Oscar Post Mortem

The above snapshot in time shows how they killed it less than halfway into the show last night. James Franco, who was brilliant in 127 Hours, seemed about as interested in being there as I was in listening to Colleen Atwood read her monotone acceptance speech for Best Costume Design for Alice in Wonderland (it was the right winner, but she literally read off a tiny scrap of paper in a monotone voice making no eye contact and going over time). Anne Hathaway was happier to be there, but she acted like she was the unpopular girl invited to the cool kids' party. "Look I've got a dress on, yay! Look a movie star, wowie!"

I was happy that it was going at a quick pace, though I still think they need to set a moratorium on thanking your illegal alien garderner Manuel and your British Nanny as well as Craft Services in your acceptance. That being said the guy who thanked his mom for doing Craft Services for his short was hilarious. No one cares about someone they've never heard of thanking their grade 3 teacher after they win Best Sound Editing. Kirk Douglas was more entertaining with his lines than nearly all of the winners were with their acceptance speeches. Other than Melissa Leo dropping the f-bomb and the documentary makers commenting on Wall Street CEOs not being in jail (kudos without going Michael Moore on it), there wasn't anything noteworthy said...though I might want to see Colin Firth's dancing.

Of the 18 categories I cared enough to have an opinion on, I got 8 of them right, though I have no idea how to judge Sound Editing versus Mixing. They're the same idea in my head and I have no idea why they don't just have one Sound Oscar. I saw 8 of the 10 Best Picture candidates (Toy Story 3 and Black Swan being the exceptions) and for once felt qualified to offer opinion on the films and nominees, as you can judge in my past posts lately...

Good: Christian Bale getting recognized and giving Dicky Ecklund the shoutout; Inception and Social Network winning 7 between them, showing that the Academy isn't all that out of touch (though Christopher Nolan should have been nomiated for Best Director); Colin Firth being crowned; Trent Reznor winning an Oscar; Alice in Wonderland being recognized for their stunning artistic achievement (art literally - winning Art Direction and Costumes); The Kids are Alright being shutout.

Bad: True Grit and 127 Hours both being shut out; lame acceptance speeches nearly across the board; the fact that Billy Crystal got more applause than the hosts did all night long; Celine Dion's ego overshadowing the "In Memorium" piece of the show; Halle Berry deciding that Lena Horne was somehow more worthy of singling out for a memorial than any of the others who passed this year (um Dennis Hopper anyone?) I'm sorry, it may sound bad, but I just don't think one person deserves that extra recognition over all the others who passed.

Ugly: for a night of stars, when they showed shots of the audience, I saw fewer stars than I recall seeing at the Oscars for years. It used to be everyone was there, even if they weren't up for anything. Thanks to Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks for showing up (I realize they both had movies they were involved with be up for awards, but I can't recall them not showing up in past years, whereas I didn't see a lot of the usual crowd.) Maybe Oscar just isn't the big show it used to be, or maybe, which I think is more likely, their hosts this year just gave no one any spark of anticipation or wanting to be there.

All in all, a rather tedious 3+ hours with a few good moments thrown in, and no real surprises at all. I was expecting at least one or two instances where the 2 front runners would split votes allowing third place to sneak out the win. No movie won more than 4 Oscars this year, which is fair because the there were a bunch of great films this year and each had their own strengths.

Kudos to the Coens for their reply to having 10 nominations for the great True Grit: "Ten seems like an awful lot. We don't want to take anyone else's." I think since both they and Jeff Bridges already have Oscar gold on the resume, it was easier to overlook the movie this year, and good for them having such a great attitude about it. (I also think 127 Hours suffered from the director already having his Oscar success - Danny Boyle [Slumdog]).

Also be sure to check out Steve's Oscar breakdown.

Now I look forward to Summer movie season and all the Marvel superhero flicks!!! Popcorn Action...yay.

