No Blogging tomorrow

I will be DVR-ing:



Because I will be attending:



PS: Oh, and if you're looking for something to read besides NO TIME FOR GOODBYE, check out the first chapter to Joseph Teller's debut novel: The Tenth Case. Definitely worth seeing why Teller's protag Jaywalker is almost disbarred in the first chapter.

Live Blogging: Iron Man

Before we start, I do want to highly recommend Linwood Barclay's NO TIME FOR GOODBYE. A well done Harlan Coben-esque thriller. I poured through the pages. Well done.

Okay, so here we go... one of the best movies of the summer as soon as the previews end:

9:06: I love the Marvel logo at the beginning of the movies. It brings me back to my childhood, trying to watch Spider-man and His Amazing Friends. Very cool flipping logo.

9:08: Stuff explodes less than five minutes into the movie. There's alcohol, wisecracks. What could be wrong?

9:10: Oooh, exposition with black and white photos. Nice.

9:14: Ha, I wonder if this actress knows what Brown is. Oh, wait that might be a low blow.


9:17: Gwenyth Paltrow with red hair... hmmmmm....

9:20: I wish I could get stewardesses to dance like that. Wait, I'd have to fly often for that to matter. Hmmm. It appears we are coming full circle, as we are back in the Middle East. I expect MORE EXPLOSIONS!!

9:30: Hey, what is Stark making? Hey, what is the title of this movie? OOOOHHHHH.

9:32: It's a good thing that while trapped in a Middle Eastern prison, with terrorists, that Tony Stark has the drawing ability of a Marvel Comics artist.

9:34: Never trust a bald guy who twirls a ring.

9:36: I should probably read these subtitles instead of internet surfing. That said, eating a hot coal does not look smart.

9:40: I am not surprised that Tony Stark's loading bar takes a long time to load. I do not think this will end well for Tony's friend. Then again, I've seen the movie.

9:44: Methinks Tony is pissed.

9:46: I'm realizing it's pretty hard to liveblog something you enjoy. I mean, if it's not a bad movie, where do I get the witty comments?

9:49: The American cheeseburger Tony Stark picks is Burger King? I mean, I know product placement and all, but really... BK? There are better burgers.

9:54: That screaming stock guy is in this movie. I wonder what his show is like right now.

9:56: Gwenyth sticks her hand in Robert. I want to see how they made this scene.

10:10: It appears Tony Stark is building something else. There's a lot of building in this film.

10:14: Is it bad that Tony Stark calling Obediah Stane "Obi" reminds me of Jar Jar Binks calling Anakin Skywalker "Ani?"

10:17: This movie handles comic comedy well. It's not campy, it's earned humor. Unlike this blog.

10:19: My thoughts when I originally saw the movie and saw Stark open the gift from Pepper Potts. "Oh, I'm sure that won't come into play later."

10:26: You know, I've never had a martini. I wonder if I should try one one time.

10:28: That Obi Stane is one mean m'fer. Maybe you shouldn't have called him Obi.

10:32: Iron Man, you are quite Terminator-ish. And apparently you kill peeps.

10:38: Chute's jammed. Which kind of makes Tony Stark lucky. If the chute didn't jam he wouldn't have been able to save that guy and then be looked upon as an awesome hero of our generation.

10:42: I wish I had a thing that made my eyes turn blue.

10:44: Tony Stark gives a Batman speech. And the redhead throws it in his face.

10:46: Tony, you made the cardinal error of comic book movies, you sent a girl into the enemy's office. I'm sure she won't get caught. No way. Oh wait, there Obi is.

10:50: Jeff Bridges can chew up the screen. And now he's spilling the beans to Stark.

10:54: Pepper's gift finally comes back into play.

10:55: SHIELD Agents drive Audi's and Fords.

10:59: Run Pepper RUNNNNNNNNNNNN!

11:01: I can't wait until the sequel, where we can see much more Iron Butt Kicking.

Season One of Mad Men

As usual, I'm late to the party. I watched the pilot of Mad Men over a year ago when it premiered and to be quite honest didn't like it. The look of the show was great and the main character was intriguing, but there was something about the show I didn't like. I think it was the over reference to the 60s. The inside jokes ("Don't be intimidated by the technology."--hey a typewriter.) ("It's not like we have a machine that will just copy paper."). It was too one the nose to me. Too self aware, so I let the show go.

So I let it go.

But some friends had been badgering me to watch it. "It gets better," they say. "You'll love it."

So I gave it another chance after picking up the DVDs. Again the first two episodes bugged me. The inside jokes were awful, but still I was really into Don Draper. What drove this guy? Why was he the way he is?

