Concert Review: Train at UC Berkeley's Greek Theatre

Last night I took the train (well, BART) to Train. They played at UC Berkeley's Greek Theatre, an open-air venue modeled on the ancient Greek amphitheaters.

I was lucky enough to have a front-row seat, which affords many pros such as a good view that is usually uninterrupted. The con of such a seat is the fact that people do try to crowd the stage and so sometimes stand in front of you, but the event crew was pretty good about clearing them regularly.

The first act was Andy Grammer, whose "Fine By Me" was one of radio's summer staples. His new single "Miss Me" isn't bad, either, and he did a solid job of attempting to get the crowd worked up for the coming acts. I've said it before: it's a hard job being the opening act because most of the seats are still empty, which can seem a bit disheartening. Grammer didn't let it get him down, though, so kudos to him.

After that, the somewhat better known Mat Kearney took the stage. His set was about twice as long as Grammer's; he has at least twice as many recognizable songs, after all. Kearney, too, turned in a solid and satisfying set and appeared to genuinely enjoy himself. By this point the amphitheater was pretty full—Train had sold the place out.

The main draw hit the stage just shy of 9:00 p.m. to much rejoicing from their "hometown groupies." Truth be told, the audience was a wide mix of people who remember Train from their college days (I count among these) and the new teeny-boppers who like that song about all the ways the girlfriend dies. (I'll admit it's a catchy song, and was a good choice as the opening number.)

Now, I saw Train in August 2011, back up in Massachusetts, when "Save Me, San Francisco" was their big hit. I never thought at that point the next time I'd see the band I'd be in San Francisco. Something surreal about that.

I was a little sad that, due to sheer volume, Train reduced some of their older songs to a medley. "Free" and "She's On Fire" were therefore shortened and blended into a number of other songs.

Train at Berkeley, 28 September 2012

In truth, Train played a relatively short set, ending around 10:30 or so (including encore). But they were nonetheless crowd pleasing, hitting all the highlights of their current hits and old favorites. For a lot of the older songs, they hardly had to sing at all because the audience did most of the work for them. (This turned out to be a good thing when, at one point in the show, singer Pat Monahan had trouble with his mic.)

Both times I've seen Train play, they've shown a knack for fun with a touch of spectacle that leaves fans happy at the end. For the money, then, I'd say they are one of the best acts to see live. Well worth the train ride, the walk, and the chill September air when you can go home with a warm feeling.

Television: Elementary, "Pilot"

All right, I'll admit by the time the title card came up, I wasn't sold. It was a slow starter. And in a day and age when things need to happen quickly to get and keep people's attention, Elementary didn't really do that out of the gate.

But I stuck it out, and I'm glad I did. The show did a nice job of making the unease between Holmes (played by Jonny Lee Miller) and Watson (Lucy Liu) tangible. There was a good progression of character interaction as the relationship began to take root, so that by the end the sense of a kind of truce and/or budding friendship was believable.

If you didn't watch, let me explain this Holmes-in-New-York setup: Sherlock Holmes is a recovering drug addict who has relocated from London to New York. His daddy holds the purse strings, so Holmes must labor under Dad's directive that he have a live-in "sober companion" to keep an eye on him. Enter Watson as said companion. The tension, then, is understandable. Holmes has a certain amount of resentment at having to be babysat, and Watson doesn't especially love her job. (Turns out she used to be a surgeon but malpractice forced her out.)

The episode itself was a relatively textbook display of television procedural; unlike Sherlock, Elementary does not look to adapt Doyle's stories to more modern life. Therefore, the plotline itself was the least interesting bit of the show. Watching JLM throw a couple temper tantrums? That was pretty good.

This Holmes differs quite widely from that on Sherlock in that he displays a tad more ability to sympathize with other people, or at least with Watson. He apologizes for upsetting her, he admits faults and lies. This is not out of character from Doyle's Holmes, who often had cause to apologize to his faithful Watson, and who was known to throw tantrums at times himself. Too, JLM's Holmes is made angry by the villain—the crime ignites his ire—which is also similar to Doyle's creation, who found a savvy criminal very satisfying in one light but the abuses perpetrated deeply infuriating. He was a consulting detective not only for the fun of it, but because he liked to be on the side of right and to use his talents on its behalf.

Certainly it was important to CBS that Elementary be crafted with a Holmes that its audience would find, if quirky, ultimately sympathetic and likable. This is the reason for pulling those particular traits of Doyle's creation to the fore.

Elementary has also sprinkled some ongoing mystery into the mix, as Holmes refuses to tell Watson what happened to him in London. She deduces it has to do with a woman (Irene Adler perhaps?), but that is all viewers have been allowed to know for now.

All told, by the end of the episode I was ready to say I would continue watching, at least for now. They'll need to step up the actual plots and secondary characters, though, to hold me.

Television: Elementary v. Sherlock (Pre-Viewing Discussion)

Tonight Elementary will premiere on CBS. This is the show with a modern Sherlock Holmes (played by Jonny Lee Miller) in New York. There have already been, of course, many comparisons to BBC One's Sherlock, which is another modern Holmes (though set in his natural habitat of London). But I think, if not apples-to-oranges, this is more like red apples versus green.

CBS has secured its spot in the network hierarchy by offering procedurals with compelling central characters, and Elementary shows all the hallmarks of being exactly one of these kinds of shows. That's the audience Elementary is going for here, a known—and large—quantity. And by all accounts, the formula has been solidly adapted, including the gender switch of Watson, who in this take is played by Lucy Liu. CBS viewers are pretty used to core male/female teams. Coming out of upfronts, Elementary had a lot of buzz around it, and around the chemistry between the leads. It's poised to do well in its time slot, and to gather the usual strong and stable CBS audience.

As for fans of Sherlock, well, it seems to me they've already made the decision to dislike Elementary by dint of the fact they seem to think it treads on Sherlock's toes. But Elementary wasn't made for them. It's an entirely different sensibility, and I think it will be possible to enjoy both shows if one keeps an open mind and doesn't expect the same things from each. Because, aside from the use of Doyle's characters, they are not nearly the same.

I like Sherlock, and what's more I like Sherlock Holmes. I am open to a wide range of interpretations of him. Benedict Cumberbatch has done well in the BBC role, and I think JLM can carve out his own space on CBS. (As an aside: Cumberbatch and JLM played opposite one another in Frankenstein at the National Theatre, switching between the roles of Victor Frankenstein and his Creature, so I've seen them do the same roles very differently—and yet be equally successful.) What Elementary especially has going for it over Sherlock is that there will be more than three episodes every 18 months or so, its regular schedule allowing for audiences to find it easily instead of wondering, "When is that show coming back?" or "Is that show ever coming back?" (Also, one hopes, Elementary is recorded at a volume viewers can hear, and perhaps JLM's Sherlock won't talk so fast some people need their closed captioning, a repeated fuss I've heard from various Sherlock viewers.)

I'm looking forward to trying Elementary tonight. After it airs, you'll be able to find my thoughts on the show posted here. (Meanwhile, go read about why Sherlock didn't win any Emmys). In any case, I think there's plenty of room on the small screen for more than one Holmes. He was a man of many facets; it's only fair he be showcased in as many different ways. There are red apples and green apples in the world. Some people only like one or the other, but some people know that each has its uses, depending on the recipe.

Television: Revolution, "Chained Heat"

Straight out, Billy Burke is the best thing about this show. I get the sense the Google guy might be fun and interesting too, if they'd give him more to do. It's clear, though, that the writers' abilities to create compelling female characters is somewhat challenged. Charlie is irritating and over-earnest. Maggie . . . I can't figure out, but so far I haven't been swayed to try very hard, either. Nora came across as a stereotype. And Rachel? Grace? ::shrug::

Too, the youngsters so far have little draw. Besides Charlie, I don't much care about Danny or Nate, either. Especially Nate, who so far is a cardboard cutout for "conflicted."

But I do want to know more about Monroe and his relationship to Miles. And Captain Neville (played so superbly by Giancarlo Esposito) is mesmerizing every time he's on screen.

I can't say I found "Chained Heat" to be nearly as interesting as the pilot. I was not as engaged. I'm hoping it was a sophomore slump, since there is a lot of potential here. I'm waiting for flashbacks from characters other than Charlie, who is one of the least interesting. If she's supposed to be central and sympathetic, they've missed the mark with that particular crossbow shot. Her nagging makes me wish Miles would run her through with his sabre.

I did get Torchwood flashbacks with the whole, "Don't let go of your brother's hand" thing. There's some Firefly and Hunger Games stuff going on in all this as well. With the right blend, Revolution could be amazing. But I don't think the mixture is quite right yet. We'll see.

Books: Stuff I've Written

For those who may be curious, I do have e-books out there. You can find them on my official site PepperWords, but I'm also going to list them here for you in order of publication.

