So, I don't normally read For Better or For Worse, but it's in the daily paper at work so I catch bits of it when I read the comics during lunch.
There is apparently a storyline happening (when isn't there) but I decided to catch up a bit on it. So, I cruised online to the offical site and started reading some of the previous days.
Then, as I'm reading, I think that out of the corner of my eye I saw something move. I looked again and I was right. Check out the third panel. Kudos to Lynn Johnston for taking advantage of the medium.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Pan's Labyrinth
I'm going to lace my post here with spoilers, so if you plan to see this movie (or don't plan to see it) you might not want to read this post just yet.
--------------------------------------------------
Spoilers coming. I'm serious.
--------------------------------------------------
Ok, you've had enough warning. :)
First, I liked the Spanish title, Labyrinth of the Faun. The Faun was never named in the movie, which I felt was the right choice. He did function well as the old man/guide in the archetypal arc of the story.
But, before I get into that, let me start elsewhere. The first thing that I want to say about this movie is that it's not for everyone. Director Guillermo Del Toro has create a story that is very consequential. I would say that one of the major themes was seeing the consequences of the choices that people made.
However, he also set his film during the Spanish civil war when Franco was taking over. The facist forces were not noted for tolerance or kindness. This is reflected in the movie as well. The natural consequences of people's choices were not softened in the story or on the camera. Violence was an integral part of the movie. As Mia and I had discussed together, it wasn't the normal kind of movie violence though. This was intimate violence. Intimate and honest. And, in the instance of the wine bottle, very brutal.
That scene, refered to as the wine bottle scene, set the tone for the character of the Captain. And yet, as we discovered by the end, that even after setting him up to be the villian, he was still a complex character. The depth that they added to him made his actions throughout the story more potent.
So, let's finally work our way around to the fantastic elements of the story. Ofelia, the heroine, makes two forays into the fairyworld through the film. Her interactions with the faun are always in the real world, which makes them an interesting blend.
Her two tasks to accomplish require courage. She has to face her tasks alone. What I found interesting in the two tasks that she has to complete is that the monster-obstacles are unaware of her status as princess. To them, she is nothing more than a child.
But, what's more enaging to me, is that her trials mirror what is happening in the real world. While she is moving through these in a fantastical setting, her mother, Mercedes, and the doctor are all dealing with similiar trials and monsters (the Captain). That they are all able to accomplish so much while under the threat of their monsters is incredible.
We also liked the way that the ending was handled. The Captain had to follow her to the center of the labyrinth. She had to choose, completely and irrevokably, to not let her brother be harmed. Once she had made that choice, the Captain had to be present to spill her blood, to complete the ritual. I choose to believe in the mythology of the story, that what happened to her was real. And that her decision was meaningful in that it restored her to her rightful place. The film is ambigious on this point, so I'm taking the liberty to choose the ending I want to believe.
A final note on the ending. We liked that the Captain had spent the movie setting up a legacy for his son. After we had been shown that he felt he hadn't lived up to his own father's legacy, he wanted to leave one for his own son to follow. And when he was denied, the look on his face was more punishment than anything else they could have done to him.
So, all in all, we were impressed with the movie. Very thought provoking. Very well crafted. And probably not something that we would go back and see for a while because we need time to come to grips with it.
--------------------------------------------------
Spoilers coming. I'm serious.
--------------------------------------------------
Ok, you've had enough warning. :)
First, I liked the Spanish title, Labyrinth of the Faun. The Faun was never named in the movie, which I felt was the right choice. He did function well as the old man/guide in the archetypal arc of the story.
But, before I get into that, let me start elsewhere. The first thing that I want to say about this movie is that it's not for everyone. Director Guillermo Del Toro has create a story that is very consequential. I would say that one of the major themes was seeing the consequences of the choices that people made.
However, he also set his film during the Spanish civil war when Franco was taking over. The facist forces were not noted for tolerance or kindness. This is reflected in the movie as well. The natural consequences of people's choices were not softened in the story or on the camera. Violence was an integral part of the movie. As Mia and I had discussed together, it wasn't the normal kind of movie violence though. This was intimate violence. Intimate and honest. And, in the instance of the wine bottle, very brutal.
