Before there were 7, there were 6 others

Back from the commercial break.... I know right, not that long? So here is what happened next and where the night proceeded to outdo itself with every passing minute. Jon informed us, the audience, that the band was going off stage and that they would come back and sing whatever it was that the audience was singing. It was a social experiment of sorts, to see if we could unite our voices into one. It sort of worked. I say sort of because I spent some time discussing with my little circle, the friends I came with, the engaged couple we had newly meet behind us and the younger couple in front of us. I was on the verge of starting a rendition of Company Car because that's what the bride to be behind us wanted when I heard the noise of singing towards the front. I could not as the people next to me could not make out what they were singing. But Jon heard it and that's all the really mattered. The band came back out and I laughed as Tim came up to the mic and simply stated, "Oh I really like this song!" And Jon kind of stumbled around for a moment laughing that we as an audience were really giving them a run for their money. 

Faust, Midas and Myself is one of my favorite songs. It was my favorite song on Oh! Gravity. When I first heard the CD all the way through. Though since then I have a little fight with myself about if I my favorite is Burn Out Bright or 4:12... Anyway. I snuck a video of this song because, well I just sort of had to. Sorry House of Blues security that was watching me suspiciously from on top of the bar. I know I was told no video and no flash, but I didn't use flash and everyone else was taking video! My guilt made me stop halfway through the song but still, I got a good part of it. Then they played Stars, which if the band hadn't already had my love with that song was written they would have won it. There is nothing I love in nature more than the stars so the fact that there is an entire song about their purpose in life could not make me happier. The moment when Stars turned into The Shadow Proves the Sunshine was momentous to say the least.

  

Oh! Gravity kept the crowd rocking and at a request from some friends from the East Coast in the audience the band played Dirty Second Hands. As in the picture on the left, I was trying to actually capture the clock (which is also in the video) that was hanging off stage above Tim's head. Next they played what Jon at first described as a Camp Song that everyone could sing (which really confused me cause I thought something like Gone, or Company Car). He went on to explain that he wrote 24 for a girl, he had tried to impressed with his skateboard (and ended up doing something to his wrist). My friends who was with me was more than thrilled at the story and the song (it's her favorite). So they definitely made her night. Playing Dare You to  Move made my night better because as I said in the

part 1, that is one of the original songs I heard. I thought it went so well with the overall theme of the

night's story, keep moving forward. 

Here is the point where I think I was caught off unsuspecting again (like when Tim was on the opposite side). The band started playing Love is a Movement. I have never heard them play that song, especially not in the rendition that they did last night. It was beautiful and I caught myself singing before I was even aware they were playing that song. It wasn't even something I had fathomed, Love is a Movement to openly transition into Meant to Live? It was what we disney people might call a magical moment. I was thrilled at the the conclusion that I came to with the help of the band's set list thus far. Switchfoot has evolved as a band, playing with the same themes and struggles that everyone does. Every album has been a different sound, a different essence, a different perspective of the same story. Every song has built upon the last in ways that are truly significant to the movement of thoughts, emotions and inspiration. The band has grown with its audience, possibly partially as a commercial move to continue selling albums but also I think out of personal growth as well. We were all on the same page of our own books last night and it was awing. 

Now is the only sad part of the night. Not really for me, it was actually the best 

part of my night, but the young couple that had been in front of us ducked out at this point. Newcomers to the bandwagon I assume because they left before the always guaranteed encore. So you know we clapped and clamored for about three minutes before the band came back (at least they don't make us beg). They started playing  This Is Your Life and Jon jumped off stage and into the crowded. He veered stage left (the side that Tim was on and I was not). He steered himself through the crowd and jumped onto the bar on that side of the floor, underneath the hanging balcony and sang to the crowd. Not unusual for Jon, crowd interaction is his classic movement and an essential part of the integrating of the audience at each show. 

