SONG WRITING

Well, what have I done tonight — gotten my character killed three times in World of Warcraft because I have ABSOLUTELY no idea what to do — the highly amusing part of that is that I got talked into it by my 7 year old nephew and presumably he’s managed to survive. My mistake was not scheduling an in-game family meetup so that someone with actual experience/weapons/healing spells would have my back. Then there’s the listening to last.fm, reading the twitterific window when it pops up, trying to animate a new Christmas themed cartoon in both ToonBoom Studio Express and FlipBoom and not having any luck at either — although I love the crispness of the colors and lines in Studio Express and should probably sit through the tutorials…but I’m best at the apprentice approach, following someone around and learning by doing, then diving off the deep end before I’m totally comfortable and going from there. What else, pre WOW, there was the researching Quebec History in 1889 — Bulldogs (the Hockey Team that apparently invented the net(hockey, not inter, although it was in French so no guarantees), landslides and “warehouse stores” in Montreal.

And then there was the Lisa Loeb song that made me think writing a country song was the solution to my possibly late night rain induced mood so I caught up on my other blog and am here admitting that writing not drawing is what calls to me tonight…maybe haikuing

How in the heart does a song start
Take the heat meets the beat
Then the beat meets street
And the street rides the heat
While the beat pounds on
A song jaunts
to the street heartbeat
turn the heat on
riding the beat
while the heart street
hums

Not a haiku and no one could turn that into a country song; last.fm’s gone Blossom Dearie, which is the best name for a lounge singer ever…close race with Eartha Kitt, which is the best name for a Catwoman ever.

Anything else tonight — one of my twitter peeps is fascinated by parallel universes which will probably lead to strange dreams, watched Big Bang Theory on DVD — had a marathon over Thanksgiving — Beau had never really seen a full episode. As I was trying to sleep Thursday night the soundtrack in my head was a combination of the Friends’ (Beau’s a big fan) theme song, the BBT theme and the Northwestern (we’re going to a bowl game, baby) fight song, so I think he watched them long into the morning.

Googlequested for ToonBoom Animate reviews (couldn’t make the launch party), clicked back through blog trackbacks and ended up with speculation — last.fm pause RODRIGIO y GABRIELA are amazing; see them and be awed — that there might be a Wizards of Waverly Place movie; Disney’s setting their New Year’s Eve party on the Wizards set, advertising started tonight. I want Disney to have a special holiday treat of showing High School Musical 3 on TV so Flash will stop wandering sadly with her tail in its melancholy pose whenever they play a Zac Efron video bit from the current movie. Also spent some time on the iCarly website looking for news of new episode as I suffered iCarly withdrawal on Saturday, but only read Freddy’s not terribly convincing Black Friday tale and couldn’t text a “shirt suggestion.”

So, is that everything or at least 2:36 a.m.’s worth. I suppose so. Now I’m off to find something to read. Have to dig out a Ngaio Marsh book — I suddenly remembered that the Roderick Alleyn/Agatha Troy courtship was one of the things that inspired In The Bleak December. But now is not the time to start reading a mystery. They keep me awake. There’s a song thought: The mystery of you sneaks through my night and steals my sleep away. So sneak quieter or be less mysterious. Your choice.

Good night all. (Lenny Welch “Since I Fell For You” — I love the way the song swings through sadness and madness — hey, he’s a Jersey guy…so many of the cool cats are. Did I just write cool cats — alas that’s what’s you get at this turn o’ the hour. So I’ll be turning myself in.)

LOIS, CUFFLINKS AND CARLY(PLUS MIDDLENEWS)

Right, quick insomniac stream of conciousness TV and multi media notes:

SMALLVILLE: still not great Lois writing, but some great Lois and Clark moments in the Doomsday meets Chloe wedding disaster. Great use of limited special effects, much heightening of drama. Erica Durance and Tom Welling do good work and fit in well together at the farm, there’s a nice feel. The return of Kristin Kreuk as Lana Lang got me in trouble — if you’re going to come back, come back in style — and she did. Wow. And with the “Did the Archer believe you?” message, the intrigue vibe came with her. Some beautiful moments — excellent visuals by the director — and the last sequence was breathtaking and beautiful and actually made me want to watch the next episode (but no joy there ’til Jan. 15th); don’t take any kryptonite cookies and avoid Kristin Kreuk in black leather or anything resembling it, that’s my advice.

iCarly — downloaded iWin a Date, which is another of my favorite episodes…Gibby’s great fun. Also watched iWon’t Tell (I think that’s the title) and realized that Miranda Cosgrove is a master of the comic meltdown rant, a core iCarly concept. Between iCarly’s “Random Dancing” segments and True Jackson’s “Dance Party” have decided I need an actual stereo with speakers I can control remotely from any room downstairs. More dancing always good. True Jackson continues funny, but they keep throwing in these “I’m only a teen in way over my head moments” and I just don’t like them.

