I feel weird. No, not like that. I feel like I've changed. I was at Blockbuster yesterday going over the literally dozen or so movies I've not seen yet, and thinking how having a son has changed me. The last four movies I've rented are: Gone Baby Gone, We Own the Night, American Gangster, and Michael Clayton. All big movies, mostly critically acclaimed...and all movies I would have FOR SURE seen in the theater 18 months ago. The next 4 movies I have in my mind to rent also fall under this category: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The Darjeeling Limited, Into The Wild, and Becoming Jane (for Lacey). None of these I saw in the theater, and I still haven't seen them on DVD, though most have been out for days/weeks. This is quite odd for me. It used to be that Lacey and I would go to the video store and literally SEARCH for a decent movie that we hadn't both seen. Now they are everywhere. This isn't a bad thing...just different. Perhaps I'm growing up. Perhaps I'm becoming more boring. I don't know. But I feel different, and that's ok. My wife and son trump everything, especially stupid movies. But that doesn't mean that sometimes I don't miss my old life :-)
For pictures of my adorable son: http://picasaweb.google.com/laceymelt/Oscars08/photo#s5170923526413948626
For a video of my really, really, ridiculously good looking son: http://youtube.com/watch?v=FBv3-b9BJfk
And Another: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Eo-VqsEqXEY
Finally, to see my fantastic new toy: http://youtube.com/watch?v=jM7PgzsKHo8
Yep, I've said it for years: The Oscars Suck. Sure, John Stewart is funny. And Lacey and I watch them every year, and are entertained. But as far as having any real oomph, they've lost it completely. The fact that P.T. Anderson doesn't even have any real Oscars is proof enough. Combine that with the fact that any time a foreigner is nominated they get the statue, and it's pretty much a load of crap. What, you're telling me that the French chick playing a drunk singer was better than Ellen Page from Juno? Puh-Lease. Or how about Cate Blanchett losing to the white witch from Narnia? Sheesh. I say again, SHEESH. And that doesn't even cover the real travesty of the night, which will go unnoticed by pretty much everybody but me. In Visual Effects, there could only be one winner. Transformers took special f/x and made it their own this year. I haven't seen one movie take it up a notch like that in over a decade. Nothing comes CLOSE to what Transformers did in special f/x this year. And they give it to the Golden freaking Compass? Sure the movie was beautiful, and had some cool stuff in it. But it's all been done! They needed to give TGC some other award, like cinematography or whatever. Not visual f/x where it was more than obvious that there was one winner, and one winner only.
But whatevs. At least Falling Slowly from Once won best original song. That performance was amazing.
"And finally, "24," as previously announced, is not anticipated to return until January 2009."
This makes me sad.
The fourth Indiana Jones is finally here! It will be released on May 22nd, and I'll be waiting in line, you better believe it. You can see the teaser here:
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=42016
I got all teary-eyed when the music came up. Awesome.
Yeah, so this movie was totally over-hyped. Anyone who loves the beatles, would certainly look forward to a movie with a soundtrack made up solely of beatles songs. You would think that a musical based on the songs of the fab four would be awesome. You would be wrong. I don't know what the critics were smoking when they gave this movie positive reviews, but it pretty much sucked. The only real "moments" the film had, were ONLY because they kiped someone else's (mostly Sir Paul's) art. This movie stole shamelessly. It tried to be Fear and Loathing - failed. It tried to be Moulin Rouge - failed. There was no steady narrative/plot, no consistent acting, no consistent characters. It was stream of consciousness filmmaking at its worst. Now, there were certainly things to like about this movie...but only if you like The Beatles (and let's be honest, unless your name is Remy, how could you not?). Overall, it was a complete letdown. As I told Lacey, I would much rather have watched Once again, and then played a bunch of Beatles records. Don't waste your time with this.
1. ONE OF YOUR SCARS, HOW DID YOU GET IT?
I'm not sure I have any real, visible scars...
2. WHAT DOES YOUR CELL PHONE LOOK LIKE?
Silver. Flip-phone. Indestructible.
3. WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LIKE TO LISTEN TO
When? What kind or who? Softer stuff mostly - Jack Johnson recently, and the Once and Juno soundtracks.
4. DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME YOU WERE BORN?
I think afternoon.
5. WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?
To not be sick.
6. WHAT DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
Good friends that are up for hanging out - even spur of the moment.
7. WHAT IS YOUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSION?
TV
8. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SMELL?
Mom's chicken noodls soup.
9. DO YOU GET CLAUSTROPHOBIC?
No
10. DO YOU GET SCARED IN THE DARK?
No
11. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOGNE / PERFUME TO WEAR?
