Revisiting Childhood . . . Or At Least the Cartoons :)

On one of the few days I get off in a week I was mindlessly watching television flipping through channels not really knowing what I wanted to watch. As I channel surfed I realized that many of the shows on were kinda.....let us say dumb for a lack of a better word. For the purpose of this post I am keeping it to the cartoons to avoid an overly long analysis and getting people put off by my comments.

Let's begin with 'Adventure Time'. I really don't know a lot about the show only that it's about a boy (at least, I think it's a boy) and a . . . let's say a dog, going on adventures. I have seen a handful of episodes and each one makes less sense than the last; if there was a plot line in each of the episode I missed them entirely. The thing that really got me was the animation. After watching about ten minutes of the show I wanted to get the eye and brain bleach because it was so painful to watch. Just because it is a show aimed at children does not mean that the animation goes to the wayside. Children enjoy quality as much as adults!!

Another show with similar animation disaster is 'The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack'. As I understand, this show's animation was suppose to be akin to vintage adventure novels. I can see that a little in the design of the background, but the design of the characters and their expression invoked a gag reflex in me. (I'm laughing right now because you think I'm exaggerating -- I'm not) When I was able to watch the show without gagging, the stories were . . . shall we say blah? There was nothing really clever about the adventures the boy, pirate and whale (yes, I said whale) embark upon, just twenty or so minutes of uninspiring cartoon slapstick. The biggest crime of this cartoon is its insult to slapstick -- slapstick done right is unforgettable in the best sense (i.e. Abbot and Costello).

I'm not saying all the cartoons of today are awful. 'Phineas and Ferb' is a crowning achievement of Disney's in recent years where as most of their programing has been lacking. The animation is fun to the point that I am not distracted by the fact that one of the titular character's head is shaped like a triangle. Every child has the same problem Phineas and Ferb have -- to have as much fun as possible during summer vacation before school starts. The slapstick and running gags in this show has an actual point that plays out well in the episode and the series as a whole. Another thing that I found impressive about the show is it has jokes for the parents; it's not the 'if you know what I mean' humour, but the references to things that kids might not necessarily know or watch; two examples come to mind are CSI: Miami and the Shroud of Turin. The jokes for parents are still funny for the kids, and that's a big plus for me!

While I'm still on Disney let's talk about 'Kim Possible'; this is another one that is well done. This show, unlike 'Phineas and Ferb' is aim towards an older audience around 11 to 14ish years old about a teen girl, Kim Possible, saving the world between homework and cheer practice with her clumsy but lovable best friend, Ron Stoppable. It's a fun show with good plot that makes sense and keeps the viewer interested. It set during their high school years and include all the problems that happen during that time. Though the show also dealt with high school problems while saving the world it doesn't bog itself down with the tedious 'I like him - why doesn't he like me! Boohoo!' drama. It's a good mix of action, comedy, and a dash of romance to keep anyone entertained.

A show I find perplexing is 'Chowder'; I know there's something about a bakery and the people (or what have you) who run it. Other than that I find it difficult to understand the plot of the episode (if there isn't suppose to be one, please do let me know). The animation, I find, to be one where the animators were trying to be whimsical but ultimately it is a display of disturbing characters. The interaction between characters appears to happen for the sole purpose of slapstick that it becomes unsettling and unwatchable.

I do like weird cartoon, but they have to be done really well. I really enjoyed 'Courage the Cowardly Dog', I really did. Set in the middle of nowhere (literally) about a dog, Courage, who always has to protect his owners from the extremely strange, and unusual things that happen to them. Every episode leave the viewer with a feeling and wondering of 'what just happened?' What I really enjoyed about the show was that no matter what happened to the characters in the show they were always alright by the beginning of the next episode ready for the next weird thing. I wouldn't recommend this show for younger viewers just because the show is so weird and may leave a disturbing feeling with the kiddes. Each episode is self contained which works great for the set up of the show.

