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Avengers: Age of Ultron may only be the second installment in Marvel's exhaustive series of magna opera, but a certain kind of familiarity has already been established. This is both good and bad. It's good because the audience know what to expect, and the audience is rarely disappointed by Joss Whedon. But it's bad because there is no opportunity for amazement beyond the desultory thrills that high-powered, obliterative brawls between CGI creatures engender. What's the point of watching superheroes save yet another day if there's no childlike sense of wonderment? I wonder. After all, it's the same everytime—our ragtag group of heroes usually face down adversaries who, when not slithering through intergalactic portals above Manhattan, more disturbingly emerge from clandestine laboratories (or Tony Stark's own basement) as perverted brainchilds of overly ambitious people who think they found the ruthless solution to the problems of the world. In Age of Ultron it is the latter, as the eponymous A.I. system designed as a "sentry system" against future extraterrestrial incursions elects instead to play God and usher humanity into a new era of evolution. James Spader, who voices Ultron, lends credibility to a robot with a dark, twisted soul and a wry sense of humor, although the tease of a truly memorable and compelling character unfortunately never fully materializes. It's frustrating, but not uncommon, as more new characters introduced as the next crop of Avengers also feel sacrificed to the frantic action of the story, where Everything Must Keep Moving Forward No Matter How Silly It Is. Paul Bettany, as a seraphic being with confusing abilities and even more bewildering origins, arrives at the eleventh hour to seemingly save the day but then devolves into a background figure in the final battle, while Elizabeth Olson, as the Scarlett Witch, is saddled with an Eastern European accent, a twin brother called Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), and two expressions: bug-eyed alarm, and glowering fury. But who needs them, while we can still enjoy the holy trinity of Robert Downey Jr., perfecting his genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist schtick as Iron Man; Chris Evans as Captain America, whose moral purity remains hilariously irreproachable, even if he has developed a keen sense of self-deprecation; and Chris Hemsworth, as the Norse god Thor, who's never more likable then when sporting a beaming grin and dismembering robots with his hammer. You also have the perpetually pouty Hulk, played by Mark Ruffalo, who develops a romantic attachment with Scarlett Johannson's Black Widow. Unlikely couple? Sure, but some tinges of tenderness amidst the rampant machismo is always appreciated. Keeping with the theme, Jeremy Renner, as Hawkeye, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who accompanies the superheroes on their peacekeeping sorties, is given a backstory, more one-liners, and the honor of infusing the proceedings with a little down-to-earth humanism. It's a worthy attempt, but even Renner's best "WTF am I doing here, I'm just a normal dude" impressions fail to ground, or define, Age of Ultron. The film is a never-ending spectacle of noisy razzle-dazzle that could go on for five more hours and have the same amount of emotional impact, or lack of. I think a reason why is that amongst all the irony and the witticisms, Whedon forgot to add moments of real gravitas. Moments that make the audience stop laughing, so that the jokes stand out even more when they start laughing again (because they are pretty good). Powerful moments. There's a scene where Thor is barely holding off Ultron's assault, and he responds to an insult with the usual grandiloquence —only to cut his own retort short by quipping, with a shrug, "I'm running out of things to say." Wham, bam, pow! It plays well, but a bit of seriousness wouldn't have gone amiss either. B+
The Hobbit movies are not bad. They just look bad.
For me, the verdict's still out on whether Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" trilogy was a success. It certainly struck a chord with audiences who, as if drawn to the One Ring's irresistible allure, couldn't resist returning to Middle Earth for yet another adventure drenched in nostalgia, and I for one stand in full admittance of my gullibility— when it comes to hobbits and elves, forget Gollum, I'll follow Peter Jackson to Mordor and back again. But as I reminisce on the films, the last of which, "The Battle of the Five Armies", was released in December 2014, I have to admit: there's something that really buggers me.
It's not the acting—Martin Freeman perfectly captured—or rather, created— the mannerisms and character of Bilbo Baggins, and Richard Armitage, though he doesn't look much like a dwarf, is noble and haunted as Thorin, the leader of the dwarf company who recruits Bilbo to go reclaim their kingdom from the dragon Smaug. I'm probably one of the only people who appreicated the addition of Evangeline Lilly's character. And it's not the story—Jackson could have a dozen dwarves traipse around New Zealand for four hours and I'd still watch it. Say, that sounds like a movie called The Hobbit.…
No, what almost ruins the movies for me is quite simple: I don't believe it. Not because the acting was lousy or the story particularly convoluted, but because it doesn't look anything like The Lord of the Rings. In those movies, there was more than a mere pretense of reality in the fantasy world of Middle Earth—the landscape is gritty and tough when needed, without any embellishment. In The Hobbit movies, however every pixel of the frame seems to gleam unnaturally, tinged with the luminous residue of CGI; some characters—like Azog the Defiler, the evil Orc—seem to have been born out of this artificiality.
Does this have anything to do with Peter Jackson's much maligned experimentation with 48 frames per second (in 3D, no less)? I admit to being totally ignorant to that controversial aspect of The Hobbit. But I do know that there's a problem when the little grassy hills of the Shire, excessively green and lush, seems to come straight out of concept art for Oz the Great and Powerful, or when everyone glows silver during moonlit night scenes. There's an even bigger problem when you can't tell if there is actually an actor under the scarred alabaster hide of Azog—and if there is, the finer qualities of his performance seem to have disappeared in post-production. What happened to the wonderfully tangible qualities of, say, the Uruk Hai, the hell-spawned dreadlocked louts over whose vicious features the camera could confidently linger as they bared their yellow teeth and grunted out beauties like "We've have nothing but maggoty bread for three stinkin' days!"
To underscore my point, I've taken two screenshots from each of the DVD versions of two films: An Unexpected Journey and The Fellowship of the Ring to compare the visual changes between the two. Does the more vivid colorization serve to represent a younger, more innocent Middle Earth, not yet tainted by the evils of Mordor? Or did the Hobbit movies just go through the same filter process as every other Hollywood blockbuster? I'll go with the latter.
The first photo is from the beginning of "The Hobbit", Frodo's clothes and even the mailbox are gauzy and smooth, like a painting. The light is diffused, the fields yellower. Observe in the second picture, however, taken from the beginning of "The Lord of the Rings"—both scenes actually occur only a few hours apart—how much sunnier it is, the sharpness of the wagon and the hills and the blades of grass. It looks real. It feels real.
These two photos both depict battles that happened a long time ago, in the "dark times," so to speak., and I also picked them because they are totally fantastical. The first one depicts the Battle of Dagorlad (as seen in the prologue to The Fellowship of the Ring) and the color palette is murky and dark. We can't see much in the sweeping shots, which is probably a good thing, because befitting the large scale of the battle and our brief glimpse at it, a lot of CGI is used. It still looks pretty damn good. In contrast, the second photo depicts the Battle of Azanulbizar, as remembered by Balin when Thorin's hate for Orcs necessitates explaining. Look at the color. It can't be…it looks like Peter Jackson fell prey to an certain insidious color scheme (teal and orange) much favored by Hollywood but that previously was found in Michael Bay movies, not Middle Earth.
Will movies ever look like The Lord of the Rings again? It was saddening to see digital colorizing, among other things, take hold in The Hobbit, because the beauty of Peter Jackson's interpretation of Tolkien's universe was that it was real—the wilderness of New Zealand didn't need much tinkering or manipulation to become the world inhabited by Orcs and Elves. There are some scenes in the Hobbit trilogy that seemed less painted on by the color crew but they were few and far in between. And it seems that indeed, less is more: t's ironic that the The Battle of Five Armies, which depended so much on CGI wizardry to create the emotional drama of the film, wasn't even recognized when the Oscar nominations were announced.
The sad, joyful, wonderful movie "Her", set sometime in the future, is directed by Spike Jonze and stars Joaquin Phoenix as Theodore, a mustachioed, bespectacled hipster with forlorn eyes and a sweet, shy disposition recovering from a failed marriage, and Scarlett Johannson, who, although she never appears onscreen, makes a a great impact as the infectiously spunky voice of Samantha, an advanced computer system with her own self-perpetuating personality. They fall in love. You could say they get married, and then their love suffers a few setbacks. He doesn't know what he's doing, and he's fine with that, except when he's not. For her part, she longs to be more than just a voice in the dark. Weirdly enough, I can sympathize with Samantha. Trying to imagine possessing a mind without a body brings back memories of waking up in tears during the night, stricken with the terrible feeling of my conscience being isolated in a vast mental labyrinth of sorts, unable to find a way out or even begin trying, with no agency over anything physical, if it even existed, and an immediate realization of immobility and despair, as if I'd been rotting in that place forever. It's hard to define dreams, just as it's hard for Samantha to define how exactly she feels in certain moments, how she's supposed to feel compared to how she does, how to define and explain those existential crises. Samantha's nightmares are just unfathomably more real and much scarier; the truth of her inability to expand her existence to something real and physical when that existence evolves, stunningly fast, to involve a whole other world keeps her awake at night, I imagine, long after Theodore plucks his earbud out. "Her" is about our tangled relationship with technology, but the twist is that Mr. Jonze and Ms. Johannson have made technology transcend the artificial to become something entirely, messily, achingly human. The film, however, remains a work of beautiful, sophisticated engineering, smartly crafted and smoothly tuned, unplagued by melodrama or cheapness.The Los Angeles where Theodore resides is still smoggy but mostly blindingly sunny, a vaguely defined yet, weirdly, perfectly precise glimpse into a world where there exists, for many people, no social inhibitions regarding an emotions attachment, or even affection, towards technology. It begs the question: Could we ever be so freely open with our lives, share them so intimately with technology in such an tender, loving way? "Her" is fascinating because technology isn't evil in the world of Mr. Jonze. It doesn't insidiously corrode your humanity nor attempt to murder you outright. It exists, for all the lonely souls and people who have forgotten how to dream, for the lovers and for the losers. It can liberate you, or you can lose yourself within it. Or both. Just hope that you have a gal like Samantha in your pocket, and in your ear, and in your mind, and in your heart. A
Dances With Wolves
It's somewhat ironic that Dances With Wolves endures to this day as the first film, at least in my eyes, that successfully brought the heart-wrenchingly sordid undoing of the last free Native Americans at the hands of Manifest Destiny (as enforced by the muskets of the marauding U.S. Army), as an obscene amount of the nearly four-hours-long time is spent with the camera indulgently fixated on Kevin Costner who, when bathed in the golden light of the prairie, whether it be in appropriated Sioux clothing or those tight cavalry trousers, never fails to reveal himself to be a white guy. I would normally be quick to mention that Costner's involvement, as he not only starred in the picture but directed it as well, is not solely limited to looking pretty, soulful, or pretty soulful as the white guy who saves the day. But when you think about it, isn't that exactly what Costner should be lauded for—not only onscreen but behind-the-scenes as well?
