VACATION IN FORT WALTON BEACH PART 2

VACATION IN FORT WALTON BEACH

CITIZEN WAY

 

My job allows me to meet & interact with some great artists.  Citizen Way stopped by work recently for a little radio / tv fun all in one shot!  Good music from great guys.

OUR LITTLE SOPHMORE IS GROWING UP

JASON GRAY "BREATHE IN BREATHE OUT"

CALEB'S 6TH BIRTHDAY

SPIDERMAN #700 (A NERD-DAD'S COMMENTARY)

 Here's a tip for you novice comic book collectors, (I speak from experience since I am one).  Whenever the mass media pays attention to a comic book release, that means something big might be happening.  That also gives a massive audience reason to step into a comic book store and actually purchase a book despite probably not doing so since they were 11 years old down at the local drug store when they got their gum, baseball cards, and a comic.  I should have known better, caught the warning signs when issue #700 of Amazing Spiderman was approaching.  Also, it was the day after Christmas so I wasn't on my "A Game" like I usually am.  And to add, I've earned a "pull list" at the local comic store, which means they usually grab my favorite titles when they come out.  Unfortunately for me, I didn't express my interest in Spidey #700 like I should have.  So, Thursday rolls around, I pop in to the store, and guess what?  Sold out.  But, I did get another Spidey title because this current storyline would be crossing over a few titles and have a brand new launch of "Superior Spiderman" in January 2013.

So after a few calls around town to other possible comic outlets, I had to do something I didn't think I would do...purchase the digital copy online.  Yep, technology has caught up with comics in that you can download the latest and greatest right onto your laptop, ipad, iphone, etc.  I enjoy the physical touch of the comics, and will one day enjoy handing over the collection I've been working on for over a year to my son.  But my spider-sense was tingling about this issue and I wanted to read and see what the hype was all about in Spidey #700.  Its been a while since comics have been noticed in the media.  Usually its just the superhero themed movies these days, but in the last decade the big comic companies have rolled out a few storylines that made the rest of the world perk up and take notice.  The Death of Superman, Post 9/11 Spiderman, the Death of Captain America, a few heroes coming out, a relaunch of an entire company, (DC New 52), and as of now, Spiderman #700.

(Spoiler Alert) So, the idea was pretty interesting.  Spiderman is once again going toe to tentacles with Doctor Octopus, and a gigantic switcheroo takes place in that Spidey's brain is now in the dying body of Doc Oc, and Doc Oc's brain is in the body of a healthy Spiderman, (along with all the memories and feelings too).  So, unfortunately I had read in the press that #700 was going to be the death of Peter Parker so I knew what was coming when I started reading  this issue.  I have to say though, with the pacing of the story, and the artwork and dialogue, I was anxious.  I was hoping Peter would pull out a miracle in the last seconds...but leading up to the climax, Peter has visions of people from his past, and a pep talk from Uncle Ben.  But as the story continues, Doc Oc is starting to feel a little more emotion behind the phrase, "with great power comes great responsibility".  Almost a transformation of classic bad guy to the cusp of a possible good guy with all new possibilities.  If I've learned anything in comics, nobody truly dies.  In an alternate universe, I'm reading another Spidey title where Peter Parker is also gone and a teenage black kid has taken over the web slinging.  "Superior Spiderman" kicks off early 2013, and I think I'm along for the ride.  Doc Oc isn't exaclty my favorite villian, but the writers already have me hooked with the battle within of good vs. evil in his own mind.  I like rebellious writers who are given a chance at some creativity, and make the masses notice. 

p.s. Good luck trying to track down a 1st printing copy of this bad boy...they went quick.

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2012

MAKE 'EM LAUGH

I was asked recently to "entertain" some folks at their Christmas Party.  I immediately found an "open mic" venue to go and try out some material.  After a couple of tries, I fell in love with the idea of stand up comedy.  It's a rush to make people laugh. It feels great to hand someone a Joy Sandwich with some Giggle sauce on it.  So a goal in 2013 is to do more stand up.  To fine tune some material and take it out to the smoky bars of America.

FAMILY

Our friend Todd Ruth took some family photos for us in November.  He found a site in South Bend and we ran with it. 

RASCAL FLATTS

My job continues to suprise me with meeting all kinds of people.  Recently, the girls along with my parents went to see Rascal Flatts and Little Big Town and before the show, we had a total of 8 seconds to shake hands, smile, and move out of the way.

Country music live shows though continue to impress me.  Musically tight, vocally strong, and a show thats very visual.  And the fans are true die hards.