What surprised me as that after he jumped off the bar on that side he completely crossed the great divide of people (it was a sold out show) and came straight at me. Now as all adoring and complying fans would, we parted a path for him. Almost too late I realized that my purse was directly in his path and could potentially make him fall on his face. My purse was on the floor because it weighed at least 5 pounds and I had been carrying it for about 3 hours while standing around (Seriously though the security guard made me empty it and made fun of me for the array of objects I carry around -books, dvds, canned food, you know everything). So I used my foot to move my purse in hopes not to trip him with either my stuff or my foot cause that would look bad. 

Jon proceed to climb the bar in front of me and start singing Awakening. Yeah. I was standing in front of him as he hopped the bar, looked around, took pictures with the girl's next to me camera. It was surreal. I took pictures of his shoes because that's what I was starring right at whenever I looked forward. There was no better way for the show to end me personally, because it was just breath-taking. Watching him sing to the crowd next to the kids sitting on the bar. So I leave you with those images but more than anything else I want to say something about Switchfoot the band, the music, and the performances.  

As a writer, as a crafter of stories and as someone who is constantly looking for a muse and inspiration I thank the members of Switchfoot for all their help. Looking up the definition of inspiration I describe that the archaic definition states that to inspire is to take into the lungs in breathing, inhale or better yet to infuse by breathing. Switchfoot has transcended being just a band, or even just an inspiration. Their music, the story they choose to tell, breaths new life into not only what I choose to create and the stories I choose to tell but also in me as a person. Their melodies are encouraging cajoling motions, urging us, pushing us forward. They are motivating their audience, their fellow players on the stage of life to be, to do, to light the way with their love and resilient spirits. So keep on rocking guys, you're really doing great. I can not wait to experience what comes next. 

It's Been a Journey

Incredible is what I have to say about the Switchfoot concert at the House of Blues in Anaheim on November 27th, 2009. Absolutely incredible. Honestly I haven't had that perfect of a night in ages. I didn't get stuck in ANY traffic getting down to Anaheim. I was at the merriest place on earth (because it was on downtown disney and that's what Disneyland is called during the holidays). I had dinner with some of my oldest and best kindred spirits. I saw an amazing concert by possibly one of my all time favorite bands. I got to drive home and see the Los Angeles city skyline clearly. And the stars were out. It was like the perfect moment in time for a few hours last night and it was just wonderful. But I'm not here to talk about my serenity of the night of black friday, I'm here to talk about Switchfoot.

Music is one of the purest forms of storytelling. Lyrics alone are intricate stories built in few words and concisely. Combined with harmonies and beats, its no wonder we often find ourselves unable to get a particular song out of our heads. Switchfoot as a band are marvelous orators of the narrative of humanity. They convey everything needed to pluck your emotions and get your empathy for their stories when you're just listening to them in your car or off your computer or through your headphones at the gym. But when you see them live, it's like the curtain has been lifted up and you can see every color of the chords they are striking. It's something similar to that moment in Ratatouille when Remy cooks and the screen explodes in visual imagery of the process. A Switchfoot concert is a place where everyone who enters is a character and as the night progresses the audience and band essentially become one voice telling the same story.

I have been following Switchfoot for years. I have been to quite a few of their concerts up and down the California coast. Each and everyone a unique experience with different audiences, different songs, different outfits, and different kindred spirits alongside me singing. And I have seen some pretty amazing performances and I have experienced once in a lifetime moments. I will never forget watching Stars performed on the pier in Santa Monica as the sun set over the Pacific. A smile will always come to my face when I think of being pushed into the gate protecting the stage in San Francisco and the bouncer taking pity and giving us water bottles. I've watched Jon climb on speakers, stage towers, bars, banisters, and pretty much anything that's taller than him. I've seen them in venues with chairs, under palm trees, in grassy fields, in balconies, outside and inside, at night and during the day. So I've experienced many a show and though each really was an nothing short of amazing, last night they cleared their own bar.

