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A Clothing Line?

Wednesday Jun 30, 2004 - Link to Entry

So occassionally I do a Google search to see how well I'm doing in terms of branching out into the depths of the internet. For a long time I have competed with a deceased chef who apprently published some health diet book. I also often find that the porn star Ron Jeremy can steal some of my internet traffic. But Today I discovered something very shocking. I discovered that I am so popular in the UK that a department store is actually selling, yes selling, a product designed to make you feel as though you have a neck like me. Check it out.

The Jeremy Round Neck

Standard Length
Inherently Soft
100% Pure Scottish Cashmere
4ply Knit
Hand Crafted in Scotland

Our Price: £109.00
(UK/EU £128.07 including VAT)
Free Shipping Worldwide

Should I demand royalties or at worst a free sample of the merchandise? Its not cheap either...About $200 after the exchange. The colors have to be improved though. While I support the grey I'm not sure that the "light oatmeal" tone really communicates the essence of the neck of Jeremy Round to the world. And who is this bastard posing as me? He is clearly too tall and lanky for the roll.

Try looking yourself up on Google, you may be shocked at the results.

California Dreamin'

Monday Jun 28, 2004 - Link to Entry

"I can't decide what I hate more: Change or being on the verge of change." - Gabe D., '02 WCAS

I have no idea what that means....Actually I have all the idea in the world as to what that means. Truth is we're all in a time of transition, and by we're all, I mean me, Gabe, and a few of my other friends. From changing jobs, to selecting schools, to finding apartments, to covering up child sex scandals (sorry Wilson), the world is whirling as we are twirling twirling twirling ever twirling towards the future.

Today I had an interview. I think both sides were happy with the meeting but no official announcement will take place at this juncture. The interview was down in LA which is where I have been for the past couple days hanging with my crew and prepping for the meeting. The most wild and crazy thing we've done so far was go to see Farenheit 9/11, a very sensational and frightening piece. I think whats really scary about it is it shows that the people in charge of our nation are very human and prone to making deals, watching out for themselves before others, and not necessarily understanding the impact of their decisions. Our current leadership is highly corrupt but I'm not sure that that hasn't always been the case. The selfless in our society would not be the types to go into politics. They would seem to weak and wouldn't even be elected governor of Texas. Still even if an 1/8 of what the film exposes is true, Bush is one awful dude.

I'll keep you posted about the job. Check out Pat's new website. Also check me out at my show in August in Santa Monica. Round OUT!

200th Entry!! - All About T. Hanks

Friday Jun 25, 2004 - Link to Entry

Yep. Today marks my 200th entry. And let me tell you, you’re in for a doosey. Today’s entry asks the age old question: Is Tom Hanks America’s most lovable loser?

After viewing The Terminal today I couldn’t help myself from quickly linking the film with another Hank’s film of isolation and hardship, Cast Away. In both films a happy go lucky Hanks gets slapped upside the head by the rest of the world and is resourceful enough to survive with flying colors. Hate to spoil the ending for you all but just like in Cast Away, Hanks ends up surviving but losing the girl. Now think back through the entirety of Hollywood Cinema. How many films end up with the romance failing? You’d be hard pressed to come up with more than 5, I guarantee it. And Hanks might be in all of them. Total combined loser points for the two films, 14.

Let’s face it folks, we love Hanks because he plays losers who we can relate to. Take a walk through cinematic history with me. Starting with Splash, Hank’s first big break. Tom falls in love with a mermaid. As we know from the obvious Disney rip-off of this classic, when Mermaids and Humans fall in love one of the two always loses out on living where they “belong.” And of course following my theory, as this is my article, Tom Hanks is the one to make the sacrifice giving up both living on land and his legs to be with the girl. Mathematically speaking, giving up one’s legs and ability to live on land for underwater sex and love is not a horrible loss, but it is a loss nonetheless. I calculate it at 3 Loser Points.

NEXT….Big. Everyone remembers this classic well. So I shouldn’t have to remind you that it is Hanks playing young Josh who feels unfulfilled and asks to be made Big (which I might add is one of the most explicit sexual references in a family film that was overlooked by America in the history of cinema. Really only dwarfed by Honey I Blew Up the Baby). After being granted his wish he is isolated in NY but once again makes the best of his situation. He falls in love but is not ready to be an adult so he wishes himself back to youth and a day later returns to being a dorky Jew in Suburban NY. Losing a hot successful woman, good career, and great loft while merely regaining his youth… 8 Loser Points.

