Coming Soon... A New Format

If you've noticed a  bit of change around here, well, then, that's a good thing. Here's why... 

In an effort to keep this site as relevant and as readable as possible, I'll be moving away slightly from lengthy write-ups and into a format that should allow for more frequent and, ultimately, more interesting updates. Now, bear in mind, that doesn't mean that I'm planning to completely abandon my earlier blogging-styles. On the contrary, in fact, these posts may appear at the same regularity as they always have; once a month. Unfortunately, there was a problem with that fashion, and one that led to a site that, as one of my friend's was quick to point out, "lacked fun." I could see why. However, for the longest time, I ignored her comments, unwilling to break away from my essay-like posts. And, thus, issues arose, as these things took a long time to write. Too long, perhaps, and their audience was a limited one at best. Something had to change. I needed to move away from a site that appealed only to my interests and instead to one that, while still reflected my likes, could capture more eyes. 

And so, starting today (maybe tomorrow or this week; I'm not completely sure), new life will begin to grow here, starting with...

PHOTO-BLOGGING: People like things they can see. Seeing colors pop from one's screens can do wonders for an otherwise mellow site. Like mine, to be honest. As you may know, I like to take pictures, and, well, I think it's time to take advantage of my hobby and use it to add a little flare and interest on these pages. Of course, you can check out my Flickr blog "here", and that's normally up-to-date.

RANTS: Sometimes, criticism is deserved, and when something really ticks me off, I'll be sure to rant about it in a humorous fashion here. Don't worry; I'll be sure to keep it balanced. 

NOTEWORTHY LINKS AND FINDS: Here's an envy-worthy feature that Tumblr packs: re-blogging. Instead of taking the time to copy and paste your finds into a new post, you need only hit one button, edit the write-up as necessary, and then post it! It's a simple feature that works, and one that I think other platforms should take notes from. Anyway, I'll make certain to report and compile any cool finds on the Internet here, and, of course, provide brief commentary along with a link. 

MINI-REVIEWS: I think I've finally learnt something: reviews can be accurate and concise. So, yes, I've decided that, rather than spend over 1000 words on one thing, I can assess smaller items in, say, 500 words or less. Look forward to those... 

In addition, I'll be keeping the "photography" section of the site as up-to-date as possible, and maybe even write a blog post for each time I make a change.

Well, there you go. Four ways this site's going to change and boast new and fresh content. Here's hoping for a new era here.

See you soon! 

On the Issue of Time...

We all know what I haven't been doing! And, as per our agreement, we won't talk about it. And yes, the title of this post is hopelessly ambiguous, and no, I don't really care that it has little to do with what I'll actually be talking about, and... well, this is getting redundant. But okay, maybe I can touch on the things I had hoped to avoid. You know, time is a bitch, and a frustrating one at that. Originally, when I had started this site, I had wanted to post at least once a week, and, as well, I had wanted there to be a heck of a lot more content to gawk at (word choice?). But time got the better of me, and the place on the Internet I had hoped to call home soon turned into a forgotten realm. In fact, an analogy I often like to attribute to other deserted places on the Internet came true here: I saw a tumbleweed fly by.

Of course, I'd like to change that, and more content is on the way, I promise.

But, anyway, let's get on with things, shall we?

I come to you at a tumultuous time, don't I? Oil spills, deficits, war... There's a lot going on these days. So, understandably, it's hard to find things that are right in this world. Have I been able to get past all that and attempt to enjoy what life does offer? Well, no, not completely, but I've been keeping myself busy enough. Admittedly, I've stayed away from the finger-pointing and blame game that so many politicians have deduced themselves to, and, while it pains me to admit that I'm only an observer to it all, I haven't been able to do much more. Anyway, let's take a routine look at the things I have been doing, playing, watching and reading...

PHOTOGRAPHY/PLACES

NEW YORK

You know what? Rather than talk aimlessly about a place you probably already know about, I'm just gonna post a few photos, dammit.

The Fairmont Plaza Hotel is one hellishly expensive place to stay. And no, it wasn't my residence.

The steps at Apple's iconic 5th avenue store. It's rather underwhelming in person.

ENTERTAINMENT

TELEVISION

Yes, 24 is over, having concluded with a bittersweet finale on the 24th of May. Interestingly, while I dreaded it weeks before it aired, by the end of the final countdown I felt satisfied with the conclusion. I wasn't wishing for more, and, for the first time perhaps, I had come to terms with the ending of my favorite show of all time. Now... bring on the movie!

