Thursday, July 31, 2008

Review: The Guild (www.watchtheguild.com)

After I read about Felicia Day's web series, The Guild, in a Dr. Horrible article, I decided to check it out. She writes and stars in The Guild, which features short web episodes of around 4-8 minutes shot on a low budget (Season One was partly financed by donations). It won the 2007 YouTube video award and the 2008 Yahoo video award. The series features a diverse group of massive multi-player online gamers (think World of Warcraft or Everquest) who reluctantly decide to meet in real life to address a problem with another group member.

Although I've never played an MMORPG, I still found the series to be cute and amusing. Some references went over my head and I'm sure it would have been funnier if I had more of a gaming background, but the awkward relationships between the characters were still entertaining. Felicia is quite endearing as Codex, the young, unemployed, and slightly unhinged protagonist with an addiction to online gaming. She comes across very naturally, as if she isn't acting at all. It goes well with the whole "this could be a real story" type of vibe the series projects with her video blog entries and low budget, realistic settings. The other actors also fill their roles well. Jeff Lewis, who plays Vork, reminds me (in a good way) of Paul Lieberstein, who plays Toby on The Office.

Unless you're an online gamer, the series probably won't make you laugh out loud. It's still worth a watch though if you've got some free time. It's good, low-budget, cute, and amusing internet watching. The "Boss Fight" episode is especially clever and funny.

Best of all, it led to a successful promotion on my part! I frequently try to entice people to watch dorky things I love, usually without much success. This is partly because I don't know all that many people and don't like to talk to strangers. It is also partly because most of my friends either already love the same things I do or are totally uninterested and will never convert.

I've had the occassional success. I'd like to think I had a hand in addicting one of my close friends to the Whedonverse in college and the first time I hung out with my boyfriend outside of the place where we worked at the time was to force him to watch Firefly with me. (He did. He enjoyed it. He later watched the both the entire series of Buffy and of Angel in a massive many month marathon with me.) My Guild success was more exciting, however, because it took place at work and I enticed two people I don't know well who had never heard of it to go watch it. They met playing D&D and enjoyed Dr. Horrible so I thought it was a safe bet. Plus it inspired them to exclaim "Wow, I didn't know you were a secret geek!" in front of a bunch of my coworkers. Oh, and the husband works for our IT Department and will probably tell his friends there about it. I rock.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Healthy Foods that Taste Good

One of my New Year's resolutions was to eat healthier food on a regular basis. I'm not dieting or attempting to lose weight, I just want to eat more nutritious food. I have lost a few pounds, but that happened because I have been exercising more regularly too. Exercising and eating healthier food makes you lose weight? Crazy!

I can't stand those people who don't eat bread or suddenly only eat grapefruit. A little of most things is all right as long as you're eating them in moderation, choosing healthier options like whole grains instead of white, and exercising. Plus, you're more likely to stick with something that is remotely normal in the long run. I've found it easier to find healthier versions of things I crave then to try to ignore them completely. After half a year of trying to choose better foods, I actually have stopped craving some types of food. Fast food of the burger and fried variety and overly sugary stuff tends to disgust me now. I eat it every once in awhile when I feel like it and I still love my quesadillas, but it's nice to get hungry and crave fruit instead.

I thought I'd share a few tasty, healthier products I've been eating over the last few months.

1. Morningstar Farms, fake cheddar burger. No, it doesn't taste like a real burger. It does taste good though! These are great as a break from sandwiches for lunch or when I'm craving a cheeseburger, but don't want to give in.

2. Weight Watchers, creamsicles and chocolate mousse pops. I don't know anything about the point system and I was skeptical about an all diet brand, but both of these are really good for a light dessert. I like that the creamsicle flavors aren't generic. They have key lime, passion fruit, and strawberry and they actually are creamy. Best of all, they are very low in calories so it's good for when you aren't actually that hungry but are craving a dessert anyways.

3. Ben and Jerry's, frozen yogurt or Lighten Up brand. It's expensive, but worth it. I actually prefer the Lighten Up chocolate fudge brownie flavor to the original because it is still outrageously decadent and you don't feel bad eating it.

