and lived with the certainty that I would be dead by 30. It hit me, like it usually does that THE SANDMAN that I was reading at the moment is the same story I read 11 years ago, that it is me that has changed. It was quite a deep moment, a reflection on my personal changes while reading a story that is a at heart, the rippling effect of CHANGE, our need and fear of it. I tore up my cryptic and dark dedication of 11 years ago and wrote another; something to do with the wonders of being human and living here and now, not really knowing what tomorrow brings. If it's good enough for an all powerful being to forsake everything in order to be drawn to finally meet his humanity, then it is good enough for us, to enjoy what it is that even the gods can't grasp, that behind every human endeavour, no matter what the consequences, there is always a glimmer of hope and that is a beautiful thing.

Ahhhh, the quote:

" Everything changes, yet nothing is truly lost" SANDMAN, THE WAKE

Terminator Salvation... NO SPOILERS

I fell in love with this Franchise at 12 years old. Pound by pound, TERMINATOR is the best movie of it's kind, in my eyes, there was no action mega star before Schwarzenegger and no visual effect magic prior to the glory of Stan Winston. The score is embedded in my psyche as the match for things larger than life.

This is the expectation I carried when I stepped into the theater today. I wanted a piece I've been craving since I first so a flash back (a future glimpse- actually) of a certain resistance leader, both physically and emotionally scarred, leading a group of ragtag humans to victory against insurmountable odds.

Those who know my cinematic preferences, know that I lean towards villains. However, John Connor is my kind of good guy: the conflicted hero with a tinge of either madness or glory. Let's face it this is one of the best developed characters on a sci-fi franchise ever, played by seven actor across 25 years through five storylines (counting, of course the TV series). I craved to see the story of John Connor delivered by Bale, you know, 'cause he is the man that does no wrong.

I got something slightly different, and after the first shock, I actually liked what I got. Although the purist in me wanted a straight forward story to be wrapped up nicely in 2 hours or less, the movie freak in me understands the window of opportunity towards reopening a successful franchise. McG took a gamble and for what I saw, it might pay off.

It is serious business to mess with the structure of a story everyone knows so well and I am still wondering about why the "big twist" was paraded around on the trailer... I should have known this movie was a set up, but what a grandiose set up it is. Flame all you want against it, the movie falls within cannon, that is the marvel of plots in which alternate time lines are a feasible reality.

This is not John Connor's movie, not yet. Once you come to terms with that it is possible to get a kick out of it. This is Connor trying to figure out a game that he believed he knew by heart. It is also the story of Marcus (Sam Worthington) and how he -errrr, literally- found his heart. In a world that looks black and white Marcus is that uncomfortable shade of gray that throws away all conviction and makes you think twice. Yes, there are lessons for Connor to learn yet, at this point in the story line. My rushed need to see him vanquish all evil in two hours or less will have to wait.

It is also the story of a very young Kyle Reese. Let me stop here for a sec and give a shout out to Anton Yelchin who will quickly become the next "IT" boy and with good reason. He alone manages to infuse the film with a certain nostalgia. Yelchin did his research and manages to capture mannerisms and expressions from his predecessor, Michael Biehn, while keeping control of his performance. That kid is just amazing and I hoped he had more screen time.

No one, purist or not will dare cross McG when it comes to action, the scenes were clean and full of all those wonderful details that a T movie should have. Then, there are the tribute moments, some subtle, some just for the fun of it, the most obvious brought cheers from my peeps at the theater.

The conclusive scene if a little bit iffy, and definitely, the weakest link , but then, after watching two hours of non stop killing machines a little further stretch of the imagination should pose no problem :p

The quote: "He saved my life. I saw a man, not a machine" - Blair Williams (Moon Bloodgood), just to make things clear...

Wolverine in 15 bullets or less

It's been a while since I've slayed a movie, and honestly I really, really wanted to love this one. For a couple of hours I thought I did, but I guess it was just the company more than anything. Left to my own devices I started thinking about it and decided it's off with the critter. The following is spoilerrific, just to prove that I can kill this 2 hours of entertainment in 15 short points or less...

• Hi, I'm Jimmy, future Logan and this is my brother Victor. I went all crazy and killed my dad...run guys, run, run through the opening credits (which are quite cool to be honest, perhaps the best thing about it all... someone watched the Watchmen, I guess)
• These are our friends, their names are not important. Pay attention to Ryan Reynolds, he is the funny one with a bit of dialogue.
• It's me Jimmy again. I just gave up this army business, changed my name to Logan and became an axe man. yes and axe man... the one nerd in the audience laughed, because it sort of sound like X-man.
• I'm in love with a girl that might or might not love me, but it's OK, Victor killed her and now I'm all pissed and want adamantium infused bones.
• Running naked through the woods, yes I'm running and naked until I find Superman's parents, farm and all and they give me a bike and a leather jacket.
• Trying to get to Vic I meet Gambit in New Orleans which is the second coolest scene in this movie after the opening credits. gambit fangirls/boys rejoice.
• I get to the place I need to find ,free the captives, fall out of love, fight Ryan Reynolds, get close with Vic. Kill Ryan Reynolds.
• Now I hate Vic again, but for a little while because, bang I've lost my memory. I don't remember meeting a teenage cyclops nor did he really got to see me, so it's alright we'll hate each others guts in the future.
• Where am I, what the heck, did I just forget it all ... I guess I did. Heigh- Ho off to Canadian Wilderness we go...

