April 9th

Today is April 9th, so in honor of it being April 9th, I thought it would be fitting to show everyone the Arthur episode "April 9th".  I know you're probably wondering why I'm doing this, but I assure you, watch the episode and you'll see what I mean.  This has to be one of the most serious episodes of Arthur ever, up there with when Mrs. McGrady gets cancer.  It touches on so many themes that I think are important in the world like friendship, family, etc.  I'd say more, but I don't want to give too much away, so watch the episode and enjoy.

Eye Doctors

This past weekend, I went to the eye doctor for my annual eye exam.  I knew what to expect since I've been seeing my eye doctor for many years, but something I've always wondered is why eye doctors seem so different than other doctors I have?  I mean, I know they're optometrists so they study eyes, instead of what dentists and medical doctors study, but they seem so different.  Not that they're less nice, but they seem so much more grittier and down to business.  I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but I've had two eye doctors my whole life, and had various eye exams, yet no matter how many times I go through with them, it always feels uncomfortable compared to the others.  Then again, that could just be because I've had mixed experiences with doctors, like most people, because they hold the fate of your health in their hands. 

Nothing new or important, just something on my mind that happened this weekend.

Two Thumbs Up For Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert in his last years.  He was missing his jaw, but still had his signature "Two Thumbs Up"

Roger Ebert wasn't a film, but to a lot of people in the world, including myself, he was the man we turned to when we needed an opinion on one.  That wasn't always the case for me though.  When I was a child, and first became interested in film, I just watched anything and critiqued it.  I didn't think much of it because it was just a film, but that all changed when I first saw Siskel and Ebert.  I had never seen two people on a show like that before, let alone talking about films so passionately.  Once I saw it, I was hooked.  Gene Siskel unfortunately died in 1999, but Roger went on despite his declining health.  Now that isn't the case anymore, sadly, because Roger is now gone after a bout from cancer.

I first heard the news Thursday afternoon around 4 o'clock.  My friend Scotty told me via text about what happened to Roger, and I had to take a moment to take it all in.  I didn't know Roger and never met him personally, but in some ways, like a lot of people, I felt like I did because of the type of person he was on TV: nice, thoughtful, harsh at times with his criticism, but you knew he was honest and passionate with how he felt about films.  I respected that, but respected him even more when I read his reviews because he could portray his opinion on any medium effectively, and he never backed down.

To say the influence Roger Ebert has had on me would be hard to say.  He has showed me a lot about films and writing, but he's done so much more than that.  His website provided constant comfort for me the past few years, and he delighted me with his personal life.  My career goal is to be a writer/novelist, but I always said to my friends and parents that the backup was to be a film critic like Roger Ebert.  I knew I could never be him, but I liked the feeling of just being connected with him when it came to films.  Unfortunately, because of Roger's death, that can't happen anymore, but his voice and writing will live on forever.  And if we miss him, we'll always have the films because I think that is what he'd want to be remembered for.  God Bless You Roger Ebert!  May you rest in peace with Gene Siskel.  You both went far too soon.

Siskel & Ebert Intro

Brushing Methodology

When I was younger, I hated brushing my teeth, but I changed my attitude once I realized the risks of not brushing your teeth everyday, and had to get numerous fillings.  Many years later, here I am now, hygienically sound, with healthy teeth.  There's just something I noticed recently.  As I was brushing my teeth last night, I realized that I didn't rinse my mouth or toothbrush, and just started brushing.  It felt different than my normal routine of brushing since it took longer for my mouth to get wet, but the upside was that there was no mess from the toothpaste.  I switched back to how I usually brushed this morning, but it got me thinking.  Have I been brushing my teeth wrong my whole life?  I don't know for sure since I don't watch people while they brush, but that explains how people in movies and TV shows can just walk and brush without making a mess.  So that's why I want your opinion  Have I been brushing wrong?  And how do you brush your teeth?

My Sweet Lord

Keeping up with Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, which has to do with God and religion, I was reminded on the song "My Sweet Lord" by George Harrison, because the song reflected Harrison's search for God, which is what the protagonist Lauren, kind of wants to do in the novel (except she has her own religion, Earthseed).  

I didn't just post about "My Sweet Lord" because it reminded me of Parable of the Sower.  I posted about it because it's a song I've been listening to a lot lately, and it represents something I wish I could feel sometimes, which is true belief in God or a religion.  Don't get me wrong, I believe there is a God, but that's all I feel.  That's why I envy people sometimes, who are faithful to God or religion because it's so rare nowadays, and something I think would be comforting in difficult times. 

I'm not saying I wish I was religious, but I do wish I had enlightenment.  Then again, I guess everyone wants that, so till that time comes, let's just listen to the music.

 The live version of "My Sweet Lord" (in case the other version I posted didn't appeal to you).  I like both versions, but seeing George Harrison sing live, unifying a crowd, is a beautiful thing. 

Parable of the Sower So Far...

So far, in my Contemporary American Fiction class, we've had some hits and misses when it comes to novels we've read, but that stops here, because the novel we're currently reading, is amazing.  The novel I'm speaking of is Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler.  I won't give too much away for obvious reasons, but it's a dystopian novel, set in the future, so if you're really into these things, maybe you should check it out.  I've never read any dystopian novels before, so I didn't know what to expect prior to reading this, but if this is what most of them are like, I have a new favorite genre.

I haven't finished the novel yet, so my opinion of it could change when it's over, but so far, that's looking like it's not going to happen.