4. Simply Soy (I think, maybe Healthy Soy?) Mango Vanilla frozen dessert from Trader Joes. It tastes like a mango creamsicle. I was wary of the soy, but it tastes like a mix between ice cream and sherbert. Slightly creamier than sherbert, but lighter than ice cream. Either way, it's yummy.

5. Smoothies. I've become a huge fan of the smoothie. We have a standard healthy recipe made with orange juice, ice, fruit and, a little silken tofu for texture and some added soy (don't worry if you don't like tofu, you can't taste it), and we just switch the fruit to whatever we feel like at the time. You can buy frozen fruit and save it until needed. My favorites are Mango and Mango Strawberry. We also use pinapple and bannanas. I wouldn't recommend anything with seeds though. That gets messy.

Okay, those were mostly desserts. My weaknesses are cheese and chocolate though so it figures. Any one else have some healthier products I should try?

Review: Boston Harbor Islands

On Saturday, after several years of procrastinating, my friends and I finally went to one of the Boston Harbor Islands. We chose Georges Island because the ferry from Long Wharf goes directly to it and it has some modern amenities like rest rooms and a snack bar. The tickets cost $14 for a round trip and include access to Georges Island and Spectacle Island. You can catch different boat to one of the other many islands from Georges or Spectacle for a few more dollars. You are required to select a return time when you buy the tickets, so it helps to plan ahead. Apparently, this is to prevent everyone from attempting to return on the last ferry of the day, which would not have enough seats. You can try to switch return times, but you will be on standby and will not be guaranteed a seat. The trip to Georges takes about 25 minutes.

Georges Island is 39 acres and most of that is taken up by Fort Warren, a National Historic Landmark. Fort Warren was built in 1847 and served as a prison for Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. We decided to forgo a ranger-led tour, which was offered only a few times during the day, and explore on our own using a brochure. I can't say I learned a lot, but it was fun to wander aimlessly about a historical place. I enjoyed that nothing was really preserved or recreated and the only places that were off limits were spots with dangerous structural damage. Wandering into whatever rooms you wanted and descending blindly down stairs into blackness without rails or lights has its charms. It was fun to not know where you'd end up. It made me feel like a little kid exploring somewhere cool that was off limits.

The rest of the island is cute and has some pretty views of other islands and the distant Boston skyline. Although the island is not very big, it was easy to get away from other visitors. Most people congregated in the picnic area, by the snack bar, and in the main part of the fort. If you don't like crowds, try wandering between the shore line and the outside wall of the fort. We went right from the dock area and only encountered one or two other visitors walking that way.

I'd recommend bringing your own lunch or, if you are ambitious, having your own mini-barbecue in the picnic area. The snack bar has limited, overpriced options and is run inefficiently. We ordered burgers inside a small room, were given a small slip of paper with burger written on it, and gave the slip to the cashier to pay. Next we wandered outside to the grill area. After waiting for several minutes, we finally realized that we were supposed to give the grill guy the slip of paper. He told us it would take 15-20 minutes to cook our burger and we were towards the beginning of a large group of people. As we waited impatiently, we realized even when our burgers were ready, we had no way of identifying our order. No one had written our names or a number on the slip of paper. As a result, people ahead of us in line grabbed burgers that should have been ours. This could have easily been remedied by having the cashier write a number on the slip or having the customer write her name. The cashier should also have told people to give their slips to the grill man. The cheeseburger was decent, but not worth a half an hour wait and all the hassle.

Our attempt at walking on the rocky beach ended quickly when we realized we were in the middle of a bunch of dead (I think) jellyfish. They were about the size of a saucer and didn't move, but it was still unnerving. I'm not sure if you can be stung by coming into contact with a dead jellyfish, but I certainly didn't want to step in one! If you walk on the beaches, watch your step.

We left on the 10:30 ferry and returned on the 2:00 ferry. Unless you are planning on visiting other islands, this is a good amount of time to allot. Since Georges Island is fairly small, three hours is plenty of time to explore and eat without getting bored or feeling rushed. Make sure to bring sunscreen, sunglasses or a hat, and a bottle of water with you. The midday sun can be draining and if you are walking around, there is not much way to avoid it. Overall, it was a cheap and relaxing experience away from the city. I'd gladly visit some of the other islands for more day trips.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Review: The Dark Knight (and a comment on reviews)

I've decided to label my review posts as reviews to differentiate them from my more meandering personal entries and comments. This way if readers want to only read reviews or only personal entries they will know the type of entry right away from the title of the post. I realize that only a few people actually read this and I usually talk to those people about the contents of the entries in person anyway, but part of the fun of having a blog is deluding yourself into thinking you are writing for a vast hidden audience of internet fans. So, I address this to the world!

