A stretched out moment

To start with good news I am now a father again. My son has joined the world and so we are in the chaotic period of adjustment where we get use to our newborn and our newborn is getting use to the world. This time around seems that my son is more inclined to fall into a pattern than my daughter. It's a little early to predict, but it seems my son is the moon (calm and following some pattern) and my daughter the sun (ever present, full of energy). Still, it is early days.

The emotional journey has been far more exciting than what I have been upto physically. We have been watching Netflix (Sherlock from the BBC) and the Rick Steve's Europe DVDs I gave Steph as a gift. So far we have worked our way through Spain (which we hope to go to next year), and are almost through Paris. Rick Steve is a rather dorky fellow, but he is an excellent tour guide creator and we find each of his shows an excellent start to learning about a place.

I have putting in some solo board game play. Ticket to Ride and Kingdom Builder on the ipad and physically playing Urbion as well as reviewing my netrunner cards. Ticket to Ride has always been a challenge to me as it is one of the few games Steph will play and I am terrible at it. The ipad version is giving me a chance to get through a bunch of games and hopefully improve.

And although I am tired, I can honestly say I am relieved the birth is over and that we are in the process of settling in with two kids.

S

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Drops of God

I have been obsessed with a manga comic series called Drops of God. It is a story of two young men competing on finding the greatest wines called the Twelve Apostles; a list created by one of the characters estranged father. It is a weird balance between educating you about the world of wine and the personal journeys of the young characters.

What I find bizarre that the series has drawn me in as I don't drink wine, spirits, or alcohol of any kind. Yet, I am entranced by the series' world of vintage, colours, texture, grapes, soil etc. The poetry of writing might be what has won me over, built around the idea that a memory, emotion or image can be captured in a bottle, to be poured into a glass and be recalled with training and passion. The artwork helps as it is in the minimalist line work anime, but with realistic proportion.

I recommend it the series. I would be interested for someone who actually drinks thinks of it.

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Before the Storm

With baby preparations pretty much done, I find we are mentally in a holding pattern. As though we are reluctant to start anything as a newborn will soon disrupt any projects or plans we might have. I should be clear that this is not a bad thing, but rather a simple declaration of how life is. The first couple of months is a state of simple goals, although several people are impressed that we do all the things we do with one child and believe us crazy to plan to do things with two. I would argue that child learn by example, and seeing their parents experiencing life and wanting them to engage with it is a good thing in my book.

I feel this big paragraph is a bit of an excuse, as I have been rather passively consuming culture then actually making stuff. It is a common topic in this blog, I really need more material. (smile). The current sidetrack is indie video games. I have recently discovered steam (an online video game distributer) and a good review site called Giant Bomb, which has made it easy to find a collection of indie games to my liking. There is something about a game made by a small group or an individual. The "art" seems to come out more, the voice of the creator is stronger, the artist's vision, their struggles and aesthetic are more at the forefront than in a Triple A game from a major studio.

 

What am I playing? The current game with the most time is Lone Survivor. A horror survival game with a pixel/stitched aesthetic and dark eerie tale of a single survivor trying to survive in a monster filled city. I am not one for horror movies but seem to quite enjoy playing horror video games. It might be the control issue, that I don't mind the scares if I have some control over the character's action. Still, it is very dark as you basically live in squaller and not die. There is an undercurrent of psychological trauma and back story that I am interested in discovering (when I am not trying to die).

 

The other frightful game I am playing is Amnesia: The Dark Descent, which physically scares me. You control a man who has woken up with no memory in a ruined mansion. You then wander poorly lit rooms trying to figure out how you got there and not meet a shadow that seems to pursue you. It is a very creepy game, I have never had such an emotional response to a game. Good stuff.

 

Finally, the last game is Thomas was Alone. A wonderful puzzle game where you move different colour squares and rectangles through mazes. What makes the game is the wonderful characterization of these squares/rectangles by the narrator. I have found myself more attached to these silly shapes than characters I have experienced in movies/books/tv shows in the past year. I highly recommend this game.

 

This is enough of my work avoidance. Time for sleep and will attempt to motivate myself tomorrow. :)

 

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Superman man of steel

It has been a couple of days, almost two weeks actually, since I saw the new Superman: Man of Steel. It is a grimmer take on Superman, which has resulted in a harsh battle on the Internet about whether this film was a betrayal of the ideal of the comic and the ideal of Superman. The internet has been quite harsh and acidic enough that it gave me pause before deciding my final thoughts.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience of the movie. It was visual stunning and asked some interesting questions. Not directly, but in a subtle way. The movie interacts with the superman mythos as well as the world we live in. The emotional reaction pushes me to why I am reacting.