The Civil War is drawing to a close, and Costner's John J. Dunbar, having successfully survived every bloody battle despite his best efforts to the contrary, wants to see the Western frontier before train tracks are laid over the bones of buffalo and Indians alike. He's a Union soldier, a romantic, simple fellow who, when we first meet him, is trying to get killed. His suicide attempt—riding his horse towards the Confederate lines, seeking a bullet and a quick escape from the bloody absurdity of the war—is instead misconstrued as a heroic improvisation, and not only did Dunbar not gain an acquaintance with Death, he was promoted and granted any posting of his choice. He picks Fort Sedgewick—the Army fort farthest out West, all the way Out There. How Dunbar gets there (hitching a ride with a flatulent wagon driver delivering supplies) and his first impressions of the vast prairie ('Where are all the buffalo?') is documented with maddening imperturbability. The pace is glacially slow, and yet you are inexorably drawn in due to the likability of Costner, the stunning landscapes, and the promise of peril to come. There's a scene where Dunbar gets spooked, along with the audience, by the wind rising in the prairie. Is it an Indian crouching in the tall grass, waiting to pounce and scalp? Or is it just the frontier taunting this man who thinks he has found his paradise? Dunbar doesn't want to know. Off he bolts, whipping his horse away.
Dunbar's not reassured once he arrives at his destination either. He finds a ramshackle handful of buildings, made even more pathetic by the total absence of humankind. His soldiers deserted, apparently after having underwent some disheartening experiences, Dunbar nevertheless decides to settle in. After all, why not? It's everything he could possibly wish for—a solitary existence on the plains, his conscience made easy by the possibility of the Army finding him—after all, he knows the wagon trains are coming sooner or later. Might as well enjoy it while he can. Then, however, Dunbar befriends a tribe of Sioux. They find him something of a a curiosity because the first time Dumbar came upon their medicine man Kicking Bird (Graham Greene), checking out his horse, Dunbar was stark naked (having just bathed in the river) and yelling loudly in protest—not the usual behavior of U.S. soldiers. Dunbar, however, is eager to scribble in his diary a variation of the phrase: "Met my first Indian today. OMG! 2scary4me." However he feels at home in the prairie, laying by his campfire under the stars with a big goofy smile on his face, he's still a tourist, and his first encounter with the local population—certainly not to be trusted—is a jolt to the senses.
Eventually, after a lot of bad starts, the Sioux and Dunbar come to understand one another a little better. Their conversations are facilitated by Stands With A Fist (Mary McDonnell), a white woman who was captured by the Sioux in her childhood and raised as one of them. Dunbar learns that the Sioux are waiting for the buffalo, and is only too happy when, awakened by the thunder of hooves in the night in one of Dances With Wolves's most hauntingly realized scenes, to rush to his new friends and tell them the news. Despite his misgivings and sense of duty to the Army, as frequently expounded on in Costner's narration, Dunbar realizes he's going native. It doesn't help that he's falling in love with Stands With A First, nor that the Sioux has wholly embraced him as one of their own. But, there's a new peril, far greater than the occasional Pawnee attacks, for Dunbar knows something that is nagging at his insides, and it is this: The White Man is coming. The days of the Sioux are counted.
Dances With Wolves is really a remarkable movie. The destruction of the Native Americans' livelihoods, and the forced displacement of all those who weren't killed when they resisted the encroachment of settlers and soldiers on their ancestral lands, is a dark, shameful mark in American history. One can certainly argue it was inevitable, and that's what lends this movie a mournful, heartbreaking quality. It brings the story of the Sioux and and all Native Americans out of the dusty pages of history books and onto the big screen. Bravo, Kevin Costner. But at the same time, I feel strangely uneasy about expressing my love for the movie. I have to wonder whether the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences, in showering Dances With Wolves with little golden statuettes, did so because they felt guilty, deep inside (and they loved the fact that Kevin Costner, a handsome Hollywoodian, was the one responsible for it). I have to wonder whether I think Dances With Wolves is a beautiful movie because I feel guilty, deep inside. I most probably do. I do know is that we all have a collective guilt inside of us, regarding the fate of the Native Americans in this country, that will never go away. We all want to see a movie where Native Americans, strong and fierce, hunt the buffalo, whooping and hollering, to admire and gaze at them, to cheer when they beat back the brutish, despicable U.S. soldiers. We want to soberly reflect as the film ends. We want to shake our heads and say, "Wow." Dances With Wolves makes us all feel a little better inside. But is it for the good reasons?
In Defense of Revenge of the Sith
I have written about this movie before, but have decided that it warrants revisiting and that my thoughts, which I'd like to think have matured since then, also call for a bit of reformulation. There were two Star Wars movies which I specifically remember disliking more than the others when I was younger: The Empire Strikes Back, and The Revenge of the Sith. Once can arguably define these two as the darkest installments of their respective trilogies, and that was certainly the principal reason for my disliking them. It strikes me as funny now to see that The Empire Strikes Back is widely regarded among knowledgeable audiences as the superior of all the Star Wars movies, and it is also curious to see that Revenge of the Sith is not mentioned kindly in many places, or at least not as much as I thought it would be.
I can understand The Phantom Menace being much derided, for as soon as the obnoxiously opinionated young Anakin Skywalker first appears the film instantly loses any respectability and credibility that might have come inherent with Liam Neeson. Attack of the Clones, too, is not a very good movie (more on that later). But Revenge of the Sith—in Revenge of the Sith, there are no glaring faults that fatally undermine the solidity of the whole enterprise. It is, by any definition, a perfectly respectable movie which, yes, does not infer that it is beyond reproach. You can poke plenty of holes in it, but doing so would be spiteful, because this is a movie that does not deserve your disparagement. One can only admire at the intricately, tightly woven strands of the story which ties together the moral and ideological corruption of our tormented anti-hero and the toppling of a Republic by a scheming politician, the stunning scope of a story which takes us across worlds and yet brings it all back to a variation of Anakin Skywalker's line "I won't lose you the way I lost my mother."
Certainly, credit has to go to Hayden Christensen, whose dubiously staged scenes of "seduction" with Natalie Portman in Attack of the Clones were so idiotic they destroyed whatever virtues might have been stuck in that film otherwise. But Christensen, who plays Skywalker, is older now, and now that his character is slowly being drawn to the dark side and not merely a petulant, obsessed teenager, Christensen's weirdly intense—not quite wooden, as each word he pronounces seems to drip with long-smothered emotion, but not quite organic—way of acting somehow makes more sense. You believe his titanic struggle against the pervasive influence of the dark side, as manifested in Ian McDiamird's Palpatine, all murmured insinuation, but you also understand his boiling discontent with the Jedi Council. It's not even that the Jedi Masters, including Samuel L. Jackson's Mace Windu, regard him with barely disguised wariness, but that they do it so infuriatingly coolly, that they come off so unblinkingly passive and even ignorant.
Then again, you take a step back and see that there was really little the Jedi Council could do to prevent the inevitable temptation of Skywalker. He was always fated to fall, and the Jedi Council only precipitated his fall by stoking his simmering frustration. I'm reminded of the TV show Rome and the layers of complexities that lay between Julius Caesar and Brutus before the famous betrayal; both sense the danger hovering in the air, the mutual mistrust and the anger that dares not yet erupt, and yet both are uncertain. Brutus has been tempted, but he is unwilling to commit himself fully to treachery, still clinging to his last vestiges of loyalty and integrity. It might have worked out all right if then the unmindful Caesar—much like the Jedi Council—didn't elect to err on the side of caution (in Rome, he pointedly appoints Brutus to an insultingly inconsequential governorship, while in Revenge of the Sith, Mace Windu holds off on fully trusting Anakin until it's too late), providing the last straw that breaks the camel's back.
