Resolution

It’s the beginning of a new year. I have never been one to make and/or keep New Year’s Resolutions but I do find it useful to take time and reflect on the things I dedicate the majority of my time, attention and presence to. I try my best to remain diligent with the longer-term commitments I’ve made while making room for shorter-term and new commitments, too. Sometimes my interests change, and that means reorganizing my priorities periodically.

Speaking of new interests, I’ve been spending a lot of time on social networks! Okay, maybe a little too much time…but I have been networking with like minded professionals and activity partners. No, really!

Also new – a few friends and I have been throwing around the idea of starting a (mostly) science fiction and fantasy movie club and discussion group in the spring, so that little project is next on the drafting board. The idea came mostly from a regular movie night I’ve hosted on and off for the last couple of years and because we saw the need for a more genre-specific venue within our community.  There are several outlets for the larger cineastic community in the Denver area to plug in to, but none cater specifically to the (bio/tech/gaming/cyber/fantasy) geek culture myself and most of my friends belong to.  Any suggestions on how to organize are very welcome

Reaching for the Reset Button…

The job hunt isn’t moving as quickly as I had hoped and I’m feeling a little exasperated over it. It isn’t the job prospects, per se, it’s me. I’m a ducks-in-a-row kind of gal–it’s a security thing. Finding and keeping a good job in the area is important to me, a lot is riding on it, and I haven’t made it off to an encouraging start. I’ve had a couple of potential offers, but nothing solid yet. To make matters worse, I’ve been holding my breath for a particular one which so far has dragged the hiring process out beyond my comfort level. (Isn’t that always the way? You want one to call, but instead all the others do! LOL) As friends (and certainly Life) have reminded me, what one wants is often just a few steps ahead of what one really wants, so the passage of time can be a good thing. Nice advice for this time in my life.

During my run this morning I kept telling myself that in one month none of this will matter or be on my mind

Cam and I went to see Beowulf a couple of weeks ago, and afterwards we bought the full-length poem (this seeing the movie then buying the book thing is becoming a trend…). I’ve nearly finished it and must admit that I think there is little conceptual overlap between the poem and the movie (which I did really enjoy, by the way. I’m a big Neil Gaiman fan). That being said, I’d recommend any fantasy fan out there to go and see it…just don’t expect to whet your appetite for classical literature. They each stand on their own as distinct works of art.

The Jane Austen Book Club

Yesterday, my friend Rose and I went to see the movie titled The Jane Austen Book Club. For any fan of fiction writing, literature and comedy I’d highly recommend this movie. My interest in it came mainly from the fact that I love book clubs (I belong to three), and, since I first began reading Austen when I was 12, I have most of her published works on my bookshelf at home. I wondered if the movie would bring to life some of the eccentricities one can experience while discussing writing styles and character development, forming many different opinions and conclusions from the same body of work, and it did. It also reminded me that sometimes, even books that are centuries old can remain extremely timely and relevant. I’ve always found that possibility intriguing, if not exhilarating, about literature.

After leaving the theater, Rose and I ran to the nearest bookstore to purchase what remaining copies of Austen’s work we didn’t have (for me, they were Persuasion and Northanger Abbey) and decided to read through them together.

As I rode on the bus commute into work yesterday morning I opened my fresh copy of Persuasion, our first pick, and I immediately felt like I had reconnected with an old, familiar friend.

There’s no getting lost like when you do so in a good book.

List #4 (is the “new” List #1)

I’ve reached the one year mark on this blog! Yeah

I was looking through my lists and decided it was about time I made another one; but first, remembering List #1 seemed like an appropriate celebration of the blog’s first anniversary.

Now, on to List #4.

Movies coming out this summer that I want to see in the theater:

1. Mr. Bean’s Holiday
2. The Invasion
3. Manda Bala
4. September Dawn
5. The Bourne Ultimatum
6. War
7. The 11th Hour
8. Rush Hour 3

Can’t Stop the Serenity

Charity fundraisers are awesome because they give me an opportunity to meet a community of people who are willing to give their time, concern and/or money to causes I believe in. It’s also a great way to network with like-minded individuals.