The Dark Knight (Contains spoilers)

When I first heard about a sequel to Batman Begins, I was excited. I haven't read any Batman comics, but I've always found Batman to be one of the most interesting of the standard superheros because his vigilante status and the harsh world of Gotham City. I like darker themes and I like my lead characters less squeaky clean than Superman. Nolan's Batman is less exaggerated and less comic than the previous versions; thus, his Batman is better able to address and depict more serious issues like the effect of fear on public behavior. This Batman can entertain, but also provoke thought. The Dark Knight had great potential for commentary on human nature.

For the most part, it did not disappoint me. It certainly stayed "dark" and also rather creepy. The descent of Gotham City from on the brink of hope with the emergence of the charismatic Harry Dent to plunging into complete panic and chaos fascinated me. It was completely believable, which made it scarier.

In these movies, Batman/Bruce doesn't go through much character development. He never really changes as a person or has any great realizations; rather, as the dialogue in the final scene notes, he seems to reflect the needs of the general public. If they need a hero, he will be one. If they need a target to blame and hate--someone to focus their anger on instead of each other or a villain they can't comprehend or reach--then Batman will be that person instead.

With the exception of Bruce's affection for Rachel, Alfred, and Commisioner Gordon, the character rarely displays personal motivation or feeling. His voice is robotic. His suit and mask conceal any subtle emotions that Christian Bale might convey. In his own movie, Batman tends to fade into the night while the others like Joker and Dent are bright, attention-grabbing lights. This could be considered a fault. Bale certainly won't be nominated for any acting awards for this role and you tend to remember his suit and gadgets more than his face or line delivery. I, however, like this interpretation. Whether intentional or not, this portrayal shifts the focus from one man to a larger world. It becomes not Batman's story, but the story of Gotham City reflected by him.

Joker certainly delved into the darker side of human nature as well. Although it has been said many times already, I'll say again that Heath Ledger's portrayal was impressive and very creepy. Although I feel the film itself has been slightly overrated, I don't believe Heath Ledger's performance has been overrated because of his death. Ledger embodies the chaos and "unstoppable force" that Joker represents perfectly.

He plays the part using an odd combination of awkward self-consciousness and focused drive towards and relishing of madness. The licking of his lips and other awkward gestures make the viewer feel uneasy. I'm not a very outgoing person and if I am forced to interact with a socially awkward and nervous person, I become much more nervous myself because they are unpredictable and I feel responsible for directing the conversation. The Joker says himself that people feel comfortable when they expect things, even if those things are horrible. By playing with odd mannerisms in the character, I feel Ledger really hits the level of contained, evil, unpredictability that makes viewers and other characters uneasy and on edge.

Although enjoyable, this movie wasn't perfect by any means. The mob subplot was confusing when you thought about it and not interesting enough to make you think about it. It seemed to be there only to give Batman the opportunity to beat up common criminals with fancy gadgets. The Dark Knight is around 2 and a half hours long; cutting the mob subplot or substantially downsizing it could have made it a much tighter 2 hour movie.

It also might have allowed the transformation of Harvey Dent to Two Face to occur more gradually. My friends and I agreed that he went from family guy/paragon to crazy, melty- faced villain far too quickly. Although his makeup was convincing (and gross), I couldn't completely buy his internal transformation in such a short amount of time. Not only that, but Two Face lasted less than a half an hour! You can't really be a villain if you have one failed kidnapping attempt and then are killed. I would have rather seen more of Two Face earlier in the movie, a more gradual conversion, and then a continuation into a potential future movie.

Rachel was still Rachel. I liked Maggie Gyllenhaal better than Katie Holmes, but the character is still your stereotypical plucky yet ultimately ineffective (and in need of saving by a guy) kind of girl. I did like that she chose Harvey over Bruce and I was surprised they killed her. I was not overly upset though. Even Batman didn't seem overly upset, and she was supposedly his great love! At least with her death we have the possibility of a better love interest in a sequel.

