I thought about closing up shop for the longest time.
Obviously, keeping up with such a craze like blogging is like having a sitcom: while you want their immediate attention now, you gotta produce good TV years and years down the road. Like a good soap opera, this thing's gotta last a long time. Am I prepared to do that for a few more years, at least until I have 1000 posts?
At first, I thought not.
Then, I found out that I just reached 350 posts. 649 posts later, I will have accomplished that goal. And besides, the road I've taken is unlike any other road me or my kliq have seen or experienced. Looking back at that road, I have no choice but to smile. Laugh. Kick myself. And look ahead. We all know I got here; I'm sure you'll wanna know how the whole thing ends.
So having said that, I'm gonna keep on going with this blog. I'm gonna keep on keepin' on, and when I reach post 1000, or my 5th anniversary, which ever comes first, and I look back my life 5 years ago, I'll know, and you'll know that I know, it was a hell of an experience.
What a way to cap off this refreshing re-energizing spirit, than a change in layout, right?!
Now, I'm no Bret, or Batista, but with a job well done on the revamping, I damn sure feel like the champ of the world!
Many thanks, and Happy Birthday wishes, to Gina for such a great inspiration!!
Stealth
The problem I have with going to movies is that I go in with a certain expectations of the film. And I'm gonna be honest, when I first went in, I had pretty good idea what I was gonna see. Three top pilot friends get kicked to the side by the AI fighter, which learns all of its ability from the pilots. They run some test missions, they go okay. A freak accident happens, and the AI fighter turns traitor on US. Now, it's up to the three pilots, with some internal conflict of course, to destroy the plane; as the world is in their hands.
From the test missions onward, this film was not how I predicted.
My Academy-Award-winning favorite gets...
within 45 of the film. A film 2 hours and a minute long.
While the graphics and overall storyline of the film were cool, the acting and overall feel of the movie wasn't all that. Josh Lucas and Jessica Biel were convincing, but their interactions were either forced, or out of place. I dunno y'all, should I summarize the flick in one word: bleh.
Rating: 6 out of 10
Fantastic Four
Batman Begins did one thing that Spiderman did right many moons ago: give a great intro-to-character film. I was into this one as I was into Spiderman because the story was compelling, the acting was good, and the action was better. I hearken Fantastic Four to X-Men: while the acting was good, the action was okay. Just okay. I thought X2 was better than its prequel for that reason.
Watching F4 made me realize why I wasn't into the TV cartoon in the nineties, I just wasn't into them. I wanted to get into them, so much. Michael Chilkis' Thing was the most developed, therefore my favorite, character in the movie; while everyone else felt plastered on the storyboard. Really! Even with the dense Mr. Fantastic and the mother-like Invisible Woman love-story, nothing stood out. Like a 90 minute real-time episode of the comic. Even the final fight could've been better. But, like X-Men, it just might get better in time.
In retrospect, should they do it, I hope F4II is better.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Smooth Jazz Cruise Presents; Spyro Gyra
Yeah yeah yeah. What's a 23 year old kat doing in a smooth jazz cruise for of all acts, Spyro Gyra? Getting my culture on, that's what!
Pipo's Song
Spyro Gyra
The Very Best Of Spyro Gyra
Seriously, the cruise kicked ass! I got to shake hands with Jay Beckenstein and Jeremy Wall, the founding fathers, and saxophonist and keyboardist, respectively, of the band eleven years ago. And yes Jonathan, Ludwig Alphonso, the band's drummer, was pretty cool too. I even got to meet Rafe Gomez, of CD 101.9's Groove Boutique; he was awesome as well! Not only did he give me two free complimentary drinks, but he also got me hooked on this Latin Jazz artist named Snowboy, who's interpretation of The Flintstones was off da hook, to say the least. As soon as my CD import arrives in the mail, I'll give you further detail on the music...
The atmosphere was fantastic, the food was good, the music was hot! Wall's Blues played, much to he delight of the older-aged audience. And yeah, the same problem I had at the Concert for Luther was the same problem I had here at the cruise: no attendees my age. In fact, all the younger folk that showed up at Chelsea Piers' Spirit Cruise gates were all attending what appeared to be their graduation cruise! By the time they came back, the dance lights were still flashing, most didn't want to leave the boat, and some couldn't leave on their own free will! In any event, Spyro Gyra played most of their music from their current album Deep End. Otherwise, the ship sailed around the Hudson, and we were one with the Statue of Liberty. We were just to head under the bridge...
...but then they turned back. Next thing, we were right where we started.
All in all, I must do this again; perhaps for the Rippingtons cruise!
Rating: 9.5 out of 10
I'm sure there's something else I forgot.
I'll touch base on whatever that was later...