I use this blog to write commentary and observations about topics in the media, but I tend to update inconsistently. If you want a more regular flow of posts, please check out my tumblr. I consider it a purer form of what a site called Digital Fare should be: a collection of various media items I find across the internet, posted for your entertainment and/or curiosity, with little or no commentary from me. The point is to have a constant stream of media rather than constantly writing about it. And it is a constant and heavy stream. I've been on tumblr since September and I have 213 posts; 64 of which are from December.
You can see the latest things I've posted on tumblr under "Recent Tumbles" in the sidebar here. There's an RSS feed you can subscribe to, and if you're on tumblr, you can follow me.
Basically, when I'm not here, I'm on tumblr, and I do spend more time over there.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Rewind Girl
Yesterday I watched Part 1 of "End of Time," the new Doctor Who episode. I realized that when I watch things on my computer or DVDs on TV, I'm incapable of not pressing the rewind button while I watch.
Moreso with TV shows than with movies, I'll rewind a bit to hear a line again or to watch an actor's expression change. Rewind just a few seconds and re-watch, sometimes even a third time.
I thought I did it only when I watched Greatest American Hero or How I Met Your Mother. It's easy to rewind for dialogue or a joke. But no, I do it more often than I thought, and Doctor Who is far too incredible to watch simply once.
That's why it takes me an hour and a half to watch an hour-long episode.
Moreso with TV shows than with movies, I'll rewind a bit to hear a line again or to watch an actor's expression change. Rewind just a few seconds and re-watch, sometimes even a third time.
I thought I did it only when I watched Greatest American Hero or How I Met Your Mother. It's easy to rewind for dialogue or a joke. But no, I do it more often than I thought, and Doctor Who is far too incredible to watch simply once.
That's why it takes me an hour and a half to watch an hour-long episode.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
A New Karate Kid
Today I saw the trailer on /Film for the new Karate Kid movie. It keeps the same basic plot as The Karate Kid, but the characters are different. I've complained about remakes before, but at least this looks okay so far. Kids today haven't seen the original The Karate Kid, so they can have a story for their generation, even if it doesn't look to be as great a movie. Jackie Chan is in it as the Mr. Miyagi figure, so that's cool.
I'll probably watch it when it's on TV...or whatever the next Hulu is.
I'll probably watch it when it's on TV...or whatever the next Hulu is.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Superhero cover
If you browse through my posts on this blog, you'll notice that I've written a lot about superheroes. That's because I love all the aspects of superhero stories so much- the super powers, yeah, but also the character study/development, the take on morality, and the commentary on our world.
Lately, I've been thinking about a superhero having an alter ego as a taxi driver. Superman is Clark Kent at the Daily Planet so he can keep up with breaking news and help as he's able. The downside is Clark has to do all the work a reporter does first to earn a living and second to keep his position at the Daily Planet so he can stay close to the news. I see pros and cons for my taxi driver scenario as well.
Pros
And there's a glance at the randomness that passes through my mind. If you want to suggest a topic for me to blog about, ask me a question, or contact me for some other reason, you can do so at formspring.me.
Lately, I've been thinking about a superhero having an alter ego as a taxi driver. Superman is Clark Kent at the Daily Planet so he can keep up with breaking news and help as he's able. The downside is Clark has to do all the work a reporter does first to earn a living and second to keep his position at the Daily Planet so he can stay close to the news. I see pros and cons for my taxi driver scenario as well.
Pros
- can listen to police radio as he cruises around the city
- has a valid alibi--taxis can show up pretty much anywhere at any time
- personal transportation (significantly more important if his superpower has nothing to do with transportation)
- conflict of interests - What does he do if he hears a call he wants to respond to while he has a passenger in the car?
- rush hour
- use gas money for patrolling/cruising
- difficult to maintain a reputation as a reliable cabbie
And there's a glance at the randomness that passes through my mind. If you want to suggest a topic for me to blog about, ask me a question, or contact me for some other reason, you can do so at formspring.me.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Assigned seats in movie theaters
My hometown's movie theaters do not have assigned seats, but I recently went to a movie theater that printed your seat assignment on your ticket. If it were a system that lets you choose your seat when you buy your ticket, that might be okay, but I don't like automatically assigned seats.
The movie theater I went to assigns seats systematically--you don't get to choose where you want to sit. The first person to purchase a ticket for the screening gets the center seat in the center row and then seat assignments fan out from there, filling the theater from the center out.
I can see how that system provides an incentive to get there early to get a good seat. People will buy their tickets as early as possible to get those good seats because if they're late, they'll have to sit in the fringe seats.
That system isn't horrible, but I'd rather not have assigned seats. While it might be fair that the earlier you buy your ticket, the better seat you should have, there's a nice level playing field in buying your ticket and then filling seats on a first come, first serve basis. I'm regularly in the movie theater 20 minutes before the movie starts, and even earlier if I think it's going to be busy. I go early so I can have a better pick of seating, but I also don't mind spending the extra time there. I don't mind the previews, or even the pre-previews they show now, and my friends and I can always fill that time with conversation.
Walking into a movie theater, popcorn in hand, and looking up at the available seats is part of the experience of going. It's not as much fun stepping up the aisles, moving directly to your assigned seat.
The movie theater I went to assigns seats systematically--you don't get to choose where you want to sit. The first person to purchase a ticket for the screening gets the center seat in the center row and then seat assignments fan out from there, filling the theater from the center out.
I can see how that system provides an incentive to get there early to get a good seat. People will buy their tickets as early as possible to get those good seats because if they're late, they'll have to sit in the fringe seats.
That system isn't horrible, but I'd rather not have assigned seats. While it might be fair that the earlier you buy your ticket, the better seat you should have, there's a nice level playing field in buying your ticket and then filling seats on a first come, first serve basis. I'm regularly in the movie theater 20 minutes before the movie starts, and even earlier if I think it's going to be busy. I go early so I can have a better pick of seating, but I also don't mind spending the extra time there. I don't mind the previews, or even the pre-previews they show now, and my friends and I can always fill that time with conversation.
Walking into a movie theater, popcorn in hand, and looking up at the available seats is part of the experience of going. It's not as much fun stepping up the aisles, moving directly to your assigned seat.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Media junkie
Today I watched 2 episodes of How I Met Your Mother, 1 episode of Greatest American Hero, 1 episode of Batman Beyond, and a bunch of YouTube videos. I'm still playing catch up with HIMYM. GAH continues to amuse and entertain me in the good-hearted ways TV can. I thought I had seen every episode of BB, but apparently not.
I made 5 posts on my tumblr and wrote my 700th tweet (which was uneventful because I stink at realizing when I reach benchmarks).
It was all very wonderful.
I made 5 posts on my tumblr and wrote my 700th tweet (which was uneventful because I stink at realizing when I reach benchmarks).
It was all very wonderful.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
formspring.me
Formspring started a new free service, formspring.me, that allows people to send you comments, questions, or any other text. They can send it anonymously or leave their contact info. You can reply on formspring.me and/or integrate your answers onto Twitter, Tumblr, Blogger, and Facebook. It's easy; it's simple.
Feel free to contact me on formspring.me here. You can send questions, get in touch, or suggest topics for me to write about. If you'd like me to respond to you personally, please include a way for me to do that.
Feel free to contact me on formspring.me here. You can send questions, get in touch, or suggest topics for me to write about. If you'd like me to respond to you personally, please include a way for me to do that.
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