The King's Next Speech: Oscar Acceptance

Well I finally saw The King's Speech yesterday, just in time to confirm the popular opinion that Colin Firth will be crowned this year's Best Actor at the Oscars. What a performance. I just raved about how great James Franco was in 127 Hours, and was a big fan of Jeff Bridges in True Grit, but I have to grant that this is Firth's year.
The key of this film to me is the interplay and relationship between Firth's 'Bertie'/King George VI and Geoffrey Rush's Lionel Logue. This is the perfect casting of two fantastic actors at the top of their games in roles perfectly suited for them. Helena Bonham Carter's turn as Firth's wife (and future Queen Mum) Elizabeth is also quite impressive, as she gives a very nuanced and subtle, yet entirely affecting performance as the loving wife concerned for her husband.
The film is funny, touching, moving, and, based mostly on the real story (just some tweaks to make for more of a filmgoing experience).
The film is up for 12 Oscars, and is well deserving of them. But Firth is just so good in the role, such a powerful performance, such a chemistry between he and Rush, that it's impossible not to love.
Steve made some good observations about the film on his blog as well, and I must agree, when it started to examine the very nature of leadership and Divine Right of the Monarchy, it became so much more than just the story of George overcoming the stutter.
Highly recommended.

127 Hours - James Franco, have you arrived? [SPOILER ALERT]

The second half of my Toonie Tuesday Double Feature was Danny Boyle's 127 Hours. This film tells the true story of Aron Ralston, a climber and outdoor adventurer (much in the way I used to dream my life would be when I was 17 and wanting to be able to be outside the rest of my life).

Pretty straightforward: Aron goes out one weekend April 2003 canyoneering in Utah (Blue John Canyon), and during the course of his activities, a boulder came lose and crushed his right arm, pinning it to a rock.

I remember so clearly reading about this when it happened, and thinking how amazing it was, and in film form, it's just as amazing.

Aron made the one cardinal mistake you cannot make when you go into the backcountry: he didn't let anyone know where he was going. I'll be honest, in some instances I've done the same thing, but never on my own that far out.

Because no one knew he was there, no one knew he was missing and no one was looking for him.

James Franco has been given the role of a lifetime here, and he absolutely deserved his nomination for Best Actor. He's pretty much the only one in the movie, and the entire focus of the film is on him. To his credit, he thrives in the role. I could imagine many actors not being able to pull it off, so to see Franco do it, is a very rewarding experience.

This being a true story, you already know the ending, but the sign of a great film is when they can make the journey to that ending one that captures your emotions and has you completely invested in Aron and what's happening to him.

Time begins to pass as Aron realizes just how completely screwed he is. He goes through stages of anger, sadness, rage, acceptance, and the gamut between. Over the course of 5 days, you see him descend into delusions and hallucination, as he runs out of water and has to resort to drinking his own urine. You feel like you're there with him, and you're the one who has to do it or dehydrate and die.

One crucial scene has Aron on the cusp of a breakdown when he catches himself and repeats to himself "Don't lose it. Don't lose it."

When the realization sets in, Aron videotapes goodbyes to his family as we catch flashback glimpses to his life. These are gutwrenching and you feel the anguish he must've felt knowing that he'd likely never see his parents or anyone again.

Boyle has done a fantastic job directing, because I felt so invested in Aron, and I cared so much about him, and what he went through, and how he had to fight through everything before making the choice that I'm sure a majority of people wouldn't be able to.

The boulder isn't moving. He hasn't chipped it away with his multitool (NOT a Leatherman, but a no name piece of junk that he curses), so he finally rationalizes that in order to live, he must cut off his hand and get himself out or he will die. Unfortunately, the tool is too dull to saw or even break his skin. So he starts to carve his name and dates in the stone as a final marker for his resting place.

It seems as though he's given up and abandoned himself to his fate, when he hallucinates a child, his future son, and is renewed in his inner strength. At this time he just bends his arm so far that he snaps first one, and then the second, of his arm bones. What follows is VERY GRAPHIC, gory, and unsettling, but also crucial to the story. That he ACTUALLY cut off his own hand to free himself. The worst part is shown to be when he has to cut through a nerve and the pain is just excruciating to the point where I could feel my own arm in the theater hurting. (It was all in my head of course, but you know what I mean).

The moment when he finally detaches brings a sort of calm to things, when he actually realizes what it means; that he's free.

He bandages himself up as well as possible, packs up his stuff, offers a Thank You to above, and makes the labourious way out of the canyon.

When he makes it to a small pool and falls in for that drink, you're as happy for him as anything. Then when he takes off further, and can barely find his voice, screaming with nothing coming out (much like in dreams or nightmares), you're urging him on, willing his voice to cry out, and when he finally does cry for help and the hikers turn and come running, your spirit soars. When he takes the water down, when he gets 2 of the 3 hikers to run ahead so he can keep going, you will him to go on, and when he collapses, you worry, even though you know this can't be how it ends...finally, when it looks like Aron is losing consciousness, the helicopter comes around the bend and touches down, I'll be honest, I started crying.

