Sunday, August 23, 2009
Pictures: New York
Some highlights from a recent trip to New York. Click on the thumbnail for larger size and the rest of the album.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Between the Bridge and the River
A while ago I mentioned that I had begun reading Craig Ferguson's "Between the Bridge and the River." Less than a month after picking it up, I put it down. But picked it up again a few days ago and finished off the second half. Here's my review: (which can be found in my Google Books library (a cool service that I only realized existed yesterday))
The first book by the host of CBS' "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" can only be described as something along the lines of a humorously crude, yet somewhat overly spiritual acid trip.
A cross between a romance, a comedy and a bible, the overall and lasting meaning of "Between the Bridge and the River" is repeated continually throughout the storyline in the form of a simple, yet blatantly true phrase; "Help Others."
With knowledge of Craig Ferguson's past as a near suicidal alcoholic, the reader can clearly see into what was going through his mind at the peak of his alcoholic life.
The novel, while being a great source of spiritual morals, may be a bit over-the-top with religious spirit.
Clearly written from Ferguson's past, "Between the Bridge and the River" is a good, albeit awkwardly played out novel, and is certainly not for the anti-religious or the weak hearted.
Read through to find out what we can all agree upon to be the true spiritual moral that resides somewhere between the bridge and the river.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
More of my Favourite Photos
A few more of my favourite photos that I've recently taken and uploaded to my online albums. In no specific order:
Click on the image to expand it and to view the rest of the album.
Click on the image to expand it and to view the rest of the album.
White Sands
The Gulf coast as seen from Bonita Springs, Florida at sunset. This was taken during a trip this March.
Sleeping Dog
Chilly December Street
Down in the Kensington Market area
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Story Excerpt: The Light at the End of the Tunnel
The following is an excerpt from a story I'm writing. It's not really possible to give background into this without ruining the parts before and after it, so all I can say is that it's a kind of 'flashback' scene, much different from the rest of the story. Enjoy!
Note the style of writing in this excerpt is different from my usual style; and no, the whole story is not written in this style.
--
He was running. From who; he didn't know. But what he did know was that he was running. From someone. Fast.
He tried to slow down and take stock of the situation. But he couldn't. In fact, he was picking up speed. He knew he didn't like this. He knew something was wrong. But he didn't know what.
He tripped and fell forward. And kept falling. He didn't like where this was going.
He thought he was dreaming. He wasn't.
He thought he was dead. He wasn't.
Then he decided that he was drunk. Really, really drunk. In fact, he wished he was drunk. That would mean this was not real. Probably.
Still falling, he looked down. Or at least where he thought was down.
Engulfed by the darkness around him, he thought he could see some kind of light ahead of him. He knew it was a light. And once again, he thought he was dead. He asked himself what he was doing when he began to run. Where he was, and who else was with him. He couldn't for the life of him remember. He closed his eyes and wished it all away. Wished he was dreaming.
He opened them again. Swore aloud at himself and then realized that he had stopped falling, and was somehow running again. Still that light in front of him. Getting brighter. And louder. He wondered how it could be getting louder. Then it hit him. Or, at least, it was about to. A train, he realized, perhaps a bit too late. It was heading right for him. He was heading right for it, still running, and still unable to stop. He was going to get hit. Bracing for impact, he thought it was all over.
Note the style of writing in this excerpt is different from my usual style; and no, the whole story is not written in this style.
--
He was running. From who; he didn't know. But what he did know was that he was running. From someone. Fast.
He tried to slow down and take stock of the situation. But he couldn't. In fact, he was picking up speed. He knew he didn't like this. He knew something was wrong. But he didn't know what.
He tripped and fell forward. And kept falling. He didn't like where this was going.
He thought he was dreaming. He wasn't.
He thought he was dead. He wasn't.
Then he decided that he was drunk. Really, really drunk. In fact, he wished he was drunk. That would mean this was not real. Probably.
Still falling, he looked down. Or at least where he thought was down.