There is a lot of idealism in the movie, or rather conflicting ideals. What was interesting was that Superman had to navigate these ideals and some times he failed and other times he soared above. What impressed me the most is that some of the choices didn't have a perfect solution, just the least worse option.

There is also matter of restraint. That fixing everything us not straight forward or necessarily desirable.

Technically beautiful and probably the best superhero fist fight I have seen in film. Also a lot of solid acting.

At the end of day, Superman is a culture icon that when anyone makes a movie, comic, book etc. Its about cultures clashes and this is where you asks questions. If the movie makes you angry , you should take a step and decide why you are anger, and what that says about you.

Apart from entertainment, what more you can want from a film?

Science!

It is weird to go to the science centre so much now. I wasn't raise in Toronto so the science centre, like the zoo, is a far away attraction that you went to once as a field trip. Now it is a short drive or bus ride away. Plus it is not that pricey when you get a membership.
The exhibits change so slowly, but it is interesting to see them repaired. When you go once you assume the place is falling apart, when it reality it is in a state of slow repair.
As an older person, you wonder if the building is perhaps not properly designed for its function. There is a lot of empty space which is unused. I am not sure if it is an sign of a grandeur plan for the site or actual bad designed.
Still, it is a fun place and speaks to the ideas of Science! The idea of exploring and working to understand the work.
It is also impressive that how the staff entertains the hordes of children that descend on them. In their white coats they work hard to entertain and inform. I wonder how successful they are.
I fund myself inspired to learn more but that is not a hard thing to do.
I am glad that I can take my daughter to such a place. Even if the food is pricey.

Head Space

Another month has passed, I am no Samuel Pepys.

I have had a lot in my head recently. Which I realize is not that big revelation to anyone who knows me as I am a brain oriented kind of guy. That said, there has been a bunch of social stuff going on (go check out my game blog) as well, so i haven't been a hermit.

What's going on upstairs? Nothing super productive.

1. Strip Search is winding up with the two episode finale starting next Friday. As I previously menitioned, this show has touched me in a way I never thought a reality show would ever be able to do. The manufactured drama was low in the web series which probably kept me from tuning out. The main draw fro me is that it was about drawing comics. It has inspired me to draw which I had let lapse for the past couple of years. Watching the prelude to the finale (aptly title "A kick in the pants") really spoke to me that I should just do my comic and get it out there. My great hope is that the inspiration from it gets me going. You heard it first, webcomic to come. :)

2. Reading. I have had a bad habit recently of watching a lot of instructional you tube videos. It has the illusion of being productive. I don't know if it is the increase in sunlight of summer, or if my brain has become bored and had its full and wants something new or "harder", but I find myself you tube weary.  And so, I have moved back to proper reading (well beyond the newspaper, but you can only read political scandals for so long then you realize you need to step away). My first book was a bit of a disappointment (book club book), but I am now working on a couple of volumes and it's weird how your brain switches when you go from passive watching to active reading. Hopefully for the better.

3. Moving - I am switching floors at my office and I have to say that my dislike of moving has not changed. A nightmare of going through one's workplace to see all the trinkets you have accumulated to try and give you're office a comforting feel. The silver lining is that I am moving to a window office and can enjoy more sun. Although I will see a lot more of the parking lot. :)

4. Visiting friends. Finally saw my friends in London and see their wonderfully renovated house and more importantly hangout. Although we did see a horrible movie (Safe Haven...Avoid!!!)

After all of this I have been in a bit of a torpor. I have been very uncreative. I hope to shake it off this weekend. Need to get some sun, exercise and good food.

I think I might try to do some more themed blogs, or research quick posting. Maybe I can do it through twitter or something. I do have a cool smart phone (muhahah)

All right. That's it for now.

S

Through the window of the oven

I have recently been obsessed with, of all things, a reality show.

It is an odd experience for me as, to be frank, I am not a fan of the genre. To be more honest, I find most reality television unwatchable. I am not a fan of manufactured drama; the bizarre editing to shape people in unnatural ways. The whole process caters to quick judgements, cruel people, gossip, and taking pleasure with messy spectacles. It is a part of the celebrity gossip news world that does not appeal to me.

It makes it all more surprising that I find myself sucked into a reality show. It is a web series called Strip Search. The guys behind Penny Arcade placed twelve inspiring webcomic artists in a house together over two weeks and ran them through art challenges for prizes and to avoid elimination (which is to create a comic strip in 90 minutes to be judge by the creators). The winner's prize is $15,000 and one year working out the Penny Arcade studios (one of the most sucessful webcomic business in the world).

