June 30, 2005
Unveiling
Let me be the first to announce the debut of the world's newest and best website:
http://www.shaundishman.com
Actually, it's not new at all, that's just a marketing ploy. It's the new address for this site, basically. You can continue using the "old" address to get here, or, if you prefer, go with the shorter and snazzier new name. I recommend the latter, if only because it means people around the globe will be typing my name, which bolsters my starving ego.
I finally broke down and purchased a domain, for several reasons. The first of which is that you never know when it will be nice to have one, especially if I ever want to do something more serious with my website than a blog. Second, I need to start decreasing my reliance on my fraternity's on-campus webserver, and this is a step in that direction. Finally, and most importantly, I wanted to buy up that URL before someone else does. Once I make my fortune and earn international acclaim, a website with my name on it will be a hot commodity. I'd rather buy it now for $10/year than pay $500,000 ten years from now...
Some other interesting things I noticed: I've finally been Googled! My site is now the first link that pops up if you search for "shaun dishman" on Google. And before you say anything - yes, I googled my own name. Don't pretend like you haven't done it. It's like staring at yourself in the mirror for a prolonged amount of time. We've all been there before. Just admit it and move on.
Also, as of the time of this writing, I was the 470th result returned from Google if you searched for "communication breakdown". That's actually pretty impressive, given that that is the title of a very famous Led Zeppelin song, and so most of the results above mine are lyrics pages for the song. Now, I'm probably going to have to defend this one as well. Despite what you might think, it doesn't take very long to look through 46 pages of Google search results, especially if you know what you're looking for. It only took about 5 minutes, and I was actually about to give up, not expecting to find it anywhere in the first 1000 or so. Imagine my surprise.
So, what else has been going on? I'll tell you:
For many people, this is a down time of year for sports. For me, however, May/June is one of the best times of the year for watching sports: you get two Grand Slam tennis events (French Open and Wimbledon) packed into a little over a month. That's four full weeks of high-quality tennis, back-to-back in a six-week span. And it is amplified by the fact that it is Wimbledon, the greatest tennis championship in the world. In fact, in the grand scheme of quintessential sporting events, the top 5 break down something like this:
- NCAA Basketball Men's Tournament
- Wimbledon
- NCAA Football New Year's Bowl Day
- The Super Bowl
- FIFA World Cup
Wimbledon was electrifying as always, notwithstanding the conspicuous absence of my boy Andre Agassi. Despite his indomitable work ethic and superior fitness, age is starting to get to him, as it does to everyone. He backed out the week before the event, saying he was still suffering from the intense back pain that put him out of the French championships. It is weird not being able to root for my favorite player - I know that it won't be long until he retires, and that will be really difficult for me. But the game goes on and there were plenty of highlights nonetheless. Here are a couple of comments regarding the fortnight:
- Apparently, the stat of the week is that, as part of the training for ball boys/girls, the children have to stand completely still for 4 minutes. I swear I've heard the commentators repeat that stat at least twenty times. The first time it was an interesting tidbit, but now I find myself thinking shut up about the kids already!. For the most part, the tennis commentators are great, better than most sports - but sometimes I wish they would sit still for 4 minutes... and not talk.
- My favorite stat/quirk of the week: In the middle of the second round match between Marat Safin and Mark Philippoussis on Centre Court, the net inexplicably broke and collapsed, without any direct contact - in fact, Philippoussis was preparing to serve and Safin to receive when it just broke and fell to the ground. It's almost as if it had had enough o the constant beating from The Scud and decided to call it quits. Apparently that's the first time a net has fallen at Wimbledon in 50 years. Typical British perfection... (Runner-up: a ball boy passed out from the heat in an early round match. Not sure when that last happened, but I can't remember ever seeing it in the last 15 years or so.)
- I watched part of the Ladies' Semifinal match featuring Venus Williams vs. Maria Sharapova, and I can say with certainty that it was the loudest match I've ever seen. They have to be the two loudest grunters on tour - pit them against one another, on the biggest stage in tennis, in one of the late rounds of the greatest tournament in the world, and it's going to get even louder. It was way past grunting - these girls took it up a notch into rarefied territory. If you were listening and not watching, you might think two girls were being tortured or something. They said Sharapova's grunting was measured at about 102 decibels, which is roughly equivalent to a police siren going off in your ear. I had to crack out the earplugs when watching from home - I can't even imagine how insane that was in person...
- Match of the week: Gentlemen's Semifinal - Andy Roddick vs. Thomas Johansson. Actually, one of the more notable things about this year's Championships was that there weren't many great matches. Most seemed to be one-sided, and while there were many great players in the draw, there were not many memorable battles. I think this is a result of unfavorable matchups based on the draw. However, the Roddick/Johansson match was as great as it was unexpected. Many people presumed Roddick would walk all over Johansson; part of that is probably typical American bias, assuming that a player most haven't heard of (despite the fact that he was a Grand Slam champion) couldn't hold court with Roddick. But it was highly competitive for four grueling sets as they each demanded of the other to raise their game. Very thrilling stuff.
- Roger Federer - I don't have words sufficient enough to describe how amazing this guy is. "Living legend" comes to mind, but that's still inadequate. I've been watching tennis for about 15 years, and I can safely say Federer is the greatest tennis player I've ever seen. I've been watching Federer since before he was a well-known talent, and it was remarkable how you could just tell that he was destined for greatness. I think some people just are. Federer might not have the hardware (read: Grand Slam trophies) to make a claim to the throne, but mark my words, just give him a few years and he will.
- While I'm thinking about it: I think I've been fortunate enough to have witnessed the greatest talent to ever play in several different sports: tennis (Federer), basketball (Jordan), football (Rice or Montana, in my opinion), and hockey (Gretzky).
