i wear the cheese

I'm currently reading "The Shadow Rising" by Robert Jordan.  I took it upon myself to reread this series in anticipation of the new book that will be coming out sometime in the soon-never.  Robert Jordan died in the process of getting the final book out, and they've hired someone to close out the last of his series using Jordan's notes.  I have high hopes of it coming together well, and it's when I read this series that I miss my Wheel of Time buddy from Australia.  Where do you find a nutty Australian chick that reads fantasy when you really need one?

C and I are also looking forward to our trip to San Jose next month.  I'm excited to see the Sharks play in their home arena.  Knowing our luck, Boucher will be in goal. It's a good game for him to play as the Thrashers couldn't score on my grandmother at this point.  We bought some jerseys tonight.  A Jumbo Joe one for me and a Torrey Mitchell one for C.  Torrey Mitchell is looking like he will be coming back soon, which bodes well for my teams penalty kill.  He's tenacious, smart and fast on the puck... all great qualities.  He'll definitely have to shake off the rust for a few games, as he hasn't played all season... but I have faith in him.

And now my belated christmas gift picture post:

 

Here were the questions I answered:

1. First name
2. Favorite food
3. Hometown
4. Favorite color
5. Celebrity crush
6. Favorite Drink
7. Dream Holiday
8. Favorite Dessert
9. What I want to be when I grow up
10. What I love most in the world
11. One word that describes me
12. My vox name

So, I watched Battle Royale today.  I've been hearing about this movie for many years, ever since I moved down to LA basically.  It's hailed as a great movie by those I know in some circles... and I just don't get it.  Sure, the film is totally and 100% messed up, but like most Japanese cinema it leaves me feeling flat.  The Japanese seem to view plot and character development in a completely different way than Americans.  This is neither good nor bad, just different.  Battle Royale struck me as more American in these regards than I've noticed in other films I've seen... but it was still a bit strange. 

Ultimately, there were 2 stories that stood out to me as really getting it done.  The lovers (Shuya Nanahara and Noriko Nakagawa) were really well played and it was definitely the most detailed story.  The side story to this was also really well put together.  They meet a ringer in the game who helps them through the trials that lay ahead.  The interweaving of these two stories worked really well.  There were a lot of side stories that were not well developed and frankly just confusing to me, and ultimately I think just added confusion to an overly complicated movie.  I still don't understand the teacher's story or why he was fixated on Noriko... though she was one of those adorable little Japanese girls that are impossible not to love.

Moving on, we also watched the Tale of Despereaux in the theater yesterday.  Overall, this film failed as children's movie but worked well as a preteen moral lesson.  Some of it felt a bit blah to me, and I started to get bored in the middle... but ultimately everything comes together to conclude nicely.  I don't have a lot of thoughts on the film, but it was a nice distraction and a good way to spend an evening with C and Heather.


I'm rereading the Wheel of Time series right now, and I forgot how great the early part of the series is.  I just finished the second book and it is everything a fantasy series should have in it.  There is a quest, magic and a big culminating battle.  Some of the later books focus too much on bigger pictures of the story and lose sight of the fact that the reader is still reading this one book at a time.  I think Robert Jordan realized this as he came closer to dying and really made a focus on driving the series home.

Christmas is tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to spending it with C.  She makes me extremely happy and her excitment is definitely bouying my feelings about the season.  Sometimes I feel like a curmudgeon, but then I look at her and Christmas seems that much more exciting and worth the effort again.