Disney: Bolt’s getting good and neutral tweets on Twitter; the “Harper Knows” Wizards of Waverly Place(Flash does not approve of Wizards; for her Selena Gomez is always the villanous Mikayla, we think) episode was actually fun — between that show and the Big Bang Theory there will be so much embrace your inner and outer geek going on that I dread to see what shows filter out of the next iteration of inspiration based on that premise.

Anything else? Hmmm, have Spirited Away on loan, must watch sometime this week and see if anime love lingers post Howl’s Moving Castle.

All right, I’m done and too tired to link. Google, Ask or Yahoo…you’ll find it. Good night all. Enjoy your Monday(yes, even if it requires large amounts of lasagna).

Oh, A Middleman update(I’ll link for fellow Middleman lovers) — apparently Natalie Morales has been signed for a pilot of something scifi Star trek spoofy and here’s a blog containing interviews about the future (or not) of the Middleman. Kevin Sorbo’s in there too –oddly, I just iPwatched the episode he appeared in…tomorrow, maybe episode 11????? The DVD set should come with a bonus CD of the show’s music to soothe the no season 2 heartbreak.

iHATCH LIZARD SPOCKS WITH KRYPTONITE

Well, watched the iPie episode of iCarly again and it wasn’t as funny as it was in my cream and custard flinging dreams. But it was bundled together with iHatch Chicks and iPromote Techfoots, two of my favorite episodes (I came upstairs to blog during iLike Him — close to my least favorite episode so far)…chick names are great: Shelly, Heuvo, Benedict, Omelet, Yoko and Poachy; good Freddy lines — “Sam ate them” for example — well, I guess it’s better if you watch the episode. The Freddie’s baby cousin storyline was one of the funnier things in the pie episode; Freddie’s mom is so funny with the deadpan “she does hate you.” Anyway, I could quote iCarly for awhile longer but that would make me hungry for “blubbery” muffins. If you’re not watching it yet and you can stand screaming and mania and running around and actors who can both physical and verbal comedy, well, why aren’t you watching it? The iGo Japan ratings were very respectable, highest for a Nick movie, so maybe they’ll make an iGo London soon.

What else? Big Bang Theory survived fairly funny without direct Sheldon-Penny confrontation so points for that. Rotate the talent a little. Mix up your pitches. It’s the way to make it to the big game. Liked the Mars Rover in a ditch bit, especially the call AA exchange. Nice to see Leonard and Penny as friends; glad there’s no lingering dating awkwardness; the Spock thing went on a bit too long but Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock is one of those phrases that gets funnier every time you say it.

Did I mention I was looking forward to Lana’s appearance on Smallville. That’s very strange for me and an indication that things are not well in the Superverse. More fun, more banter, more Lois, more heroics, a more cheerful and more often seen Green Arrow, and less of the moody lip pursing paramedic/supervillian in training. Kind of sad to see Kara go off, but she doesn’t really fit into to the Metropolis centric storyline. I would like to see Maggie Sawyer back, though.

Oh, for any fans of Flash, she’s off the new Hannah theme song but seems to like The Suite Life on Deck; no comment on iCarly. Patton likes watching basketball with Gayle. Pongo’s solid on Smallville, sports talk in the morning and Home Improvement — he likes guys; my little brother was his best friend when Beau and Pongo were growing up.

LEADERSHIP + DIVERSITY + DIRECTING

Well Stefan Stern completes my FT writer triumvirate. In a column earlier this week, he discusses leadership and how 1955 British Army notes on leadership given to him by a current “Captain of Industry” are still valid today. This is the kind of business column I find most useful, as general leadership notes also apply to leadership in the arts in general and directing in specific. Yes, artistic flair, creativity and genius are great things to have in your quiver when facing a room full of actors, but so is a schedule that will allow for enough rehearsals with some time built in for the scenes that just aren’t working. People underestimate the potential of pragmatism in the arts.

After casting, which is crucial and an art, the next step is scheduling. The Norton Directing Program is a three stepper: pick great play (or at least a play with some vitality), put the right actors in the right parts, and stay out of the way (this last bit actually does require work as first you have to make sure everyone’s pointed to the appropriate compass direction).

