Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Kick, Punch, it's all in the mind...
I wish to dispel the notion that all I ever talk about is American Idol. So today I will discuss everyone's favorite subject...
Ninjas.
Okay, maybe it's just me. And maybe it's just the fact that Nunzio and I just finished working on a chapter of Amazing Agent Luna, Volume 5. But ninjas are cool.
And I think for as long as I live, there will never be another writing project that has been as easy and as fun to write as Luna. I fully expect to enjoy many more projects that I work on. But Luna holds a special place in my heart. It's a project that no matter how cranky I am, or unfocused I am, or whatever... by the time I've written some pages and I step away from the computer, my heart feels lighter and writing is the coolest thing in the world.
So in answer to the eternal question, Ninjas or Pirates? I will always answer ninjas. As a side note, this is a painful question for Nunzio because anyone who knows him, knows his love of pirates. And don't get me wrong, I LOVE working on our book Destiny's Hand. It's just not Luna.
And for anyone else out there who also loves ninjas, I make this recommendation to you.
This is an extremely cool TV show worth checking out. And
this guy is probably the coolest ninja around.
Also,
this shows him being the cool ninja that he is.
And now, lest I disappoint expectations, I'm off to watch American Idol.
Feel free to post all your favorite ninja stories.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Lies, Damn Lies & Statistics
So the other day, Christie starts talking to me about an article she's reading. It's about American Idol, but I promise this post has to do with more than just that show.
The article's about how the ratings are down, and it asks if the show's somehow cursed. Somewhere in the article it mentions that the two times the show airs wound up placing #1 and #2 in the ratings.
Now, the numbers ARE down, but the show is still the #1 and #2 shows of the week.
There's an obvious response, about how this is a manufactured 'story.' How being #1 and #2 means this is a successful show, so any article about it being cursed is, well, downright silly.
But beyond that, this article led me to wonder... why do we read articles about TV show ratings?
Which led me to wonder... why do we, as movie fans, read up about the box office returns for the weekend? And why do comic fans read how much the various comic books sold during the month?
Since when do we define how we view our entertainment by how much money it makes?
It's not just entertainment, it's everywhere.
Why do we know how much money A-Rod, Derek Jeter, Payton Manning, Tiger Woods and LeBron James make? Shouldn't we just watch the players or teams we love and worry about wins and losses?
This country is a capitalist one. I get that. But haven't we gone too far when we spend more time reading about which comics are making money and which ones aren't than we spend reading the comics themselves?
I remember, when I was younger, they'd talk about exit polls before the polls would close in that very state. They made that illegal (or at least discouraged the news folks from doing it) because they realized that hearing those results would sway the late voters. If your candidate was way behind in exit polls, maybe you figure it's a lost cause, and stay home.
But sometimes I think that happens in national elections. That when we hear about the results on the East Coast, the West Coast voters may change their minds about voting or not voting based on those results.
But an argument (and a good one, I suppose) can be made that election results are important news. Those are numbers we need to know about.
But can we say the same about Nielsen ratings? Or Comic Book sales numbers? Or box-office returns? Do those numbers really matter? Do they affect or reflect our enjoyment?
They can't, can they?
Yet, I see it on message boards. I've heard people say it. I've thought it myself.
"Oh, I won't check that new show out. I hear it's doing terribly in the ratings. It won't be on the air very long."
Suddenly, the exit polls are affecting the voting.
And again, I'm forced to ask why. These aren't exit polls, and this isn't an election. How many people watch a TV show has no bearing on whether or not that show is to your liking. How many people read "Checkmate" has no bearing on whether or not it's a good comic (hint: it is).
I know some of these statistics are time honored. The New York Times Bestseller list, or the Top 40 songs on the radio. But do we need to know those things? And do we need to know it about everything?
And by extension, even if we (for reasons that I don't get) need to know how much a movie made at the box office, do we need to know how much the movie star made to appear in it?
What do you guys think?
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Music Of Tonight
So, it was Andrew Lloyd Webber night on American Idol - eagerly anticipated for the last few days - and now I feel compelled to post about said evening.
I also feel a bit scared that the website designed to promote our writing and professional career seems to have degraded into an Idol chat. But I've made my peace with it.
So onto the singing...
Syesha: "One Rock 'N Roll Too Many"
Biggest surprise of the evening for me. Of course, she won bonus points right off the bat for choosing a song from Starlight Express. But I thought she really rocked it and showed more personality in two minutes than she has all season. Minor misstep as I think she started the song a beat early, but big thumbs up from me on this performance.
Jason: "Memory"
Seriously, dude? How stoned was he when he made that choice? And how can someone young and in the prime of life pretend to sing a song in which you have the lyrics "I can smile at the old days. I was beautiful then"? So many questions, so little time. But the bigger surprise was that his voice really couldn't handle it. I think it was a wise choice to mellow it out rather than go power ballad, but the low register seemed to be killing him. My guess is that we've seen the last of Jason.