I think the ultimate reason why it's truly fascinating to watch Anakin's undoing is because it feels and is familiar. His story is a timeless tragedy of biblical, mythological proportions, one that has been traveling down our cultural highways for centuries. And George Lucas's interpretation isn't shabby at all. In fact, it's pretty spectacular.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy, the latest blockbuster from Marvel and a decidedly different one than what we're used to, works because it walks, with all the seemingly effortless adroitness of a funambulist, the fine line of not taking itself seriously and taking itself seriously. That's the most intellectual line I could come up for this film, because it is a mess, but an entertainingly endearing mess, make no mistake. It's a space opera that is entertainingly madcap at best and barely comprehensible at worst, burdened by a substandard Marvel storyline involving a glowing blue MacGuffin and indistinguishable bad guys but also, weirdly, liberated by it: since the plot is so uninspired, the emphasis devolves onto the characters which, luck would have it, provide a beguiling mix of goofiness and seriousness, and are the best thing about Guardians. You have the newly emergent Chris Pratt, a truly charismatic, enjoyable presence mostly because, I suspect, he wasn't asked to do things that weren't already in his wheelhouse. As Peter Quill, A.K.A Starlord, a scruffy thief of little galactic renown (think Han Solo and/or Indiana Jones), he gets to groove to 1970s music and trade quips with the rest of the Guardians: a green-skinned Zoe Saldana, both flinty and vulnerable; an mostly genial talking tree (think Lord of the Rings's Treebeard) named Groot who says "I am Groot" to everything and is inexplicably played by Dwayne Johnson, somewhere under all that bark; an belligerent anthropomorphized raccoon with issues and a lot of firepower named Rocket, voiced snarlingly by Bradley Cooper; and former WWE wrestler Dave Bautista's muscled brute out for revenge, Drax, whose defining trait is his literal interpretation of everything ("Nothing goes over my head—my reflexes are too fast"). They're a silly bunch, and not always funny, but still hilarious enough. Mostly, they're a lot of fun to watch, and that's the joy of Guardians of the Galaxy: It's pure, unfiltered fun. I say "pure" because the humor exists solely to please and not to self-deprecate. Sure, Guardians occasionally pokes fun at the self-serious pseudo-portentousness of many Marvel movies, including itself (most notable during the wonderful opening sequence), but it does so organically, without trying to; there's no negativity to be seen. It embraces its inherent absurdity and stupidity instead of attempting to be a postmodern or obnoxiously "smart" superhero movie; rather than "We know you're laughing at this angry little raccoon, but we're laughing right alongside you! Doesn't that make it so much better?" it's "We're having a lot of fun here. Come laugh with us." And with that in mind, there becomes very little reason to not give Guardians of the Galaxy the utmost respect it most deserves. A–
Trailer of the Week: Mad Max: Fury Road
I don't usually post trailers, posters, and other stuff hyping the release of a film here, because attempting to assess the quality of an upcoming movie by its promotional materials usually resorts into rank speculation. It's especially ludicrous seeing as this nonetheless popular pastime relies on whether a studio's marketing department is actually doing a good job at what they are paid to do; that is, vigorously whipping up excitement based on a few carefully curated frames or still images, all gussied up and looking nice. That being said, I'll make an exception for Mad Max: Fury Road's Comic-Con teaser. Not because I think it's going to be a spectacular film, per se, but because it is a spectacular trailer and therefore whatever I just said doesn't apply. All the potentially disappointing bits that will emerge scandalously when the film is released next year have been ruthlessly trimmed away, leaving only the most visually impressive moments. It's a standalone work of art, if you will, that has absolutely no lasting value besides the fleeting sensory pleasures it provides. Shut off your brain, brace your eyes and ears, and indulge yourself.
Capsule reviews: Aliens, Alien³, & Alien: Resurrection
ALIENS (James Cameron, 1986)
Mr. Cameron's film, Aliens, is certainly more galvanizing than its predecessor, Alien: he expanded Ridley Scott's classic no-frills horror film into a clamorous war film. It's still perfectly respectable because the minimalism is carefully maintained, to a certain degree, but elevated accordingly with the stakes. Instead of one alien versus seven increasingly hapless people trapped in an increasingly claustrophobic spaceship, it's a hive of aliens versus a dozen decreasingly cocksure Colonial marines and a few civilians trapped in an increasingly claustrophobic compound. The badinage and brashness of the soldiers, all decked out with cool weaponry, only makes it more gleefully tragic when they all inevitably succumb, one by one, to the resourceful aliens. Mr. Cameron, helpfully, actualizes Ellen Ripley's motherly instincts (and brings out Ms. Weaver's ferocious warmth) by replacing her cat with a little girl, Newt, whose welfare becomes so primordial to Ripley that by the end of the film she is bawling "Get away from her you bitch!" to the Alien Queen while wielding the full strength of an exoskeletal power-loader. It's the most satisfying scene of the film, mostly because it solidifies Ms. Weaver's character as unequivocally badass. Like most of Mr. Cameron's movies, Aliens isn't subtle, but as a complement to Alien's conscientiously measured terror, its excitability is welcome. A–
ALIEN³ (David Fincher, 1992)
By no means perfectly respectable, at least when regarded as the third Alien movie, Alien³ however possesses certain charms that might even be considered redeemable, were the viewer in a charitable mood. Ripley crash-lands in a off-world penal colony full of God-fearing lunatics whose self-established monastic society is quickly upended by this unwelcome temptation. Their hostility is not unwarranted however because tagging along with Ripley is, unsurprisingly, an alien who has already, surprisingly, killed Newt and placed an embryo inside of Ripley. Good heavens, what gall! Now Ms. Weaver, with shaved head but a magnetic presence as always, has lost her only child and gained an unborn demon. Mr. Fincher is at the helm and he takes great delight in, when not ruthlessly destroying any gratification gleaned from Aliens's conclusion, swooping his camera down endless underground tunnels with dizzying stylistic abandon while the alien, skittering around obligingly, pursues the wailing damned. Alien³ is a shabby, seemingly low-budget production that produces chills and thrills, mostly due to the inherent, inspired spookiness of the prison setting and its inhabitants. But alien fatigue is setting in, and the rampaging extraterrestrial, so central to the film, no longer inspires the same raw fear in the audience. As Ripley says, "You've been in my life for so long, I hardly remember anything else." B–
ALIEN: RESURRECTION (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 1997)
Where to begin with Alien: Resurrection? It's impossible to treat seriously, and is generally a fiasco from the beginning to the end. An elaboration of the plot would be a misuse of everyone's time. I was expecting strange things from Mr. Jeunet and was not disappointed, but the greatest surprise came from the screenwriter, who is none other than Joss Whedon. You see, I really like Firefly, and therefore it's striking to note that apparently five years before that brilliant show began its regrettably short-lived television run, Mr. Whedon was already toying with the concept of a motley crew of space smugglers in a remarkably similar tone. The shadows of familiar characters are beginning to surface, particularly the ones of the uncommonly perceptive, peculiarly gifted young girl (here played by Winona Ryder, and in Firefly, Summer Glau) and the gung-ho, thuggish moron (Ron Perlman, and later Adam Baldwin). So it's somewhat disconcerting to recognize Mr. Whedon's distinctively grounded touch among all the more outlandish aspects of Alien: Resurrection: the re-imagining of Ripley as a simultaneously predacious and aching superwoman infused with alien DNA; Ms. Ryder's vexingly melodramatic performance; the violent debut of yet another new and evolved anthropomorphized alien; all that superfluously garish blood and gore. You'd be better off just watching Firefly. C
The Duellists
RIDLEY SCOTT'S directorial debut, 1977's The Duellists, is a phenomenal paragon of narrative purity. It is the story of two perpetually quarreling French soldiers in the era of Napoleon, one played by Keith Carradine and the other by Harvey Keitel, who encounter one another every few years and recommence their oft-interrupted duels. What begun, and prolongs the life of, these reckless dances with death? To find the wellspring of their dogged discontent with one another, you must understand their characters, for whatever little strife it was that spurred the initial demands for satisfaction eventually becomes consigned to oblivion. Continue reading
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
THERE'S NO MONKEYING around in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The title may indicate only an incremental advancement in the global conquest of our favorite rampaging simians, if any, from 2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes—how many more synonymously monikered installments must we be compelled to watch before the thesaurus is milked dry, I wonder?—but make no mistake, James Franco and the sunshine of San Francisco is long gone. This plot of this spectacularly grim and surprisingly violent movie ultimately culminates in ideologically extremist apes orchestrating the death of the wise, pacifist Caesar (played once again brilliantly by Andy Serkis), who has led a thriving isolationist community in the Muir Woods, in order to instigate unmitigated warfare against one of the last remaining bastions of human civilization. If you're think to yourself, "These bad apes sound liked they learned a few tricks from us humans," congratulations, for you have seized upon the theme of the movie. And that's even before you've seen a scarred, snarling ape, consumed by bloodlust, riding into battle on horseback while firing assault rifles willy-nilly. All the simian scheming and warfare makes for compelling drama, but it's nothing we haven't seen before. Perhaps the somewhat hackneyed unfolding of the story, derived from countless literary and historical sources, was intentionally made to reflect the humanization of the apes. Perhaps it serves to reinforce, subtly and pervasively, the disheartening realization of Caesar's that his apes are not so unlike the humans they are pitted against, that they go through the same struggles, the same joy, the same heartbreak, the same fraternal bloodletting and betrayal. If this is what the filmmakers intended, then they should have figured out that you don't need apes acting out lackluster melodrama in order to effectively convey their humanism. Anyhow, I suspect something else: laziness. Not that it matters—the audience, for now, doesn't notice the banality because they are still struck by the relative novelty of seeing emotionally identifiable apes, thanks to the virtuosity of the special effects and the marvelous acting efforts of Serkis and the rest of the cast. But that laziness, if preserved, has the potential to rear its ugly head to much more inauspicious consequences. As is seen in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the human elements of the story are slowly diminishing in importance, which opens the door to, among other things, an all-ape cast. We certainly don't want a bunch of talented actors hooting and hollering away under motion-capture suits in an uninspired all-ape interpretation of, say, Coriolanus. Or do we? B


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I have been experiencing some odd feelings of deja vu in the last few weeks. Trying to explain them to a friend, I struggled and frankly sounded slightly odd.
Perhaps this was because in every day terms we have come to use the phrase 'deja vu' in a slightly flimsy, inaccurate way. Reading more about it for this post, it seems it is a phenomenon that is still open to a myriad interpretations. It is not simply a trick of the mind, or false memory that gives us a shiver at the time and which can easily be laughed off. At the most scientific level, it can be an aspect of epileptic episodes; at the least evidence based end of the spectrum it is evidence of reincarnation. I don't believe either of these describe my sensations, which are rather more prosaic.
I can't explain easily what I have been experiencing, but as an example I might be driving into my home town and have the sense that I am driving into somewhere completely different, albeit subtly so. (It might be nice to drive into Wellington and imagine it is Rome, but sadly that level of fantasy is beyond me.) Does that make sense? It is almost as if it is a memory that is struggling to reconnect with my current life but each time I try and grasp at it to find out what it is trying to show me it slips away.
Recently I have also found myself sensitised to old photos; to fading roses; to songs and classical music; all of which currently have a greater power to bring on a fit of melancholy. I have also been thinking about what happens 'from now on in' – after all there are only so many new careers you can try, and at my age I ought to settle on something and stick to it….
So I was thrilled to find this poem in a collection written by American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist Dorothy Parker. I have been reading her more widely recently and I realise now that she was not simply the master of the 'wisecrack', and that her oft-quoted poem about suicide (Resume) disguised from me her three genuine suicide attempts. Her memorial, in Baltimore, reads 'Here lie the ashes of Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) humorist, writer, critic. Defender of human and civil rights….' and despite two Academy Award nominations she was blacklisted by Hollywood as a Communist in the McCarthy era.
