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November 28, 2004
Post Holiday Thoughts
First of all, now that I’ve read up a bit more on the wholesale changes Universal has made to their 2005 release schedule, in addition to comments from friends, I now withdraw my reservations about Serenity’s move from April to September.
Those who know me well know one of the things I despise most in life is raking the leaves every fall. This year, my annual bribery of Robbie failed so Deb and I have been stuck with the task. Yesterday, Deb, Robbie and I were out there for about four and a half hours finishing the task. It was an unusually mild day, perfect for finishing the yard work. Some 20 bags later, the front was done. Robbie used the leaf blower to herd the backyard collection into a huge pile and we then tarped it down until spring when we’ll properly dispose of them. Of course, this morning I woke up the sounds of 35 mph winds and headed out to stake the tarps into place otherwise all our work would have been wasted. At least we can consider the fall clean up complete and life can continue.
Kate’s been here and the visit has been a good one. She visited with friends, ate plenty of home cooking, got some sleep, bought the winter coat she needed, etc. Her pal Rachel also seemed to enjoy being somewhere other than the dorm. We made sure her interests at meal time were given due consideration and all was well. Rachel took an earlier train home and Kate left at 4. Having her around felt good and we fell in to old and familiar patterns. And yet…Deb and I have been surprised by how much we’ve gotten used to a touch of the empty nest syndrome. This is not to suggest we don’t want to have Katie around because trust me; I’ll be missing her all over again soon enough. Just interesting to note how used to routine we become.
And since the remaining trio is caught up on our usual prime time fare, tonight we eagerly look forward to digging into Lost and expect to catch up on the first 3-4 episodes.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 02:50 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 26, 2004
Tradition!
We steep ourselves in tradition and barely notice it for the most part. Until the holidays and then we’re invoking tradition as the excuse for doing things, usually with a happy tone in our voices.
At DC, our longest standing tradition is celebrating Thanksgiving en masse. It started when we were a very small group, housed on barely half a floor at 666 5th Avenue. Everyone brought something, Jenette Kahn supplied the turkey and Paul Levitz saw to it we had make-your-own-sundaes for dessert. Then we grew and grew until finally our celebration took over the 8th floor of the Time-Life Building. Since so many people brought desserts, I saw to it we had side dishes and could be counted on for a sweet potato casserole (you know the one, with the marshmallows on top). That was my traditional contribution while Mike Carlin could be counted on for Pop Tarts and Archie Goodwin brought the sacks of White Castle (and after Archie passed away, the tradition was carried on by Mike McAvennie). It got to the point where we had tons of leftovers so my kids knew to expect at least Pop Tarts for breakfast Thanksgiving morning as they watched the parade on TV.
Ever since DC moved to 1700 Broadway, we’ve opened the doors fro staff, family and friends to crowd along the Broadway side to watch the parade. If you’re not going to watch it in your PJs at home, this is the best way to do it. The offices are warm, the bathrooms are clean and people bring goodies with lots of visiting going on. The parade passes us starting around 9:30 and between 11 and 11:30 it usually ends. We skipped it the last few years but Robbie really wanted to see it so we renewed the tradition and trooped in. Joining us for the viewing was Marco Palmieri, my former DC colleague and my current Star Trek editor along with his son, 7-year-old Jeremy. And Marco, kind soul that he is, brought a delicious apple pie to share, which we added to the breads, muffins and fruit we brought.
When Kate started talking about coming home for Thanksgiving, she insisted she would be home in time to make the pumpkin pie. This was her job and something she relished doing. And it was carried affectionately from Connecticut to Long Island where we happily were part of a happy—and relatively new tradition—Thanksgiving with Bob and Laurie Rozakis. They seem to like taking in strays. In addition to Bob’s two brothers and families, there’s his Mom, his step-Mom and then assorted others. This year, we had Chuck Rozakis’ long-time pal Dave (back after missing two years) and Kate brought Rachel, a dancing colleague from GWU who couldn’t make it back to Illinois. There were 19 of us since Dave’ sister Mai canceled out but swelled to 20 when Sammi Rozakis’ pal Carl turned up for dessert. And since her boy friend Jason couldn’t make it, he sent an ice cream cake.
(I should also note that in keeping with long-standing radio tradition, the minute the parade ends we hop in the car to head south, playing Arlo Guthrie's Alice's Restaurant either on CD or listening to one of several stations playing it exactly at 12, following the praade's conclusion. Said conclusion is also the signal in our house that the Christmas season is officially underway and holiday music may now be played.)