Brooke: "You Must Love Me"
I actually dug this performance. I thought the judges were way too hard on her. Yes, the false start was bad. But once she started over, I thought it was heartfelt. I didn't hear "strained." But I think I'm in the minority here. I've been reading some pretty harsh criticism online. After Jason, Nunzio and I said someone would have to crash and burn to save him from elimination. But when Brooke first finished and they ragged on her, I thought she had achieved the impossible. I think, however, that Simon chiming in and saying he would have started over too will have saved her for another week.
David A.: "Think Of Me"
I'm actually quite fond of this song, and I wasn't at all surprised that little Archuleta picked it. But god save me from the poppy junior version he went with. I agree with Simon. It was "pleasant." But that's about all. Can we say boring and predictable as well? And I seriously wanted to clock Randy upside the head. I hate HATE the obvious pimping. Let's try for a little subtlety at least. But really? "You are the one to beat!" says Randy. And here I thought, if you look at each contestant's body of work, that David Cook was the one to beat. Moving on...
Carly: "Jesus Christ Superstar"
I thought Lord Andrew was genius when he steered Carly away from "All I Ask Of You" to "Jesus Christ Superstar." And I sat on the edge of my seat eagerly awaiting the performance. I was sorely disappointed. I really expect more from Carly. I was her number 1 fan from the first day. But each week I get a little more discouraged. First of all, she BUTCHERED the lyrics. I mean seriously butchered them. And not a single judge called her on it. And second, her "big voice" just didn't quite deliver to me. I can't remember now if I thought the key was too high for her or what, but it wasn't quite the rockin' performance I wanted it to be. Still, it's a fun enough song that it doesn't take much to carry it.
David C.: "Music Of The Night"
This boy can really sing ANYTHING. And the thing is, objectively speaking, he's not that attractive. But he was so sexy singing this song. I truly believe he delivered on all fronts. And proved that he has all kinds of range. Explain to me again, why HE isn't the one to beat? But I'm also hoping that in about two weeks he ends his run. Just ask Daughtry. He knows the way to a brilliant career.
And there, for better or worse, are my thoughts. Next to go - Jason Castro. Bottom three: Jason, Brooke and Carly.
Friday, April 18, 2008
What's The Buzz, Tell Me What's A'Happening!
Okay, so my wife and Amy and Jordan have opened the American Idol can of worms on our blog, and Christie is now urging me to share the thoughts I've been spewing here at home with the world wide web (though mercifully, it's not world wide on this site. We couldn't fill a VW beetle with the population of this blog!).
So, my American Idol thoughts as we approach Andrew Lloyd Webber week...
Most people who know me know that I loves me some broadway musicals. Maybe it's the gay brother, who made sure I knew musicals growing up. Maybe it was rooming with Greg Rucka, who loved them as much as I did, in college. Or maybe it's genetic.
But I do loves the musicals. I really do.
And while Andrew Lloyd Webber is reviled in some corners, he's not reviled in this apartment.
Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita are two masterpieces. They get a lot of play around here.
Phantom of the Opera has a couple of GREAT songs that also get some play.
And, while it does little for me, my wife even listens to Starlight Express.
(Cats, on the other hand... I shudder at the thought)
Anyway, as you can guess, we're very excited for Webber week. A damn relief after Mariah week (another shudder for that).
I'm sad Michael Johns won't be here for it. He would have rocked on any number of the angry-man anthems from those musicals (the Judas numbers, or Che's songs).
So... what songs do we all want the Idols to sing?
I'll start the discussion with my thoughts.
I'd like to see David Cook handle the Judas songs, like Superstar or Heaven on Their Minds. Though he'd also rock out on The Lady's Got Potential or Oh What A Circus.
And I know that if Syesha sings Don't Cry For Me Argentina or Memory, I may need to pull an Elvis and shoot my TV. I'd rather see her sing Buenos Aires to try and get some life into her performances.
I'd love to see Brooke sing I Don't Know How To Love Him, or Another Suitcase In Another Hall.
I'd like Carly to stop trying to Diva her way through Glory Note after Glory Note while grinning like the Joker. She should relax and sing a less Diva number, like Another Suitcase In Another Hall. Or maybe she should mix it up and sing Gethsemane, even though it's usually sung by a man.
Jason should avoid the obvious stoner link to What's The Buzz, and sing High Flying Adored. Or he could sing There's Me, from Starlight Express (yes, Christie's bad taste is contagious). Plus, he could really have fun with King Herod's Song. But I'd imagine the Christ-mocking in that song will make it so no-one will sing it.