• "St. Peter in Chains"—A novella about what happens when a British intelligence agent allows love to compromise his focus. I'd consider it a character study with a hint of espionage, or as I've previously called it: Mad Men meets John le Carré
• "Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Last Line"—My most popular title, a Holmes story in the Doyle style.
• Star Signs Operating Manual—A little something different from my usual, this is an astrology book about how to handle people of various signs.
• "Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of Ichabod Reed"—The prequel to "Last Line." Yet another Doyle-ish tale.

These are all available on Amazon Kindle; "Last Line" can also be found on Smashwords.

The Emmys: Why Sherlock Didn't Win

All right, since you've been asking. I could go the easy route and say simply that the competition was stiff, but truthfully, when taken as a whole within its category, most of the other stuff was simply better. I want to be clear here: Sherlock is a fan and critical favorite, but that doesn't always translate to ATAS and/or Emmy gold. And being asked to take A Scandal in Belgravia as a made-for-television movie didn't help things. It doesn't stand well on its own. Look at the first 15 to 20 minutes, which requires both an understanding of Holmes canon and the previous series (season) to fully comprehend and enjoy.

One could argue that, even though the Academy was only voting on the one episode (movie?), they are not entirely able to separate that from their conception of the series as a whole. Psychologically speaking. But it is possible to sit down and watch just the one episode with a completely critical eye. And that's what Academy voters were told to do. Just because they might like it (i.e., find it entertaining) doesn't mean they'll vote it as best.

Here are some of the ways Scandal fell down. 1. Steven Moffat beats viewers over the head with this idea that he's very clever. From the cutesy ringtone on Moriarty's phone to the cutting back and forth as Sherlock and Irene "prepare for battle" . . . Honestly, it's exhausting to see him trying so hard. 2. Benedict Cumberbatch—who is a fine actor, at least some of the time—ran into some problems in this episode: (a) being unable to fake playing the violin very well, (b) spending a good deal of the episode moping and wandering for what seemed like no very good reason, and (c) that tacky scene in which he playacted at being a priest, but which really just came off as bad acting of bad acting. 3. Those who enjoyed the original Irene Adler from Doyle's story found this take to be a shade off, seeing that she doesn't win in the end after all. In fact, Sherlock has to save her? Really? (Moffat's track record in writing and depicting women has been a knot of discussion, and Scandal dragged it all out again.) 4. And this is more general: British and American sensibilities are different. And Sherlock as a character, who goes between bouts of quietude and mania . . . At best he appears bipolar (something viewers understand), but at worst the actor simply seems inconsistent in his efforts. Remember that not everyone watching the show knows Doyle's original, and a good program won't require them to in order to enjoy and connect with the characters as they're currently written and portrayed. I get the sense that during a chunk of Scandal, viewers were asking, "WTF? Why is he acting that way? What's his problem exactly?"

Finally, with all the talk of a new British invasion on American television, it's possible that Academy voters closed ranks to safeguard their side of the industry, thereby shutting out a lot of the British programs.

Downton does better on this side of the pond because (a) Americans can kind of understand WWI Britain in a way we don't understand—and are sometimes even threatened by—modern Britain, and (b) it's quite simply written with more finesse. I do think Sherlock might have had a chance if one of the other episodes had been on offer. Hounds could have stood alone quite neatly, and Benedict had that lovely scene beside the fire in that one which would have showcased his work better.

Rumor has it the third series of Sherlock begins filming this coming January March, and that it will probably be the final series as well. Last shot at Emmy gold for that group, then. Better make it count.

Television: Parade's End (Episode 5/5)

How awful.

It would have been so much better if Christopher had died in the war. I really don't think it was right to reward Valentine's ridiculous, school-girl idea of love by getting to be Christopher's mistress at the end of it all. I realize Sylvia was spiteful, but she had a right to be in my mind. And the fact that Christopher gets to have his cake and eat it too? Just goes to show the gender bias. Every man wants a happy-go-lucky little young thing that fawns over him. None want to take on the work that is required to handle a real woman. Sylvia ends up being slandered, used, and tossed aside. Too bad since Rebecca Hall was the one bright spot, the actress seeming to be the only one of the entire cast who knew what she was doing and why; even though her character was not meant to be sympathetic (at least, I'm sure she wasn't, in order to cop the "happily ever after" for Christopher and Val), Hall's fantastic turn made Sylvia compelling and sympathetic nonetheless, leaving Christopher's and Val's actions—already wrong, even if you expect me to believe their love was "true"—to look downright inhumane. Look, I'm no moralizer, but this just turned my stomach.

In the end, I hated the whole thing. The way it finished out made me sorry I wasted my time on it.

Books: The Happiness Advantage, Part IV

Finished! And nothing much to add, either. Achor doesn't have much to offer on ways to expand one's social networks, his book operating on the assumption most people work in offices and have co-workers and families to interact with. Rather short-sighted of him, I feel. No one is an island, sure, but some of us are more peninsular than others.

The last bit of the book is dedicated to reminding readers that all Achor's principles work together to make a happier you, and a happier you makes a happier world. Tra la la. Seriously, it's all about how when you're more positive, studies show that positivity trickles down on average three degrees from you (not as far as Kevin Bacon, but still), and so the ripple effect makes not only you happier, but those closest to you, and then because they're happier . . . You get the idea. IT ALL BEGINS WITH YOU.

Um, okay.

I'm doing the writing-three-good-things-per-day exercise, but I can't really tell if anything is coming of it. I have noticed it makes me look for good things throughout the day, which was kind of the point: to redirect one's focus from the negative to the positive. But I still have and see my share of less-than-great things. So my happy-go-lucky is being tempered a bit. ::shrug::

I'm also wondering if writing a step-by-step plan for achieving some of my goals might help. Although figuring out how to go about achieving each step (like finding a producer) may be more difficult. Sigh.

Achor reflects at one point in his book that a lot of the things he suggests seem like common sense. And yet common sense does not always translate into common action. It's easy to say, "Yes, these are things I should do." It's less easy to actually make a habit of doing them. I will continue to try. If there is a chance of being happier, it's worth some effort.

Books: The Happiness Advantage, Part III

Nope, I'm still not done with this book (but I'm close). I'm not going to go into any real discussion or argument about how having too many choices is like having too much on your plate—it slows down your work and wears down your willpower. Distractions, too, are like choices: I can choose to work or I can choose to check Facebook. Which is easier? Which am I more likely to do? (Achor talks about how making it harder to distract yourself goes a long way . . . Once Facebook is no longer the path of least resistance, you're not as likely to keep looking for new status updates.) No arguments from me on any of this. I live it every day.

What I don't live every day are the social interactions Achor promotes as part of productivity and overall well-being. I work from home, in a solitary office, in a solitary business (writing). I am aware I need more friends. I am aware I need to get out more. Making that happen—making those connections—is the difficult bit.

I don't disagree with the science that suggests people with strong social support networks are happier, more productive, and even live longer. I don't doubt it. And I haven't finished the chapter yet, so maybe Achor will eventually give me tips on, well, how to make friends? In a world filled with online and superficial interactions, deep bonds can be hard to form.

Achor points out that interactions needn't be deep to be beneficial. And I know this is true, too, because I know the high I get when I have even a short, pleasant conversation with someone, and how good I feel when I help a tourist find his or her way. (I'll admit I'm selfish; I do nice things because it makes me feel good to do them.) Still, in times of crisis, you cannot expect your online friends to do much for you. Nor are the tourists or acquaintances going to be there to help.

I do have friends and family. But most of them are the kind that can barely be counted on to check their e-mails, much less come to the rescue when you need someone. In fact, I tend to be the rescuer in a lot of situations. Something goes wrong and suddenly I am remembered! My own efficiency and self-sufficiency has begun to work against me.

In order to achieve my goals, certainly, I must learn to forge these connections. I want to see my novella turned into a short, independent movie. How to do that? Well, first I need people. A producer willing to back it, a crew, actors . . . So I do understand the need for a network. I've tried online, but can't say I've seen much benefit. Yet. Either I'm doing it wrong, or sites like Stage 32 really do just consist of a lot of people yelling into a void with no one really listening.

I'll keep trying. And I'll keep reading and see if Achor has any more suggestions.

Books: The Happiness Advantage, Part II

(You can find Part I here.)

No, I'm still not done with this book, but I've read some more of it and have some more thoughts.

I'm pleased to be able to say, I have found one suggestion of Achor's that I'm giving a try. He says one way to be happier in one's life and career is to re-train your mind to look for the positive instead of the negative. Now, I like to think I see things pretty clearly, but I know there are times I'm seeing more bad than good in my world, so I'm going to follow Achor's recommendation that I write down three good things that happen each day. They don't have to be huge things, just three upbeat moments or small blessings or whatever. The idea is eventually your mind starts looking for these good things, and your outlook in general becomes rosier. I started yesterday, so we'll see what happens.

