Welcome

June 17, 2021

Greetings old and new friends. Welcome to my blog.

     Imagine it’s mid-February, 1971. My parents drove a red Volare along a skinny length of highway which passed through the arid, bone-dry land of Gila County, Arizona. Both of them taught school near the western edge of the Apache Indian Reservation in the town of Hayden. My mom was 9 months pregnant, and having contractions. My dad was speeding on this highway in hopes of reaching the slightly more populated town in Globe, in order for my mom to give birth to me. See, the old mining town had the closest large-scale hospital in the county, and if you’re going to have a baby… this would be the place.

     However, halfway through the trek to Globe, my mother’s water broke, considerably earlier than expected. Desperate for an immediate medical facility, my dad asked around for the closest hospital and received directions for a makeshift medical clinic in the nearby, even smaller, town of Kearny.

     At the time, Kearny had the population of a couple thousand rattlesnakes… and rumor had it that a few people lived there too. As it turned out, this clinic was once just a 3-bedroom home, and had become the go-to, medical facility for the town over time. The kitchen served as the birthing room, complete with a single bed, table and a sink.

     A few locals, assisted my dad in getting mom inside the house. And it wasn’t too much time before she was in full-on labor. The baby-version of me wasn’t waiting any longer.

     Once born, I was unceremoniously washed under the faucet of the sink, wrapped in a pink kitchen towel and handed to my mom. She would remind me decades later that her first image of ‘newborn me’ was that my eyes were wide open, seemingly soaking in everything around me from the get-go.

     I bring up this event, not just to help illustrate where I began in life, but to share my non-traditional entrance and immediate characteristic of being wide-eyed and fascinated with everything around me from the very second that I initially breathed air. This is still indicative of me today. My interests are many, and my eagerness to learn, immeasurable.

     So, to begin regularly writing a blog does seem like a natural extension of myself. Frankly, I’m surprised I haven’t done it before today.

     But I wish to clarify my intentions – I didn’t make this website in order to be a big shot, nor to magnify a phony persona. I simply plan to share my reviews, insights, sentimental musings, projects and products. I don’t believe my opinions are better or more valid than anyone else’s. Yet, I have a unique background and perspective that I want to share for the purpose of our collective knowledge, entertainment and camaraderie. I have zero intention of soap-boxing for anything political or divisive on this site. Maybe that’s chicken-shit of me? But, one of my personal goals with this blog is to be authentic. And if that’s my true aim, then any use of this platform turned into a negative or harmful light is not for me. Not that my blog topics won’t occasionally be challenging, but hopefully I’ll be peering into future themes through the lens of my genuine enthusiasm, and in being constructive.

     Because deep down, I’m a big kid at heart. Many of the things I care to write about are elements of my life that make me feel alive: Music, Comics, Monsters, Film, Literature, Animation, Gaming, Teaching, Being a parent, and so much more. I love far more things than I dislike.

     Therefore, I will be here for the foreseeable future.

     So, let’s get it on! Subscribe if you don’t want to miss a post. Plus, check back often. There’s a world of things to look forward to and enjoy. Cheers!

June 24, 2021

I’ve been reading quite a few books this last year that fall into the genre category of Fantasy literature.  But as I read these kinds of books, I became increasingly aware...

Cool stuff

June 19, 2021

     The fall of 1985 was the first time I had ever been introduced to the animated series, ROBOTECH. I leapt off the school bus into the warm afternoon, running to my house so I could catch the cartoon cavalcade that occurred after school. If I ran fast enough, I’d enter my home, turn on the TV just barely in time to view the opening sequence to Voltron, another animated show about flying robots that defended the Earth.

     However, on this particular day, as I would find, Voltron had been pushed to another time. I was taken aback. When the introductory music came on for this unheard of new show called, Robotech:The Macross Saga, I sat disappointed in the TV station. How could they do this, tamper with my afternoon ritual? The station was supposed to be airing “Voltron” at 3pm, followed by “G.I.Joe.” and “Transformers.” Finally, “Thundercats” came on at 4:30pm and rounded the afternoon showcase out.

