The next big thing

With the last Harry Potter movie due to be released in just under a month, I've been wondering what that next epic story will be. To my knowledge, no story has encompassed a total of eight feature films. It is a testament to the power of the author's work that it has managed to remain such a commercial success, given the editing that has had to be done to the last novels to make them fit into the cinematic time frame.

It still begs the question, will any movie series ever be so big?

You could argue that the Twilight and Transformers series could fit the bill, but I have a problem with that.

I mentioned that no story has encompassed eight films. Star Trek fans everywhere have probably already figuratively jumped down my throat. I don't think they count, in that the stories (with the notable exceptions of II, III and IV) stand alone. The sequels take the previous movies into consideration, but aren't necessarily part of the same story. The same can be said for Twilight and Transformers.

One large story line, such as Ms. Rowling has produced simply doesn't translate well into film for the most part. The Harry Potter series was fortunate enough to be different, and to really be one story arc, leading to the upcoming conclusion. It will be many years before we see anything similar, in my humble opinion.

If anyone feels differently, what do you believe will be the next big thing?

Weakness for cartoons.

I have to admit my guilty pleasure. I am addicted to cartoons. There is nothing I enjoy so much as sitting down and watching some animation with my morning cup of coffee. It's one of my weekend rituals.

Sadly, cartoons aren't up to the standards they once were. Instead of the giggle inspiring shorts that so many of us grew up with, most are now half hour advertisements for toys and games. A lot are produced in Japan or Korea, and the stories don't necessarily translate. The ones that do still seem to "feel" odd.

I think the best example of a "proper" cartoon is still Bugs Bunny. Take one wacky character (or a string of them) and put them into the bizarre situations and wait for the laughs. Who could resist the bumbling antics of that loud mouthed rooster Foghorn Leghorn? Who didn't laugh at the pitiful attempts of Wile E. Coyote to capture and devour the lucky and blissfully uncaring roadrunner?

And just what was it that kept Acme in business all of those years?

Another old favorite was Scooby Doo, in its various incarnations. The newest versions don't have the charm of the old ones, but they are still good. Many a day, a Monkees tune will run through my head, having been one of the pieces used for a chase scene.

There are a couple of good cartoons airing on Teletoon these days. I am actually particularly fond of "G.I. Joe: Renegades". It's more of a serial than a cartoon, with each episode subtly linked to all of the others. Still, they stand well enough alone. The characters are richly filled out, even with all of their little personal mysteries. Seeing those histories brought out as the group melds is part of the charm.

Cartoons are also great educational tools. Just look at the pictures produced during World War II. Private Snafu was funny, making every mistake that a G.I. possibly could, and managing to still get across the messages that the military wanted the soldiers and civilian population alike to see.

A new one, Canadian I might add, is "The Future is Wild". It's the tale of a group of teenagers who are travelling in the distant future on a mission to save mankind from a major ice age. It uses the platform of animation to put across real science, to show what life on earth could evolve into over the span of millions of years. It uses humour to entertain, but the information is solid, or at least as solid as a panel of experts in biology, geology and botany can make it.

I don't think we should ever let ourselves outgrow the wonder that is animation. Imagine how dull and ironically two dimensional life would be without cartoons.

"Glue it and Screw it!" Mike Holmes and what he has taught me.

I watch a lot of HGTV (Home and Garden Television). I've learned a lot from the shows on that channel. Most particularly, Holmes on Homes and Holmes Inspection. It's mostly about using common sense when having work done on your biggest investment.

There are times when even I can look at the houses that Mike Holmes goes through and see the defects. I would never dream to call myself an inspector, but I think I've learned the key areas to look, what to look for, and who I should turn to for those systems of a house that really need an expert opinion. Education is a wonderful thing, and that's what DIY shows are all about. The only down side is that you can get a little cynical about contractors and home inspectors.

I think the fundamental thing I've learned is that if you are going to do anything, take your time and do it right. The consequences are just too great. All too often we go into things for the sake of appearances, without looking at the base. Like floors. If you don't glue and screw down the sub floor correctly, it's going to shift on you. Then that lovely hardwood or tile is gonna be destroyed. Make the structure right, and the finish will stay nice.

Another key lesson is to pay attention to maintenance. This means, if you don't pay attention, things will get forgotten and will deteriorate. Sometimes faster than you think. When you make the big investments, you had better be ready to look after it. One small thing will lead to a mess that you just might not be able to clean up.

Most importantly is that if you plan to go into a trade, don't bother learning the tricks of the trade. LEARN THE TRADE!!! Shortcuts are for people who don't care about their work. If you would not be willing to sign your name on something and have it paraded about, don't do it. Be ready to learn new things that will make your job easier, but don't look for a quick and dirty way to do the least work and give the poorest result.