So a woman to be taken very seriously.
Temps Perdu
I never may turn the loop of a road
Where sudden, ahead, the sea is lying,
But my heart drags down with an ancient load-
My heart, that a second before was flying.
I never behold the quivering rain-
And sweeter the rain than a lover to me-
But my heart is wild in my breast with pain;
My heart, that was tapping contentedly.
There's never a rose spreads new at my door
Nor a strange bird crosses the moon at night
But I know I have known its beauty before,
And a terrible sorrow along with the sight.
The look of a laurel tree birthed for May
Or a sycamore bared for a new November
Is as old and as sad as my furtherest day-
What is it, what is it, I almost remember?
Dorothy Parker
That last line 'What is it, what is it, I almost remember?' describes exactly how I feel in these strange moments of elusive memory. Is it the realisation that I have, as my children reach adulthood, come to terms with the fact I am now firmly rooted in middle-age and that none of these sensations will ever be thrillingly new to me again?
If so that is rather sad. I want to tap into this mood and find a way to look at things afresh, particularly if I am to write successfully in the future. I need to hunt these memories down, see them for what they are – the past – and find new things to excite me in the future.
My decision to do more writing (and thereby, in all likelihood, earn even less money than I do already) means I have taken some baby steps towards some new thrills. It does, almost literally feel like I am making up for lost time – seizing the opportunity to do what I said I wanted to do all those years ago when teachers were trying to work out which career I was most suited to (none immediately springing to mind).
To do more at the moment would be too scary but I hope that when I am really old I will be trying to recall, vividly then, a whole new set of memories….

subset: commoncrawl


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We asked for a new firmware update to fix some of the Vita's problems, and now, only hours later, Sony has responded with a new update, v1.61 that fixes… nothing noticeable.
The 95MB update, which is now live worldwide, claims to add Maps and Video recording, but that was already added in FW v1.60. Other updates re-listed as new features that were in 1.60 include the Mac OS version of the Content Manager Assistant and and update to near. The only 1.61-exclusive change listed is the improvement of "certain aspects of the system software".
The update can be done over the Vita's Wi-Fi system, or through the PS3 or a PC/Mac.
Here's hoping the next update includes what we want.


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Marc Webb's Spider-Man reboot, The Amazing Spider-Man, is still eleven months away but while fans debate how much first-person "Spidey vision" they'll be seeing in the final film, Sony (through subsidiary Columbia Pictures) has been busy firming-up a date for another Spidey sequel.
While the jury is still out on Webb's first Spider-Man film, as well Andrew Garfield's portrayal of fan-favorite nerd Peter Parker, Sony is planning another round of web-slinging action for May 2, 2014.
The brief report comes courtesy of The Wrap - confirming "Sony has set a May 2, 2014 release for the second 'Amazing Spider-Man.'"
The announcement certainly seems a little premature, considering it'll be almost an entire year before we know whether or not general audiences are ready to embrace an all-new Spider-Man franchise. However, given the number of superhero films already rumored for the 2014 slate (Captain America 2, Dr. Strange, and Ant-Man, among others), it's not entirely surprising that Sony wants to mark Spider-Man on the calendar - ahead of potential competitors.
The Amazing Spider-Man trailer certainly hints at possible sequel potential (especially the mysterious exodus of Peter's parents). Of course, at this stage of the game, any information about the sequel (director, storyline, etc) is purely conjecture - though, if Sony is listening, Electro (or a more satisfying version of Venom) would be near the top of out list of potential villains.
Still, there's no doubt that, over the course of the last twenty months (since we first learned Sony would reboot the Spider-Man franchise), fan response to The Amazing Spider-Man has been somewhat mixed - with some moviegoers complaining about everything from the casting to the costume, the director to the use of 3D, and the list goes on. As a result, coupled with the short time period between the prior trilogy and the new franchise, it's hard to know if general audiences will be just as picky - will they miss Tobey Maguire's portrayal of the character? Will they be confused by the romance between Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) and Peter Parker? Not to mention, in a genre over-saturated with origin stories, will moviegoers lose interest after sitting through a second Spider-Man creation narrative - only a decade after Raimi's first film?
It's a strange time in Hollywood where even commercial failures like Green Lantern or lesser-known characters such as Thor (at least when compared with high-profile favorites like Spider-Man or Batman) have seen pre-production sequel development begin before a first installment has even finished a full box-office run. Time will tell if if studios can genuinely keep churning out sequels to superhero properties in rapid succession (get ready for Iron Man 3 and Thor 2 in 2013). However, given the exciting footage we previewed at Comic Con 2011, it's likely that, as far as The Amazing Spider-Man is concerned, casual moviegoers - much like the press and fans in Hall H - will be won-over by Webb's film, paving the way for Sony to make good on their May 2, 2014 sequel.
Follow me on Twitter @benkendrick and let us know what villain you'd like to see featured in the next Spider-Man film?
The Amazing Spider-Man web-swings into theaters on July 3, 2012.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is web-shooting for a May 2, 2014 release.
Source: The Wrap


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The Hitman series is something of a surprising success. Sure, it's got stealth, violence, and clever design -- all things that make people sit up and take notice these days. What the series hasn't had is a truly winning personality. This is something the developers at Io Interactive are working on in the sequel, along with playability, polish, and variety. If Hitman: Contracts all comes together, it will easily outclass the series' previous entries.
In between Hitman 2 and Hitman: Contracts, Io Interactive created the acclaimed Freedom Fighters for EA. This game has helped to change the company's perspective, and has also given it time to improve the technology driving Contracts. Technology aside, the increased emphasis on story is one of the most striking things about the new game. As you begin, lead character (codenamed "47") is alone in a hotel room, losing blood and doped up on painkillers. His memories and hallucinations launch the levels you play, trying his conscience and your skill. But don't worry; an overarching story will tie together these missions, keeping Contracts from being merely a collection of Hitman vignettes with no purpose.
To emphasize the grittier feel of Contracts' story, Io has given the game a turn for the dingier, too. Gone will be the sunlit resort scenarios of Hitman 2; the world of Hitman: Contracts is dark and oppressive, with impressive rain, snow, and wind effects that help fully implement the inclement mood. To capture a more filmic, dreamlike state, the developers are also implementing soft-focus visual filters like those recently seen in Prince of Persia.
The flexibility of Contracts' engine allows for color and density of the effects to change on the fly, as you progress through different parts of the level. Since the PS2 has been the base for most of Io's games, they're tweaking how they use it instead of spending time trying to come up with entirely new ways to show graphics on the system. Estimates put the polygon count at approximately 50% increased over Hitman 2. While playing the game, one of the developers remarked that the game has a Twilight Zone feel -- it's reality, but not quite right. Graphical details like fully reflective puddles and mirrors add to the sense of realistic unreality.
Of course, atmosphere isn't everything. Marrying the increased emphasis on style is a similarly increased emphasis on gameplay. Hitman is a game of choices, and while these choices aren't truly free, they're various enough to present many ways to get through a level, in the order you choose. From the basic -- more weapons, more disguises, new close-quarters attack moves; to the profound -- a renewed commitment to game design, Hitman: Contracts is full of improvements.


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Hip Hop & Rap Lessonsin Stony Point.Amazing Teachers.
Flexible & affordable hip hop & rap lessons.
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Meet Your Match
These Hip Hop & Rap teachers are highly rated by students in the Stony Point area, including Woodside, Great Neck, Howard Beach, Rego Park and Sunnyside.
Fawn A.
Background Checked
Private Hip Hop & Rap Teacher
Rhythm and flow, writing, endurance training, breathing, performance and more will be covered.
About Fawn
"Make one stop at the music shop!"
Fawn is not your typical music coach. As a recent Billboard hit recording artist & coaching 21 years, Fawn immediately gets to your goals & together you reach them. What you learn becomes part of you & that's the key to success. Whether you're beginner, advanced, special needs, have a short term issue, long term issue or even damaged vocal chords, whatever your situation, Fawn can handle it all successfully :) Not just in voice, but also in any difficult musical area including songwriting, performance, recording, piano & more.
In Los Angeles, Fawn is the music and entertainment industry's coach known as the one who "gets the job done." Clients have included Grammy and Oscar winners as well as vocalists and actors from The Voice, American Idol, Disney, America's Got Talent, Nickelodeon, X-Factor an
Fawn is a very fun, yet honest and straight-forward coach. She loves working with adults and children, and considers lessons a 'team effort to reach her students' goals. Being that music and the entertainment business are her career and life, she is current and relevant, yet has plenty of old school training to be well rounded and help students build a strong foundation. Music and the entertainment business are her life, and she loves helping people reach their goals and meet their dreams. She has released 5 albums, several singles, won numerous awards and worked with such talents as Grammy winners Lalah Hathaway and Paula Cole, Meredith Brooks, Vampire Diaries Kat Grahm, BT, Jeff Goldblum, Right Said Fred, Ed Townsend, QD3, Club Nuveau's Val Watson, Robbie Benson and shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Carol Channing, Kevin Sorbo, Pink, Joss Stone, David Guetta, Katy Perry, Moby, Dionne Warwick, James Torme', David Foster, Thelma Houston, David Pomeranz, War and countless others. She has also worked with Kevin Costner, Alexandra Paul, David Marshall Grant, Florence Henderson, Jay Leno, Hulk Hogan, Darryl Hannah, Tommy Lee, Martin Lawrence, Magic Johnson, Pamela Anderson, Jermaine Dupri, Rae Dawn Chong, Eva Longoria, Joan Rivers, Erik Estrada, John Amos, and others appearing with them in film, TV and benefits for worthy causes.