     This day was different.

     Once Robotech began, and I was over my initial shock, I was riveted to the show. Transforming robot vehicles that were piloted by characters like the thrill-seeking Rick Hunter, and the daring Roy Fokker. In charge of navigating the Super Dimensional Fortress battleship, Commander Lisa Hayes was formidable. And of course, I’d be remiss if I did not mention Lynn Minmei, the singer who influences the warring factions with her voice. There were many characters and storylines to become attached to as a viewer. The cartoon series was much bigger than the average kids show, in that it was much more like a super-dramatic space epic.

     Now I’m going to skip a vast majority of the explanation of the series episodes, and instead share with you that at that time in 1985, I was absolutely unaware of what a fiasco it was for the companies that owned the rights to Robotech to actually broadcast the 85 episode series. There were four entities that owned the show, and I had no idea that what I was watching in America was actually reconstructed, redubbed and rewritten cartoon from Japan called, Super Dimensional Fortress Macross. Both series has similar storylines but were different enough in execution that their plots somehow existed simultaneously, and somehow independently from each other.

     As an American, 14-year-old, I had little understanding of this major company ownership debacle. And I had no clue I was accidentally stepping into a Robotech fan base issue of “What is canon and what isn’t?” This issue would grow to divide fans over the subsequent years, with fans choosing a side which ultimately decided the specific story actions of the individual characters and their fates. For example, If you watched Robotech, certain characters lived and died, fell in love and even became heroes. If you watched SDFM, you had the same characters experience different experiences and outcomes. Which cartoon was correct when it came to the canon of the overall series? That debate tore at the franchise for the following 30 years.

     Until March, 14^th 2021. 

     Harmony Gold, the main stakeholder in the Robotech/Macross franchise, would lose their rights to the show, and ownership would revert back to Tatsunoko Productions. This could’ve ended the series once and for all, or brought about a different approach to defining the canon. Only, it didn’t exactly end up like this. Instead, Harmony Gold and Tatsunoko Production would reach a landmark deal in that they would COOPERATE together in the future creation and distribution of the Robotech/Macross series, INCLUDING production on a new Live-Action film! This is huge news. Essentially, this is the news no fan ever saw coming. A thirty year conflict between companies ending with a cooperative goal that could breathe new life to this franchise over the next decade.

     There’s already new merchandise in online stores since this March agreement, and both full versions of the show are available now on streaming services like Funimation. That includes the 2^nd and 3^rd installments to the Macross epic, Southern Cross and The New Generation.

     I am eagerly awaiting news for the feature film to go into legit production once and for all. Three decades from when I started watching the show after school, the series may finally receive the international treatment it deserves. It’s actually quite amazing this deal got done at all, in this current world of corporate squabbling.

     I am looking forward to new generations of fans enjoying the Robotech franchise, and for there to be fresh directions for it to go. After all, those of us that grew up watching it may not live forever. So, it’s better to give this whole space-epic the love it needs now, as opposed to when its original fans are no longer alive. Although, it still may not happen in reality, I would keep my eyes open for Robotech to make another creative push into the mainstream in the years to come.

And I, for one, am excited.

June 17, 2021

Imagine it’s mid-February, 1971. My parents drove a red Volare along a skinny length of highway which passed through the arid, bone-dry land of Gila County, Arizona. 

June 24, 2021

I’ve been reading quite a few books this last year that fall into the genre category of Fantasy literature.  But as I read these kinds of books, I became increasingly aware...