That scene, refered to as the wine bottle scene, set the tone for the character of the Captain. And yet, as we discovered by the end, that even after setting him up to be the villian, he was still a complex character. The depth that they added to him made his actions throughout the story more potent.
So, let's finally work our way around to the fantastic elements of the story. Ofelia, the heroine, makes two forays into the fairyworld through the film. Her interactions with the faun are always in the real world, which makes them an interesting blend.
Her two tasks to accomplish require courage. She has to face her tasks alone. What I found interesting in the two tasks that she has to complete is that the monster-obstacles are unaware of her status as princess. To them, she is nothing more than a child.
But, what's more enaging to me, is that her trials mirror what is happening in the real world. While she is moving through these in a fantastical setting, her mother, Mercedes, and the doctor are all dealing with similiar trials and monsters (the Captain). That they are all able to accomplish so much while under the threat of their monsters is incredible.
We also liked the way that the ending was handled. The Captain had to follow her to the center of the labyrinth. She had to choose, completely and irrevokably, to not let her brother be harmed. Once she had made that choice, the Captain had to be present to spill her blood, to complete the ritual. I choose to believe in the mythology of the story, that what happened to her was real. And that her decision was meaningful in that it restored her to her rightful place. The film is ambigious on this point, so I'm taking the liberty to choose the ending I want to believe.
A final note on the ending. We liked that the Captain had spent the movie setting up a legacy for his son. After we had been shown that he felt he hadn't lived up to his own father's legacy, he wanted to leave one for his own son to follow. And when he was denied, the look on his face was more punishment than anything else they could have done to him.
So, all in all, we were impressed with the movie. Very thought provoking. Very well crafted. And probably not something that we would go back and see for a while because we need time to come to grips with it.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Bookish
So, I've started reading again. It feels good, I like reading. I don't spend nearly enough time doing it.
I've been reading Fablehaven. Mia bought the book a few weeks ago, for us to read on the trip out to Utah. We didn't end up reading it then but once we got home I decided to pick it up.
As I was doing a little reading online today about it, I discovered that the writer graduated from BYU around when I did. He was also part of a comedy troupe on campus so I totally recognized his picture. At first I thought I might know him; I don't think I did though.
I was reading through some of the reviews around the Internet. I have to say that I was disappointed with the quality of the reviews that are being produced. Most of the are simple plot summaries with a paragraph or two at the end with their feelings about it.
Fortunately, I did read a review by Orson Scott Card (that's a big score) that wasn't for a publication, besides his own site, and so gave a more honest, though not much more in-depth review. I recommend reading it here.
So, I thought I'd write down a few of my own thoughts on the book so far. I haven't quite finished it, so I can't give a full review. However, I do want to talk about a couple of things that I think are interesting about his book.
One part of the book that tripped me up for the first few chapters was the narrator. It felt like a mix of 3rd person and 1st person. Obviously, the narrator was trying to pull you in, trying to connect you with Kendra the main character. The omniscient 3rd person viewpoint always seemed focused on giving the reader the 1st person perspective for Kendra.
The narrator felt like an actor or character but was also obviously supposed to be absent from the story. It made my first days of reading somewhat confusing. Then I realized that the narrator was acting as a storyteller. Literally, like someone sitting with you around a campfire telling you a story. After that, I quite enjoyed his approach.
Now, I should say that fantasy descriptions can make the world more alive, especially when it's a foreign world. In Fablehaven the description is very detailed. Sometimes more detailed than necessary but always well-written. There were scenes that he described down to the individual actions as people moved through the scene. It slowed the book down in places but for the most part wasn't a large distraction.
Because this is a fantasy novel, I don't feel that I'm giving much away by telling you that there is a battle near the end of the book. However, I really liked Brandon's approach to the fight scene. It was handled creatively and appropriately for his audience. I was very impressed by it.
However, the climactic scene, or at least the one teased on the book jacket about Kendra facing her greatest fear was somewhat disappointing. While I suppose that the situation could be related to more by a younger audience, I didn't feel there was an intensified sense of danger because of Kendra's backstory revealed in this scene to indicate why it was her greatest fear. (Wow, that is a convoluted sentence. Read the book and it will make more sense.)
In conculsion, this was a fast read and a fun one. I would recommend it to someone who wanted to read something light, interesting, and very creative.