It's worth mentioning that this week was the grand opening of Atlanta's first IKEA. For those who don't know, IKEA is a scandinavian company who specializes in contemporary and stylish, yet inexpensive, furniture. Most things have to be self-assembled at home, like furniture bought at Target or Wal-Mart, but the quality is definitely higher and the styles are much more sleek, clean and simple. It is the perfect place for a college student, single male, or any bargain shopper in general. While furniture is their focus, they also sell anything you could ever want in terms of housewares.
The coolest thing about IKEA is its size. The stores are absolutely enormous. I mean, come on, the new store here is 366,000 square feet! They usually have two floors: the ground floor is the cafeteria (yes, they have full-blown cafeterias, offering American/Scandinavian treats), furniture pick-up area, the complete housewares/gardening departments, and checkout. The top floor is reserved for showrooms, and there are just a ton of them. Most are small, reflecting the typical Scandinavian style, but they are each interestingly decorated, price-tagged, and available for pickup downstairs. It's like drive-thru furniture shopping. It's such an American idea that it's hard to believe it came from Europe.
Anyways, I've been to an IKEA grand opening before - I went opening weekend to the Twin Cities store when I was living in Minneapolis - and it's absolutely crazy. There are soooo many people that you can barely walk around in there. I'm sure things were no different at this one, and since I didn't really have a need, I figured I could wait a few days for the crowds to go down - but I've heard estimates that it might take six weeks for the crowds to die down completely. That just blows me away. They've been doing some heavy advertising though - my favorite tactic were trucks driving around town with an IKEA banner on top, carrying fully-furnished showrooms in glass boxes on the backs of the trucks. In some of them, actual people were sitting in the showrooms, lounging, reading the newspaper, etc. What a cool idea.
There is one other thing I wanted to ramble about: I happened to watch an episode of the new show 30 Days, created by Morgan Spurlock, the man behind the groundbreaking documentary Super Size Me. Like the movie, in which he ate nothing but McDonald's for 30 days (and suffered the consequences, believe me), the show focuses around a new topic each week, during which somebody does something for 30 days. In the one I watched, a Christian man went to live with a Muslim family in Dearborn, Michigan (apparently, a Muslim-heavy population). The show was very well done, using the slick, witty and creative narrative style in "Super Size Me" combined with an interesting real-life scenario that is often educational in the way only a documentary seems to be.
However, I bring all this up because, naturally, one of the focuses of the show was the similarities and differences of the Christian and Muslim religions. As part of the guy's task, he was expected to do everything that a Muslim would typically do, including eat properly, dress appropriately, and pray five times a day. I learned some interesting things about halal, the Muslim dietary laws. But most striking were the man's struggles with the Muslim religious principles, and the lack of answers he got for most of the show. Naturally, he was concerned that facing Mecca fives times a day and praying a Muslim prayer might be compromising his own beliefs. He attempted to meet with his appointed "spiritual adviser" to try and sort it out, but the imam, to me, seemed intentionally deceptive and unwilling to help. He kept dodging questions and giving roundabout answers - what kind of a spiritual "leader" does that? For example, take this very simple question, and the so-called answer:
Q: Do you believe that Jesus was the Son of God?
A: (delayed, and smirking) ... Spiritual son, yes.
Who gives an answer like that? It is intentionally misleading, and was an attempt to "ease" the man into Islam without giving him a straightforward answer. What he should have said was "No, we believe Jesus was a prophet of God and a great man, but not the Son of God". That would have been truthful and helpful. But instead the Imam seemed satisfied to dodge serious questions.
The other thing that got me was the Imam's insistence that Muslims, Jews and Christians worship the same one God. He attempted to use this as the basis for suggesting that the man should have no problem going to the mosque and praying to "God". I find this absolutely ludicrous and falsified logic. You see, it's very easy: Christians worship one God, whose son Jesus was also part of the Godhead himself. If Jews and Muslims worship a God who does not have a holy son named Jesus, than are they not serving a different God? It seems straightforward to me.
While I learned many interesting things about Islam throughout the episode, I couldn't help but leave with an unfavorable impression of the religion based on the dodginess of their spiritual leaders. Any religion unwilling to be completely truthful and straightforward with someone who is searching for the truth must have something to hide or have ulterior motives.
Am I being irrational about this? Anyone care to comment?
June 21, 2005
Cream of the Crop
I was perusing accessatlanta.com the other day (for like the second time ever) and I noticed an article on the "Best of Atlanta". Based on reader nominations and votes they compiled a list of the best restaurants, locations, and other superlatives. While some of them seemed to be dead-on, I felt that they made a few "errors". So I decided to do a similar column, based on a single vote: my own. After all, my vote is more important than all of those others as it is.
Anyways, I've included only the categories that I felt most passionate about. If you have comments or alternatives in any category, I'd love to hear them!