Fantasy

June 24, 2021

     I’ve been reading quite a few books this last year that fall into the genre category of Fantasy literature. But as I read these kinds of books, I became increasingly aware that I wasn’t reading traditional fantasy anymore. It was darker, grittier, more unpredictable. As I became more familiar, I found that this subgenre had affectionately gained the nickname “Grimdark” or “Grimdark Fantasy” because of how it topples the usual fantasy tropes, in exchange for dim, uncompromising storytelling and characters whom embody a contrary angle to the usual fantasy archetypes. In other words, what we’ve gotten used to in fantasy tales, is stood on its head and played out by a different set of rules than is often portrayed in general lit. This subgenre makes me feel like it is alive, more organic than usual and really pushing the envelopes of modern, fantasy fiction. Grimdark authors seem to make it a goal to defy expectations and yet still supply all the things that fantasy embodies: grand adventures, twisted plots, memorable characters.

      However, it’s what Grimdark brings beyond the typical experience that makes it noteworthy: morally grey characters, harsh depictions of violence and life in general, and a defiance of fantasy tropes.

     Now, I don’t claim to know this subgenre so well that I am an authority on the subject. Yet, after having spent a good amount of time reading and studying examples of this field, I of course want to spread the good news, and share these kinds of books with an interested audience.

     Unfortunately, what I’m most often confronted with when I rave about one of these books is, “What’s Grimdark?”

     The majority of people I encounter have no clue what this subgenre is, nor associate the term Grimdark with fantasy. And when I describe that it is fantasy lit, I am greeted with eye-rolls and the sigh of someone who thinks they’ve seen it all before. Well, maybe you haven’t?

     Traditional Fantasy is most often characterized by adventures that include fair maiden princesses in need of rescuing. A dastardly villain hellbent on taking over a kingdom. Heroes who follow the path of valor, their comedic sidekick, the wise old wizard - we’ve all seen these examples a million times…

     Grimdark however, would rather tell the story of an aging, handicapped Inquisitor who tortures and interrogates captives for a dastardly king. Or maybe tell the tale of a murderous pair of thieves who learn the values of friendship through harrowing ordeals. Grimdark characters are robust with faults, dark pasts and depictions in worlds that are dangerous. These are not retellings of traditional fantasies. What a reader gets are dimensional environments full of contrary, morally-grey characters, conditions and scenarios. The literature often seems like an author drafts the books within the efforts of a revolt against the normal and mundane already well-established in the fantasy community.

     Authors such as Joe Abercronbie, Glen Cook, R.F. Kwang, Evan Winter, George. R.R. Martin, Steven Erickson, Robin Hobb and Fonda Lee (just to name a few) have managed to find a place in this generation of life where the writing they’re doing is being defined as a subgenre, as they write it. Grimdark has not existed long enough to lean on past traditions. Although, there are certainly examples of early Grimdark-like novels throughout past decades – Even the term loosely comes from the Warhammer 40k strategy game. And at its core, it’s an artform intentionally contrary to the fantasy of the Tolkien-age. Avoiding traditional elves, trolls, villains, protagonists, etc… Yet, this literary revolution is in the act of becoming what it is with each new published novel of its kind - It’s that recent and open-ended. It seems each new Grimdark novel challenges the literature that has come before it, making it refreshingly vibrant in the sense that the genre is raw, and ever-evolving. Or at least that is where Grimdark is at this moment.

     There may come a time when Grimdark makes way for another more challenging sub-genre, but at the moment, this has got me looking forward to new novels like I once did for comic books or new movies.

     I recommend the FIRST LAW TRILOGY by Joe Abercronbie to dive right on into the best stuff. It simultaneously revolts against traditional plot-driven storytelling as it entertains with some of the best character work in the business. THE JADE WAR by Fonda Lee is an interesting, mafia tale fit into a realm of magic and Asian culture. Certainly not traditional by any stretch of the imagination. PRINCE OF THORNS, by Mark Lawrence tracks the life of a prince who becomes a street-smart savage, who after his family are murdered strengthens himself to the point of non-feeling, and sets out to overthrow the system before him.

     These are just a few examples, and you will want to research the genre deeper and find what sounds good to you. There are quite a few new Grimdark Fantasy novels out there. My favorites are those that defy my expectations and tangle familiar tropes into braids of adventurous, unpredictable discovery.