Take me out to the ball game with A League of Their Own. Drunkard Jimmy Duggan played by Hanks blew his professional career and now can’t keep himself sober for 10 minutes. He’s stuck managing an all women’s team instead of fighting in the war proudly. The only thing that makes his team good is that the players take over and manage for him. Worst part is he loses in the Championship game with a play at the plate. Loser Points 14.

“Wherever I was going, I was a runnin’.” – Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump. Pour Forrest has the following things happen to him. He is born well below average intelligence into a single parent home. He has a crooked spine. He has bullies hit him with rocks. His girl is regularly beaten and molested by her father. When he feels her breast in her dorm room he ruins her roommate’s robe. His best good friend dies in Vietnam right there by that river. He is shot in the buttox. A girl who kisses him tastes like cigarettes. His mother dies of cancer. When he finally gets his girl she has Aids and dies shortly thereafter leaving him a widower and single parent. On the plus sides he has a pretty awesome kid, made tons of money, a great friend in Lt. Dan, and has seen the world. Loser Points 3.

A quick montage of the remaining films of note:
Turner and Hooch- He’s best friends with a dog, 2 Loser points.
Joe v. The Volcano - well just for agreeing to being in the film, and of course the Brain Cloud, 5 Loser Points.
Sleepless in Seattle – He’s a widower, 3 Loser points.
The Green Mile – He can’t pee properly. 12 Loser Points.
Saving Private Ryan – He dies. 7 Loser Points.
That Thing You Do – The band he represents breaks up after having only one hit, 4 Loser Points.
Philadelphia – Not only does he get fired, but he has AIDS, and he dies. 15 Loser Points.
Ladykillers – Dies and is super annoying, 5 Loser Points.
Catch Me if You Can – Really only catches Leonardo after Leo gives up running. And by then is so in love with him that he decides to make him his partner for life in the FBI. 9 Loser Points.

All told, Hanks really loves to be a lovable loser. Just from my assessment alone which left out quite a few of his films he has amassed over 90 loser points making him a grade A loser. But really he’s a big winner because he has made the roll just so lovable and so damn profitable. He’s the biggest name of our generation in cinema and there is very little that can be done to change that. So in conclusion, Tom Hanks is a very accomplished actor who is always always type cast as the loser.

Concert in the Park

Monday Jun 21, 2004 - Link to Entry

It was a beautiful summer day in San Francisco (aka gloomy and about 50 degrees). Bundled up and equipped with a blanket, Eric and I treked through Golden Gate Park out to Alice 97.3's Summerthing free concert. Joined up by various friends throughout the event, we had the opportunity to enjoy the following acts:

Gavin Degraw
Berlin
Five For Fighting
Smashmouth

Its hard to say who was the strongest act of the day. Smashmouth definitely was the most comfortable on stage and held the attention of the crowd the best, but they were also the headliner and thats just part of the territory. Arguably Berlin actually was the most musically sound and in control of their set. Gavin was struggling with not only a rhythmically challenged bass player but a wardrobe/image crisis. Nonetheless his songs were strong and so were those amazing vocals of his. Strangely though he did not introduce his band to the crowd as individuals choosing to simply say, "This is my band." Weak. Especially considering the high harmony on "I don't wanna be," performed by the lead guitarist is really the hook that makes the song. Thank the little guys Gavin.

Five for Fighting was strange because the non-hits were much harder rock songs than the little piano singles he puts out on the radio. Nonetheless he was a very humble and warm presence and I was grateful I got to hear "100 years" live.

Smashmouth, the local band and headliner, was just as you expect, happy go lucky and a bit lame. Fact is their songs aren't very deep and don't strike a chord with me (no pun intended). They are just as peppy and fun as you'd expect and would be a great bar band or beach party band, but on a gloomy day I want to be moved. Smashmouth is not the band to bring one to tears.

All the while I focused on the bass playing. I think I may have found my instrumental passion in bass. It just seems to be where my ear and heart go in song. Only time will truly tell.

Turtles

Saturday Jun 19, 2004 - Link to Entry

"When the evil shredder attacks, these turtle boys don't cut him no slack."
-Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Theme Song

Wow that grammar is awful. No wonder our kids dont know no english.