Nine bullets, darn that is a record. The intent was there and Jackman played it with his heart. Liev Schreiber was really good too, but Fox dropped the ball once again. This time the culprit is the dialogue and that need to make it rain mutants everywhere. There is no need for a cast of thousands, specially when you will say absolutely nothing about it. They gave the impression that this one would be of epic scale and it was so condensed, it bordered on choppy editing. I can only wait this thing is reverted to Marvel ... but one can only wish.

The quote: "No one kills you but ME!!!!"- Victor to Logan in the weirdest expression of brotherly love, ever.

100 Days of Barry O.

Of course there is people far more qualified than yours truly to analize this, but I got caught in the spirit of the moment with the 2008 election and right then and there I promised to come back to President Obama within the first 100 days.

This is me and my issues. I'll try to be fair.

The war in Iraq is not over yet, but then, that is exactly what I expected. At least the parameters towards the final safe return of the troops have been established . It has been a suprising turn of events worthy of mention the change of strategy in regards to Afghanistan, which is perhaps, the greatest achievement of this administration in foreign policy.

Latin American issues do not seem to be moving fast enough. The promise of a comprehensive immigration reform within the first 100 days has been delayed, rightfully so in order to deal with more pressing issues, like the economy. That can be forgiven. However, and I consider this the great border fumble is the escalating situation in regards to the cartels. I honestly do not think money should be invested (on USA's part) to try and combat this situation without a guarantee that these contributions will not fall in the wrong hands. Mexico should have more accountability, the USA should not be stuck with the bulk of the effort.

Israel relations, the war on terror that is no longer called War on Terror... thesse issues have not yet been put to the test. I'm just happy... however the ill predictions of Joe Biden still loom over our heads .... LOL

The economy, is a gamble and we all know it. I just hope it all works out. You know W. is not the only cowboy... as Obama has shot a couple of the hip when it comes to dispose of money. It is a 50/50 and I hope it all succeeds, for our own sake.

Then there are the things the press have been covered for good or ill...

Finally there is a first dog... the good about it, the girls are happy... the down side it was not the mutt everybody was hoping for, but is their loss if they didnt get a sato...

Chavez, the hand shake., the book... who the hell cares, had Obama not said hello, then he would have had no manners (palo si boga...)
The Castro brothers are another thing. I guess the big lesson to be learned out of the negotiation table is that all negotiations should be bilateral and that Fidel actually rules the place still.
On the bright isde, it is good to see families being able to connect again.
North Korea... good it didnt come to much, but it wouldn't hurt to be able to get a binding resolution next time.
For the love of God, do not massage the Queen and the King of Saudi is not a dwarf, keep your back straight!!!!
Airforce One is a flying house sir, make sure you know who is at the wheel all the time an don't fly it close to the Statue of Liberty... EVER, AGAIN.

Looking forward to the next 100

Fangirl Attack presents DEATH NOTE

Once in a while I get to police the ventures of the great Ken Ken, when it comes to reading choices. I get to ask the tough questions.

You see, I was meant to review her manga collection and chastise any choices that might be tainted with violent tendencies, etc, etc.

The title "Death Note", sorta rung a bell, so after I sat her down and asked for an explanation, I decided to give the book a try, ended reading it all in one sitting and finding the obviously necessary movie adaptation, becoming an instant fangirl before I could correctly utter the word "Shinigami"

It's been a while since I watched something that is both engrossingly complex and entertaining ant the same time, sorta Agatha Christie for the web generation.

The premise is simple enough: Outside of our range of cognition, tucked away and safeguarded by "folklore" there are death gods. Sometimes, out of boredom or unexplainable need of validation, they will show themselves to humans. These gods carry notebooks around, simple, leatherbound pampleths in which they write the names of people who are meant to die. Once in a while, to feel relieved of their responsibility, they will entrust these notebooks to humans, giving them the mantle of the Grim Reaper for a while, at a very sensible price...

One of these books falls into the hands of a young Law student called Light, who decides to become judge and jury in cases involving unrepentant criminals that had fallen through loopholes and found their way back into the streets.

What starts as one person's definition of justice, quickly becomes a moral dilemma for all : when the dispensation of justice stops being so and becomes a crime itself? Light stares one time too many into the abyss and all hell breaks loose.
Up comes a reclusive detective by the name of L. (played in a disturbing/beautiful/ almost unearthy fashion by Kenichi Matsuyama) and his ultimate goal is to uncover the evil of this Killer of Killers, no matter the cost.

To say anything else about this movie is to delve into plot twists and it is too good a thing to give away. If you have the chance to catch this little piece, please do so. Even if it is a made for TV movie, even if the CGI leaves a tinge of sour note, the story and character development are worth it. Please see it before some studio decides to make it a big budget movie starring Zac Efron and Shia LaBeouf.... I know it will happen

Concerning my judgement on Kendra's reading choices... well, I can be taught a lesson or two by the queen of tweens. In fact I was very proud of her exposition about the actions of people given the opportunity and the responsibility to make the right choices for themselves, as well as for others. She's keeping the book.