Over the years, Fawn has been known to bring students into her inner circle, so they can gain more experience and exposure, taking them to red carpets, events and even putting them up onstage to perform. She remembers having piano, voice and songwriting coaches, and being frustrated in voice because instructors were not addressing issues that needed to be addressed. This is why she creates a positive and comfortable, safe environment so students can open up and progress quickly. Fawn moves straight to the heart of the matter and gets whatever needs work figured out, so students can move on to what their goals and dreams are. She has helped actors be able to sing parts for their TV shows, helped popular bands be able to have good stage performances and presence with precision dancing and singing and has helped vocalists find their true voice. She is able to get piano students as young as 5 to a high-level Concerto level of playing with in 3 years, completely reading the pieces on their own. The youngest person she has ever taught was 3 years old and blind. The oldest person she has ever taught so far taught was 89 years old, after suffering a stroke. She was able to help her get her voice back within 20 minutes of her first lesson. Fawn also does vocal rehabilitation, vocal therapy, and music therapy. She has worked with special needs children with Downs Syndrome, ADHD, ADD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Pit Hopkins Disease and more. As far as being a songwriter, Fawn generally writes words and music at the same time but she has also written lyrics and music separately, as well as composed instrumental pieces. Fawn trained with Pat Pattison and Grammy winning Lyricist Marty Panzer in lyric writing and she is a master at producing, recording and editing vocals, and is happy to help you with your recording projects, as she owns Terrace Recording Studios in Los Angeles, CA.
Brief Synopsis of Professional Experience:
- Platinum and Gold Award Winning Vocal Coach
- Began in the Entertainment Industry at age 6 months, starring in several National TV Commercials
- Recording Artist and songwriter of Billboard Top 10 Hit song "Wish U Love"
- Recording Artist and songwriter of Top 10 Hit song "Solitude"
- Recording Artist and songwriter of Top 10 Hit song "Where Has Your Love Gone"
- Award Winning Songwriter/Lyricist
- Grammy Winning Vocal and Songwriting Clientele
- Berklee College Of Music
-Seasoned Jazz, Pop, Blues and Commercial vocalist
I can get them to Concerto level in 3 years, completely reading music on their own and self sufficient. I teach all of the important fundamentals for a strong foundation, but to the PERSONALITY of the person, because each of us has different styles, different points of view, different things that block us, different things that inspire us. I teach the same, important fundamentals necessary for a strong foundation, but tailor make it to each individual. I teach all styles of music.
I love working with individuals and groups who want to meet their musical dreams, achieve success in their entertainment careers and/or take their abilities and talents to a higher quality level. I have been known to take some of my students on red carpets with me as well as get them performing opportunities and put them in high level networking situations as well.
- Patient
- All ages (have taught 3-89 so far!)
- Great with kids (of all ages!)
- Studio Session Vocal Coaching
- I teach children and adults with special needs
- Injured Chords/Vocal Therapy/Voice Rehabilitation
- Live Performance and Stage Presence
- Music Therapy for special needs
Learn song form, tighten lyrics and melodies, get inspired when you don't "feel" like writing, good prosody, copyright, legalities, how to place songs in film and TV, record your finished song in the studio.
Emphasis on reading music, classical training, music theory, fingering, improv, chords and ear training. All styles of music are taught-Classical/Jazz/Ragtime/Pop/Broadway/R&B-Chord Charts, How to Accompany a Singer, Compose Music, Write songs and Play Piano while Singing. Learn about the origin of music, composers, how styles of music evolved.
"Make A Stop at the Vocal Shop"
Learn correct breathing, how to put emotion in your voice, how to connect with your fan base and audience, how to expand your vocal range, style a song, address pitch problems, microphone technique, ear training, how to change your voice for different styles of singing, Opera/R & B/Pop/Jazz/Gospel/Broadway/Jingle singing - Studio singing vs. Live singing, performance, songwriting, lyric writing, stage presence, recording artist packaging, preparation and auditions, recording studio vocal coaching for studio sessions. I have also studied with Seth Riggs and teach his methods. For people who are tone def, or completely off pitch, I can get you on pitch with in 3 lessons.
*** Studio Equipment ***
Recording Studio:
Complete professional home studio with vocal both. Equipment confidential, but includes piano, guitars, microphones, vocal booth, music stands, step master and much more.
Billboard Hit Song, Best Dance Album of the Year and Best Dance Single of The Year Recorded there, as well as many other songs for film and TV.
Kitchen and Bathroom. 400 square feet. Seating for additional guests, parents. Lighting and Disco ball! :)
*** Travel Equipment ***
Amp, Microphone, Teaching Materials, Video Camera, iPad, recorder, other
*** Specialties ***
*Voice-I specialize in Body Programming, Vocal Rehabilitation, Music Therapy, as well as Seth Riggs's technique. I combine those two techniques, plus my own experience of being in the entertainment industry since the age of 6 months old. Some of the things I cover are range, singing correctly, finding your mix, finding your middle, strengthening your head voice, strengthening your chest voice, vocal placement, correct breathing, singing with feeling, singing in different languages, opera, jazz, pop, Broadway, jingle singing, scat singing, blues, rock, hip hop, r and b, children's, and more.
*Piano-all genres are covered with an emphasis on classical, but I also cover-jazz, pop, songwriting, ragtime etc. Theory, technique, ear training and more
*Songwriting- good prosody, melody, lyrical meter, chords and more.
*I teach what is needed, and tailor the lesson to the personality and individual goals. All students have are given a strong foundation to build on.
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Fawn A.
Private Hip Hop & Rap Teacher
Rap music, once considered to be a fad, is now over 40 years old. Through the years, rappers have contributed to the form and shape of the music. Each class with your tutor will build your skills on creating a classic form of a rap song. The goal of instruction is for the student to benefit from what has already been established in rap music, so as not to reinvent the wheel and also to develop their own style of artistic expression. The presenter plays piano, drums and percussion, is versed in many different styles of music, and has been rapping for over 20 years. The goal is to help underground rap artists find their voice.
About Tarik
I'm a patient teacher who will teach you in a very organic and comprehensive manner. This a no judgment zone with the goal of making you prolific in your craft.
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Tarik K.
Prophet C.
Private Hip Hop & Rap Teacher
I am a professional award winning rap artist with 25 years of experience, 6 full length albums, 2 mixtapes and 20 years of stage and touring experience.
I also own a professional record label with 19 full-length CD releases and 6 signed artists. I know how to teach everything regarding rap from songwriting and lyrics, Freestyling, breathing, and music industry advice. If you wanna be a rapper then you need this information.
Sign up now and you will be rapping by the end of your FIRST LESSON!
About Prophet
Prophet C. is professionally known as The Prophet X. He is a professional rap artist, music production company owner, record label owner, website design company owner and more.
Currently, Prophet is teaching all of the following classes both in students home locations, in his Teaching Studio and online here at TakeLessons:
Reason 10 Software - Beat Making - Hip Hop Music Production - Freestyle Rapping - Rap Composition & Songwriting - Rock & Heavy Metal Music Production - Midi Orchestration - Film Scoring - Audio Engineering - Multi-Track Recording - Mixing & Mastering - Life Coaching Photography - Video Production - Live Stage Performance - Beginning Guitar & Bass - Drums - Bible Studies and much more!
Prophet's teaching style focuses on the primary learning method of the student. All students are either Visual, Auditory or Ki
Adam C.
Terina B.
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Prophet C.
Jonathan B.
Background Checked
Private Hip Hop & Rap Teacher
There aren't too many schools for rapping that I know of. I learned the way most people learn: on the streets of the city they live in. I've listened heavily to records across Hip-Hop history and I practice MCing regularly as part of my work as a song improviser. I combine techniques from Classical Poetry to modern vocabulary to raise the ceiling on what is possible for an MC.
Things you can expect in rap lessons from me...
-Freestyle: we'll build your confidence and toolset for off-the-top rhyming
-Verse-writing: I'll examine your verses and teach you to refine the writing and delivery to help you reach your audience
-Music Theory: most rappers don't even consider this, but I emphasize understanding music and knowing how to improve your technique and writing through deep understanding of poetry and music theory
-Career Advice: I make sure you get the most bang for your buck when you study rap with me
About Jonathan
I studied music therapy and music theory at Temple University from '06-'10. Learned a lot. Then again, I learned even more teaching at a school for kids with learning disabilities and working as a traveling street performer. Once you see the world and work with some unexpected challenges, you learn how to open up and knuckle down at the same time!
I am currently a full-time YouTube Creator, sidelining in cover bands and a solo act. Teaching is a big part of what I do online so I see my work as a private teacher as 'research' for the lessons I create. Although I'm firmly grounded in a classical music training, there's nothing you can ask about that I won't try to figure out. My favorite thing about teaching is using unexpected questions to develop new ideas that I then integrate into my original compositions. Check out my intro to the B
Recently I've had several articles published by the TakeLessons Blog. Check out my most recent post here.
Finn M.
Jett O.
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Jonathan B.
Bernard M.
Private Hip Hop & Rap Teacher
We can make you sound like a star!!!! RAP, HIPHOP, TRAP, R&B, DANCE & POP are our specialties. We can help you like the styles of Future, Migos, Rick Ross, Eminem, Cardi B, down to Beyonce, Drake, Chris Brown, Usher etc. We can make turn up music, we can make relaxing music, we can make songs with verses that include a lot of wordplay, complex bars and we can make music that make people move.
About Bernard
I have over 15 years of experience in the music industry. I have written over 1000's songs. I have worked with all types of artists from the beginning stages to the expert level. I work hard on helping all of my clients achieve their goals no matter how hard it might be.
Nicholas A.
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Bernard M.
Private Hip Hop & Rap Teacher
Men you really wanna learn how to rap Dat baard.....dun worry am here to help you 24/7
About Derrick
Am kind patient and understanding
View Details
Derrick B.
Juma S.
Background Checked
Private Hip Hop & Rap Teacher
I have been rapping for ten plus years have charted on Itunes at 12# with Chris rivers and Sadat X and have recorded with multiple multi platinum rappers. I wish to pass what I have learned on. Not only about the art of rap or its history but about the industry as well. I can give you some insights on record deals (ive signed a few not all of them so good) . I would love to meet you.
About Juma
I am an award winning artist who has worked with multiple multi platinum artist, as well as rubbed shoulders with some of the most accomplished musicians in Dallas Fortworth. I have charted on the Itunes chart at 12#.
I want to connect with my students. I think the industry is about who you know and thus networking and learning about what individuals need and expect is paramount. I would also love to talk about the contract side of the rapgame. as the business is the thing that will make you or break you. The music world is a long game not a short one and those who don't stretch before the race starts will cramp up.
I am best suited for beginers who want to learn how to rap and those who are working on their first projects. There seems to be a art to ordering an album and placement of vocals that makes or breaks it for people.
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Juma S.
Private Hip Hop & Rap Teacher
I am an experienced rap/hip hop artist manager, samples of work are available upon request. I am first and foremost a writer and will teach you a step by step process of both writing and rhyming.
About Nicholas
I have a unique teaching style that I perfected during my 10 years with New York City public schools with a focus on building comfortable relationships that ensure students the best learning experience. I teach from a variety of perspectives in order to give students a realistic well rounded view of historical events and societal issues.
View Details
Nicholas R.
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Teen & Youth Clinic Services
The Grand Traverse County adolescent health clinics offer a variety of services to keep the adolescents of our community healthy and in school. Services range from limited primary care, immunizations, minor acute illness/injury, health education, STI and HIV testing and counseling, and mental health counseling.
These services are available to all adolescents (10-21 years old) in the local 5 county region. Services are billed on a sliding scale and insurance can be billed. If uninsured, the clinics are Medicaid enrollment sites and can assist with online enrollment. Regardless, no one is turned away due to inability to pay.
We look forward to assisting your adolescent with their health care needs.
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Providing inspiring vision and proposing stimulating projects are encouraged among heads of local governments to demonstrate their dedication and commitment to developing their constituencies. However, sometimes the inspiration becomes too inspired — when the grandiose picture lacks a crucial element for worthwhile development: the local touch that can highlight the city, town or county's uniqueness.
This question came to mind after Greater Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) announced his latest pet project: replicating Twin Oaks Estate, a 26-room Washington mansion and grounds that served as the home of Republic of China ambassadors from 1937 to 1978, and has since been used by Taiwanese representatives in the US to entertain foreign dignitaries and host cultural events.
According to the city's Tourism and Travel Bureau, a budget of NT$900,000 has been planned for the design of the project, which will cover an area of about 22,000 ping (72,727m2), or almost as large as the 7.3 hectare Washington estate itself. Bureau head Chang Ta-chun (張大春) said the proposed project was a response to a call for the city to become more internationalized and provide more sightseeing spots. The Twin Oaks replica could be a major draw for visitors, he said.
While Greater Taichung's motto is "an economic, cultural and international city," and the municipal government has worked hard trying to steer the city to greater prosperity and status as an "international city," one has to wonder whether taxpayers' money would be truly well spent on such a project.
Old does not always mean outdated, new does not necessarily equal progress, and copying buildings and landmarks from other nations does not automatically make a city more "internationalized."
While some Greater Taichung residents lament the seeming lack of importance their government attaches to local history and unique sites, many more cannot help but find the government pathetic, wondering how its self-confidence has fallen to the point it feels it needs to transplant foreign buildings and culture to boost tourism.
The Twin Oaks mansion was built by Gardiner Green Hubbard, the founder of the National Geographic Society, who commissioned architect Richard Allen to build a summer house in the style of a New England Colonial Revival-style home, a style influenced by 18th-century Georgian architecture in England. So Hu wants to build a copy of a copy.
Who would visit such a site? Taiwanese might be interested in seeing what the Twin Oaks building looks like, since few will ever have the chance to visit the real one, but why would Chinese and other foreign visitors be interested? Twin Oaks is a footnote in ROC history, not of major international importance.
Perhaps we are worrying needlessly. After all, in his more than a decade as mayor of Taichung, Hu has enthusiastically lobbied for a "London Town" (a nod perhaps to the many years he spent studying in the UK), the construction of a "Hakka landmark" and a penguin house, all of which he declared would become major tourist attractions, and none of which have materialized.
Hu appears to propose many of his grandiose ideas on a whim, without much thought for logic, actual demand or the need for budgets to ensure long-term maintenance. Greater Taichung residents would be better served if Hu focused on basic governance and the myriad of issues currently facing the city, such as traffic congestion, public safety and employment, rather than tossing out far-fetched ideas that will likely only squander money.


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Bender Chug necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 32 diseños de 8 diseñadores freelance.
Dressed For Rent
I am in my fifties and own a building with 3 Loft style apartments with a Medical Office on the main floor. The building is over a 100 years old in an urban setting located at the edge of downtown setting in Hamilton, Ontario. It is located on a Main Street with a bus stop right outside the door. All City buses as well as Go bus service stop at the door. The building is located close to two very trendy areas in Hamilton, Hess Village and Locke Street Area. Within walking distance to both areas. Royal Bank with Interac, Starbucks, local butcher, boutique stores, Fortinos grocery store, nightclubs, restaurants etc. are all within 5 minutes. Downtown Mall and stores also within walking distance.
My only objective is to please and make sure your stay is comfortable and enjoyable. Home away from home.
-People looking to stay for a week to a month at a time and want to avoid staying in hotels staring into a single room with bed and TV
-business men and women travelling to their regional offices
-professionals attending conferences and or seminars
-graduate students doing extended stay research projects
I am looking to convey that this is a very comfortable living space with all the amenitites of home and office. Should convey safe, clean and comfortable living environment.
- Impact... colours that are recognisable from a distance.. warm colours
- Looking for a symbol or setting to convey the product/ service
- Project an image of a living entity
Don't Wants
- No cartoon style 'cheap' looking graphics or icons. Logo needs to convey discerning taste in living accomodations
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About six months or so ago, Adrien Merigeau asked me to get involved with a music video project he was working on for the Villager's song "Cecelia and her Selfhood"
Here's what I came up: a stop-motion mini fable featuring a jackal and a dragon, which runs in parallel to the main narrative of the video.
There she is:
Myself and Lisa also provided some stop-frame photography for the project (keep a sharp eye in the full video to see if you can spot it):
Here's the final video in all it's delicious Merigeau-ness:
It was actually straightforward enough, I had about three full weeks of work overall. 2 weeks of planning, designing and building and then 1 week of animation. I didn't really do 'storyboards' per se, and Adrien was very encouraging in regards trying out whatever I'd like so I kind of changed things up as I was animating too.
I shot about 70 seconds in that week, and I generally find it quicker to animate under the camera than nearly any other way. Admittedly I was slowed down a little bit by the in camera special effects, though they are actually great fun to do.
Here's what I came up: a stop-motion mini fable featuring a jackal and a dragon, which runs in parallel to the main narrative of the video.
Here's the final video in all it's delicious Merigeau-ness:
I've been asked a little bit about how I went about making the cut-out animation by a few people, or well I've bullied them into listening to me in any case so I thought I might as well consolidate the things I've been saying and put them where they belong.
I shot about 70 seconds in that week, and I generally find it quicker to animate under the camera than nearly any other way. Admittedly I was slowed down a little bit by the in camera special effects, though they are actually great fun to do.
I think my favourite shot is the one with the leaf falling, I spent ages on the little flares of red as it spun through the air
The water ripples were done with layers of cut tinfoil (a disposable baking tray actually) substituting small for big and so on outwards, using little shavings of tin as it diminished (or as in the image for the water stream coming out of the jackals mouth).
The sparkles, along with the fire and smoke, were done using charcoal, chalk along with some shiny plastic crystal bead things on a layer of glass very close to the camera lens (to give it that soft out of focus flickery nature). You can see the bead work in the eyes glow as well as the embers of fire.
For some of the dragon scenes I used a transparent yoghurt pot lid, painted red with a hole cut in the middle, as a sort of vignette making thing, to give it a redness around the frame (you can see the breakdown of the layers a little in the above photo, with the yoghurt pot lid taped the camera lens hood at the top of the image).
I had background setups in a stack beside me as I was working on one scene at a time. Inevitably I moved stuff around and messed with things to get the right framing under the camera, getting the scales of the objects right, which can actually be quite tricky to predict based off of any sketches or such.
The models themselves were made of hinged joints (with wire going through a hole at the point of rotation) so that when you move the foot the leg would follow, etc, so that you quite easily get a natural enough locomotion. Things like shoulders and other little floating type joints where held in place with bluetack and shifted up, over and around the body as needed, similarly with the ears.
The dragon's wings were made of a wire frame with an elastic mesh fabric (retrieved from a cheap pair of Tesco's women's underwear I got for the project, hah) stretched across and stitched in place by Lisa.For eye blinks, I used a mixture of black card on top of the eye white, removal of the eye white and even overlay of black card on the effects glass layer (which didn't really work so well if there was strong side lighting but it was quicker and less finicky than the other options).
1/6 scale version of the jackal, about the size of my thumb.
I always find it kind of amazing the amount of things your brain can keep tabs on at once, leg arcs, head arcs, tail settles not to talk of fire or water ripples. Animating cut-outs I find is the closest there is to improvisational animation, even more so than puppet animation, as you can very quickly jury rig any changes without having to worry about it working in three dimensions, it's almost like you're doing it live!
So, after we released the video Adrien was approached by some collectors to see about buying the models and some of his original drawings.
One woman bought the dragon and the miniature jackal with the full scale jackal going to another buyer. I spent a couple of hours fixing and cleaning the characters up, removing bluetack and gluing them in position. There are still some parts, like the tail and the wings that are still fully mobile, so their not quite in-action figures now.
Adrien put this guy in the tiniest little box I ever seen. It was very cute.
I hope they arrive to their new homes safely!
So far the videos been featured on Cartoonbrew and Motionographer as well as getting a mention by Tomm Moore in the Guardian


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Search results
2019 Ohio Soybean Performance Trial- South Region Results Available
https://stepupsoy.osu.edu/news/2019-ohio-soybean-performance-test-south-region-results Results from the north and central regions will be added as harvest continues. Early soybean ... The South Region results of the 2019 Ohio Soybean Performance Trials are available online here: ...