This is a movie about the human spirit, and just how powerful it is. That usually sounds cheesy, but in this case, it's true. James Franco is fantastic, and I urge you all to see this film. If you enjoyed Into the Wild, think of this as a similar film with a happier ending.

This film doesn't need an Oscar, the fact that this actually happened, and Aron is still alive and thriving (with that son now) is more than enough proof in the victory of the human spirit, that Best Picture seems small and meaningless in comparison. I'm in super cheeze mode apparently, but this film really inspired me.

The Fighter: Christian Bale's movie.

The first on my double bill of Oscar films on Toonie Tuesday at the Movies: The Fighter Christian Bale is phenomenal in this film. He dropped over 30lbs to portray Dicky Eklund, Micky Ward's older (half) brother. Although Mark Wahlberg's name is at the top of the billing for The Fighter, this is Bale's movie. When he's not on screen, you're waiting for him to be back on, and when he's not in a scene, it's a notch less visceral than when he's on.

Dicky is almost 10 yrs older than Micky, and was a boxer as well, who even fought Sugar Ray Leonard in the late 70s, but is now a crackhead, as well as Micky's trainer. The story may be about how Micky finally gets a shot, gets himself together and out from under his mother and brother's shadows, but the far more interesting story is about Dicky. Bale is so good, so scene stealing, it makes others pale in comparison. Mark Wahlberg is good as Micky, most of his acting coming from showing the conflict between loyalty to Dicky and his family, and wanting a chance to make it.

Amy Adams and Melissa Leo both got nods for Best Supporting Actress for their roles as Micky's girlfriend and mother respectively. Adams is an actress I can't stand, so she must be good if I didn't despise her in this film. Leo is great because of how much I despise her portrayal of Micky and Dicky's mother Alice. Leo creates a character that's just so living in denial about Dicky's drug issues and the fact that he's 40yrs old and won't be having a comeback, that she's ruining the potential of Micky, and using his career as a way to run her life. I'd hate to be one of the 5 daughters, as Alice obviously loves Dicky more than any of them, with Micky a distant second.

One pivotal scene has Micky forcing his mother to accept that he needs a chance, and he needs to be the focus for once, and not Dicky. Solid acting and I won't be disappointed if she walks away with the Oscar. But on the whole, this isn't a Best Picture winner.

Christian Bale should walk away with Best Supporting Actor (though I've yet to see Geoffrey Rush's performance in The King's Speech [I will in the next 48 hrs]). His performance is so powerful and he inhabits the role so deeply, you'd think it was who he was all the time. For me, there are a few scenes where Bale simply rises to another stratosphere: when he's in prison and going through crack withdrawl in his cell; when he gets out of prison and leaves the gym saying he has to go somewhere (code for crackhouse); and in the final fight scene when he tells Micky that it's his time to take it, because he (Dicky) was never good enough.

Great performances in this film, Bale first and foremost, but without that, it wouldn't be nearly what it is.

True Grit = Truely Great

So I'm trying to copy my review from Facebook here, but it won't seem to do that...so I'll just link it instead.
I loved this movie. I love, and continue to love Jeff Bridges. I will reserve Oscar decisions until I see the other 3 movies on my list this week (127 Hours, The Fighter, and the King's Speech), except to say that Hailee Steinfeld should win Best Supporting Actress for sure. Bridges won last year of course, so I'm not holding breath for him to repeat, but he makes a damn fine case for it.
It goes without saying, you have to see this movie. I've loved Westerns since I was old enough to watch movies. This would be one I'd use to convert non-believers who dismiss them as one-dimensional.
So good, I almost want to go back to the theater today.

Stan the Man and his hopeful successor.

To the left is a picture of the greatest St. Louis Cardinal of all time. In the nearly 110 years of this team, there have been great players for sure, but if you're asked about the Cardinals, anyone over 30 can tell you 1 name: Stan Musial. The Man played 22 seasons, from 1941 to 1963, was selected to an all-time record of 24 All-Star Games (tied with Willie Mays), was a 3-time National League MVP, and won 3 World Series titles, all in the Gateway City.