These are the things that Mike Holmes and his crew have taught me.

Another time, maybe I'll go into what Brian Baumler taught me in his work on Disaster DIY.

Plugging "The King's Speech"

It's not often that I feel a movie is so great that I need to blog about it. This is one of those exceptions.

"The King's Speech" won Best Movie at the Oscars for good reason. It is a remarkable story of a man working to overcome a serious speech impediment. (For those of you who have not seen the film.) Not the least important thing about the story is that it portrays a royal as a man, a man with the same problems as those who were not born to privilege.

What I find most fascinating is that the therapist who helps the Duke of York and future King to overcome his stammer has made the connection between past experience of a person with speech problems and the stammer. In the early part of the 20th century, it was so common to put a speech impediment down to a lack of intelligence. Lionel Logue also noted the connection between speech and being forced to use the right hand when one is left handed.

Being left handed myself, I can understand the kind of problems this would cause.

It took a man with no formal training or credentials to help King George VI to make the speeches that saw a nation through its most desperate years. It was necessary for England to feel that the man who lead them was competent, forceful and intelligent. In those days, those traits were best demonstrated en masse by radio and news reels. It staggers the imagination to imagine how the world would look if England had fallen to a lack of confidence.

If you have not already seen this movie, do make the effort. The story is told through a series of touching moments and burst of comedy.

A man of inconsistency, that's me.

My niece has been kind enough to point out that I have not blogged in quite some time. She used to follow my rantings pretty consistently. It doesn't matter how silly, obscure or incomprehensible the topic, she liked to read whatever spilled onto the screen.

Lately, I just haven't been up to writing much. There has been a lot of personal stuff going on, and it's not something I care to put out there for general consumption.

Unfortunately, my blog is not the only place I have failed to write lately. I have stories languishing on FanFiction.net. It really isn't fair, as it has been marked as a favorite of readers, even in my writing absence. Besides which, I have left the characters in the middle of their conflict. This isn't fair to them either. Sure, they aren't "real" people, but I've always felt a certain responsibility for them, since I've been allowed to play in the Disney company's sandbox of story ideas.

Perhaps that inconsistency is one of my greatest flaws. I have the bad habit of letting stuff going on take me away from projects. Even such projects that have given me a lot of pleasure. My niece has suggested that getting back to some of those projects and hobbies might just break me out of the funk I've been living in lately.

Well, at least here, I can do a little bit of ruminating, without having to worry about how it will affect what I will write later. A little less structure, a little more outlet.

Here's hoping I can get back to my mental roaming here, now that it has been brought back to my attention.

Bear with me.

Tracing Your Daily Steps

Back to form and function.

I mentioned before that I like to design things. I've dabbled in clothing and vehicles, including boats.

Mostly, I like to design homes. Specifically, floor plans, since my decorative ideas tend to be different from other people. Colour, material, finishes, that is up to whoever has to look at the stuff. I like to design the space people live in. I even took a drafting course in high school.

The key to designing a working space is to think about how you will use it. The best way to do that is to trace the steps you take in a given day. You get up, go to the bathroom to get your day going, and then aim for the coffee and breakfast. At least, that is the common start up routine for most people. Your mileage may vary. But that is where knowing who you are planning for comes in. The form of the home MUST follow the function of the space.

When the floor plan is first drawn, I actually act out a typical day, tracing with a pencil. It would amaze you how quickly you can pick out inefficiency and wasted steps. This is how they came up with the optimum work triangle for the kitchen. The same thing works well for the bathroom, public spaces or an office.

You've naturally heard that you cannot know somebody until you've walked a mile in his or her shoes. The same is true of design. You can't make something for another person to use until you have followed in their footsteps and know their routine.

Form, function?

Today's discussion is about my sweater. Okay, yes, that is a little off the wall, but there is a point to it. You'll have to trust me on that one.

Years ago, when I went to University, I asked my mother to knit me a cardigan. I had a very definite feel in mind. Naturally, I wanted something warm. That is the whole point of the sweater. The difficult part was, I wanted something longer and larger than usual. If you've ever seen the length of a standard lab coat, you get the idea. I also wanted something rather "baggy" that had space.

You see, form follows function, as the old saying goes. The function of my black sweater was to be almost like a blanket with sleeves. I can wrap myself in it when I'm cold, or I can let it fall out behind me like a cape. It is not uncommon for one of the cats to curl up on the section that falls on the couch beside me when I don't have it wrapped.

There pockets even conform to my needs. There are two large outer pockets for me to shove my hand into. Inside of them are two smaller pockets. Those fulfill the needs of a regular pocket. I can stuff my cell phone or a pen in there. Two functions for the price of one.

Now to the point. (I bet you were wondering when I'd get there.)