I want to leave this post on an up note so I will lastly talk about the DCAU cartoons. DCAU stands for DC Animated Universe which are 'Batman: The Animated Series', 'Superman: The Animated Series', 'Batman Beyond', "Static Shock', 'The Zeta Prodject' and 'Justice League/Unlimited' to name a few. These cartoons had everything from complicated plots that bleed into really engaging story arch to really touching moments between characters, things that gave viewers nightmares to things that gave hope. They were all connected with each other via references; it was possible to watch them separately without needing to watch anything else, but it added to the enjoyment when you did. What really amazes me is how long this continuance lasted; it started in 1992 with 'Batman' (same year as the Tim Burton Batman) and ended in 2006 with 'Justice League Unlimited' -- that's about 14 years. 14 years!!! That's a long time for any show, cartoon or live action, on television. To me that's just a testament of what good story telling can accomplish, and these shows had good story telling overall.

So this is my two cents (or fifty with inflation) on several cartoons.

Shakespeare's Who's on First

One must view it to believe it!

Enjoy.....

A Morbid Connection to Heaven:
An Investigation of Relics & The Modern Need for Them

Everyone has a vague understanding of relics; even the most 'un-Churched' person has heard of relics. The question that needs to be asked is a simple one – what are relics? When the modern mind thinks of relics, they think of something old and disgusting, which is partially true, but the thoughts of saints or Heaven do not enter the mind. Relics are something more then just the dead body parts of a holy person. They are a connection to something beyond what we see in the visible world, to the invisible.

People have always wanted to improve their person and wished to be close to those who are better than they. In the early days of the Church, people always scrambled to get close to the Apostles, their successors and other holy people in hopes that a simple touch would improve their fortunes. Even when the holy person has passed on to the the next life, people still wish to touch and be connected. With this mindset, it is not hard to see why the cult of saints and of relics developed. As the Holy Mother Church grew and spread, so did the cult of relics, and the cult was integrated within the liturgy. Soon great devotions brought thousands of pilgrims to the graves of the saints and the churches that held relics. Because of people's faith and their need for graces, miracles began to occur through, not by, the relics of saints. Unfortunately, people turned the desire to be near someone holy for profit and the abuses began, which also brought about great doubt concerning the veneration.

But there will always be doubters about relics and their authenticity, which began strongly with the Protestant Revolt or Reformation. The skeptic will always be able to say, 'This might not have been so-and-so’s,' or 'You might be mistaken,' and there is a possibility that it might be true. There might have been a mistake, or fakes might have been substituted for the real relics. We evaluate relics the same way we evaluate the bona fides of anything else, like visiting where a famous pop star use to live in his youth or something similar. Skeptics have gone to great lengths to disprove some of the more fantastical miracles that occur with relics, such as the liquefaction of Saint Januarius' blood and, especially, the Shroud of Turin. But some relics are beyond doubt, others are so highly probable that it would be rash to doubt. Others are merely probable, and some, yes, are improbable. But since it is not the physical object itself Catholics venerate, it is best not to toss out even most of the skeptical relics, lest you toss out something that really is a relic of the holy dead.

Relics are an aid to the Church Militant in helping Her to remember the goal of Heaven and to have a closer connection to God through His saints. Also, in a round about way, relics can lead to a better understanding and participation in a good wholesome relationship with our fellow man. Relics become a reminder of two things – first that we must die and secondly, and most importantly, that there will be a resurrection of the body.

To Be Continued............
(Copyright: Belongs to the Wanderer)
(If interested in research please contact me.)

The 'Glee' I Heard Made Me Cry

It's been awhile since my last post and my only reason is that I've been extremely busy with ....stuff. A poor excuse indeed, but alas, my only one.

At the persistence of some girls I'm working with in a play, I watched a clip of 'Glee'. I guess it was the end of the episode performance there was no other way for it to fit into the show. The clip was entitled "Singing in the Rain/Umbrella"; it should be noted that I loved the movie 'Singing in the Rain', I grew up watching it, singing the songs and even trying to dance along (the last bit was at the expense of my head and furniture). So I see the title and I think that they are trying to reintroduce old classical showtunes to the modern audience. With that thought I click play . . . two and a half minutes of my life later and I was ready to do two things. The first being to plot the death of the 'Glee' writers and music arragners; second listening to the original 'Singing in the Rain' with Gene Kelly over and over and over again until my mind was purged of the sacrilege I has just heard.