I think there are a couple reasons the show has drawn me in. One is that I love comic art, the art form I have loved the longest (born out of childhood love of super hero comics, that has evolved into a love of graphic novels of all types). I love strip art and read a lot of webcomics (the 21st century equivalent of the funny papers) over the course of the day. So a show following twelve web artists to see their different art styles is a pleasure.

Another reason is that I can consume the product of my favorities, right now. The artists all have websites, prints, books, and strips to consume. Unlike the other shows, they are a group of professionals already making something that is easy to access, versus other reality show that have restaurants I will likely not make it too, fashion I will not wear, etc. Comics are easy to get a hold of and read. It makes the show more fun when you can see what they are capable of and still follow them after the show.

Finally, the editors of the show did a good job of treating the contestants fairly, not twisting them too much. I read the interview that the editors of the show wanted to make sure none of the "losers" were "unhireable" afterwards (so there was effort to avoid train wrecks). Although you don't get a full story (each episode is only 20 minutes roughly), there isn't an attempt to make "villains" and "drama". If the show has any villains, it is the creators who are slowly destroying the wonderful house of art and friendship they have inadvertently ushered into existence. (If the editing could be trusted)

Should you watch? I do recommend checking out a couple of episodes, but more importantly, I recommend that you check out all the artists. The Internet offers a lot of alternatives to the stale newspaper funnies, its a matter of finding them. Strip Search helps that process.

I would conclude with saying that I don't think this is a gateway show for me to enter the reality tv world. This is anomaly that has fallen into my world. Also, the show is at the halfway point (all previous episodes are available on the show's website), and so my final verdict is still outstanding. The pudding is half cooked and much could go wrong. But for now, I like the smell.

S

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Quick post

It has been one of those weeks where I have thought of a couple of blog topics, but haven't had the sense to put them down in any substantial way.
The only thought I have some small things. I have started running, got new bedroom furniture, and got my haircut.
I realize this is a non post. More substance to come.
S out

Roller coaster

Sitting down after a long day, actually a long week, I find myself reluctant to type. I promised to try and post twice a week, so here goes.
It is funny how as I get older, or maybe since I became a dad, that tired comes in different flavors now. I seem to remember being tired in university and high school was pretty much was either mental tired or physical exhaustion. Now there seems to be more categories to apply. Happy tired, emotional drained,  achy tired, too tired to sleep, tired of queuing, tired of routine....etc.
I have been developing a theory that despite the young adult drama my life was actually pretty easy and this new menu of weariness is because I have a more engaged life. A sign of experience that my body struggles more to cope.
I like this to the alternative to the thought of it just being the fact I'm old. I would concede that I should exercise more.
This topic hit me because I struggle this week with sleeping, IKEA, projects at home, writing, work, the news cycle, organizing some events. It didn't really hit me until I tried to explain a game to someone at game night. I am a little brain weary.
Fortunately next week promises to be a bit better. Still I think I will start going to go to bed earlier.
I am done. Good night

Spring is here!

Toronto might not have the warmest weather, but the birds have arrived, the trees have decided to bud, and squirrels are attempting to find food. It is also very, very wet. Therefore Spring is here!

When I was younger, Spring was not one of my favorite seasons. I am one of the autumn people. That is not to say I'm a Halloween sort of guy, rather I am a lover of falling leaves, air with that dry, cold nip, the rustling floor of a forest, fall festivals, and the underlying thought that the end of the year holidays are approaching.

Spring has recently been re-evaluated in light of my daughter's arrival. A child sees the seasons differently and they shape and warp your life accordingly. Old maxims fall away as you are forced to deal with new truths. Winter is now judged more harshly; the park is not available as the sun sets so quickly; multiple layers of clothing bring weariness and battles; cabin fever afflicts all people under five. Oddly, the start of Winter is great with many happy memories, but by the end of January, children seem to decide that the cold season has gone long enough. These new facts have given Spring a different look in my eyes. I now find that I look forward to the longer days, the diminishing layers, the green parks, the farmer's markets.  Spring and Summer are simply easier for children, or rather their parents.

Another plus for Spring is that I have learned to cook, and farmer's markets become alive again in Spring. I find excitement in the colours of berries, veggies, and fruit in the market. I realize that I have been getting these things in the grocery store (and in winter it is my favorite part of the grocery store to go to), but there just is more of it, and it's fresh.

In short, I raise a glass to Spring, but remain steadfast in saying that Fall is still the best.