There were good players on the Cards before him, some great, some hall of famers (Rogers Hornsby, Dizzy Dean), and the same afterwards (Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Ozzie Smith), but no one who really deserved to be in the same rarefied air. (This being written by a boy who grew up LOVING Ozzie Smith, but knows Stan the Man was more than just a nickname.)

Just yesterday, Stan was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama, at the ripe old age of 90. (seen above seated next to another class act, Bill Russell) Stan held 17 MLB records upon his retirement, but more remarkable than that was that in 3026 appearances, he was never once ejected from a game.

In 1968, a statue of Musial was erected at Busch Stadium, with the following inscription:

"Here stands baseball's perfect warrior. Here stands baseball's perfect knight."

The greatest Cardinal of all time.

It would be nearly 40 years after Musial's retirement before a worthy successor would appear...

Albert Pujols debuted with the Cardinals on Opening Day 2001 (nearly 60 years since Musial debuted [2nd half of a doubleheader on Sept. 17th 1941]), hitting a Home Run and never looking back. Named an All-Star his first year, winning NL Rookie of the Year, Pujols just got better. In his 10 seasons with the Cardinals, he's a 9-time All-Star, 6-Time Silver Slugger, 2-Time Gold Glover at 1st (though he started off in the OF, and moved to 1st Base, much like Musial before him), and, like Musial, a 3-Time NL MVP. In 2004, he helped lead the Cardinals to the World Series, where the lost to the Red Sox (asterisk needed, as God was on Boston's side that season). In 2006, the NEW New Busch Stadium opened up [note: Sportsman's Park was later named Busch Stadium when the Busch family bought the Cardinals, and then Busch Stadium was opened in 1966, so the current Busch Stadium is the 3rd Cardinals Stadium to be called Busch] and Pujols was the first Cardinal to Homer in their new Stadium. That same year Albert lead them to their first World Series in 24 years. This was my 2nd time seeing them win it all, though I had also seen the losses in 1985, 1987, and, as mentioned above, in 2004.

Today the day after Stan received his Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Cardinals and Albert failed to agree on a new contract. This whole preamble has pretty much been to make the case that Albert Pujols is as instrumental to the Cardinals now as Stan Musial was then, if not more so. Give Albert whatever he wants, he's the best player in the world right now, and no less than Sports Illustrated named him MLB player of the Decade for the 2000s. He should be able to cement his legacy and join Stan the Man in the Hall of Fame as the Greatest life-long Cardinals of All-Time. Let #5's Jersey be retired alongside his predecessor #6, and all will be right in Redbird land.

If this doesn't happen, then it will be tragic. Horrible. Awful. Please don't make 2011 the last time we see Pujols in the Red and White...

The Grammys

First of all, I don't watch the Grammys. Second of all, I have a major problem with the Grammys, in that it seems to recognize sales and popularity, rather than critical acclaim or importance. (It doesn't seem to, it does I should say).

Then there's all the big names to never win a Grammy or to only be given a Lifetime Achievement Grammy as a sort of consolation prize much later on.

The Grammys have been around since 1958, so they've had lots to choose from, and yet you look at it and realize it's just a joke.

U2 have won 22 Grammys, but if you look closer, 16 of those were earned for 2 of their last 3 albums, over the last 10 years (for How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb [9] and All That You Can't Leave Behind [7]). By comparison, The Joshua Tree only won 2.

How are there 9 different ways for one album to win that many awards from the same institution??? Let me just brainstorm...

1) Best Album

2) Best Rock Album

3) Best Record (which means song to the Grammy people)

4) Best Production

5) Best Liner Notes

6) Best God Complex on a Lead Singer

7) Best Usage of Headwear by a Guitarist

8) Best iTunes Commercial

9) Best Cash Earner

I'm fairly sure a couple of those might not be categories, but they might as well be. Did you know there are over 100 different Grammy categories???

My favourites include:

Best Classical Crossover Album - I suppose this is where the London Symphony Orchestra plays NWA's Greatest Hits?

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical - I wasn't even aware Classical music had remixes...doesn't that by definition make it not Classical??

Best Spoken Word Album for Children - Seriously? What?? Best Bedtime stories album? Wow.

Best Regional Mexican Album - I'm not even making that up. But give the Recording Academy credit, they've got the highest standards. There weren't enough entries into this category so "by Academy Rules" there was no winner or nominees. Shocking!

The Big Names Never to Win a Grammy:

1) Led Zeppelin - Given Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.