The show was exactly what it set out to be, an evening with Switchfoot. The stage was completely set up, seagulls hanging from the ceiling and all. Going into the concert I knew two things: 1) Switchfoot was going to play their whole new album from start to finish 2) I didn't know any of their new album. I know what you're thinking, being such a Switchfoot fan how did I not already have every word of the new album memorized? Well the thing is that I hadn't had time to pick up the new CD at first (I had this weird thing that I needed the physical copy and I almost caved) and by the time I did have a moment I noticed they were going to play it at their concert as if we were listening to the CD. Upon that discovery I made a decision, I would wait and hear the new CD live. I could not have made a better decision, the impact of the music was so much more intense. As the boys came out on stage I noticed one more thing that has nothing to do with the actual music, Tim Foreman was on the wrong side of the stage! How did I know this? Like I said I've been to many a concert and I am always (except for once in Soma, SD) on Tim's side of the stage. ALWAYS. It's where I gravitate to whenever I enter a venue so when he walked to stage right and not stage left (his not mine), my mouth kind of fell open. If by chance any of the members of Switchfoot do read this, can someone let me know if this is a permanent change because I need to plan accordingly (not that Drew wasn't also awesome, it's just a forced habit).

So onward to my thoughts of the show itself. It started with a bang, the strumming of the guitars setting the tone immediately. I don't know about anyone else, but my breath is taken away whenever Jon starts singing (CD or live) I mean it's powerful, passionate and just hitting the nail every single time. Needle in the Haystack Life echoes of so many of the ideas that Jon tends to discuss in his lyrics constantly. But like the incredible artists that they are, its the same story told over in different words and different tone ensuring that they are still effecting touching their audience. I heard them loud and clear what an empowering thought: We are once in a lifetime? Of course we are!

Now I'd heard the next song because though I kept away from the CD no one could keep me away from their newest video. So I could sing along with the chorus of this song, I could feel the striking thoughts as I sang the words. I made a mess of me, constantly in their songs, there's a call to look inward and not blame others. This song is no exception, jamming on the guitar and bobbing to the music we're being called into action on ourselves. Song three's mellower tone surprised me at first, you know the transition between mess and your love is a song is clear. Though Jon did pause in between these two songs to greet the audience for a few minutes. The ballad though just like the rock tunes of moments before inspired the audience to sway with emotion, sing out loud and feel the love. The love with which not only the song was mostly likely played with but with which the band has lived their lives. The line that caught my attention immediately, I've kept my dreams unbroken.

Back to the rocking. Here Jon took a few more moments to explain his inspiration for the song The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues). In the true tradition of songs such as Beautiful Letdown or Meant to Live, the music sent Tim and Drew into playing their guitars with their entire bodies. Their hands controlled the strumming, their heads moved to the beats, their feet moved them about the stage. And it's really just very fun to watch, it's like being at a wedding and not being able to deny yourself the chance to dance because the bride and groom are grooving so lovingly on the dance floor. Back into something of a ballad, I can't even describe how much I loved this song. Again first time I had heard it and the chorus was something that seemed to ignite a flame somewhere inside me. Do you love me enough to let me go? How many images those words pushed into my mind. I no longer was just seeing Jon singing his heart out into the mic. It's wasn't just Drew humming the chorus into his newly acquired mic. It wasn't just Tim bouncing onto his toes as he sang parts of the song. No I saw memories, friends, family, movies, books, articles, characters and stories yet to be written all flashing before my eyes.

Free was played next, I liked the song but at this point I was having some trouble seeing as someone taller than me had just moved right into my line of sight. And then started what I at that moment, from the second they started the oh-oh-oh part I declared my favorite. Why? I like the rhythm, I love the energy, I could just feel the happiness bubbling to the surface. I can't even explain how I think it happens, there are just songs that can do that. Especially some of Switchfoot songs. And Jon explained it before they started playing about how it was (as the namesake of the album) about the storm coming, the storm leaving, the storm happening. Something like the eye of the storm, as someone shouted to him. This song is about fighting, its about always keeping up the fight even when you see it coming for you. Fighting even when your in the grit of it. Fighting even after its gone and your tired enough to just stop. And the melody of the song itself promises the ability to keep you energized in the fight because you can't silence my love. It's an anthem that's antagonizing the storm itself and being the type of person I am, I loved it.

