The Pacific, A SW The Clone Wars Update, and What I’ve Been Up To

The Pacific.  Being of a type that falls asleep as soon as I see monochrome, anything with propellers, maps, and bombs in black and white usually causes me to turn the channel.  Although I listened enraptured to amazing stories from my family about their service time, the particulars of Army politics (much like algebra) confuse me a little.  Anyone who has ever served could tell you about being alone in the middle of a hundred people.  As far as my opinion, nobody has so far been able to put you in the laps of the individuals as candidly (er…graphically) as the Pacific.  The Norman Rockwell-esque checkups on the families of the soldiers and their trials at home throw my dirt-and-blood-vision off a little though.  It’s like when we first watched the cast of Survivor get dirty immediately: they fall victim to insects and diseases of the jungle…although friendly fire and love pangs seem to do more to the characters than the malaria.  I did have to do some fast-forwarding of humpy parts, and the gore factor is pretty amped (it doesn’t help that the three main colors are green, dirt, and blood).  Definitely for adults only, war buffs, and anyone who wished A Thin Red Line didn’t suck so hard.
Brain: 8
Heart: 10 
Stomach: 10



Star Wars: The Clone Wars is my favorite action show as of this season.  Any SW fan is going to get a kick out of this show in the first season, but as you progress to Season 2, the trials of Anakin and Obi Wan are story-specific, and there are a couple of nods, one to film noir and one in memoriam Akira Kurosawa.  The most notable differences to me between the first and second season were a) the over-the-shoulder swooping cam style that puts you right where you need to be to catch every breathtaking detail, and b) the intense escalation of gore.  I am of the old school of movie watchers that expects PG to save me or something.  Truth is – the second season benefits from the additional violence.  It’s kinda how you always wanted Star Wars…driving, dramatic…and 22 minutes per episode.
Brain: 10
Heart: 10
Stomach: 5

p.s. Combining two of my reasons for existing...



What I’ve Been Up To:

Typing my face off…getting ready for the semester to start…connecting with old friends…exploring my dimensions…and waiting breathlessly for a VIP Hug :)


Stay strong.  I see that a lot of us are going through hard times. If it makes you feel a little better, I’ve noticed something about myself that has attributed to the greatest gain in emotional growth yet…I have found that it’s the moments I spend empathizing with others (instead of only myself) that polish the mold.  Although blogging is self-directed, it has opened me up to a world where free speech and personal revelation is rewarded with posterity if not empathy.


Listen more.  You will hear things that would blow your mind.  I didn’t even know that my neighbor was a soprano!

Until next time take care - Dags