Just because I can # 17

Blah

Not too much to say at the moment. I'm about to embark on part two of a split shift. 5-10 this morning, and now 5-9pm. Wanky split shifts! So you'll forgive me if... ooh, media player's started playing the Imperial March. (Even a Trekkie can enjoy that.) Sorry, ADD moment. Anyway, I'm not much in the mood for soliloquising, so I'll wander off and perchance leave you with another video to do the entertaining for me.

Just because I can #16

Catching up on the classics

Those who know me well know that if I'm not working, sound asleep, or playing World of Warcraft (or some other roleplayer), I have my nose buried in a book. Yup, I even read in the toilet. I'm a nerd, so I delve into any sci-fi or fantasy book I can get my greedy little paws on. I've read countless Star Trek books (of course), Ursula Le Quin's Earthsea trilogy, Anne McCaffrey's The Harper Hall of Pern, pretty much everything I've found of Isaac Asimov's (my beloved got me the Foundation series, and I'm loving it). I'd like to think I don't have to mention the quintessential nerd text, The Lord of the Rings (which I read before the movies came out).

Every now and then, though, I get to feeling a bit egotistical and elitist, and I grab myself a copy of a classic that otherwise might not have been on my reading list. Let's face it, most people who have read any of the classics did so because one of their teachers told them to in Year 11 or 12, and much of the population only knows of classics because of movies that have been based on them (though kudos to Peter Jackson for such a sexy rendition of Lord of the Rings - marvellous casting).

Sometimes what you get from a classic isn't what you expect. I read Frankenstein: many of the movies make Frankenstein's monster out to be insensible, and others to be a perfect gentle giant. In fact, he was neither. He was gentle to an extent, at first, and articulate having learned speech from a family he watched in secret. He became embittered by his experience of being feared by all who saw him (including his beloved family when he finally approached them) and with cruel but intelligent planning, plucked all those his creator loved from life. Frankly, visiting the original story was greatly refreshing, having seen all the interpretations jumping far from the tale and then copying one another.

I'm currently reading A Tale of Two Cities and Moby Dick. Stuff you hear the famous first lines of, or vague references to, but not much more unless you seek out... you guessed it - the movies. (I've yet to see Patrick Stewart's protrayal of Captain Ahab, but I have every trust in his ability as an actor). I'll keep you posted (if I remember) when I've read enough of each of these books to form an opinion. Meanwhile, I'll blather about what I've read from start to finish.

I feel compelled to throw in a word for Gulliver's Travels. Like most, I grew up with the simplified children's versions of the story. Later, I saw the mini-series they made, starring Ted Danson. He did a descent job of it, at that. Again, the book in its original form was far more rich and detailed. To be sure, Lilliput and various other lands full of giants or midgets were there. What got left out of most of the interpretations, however, was the political element. Swift was essentially spewing hate at the British legal system and humanity in general, through satire and wrapping it in fantasy. If you haven't read it, and you don't mind a spoiler, Gulliver had no loving reunion with his wife and son. Too long had he spent with the wise and gentle Houyhnhnm to be comfortable in his own skin, or as a Yahoo (the Houyhnhn's name for humans). As such, he was uncomfortable with physical contact with his wife, poor soul. If you care, the term 'yahoo' for describing a lout can trace its origins thus.

Well, that's what a drink or two and a wee bit of inspiration gets you. Hope I didn't bore you like a crusty old teacher.

Just because I can #15

One for the Halloweenies.

Trek vs. Wars

I met someone new today (hello Luckfest), whom I learned from his Blogger profile likes Star Wars. Good old Star Wars. But of course that brought to mind the old Trek vs Wars argument. You see, I'm a Trekkie - always was, always will be. My beloved and all his minions are Wars fans. That's fine with me, but for the fact my well loved Trek quotes are never understood. (*sigh*)

There is almost always a great division between the fans. Few people can concede that both shows are quite decent (though Trekkies and Wars fans will all agree George Lucas has become quite the sell-out). Personally, I like both - though true to form, if you tell me Star Wars is better, I'll point my little plastic phaser at you and proclaim 'goodbye redshirt!'

Rather than saying awful things about Wars, however, I'll try and have a balanced look at the two (...no promises):

First of all, Star Trek began its life as a low-budget series, and Star Wars had the benefit of time and a bit more of a budget, being born in movie form. Star Trek thus had to make its way with engaging stories and characters, and by not taking itself too seriously. Star Wars also had a sense of humour, but relied more on action and better costumes to grab attention.

Trek always had a knack for dealing with ordinary human issues in a delightfully outlandish, spacefaring way. For instance, in the Original Series, Kirk and Uhura shared the first inter-racial kiss between fictional characters on American television. Ground-breaking stuff there. Over all the series, such issues as racism, sexism, gender identity, global war, occupation and genocide have been tackled, and I can't help but find that somewhat admirable.

Star Wars also has enjoyable, if slightly more two dimensional characters, and the action and real enough issues of war and rebellion made it worth watching. Ewoks winning against armoured Stormtroopers, though. Come on! Who sends ill-equipped Muppets to fight their battles? ... Wait, I'm ranting. But again, there are Wars fans who agree with me on that. I'm told the Expanded Universe contains a more complex view of Star Wars and the politics, characters, races and alliances within its world. Lucas takes a back-seat, letting his concepts meet their potential as his black and white 'good vs evil' writing style gives way to more realistic shades of grey. Not every officer of the Empire is evil, and not every rebel is good.

For me, Star Trek won on the basis of its highly character driven plots. It's a series, after all. You have time to get to know the people, their pasts, their issues, their trials, blah blah, etc. etc. As someone who dabbles in writing, and minored in Psych at uni, I like to get into the heads of characters and see them as being believable. Explosions are fun, but less is more, and they're more effective when you want your characters to live, and their enemies to explode.

Long live the Federation!

Thought for the day #15

Hi floor, make me a sandwich!

Blogger made a boo-boo

This is a great site for blogging, if blog one must. The pages are beautifully turned out, and as my friend Red mentioned... you don't need to make a new e-mail account for the bloody thing like Yahoo's much neglected and intermittently maligned 360 page (which one needs a sherpa to find, these days, anyway). But here's the first thing I have to gripe about. I left a comment, signed 'Your friendly neighbourhood Mad Shillelagh.' and what do you know - the name gets signed at the top, not the bottom (making my full-stop somewhat ill-placed) and all my capital letters were made fun size - that is, lower case. Ugh! Such formatting errors are hideous to my eye! Grr, I say. Blogger, give me back my capitals!

Damn long time since I've been here

Well, chances are all my readers (if I had any) have long since buggered off. No surprise, since it's been an awfully long time since I gave this site any love. I think perhaps it's been so long I hadn't even met the love of my life yet. Soppy, I know, but hey - if you can't throw yourself head-first into love, then why bother? I won't bore you (or embarrass my dear lad) with details, but it's now been over a year and joy still abounds and all that. Naturally, I write less when I'm happy (or too damn busy to be bothered), so rest assured, everyone's favourite Mad Shillelagh is doing well. Hooray for me!

PS If you feel like some cool semi-historical musical musings, check out The Decemberists. Okay, that's enough advertising for me. Farewell for now.