Still, I continue not to be 100% sold on some of the things I'm reading. It's not that I doubt the science or dispute what Achor is saying; I'm just not entirely clear how or if it applies to my situation. Take, for example, the whole learned helplessness discussion. I will readily admit I have learned helplessness in my career. But it hasn't been for lack of trying or optimism. I have written and submitted and been rejected. I have rewritten and edited and submitted and been rejected. I have put aside those stories and scripts and tried new ideas, only to be rejected. And I've rewritten those . . . and been rejected. I've taken things step by step, always with the idea that somewhere out there is the right fit for my work, or that with a little more polish my writing will find its place, but . . . At what point, Achor, does one throw in the towel? Or, to use his falling metaphor from the book, at what point is a person too tired and bruised to get up again?

It's frustrating to basically be told in a roundabout way to "just keep trying." And I don't think I've been unreasonably optimistic, either, which is one thing Achor warns against. It's sort of the whole: "You'll never succeed if you don't try, BUT . . . don't get your hopes up too high, either" argument. Thanks there, coach, but I didn't really need a book to tell me that.

I haven't been completely unsuccessful, of course; I've had plays produced and published, and I've had stories and poems published, and I've had moderate success with self-publishing. And I am able to look at these as stepping stones. I'm just not clear on how much water I still have to cross, and these rocks are slippery.

Achor goes on to talk about how feeling in control goes a long way toward reducing stress and achieving success in our goals. (This is where I currently am in the book, the discussion of the Zorro Circle.) This, too, is shaky ground for me. I do feel in control of my work itself—my output, how good it is, my talent in general (assuming I have any)—but in order for me to succeed on the level I most desire to succeed, well, others have control of that: publishers, producers, the people who can "make it happen." Again, I've done it for myself to an extent by self-publishing some of my work, but until I have enough money to make my own movie or can bribe a television showrunner to take me in . . . (And don't think I haven't thought about it.) I do understand it's all about networking and connections, and I've tried that too, but you'd be surprised how few people are interested in a nobody. Even the other nobodies aren't too keen. I think the idea is we're supposed to help each other, but a lot of us creative types can be flaky, and then again a lot of us just don't know where to start. Anyway, the upshot of all this is: it's hard to feel in control when a lot of what you do and/or whether or not you'll get to do it rests in others' hands. I'll keep chipping away, like so many other independent writers, but I'm really not sure how much success I can hope to have. And that's not me being pessimistic. That's reality.

We'll see what happens when I attend the Austin Film Festival next month and the San Francisco Writers Conference next February. These will be my first major events, my first real opportunities to network in person as opposed to online.

More to come as I continue to read.

Music Video: "Our Song" by Matchbox Twenty

Okay, quick: my favorite band? I know, I know, there's no accounting for taste, but I've loved these guys for forever, and now they've released an "official" video for one of my favorite songs off the new album (North, it's #1 if you hadn't heard).



The song is catchy, and the video is cute, even if it is only a collection of recording room snippets. (Not much to do with the song, really, but whatever.) I like having proof that I'm not the only person in the world who lies around on the floor periodically; people always poke fun at me for that, but see! Rob does it too! Maybe it's an Aquarian thing, or a grounding issue. But sometimes I'm just like, I need to lie down. Right here will do. (The flip side of this is climbing on shit for no real reason, which I've also been known to do.)

The other song I really like on North is "How Long?" . . . I have to say, even though Matchbox Twenty is my favorite band, or one of my favorites, I haven't even heard the whole album yet. Bad of me, I realize. But I haven't had the chance to just settle in and listen, so I'm only getting what my iPod throws out on shuffle. I promise, boys, I'll get around to it. Eventually.

But first, I just need to lie down. Right here under the desk will be fine.

Movies: The Five-Year Engagement

Starring: Jason Segel, Emily Blunt
Directed By: Nicholas Stoller
Written By: Jason Segel, Nicholas Stoller
Universal Pictures
R; 124 min
3.75 stars (out of 5)
_______________________________________________________

A movie about doughnuts!

(If you don't know why I'm excited, you clearly haven't read my reviews of Parade's End.)

In truth, this little romantic comedy is fairly routine. Tom (Segel) and Violet (Blunt) get engaged a year after they first meet. But the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune conspire to prevent them from planning their wedding. Things really begin to fall apart when Violet gets accepted to a Ph.D. program . . . in Michigan, a far cry from San Francisco. Like a good fiancé, Tom agrees to leave his solid job as a sous chef in a popular restaurant for this seemingly temporary, two-year limbo in the frozen wasteland that is Michigan. But he fails to find a job as a chef, having to settle for making sandwiches at a local deli instead.

Where, you ask, are the doughnuts? Well, they are an integral part of Violet's work in the psychology program, where the ongoing experiment is designed to test participants' will power by leaving them in a room with stale, day-old doughnuts. The participants are told fresh doughnuts will be coming in 20 minutes. Will the subjects wait? Or go for old pastries?

The whole thing becomes a metaphor for Tom's and Violet's relationship. Are you happy with what you have, or do you hold out for something better?

In the way of romantic comedies, things get worse before they get better. The Five-Year Engagement is longer than most rom-coms, but that's because it fully explores the relationship. More than a typical "funny honey" flick, this one has a realism to it uncommon to current, more popular entries into the genre. It resonated more with me because it spoke to my experience. It wasn't laugh-out-loud funny, no, but it was sweet and true. I only docked it some star points for lack of laughs.

Books: The Happiness Advantage, Part I

Shawn Achor
Crown Business, 2010
256 pages
Hardbound
_______________________________________

Okay, I'm going to cover this book in stages (parts) because I'm having lots of thoughts about it as I'm reading, and I don't want to try and save it all up for one big blast. That would be unhealthy, I think. So I'm going to ease the valve open and let some steam out.

Let's first talk about the premise of this book. It's not terribly groundbreaking. The fundamental idea is that being happy is an element of success—as opposed to the usual idea that being successful is what will make people happy. Even just a little bit of common sense makes this notion passable; after all, if success made people happy, they'd only need to be successful in one thing, one time, to have a lifetime of good feelings. But no. Being successful in something usually results in yet another goal to be achieved. Soon life becomes a long series of "if only" and "when" and the happiness never happens because, in this mindset at least, there is no final destination.

Fair enough. Achor spends a number of pages backing all this up with scientific studies to prove his point, but they're not really necessary to convince the reader. We get it. It's not such a revolutionary idea.

Achor also spends a lot of time telling anecdotes about his traveling around giving talks all over the world. The reader doesn't really need these either. In fact, so far I've spent a lot of my reading time thinking, Get to the point. A lot of the book (so far) is just so much padding.

Having established that positivity aids in success, performance, productivity, etc., Achor does finally suggest ways to be more positive. These turn out not to be any more mind blowing than his thesis. He lists things like meditation and exercise, getting away from your desk every so often (take a walk, chat up a co-worker), or taking time to view a funny online video. In Achor's big picture, these little mood boosters, if done regularly to the point of becoming habit, will increase positivity in increments and therefore bring the benefits of success. One simply needs to re-train one's mind to a new way of thinking, a more positive perspective on the world.

Okay, look. I have my down days, but on the whole I've been an optimist most of my life. When I write and send something off, I envision good things happening. But I'm often disappointed. This is because no matter how positive I am about my work, it doesn't mean someone else will be. My positivity doesn't really influence these people reading my scripts and stories. Thus, so far Achor's advice comes up to very little for me.

One interesting suggestion Achor had was to utilize one's natural talents and strengths. Apparently people show a greater level of satisfaction with life when they stretch those muscles. Achor sends his readers to an online site to take a 240-question survey to identify those strengths. (After you answer the questions, scroll to the bottom of the results page for a free option.) For the curious, here were my results:

Your Top Character Strength

Judgment

Thinking things through and examining them from all sides are important aspects of who you are. You do not jump to conclusions, and you rely only on solid evidence to make your decisions. You are able to change your mind.

Your Second Character Strength

Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence

You notice and appreciate beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in all domains of life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday experience.

Your Third Character Strength

Creativity

Thinking of new ways to do things is a crucial part of who you are. You are never content with doing something the conventional way if a better way is possible.

Your Fourth Character Strength

Love of learning

You love learning new things, whether in a class or on your own. You have always loved school, reading, and museums—anywhere and everywhere there is an opportunity to learn.

Your Fifth Character Strength

Curiosity

You are curious about everything. You are always asking questions, and you find all subjects and topics fascinating. You like exploration and discovery.

Character Strength #6

Social intelligence

You are aware of the motives and feelings of other people. You know what to do to fit in to different social situations, and you know what to do to put others at ease.

Character Strength #7

Perspective

Although you may not think of yourself as wise, your friends hold this view of you. They value your perspective on matters and turn to you for advice. You have a way of looking at the world that makes sense to others and to yourself. 