The next song had me on the verge of tears before they even started it. And immediately debunked Hello Hurricane (at least at that moment) as my favorite song of the album. Jon took some time again, explaining. He wanted to apologize (while still partially blaming his dad) for giving up the  piano as a kid. Now I've meet Mom Foreman (like I said, I've seen them A LOT) and she's pretty much the sweetest lady ever and so proud of her sons. So that pretty much set the tone for that song and then Jon started playing the piano, after jibbing at Jerome for a few moments. And it's really just a beautifully epic song about the whole of life from the beginning to the part where you get beat up to moving forward. Life lesson learned over and over in their songs again because two of the first songs I ever heard of theirs. Amy's song - have a fire and plow through. Dare you to Move - get up off that floor friends and start again.

Bullet Soul was next, reminding me a little of sounds of Playing for Keeps and the album of Learning to Breathe. The overlying theme of the album at this point seemed clear enough, move forward in the world with love. And Switchfoot seemed ready to push us with their music, push every listener forward through their storm at least enjoying the soundtrack playing. I really liked the idea of "I want to start from the start" thinking of the need of myself  and others to jump into the middle of everything. Moving into Yet, the guys all moved forward which is possibly the only time I've seen Chad out from behind his drums  (besides when he's not on stage). The band moving closer to each other, moved the audience closer, created a close knit atmosphere for this narrative about inner struggle with a firm affirmation that the fight was still going on. My favorite part of this song? All the words, confusion and dreams and breaking hearts. Going through my own current struggle, the echoing moment of "If it doesn't break you're heart, it's not enough..." resonated. The words  break repeating seemed to beat with my heart. But the true moment was when Jon and Tim sung together for a few moments, it felt like a grand moment of walking in front of a family window and seeing brotherly affection. It's not something you can fake and its not something that anyone is generally privy to unless they are family. So from thanks guys for letting us be part of your family last night.

The last two songs of the night were somewhat of a blur but next was Sing it Out. Sing it Out struck me as a another chapter to go with Your Love is  A Song. It's a story about asking for help, about being supported through your troubles by another and the sentiment made me grateful for the countless kindred spirits and moments of my life. It was also satisfyingly fulfilling to sing the words of this song out loud with the band and though I didn't know all of them yet, I could gather the main gist of it well enough to partake. The last song of the new album (Hello Hurricane, for those who missed it) Red Eyes brought all new elements for me to intake. I watched Chad on the drums for a little while. I giggled at watching Tim play the what I suspect was a xylophone (him not being on my side of the stage). I noticed the repeated theme of home, eyes and sorrows. The constant search and the ever hoping battle. I was in awe at the mixing of the first and the last song, a poetic tribute to coming full circle about the everlasting ability to come back from anything.

I have almost another hour of the concert left to review. But I fear that this is getting extremely long so here is where I insert a commercial break.

Didn’t you know winter means Christmas

This isn’t going to have anything to do with winter or Christmas really, except for the idea that in our world cold weather is winter and winter is Christmas. So poor Thanksgiving is just like the starting line – or side dish to the bigger picture. This is true on many levels for a person like me. What kind of person you ask? Well first off in Southern California anything that dips under 75 outside is cold to us, when we suddenly can’t wear our flip flops and tank tops it’s winter only for about three months but still. So there we have our first criteria cold. Moving into what makes me so special (and really probably tons of other people) I worked in retail for five years, and before that I worked with children and before that I worked a movie theatre. Why does this matter? In retail the winter starts in august, that last week if you really pay attention. We use to get backpacks and lunch totes in June, no joke, June. So November in the mind of retail, particularly a children’s store, is Christmas. The week of Thanksgiving is the most exhausting week of anyone retailer’s life (usually) and the day of Thanksgiving is the only day you’re going to get off that week. Ok, you all figured that’s what I meant with the retail but why did working with kids and movie theatres matter? How did they impact my whacked out sense of an entire season being about one holiday and not the three that take place in that time period? Working with kids you start doing “holiday” crafts somewhere in the beginning of November and keep doing it until the end of December. I once spent more than 3 days baking and putting together gingerbread houses, so families could decorate them. I made a couple dozen snowmen pancakes with powder sugar for snow. I taught how to make countless Rudolph the red nose reindeer crafts some with candy canes and peppermint patties, some with paper plates and paint. Moving on to the last thing, movie theatres. I worked in one for five years (five seems to be my number), and I worked all five Thanksgivings and Christmas Days for them. But here is like the retail dilemma, not because of the amount of work but because when November starts it’s the start of Oscar Race/ Christmas Holiday Season. The winter holidays (all of them) has just become the idea of Christmas, which is slightly skewed and control by what we consume but you know, at least we’re aware of it?