Part of the tradition includes Laurie making enough food for the 19 of us – presuming we were all staying for a week. This meant that despite bringing the pumpkin pie, veggies and a Moroccan bean dip, we wound up bringing home more than we started with. And to cap it off, knowing our drive home would be long (adding nearly 50% to the travel time), Laurie’s last tradition is seeing to it Robbie has a turnkey sandwich for the road.
There’s a lot to be said for these traditions, the repetition binding us together and creating memories. The traditions of the Uptons and the Greenbergers have melded into our family’s core values and traditions, which we see have already been imprinted on Kate and Robbie. It’s going to be interesting to see which routines are carried with them when they start their own families.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 12:30 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 23, 2004
Backseat Scheduling
Universal decided to shift Serenity from April to September 2005. For my thinking on the decision, jump to the cut.
The buzz this morning is all about the news that Serenity, the movie version of Firefly is bumped from April to September 2005. Over at Ain’t it Cool News, they report:
Here’s what "Serenity" writer-director Joss Whedon posted onto the Whedonesque website scant hours ago:
Are you guys starting to hear that fanfare? Those distant drums? Are you slapping on your side-arms, pulling on your long brownish-colored coats and thumbing your crisp new bills in anticipation of the cinematic event of the year? Well, it's official: on April 22nd you, the true the blue the loyal, can step right up with the rest of America and WAIT FIVE MORE MONTHS.
Heh. See, sometimes studios shuffle around release dates...
Okay. Don't panic. Right now you're panicking. You’re thinking, "how could they do this to me?" But what you SHOULD be thinking is: "How could they do this to JOSS?". Seriously. That pity is mine and I want it back.
So what happened? Well, nothing terribly original. April got crowded with a lot of titles aimed at a similar demographic, and the studio decided September was a clearer corridor for the film to make the kind of impact it should. This isn't about a lack of confidence in the film -- in fact, they told me this before they even saw it. And now they have seen it, and unless they're way better liars than I'm used to, they dug it. Actually, they dug it pretty large, which is a good sign since there's not a single finished effect in the film. There's no reworking the end, no reshoots, no "does it have to be in space?". It's just a marketing issue. Now you'll get to watch lots of trailers in the summer. And hopefully, by the time it comes out, other people, people who ain't us, will get a whiff of what we're up to, and come along too.
I love this movie. I HATE waiting to show it too you. I felt pretty much the way I imagine you're feeling right now when they told me. But these guys know what they're doing, and they're trying to protect their investment, not bury it. So I gotta be a grown-up. The release date is September 30th. Hopefully it won't change again.
Spread the word. Keep the faith. And gleam the damn cube already.
-j.
The news got me to thinking so I skipped over to the usually reliable countingdown.com to check the reality of Universal’s opinion. Here’s a look at the movies currently scheduled for April, keeping in mind Serenity was set for April 29.
April 1, 2005
The Weather Man
Sin City
Beauty Shop
Look At Me
April 8, 2005
Unleashed
In Her Shoes
April 15, 2005
Layer Cake
The Amityville Horror
April 22, 2005
Walking the Line
What's it about? Biopic of the singer Johnny Cash.
April 29, 2005
xXx 2: State of the Union
What's it about? A new xXx Agent joins the NSA to take on a case in Washington DC.
House of Wax
What's it about? Car troubles sidelines a group of teens in the quiet town of Athelston, Iowa. Directed to the only business that can offer assistance -- a creepy gas station owned by a suave bad boy named Bo -- the stranded kids are lured deeper and deeper into Bo's web.
Crash
What's it about? A compelling urban drama- tracks the volatile intersections of a multi ethnic cast, examining fear and bigotry from multiple perspectives as characters careen in and out of one another's lives. No one is safe in the battle zones of racial strife. And no one is immune to the simmering rage that sparks violence and changes lives.
So, we have a bunch aimed at people on spring break, action from the new XXX and the gorgeous looking Sin City, a horror remake, some comedies and a biopic. I don’t quite see the problem Universal does.
Now, let’s skip ahead to see how the September competition stacks up:
September 1, 2005
The Woods
What's it about? A psychological horror story that begins when a neglected teenager named Heather (Agnes Bruckner) is dropped off by her parents at a remote all-girls boarding school deep in the forest. Watched over by sinister head-mistress Ms. Traverse (Patricia Clarkson) and her staff, Heather is tormented by her classmates and is desperate to go home. But when students start disappearing and she begins to have horrifying visions, Heather realizes things at the school are not what they seem. She only knows there's something out there in the woods - and it won't be letting her leave any time soon.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose
What's it about? An attorney defends a Catholic priest who has been charged with the negligent homicide of a 19 year old girl whose exorcism he presided over.