I'll stop there to avoid boring you with more of my stellar traits; there were 24 total on the list, including Fairness and Humor, two of which I'm very proud and was surprised to find were not at the top (they were #10 and #11).

In any event, I'm not sure exactly how I'm supposed to incorporate Judgment into more of my day-to-day existence, short of becoming a detective of some kind. Hmm. And yes, I'm being facetious here, but the point is that Achor is being very glib and rudimentary about his advice; so far there is little I can take away and really use.

It's better to be happy. Yes. Being happier makes you more successful and productive. Yes, okay. These little things are some ways you might be able to be happier. ::nodding:: But what if they don't work? What if these are things you've already tried? How can you get others to be as enthusiastic about your work as you are (thus becoming more successful, if, like me, you work in a world that requires others to buy into your vision)?

In the portion of the book I'm currently reading, Achor has gone through some scientific studies and experiments that show a person's way of thinking can bring physical, concrete changes. (Think: placebos.) But in every example, the physical changes are only in the person him- or herself. The person loses weight or gets over a cold or whatever. I still have yet to see how being the best me I can be—the most positive, enthusiastic, whatever—can translate into others producing my work. Maybe Achor will get to that part somewhere later in the book. I hope so. I need all the help I can get.

Television: Parade's End (Episode 4/5)

In which a very long game of "Doughnut, Not a Doughnut" is played by bored officers at camp in Rouen. There was, in fact, quite a bit of fighting over the doughnuts Sylvia had been suspected of smuggling in from England. It was very entertaining.

Meanwhile, the real question is whether the emergency sonnet ever got translated into Latin?

I'm hoping Christopher dies and they find the sonnet in his pocket and spend their time wondering what it's all about. (It's about doughnuts, of course. What is Latin for "doughnut"?)

You see? Here, as in World War I camps, we make our own fun.

Television: Revolution

Much as I love J.J. Abrams, I can't say I had high expectations for Revolution, a new drama series about the aftermath of a worldwide blackout. In short, people have had to learn to live without electricity—and all the things we've come to depend upon electricity for. Still, for J.J.'s sake, I wanted to give this one a try. It premiers on Monday, September 17th, but if you have Hulu, you can go watch it now. NOW!

It seems we may finally have a worthy successor to the Lost mantel. Revolution is steadily paced but doesn't tarry. The characters do border on stereotype, but the plot is interesting enough to buoy the show on the whole. Because as it turns out, Revolution is about far more than dealing with a lack of video games or iceboxes. There is a mythology here, held in the center of the show like a dark pearl. I'm not going to spoil it for you, but the reveal near the end of the pilot episode ups the interest level quite a bit.

And then there's just the fun of watching people fight with crossbows and swords. So we've got some Buffy and Highlander kinds of stuff going on there, too. Though the wardrobe choices were definitely more informed by Firefly. And seeing that the pilot was written by the guy who created Supernatural . . . Well, that shows, too. So this should appeal to fans of all sorts.

In short, I definitely recommend giving this one a try. I'm crossing fingers and toes it won't get canceled before it can live up to its potential. Revolution has made my "must" list for viewing this season.

Book Review: The Real Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II

Andrew Marr
Henry Holt & Co, 2012
368 pages
Hardbound
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I don't think I ever planned or expected to read a book about Queen Elizabeth II. But I was at the library doing research for some other stuff, and for some reason this book jumped out at me (no, not literally, the library seldom gets so exciting). And I saw it was recently published, and so in my mind it was also relatively up-to-date, and I decided to give it a try.

Elizabeth II has been Queen of England for as long as my mother and I have been alive and almost as long as my father has been. That's quite the perspective for you. It's hard for me to imagine a world in which Elizabeth II is not queen, perhaps because it's hard for me to imagine Charles as king, but whatever. It will happen eventually. That's what The Real Elizabeth sort of brought home to me, really. It's not something I'm inclined to think about much, but Marr's book gives such a detailed accounting of the way Elizabeth II handles her affairs, and one knows Charles is likely to do things very differently. Elizabeth has weathered many storms in her time as queen, and one can't help but wonder if Charles will find his own path to success.

Though of course The Real Elizabeth is based mostly on historical record and a few quotes from those who've worked for and with the queen, Marr still manages to paint a portrait of Her Majesty that gives the reader a pretty solid idea of what she must be like as a person. He also does a nice job of couching key events in her reign in political and historical context. The sum total is, naturally, a sort of defense of the monarchy as an institution, tempered by the acknowledgment that the monarchy must change with the times if it is going to continue. All in all a very safe book, but still a fine read. (I especially liked the chapter about the Britannia. I'll admit to having skipped the chapter about money.)

I always feel a little gawkish when reading a book about a current person, someone still alive or only recently deceased; there is a voyeuristic aspect to the whole thing. But maybe that's also true of books about people long dead . . . Why else read a biography except to get the scoop on someone? Biographies were, I suppose, the original form of reality programming. The Real Elizabeth is a pretty decent one, at any rate, and nothing you have to feel embarrassed about being caught with.

Television: Parade's End (Episode 3/5)

There's no one to like in this program, and I think that's what really bothers me. (That was the very reason I couldn't be bothered to finish Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, either; I just wanted everyone to die.) What's worse, I think I'm supposed to maybe feel sympathetic toward or sorry for Christopher and Val, as if they have some kind of true love connection that's being denied them by convention and the fact they are both, at heart, very good people, but . . . No.

If anything, I feel bad for Sylvia, which sounds insane except that I absolutely understand her. She is childish in her attempts to manipulate some kind of action from her husband, but I can at least understand her motivation. She's looking for some show of affection from Christopher, she wants to prompt him into feeling. Anything would be better than his seeming indifference to her. That makes sense, even if Sylvia's methods leave much to be desired. She's tried to make him jealous, she's tried to be "good" by being chaste, but there seems to be no pleasing him. She cannot please him, he does not want her, so her frustration is valid.

But God, the whole Christopher and Val thing is insipid. I cannot like the way the story gives them carte blanche to take up with one another—Sylvia practically gives Christopher permission, and then Christopher's brother Mark even strives to arrange for it—even if it doesn't come to pass. It's not because they've stopped themselves, only because they've been prevented, so there's no saving grace in the lack of consummation. It's something of a hypocritical story in turning Sylvia into a beast for her indiscretions but making it okay for Christopher. Is it because he's supposedly really, truly in love? That makes it worse, not better. A woman might be able to forgive a man who strayed once or twice, so long as his heart is at home. Emotional affairs, however, are not to be countenanced.

Anyway, at this point I'd rather Christopher get a bullet in the head at the front lines or something. Put us all out of his misery.

Television: Parade's End (Episode 2/5)

Okay, I really do just have to say I don't see how even one woman could be in love with this Christopher fellow, much less two. (We are supposed to believe both his wife and that girl are in love with him, aren't we?) He's such an insufferable sop. Perhaps knowing what's coming is part of my problem, as I can't countenance that kind of misbehavior. I understand his wife was unfaithful, but she's begun to rectify that, and two wrongs and all that.

In any case, I made this episode much more entertaining by pretending it was all about doughnuts. If you take all those lingering shots of people's expressions (particularly Cumberbatch's, but others' as well), and imagine they are reacting to doughnuts—or a lack thereof—it makes the whole thing really quite fun to watch. Perhaps I'll carry on in the next episode by pretending the entire war is over doughnuts. Or maybe I'll imagine Hugh Laurie and Rowan Atkinson showing up in the trenches. That could be a good time.

Then again, I get the sense we might not actually see much of the war itself in this. Which is fine because (a) I don't much like war shows/stories, and (b) this Christopher stands to be the Worst. Soldier. Ever. . . Gag. He's already the worst husband and/or would-be lover and probably father or whatever, so . . . Why is there a whole five-hour show about him exactly?

Or maybe the real question is, why am I watching it?

Well, that's easy. I'm watching it for the doughnuts.

Television: Parade's End (Episode 1/5)

It's no secret I like Benedict Cumberbatch. Or I did like him once. I can't decide now whether I still do.

I also like Tom Stoppard, for what it's worth. I'm not so familiar with Ford Madox Ford's work, but I looked him up and was happy to see he and I have the same birthday (though not the same year, as you might guess, because I am not old and dead).

Anyway, I usually also enjoy period pieces. Not war stories so much, but this first installment of Parade's End does not yet feature the beginning of World War I. And still, despite the lovely art direction, I found my attention wandering here. I mostly had the sense they'd given Cumberbatch a bit too much to carry, and the whole of the thing might have done better to spread its weight over other characters. Benny's lovely to look at (aside from a weak chin), but I'm starting to have the feeling he does a lot of the same kind of thing, plays a lot of the same kind of character(s) across many movies and shows. It does make me curious about Star Trek, though. Maybe that will be different.