I've been reading Fablehaven. Mia bought the book a few weeks ago, for us to read on the trip out to Utah. We didn't end up reading it then but once we got home I decided to pick it up.
As I was doing a little reading online today about it, I discovered that the writer graduated from BYU around when I did. He was also part of a comedy troupe on campus so I totally recognized his picture. At first I thought I might know him; I don't think I did though.
I was reading through some of the reviews around the Internet. I have to say that I was disappointed with the quality of the reviews that are being produced. Most of the are simple plot summaries with a paragraph or two at the end with their feelings about it.
Fortunately, I did read a review by Orson Scott Card (that's a big score) that wasn't for a publication, besides his own site, and so gave a more honest, though not much more in-depth review. I recommend reading it here.
So, I thought I'd write down a few of my own thoughts on the book so far. I haven't quite finished it, so I can't give a full review. However, I do want to talk about a couple of things that I think are interesting about his book.
One part of the book that tripped me up for the first few chapters was the narrator. It felt like a mix of 3rd person and 1st person. Obviously, the narrator was trying to pull you in, trying to connect you with Kendra the main character. The omniscient 3rd person viewpoint always seemed focused on giving the reader the 1st person perspective for Kendra.
The narrator felt like an actor or character but was also obviously supposed to be absent from the story. It made my first days of reading somewhat confusing. Then I realized that the narrator was acting as a storyteller. Literally, like someone sitting with you around a campfire telling you a story. After that, I quite enjoyed his approach.
Now, I should say that fantasy descriptions can make the world more alive, especially when it's a foreign world. In Fablehaven the description is very detailed. Sometimes more detailed than necessary but always well-written. There were scenes that he described down to the individual actions as people moved through the scene. It slowed the book down in places but for the most part wasn't a large distraction.
Because this is a fantasy novel, I don't feel that I'm giving much away by telling you that there is a battle near the end of the book. However, I really liked Brandon's approach to the fight scene. It was handled creatively and appropriately for his audience. I was very impressed by it.
However, the climactic scene, or at least the one teased on the book jacket about Kendra facing her greatest fear was somewhat disappointing. While I suppose that the situation could be related to more by a younger audience, I didn't feel there was an intensified sense of danger because of Kendra's backstory revealed in this scene to indicate why it was her greatest fear. (Wow, that is a convoluted sentence. Read the book and it will make more sense.)
In conculsion, this was a fast read and a fun one. I would recommend it to someone who wanted to read something light, interesting, and very creative.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Clear Skies
We think that we've weathered the storm. Ethan slept from about 11:30am until 2:00pm and then fussed for about an hour and didn't want to do anything I suggested (except me holding him).
We did head down to church for the last hour but he wouldn't go to Mia, so I didn't end up teaching my class anyway. We also left a bit early.
But, after church Ethan had much more energy, was willing to eat, and generally acted better. He's been talkative again, has wanted to play instead of just sitting around, and actually ate his dinner of chicken soup with stars.
Unfortunately, his poop is still pretty watery and rather frequent. But, he's started asking for diaper changes just before he actually makes the poop, which means that he's got some control. We are putting him to bed now (7:00pm) and hoping he'll go the night without waking up with a messy diaper.
It's been quite the up-and-down couple of days with him but we think this should be the end of it. (Or very close.)
We did head down to church for the last hour but he wouldn't go to Mia, so I didn't end up teaching my class anyway. We also left a bit early.
But, after church Ethan had much more energy, was willing to eat, and generally acted better. He's been talkative again, has wanted to play instead of just sitting around, and actually ate his dinner of chicken soup with stars.
Unfortunately, his poop is still pretty watery and rather frequent. But, he's started asking for diaper changes just before he actually makes the poop, which means that he's got some control. We are putting him to bed now (7:00pm) and hoping he'll go the night without waking up with a messy diaper.
It's been quite the up-and-down couple of days with him but we think this should be the end of it. (Or very close.)