September 8, 2005
Nothing on the schedule…yet.
September 15, 2005
Alien Love Triangle
What's it about? A story told in several parts about 3 aliens (Kenneth Branagh , Heather Graham , Courteney Cox) who come to earth to learn about the strangest human emotion of all: love.
A Scanner Darkly
What's it about? Set in the future, A Scanner Darkly follows an undercover agent, Bob Arctor (Keanu Reeves), who can change his face and identity. But when he ingests too much of the drug Substance D, his personality splits in two.
September 22, 2005
The Legend of Zorro
What's it about? The legendary masked hero returns in this sequel to the hit movie "The Mask of Zorro".
September 29, 2005
Serenity
Oliver Twist
What's it about? Retelling of the classic Dickens novel about a young orphan who flees the workhouse and joins up with a group of boy thieves in grubby 19th Century London with Ben Kingsley as Fagin.
Jarhead
What's it about? a coming-of-age tale about a platoon of U.S. Marines during the Gulf War
You ask me, the genre offerings seem a little more competitive in the fall, especially with Zorro a week ahead of Serenity. While early September seems like a dumping ground, AICN’s Hercules points out that end of the month releases have historically performed better. I still have to wonder, though, given the target audience Universal should be aiming the feature at, if this is such a wise decision.
April doesn’t look overly competitive in comparison and gets the film out ahead of May’s Star Wars and July’s War of the Worlds remake. This would also mean they have a DVD available for the holiday season. Let’s just say I have my doubts about the decision.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 02:32 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
November 21, 2004
No Longer Desperate
It’s been quiet around here. Things at DC have been moving along without incident and at home we’re getting ready for Kate and her friend Rachel to come for the holiday weekend. Saturday I was out buying a ton of stuff she asked for, all to be taken back to GW to keep her skin moisturized and her tummy full of whole grains and the like.
One accomplishment was finally catching up on Desperate Housewives, well at least until tonight’s ep airs. Anyway, we’re enjoying it. Everything the critics say about it being a guilty pleasure are accurate.
For the most part, what makes the show work is the hint of danger and the edge every character has. For example, Bree (Marcia Cross) must have something real deep to change her from carefree lover to obsessive-compulsive. Will we ever find out during her therapy sessions?
I think my favorite character may be Susan (Teri Hatcher) since she seems the most grounded. Her daughter seems like a great kid, she has a neat career and is kinda goofy and fun. On the other hand, Gabrielle would solve so many problems by just sitting her husband down and explain her needs. Of course, he would have to be willing to sit and listen but he seems “old school” so that’s not likely to happen.
And for all the goofy stuff, there’s a real mystery playing out and that’s a good thing. I find it interesting that both Veronica Mars and Desperate Housewives are employing a season-long mystery to keep things united while doling out tidbits week-by-week. It’s working very well in both cases.
Finally, doesn’t Cody Kasch look like Victor Garber’s illegitimate son? If Alias ever wanted to do a flashback to Jack Bristow’s childhood, he’d be perfect.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 05:18 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 17, 2004
More Happy Things
I only occasionally take an Internet quiz. They’re fun but are also easily addictive especially over at Quizzilla. So, rather than learn what color light saber I am or what alcoholic drink I represent, I am amused by how my friends go through depths of self-discovery I have denied myself.
This morning, though, I noticed on Keith DeCandido’s blog a new quiz on which romantic film best represents you. He got The Princess Bride which makes perfect sense. Curious, and feeling romantic I suppose (although not toward Keith, we’re both taken), I linked over and took the quiz.
I was very pleased with the result:
"You must remember this, a kiss is still a kiss". Your romance is Casablanca. A classic story of love in trying times, chock full of both cynicism and hope. You obviously believe in true love, but you're also constantly aware of practicality and societal expectations. That's not always fun, but at least it's realistic. Try not to let the Nazis get you down too much.
This is one of my all-time favorite movies and will happily see it every so often. In fact, last New Year’s Eve, Deb and I took in a screening at the local Community Theatre. “As Time Goes By” was also the song we first danced to at our wedding reception.