Too, I'm beginning to notice a lot of his acting is done via a specific set of facial expressions. And that most of these are made by his moving his mouth in certain ways.

The problem is, once you see these things, you can't not see them and they become distracting. I suppose I could try to trick myself into believing it was all in my head and attempt to view the next installment with a fresh eye. I do intend to watch more in any case. I'm sort of hoping I'm wrong and that my first impression is off the mark. But I don't have the knack for simply liking something (or someone) because I want to like it (him/her). I can't help but think honestly and critically (something many fans lack the ability to do). Maybe it's the years of film school, but really I think I was always this way.

To sum up, I'd say it's a mediocre start. But I'll stick it out in hopes it gets better.

Best Restaurant Meals

I was trying to remember all the best meals I've eaten at various restaurants through the ages. I don't think I could hope to rank them discreetly, so I'm going to list them chronologically.

1. [Texas Biergarten] - I don't know the name of this place because I was taken there as a child. It was a long drive out into the country of Central Texas, to a place in the middle of nowhere that was owned by a family. I had the best chicken fried steak of my life in that place.
2. [Greek Ferry] - I was crossing from Brindisi to Corfu, and of all the places to have a great meal, I had one on this overnight ferry. Spaghetti and some kind of wine made by monks.
3. Cafe Maddelena (Rome) - I had tortellini in a sort of tomato cream sauce, and I paid for my meal with a kiss. Really.
4. Lala Rokh (Boston, MA) - Persian food. I don't even know what I ate, but I remember it was all fantastic.
5. Gumbo Shop (New Orleans, LA) - This is a tourist stop, sure, but the locals also love it. I had catfish over a bed of seasoned spinach, and it was to die for. And of course they make wonderful bread pudding, too.
6. Xcaret (Mexico) - I don't know which of the restaurants this was, but it was some of the best steak I've ever eaten. Plus, our server Guillermo was awesome.
7. Spire (Boston, MA) - A fabulous meal, though the dessert—a sort of champagne parfait—was the real show stopper.
8. Wall's (Savannah, GA) - Best barbecue, though almost impossible to find.
9. Taranta (North End, Boston, MA) - A wonderful Italian meal, though what really made the night was the great wine (Planeta) that came with it.
10. California Grill (Disney World, Orlando, FL) - The perfect blend of great food, great service, and a great view; our server even gave us a special hint so that we could go out and enjoy the fireworks without having to deal with the crowds.
11. L'Andana (Burlington, MA) - More great Tuscan food and good wine.
12. Tallulah on Thames (Newport, RI) - The best fresh butter and bread I've ever had, as well as great service in a charming setting.
13. Acquerello (San Francisco, CA) - Wow. And then wow again. Some of the best service I've ever experienced, as well as some of the best food.

Honorable Mentions:

• Pierre Maspero's (New Orleans, LA) - I go here every time I go back to New Orleans. Solid food that never fails.
• Delta Grill (New York, NY) - Yummy homemade mac 'n' cheese and bread pudding.
• Angelina Cafe (New York, NY) - Because they always treat me right.
• Cafe George V (Paris) - I go here for the chocolate chaud.
• Cafe Erato (Athens) - A beautiful courtyard hung with ivy and featuring canaries in gilded cages. Oh, and the food was good, too.
• Thai Stick (Millbrae, CA) - Really good Thai food.
• Pho & I (Boston, MA) - Best drunken noodles and pad thai.
• Hula Hut (Austin, TX) - More for the atmosphere and experience than the food, however.
• Voodoo BBQ (New Orleans, LA) - My favorite barbecue in NO.
• Soho South Cafe (Savannah, GA) - More than "just a sandwich." Their motto is: "Where Food is an Art," and they mean it.

Hmm. From this list you'd think I like Italian/Tuscan food more than I really do. It's not the kind of thing that usually tops my list, but when I do go for this kind of cuisine, I aim high. I also really like Asian. And then steak and comfort foods.

The concentration of restaurants and meals in Boston and on the East Coast probably has much to do with the fact that I lived there so long. I'm sure I'll compile as impressive a list in California over time.

What I haven't included on these lists are the regular favorites that I have frequented and/or did frequent. Maybe I'll make up another list at a later time.

Books: Fearless by Christine Rains

There is something somewhat Buffyesque about the protagonist (Abby) in this novella. She is one of the Fearless and has the supernatural power of helping small children defeat their (very real) monsters. In a unique turn, Rains has given Abby a stuffed hippo named Tawa as a spirit guide. (That explains the cover.)

Things get complicated when Abby rescues a handsome fae who in turn dedicates himself to paying back his blood debt . . . Mostly by getting in Abby's way when she's trying to work, and by occupying her thoughts when she should be trying to figure out why the number of monsters seems to be multiplying. The answer is an amusing stab at pop lit culture.

Fearless is a fun, quick read and I hope to see more of Rains' work in the future.

Books: Star Signs Operating Manual by Calletta

This book is a little something different from my usual. It's "nonfiction" (if astrology counts as nonfiction) . . . And kind of a novelty. Basically, it's a collection of articles about the twelve zodiac signs and how to work and/or live with each personality type. The book is only available via Amazon Kindle at the moment, but depending on demand, it may roll out to other formats and devices at a later date.

Book Review: Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch

Ben Aaronovitch
Del Rey, 2012
Kindle
_______________________________________

Here, in the third installment of the Peter Grant series, Aaronovitch hits his stride. While I've really enjoyed all the books (Rivers of London (aka Midnight Riot) and Moon Over Soho coming before this one), I've enjoyed this one most.

For those unfamiliar with the series, Peter Grant is a police constable in London who has been assigned to the Folly—a branch designed to investigate and deal with the un- and supernatural. Which means that Peter is also a magician's apprentice. Hey, it takes fire to fight fire, so to speak.

Aaronovitch does a nice job building the mythology over the course of the books, though readers unfamiliar with London might do well to keep a map of the city next to their reading chairs. Regular references to Harry Potter, Tolkien, Doctor Who (for which Aaronovitch has written), Star Trek, and the like are nice touches of geek infusion. Aaronovitch does have a bad habit of telegraphing his plot twists, at least to anyone paying real attention. He does it less in Whispers than in the previous two books, however, and the whole of the story comes across as more organic overall.

I have an American Amazon/Kindle account, so I do wonder at the description and whether the book was heftily edited for American readers, since there was no play of FBI Agent Reynolds' religious beliefs in the version I read. Could it be they thought the whole born-again Christian thing might offend? (It wouldn't. And anyway, most really zealous Christians wouldn't be reading these books anyway. Not that that's ever stopped them from raising a ruckus.)

All in all, these books are my new favorite series and Aaronovitch can't write them fast enough to suit me. Also: when can we make this a television series?

Books: Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead

This isn't a review because I haven't finished reading the book yet. But although I'm enjoying the book, it has made me think . . .

The little author bio on the back flap of the book notes that Maggie Shipstead attended the Iowa Writers' Workshop. And I found myself thinking, Yes, this is exactly the kind of thing likely to come out of the Iowa Writers' Workshop. And that's not a bad thing, per se, just . . . [heave sigh here] It's all kind of the same, isn't it? What passes for "mainstream literary excellence," I mean. In this case it is a story of the days leading up to a wedding. It's something anyone might themselves live through, or observe, or even just imagine on their own without having to read someone else's imagining of it. It's the mediocrity of life packaged as something profound, when really it isn't. It's not even much of a story. It's just a collection of characters, their thoughts and feelings and interactions on paper. And it's written in a lovely way, and the characters have interesting moments (though I find none of them particularly compelling in whole), but still . . . I could go out and have my own thoughts and feelings and interactions and get more out of life than reading about these made-up ones.

Which is the problem with this type of literature. For me, anyway. It's sort of a waste on all sides: of the author's talent (surely she could write something truly profound instead of this minutiae that pretends to add up to something meaningful), and of the readers' time (because they could be out shopping at a market instead of reading a detailed description about it—one that takes longer to read than it would take a reader to, in fact, do his shopping). Never mind the enjoyment of reading such a book (as I said, I am enjoying it); enjoyment can be found in any number of places, after all, and not all of them are wastes such as this.

If a book is about escaping, about living the life of the protagonist as you travel along with him or her on his/her journeys, then reading a book in which nothing much happens, or reading a book in which life is ordinary, is pointless. Isn't it? Why not just go do for yourself? A good story takes you somewhere you can't go on your own. It turns you into the kind of person you can't be in everyday life. These literary novels seldom do that.

So I'll stick to the chick lit, and the fantasy and science fiction, the mystery, the historical novels, &c. Because these literary novels, so beloved by writing workshops and highbrowed critics, are boring.