CMB MOMENTUM 2012

I attended the CMB Momentum Conference in Orlando, Florida recently.  This was my 3rd time attending.  What a great community of people who are moving towards the same goal.  I have made some great friendships with people who welcomed me into this industry just 3 short years ago.  Whether is was being at a roundtable discussion group with the likes of Wally Decker, Mike from KLOVE, hanging out with AMY GRANT at the Magic Kingdom, a van ride with TOBYMAC talking about his first #1 album and parenting, talking with Keith Stevens from KTIS about what the future holds, or just a great time with Ben, Hauser, Matt, Jeff, Grant, and a handful of others.

CAMERA STEALER

SLEIGH RIDE WITH DAVE BARNES

Shine On Us by Josh Wilson

SWIMMING IN JULY

This was the summer where we (South Bend) hit 100 degree temps.  So of course we tried to cool down in Jill's pool.

JULY 4, 2012

Good times at Uncle Riley's house today.  It hit 100 degrees and we cooled off the old fashioned way, a slip n' slide and a water hose!

MOVIE REVIEW: AMAZING SPIDERMAN

There are more superhero movies now than ever before.  Why?  Where would you find a better collection of stories & characters in the past 60 years than in comic books?  At first, I thought "another Spiderman movie?"  The first Spiderman movie was in 2002 with Toby Maguire, and that doesn't feel so long ago...but to a 14 year old teenager (who was sitting next to me, my daughter) that was a lifetime ago.

She didn't go to the movies to see Spiderman with me in 2002, she was 4!  (She did go to Harry Potter though and ran up and down all the aisles.)  But she was interested in the reboot, (I'm guessing because of Andrew Garfield and his complicated hair and the delightful Emma Stone as Peter's first real love "Gwen Stacy".)

After the movie was over, I kept thinking about where this movie ranks with all other "hero" movies, and where it ranks with the other Spidey movies, and how it stacked up against Garfield's "Social Network", and Stone's "The Help" or maybe "Superbad"....

I judge all "hero" movies by "The Dark Knight".  That is my all time favorite comic book related-hero movie.  Everything else hasn't come close yet.  "The Avengers" was great, I dig the "Iron Mans", and the other Marvel set-up movies, (Captain America, Thor), but Spiderman is also one of my favorite comics so I have a special place for the young introverted teenager who gets bitten by a radioactive spider and his life changes.

I enjoyed this movie.  Thats what movies are supposed to do, give me 2 hours of escapism.  Entertain me and keep me engaged so that if even my cell phone vibrates I don't check to see who texted or called because I'm so enthralled in the story.  There were a couple of dragging moments in "Amazing Spiderman" that could have moved along a little quicker.

I found myself drawn to Andrew Garfield's hair.  I have no idea why, but I found myself thinking, "That is some complicated, hipster hair."  His back n' forth with Emma Stone was actually very enjoyable.  Seeing them fall in love, watching it play out in dialogue was a plus for the movie.  It took a good while for the 'action' to get rolling but once Peter Parker started figuring out that he had something special within him, some acrobatics really took over.  (Seeing this in 3D was fun too.)

Here is my one problem with superhero movies, and I think it is probably a nerdy-generational thing...KEEP YOUR FREAKING MASK ON!  Heroes rarely ever revealed themselves to anyone in the comics I grew up reading.  I can remember in 2002 seeing the first Spiderman movie and when Toby Maguire pulled off his mask, I literally gasped.  "YOU DON'T DO THAT!"

I guess I love secret identities.  I think I remember one movie where the revealing became part of the dialogue, "is there anybody else who hasn't seen you are yet?"  But I figure you have these huge, egotistical actors who need to be seen when us nerd-purists are literally coming to see the "hero" not the actor.

There was a fun little conversation between Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy at their high school, and the director chose Coldplay's "Kingdom Comes" for the soundtrack...it worked.  The villian; eh.  I don't know that there was enough threat to the Lizard.  I was more emotional attached to Peter's revelation that he cannot love someone because it would immediately put them in danger or harm's way.  That scene was pretty powerful.

All in all, I would put this in a Top 10 list of Superhero movies, towards the bottom 5.  Its enjoyable, its got 'franchise' written on it, I hope Andrew Garfield has a decent run as Peter Parker, (I liked him better than Toby Maguire - I always pictured Parker as this lanky, high school-socially awkawd kid and Garfield pulls it off pretty well.)

I'm pretty sure "Dark Knight Rises" is going to rule though.

SILVER BEACH

FORT WAYNE ZOO