Life

Redesign

Foot in mouth moment -> So I know I just made a big deal and all about redesigning the site and how I worked really hard on it. But heres the thing, not many people liked it and the more it hung around the more I realized I didn’t either. I started to to get some negative feedback and reading those emails I began to see the problems and agreeing with them. This isn’t like developing an app where you can beta test and iron out the details, it is more like an unveiling where you just hope everyone “accepts” what you’ve been working on, well they didn’t.

Ill be honest though, that wouldn’t have been enough for me to change it. The fact is it hit me that the new design wasn’t looking into the future, it was simply redecorating the past. I am coming up on a hundred posts and while I am amazed at that, the one column simple blog look isn’t favoring such a number. The lack of search was really eating at a lot of people. Also no visible directly of entries was eating at me. So moving forward I thought it was important to design for the future but keep things simple. A way to easily find previous posts and finally implementing a visual organization system was premium.

Enough of my babbling, here it is the new (really) redesigned site. Keeping things as minimal as possible but adding (real) functionality that will last a whole lot longer then the previous redesign. There will be small visible changes in the coming weeks of things I just want to play around with but ultimately, this is the look. I hope you like it and I promise it will stay late to the party.

update 1: some are asking where I got the idea from. A popular tech blog “www.daringfireball.com” Great site design wise and great writer also in John Gruber

update 2: There is very minimal custom code implemented. I am very new at programming so I didn’t want to maintain such a heavy load.

Life

Serial

I’d like to make one thing clear before I start, I love Serial and have been of huge fan of podcasts since the medium began. As of recent there has been a lot of chatter about the end of Serial, the podcast from This American Life that has followed the story of Adnan Syed, who is in prison after being found guilty for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee.

SPOILERS BELOW.

The finale of Serial didn’t end the way some people wanted. Adnan is still in prison, and the world is still unsure of his guilt.

Serial ends with lots of open questions; there’s no clear next step, no immediate benefit to Adnan for taking part in the story. Serial may have unpacked his case, his very life, but it didn’t put things back together in a way that has much closure for the audience.

Honestly though, even typing that makes me feel weird. It’s hard to remember it’s all true. Serial plays out like a television crime drama — and entertains like one — but it’s not.

It’s a news story.

It’s well-edited and heavily polished, but under all of it, Serial’s first season was just a news story.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Serial’s narrator and co-creator Sarah Koenig said this, looking forward to today’s finale:

I’ll present what my reporting bears out, and that’s my responsibility. It’s not my responsibility to entertain you with some wonderful, perfect ending. I don’t mean that in a holier-than-thou way at all—it’s just—I’m a reporter.

On one hand, Koenig was clearly trying to set expectations for rabid fans, but on the other, her point about Serial being a result of reporting is important.

Her work on Serial wasn’t traditional, hardcore journalism. Koenig freely shared her personal opinions and views in every episode, something that I gather isn’t smiled upon those in the industry who believe reporters should be objective, if not clinical, in their writing.

I don’t Serial wasn’t created from that school of thought. It’s a blend of entertainment and news reporting. It’s a hybrid of fact and opinion. That’s an art form in my opinion.

That tension is why Serial is so popular, and at the same time, so weird — and, at times, oddly uncomfortable. It’s why the ending — though rooted in reality — is disappointing to so many people.

Serial wasn’t the first piece of work to blend entertainment and reporting, of course, but I do think Serial functions as journalism. Koenig and her team clearly spent lots of time investigating every angle of Adnan’s story, no matter how obscure the detail or difficult to track down.

In many ways, Serial could only exist as a podcast. The episodes give the story a rhythm and give the audience a sense of excitement each week. It’s a great medium for this type of blended reporting. Couple that with the fact that listening to a podcast is a deeply intimate act. It’s a perfect fit.

However, I think the old-school rules of objective journalism exist for a reason. They protect reporters, subjects and stories from being influenced by emotions. Breaking those rules is fine, as long as expectations are set correctly. The fact that people are upset at Serial’s ending indicates they weren’t.

While I still don’t know what I think about him, I hope Adnan’s case gets back in front of a judge. I hope his story is heard, and that Koenig’s work can help straighten it all out.

Journalists can affect great change, but expecting it to happen in a neat 12-part story with an exciting ending is a little silly. Yes enjoy it, but if you expected a miraculous conclusion you should have been watching something on Netflix.

Life

November 2014

November brought huge change. The single most important thing is big news! We are adding another to our family! This is a huge blessing and we are supremely fortunate to be able to go through this process again. There will be a much more in-depth post regarding this later in this month.

My dad also was able to come down in November to hang out and it was really nice seeing him. He bought Lindsey and I some great, heartfelt gifts from his trip to Italy. It was really nice of him. Although the gifts were a nice gesture, I really enjoyed his pictures from the visit. I have a lot of family over there and it was awesome to see their faces again. Seeing that they are still around and still smiling.

Thanksgiving came and went and the food was plentiful. It’s funny every thanksgiving I am reminded how much I am in need of nothing. I have a great wife and family, a roof over my head, etc, etc. You know the story, But it’s true. As Americans and being engulfed in the American culture, we have this haze of entitlement and want. Thanksgiving is a great time because no one has to buy anyone anything, there are no expectations. We just sit down and eat. Who would have thought that would be enough?

I am looking forward to December and what it has to offer. The weather is getting colder down here and although nothing like CT, there is a certain special chill in the air.

Movies

Mockingjay Part 1

Mockingjay Part 1 plays as the 3rd installment in The Hunger Games series and although there are only 3 books, the executives at Lions Gate have decided to break the 3rd and final installment into 2 films. Hence the “Part 1.”

Mockingjay Part 1 finds Katniss Everdeen in District 13 after she literally shatters the games forever. Under the leadership of Commander Coin and the advice of her trusted friends, Katniss spreads her wings as she fights to save Peeta and a nation moved by her courage.

All familiar faces are back: Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, etc. As well as Director Francis Lawrence who took over the series in “Catching Fire.” Personally, I like what Lawrence has brought to the series. The first film lacked grit and played more like a Disney movie. When Lawrence took over the helm he added some darkness and reality to what otherwise could have become a potential weak, children’s Sci Fi series, ala “Twilight.”

For the film itself, Mockingjay Part 1 is kind of a mixed bag. It provides glimpses of classic “Hunger Games” greatness while never really being able to shed the “part 1” aspect of itself. For me, the really appealing facet of past Hunger Games films was that journey to the games. I always felt a genuine scare for the characters leading up to the games in both 1 and 2 and that made you connect with them. This movie is missing that. The rebellion is starting to take place and we have collectively moved on from the games but with that change we lose our intimacy with the characters. Also considering Katness and Peeta are apart most of the film, feelings and emotions are brightly vacant. Its not a huge flaw that deters your experience but you can definitely tell; this is not your old Hunger Games.

But alas, end all be all Mockingjay part 1 is a good movie, not great by any means but good. It has all the necessary checkpoints. Cinematography and music do their jobs efficiently. The script will keep you entertained and guessing. The acting is really top notch as like the previous in the series and most noticeably, momentum and pacing is done really well.

Go see Mockingjay. It’s worth the price of admission and provides a good story (even if cut off at half point.) The truth really is: if your at all invested in The Hunger Games series then obviously, this is a must see. Unfortunately as of this point, Mockingjay 1 is easily the most “forgettable” movie of the series for me. It doesn’t mean it was bad, from from it. It just means it is exactly what it is, a film that gains tremendous momentum after slowly but surely developing it only to let you hit a brick wall. Intentionally.

To be honest, Mockingjay Part 1 is probably the weakest of the three so far, but if this is as bad as it gets, that is still something of a triumph.