The editing and cuts towards the end got kind of Moulin Rouge spastic, but after thinking about it, I realized that it represented the chaotic things that were occurring at the end of the movie fairly well.

Overall, I rate this movie an 8 out of 10. Although it lost some control of its subplots and could have been shorter, it was a very enjoyable, dark superhero movie with some excellent acting and fun action scenes.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Ode to Neil Patrick Harris

I forgot to add that I'm now obsessed with how LEGEN--wait for it--DARY Neil Patrick Harris is. He's way underrated as an actor and after seeing Dr. Horrible I wish he would go back to Broadway eventually. I'm even about to go watch the YouTube video of him as the Tooth Fairy on Sesame Street. Yes, I am that pathetic. : )

I love my boyfriend, but I've always had a weak spot in my heart for slightly dorky guys who sing beautifully and give me the shivers. I think I'm allowed. It's not like I actually want to date them or I ever could. I just love how they can make so many people feel so strongly. I want to be close to that much talent so maybe a little will soak into me or maybe a little of me could inspire even more. Assuming he is as nice a guy as he appears in the media, NPH's boyfriend is a lucky man! I'd heard NPH sing in the Assassins revival and in Sweeney Todd in Concert, but that was before I fell in love with How I Met Your Mother so I didn't pay as much attention to how good he actually was.

It's odd, but I don't find him as attractive as Barney on HIMYM. I find Barney hilarious, but Ted is more my type. Barney is just too polished looking. He never has a hair out of place and he's almost always impeccably suited up. Bascially the type of guy I could never ever be remotely cool around in real life. Plus, I'm not into snarky womanizers. Neil rocks the mussed and casual look as Billy in Dr. Horrible though. Very approachable and very adorable. I guess my actor crush type is cynical, potentially world-dominating, shy, secretly romantic, evil dorky men . Hmmm.

As a side note, I successfully converted one of my friends into a How I Met Your Mother fan! (Insert Dr. Horrible laugh here.) I formed my evil plan when the momentous events at the end of "Sandcastles in the Sand" happened and I had no one to jump up and down and squeal like a little girl with. : ) My boyfriend loves the show too, but I think only a girl can appreciate the squealworthiness of that moment. If you don't watch HIMYM, check it out. It's a smart and funny show and it has aspects that I think will appeal to a wide range of people. Just don't watch the Britney Spears episodes first!

Dr. Horrible Spawns Internet Show Craze?

Since watching Dr. Horrible for a second time yesterday, I decided to read some media and fan reviews. I'll talk about the fan comments in a separate post. Most of the media articles (and there are quite a few and several in major newspapers and magazines) seem to be focused on the internet "event" and independently produced internet show as a new movement for writers, actors, and production staff and the question of whether this movement will be commercially viable. They use Dr. Horrible as a main example.

Can it make money? I personally believe that Dr. Horrible will make back its production costs (low six figures) and more after the release of the dvd. Joss Whedon has a large fan base and most people who bought the series on Itunes like I did will also buy the dvd and possibly some merchandise. Essentially, the fans will contribute money to the project several times. Based on the high download rankings on Itunes, the grassroots, word of mouth advertising buzz has also hooked many people who aren't hardcore Whedon fans. It's not going to be a huge money maker, but it will have a huge audience and the people associated with it will make a bit of extra cash.

Will this launch a new internet movement? TV-like shows on the internet made available for free or a low cost are not new. I never watched the internet show Quarterlife that they tried to transfer to network tv, but I know it was popular online. There are plenty of others and I'm not even counting YouTube. I think the following aspects of Dr. Horrible are causing it to get more attention as a possible new entertainment model.

1) It features very high quality, fairly well known actors having fun and doing the project because they believe in it. They were not guaranteed to earn any money and the amount of money that the actors will eventually receive will most likely be fairly inconsequential to them. It could easily have been a huge flop. Obviously, the main motivation for doing it was because it interested them as actors and they thought it would be fun and worth making. Add the writing staff and Joss (some of them prolific network-employed tv screenwriters and directors), and plenty of favors from industry professionals, and you have a group of people that indicate to the audience that this is "professional" level work. It automatically raises expectations and provides reassurance that it might be worth watching. After all, these high level people thought it was worth making.