Engulfed by the darkness around him, he thought he could see some kind of light ahead of him. He knew it was a light. And once again, he thought he was dead. He asked himself what he was doing when he began to run. Where he was, and who else was with him. He couldn't for the life of him remember. He closed his eyes and wished it all away. Wished he was dreaming.
He opened them again. Swore aloud at himself and then realized that he had stopped falling, and was somehow running again. Still that light in front of him. Getting brighter. And louder. He wondered how it could be getting louder. Then it hit him. Or, at least, it was about to. A train, he realized, perhaps a bit too late. It was heading right for him. He was heading right for it, still running, and still unable to stop. He was going to get hit. Bracing for impact, he thought it was all over.
Monday, June 22, 2009
"Fire Escape"
After a fire drill at my school a few months back, a friend came up with this situation; I turned it into what could be a commercial for something. (For example: something the kids are all running to get to. It will make more sense after you read it.) Once again, in script format.
FADE IN:
INT: A classroom in a high school. Kids are sitting doing work quietly. They look bored.
All of a sudden the FIRE ALARM goes off, and the students jolt up in an alert position.
TEACHER
Okay kids, fire drill.
The kids slowly file out of the class, taking their jackets and bags with them.
INT: The first floor hallway. A long open hall with a door at the end we can see. There is another door about halfway between where we are and the end door. The hall begins to fill with more students who walk relaxed and care-free toward the nearest exit. We still hear the FIRE ALARM, and now hear students TALKING.
We cut to a close up on the kids walking into the stairwell that also leads outside. One kid looks behind him cautiously to make sure no teachers can see him. He then bolts down toward the door at the end of the hallway. Two others follow.
INT: The stairwell. We cut to see a river of kids flowing through the stairwell hallway, more coming from upstairs.
EXT: The front of the school. We cut again to the students walking out of the school. We pan across following a group of students who walk down to the curb and onto the road. While we pan across with the group, two students bolt across the grass and down the hill at the end of the school yard. The same direction as the other kids that escaped inside the school ran.
More students follow the two that ran as we move upward, revealing what has now evolved into a sea of students as the last few make their way out of the school.
CROSS FADE:
INT: Back in the classroom. We are facing the teacher who looks side to side. A depressed angry look appears on her face as we cut to her view, revealing an empty class.
TEACHER:
(Annoyed moan)
At this point we can cut to the kids that escaped enjoying some product somewhere, if this is to be in commercial format. If it is just a short film, it ends here.
FADE OUT:
INT: A classroom in a high school. Kids are sitting doing work quietly. They look bored.
All of a sudden the FIRE ALARM goes off, and the students jolt up in an alert position.
TEACHER
Okay kids, fire drill.
The kids slowly file out of the class, taking their jackets and bags with them.
INT: The first floor hallway. A long open hall with a door at the end we can see. There is another door about halfway between where we are and the end door. The hall begins to fill with more students who walk relaxed and care-free toward the nearest exit. We still hear the FIRE ALARM, and now hear students TALKING.
We cut to a close up on the kids walking into the stairwell that also leads outside. One kid looks behind him cautiously to make sure no teachers can see him. He then bolts down toward the door at the end of the hallway. Two others follow.
INT: The stairwell. We cut to see a river of kids flowing through the stairwell hallway, more coming from upstairs.
EXT: The front of the school. We cut again to the students walking out of the school. We pan across following a group of students who walk down to the curb and onto the road. While we pan across with the group, two students bolt across the grass and down the hill at the end of the school yard. The same direction as the other kids that escaped inside the school ran.
More students follow the two that ran as we move upward, revealing what has now evolved into a sea of students as the last few make their way out of the school.
CROSS FADE:
INT: Back in the classroom. We are facing the teacher who looks side to side. A depressed angry look appears on her face as we cut to her view, revealing an empty class.
TEACHER:
At this point we can cut to the kids that escaped enjoying some product somewhere, if this is to be in commercial format. If it is just a short film, it ends here.
FADE OUT:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