7/10

Life

October 2014

October really flew by. It was one of those months that just didn’t take it’s time. Never set in, just kind of stayed in the fast lane. Equally tough because I’m used to seeing some fall foliage. Not so down here, not so. The weather has been nice for walking. A little breezier and a tad cooler. Kind of similar to September in CT.

Well, if I wasn’t a fully fledged firefighter in September I sure am now. We had a huge structure fire. The bell went off at about 1:30 AM and we were there until 7:00 AM. I will never be able to fully explain what it felt like to pull up to a building roaring with fire and uncertainty. All I know is from what I understand, we did an excellent job of maintaining and ultimately suppressing. We have done countless post classes on strategy from that night and it seems we really did a great job. Most of this credit goes to our Battalion Chief who sort of plays as the QB of the operation. But still, Engine 4 (my crew) showed up and put in some work!

My Mom and Aunt Chris came to Visit for Liam’s 4th birthday party and it was fantastic to see them. To date, I haven’t been to CT for close to a year now which is the longest (by far) I have ever been away form everyone up there. It is difficult and I have good friends down here, but it’s not the same as being around family. I was reminded of this when I saw their faces. It was great and I couldn’t be more thankful they were able to come.

Lindsey continues to amaze with her work load and life balance. In addition she is doing much more with church now and still manages to keep all her sanity. She really is amazing. She is doing more baking and schoolwork then a medical student crossed with Mary Poppins.

It would be a crime if I didn’t mention something new. “Serial.” That word may not mean much to you. But to me, it’s the main topic of October. A little known fact about me is I am a huge podcast listener. Something about the medium is just enthralling. Like a throwback to radio days or something. Anyways. Serial is a new podcast by the folks at “This American Life.” And it is simply fantastic I strongly urge everyone who has the interest to please check it out and get back to me!

November brings birthdays (Liams and my Mom’s) and pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice iced coffee from DD!

Movies

Film Review: Interstellar

When Christopher Nolan makes a movie I take notice with extreme interest. It doesn’t matter the premise, synopsis or what actors are involved. His filmography speaks for itself: Memento, The Prestige, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception. I really could go on but there’s no need to do. Interstellar marks Nolan’s most ambitious film to date and not only does it push Nolan’s filmmaking abilities technically, it also solidifies the fact that Christopher Nolan is a great filmmaker, but he slowly but surely is joining a small but special list of filmmakers in the “Auteur” category. A group that names include Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock and Frederico Fellini.

Interstellar is as follows: With our time on Earth coming to an end, a team of explorers undertakes the most important mission in human history; traveling beyond this galaxy to discover whether mankind has a future among the stars.

Interstellar is not only the best movie I’ve seen all year, quite possibly it’s the most ambitious film I have ever seen. There’s something to be said for a movie that sets out to be something grand in size and completely succeeds. I don’t envy Christopher Nolan or his brother Jonathan for having to write this script or to pull off this gigantic idea, but we all will sure enjoy the results. They reach for something huge here and while the ending may leave a little to be desired in it’s complexity it doesn’t take away from the fantastic journey you will take if you board this ship.

The movie’s biggest strength without question is Christopher Nolan. You can make a very real argument that Christopher Nolan is the best working director in the movie business right now. There’s no one who makes a big movie feel so small and intimate. He has an unbelievable way of fitting these really sweet, smaller sized scenes into a very large movie. Take Interstellar for example: the movie is quite possibly the largest scale movie of all time due to where it takes us logistically in the universe. The best scene in the movie, however, comes from inside a bedroom on a farm between Mathew McConaughey and his daughter. Sure the movie is big, epic to say the least. but Nolan keeps his finger on the pulse enough to know when to scale back. And at times, does so masterfully.

I don’t think it’s a stretch to say Interstellar deserves multiple viewings. It’s a highly complex film that demands every second of your attention and quite frankly it deserves every second of it. It’s very rare in Hollywood nowadays we see a team of Jonathan and Christopher Nolan work together to create something so seamless and so complicated yet complete and effective. Interstellar unbelievably pulls off with great achievement a fantastic movie experience, you will laugh you’ll cry and most importantly you will interact emotionally. The movie isn’t so big it leaves you. It constantly holds your hand.