All to often, we decide on somethings value from it's look. It's not until you wear your sweater that you really understand what you need, and how to achieve it. It may look odd on the rack, but when it's on you, it feels natural. Designers these days put so much emphasis on the "rack" look, that we have given up comfort and usefulness for style. If we applied a "form and function" to how we design our clothes, our homes and other articles, we'd all be more comfortable.

The Perfect Car

I've been putting a lot of thought into vehicles lately. Mostly, I'm just grateful to have access to one that works. Too many of us take reliable transportation for granted. Having been without it a few times in my life, I can't do that.

I think the most important ingredient to the ideal vehicle is to make sure it fits the driver. For example, I have been considering what would be ideal for my niece, whom I have been giving driving lessons. The vehicle should be sized right for the driver. No point putting a girl five foot nothing into a Hummer now, is there? Similarly, it makes no sense for a man over six feet tall to be behind the wheel of a Honda Fit.

Now, for my niece, I think a Civic or a Golf would be ideal. Four doors, for the convenience of carrying friends (of the quiet, responsible type) and stuffing junk. She has a bit of a lead foot, so I don't recommend anything larger than a four cylinder engine. The new ones have more than enough power for anyone.

Myself, I think I'd like to have rather a small truck, say a Ford Ranger or something similar. There is something to be said for a vehicle that only has two seats. No more passengers than you really want. It's either that, or a small, two door hatchback, like a Civic or a Hyundai Accent. I really don't need to carry a lot, and seldom have more than four people on any given trip.

There is still some debate over the whole manual vs. automatic transmission. I favor the automatic myself. My legs just aren't up to switching pedals fast enough for a manual. Besides, with the distractions out on the road, the last thing I want to worry about is rolling back into the car behind me. There isn't THAT much difference when it comes to drivability and fuel economy.

Granted, this is all academic. It will be ages before I have to even consider looking at a car for myself.

On the other hand, I take the same approach to designing things for others.

More on that another time.

Enough already.

Okay, I'm not usually one to gripe about the weather, but enough already! I had to clear a ton of snow off of the car yesterday. This was after a snow storm only a few days previously. This time, I didn't make it out to the parking lot before they plowed, so I had to clear out the parking space too.

I can just be grateful that I live in Ontario and not out in the Maritimes. They have gotten over two metres (About nine feet!) of snow in the last few weeks. I've seen pictures of people having to clear off their roofs, and they didn't need ladders to reach them. Now that is snow! I guess that's the silver lining in those dark clouds hanging over us today. Somebody always has it worse.

On the plus side, the water level in the river might be up to something approaching normal. It has been low for several years, when we have had a green Christmas and the last snowfall was in early January.

I think it must be a universal right to complain about the weather. Maybe I should have become a farmer to have a legitimate reason to complain.

Super Bowl

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the popularity of the Super Bowl. I suppose it's just that I'm not a jock, or sports fan in general. I don't get all excited about March Madness or the NHL playoffs either. There just seems to be so much hoopla made over the event being played out tomorrow.

This isn't just an American phenomenon either. The grocery stores up here in Canada have been laying in the party supplies as well, trying to grab their share of the cash cow. At the end of it all, that cow must look like ground chuck. Chips, cola, beer, you name it, it's on sale. There has been a rush on large screen televisions, and from what I hear, subscriptions to satellite services are up, at least for the month.

Don't even get me started on pay-per-view.

There have been very few televised events that I just HAD to see. To be honest, our set is on mostly for the sake of the background noise. Stupidly, I guess, most of my time is spent on-line, doing nothing that matters.

Perhaps, that is the saddest thing about it all. We spend so much of our time doing things that are isolating us (Ironically using what is called "social media".) that when something, anything "big" comes along, we have to make as big a production out of it as possible.

Is it time I found that something big that works for me? I'll let you know. In the meantime, I guess you will still be able to follow my ramblings.

When institutions fade.

My wife and I went to the annual meeting at the church today. As I am not a member of the church (being nominally a Catholic and the church being Lutheran) I could not really participate. The biggest issue was that of the diminishing congregation. On any given Sunday, there are only 15 to 20 members in the congregation. This has resulted in the parish not being able to sustain the church, either physically or financially.

A motion was put forward to consider discussions about merging with the other church in the parish, with the possibility of closing the smaller one.

This issue has been coming up for years now, and many in the congregation have felt that a merger and closing were all but inevitable. Emotions have been running very high over the issue, with many desiring to keep their church at all cost, letting it go eventually when the Synod says that it has to close. Meanwhile, the council has been dealing with the issue for quite some time. Many have been sitting for much longer than they are constitutionally mandated to. There just hasn't been anyone to replace them.

It is sad to see a beloved local institution fade away. Memories are tied to them. Weather it be baptisms or weddings at a church, or family meals at a favorite restaurant, these things are deep at our cores. When we see them start to vanish, is it any wonder that we react strongly? Many a voice was cracking with tears during this meeting. As well, tempers were flaring, and patience wearing thin on both sides.