But this blur was actually going to be about Thanksgiving. It’s the first year in a while where I haven’t been at work until the first few hours of the holiday and back to work before the sun is up on Black Friday. I did still work, because you can’t teach an old dog new tricks at this point, but it wasn’t the same frantic stressful urgent atmosphere. There are a few things that are interesting about Thanksgiving. One it’s a completely American holiday, like actually many of the holidays that are on our calendars but this one everyone who is here seems to embrace. The ideals of Thanksgiving are just genuinely something worth embracing. I read an article about Thanksgiving a few days back. From my reading two things struck me. One I’m upset that my turkey is not going to be as delicious as the Turkeys given to Truman. It has something to do with how our poor turkeys are mass-produced like so many of the things we consume, and apparently the poor things aren’t even dynamically correct. I imagined humans being produced to look like Barbie, top heavy and functionally useless. The second thing was that the author of the article (I didn’t write it down but I’m sure it was from the MSN homepage…) mentioned that if the holiday originated with the Pilgrims splurging as a celebration of thanks during hard times that we should take a page out of their book during our hard time. What a great message to leave a reader with, yeah things are hard now. But at least you’re not looking daunting at starting an entire country, establishing a town, dealing with harsh unknown weather, and having to catch your own turkey. So I ate turkey (even though originally they probably ate duck), and loved my mashed potatoes (even though they didn’t have those originally they apparently still thought they were the devil), and I was just thankful for whatever particular thing could make me smile.



Not to say that I forgot my background completely. Like I said I still worked because you know, that’s just what I’m use to. But more importantly at 10 PM, I went out to shop at the store I use to work for experience the insanity of Black Friday from the other side of the glass. Not going to lie to you all non-retailers, it’s much more fun behind the counter. Granted I suppose that if the store is completely prepared and the employees happy to be there the shoppers can tell and that makes all the difference. I might also be generally overly critical maybe the average shopper doesn’t care if you make their experience enjoyable or if the cashier is enjoying themselves and smiling. It’s doubtful that anyone else that got into the line to purchase his or her items last night actually timed their wait time. But I was programmed this way and I’m hard to impress because on Black Friday I could manage a line of people very quickly, personally I could ring a transaction within 43 seconds of starting (no matter how much stuff you had) and I did it with a smile and seriously had a blast doing it. Not to say that my cashier wasn’t on the ball last night, because she was very sweet and quick and in all fairness most of their cashiers were very new and inexperienced still. So like I said my standards might be to high, but walking into the store last night only an hour after they opened I wasn’t wowed. I didn’t feel the initial shock of the perfection of the set up, or the powerful sense of magic. But maybe things have changed and maybe that’s why I moved on? It’s still sad because believe me, there is no greater sense of immediate accomplishment after pouring everything you’ve got into something. So I miss it, the rush of it and the enjoyment of building a community with your co-workers and with your guests (consumers). So if you’re shopping this weekend, think of the incredible amount of work that went into the entire setting that you’re in from that wheel at the bottom of the rack (we use to clean those) to the speedy checkout. Even though ABC Family has been playing Christmas movies for about a week and shopping centers started playing carols three weeks ago, enjoy the true beginning of the holiday season! Happy shopping!