Around the third episode it really picked up for me. It's a very slow burn type of show. But the questions that rise, especially around who Don Draper is are really compelling?

January Jones--who plays Draper's wife--is really compelling in her almost childlike way of dealing with problems. Peggy Olson is another compelling character as she tries to do what she can to break the glass ceiling, only to be dropped down by the very fact that she's a woman.

While the inside jokes are still there, they get easier to ignore as the season goes on. I really got caught up in the charcters, which--like The Sopranos--is what this show is really about. Highly recommended, just give it a few episodes.

The season ended on a high note, and I'm really looking forward to Season 2... although, I should probably wait for the DVDs again.

Hot Stove Baseball

I'm doing this a little early this year. With the Yankees being out of the playoffs for the first time in 15 years, and the old place closing down, it's time to start looking forward to next year.

Obviously the first question is GM Brian Cashman. Does he return for a new contract to continue to rebuild? Or does he take a new contract in somewhere like Seattle or Philly? My gut says he stays to continue drafting and rebuilding as he has been.

So, what do the Yankees do with their current roster? There have a ton of money and contracts coming off the books with Giambi, Abreu, Pettite, Mussina, I Rod, and Pavano coming off the books.

Okay, so let's look at it positionally:

PITCHING: The number one priority is obviously CC Sabathia. He's young, he's a lefty and he wins. He's been pitching on like one day rest for the past month with the Brewers, so the question is "Has he pitched himself out?" I think the Yankees try and blow him away with a contract? Probably.

AJ Burnett and Ben Sheets are out there too, but both have shown themselves to be injury prone. My guess is the Yanks also go after Burnett, as he has proved himself capable of pitching in the AL.

Predicted rotation: Sabathia, Wang, Burnett, Hughes, Pettite

RELIEF PITCHING: The Yankees have proved themselves to have a decent set of young relievers to be followed up by Rivera. However, with the recent news that Rivera may need surgery to repair an injured arm, the question is will he decide to take the surgery and be unavailable next year? I'm going to say "Yes." He goes under the knife. That leaves Joba Chamberlain as the closer next year, moving to the set up role if Rivera comes back.

INFIELD: Jeter and A Rod are most likely stable (I do think there's a chance they ask Jeter to move to CF, but I highly doubt he agrees.)... I think Jason Giambi is gone and the Yankees attempt to sign a first baseman for one year on the cheap (Kevin Millar?). I also think you'll see Posada split time there too. More on 2B in a second. I don't think the Yankees sign Texiera, as it'll be way too much money and too many years. Though he would fit in that line-up nicely, hitting behind A Rod.

OUTFIELD: Abreu is gone. Nady to right. Damon plays left. CF? I can see the Yankees trading Cano for a high ceiling CF. I don't know if the Pirates would do a deal for McClouth, but I could see the Yankees dealing Kennedy and Cano for him.

So... Predicted Line-up?

LF Damon (L)
CF McClouth (L)
SS Jeter (R)
3B A Rod (R)
DH Matsui (L)
RF Nady (R)
C Posada (S)
1B Millar (R)
2B Orlando Hudson (S) (Free Agent Signing)

I'm almost definitely wrong here. It's a very right handed line-up, especially for the new Yankee Stadium, which has the short porch in right field. But it could be a gritty line-up to. A lot of contact hitters, with Matsui and A Rod as your power. Then you have to work on suring up your bench... though that comes another time for me.

If I'm wrong? Other Prediction:

LF Damon
SS Jeter
2B Cano
3B A Rod
1B Texiera
RF Nady
C Posada
DH Matsui
CF Gardener (until Austin Johnson is ready)

Rotation:

Burnett
Wang
Hughes
Pettite
Mussina
(UGH)

Meanwhile, what do you think? And if you're a fan of another team, what do you think your team is going to do?

Best. Fight. Scene. Ever

With the best ending line... ever.

Live Blogging: Fringe

Well, I'm enjoying this show and I DVR'ed the last episode, so it's live to me.

10:54: Start out with a really creepy scene. A guy in a confessional scared of what's going to happen on "the bus." while see see a dude in a suit gas everyone.

10:55: Is this show THE X-FILES? Is it LOST? Is it both? Is it creepy? Probably all of the above. Best part about DVR... fast foward commercials...

10:58: The main character at funeral... over reacting with guilt. Summing up episodes past. Guilt, guilt, guilt. Dude from THE WIRE being creepy. Yeah, good start.

11:00: Watching Pacey makes me wish I could grow perfect five o'clock shadow.

