Looking Back

I feel like I'm just undoing work that I've done before.

A few years ago, I had video files on my computer, which I burned onto DVD's so I could then delete those files, thus making more room on my computer.  Now, I'm ripping the files from those same DVD's and placing them on my computer, in order to place those files onto YouTube, thus removing the need for those DVD's.  (This is perfectly legal.  These are old home movies that include me and my family.  If there is any copyright, I or family members own it.)

So, while waiting for a disc to be ripped, I started thinking of all the different forms of audio and video technologies that I've lived through.  Now, I'm in my 40's, so some of you may remember more and some of you may have never heard of these, either.  (Whipper Snappers, get of my lawn!  Shakes cane)

Let me start with video.  Many of these home movies started as actual film.  I remember watching them on a 8mm movie projector.  For those who don't remember, it looked something like this:

I remember watching scenes from Star Wars on this thing.  No sound, so we made our own soundtrack.  It took forever to set up and if the lightbulb blew, you're screwed.  Sure you could by a new bulb, but really?

Then came the VCR.  I remember going to a store (Colortyme, if my memory serves) and renting a player and movies.  Then we bought our first VCR.It looked something like this:

Finally, we could record TV shows!  It only could record from 20 different channels, but you could program which channels to get by turning these extremely small wheels.  Once you had that set, then you could return to it just by hitting a button.  Later VCR's you could get all the channels and programming meant telling it what time to start recording.  In order to tell the old one to record, you hit "Record."  To stop, you hit "Stop."  Wow.  Such technology.

Of course, all this meant you had to buy the right type of machine.  There was Betamax and VHS.  For the longest time, there were both.  You had your fans of both and stores had to carry both.  Until, finally, sales of Beta fell.  VHS became the standard and it reigned the video throne for a long time.

Then came DVDs.  I was married by the time DVDs came out.  Now, your movies wouldn't look like crap after repeated viewings.  No more accidentally recording over your wedding video.  You could put bonus stuff on the disc, so you could watch behind the scenes of your favorite movies.  Perfect picture!  Perfect sound!  Until HDTVs came out.  Then that perfect picture wasn't so perfect.

So then we come to Blu-Ray.  Now, I still don't own a Blu-Ray player.  My son has one (actually he watched them on his Playstation 3), but I'm still in the DVD camp.  For a while, there were two different formats: Blu-Ray and HD-DVD.  But HD-DVD went the way of the dodo and the Betamax and Blu-Ray is now the standard.  Much better picture.  Better sound.

Now, however, the trend is to remove the physical medium.  The public is no longer going to buy film or tape or disc.  All content is going to be in the "cloud" and we download it to our computers to watch.  Quality can be anything from perfect to potato.  All in the name of ease of use (and corporate dollar).

We've come to where I began.  I'm taking my old home movies.  I had them transferred from film to VHS.  Then from VHS to DVD.  Now, I'm going from DVD to YouTube.

What's next?

Eggs & Bacon

Watching TV, I've recently seen this commercial.

It reminds me of this commercial.

One is supposed to teach me the importance of sunscreen. The other is supposed to teach me the dangers of drugs. The biggest lesson I've learned?

Someone needs to make a Public Service Announcement using toast and coffee.  I need something to go with my brain on drugs and skin in the sun.

Cola Commercial Idea

I have an idea for a Coke commercial. (If you're from Coca-Cola, and want to use my idea, get in touch.)  Actually, it's for a series of commercials.  This idea would be great for use during a certain champion football game held in early February, where they could do a series of commercials.

In the first clip, you'd have a couple of guys, one of which is a scientist.  The scientist has invented a time machine.  The only problem is that he doesn't know how to power the machine.  He's showing the thing to his friends, one of which spills his Coke all over the control panel of the time machine.  The machine powers up and disappears.  To be continued...

In the second clip, the time machine appears in the middle of a field.  The guys get out and walk over a hill.  They end up in another Coke commercial.

The advertisers could put the guys into this older Coke commercial using CGI or whatever the latest technology is at that time.  The guys walk around the group, singing, hitting on the girls, etc.  Then they walk back to the time machine.  To be continued...

Third clip.  The time machine appears inside a football stadium, in a hallway.  The guys get out and turn a corner and see...

All the while the guys get Mean Joe's autograph, and just act like fans of the football legend.  Then back to the time machine.  To be continued...

Next clip.  The machine appears in a futuristic post-apocalyptic wasteland.  The guys get out, warily, and find an old TV monitor.  It pops on and...

I'm sure you get the idea.  To be continued...

One last clip.  The machine appears on an arctic glacier.  The guys get out and see...

The guys, initially scared of the bears, become friends with them when a bear holds out a Coke bottle to them.

OK, ok.  I lied.  One more clip.  You gotta get them home.  Connecting the Max Headroom box to the time machine, they get home.  Maybe with a stowaway (such as a bear).  The End.