It is going to be very difficult for the next couple of years as both sides of this problem come to grips with what is happening.

Fire and freezing temperatures don't mix.

There was a major fire in the area the other day. A small general store burned right down to the ground. It was in a remote community, something of a landmark.

By some strange coincidence, this fire occurred on what has to have been the coldest day of the year. This presented problems for the responders. After all, you fight fires with water. Water, when introduced to temperatures of -30 degrees Celsius, has this strange tendency to become a solid.

The fire fighters had to deal with everything from gloves and equipment frozen stiff and essentially useless, to extreme fatigue and possible frostbite.

I suppose this is something that these men and women are trained to expect and to deal with, but it still has to take a toll. I know from experience that frozen clothing gets very heavy. Add the weight of helmets, masks and breathing apparatus and the whole thing gets a little staggering. The average person would never be able to manage it.

It's just a shame to see a small business go like that. There is history in a place like that. The worst of it is that it was pretty much doomed from the first hint of smoke. It was far enough from the fire hall that it was going pretty good by the time anyone got there. The freezing cold temperatures just kind of put the final nail in the coffin.

Driving lessons.

I've been working at giving my niece driving lessons. She is taking some through a professional company, but they don't provide nearly enough wheel time. Her mom's boyfriend says he doesn't have the patience. (I give him all the credit in the world for being able to admit that.) My mom says that she is too nervous. That kind of leaves it to me or my dad, and Dad doesn't get out very much, by choice.

It's a little harder teaching to drive in the winter. Conditions change without warning. It's been interesting watching her adapt to compressed snow, slush and the occasional patch of ice. She has improved immensely. Her steering is much more confident, her braking smoother.

The hard part is reversing and parallel parking. Now, I'm not the best parallel parker in the world, but I really think she needs to practice at it. I've had to get creative in thinking of ways to help her out.

Fortunately, there is an empty parking lot handy here in town. The attractions is seasonal, but they keep the lot clear. I am using a curb to help my niece practice reversing to the right. She's not bad at reversing to the left. This same curb has given me an idea to help with parallel parking. What I'll do is get a plastic lawn chair to use as a pylon. I'll give her lots of space to start out with and slowly reduce the space.

It is interesting teaching somebody to drive. I'd rather have left it in the hands of professionals, but I guess this is the reality of learning to drive these days.

Pizza

You read that right, I want to discuss pizza.

Ever notice that everyone seems to know of "the" pizza place? It's that one place, the only place, for miles around that serves a decent pizza. I'm not sure just how that works, but I think it's one of the laws of human nature that we seek out "the place" at some point. Once we find it, there is no swaying us. With the exception of new ownership and a changed recipe.

My wife and I went out for supper last night. It had been ages since we'd had a pie from "the only place" for miles.

I used to work for the couple that owns the restaurant. When they took over, they made some changes. Most important was to change the way certain things were made. Gerry worked forever on the pizza sauce. One recipe was too spicy, another too bland. It had to have just the right consistency. It was several months in the development process. Advice was asked and a considerable amount of small scale trial and error done.

I think the key to deciding that somebody makes the best pizza is knowing that somebody has taken the time to care about the product. You just don't get that from one of those large franchise places.

Which leads to another rule of "the place". It seems to almost always be a smaller "mom and pop" outfit, a little restaurant from the neighborhood. There has to be a certain exclusivity, a uniqueness to the establishment. They may do other things, but you always know the pizza is going to be the best.

Back, sort of...

It's been ages since I've posted anything to my blog. Fortunately for me, the service doesn't delete accounts based on what your activity level is.

My life has just been kind of up in the air for a while. My relationships aren't exactly running smoothly, and, to be quite honest, I don't know where I am going with my life. Sure, that sounds like most of us, but it always seems more extreme when it's your own life you're talking about.

I don't really want to get into details in a public forum though. That sort of thing has brought nothing but trouble. In fact, it was a major catalyst in some events in my life. Things were said, and feelings were hurt.

The worst of it is that, a lot of the hurt can't seem to be left in the past. It keeps coming back to make the present so much harder. It's like, get it out in the open, and get over it. Either solve the problem or leave it in the past. I've never been good at dealing with history. I can recite it, but don't ask me to try and resolve it.

Conflict. That's my biggest problem. I have never been comfortable dealing with conflict. I go out of my way to avoid causing it myself, and do my best to avoid getting caught up in other peoples' disputes. The problem lies when people close to you are the ones that are having problems. Worse is when they are having problems that you just can't begin to understand.

Well, I guess I'll just have to worry about sorting things out in my own head, and just be supportive of everyone else without letting their issues become mine.