As far as TV goes, I have a ton to keep me busy, even with 24 gone from my screen. When I was in New York, I managed to get my hands on quite a few shows I had been yearning to watch for some time...

Breaking Bad: Ironically, I've heard that nothing bad about this show. The story of a a science teacher turned meth-pusher, Breaking Bad has been called the best show on television by numerous sources and I just can't wait to start watching. How had I missed this one until now?!

ROME: Recommended by my brother, this drama was apparently yet another fine show for HBO, and a pitch-perfect representation of Rome during some troubling times.

LOST: Yes, I should be shot. I've yet to watch this show and, well, I'm gonna get right to it. Please don't hurt me. Of course, I'm expecting good things from one of the most hyped dramas of all time. It'll be a long, fun and head-scratching ride, I'm certain.

GAMING

Not much here, to be honest. Aside from Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Red Dead Redemption, there's been little time for me to dive into any of the other triple-A titles available. Honestly, though, it's been a stellar year for gaming, and I, along with others, are in the process of doing a write-up for some of 2010's greatest so far for Fandomania. Look for it in the coming week!

Anyway, from what little I've played of them, both Battlefield and Red Dead are impressive titles, though completely different. While one is a fast-paced shooter and the other is an open-world Western, they each have their own selling-points that make them, for the most part, winners. Granted, I've taken issue with a few things in each, especially with Red Dead's startlingly slow pace at the beginning. However, once you get past the boring introduction, things take off from there.

BOOKS

As well, I haven't been doing much reading due to time limitations, and, aside from magazines, the following have been collecting dust, awaiting me to finally pick them up:

Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon

W.E.B. Griffin's The Hostage

George Orwell's 1984 (what? It's a classic... that I've never read!)

Rest assured, they'll be finished.

Okay, then! Enough to fill a post. You can judge me aaaaaalll you want, but, even though I take a while, I make sure my blog posts are of some length, right? Wait - I think I'm giving myself a tad bit too much credit. Back to the drawing board, then, eh?

Where am I going with all this?

I'm Writing For Fandomania!

    

While the post title, admittedly, is lame (shameless self-promotion...), the news I have is hopefully not. Now...

Okay. Show of hands, please. Who here has heard of the site Fandomania? Anyone? Right, I don't care if you raised your hand or not. I'll just talk.

Fandomania is definitely a site of many things, and such a trait is apparent even from their own description:

"Fandomania is a blog about pop culture, covering news, reviews, and opinions on everything from TV shows to video games to toys and comics, and a whole lot of stuff in between."

A comprehensive source for all things entertainment, Fandomania is never at a shortage for content, and their pieces, written by an assortment of contributers, are always fun to read.

Now... if I can only think back to how I found their site. Oh, right! Unsurprisingly, it was over 24, and, if I remember correctly, I was searching for reviews of a recent episode. Sure enough, through a quick search of Twitter's archives, I managed to find a link to Maggie Van Ostrand's weekly review for 24.  I read on, and, after bookmarking the site, returned each week for not only her always-funny accounts of the week's 24, but also the rest of the site's content. There was, needless to say, some really great stuff on there. 

A few weeks ago, I saw that Fandomania was searching for new writers. The terms were simple: submit an application and a sample of your writing. I did so, and, within 24 hours, their managing editor had replied back, announcing that he would be happy to take me on as a contributor to the site.  And to think that, the night before, I had wondered if I would be wasting my time!

And, well, I now write for them on a regular basis. So... if you're interested in the world of entertainment, television, music and videogames, you can head on over to Fandomania.com, check their stuff out and support the site! And yes, I will be posting to there quite a bit more frequently than I do my own blog, although I won't forget about here!

Oh, and be sure to listen to their weekly podcast for some awesome commentary on television, gaming and more! 

A Little Housekeeping

Woo... I've been lazy haven't I?

No, to be honest I've felt been the complete opposite over here, though I'm sure it doesn't seem that way on my blog. Not only did I miss reviewing two episodes of 24 from the past few weeks (this week's episode is coming), I feel like I've been neglecting the entire website. 

I shall not let that happen.

Good news for me, however, is that work should be much lighter in the coming weeks, allowing me to devote more time to the things I want to participate in and contribute to. This website is one of them.