I sent a link of the 'Singing in the Rain/Umberlla' clip to my friend Jackie, who has a much better ear for music than me and can sing fantastically, to get her opinion. Jackie is my go to girl for music, she has been singing Gilbert and Sullivan operas since she was a wee lass and loves theatre as much as myself. I knew I would get a good and through examination of the piece. I wait for her to listen and gather an opinion.

But as I waited for Jackie to get back with me I started listening to other 'Glee' recordings and I noticed something rather interesting about the voices. Let me first say that the singing is decent - no one, from what I've heard, is 'nails on the chalkboard' bad, but that just it . . . they're not bad. There's nothing about the singing that makes me say 'Wow, they're really good!' or 'I want to listen to more of their songs!', it was more along the lines of elevator music -- something to listen to so there no awkward silence between you and the other five strangers going up with you.

I then hear a ping noting Jackie response. Her reaction, I quote, "The cast of Glee should DIE!" I am sure this was a rather mild reaction (it's always so hard to gauge emotions over chat). She makes mention of how the voice sound as though they have been corrected by a computer thus robbing them of any personality in the voice. I agree with her whole heartedly.

The arrangement of the piece also left something lacking. The title suggest that the song 'Singing in the Rain' would be the predominate one of the two merged together, so you could imagine my surprise when I clicked play another song started. It took me a while to remember that 'Umbrella' was a pop song that was over played on the radio a few years back. I was disappointed to find that there was only ONE verse of 'Singing in the Rain' in whole rendition which was over dominated by 'Umbrella'. I was never really a big fan of the song, nor a big opponent -- it was just REALLY over play for me. Out of the two songs I believe that 'Singing in the Rain' deserved more air time, because it is a song that has defined music; its listed as number three on American Film Institute's 100 Years . . . 100 Songs list. Number 3, people!!

On a final note I would like to say that I do not think that the cast of 'Glee' is talentless, I just find them . . . untrained. Give them all good voice instructors and then imagine what they could do. Whatever that would be, it would at least be better then it is now.

Until the next post -- God Bless!

I Survived Christmas And What I Learned

As you may recall from a earlier post secular Christmas is not in my top ten favorites things in the world, but it's not in my top ten hate list. I actually enjoy Christmas Day for the actually reason of the holiday.

As I opened my gifts with my family, I realized that I really need my own place. Do not get me wrong I am grateful for my parents for letting me stay with them, rent-free, after my graduation from college (May 2010). Because of this I am able to spend the money I earn towards my loans which I cannot wait to pay off. But any person who has gone off to college then come home for the holidays knows the plight of readjusting to the rules of their parents. This has been my biggest challenge since graduation. But my current financially situation does not allow me the luxury of moving out.

This realization came to light with the aid of my parents via their gifts. How many people can say they got a microwave for Christmas? Very few I imagine.

On a completely separate note, my New Years resolution: lose weight. I know it's not original, but it's something that I have to do. I'm over weight but not obese (Thank God), but I need to lose about forty pounds to be in my ideal weight for my body type. I have started today; on the recommendations of a dear friend I've invested in those 'Shape-Ups' sneakers, and some hand-weights to hold. The sneakers were a bit weird to wear but when walking I could feel the difference from regular sneakers. We shall see as the year progresses.

I also hope with this oncoming year to pick a little German. My mother's family is ethnically German and I have always been interested in my German roots. I have started listening to Disney songs sung in German to pick up on the pronunciation. When studying French in High School I found that listening to songs (Broadway-esque style not pop) helped a great deal; reason being that in singing to syllables are elongated and over enunciated so you hear the word clearer. But I digress, I've always wanted to pick up some German if any; another reason in the story I'm writing (see earlier post) some of my main characters are German thus I need to know German so the characters can speak in their native tongue.

Until next post, God Bless!

A Bit of Fun

This is a sketch I did my last year in college. I got the monologue from 'The Complete Works of Shakespeare, Abridged'; if you have not seen it please do, it's quite funny. The introduction is something I made up on the spot as a filler, so it's not quite as humorous as the rest of the clip.

Enjoy!

Strange, But Fun

I found this video on Youtube sometime ago and I decieded to share it with the few people who actually read this blog.
Just watch and enjoy, especially you Psych fans!!

Have you tried writing?

Well I have, and I can tell you it's a lot harder then one thinks.

I have been try to write a modern fantasy series for the past few years. About a year ago the worst possible thing could have happened -- my computer suffered the Blue Screen of Death and was no more.

A moment of silence please.............




Finished? Alright then;

Well, as a result I lost two years worth of work, which included a complete plot-line sketch for the first story, finished character development of all major and minor characters, and so forth. None of which I committed to memory. Ugh! I remember all my main characters and the gist of the plot, but details and minor characters can say bye-bye. So sad... who knows they may return to my subconscious.

This event has lead me to revamp the entire story and write it down on paper. It's harder to organize but it won't get loss from a Blue Screen of Death, it just stays on the book shelf. Despite this set back I find it to be a new opportunity to sort of reinvent the wheel as it were. Most likely because I understand my characters better and how they interact with people and react to event will come across more genuine.

This writing quest of mine started as a way to deal with the Hell my life was going through whilst at college. I, fortunately, survived and so did the story I started, but it grew beyond the therapy. I found myself looking at situations and wondering what my characters would do, what would they think; from that the short story (lost to the Blue Screen of Death) grew into a series of adventures. New characters were slowly added, depth was created, I knew I couldn't keep this all to myself. I told some friends and they added ideas and they even have a fan club for one of the characters.

I highly suggest writing for therapy -- write in a journal, write nonsensical ramblings on a page, write a song, write anything!!! What you write comes from you; after you've written put it away and come back to it later. Think over what is written in front of you and come to your own conclusions. It can be both interesting and fun!

Until next time I leave you with this piece of advice: Adversus solem ne loquitor.

Christmas: A Time For .......Joy?

Christmas: A Time For .......Joy?

Christmas to me has been a holy day to celebrate when the Word of God took on flesh. But to many others it's about gift, cookies, Santa, end of the year sales, and decorating. Radio stations begin playing Christmas songs, both secular and religious, before the month of December start has even begun. After living through 20 some odd Christmases I can say without a doubt that I hate Christmas.

I hate the decorations that blink on houses as you drive by, the commercialism that bombards me when I turn on the television, everything just fills me with dread. I have, surprisingly a good reason.

I would first like to say that I am far from being a Scrooge. I enjoy giving gifts to people, I do not even need Christmas as an excuse to do so. I value the real meaning of Christmas with all my heart. But when it comes right down to it I'm just burnt out with secular Christmas. Being forced to decorate every year with decoration that are so disgustingly cute made me cringe, it also took out the joy I once had in the holiday. When I went off to college I was forever happy that by the time I got home for Christmas the decorating was overall finished. I dread this time of year because it is at this point where I fight and argue the most with my parents. Both my parents enjoy Christmas, one more then the other; they watch the Christmas themed movies and listen to the music as soon as the radios have switched. I come home to the demands of 'Turn on the Christmas lights,' and 'We have to watch a Christmas movie.' Their love for Christmas has lead me to my Christmas burnout.

I have come to a point in my life in which I must skip Christmas or else I will lose any inkling towards the holiday. I hate Christmas. I wish I didn't, but when a small irritation is blown up and pushed in one's face repeatedly, what can one do?

A Postscript to Spoon River Anthology

Spoon River Anthology is a collection of free form poems by Edgar Lee Masters about a fictional town called Spoon River. Each poem is an epitaph of each of the citizens delivered by the dead themselves. Here's is one that I wrote. Enjoy!

Change was constant in my Life

I’ve seen different places, different things, different people
Some of which gave me unspeakable joy
Others – a stabbing horror into my heart
Everyday held a task that I had to do
Some I meet with a delightful happiness,
But others put a fear that consumed my very being.

Failures, achievements came as the day closed into darkness
My closest friends became Tears and Loneliness.
In a crowded room Loneliness was there beside me,
Holding my hand tightly.
As I went to sleep and closed my eyes,
Tears moved his warm hands down my face.
But my greatest friend, I could always find by a lit red candle.
I would often go to my friend by the red candle with Tears and Loneliness
But Tears and Loneliness would stand aback
As my friend by the red candle held me lovingly in His arms.
As His blood dripped from His head to mine
I was reminded of what He did for me.

Though my life these three friends accompanied me
Though the failures and the achievements there they were – always near.
Even at death there they were.
As I lay dying I found myself cold
With Tears’ hands on my face
Loneliness holding my hand tightly
And my friend by the red candle, holding me in His strong loving arms,
With the greatest love in world.
And I believe, with all my heart, that there is no great friend than Him – My friend by the red candle.

Can any one guess who my friend by the little red candle is? It will be revealed in next post.

Update

I lot has been happening to me over the past year.

So much that I haven't been able to post as much as I would like. Please forgive me and I will try to put up something worth reading soon.

God Bless

Gilbert

I love GK Chesterton!!
And here's a little comic from the Gilbert Magazine that I want to share!!!

First Strip
1. Wally: You must be Gilbert. I'd turn to face you, but I'm psychologically tethered to my computer monitor.
2. Wally: To turn away even for an instant would shake the foundations of my world.
(Gilbert pulls out a gas canteen)
3. Wally: The new guy set fire to my cubicle.
Dilbert: Join me. Tether yourself to the water cooler.

Second Strip
1. Pointy-Haired Boss: Gilbert, I have to ask you not to drink frothy ale or stout in your cubicle.
2. Pointy-Haired Boss: Also, I -- Great Scott!! Are those distributists!?! They can't be in here.
3. Pointy-Haired Boss: Is- Is this un-pasteurized milk?
Wally: Someone replaced my microwaveable hot pockets with this fresh home-made bread.

Third Strip
1. Pointy-Haired Boss: Gilbert, I'm afraid we're going to terminate your employment here.
2. Pointy-Haired Boss: Your faith, your economic ideas, and belief in common sense – It threatens our bureaucracy.
Wally: See if we can keep the goat.
3. Pointy-Haired Boss (with GK's legendary foe G.B. Shaw): I think Mr. Shaw here will be a much better -er, "fit".
Gilbert: !!

Promise

I know that I haven't posted often, but I promise that I will do my best to post more frequently.

 
God Bless!

March for Life

January 22, 1973 one of the saddest days in the history of the United States. The day when being in the womb becomes as dangerous as the streets of a big city.

January 22, 2007 a day in which we show that those who value life to the fullest will not stand by and let the killing of innocents continue. A day in which we react to the violence of this unholy Holocaust of the innocent unborn with the peaceful marching of silent prayer.


Around 8 o'clock a group of about 30 students, including myself, and faculty from Southern Catholic College loaded on a bus to go the the Atlanta March for Life. This was my first March for Life, an experience that I will never forget.


Driving to Atlanta is never easy and we were unfortunately late for the Rosary at 9:30. So, we said it on the bus. We were able to get to Mass, it started a little late, and there was only standing room only at the back of the church. The church was the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the oldest Catholic church in the South. It was built before the Civil War and was spared in the burning of Atlanta because the Pastor asked Sherman not to burn the church. Sherman agreed, being Catholic, though not practicing, and fearing desertion from his Catholic soldiers. This act thus saved the Catholic Church, several other churches of other faiths, and the courthouse. The Mass was concelebrated by Archbishop Gregory and priests of the archdiocese. The Archbishop's homily began with 'The Father has sent me and now I send you,' noting that God sent Jesus as a little baby and now we are sent to help the innocent babies being killed. Also that, as Catholics, we are still in the mindset of Jesus being born to us as a baby and it is sad that the decision of Roe v. Wade was made so soon after the Christmas season.

After Mass we ate lunch and went quickly to the State Capitol, which was only a block or two away from the church. There the introduced all the Pro-Life politicians of the Georgia House and Senate, a pretty big group (Thank God!!!!). The politicians had to go quickly because they were going in to session soon. Archbishop Gregory spoke saying the almost the same thing as his homily only for a wider audience. He is such a good speaker. Then there was a Southern Baptist preacher, I think his name was Mark Stone, who spoke to us. If he was not introduced as a Southern Baptist preacher his talk would remove all doubt of what he was. He spoke very passionately and I thought he alienated some people, including the politicians, that just said that they are working for a Pro-Life Georgia, by saying he would not stand for sly politicians.
Everyone prepared for the march after the preacher finished. To begin the heartbeat of an infant growing in the womb was played through the speakers and we began when Taps was played on a nearby trumpet. Through out the March there was a trumpet player on every corner playing Taps, a salute to the unborn. My group walked behind a Southern Catholic Banner to show the school's support for the the Pro-Life cause. I marched and quietly prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet.