The 65 hour window

It has been just about 65 hours since I saw one of the most anticapated movies of the fall. Actually it's more like 64 hours and 50 minutes since the ending credits started rolling on the screen, but hey who needs to be that accurate? So why the window, cause honestly it's not like I went to bed when I got home at 2:25 AM on Friday morning. Why did I wait to post my thoughts, rants, review, loving adoration or whatever it might be for New Moon? Two reasons actually, 1) I didn't want my opinion to affect anyone else's first time viewing experience. I seem midnight movies for several reasons, the biggest reason, no one else can ruin my first impressions if I see it first! And this is one of those movies, one of those moments that because everyone has been waiting for it, everyone has to tell you what they think. So either you go into the theatre next weekend with expections so high, there's just no way you're going to like it. Or already knowing what you're going to hate and liking it anyway. And 2) I wanted to think about it, again that initial response is sometimes different. I could have loved it not because I actually loved it but because I've been waiting 12 months to see it... 

With that said. What did I think? I've only seen it once (groan all you want critics, I will more than likely see it again). And it's the end of the weekend and it's had the third openest weekend of all time, surprised? Not really. So people liked it. Or maybe fangirls liked it (loved, might be more accurate). So I would like to start with as a fan of the books, as a fan of the story, as a avid fan of the casting of the movies, I really did like it. Second, everyone admits that it's better than the first one. That being said, the film itself is beautiful. It's one of those book turned movie moments that I could relate to Harry Potter 3. Before you all freak out because Prisoner is the movie no one likes, I mean it in terms of the cinematic art to the actual picture not the way the story line was butchered. Quite the contrary for New Moon, the story line was kept completely intacted which was really refreshing. Though not different because, afterall, Twilight did the same thing for the fans. But the colors, the angles, the movement of the action everything was done with such a precision and love for the moving picture that I would have liked it even if I hated the story. But really the way the pages in the beginning showing passage of time were filmed in a 360 view from the window, or the awesome fight scene we've all seen in the trailer. It was all just beautifully put together.

With the story in mind, I did have a sense that unforunately the film had a pacing problem. A wrongly placed pause there, a second lapse on action here, I can't really put my finger on it but there was a slight problem. Some of the action was built up great, some of the emotion had me riding along on the rollercoaster just perfectly. But there were other moments when I felt the audience was rushed into feeling or experiencing what was going on by both the movement of the narrative and the acting. Rushed in a way that wouldn't be noticed by the die-hard fans that have read the book a dozen times so it could be dismissed, but it was there. In connection with this slight problem, I have to mention my problem with Edward (Rob Pattison). Please first note, I am pretty convinced that Rob Pattison IS Edward Cullen for all intensive purposes. I adored his protrayal of one of my favorite vampires in the first film, I really thought he nailed it. This being said, I didn't have a problem with how he was Edward only with how fast Edward became a martyr and how it came across on screen. I don't blame anyone in particular, but I felt like he went from being miserable in the beginning (because even before the Jasper thing) to being aloof and unattainable. Now flipping the coin on this issue for me, I've always been way to understanding of the situation in New Moon. I understood Edward and his reasoning and I never once doubted that he was going to come back in the end. So maybe this protrayal of him, is more intune to how everyone else felt about his leaving in the book? I don't know, I had issues with it because like I said I really thought he captured his own cahracter in the first film. So it was like a sudden shift in the second film to capturing how Bella saw his character instead. Not sure I liked it as much? Next time he won't exist so much just in Bella's head, so we'll see which way Rob Pattison takes it?

On actors, world watch out for little Taylor Launter. He's going places, not only did his character steal the show in the book but his acting stole the show on screen too. I know at least one person came out of the movie having switched teams, not me but you know others. And Billy Burke really does steal the few scenes he's in, he's just so entertaining to watch. Also let's not forget the under appreciated Bella school friends, Mike and Jessica in particular. They really bring their small parts to life, they are everything I ever saw those two characters being. They balance out all the crazy just the right amount and I love them for it. And Emmett (Kellan Lutz, thumbs up to your candid ability to capture Emmett so PERFECTLY) relief in any scene he's in. Oh, and the wolves, again the casting director couldn't have drawn up more perfect actors for any of the roles. And just not to leave her out, K.Stewart really did capture just how sad and broken Bella really was even the motions of holding herself together that are described in the book.

Moving into the realm of impossible to please fan. Why was Jasper still in high school? He graduated with Rose and Emmett. AND what was up with his wig? If anyone who has any power over his wig reads this, please fix it. We all noticed, I promise. And Jackson has no need to look ridiculous when he's playing Jasper. Why didn't Alice come to school with Edward in the beginning, because we needed that great wind shot of Edward heading towards Bella by himself? We could have done that with Alice still getting out of the car. Promise. There's a few more nitpicking items that I won't bore you with.

Instead I leave you with this critics of the film, read the book. Because then you might understand why it's so dark, why there's a love triangle, and why we will keep wasting our money on it. If you don't understand, read it twice. Everyone else, please enjoy the tad bit of commericalism that the film turned into with Jacob Black eating Burger King and Bella flying Virgin to Italy. Appreciate that it gave them a bigger budget to bring all our favorite pages into life. See it a few times and be able to make fun of how absurd imaginary Edward looks when Bella is drowning (The only hallucation I didn't like), or how silly it was for Bella to get on that strange guys bike and not be kidnapped? Aside from that see you all in line next year in June for Eclipse, we all know we're going to see it!

A Secret to Never Tell

Three seasons in & only about a year of people telling me, is how long it took me to check out this little CW show called Gossip Girl. It was predicted I would get attached to this TV show, I know it's starting to seem that I can get attached to any TV show - but believe me I'm a bit hard to impress. It's all about the story telling. But here where the key predicators to my love for this show: 1. Pretty Good Boy who looks Bad and has a great shorten named - Nat, 2. Scandal and Drama on semi-real basis mixed in a relatable idea of private privileged high school, 3. Characters with Passion and believability. 

I have only watched 4 episode of it, but it was enough to ensure that I would need to watch at least the rest of the first season. The beginning had me intrigued immediately with the fact that the audience was thrown into the middle of the gossip. We didn't get a back story, we didn't get the entire exposition. Just like any real gossip it came out in sections, parts of it moving slowly. Now I know this show seems a bit like a soap opera and possibly trashy, but there's something truly smart about it. I think it might be the characters themselves, but so far as I can tell the story line is well established and plotted out. Maybe it loses its foundation somewhere along the line, but I don't know yet. So we shall see how the show stands the test of time, it's still pretty well loved so I think it does okay.

As of right now, I'm a Blake Lively fan. She really does bring a life into her character that makes it just generally watchable. It's something like comparing how Reese Witherspoon brought Elle Woods to life like no one else could. Also I just like her character. Now I don't like Chuck but he's character is perfected flawed. He's a gossip king, wasting away his existence and using every girl that walks past him.  But he seems a loyal enough friend, at the very least useful to Blair and protective of Nat. And Nat and Dan  have pretty much every quality I like about the teen protagonist with just tiny differences. Nat has a father that is over-bearing and controlling of his entire life and future, demanding him to work as an asset to his family fortune. While Dan has a very supportive father that wants nothing more than his son to reach his own dreams and achievements. Nat is confused about his future, unsure that his family's structure is really what he wants and how he wants it. Dan loves his family but could also want to move away from them, get his independence and make his own way. Both boys are in love with Serena, shock! They are slightly gullible, prince charming types with big flaws that I have either yet to see or are coming up. Nat for example doesn't think things through and tends to trust that the other side really has greener grass without figuring it out himself.

All in all, I felt like the show took a page out of Sex in the City and made it younger. Personally I had no love for sex in the city, but this show definitely caught my attention. But we will see what I think when I finish the first season!

Where we’re going we don’t need roads!

Back to the Future might easily be described as one if not my favorite movie of all time. It is for sure the film that has affected how I viewed all other films, I’m not entirely sure why or what about it captives me to such a degree but it does. Part of that magically hold the movie (and its two sequels) has over me is in part due to the charm of a Mr. Michael J. Fox. I was born the year that Back to the Future came out in theatres and though I can make no claim one way or the other that it was the first movie I saw in my entire life, I know it was among the first. Honestly I have no idea when the first time was that I met Marty McFly and Doc Brown they have always just seemed to exist with me. As I’ve grown as a person, as an academic, and as a professional my love and the intense effect of that one movie and that same actor seemed to have also grown. Everything I read about it now, or have read about it in the past just cement its place in my heart.

Taking all this into account, it would be no small surprise to anyone that one day back in April when I was wondering the Barnes and Noble at the Grove I sought out the latest memoir from Michael J. Fox. My respect for Michael J. Fox has expanded from that initial and everlasting crush/ attachment to Marty McFly to his other acting roles to in more recent years his gracious and courageous battle with Parkinson’s. Whenever I come across anything about him or his foundation in magazines, newspapers, and that electronic feed from yahoo that keeps me endlessly informed over everything I read it. So like I said it wasn’t strange that in April I was looking for his newest book just recently having arrived on the shelves. I was particularly intrigued because of the title of the book (I can hear all the groaning about judging a book from it’s cover/ or title as the case may be, but first impressions are no joking matter my friends) Always Looking Up, The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist. I’m an optimist at heart though no one who met me past my junior year of high school will completely agree, I was and always will be. So the title of the book amused me to no end and I was intrigued to know what he had to say about life.

It has taken me six months to read Always Looking Up and not because it was fascinating, intelligent and witty on the contrary I hoped for and more. No it took me six months to read his book because parts of it hit all too close to home for me.  I purchased the book in April, consequently that was the same month where I decided to ultimately give notice to the Disney Stores. Being a person in search of a muse (or as some might see it, in constant need of being entertained) I immediately started reading. Within the first four pages I knew that this book had found me, not the other way around. For being a book about optimism there is a large amount of journey to the happiness in it, the storm of sadness before the peaceful calm of happiness. I read up until page 25 before I had to stop the first time and leave the book aside for a few days. On page 24 there was a heart wrenching parallelism about Michael J. Fox the actor and his character on Spin City. It was the moment that Fox was leaving acting behind him because of his health and subsequently his character was leaving a job that was his life because of a scandal. No use pretending it didn’t affect me not only because it was just sad, but also because it was like looking into a mirror a little bit. No I wasn’t leaving my place with the stores due to some life impacting illness, but I was leaving because of circumstances beyond my control and it was the company that was my life.

So naturally I stopped reading it at that moment. The next time I picked it up I read on through the first section and there is wonderfully painted picture of the greats that Michael J. Fox has met and worked with in his life. Describing his afternoon with Lance Armstrong and his being in the mist of the Tour de France with Robin Williams is nothing short of incredible. I couldn’t read the words fast enough, or enough times to truly capture what the experience of working or talking to Muhammad Ali must have been liked for him. But believe me you get a taste of some amazing interactions. The next time I stopped reading was when Michael J. Fox discussed the storm cloud of how he was accused of faking his P.D. in the commercial. I remembered this event, it angered me when it happened, it still angered me when I read about it. And it truly made me sad when I read about his mom's reaction to the whole situation. So I put it down again and didn't pick it up again for four months. When I did pick it up again, I didn't put it down until I read the last line. 

          

I have pages of quotes written down from happy-go-lucky advice, to witty wisdom, to funny jokes. So in the words of Mr. Michael J. Fox himself: "We are where we are. If we keep moving, we'll be someplace else. We'll know when we  get there." So you out there without the book, move to a bookstore or your local library and find a copy and then read it, it will move you to a new place!