Thursday evening, my last in Los Angeles before I make the move, brought the crew to Brennan's, a bar known for its turtle racing. Let me set the scene. When you walk in the place is a normal bar. Your ID is checked, there is no cover, there is a huge four sided central bar island -- like cheers -- a small side stage, darts, video games, etc. This is not where the action is. Through the left rear doors is a whole outdoor patio area some tented, mostly open air. At the center of this is a green circle rug with a estimated radius of 12 feet. Painted on the circumference of said circle is a white line. This is the track. The athletes are located in small cages on the stage just next to the playing field. Women place these athletes (the turtles) in a clear open topped and bottomed cage without bending their knees -- yes this act is done purely to show off the women's rear ends. After all of the turtles have been placed inside the ring is lifted. The turtle that crawls across the white line first is the winner. Follow?

We watched 5 or 6 races. In that time the fastest turtle made it to the outside in probably a minute. In the first race the turtles sat still for over two minutes before even thinking about moving. Though highly humourous, the races themselves lost their appeal quickly.

And now I will sing more of the theme song to close out...

"They're the world's most fearsome fighting teens. Leonardo leads, Donatello does machines. Raphael is cool but crude (Get a grip!), Michallangello is a party dude! Teenage mutant ninja turtles, teenage mutant ninja turtles, teenage mutant ninja turtles, heroes in a half shell. Turtle Power!"

Craigslist Posting

Thursday Jun 17, 2004 - Link to Entry

Hey fans and loyal readers. The following was posted on Craigslist Los Angeles yesterday. Feel free to pass it on, act on it yourself, or just enjoy it for what it is:

Serious Band Forming- Looking for players- Drums, Guitar, Keys, Vocals

----------------------------------------------
Reply to: jeremydround@yahoo.com
Date: Wed Jun 16th 03:24

Hey Serious Players,

I am looking for the following to begin a new band starting in August:
-Dedicated players who are willing to Practice 2-3 times a week
-Creative players who want to create a new sound and to collaborate on originals
-Reliable players who follow through on their commitments to practice and gigs
-Invested players who either have the gear or are willing to go out and get the gear to create the professional sound needed to be competitive in this market.
-Down to earth players who are willing to check their egos at the door and help one another to get better every day and to put the band first
-Responsible players with reliable transportation who may enjoy a drink or a mind-altering substance here and there but with discretion.

I am a 24 year old vocalist/guitarist/bassist currently in the process of moving to Los Angeles from San Francisco. I am not of the mind that this will be our fulltime job because it will take awhile to earn from our playing. I am of the mind though that we will treat the project as though it were our full time job, coming prepared and on time to rehearsals and ready to work hard. This means coming sober and with a clear mind.

What I envision is a 4 or 5 piece group where almost everyone is a song-writer and contributes to the repetoire. There is NO front man/woman. There are several vocalists that take lead for different songs, a la the Beatles, Barenaked Ladies, etc. In order to get chemistry built and strongly founded within the project my aim would be that we work almost exclusively on developing a large cover repetoire and begin gigging around LA as a cover band to both build a following and to get some money to invest in gear, merchandise, studio time, etc. We would also do weddings and special events for additional exposure and income. After we really get to know each other musically we can start to develop our own music and already have a running start at venue connections and a fan base.

If you are not into being in a coverband this project isn't for you. If you want to simply be a front man, this band isn't going to fit you either. This is for people who look at the time the Beatles spent in Hamburg, Germany as the key years that really taught them how to play music, how to perform, how to work together, and built the magically chemistry that lacks in almost all other acts.

If you like the adult contemporary/pop-rock format: current acts like Train, Maroon 5, Guster, Barenaked Ladies, Weezer, Lenny Kravitz, Fastball, Jon Brion, Aimee Mann, Fiona Apple, Ben Folds, Dave Matthews, etc. Or if you like classic acts like the Beatles, Billy Joel, Elton John, Jellyfish, Queen, any or all musical theatre, the Who and more....Well then this really could be for you.

Please feel free to check out my current music website, http://www.jeremyround.com to get a better feel for what I have done in the past. But also realize that I do not want a backing band, I want collaborators and dreamers who are willing to put in the hard work and take the ownership necessary to have success in the field.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing from you!!

Surfin'

Wednesday Jun 16, 2004 - Link to Entry

Though eager and enthused, fear ran through my body as we approached the beach. Being tethered to a huge and heavy board while attempting to mock gravity and nature by balancing on her waves seemed a bit out of my element. But with a quick lesson on the beach from Gabe and his coaching in the water I assumed the worst thing that could happen is I would get knocked out by my board and drown.

