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Saturday, November 24, 2012

Reviews it is

The reviews here will reflect how I respond to movies, TV and books.  I look for the humanity in these things, the way the characters display what is beautiful and what is ugly in being human. 

I like an interesting story and I'll comment on the plot and to a lesser extent the other technical details such as framing, effects, lighting and the like, but I have limited to no real knowledge of what is good or bad.  I'll probably have more to say about word choices and construction in books and stories.

I'll often put in context of my experiences and those include my Zen practice.  And the point of the review will never be a judgement, good or bad, just how I respond to it.

I think this is an interesting approach not because I'm an interesting person and I think anyone reading this should be interested in me and my reactions.  I think as I try to find the story of what it is to be human in the things I review the best way is to explore how the stories, music, films, touch my humanity and maybe that will show you how these things might also touch yours.

I'll also post a poem, mostly haiku, at least once a week.

Next post will be my first subject choice.  A film or a TV show rewatch most likely.


Friday, November 23, 2012

Blog Charter

I am starting this blog almost on a whim.  Actually I offered to maintain a blog for someone else and in the course of setting up a test site I thought perhaps I would jump in myself.

But what for?

I like to spend time doing nothing, accomplishing nothing specific (more on that later), as much as most people.  However, if I'm going to put effort into this I'd like to think I might accomplish something by that effort.

Ideas:

- Provide expertise: I'm only qualified to do this in the field of Information Security and some other areas related to Information Technology.  I don't think I want to do that at home too.  I could provide expertise, or rather related experience, in hiking, backcountry camping.

- Share experiences: Who the heck cares?  I'm a father, I work full time, I hike, I watch movies, read books, practice zen, been married, been in the Air Force, traveled a bit.  I might have some good stories to tell and my experiences and reflections are no less valuable than anyone else and no more.

- Haiku and other poems: I would like to share some.  I might even include short stories in that list.  It would perhaps help keep me more disciplined about producing work.

- Reviews: Should it be books, movies, TV...I'm no expert on any of these.  And yet I've done this on my Facebook page for a while, not for several months though, and I enjoyed doing that and got some good feedback.  I can't provide anything more than so many others, more qualified and more learned in the history of film, literature, TV etc already provide out there but I do think I could offer something.  And I think a review is a good writing practice.

I think I'm on to something.

And oh yes, I know the Greek word I used for the title of this blog "Proseisphora:  an addition to a story" is meant to refer to a structure like an attic or other structural extension to a building.  I just like to play with words like that.