This Side of Lost

Two lovers standing hand in hand
Powerless to choose
I's are dotted, stars are crossed
Alone against the muse

- The Apothecary, Enter the Haggis

Two reasons for that subject. The first: we had a rash of classic True Internet Weirdness™ on the forum recently, and I had to post one of my very favorites from the turn-of-the-century era strange stuff. So you too should check out Mr. Nice.

Secondly, I've felt a little like Mr. Nice for the past few weeks -- introducing myself and smiling a lot and performing on cue. That's because I've just finished with three job interviews at institutions in and around the NYC area. I won't bore you with the details, but naturally there's been quite a bit of planning, preparation and travel involved. So that's been keeping me busy. It's also provided more opportunities to see Samantha, which is an excellent side benefit. We first spent a relaxing weekend together in Poughkeepsie, sampling the local cuisine and enjoying the snow. Then we met up again in Manhattan just a couple days ago and did some more touristy stuff, like walking along Fifth Avenue and seeing Rockefeller Center and the NY Public Library. The Hudson River Valley and surrounding environs are all beautiful, and Manhattan is singularly awesome, of course. It has all strengthened my feeling that I will enjoy living in New York more than I have southern California. And not just because Samantha is there.

But now I'm back in SoCal for a while. Another reason I know I need to leave this strange place soon: I'm getting used to the weather. While I was in New York, I discovered (to my dismay) that it was slightly troublesome to me to be leaving a building and actually have to think about what I was wearing and if it was appropriate. Of course, once I got outside I was enjoying the seasonal conditions immensely, but even this brief feeling of inconvenience is completely unacceptable. But in the meantime, I will keep doing... err, whatever it is that I do.

Which, by the way, outside of work, amounts to singing and baseball. I discovered this in answering questions at my interviews about what I do outside of work. Those were the only two things of significance I could come up with. (I decided that watching strange Internet videos and obsessing over obscure singer/songwriter duos don't qualify as significant.) Sort of a short list, for a guy who purports to have wide ranging interests. I'm trying to decide if this is acceptable or if I should pursue other hobbies.

In other news:

• Speaking of said musical group, I'm once again making changes to my silly Storyhill site. I've actually purchased a domain name, but I'm having trouble configuring it correctly so that it shows up as the URL and not the one that shows currently. Can anyone offer advice on this matter?
• Next concert: Verdi's Requiem. I'm knocking off a bunch of the classics in the repertoire that I haven't done before. But I think I'll have had my fill of large orchestral-accompanied works by the end of the year.
• Reasons Why Long Distance Marriages Suck #14: My motivation to do life maintenance sorts of things is extremely low. For the past day and a half, I have succeeded in doing nearly nothing of significance except feeding myself and attending to my cats. To do before the day is out: meal planning, grocery shopping, cleaning, vacuuming, laundry. Any bets on whether any of it gets done? Not a line I'd take...
• Spring training, woot! It's a very different Twins team this year, and expectations are a little lower than usual. That's okay, it's always better to exceed low ones than not meet high ones. Who I'm excited to watch this year: Francisco Liriano (may he just stay healthy all year, I don't care if he's even good), Delmon Young (learn to take a pitch, boy, and the sky's the limit), Adam Everett (just for the defensive value) and whoever makes rotation spot #5.
• My fantasy baseball draft is this Saturday. 25 teams read in my BP 2008, five to go. I'm gonna pwn. Barry Bonds is my number one pick. Yep.
• Watched recently: Dan in Real Life (Steve Carell does serious pretty well, not bad for a plane movie), Penelope (cute, enjoyable acting, a feel good movie), more Gilmore Girls (Jess is a punk, Luke is awesome, Lorelai is a wacko), Firefly (yes, I haven't seen it yet, and I'm not done, so just hold on), and the first disc of Baseball (awesome and I can't wait for the next eight).

Happy St. Urho's Day! May your day be grasshopper free.

You win. I don't know when you decided that this was a fight, but I give up. You win.

I won't ride my bike anymore. I know you don't like it. Oh, you had me fooled for a little while there -- I was avoiding your traffic and it was avoiding me. We had a little system worked out. But you've stolen two of my bikes now. The first one I'll grant you, since it wasn't locked up. But this one was. Yes, I know it was stupid of me to spend $500 on it and only $30 on the lock. Not that it matters -- I get it now. I'll drive. Fine.

I know you didn't want us here, Los Angeles. Samantha knew that right away (she's the smart one). But she's gone, and I'm going, just as fast as I can. But you're gonna have to put up with me until your big brother New York gives me a job.

I know you hate me, Los Angeles -- I just wish you wouldn't make it so damned obvious.

We visit Charlie Chaplin's impressive body of work again with this 1931 production, featuring Chaplin's Little Tramp on a quest to raise money to pay for an operation to restore the sight of a poor flower girl, the object of his affection. Along the way befriends a drunken millionaire, who then doesn't recognize him when he's sober. Chaplin also co-wrote, produced, directed, scored and edited the film.