We ran into the water and jumped onto our board, ducking waves all the while we paddled deeper into the salty ocean. Gabe explained, "When you see one you like turn the board towards the beach, lay on your belly arching your back up, and then jump up to standing as the wave carries you." Simple enough, right?

I could barely balance myself on the board simply laying on it. The mixture of the wax against my body and the salt in my eyes and mouth already had put me in a foul and un-athletic mood. Nontheless, Gabe's enthusiasm and love of life is contagious so I soon forgot my qualms and found myself aboard a wave. I did just as he said and found myself half standing on the board. Unfortunately I was not quite centered and the board dropped me back into the depths.

"Not bad, I can do this," I thought. As I moved back out to sea to catch another wave something held me back. Slowly gathering on my tether was approximately 5 pounds of nasty seaweed that seemed to have grapes and fans and all sorts of strange sea vegetation grouped together. After a 5 minute struggle to free myself as I got slammed by wave after wave it took a lot of convincing to turn myself back around to give my budding surfing career one more time. If it hadn't been for my ears suddenly being filled with memories of Surfin' USA I might have hung up my tether for good. But as a resident Californian and soon to be So. Cal man, I thought it my duty to give sufring an honest shot.

Propelled by Brian Wilson's sweet tenor timbre I began paddling my way out to sea. Hard rushing and roaring white waves kept crushing my head as I attempted to find my way to the Big Kahuna. I kept swimming ignoring the stinging in my eyes and lungs believing that if I got up on just one wave this would all be worth it. Soon I reached the row of surfers and turned around on my board and waited for the perfect wave.

There in the distance a rumbling wave began to develop. Though it already had quite a bit of break in it I knew I was going to give it a chance. I planted myself on the board facing the beach and began to arch my back. The sound of the wave overwhelmed Brian Wilson and I got mentally ready. "Wait for it, Wait for it..." I felt the back of the board make contact with the wave and I began to be propelled forward. I counted in my head, "3-2-1..." And I jumped up. Both feet made square contact with the board. Would I ride this wave to victory? Was this the beginning of a brilliant extreme sports career? Would the other surfers be able to contain their admiration and jealousies?

They would have no reason to. The board went one way and I the other. Swept up in tumbling wave after wave I spent the good part of a minute under water fearing my board which was a full tightened tether length away would snap back and knock me out. In between waves I was able to gain my bearings enough to bolt to the board to prevent it from recklessly tumbling about. Now very close to the beach and once again covered in sea vegetation I decided that this in fact would be the end of my day at sea.

Whether it was the salt, the fear, the wax against chest hair, or simply the lack of training that ended my first day surfing one will never know. Will I go again? That too remains to be seen.

Where you at?

Tuesday Jun 15, 2004 - Link to Entry

A bit overwhelmed, often without internet access, and on a mission trying to find Mr. Warren G (Mr. Warren G is a rap-artist featured in a great piece from the mid/late 90's entitled Regulator but in this instance is synonomous to finding a job/apt/band/life in LA).

I'm embarrassed that so much time has elapsed since we last spoke but I've been busy and I need you to be understanding on that front. But now finally I find myself with a moment of time to get this website and my internet life back on track. So sit back and relax as you will have plenty to read as I have plenty to say.

Surfs up.

Poker Craze in LA Haze

Monday Jun 14, 2004 - Link to Entry

Sunday was a long day. Several factors contributed to the feeling that Monday was more than a day away. The first of which was the combination of getting home very late from the wedding I DJ-ed Saturday night and then rising very early to finish packing and to have brunch with the roomies, Nichole, Ari, and Meghan as well as Meghan's lovely Mom, Pop, and Sis. As soon as our meal was through it was on the road to Sunny So. Cal.

Equipped with my recently acquired research - Lenny Kravitz's new effort Baptism and Train's most recent release My Private Nation - as well as Hillary Clinton's Living History on cd narrated by the first lady and senator herself (borrowed not purchased I might add), I expected a quick and easy drive. If you ever feel the need for sleeping medication just buy this book on tape. Enough said.

Actually the book itself is not bad at all. Every time Bill it is mentioned is really enjoyable and the stories of their history are very interesting. Maybe its just books on tape. Maybe it was the summer-desert heat mixed with my lack of energy. In any case it wasn't a great combination.