11:01: This show does have interesting characters and good one liners. Now if the standalone episodes can keep my interest, they'll have something.

11:06: It's a good thing someone was taking VIDEO ON A BUS!? Who does that? Freakin' whacko Bostonites.

11:07: Exposition, exposition, the pattern, exposition, exposition... creepiness, exposition.

11:08: "You don't have to explain. I know what it's like to lose someone you've worked with closely. I also like to speak in overly long sentences and remind the viewer about what they've already seen."

11:12: I forget the name of the big scary business so I'll just call it Maximum Overdrive. The head of the company is sufficiently creepy.

11:15: "It's hard to say he's lying." I'm Joshua Jackson and I am here to explain something about my past and make it fit into the plot.

11:17: Yep, this show may have the worst dialogue EVER. It's close... and yet I'm still intrigued.

11:22: Thinking about hitting the snooze on this one. I'm only about halfway. Love the interplay between crazy professor and his son.

11:25: I think we're going to have to go to Maximum Overdrive to get this piece of equipment. Oh nevermind, we'll just have to go to Cambridge. Guess this show has found it's formula.

11:29: I think I'm losing a bit of track of this episode.

11:30: Very funny drill bit. And by bit I mean comedy. Made me laugh.

11:33: He also just said deus ex machina.

11:38: Please let this show get better... My interest is really waning.

11:39: Did they really think the bad guy and a bus accident was clever? Really? It's silly.

11:42: Big not a surprise at the end, but this show is pretty good at cliffhangers. Makes me want to watch again... darn it.

AWWWW YEAH IT'S BACK!

Yankee Stadium: 85 Years

I wasn't around for Ruth, Mantle, DiMaggio, or Maris. I wasn't around for the old Yankee Stadium with the facade circling the entire stadium.

But I remember my first night game, my aunt took me to see the good Detroit Tigers blowout the Yankees. I remember how blue the walls were, how green the grass was. The way the lights reflected off the walls and the grass and the seats. It was the original HD view. Everything was brighter at the stadium.

I wasn't at any historical moments. I've seen walk offs and grand slams. Fights in the stand and sweeps. I've seen the Red Sox beat the Yankees in blow outs. I've seen the Yankees fight back. I've left annoyed, sad, and happy.

I saw Mark McGwire hit a bomb into the black off Mariano Rivera on his first day as a closer. I saw the Yankees win a marathon opening day in 1998. I sat in the snow in 1996. I've seen Old Timers Days and Bat Days. I cheered and booed A Rod. I was a lucky kid. My best friend's father got tickets all the time.

The games I'm going to remember most, I wasn't there for. Tino. Brosius. Girardi's triple. Aaron Boone. Moments that mark my high school years, my college years.... my twenties.

In good times, in bad times, Yankee Stadium was always there

The green, the blue, the lights may be gone. But they'll remain in my memories.

SIGNING

If you're in the area of Westfield, NJ (270 E Broad Street, Westfield, NJ) today and want to see me, I'll be at the Town Bookstore signing from 2-4. I'll be ready to laugh, smile, and talk about The Evil That Men Do, When One Man Dies, and Rutgers football.

See ya there.

James Crumley, 1939-2008

I remember when I read The Last Good Kiss. It was my sophomore year of college, just as I was discovering old Private Eye novels. I'd read on a mailing list about it's great opening sentence and had to check it out. I was surprised at Sughrue and how he actually turned out to be frightened at times. And how aware he was that he was in a ridiculous situation. It was so different from the PI novels I'd read before. I loved it. It was perfectly written.

I went on to read The Wrong Case and so on.

And then at Bouchercon 2005, Laura Lippman introduced me to the man. He shook my hand and I told him what an inspiration he was. He laughed that he was just writing about "Sex, drugs, rock and roll and machine guns." Then he asked what I did.

I didn't tell him I was a writer. At that time I didn't have an agent, I didn't have a publishing deal. I had a few short stories. It didn't feel right. I told him I was a teacher.

And Crumley pulled me close, and through the din in the bar, he told me how important it was what I was doing. And how he was impressed by the job I was doing. He waved off my compliments about his work and wanted to focus on the teaching.

Two years later, he blurbed my book.

The man meant a lot to me, though I only met him once.

I'm going to miss him.

Hey There

Wow, it's been nearly a week since I've posted anything of substance, huh?

You miss me?

I've been working my butt off since I gave up reading most blogs. I have a whole mess of projects I've delved into and have been probably averaging something along the lines of 2000 words a day. It's been fun and enlightening.