On the Shelf
When at the local library on Saturday, I wandered by the teen section and was thrilled to see more than a handful of collected editions of comic material from a variety of publishers. Even better, several titles I edited were there. I find this very cool.
As many of you know, Peter David has been waging a major campaign to get people to try his DC title Fallen Angel. So far, the campaign has been a success with two more issues of the title approved, the first of which will be out in March.
This morning, I arrived to find an e-mail ordering up the second printing of the trade collection, which I happily edited. It’s nice to see that one man can make a difference and that more people have been sampling this story. If you haven’t found a copy yet, be secure in the knowledge that we’re keeping it in print so you may safely put it on your Christmas List.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 09:03 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
November 14, 2004
Happy Things
Item one: Work on Friday was pretty good. Spent all morning on an instant collection for a DC Direct product, details to follow. Then spent 2.5 hours in the afternoon reviewing the big project with our designer, Robbin, and Georg and Dale. We went through it page by page, essentially a first draft of the overall design and tweaked accordingly. It’s looking great and we’ll be announcing it soon so I can speak more freely about it.
Item two: We saw The Incredibles on Saturday and loved it. Brad Bird certainly knows and respects the genre. Pixar showed some growth, not just in technical savvy but in crafting a story that had humor but was a more straight-forward adventure. We went to a matinee, filled with wee ones and they remained transfixed and relatively quiet throughout the entire, longer-than-usual story. And the story worked. It had foreshadowing, sub-plotting, and some genuine emotion. My favorite character has to be Elasti-Girl (voiced by Holly Hunter). She was the heart and soul of the family and did what was necessary be it supportive wife, doting mother or kickass adventuress. When she returns to action late in the story, you can see she’s suppressed the joy she had as a costumed hero and comes back to life. The kids, while a little less well-developed, also are fun, especially Violet.
(And yes, seeing the Star Wars on the big screen is worth it. It’s everything a teaser trailer should be.)
Item three: Finally saw the first three episodes of Desperate Housewives last night, as we slowly catch up to the rest of the world. Certainly a guilty pleasure since it’s an over-the-top soap with just enough of an edge to it to keep it from being total camp. It hooked me and Deb for now.
Item four: Happily downloaded and switched from IE to Firefox. My pals were buzzing about it during the Beta test period and after the terrific write up in Tuesday's USA Today, I figured now was the time to switch. This had to have been one of the most painless downloads and switchovers that I've ever encountered. It even moved my bookmarks and cookies from IE. The entire process took only a few minutes.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 10:32 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
November 12, 2004
Looking out for Number One
I wasn’t sure if this was going to last or even be something that would really stick in my schedule. However, with three weeks down, I guess it’s got enough “stickiness” to mention.
I’m now working out at the Rec Center gym. For me, this is a substantial change in routine. Deb has been going to a gym for years now, even had a personal trainer for much of that time. She liked how she felt, kept the aches and pains of aging at bay, and was prodding me to join her.
A few weeks ago, after a lapse of some months from the gym, Deb said it was time for her to get back. She figured it’d be easier and cheaper to use the facilities at our Rec center, and then more or less insisted I join her. Suddenly, I was at Kohl’s buying sweatpants and a few hours later, we had both signed up and she was showing me what to do.
I’m there about an hour and she’s seeing to it I’m working on the various muscle groups. And I can feel it. I’m out of shape, a little overweight and at 46, it’s probably one of those now or never deals. Get myself in shape, stave off my own aging and help lose some of the pounds my doctor nagged me about six months ago.
The true test came Wednesday. Deb’s been in Minneapolis this week and I was going to go on my own. I could’ve lied and gone home, pigged out on ice cream and watched TV – no one would know since Robbie was at work. But no, I dutifully packed my gym bag and went straight from the train, across the street, and worked out for an hour. Did everything I was supposed to, felt the muscles scream at me from disuse, and worked hard. Then I went home, ate a properly balanced meal, and watched TV, feeling virtuous.
Our goal is a realistic twice a week, once during the weekend and one night during the week. She swears the muscles will start responding to this and I hope she’s right…very soon.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 09:07 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 09, 2004
And the Seasonal Fun Begins
Since I was boasting about Kate the other day, let me also share the news that Robbie passed his driver’s test yesterday on the first try. Not only is he pleased with this personal accomplishment but he is thrilled that he did something that took both his mother and father two attempts to pass.
Meantime, last night was the Science Fiction Writers of America holiday reception, which always kicks off the social season. I’ve been going to this as a guest for some time and was pleased to arrive with my name on the list and a nametag ready to wear.