2) The Who - Given the same in 2001.

3) Jimi Hendrix - Given the same in 1992.

4) Queen - none.

5) Bob Marley - Given the same in 2001.

6) The Beach Boys - none.

7) The Kinks - none.

Up until last night, no less than NEIL YOUNG!!! Had never won a Grammy either.

So when I see that Alison Krauss (who is talented I grant) has 26 Grammys, Beyonce has 16 (3 more than Michael Jackson), Chaka Khan has 10, Black Eyed Peas has 6, I just can't take it seriously.

It was nice to see that the Black Keys won 3 Grammys last night, but based on the inflated numbers of Grammys handed out, and those not recognized, they are simply meaningless.

I'll stick to my own enjoyment and recommendations from people who I respect.

50 Years Ago Today!!!

Today's Musical Birthdays:

50 years ago today! Henry Rollins.

1919: Tennessee Ernie Ford

1944: Peter Tork - The Monkees

1950: Peter Gabriel

1956: Peter Hook - Joy Division/New Order

1966: Freedom Williams - C + C Music Factory....ugh.

1974: Robbie Williams - Double Ugh.

1976: Leslie Feist

OK...2 days, I have to say I don't think I'm going to do this every day...I think it's going to get boring. Agreed? Or maybe just pick one for the day?

10 Bands I'd like to get into this year

So.
I love music, reading about it, hearing it, discussing it, turning people on to new things and having new things introduced to me.
One of the most enjoyable things for me the last 7-8 yrs has been reading the UK Music Press. Not all of it mind you, but 2 major mags: UNCUT and MOJO
Growing up, the best I did was reading all the old Rolling Stone issues when Mr. Payne was feeling lucid at KCVI's library. That and, of course, Much Music and Z-Rock. If I couldn't tape it off the radio, or see it on Much Music, then I likely didn't know about it. Then good old Columbia House launched my collection with their lovely deals.
Anyhow, back on track here...Uncut and MOJO were a breath of fresh air when Rolling Stone and Spin had years when I was completely uninterested in their work. Magazines that wrote about music like they loved it, and not like it was their job, or they were trying to sell copies and get buzz.
Well the other fantastic thing about those UK mags, is that each issue came with a sample CD, either of new stuff that came out that month, or was featured in the issue. Those CDs opened up worlds of new sounds and things that otherwise didn't happen in Kingston. (Yes the internet helped a lot, but I'm a luddite and still prefer hard copy magazines if I can get them)
So, after this rambling preamble, here's a list of 10 bands that I'd like to get into this year (in no particular order):

1) Super Furry Animals (Welsh psychadelics from what I can gather)

2) Richmond Fontaine (Americana from middle aged normalish Midwesterners)

3) Calexico (my knowledge extends to their work on the soundtrack to I'm Not There)

4) Mastadon (I purchased Blood Mountain and Crack The Skye from Vertigo Records (formerly Spinnables) on Rideau Street here in Ottawa probably about 10-14 months ago secondhand, and have yet to get a chance to blast it properly, though I do look forward to some righteous noise when I get to it.)

5) Bright Eyes (A friend of mine I used to work with who had impeccable music taste suggested I get into Mr. Oberst and his work, and other than 1 or 2 songs on samplers, I have yet to do so...I think it's high time I did.)

6) The Hold Steady (Other than a sampler CD appearance and their cover of Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window? from I'm Not There [which is stupendous] I need to get more of them, and I know Steve will be utterly aghast that I've managed to not have them in my life yet.)

7) The Replacements/Paul Westerberg (I'm embarrassed that I'm ignorant of them other than by name and the OTHER Let it Be album)

8) Howe Gelb (Purveyor of Americana for last 20-25 yrs)

9) Elmore James ('The King of Slide Guitar' and Blues Legend. I'm aware of his stuff, mostly in cover form, but like all the greats of the Blues, the original is always better, and high time I started at the beginning)

10) The First Serious Recommendation I get from someone else.

I'm looking forward to it, along with any other directions the quest sends me off to musically or otherwise.

February 11th in Music History

50 Years ago today, Shop Around by The Miracles became Motown's first million-selling single, as well as the first #1 for the label on the Billboard R&B Charts. The song also hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and is so old, they were still called the Miracles, and not 'Smokey Robinson and the Miracles'. Who doesn't love Smokey?