On the high energy and positive side of things Kravitz's and Train's records were highly enjoyable but they only killed about an hour and 15 minutes, approx. 25% of the total 390 mile journey. Oh and my cell phone died so there was no talking to kill time either.

By late afternoon I had arrived. I made my way around town seeing a few apartments I had planned to view and getting down to the Gabe, Sam, Paul, JD residence just in time for the 4th quarter of game 4 of the NBA Finals. Interesting fact: during the game there were so few cars on the road that I was able to get from West Hollywood all the way to Redondo beach in a little over a half hour. Those two places are about 25 miles apart and separated by one of the most over populated and traffic ridden zones in the world (map for reference). So I've decided to become a huge Lakers fan. Not to support the team whatsoever, just to be happy when they are playing because I can finally get somewhere quickly. I hope the regular season has the same effects on traffic, but somehow I doubt it what with all the bandwagon talk around here.

Sunday evening began a 30 hour period where poker was either being played, dreamed about, or shopped for a majority of the time. Sam recently got bit by the Poker bug and has the fever bad. Well as we all know, I retired from table gaming back in mid May and will only play poker so I was willing to help scratch his itch. Apparently so was half of the neighborhood. The first night we had 6 or 7 players come in and out of the game which is fairly sizable for a last second gathering. Sporting sunglasses and mickey mouse ears I was ready. Though a bit off my reading of the players with whom which I was unfamiliar, I still played well and ended up on the evening.

The next day J.D., Sam, and I decided that it was time to equip ourselves with real poker chips. Enough with pennies and quarters. So J.D. and I set off on a mission but instead of trying to find Mr. Warren G, we were simply out looking for high quality chips. And where to go when one is looking for the highest of quality? Super K-Mart of course.

Truthfully we had been out scoping for high class gaming stores. The kind of place with marble chess boards and vintage dungeon and dragons collectables. We figured we find an oak case filled with glorious professional weighted chips for $40 clams or so and be on our merry way. Well in this land of strip malls no such oasis existed which is how we found ourselves admidst the very opposite of high class. As we entered the Super K J.D. remarked that they would do so much better for themselves if they just did something about the lighting. Usually a highly sarcastic fellow, he was nailing the problem right on the head. A florescent eye sore that caused an immediate headache crowded the ceiling in a claustrophobic fashion. Though we didn't say it, we both knew we wanted to find what we could quickly before the Sars or Mad Cow could set in.

3 hours later after a 2 mile walk, a 14 mile bike ride, and after we finally solved the Syphnx's riddle, we found the gaming section of the store. And there it stood. A beautiful tin full of chips and more (the more would be a felt playing material, a Dealer Button!!, a deck of strange smelling cards, and a chip case). We took two and began the long journey home.

Unfortunately not as many people were eager to play for a second straight night. But that did not deter J.D., Sam, and I from playing until all hours of the night keeping poor "Handsome" Mark awake as he attempted to catch a few hours of sleep on the futon. Sam and I even played heads up for about an hour and a half. It got a little teste. I blame Sam.

Tomorrow Gabe is taking me surfing. He and Paul started this craze a few months ago and between them and Sachiko doing the same in Japan, I am curious to see what all of this fuss is about.

If I never post again just know that I made some shark's day.

Hello's and Goodbye's

Saturday Jun 12, 2004 - Link to Entry

After the school celebrating of the end of the year it was time to celebrate the end of an era with the people who had been there all along.

First up was a roadtrip to Sonora, CA (gold country). Situated in the foothills of Yosemite National Park, Sanora is approximately 150 miles East of the Bay (or Right if you're looking at a map). A good friend from high school, Matt, was in a show called Lend Me a Tenor way out in this fabulous place. He had mentioned that if I was interested he could get me free tickets. Being the day after school had ended and knowing that Matt and I would be reconnecting (he lives in LA), I decided this would be a great roadtrip for the teaching crew and I. So Janine, Nichole, Meghan and I packed up for our evening journey. Things already seemed troubled early on when in response to my saying, "Wear business casual," Janine was dressed to the business nine's looking ready to close a major real-estate deal. Not that I could see her all that clearly...I had just made my first visit to the eye doctor in almost 4 years and my eyes were badly dialated on one of the sunniest days in San Francisco history. Long story short, we all got dressed up nicely to match the tone I had apparently communicated, and we set off on a traffic filled journey that featured fast food (In N Out, Wendy's, and Long John Silvers - we all wanted something different), and a lot of sunlight.