Books: Redshirts by John Scalzi

John Scalzi
Tor, 2012
Kindle
_______________________________________

Just finished reading this one on my Kindle, and it was a lot of fun. In the way that, you know, movies where ridiculous coincidences happen can be fun. Except in Redshirts the ridiculous coincidences are kind of the point. Kind of, but not exactly.

Science fiction fans (especially of the Star Trek variety, though the nomenclature has leaked out over the genre as a whole, as these things will do) will understand immediately was is meant by the title. For those of you who may not, allow me to explain: a "redshirt" is a short-lived crewman on the original Star Trek series (and sometimes appearing in subsequent series), someone not known to the audience as a regular character. This person would end up accompanying main characters on an away team mission, or in some other dangerous situation, and inevitably end up dying. Another common name for them is "expendable crewman/crew member."

So without giving too many of the plot twists away, it's at least safe to say Redshirts is about a group of second-string members on a starship and their attempts to keep from getting killed off.

It's a cute, quick read, funny and pithy. Scalzi knows from sci-fi; besides being an author, he worked on Stargate: Universe, so he understands the structure of the sci-fi television universe and puts that knowledge to good use here. Attempts to be touching in Redshirts fall a little flat, and the coda go on a bit too long, but overall a very fine read, perfectly light for summer.

Music: Matchbox Twenty's Album Art for North

Matchbox Twenty unveiled the cover for their latest album, North, which is due out September 4 (their first single "She's So Mean" is already all over the radio).

Bravo to the guys for showing their faces this time, I suppose. (It's weird; I had a dream a month or so back about MB20 in the top room of an ornate building, and I was out in the parking lot looking up at the window . . . ::shrug::)

The whole thing is rather stark and somewhat antiseptic. Reminds me of high school newspaper and yearbook, discussions of "white space" and so forth. I dig the reflections in the windows, though.

Books: What I'm Reading & What's On Deck

Right now I'm reading Redshirts by John Scalzi. I'll post a full-on review when I'm done, but sufficient to say I'm really enjoying it so far. I picked it up because I'm waiting for Ben Aaronovitch's new Peter Grant novel to come out (Whispers Under Ground, due to deliver to my Kindle on 31 July). I wish they'd turn Grant & Nightingale into a television series already. That would be every kind of awesome.

And yes, now I will use this space to remind you that my novella "St. Peter in Chains" can be found on Kindle, Smashwords, and iBooks, with the Nook version due out any day now. Go fill in your own blank spaces between books with that quick little read of mine.

Concert Review: Summerland Tour Kicks Off in Saratoga, CA

Five bands whose heydays were the 90s have joined forces to create one fun night of music. They are: Everclear, Sugar Ray, Gin Blossoms, Lit, and Marcy Playground.

One supposes the idea is that everyone of a certain age (I'm on the young side of this particular collective, but I still count) will know and remember at least some of these songs and bands and will probably enjoy pretty much all that is on offer. This was generally my experience at the concert. I love Gin Blossoms and really like Everclear and Sugar Ray, but before last night I couldn't have told you what Marcy Playground or Lit were known for. This led to many, "Oh! I know this song!" and "Oh! They play that song!" moments. Not entirely unpleasant, and it's always fun to be introduced to some new music among the favorites.

Our Hosts for the Evening: Art Alexakis and Mark McGrath

Marcy Playground started things off (the song you know by them if you don't own the album? "Sex and Candy"), always a tough spot to be in because of course the house isn't nearly full yet so it can seem like one is singing into a void. But they were really good (to me, someone who couldn't have identified them prior to last night), and the song off their new album was also very catchy in a way that made me actively think, I need to go check them out.

Marcy Playground (lead singer John Wozniak)

Then Lit came out—and bravo to the stage crew for the super-fast switch overs—and again, I wouldn't have known anything by them until they did that one song all people who listened to the radio in the 90s can identify ("My Own Worst Enemy"). They're not entirely my bag, but I didn't dislike their music, and anyway, that's what Summerland is about: a five-course meal of music, and there may be some dishes you like more than others, but it's all within the same family of cuisine so nothing is likely to really offend your palate.

Lit (the Popoff brothers)

To their credit, the bands were up front about the fact they were there to play their big hits, though I always find myself wondering how much they hate having to do that. Part of the job, I suppose. And very crowd pleasing. Gin Blossoms could have done a much longer set and still never have touched all their best songs; as it was, they did the standards: "Hey Jealousy" and "Follow You Down" and "Found Out About You" and "Allison Road." All great songs. But I'm really pleased they did "Miss Disarray" because I think No Chocolate Cake is a fantastic album that doesn't get nearly enough love.

I also enjoyed that Robin Wilson climbed over the seats to stand near me a couple times (the benefits of being third-row center).

Robin Wilson of Gin Blossoms

But as much as I love Gin Blossoms—they were my reason for attending Summerland, all the rest being bonus—Sugar Ray was the most fun act of the evening. Mark McGrath has clearly embraced his spot in the rock cannon, truly enjoys it and the fans, and that joy is infectious to the audience. I enjoyed the entire evening, but I enjoyed Sugar Ray most; they were the dessert tray for this particular buffet.

Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray

Rounding out the night was Everclear. No one else has a voice like Art Alexakis; the closest I could come to might be a shade off Tom Petty. The band turned in a solid performance, if more staid than the other bands, ending on the two biggest of their hits, "Wonderful" and "Santa Monica" (the latter still being my favorite of their songs, though overall I like the Songs From an American Movie Vol. 1 album best). They, too, played a new number that was really good, giving me the sense that everything old is new again.

Everclear's Art Alexakis

I appreciate the Summerland tour for reminding me what I liked—and still like—about this music and these musicians. More than mere nostalgia, these are great songs and great singers and great albums. As radio rotation grows increasingly bizarre in that new stuff is constantly consumed only to plateau at the same ten or so songs being played repeatedly, I enjoy finding new stuff to listen to . . . Even if it isn't technically "new." Summerland had me thinking, I need to go find that CD, and, I need to remember to put that back on my iPod. And yes, even: I need to pick up their new album. Which is the bottom line, perhaps, but what a fun way to reach it.

Books: St. Peter in Chains

I'm not going to review it because I wrote it. St. Peter in Chains is a novella, now available as an e-book on Amazon Kindle. I'm hoping to roll it out to other e-reading devices soon. But if you happen to have a Kindle, you can go here to pick up this little gem of a story.

In short, the novella is about intelligence agent Peter Stoller falling in love for the first time . . . and the ensuing consequences. A quick read that I characterize as a cross between Mad Men and a John le Carré novel in that it's a quietly intense book built more with character than plot.

Hope you enjoy it.

Movie Review: This Means War

Starring: Tom Hardy, Chris Pine, Reese Witherspoon
Directed By: McG
Written By: Timothy Dowling & Simon Kinberg (screenplay), Timothy Dowling & Marcus Gautesen (story)
20th Century Fox
R; 99 min
2 stars (out of 5)
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Let me just begin by pointing out that the spec script for this movie sold waaaay back in May of 1998, and at that time Marcus Gautesen was credited as the writer. Also, the original logline for the movie was something along the lines of it being about two men who share an apartment and rent the third room to this girl, over whom they end up fighting (and destroying half of New York, so I guess maybe they were also superheroes or something?) . . . Clearly a lot of rewriting went on in the decade and more between the script being sold and the movie being filmed and brought into theaters.

Whatever. The end result is what matters, after all, and This Means War is kind of a mess, the epitome of a not-too-bad idea poorly executed. Hardy and Pine actually have decent chemistry and would have done really well in a typical buddy movie. Meanwhile, the fundamental flaws in the story sink the ship.

For one: the wrong guy wins (I won't spoil it for you by saying which it is). I base this on the fact that one of the male leads is mostly honest, despite the underhanded dealings of spying on the girl and sabotaging his cohort's efforts, etc. The other male lead is far more despicable in that he actively fakes an interest in art and stray animals in order to garner the girl's affection. I can't really forgive, then, the fact that the biggest cheater gets the girl.

Then again, the girl isn't much of a prize. She's two-timing, after all, and while I allow some leeway—no one has mentioned being exclusive—she gets on her high horse about the whole thing when she finds out the two guys are friends. Um, sorry? You didn't mention to them that you were dating other guys, but they were supposed to tell you they knew each other? There's a big leap in logic there, in that the girl (her name is Lauren, btw) assumes because the guys were friends they also knew they were both dating the same girl. Maybe I'm atypical and/or don't know a lot about how guys work, but it doesn't necessarily follow in my world that my friends know every twist and turn of my love life.

This romantic farce is laid over a hollow-boned story of how the two CIA agent guys are being hunted by a baddie who's angry about his brother's death. In the most predictable fashion, the boys must save the girl. Then she picks her hero, and the odd man out ends up with a consolation prize (his ex-wife, now much more interested in him when she discovers he's not the travel agent she thought he was).

All in all, though the lead actors have very good chemistry, the movie itself is a loss. It's rote and not even funny in places where it should be. Next time get Tom Hardy and Chris Pine to date each other; it would work out better on all fronts.

Television: Shows I Used to Like but Keep Forgetting Ever Existed

Every now and then I'll see something that reminds me of an old television show. And not just the typical old television show, but some off-kilter, short-lived thing that I liked but no one else watched.

Case in point: I'm reading yesterday's Daily Variety and see Dominic Purcell. Sure, most people might think Prison Break, but that wasn't my first thought. Mine was: Remember that John Doe show?

Well, do you?

Probably not any more than you remember, say, Glory Days, which for me is inextricably tied to John Doe. Were they on at about the same time? I have no idea; maybe it's the settings or the tenors of the shows that were similar. My recollections of these programs are vague at best, seeing how these shows didn't last very long, and as the saying goes: I've slept since then. Several times.

It's a strange situation. These are shows I watched regularly and enjoyed, but they simply didn't last long enough to make more than the faintest impressions on my memory. Is it the difference between one season and two? Or is it the force of the actors involved? Because I remember American Gothic quite clearly, and it also didn't air for very long (but did win just more than one season, and had the incredible Gary Cole at its forefront). The Pretender, too, is vivid in my mind. And yet I can only hazily recall that Dark Shadows reboot from the 90's. Or Covington Cross. Or Black Jack Savage. If I hadn't collected so many magazine clippings as a pre-teen, I probably wouldn't remember any of them at all, even now.

What shows make your list of barest remembrances? Is there anything that sometimes lights your bulb? Or is it just me?

Music: "She's So Mean" by Matchbox Twenty

So this is the new MB20 single off the forthcoming North (out 4 Sept). I'll count it as catchy but the lyrics leave something to be desired. At least, what I can remember of them. The gist of the song appears to be that this girl is really pretty and a lot of fun, but she'll wreck your life so [the guy they're singing to?] should just dump her. Oh, and also: she's mean.

Fun! But mean. Hot! But mean. Scratches your records and stuff. Drinks too much rum.

Um . . . Okay.

I know I'm reading too much into this. I have a degree in cultural media studies; I've been designed to break things apart this way. And so I just can't dig this song as much as I'd like to be able to. Oh, it'll be stuck in my head for a while, sure, but . . . I'm looking forward to hearing some other stuff from the album. This one is middling.

Movie/Theatre: Frankenstein

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Jonny Lee Miller
Directed By: Danny Boyle
Written By: Nick Dear (adaptation), Mary Shelley (novel)
National Theatre Live
NR
3.75 stars (out of 5)
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I'm not really looking at this in terms of a "review" so much as a meandering of thoughts. Over the past couple nights I've been to the local cinema, which showed first the "original casting" of this play, as filmed at London's National Theatre, and then (the second night) the "reverse casting." In an already rather heavy-handed adaptation, I find the gimmick of swapping actors somewhat precious and unnecessary in getting the point across, but so be it.

The original casting featured Cumberbatch as The Creature and JLM as his creator Victor Frankenstein. While I surely do understand the difference between acting on a stage and acting for the camera—I've worked in both media—I often have this terrible feeling Cumberbatch is showing off a bit. It works sometimes, for some characters, but can be a bit over the top at moments. The opening scene in which The Creature is "born" and learns to walk felt interminable as a result. But on the whole I'd say Cumberbatch did a fine job as a very physical actor in a very physical role.

Meanwhile, JLM played Frankenstein in such a straightforward way as to bring to my mind Colin Firth. (Since I like Colin Firth, this should be taken as a compliment.) Something about the way JLM acts cuts through the extraneous; I found the same to be true on the second night when he played The Creature. His acting brings clarity to the character, the events as they happen, the story as a whole. In places where Cumberbatch is showy, JLM is direct, which worked to the balance of the production overall.

And so on the second night, the birth of The Creature as portrayed by JLM seemed far less wearisome. But he also did not exude quite as much delight as Cumberbatch in his interpretation of The Creature discovering the world. But JLM's Creature showed more progress in movement and speech over the course of the play as a whole, as if the learning curve for the character had been brought to the fore; the intelligence is more evident.

On the flip side, Cumberbatch as Victor Frankenstein lent a humor to the character that JLM had not given him. Cumberbatch's delivery and timing were far more nuanced than JLM's had been.

I thought I would be able to walk away from both and say, "This one was better," but the truth is I would pick and choose parts of each to make the perfect show—a sort of theatrical Frankensteining.

As for the play itself, as I mentioned, I felt a bit as if I were being beat over the head with its themes of creator/creation, life, man, genius/monster, good/evil, and so forth. (To discuss it all would require a separate post.) Some of the dialogue was outright clunky. So while I can admire the stagecraft involved, I can't wholeheartedly admire the play. There is much to recommend it, but it wouldn't suffer for some finessing, either, though whether it's an issue of the writing or directing or both I'm not entirely sure. Would the same words in a less brute force display seem more appealing? Or do the words themselves need to be cut back a bit? Unclear. And it doesn't much matter what I say or think anyway, since the show was a hit and will surely live long on various stages in the future in one form or another.

Television: Thoughts About Sherlock

I actually have all my thoughts on the BBC One program Sherlock collected on my writing blog. Here are links to the summaries I've written for Series 2:

"A Scandal in Belgravia"

"The Hounds of Baskerville"

"The Reichenbach Fall"

Movies: Highlander Reboot

A little tidbit from Variety in my inbox today: Ryan Reynolds is in talks to lead in the Highlander film reboot. I can pretty easily picture Reynolds brandishing a sword. I'm just wondering whether we really need more Highlander.

This is quite the statement coming from a girl whose college nickname was Methos. (There are a certain number of people who still call me this, in fact; they may not actually know my real name.) A core group of us tripped into the collective name of "Zeistmeisters" after a laughable dinner discussion in the dining hall. Admittedly, I was more a fan of the television series, which was on when I was in high school and college, than the films, but in any case, Highlander occupies a special place in my heart and personal history.

That being said, there are a couple of [biased] reasons for my not wanting to see more of these movies: (a) I've outgrown them and would rather leave the past in the past, and/or (b) I don't want to see something old, familiar and comfortable rehashed and/or ruined.

I'm also not sure who the target audience is for something like this. Older people who have fond memories of the original movies? (I was too young for those.) People like me who remember the television series? (But were terribly disappointed by the movies that followed.) Are they rebooting Highlander in the hopes of starting another action franchise that will appeal to younger audiences? It's a mystery, but it seems possible any new outing might fall through the demographic cracks.

Then again, if they get Ryan Reynolds . . . Except he proved not to be such a huge draw to Green Lantern . . . My guess is more women want to see him in a heartthrob lead than as a swashbuckler. Even an Immortal, emotionally damaged and vulnerable heartthrob swashbuckler. And Reynolds doesn't seem to be man's man enough for the other side of the equation.

Not having seen a script, I can't make any more than passing guesses at the whole of a new Highlander franchise, with or without Reynolds. Anything, if done right and well, could work. But some things are difficult to do right and well; they require a delicate balance and very fine tuning. Something action/fantasy-oriented like Highlander is just that kind of thing—something easy to do badly and incredibly onerous to do well. Curious to see how it turns out.

Or maybe not.

Elementary

CBS has slated this modern take on Sherlock Holmes—set in New York as opposed to London—for Thursday nights at 10:00 (9:00 Central). There has, of course, been chatter as to this being an American Sherlock, but Elementary looks to be quite a bit different . . . And if it makes more than three episodes every couple years, it will at least have that much going for it.

Jonny Lee Miller will play the new Sherlock and Lucy Liu will be his Watson. A girl! Yes. So besides the change in scenery, we've got a gender switch that may or may not work for core Holmes fans. Chemistry between the stars is said to be strong, and Elementary had quite a bit of buzz at upfronts, so I guess we'll see.

An American Sherlock Holmes will necessitate some additional changes in sensibilities, even simply from a cultural standpoint. Though it's hip to be an Anglophile these days, a British detective (who may be asexual or gay) won't capture wide swaths of Peorians. My guess is Elementary will play more like the procedurals that are so popular, C.S.I. and the like.

Fun aside: Jonny Lee Miller played opposite Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch on stage at the National Theatre, London, in Frankenstein. The two switched off playing the Monster and Victor Frankenstein and won the Olivier for their efforts. (You can actually see a filmed staging of the play, coming to selected movie theaters across the country in early June.)

As a fan of Sherlock, I'm certainly curious about Elementary and will be giving it a look. Holmes seems to come in roughly 20- to 30-year cycles of popularity, and he's at his height again now with movies and television shows and new anthologies coming out. Too much of a good thing? We might be headed toward a saturation point, but with the Robert Downey Jr. films widely spaced and Sherlock almost as rare, there may yet be room for a regular weekly appearance by one of literature's most beloved figures.