While it may seem as if my domain on the Internet has remained more or less stagnant for the past few weeks, I did manage to get a start on the photography section, adding a page for both my scenic and landscaping photos. While it's a far cry from being complete, I can definitely say that I'm happy with my vision for it, and, when it is finished, I suspect it'll be a welcome and constantly evolving addition to the site.

So please, if you can, bear with me. I realize initial disorganization is normal for any website, though I feel as if I've left the mess for a little too long.  

It'll get cleaned up.

Eventually. 

24 - Day 8: 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Review

- FOX 

SPOILER ALERT:   Significant plot details follow. 

24 has a history of inconsistency, especially in its early episodes. A story arc that lasts no less than 24 hours is long for any TV series so most of its missteps are excusable early on. Regardless, however, each episode still needs to be interesting to watch and provide ample realistic set-up. Here, in the fifth episode of season eight, the show’s plot is still unfolding and becoming more complex by the minute, even though most of it will be forgotten later on. That’s conventional with nearly all television shows, though even more so with a program such as 24. Unfortunately, season eight seems to be having a little trouble getting its footing right and not all of it is working as well as it should.  A very enjoyable, fresh and dramatic main plotline is marred by some silly and sloppily written storylines that tag along. This, of course, makes for episodes that feel very unbalanced.

Last week finished strongly and promised unique interactions between Jack and the damaged Renee. With its tense and well-acted scenes, I’m happy to report that  8:00 PM – 9:00 PM’s main plot continued this narrative in a fashion that was, for the most part, quite fun to watch.

First, however, let’s get to the things that were not fun to watch. Yes, I’m talking about Dana Walsh’s laughably useless side story. What an unfortunate position Battlestar veteran Katee Sackhoff is in. The actress who once played the brash and short-tempered Starbuck has assumed the role of a character taking orders and nearly tearing up as she’s thrown against the wall by degenerate white-trash. What’s more, she must excuse herself from her job in the middle of an undercover operation for Jack and Renee to meet up with him at her own apartment. The fact that CTU would allow her to even leave the building during a time such as this is completely unbelievable on its own. Apparently they don’t care. So, she submits to her ex and the story gets worse from there. When she arrives, Kevin has the audacity to demand that Dana steal information from CTU so he and some guy named Nick can make off big time… sigh… Please, writers, either wrap this story up, or tie it in. Hell, I’d consider the whole plot redeemed if Dana would just put a bullet in Kevin’s head next week and have her deal with things from there on. You have one last chance with this one.

Anyway, on the villain side of things, little worth mentioning occurs, despite the fact that the episode begins with Farhad Hassan on the phone in mob boss Sergei Bazhaev’s posh restaurant. While the conspiracy against President Hassan deepens and beings to spread to his country of Kamistan, the ramifications of such happenings aren’t clearly defined yet. As Farhad’s phone call progresses, a military contact is introduced, as well as potentially a new side plot that could have legs. But, the conversation is quickly silenced as Serfei enters the room inquiring about his payment in exchange for nuclear weapons. Conveniently, it’ll take five hours for Farhad’s funds to be transferred, and 24’s mid-season event will undoubtedly tie into this fitting occurrence. In an effort to pacify Farhad for a few hours, Sergei gives Farhad a private room and a couple of prostitutes to hang out with. Enjoy!

President Hassad has his own share of troubles in hour five, finally catching word of political strife in his homeland. To calm the uproar he begins efforts to penalize the conspirators and naysayers, though President Taylor has issues with his ways, and worries about the fate of her peace treaty as a result. While it makes sense in practice, Taylor will have to offer some compromise here, as Hassan must be allowed some reaction to chaos back home.

Thankfully, the meat of the episode more than made up for some disappointing side stories. Renee, fearless and tolerant, is subjected to unrelenting questioning by a Russian mob outlet to get her back undercover. Even when things get tough for her, she remains forceful in her ways, and is successful in the end. It is revealed that she has a disturbing past with a Russian contact named Vladimir, a history that could create an interesting and compelling dynamic if handled correctly. Renee’s part in the show makes the sometimes senseless sequences in the eighth season of 24 worth watching, and, just as she stared down at the barrel of the gun in the final few minutes of the episode, unsure of what would happen next, I too am uncertain of what direction the show will go in the next few episodes. It’s anyone’s guess from here.

RATING FOR 24 -DAY 8: 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm (OUT OF 10)