The quote:
"The Law has it's limits, as EVERYTHING should"- Shiori

The Little Theology Corner Presents: The Saturday no one ever talks about

It is Holy week again, although it didn't quite feel like. For the first time in a while I had to work on Good Friday. I find myself typing away on Saturday (Sabado de Gloria in Puerto Rico) and for the first time perhaps, I'm just thinking about what this space between Good Friday and Easter Sunday means for me. Looking back, and as close as this week's schedule, I don't recall a single church activity whatsoever. Saturday is a blank slate, what seems to be a meaningless space between the agitation of Friday and the joy of Sunday. And then it hit me.

I read a Psalm this morning . I've read it before- Psalm 88- in fact is a favorite of mine. I call it the Goth Psalm as David was feeling quite comfortable with the whole dark aesthetics concept: "You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; darkness is my only friend."

What a desperate feeling, to be devoured by oblivion and loss.

That is why we do nothing on Saturday, it makes perfect sense. It is a dreadful day, worse than Friday. It is the first day without the Master for his disciples, the day in which all bets are off... if nothing happens tomorrow, then what? It is that moment after the doorposts have been marked in blood, the looooooooooong wait between promise and deliverance... Saturday is a day of choices between uncertainty and certitude. Saturday is a very personal day, to overcome doubt and experience faith. That is always a good thing.

We all have our Saturdays, it is the human thing to do, to fear and doubt and cry bitter abandonment, but it just doesn't stop there, after all we all came to the foot of the cross bound by perfect love and perfect love banishes all fear and opens doors to wonders.

The State of my Union

I haven't post in a while, just waiting for things to fall back into place. Well, "peoples of the internets", as I promised, it's time to shout it onto all : I'M BACK WITH A VENGEANCE BABY!!!!!!

Let's see, where can I start... YES, YES, YES I've got a a job. Full time at a decent pay rate. After almost a year of struggle trying to survive in the worst job market environment I have ever faced, I have a lot of people to be thankful for.

Let's see... I don't want to sound like a Hip Hop artist, but it wouldn't be fair if I didn't say first and foremost THANK YOU JESUS!!! As in any other time of trial, I have learned a couple of spiritual lessons from this one. It's been a while since I had to put on the war paint and pray with conviction. I'm not talking about the "Thy will be done" with a defeatist attitude. I have learned that the will of God is unknown to us, but there is something we do have power over. We can shake it, stir it, cry out to heaven and ASK for it with the belief that it is ours by birthright.

I've also learned not to bargain with God for what I want, but to thank Him in advance for what He'll do, and it is awesome.

Thanks to my family. This last year I had to go through what no adult should ever... I went back to mom and dad. It's more than living with the folks, is that dreary feeling of hitting rock bottom and have daddy take care of your finances for a while or crawl into a ball and wail out all my frustration while mom told me I had it in me. It was relying on my sisters, aunt and cousins, even Gramps and finding that spark, that warmth, that unconditional love. It has been a blessing to be born among people that Rock, crazy as they might be.

Thanks to my friends, with special honorary mention going of course to the one and only Mariah Cotto who fearlessly opened my desperate emails and bravely listened to my feverish phone calls and never failed to respond. Thanks even to those whom I seemed to have forgotten on the course of this year. You know who you are. If at a given time I didn't answer a call or was mysteriously absent of our MSN chats, I pray forgive me, but I needed to get back on my feet.

Thanks to life in general, for being patient and kind to me, for teaching me lessons in humility that I will never forget. The odd jobs were crazy enough to be remembered fondly. Now I am venturing into something I have never delved in... I'll be a Campus Coordinator for a Beauty School. Feel free to wish me luck in my endeavor, as my idea of a spa is Apricot Scrub and an extra five minutes in the bathtub. However, I'm in it to win it, and I'll give it all I've got.

"For many people a job is more than an income, it's an important part of who we are"- Paul Clitheroe

Just because....

There is not enough vampire talk on this blog. I wonder is the future of vampire movies lies far away from our shores.... this one looks good. Translation is courtesy of Aint it Cool News :p

Please grant my following requests under the name of Jesus Christ.

Please make everybody keep away from me as if I'm a leper with rotting flesh.

Please constrain the movement of my body like a patient whose arms and legs have been dissected.

subtitle: Time of death, 3:31PM

00:37

Please make everybody keep away from me as if I'm a leper with rotting flesh.

Please constrain the movement of my body like a patient whose arms and legs have been dissected

Please let me be in hell.

subtitle: A priest that became a vampire.

00:53

subtitle: You shall not kill

subtitle: You shall not commit adultery.

1:01

subtitle: You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife.

subtitle: The tempation of blood that shakes one's soul.

1:19

"Bat"

Vampire is not an immortal being.
Do you still want my blood?:

Sometimes God just asks for a chance to bring forth a Miracle

Hello. I'm trying to keep up the spirit here. You see, this afternoon I had to call my Pastor to ask for Prayers. It had nothing to do with me. My requests are never too complicated. It was about Katya, Eduardo's daughter. Katya is one of the most brilliant, funny, well centered and goal oriented kids I've ever met. In the last couple of days she came across something that was not in the program, not for her or for any of us.