At the same time, writing's a funny thing isn't it? I mean, I've been averaging a ton of words, but I'm not sure if any of them mean anything. I don't know if either story I'm working on has a lot of forward momentum, but I'm still pushing on. I'm still waiting to feel that click that gets me on another meaningful run.

I've often said that writing is like jogging. When you get out of practice, restarting can be painful. Everything sputters and your brain second guesses all of the words/steps. But once you do it a few days in a row, you get that runners high. Everything comes a lot easier and you can push a lot further.

Hopefully I've hit that stretch.

But if I haven't there's always revision.

Meanwhile, I did want to mention some of the pop culture stuff I've been checking out since both the Yankees and Rutgers have decided to tank it recently. I've been watching Mad Men Season 1. The first two episodes were good, but some of the jokes were so heavy handed, I wonder if it'll tone down? I've been assured to stay with it, that it will.

I also received an advance copy of IRON MAN, a movie I saw in the theaters and loved. Can't wait to check it out again. Maybe tomorrow afternoon.

Crime Scene Scotland

Really, Russel McLean is too nice.:

The Evil that Men Do achieves everything a second novel needs to do: it expands not merely on the fictional world and the emotional life of the series protagonist, but also on the author’s skill and focus.

I Have Nothing to Say Right Now

So you just get pictures.

Quantum of Solace Trailer

You want more?

YOU GOT MORE WHEELBARROW!

Rutgers Update

Some interesting things going on with Rutgers sports lately. After falling to Fresno State in the opener, where things just didn't click, RU looks to bounce back against UNC on September 11th.

Rutgers has always faired well on Thursday nights and hopefully this week won't be any different.

What's interesting about this game? Well for one thing rumors persist that Barack Obama will be in the crowd after doing some 9/11 ceremonies in the city. Could be fun to watch.

Meanwhile, a busy week for the Rutgers basketball team. The schedule was released and full of cupcake opponents. That means wins--hopefully--but less interest in my season tickets.

Notice the "hopefully." RU announced that seniors JR Inman and Jaron Griffin have been suspended indefinitely. Both were counted on this year to be leaders and it is apparent they are not doing their job.

The basketball team also hired former coach Danny Nee to serve as Director of Basketball Operations and a sounding board for Head Coach Fred Hill.

Should be a fun season!

Hanna New Jersey (not Montana...)

So here we are in the bunker waiting for Hanna to strike. It's been something like 8 years since we were hit with a Hurricane (Floyd) or a Tropical Storm. We have beer... we're making homemade pizza and we're going to pop in a movie.

I hope it's not bad. But if it is, I've already looked up the rules on looting? (I'm taking TVs and Playstations...) and am ready to barter if necessary.

And I've been studying Michael Phelps to learn the breast stroke in case of flooding.

So everyone in the area, be safe and enjoy the night. Should be fun!

Well That's Pretty Cool

It appears I have my own Wikipedia entry!!

New Jersey, The Promised Land: Colleges/Education

New Jersey has a great educational system. And I don't just say that because I teach in the state. NJ has some of the toughest testing programs in the country. And it contains two of the earliest and most well known universities in the country (Rutgers and some Ivy League school 15 miles down the road... yeah the one that stole our cannon.).

We in New Jersey are smart people and we are doing our best to teach the children of NJ to be smart. New Jersey colleges have been involved in many breakthroughs, including recently: Rutgers possibly finding a breakthrough that might lead to a cure for AIDS.

That said, what does Hawaii (#11) have? The Luau? Great scenery? Beaches? How can anyone study there? You're too busy like... partying and hula dancing and stuff.

BAH. New Jersey.

Learn Something.

EXTRA: THE SCRIPT for the NEW RUTGERS COMMERCIAL

Avery Brooks (Voiceover): Before there was a United States, a college was founded in the heart of New Jersey.

Mary Baglivo: Before I became a CEO in the global marketplace,

Shaun O’Hara: Before I earned my Super Bowl ring,

Julianne Baird: Before…

Junot Diaz: Before…

Randal Pinkett: Before I was hired as "The Apprentice",

Julianne Baird: Before I wow my audiences on stage,

Junot Diaz: Before I won the Pulitzer Prize,

Mary Baglivo: I learned about the world.

Shaun O’Hara: I earned my degree.

Randal Pinkett: I was a Rhodes scholar.

Junot Diaz: I studied writing.

Julianne Baird: I motivate my students.

Mary Baglivo: At Rutgers.

Shaun O’Hara: At Rutgers.

Randal Pinkett: At Rutgers.

Avery Brooks (Voiceover): Jersey Roots, Global Reach