I'd like to see Archuleta sing something with a little life to it, something like Superstar or Goodnight And Thank You. But he won't. He'll sing Music Of The Night or Gethsemane. Good songs, and he'd sing them well, but he bores me at this point.
And that's what I want to see. I realize it's mostly JC Superstar or Evita, but hey... I likes what I likes.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
The Numbers Game
When I was in high school, I hated math. HATED. Capital H. I was told, because I was a spatial thinker, that I'd do better when I hit geometry. So 10th grade came, I took geometry, I failed. In 11th grade I went back to advanced algebra and pre-calc and it never looked so good. The logic and plugging in of numbers made much more sense and I made my peace with Math.
I still preferred English class though.
Fast forward twenty years (good lord that's scary) and I find myself part of this weird Sudoku craze. Now Nunzio (he was on the Math team in high school and went to Bronx School of Science, so I shouldn't be surprised) LOVES Sudoku. He's been playing it for a while now. And I would occasionally rest my head on his shoulder and look down and offer a word or two of advice. But definitely not my thing.
Then two days before my surgery, a friend gave me a Sudoku book and a crossword puzzle book to aid in my recovery phase. The first week after the surgery I was way too tired and out of it to want to do much more than watch 90210 on DVD (graciously supplied by some college friends of mine who know me way too well). But as mentioned here on this blog before, the recovery period has been a lot longer than intended and about a month ago, I picked up the Sudoku book.
It's been non-stop ever since. And it's become this weird little tic. I have five minutes to kill before leaving for an appointment? Pick up the Sudoku book. Nunzio's class is running late again and I have to wait fifteen minutes for him? Good thing I brought the Sudoku book.
This has also led to playing Sudoku on the computer. Only the program I have is MUCH harder than the book. The ones marked "easy" are probably the equivalent to a "medium" or "hard" in the book. But I challenge myself and I work through the Easys and I move up to the Mediums. And I get more and more frustrated.
I have literally slammed shut the computer in anger and protest. "I have all the boxes marked!" I shout. "There's nothing more I can figure out." I stomp away and Nunzio offers to help.
Sometimes I let him. I come back. We sit together and we work through it. But as we've moved up to the Hard ones, he occasionally gets stumped too. I yell again. I even slam the computer shut again. I announce that I am never playing a stupid Sudoku again.
And then an hour later I'm back at the screen.
I think it's a disease.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Got a condo made of stone-a!
So, apparently, we've made the DC Nation page this week.
DC Nation is the 'letter from the publisher' page in the back of each week's DC Comics.
We wrote a story for Batman: Confidential (a book that features 'untold' stories from Batman's past) a ways back. They paired us with a legendary artist, Jose Luis Garcia Lopez. But Jose is a very busy man, so we knew it would be a while before the art was done.
Then news broke that Batman: Confidential was being canceled. So we figured the story would go in our editor's drawer and be used to sub into a Bat-book when they fell behind schedule.
Our editor, Mike Carlin (a true gentleman and a fine editor) assured us the story would see print. Not just for Jose's art, but for the central idea, which he very much wanted to see happen in the DC Universe (more on that below).
But still, it would be a while.
So this week's DC Nation was guest-written by Mike Carlin. And he's talking about what's coming up for Batman: Confidential. No mention of it being canceled. Maybe that hasn't happened after all.
But either way, he mentioned our story.
Now, what's fun about this idea is that we get to introduce King Tut to the DC Universe.
Or perhaps we introduce a new aspect of the Riddler.
Or maybe both...
Either way, we got to bring a favorite TV villain into the comics.
In his Who's Who entry one day, it might list us as creating him.
That rocks.
Jose's art is amazing. The story was a lot of fun. And despite being a comic professional for a while, I admit I geeked out seeing our names in DC Nation.
Plus, we got to write someone asking Tut if he really was "buried with a donkey."
God, I love Steve Martin.
And some days, I really love my job.
No more crickets
So I was sitting at the dining room table, enjoying a cup of coffee and typing away on the computer when Nunzio says "What're you doing?"
"Posting on Amy's blog," I answer innocently.
"Why aren't you posting on OUR blog?" is the response I receive.
So here I am, posting on our blog. I admit it. The two of us have blog envy. We have friends with blogs and they get traffic and people engaging in conversations and our blog has crickets. Okay, not quite crickets, but we're not the main street running through the downtown of blogs.
But that's our fault. We don't post here frequently enough. So I'm here to start a new trend. Except there's just one problem... what to write about.
My husband's suggestion? American Idol.
So for anyone who's about to make fun of me, just remember, this was Nunzio's idea.
Confession time. I'm hooked on American Idol. I have been since Season 5. I guess among diehard fans that makes me late to the game. But I'm busy trying to make up for lost time. It's a little sad because Nunzio and I have long since been vocal reality TV show haters. Aside from being stupid (which they are), they also take away from our work pool. As freelance writers struggling in Hollywood, we rely on there being lots of jobs on scripted television shows. But as networks get more and more enamored of the reality TV show and how cheap it is to make it, our job pool shrinks.