     Perhaps aim for the first book in a trilogy, or maybe go for a one-shot tale that requires no additional background? I hope to continue seeing books of this kind, and watch them branch out into film and television. If you are anything like me, starting one book in this field will undoubtedly cause an addiction into the genre in its entirety.

Enjoy.

New Project

June 26, 2021

     When I first began thinking of putting together a home recording studio this last month, I had the simple intention of recording a few tracks worth of song ideas, every now and then. I planned on capturing a few, new guitar riffs, maybe play around with a podcast type thing. You know, just doing it for the sake of being creative. I liked the notion of taking my guitar, putting some new GHS Boomers on it and having a current reason to practice and write original music.

     What you might not know is that from the age of 17 to around the age of 30, I had played guitar for over twenty different bands. I went through a stage in my younger life where I just refused to say no to band opportunities. Didn’t really matter what kind of band – I just wanted to play.

     We can analyze how absolutely nuts I was back then in another blog post. But my point with this example is that in the act of taking steps towards building a small home studio in my current residence, is that in many ways it is bringing me back to a comfortable place within myself. A place I recognize. It’s therapeutic. Why haven’t I built a home studio sooner? I don’t know?

     So, I’m envisioning a set-up where I can collaborate as well as record personal sessions: both vocal and guitar work. The real exciting concept to me is the idea that I could record my guitar into sound files, and then send those digital files all the way to my friend Rich in Australia, or my buddy Eric in Flagstaff, AZ, and create music together across the internet. This is something that was not possible or even thought of back in the late 90’s, that’s for sure. It’s truly like I’ve flash-forwarded through time into the 25^th Century with Buck Rogers and Twikki.

     In order to accomplish this, I’ve got a pretty decent desktop computer to act as a central workstation – I’ll spare you the stats. It’s made from PC pieces and parts. Nothing fancy, but will get the job done. After some quality advice from my friend Colin and John, I decided to start with a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface as the first component I actually will utilize for recording. It’s got pre-amps for each channel. This interface will house a direct line-in from my guitar or any single instrument. Additionally, I will anticipate saving up for a ShureSM7B as my Vocal mic, which is a low output microphone. That means I may require another accessory, and that’s a little gizmo that connects the mic cable or guitar cable to the interface and gives it a little more power in order to fully max-out the mic’s capabilities.

This attachment is called a Cloudlifter, and fastens right onto the end of the cable and into the input jack of the interface. I hope to record some great vocal narration with this. This is because my “secret project” this next year will be to record 10-minute episodes of horror/mystery radio programs, that I intend to write and produce. I’ve had this idea for a long time. I’d like to see if it’s possible. At least it will be fun to attempt. I can’t wait to learn from the experience.

     Next, will be the powered monitors I’d like for the sound component. I don’t know what I’d like exactly, except I don’t require speakers that are super large. Perhaps a 5-inch speaker at most? It’s a small room where I will be building this home studio, and I imagine a nice pair of monitors that cost near the low-end of a few hundred bucks will probably work just fine. However, saying that, I’m definitely open to suggestions. 

     In future months, I aim to learn as many engineering tricks as I can stuff inside my head. Truth is, recording on studio equipment reconnects me to studio-principles that I’ve learned over the years of playing. I’ve also found a few YouTube channels that offer great assistance. Plus, I happen to know some killer musicians and audio gurus and have already begun soaking up their wisdom on the subject. So, I think I’ve built a decent support system to help me establish this project. In addition, there’s all of you out there!

     How about we discuss the software or DAW I end up deciding on in the next Home Studio Recording blog? I plan on trying out a few of the lower-priced or free DAWs to see how they work. I’m already starting with Cakewalk by BandLab which is absolutely free. Also, another free software I’ll be trying is Audacity. Then my interface comes with Ableton Lite and a minimized version of ProTools. I cannot wait to give em all a go.

     Let me know what you think of these or other home studio ideas. Of course, this will be a small recording space, but it can still get a lot accomplished.

     Until next time, my friends.