What Grinds My Gears: Bad Computers

Do you know what grinds my gears? Bad computers. More specifically, my father's computer. I tried to burn this Bob Dylan CD off of iTunes, (that comp is faster at reading disks then the drive for my little netbook) and it burns every song but the LAST song! No, the computer decides to have some issue with it all. It can't just burn ONE MORE song! UGH. And you know what? It's friggin' Easter too. It can't even be nice on Easter. I need to celebrate an abnormally large rabbit who shits out eggs of varying sizes, colors, and even shapes. I don't have time for computer malfunctions. Grrrrrr! Anyways, that's my rant on that even though no one will be reading this. Happy Easter.

Random Post for an Awesome Band.

Okay, so I don't really know why I find the need to post on this, but I guess it's because I really do LOVE this band. For those of you without a proper education in music, this is The Who. They're a rock band that started over in London back in the day. The mid 1960's to be precise. They began to get their fame after pirate radio stations played a series of their singles. The Who have sold 17 Top Ten albums and are one of the greatest rock bands in history. Highly original, they also began to bring about the idea of instrument destruction. Yes, it means what it sounds like. Did you think that Jimi Hendrix, as amazing as he is as well, thought of that all on his own? But of course not! Many will say that their best album, and their most famous one at that, is their album Who's Next. However, in my opinion, their greatest success was the album Quadrophenia. Yes, it is a rock opera, but to me, it's so much more. The main character is a schizophrenic with separate, distinct personalities. (Yes, like that show The United States of Tera.) Each of these personalities, as depicted in their music, represents a member of this phenomenal band. It depicts moments of happiness, sadness, and nostalgia all wrapped into one package with a drug-laced bow on top. So if you do anything smart this holiday season, check this band out. You might find that you think they're amazing as I do. =]

Your Obedient Servant,

Megan C.

Where the Wild Things Are Review.

Is it odd to say that I'm finally updating this because I just saw a movie? If that's so, then read no further. I guess because it's also the holidays that I find it obligatory that I update. Hey, I need to spread the holiday love as well. Anyways, let's talk briefly about the movie I just watched. It's Where the Wild Things Are and it's directed by Spike Jonze.

Before I get into my personal thoughts on the film, I'd like to take a personal look back on Mr. Jonze's career thus so far. First, I'd like to point out the many, many, many music videos that this man has directed. If you have any doubt of his talent, I suggest you watch the music video for Island in the Sun by Weezer. Clearly, Spike Jonze knows what he's doing, and best of all? He does it well. Despite his wonderful direction in this arena he has failed to direct many full length films. However, the three films that he has done, he's done beautifully. These would be: Being John Malkovich (1999), Adaptation (2002), and, what I'm reviewing today, Where the Wild Things Are (2009).

Now, as you probably know, Where the Wild Things Are is derived off of a book that most of us probably read during our childhoods. I personally found it absolutely amazing as a child, and still have massive respect for it today. Seeing as Where the Wild Things Are was the absolute equivalent to the bible to me in my younger years, I immediately jumped when I heard that director Spike Jonze was to be adapting it into a film. Having seen Jonze's work before and being familiar to his style, I was thrilled and comforted in knowing that he would be the one directing it. Later, when I discovered that Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs was to have the musical direction of the movie, I felt that my life was completed. Now, down to the actual outcome...

Well, what can I say? Spike Jonze did not disappoint yet again. He got a very short story and added length and deepened the plot. Normally, knowing that, I would be highly upset. However, he did, in the end, capture the overall childlike essence that the book delivers so remarkably. Now, if you have not seen the film and actually do plan on seeing it, read no further. Yes, this is a SPOILER ALERT. THIS IS NOT A DRILL!

As the movie begins, we take an intensely close look at the personal life of our main character, Max. At a young age, he is left to deal with divorced parents, an older sibling who is positively rude and uncaring to him, and a mother who not only doesn't give him the full attention he needs, but is dating men. (I apologize for the run on sentence there.) At his age, how is he to know how to deal with things like that? Well, of course this plants a seed of fear, loneliness, and anger into him, which provides a lack of stability to him emotionally. That being said, this is how the beginning clearly goes: kid has no friends, kid tries to play with sister and her friends, kid's sister's friends hurt him, sister doesn't do a thing, kid gets upset and destroys her room, kid tells mom when mom gets home, mom gets upset and neglects kid. (Again, run on, but I'm done apologizing for it) So, how does he deal with his problems? He does what every child does at that age; run away.

He then finds a sail boat and sails on aimlessly for days and lands on an island. Yes, he has no map or food. No, I don't know how that works out. Whatever. Anyways, on the island live a group of beasts. They threaten to eat Max, but he gets his way out by setting out a nice trap of lies and saying he's a king of some kind with amazing powers. They agree for him to be their king and the party begins.

Now, time for some real, thick plot. The Wild Things have problems. The infrastructure of their little group is collapsing. As one would predict with a small group living in close quarters together, they begin to fight and become angsty with one another. Max's job, as king, is the pull these Wild Things back together into friendship.

After a series of events, the Wild Things come to discover that their "king", Max, was no king to begin with. This upsets the Wild Things, and in particular, Max's favorite Wild Thing, Carol. In the end, Max leaves the island to return home, and the Wild Things have joined back together in their mourning over Max's departure. Then, he returns home, and there is a nice embrace between he and his mother.