| Best Pizza: Pepperoni's Tavern |
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| I've only been to this tucked-away sports bar several times, but it only took once to realize that they were hiding a very good secret. Located in a strip mall in Alpharetta, Pepperoni's wins this category by stressing quality over quantity. All of their ingredients are perfectly fresh, from the liberal amounts of cheese down to the hand-sliced pepperoni, italian sausage, or crisp vegetables. The Meat Lover's pizza is a veritable feast of dead animals - it is truly a wonderful sight to behold. The only mark against Pepperoni's is that it is quite pricey, especially for specialty pizzas. For a one-topping, you're looking at about $8 for a personal or $20 for a large. For a specialty pizza, it's a lofty $12 for a personal or about $30 for a large. While the taste makes it worth it, it's not your typical cheap pizza dive. The decor is fairly standard sports bar fare, complete with pool tables and even one of the old-school table-style Pac-Man arcade games. The wall of 60-inch widescreen TVs is also a nice touch. |
| Runner-Up: Mellow Mushroom |
| Best Calzones: Giorgio's |
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| Just about everyone who has gone to school at Georgia Tech knows about this little dive. Though it's located in a strip mall off Collier, several miles from campus, it seems to be very popular with the students, and with good reason: they make the best calzones in town (and some pretty darn good pizza, too). There's nothing particularly revolutionary or distinctive about their style, but there's something about it that gives it an edge over all the others. Try one for yourself and see. While some may dislike the atmosphere, I think it adds to the experience. It is a total dive; as in, you better check your chair before you sit down to make sure it's not about to break. Favorite decorations include the Golden Tee arcade machine (an absolute staple), 13-inch discolored TVs with fuzzy reception, and of course, the huge Melrose Place promo poster of Heather Locklear's face with the caption: "Mondays are a bitch". Plus, the staff is awesome: a couple of delightful foreign guys (Russian? Italian? Swedish? Probably all of the above) are always on-hand for good service and a joke or two. |
| Best Italian: Ippolito's |
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| This cozy, local chain of restaurants is a perfect mix of the essential Italian elements: good food, good service, and a warm atmosphere. Portions are deceptively large, reasonably priced, and graced with that homemade goodness, as if the entrees came out of the kitchen of Mama Italy herself. Salads are large and fresh. And did I mention the rolls? Big, soft, and doused in butter and garlic, they might just be the best of their kind anywhere (assuming you are OK with receiving a complimentary angioplasty after eating one). Everything I've had there has been excellent, ranging from the standard fare (lasagna, chicken parm, etc.) to their more signature dishes (veal, stuffed shells, etc.) The wait staff has always been highly attentive and extremely friendly. It also has just enough of a romantic touch to be a decent date location. Add in its very reasonable price range and you get the perfect combination of great taste and unbelievable value. |
| Runner-Up: Maggiano's |
| Best Chinese: House of Chan |
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| This is the one restaurant which completely blows away all of its competition. There is nothing bad to say about this delightful little Chinese restaurant. Nestled (yet again) near the back of a small strip mall off Cobb Parkway, finding it is no small feat; but it is always worth the effort. The menu offers a wide selection of dishes, from the traditional Americanized-Chinese offerings to a whole host of more authentic choices. While it tends to be more expensive than your typical chinese restaurant, my experience has taught me that everything there is good. Everything. I usually don't branch too far out on a menu, usually sticking with 3-4 things that I really like at a restaurant. But at House of Chan, I'm tempted to get something different every time, just to see if I can find something that's not good. They haven't let me down yet. Their house-specialty sweet-and-sour, something I will never order at any other Chinese restaurant, is absolutely fantastic, perhaps the best anywhere. And the staff is top-notch, better than most five-star restaurants I've been to. A server is never far away, food is always out quickly, requests are always handled with a smile, and your drinks will never, ever be empty. You can't help but leave the restaurant satisfied, not just because the food was so good, but due to the warmth and appreciativeness of the waiters. The max capacity is probably about 50, making for a very intimate dining atmosphere. Despite this, it is an acceptable and enjoyable place to take groups. In fact, I think they really enjoy groups; whenever we've gone in larger numbers, we get the royal treatment, and always end up with some kind of free dessert. As far as I'm concerned, House of Chan is everything a restaurant should be. |
| Runner-Up: P.F. Chang's |
| Best BBQ: Tie - Slope's, Fatt Matt's Rib Shack |
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| This was the hardest choice to make, and rather than make it, I wimped out and called it a tie. But I think that is the right call, because I love these restaurants just about equally, but for completely different reasons. Slope's has several family-owned locations around town, while Fatt Matt's Rib Shack can be found right off Piedmont in Midtown. First, let's talk food: If you're looking for ribs, I'm sure you can guess where you're going to want to go: Fatt Matt's does the best ribs in town, bar none. A half-slab is a slice of heaven. That is their specialty, and you shouldn't even bother ordering anything else there. Slope's, on the other hand, tends to dominate in the other categories, especially if you're looking for pork. Their BBQ pork sandwich/plate is extremely tasty, especially with the house sauce drizzled liberally on top of it. Now, let's talk sides. Once again, Fatt Matt's is famous for one thing: Rum baked beans. And I assure you they are to die for. Not to be completely outdone, Slope's makes some mean baked beans, probably the second-best I've ever had. But Fat Matt's gets the edge in that staple category. However, if just about any other side item is your style (especially Mac/Cheese or Green Beans), head down to Slope's. They have the best Mac & Cheese in the land. To top it all off, if you go to Slope's on Saturdays, they make fresh, tasty cheese biscuits which they hand out to the tables for free. Slope's wins in the service category hands-down. They strive hard to maintain their down-home style, and so far they are succeeding. It seems as if the entire staff is related, and if they're not, they certainly act as if they are. You are always greeted with a smile and a welcome when you enter the door. Orders are taken by name and delivered promptly and cheerfully. And little handwritten notes scattered throughout the restaurant (such as "This is a Cell-Phone Free Zone" at the front, or the "Sweet"/"Unsweet" signs on the tea) can't help but make you feel at home. Fatt Matt's, on the other hand, lets the food do the talking. The staff is pretty impersonal, especially the helpers who deliver the food. Good luck getting a smile or an "enjoy!" out of one of them. When it comes to atmosphere, Fatt Matt's gets the edge, if only due to the live blues bands that play there at night. It makes for a wonderfully authentic BBQ experience. However, if you plan on doing any talking, you might want to sit outside where you can hear the band and still think straight. If it's not painfully clear already, I love both of these restaurants and could not bear to rate one of them below the other. |