This review will echo much of what I said about Modern Times, the first Chaplin film we watched, so go read that first, if you haven't. Chaplin is the master of his craft, which is, of course, silent pictures (which aren't exactly silent, per se -- they have a full musical score and the occasional sound effect). Talkies were just coming into vogue at this time, but Chaplin held firm to his practice -- and produced what many critics believe is his finest film.

I have to agree, having seen three of his movies now (yeah, I'm a little behind on writing them up, so sue me). It's difficult to explain why these movies are so great. Let me try using an analogy. When people who are unfamiliar with the Beatles listen to them, they may hear things -- textures, arrangements, styles -- that they are familiar with, because they've heard today's bands use them, and they may think that it is old hat -- been there, done that, why are they so groundbreaking? But what they may not realize is that it is exactly the opposite -- the Beatles invented those sounds. Everyone else is just following in their footsteps. If anything is old hat, it's today's bands.

I think, in the same way, Chaplin's films had a pervasive effect on the themes and styles used in film and the forms of media that have followed: television, animation, online video, etc. So the slapstick, slightly absurd comedy and running gags that he does so well are tropes that I have much experience with and love, even before I knew he was the model for them. He sets them up and uses them to absolutely hilarious effect.

This is just the first thing I love about Chaplin. That's not all, of course. Chaplin is quite skilled at using satire to address universal themes -- in this film, it's the hypocrisy, prissiness, and arrogance of wealthy "polite society" and cruelty to society's less fortunate, lovable outcasts like The Little Tramp himself. His careful editing and directing is evident in the flawless construction of the 90 minute gem. And his acting is no trifle either -- the final scene is truly touching, in ways that tear-jerking dramas of the present day only aspire to be.

If you haven't seen any of Chaplin's films, fix that. This is the one I'd recommend. I don't really forcefully recommend many of the movies we've watched on this project, but I am doing so for this one. I guess that speaks as loudly as anything as to how good it was.

(See this post if you're confused why I'm reviewing movies.)

Yes, I hear you. You're asking, where are the weird cat videos? Well, here you are. I only live to serve.

It's been another One Of Those Weeks, or rather several of them, recently. We've come to the conclusion that living 2500 miles apart get infinitely more difficult the more life throws at you. And it's been quite a bit lately. The bike getting stolen again was just the icing on the cake (I'm over it now). Before that, we also learned we owed quite a bit to the IRS for the first time, which was unexpected, although perhaps shouldn't have been in hindsight. The plus side is that this happened because we're making more money than we ever have, which is unequivocally a good thing, so the recovery period won't be long. Also we had a housing crisis for Samantha due to her sublease ending and a somewhat unprofessional landlord renting an apartment out from underneath her. The solution for this is not ideal, but is manageable for the short term. Finally, my New York job prospects have gone pretty cold lately. It's combined for a tough couple weeks, so we're hopeful there's some good news around the corner.

On the plus side, I've had a lot more free time than I usually do lately, thanks to a break from church choir after Easter (well deserved, let me tell you -- those Episcopalians sure do know how to celebrate), and a three day weekend (thanks Cesar Chavez). So what have I been doing with it? Playing Starcraft. Why am I wasting my time with a 10-year-old computer game, you may ask? That's an excellent question -- one I don't really have a good answer to. A conversation on the forum sparked the resurrection of my interest in the game, which is the last computer game I was really any good at. *shrug* It's entertaining. I need a little distraction now and then. My life for Aiur!

In any case, I'm enjoying it while I can, since April and May will be busy again. I've got a conference next weekend, a concert the following weekend, and preparations for both along with other deadlines at work to keep me out of trouble. Then I've got my two Master Chorale concerts in May, along with my mom's visit.

In other news:

• Baseball is almost here. It's so close I can taste it. Just two more days. Gah, it always feels like it's been forever since October.
• I never told you about our Amoeba haul from Samantha's visit in February. I picked up Haughty Melodic by Mike Doughty, Hey Hey My My Yo Yo by Junior Senior and Soapbox Heroes by Enter the Haggis. I'm actually enjoying them all fairly equally, which is a rarity for new music. Okay, maybe Enter the Haggis is in the lead. Whatever. You can't prove it. Quick, what's that over there?
• Currently reading: Citizen of the Galaxy, an old juvie by Heinlein. He wrote dozens of them, and I can never remember which ones I've read and which ones I haven't. Don't think I've read this one. Enjoyable, as always.
• Watched recently: 300 (truly a man's movie -- pretty good, though), Scrubs, Season 1 (just the first disc, but I can already tell I'll like it a lot), and Y Tu Mama Tambien (didn't really enjoy it, found it to be mildly funny but mostly depressing).

I'm off. Those Siege Tanks aren't gonna build themselves. Peace.