08 Giants so far

So far, they did most of what I had in my wish list: they re-signed Omar Vizquel and kept the pitching crew intact. Getting Aaron Rowand is an interesting acquisition, and my gut tells me he will make an impact. I would like to see Kevin Frandsen get the second base job. As for the corners, I wouldn't mind getting Mark Sweeney back to help Rich Aurilia platoon those positions (or how about Tony Clark?) with either Dan Ortmeier or other prospect.

I still think this is a transition year to that rebuilding phase, but who knows, this crew just might surprise us. If Frandsen gets the starting job, this might be his breakout year. I feel a trade or two is still coming to get one of the corners and a relief pitcher perhaps.

No Country for Old Men

I just have to start this entry with a question: was that a silenced shotgun? Damn! It was amusing to watch Javier Bardem's character....very inventive (with that pressure tank.....thingee :)) and also very cold.

Tommy Lee Jones played the reluctant Sheriff, and somewhat of a muted role.....not sure but his contribution to the story could have been done differently.....not more, just differently.

I can see why people applaud Josh Brolin's performance in this film. He was convincing and consistent.

Stranger than Fiction

This movie had a unique concept and was well directed. Will Ferrell was perfectly cast and he slided into character really well. I didn't even have any flashbacks of his comedic characters (which I always do with Jim Carrey) so I think he was able to crossover really well in this role.

Who better to be the neurotic writer than Emma Thompson? I think her Harry Potter stint helped a bit, too :). And Queen Latifah as the assistant....nice touch.....someone must have seen her in The Bone Collector.

Anyway, back to this unique concept. Have you ever had these moments where you wished you could talk directly to God and ask him questions? Well, reverse and twist that a bit.......what if you were a writer and one of your characters suddenly comes up to you? Underneath the story also are some fundamental messages about life.....don't take things for granted, live more.......you know where I'm getting at....

The Contract, Fracture, 300, and Demonlover

The Thanksgiving holiday this year gave me a lot of time to catch up on some unwatched DVDs. I would like to start with Demonlover as it is my favorite from this lot. It's a really twisted story about underground pornography and masochism. The undercurrent of cutthroat competition in the corporate world was a good start, and once everything got out of hand the story really got twisted. The exchanges between Connie Nielsen and Chloe Sevigny carried much of the tension in this movie.

The Contract is a turn for Morgan Freeman being the villain this time. It felt uneasy and I don't know if I've just typecast Morgan or maybe this was just not the right vehicle for him to make the turn. In Fracture, Anthony Hopkins is in familiar territory being the calculated killer...he overdid the character a bit....but not to the point of ruining it.

I didn't even know why I got 300.....but I think it was to satisfy my curiousity. The scene and audio clips of "Spartans prepare for glory...." has been so overexposed that I dreaded hearing it. The digital effects was magnificent, but I just could not generate any excitement to finish it in one sitting. I guess my past overexposure to Braveheart still makes me unable to look at anything even remotely close.

Silent Giants?

Could this be the beginning of a new generation of athletes?....competitive, disciplined, mild-mannered, humble? With Lorena Ochoa and Roger Federrer making the surge in both golf and tennis, I guess it's about that time for the cycle to introduce a change. Not that we'll ignore the likes of Tiger Woods or Rafael Nadal anytime soon, of course.

Giants wishlist and random notes

2008 Wishlist

1. Re-sign Omar Vizquel at shortstop. He may be in his 40s, but he is still in great shape and has shown how he can use experience and smarts to continue to play the position competitively. He's a great presence in the clubhouse for the young players.
   
2. Try to sign Torii Hunter for the outfield and Mike Lowell for third base. Otherwise, stick with our young players.
   
3. Play the young core players.
   
4. Keep pitching intact as much as possible. This was one of the few shining points last year.
   
5. Don't sign back Bonds.....unless he accepts a utility role with less money....and perhaps a future with the organization as a consultant. He could help players as a hitting instructor.

Random Notes

• A-Rod: please....no. His agent is Scott Boras and if I what I read in the papers is true, he's seeking for another 10-year $300 million for his client. That would obliterate the Giants' future for the franchise.
  
• Utility players: Rich Aurilia and Mark Sweeney.....wouldn't mind having them back.
  
• Trading block: Ray Durham (just think we need to give his playing time to the younger players), Brad Hennessey (I think, for the good of his career, he needs to be with a team that can use him in one role consistently)

Rockies Rule!

I just wanted to take this time to congratulate the Rockies for making it to the World Series.....but more so.....applause to Todd Helton, who really showed his emotions during the last out of the game against Arizona.

It's a stance worth remembering. I think Todd has been the face of the franchise, the last remaining player that has been through all these losing years. He was immediately approached by a broadcaster once the game was final, and in true honesty, Todd was speechless and close to tears. That just shows you how much this has meant to him.

And to the whole team, it was really one hell of a run, sweeping both teams in each round....that is quite a testament to the players.

And lastly, to fellow ex-Giants Yorvit Torrealba and Matt Herges, congratulations guys....happy for ya!

The Bourne Ultimatum

A word of advice: if you watch this movie, make sure you watch from afar :) A great majority of the movie was shot handheld (or it looks that way) so if you get a seat that's really close to the screen you're bound to have strained eyes. It does feel like another one is coming....I don't think he really found out how he is related to Julia Stiles' character. There are still a lot of "blackbriar" agents out there (and any one of them can go rogue at any time).

The Human Stain

The flaw in this film I think is the selection of Nicole Kidman......not that she gives a bad performance....it's just hard to believe. She can mess up her hair and wear ragged clothes to make her suit the Janitress job (actually it works the other way for me.....she's much more beautiful ;) ).