The SFWA event, known to most as the Mill & Swill, is a terrific mixing ground for writers, editors, artists, agents and publishers to visit. There are some in this business that I only get to see at the event, so we both look forward to this annual visit. For others, it’s an extra visit beyond our once-a-week lunches. I like that people are willing to travel from Boston and Philly to be here for the four or five hours of the event.
Before hand, I enjoyed dinner with Michael Burstein, John Ordover, Kathleen David, Charles Adair and Michael’s sort of cousin Lisa Feld. Most of us knew one another through some connection of someone else at the table so it was fun. Lisa recently won an award for the best short story under 55 words so we made her recite it which she did. And by sheer coincidence, not knowing Charles was joining us, I was in the process of reading the first two offerings from his Hard Case imprint, which is single-handedly bringing back hardboiled crime fiction.
During the event, I visited with friends old and new, made some new acquaintances and suffered Mike Friedman interrupting conversations to praise how well put together I looked. It was beginning to give me a complex. On the other hand, I did pick everything out myself proving something to someone.
Many see the Mill & Swill as a networking opportunity and there’s some of that although I didn’t work hard at it. I did circulate, preferring the social aspects to the business possibilities. I left in time for a 10:22 train and crawled into bed just after midnight. And tonight is the final Baseball book discussion so I’ll be out again. Fun but tiring.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 04:50 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 07, 2004
The Weekend so Far
Proud
Kate is competing in her first Ballroom Dance competition down in College Park, MD. This has become her passion since the beginning of the semester but has been plagued with the lack of a partner. The first one crapped out and the second, some kid from Georgetown named Andriy, canceled Friday night. So, my intrepid daughter heads to the competition and at the last minute is paired up with Dave from UPenn. They enter the Newcomer American Cha Cha competition and survive round after round of elimination, even though Kate was trained in International Cha Cha and had to eliminate some moves. Still, she and Dave took fourth place in the competition.
Later, she pairs up with some other guy and winds up taking fifth place in Beginner American Cha Cha.
When she called with the delirious news, I almost didn’t recognize her voice since she had cheered herself hoarse. I gather, though, GWU’s team faired particularly well. It concludes today so we’ll see what surprises are in store.
Done
“Command Code” is finished today and off to Marco. I feel pretty good about it especially since I have never written these characters before.
And now, it’s on to Ancient China.
At the Movies
Speaking of dancing, Deb really wanted to see Shall we Dance, which I was not at all interested in, especially given the reviews. However, I was intrigued to check out Garden State which did not appeal to her. She finally suggested that we just go and see separate movies.
This is how I wound up spending Saturday night alone in the theatre. The movie was quirky and interesting, with a terrific and subtle performance from Zach Braff. I don’t find Scrubs particularly appealing, but this movie had such a buzz that I figured it was worth seeing. What I particularly liked about it was that few of the characters were entirely obvious, behind the cliché were some interesting dramatic twists and turns, none of which felt forced. It’s also a tender-hearted love story and it was nice to see both Ian Holm and Natalie Portman play different characters.
I was reminded, though, of the scene from the second season of Six Feet Under when Nikolai and Ruth go see separate films. The difference was Deb didn’t come marching into the theatre to break up with me. For which I was very grateful.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 09:26 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 05, 2004
Odds and Ends as a new Weekend Begins
Yesterday’s Arts section of The New York Times included capsule descriptions of four comics-related books. I was thrilled to note that two of them were mine. Lumping all four books together under the banner of filling in the blanks for readers, they included The DC Comics Encyclopedia, Superman: Birthright, Locas, and Strangers in Paradise Treasury Edition. Nice press. Locas the mammoth hardcover collecting Jaime Hernandez’s Maggie stories from Love & Rockets, looks terrific. It is something I feel I must own. Terry Moore’s Strangers remains a must read for me and I hope the book broadens his audience.
My two reading pals both gave enthusiastic thumbs up to “Command Code” and all I have left to do is clean up grammar and fix the niggling items they found and it’ll be done. A good feeling, that.
I was invited to pitch to another media tie-in anthology with some strict guidelines. Fortunately, an idea has taken hold and it just might fit the bill if I can work out the logistics, including a satisfying ending.