I've had this idea for a number of years.  When I first had it, it would have been impossible to do.  Over the years, CGI has gotten good enough that it would be possible and look good.

So, Coca-Cola Company and whoever does their ads.  Call me.

One Lord, One Church

The Church has divided itself.  You have Catholics, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Baptists, Wesleyans.  There are many different reasons for a church to split, some serious, some stupid.  I know of a church that split into two because one half didn't like the color of the carpet when the chapel was renovated.  Stupid.

Many churches split because their teachings are different.  I grew up in a church that taught against alcohol and smoking.  They didn't teach communion or baptism.  The church I attend now is also against alcohol and smoking, but they practice communion (with grape juice) and baptism.  I know that Catholics practice communion with wine.  I know of churches that it's OK for members to smoke.

You have Christians today who argue with other Christians about these teachings.  Some believe that they are right and those others are wrong, not saved and going to Hell.  "The Bible says this," a group will shout and proceed to bash the others over the head, proclaiming how wrong they are.  Some denominations have even gone so far as to call other denominations as the "Antichrist."

So, who's right?

An outsider will look at us Christians and see us fighting among ourselves and be completely confused.  We are supposed to represent Christ to the world and lead the way to the truth, but what is the truth?  If the Church can't seem to follow one truth, then what is the truth?

Who is right?

Saint Augustine of Hippo once wrote:

"In essentials, Unity; in non-essentials, Liberty; in all things, Charity."

In other words, the Church needs to be unified in those teachings that are essential and in those non-essentials, we are free to believe what we will.  But in all things, we need to do in love (which is what charity means.)

So, what are the essentials?

The jailer in Phillipi asked that very question of Paul.

Acts 16:29-31

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.  He then brought them out and asked, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household."   

That's it.  That's all that is essential to salvation:  believe in the Lord Jesus.  Paul and Solas didn't say that the man had to follow a set of rules and regulations, or wear a certain type of clothing, or any other non-essential thing. As long as a church teaches the fact that to be saved one must simply believe in Jesus, they are a true church and are following God's command to them.

There can be good reasons for a church to split.  I presently attend a church that has a fairly traditional service.  We have an orchestra and choir.  The music is pretty contemporary, but we do sing the old hymns regularly.  I'm comfortable there.

But what if someone doesn't like orchestra music, but likes rap instead?  Not far away is a church that caters to those people who like rap.  Hard rock?  There's another church for them.  I've attended churches that offer Caribbean style music and worship.

The way we worship is a non-essential.  We have freedom to worship as we see fit and are comfortable.  Just because I prefer to worship with slower, older hymns doesn't make me any more (or less) saved than someone who prefers to worship with an electric guitar and drum set.

The Church (big C) needs to stop fighting between the churches (little c) and become unified in the command given us by Christ himself:

"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."

Mental Movie Game

When I'm doing something that doesn't require me to think (such as mowing the lawn), I sometimes play a mental game.  It's kind of based on the old Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon idea.  I take two movies (the more different, the better) and try to link them by their actors.  For example:

Weird Science to Being John Malkovich

In Weird Science, Anthony Michael Hall played Gary.  He also played Rusty in National Lampoon's Vacation.  In the sequel, National Lampoon's European Vacation, the man in the bathroom was played by Robbie Coltrane, who also played Hagrid in the Harry Potter films.  Which also starred Alan Rickman as Severus Snape.  Rickman played Hans Gruber in Die Hard, which also starred Bruce Willis as John McClane.  Willis played Frank Moses in Red, which also starred John Malkovich, who starred in Being John Malkovich.

Simple, right?

Notice that I usually take movie series as a single entity.  That's just to make things easier.  Usually, the same actors play the same roles in each film of a series, so it just makes sense.  With this game, you can make your own rules.  Can you count Wilson from Castaway in the beach volleyball scene from Top Gun?  That's your choice!  You can count the directors of the films if you wish.  The Key Grip?  The Gaffer?  The possibilities are endless.

Also, many times there is more than one path to take.  In the above example:

Anthony Michael Hall (Gary in Weird Science) also played Farmer Ted the Geek in Sixteen Candles.  His friend, Bryce, was played by John Cusack, who was Craig Schwartz in Being John Malkovich.

I've yet to find two movies that I couldn't somehow link.  (Now that I've said that...)  Have fun.

Weenies of WDW (Part 1): Cinderella's Castle

When Walt Disney was designing Disneyland, he wanted to find something that would pull the crowds to the different sections of the park. Something that would get peoples attention and bring them into Adventureland, into Fantasyland, into Tomorrowland.

Walt called these people magnets "weenies."  He called them that because when he'd get home late at night, everyone would be asleep. He wanted someone to greet him, so he'd go to the refrigerator and pull out a hot dog, or weenie. The dog would hear and come running for the treat.