Recovery
Ethan woke up this morning at 5:00 a.m. asking for his cup, and then some bread. He ate two slices, watched a little Blue's Clue's with me and went back to bed a 7:00. He woke up again at about 8:00, but by 8:30 he was in our bedroom snuggling with me and we laid in bed (with some sleeping) until about 10:00. We gave him some Cheerios and a popsicle. At this point we were thinking that he was just playing us to get his way with the popsicles. He ate pretty well at breakfast, and hadn't had any messy diapers yet. I started getting him dressed for church, which he didn't like, and then he made a very small (but still watery) poop. I changed him, and he started getting sleepy again.
Realizing that we would never make it through church with him crashing like this (and Mia and I needed to at least catch some of Primary since we both have callings there) I put him back down about 11:30 and we are hoping he'll only sleep for an hour again so we can get to church on time.
His fever is down, he was 99.8 when Mia checked him earlier. His appetite is coming back and he seems to be getting more energy. He played a little this morning while he was awake, including some coloring. We think that the worst is over and now it's just a matter of getting him back up to full strength.
Realizing that we would never make it through church with him crashing like this (and Mia and I needed to at least catch some of Primary since we both have callings there) I put him back down about 11:30 and we are hoping he'll only sleep for an hour again so we can get to church on time.
His fever is down, he was 99.8 when Mia checked him earlier. His appetite is coming back and he seems to be getting more energy. He played a little this morning while he was awake, including some coloring. We think that the worst is over and now it's just a matter of getting him back up to full strength.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Fever
After getting home yesterday, he still had a fever of about 103. However, he was able to drink some juice (mixed with water) and even ate half of a jelly sandwich that I made for him. We wanted him to eat and drink more, but compared to the plane trips he was doing pretty well. He fell asleep at about 7:00pm. Mia and I went to bed around 8:30pm. We'd had a long day and were exhausted.
Today, Ethan woke up at 5AM and needed his diaper changed (still a very watery diaherra) then went back to sleep. At 8:00AM he woke up again, but just wanted to hold my hand and nearly fell back asleep again! I decided to get him up and try giving him a bottle. He tooke some milk, but wouldn't drink his Pedialite. Later he had a popsicle (actually, I had a popsicle because he wouldn't actually come eat the first one) and we watched Robots.
He still hasn't really eaten anything. After making him a sandwich for lunch, he fell asleep on the couch while I was getting his little table set up. So, I put him down for a nap (about an hour early). We'll see if we can get him to eat more later.
Today, Ethan woke up at 5AM and needed his diaper changed (still a very watery diaherra) then went back to sleep. At 8:00AM he woke up again, but just wanted to hold my hand and nearly fell back asleep again! I decided to get him up and try giving him a bottle. He tooke some milk, but wouldn't drink his Pedialite. Later he had a popsicle (actually, I had a popsicle because he wouldn't actually come eat the first one) and we watched Robots.
He still hasn't really eaten anything. After making him a sandwich for lunch, he fell asleep on the couch while I was getting his little table set up. So, I put him down for a nap (about an hour early). We'll see if we can get him to eat more later.
And worse
Ethan did something amazing tonight. He made a poop on the potty.
Actually, he made a poop on the changing pad in his room, then when he was standing in the bathtub getting cleaned off he asked to sit on the potty. He then proceeded to make a number of painful (as evidenced by his need for hugs while sitting there) poops which were still mostly diarehha. Poor little guy.
Fortunately, he'd been eating some pasta before this happened, drank his medicine, and had a few bites of oranges.
So, today was not much better than he's been over the last few days. He lost his appetite again today. Which worried us.
He fell right asleep when I took him into his room (he nearly fell asleep while we were making dinner) and has been down since I left. We are hoping that he won't have any diarehha tonight so that he can get some rest and feel better tomorrow.
I'll post more on his condition tomorrow.
Actually, he made a poop on the changing pad in his room, then when he was standing in the bathtub getting cleaned off he asked to sit on the potty. He then proceeded to make a number of painful (as evidenced by his need for hugs while sitting there) poops which were still mostly diarehha. Poor little guy.
Fortunately, he'd been eating some pasta before this happened, drank his medicine, and had a few bites of oranges.
So, today was not much better than he's been over the last few days. He lost his appetite again today. Which worried us.
He fell right asleep when I took him into his room (he nearly fell asleep while we were making dinner) and has been down since I left. We are hoping that he won't have any diarehha tonight so that he can get some rest and feel better tomorrow.
I'll post more on his condition tomorrow.
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