THE VERDICT
Please go see interstellar, I’m begging you as a life long film fan. This is a special movie that will be talked about for a long time. I intentionally left out the words “2001 Space Odyssey” for comparisons but the fact of bringing it up isn’t a crime in the least bit, in fact I believe if Stanley Kubrick was living today he would tell you this is closest we’ve come to a 2001 Space Odyssey experience.

What makes Interstellar one of the best, most enthralling, intelligent and moving science-fiction films of modern cinema is not so much the inter-galactic journey it takes you on as the emotional journey your left with. Bottom line: Interstellar is as cinematically epic as it is dramatically intimate. Go see it.

10/10

Videos

Liam – Age 3

This year has been something. With Liam starting school, we saw evidence that time really does move fast. We were worried how he would adjust. And he has been fine. Some normal bumps for a 3 year old but he has made us proud every step of the way.

Liam’s vocabulary also has sprung this year. He is saying full sentences and complete thoughts. Lindsey and I couldn’t be prouder of who Liam is today and how he is changing us as people and parents. Sure there are tough days, but thats normal. The good vastly outweigh the bad. I count my blessings everyday with Liam because if nothing he is a stark reminder to me that God exists and he showers his blessings on me and Lindsey for some reason I don’t quite understand.

I look forward to the future and what it holds. The ups and downs of course, but the unknown. The only thing we know for sure about the future is we will all have each other. And with each day our relationship grows. I couldn’t be more thankful for Liam. I count it an honor to do these videos and I look forward to next year’s :)

Videos

Liam – Age 2

Age 2 was transitional year for us as a family. Personally, I made this biggest change in my life moving from CT to GA. The change was and is difficult for me. But I learned some valuable lessons. Family never leaves. Liam and Lindsey have taught me this. My family unit stayed the same. Liam continued to grow in his 2nd year of life.

From the very cold winters of CT to the blistering hot summers of GA, this was Liam’s most inspirational year to date. For the first time I could actually see my own son growing into a caring, loving human. I know he was only 2, but the signs were everywhere. He was just a boy who had a big heart. He recognized those who loved him and showed equal love back. To this day he is a very aware soul, I believe that started this year.

From perfecting his basketball shot to shoveling his first snow storm, he did a bunch of exciting things. Trips to the beach and easter egg hunts, this year was full of excitement. His vocabulary bloomed and his eating started to progress. His smile became contagious and his presence was warming.

At age 2, he showed and taught me resilience. I wasn’t the only one whose life got moved from my original birthplace. So did his. And he was champion. He was strong and caring. One night in particular I was having a rough time. I went out to sit on the back deck and stared at the lake. Liam just came out there to me and sat quietly in my lap and rested his head against my chest for 20 minutes. Like I said a very aware little boy, with a huge heart.

 

ok next week is the big one! On Liam’s bday (11/11) I will post his age 3 video. Good times!

Videos

Liam – Age 1

At 1 year old Liam was sweet. He was chubby, cuddly and ours. Squeezable cheeks and all, he was full of love. My fondest memories of Liam that year was in the fall for some reason. In Connecticut, we had a gorgeous fall in 2012 and Lindsey seemed to really embrace it by taking Liam to local farms, fairs and orchards, etc. It was a really nice time for us as a family.

Liam’s  personality started to form. He began making relationships with his toys and surroundings. His leather chair my brother so graciously bought and “Scout” his intelligent teddy bear come to mind! Of course it would be some serious negliance on my end if I didn’t mention the 2 biggest moments of all, his walking and talking careers began.

Trips to Boston and all around CT were great. We were growing as a family and it was truly a magical year in my estimation. Liam was still a new addition but that year he really felt a part of us and I felt we really were a part of his life. Liam saying “Mommy” and “Daddy” for the first time are moments I will never forget.