We've even had some serious fights with Nunzio's family who are avid Amazing Race fans. But the general mantra in our house remains the same. "Reality TV bad."
Except I turned on American Idol one night. I'd been hearing lots about it. That Simon Cowell guy. He's so mean yet he always speaks the truth. I had a nagging curiosity. I would see for myself.
I've been watching ever since. And lo and behold, every Tuesday night I would curl up in front of the TV and watch the performances. Now our apartment wasn't that big so Nunzio could avoid hearing what was on the TV. And little by little, he went from a 2 second pause when he'd pass through the living room on his way to the kitchen to sitting down every time Chris Daughtry performed. And by Season 5's end, we were both hooked.
So here it is Season 7 and we're both watching waiting to find the next Chris Daughtry. Which isn't that hard because this season they have David Cook and he's talented in similar and yet different ways. And I occasionally stick my head out to my friends to ask cautiously 'hey, do you watch American Idol?' And I'm pleased that I've found a few "yeses" so that I can trade e-mails on Wednesday and Thursday mornings and vent my displeasure at the totally unfair cutting of Michael Johns.
I've also had to swallow my pride and admit to Nunzio's brothers that yes, I do watch one reality TV show now. Sadly, I haven't been able to get either of them over to the American Idol camp.
But there you have it. And this post has served two purposes. One, I have hopefully appeased my husband by posting on OUR blog (and not someone else's). And two, I have given you all fair warning if I start posting every Wednesday and Thursday with my American Idol thoughts.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
The long and sucking road...
Christina's still not healed.
Now, this is not an epic crisis. She is healthy, has all of her strength back and most (not all, for reasons I'll describe shortly) of her mobility.
But her incision, from a February 7th surgery, is still not healed. She has a slice into her lower abdomen, about 10 cm across, that runs about 3 cm deep. It is not connected to the organ cavity (or whatever they call the area inside you where all the important stuff is). She's in no danger of bleeding to death, or having her organs damaged or their functionality limited.
She just has a big hole in her.
So, after said hole was infected (twice, even), the doctors decided open the wound up a bit (the skin had started to heal even though it was open inside) to clean it out. And then they decided to attach her to a wound vac.
Now, a wound vac looks like the picture above. A small device that she carries on a strap over her shoulder. From that device comes a tube, which connects to a suction cup, which is connected to a sponge which fills the incision. The sponge and suction cup are taped over her abdomen, with tape everywhere to create a nice seal, so the suction passes through the sponge, and only affects the wound.
Since she has to carry a machine around that makes odd sucking and gurgling sounds, which has tubes that basically have blood pumping through it (not much, but still), Christina feels a bit like going out is limited. Thus, the not quite full mobility. She could (and does) get around just fine. She just prefers to stay home.
But that's not the bad part. That started before the vac was attached.
You see, the doctor told Christina she'd need a wound vac because the wound wasn't healing. We went to the hospital, they cleaned the wound, inserted the sponge, taped her up, attached the cup, taped that, and then sent her to short-term recovery.
Where she (eventually we, when they let me upstairs) had to wait an additional 6 hours because... get this... the wound vac wasn't covered by our health care plan.
Now, we are freelance writers. We buy our own health care, no employer provides it. We buy into the best plan Kaiser Permanente offers.
But this device, which the doctor says is needed to treat a complication from a surgery they performed, which WAS covered, is somehow not in our plan.
So they say we'll have to pay for it ourselves. The doctor has been saying 3 weeks of wound vac. Kaiser is saying it costs $123.00 per day.
You do the math.
Almost $2600 (okay, I did it for you) for a device that is necessary, to take care of the complications (not her fault, most likely not theirs, it just happens) from a surgery that was covered in our plan.
And they don't tell us this until she's in the recovery room, with everything but the suction pump already attached to her wound.
Needless to say, there was much in the way of fit throwing.
We also offered to switch plans to one that did cover it.
Guess what? There is no such plan.
Not for self-providers. Only plans provided by employers are eligible.
Because being self employed prevents you from having wounds, I suppose?
The people at Kaiser, doctors, nurses, administrators... they all understood the ludicrousness of this. They all were doing their best to help. But the system had what seemed to be a fatal flaw.
But, to their credit, they made it happen.
We were sent home with the device, with assurances that Kaiser would cover it. We had to apply for financial assistance so that Kaiser will eat the costs rather than just bill us later. But we've now received calls from Kaiser, checking on Christina's state of mind, and assuring her those forms are a formality. They are paying.
But for one night, we were living in Michael Moore territory.
Now, we're back in a world that makes a bit more sense.
It's just filled with intermittent sucking sounds.