2) Dr. Horrible was produced specifically for the internet audience and format. It is obvious that the costuming and set budget were kept much lower than a comparable hour of network tv. For example, Captain Hammer's costume is just cargo pants, a t-shirt with a hammer logo, and some gloves. This works fine online where people are used to watching YouTube videos with homemade costumes. It also fits perfectly in the world of a low-rent supervillian who doesn't own his own washer and dryer. The story is interspersed with internet video blog entries from Dr. Horrible. It was available for free for a week and later for only $4.99 on Itunes. It is only 40 minutes long. All of these aspects cater to a web audience that looks for cheap, quick, but still quality entertainment.

3) Dr. Horrible has built-in fan bases to build support on and help spread the word. Joss Whedon has a huge following, Neil Patrick Harris has plenty of fans, and even Nathan Fillion is somewhat of a cult favorite among science-fiction and Whedon fans. A project made with these people pretty much has a guaranteed base audience which will watch the series, or at least the first part. Of course, it is harder to keep their attention and encourage them to pay money for it. Nonetheless, it is much easier for a quality show with this base foundation of fans to succeed. An equally well-made show that is produced by and acted in by total unknown has a much harder path to commercial viability.

Soooooooo . . .

I conclude that if Dr. Horrible does make money, other independent, internet ventures by industry professional may indeed follow. If they have talented and recognizable people involved, are created specifically for the internet, and have a foundation of fans, I think they have the potential to do as well or better. I, for one, would love to see this. There are a few quality shows on tv currently, but overall there is a glut of bad reality shows and poorly written sitcoms and dramas. Too often the few great shows like Firefly are derailed by network politics or mismanagement. Internet shows would be an accessible and cheap way to see quality entertainment that isn't dictated by network producers or profit.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Dr. Horrible's Singalong Blog!

Everyone must watch this: www.drhorrible.com.

You should watch if

1. You love musicals
2. You love Joss Whedon
3. You love Neil Patrick Harris or Nathan Fillian
4. You love entertaining, non-corporate, unpretentious, fun, and well acted comedy
5. You are a human (at least try the first act . . . it's only 14 minutes and it's free this week!)

It is a 40 minute musical about a low rent super villain and his laundrymat crush written by Joss Whedon the creater of everything great about tv (also known as Buffy, Angel, Firefly, etc.). It was produced independently during the writer's strike. You can read more about the project's creation and aims in Whedon's letter on the website.

There are several tv shows I currently enjoy watching, but none I truly love as much as the Joss Whedon shows that aren't on the air anymore. Somehow his ideas, style, writing, and selection of talent and writers perfectly matches my tastes in everything. I can't wait until his new series, Dollhouse, premieres in January! It's been far too long.

Watch Dr. Horrible!

Friday, July 18, 2008

Lots of Random Things in One Post

I just found out my office building has cockroaches and now I'm super paranoid. I keep looking everywhere I step. I actually prefer mice to cockroaches (we have mice problems on and off also) because at least they are scary and cute. Cockroaches are just gross.

Job hunting is so frustrating. I know I just have to be patient and if I keep applying to places eventually I'll probably get an interview somewhere, but it is still hard to keep applying when no one seems to even acknowledge it. At least the last person who expressed some interest was courteous enough to notify me that they had hired someone else. I hate it when companies don't even send you a form letter or email. Looks like I'll be at my current job for at least a few more months. It's not bad; it's just fairly boring and not challenging. Summer is especially slow.

Project Runway is back! I didn't like the last season very much, but there seem to be some interesting contestants on this one and no one is horrendously annoying yet. In honor of Project Runway, I will list some of my summer fashion pet peeves.

1. Crocs. I don't care how comfortable they are, they are UGLY! I make an exception for little kids and beach wear. They seem like durable kids shoes and good water/sand shoes.

2. Bug Eye Sunglasses. I hate those huge round sunglasses that take up a person's entire face. It seems like every college girl has them. They only look good on a few select people any way. Sunglasses have glasses in their name for a reason--they are supposed to cover your eyes, not your whole face!

