Photo of the Week (February 22, 2009)

Greetings from Fountain Valley, California, USA!
Photo taken on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

The previous week was uneventful and I had more of the same this week. That being the case, I revisit – but take a different approach – to my last topic: Movies or Television. Last time I mentioned the recent series Battlestar Galatica was greatly improved on the 1970s version. But what shows have become successful movies and vice versa?

My pick for best drama movie based on a television series is The Fugitive. The original show ran for 4 years in the 1960s before becoming a hit movie in 1993. Even more, time and repeated viewings have not diminished its appeal. Additionally Tommy Lee Jones won an Oscar for his performance as Deputy Marshall Gerald and reprised the role in 1998’s U.S. Marshals. The only lowlight is a short-lived TV series update in 2000.

As for best comedy movie based on a television series, I favor The Addams Family. On TV it only lasted 2 seasons but endured in reruns. The Addams Family movie in 1991 proved popular enough for a sequel Addams Family Values in 1993. Then an updated television series, The New Addams Family, had a brief run in the late 1990s.

On the flip side, my choice for best television drama series from a movie is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The theatrical version was average at best but the Buffy series and its spin-off Angel were both successful, lasting 7 and 5 years, respectively. The show ended in 2003 but its fans still fuel talk about another movie but that is pure speculation so far.

My hardest category is best television comedy series from a movie as no show stands out in my mind. By default I name M*A*S*H. Following the 1970 movie, the 1972 TV show lasted 11 years, much longer than the 3 years of the Korean War, the setting for the series. It spun off another comedy and, in an interesting twist, a drama too. The former was the less successful AfterMASH, lasting only 2 seasons, and the latter was the popular Trapper John, M.D., running for 7 years. Unlike my other choices, M*A*S*H has never been remade for movie or television since the series ended.

Keep in mind that these choices are only my favorites. Several properties have moved from one medium to another and back again such as Star Trek, Ferris Bueller/Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Spider-Man, Clueless and Superman. Feel free to share your opinions.

Finally this week’s photo is another follow-up. Last year I had a shot of a golden retriever puppy sleeping on a pile of stuffed animal toys that just shouted “CUTE!” The dog, Kala, makes a return appearance, much larger, but still adorable, even when getting in (and out) of hot water literally, as this latest photo shows her in a jacuzzi. She is blonde, beautiful and, as a female dog, always a bitch.

Angelo

Photo of the Week (February 15, 2009)

Greetings from Foothill Ranch, California, USA!
Photo taken on Saturday, February 14, 2009.

In my first week back among the unemployed, I did not do much. In fact this week’s photo – tree blossoms taken on Valentine’s Day – is practically a close-up version of last week’s shot but at least it is a different tree in a different city. In need of a topic, I pull the following from the “Hat of Ideas”: Movies or Television. Between the two, I prefer the boob tube to the silver screen. I am partial to a television series’ long-term format over a movie’s one-time experience, sequels notwithstanding. In January I welcomed the return of two shows: Lost and Battlestar Galatica.

Lost’s premise: Crashing on a Pacific Ocean isle, an airplane’s seemingly disparate group of surviving passengers attempt to return to civilization and normal lives but are hindered by the supernatural mysteries of the island and its natives. Also while most series dread cancellation, this show’s executive & creative team established a definitive endpoint, ensuring resolution to the many storylines and questions. With revelatory flashbacks, flash-forwards and other “jumps in time”, the series has kept me intrigued from the start.

Lost is an original. But eventually someone may create something remotely comparable or maybe, just maybe, improve upon it as old series are often brought back in updated form. Knight Rider recently had a short-lived resurrection after a successful first run. Popular Beverly Hills 90210 was reborn as 90210 and has had a promising first season. Then there is Battlestar Galatica (BG). Like many sci-fi shows, BG garnered a small but loyal fan base for its single season in 1978. A “revisioned” series bowed in 2004.

BG’s premise: Cylons, robots created by man, gain independent thought and attempt to kill all mankind. The surviving humanity are roaming the universe searching for fabled planet Earth as a new home and for a way to defeat the enemy while evading their own creation and finding human-looking cylon infiltrators among themselves. This Peabody Award-winning show presents a thought-provoking look into human behavior amidst a war for survival without offering simple solutions. Though a latecomer to the series, I quickly latched on to it.

Similar to Lost but in contrast to its predecessor, the second Battlestar Galatica was able to decide its own end. The fourth and final season of BG is airing now while Lost is in its second-to-last. If you are not watching either one, I hope my praise makes you reconsider. I will not guarantee that you will become an advocate too. But I will say that their stories and characters are different from and better than those in most of the other television series out there. You have my word on that.

Angelo

Photo of the Week (February 8, 2009)

Greetings from Costa Mesa, California, USA!
Photo taken on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

Monday started with bad news - This would be my last week at my freelance job. The news sucks and the recession was not the cause. After nearly six months “The Powers That Be” decided that I was not the right person. My coworker was also my supervisor as she had seniority but less experience than I did. Everything had to be done her way which I did 95% of the time. The remaining 5% when I did things my way is likely the reason that I was cut loose.

The news did not take long to sink in. Better yet I quickly found a silver lining. The company’s chief operating officer had a “Big Brother” presence a la George Orwell’s novel 1984. I always felt everything – emails, phone calls, even casual conversations – was being monitored. With my job ending, I continued to do it as professionally as before but the specter of “Big Brother” no longer haunted me.

I even had a gold lining. Being my last week, I was no longer hesitant to ask for a longer lunch on Wednesday. The UC Irvine’s Athletics Department held a luncheon with guest speaker John Speraw, head coach of its men’s volleyball team. Speraw was also the assistant coach of the gold-winning USA’s Olympic men’s volleyball team and he presented a slideshow of his Beijng experience.

None of the Olympic team was there but the luncheon had open seating and I ended up at the guest speaker’s table. Speraw was not there long before being pulled away by other attendees and then his presentation. The slideshow was a very detailed and insightful look into an athlete’s (and coach’s) Olympic experience – from the pre-games orientation in the USA to the security, housing facilities, nightlife and competition in China to the victory celebrations there and back home.

Only bronze left to complete a medal analogy. I ended the workweek watching the Anteaters of UC Irvine win 3-0 against the Cardinals of Stanford University in men’s volleyball. The sport’s season started in January and UC Irvine’s team had the preseason ranking of 6th nationally. A month later, its standing has moved to 3rd. It’s a bit of a stretch but 3rd is bronze, right? The ‘Eaters swept the match and I have swept the medals.

Finally speaking of seasons, barely into February, the weather is far from cold, even for Southern California. In fact in this week’s photo, the whiteness in the trees and on the ground is not snow, but blossom petals. This may be the midst of winter but spring has taken a huge head start.

Angelo

Photo of the Week (February 1, 2009)

Greetings from Los Angeles, California, USA!
Photo taken on Saturday, January 31, 2009.

A friend invited me as her guest to a birthday party in Hollywood on Saturday night. I would be driving through Los Angeles and went early to visit Exposition Park. I had been there several times previously as it has various attractions such as a rose garden, museums and sporting venues.

The park’s California Science Center has an IMAX Theatre, where I saw two short 3-D movies. “Watching” is an understatement. “Experiencing” is more accurate. By mixing three-dimensional technology with the huge screen and surround sound, you find yourself “in the movie”. But story is still important. The first movie was a narrative nightmare. Fortunately the second was better scripted.

Exposition Park also has the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Currently it is home to the Trojans football team of my graduate school alma mater, the University of Southern California (FIGHT ON!), its campus adjacent to the north of the park. But the greatest fame comes from the Olympics. The stadium held the opening and closing ceremonies as well as the track & field events for the 1932 and 1984 games.

After the movies, I saw that the Coliseum’s Olympic Cauldron was lit and the evening sky added to the rare moment as captured in this week’s photo. The stadium had no event but some lights were on and I heard music from the field beyond my view. The USC marching band may have been rehearsing but I know not why the Cauldron need be on.

Next I met up with my friend and headed to Hollywood. Arriving ahead of schedule, we visited and took photos at two nearby attractions - the Kodak Theatre, where the Academy Awards aka the Oscars are presented, and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, where movie stars leave their hand and foot prints in its cement pavement.

The party had a theme of prohibition-era speakeasy and you needed a password “Dillinger” to enter the back room of the Pig & Whistle restaurant where the birthday gathering was held. In the midst of this fun evening, I ran into an acquaintance. I first met Chuck at a wedding two years ago. We met again as his wife and my friend both knew the birthday girl. This six degrees of separation stuff happens all too frequently to me.

Finally on Sunday was the Superbowl. At a friend’s party, I partook in the traditional betting pool and won the 3rd quarter pot. As for the game, Arizona Cardinals almost upset the favored Pittsburgh Steelers. In the last three minutes, the Cardinals finally took the lead (20-23) but two minutes later the Steelers regained it to take the game (27-23). The Cardinals lost but I had a winning weekend.

Angelo

Photo of the Week (January 25, 2009)

Greetings from Newport Beach, California, USA!
Photo taken on Sunday, January 25, 2009.

This week my brother went snowboarding in Utah. He left on Tuesday and was to return on Saturday but missed his plane back. Because the popular and well-known Sundance Film Festival was wrapping up that weekend, the next available flight was not until Monday. My parents missed my brother’s return as they left on Sunday for a one-month trip to the Philippines. While my family racks up frequent flier miles, I needed several minutes just to remember the last time I was on an airplane.

I think my most recent flight was in August 2003 for a cousin’s wedding in Northern California. My last true vacation was in 2001 when I flew to Florida and took a Caribbean cruise on the week immediately following the 9/11 attacks. Since then most of my traveling beyond Los Angeles & Orange Counties has been for out-of-town weddings. This is any observation, not a complaint. I will take what I can get right now.

Much to my frustration, my employment history has been heavily sporadic in the past decade. In fact I recently endured 14 months between fulltime jobs and my savings were completely drained. Consequently I live the paradox of “having the time but not the money or having the money but not the time”. In the foreseeable future my travels will be limited to road trips. Thankfully gasoline prices have nose-dived. Otherwise a daytrip would be going to the community pool and a wild weekend would involve walking down to the beach.

I will be surprised if I fly anywhere this year and stunned if I travel outside the United States via any means – plane, train, car or foot. In fact if I attempt a national border crossing, I would be detained as my passport expired several years ago. Nevertheless I will set foot on all seven continents one day with three down already (Asia, Australia & North America) and four more to go. For now I can focus on setting foot on all 50 states of the USA. I have been to 17 or so thus far but will spare you a list of those.

Meanwhile home offers inspiration. Christmas was over a month ago and the fake tree is boxed but yet to be stored in the garage. Most of the ornaments have been put away too. But some are in the living room’s built-in bookcase as shown in this week’s photo. They are mixed with glasses, each from a different location of the Hard Rock Café (HRC) restaurant chain. The shorter 30th anniversary pint glasses are from my near-complete set (I have 36 of 39). The taller pilsners represent the restaurant & city that I have actually visited (a modest 14 of 80+ worldwide). The ornaments, wire sculptures and HRC barware have a unifying theme “Travel”, a sure sign that I continue to dream.

Angelo

Photo of the Week (January 18, 2009)

Greetings from Pasadena, California, USA!
Photo taken on Sunday, January 18, 2009.

In November I attended the christening-type celebration for a cousin’s newborn triplets. In December I was at a party where three women were noticeably pregnant. Now I know three other women expecting babies in January. In fact the trio of infants, all boys, were born within three days of each other with the first two sharing the same birth date while the third arrived two days later.

I once read that big events such as natural disasters can spike pregnancies rates. For example if New York City had a power outage lasting several days, then hospitals can expect a minor baby boom nine months later. With no electricity for many of life’s basics like television and light, people have more idle time for sex.

So what was happening when these mothers became pregnant around the same time? Nine months back would be mid-April 2008 and no significant events come to mind. The 15th of that month is the deadline to file income tax statements but I doubt that these couples were celebrating the completion of their tax forms and possible refunds. I also stopped short of actually asking these women and their husbands any intrusive questions.

From the little information that I do know, I surmise that it was completely coincidental. One couple decided to adopt after news that having a baby naturally was highly unlikely. Ironically the wife got pregnant just as they adopted a newborn son. Now they have two boys, both under a year old, and the couple’s stamina and sanity are likely tested every day. The second couple used in vitro fertilization and, as far as I know, the third couple simply did what newlyweds normally do.

Should I expect more monthly experiences of babies-times-three? Or has it run its course after three months? And was it all a coincidence? Yikes, I just asked three questions. Maybe in three months I will attend three weddings and in three more months I will attend three funerals. As a finale three months after that I will attend a birth, a wedding and a funeral. Possible? Yes. Likely? No. But life is unpredictable and, come what may, I will take it in stride.

Angelo

PS: By default the photo of the week is my only photo taken this week. Additionally it did not fit with my topic above so it is addressed here instead. Deriving its name from the two intersecting streets next to it – Colorado & Fair Oaks, the Colfair building is part of the revitalization of Downtown Pasadena. Originally an office building, the first floor is now retail space while the other floors are a blend of business and residential. I have a business friend who once rented a third-story loft there. He told people that he lived above a barn as the Pottery Barn store was on the ground floor.

Photo of the Week (January 11, 2009)

Greetings from Orange, California, USA!
Photo taken on Saturday, January 10, 2009.

Into the first full week of 2009, the year is off to a slow but rough start. On Saturday evening a friend had her birthday celebration but I stopped by a store first. I have had my current cel phone for two years and was ready for a new one. Target had an incredibly low price on the latest version of my model. The offer had two caveats: 1) Today was the last day of the sale and 2) I needed to commit on another two-year contract with my service provider Verizon.

A new contract is a common requirement but became the unintentional deal breaker. As an existing customer, I just needed to update my Verizon account but the store’s cash register computer system was blocked from accessing it. I called the cel phone’s customer service and the representative went above and beyond in helping but ultimately was unable to resolve the problem. In contrast when I subsequently talked with the store manager, he was completely unhelpful and even said that Verizon was at fault for the problem. Over an hour later, I left empty-handed and very annoyed at Target.

I was now late to the birthday party and already missed the first part of the celebration, which was skating at a roller rink. I caught up with the party at Moreno’s, a Mexican restaurant, and arrived just as dinner was served. The food was great but I was still steaming from the cel phone debacle and told the story to anyone within earshot. This week’s photo shows the birthday girl (far right) with guests at the restaurant. I liked that their clothing, courtesy of the party’s 1970s theme, and the overhead sign “Bienvenidos Amigos” (Spanish for “Welcome Friends”) created a serendipitous crossover between American nostalgia and Mexican culture.

The birthday girl was celebrating #40, something that I have seen many men but few women do. I give her kudos for embracing her age. Meanwhile my own 40th will approach soon enough and the frequency of white hair sightings is starting to disturb me. I hope to have my father’s hair gene. My dad is nearing 70 and his black hair still outnumber the white. Contrastingly on my mother’s side, my uncles and several cousins are bald or balding. But I have digressed. Back to birthdays.

Coincidentally I was with birthday girl at her 30th too a decade ago (obviously). A group of us celebrated it with a weekend at Las Vegas. I could recap that but as the saying goes, “What happened in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” Though now divorced, she also got married and I attended that wedding. Something tells me that my chances are good, perhaps even great, in being at her next wedding as well as her 50th birthday. Just check back with me in ten years.

Angelo