Stalk Quality Concerns
increase the potential for stalk rot that often leads to stalk lodging (Fig. 1). This year persistent ... rains through June caused unprecedented planting delays. Saturated soils resulted in shallow root ... systems. Corn plantings in wet soils often resulted in surface and in-furrow compaction further restricting ...
Ohio Certified Crop Adviser Pre-Exam Training Seminar
Specialty (4R NMS) Certification Precision Agriculture Specialty (PASp) Certification Resistance Management ...
Managing Phosphorus for Yield and Reduced Edge of Field Losses
conditions prior to application of fertilizer and manure Take a representative soil test Use soil test as ... testing the organic source and not exceed P crop removal rate for the next two (and no more than three) ...
CANCELED People and Wildlife How to Live Together
discuss techniquest to identify, manage, and exclude wildlife in your home landscape and garden. This ...
Nutrient Management Meetings Starting This Week
include Soil Test Recommendations, Value of Manure, Cost of Hauling Manure, and Research on Side-Dressing ... Thursday, October 10, 2019 in the Conference room of the Hancock Agricultural Service Center. Coffee and ...
Potential for Nitrate Problems in Drought Stressed Corn
suspected of being high in nitrates, it should be tested. Most labs that do forage testing can analyze ... samples. The keys steps to collecting forage samples for nitrate testing can be found at ...
Is a late soybean harvest in your future?
the excess pods and weed seed can result in decreased air flow and circulation and lead to increased ... Ken Hellevang, an Agricultural Engineer for North Dakota State University Extension states that this ... cause damage to seed coats and lead to increased risk of the soybeans splitting. Hellevang also mentions ...
Fall Herbicide Treatments – Even More Important This Year?
leading to higher end of season weed populations in some fields. A number of acres were never planted, ... and marestail lacks dormancy so above-average weed seed production can lead to an immediate increase ... far this fall. We anticipate that rain occurring now that leads to some sustained soil moisture near ...
Be Aware of Late-Season Potential Forage Toxicities
testing of forages. Sampling and shipping guidelines should be carefully followed because prussic acid is ... a gas and can dissipate during shipping leading to a false sense of security when no prussic acid is ... 5 days after sufficient rainfall, but it is always safer to send in a sample for testing before grazing ...


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|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
This is the second and final call for votes on the following proposal to create the mailing list & newsgroup CARDIOVASCULAR-RESEARCH/bionet.biology.cardiovascular. The proposal below was not modified after the discussion period. *** NOTE *** We are currently running several votes for other newsgroups, so please be certain to follow the voting directions *carefully*! If you just send in a message saying "YES" or "NO" it will not be counted if it is not clear which proposal you are responding to. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Proposal to establish CARDIOVASCULAR-RESEARCH/bionet.biology.cardiovascular Proposed USENET name: bionet.biology.cardiovascular Proposed mailing list name: CARDIOVASCULAR-RESEARCH Proposed mailing addresses: cardiors at net.bio.net cardiors at daresbury.ac.uk Discussion leader: Zhandong Zhou H4/383 Clinical Science Center University of Wisconsin-Madison 600 Highland Ave. Madison, WI 53792 U.S.A. Tel: 608-263-2284 Fax: 608-263-0454 Email: zhandong at macc.wisc.edu Purpose of the news group: Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in most industrialized countries. Over the last few decades, this has been one of the most intensively studied areas in biological science. The advance of new technology, such as DNA sequencing, northern and southern blotting, PCR, patch clamp, Ca2+ dye and single cell force measurement has rapidly extended our knowledge to molecular level. The proposed news group is supposed to discuss all cardiovascular research related topics including anatomy, development, biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology, biophysics, pathology and pharmacology. I believe bringing cardiovascular research to the Internet will help scientists around the world better communicate with each other. Formation of this news group will provide the following topics: 1. An unmoderated forum for discusion of advances and development in all the areas of cardiovascular research. 2. A source of information for all the scientist around the world. 3. A bulletin board for ideas, meetings, funding and job opportunities. Subscriptions are welcome from all agencies. I am willing to act as current coordinator to keep the news group active. Zhandong Zhou Department of Physiology and Surgery University of Wisconsin-Madison ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Voting on the proposal for CARDIOVASCULAR-RESEARCH/bionet.biology.cardiovascular will run through 24:00 hrs Pacific Time on 18 October 1994. Please send your vote to either of the following addresses: Address Location Network ------- -------- ------- biovote at daresbury.ac.uk U.K. JANET biovote at net.bio.net U.S.A. Internet/BITNET PLEASE BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE FORMAT BELOW - WE OFTEN RUN MORE THAN ONE VOTE AT A TIME SO A SIMPLE "YES" OR "NO" MESSAGE WITHOUT THE NEWSGROUP NAME MAY BE AMBIGUOUS. Your vote should contain a single line: YES on CARDIO if you favor allowing the creation of this newsgroup or NO on CARDIO if you think that this proposal will adversely affect the BIOSCI/bionet system. While not intended to be an exhaustive list of possible concerns (more specific concerns may have been raised during the discussion period on BIOFORUM/bionet.general and interested readers are referred to these), some general reasons for voting NO might be if you are concerned about newsgroup proliferation and/or believe that the proposed group will not be utilized, or if you think that the proposed newsgroup would substantially duplicate or overlap with the function of existing newsgroups. If you are simply not interested in participating in the newsgroup above, please don't cast a NO vote, but instead just don't vote at all. The newsgroup proposal must receive at least 80 YES votes to pass and the number of YES votes must be greater than the number of NO votes by at least 40. Discussion of the newsgroup proposal is now closed and we strongly discourage posting any messages in other forums about the fact that a CALL FOR VOTES has been issued. Sincerely, Dave Kristofferson BIOSCI/bionet Manager biosci-help at net.bio.net


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HTC One Flagship Android Smartphone Announced, Available In March
Today, HTC has announced its new Android flagship phone, the HTC One. It is set for a global launch in March and most major carriers. It will come with Android 4.1.2 with an upgrade to 4.2 after launch. It features a quad-core Snapdragon 1.7GHz processor, 32GB or 64GB of storage, 2GB of DDR RAM, a 1080p display on a 4.7" screen. It will come with Bluetooth 4.0 and aptX for better sound over Bluetooth. It will also have an HTC Ultrapixel Camera with BSI sensor and a dedicated HTC ImageChip 2.


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No more "Pussy-footing" around for this lady. I'm sick of how I've been so lax about my workouts since the middle of October....Don't get me wrong, I've been working out, more than the average human, but I've been cuting myself too much slack by missing workouts, putting them off and SKIPPING items I just don't "feel like" doing. NO MORE!!
I've set some very SOLID goals for myself to attain by Feb 14th, 2013~
- Workout 6 days a week on a 3 days split
- Run at least 2 times a week
- Play tennis 2 times a week
- Goal weight 123
I may add to the list but that's the main focus...
I'll be starting today, with legs!
Off to get it done!
xoxox~ Michelle
I seriously am worried I'm turning into a HERMIT. I don't want to leave my house! I know my hormones tend to make me feel this way monthly, but I am seriously feeling more and more like I don't want to venture away from my "Sanctuary" of a ranch. We moved out to the country about a year ago and I'm totally diggin it! I've learned so much about myself this past year...I love doing so many things that I never knew existed prior to this past year.
I love driving a tractor
I love planting fields
I love brush hogging
I love building big fires
I love running hills on a dirt trail
I love hunting varmits
I love shooting guns (i got a hand gun and a shot gun!)
I love making mulch (our anniversary present was a small mulcher)
I love cutting down weeds and sumac!! it makes me feel powerful!
I love working out at home! (I never thought that'd be the case)
I enjoy the sunrise (Before this year, I barely ever got up to see one, lol)
...I could keep going but the point is that life is so amazing-- a constant adventure and discovery!!
So far our 28days of Chistmas is a success!! tons of posting tons of fun #workoutproof pictures~ tons of great women who I'm so excited to get to know better!!
I got in my workout last evening at about 6pm... here's my proof pic~ I'm sore today!!
Today I hope to get my workout done earlier. Upper body and a run is on tap!!
Have a GREAT day #2!!
Hi!! I'm in a total time warp this week...Holidays do that!!
I'm so excited on many fronts~ We are getting geared up for our next contest...Hope you got the email and signed up, DETAILS are HERE. The sign up for the sock exchange ended yesterday: We had 68 ladies sign up to participate, It's gonna be some crazy wild fun to see all of those sock pictures!!
I got in a workout today at the gym with my mma friend Lylna~ we worked our backs, shoulders and did squats-- then to finish up she put me through some boxing drills~ it was fun!!
Tennis was canceled for this week...due to the holidays.
Today I want to say thank you to sports...Thank you SPORTS for teaching me tons of PHYSICAL Skills, but more so mental skills like : Determination, Hard work, Consistency, Team Work, Encouragement and the Ability to KEEP Pressing on knowing that PRACTICE makes PERFECT.
Well, time for some relaxation!!
I'd also LOVE to get in a leg workout and/run...I probabaly shouldn't do all of it though because I'll be DEAD if I do. It's been fun recently to "feel" like working out . I had a long spell there where I didn't and it's hard to have to "make yourself" do it every time.
I am thankful for every amazing female hero of mine-- they are the women who forge ahead to impact the world, leading by example and have a no excuses attitude. I have many such heros, but today I want to say THANK YOU to 3 specific ladies: Joyce Meyer (www.joycemeyer.org), Laurie Beth Jones (www.lauriebethjones.com) and Heidi Baker (http://irismin.org/). May God continue to
"I never understood why people want to do big things...
Just do little things, with great Love."
-- Mama Heidi Baker
Keep being thankful and pressing into the positives in life!!
This weekend was a good one~
Saturday morning my hubby shot a buck...it was the first on our land and very sentimental!! We brought it in to the meat processor and it'll be some good eating~
That afternoon I hit the trail for a run, It was crazy warm for November 11th. It was also VERY WINDY, but nice where I ran as it's sheltered from the wind.
After the run Travis and I climbed up on the roof of our house and enjoyed the evening looking for deer~ Here's my view:
Saturday's thank you: Thank you God for my beautiful land!!