3. Mini skirts. If you can't sit down without flashing everyone, don't wear it.

4. Thong sandals with business clothes. It's fine to wear them to work and then change, but I know of people who keep them on at the office. It just looks silly and unprofessional. Why bother to wear business clothes if you're going to wreck the look with your shoes?

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Summer Adventures

Every summer I say I will do a bunch of excursions that I never end up doing. I want to do at least a few of these things this year so I'm going to list them below. If you are interested in any of them, let me know and we can set dates.

1. Day trip to the Harbor Islands. My boss is actually camping there right now! I just want to go walk around in a relaxing mostly natural environment. It's not too far and fairly cheap.

2. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. One of the few museums in Boston I haven't visited. It's supposed to be very beautiful and have some great paintings.

3. White water rafting in Maine. Jason and I were planning to go with my brother and some of his friends in a few weeks if he did a medium-level rapids , but he suddenly had to go out to sea for a month. With some luck, I'll still be able to go in late August when he gets back. Anyone who wants to is welcome to come along.

4. Day or weekend trip to New York City. This is pretty much set, but I like to have it on the list because it is something to cross off already! I'm excited for this.

5. Day trip to Ipswich and Wolf Hollow. You can go from North Station and catch a shuttle bus that will drive you around Ipswich or Essex. Ipswich supposedly has a nice beach, cute little shops and restaurants, and orchards, but the coolest thing on the bus loop is the wolf hollow center. They do a short informational presentation and you get to see some rescued wolves up close.

6. Hiking around the Arboretum. I've been meaning to do this for several years.

7. Try some new restaurants. I always end up going to the same places. I'd like to try Zocalo, Soul Fire, Addis (the Ethiopian place), Golden Temple, or anywhere else I haven't been.

8. I'd also be up for visiting some other museums I haven't been to in the last year like the MFA or the Aquarium. I've never been to the ICA either.

I'm free pretty much any weekend except the weekends of July 11th and August 15th. My goal is to do at least 4 of these 8 excursions.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Great Kitty Debate

We are considering getting a kitten. Jason has always thought it was a good idea. He originally wanted to adopt two kittens from Kira's litter, but there weren't enough. I'm still having an internal debate about it. Here's what I've been thinking about the situation. Please offer your opinions.

Points
1. It would be a companion for Kira. She is alone for a lot of time during the week in a small apartment and another cat would help her be less bored and lonely.

BUT Maybe she isn't really bored or lonely and I'm just assuming that because I would be bored and lonely. It's hard to tell. She's not being destructive and she does like to sleep and watch birds during the day. On the other hand, she always wants to play more, especially right when we get home and another cat might play with her during the day. Also, there is no guarantee that they would like each other. I would hate to get a cat that made her annoyed and miserable all the time!

2. Kittens are adorable and lots of fun!
BUT the first few months, especially introducing the two cats is bound to be annoying at times and a lot of work. You have to keep them separated for awhile.

3. It is good to save an animal from living at a shelter and potentially being euthanized. I know kittens are usually not euthanized because people adopt them over older cats, but it's still good to give them a real home.

4. Having two cats is more expensive. There would be initial expenses like adoption fees, shots, spaying or neutering if it is needed, and buying new supplies like a litter box. After those expenses, on a normal month we would individually be paying about $25 more a month for a second cat.
BUT I can afford $25 a month.

5. We rent a one bedroom apartment. Cats need their own spaces in a home and I'm not sure there is enough room in our apartment. Also, we'd need to figure out where to put a second litter box and deal with having two cats in a small space. If we have to move to another rental place, it will be harder to find one that takes two cats and harder to move with two cats. Does anyone know of any situations with multiple indoor cats in a one bedroom apartment or small living space?

6. Two cats means more fur! I'm not sure if I'm allergic to kitty litter, fur (well, dander really), or something else like dust and pollen, but I'm always sneezing and getting a runny nose in our apartment. If I clean the litter box without wearing a cleaning mask, I sneeze the rest of the night. Two cats, especially a long haired cat, might make the problem worse.

I'm most concerned with points one and five. I want Kira to be happy and I don't know if getting a kitten would make her more or less happy. I'm sure it would make her less happy at the beginning, but if they became friends it would definitely make her more happy. I'd also be less hesitant if I lived in a bigger apartment or house.

Any thoughts or ideas?