| Best Burgers: Fuddrucker's |
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| It might be cheesy, but I'm going with the popular burger chain on this one, and I'm sticking to it. Fuddrucker's does everything just about right. Large, cooked-to-order burgers of various sizes; tons of specialty burger offerings; and options on your type of meat, if you're looking for something a bit leaner. The toppings area is always full of fresh vegetables and interesting options such as jalapenos, melted cheese, and BBQ sauce which allow you to make your burger as normal or crazy as you want. If you're looking for an alternative to the big beef patty, their salads are just as good and just as big as the burgers, if not bigger. And the real sleeper items are the desserts; the Fudd Brownie Blast, at under $5, will blow your mind. |
| Runner-Up: Ted's Montana Grill |
| Best Deli / Sandwich Shop: Jersey Mike's Subs |
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| This is another recent discovery for me, and I've become a total convert. It doesn't take much to succeed in the deli business; the key is the quality and freshness of the ingredients. This is where Jersey Mike's shines. The meats and cheeses are fresh-sliced on order, which always means a tasty sandwich. They have a ton of different sandwich combinations, and the toppings are just as fresh as the meats and cheeses. How can you go wrong with a #13? Ham, cappicuolo, prosciutto, pepperoni, salami and provolone - might as well be the food of the gods. If cold subs aren't your thing, they also do a very meaty and very excellent meatball. Polish that off with one (or three) of their small-yet-delicious homemade cookies and you're bound to be happy. |
| Runner-Up: Firehouse Subs |
| Best Chain Restaurant: Carabba's Italian Grill |
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| The crowning achievement of a chain restaurant should be to generate the consistency across stores while developing the atmosphere of a stand-alone restaurant. This is exactly what you get at Carabba's, a tremendous Italian restaurant. Right off the bat they start excellently, bringing out a warm, plain loaf of Italian bread, and then pouring olive oil onto a plate over top of spices for your dipping pleasure. Entrees are pretty typical Italian fare, with the occasional signature dish. But everything I've had there is fantastic, especially the Pollo Rosa Maria - two chicken breasts, stuffed with prosciutto and fontina cheese, and covered with a lemon-butter-mushroom sauce. The garlic mashed potatoes are to die for, and I'm sure they have excellent desserts, but I wouldn't know because I never have room for it after finishing the meal. The staff has always been attentive and often times has been very friendly and interactive. Every time I've been to Carabba's I've had an excellent meal and a good time. |
| Runner-Up: Macaroni Grill |
| Best Fast Food: Boston Market |
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| It's almost not fair to include this in the "fast food" category, but I figure that if I can go into a Boston Market, place an order at a counter, and have a plate of hot food 30 seconds later, that's just about the definition of fast. Boston Market is really a cut above other fast food restaurants, offering homestyle meals at reasonable prices (although more expensive than other restaurants in its category). Choose your meat, add a couple sides, tack on the free cornbread, and you have a full meal in under a minute. The rotisserie quarter-chicken is always a favorite, the turkey is a pretty good choice as well, and I've even heard positive things about the meatloaf. But to me the signature choice is the ham, not only because it is really tasty, but because they top it off with some of their sweet fried apples for free. If I've got a half-hour to eat somewhere, and my choices are "quarter-pounder with fries", "chicken nuggets with onion rings", or "fresh-sliced ham with sweet potatoe casserole and green beans", I think the choice is obvious. |
| Runner-Up: Chick-fil-A |
| Best Ice Cream: Bruster's |
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| Though I've only been here once, that was enough to know that Bruster's is the king of ice cream in Atlanta. This nationwide chain, recognizable by its small stores with walk-up counters, combine fascinating flavor options with a rich, creamy ice-cream recipe. Bruster's website claims that they offer 140 flavors, in addition to seasonal and local flavors only available at your location. It is a popular hangout for families and younger kids, and with good reason. Scoops are reasonably priced and hefty in size. You can probably get a different flavor each time you go and never repeat. |
| Runner-Up: Jake's |
| Best Smoothies: Smoothie King |
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| Planet Smoothie might as well not exist as far as I'm concerned. Smoothie King is aptly named, as it reigns supreme over all other smoothie joints. Their smoothie menu is large, varied, and tasty across-the-board. For the super health-conscious, they have numerous vitamins and supplements which can be added to any Smoothie. For my money, a large Super Punch Plus is just about as good as it gets. |
| Best Southern Cooking: Cracker Barrel |
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| Once again, it may be cliche, but Cracker Barrel deserves to sit atop this category. What's not to like? From the homemade biscuits and cornbread, to the vast countrified menu, including fantastic fried chicken, country-friend steak, and chicken-and-dumplins, to the huge list of veggies (all of which are superb), Cracker Barrel has it all. And I haven't even discussed breakfast yet. You name it, they do it right; eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, pancakes, waffles, grits, biscuits and gravy... I could go on for miles. It also gets bonus points for being a chain, since I can count on getting some down-home cooking even when I'm travelling cross-country. In fact, whenever I was living in Minnesota and travelling to Wisconsin for Taekwon-Do events, one of the highlights of the trip was hitting the lone Cracker Barrel in central Wisconsin, just to get a little taste of home. If the food's not enough, you've got to love the kitschy gift shop, full of various odds and ends, some tacky (John Deere silverware) and some awesome (old-timey candies). If you're still not sold, there's always the triangle peg game at the table where you can prove that you're not an "Eg-no-ra-moose". |
| Runner-Up: Bobby and June's |
| Best Movie Theatre: AMC Barrett Parkway |
