Quill & Claw/Pen & Paw

This author points out something I, perhaps didn't consider, when it comes to special effects in movies. I've tended to blame scripting for the holes I'm encountering when watch special effect-laden pictures, and, by-and-large, that still holds up. However, this gentleman points out, by animating the background, they're pushing the audience farther away from relatability.  Take a look... What do you think? Peace, Roo

As I start to blog just a bit more, I decided to, perhaps, just answer a few of Mr. Pivot's famous questions, made known via the famed television program, "Inside the Actor's Studio." The program, itself, is actually wonderful. A talkshow that actually deals with the art of creativity and creating.  At the end, after questions have been asked, Mr. Lipton asks these ten questions. So? Here we go.... 1. What is your favorite word? Peace.  I think that's self explanatory. I use it as a sign off, but, also, as a reminder. We only get one chance at this. 2. What is your least favorite word? Hate. It's really noticeable this week. When Obama was elected, many of my friends of African American decent were estatic and rightfully so. And then, right there, on social media, others said some awful, awful things. They could have felt them, that's alright, but wait until the fervor had reduced. I look to this week, with it's wonderful announcements of mar...

My friend posted an article about there not being any leading men left  in Hollywood. I beg to differ. The author points out the same arguement we in the entertainment business always love to make on slow writing days. "It's just not like it used to be." We'll watch a classic movie, like my favorite, Casablanca,  and wonder who would take the place of Rick in a remake or something. We can never find that perfect person and then we'd quip, "yeah, there just isn't any star like that any more." I've caught myself making the same comment on numerous times. The fact is, that's just not true, folks. When a performer is skilled, they take the written page and make it come alive, complete with the quirks and complexities that make a character become a person. Case in point: Jurassic World. I really wanted to hate this movie. The world is a bad place right now. A really bad place.  We, the American people, are under the thumb of ...

For years, I've been sneaky. Every year on Father's Day, I'd make a decent, but not grand, breakfast for the husOtter. I'd take him out to lunch. I'd give him one thing or another that he had remarked. I'd not wrap it; I'd not actually admit taht it was for Father's Day. Then? We moved to Florida. I'm not sure what came over me. I finally added a card and some wrapping and the light bulb clicked. It was a good feeling before. It was like I always recognized him for who is and why, again, he's so important to me, my family, and this corner of the universe we call home.  I give him small gifts all the time; I give him kudos whenever the time allows. He never questioned it at any point. And it took him until he got cards that he, truly, was a father-figure. I don't mean that in any prurient manner, either. I know there's a huge "daddy" fetish that floats around; I know there's a huge crossover into the Bear sub cultur...

As an educator, there might be one thing that bests standardized testing for totally antagonizing experiences in the classroom environs. Public speaking units . Kids are scared, they can’t write to begin with and they’re all voer the map. I try to lessen the pain by letting them pick their topics about things they love and adore. Of course, this is akimbo to asking them to rebuild Brooklyn Bridge.  They whine and kvetch and talk about how horrible of an educator I am by asking them to work on something they enjoy. Gee, what was I thinking? But, sometimes, just once and while, there is a cord that is hit. The one girl who loved the pop singer Usher so much that she actually created a powerpoint presentation that rivaled a VH-1 “Behind the Music” episode. And I’m not a fan of Usher. With her presentation? I was. Another student elaborated on remote control cars. I could never get this student to turn in homework, let alone look up from his paperbacks....