Back to Stern and his notes on notes on leadership — Stern distills books and conversations into solid principles that I can ponder without getting lost in business speak. What I’m currently reviewing is remembering to pay more attention to the individual — not necessarily in direct interaction, but by breaking down strengths and concerns as you do for scenes or lines; often you have to decide if a problem needs to be solved on a group level or an individual one and if you judge wrongly, things get more tangled.

To effectively discuss the world and politics, not only do you need a grasp of economics and politics, but you also need to be conversant in Disney. John Gapper uses High School Musical 3 to chide the Republicans for their lack of understanding of the electorate.

The War Requiem review reminded me of Ian Bostridge’s expressive tenor so I am currently in search of the Bostridge CD I acquired many many shows ago to provide a little masculine energy for Vita and Virginia; this will probably cause the unearthing of several CDs I’ve been half remembering to look for. Fun.

Oh, and another member of my FT triumvirate, James Altucher, has released his latest book into the world — The Forever Portfolio. How to be Berkshire Hathway at home seems to be the theme.

ALTUCHER AGAIN

Well, I keep thinking this is the week I won’t mention Mr. Altucher and yet, he keeps saying things that I agree with, like don’t spend $100,000 on business school, spend $20,00, start a business and meet people. I thought the same thing about making a movie — but with fewer zeroes. Plus, he lists a few stocks to buy — including Disney, which I probably would if Gayle didn’t have that signed piece of paper. I am a bit appalled by the never voting though. And now I am going to cease the sharing of my opinions with the public and have a private lunch. Enjoy your afternoon/evening.

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3 LEAD UP

This week on the Disney Channel, they’re running through all the recent big name musicals sing a long style, starting tonight with a visit to Barcelona and Cheetah Girls 2.  This is my favorite of the Cheetah Girl movies and I’m going to have to take a break to go watch the tango scene.  Kenny Ortega’s imprint on the Cheetah Girl movie gives me hopes that High School Musical is going to strut its way to the big screen this Friday.  Cheetah Girls 3 on the morrow, see my review elsewhere, then Camp Rock, which was better the second time we watched, and then High School Musical 1 and 2 on Wednesday and Thursday.  Of these, see tonight’s Cheetah Girls and the original High School Musical which is a small miracle of perfect chemistry and good cheer.

 

Caught the tango and the lullaby.  Hate the stage mom storyline but it’s better than the dog down a manhole drama of the first Cheetah Girls.  One of my favorite Disney musical related tangents is the Mota video done for when Disney was making High School Musical international videos – Eres la musica, where the duo bops around with golf clubs.  

Disney does an excellent job of finding singers and dancers and in High School Musical, Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron give you characters to care about, which is essential in a musical.  Actually, HSM is very similar to a stripped down Fred and Ginger basic musical plot, but with younger protagonists…you have the villianess, the comic relief friends and those wonderful moments of concord over music.

OK, yes, I’m a sucker for a musical; have always been; hope to always be so yes, I’ll be seeing HSM 3, hoping you don’t have to skip the first part, like HSM 2 (just start with “I Don’t Dance”).  From the preview material I’ve seen, the costuming looks a bit off, but I’m thinking maybe that’s mostly in the musical within a musical part.

Anyway, back for the group break-up song and to wait while my election Gullible and Twitchy continues to upload…hmm, a musical Gullible and Twitchy.  I’ll have to think that one over.

WEEKEND

Well, must start the Halloween article for next week. Should probably get away from my computer. Studio DC: Almost Live is back this weekend with the Muppets and it looks like the Disney teen team might do better the second time around — plus BEEKER! A little bit of compressed panic always good in someone else’s day. Gayle wants to see “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” which I vaguely remember reading something about but not enough to grumble. Might hit the library; reading would be pleasant. No meetings so that’s good and there’s still a chance if I actually start making the phone calls, there will be no lingering case of phone tag. And I had a great and funny idea last night and want to play with my Wacom tablet, but don’t know when.

CHEETAH GRUMP

Well, Cheetah Girls: One World not only gave me a curry craving, but it pushed we care about music videos and equal screentime past we care about script.  Was like the highlight reel for three different movies — I think the Sabrina Bryan branch had the most potential — interesting pauses for mixing in philosophies, plus physical comedy, a lonelypond staple and something that comforts me, personally, at moments like this when I’m starting to come down with something.  Maybe I can convince Gayle to break out Season 1 of Get Smart instead of more NBC chooses my Olympics events.  Oh yeah, plus the Cheetahs were missing that Kenny Ortega snap sizzle — be interesting to see what he does on the big screen with High School Musical 3.