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| It might be a drive for those not in the Marietta/Kennesaw area, but if you appreciate a good movie theatre experience, this is the place to go. A 24-movie megaplex, it's just about guaranteed to have the film you want to see at the time you want to see it. Despite the theatre's size, I've never seen massive crowds there, and never had trouble getting tickets for a big show (though I still prefer to order tickets online before going to the theatre). It is a new theatre, meaning it has state-of-the-art audio/video, and perhaps most importantly, the clientele is not full of troublemakers or rednecks. You can expect to go there and have a peaceful movie-watching experience, free from yelling audience members, or random projectiles. It also has nice stadium seating and high-quality rockable movie seats with high backs and liftable arm rests. I'm sure that one day Barrett will devolve into a crappy theatre like all the rest, but for now, it is the best moviegoing experience in town. |
| Best Sporting Arena: Phillips Arena |
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| This is a pretty easy decision, seeing how Phillips is the cleanest, nicest, and most intimate of the sporting arenas in town. The home of the Thrashers and Hawks is a very hip and fun place to watch a game. Given its size and stadium layout, there's not a bad seat in the house. As the newest of the stadiums, it has better facilities, seats, and concessions. I think it is ironic that a perennial basement-dweller like the Hawks have such a nice place to play while the resurgent Falcons are stuck with the aging Georgia Dome. |
| Best Radio Station: 96 Rock |
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| This is not really a hard choice, since I don't like listening to country or hip-hop, which is just about all you can find on the radio here in Atlanta. Up until a year ago I would have said "None" for this category, but 96 Rock has really grown on me. We'll ignore for the purpose of conversation the early-morning proramming, because morning talk radio sucks, and everyone else does it, so I can't hold it against 96Rock. But they tend to play a nice, varied selection of classic rock, especially in the evening hours. For a while I would go out running during the 7PM-8PM hour, and it seemed like every day was a fantastic hour of radio; I never heard the same song more than once a week, yet the selections of artists and tracks were top-notch. However, there is a big mark against 96Rock right now, which is their recent addition of Braves radio. I'm tempted to write an entire article on how much this pisses me off, that the one classic rock station in Atlanta is dominating their airtime with freakin' baseball for half the year. Oh well - the fact remains that, when 96Rock is playing classic rock, they are at the top of the radio station food chain. |
June 20, 2005
Book Review: Slaughterhouse Five (1969)
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"Slaughterhouse Five" is a bizarre read, to say the least. It relates to us the story of Billy Pilgrim, an American soldier in World War II who experienced first-hand the fire-bombing of Dresden. But Vonnegut, in his quest to write the atypical anti-war novel, adds a strange twist to the tale of this simple soldier. At one point in his life Billy is abducted by aliens from the planet Tralfamadore, and is taught the secret of time travel. So Pilgrim's story is told, not linearly, but in disjointed fashion, as we follow Billy's jumps backward and forward through his own life experiences.
Despite the curious injections of unabashedly sci-fi elements such as aliens and time travel, "Slaughterhouse" admirably retains its focus on the main character, rather than straying too far into the paranormal. Billy is a simple man, as his very name suggests, and he is quite the interesting choice as protagonist. In no way is Billy a hero. He is a passive agent, a being acted upon by his surroundings and external forces; a victim, perhaps, but certainly not a hero. Despite all of this, it's not hard to feel sympathetic for Pilgrim, as Vonnegut hopes we will; despite his lack of ambition or determination to alter his situation, he is plagued by unfortunate, and oftentimes horrific, events throughout his life. Through his eyes (and Vonnegut's, who was there in Dresden himself), we see the horror of the American fire-bombing, which claimed the lives of more people than any other attack in the war, including both the atomic strikes.
From the start of the book, Vonnegut is very clear about his aims: he wants to create a novel in stark contrast to those war stories which glorify battle. He wants to protect the "babies" from having to go out and fight any more wars for the politicians. And his sense of timing is certainly impeccable, releasing the novel as the conflict in Vietnam was escalating, providing a scathing rebuke of America's actions there. No doubt his novel was effective among the American public, and as such, his effect on America's staying power in Vietnam was tangible and significant. For this he must be given great credit.
I should also point out that Vonnegut employs many interesting ideas in the book. While the bulk of the story centers around Billy Pilgrim and his exploits, the first and last chapters are told from Vonnegut's own perspective. Interestingly enough, in the first chapter, he tells us how the book is going to start and end; amazingly, he's exactly right on both counts. Vonnegut's own personal feelings about war contrast with those of his main character. While Billy Pilgrim comes to believe, based on his time on Tralfamadore, that all actions are inevitable and nothing can be prevented, Vonnegut's writing of this very novel suggests that he believes otherwise. And he also uses a fair amount of repetition, sometimes to connect events and reveal how everything is not so disjointed, and other times to drive home a point which he feels is significant. One of the most famous lines in the book, "So it goes", is said every time that something dies. Whenever anything dies. From soldier, to family member, to animal, to the protagonist himself - Vonnegut's only commentary on death is "So it goes". A satirical and very effective way of exhibiting the dehumanizing ability of war.
Despite the subject matter, the conversational style of the narrative makes it extremely easy to read. He even mixes in subtle touches of irony. Billy's time-travel experiences are obviously discounted by everyone, despite the fact that they really happened (or did they?) And it just so happens that a group of POWs, held in a slaughterhouse in the middle of a city which will never be attacked, are among the few survivors after the city is destroyed.
Hopefully I have done my best to make the novel seem interesting and worthy of its critical and popular acclaim. However, despite all of this, I cannot help but feel disappointed after finishing the book. For all of Vonnegut's aims, I was not really moved or affected to understand his cause. While the book is slightly bizarre, occasionally humorous, momentarily devastating, and at times satirical, it is thoroughly lacking in anything substantial. While we learn plenty about Billy Pilgrim, he's not quite the kind of character to captivate our attention. And despite its fervent desire to stand out from other anti-war novels, all it really does is fade into the background, trumped by far superior examples from its own genre. "Slaughterhouse Five" lacks the absolute, unmerciful satire which is ever-present in "Catch-22". While the latter novel focuses on this as its primary tactic for espousing its views, the former uses it too sparingly to be that effective. It also lacks the haunting portrait of wartime found in books such as "The Naked And The Dead" or even "A Farewell To Arms". Pilgrim's experiences with time travel break up any sense of despair built upon by the wartime scenes, and even his depictions of Dresden, supposedly the central point of the book, lack powerful imagery.
Maybe my expectations were too high. Or maybe I didn't get it. But I propose a third possibility: this was a novel intended for a different audience in a different time. I think Vonnegut wrote a novel that the American people of the late-60s needed to read, and as such, it was wildly effective. Clearly, the book has elements interesting enough to keep readers captivated for years to come. Yet I cannot help but feel that it is overrated in relation to the praise it has received. Despite Vonnegut's noble intentions, I walked away from the book not changed, affected, or moved in any way. While it was an interesting read, if only for its creative elements and the occasional pondering on the human condition, I feel that "Slaughterhouse Five" lacked the ruthlessness and clarity of purpose to be a exemplary anti-war novel.
June 15, 2005
Movie Review: Batman Begins (2005)
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Christian Bale takes the helm as the new Batman, and I must admit that I had my reservations about him playing the Dark Knight. While I felt he had both the look and stature to play the part of the mysterious billionaire Bruce Wayne, I was unconvinced that he could convey the dark, rugged determination and sense of firm justice that defines Batman - all while hiding behind a mask. However, anyone who has witnessed Bale's previous work, particularly the chilling "American Psycho", understands that he is perfectly capable of combining his strikingly polished veneer with an ever-present darkness that lies just below the surface. In this sense, he makes for a perfect Batman - indeed, he performs admirably in the role.
Director Christopher Nolan (of "Memento" fame) brings a new vision to the Batman genre, and it is precisely his new look on the famous superhero story that injects new life into the series. While the original 1989 film was a superb comic-book adaptation, the three sequels each attempt to trump one another by being more outlandish and grand in scope. But they all failed to capture the magic of the first one, which succeeded through its simplicity - one budding superhero, one captivating villain, and a town stuck in-between.
"Batman Begins" attempts to tell the story of how Bruce Wayne became Batman. In the spirit of not spoiling the movie, I will gloss over the details and provide a high-level synopsis: after facing a personal tragedy as a young child, Bruce learns to suppress his anger and fear. As a result of this, he embarks on an ill-fated conquest to understand the mind of a criminal. After wasting away several years of his life only to wind up at a dead-end, he is approached by a group of vigilantes who wish to capitalize on his anger and develop his hate into a power that they can manipulate. But instead they unwittingly awake him from his slumber and he subsequently discovers that his true destiny is not to seek revenge for the injustices of the world, but instead to do what he can to prevent them from happening in the future.
While most of the previous films were all about style over substance, Nolan brings the series back to its character-driven core, painting a thorough picture of Bruce Wayne and his struggles to find meaning in a disillusioned life. Action sequences serve as complements to the story arc, not the other way around. This leads to a highly-entertaining and meaningful film that is not afraid to explore both the good and bad sides of its hero. Like any comic-book protagonist, Batman has its flaws, and "Batman Begins" allows the main character to embrace those flaws in order to make him stronger. The Batman that we see here is probably the most believable, and thus the most enjoyable, incarnation yet.
One of the smartest moves Nolan did with this film was to surround the main character with superb talent. With Michael Caine as Alfred, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox (the techno-wizard who is the answer to Jack Nicholson's question: "Where does he get all those wonderful toys?"), Tom Wilkinson as a high-profile Gotham crime boss, and Liam Neeson as Ducard (Batman's first mentor), you've got four Oscar-caliber actors backing up your main star. Toss in a healthy combination of Gary Oldman, Ken Watanabe (another Oscar-nominated actor), and rising star Cillian Murphy, and you have a first-rate cast - the hallmark of any great film. It is certainly the best ensemble cast of any Batman film yet. The only mark against the casting is Katie Holmes as Bruce's close friend Rachel Dawes; she has about as much range in her acting as Keanu Reeves. I don't know how she got this part, except on looks, because she really has never done anything impressive in her acting career. She certainly can't compare with any of the original "Batman girls" (Bassinger, Kidman, or Pfeiffer). However, her character is minor enough to not really get in the way, and as such, it's a forgivable offense.
I really think what makes this Batman film a success is that it doesn't feel like a Batman film. Nowadays, there is a stigma attached to the Batman series that, to be honest, doesn't tend to suggest a high quality of filmmaking. But Nolan made a solid film foremost, and it just so happens to live in the Batman universe. Despite its length at nearly 2.5 hours, it never seems to drag or feel like it has worn out its welcome. The film is stylish, often breathtaking in its camerawork, and infused with a subtle yet powerful score. It is wonderfully dark and ultimately moving. You don't have to be a fan of comics to enjoy this movie - you just have to appreciate a good story.
Book Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5) (2003)
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WARNING: Spoilers below...
At the close of the fourth book, Harry had won the Triwizard Tournament, and had successfully fought off Voldemort yet again, despite witnessing first-hand the death of one of his fellow students. That experience alone would be traumatic for such a young boy, but to make matters worse, the fifth book begins by painting us the picture of a troubled wizarding world. Danger is everywhere, as Voldemort plans his return behind-the-scenes. Mysteries abound, as people seem to act under the pretense of bizarre motives and intentions. And if that wasn't enough, the majority of wizardkind seems to deny that anything is wrong. Through Voldemort's masterful deception, and the ulterior motives of the Minister of Magic, very few people seem to believe Harry's story about the return of the Dark Lord. He struggles with this burden for most of the book, unable to convince the world, including most of his schoolmates, that he is not lying. As a result, Harry often feels alone throughout the novel. It is in dealing with these bouts of isolation that we see Harry begin to mature.
Despite the problems swarming around them, our main characters have plenty of time for self-development. Ron really comes into his own as an individual apart from his brothers. Hermione reveals deeper seeds of loyalty for her friends than we've yet seen, as well as her depth of caring for other creatures. Other characters develop too - we learn a lot more about Fred and George Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Ginny Weasley, and Cho Chang, among others.
But as expected it is Harry who develops into a more complete character than all the rest. Perhaps more than the other four books combined, we really get to peer into the mind of Harry Potter, and explore all of his feelings. Harry truly runs the gamut of emotions throughout the course of the book: joy mixed with anxiety as he experiences his first crush, the pressure of upcoming exams, anger towards authority figures for treating him like a child, confusion stemmed from an incomplete understanding of his role in current events, and extreme sadness as he copes with the loss of someone close to him. As a character study, "Phoenix" is an excellent portrait of the complex feelings that every adolescent feels, especially one who is conflicted with a difficult life.
Futility seems to be a theme throughout the book. From start to finish, it seems that nothing ever goes as hoped for our young trio. Most of the time, things fall apart completely - from failed relationships, to horrible new teachers, to Quidditch, and so on. In the course of a single book, Harry is almost expelled, constantly yelled at, tortured, banned from Quidditch, ignored, lied to, accused of lying, nearly torn apart by magical creatures, attacked by dangerous murderers, and forced to cope with death. How much can one boy stand? I don't have many things to pick on in a book of such high quality, but I must say that I tend to not enjoy stories where everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. But that's exactly what happens in "Phoenix" for most of the novel.
While I'm on the subject of criticisms, I might also add that it takes quite a long while before anything of substance happens in this novel, so long that I started questioning whether or not the action was ever going to pick up. Rest assured that it does, and it eventually pays off with yet another thrilling and powerful climax in which the author draws upon the depth of the world she has created to paint a harrowing portrait of good versus evil. But to reach this point requires a bit of patience on the part of the reader, which (to be fair) is not uncommon with a book of this length. Just be prepared that the pace of this book is much more deliberate than all of the previous entries.
All in all, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is an excellent read, and like all of the novels in this series, you are likely to fly through the pages, despite the intimidating size of the book. J.K. Rowling has a unique talent for combining wonderfully creative imagery with a highly-entertaining and captivating storyline, and as such, the fans keep coming back for more. She leaves us not so much with a cliffhanger as an ominous warning for things to come. Though hard to believe, it is possible that Book 6 could hold even darker and more difficult times for Harry Potter. We can only hope that the development which he and his friends expeienced in this book will serve them well in the future.
June 6, 2005
Run The Gamut
Wow, it's been awhile since I've posted. I need to remedy this here and now, despite my distinct lack of available time to do so. If I don't force myself back into the habit, then it ain't never gonna happen.
Since I know there are countless readers out there who have been collectively holding their breath since my last post, waiting with panicked anticipation for details of my life, I figured I might as well just hit broadly on everything I can think of. Fair warning though: I make no guarantees that the following is even remotely interesting. But I don't want to hear any whining. After all, what's more sad, the guy who writes at length about mundane details of his life, or the person who reads it?
And that shows just how confident I am in my own awesomeness - I just committed the cardinal sin of writing and insulted my own audience, and yet I still fully expect you to keep reading. Admit it - this site is as addicting as crack...
Work
Things at Optio are going pretty well. One of the neat things about working at Optio, and especially in our healthcare group, is that we are very much a multitasking outfit. Each member in the group has about 4 different projects they are working on, so it is really helping me learn to juggle my time effectively while still making progress on everything. Plus, some of the projects are quite challenging, meaning I'm learning a great deal - always a plus in the ever-changing software industry.
Although things are going well, they will be much better once I get one of these projects off my plate. It's something that was passed down to me by someone no longer with the company, and to be frank, it's a steaming pile of manure. And it won't go away, no matter how much work I put into it. It's a vicious cycle: I fix about 30 bugs, it goes back into testing, and they find 40 more. I think what bothers me most is that I have to be associated with it. Most of you know I'm a perfectionist, and that carries over into my job - I try to do everything I can with perfection, and as such I want everything with my "name" on it to be very high-quality. Well, this project is definitely mediocre at best, yet I have to consider it my project, despite the fact that I've just been applying hundreds of band-aids to it since it was given to me. C'est la vie, I guess. It still sucks though.
Home Sweet Home
So I travelled home over Memorial Day weekend to see my mother, who I hadn't seen since her surgery, and who I didn't get to see on Mother's Day like I planned because of my recurring back troubles. We had a good time, though the visit was short - we went to Ruth's Chris Steak House on Saturday night, which was amazing as always, then hit a movie the next day and just tooled around the town for a bit. It was good to see her doing much better than last time, before her hand surgery - she had a lot more mobility this time. She'll be going back to work soon, for the first time this year. I know she's been itching to do that for awhile, so it should be good for her.
The Summer of Love
Despite the title, this has nothing to do with my own personal love life, which will undoubtedly be the subject of a self-deprecating post coming your way sometime soon. It's a reference to the fact that just about everyone I know is getting married this year. First it was the almost back-to-back April weddings, then EW's in May, now my buddy Matt's this weekend. I guess it's some consolation that I'm not actually in this one, so I don't really need to prepare - just show up and have fun. The bachelor party was this past weekend. We started with the Tech baseball game (10-2 over S. Carolina, no doubt), then headed to ESPNZone for dinner and some overpriced/overrated arcade games, then off to Buckhead for some craziness. But I skipped out on the Buckhead part - I was too exhausted, considering I had been up since 6:00 AM doing...
Community Service
Quick quiz: Shaun was doing community service hours because:
- A) of his prior felony charge
- B) his spirit of giving knows no bounds
- C) it's a necessary part of his martial arts training
Those who guessed C know me too well, those who said B have been fooled by my undeniable charm, and those who said A are dead to me.
I should have finished the service hours long ago as part of my III Dan test, but it's been hard to schedule time with all the weddings and other Saturday committments. I've been working a lot with Project Open Hand to deliver meals to people around Atlanta who cannot get meals for themselves - many of whom are either elderly or suffering from AIDS. It has been a highly worthwhile experience, especially since I never did as much philanthropy in college as I had hoped to. The one thing I don't like about it is having to deliver food into the hardcore ghetto sometimes. Not all the times, but about half the time the route I have been given is somewhere in Bankhead, East Point, or both. Not fun. But hey, I guess if someone starts some crap I can always use my martial arts. Helping the community by delivering meals and busting up gangstas, one thug at a time. Sounds like a good cartoon to me...
