Since Chris is in Cali, I took it upon myself to say some things.
ONE! - If you are not friends with Chris on the facebook, please seek him out. Bug him until he does something silly with it, like having a personality test. Maybe we can turn him into a zombie...
TWO! - Tom Waits. If you don't listen to him, start. This will aid in your hangover recovery. After you get into him, get trashed and wake up in a strange situation. I promise you you'll have the realization that, "God, I just woke up in the middle of a Tom Waits song..."
3 ? - The Nomi Song - a movie about the life and times of Klaus Nomi. I finally got to see it on the Sundance channel. He was a german who sang opera in a new wave band in the East Village in the late 70s and early 80s. He's most famous for singing backup for Bowie when good ol' David was on SNL.
Klaus is the one in the black singing backup. He's pretty amazing.
He was also an early victim of AIDS, or as it was horribly called then, "gay cancer". His friends didn't know if they could catch it by being around him. As a result, this wonderful artist died alone. A sad end to such a great man.
-ccmas
reporting from planet 2
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 16, 2007
Holy Crap, I feel Loved!
I now have like 12 facebook friends. I'm soo popular.
Interesting that among the many facebook messages in my inbox was this email
"See Asian babes get sucked fucked and abusied in our videos!"
Guess which one I opened first. Oh, me and my Scarlet Fever. I hope getting Abusied doesn't hurt.
-cjfer-
Planet 1
Interesting that among the many facebook messages in my inbox was this email
"See Asian babes get sucked fucked and abusied in our videos!"
Guess which one I opened first. Oh, me and my Scarlet Fever. I hope getting Abusied doesn't hurt.
-cjfer-
Planet 1
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Pet Peeve
This week's Pet Peeve is when people mis-use the word "literally." The world Literal, means that something actual happened the way it was described. It is a true statement about facts. I was watching CNN headline news today and a reporter said that boxes of Simpson's themed cereal was literally flying off the shelves [at 7-11's (renamed Kwick-E-Mart for promotional purposes).] Obviously, I shouldn't have to say it - but if the boxes of cereal were literally flying off the shelves, that would mean that, of their own volition, they were actually levitating off the shelves and leaving the store or flying around the store. The boxes of cereal were actually "figuratively flying off the shelves."
-cjfer-
Manning the Planet 1 show.
-cjfer-
Manning the Planet 1 show.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
A brief Treatise on Joining the Facebook
I don't think Josh Posner reads this, so I should be safe.
Yes, after many years, I have reluctantly joined the facebook. I should tell you a bit about what I plan on using it for, as I don't plan on using it like everyone else, and I should also tell you why I didn't join and why I did.
1. I am going to use the facebook as a page for contact information about myself. There will be no wall, no pictures, no frills. An address once I get one, an email address, a phone number, etc. The only people who can see are going to be my friends. There will be no quotes, no movies, no books, interests, etc. I certainly don't have anything new to offer in those departments, nor do I think quotes have any effectiveness. If I used those things, it would only be a way for me to make myself sound cool. But, I'm not cool, so why try. I like all the movies, books, quotes, and activities that you do. Leave it that. if you really want to contact me, email me, call, or show up. Don't think writing on a wall is going to seem real to me.
2. Pictures lie. So there won't be any pictures of me on my page, nor will anyone be able to see me in a tagged photo. It's important for me, as best as I can, to be able to represent my image, my person fairly and accurately. If I feel that is getting out of hand, I will resign the facebook. I think fake friends are meaningless. I think the more that technology mediates relationships, the more we need to question and rethink our lives. I don't want just anyone finding out about me - lest it be a future employer or stalker ready to take me down. If you really want to talk to me, there will be means by which you can do that.
3. I'm joining because so many people use the facebook, that if they need to contact me, or want to, they'll have an easy way of finding out that information. Mass emails of address changes can get lost and buried and deleted. So, it's an easy way of finding information. I'm not going to friend you, or write on your wall. If I need to contact you, I'll use your page as a contact page. Feel free to friend me, and if you're my friend, I'll accept.
Ultimately I'm not invested in this. I'm doing it for you, the public. If I don't get any friend requests, so be it, nothing's changed. If you'd like to keep up with me, you're free to do to so in a fairly easy way. If you just want to ask me, that's cool too. But I feel like people will do their best not to deal with people in a real way.
-cjfer-
Yes, after many years, I have reluctantly joined the facebook. I should tell you a bit about what I plan on using it for, as I don't plan on using it like everyone else, and I should also tell you why I didn't join and why I did.
