History of Film

So the class I'm taking is amazing! It is so completely up my alley that I almost can't stand it. Basically, I will be learning about the history of film and every week we will watch a movie and talk about it. My only assignment is to write about movies.

My first class was on Tuesday and at one point I actually felt teary I was so excited to be there. It was only mildly ridiculous that the girl sitting next to me was 19 years younger than me. Seriously, she was 17 and at one point even gave me an "oh honey" dripping with empathy at how ancient I am. Sure, it was based on the fact that in talking about music, I referenced 'mixed tapes'. But I don't think I'm the one to be felt sorry for. Mixed tapes were f*cking awesome! Kids today have no idea.

So here's what I think I am going to do, blog wise... I am going to write about all the cool things that I learn in my class. I figure anyone who is probably reading this might also have an interest in cool things and I think movies and the 'history of' is a cool topic.

First things first - here's what I learned this week.

One of the very early filmmakers was a french stage magician, Georges Milies. He was one of the first to use editing and special effects. Before him, films were 30 seconds to a minute long. Filmmakers would set up a camera and film one thing for up to a minute - feeding a baby, knocking down a wall, a dancer spinning, someone jumping into a lake. People were fascinated to see these 'moving pictures'.

Georges Milies wanted to bring spectacle to the people and so used editing to create a false reality. He has been called the 'Father of Special Effects' or the "Father of Science Fiction'. He made movies with story lines and plots and changes of location. He wasn't a savvy businessman though and didn't copyright any of his films until 1912. By then his films had been so bootlegged, copied and shown all over the world that people just stopped showing his films rather than pay him for the rights to show them.

By 1913 he had made over 500 films and was completely bankrupt. In the end, he sold his films to the French army to be melted down and made into boot heels for the soldiers.

One of his most famous films "Le Voyage Dans La Lune", made in 1902, can be viewed online. Click the title for the link. We watched it in class and it is fairly fascinating that it was made in 1902.

School

I am not registered for any classes this fall and I am a little regretful. I suppose in a way it's actually not too late for me to still register, but I'm pushing it. As far as I know most classes are full. Fully full.

Ok, so I just took a time out from writing this post to do a course search and see if there was even a class that appealed to me. As I scrolled through the list of courses so many of them appealed to me. It's amazing how many courses I would love to take! I just want to keep learning.

One course stood out more than all the others and I started to really feel something; A stirring in my heart, behind my eyes, a flutter in my tummy. I decided to see when it was being offered because my work schedule this semester kind of cuts through all the days and the likelihood of it being at a time when I am also available seemed slim. I clicked on the schedule and I am completely free and clear for that time. My eyes flicked over to see how far down the wait list I would be (I've been 11th and still gotten in) and there is no wait list. The class has 14 seats available.

I believe I might be a student after all this semester!

Goodbye girl

September! Not only is it September but it's September 2010. I remember thinking in March 2009 that I couldn't wait for 2009 to be over. And now 2010 is now rounding the bend to 2011. 2009 was a tough year and I am very happy to report that 2010 has been much, much better.

I feel happy today which is always a nice way to feel. The sun is shining, I am at a cool coffee shop drinking a delicious latte, I am writing, I am listening to good music (a playlist made by my favourite online dj), I am having dinner with friends tonight and I have no complaints.

*The title of this post is the name of the song I was listening to when it came time to write a title and I liked it.

No spoilers - read away!

Inception.

I'd like to write more but I'm in the camp that thinks the less you know going in the better. Although, I actually believe that about most movies. I find if you know nothing, the movie unfolds and you are along for the ride. If you know anything, it sets up expectations and assumptions. Still, with the way previews are made these days, not much is left to discover once you finally get to see the full movie.

I thoroughly enjoyed Inception. It was original and well executed. I felt inspired and excited after seeing it; just for the creative process and the joy of finally having seen a good movie this year. Though, to be fair, I saw The Kids Are All Right four days earlier and when it ended, I walked out of the theatre feeling as though the long dry spell for good movies had finally been broken.

If The Kids Are All Right broke the spell, Inception flooded the dryness and satisfied my thirst! It satisfied the thirst and made me thirstier! I want more good movie-viewing! I want to feel inspired and excited.

I have hope that the second half of 2010 will be better for movies. I have heard murmurs of good things to come. Let's hope they're right.

I love a licensed cafe!

Two days in a row - look at me go! It's like the good ol' days of regular blogging.

Alright, alright, I won't get ahead of myself. I am currently sitting in a cafe that is also licensed and so I am drinking an ice-cold glass of white wine that was generously poured by the nice-looking young man who works here. Coffee is for mornings! Wine is for the rest of the day!

I have just come here from a different coffee shop (also licensed) but the demographic there was skewed to the older crowd (I probably fit right in - Denial isn't just a river in Egypt - that joke so doesn't work in writing). I have been trying out different coffee shops so that I don't become a permanent fixture at the one I favour the most.

I keep going back to the same coffee shop because it's close to home, has a lot of natural light and is quite busy. It's a Kitsilano hot spot and so there's a heavy rotation of interesting people. But I gotta say, right now, sitting here listening to a friend's online playlist of music (shout out to local1028!), sipping cold white wine and looking out at the trees lining Trafalgar, I am pretty content. And who could ask for more!?

This is the same cafe that I came to on my first date a few weeks ago. It's a good first date kind of place - casual, comfortable, public, licensed. It's also a good hanging-out, writing a blog post kind of place.

No complaints here!

A post for the faithful

So I totally know how frustrating it can be to click on a blog that you are looking forward to reading only to be disappointed because they STILL haven't updated and it's been AGES. I'm with you people! Although many of you have probably even given up on me.

I know that Cooptown was a catalyst for a lot of people to check my blog and since Cooptown hasn't been going out on a regular basis for quite a while, I'm sure more than a few of you have stopped checking the blog too. I don't blame you.

I keep thinking I'll be better but I haven't been so far so I don't know if I even believe myself.

So here is a post for the faithful checkers (or the ones who have me on their google reader). I'll even give you something juicy for being so faithful.

I have started dating.
Yikes!

Ok, so 'started dating' might be getting ahead of myself but I did go on a couple of dates with someone and while it didn't work out, it did get me back in the game so to speak. I guess the correct way to say this is that I am open to dating and actively looking to meet someone.

The first date that I went on was about three weeks ago and I learned a valuable lesson that day - I didn't die and I had fun.

Doing something fun that doesn't kill me - I can do more of that!

Mixing it up

I have been doing some different things this week and it has been good to break out of my normal routine and shake it up a bit.

First, I joined a yoga studio. I have an unlimited pass for the next nine weeks and my goal is to go 3 times a week.

Second, I went to the symphony again and have decided that I need to go on a regular basis. I absolutely love it. You can get rush tickets for $15 at the door. I'd pay that much to spend the same amount of time at a movie and the symphony is just as entertaining.

Third, I went to an art opening and a fundraiser for a art gallery. So far I am liking the art world. I have friends who are well connected and it helps. They can tell me which shows to go to, which events are good, and they let me tag along with them to get my feet wet. The people are fun and friendly and so far it's been a good time.

Last night at the fundraiser, we got there and almost right away we were invited upstairs into the office for a shot of tequila (this is when being with a well-connected friend comes in doubley handy). We cheersed, shot tequila and then went back down the darkly lit stairwell to the main room. When we got back to our table, my sister leaned over and said "We just did everything our parents tell us not to do...'Hi, nice to meet you. Do I want to go upstairs to a dimly lit private office and drink alcohol with you? Sure, let's go!'"

Good times.