It turns out that she has a pretty aggressive lymphoma. What started with a severe cough some 48 hours ago has degenerated in an unexpected diagnosis and downward prognosis. There is however, no chance for shock. I shed my tears from the moment I hung up the phone with Lysania, until I dialed the Pastor's number. That's when he told me "Sometimes God asks for a chance to bring forth a Miracle." That really hit the spot, you know it's all I've been thinking about. I've never needed to cry, let alone beg to move my father to do something for me. Guess what I don't need to cry or to beg of God either. If my dad, who is but a mere creation in God's semblance is willing to give his life for his children, the what God wouldn't do?

What I want though, is to do something for Him as I usually do for my dad when I know I'm gonna get my way. I make a point of saying Thank You, I know you don't have to do it, but you do it 'cause you love me.

So, if you are reading this, join me in reminding Dad that He has a chance to bring forth a Miracle and Praise Him because He deserves it. I will be forever grateful.

"We are brought down to the dust;our bodies cling to the ground.
Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love." - Psalm 44: 25-26

Watchmen in less than 10,000 words, I swear :p

The following contains spoilers from the book, which translates in spoilers from the movie, because damn, it is almost frame by frame faithful....

First of all, thanks to the divine Ms. Michelle for venturing into geekland with me. She kept her dignity, her composure, her critical eye opened until the Comedian jumped out of Archie into the crowd and she said something in the lines of Mother@#*%@$... and became an instant fangirl. Girly girls that we are.

Seriously, it was good to tag along with Michelle. She didn’t have an idea of what was in store and I needed the fresh perspective of someone not familiar with the source. Me? I’ve got too much baggage.

I’ve read the Graphic novel quite a few times, dissected it at least twice for an essay and a blue book exam. It lived with me on my days working at the Warehouse, as Dr. Manhattan’s other worldly glow was my only companion in that Troll Cave. I love these characters and of course, they found a place where ever I might wonder.

WATCHMEN traveled with me to New York and never saw the light of day while I lived and worked there. After all, I worked at a Library and was never short of books. However, it is 2001 and as America and the world clung to one and other trying to find an explanation to what happened on September 11- in the midst if ash and chaos- as people around me said it was unreal, I thought it happened once, sorta. As time progressed and humanity showed both it’s best and it’s worst, there were an unsurmountable amount of conspiracy theories... Wackos here and there called for an inside job... As they spoke and both Right and Left carried it all into action, as it all degenerated in sophisticated violence and fear, I found myself wondering about Adrian Veidt’s “dream” and it’s very real waking moment. You know when he asks Dr. Manhattan whether or not things will change and Doc, pragmatist being that he is answers they never really do.

I guess what I am trying to say is that I’m closest to a WATCHMEN purist that I care to be. I usually hate purists, since they suck the life off adaptations, but in this case we are talking about a turning point in Literature. The text is sacred by it’s own merit and because without Moore, there wouldn’t be Gaiman. When I heard about a movie, it was both excitement and dread. The consecutive promo shots and trailers were either hit or miss (I wanted rounder belly in Nite Owl, found Silk Spectre sans the silky tunic too ludicrous and definitely wanted Dr. Manhattan to sound like God on the Sinai) However, the final trailer won me over. There was something about the choice of music and visual, seeing the Comedian smile with the joy of a nihilist in a Vietnam jungle, Dr. Manhattan willing himself from the void and Rorschach’s voice tinged with madness that calmed my agitation.

Still I had to see it, and I have. Since I am trying to put this into perspective without reaching the 10,000 word mark, I’ll say the best way to tackle it is as a fan of the original media. Yes, you have all heard about the wonderful special effects and you have invested quite a great amount of time in arguments either loving or hating Zack Snyder’s use of slow mo, so I will not even touch that.

After all, at the heart of a story, no matter how much they razzle and dazzle, both the true fan and the new comer will rely on characters as their starting point. The way I see WATCHMEN as a narrative is the same way I looked forward to grasp it as a movie, dichotomy between certain characters and perfect symmetry through the whole cast.

The main pair are the two guys that are most out there: Rorschach and Dr. Manhattan.
It’s hard to get across pixels, but Billy Crudup did it. He plays Dr. Manhattan as an entity that deliberately removes every human element about himself, finding the experience quite liberating. His voice is not the rolling thunder that I imagined, but soft and paced, coldly detached. It’s beautiful and scary to process.

When it comes to gritty realism, however, Jackie Earl Haley takes it and runs away with it. While Crudup’s Manhattan observes events in a non linear form, with the advantage of a god like approach, Haley’s Rorschach is in deep shit most of the time, witnessing things that will certainly disturb our precious suburban sleep, should we encounter them. He has the audience at bay. I mean honestly, I don’t think there will be single person that could identify with his Rorschach, in order to do so, we would need to cease and desist several aspects of what defines us rational beings. Even for a marvelous piece of fiction, that is too high a price to pay. At given moments though, he will reach out and let you understand. I must confess that in one of his interviews with the Psychiatrist, my eyes watered and my nose sorta flared up a little bit. I frigging choked. I walked out of the theater saying man, the academy did it once, could they do it back to back? I mean nominate someone playing a comic book character? That is how good he is, how convincing. There is not enough Rorschach. The character I read in the book as a strict psychiatric case, projected in the movie as the guy who had to carry the burden of dealing with humanity first hand.