Now, time for everything else. Although plot is important, you need to look at other things. The CGI was particularly good and detailed and all, but what I like most about this film that the book does not achieve is character development. I feel that this adaptation was written very well. They dropped extensive hints as to the character's conflicts, emotions, etc. They even have a Wild Thing couple. (They were together when the movie starts, but that's still great in my eyes.) Also, I enjoy how the movie creates parallel conflicts in its plot. In order to help less-than-bright viewers to see that, they further developed the characters, and, in the end, practically flash it in your face. (Seriously, it was like,"HELLO! THE CONFLICTS WITH THE WILD THINGS ARE LIKE MAX'S CONFLICTS AT HOME!!!! GET IT?!") Clearly, This film ranks top in books adapted into films. This film is highly recommended for any one of any age. Now, if you have not seen it and chose to read this far anyways, what are you doing? You shouldn't be reading any further. Watch it NOW.

By the way, the above is a picture of my favorite Wild Thing, Alexander. Although he seems to be undeveloped for most of the film, Spike Jonze pulls through and actually makes him one of the few characters that really ends up turning the plot around. That, and does anyone else notice the startling resemblance to Seth Green? Maybe it's just me.

Anyways, Happy holidays, and I hope you do well this upcoming year!

The Turned Turtle.

It seems as though I've been neglecting my blog. Well, I do have an explanation. I've been very busy with school and marching band. Now, I soon have to be studying for my PSAT and start training because I'm doing some marathons and stuff. Socially, my life is draining. I hardly have time for my self, let alone my friends. Sucks something fierce, doesn't it? On top of it all, my romantic life is in absolute ruins. Some things in life render me absolutely expressionless. I guess we could say that this is one of them. I don't have any grasp on what romance is anymore and I fear that it'll remain this way for a VERY long time.

I remain your obedient servant,
Megan.

Let's Climb Mountains Together [part 1]

The following is my first blog on an actual issue pertaining to real problems and my opinions on them. So for my first post on this new streak of opinions, I decided to go to the one opinion that I feel most strongly about: homosexuality.

Recently, Ad Council has released and array of ads targeted specifically against the usage of the term "that's so gay." I highly support this campaign. This has nothing to do with me being pro gay rights either. It's the fact that it's such a derogatory statement. I understand that the word "gay" used to be happy. That I am perfectly fine with. However, society already deteriorated enough when switching it's meaning to homosexual. So, I think that for the sake of the minds of mine and the next generations, we should stop it from deteriorating further. The term is now being used to call something stupid. I mean, if you want to call something stupid, why not just say stupid? Are a few more letters going to be that much of a waste of air to you? What if someone said "that's so straight"? Wouldn't you feel offended? I mean, if people would just take the 1/2 of a second to think before they speak, then we wouldn't run into situations like this. I mean, statistics show that 90% of homosexuals and bisexuals our age get verbally abused by their peers. That's not how you want to make people feel, is it? And when you say hurtful words like that, it makes you appear uneducated. When I hear people say the phrase "that's so gay", I can't help but feel that they're not worth my time if that's the frame of thought that they choose to be in. Well, I have to go now because I have band camp to go to tomorrow, but I hope I left someone out there with one good parting thought.

Stressful, Musical Life

Today, my mother informed me that I have school registration tomorrow. I was completely unaware, not to mention completely unprepared. Eek! What a surprise! That, and the other day I discovered that a teacher of mine gets to keep his job. You see, there were a lot of lay offs for teachers last year, him included. Apparently it's all been negotiated. I'm extremely happy for this. Hopefully I get to see him tomorrow at my surprise registration. Also, I'm going to be meeting up with a friend of mine named Emily there. I haven't gotten the chance to see her all summer, so I'm very excited to see her. She's awesome! Also, a friend of mine, Steve, sent me some music today that I've been DYING for, so that'll make the long lines worth while. So registration being at the last minute is absolutely stressful, but it's having its perks. Also, on Wednesday, I start going to band camp. Our band got even smaller for this upcoming season and we're probably going to be about 65 strong. Beckman, our competing band, will have 145 for next year! How unfair. >=[ Oh well. Maybe my awesomeness will conquer them? Hahaha. Not really, though. the band has really lost a lot of it's good members. I don't think we'll be good at all, really. =/ Oh well. I still enjoy going to football games for free and traveling on the weekends with friends for free. Well, not necessarily. There's a large enterence fee for band for transportation and stuff. It'll still be fun though. I can guarentee that. Why? Because every past year, I've said that it was going to be a terrible year, and it ended up being decent. Not amazing, but decent. Well, I need to go now. I need my beauty rest for tomorrow.

First Post Bonanza

Starting a blog is a silly idea, really. What can you do? Sometimes life gives you fun little projects. Mine has given me a nice one that would probably be a tad bit easier if I had one of these things. I think that this could be the beginning of something beautiful, really. It may be nice to start talking to no one about my views on life and the random events that occur in mine. I don't really have much to post today. Aren't I the most entertaining person? Hopefully this lack of talking about things won't turn into a habit.

Side note: Check out The Death of Art blog. I'm following it if you're curious. It's a nifty little project that my friend Nicole is doing.