Slice of life narrative and S.H.I.E.L.D.

Last night, we viewed the Coen Bros. 1998 film "The Big Lebowski", as part of our year long resolution to re-visit the work of filmmakers whom influenced how we watch movies (and how they can just be fun!). I had not watched the film in many years, despite the fact that it sits in my personal collection. The most striking thing to me this time through was the depth of creating characters that exist in a unique and very inviting world. The Dude, Walter and Donny represent the most difficult type of creation in fiction--by the end of the story they seem real, and you almost wish the story would just go on, just like life. You know they will be at that bowling alley tomorrow (except Donny, who is the sacrifice to the laws of nature) "takin her easy" (in the words of the narrator) for the rest of us. The Coens achieve a real slice of life character piece with Lebowski, akin more to Altman more than homage to Noir, and that is what gives it legs all these years later. Next week, its on to "O Brother, Where Art Thou?". I will post on Twitter about time and date later this week.

Recently, I began reading the work of Jonathan Hickman (www.pronea.com) , an artist who has taken to creating some very unique worlds and story lines in the comics medium. His unique blend of science fiction and hero narrative are refreshing, especially with such characters as the Future Foundation (formerly the Fantastic Four, although he was the main writer for those books) and the series that has given me the most enjoyment of late: S.H.I.E.L.D.

S.H.I.E.L.D. #1

S.H.I.E.L.D., without going into a bunch of comic book history (you can use wikipedia for that), has been a long running organization within the Marvel universe. But Hickman decides to re-boot this history, to explore the possibility that S.H.I.E.L.D. has been around a very long time ( and I do mean go way back) fighting off those that have attempted to undermine human beings as the dominant species on the planet (yes, that means fighting aliens to a certain degree). It is who has been fighting for us that gives the book its interesting plot- names such as Da Vinci, Galileo, Newton, Tesla. These men of science and reason have been defending the species in order for us to evolve into our potential. What that potential is exactly is part of the mystery, and also part of the conflict within S.H.I.E.L.D. that arises in what Hickman defines the first six issues as part one of his story. To me, as a fan of the medium of comics, this series represents the potential of the types of stories that comics can provide a vehicle for. Unfortunately, these types of series have a very small audience, and are often canceled long before they reach the original ending intended by the author. Fortunately, for now, the book has enough thrust to launch into the second part (or arc) next week. 

A Quick Overview of the Week 5/27/11

Interim is over.....and I am glad. Bring on sessions I & II, woo hoo!

I have decided to stat working in an aerobics type group classes three days a week in addition to my running regiment next week. Its really about overcoming a social phobia for me, the whole working out in public with complete strangers and hoping you don't fart or something. The odds say my body will betray me. May be disastrous, may not. We shall see....

As usual, writing ideas come at inappropriate moments and I am in desperate need to get a recorder of some kind so that I am not calling my friends and leaving random frantic voice mails with my crazy rants. To those that have received those calls, gift cards are coming soon. And eternal thanks of course :)

I'm still getting through a very large pile of wonderful comics, and I do wish to talk about some of them and pitch an idea for a paper (big surprise). Its a 3 day weekend, so I know I will get that up by Monday.

Oh, tomorrow is Coen Bros. film night. This week is The Big Lebowski as we have been watching them in chronological order. If you want to get in on the fun, drop me a line at twitter @jldprod2002 or just leave your thoughts on the old blog here at your leisure. More soon.....

Abstaining From Norms

Ok, so, apparently it is not ok for me to not drink. I think a lot of the people I know can no longer feign not being uncomfortable around me as I continue to not drink at a bar, at dinner, or at get-togethers. A quick explanation for my non-drinkiness: I just got tired of it. And you say to yourself, hmm, thats interesting, there must be some deep psychological trauma or event that made this happen. Nope. Just got tired of it. And you would hope that such a rationale would provide the best of support...you would be sort of right.