1. I am going to use the facebook as a page for contact information about myself. There will be no wall, no pictures, no frills. An address once I get one, an email address, a phone number, etc. The only people who can see are going to be my friends. There will be no quotes, no movies, no books, interests, etc. I certainly don't have anything new to offer in those departments, nor do I think quotes have any effectiveness. If I used those things, it would only be a way for me to make myself sound cool. But, I'm not cool, so why try. I like all the movies, books, quotes, and activities that you do. Leave it that. if you really want to contact me, email me, call, or show up. Don't think writing on a wall is going to seem real to me.
2. Pictures lie. So there won't be any pictures of me on my page, nor will anyone be able to see me in a tagged photo. It's important for me, as best as I can, to be able to represent my image, my person fairly and accurately. If I feel that is getting out of hand, I will resign the facebook. I think fake friends are meaningless. I think the more that technology mediates relationships, the more we need to question and rethink our lives. I don't want just anyone finding out about me - lest it be a future employer or stalker ready to take me down. If you really want to talk to me, there will be means by which you can do that.
3. I'm joining because so many people use the facebook, that if they need to contact me, or want to, they'll have an easy way of finding out that information. Mass emails of address changes can get lost and buried and deleted. So, it's an easy way of finding information. I'm not going to friend you, or write on your wall. If I need to contact you, I'll use your page as a contact page. Feel free to friend me, and if you're my friend, I'll accept.
Ultimately I'm not invested in this. I'm doing it for you, the public. If I don't get any friend requests, so be it, nothing's changed. If you'd like to keep up with me, you're free to do to so in a fairly easy way. If you just want to ask me, that's cool too. But I feel like people will do their best not to deal with people in a real way.
-cjfer-
What ever happened to retirement?
I have to say, and I might be in the minority of opinion, that I don't quite understand the devotion to old musicians who have reunited after 20 years, to play the same songs in the same ways as they did when they were first popular. It was cool to go see a band when they were first popular, before they broke up. I was watching the TV coverage of Live Earth yesterday, and all I really wanted was a glimpse of David Gray, which of course I knew I wasn't going to get. Closing some of the shows were Madonna and The Police. (Madonna is probably a different subject for a different time, but suffice it to say that she was once cool, and is no longer cool - let alone a relevant musical artist.) But the Police come on in the medowlands, and everyone cheers. There are a significant number of young people, I'm sure, whose only conception of The Police is the fact that they downloaded Roxanne from mytunes. These people never enjoyed an original relation to the band and the music and their enjoyment is purely retrospective. I have no problem with young people liking older music, it's merely the idea that they present it to you as if it's not something that's come and gone. Old folks can like the police too, and go to their concerts and hear the songs of their youth as well, but it seems weird to see them stuck in the past of their youth and to not pay attention to the wonderful music being created today. If the Police want to play, fine, but make a new record and support it. Otherwise, you're just a Police tribute band. People have come to pay money to see you play the old songs. Don't. Write a new record and support it. But let's be honest, anyone who thinks they or any other group from the past have reunited for anything less than the money are mistaken. It's cool now to dig the music of the past, and these guys are just capitalizing on it.
Don Mclean, writer and singer of "American Pie" was on CBS sunday morning this morning. Here's a guy who has one hit song, that's probably 30 years old. A woman being interviewed said "it's Don Mclean, it's bye bye Ms. American Pie, what else do you need to know?" Well, it seems odd to me to go to a concert to hear one song. To be there not caring while the other songs are being played, lest they be covers. Here's a song you can get anywhere. There's a lot of good music being created today, you just need to know where to look and where to find it. Paul Mccartney keeps making new records and then he supports them on tour. He plays his new songs and his old songs. He's not a Beatles cover band. Let's face it, the Police are just doing really good covers of Police songs.
If you can still play, go for it. Just don't ask me to keep listening to the same songs over and over again. Songs lose their effectiveness and going to see the person who wrote a song 20-40 years ago play it again merely for the money doesn't interest me.
Whatever happened to retirement? What ever happened to working at something for a long time, and then when you're old and financially secure calling it a career? Maybe you work a little on the side to keep active. Whatever happened to golf and traveling?
They say there's no good parts for older actors. That's true. Entertainment, generally, is a young persons game. I don't think anyone should discriminate based on age. But yet, we must look at movies as being, in some sense, a way of a looking at the world through new eyes, of seeing things in a new way and enjoying a new relationship to the world. I think that is why entertainment is a young person's game - also why older musicians don't write and play new songs. The songs of their youth, of the audience's youth, are what are important.
I think there's also a little something to older folks, actors included, who feel the need to be relevant, to be popular, and to experience the limelight of their younger days. We have an aging Bruce Willis in Die Hard 4, we're going to have an aging Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones 4. Do we really need sequels of things with older actors playing men who wish to continue to be action stars? It's about money. A brand promises something stable - something known. These guys can capitalize on the branding and the fact that people are going to go see it - because they want something familiar, something easy, that's not new, that's not going to be challenging.
So, you don't have to retire, but at least try to do something new. Don't let ego or money force you to keep doing the same thing year after year. Change it up, do something different. Be original.
-cjfer
Don Mclean, writer and singer of "American Pie" was on CBS sunday morning this morning. Here's a guy who has one hit song, that's probably 30 years old. A woman being interviewed said "it's Don Mclean, it's bye bye Ms. American Pie, what else do you need to know?" Well, it seems odd to me to go to a concert to hear one song. To be there not caring while the other songs are being played, lest they be covers. Here's a song you can get anywhere. There's a lot of good music being created today, you just need to know where to look and where to find it. Paul Mccartney keeps making new records and then he supports them on tour. He plays his new songs and his old songs. He's not a Beatles cover band. Let's face it, the Police are just doing really good covers of Police songs.
If you can still play, go for it. Just don't ask me to keep listening to the same songs over and over again. Songs lose their effectiveness and going to see the person who wrote a song 20-40 years ago play it again merely for the money doesn't interest me.
Whatever happened to retirement? What ever happened to working at something for a long time, and then when you're old and financially secure calling it a career? Maybe you work a little on the side to keep active. Whatever happened to golf and traveling?
They say there's no good parts for older actors. That's true. Entertainment, generally, is a young persons game. I don't think anyone should discriminate based on age. But yet, we must look at movies as being, in some sense, a way of a looking at the world through new eyes, of seeing things in a new way and enjoying a new relationship to the world. I think that is why entertainment is a young person's game - also why older musicians don't write and play new songs. The songs of their youth, of the audience's youth, are what are important.
I think there's also a little something to older folks, actors included, who feel the need to be relevant, to be popular, and to experience the limelight of their younger days. We have an aging Bruce Willis in Die Hard 4, we're going to have an aging Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones 4. Do we really need sequels of things with older actors playing men who wish to continue to be action stars? It's about money. A brand promises something stable - something known. These guys can capitalize on the branding and the fact that people are going to go see it - because they want something familiar, something easy, that's not new, that's not going to be challenging.
So, you don't have to retire, but at least try to do something new. Don't let ego or money force you to keep doing the same thing year after year. Change it up, do something different. Be original.
-cjfer
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Gilmore Girls says goodbye
Or Bon Voyage I suppose. Like all things that begin, Gilmore Girls came to an end tonight. While, I must admit I only started to watch the show between the sixth and seventh seasons (though did a pretty good job of catching up), it's sad to see it go. The characters, setting, tone, writing - all of it were sweet and genuine and maintained a general sense of goodness. It wasn't cynical or disparaging, but positive and though a little sad from time to time, always uplifting and empowering.
The show was unique, and though the last two or two and half seasons seemed to signal a decline in quality, from A+ material to A or A- material, it was always unmistakeably itself. I say this, because as television audience members we always want things how we want them, and while we might not have loved every direction the show turned in, we must, on level admit that our lives don't always turn out that way and sometimes we make choices that we have to live with for a long time before we can make our way clear of them. We all have our ups and downs, but without the downs we wouldn't appreciate the ups.
I wish Amy Sherman-Palladino, the show's creator and principle writer had seen the show out, and as it was on it's last season, it's only too bad it couldn't have ended favorably after the sixth (her last) season. It's also a shame that she couldn't come back for the final episode and that the CW was reluctant to help her and her husband with what they needed. She knew all along how she wanted the show to end, and while we'll be left wondering if that's true, I can almost feel certain that it didn't end the way she had planned originally - which, I think, is sadder than the show coming to an end.
Still, there's something about the created image that is moving. When you've spent some time with these characters and faces, and settings, it doesn't take much for them to move you. You know the backstory and the history, the characters. One shot or one line of dialog can affect you. It's a testament to the show that the fans feel some ownership over it, and while for us, we'll never know the ins and outs of production, the long hours, and how people's relationships really were, we'll always have the episodes, on dvd or tv reruns, and it will remain an endearing moment in our lives and will always occupy a place in our hearts.
-cjfer-
The show was unique, and though the last two or two and half seasons seemed to signal a decline in quality, from A+ material to A or A- material, it was always unmistakeably itself. I say this, because as television audience members we always want things how we want them, and while we might not have loved every direction the show turned in, we must, on level admit that our lives don't always turn out that way and sometimes we make choices that we have to live with for a long time before we can make our way clear of them. We all have our ups and downs, but without the downs we wouldn't appreciate the ups.
I wish Amy Sherman-Palladino, the show's creator and principle writer had seen the show out, and as it was on it's last season, it's only too bad it couldn't have ended favorably after the sixth (her last) season. It's also a shame that she couldn't come back for the final episode and that the CW was reluctant to help her and her husband with what they needed. She knew all along how she wanted the show to end, and while we'll be left wondering if that's true, I can almost feel certain that it didn't end the way she had planned originally - which, I think, is sadder than the show coming to an end.
Still, there's something about the created image that is moving. When you've spent some time with these characters and faces, and settings, it doesn't take much for them to move you. You know the backstory and the history, the characters. One shot or one line of dialog can affect you. It's a testament to the show that the fans feel some ownership over it, and while for us, we'll never know the ins and outs of production, the long hours, and how people's relationships really were, we'll always have the episodes, on dvd or tv reruns, and it will remain an endearing moment in our lives and will always occupy a place in our hearts.
-cjfer-
Friday, May 11, 2007
the future of the blog
is uncertain. Or rather, the future of this blog is uncertain. I may start one occasionally when I go to film school, as a way for people to keep up with me. I may also join the facebook if people think it will help. I think if I haven't proven my point by now, and the people havent' heard me, there's nothing better to be co-opted by the man. It's just that, you know, I want people to have me in their minds, 'cause when it's time to buy movie theatre tickets, they'll choose my movies over those of my peers, and foreigners. Hmm...
I've enjoyed the blog, no doubt - it's just that i started it as something to do during my job when I wasn't do anything. That job has since been discontinued. I'm now working a new job 12-4 - great hours for a summer job, not so great hours for a job I'm needing to make money from. It also entails work. 4 hours of work is more than I did in 1 week working 9-5 at my last job, boo! So, I don't know where this blog is headed. Or really what the point of doing it is. It hasn't taken off the way I had hoped, what with the advertising dollars and whatnot.
I should say - a funny thing happened at work today when I called someone to ask her what her address was and she told me 1600 beech street. I said, is that two ees or is it e-a. She said "Street?" It's two ees - s-t-e-e-t. To which I had to say "I know how to spell street. I meant beech, it could have an a - like that thing with sand and the ocean attached to it"
In a funny twist of irony - as I depart for film school in either Florida or California, caitlin takes this opportunity to move to boston. Good timing. Could have used you earlier kid.
Dreams over drinks is finished and should be on the internet in the relatively near soon. I just think i'd rather have people see it in the theatres before they catch it on home video.
So, apparently none of my friends have got stinking rich in the nearly 1 year we've been out of college. I guess I'll have to take it upon myself, to get stinking rich one day. To have a boat load of money and be able to justify it, that's my dream. And then all my friends can constantly hang out. Only that kind of doesn't work when you reach 30. Or your late 20s - or so it seems. It works when you're 17 or 19, or younger and I'll even give you until 25. It just seems like before 25 no one gets too worried about you not having your life figured out. After 25, you can't hang out at your friend's billionaire mansion with water tunnels, because it's lame - though, still nice work if you can get it. Hef. Hef can get it, and he does. That man gets it.
I guess a perfect world would be one in which you and all of your closest friends could hang out forever, without getting tired of each other or on each others nerves. It's funny because that's only the spoken dream. I say that, because it never happens. Everyone is drawn their separate ways by their life decisions - the way it should be. But there's the pang of communicating with these people and seeing them occasionally. The joy of getting older is that when you're 5 times goes by slow because every year is 1/5 of your life. Now every year is 1/23'rd of my life - so things go by faster. Hopefully we'll still remember each other when a year is nothing more than a hairsbreadth of time.