We arrived to the theatre just as the show was starting. I do not really know what I was expecting, but the show wowed me. It was a lot of fun, really hilarious, and the cast was really strong and worked well together. Matt was a great presence in the play and I really enjoyed seeing how far he has come since the last time I saw him perform (May 1998).

Friday night Janine (or J-9 as the fans call her), threw her last dinner party as she is the first to be leaving SF. The roomies and a couple more friends made their way over to celebrate with her and to enjoy micro-sandwiches (adkins style). It was the beginning of what will be a challenging and bitter-sweet transition in many of our lives.

Pomp and Circumstance

Wednesday Jun 9, 2004 - Link to Entry

Today marked the end of an era in my life. After two years I'm finally hanging up the chalk and overhead markers. Today as the 8th graders said goodbye I too graduated from James Denman MS.

It was a long and hard road and until today I was pretty sure I was glad to be leaving. That was before all the goodbye's and moving words.

At the ceremony four students spoke. Two of them were my own from last year. Though I expected nothing, a little part of me hoped I would be mentioned in their speeches. I never thought I was anything special in the classroom but something inside of me craved to hear that I had helped someone or had made a difference in a life. My craving was satisfied and in a big way. After Allyssa and Sophie had made their speeches I had tears in my eyes and felt really good about what I had done in my time at Denman. Both thanked me for my efforts in making the material fun and challenging but further for connecting with the students and being a person they could talk to.

Of course hearing such makes it hard to leave the classroom. The evenings festivities brough similar mixed emotions.

That night the cast and crew of Denman met near the mission at a collegue's home for drinks and dinner. As expected after a few hours the older crew vanished and the youth reigned supreme and prepared to take on the Mission District (a fun bar filled area that has a very down to Earth feel). Gossip, flirting, and insanity were the results. I also learned that several people actually visit this website from the faculty and would like to mention their names here: Matt , Brian , Sean , Elisa , and Mike . Thanks guys! :)

Its strange to spend time alone with the staff (alone meaning sans children). The children change us into these roles that we cannot break free from in front of them and since we never really have time outside of the classroom together we do not get to develop strong relationships with one another very easily. Its those rare evenings that you get a chance to see how much fun and how amazing the people are that you are surrounded with everyday.

Though I am ready to move on parting is such sweet sorrow. Goodbye Denman and goodluck and congrats 8th graders!

Tackling the Job Search

Monday Jun 7, 2004 - Link to Entry

Calling all guards, calling all guards...The alerts are out, the connections have been put to work, I am officially in job search mode. My new friends are Craigslist, UTA job list, and well anyone who can help me out.

Fact is I don't deal well with insecurity. I'm a counter phobic, so I will respond to the question marks on the horizon with, as Gabe puts it, a "False Bravado." But don't be fooled. Under my cool, calm, and collected self is a man eager to find a great place to spend his 9-5's. I want a challenge, I want to learn, I want to be part of something exciting and new!

See I know I'm ready to make an impact wherever I end up. Kicking ass and taking names is just my style. I don't do substandard work, it bores me. I'd rather be pushed and forced to use every skill necessary to thrive because that is the type of appetite for creation I have.

In other news, not that that was news...Saw Harry Potter 3 over the weekend. First off, so much better than the other two. Secondly, they finally got into the inner emotional world of Harry Potter and really allowed the audience to sympathize and empathize. The last two films almost made his life seem like a lot of fun when the simple fact remains that he has had a rough go of it and he has a long path ahead. Also this film was shot beautifully. The DP really did a great job of emphasizing emotion through color and framing. So props to this film.

However (and you knew there would be a however) this film still fails on may a front. One such failure comes from the episodic nature of the book. The way JK writes, she allows for each chapter to sort of be a short story within the greater context. Well episodic narritive does not translate well to a self encapsulated entity such as a feature film. A fictional narrative film has the challenge of creating a sense of urgency and flow such that the audience has a reason to stay completely absorbed by the film and never bored. Bordem comes from too much exposition (see Harry Potter one) or too much disconnect from an episodic nature (HP 2 and 3). So while this thematically was head and shoulders above its predecesors it still was a bit on the long and boring side.

My final problem with the film is a very big problem that irked me to the point that I considered writing Warner Brothers. This will really only make sense to those who have seen the film so if you have not feel free to stop reading here. In the scene after Harry and Hermoine travelled back in time and Harry was able to cast the spell to scare away the dementors, we the audience were able to see that Harry was in fact the one who cast the spell and not his father James. So why in the world is that scene followed up by Harry and Hermoine flying on Buckbeak to Sirius' rescue discussing the fact that it wasn't James, it was Harry who cast the spell. It was redundant! It was insulting to the audience's intelligence! And it was another scene in an already long children's film. Cut it out WB. Bad choice having that in the final cut!

Alright, I think I've vented for the day. Hire me!

7/4

Friday Jun 4, 2004 - Link to Entry

The date that describes that annual celebration, Independence Day. Being the final days of school there is nothing left to do except watch videos with the kids. And yep as you guessed it, today I watched said film, Independence Day.

Though I didn't realize it this viewing marked the first time I had viewed the film since our nation's tragedies on 9/11/01. Like Speed, which I viewed shortly after that horrible day, the film had a completely new effect on me. The tales and images of destruction contained within suddenly seem entirely plausable. What once was a hollywood effect now seems like something from the nightly news.

Instead of being wowed and shaken during the first attack I found tears coming to my eyes. Amazing how the bubble that once existed for me as a United States Citizen no longer seems to be in place. Our nation seems more mortal and more vunerable than it ever had before in my lifetime.

Busy Busy...Continued

Thursday Jun 3, 2004 - Link to Entry

So I just got some great news. And no its not from Geico. Read the following...

*********************************
This notice hereby confirms that

Jeremy Round
of
San Francisco, CA

is an ordained member of the clergy of
The Church of Spiritual Humanism
Date of Ordination: June 3, 2004
Ordained by R. A. Zorger, President
www.SpiritualHumanism.org
************************************

CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME!

The Church of Spiritual Humanism is happy to inform you that your
ordination request has been reviewed and approved, and you are now an
officially ordained clergy member.

You are now entitled to all privileges and courtesies normally offered
to ordained members of the clergy. The record of your ordination has
been entered into the official permanent records of the Church of
Spiritual Humanism.

As an ordained member of the clergy, you are hereby authorized by the
CSH to officiate religious rites and ceremonies, including marriage,
baby naming, funeral services, invocations, and holiday ceremonies, as
permitted and subject to the laws and regulations of your country, state,
and municipality. It is important that before you officiate any civil
ceremony (such as marriages), you know and comply with all laws
governing your locality.

The Church of Spiritual Humanism promotes religion based on reason. As
a member of the CSH clergy it is your charge to strive to base your
actions on, and influence others to be motivated by, deliberation and
reason and not the irrational, emotional, or subjective. Furthermore your
responsibilities are to peacefully follow the proper course of action,
and to avoid infringing on the rights of others. You alone are
responsible for your actions as a member of the clergy.

If you have any question please feel free to email me.

Thanks for helping make the world a better place,

R. A. Zorger, President
Church of Spiritual Humanism
******************************************

So thats pretty exciting... :)

Alright bullet points to catch you up because frankly life is going faster than I can type it. Thanks for showing me its okay to summarize via bullet points Mr. Greenspan (Sam).

-Hillarity insued upon my return to the hotel Saturday evening. Though I cannot go into details I would like to specifically quote a brief piece of dialogue that occurred.
The players are Adam (brother), Fred (Sister's boyfriend), Marcy
(Bridesmade), and moi.
Me: So what do you do in Minnesota Marcy?
Marcy: Well I work in an arts and craft boutique store.
Fred: Is that the kind of place where I can take my son to paint bears.
Me and Adam: HAHAHAHA!!! (this is funny for thousands of reasons including
that Fred has no son, and who paints bears???!?)

-Morning came early on Sunday after a night out with friends. After a quick breakfast we were all dressed in our tuxes and on call for photos and the wedding for the remainder of the afternoon.

-The ceremony was gorgeous. Becky and I couldn't stop laughing as we walked down the aisle. During the ceremony the Rabbi sang a prayer that was close to 5 mins. During the middle of it I turned to one of the Groomsmen and said, "I didn't know the Rabbi knew Stairway in Hebrew."

-Man was the band good. We danced our hearts out and sweat like maniacs. But it was a blast! Joey and Brad looked so amazing and were so happy. Truly a great wedding.

