My Summer of Love (of Movies)

I'm really excited by this summer's crop of Hollywood Blockbusters. As anyone who knows me can attest, I'm a geek of the first degree, and so this years slate of films is tailor made for me. First we had Iron Man, which was simply awesome. I'd rank it second (just behind Batman Begins) in the superhero movie genre. Speaking of Batman Begins, the sequel, The Dark Knight, is due up later this summer. So far, the clips and trailers that have been circulating for that look fantastic. The Incredible Hulk is also due up soon, and it looks like it might be pretty good. I should state for the record, that I'm one of the few who actually liked Ang Lee's Hulk from a few years ago, but I can certainly understand the complaints of those who did not, it was perhaps too little action for a movie featuring the Incredible Hulk. There's also a new animated Star Wars movie that seems to be flying under the radar a bit. I'm not quite sure what to make of this one. I absolutely adored the Clone Wars series the Cartoon Network ran a few years ago, and this seems to be in the same vein, though without the original creative team, but I'm not sure how I feel about the CG animation. I'm taking a wait and see stance on that one.

Of course, the latest of these movies to hit theaters was Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. I went and saw it yesterday and left the theater completely satisfied. It's not a perfect movie, but its flaws are pretty minor ones and easily ignored. How does it fit in with the other Indiana Jones movies? I'd put it at third. My personal rank is Last Crusade, Raiders, now Crystal Skull, and Temple of Doom. Some would probably take issue with my putting Raiders second. I don't disagree that it's the best movie of the three, but for reasons that I don't fully understand myself, I've always felt more of a personal connection with Last Crusade. That's enough to move it to the lead spot in my list. Temple of Doom remains my least favorite. That's not to say I don't like it, it's an Indiana Jones movie so they'd have had to screw it up pretty badly for me to actually dislike it. I just don't connect to the story of that one like I do the others. I think it might have to do with the bad guys not being quite as much fun. I hate to say it, but I have to wonder if the fact that it's the only one with a story not rooted in western mythology and culture might also be and obstacle to my connecting with it in the same way as the other films.

Book Review: The Translator by Daoud Hari

I received an advance reader's copy of the book The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer's Program, and in the spirit of the program posted the following review on my LibraryThing account:

I'm at a bit of a loss for words to talk about The Translator. I could say that it is moving, powerful, and deeply personal, all of which is true, but those words all feel a little cliched, and don't adequately describe what makes this book so special. Reading this book felt different than most other reading experiences that I've had; Daoud Hari's style made it feel like we were having a conversation, and that, it seems to me, is memoir in its purest form. The skill of the writing coupled with the importance of the subject matter make this book an essential read.

Zzz

Today was a bit of a snore. I had to go to a training workshop as part of my new teacher orientation. Basically just people reading from a very dry script for seven hours. I understand that they wanted us to have the information and all, but couldn't they have just given us the written packets and trusted us to read them on our own? We are supposed to be adults after all? Teachers no less.

Oh well, at least I get paid for my time.

So, then I get home and get a taste for fried chicken for dinner, so I walk down the street to the local KFC. They were out of chicken! Sure, they were cooking up more, but I was going to have to sit around and wait ten to fifteen minutes. How does a Kentucky Fried Chicken run out of chicken? It's what they do...It's even in their name! Shouldn't they always have some ready?

Orientation

I've begun my new teacher orientation. It continues for the next couple of weeks and then I start teaching on September 4th. I am both very excited to begin my teaching career and very nervous, being a first time teacher. I got my school assignment yesterday; I'll be teaching at Harney Elementary School. I still don't know what grade yet, but I look forward to getting out to my new school and making my classroom my own. In the meantime I've settled into my new apartment (and am very glad to be out of that dorm room, ugh!).

Anyway, stay tuned to see if I crash and burn as a teacher, or if everything turns out to be great.

Back to School

Today was my second day of classes in my teaching program here at UNO (the first class was Friday). I haven't been out of school that long, but I had forgotten how much work it could be. Oh well, given that I'm training to be a teacher, I'll have plenty of opportunities to share the pain with my future students.

Today we got our first homework assignment (which I'm procrastinating rather than doing right now). There's about four chapters worth of reading and a written assignment. I have to create a set of classroom rules as well as a system of rewards and consequences to go along with it. Sounds simple, but it's actually pretty tough (hence the procrastination). It's a good assignment though; definitely a good thing to think about before I run a classroom of my own.

Hovel Sweet Hovel

So, I moved into my temporary lodgings in New Orleans this past week. They're pretty simple, but they'll do for the month or two until I find a permanent place. Here's a picture I snapped with my phone (don't you like how I'm getting all multi-media lately?):


Sort of has a prison cell-like charm, eh? It's a dorm room at the University of New Orleans, where I'll be taking classes this summer. Living here a week has reinforced one thing in my mind, that I've reached a point in my life where I'm far too old for dorm-room living. Oh well, it won't be for long, I'll just have to tough it out.

Limited Release

I am dying to see the movie "Once", unfortunately it's currently in limited release and isn't out here in New Orleans. The reviews I've seen have been overwhelmingly positive, but that's not what has me chomping at the bit to see the film. I'm excited about it because of the music, and because music is central to the plot. Here, I'll try to add a bit of video of the stars singing a song from the film. I found it on Fox Searchlight's website for the movie:



There, isn't that a great song (audio's a little shaky, but you get the idea). Anyway, if anyone from Fox Searchlight happens by my crappy little blog; please, please, please get this movie out in New Orleans.