The second pair is Silk Spectre and Night Owl II. Did I get what I expected out of Patrick Wilson and Malin Ackerman?
This is the couple that will ground the film to reality for many in the audience, specially for the uninitiated. Alternate universes, government sanctioned super heroes, the lifetime Commander in Chief Status of honest Dick???, it is easy to swallow once you rest your bewildered eyes on the resident nerd and the delicate, lonesome, beautiful woman. I mean they are just like you and me. Nah- not really- God help we never find ourselves in their situation.

The pathos of this characters is that unlike every working stiff around them, they had a taste of glory and had to live with the fact that is no longer meant to be. Theirs is the delivery of emotional content, as they try to make sense of the world while desperately trying to connect to one and other. Theirs is the dilemma between doing what is right versus acting within the dictate of what is permissible. Dan fits Wilson like a glove. I mean, the quiet intellect, the frustration, that fear of doing what is right. Ackerman came across a little stiff, like the character is a tad too big for her. Nevertheless, she is the one with less dialogue and that kinda compensates the flaw. Maybe it is just a reader’s prejudice, as I saw Silk Specter as arm. candy until that little Deus ex Machina revelation that turned her into the reason why Manhattan decides to give humanity a chance. In the movie, as in the book, that is her most convincing scene.

Finally, solid strength vs. the cerebral being : Ozymandias and the Comedian.
Edward Blake’s death is the force that sets this story into motion. Although we get but glimpses of his personality through flashbacks, Jeffrey Dean Morgan gives him the intricate character status he deserves. Both physically and verbally abusive, cynical beyond repair, and all together aggressively self assured, Morgan’s Comedian is the means to the ultimate end. In this fictional time not to be confused (ahem) with prior or recent Republican Reigns, he stands for all that America was/ is? strongly disliked for: expansionism at gun point, hostile internal politics and even scarier plots abroad. Quite the animal, however, he does carry a certain intuition about the workings of the world that makes him as honest as he is raw. His most brilliant scene is one that show cases both the brutality and quiet understanding the Comedian is capable of... If you had read the book, you know what transpires with the Vietnamese girl and how the Comedian snaps out of a trip of extreme cruelty to recognize that Manhattan is starting to disconnect from humanity and grimly sees the consequences of it all. I swear this is the very last time I refer to Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Bardem and Downey’s love child. He just earned my respect.

Matthew Goode as Ozymandias plays his part straight out of the field manual for Comic Book Villains, or at least he does it on the third act, which was the weakest in his execution of an otherwise worthy interpretation.
I liked him better when he plays the business man/ dreamer who kinda likes to channels Bowie once in a while. In the world of WATCHMEN politics, idealists are far more dangerous than the hardcore realists that bleed or better yet, make others die in behalf of their agenda.
Unlike The Comedian who saw his role as that of protecting the certain elements (ermmm.... the better half?) from others not as “Red white and Blue”as himself, Veidt would rather eliminate the threat completely, making all pay. What if it meant using key points of the planets inhabited surface as his tabula rasa? His is the end, that justifies all means.

However when they are face to face in Antarctica and he wears the mask... that is, as I said, the weakest point. I read Veidt in the book as the man who paves the road to hell with good intentions. Goode chose to play him megalomaniacal. His “dislike” for violence is in reality, a thinly disguised contempt for humanity, as seen through the eyes of one who counts himself as superior. He is more tyrant than “paternal” in his perceived role towards the world. It didn’t help that I didn’t see a bit of remorse, a shadow of doubt as the book illustrates. Michelle said it was there, but I wanted that “Tales of the Black Freighter” feeling, the realization that you just traveled on the corpses of your friends to your ultimate destruction. ( I know, it’s another 40 minutes to be included in the extended version and then I will be happy). That’s the only thing that bothered me, he never asked THE QUESTION, I couldn’t care for the squid.

I guess most importantly, did I get my symmetry? Was there an anchor to hold this magnificent piece together? Let’s forget about the visuals wether it be CGI, digitalized magic or plain good old make up. Cinematography is superb, sometimes conjuring impossible landscapes right out of Dali’s canvas. I’m here for the story. And it is amazing, how they drove the nail right through the heart of Moore’s impressive drama. You know how they say that Stan Lee cut through the bullshit and wrote the golden rule of Super Heroes in a simple phrase?- “With great power comes great responsibility”. Well Moore took in into the next line... with great responsibility comes the realization that at a given time we are only human.

Whoever commits the mistake of believing this is a super hero movie must take in account the common thread that flows through each character. The realization that they are helpless. Empowered, yes, nevertheless just flesh and blood and the weight of the world is a heavy burden. Even for Dr. Manhattan God-like in his power, that need to interfere in human affairs leads (in Snyder Squid less vision) to an unexpected outcome. This movie is the mirror of that perfect deconstructive tale I read once almost ten years ago. It will probably not be a box office success. It might not even bring about the praise recently held by The Dark Knight, because at heart is a tale of despair, meaning less, purposeless and beautiful enough for those who dare look into the abyss and put up with it looking back into them.