Watching Anthony Hopkins' character's past.....about his race, reminded me of this speech that Matthew McConaughey (as an attorney) presented to a jury.....that you imagine a heinous crime being commited to someone you care about, think about it its painful entirety......and then substite that someone with a person of color. What reaction do you get?

Young Adam

I don't know what really draws me to Tilda Swinton. Is it that really cold stare from her eyes, the tired face, or perhaps that scary feistiness hidden beneath that frail form? She and Emily Mortimer deliver really bold performances in this film....and you match that with Ewan McGregor and you get quite a dynamic. Life in a barge was the other bit if amusement in the story.

Polly Paulusma

Fingers and Thumbs is a wonderful album. It's melodies are accessible and you can really play the whole record over and over. There are no surprises and the format is very familiar, but Polly's lyrics are what makes her special.

the woods

the summer sun plays on the ground
i feel it in my leaves
the sap is rising up my veins
there's pllen on the breeze

i saw it all crystal clear
i know who brought those children here

the badgers tried to keep them warm
the foxes gave them milk
woodpeckers tried to hammer a home
the spiders spun them silk

i saw it all crystal clear
i know who brought those children here

no path out marked out with round white stones
no guardian angel to lead them home
find them quick
research before they disappear

the bracken folds down into mulch
the mushroom sprouts and spore
the berries swell and ripe, now burst
to carpet my forest floor

i saw it all crystal clear
i know who brought those children here

lost and lonely, here all is still
if you don't take them the earth surely will
find them quick
research before they disappear

the winter wind howls through my arms
my brooks begin to freeze
my secrets now lie blanketed
beneath the moldering leaves

i saw it all crystal clear
i know who brought those children here

So long Mark...

Mark Sweeney was a class act.....great presence in the clubhouse, supportive teammate, and excellent pinch hitter. It was really sad to hear that he was traded (and of all places.....the Dodgers). So long, Mark.....good luck to ya.

Nickel Creek and Fiona Apple

I had a feeling it would be quite a while before a new Fiona Apple record comes out (if at all)....so when I heard Fiona was joining Nickel Creek's tour, I jumped at the chance to try and travel to one of the venues.....and it just happened to be the one in Charlotte's Ovens Auditorium.

I have to admit that I am still new to Nickel Creek.....having only seen them with Fiona at southern California's Largo (and Fi's EM dvd-dualdisc).....I do have their breakthrough album (This Side) and am growing really fond of it....which really isn't much of a stretch for me as their music is very close to Alison Krauss & Union Station.

When they finally did introduce Fi, I wondered how her songs would turn out. Extraordinary Machine and Paper Bag came out really well and as expected (they've performed them at Largo)....but Criminal and Limp came as reall surprises for me......and made me reach a discovery that these songs had a southern take....or was is just the bluegrass getting to me :) ?

Having seen them in Fi's dvd, I was wishing for Tonight You Belong to Me......and wouldn't you know it....it was the last song of the evening :)

Corpse Bride

Don't you think Helena Bonham Carter is really a corpse bride and Tim Burton really a.....Victor? :) I really loved this movie and the conflict between the two brides was not an easy one at all....I mean I was thinking it would have been better for Victor to not make a choice...but alas the story unraveled....and broke my heart to a degree.

Stop motion animation is a dying art. I hope it never passes away.

Winter Passing

One day, you'll be cool...

:) that was my last memory of Zooey Deschanel. In this movie, she takes a darker turn. Ed Harris plays temporary insanity so well and Will Ferrell plays it a bit straight this time. He actually does ok in this role. It's still a bit of comedy, but not exaggerated.

Bubble

Steven Soderbergh's experiment of drawing non-actors to come and provide their interpretation of a story brings out perhaps crucial elements of acting. That of imersing yourself and infusing your own personal expression.

I think this experiment was a success. All three actors came through and the tragedy of all their lives and intersections can really get to you. I think this project was really meant to be a DVD. If you don't watch all the extras that came with the disc, you're really missing out on the process and real lives behind the project.

Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix just happened to be playing at one of the cinemas on my drive home.....so what the hell....I went ahead and saw it :) They've added many characters since the series started, but I have to admit I really like Luna Lovegood (JK could have used a more "non-pornstar-like" name, but.... anyway). Luna reminds me of Wednesday Addams.

Weird is relative :)

Live Free or Die Hard

Lucy McLane is all grown up (and really takes from her dad :) ). This installment of the Die Hard series delivers. Justin Long actually works as the odd guy opposite Bruce Willis (a different approach compared to the strength Sam Jackson brought in Die Hard with a Vengeance). Its fun and entertaining, and Silent Bob has a bit part!....oh, alright, he didn't really play Silent Bob (in which case I would have demanded Jay to be present :) ).

Jonatha at the Triple Door

I wasn't feeling too well Saturday but I really didn't want to miss seeing Jonatha in her visit to Seattle. Her live performance is always special and its really interesting what a live show does to you. I loved her previous albums, but had not been as excited with the latest (Careful What You Wish For), but hearing a number of the songs live have given new life when I listen to them...I just can't put a finger on what it really is...but I'll just leave it as connection that just wasn't there before.

I'm glad I made it to the show.

Inside Man

I love how Spike Lee's sense of humor and how he injected it in short bits in unusual scenes in this movie. You can't go wrong with Clive Owen and he's really entertaining to watch when he does the narration as well (like he did in Croupier).

Denzel Washington's played quite a number of cop roles...good, smart, dirty, and some who are just somewhere in the middle.

This movie just had a stellar cast and having Willem Dafoe (who like Michael Caine and Christopher Walken) who plays tons of supporting characters all the time, gave the police credibility (and not just the punching bag when the FBI walks in a situation).