For Reals?

I guess that means I got the job.

From here on out, everything changes.

Generic Question

With regards to music, what do you think of when someone mentions "genre"? What "genres" first come to mind when you think of music in this way? Can music be "genre-less"?

Favorite genres? Least favorite? Given the crumbling state of the music industry, does the word even have meaning anymore, or is it merely a marketing tool?

Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care?

A Clarification

Before anyone else tries to tell me what they think of the recently released Watchmen movie (or any other film that was made from the story of a comic), I would like to say something first:

You do realize that Comic Books are not Films, and Films are not Comic Books, right?

Once that's been cleared up, we can move forward. But I don't want to hear anymore judgments on one using the criteria of the other, and vice versa.

Capiche?

The Fellowship of the Dice

Yesterday I finally watched The Fellowship of the Dice, a sort of mockumentary about a group of people who play RPGs, and their experiences with a new player who knows nothing about RPGs, a 20-something girl who has nothing in common with the group. Intermixed they showed interviews with gamers at a Con, who all share their insights on the various aspects of gaming, from gaming food, to in-depth explorations of why people get kicked out or banished from a campaign.

First, a couple of disclaimers: growing up I played a lot of roleplaying games. Mostly superhero-based games, with a healthy amount of D&D too. There was a Vampire phase for a while, I went to a couple of LARPS (didn't like them much), and did several SCA events. As I got older, I met some people that liked to roleplay AND listen to cool music, drink beer, and (here's the kicker), knew some girls that liked to play, too. However, I eventually stopped making time for it several years ago, despite the fact that I had a good time playing and liked the people I played with. I guess it was a sort of midlife crisis or something, but I started to substitute RPGs with going to shows and trying to meet girls.

Second disclaimer: I met two of the cast members and another person involved with the movie a while back at KPSU, when they came through to do an interview on-air to promote a local gaming event that they were showing the movie at. They even took me and Ranger Mike out for Thai food, and they expensed the entire meal. (Thanks again!) They were all really nice, really friendly, and while Aimee Graham wasn't exactly able to role with my RPG jokes (Jon Collins knew everything I was talking about), they were really friendly for soulless Hollywood types.

Now, here's the bummer: while the interviews at the Con are note-perfect (and well worth seeing, as I think I might have met every one of them in my years throwing dice), the mockumentary portions of the movie are sort of painful. At first I wasn't exactly sure how to articulate it, but I think I've been able to percolate on it long enough to attempt to put my finger squarely on the issue: the reality of the life of a gamer is 100% more interesting than anything you could make up.

Not that they didn't come close. The dynamic of a gaming group is a really strange thing, and I am convinced that all of the actors (minus Aimee Graham) were probably pretty familiar with RPGs and the people that play them. However, they are all ultimately actors, and even the guy who is extremely dense and is supposed to have facial tics comes off as handsome & funny rather than nerdy and uncomfortable. The quiet, shy girl who chews on her pen for the entire movie (and who pulls a Silent Bob near the end of the film) was almost spot on, if it weren't for the Hollywood Hot makeup job she was given. (She was one scene away from taking off her glasses, shaking her hair out of the librarian bun, and posing like Farrah for her glossy 8 1/2" x 11".)

There are at least two points in the film were Aimee Graham's character stays to finish the gaming session beyond the point of reason, and if we ignore the fact that she just up and agrees to follow a nerdy disquieting stranger (who has been hitting on her) to meet his gaming group (without any protests or questions of any kind), the film borders on fantasy in more ways than one.

It begs the question: why not just film an actual group of gamers actually gaming? Obviously there is a certain Christopher Guest homage that you wouldn't be able to obtain without having a few people in on the joke, and certainly some gamers might not be able to "stay in character" with a slew of cameras filming every dice-role and rules-argument. Still, I feel that a larger injustice has been made against gamers: we aren't all like this. Some, mostly definitely, yes. Some, I'm sure, are even more extreme. But many are people who love gaming also love their friends, and love to get together and play.

I would be ignoring the ugly truth by saying that arguments don't break out during a game, and some of the observations were not that far off. (Before it happened in the film, I kept wondering when they were gonna order pizza, or show a passive / agressive DM "suggestion"; the player shouting out, "Shouldn't we roll inish?" during a conversation was a little too close to home for me, too.) But ultimately, I felt like most of what we saw on screen were the negative aspects of gaming. Much of the plot revolved around personality clashes, arguments, and misunderstandings, while the stuff that kept the group together - the friendship - is only hinted at near the end and mentioned in monologues.

Media doesn't seem to know, exactly, how to portray RPGs, and when it does it is always shown comically, in a negative light. (Freaks And Geeks has a wonderful roleplaying episode, but still couches the entire game in terms of it appealing to only "geeks" and, on rare occasions, a freak.) In many ways, its easy to see why TV and movies show it the same way every time: gamers are weird, gamers are quirky, and everything about gaming seems comical on the surface, from the vocabulary and diet of gamers, to the very premise of gaming itself. ("Okay, you use paper, pencils and dice to recreate a fantasy world where the group, together, makes up the story through taking on personas and characters... wait, where are you going?")