The quote:
Rorschach [to prisoners]
"I'm not locked in here with you! You're locked in here with ME! "

Poshland, USA

I've been a security guard for two weeks now and I guess it has given me enough savvy to record impressions. As I said before my profession dujour comes from hard times asking for drastic measures. However been blessed beyond my merits, I've found myself enjoying the company of a great working staff who are willing to embrace a notoriously dazed and confused rookie and whip her into shape.



The choice of location for my first assignment would make me a firm believer in the goddess Fortuna if Jesus wasn't my homeboy already. Although I am restricted to mention this community by name- paranoia, please, set in- I must say other than the absurd that comes from the requirements of the rich and anonymous, it is all pretty normal.



Mornings are usually spent escorting golfers to the Club House, making sure they arrive well before their assigned Tee Time. The earlier they get there, the more they will spend and at $5.00 the soda serving, I guess some people are not as shaken by the derailed economics as other.



Afternoon is the College round with the local Universities completing the Physical fitness courses in either the Tennis or Golf Course. Most of our clients belong to the local Catholic and are either completing a Bachelors in Art or a master in Theology. Since they are not quite infected with the need to push security personnel in the "evil that we need"category, they usually stop, smile and chat away the pressures of what they believe is the real world.



Graveyard shift is undoubtedly my favorite, in which the only thing to care about are the dizzy antics of late night revelers and raccoons the size of the Beast of Bray Road.



Procrastinating? Hell no. No matter how idyllic this seems, I'm looking at my syllabus right now as I'm ready to tackle the whole Medical Management business. If Barry O' delivers on his promise of Universal Health Care, in 8 months or so I'm outta here and back with a vengeance.

In the mean time I've decided to make Tequila with this whole storm of lemons that rains over me :p

2009 Oscar Opening~Hugh Jackman

I guess the title of the youtube link says it all... if you missed it, it's eight minutes worth watching :p

The Girly girl film of the month presents... Inglorious Basterds

First of all, Happy Valentine's Day.

And yes, this is one of the reasons I am still single. I will not get involved with anyone until I find the guy that is willing to understand that once in a while a girl will want to see a period film about nerdy Jewish boys turned fully automated killing machines under the orders of an obviously crazy commander as envisioned by Quentin Tarantino... hmmm gorgeous.

A day with the Queen of Tweens and some cinematic matters

Kendra:
She works a lot, worries too much and just for being my sister's eldest child, she deserves a holiday.

As it happens this day off comes at least once a semester and it's generally known as Titi's Day - in honor of she who pays the tab :p

Nah, seriously, it is Titi's Day because it is mine as much as it is hers. It is the day I look forward to, sharing X amount of hours, unbound of parental restrains with the heir to all my lunacy.

Ken is going through that rough and complicated stretch of life in which you are abandoning childhood and yet you still believe in a whole bunch of stuff many adults will find ridiculous.

I smiled and nodded when she told me that her plans are now shifting ( I miss the simple times in which she wanted to be a Police Officer). As it turns out my almost 12 year old niece plans to study Graphic Design and Animation, live for a couple of years in Canada and the move to Japan and become a full time Ninjitsu Trainer. To what will be the general relief of her mother, she added she plans to eventually get married- in her late 20's-to a Canadian Skateboarder who of course will be both fearful of God and faithful to Martial Arts Discipline.

It is not my job to roll eyes or build emotional fences. God knows there's enough people in my clan who'd do that unaware and with the best intentions. The funny thing is that when I tell her it can be done, I really mean it. There is something about her eyes, big brown and sparkly that I hope she'd never loose.

The theme dujour was Neil Gaiman, properly discussed over California Rolls, as Ken tried to convince me that it is time for her to move into my comic book collection, having read Coraline, Stardust and Dream Hunters. I told her I'd think about it.

As I mentioned before, Kendra worries too much as the next subject proves... I never thought I would end my Strawberry Lemonade over the upcoming doom scenario of 2012. I promised on my honor and all my commulative knowledge of Thelogy that the world will not end, and reminded her kindly that we were running late if she wanted to go to the arcade before the movie.

It's been a while since I've had the pleasure of throwing away quarters for no other purpose than to be able to spell my name out in the top ten player's list. I did a victorious round of Time Crisis, a not so excellent Fast and Furious course and quite a humilliating episode of Dance Dance Revolution after which I not so gracefully threw myself into the iron bench of oblivion - the arcade's waiting room-while Kendra kept jumping and shuffling her feet like there's no tomorrow.

Finally we got to CORALINE. I made the point of seeing it in 3D as it should be. What can I say? This is set to be the most succesfull Gaiman adaptation so far. Stop motion animation was the wisest course of action and a live action flick would have scared the parents shitless.

I found it funny that grown ups where a little disgruntled with the film as I could hear distinctive YUCKS and AWWW NO SHE DIDN'T and a couple of IS THIS FOR KIDS? coming from the responsible parties. Children, at least the ones over 7 years old seemed to be in heaven.