So Walt wanted something in his parks that would attract the people, just as the weenie attracted the dog.

Each land has its own weenie.  Tomorrowland has Space Mountain.  Frontierland has Splash Mountain.  Fantasyland's weenie became the main weenie for the entire park: Sleeping Beauty's Castle.

After Walt's death in 1966, it was decided to build another Disneyland in Florida, which became the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World.  They kept the same basic arrangement as the park in California, with a few changes.  One big change was the main weenie: they designed an entirely new castle, naming it Cinderella's Castle.

I've started a series of paintings of these main park weenies.  Now, I'm no professional artist.  I don't consider myself great (or even good).  I'm just doing this because it relaxes me.  So, here's the first in a (hopefully) series of (at least) 4: Cinderella's Castle.

Someone's in the doorway.  Who could be home?

Cinderella's Castle was completed in July of 1971.  It is 189 feet (57.6 meters) high.  It appears to be made of stone and brick.  However, there is not one stone in use.  It is entirely concrete, steel, fiberglass and plastic.

Inside, there is a shop where children can get their hair and makeup done to look like a princess called Bibbity Bobbity Boutique.  On the upper levels of the castle, there is a restaurant (Cinderella's Royal Table) and a suite.  Originally, the suite was designed for Walt and his family when visiting the park.  After Walt died, the suite was unfinished.  In 2005, the suite was finished and given as a prize to guests during Disney's Year of a Million Dreams promotion.

The castle has undergone a few changes over the years (including being turned into a big, pink birthday cake) but I prefer to view it as it is currently: Off-white, blue, grey; like a classic castle.

Coming soon: Weenie of EPCOT: Spaceship Earth!

Information on Cinderella's Castle taken from Wikipedia

Frozen Heart (Part 2): Conceal, Don't Feel

I'm sorry I cut the last post so abruptly.  There wasn't a really good stopping point.

Spoiler Alert: If you read any further, you may encounter spoilers to the plot of the movie "Frozen."  You have been warned!

As I stated in the last post, I heard the soundtrack before I saw the movie.  I had this idea of a connection to depression in my head while sitting in the theater.  What I saw did nothing to push the idea away.  In fact, it grew stronger.  Anyway, since the idea started with the music, I'm going to focus on the music here.

Do You Want To Build A Snowman?

In the film, Anna originally knew about Elsa's power, but after she got hurt by it, she was made to forget about the power.  But she still remembered having fun with her sister.  She can not understand why Elsa has shut herself away from her and everyone else.

In the same way, someone with depression often shuts themselves off from the world and those they love.  Often, they don't even realize they are doing it.  The healthy person keeps trying to have a relationship with the depressed person, but keeps getting the door shut in their face.

Also, we hear the first use of the phrase "Conceal it, Don't feel it, don't let it show."  This is quite close to things that depressed people hear quite often.  "If you just smile, you'll eventually feel happier.  Fake it until you make it.  Don't worry, be happy."  I've also heard "No one wants to be around someone who frowns all the time, so if you smile, you'll have more friends and be happier."  As if I had a choice.

The gloves that Elsa wears help her to hide her power.  In the same way, depressed people have a few things to help them to mask their symptoms.  Anti-depression drugs mask the feelings one has and makes it hard to tell what you are actually feeling.  Am I happy, sad, mad?  Don't know.  I felt like a zombie the entire time I was on the drugs.

For The First Time In Forever

Having been shut in the castle for a long period of time, Anna and Elsa have two opposite reactions on coronation day.  Anna is extremely excited and runs out to meet the people, while Elsa is nervous and keeps to herself.  Even when they are using the same words, they have differing meanings.  When they sing "It's only for today.  It's agony to wait." Anna means it's agony to stay inside, so she runs outside.  Elsa, on the other hand, means that she's in agony in going out.  She wants to do it, so she can get it over with.  Then she can once again lock herself away where her secret will stay safe.

This song continues the theme of the depressed person wanting to lock themselves out of the public eye, away from others.  They feel if they keep to themselves, they can't be hurt, or at least hurt worse than they already are.

Let It Go

Here's the song you were waiting for.  Everyone knows it, so I don't really have to go into it much.  Elsa's secret powers are known by the entire village, so she runs away, where she can live without having to keep that power in check.

This scene actually caused problems with my theory.  My first thought was that the song is in the wrong place.  It seems as if Elsa is singing about not having to worry about her problems any longer, as if the depressed person has gotten better.  In this case, shouldn't the song go at the end?

Then, I realized that Elsa is still isolating herself.  Nothing has really changed.  When I isolated myself, I felt as if nothing was wrong.  In my mind, life was going fine.  But, just as Elsa didn't know that her powers were freezing Arendale, I didn't know that I was hurting my family.

In Summer

How in the world am I going to connect this song with depression?  I'm not.  I just love this song.

To be continued...