1978, Meet 2013
“Man of Steel” is released this Friday, June 14th. The next few days will revolve around Superman/Kal-El/Clark Kent. Superman is the greatest superhero in history and the late Christopher Reeve was responsible for inspiring entire generations through his brilliant portrayal of the, “Last Son of Krypton.” Richard Donner’s timeless classic, 1978s “Superman,” with his sensational cast, gave the world hope in a figure and man that men, women and children continue to admire thirty-five years later.
A video was made synching footage and dialogue from the, “Superman” movies with Christopher Reeve to the music and footage of the third trailer released for, “Man of Steel.”
The video below is a fun way to re-brand the, “Superman” classics for a new generation of fans accustomed to superhero movies being, “epic,” “emotionally raw” and “grand” in scale regarding scope and special effects.
Ladies and gentleman, enjoy this fan-made trailer!
Happy Monday!
Last Friday evening, I strolled through the annual Columbus Arts Festival, which featured artists of all variations from all over the country (plus a couple international artists). Each artist’s booth was set-up like its own pop-up gallery, giving people a few seconds to glance in and either dedicate their time or simply walk by onto the neighboring collections.
I’m happy to say I struck gold with a painter from Chicago! She imaginatively brought bottles of red and white wine and its accompanying foods to life.
The Columbus Arts Festival is a great tradition in Columbus, just like the occasional visit to a museum. The opportunity to calmly observe, reflect, ponder and even show off some knowledge is a wonderful exercise of the mind.
Common protocol with most art is the notion that there is no one “right” answer. Although, with some art, as Hemingway might put it today, “if you have a good insight it’s because it is an honest insight.”
In Gil’s case, he knew the honest truth and therefore was absolutely right in his interpretation in the rarely seen, “art burn.”
Have a Great Week & Visit a Museum!
Our Nation’s Artists
This morning I needed a light jacket. Normally, this isn’t a big deal except for the fact it’s June 7th. I guess Mother Nature decided to take a refreshing breath mint or two and blow her new-found coolness across the Midwest.
Just a little global cooling to make Al Gore go crazy for a few days.
Inexplicably, this cold front in June sparked random curiosity and wonderment of Americans from yesteryear…like yesteryear.
Having always been fascinated with history, this sudden reflective contemplation to the past patriots who lived in this country one hundred to two hundred and some odd years ago is not too surprising a revelation. Still, it’s noteworthy to think so far back in time without taking part in a tour or sitting in a history class.
Speaking of a historical tour, I have fond memories of visiting Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, soaking in all the astonishing buildings, artifacts, food, people, gardens, modes of transportation and anything and everything found within its parameters. Uniquely American, it opened my eyes into the improbable inception of the United States of America and the ambiguous journey everyone took part in together in building the foundations of a new nation. An insightful quote by Martin Luther King, Jr. illustrates this courageous endeavor taken by our adventurous ancestors.
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
When my family and I visited Colonial Williamsburg, it was summer and it was hot. Not warm with a light cloud of humidity or it might be hot enough to swim, but, “Dog Days of Summer” hot. While partaking in the exercise of sweating and walking, there were countless Revolutionary soldiers and townspeople dressed in traditional late-1770s clothing. The attire was heavy and assuredly sweltering, yet they never showed discomfort. And here I was, in shorts and a t-shirt, feeling hot and uncomfortable. I made damn sure to shape up and wipe my brow when walking by the cannon operators!
Like Washington, D.C., Colonial Williamsburg should be a national requirement for all students to visit. The sights and sounds are spectacular and together creates an unforgettable experience and appreciation for our forefathers and foremothers and everything they endured to build the great nation we live in today. When it was hot, they sat on their porch or ran around outside and enjoyed the company of their family and neighbors. Some maintained their luscious gardens filled with colorful flowers and delicious fruits and vegetables while others socialized in stores around the town they all helped to build and support.
Despite the fact Colonial Williamsburg is not a quick stroll down the road, the Ohio Village is within a short driving distance. This is a place frozen in time dating back to the 19th century. Located in the shadows of Crew Stadium, the Ohio History Center and this thing they call a, “freeway,” the Ohio Village offers its patrons a momentary break from 21st century realities to visit the forever sought after and admired, “much simpler time.”
When it was too hot to stay inside, they went outside. When it was too cold to be outside, they stayed in, bundled up and made a fire. And when it was dark and they needed light, they lit candles. Our American ancestors were resourceful and did what they had to, whatever that meant. What’s more is whether it was during the 18th or 19th centuries, Americans have managed to pull off truly remarkable achievements. They took a blank page on a shaky canvas and, during their time, added their individual paint strokes and color splashes to create the foundation of the masterpiece we all see and enjoy today known as the United States of America.
Pretty cool, right? I get chills just thinking about it.
And come the fourth day in July, I know I’ll get goosebumps in the unrelenting heat while gazing up at fireworks in the same way our nation’s forefathers and foremothers did: celebrating the incomparably brilliant idea that is the American dream.
It’s as Easy as 1-2-3
Today marks my 123rd written post!
It’s strange, but whenever I see numbers align to “123,” I instinctively see it as good luck. I believe it’s a sign from the Universe that something was meant to come together in harmony.
Remarkably, this sequence of numbers has a power over me that can instantaneously influence my day. A routine will be adjusted to accommodate this glowing symbolism of “good fate.” There is a distinct possibility that my thoughts on this are drawn from the seeming rightness it represents. When we are young, 1-2-3 indicates the right order. We all learn to count to ten and to pronounce the alphabet at a young age. Within this mindset, when we counted from 1-10 and said the alphabet, everything made sense. Any anxiety, even the tiniest amounts at this age, was a million miles away. Essentially, it was a psychological safety net.
The rhythm of life was good.
As I’ve grown older, when the grouping of these three numbers is revealed it happens, at times, in a more discreet and fun manner. These fun and random surprises are so often times the best as they serve as a special vindication of a preconceived idea or spontaneous decision. This could be change from a meal, an order number, the channel on the TV for a show one night, etc. Just life at work.
1-2-3 can also be viewed in a traditional sense, such as time, a price or as representing a beginning, a middle and an end. For example, this goes for giving a certain speech, doing the high jump (first seven steps or so, the turn and the jump), playing in a soccer game (first half, halftime, second half) and a meal (appetizer, main course, dessert), plus breakfast, lunch and dinner. These comforting examples are endless, but are there nonetheless.
The movie I have been waiting for ever since its first teaser trailer last summer is, “Man of Steel.” The music for the third trailer is described as, “An Ideal of Hope” as composed by movie score icon Hans Zimmer of Germany. Indeed, the following song is located in this blog’s “Amazing” section. However, please listen to it again here and see if you can distinguish how Zimmer guides us on his musical journey in a quiet to explosive 1-2-3 structure.
Is it a more reassuringly powerful instrumental now…?
Anyways, I better stop writing and get this thing posted. It’s 1:23 p.m. after all.
Plus, it’s my lunch break and there’s this girl I’ve been wanting to start a more fluid conversation with for a long time now. Okay, deep breath. It’s gonna be as easy as 1-2-3.
And Universe, I’ll be looking.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 