In 1942, the first ever Gold Record was given to Glenn Miller for Chattanooga Choo Choo.

In 1972, Al Green had his only #1 Hit in the US with Let's Stay Together. That's got to be some sort of crime...Al Green is fantastic...only Hit #1 once???

In 1977, The Police recorded their first single: Fall Out at Pathway Studios in London. I can honestly say I've never heard it...

In 1994, Alice in Chains entered the US Album Charts at #1 with Jar of Flies which I remember, although I happen to think Dirt was way better. I also remember first getting into Alice in Chains when my dad and brother came home from St. Louis, and Al - my brother - had 2 new cassette tapes (yes, that's right, look it up if you're under 25) from Alice in Chains (Facelift and the aforementioned Dirt) which he had mistakenly purchased thinking they were Alice Cooper albums. Seeing as how he was probably 8yrs old at the time, it was one of the happier accidents we had musically growing up. (He was into Alice Cooper because of Wayne's World, which was also the first movie I ever bought myself (on VHS no less [look that one up too young'ns], from Jumbo Video in Kingston, which I remember advertising that they had 250 copies available).

In 1995, Van Halen had their first US #1 Album: Balance. Seriously? That's insane, for a number of reasons: 1) It was Van Hagar; 2) The songs on that album suck balls; 3) The cover is ridiculous. It's no surprise that this was the last full album to feature Sammy Hagar, and that after the release of this, Van Halen had to put out a Greatest Hits album to remind people they weren't complete shit.

In 1997, U2 announces their upcoming PopMart World Tour from a Kmart in Greenwich Village. I definitely recall seeing this on Much Music and thinking "What the fuck?" At the same time, David Bowie was receiving a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 2003, The Doors drummer John Densmore sued former bandmates Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger for starting up a new version of the Doors with drummer Stewart Copeland (of the Police - again) and vocalist Ian Astbury (the Cult) saying that anything not featuring Jim Morrison shouldn't be called The Doors. Sadly, this didn't occur in time to prevent Creed from covering Riders on the Storm in 2000.

In 2005, Cotswold Rail named a diesel train after late Clash frontman Joe Stummer. So British, yet still very cool in an odd way.

In 2007, 30 years after recording their first single, Sting announces that The Police are getting back together. Wow, talk about Synchronicity...(hehehe)

Notable births: 1939: Ray Manzarek, Keyboardist - The Doors (again w/ him)

1945: Joe Schermie, Bassist - Three Dog Night

1952: Michael McDonald, Keyboardist/Vocals - Steely Dan/The Doobie Brothers (It should be said that Michael McDonald is the Sammy Hagar of the Doobies. When he showed up, they started to suck balls and write crap. Without him, we'd also be missing one of the funniest gags in The 40-Year Old Virgin)

1950: Steve Hackett, Guitarist - Genesis

1968: Chynna Phillips - Wilson Phillips (Did you know? Wilson Phillips is the Bad Karma sent by the universe to balance against the awesomeness of The Beach Boys and the Mamas & the Papas)

That's it for today in music history, hopefully this was informative and entertaining, and you don't want a refund...

This Day in Music History

I've decided that the best way to have content on here is to ensure there's something new every day, even if it's nothing specifically related to me or that I've done.
So I launch the helpful feature of letting you, my loyal reader, (no not a typo) know what happened today in the history of popular music.

I hope this proves interesting or sparks conversation; enjoy!

The Return of Gavin Incognito

Credit where credit is due: this comeback brought to you by Steve Johns.

Blogging seemed to lose it's appeal a few years back and I felt I was being negative Nancy all the time...that shocks you all I'm sure. But recently, I've been keeping up with some folks blogs (Steve, Jackson) and realizing, I enjoy reading what people have to say, and people I know are interesting and we seem to share a common link of growing up in relatively similar situations.
I don't have much of importance to write about today, and I promise I will do my best not to return to blogging as venting therapy (but I know it will happen once or twice) but I think I'd rather get back to writing than just sit back and do nothing.
If you pay any attention to my rather pedestrian self, you'll know I watch a lot of movies and listen to a lot of music. So I think I'm going to stick to my strengths, and focus on those. The facebook movie reviews are quality I think, but not many seem to read, so maybe if they look all fancy in a blog they'll be more interesting? Who knows, only time will tell...if nothing else, Gavin Incognito (which I love as a nickname for the record) might be more...cognito now. (If that's a word)