-Monday featured one more event, the brunch. Afterwards I sat at the airport all day in a daze. Just waiting for the world to stop spinning.

-Tuesday I found out that while I was gone some folks have been discovering my music. I received a couple orders for my album and one fan even wrote requesting an autographed photo. If that doesn't boost one's confidence, I don't know what will.

-Wed I got burnt to a crisp on a fieldtrip. Afterwards it was kickball time. Though my leg was in much better shape and I was able to play I got into a bit of trouble in the game. When launching the ball at a baserunner who was trying for third I accidentally hit her head which is unfortunately frowned upon. Who knew?

Which brings us up to date. I'm sure I left something out but I'm an ordained man now so don't step or I'll have to name your child or preside over your wedding. Word.

I'm off to paint bears with my ficticious son.

PS. Afterthought. The Sabela show! I was put in charge of obtaining a PA system for the group for this show that we were doing at a restaurant in SF's Mission District. With the help of another member of the group we had all the gear in time for the performance but no experience operating it. In the space we were given I could not get the speakers to amplify without extreme feedback. Super bummer. We did two sets the first of which was not our best. Everyone was oversinging, I couldn't hear myself and kept singing flat tones...It was bad. Then the second set rolled around. Amazing! Everyone was with it, everyone had a great time. The chords were there, we were together, it was great fun! I'm sad to be leaving Sabela when the people are so great and talented and the group has a lot of forward momentum. Such is the sacrifices I must make to become the Jayro I need to be. Whatever that means.

Busy Busy...

Tuesday Jun 1, 2004 - Link to Entry

From the moment I landed in Chicago my head was spinning. Actually part of that spinning was due to the strange leg and back pain and nasty cold I was experiencing. Luckily a trip to the chiropractor and two Coldbusters from Jamba Juice mixed with a bit of familial love set me straight and I felt better by Friday. Nonetheless I was balancing trying to see all of the family and maybe even sneak in a few friends here and there. Unfortunately I didn't even link up with half the people I wanted to while in town but there just wasn't enough time. Lets walk through a review of the weekend, shall we?

I arrived Wed and was half dead so I watched the Sox, had dinner with the Love Rents, and visited with a couple friends. Thursday I was up at the crack of dawn to go to the doc. Truth be told the leg pain was so strange and intense that I actually felt the need to immediately report to a physician and I am not the type to go running for help. He set me straight and I was on my way downtown to meet my newly engaged friend Jenny. I got to see her beautiful ring, catch up, stroll touristy Michigan Ave, and even dine at Gino's East! :) Then it was off to the Sox game which you can read about in the previous entry.

Friday I had a meeting downtown with a business connection that went very well. Soon there after I met up with Adam to get our Tuxes and check into the hotel for the weekend. The Wedding had unofficially begun. Following this was the family party, the smallest event of the weekend which probably had about 65 people in attendence. Yes, this was considered intimate! It was at one of the best hotdog joints in the city. I wasn't complaining. Did I mention I ate like I'd never seen food the entire trip?

Saturday, it turns out, was dillo day, a Northwestern University undergraduate tradition that bills itself as, "The day NU pretends its a State School." Needless to say, the students get up early and start drinking and partaking in other forms of debauchary. My pledge son, Brandon, alerted me to the perfect timing of this holiday and invited me to join in on the proceedings. I obliged. I met up with old friends and caught up with my other son, Alex, as we wandered about through good old Evanston. Though it was a blast, I was glad that I had a deadline to go back downtown for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Plus Adam and I were set to roast Brad for a toast that evening at the meal.

I returned home to the hotel and learned how to walk down the aisle with Becky. It was a great usage of our time. Immediately after we headed to Rosebud for the Rehearsal dinner. This was for the bridal party, close friends, and out of towners. There were at least 180 people there.

Adam and I had thrown around an idea for a speech. See Brad, the groom to be, is very brief on the telephone. He is so short and to the point that even his own mother finds him to be a bit curt when using the tool of Alexander Graham Bell. The idea was simple, a skit where Brad has to talk to himself on the telephone. Adam wrote up the script. We tore the roof off. Yes, a standing ovation to our toast and a world of compliments following. We were thrilled! :)

And despite the crazy long day I had had thus far I headed to the Northside to catch up with some other friends in Lincoln Park....

(To be continued)