By my abstaining the vibe I get from other people seems to be I am somehow lording some type of superficial or even non-existent reasons( which is strange when you think about it), my self-imposed sobriety makes people uncomfortable, dare I say intimidated around me--almost as if my not having a beer with them is like me spitting a curse upon their first born child's head and painting the door with goats blood. I still tell the same kind of humorous anecdotes, still drop pop culture bombs, still wax politico....but yet the results from folks are not the same. Honestly, it hurts me deeply. Im still me. I just changed a few (what I thought) minor things to make me feel better about who I am.

IRB, a cursed three letters in my field, is giving me fits this week as I press myself to get the damn paperwork in on time. This is of course the last week of interim session as well, and I get he obligatory three day weekend coming up to prepare for my next two classes for sessions I and II come next week. Just have to keep telling myself that this time next year, course work is done for ever and I can just focus on the dissertation, although thats not much of a bright spot is it? :)

This past weeks Coen Bros. film was Fargo. Much darker than I remember, and honestly, a bit of a bummer coming off the wonderful effervescent playful tone of Hudsucker Proxy. My friend Heath and I argued about this is the start to the second half of the Coen's film career, and it is a dozy of a lefty. Does it belong in the national registry of film? That I am not sure of. This week, its on to cult favorite The Big Lebowski, so get the White Russians ready (well not me, obviously) and tell Donny to shut the fuck up because his dudeness, or dude-a-rino, or just plain dude is going to be examined a bit more throughly. As always, if you want to join in on the fun of movie night, drop me a line on twitter @jldprod2002 , or watch the film at your leisure and post your messages here at the old blog.

Getting back on the horse

So...meetings went well yesterday and I have been assigned to my first upper level college teaching assignment. When that class begins in August, it will be the first time I have taught since leaving my teaching position in June of 2008. Some would probably ask me what the problem is, but those that teach or have taught know that teaching is practice, and when you are out of practice, your ability to teach effectively is seriously diminished. Basically, by the time the semester ends in late November, I will feel like I am just starting to get rolling again!

Yesterday was, as it is every Wednesday, new comic book day (YAY!). While it would be easy for me to give the nod to one of the big titles, I came across a great little anthology book:







John Cassady, Dave Stevens, Mike Allred, Mike Mignola, W.M. Kaluta...WHEW, all that fantastic art in 32 little pages. Its a serious steal and a serious amount of pre-industrial complex post modern America hero stories! This has been apart of a great re-trend in the medium in the last few years of one-shots and anthologies. As a fan of art, its just good to see. (I also highly recommend Dark Horse Presents).

If you haven't seen the most recent Doctor Who episode "The Doctor's Wife" by Neil Gaiman please do so. It really is a great episode in a series that just continues to have legs.

GLBTQ and What's Next

So, my interim class this year (and last one ever!) is about GLBTQ young adult literature and issues. At the end of week one, I am a bit flummoxed because while I have felt that the readings have been enlightening (one book from the 50's, one from the 80's), there has been no real queer theory introduced. Instead, the class has focused on more traditional literary theories (historicism, deconstruction, etc.). I cant help but have the feeling that this is a dis-service, especially for the younger pre-service teachers who have been allowed to take the class. Are we not to challenge them with theory outside of the comfort zone in order to get those analytical/critical juices flowing? There is not much I can do about it, but it nonetheless bothers me. I'm still excited, however, to be able to teach class on Tuesday about graphic narratives and the GLBTQ memoir! Oh yes, I have a doozy planned.( Did someone say intertextuality?)

In following up on my last post (*See Don't Panic*),a few days after finding out that I may not have a job or tuition, the university kindly swept in and assured me that I would have something. For those who have had such a scare before, the relief was unbelievable. Also, I may finally be getting back in front of classes teaching a CRD 400 level reading theory course in the Fall semester. Three years as a research assistant/editorial assistant has really been too long. Its time to get back in the game. I miss the classroom and the connection with people whom find themselves wanting to learn.