Last night, I attended the Can’t Stop the Serenity charity screening of Joss Whedon’s Serenity, hosted by the Mile High Browncoats as a tribute to Joss and his efforts in supporting the advocacy group Equality Now. Serenity is one of my favorite movies, and all proceeds above cost from the event were to benefit EN, which works to end violence and discrimination against women and girls around the world. Men are also highly impacted by their work, as they stand to benefit a great deal from their tremendous efforts.

The screening was at the Tivoli in Denver, and it was PACKED. I attended the 8pm screening, and met some really cool folks while standing in line and waiting for the 5pm group to leave. I saw old people, young people, coupled people, single people, some people dressed in jeans and t-shirts and some people dressed in costumes and full-length gowns. It was awesome. One woman behind me commented on how cool it was to see so many “sci-fi geeks in one place”. Yeah!

Before the movie began, we watched a short film featuring Meryl Streep (on behalf of Equality Now), and Joss, in honor of his mother Jessica. After Meryl spoke, Joss gave the audience several answers to a question he is asked over and over again, “Why do you keep writing such strong female characters into your stories?” Joss answered, “Because of my mother”, “Because of my father”, “Because they’re hot” and “Because you’re still asking me that question instead of asking the other 100 guys over there why they’re not.” Well said.

Overall, the night was a lot of fun and very empowering. It was great to be in the presence of men and women who love sci-fi and support strong, healthy women and men. It’s not about overpowering each other, it’s about respecting each other’s ability to be strong and supportive. Like my Auntie Vivian used to always say, “When I am strong, my family, my home and my community are strong.”

At some moments, I felt like I was on the red carpet . The highlight of the evening was being invited by Wes to the Afterparty in downtown, but I had to regrettably decline. Thanks to the MHB and all the organizers and volunteers for a great event!

Happy Summer!

The Golden Compass

I’ve just been to visit the upcoming movie’s website and I like it! It reminds me of the site the Davinci Code movie had up before its release–interesting graphics, fun things to look around at, a little bit interactive, etc. For those of you who haven’t read this book, it’s a good children’s fantasy adventure novel, and the first of three in the His Dark Materials series. It’s controversial because many have deemed this series as being antithetical to the Narnia stories. I really enjoyed them (that is to say, accepted them for what they are, children’s fiction) and think you’ll just have to read for yourself and decide.

Oddly enough, the cast for the film nearly match the characters as I imagined them while reading the books, with the exception being Lord Asriel (to be played by Daniel Craig of Casino Royale). Somehow, I imagined this character as having a darker, more severe appearance, such as that of Michael Fassbender (who played Azazeal on BBC’s Hex).

I’m looking forward to the movie (out in December, I think); here’s hoping it won’t disappoint

 

300 at midnight

A friend and I went to see the midnight opening release of the movie 300 this morning! Wow, what a show! The theater was completely packed, and it was worth every sleep-depriving second! The story follows a Spartan king named Leonidas’ battle against the invading forces of the Persian god-king Xerxes:

In the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, King Leonidas and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Facing insurmountable odds, their valor and sacrifice inspire all of Greece to unite against their Persian enemy, drawing a line in the sand for democracy. –Yahoo! Movies

It’s obvious from the cinematography and sound effects that the producers were going for an epic event. The battle scenes were amazing to watch, bringing to life the power and determination of Leonidas and his soldiers. There were many familiar faces in the cast (think Troy, LOTR, Gladiator, Enterprise…), and the acting and dramatic effects were superb. The Queen (Gorgo) was by far my favorite character, as her character is intelligent and passionate, and her wisdom and strength win several battles of their own throughout the movie.  I left LOVING the movie and thinking to myself, “I am so gonna get that on DVD”.

Alas, there is a good deal of sex and violence so this one is NOT for the kiddies!

Main themes: power, glory, honor, duty, valor, truth and love–everything a great story needs. Go see it NOW!