Tennis
Don't you dare skip this section. So, I'm sure about none of you knew that the French Open just ended. Nobody watches tennis anyways, let alone what is probably the least-watched Grand Slam event here in the States. Not that I understand it - the French Open is great, because the slow, grueling clay courts make for longer points and more exciting rallies. I watched just about every minute of the men's tournament, most of which was dominated by the 19-year-old Rafael Nadal, who won the tournament in his first appearance. People have been talking about this guy for a year or two, but to watch him on the court - his speed, playmaking abilities, and more than anything, his competitiveness - was a real treat. He wanted it much more than anyone else, and he certainly showed that on the court.
From the highlight to the lowlight, it was downright painful to watch my boy Agassi lose in the first round. If he had lost by being beaten, that would be one thing - but he lost to his own body. Up 2 sets to 1, his sciatic nerve flared up, and he basically played the last two sets unable to move at all. Predictably, he lost the last two sets, and ultimately the match, in what was a gut-wrenching performance. It was just another solemn reminder that age catches up with all of us, no matter how hard we train or try to fight it off. Agassi described in detail the unbearable pain he was feeling, and how he's been using cortizone shots over the last year just to be competitive. I suspect that this might be his last year of play, especially if his sciatica doesn't get better. It will be a sad day when my tennis hero retires from the game. But the game must go on...
Two weeks from now: The Championships, Wimbledon. I can hardly wait. The best major of the year always brings something special and is worth waiting for. Thank goodness the wait is almost over...
Bad Beat
Well, I finally had a good showing in a Texas Hold'em tournament - I took second in our last game of TX alums. To be honest, I should have won the whole thing. About 10 minutes into heads-up play, we came to a hand where I had the distinct advantage over Brian and I ended up putting him all-in. He should have never called me, because he was chasing an inside straight with one card left to come. The odds were all in my favor, but he got the one card in the deck to help him get the straight. That was a huge turning point, because it crippled me and it was just a matter of time from that point onward. Despite the setback, I made some money on the night and learned some things for the next time we play, which will be next Sunday. Let's see if I can move up to the winner's spot this time around...
TV wrapup
Talk about a depressing two weeks. Check this out:
- May 10 - Scrubs Season Finale
- May 19 - The OC Season Finale
- May 19 - ER Season Finale
- May 23 - 24 Season Finale
- May 25 - Lost Season Finale
What in the world am I going to do now? Anyways, rather than waxing poetic about each, I will give a brief report card of the seasons:
- Scrubs: B+. I had never watched Scrubs until this season, and I only really got into it about halfway through. I had never really given this show the time of day because I think sitcoms as a genre are dying. But I must say, as far as sitcoms go, this one is pretty dang good. Every episode had me laughing, usually pretty hard. It only loses marks for being a sitcom, beccause there are certain things about them that drive me crazy. But what works for Scrubs is that the show is so over-the-top that the normally cheesy and unrealistic aspects of sitcoms just fit right in. I think that's why it is such a success. I heard rumors that it might not be coming back - I sure hope that stays rumor. What a shame, just as I find a good sitcom, that it might get taken away...
- The OC: B-. The show is still great, but it partly suffered from not being able to live up to the first season. And admittedly, that would be hard to do, considering how fantastic Season 1 was. Despite this, it was still a thoroughly entertaining season of TV. The good parts usually involved the focus on the adult drama, especially with Sandy and Kirsten's marital troubles, and her growing drinking problem. The less-successful parts involved the teen drama, especially because characters came and went before we really got to know them. However, give them props for not totally falling flat after such a home-run beginning. I have great faith that this show can stay strong for at least several more years.
- ER: C. While this show is still better than most on TV, it is sadly nothing more than a shell of its former self. Admittedly, it must be difficult coming up with new material after 11 years, but the characters are not nearly as interesting as they used to be, which is usually the death knell for a show. I held out hope for a great finale, being Dr. Carter's last show after 11 years, but it really was nothing special. I will continue watching ER out of loyalty, but I think it's about time they bring an end to what was once the best show on TV.
- 24: B. What an interesting season. Do I rate it against other shows, or against previous seasons of 24? In my opinion it was clearly the weakest season yet, but it is still light years beyond most other TV. I will not spoil what happens for the sake of several of my readers who are still watching it off TiVo, but I will simply say that the story was a little too convoluted, the main villain wasn't nearly as interesting, and the new cast members were, on the whole, pretty dull. However, I will add one thing: the writers ended up doing a smart thing, whether intentionally or by accident, with the season's cast. I'll leave it at that. I have high hopes that next season will continue the tradition of this being the best show on TV.
- Lost: A-. The biggest surprise of the year. I'm so glad I tuned in from the beginning. The only negative I have about this show is that it probably should have been 20 episodes rather than 25, rather than string the audience along through the last 5 shows, with very little plot evolution at all. At first, the ending bothered me by leaving a bunch of unanswered questions, but the more I think about it, the more I conclude that they resolved exactly what they should have, considering they will pick up the story again next season. I can't wait to see what those crazy writers have in store for us next year.
The only thing keeping me going right now is "The Shield", which has only 2 more episodes! I'm going to go stir crazy throughout the off-season, unless some of the new summer shows pan out. I'm not holding my breath though...
The Forgotten Posts
If I ever get some time, I'll put up some new movie/book reviews. Here's a sampling of what I've seen/read lately, with some basic ratings:
Movies:
- Cinderella Man (9/10)
- Star Wars: Episode III - The Revenge Of The Sith (9/10)
- The Interpreter (6/10)
- Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (5/10)
Books:
- The 42nd Parallel (USA Trilogy, Book 1) (5/10)
- Snow Crash (7/10)
And with that, I'm off to read a little Harry Potter and then hit the sack. Until the next time...