I would like to see some positive images of gamers in media. Obviously, there is room for ridicule in every subculture, and I can't suggest that we ignore the funny, embarassing, or even uncomfortable realities entirely. But occasionally, I'd like to see a realistic portrayal of a gamer as a functioning member of our culture, who has a lot of the same dreams, goals, and desires as everyone else, who has a job and a girlfriend and a life outside of gaming, AND... on top of all of that... also happens to wield a pretty wicked battle axe when you get down to it.

Until then, I'll keep dreaming.

Circus Minimus!

Check out today's spine-tingling radio show, ready in popular "monophonic .mp3 download" format:

Episode 010: "Live From The Circus Minimus" w/ Isosceles Diego
(One of the long-lost radio personalities, back from his airport planespotting adventure.)

Playlist & Footnotes

As many of you probably know, this man has the coolest taste in music, is the most attractive man in the Portland area, and my oldest and dearest friend in the whole wide world. I wouldn't be half the man I am without him. (The good half, that is.) We busted out an hour's worth of tunes that you won't soon forget, so download it now and be the first on your block to experience

CIRCUS MINIMUS!

Or something.

See ya in seven.

Against The Law, I'm Sure

I seem to recall a bill that was passed some years back that stated that there would be more hot people on TV, for the general well being of humankind. While it was delayed for some time due to W's stint in office, and then the writer's strike, and then the economic downturn, I distinctly remember that things had finally been settled once the election had been settled, and that we would be slated to see the results, "No later than the end of the 2008 - 2009 broadcast season."

So, where have all the hot people gone? I have been completely unable to find any hot people on TV, and not a single current celebrity has managed to do anything for me since the Secretly Hot Girl from Freaks & Geeks. (Busy Philipps, pictured above, though I was horrified to discover that she is decidedly not hot in just about every other role she's played.)

Take, for example, Lost. A huge ensemble cast, and every one of them is Hollywood Hot instead of using that large cast to explore the vast expanse of humanity that comes in various shapes and sizes. They were getting a little closer with the introduction of Charlotte (intelligent female Indiana Jones type with an accent and red hair), but in many other ways she was just more of the same old, same old when you get right down to it. (It didn't take long to bore me with the uncomfortable budding romance between her and Daniel, or her unnecessarily conspiratorial attitude.) While the smart thing goes a long way, I could see her dumping you the moment there's another Dharma Polar Bear skeleton to dig up.

I would like to re-initiate the campaign to improve the hotness of the performers on TV. I know that my roommate is on board, and there can't be that many people out there would would disagree. (In fact, I dare anyone to find a person who would admit, "I'd much prefer to have painfully ugly people on TV.") Sure, TV's free. And yes, one man's hottie can sink another man's boner. But there were, last I counted, about 200 channels, each with 24 hours of daily programming, and most of those shows have more than two actors each.

Do the math; there is room to improve the overall hotness ratio. Write to your congressman today! Do you want to go one more week hoping that the plot of some crappy show will passably keep you entertained for the next hour, when you know that's not gonna happen? Wouldn't it be easier if at least one of those people fumbling their way through their lines was at least pretty?

To See, Or Not To See?

That is the question?

Zabriskie Point

Uhm... wow.

Recipe Request

I am all left feet and thumbs when it comes to the kitchen, and anyone who has seen me try to prepare food can vouch for how scary it is to see me go. This doesn't seem to extend only to cooking; on at least two occasions I have managed to get unusual sounds and smells (and water) to come pouring out of my dishwasher by merely putting soap into it and turning it on. I noticed that food tends to go bad just by opening the fridge, and somehow I manage to get more grounds and water outside than into the coffeemaker.

While there's little I can do about the kitchen (as a whole) rejecting my efforts, I can at least start to atone for this by learning a few recipes well enough so people will stop laughing at me when I reach for pots and pans. I seem to have gotten the hang of cornbread in a box (my roommate helped me reduce the number of ingredients and cooking instructions), and I've found that I'm not entirely terrible at baking a potato. (Provided someone else is around in the house to make sure I don't burn anything down.)

These are both tremendously useful things to know how to cook, but also somewhat limiting when considering the possibilities that cooking has to offer.

My question becomes: what are some good beginner recipes that help ease a person into the kitchen? I finally live in a house, with an actual kitchen (instead of an apartment kitchenette with barely enough room for one person), and I would like to finally get around to using it. I know (in the past) people have suggested looking at the Inter-Web-A-Tron for that kind of stuff, but I find that a little daunting when it comes to this kind of research. When you can find anything and everything at the click of a mouse, I've found that you often don't. Plus: call me old-fashioned, but it means more when people you know make the recommendation.

So... food me. Please?

New Zealand?

I got this e-mail while I was doing my show yesterday. How cool is that?

* * * * * *

From: Dr Hitchcock
Date: Sat, Feb. 28th, 2009 at 1:43 PM
Subject: Lovin' your show man!

Greetings from Christchurch, New Zealand!

I'm diggin' your tunes!

Peace,

Dr H

--
Dr Hitchcock
Starlifter.TV

Internet: http://starlifter.tv