Well I am off to catch up on two weeks worth of Dr. Who. Oh, before I forget, if anyone would like, I am currently with others watching the films of Joel and Ethan Coen chronologically, one every weekend through True Grit. This weekend it was The Hudsucker Proxy ( a gem), and next Saturday it will be Fargo. If interested, just hit me up on Twitter @jldprod2002 to join in. The more the merrier.

Don't Panic

Don't Panic....no other time in recent memory has the cover of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy been more true for what has truly been a fucked up week. Mother earth has, in the last fourteen days, showed its crueler tendencies with devastating weather patterns in almost every place in the south that I have lived and held dear with family and friends ( tornadoes at home in Tuscaloosa and biblical flooding in Memphis), reminding me that whatever I thought in the past about what I can lose on a personal level has never even been scratched on the surface.

Above weather shenanigans have also somehow dovetailed into current political and life altering events at the old academy as well. I was informed by my advisor/mentor/chair/thesis guru after almost three years of working together on my degrees and the English Journal that she was leaving before the next semester to take a position at another university. What this means for me is the following:

1) I no longer have a GA or GRA position w/ the university, which meant that I lost my paycheck and tuition being paid by the university.

2) All of my research dealing with reading, standards, and the secondary english classroom was done working with this person, and was heavily influential in the areas of study I have pursued the last few years

3) This person was my only advisor for my entire graduate career, and, to give an idea about perspective on this, I am only two semesters short of finishing my coursework.

So yes, I am in limbo right now. This stress is compounded with the fact that I have to begin working on an independent pilot study for the Fall like yesterday, coursework to complete this summer, two promised conference proposals (AESA & AERA), and probably a bunch more if I really wanted to put it out there, but I'll spare the other details.

Now, all this happens. A man is down. feeling a bit kicked in the teeth, and needs something beautiful and moving and inspiring to remind him that its ok. That's where this came in :

http://brianoliu.com/ebook/

It put some things in perspective, about my hometown, the people here, and the people who wont give up on it. So next time I run into the person this week who said to me over coffee how much they hate Tuscaloosa I have to say..... fuck you. We indeed run this. And I thank the writers, citizens, and other unbelievably generous people all around the southeast for reminding me that indeed the best thing to do is-- Don't Panic.

New blog, but not new ideas

Well, I procrastinated about this, mainly because I did not really want to do it, but the continued issues at my old blog/journal/ranting space with outside attacks and hijinks sealed the deal. Now with that said.....

Hackers suck. This week, I followed the news about the Playstation Network and its 77 million user accounts being completely hacked, i.e. 77 million people had all personal information (credit card numbers,  phone numbers, addresses, passwords, etc.) seen and at this point has probably been sold to various black market folks. Think about that number for a number....77 million. And what did these people do, what was the crime these anti heroes wanted to expose? They just wanted to play games. That's it, play fucking games. So thanks hackers for using social subversion to expose those damn gamers. Big high five. I hope that wolverines eat your toes. Slowly. ( And in case you are wondering, no, I do not have a PS3, nor an online gaming account. And now I won't.)

On happier shores, Saturday was Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) round the world, and the ole twitter feed was alive with happiness and joy and great photos. Regardless of my stance as a geek and outright nerd, FCBD was a relief with recent bad events here in my corner of the world. I thought it was weird though that as I went out Saturday night and heard not one, not two, but three awful college rock cover bands (another long story), regaled in my Batman tee and jeans with canvas shoes, I was constantly asked what was up with the shirt? (Sigh), I just smiled and said "da-na-na-na-na-na" and laughed and shrugged. I'm 34 years old and I will never ever apologize again for being the geek I am. So for those that say I need to grow up or think it strange I say: When you are finished with your doctoral degree, come talk to me. (grinning like a madman).

Oh, I am building this site ( and one other) slowly as I am trying to really learn about it, so apologies about the look. It will probably be under construction (much like its omniscient narrator) for some time.