Downtown Atlanta is home to Georgia State College. As the marchers were passing by the school, classes were letting out. Some just stared, some gave disgusted looks, one guy yelled out "Freedom of Choice", and two girls gave us the finger. There were some students that just walked right through the marchers to get to the other side of the road without looking at us or saying "Excuse me".


At the beginning and end of the march (both at the State Capitol) there were people passing out Chick Tracts, the one track that bears the title 'Are Roman Catholics Christians?'. It was almost ironic - they were Pro-Life, and yet Anti-Catholic - trying to kill two birds with one stone.
All in all it was a good March for Life. One thing that I have to point out was how quite it was. Downtown Atlanta is not know for being quite and it was amazing that so many people remain silent for so long speaking only in prayer.

I pray that there will no longer be a need for these Marches and that innocent unborn life will be seen by all as just that....
LIFE.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us and the innocent unborn

The Siblings I Never Met

A few days ago my mom did something unexpected. Saturday my mom and I took my little brother to altar severing training/party. While sitting in the back waiting for the training to finish my mom tapped me on my arm and asked me if I had known she had two miscarriages. I knew she had a miscarriage but not two. So, in reality I am my mother's fourth child not her second.

To me this question came from nowhere and I asked why she was asking me. She told me that the other day she was talking to someone and the other person asked how many children she had, without thinking she said five. I have two sibling that I never met who would be older than me if they had been born alive. I wonder what my life would have been like with two more siblings in my life. I would not be the middle child but one of the younger kids. I might have had a different outlook on life and my faith. I wonder if my life would have been as it is now or slightly different. I simply do not know.

It must have been terrible for my mom to have lost two children -- she was so upset that she did not name them. When she told me this two names popped into my head -- Benedict and Rebekka, two names I really like. I told my mom the names and she smiled at me and asked what would I do if I married and wanted to give those names to my own kids. Without thinking I said that my kids would be named after the brother and sister I never met. My mom smiled and went back to her book.

This is a conversation I never expected to have with my mom. It is so strange that my mom even broached upon the subject.

Well, here's to the siblings that I never met and I hope that they are in Heaven smiling down on me and my family.

God Bless everyone.

Promise Rant: Why Charlotte Church, Why???

Ok, here is that promise rant.

First of all I would like to ask Miss. Church WHY????????? (Note the many question marks) Charlotte Church's last CD was back in 2003 where she was singing the songs that made her famous and everybody was in love with that voice of an angel.

No more I tell you - she has forsaken the ways of 'Danny Boy' and 'Jerusalem' in favor of pop music. Not just any pop music mind you - pop music that focuses on her body more than her voice.  Catching sight of her music video for 'Crazy Chick' I began to cry in mourning the lost of the sweet girl that we all grew to love.  I ask WHY Charlotte, WHY???

I also, unfortunately, discovered her mini-series in which the pilot episode she dresses as a hallucinating nun taking host with the ecstasy smiley face on it, broke a statue of the Blessed Mother to get some hard cider and stuck gum on a statue of the child Jesus.  This makes me very upset. I thought she would be a good role model for young girls - wrong!!!!

I will continue to mourn the bad decisions made by Miss. Church and hope for a better role model to come along

Midterms

Mid-terms have to be invented by teachers who just want to laugh at us when we are stressed. the only one I am not worried about is Scared Theology, which I am majoring in.  I love my Scared Theology teacher is he Awesome!!!  Dr. Bowring is my first religion teacher that I haven't had to correct in class.
In High School I have had too many religion teachers who did not know what they were doing, didn't care, or taught dissent.  I guess that is why I decided to teach religion, I got fed up with bad religion treachers.

There will be more post in the near furture - I have just a lot of studying to do and I haven't had time to post.  Next up my rant on Charlotte Church!  Stay tune!