Dropped Shows

There comes a time when a television show does one of a number of things: (a) ends, (b) changes direction, (c) gets routine and boring. When a show ends, one hopes it's on a high note, leaving people wanting more while simultaneously understanding that giving them too much of a good thing will only leave them so full they're sick. When it gets routine and boring, well, that speaks for itself. More of the same each week, and a lot of people might continue to tune in, but eventually a lot of people will tune out.

Changing direction, meanwhile, is tricky. Because the change can be for the better. Or it can be for the worse.

After a few years on the air, networks will sometimes come to a show whose ratings are beginning to flag and say, "Let's change it up a bit." Collective groan from writers and show runners. (It's worse when someone at the network has "an idea" about how to change things.)

The flip side of this might be when, even if the show is doing well in the ratings, the writers and show runners are starting to feel stuck and decide for themselves to change things . . .

Either way, it can be dicey.

Two shows I used to love made some major changes recently, and I've since dropped them from my must-see-TV list. Bones is one. I love the ensemble cast, the characters' quirks, the great dialogue and chemistry between the actors. But then everyone started having babies. And while I can understand the desire to move away from crime-of-the-week stylings and plumb the depths of various relationships on the show, I just found I couldn't care any more. Brennan having the baby in "the manger" was the last straw. Too over the top. I cut the show from my schedule.

The other show is Mad Men. Don Draper was a very interesting and complex character, dark and trying to find his happy. And then he found it. Her name is Megan. And Don Draper as happily married is just not compelling to me. And trying to fill in with other characters' issues doesn't do it for me, either. I like Peggy, sure, and Roger is a riot, but the supporting cast doesn't quite carry the show. I watched the first four episodes of this season and decided not to waste any more time.

A few seasons ago, I felt the same way about House. Right around the time he and Cuddy started to be an item, I just couldn't stomach watching any longer. House is a show that could have benefitted from some big changes, but not the kinds they made with the rotating interns and the on-and-off romances. No, see, they should have stuck with House and Wilson sharing a living space and turned it into a dramedy from that angle. That would have been hilarious. I'd have watched it forever.

Some shows are smart enough to quit while they're ahead. J Michael Straczynski knew he wanted Babylon 5 to be five seasons long. He had it planned out. It struggled at first but gained a core audience. But when asked to extend the show, JMS said no. He knew better than to wear out his welcome. He'd told the story he'd wanted to tell. B5 was like a novelization on TV, and it was perfect.

I read somewhere that Matthew Weiner plans to finish up Mad Men over three seasons (this and two more). I hope for his sake that he plans as well as JMS did. From what I watched this season, everything seemed to have been slowed down so that the show feels like it's being stretched at the neck and strangled.

So now that Bones and Mad Men are off my schedule, what do I watch?

• Smash
• Modern Family (though it hasn't been in top form, so it's on my personal bubble)
• 30 Rock (probably good, though, that next season will be its last, as it's running on fumes)
• The Office (also not so funny lately, but loving Catherine Tate)
• Sherlock and Doctor Who (when in season)

We had been watching Grimm for a while as well, but after a big cross-country move, we just didn't care enough to go back and catch up. And we're in temporary housing, so without HBO we haven't had a chance to see this season of Game of Thrones yet but intend to catch up as soon as possible.

For the first time in a long while, then, I'm looking forward to a new crop of television options come summer/fall. Upfronts have created buzz for things like Elementary (another modern-day Sherlock Holmes) and a host of others whose names I can't remember, and I don't have a copy of Variety at hand. Sort of at an out-with-the-old point as far as television is concerned . . .

Book Review: Rivers of London (aka Midnight Riot)

Ben Aaronovitch
Del Rey, 2011
Kindle
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So the reason there are two book titles on this book review is because the book was published as Rivers of London in the UK and Midnight Riot in the US. Both titles apply, as there are a couple different things going on in the book—namely, a plot involving the rivers of London and one involving, well, a kind of supernatural influence that is causing increasing bouts of anarchy in London, culminating in (you guessed it!) a midnight riot at Covent Garden.

The book is, in fact, the first of a series about Probationary Constable Peter Grant who, on the eve of being assigned permanently to paperwork duties, is instead roped into becoming an apprentice to Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale . . . Who happens to be a wizard tasked with the singular job of working on cases involving magic. Nightingale also happens to be really, really old (though of course he doesn't look it), and part of Peter's job involves bringing his "governor" up to speed on the latest technology. Like, you know, cell phones, flat-screen tellies, and the Internet.

Also in the mix: ghosts, gods, goddesses, and other creatures from outside the average.

Peter is a smart lad, too, aiming like Newton to find a scientific basis for all the supernatural phenomena in which he finds himself enmeshed.

Aaronovitch is probably best known for his work involving Doctor Who, for which he's written episodes as well as tie-in novels. However, I'd say this book, and the follow-up Moon Over Soho with which I'm now more than halfway finished, is his best work yet. Aaronovitch's cinematic background shows in his description; everything he writes in Midnight Riot is made visible in the mind's eye so to speak, and the basic premise of the series lends itself to potential television or movie adaptation.

A fast read (no idea of actual page numbers because I read it on my Kindle), fun, found it perfect for while I was traveling. To London, in fact. Though thankfully there were no riots while I was in town.

Television: Mad Men Premiere

Happy people are boring. You don't read a book, watch a movie, or go see a play to see people who are happy. You go to see people who have problems, issues, flaws.

Until now, Mad Men's Don Draper was an "all of the above" kind of guy. But the season 5 premiere reduced him to happily married and terribly boring. Okay, yes, he and his young new wife had a minor spat over her throwing him a surprise birthday party (he didn't like that), but by the end of the episode they were besotted once again. Boooooring.

One could argue (a) this episode has set Don up for a fall, and/or (b) the focus is no longer Don so much as other people in the office. And my father would point out the show has always been boring. But I've always found it to be an interesting kind of character study—except, based on the premiere, Don is no longer an interesting character.

Okay, point (a): Don's being happily married has blunted his edge in his work. ::shrug:: Now that he's happily married, he has something to lose (namely, Megan). ::shrug:: I kind of don't care.

As for point (b): It is an ensemble cast. And I wouldn't mind seeing more of Peggy and Roger. But Pete is a drain and Lane . . . He could be interesting, if they'd give him better story lines than worrying about money all the time. Joan, meanwhile, just made me want to roll my eyes.

I was told by various fans that the premiere was simply meant to set the stage. Sure, okay, but those two hours dragged. Advertising is a form of economic communication—it's about getting a lot of information across in very little time or space. The Mad Men preem could have, should have done the same.

The Annotated Entertainment Weekly

We still get Entertainment Weekly because I hate their Web site. HATE it. It's ugly and badly organized. Would it kill them to consider tabs across the top so I don't have to slog through a bunch of reality television crap I don't give a shit about? Jesus. Seriously, I HATE EW.COM.

Okay, so rant over, here's the thing: I do enjoy EW's iPad interface. It's very nicely done. BUT . . . I can't annotate it.

See, our copy of Entertainment Weekly comes on Fridays, and it's a house rule that I get to read it first. Then it goes on the bathroom shelf for reading material. And sometimes I like to leave little notes for people to find . . .

It's sort of an Easter egg hunt.

Now when the EW people make it possible for me to add comments to the iPad version? We're golden.

Movie Review: The Decoy Bride

Starring: Kelly Macdonald, David Tennant, Alice Eve
Directed By: Sheree Folkson
Written By: Sally Phillips, Neil Jaworski
Isle of Man Film, 2012
NR; 89 minutes
4 stars (out of 5)
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A toe-curlingly cute, if rote, rom-com about hack writer James (Tennant) engaged to superstarlet Lara (Eve). In an attempt to mask their nuptials from the paparazzi, they select the remote Scottish island featured in James's only novel as the setting for their wedding. As an aside, I found this a rather silly plot device because it seems to me the tabloids would surely check that out as a possibility? But maybe those types of journalists aren't that smart.

Meanwhile, Katie has come back to the island of her girlhood and moved into the local bed-and-breakfast run by her mother. Soon she finds herself roped into standing in as the titular decoy bride when the press becomes alerted to James's and Lara's presence. And as expected, Katie falls for James, James falls for Katie, hilarity ensues.

To be fair, though, Decoy Bride is a sweet-natured movie that is exactly the right length—it doesn't tire the viewer with ongoing farce. There is just the right balance of pathos and humor, and while any number of secondary characters could have been more fleshed out, the fact that the film sticks with the story and doesn't much meander makes it immanently watchable.

Decoy Bride currently shows a release date of 9 March, though my guess is it will be limited in the US; last I looked there wasn't even a distributor for a US outing. Too bad, but some cable companies do have it On Demand. Would be perfect for Valentine's Day. If you're looking for something light and not too lengthy, this fits the bill.