Which reminds me that my brother mike got married. It was a lovely ceremony and I'm happy for them. The little bit of drink took the edge of my best man speech - which I didn't read off a script. I spoke from the heart, and didn't' mess up. Actually I did write something down, but I forgot it. Hey, improv. What can you do. The inversely true, but you know it's true - it's easier to get up in front of 100 people than it is to get up in front of 10.
Matt's going to have children, all at once. Triplets. That's weirder than mike getting married - sorry mike. People get married all the time. At the turn of the new year, I thought to myself that 2007 was going to be a good year. I hope I'm not jinxing it - but it is a good year. For me anyway, that's who I meant it would be for, 'cause let's be honest, you gotta look out for number 1, which in my case is me - and in your case should also be me. Mike got married, matt's having healthy (fingers will remain crossed for the next 100 years on that one - sorry kids, come 2107, you're on your own) and I got into film school. I'm going to be a film maker, or make my life in film. Or something. Either way I got what I wanted. I've known for a long time what I've wanted, what the game plan was - now it's just a matter of executing, and trying not to forget the joy and blessings along the way. What did john lennon say? Life is what happens when you're making other plans? I've made up my mind.
I will take my time.
-cjfer-
I've enjoyed the blog, no doubt - it's just that i started it as something to do during my job when I wasn't do anything. That job has since been discontinued. I'm now working a new job 12-4 - great hours for a summer job, not so great hours for a job I'm needing to make money from. It also entails work. 4 hours of work is more than I did in 1 week working 9-5 at my last job, boo! So, I don't know where this blog is headed. Or really what the point of doing it is. It hasn't taken off the way I had hoped, what with the advertising dollars and whatnot.
I should say - a funny thing happened at work today when I called someone to ask her what her address was and she told me 1600 beech street. I said, is that two ees or is it e-a. She said "Street?" It's two ees - s-t-e-e-t. To which I had to say "I know how to spell street. I meant beech, it could have an a - like that thing with sand and the ocean attached to it"
In a funny twist of irony - as I depart for film school in either Florida or California, caitlin takes this opportunity to move to boston. Good timing. Could have used you earlier kid.
Dreams over drinks is finished and should be on the internet in the relatively near soon. I just think i'd rather have people see it in the theatres before they catch it on home video.
So, apparently none of my friends have got stinking rich in the nearly 1 year we've been out of college. I guess I'll have to take it upon myself, to get stinking rich one day. To have a boat load of money and be able to justify it, that's my dream. And then all my friends can constantly hang out. Only that kind of doesn't work when you reach 30. Or your late 20s - or so it seems. It works when you're 17 or 19, or younger and I'll even give you until 25. It just seems like before 25 no one gets too worried about you not having your life figured out. After 25, you can't hang out at your friend's billionaire mansion with water tunnels, because it's lame - though, still nice work if you can get it. Hef. Hef can get it, and he does. That man gets it.
I guess a perfect world would be one in which you and all of your closest friends could hang out forever, without getting tired of each other or on each others nerves. It's funny because that's only the spoken dream. I say that, because it never happens. Everyone is drawn their separate ways by their life decisions - the way it should be. But there's the pang of communicating with these people and seeing them occasionally. The joy of getting older is that when you're 5 times goes by slow because every year is 1/5 of your life. Now every year is 1/23'rd of my life - so things go by faster. Hopefully we'll still remember each other when a year is nothing more than a hairsbreadth of time.
Which reminds me that my brother mike got married. It was a lovely ceremony and I'm happy for them. The little bit of drink took the edge of my best man speech - which I didn't read off a script. I spoke from the heart, and didn't' mess up. Actually I did write something down, but I forgot it. Hey, improv. What can you do. The inversely true, but you know it's true - it's easier to get up in front of 100 people than it is to get up in front of 10.
Matt's going to have children, all at once. Triplets. That's weirder than mike getting married - sorry mike. People get married all the time. At the turn of the new year, I thought to myself that 2007 was going to be a good year. I hope I'm not jinxing it - but it is a good year. For me anyway, that's who I meant it would be for, 'cause let's be honest, you gotta look out for number 1, which in my case is me - and in your case should also be me. Mike got married, matt's having healthy (fingers will remain crossed for the next 100 years on that one - sorry kids, come 2107, you're on your own) and I got into film school. I'm going to be a film maker, or make my life in film. Or something. Either way I got what I wanted. I've known for a long time what I've wanted, what the game plan was - now it's just a matter of executing, and trying not to forget the joy and blessings along the way. What did john lennon say? Life is what happens when you're making other plans? I've made up my mind.
I will take my time.
-cjfer-
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)