Entirely due to random circumstances, I wound up attending Edward Scissorhands last night at the 5th Avenue Theater in Seattle. The theater is a fabulous venue and I’ve enjoyed many performances there. However, I’ll come right out and say that last night’s show was disappointing on many levels. The story arc of the movie does not lend itself to conveyance via modern ballet. The costumes were fine, with interesting and at times powerful staging. But the strongest elements from the movie are:
- Danny Elfman’s soundtrack
- Tim Burton’s creative vision
- Johnny Depp
Subtract them, and all that is left is the not-terribly interesting central plot line that is delivered through interpretive dance. An extended shindig sequence, ostensibly added to give the cast a chance to boogie, was pointless.
I suppose the bigger question in all this is “what is the point of extracting the weakest element of this movie, and then not bothering to include dialog? If this were couched as experimental theater, audiences (and Scissorheads) might have a different mindset going into it. The regular theater patrons and gothlings in attendance all seemed to feel dissatisfied with the production. Overall, I’d give it a “meh”.
Eight weeks ago I began a fitness / nutrition program called Kinetix. The founders of the program designed it as a lifestyle enhancement system, and it has been a good experience. Three days each week I’ve been lifting weights with a personal trainer, and four days a week I do cardio exercise. They also emphasize a healthy diet, which hasn’t required much of an adjustment. I tend to eat pretty lean food, usually salads and fish, with the occasional buffalo burger or something. The biggest single adjustment has been eating breakfast which I usually skip. Getting a little fuel in the morning has been a good change.
Although I have always been in reasonably healthy condition, I am not an athlete. In high school and college when all my buddies were playing sports, I was playing guitar. So I haven’t spent a lot of time in the gym or weight room. In fact, I don’t even enjoy sports. I recently began to throw a softball around for fun. That doesn’t make me an athlete by any stretch. My recent years of studying karate were good for general toning up, but it’s not the same as a focused program designed for strength and endurance. After eight weeks of this program I’d say I’m probably approaching the best physical condition of my life.
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Last week I joined some friends for dinner in Seattle. It was a nice evening, until I returned to my car and discovered it had been broken into. A kind bystander had witnessed the break-in and called the police to report the incident, and he was nice enough to hang around until I returned. Although I’m not all the pleased about the crime, I think overall my faith in humanity is slightly improved because of the kindness of a stranger.
It’s just a thing. The window has been replaced and I am moving on.
From guest columnist, David Ball
Blogging is such an odd concept. To someone who doesn’t know us, it can seem narcissistic in nature. For the people who know and love us, blogs are a great gift. Extended friends and family gain a connection to our everyday lives that they otherwise couldn’t share. Consider those who love us who are thousands of miles away. We rarely are able to spend time with them; this medium can connect us.
If you’re part of John’s circle of loved ones, encourage him to make his blog a reflection of the richness that he lives… his love, his music, his passions. We all stand to gain from his experiences.
Thanks for listening,
Dave
It’s more complicated than I can get into in a simple posting, but I’m a big fan of cephalopods. Blame it on Cthulhu if you like. One of my favorite animals has always been the wily cuttlefish.
But what makes life worth living is the strange colossal beasts that hide in the depths of the ocean. Again, you could blame it on Cthulhu. But in this case you can blame it on the giant squid that was recently hauled up from the inky blackness of the deep ocean. I’m bummed that this specimen is no longer cruising the ocean, but it’s amazing to see such a good photograph of an intact adult of this size.
A couple of years ago my wife and I became involved with a national nonprofit organization called Rebuilding Together. This is a volunteer organization that rebuilds and revitalizes the homes of the low-income, disabled and elderly. It’s been a rewarding and meaningful experience for us to work with them, and seeing the impact of our annual project weekend is inspiring.
Last year we were voted onto the board of directors of our local affiliate, and we have been more directly involved with the management of our strategy. I am working on a new web site for our group and will be attempting to provide an extensible framework that can be used on a national basis.
Last night we got a nice dusting of snow in Seattle and I stepped outside to take some pictures. The picture shown in this post was taken around midnight last night, using just the ambient light. It is a three second exposure with minor color correction. I’m really enjoying my new camera and the lovely pictures it takes.