I think it's stetson...
12. WHAT KIND OF HAIR DO YOU LIKE ON THE OPPOSITE SEX?
long
13. WHERE CAN YOU SEE YOURSELF BEING PROPOSED TO AT?
I did the proposing.
14. COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINKS?
Neither
15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPING?
pepperoni
16. IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
A big fat juicy outback steak.
17. WHO IS THE LAST PERSON YOU MADE MAD?
Lacey
18. DO YOU SPEAK A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE?
Unfortunately, no.
19. WHAT WAS THE FIRST GIFT SOMEONE EVER GAVE YOU (OF THE OPPOSITE SEX)?
a t-shirt
20. WOULD YOU FALL IN LOVE KNOWING THAT THE PERSON IS LEAVING?
weird. probably not.
21. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO TELL SOMEONE HOW MUCH THEY MEAN TO YOU?
actions speak louder than words.
22. SAY A NUMBER FROM ONE TO A HUNDRED.
77
23. BLONDES OR BRUNETTES?
brunettes
24. WHAT IS THE ONE NUMBER YOU CALL OFTEN?
home
25. WHAT ANNOYS YOU MOST?
my students acting stupid
26. HAS ANYONE EVER SPIT ON YOU?
I don't think so.
27. YOUR WEAKNESSES?
Sin.
28. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
paper route
29. EVER DONE A PRANK CALL?
yes
30. WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE YOU FILLED OUT THIS SURVEY?
eating lunch
31. IF YOU COULD GET PLASTIC SURGERY WHAT WOULD IT BE?
none
32. WHY DID YOU FILL OUT THIS SURVEY?
thought it would be fun
33. WHAT DO YOU GET COMPLIMENTED ABOUT MOST?
not really sure
34. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF ALCOHOL BECAME ILLEGAL?
Fight it.
35. WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY
iphone
36. HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU WANT?
At least 4.
37. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
don't think so, except middle name after dad.
38. DO YOU WISH ON STARS?
no
39. WHICH FINGER[S] IS YOUR FAVORITE?
the one you're thinking.
40. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY?
i don't remember
41. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
no
42. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
ham
43. ANY BAD HABITS?
ANY? sure, everyone has tons.
44. WHAT IS YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING CD YOU OWN?
spice girls
45. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
i think so
46. DO LOOKS MATTER?
Of course. But for what and to whom and why?
47. HOW DO YOU RELEASE ANGER?
yell at the football men on the tv
48. WHERE IS YOUR SECOND HOME?
monroe
49. DO YOU TRUST OTHERS EASILY?
Depends on person, but generally no.
50. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD?
transformers
51. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
constantly
52. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A MOSH PIT?
yes
53. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A GUY/GIRL?
Christianity first, good wife/mom second.
54. WHAT ARE YOUR NICKNAMES?
baby, meltdown
55. DO YOU UN-TIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
not usually
56. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
chocolate
57. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR?
green
58. HOW MANY WISDOM TEETH DO YOU HAVE?
all
59. WHO/WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST RIGHT NOW?
sleep
60. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
huh?
61. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
jack johnson - sleep through the static
62. LAST THING YOU ATE?
taco bell
63. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
lacey
64. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX?
smile
65. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
grand rapids, michigan
66. SCARIEST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO YOU?
fell off a ladder
67. FAVORITE DRINK?
coca cola classic
68. FAVORITE JOKE?
anything from seinfeld's stand-up
69. FAVORITE SPORT?
football
70. YOUR HAIR COLOR?
blond
71. YOUR EYE COLOR?
green
72. DO YOU WEAR GLASSES?
contacts
73. SIBLINGS?
a brother and a sister
74. FAVORITE MONTH
june
75. YOU LIKE SUSHI
yes
76. LAST THING YOU WATCHED?
The Office
77. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR?
Christmas
78. ARE YOU TOO SHY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT?
yes
79.SUMMER OR WINTER?
summer
80. IF THERE WAS A QUESTION HERE YOU DIDN'T APPROVE OF, WOULD YOU CHANGE IT?
probably
81. WHO DO YOU SECRETLY LOVE?
no one secretly
82. FAVORITE SONG AT THE MOMENT?
landed by ben folds
83. LAKE OR OCEAN?
lake if it's big, like michigan
84. BIGGEST TURNOFF?
bossiness
85. LAST TIME YOU SAW YOUR BEST FRIEND
very early this morning
86. LAST KISS:
last night
87. LAST TEXT YOU RECEIVED:
n/a
88. DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH?
no
89. DO YOU WISH YOU CAN SEE ANYONE PARTICULAR RIGHT NOW?
Yes.
90. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE NAME?
Noah
91. HIGH SCHOOL YOU ATTENTED/ ARE ATTENDING:
Sheridan
92. WHERE ARE YOU NOW:
in my classroom.
93. ARE YOU SMILING:
no
94. WHAT ARE YOU WEARING:
khakis, blue sweater
96. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE?
The Godfather
97. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG?
crash - dmb
98. WHEN WAS YOUR LAST RELATIONSHIP?
i'm in my last relationship - marriage
99. EVER BEEN DRUNK?
Unfortunately.
100. PLAN ON GETTING DRUNK SOON:
What a bummer of a closing question. no.
The new Jack Johnson CD came out yesterday, which I of course purchased immediately. Even though JJ isn't my favorite artist, I would have to say that out of all the music I listen to, if you're just going by sheer volume, I listen to Johnson more than any other artist I own. Because here's the thing: he's good for any mood. Angry? Calm yourself with his sweet sounds. Happy? Groove with him. Sad? Play some of his slower stuff and either cheer up or wallow a bit. He's the go-to artist on my DellPod, when I just can't figure out what I want to listen to, or I don't have time to make a playlist (like when I'm washing windows). I put his entire catalogue on shuffle, and the next thing I know it's been 3 hours. Sure, there's not a lot of variety of tempo, complex melodies, etc. etc. But there's enough variation that I can continuously listen to all of his albums back to back, and not grow weary of the music. His newest offering has a much heavier piano-vibe, and some more electric guitar, as opposed to acoustic. It's still soft and groove-filled, but the more his stuff sounds the same, the more I realize how different it is. No one will accuse Jack Johnson of being the most talented artist out there, but he certainly knows how to write catchy tunes. Good stuff.
Just wanted to tell all 2 and a half of you that Lacey and I finally started watching The Office. We've watched all of season 1, and about a third of season 2. And yes, you all were right, it is a great show. Totally hilarious. One of our faves, already.
Update:
Now about 2 episodes into season 3, and I've decided that while not as good as Scrubs, The Office is really the only other successor to sitcom giant Seinfeld, as the greatest sitcom of all time. When Michael starts crying about Kevin's "negative" cancer prognosis, it was straight George Costanza. Beautiful. The fact that both Scrubs and The Office struggle every year to find viewers is a testament to the fact that American viewers haven't known a freakin' thing since Seinfeld ended.
So I've been thinking about music a lot lately. Don't ask me why, it's just been on my mind. I have long held the opinion that catchy music is difficult to write. It's quite obvious that not everyone can do it, or everyone would have a top 40 hit. But I've been thinking about the difference between catchy music that is well-written (in other words, good) and catchy music that is just catchy. My two examples have been songs I've listened to a good bit recently. I'll start with catchy for the sake of being catchy. Case in point: Alicia Keys. She performed last night before the super bowl, and I realized how little talent she actually has. I appreciate that she can play the piano, and I actually enjoy a few of her songs, particularly her newest single - "No One". But if you really listen to the piano part, you realize how simplistic it is. The lyrics are nothing special, it's not a particularly thick song with multiple things going on. But it's certainly catchy, and she got a #1 hit out of it.
I'm going to contrast that with a song by Ben Folds, called "Landed". I really could have picked any Ben Folds song, since he writes catchy music that takes skill to both play and write. But this song in particular has been on my playlists for a couple of weeks now - every one. It is rapidly becoming one of my favorite songs, and if you haven't heard it, you should. It's got a major piano part, just like the Keys song, but his stuff is well-written and complex. There is a lot going on there, not only in the piano melody, but "behind the scenes". And that is music that I appreciate much more than the simplistic tones of top 40 radio. Ben Folds is a quality musician, and it shows in his music. And that is the difference between just catchy, and catchy.
The saying goes, "cheaters never prosper" but I doubted it until last night. What a glorious victory for the David-esque New York Giants and their massive misnomer of a nickname. Now there has been a Manning as Super Bowl MVP two years running, and we're all pulling for a Peyton vs. Eli Super Bowl next year.
The game was intense, the shouting loud from the Melton household, and the chicken wings delicious. Everything a Super Bowl should be. We kept it low-key, and that was nice. About the only thing that disappointed were the commercials - definitely the worst I've ever seen in all my years of watching the big game. But none of it matters, to see Belicik and his minions go down in smoke was fantastic. What a jerk. He runs off the field with 1 second left, to let his team pick up the pieces? Typical.
Anyway, if you had asked me before the season what I would like to see if the Colts can't win the Super Bowl, I would have said (in this order): 1.the patriots lose 2.Eli win
Wonderful.