Seventh Tree

Being a huge fan of Goldfrapp's Black Cherry and Supernature albums and accustomed to their high energy, I had a few seconds of numb sadness, even disappointment, after my first pass at Seventh Tree.

Then I listened to it again.

To date I haven't skipped to any particular track. And the more I listen the more this album is growing on me. It feels as though Seventh Tree is one long and epic track. At some point I'm sure I'll begin to recognize individual tracks...

Right now I think it will be Road to Somewhere for a while.

Am I really getting anywhere? :)

Message in a CyberBottle?

More 08 Oscars

Behold, the best actress: Actor/presenter Forest Whitaker holds a tearful Marion Cotillard backstage after announcing her win for La Vie en Rose.



"George Clooney, you know, the seriousness and the dedication to your art, seeing you climb into that rubber batsuit from 'Batman & Robin' -- the one with the nipples, every morning under your costume, on the set, off the set, hanging upside-down at lunch -- you rock man." -- Tilda Swinton, thanking "Michael Clayton" co-star George Clooney after winning best supporting actress trophy.

(pics and notes from usatoday.com)

2008 Oscars

Marion Cotillard won. Amen :)

More notes:

1. - Amy Adams' singing on stage was magnificent. She even stayed to perform with other stage performers for the other nominated song (why didn't Patrick Dempsey do the same?)

- Damn I really regret having not taken my Spanish elective classes in college...otherwise I could have understood Javier Bardem's last sentences for his mother.

Again it's a struggle with time, but the montages gave me an idea...why not show as much only to fill time and give the award winners a little more time. Still, some montages could have been omitted and some sections like how the votes are tallied. Really, you can just post all the incformation in the website for full disclosure...

Teleprompter - these are actors, don't you think they can remember a few sentences?

I wish they'd stop saying how many times someone has won or been nominated for an award.

Joel and Ethan Coen either showed us what these award shows mean to them or they just are not known for openly expressing gratitude...maybe both (not that there's anything wrong with either one).

Best Speech: Tilda Swinton (and she finished it even before the music started)

Next year's host should be: Jack Nicholson :)

Juno

There's just something about Ellen Page that annoys me the first time I see her portray a role, and yet I can't turn away, and by the end of the film I've pretty much been won over. It's like the reaction that couple had with Kramer's potrait in Seinfeld.

It's not the first time that a movie has been made about teenage pregnancy, but this one feels really fresh and suited for today's time. JK Simmons also plays a great father role in this one.

Numero Uno

Anytime someone "from the streets" makes it in the "big world", everyone takes notice. Who is to say it only applies to humans :) .....congratulations to Uno for surprising all those tricked out poodles at Westiminster. ...dare I call him an underdog ? :)

SFGate article

My fate at the ICU and the Warriors

Hey first of all, I aint complainin'...am really happy the Warriors have won the last three games (Kings, Wizards, and Suns) and to my utmost enjoyment...but all three have been such heart attack finishes I'm probably headed for the Intensive Care Unit :). Ellis has really developed into a great player and I just hope the Warriors can keep him (and that he reciprocates with the team that gave him his chance)...same goes for Andris Biedrins. These two guys were question marks for me in the past and I wondered why Chris Mullin spoke so highly of them back then...now I know (and I will trust you more, sir ;) ).

The 08 Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards has never really been the same for me and I can't even remember when that "magic" was lost. My last happy memory was when Stevie Wonder did a joke on stage trying to raise his glasses to read the nomination card...when was that? sometime in the 90's, right?

Alas, this years Grammy would have been just another one passing by for me had it not been for....yes, honestly......Stevie Wonder! I think it was a great advantage for him to not be at the mercy of the teleprompter. Having been introduced as a 25-time Grammy winner, he certainly was the most comfortable on stage. And did you hear him sing the chorus line from Alicia Keys' "no one"? He can still hit the high notes...as only a 25-time Grammy winner can.

Maybe I'm just getting old, but Herbie Hancock's Gershwin tribute was the performance highlight for me and made me feel really glad to have not missed this year's show. And yes, I truly enjoyed Amy Winehouse.....she even brought the beehive back!

Capote

Just watching Philip Seymour Hoffman and Catherine Keener's exchanges makes it for me for this film. Right now, I just can't think of anybody else who could have played Truman Capote and Nelle Harper Lee the way these two did...(yes, I know there was another one...and nope, not interested in seeing it :) ).

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