Kids saw it for what it seemed to be, an adventure, a journey to self discovery. I guess adults saw the more horrific aspects to it. You know, about how strange elements can make your children feel at home when you are not there, doing what it is that you need to do besides bringing home the bacon... I dunno, to me CORALINE is a hard book to classify, and I guess is the same with the movie. It is the type of book that I wish I could have read as a child, so I could see it through Coraline's eyes. Reading it as an adult, even if I indulge in the fantastic element, there is always a part of me that finds Coraline parents a little repulsive. I cannot understand how some people just dont enjoy their kids, how easy it is for them to ignore and dishearten and plain loose them. As a parent, Neil Gaiman coudn't have given a better advise than that written in those pages...that is is up to both children in their mind's eye and parents in real life to have the wisdom to discern good and evil and make the right choices at the right price.

As far as the animation goes, the scene that will be worth your admission is no doubt the "Other Garden", as it blooms under moonlight. And of course, the Mouse Circus.

The purists will argue about the introduction of an unecessary character -Wybie- but as I explained to Kendra, some one just has to cover the narrative, fill in the gaps that the author's omniscience provides for the book.

After all is said, done and jumping off the screen, CORALINE is an instant classic, worthy of the title that inspired it.

We got home, tired, broke and happy and the big hug and kiss that I got out of it was worth nursing a sore DDR ankle. As I walked Kendra home Ms. Chinkis came out to greet us with a HIIIIIIIIIIIIII TENDA, HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII TITI and all of a sudden I saw myself some three years in the future dragging this one about on a Pink Ribbons and Unicorns Titi Day and a chill ran down my spine.... it might have been the weather.

the quote
"I see a strange hand in your future... I also see a giraffe. Coraline you are in great danger."- that's wacky enough

the video comes courtesy of you tube and it's called THE HUMBLE BUTTON

To Observe and Report

Ah life! It will take you places. As I type, I'm coming to terms with the words that soon will be here for cyber eternity: As of today I am a Security Guard.

And what, you may ask yourself is a woman who graduated from one of the most prestigious Universities in Puerto Rico with -of all things- a B.A. in Literature, doing working this type of trade?

Simple, when things get tough, the tough will fall under Florida Statute 493.

There are lots of reasons, the most obvious my good for nothing B.A. does not qualify me to be a teacher and honestly, I've never been the greatest of communicators. It has always been my cross to bear that subjects that I love with a passion are solely mine to explore and contend with. Last time I tried to teach, my contract was sorta not renewed on the basis that I told off most of my conceited Junior High School students and refused to bestow Literature Medal on the non worthy. That is me, can't help it.

The choice was not difficult. It is guaranteed good money (Florida pays decent salaries for Security) the benefits are superior, which is good for any single person living with an autoimmune disease. Besides it will give me plenty of time to catch up with the Medical Management Training I've postponed for way too long.

The way I see it, there is always a Romantic side to it all. The frustrated poet in me cannot help but paint a picture of terrible times in which the weakest of peoples will lack the moral stamina to uphold the law. It will be my job to make sure they don't cross the line using my really neat citizen power of arrest in the event of a Felony.

There is not a stint of irony in my words I swear. I will raise to the occasion and comply with my duties as to excel, not only buying time, but making a mark. If the Fates decided that I will be a Security Officer, even if for a brief amount of time, I'll be the best damn one there is.

The quote:
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." -John Lennon

The countdown is over

I am one of thousands- nah- millions making observations on this day. Still I am compelled to write my own little footnote in one of the most poignant events in recent US history.

There are few moments in time in which we can feel it beckoning- a sense of destiny. History brought us all here today and it was embraced, celebrated and witnessed through the world as an event that could only take place in our soil. I believed it before Barack Obama and I will die believing this country excels among nations- that is our heritage and the standard that we must carry. I just hope that the people who gathered in Washington DC today, as well as those watching will wake up to the need of restoring America.

To the eyes of many, we are not the best or most loved of countries, and it has nothing to do with our political affiliations. It will take more than a transition of power to gain back what we have lost. No matter what people might think, it didn't start with George Bush, nor will it magically end with Barack Obama. Tomorrow is the first day of many ahead. It is tomorrow when we must start acting out on all the emotions we displayed today. Tomorrow, with a combination of passion and level headed attitude, we all should do our best to see this man succeed.

I am still a Republican and unashamedly still believe that George Bush was a faithful servant, who met and rose up to a challenge the best way he knew how. However, first and foremost I am an American and I cannot help believing in the promise and the premise of this land.

Congratulations to the new Commander in Chief, a tip of the hat to one of those instances that make people smile and say "only in America."

The quote:

"In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom"- Barack Obama

The State of my Union

Current level of stress: Intermediate

Job Status: Less

Hope level: Increasing :p

It's been a while since I posted and since I've made one of my New Years resolutions not to become a hermit, I've decided to type away.

So far 2009 has treated me kindly as I finally decided what to do with my life at a professional level. Kill me dead, I've shuffled with so many options I should have at least two PhD's, if I followed through. That is me though: the Queen of Procrastination, the Great Duchess of never putting my knowledge to good use and the Town Idiot of Salary Scales, it serves me right.

