Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Monday, February 09, 2009
Things I Miss About New Zealand part 13: The Sevens
I know I've blogged about New Zealand's Rugby Sevens before, but since it happened last weekend, it warrants re-mentioning.
The New Zealand Rugby Sevens are the best event of all time. Rugby teams come from all over the world to compete in 14-minute games over the course of a weekend. But more importantly, thousands upon thousands of Wellington fans stream into the stadium IN COSTUME. Themed costumes, naughty costumes, crazy costumes, and costumes en masse... they're all there! Merriness abounds.
A better time has naught to be had.
Anyhow, this is a slideshow of the nuttiness. Enjoy!
Wellington, I miss you.
The New Zealand Rugby Sevens are the best event of all time. Rugby teams come from all over the world to compete in 14-minute games over the course of a weekend. But more importantly, thousands upon thousands of Wellington fans stream into the stadium IN COSTUME. Themed costumes, naughty costumes, crazy costumes, and costumes en masse... they're all there! Merriness abounds.
A better time has naught to be had.
Anyhow, this is a slideshow of the nuttiness. Enjoy!
Wellington, I miss you.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Review: Dark Days
It's rare that a sequel outperforms the original.
30 Days of Night was an interesting vampire fiction with a fairly simple story -- evil vampire lord and his posse descend on small town in Alaska to capitalize on the month without sunlight, sheriff saves the town by sacrificing himself. Not complex, but entertaining all the same. Plus, the artwork is simply amazing.
So, given the straightforward story, surely there would not be sufficient loose ends to fuel a sequel? Not so.
Dark Days deals with the women who were left behind; the wife of the sheriff, the mother of a victim, and the lover of the vampire lord. Each is, in her own way, looking for some mix of vengeance and closure, all looking to pick up the pieces and move on. Their paths cross, and the resolution is somewhat unexpected, particularly given the simplistic "Good vs. Evil" gorefest that ended the first novel.
Unlike a simple monster story, this approach provides an emotionally rich backdrop for all characters, and it dares to be morally murky. This book is by no means a tired rehashing the original plot formula**.
And yes, the artwork is still breathtaking. I was impressed.
Check it out at your local library!
** (Though, that being said, do keep in mind that it is still a comic book genre resembling action movies… a deep plot here is still no King Lear.)
30 Days of Night was an interesting vampire fiction with a fairly simple story -- evil vampire lord and his posse descend on small town in Alaska to capitalize on the month without sunlight, sheriff saves the town by sacrificing himself. Not complex, but entertaining all the same. Plus, the artwork is simply amazing.So, given the straightforward story, surely there would not be sufficient loose ends to fuel a sequel? Not so.
Dark Days deals with the women who were left behind; the wife of the sheriff, the mother of a victim, and the lover of the vampire lord. Each is, in her own way, looking for some mix of vengeance and closure, all looking to pick up the pieces and move on. Their paths cross, and the resolution is somewhat unexpected, particularly given the simplistic "Good vs. Evil" gorefest that ended the first novel.
Unlike a simple monster story, this approach provides an emotionally rich backdrop for all characters, and it dares to be morally murky. This book is by no means a tired rehashing the original plot formula**.
And yes, the artwork is still breathtaking. I was impressed.
Check it out at your local library!
** (Though, that being said, do keep in mind that it is still a comic book genre resembling action movies… a deep plot here is still no King Lear.)
Sunday, February 01, 2009
I'm a little in love with Ashlee Simpson
So, apparently Jessica Simpson has gained some weight, to the point of looking like a normal person. (The horror!!!) And apparently the press has not only noticed, but has unleashed a deluge of catty commentary and headlines.
Jessica's sister, Ashlee, stepped in with the following reply:
"Is this something you would say to your wife, daughter, mother, grandmother, or even a friend? I seriously doubt it. How can we expect teenage girls to love and respect themselves in an environment where we criticize a size 2 figure?"THANK YOU, Ashlee! It's about bloody time someone took on these smarmy conformists and hypocrites.
Because, Girl Power comes in ALL shapes and sizes. :-)
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