Yesterday was GLOOMY and rainy all day!! I was so thankful that it was NOT SNOW(Sunday's thank you)!!
I got in a decent leg workout~ and this MOVE, No clue what exercise I'm doing?? LOL-- It must have wore me out cuz I crashed while watching sunday night football.
Today is sunny again but started off really cold!! Gracie has an impacted tooth so we visited the otho who recommended surgery and braces for the little lady. It's going to mean a lot of extra driving over then next 9 months! Today, my thank you is to my mini-van:
Dear Mini-Van, You are black and dirty, but I love you~ Thanks for getting our whole family (+1 at times) to where we need to go. I appreciate your storage space and smooth ride. Although, I hate your unstylish appearance and lack of EDGINESS~ and I'd trade you for a HUMMER in a heartbeat, You are what I got for now~ I do love you and I THANK YOU!!
Time for me to get rollin' my workout can't wait any longer!!
Have a super Monday!!
I am thankful for the USA!! I love the USA!! Because of our freedom, our culture, our awesome country, our diversity and most of all because of our BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY!! We are allowed free enterprise in this country and I've been able to
Some practice on olympic lifts- snatch, cleans, push presses
Squats- 2 sets warm up; 2 sets @135-- I am weak on these recently- I think NO CARBS has a big effect, plus I've been inconsistent
Leg Extensions
Leg Curls
Each and every new month, I like to give myself a theme and set specific goals for my fitness. I am a big believer that "MAINTENANCE" is a myth- we are either moving forward or backwards in life, and more specifically in our fitness!
My goal is to keep the mojo I've gained over the past couple months!
I have 2 specific fitness goals:
1- I want to stay excited for Tennis...I've changed my lesson day to Tues and added in a FRIDAY Drills day!! the extra time on the court will help me to keep progressing!!
2- Based upon my "after" photos from the SSS I need to be STAUNCH about work my legs/booty HARD at least 2x's a week !!
As for a theme of the month...I am all over sharing success stories. I've had good intentions for a long time about this goal-- but keep putting it off and being lax about updating www.BuffMother.com with them. NO MORE-- this month is all about giving PROPS to some amazing TEAM BUFFMOTHER ladies.
Speaking of which, I continue to get SSS contest entries (I've emailed confirmation to everyone whom I've received) !! thanks so much for all the effort and kind words!! The SSS was a SUCCESS!! The last day to get your entry in is MONDAY the 5th.
This week has been a bit of a mish, mosh for workouts-- nothing structured, just doing whatever I want. I'll start back to more of a set routine come next week-
Monday- tennis with my girls
Tues- Push ups and other chest exercises, plus some squats, a short run + 4 sprints
Wed- Tennis and Trampoline, Did photos, Walk during trick or treat-- Here's a video of me BOUNCING AROUND! LOL!!
Yesterday I did a mish mosh of exercises-- Bench, shoulder press, bicep curls, dips, dead lifts, abs
TGIF ladies, I'm heading out for my run in a bit-- it's very nice here today!
#1-Take measurements, stats~
Today's Date:____8-23 AFTER 10-31-12_____ height:___5-6.5____ weight:__129.6_AFTER= 128.0 _ age:_37____
Today's cycle day- day 9 AFTER= cycle day 23
Please list the following measurements-
Bust (around breasts the biggest part): 36 After= 35.5
Chest- relaxed (just under armpits above breasts with arms down at your sides): 34 AFTER= 33.5
Chest- flexed back and chest (just under armpits with arms down at your sides): 38 AFTER= 37
Waist- relaxed (the smallest part): 27 AFTER= 26
Waist-sucked in (the smallest part): 25 AFTER= 24.5
Hips (the largest part of your butt): 36 AFTER= 35
Shoulders (around the outside of your shoulders with your arms at sides): 41 relaxec, 42 flexed AFTER= 40 RELAXED, 40.5 FLEXED
Biceps (relaxed at midpoint of upper arm): 10 AFTER=9.5
Biceps (flexed at midpoint of upper arm):11 AFTER=11
Thigh-mid (about 8" above knee cap): 19.5 AFTER=19
Thigh- upper (about 12" above knee cap): 20.5 AFTER =20
Calf (about 7" below knee joint): 13 AFTER= 13.25
Caliper measurements (*these are the ones I like to track on myself and use to calculate my body fat, for further info on body fat measurements here is a link http://www.linear-software.com/online.html)
*Tricep: 6 AFTER= 4
*Thigh: 7 AFTER=6
*Iliac: 6 AFTER= 4
Abdomen (I do this one for kicks, since I am an apple): 9 AFTER= 8
BEFORE and AFTER front:
BEFORE and AFTER side:
Before and After back:
I like the changes in the pics-- except that I lose my butt when I lose weight!! I am going to focus hard on squatting and deadlifting a bunch the next couple weeks and see if after this next buffing phase I can get some better booty progress.
Thanks so much for all your encouragement through the contest!! I love each and every tidbit of feedback, TEAM BUFFMOTHER is the reason I keep going!!!!
Where are you in your journey?
I am in a spot of transition...I feel like I've made good progress, but yet want more. Over the past few months I've become quite diligent at completing my workouts at home. I'm very proud of myself for that!! Years of being inconsistent with home workouts made me unsure that I'd ever successfully workout at home. I give much of the credit to my online support system for my success at "home workouts", Thanks TEAM BUFFMOTHER!
( I wrote this and then looked back at my starting thoughts and answer to this question-- crazy similar!!)MY STARTING STUFF- http://therallyroom.com/node/53979
Did you reach your goals and aspirations?
My goal was to work on my diet and to take tennis lessons! I did both!! YAY ME!!
The other goal was to work on my business- I did yet, I am still not quite in FULL ATTACK MODE on this item. The momentum is building, but I need to "decided" my exact path. Once I do, I'll go all out!
Where do you see this challenge brought you?
It's not physical for me-- it's mental. I am in a daily battle in my head regarding what is good vs. evil for me, my body, my time management, my goals, etc... I am often reminded of the quotes "to whom much is given much is required" and that "with FREEDOM come much responsibility" I don't want time to fly by without my STAMP on it. I want to live an impactful meaningful life. I constantly have to resisit the urge to just "be".
Do you have any lingering concerns?
Yes, I am concerned about winter. Every year when the days get shorter I get a bit down, lazy, tired etc... The BEST medicine is exercise, GOALS and forcing myself out of HIBERNATION and into the sunshine, lol!
Do you feel you made an impact on your legacy during this contest?
I do! Through my test results at the doctor showing that I am very insulin resistant, my kids have learned more about how sugar and carb consumption affects your body. And how being sure to eat protein with meals is very helpful in feeling good!
your WHY?
My WHY is stonger than ever! I know more of WHY my body works the way it does. I know more of WHY I need to help other women learn about their bodies. I also know why GOD created me like ME! I am unique and I have a unique mission that doesn't fit into a mold.
Did you feel the support group helped you stay on track?
OH yes, support is always vital!! I love TEAM BUFFMOTHER and the encouragement I get to give and receive!!
What tactics did you use to stay focused and engaged for the entire 70 days?
Oh my, so many!! I used the weekly challenge, my favorite one this time was the daily bikini wearing. It really helped me realize the work to be done, plus got me excited about snapping pictures on a daily basis. That's when I decicded to do my #workoutproof pictures each time I workout. I've really enjoyed that challenge to myself.
The videos have also been great. Seriously, I was inspired by myself a few times, LOL!!
Did you reward yourself when you hit certain goals along the way?
Not really, I had so much going on all the time that no specific thing was a "reward"...I don't know if that's my style either. I am not too reward driven. I am more accomplishment driven and driven by a deep need to be challenged. Rewards, Money and Prizes are not things I strive to attain.
What other thoughts are in your head at the moment?
I wish I could have finished the contest a bit stronger and that I would have taken my pics and stats last week. I was at a good place-- finishing buffing strong and at my lowest weight in months. Now I'm in the midst of boosting and have had several days of "tummy issues"...anyhow, I know one week won't negate the progress I've made, but still I would really like my progress pics to show progress!!
*** Please be sure to submit the SSS Contest FINAL Entry form****DUE November 5th***
#4- Comment about your HORMONES
Did you GET to know your body?
Yes, I did even more than ever. In September I got a full hormone panel ran. Both blood and saliva tests done. My results showed that my insulin resistance was REAL. I had theorized about that for years, but having a test show it has caused me to stop "playing" around with it. I have no business eating anything but a very low carb diet. I don't ever want to be diagnosed with Diabetes!
I also found out that my progesterone was very low and could be causing many of my other hormonal issues. I am on my second month of using progesterone cream during the second half of my cycle and I do feel better. The doctor said to have patience with it and by 6 months in I should feel back to my NORMAL self. YAY!!
Did you learn about your good c-days, your bad c-days, your weight fluctuations, etc…
I am still learning! I have really FELT the effects of my lower carb diet. I feel less lethargy and more STEADY throughout my cycle. Controling carbs is key for me!
Did anything surprise you? Not really :)
#5- Favorite Journal/Blog Posts
take a peek back at your blogs– what were some of your favorite entries from the 10 weeks?
One of my favorites was "When to REST" and another was the one on BELEIF- http://buffmother.com/6757/believe-week-05-coaching-topic
Did anyone else's impact you along the way?
Oh yes!! Lots of positive feed back and I TRULY enjoyed each and every comment on my blogs, videos and facebook posts!! I don't know if many of you realize how much that helps TEAM BUFFMOTHER reach more people. The way the internet works and search engines "rank" websites is by activity. Each and every comment really helps me help more women!! So in turn you help reach the world by giving a bit of feedback :) THANKS!!


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Attendance Procedure Update
Attending school each day is the first step to student success in school. Recognizing the importance of school attendance, the state legislature revised our state law RCW 28A.225 on compulsory school attendance.
Beginning March 27, 2017, the revised attendance procedure 3122P was implemented in all schools to establish and support consistent attendance practices districtwide for:
- excusing absences
- recording absences
- conducting meetings
- communications with parents/guardians to discuss student absences
- parameters for pre-arranged absences for vacation or travel