The poison of choice will be Health Care Management. In the meantime, I will entertain myself with some menial odd job, interesting enough to give me some insight of self.

On the other hand, I have been stuck to a pile of books, literally, as Ms. Lightshadow generously gave me the best Three King Day present ever: Charlaine Harris' SOOKIE STACKHOUSE CHRONICLES, the original source for HBO's TRUE BLOOD. I must confess I have not seen a single episode of TRUE BLOOD ( I tend to discover these HBO Gems on unexpected Thursday afternoons waaaaaaaaaaay after they have been enjoyed by the rest of the world)-if the series is anything like the book, I'm missing on something grand. I've never had this fun with dialogue in years, although something tells me I must brace for some kind of terrible out come.

In the meantime, I'll keep reading, getting engrossed in it all and absentmindedly burning things that should have looked golden brown instead of charred black and smoky... too long a story but you should catch my drift.

Let the Right One in- no spoilers

Mini rant Disclosure. I just came upon details concerning a remake of this movie intended for American audiences. It will be helmed by Matt Reeves of Cloverfield fame.

I am tired, completely fed up with this need to spoon feed the American people with custom made stories. One of the lamest excuses to "Americanize" this film is that the film is "too Swedish" is scope (duh). Go ahead, worry the American public will never get over the culture shock of people eating "smorgas" instead of burgers and playing "soccer" instead of football. In the mean time throw aside one of the most endearing- yes that is the word, tales about human nature concocted in this decade and turn it into horror spam for the masses. Please, pleeeease, people in Hollywood, allow us for once to discover, to marvel and enjoy a movie that surpasses the expectations of it's genre to convey a rare gift: a character study in loneliness, gut wrenching fear and the lifting power of love. What the hell is so inherently Swedish about that?

I am also tired that in their effort to sell an idea, studios and ignorant people in general conspire to make us believe that just because some stories have elements in common, they are exactly the same. You know where I'm going with this people. I will personally make a kebab of the next person that dismisses this movie as the "Norwegian Twilight." Off my chest, now to my review...

Do not make yourself believe otherwise, just because I used the word endearing in the beginning, it doesn't mean this is not a genre movie. It is as conventional and shocking as vampire movies are meant to be. There is gore, violence and buckets of blood. These are vampires from Eastern European Tradition. Undead with aversion to sunlight, relics, a knack for solving puzzles, even if it stops them in their tracks and a relentless need to sustain themselves on human blood at any cost. In fact, the title Let the Right One In plays with the notion of vampire folklore that prohibits the undead to enter places uninvited. However, it is the intelligent use of all these plot devices that makes this movie worthwhile.

Long before the EMO revolution, vampires were perceived as raw manifestations of the ID, insatiable in more ways than one. Selfish creatures spawned in the bowels of hell who lived for the kill. These monsters were a craze in the eighties, at the peak of the " greed is good" sentiment. Intelligent film makers saw beyond the obvious choice of declining European aristocrats and used the image of the vampire to embody a metaphor for the deepest, darkest, guiltiest pleasures a society on the verge of hedonism had to offer- The Hunger, anyone?

Just like metal gave way to boys in flannel shirts singing about life as it is, vampire lost their punch in the nineties, they became, if anything, beautiful, alluring creatures at odds with their immortality, and filmmakers portrayed them as such. As of late, it's even worse, they have been sugarcoated.

Let the Right One In, however, rescued vampires from the trappings of sentimentality, bringing them out into the open as the dark mirror they are meant to be. It is a genre story that dares, once again brush against the human psyche. Once again, horror is not there solely for shock value. There are things to learn about ourselves, if we wish to dare to.

It is a story aligned with the Universe of Guillermo del Toro, in fact, it was not difficult to think about The Devil's Backbone. Oskar, the protagonist keeps the story grounded onto a familiar and painful reality: the trials of growing up as an outcast. Eli, even as a preternatural being, superior to Oskar in wisdom and strenght is haunted by her youth and apparent frailty, condemmed to never reach physical adulthood. It is the tragic story of a boy who cannot wait to grow up and a girl who, a long time ago was forced to come to terms with the idea that she never will. In this case, the vampire is devoid of a soul, yet still human enough to yearn for contact and the human being is willing to do anything, even leave reason behind in order to achieve the same.

The cinematography is not complicated, nevertheless it is effective, the barren, never ending white wasteland the characters move about is but a shadow of their emotional isolation. Most sensitive people might find it shocking that the main characters were so young to begin with. Once again, in the hands of intelligent filmmakers the urgency of blood and the innocence of love is beautifully woven. Children, after all are willing to believe, undergo and accept circumstances that would be just bizarre to grown ups, Oskar's is a world in which wonder and terror can coexist naturally.

All in all it is an intelligent, well thought film that is both unapologetic of it's use of genre as it is uplifting... yes, this is a feel good vampire movie, even if you know that in time, everything that can go wrong, will be, for the moment, in the brief expanse of perhaps a human lifetime, love will conquer all.

The quote:

"Be me for a while, be me" - Eli