Today was a productive day at DC. Started a new collection and have done everything necessary for it and can let it rest until the intro arrives. If only every collection came together so painlessly. Got in the final color proofs from Wendy Pini on the second ElfQuest Archives and I was thrilled to see the growth in her work. There is more subtlety to the work and each scene and locale has a specific look. I’m rather impressed. Best part is, when it goes to Hong Kong on Monday, we’re on schedule!
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 04:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 03, 2004
Going Forward From Here
Everyone else is bemoaning the election results. Most will do a far more eloquent job expressing their frustration, disbelief and anger. I am among those who feel we are worse off than we were four years ago and am astonished the popular vote disagrees with the sentiment.
I was heartened yesterday morning when Deb and I arrived at our polling place at 6:30. The line was long but it moved far quickly. From all reports on my mailing lists, the lines were strong all day and well into the evening.
Imagine my surprise to see that even with all the rhetoric and exhortations to go out and vote we still managed only 60% of the electorate. Some people, I guess, prefer not to exercise a right that we’ve come to take for granted. Worse, the numbers are now coming out that the Next Generation, my daughter’s generation of 18-24 year olds, had a 19% turnout.
If there’s any positive lesson to be taken from the election results, it is that Bush was right. The educational standards in the country need to be substantially raised. Then, and only then, will we have a citizenry grounded in the facts or capable of asking the hard questions in order to make an informed decision.
Local Politics
Diane Farrell gave Chris Shays a real run for his money in the Congressional race in CT’s 4th district. Chris is not a bad man and is fairly moderate for a Republican. Had Dianne been such a likeable, capable candidate, I could have seen myself voting for him. Still, I have issues with the lack of transportation funds he has secured for us given the state’s needs to upgrade train cars and rail lines.
Our Democratic State Senate candidate, Morgan Graham, got trounced 2-1 in her first political bid while my local State Rep, Tom Drew, won handily. It was the one bright, shiny moment for the Democratic Town Committee in Fairfield. We gathered at a local restaurant to watch the results and cheer Tom on his win. It was a low-key affair, certainly subdued compared with last year’s local elections.
Once these guys take their oaths, I can only hope they manage to serve the state well.
Only in New York
Looking out the windows that face the Ed Sullivan Theatre, we have witnessed a great manner odd things as crews prepare for that night’s installment of The David Letterman Show. Today may take the cake. Six or eight red-clad people were essentially rappelling down the side of the theatre and performing a carefully choreographed ballet. It was quite a sight.
My office guest, six-time Hugo nominated author Michael Burstein, missed the rehearsal but spent several hours here bemoaning the election and visiting. We joined our regular Wednesday lunch crowd and enjoyed ourselves immensely. Seated just off the center of the table, Laura Ann Gilman and I declared our space a No Politics Zone, discussing instead our writing projects and her upcoming French vacation.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 04:10 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
November 01, 2004
The Wrap Up
At 10,400 words, the first draft of “Command Code” is finished. I’m mostly happy with it but want to tighten up one particular scene. But first, I want to hear what my reading friends have to say. With luck, they’ll have comments this week then next weekend I can polish and hand it in ahead of deadline.
Speaking of wrapping things up, I’m really happy the election is tomorrow. I remain optimistic that America will come to its senses and vote for a necessary change in administration and course. I pity the people living in the swing states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania since they have been mercilessly hammered with ads and their lives disrupted with visiting dignitaries.
I’ve often thought that presidential candidates should be required to visit all 50 states during the campaign season. It feels more…democratic…than just concentrating on the states in play. The press made a big deal out of Vice President Cheney’s visit to Hawaii because it’s so unusual. But they should be routine.
In today’s USA Today we received inserts from CNN with a map of the country and stickers for both parties. We’re being encouraged to tune in for election results from CNN and follow along at home by using the appropriate sticker to keep score. It seems to trivialize the process, feeling more like the Academy Awards than determining the fate of our country for the next four years (and given the Supreme Court vacancies to come, the next few decades).
One of our problems is that our collective attention span is so short that we don’t stop to look beyond today and barely past tomorrow. I suspect one reason our nation is so divided is that the majority of people choose not to read beyond headline news and understand causes and ramifications of decisions. Or remember that a promise made in 2001 is not kept by 2004. If you can’t reduce it to a headline or a sound bite, then people don’t seem to care.
I find it difficult to comprehend why things so clear to perhaps half the country and me seem different to the other half. It has to be more than ideology since facts are facts. It’s something I’m going to have to think about, especially if the wrong man winds up in the White House.
No doubt we’ll debate this further in the coming days. I look forward to comments.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 04:39 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack