Unhidden Connection

This is a "party game" I invented. It is very simple and a very effective ice breaker. My company has used it twice at employee meetings (breaking into groups of about 8-12 people), and it can also be used at private parties. It is especially good when the group assembled is not very familiar with each other.

Everyone works together as a team in this game. To begin, everyone forms a circle. (Throughout the game, people do not need to stay in their original seat - they can move anywhere in the circle in order to make the "links" work.)

The goal of the game is to form unique links with the people on either side of you. These links must be something that only those two people - and no one else in the circle - share in common.

The links may not be anything obvious from looking at the people. (For example, the only two people with mustaches or the only two wearing green.) Beyond that, anything goes. For example, in the first game, I formed a link with the only other person who had read Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. (Although I had read an English translation, whereas he was Russian and had actually read it in its original language!)

Even after people form their own links, they can still participate, helping to find common ground between the people remaining. The last links are always the hardest!

For smaller groups, you can optionally have everyone uncover a unique link with every other person playing.

At the end of the game, every person in the circle will have formed two unique links: one with the person on their right in the circle, and another with the person on their left. And the entire group will have learned a lot about each other, which will hopefully keep the conversation going.

unfair

unfair, originally uploaded by ricodetroit.

Ten things iTunes still doesn't do

I've been working on the world's greatest playlist my whole life, but for most of my life technology has been frustratingly uncooperative. When I was a kid, records allowed you to go to any song instantaneously (if you could find the right track without scratching it), but if you wanted to listen to several songs in a row, you were at the mercy of the pre-determined play order. Then cassette tapes allowed you to re-record songs in any order you wanted, but it was a labor intensive process, and you had to fast forward and reverse your way along until you found the song you were looking for.

I used to dream of a jukebox big enough to hold all the songs I would ever want, with a nice computer hooked up to it so I could program different playlists. I thought I'd need a whole room in my mansion for it. Then a few years ago someone brilliant - I'm not sure, but I hope he's got a few Nobel Prizes and a palace full of servants now - invented MP3s. And then the people who cower in fear of Steve Jobs created an overpriced but very chic device to play those little files, and now my wildest dream has been realized and then some.

Using just a regular computer, I can create almost any playlist I can dream of. And I didn't even need the mansion. In fact, I can download my playlists into a device smaller than my wallet and almost as light. (No shit - 32,000 songs and they all fit in my pocket.)

What I'm saying is that the iTunes player is the greatest thing ever. But that doesn't mean that it couldn't be even better. Here are ten easy things that Apple could do right now to make me go double rainbow.

1.  Sub-Playlists

Sub-playlists would allow you to break down your longer playlists (I've got one that's over 2,500 songs long) into manageable sections, or "chapters." For example, segmenting a blues playlist by regional style, or a history of classical music by period or by composer. This could easily be accomplished with the folders iTunes currently uses if they allowed you to sort a folder in order (based on the order of the playlists in it), instead of just alphabetically.

This would allow some cool options by putting different kinds of playlists in the same folder. For example, you could have set-order chapters at the beginning and end and shuffled songs in the middle.

This is the #1 improvement Apple could make, and it should be an easy fix.

2. Artwork for Playlists

When you create a mix-tape - or now an iTunes playlist - you're basically creating a new album. And any album needs a cover. I've some sweet artwork for my homemade mix-tapes in my day. I made one once called "Chocolate and Razor Blades" out of a Hershey's wrapper and an actual razor blade. That was awesome. Right now, my "Surfer Suicide" playlist is screaming for its own artwork.

3. Comments for Playlists

I capture all kinds of data in the "comments" section of my MP3s: when was the song actually recorded, if different from the release date? Who were the musicians? etc. When I go to a concert, I create a playlist to commemorate it and I write down my memories of the day. I should be able to write that stuff in iTunes.

4. Liner Notes for Albums

This is similar to the last one. Why do we only get information at the song level? iTunes should be smart enough to associate songs with an album, just as it associates them with a playlist. (Really, albums are obsolete - everything is a playlist now, but I digress.) And with that being the case, why can't we get all of the essays, tedious thank-you lists and other junk that fills the album sleeve right in iTunes?

5. Word Wrapping

In list view, when you show the artwork, why not allow the text in the other fields to wrap if space is available. There's a lot of wasted space on the screen; why not use it?

6. Find the Right Artwork

iTunes has a "find artwork" feature, but it's a real crap shoot. Half the time, it gets it wrong. It should err on the side of matching the artist listed, rather than throwing some crappy, unrelated K-Tel album cover on all of my blues compilations.

7. Find Lyrics

If they can do it with album artwork, why not lyrics? Why even tease us with a lyrics tab if it's impossible to get them? At the very least, the songs we buy from iTunes should have the lyrics already populated.

8. Separate Field for "Featured" Artists

This is a personal preference, but I hate albums that have the "compilation" box set to "yes" just because there are a bunch of guests artists. I don't care if Jay-Z stopped by to deliver 14 seconds of non-sequitor rap, the song is still by Billy Joel and he should be the only one listed on the "Artist" line. Give me a separate line to list all of the other musicians that participated.

9. Multiple Date Fields

What do you list in the date field: the date the record was performed / mixed? the date it was released? the date it charted? For my purposes, I want fields for at least the first two, and for classical pieces I would also like a field to note the date it was composed. (And while we're at it, let's make the date fields include optional month and day fields, not just year.)

10. Ring Tone Maker

Ring tones are actually pretty easy to make in iTunes, but it's a long process - no doubt because Apple wants to encourage the direct sale of ring tones. That sucks. Don't make us pay again for twenty seconds of a song we already bought, Apple.

ufo

ufo, originally uploaded by ricodetroit.

snake

snake, originally uploaded by ricodetroit.

stones

stones, originally uploaded by ricodetroit.

little boy blue

little boy blue, photo by the boy, originally uploaded by ricodetroit.

insomnia

insomnia, originally uploaded by ricodetroit.

waiting room

waiting room, originally uploaded by ricodetroit.

freedom

freedom, originally uploaded by ricodetroit.

still life with gum

stars

stars, originally uploaded by ricodetroit.

battle worn

battle worn, originally uploaded by ricodetroit.

happy wine

happy wine, originally uploaded by ricodetroit.

Bullet Killer

I’m a gladiator ninja, don’t mess with me

I drive an army helicopter and I live in a tree

I’ve got grizzly bears and guns as far as I can see

You gotta pay for my rhymes, you don’t get ‘em for free



I’ve got rocket fuel bubbling in my veins

Voodoo lightning charging through my brains

I eat fossils and apostles and atomic trains

And my wallet grows fatter every time that it rains



I’m an insane Kung-Fu genius, I can’t die

I can shred you just by giving you the evil eye

All my bears have wolves and all the wolves have knives

I’ll sell a nickel for a dollar and I don’t even try



You’ll get a soul stopping smack if you get in my way

I break the laws of time and gravity every day

I’m a predatory player, but I don’t play

When I lay the rhymes down, you must obey

We've got to go back to the island...

I am not a big fan of television in general, but every once in a while a show grabs my attention. After a friend "boxed-set bullied" me into watching the first two seasons of Lost, I was hooked. And so, after spending the past couple of years catching up and then hanging on every new episode, last night I watched the series finale. It was a bittersweet moment, but ultimately a satisfying one.

Lost was a bizarre show, full of mind-bending twists and turns. It was at times profound and at times kinda silly, but it was always entertaining. To me, the show succeeded most when it was focused on the characters.  When it got too caught up in pseudo-science or mythology, it had a tendency to stumble. (It jumped the shark when the island and its inhabitants went "skipping through time" in season four. It was still good but never quite as good again.)

I was happy to see a strong return to those characters in the finale. The ending was both heartwarming and bittersweet. A tear or two was shed. And it was yet another thought-provoking twist that I did not see coming. On that level, like so many episodes before it, Lost succeeded.

I say "episodes," because that's the true way to judge Lost. There was a narrative there, but it wasn't always a coherent one. Like life itself, the story didn't always go from point A to point B in a straight line. A lot of stuff happened and it didn't always fit together neatly. I have a lot of unanswered questions. What made that string of numbers so powerful? Why was Walt special? Why couldn't women have children on the island?

But each episode worked on its own, and there was enough of a common thread to tie a lot of it together, even if some threads were left dangling. Any Lost fan who didn't like the final episode simply didn't like that it was the last episode. There was much more territory that could have been mined.

One of the recurring storytelling devices the show used was jumping around in time. We had flashbacks for two seasons, then flash forwards, then actual time travel. This whole final season, we had "flash-sideways" to what we thought was an alternate universe / alternate timeline where Oceanic flight 815 had never crashed on the mysterious island.

**SPOILERS BELOW**

It turns out that the alternate universe was some kind of spiritual limbo, similar to Purgatory. I've heard some people say that what happened in that alternate world was a waste of time this season, that it didn't matter because everyone was already dead. I disagree. Each one's experience in that world was based on the unfinished business of their life. We got to see these characters that we'd come to know so well wrestling with their unconscious fears and finally overcoming them - finally "letting go."

In the end, it was never about what the numbers meant; it was about the characters. And it was nice to see them find the love and peace that eluded them for so long. Once again the writers found a way to challenge our perspective. It was good television and a fitting end.


Lost was an ambitious project, and it didn't always work, but I'm glad I went along for the ride.

Also, Jack rocks.

P.S. - Although the creators say Lost is done forever, it would be easy to make a sequel. Very, very easy. And it will happen. I'm not condoning it, and I'm not saying it would be as good as the original, but it will happen.

More good, armored fun

I have said before that I think Iron Man (2008) was one of the best superhero movies of all time, and I gave it five stars ***** (essential). While Iron Man 2 doesn't quite match it, it isn't far off the mark. It is a very entertaining movie, and I give it four stars **** (recommended).

Pro...

• People in armored suits beating the shit out of each other and blowing stuff up. You can stop reading here and run to the theater now.
• Robert Downey, Jr. is a perfect Tony Stark: obnoxious and narcissistic, but just witty and charming enough to win you over and convince you that he's a good guy at heart.
• Suitcase armor.
• Whiplash may be an absurd villain, but it ends up working because Micky Rourke plays the role so convincingly. Likewise, Sam Rockwell's weapons dealer Justin Hammer is delightfully weaselly.
• ScarJo in a catsuit. She doesn't have much screen time, but the scene where she kicks ass is a big highlight. Jon Favreau has a wonderfully comic moment in the scene as well.

Con...

• The movie drags a little in the middle and is all over the place at times with many different plot lines intertwining. It's not a fatal flaw, but there are some elements that seemed strained and could have been cut for better flow. (For example, the bits where Tony uncovers old research and reconnects with his dead father.)
• There are a few places where the plot stretches the "willing suspension of disbelief" boundaries - much more so than the first film. The scene where Tony Stark creates a new element is an awkward clunker. Unless Favreau was going for comic absurdity ("Congratulations, sir, you have created a new element.") - in which case it was brilliant.
• The final battle with Whiplash is over too soon and is anti-climactic. Rourke's character is such a bad ass all movie, he deserved better.

[May 21, 2010] UPDATE: I just saw the movie for a second time, and it is just as good if not better with repeated viewings. Plus, I think I now have a man-crush on Sam Rockwell.

Happy Lisping Jedi Day

Today is May fourth.

May the fourth be with you.

R.I.P. Frosty the Snowman, 1950-2010

Flags were lowered to half-staff at the North Pole today as Global Warming claimed its latest victim. Frosty the Snowman died at home yesterday surrounded by loved ones and elves, after a long battle with melting. He was 59.

Frosty had a very successful career in Hollywood from the moment he had been brought to life in 1950, purportedly by a magic hat. He had suffered from melting several times throughout his life, but had always been able to convalesce at the North Pole, where he maintained permanent residence.

Frosty had last been seen publicly in the 1992 CBS special Frosty Returns, where his appearance and voice had already been noticeably changed by his illness. Like his earlier work, Frosty Returns did not hide Frosty's sometimes edgy political agenda, as it argued against behaviors that cause climate change. Indeed, even though Frosty kept a low public profile in his later years, he still remained a strong voice for environmental responsibility. In fact, Al Gore says that it was Frosty who came up with the term "An Inconvenient Truth," which Gore used for his award-winning documentary and book. "There is literally no one for whom it is more inconvenient than Frosty," said Gore in 2007.

A spokesman from Santa Corp. read the following statement: "Today Mr. and Mrs. Claus grieve with children throughout the world over the loss of this beloved hero and symbol of Christmas magic. Frosty was our family, and he will be missed."

Doctors related on condition of anonymity that Frosty had grown so small and featureless towards the end as to be almost unrecognizable. "Still, he retained his sense of humor," one said. "There was always a twinkle in those lumps of coal."

Frosty had been married and widowed 15 times. His closest living relative issued the following statement from his home in Mankato, Minnesota: "My great great great great great great great great grandad wouldn't want anyone to cry for him. Most snowman only live for a few weeks or months, but Frosty was able to spend decades doing what he loved and making children smile. He considered himself very fortunate."

Easter Bunny hoax revealed! (re-post)

I don't believe in the Easter "Bunny"... and neither will you if you take the time to learn the facts!

I do, yo-yo!

As I wrote last year, I met someone special and we really clicked. Today, the two of us began the next phase of our lives as husband and wife.

In doing so, we bring together four people into a new family: me and her, plus our two boys - who are just a few weeks apart in age, so I've started calling them the "step-twins."

We're a little bit of an unconventional family, because we share custody with our boys' other respective parents, so they have other family members who love them, and they need come and go. I joked that we're a family of yo-yos: each of us has other commitments, so we leave from time to time, but our heartstrings are tied together and our yo-yos always come back eventually. (Sometimes we may have to roll up the string by hand, but we do come back!)

In case you missed it, here are some of the special vows we wrote for the ceremony:

Declaration of Consent

___, will you have ___ to be your wife/husband, and will you pledge yourself to her/him in all love, honor, faith and tenderness? To live with her/him, cherish her/him, support her/him, comfort her/him, care for her/him and protect her/him according to the ordinance of God in the holy bond of marriage?

I will.

Question to the Boys

___ and ___, what your Mom [said to ___] and your Dad [said to ___] just said to each other affects you too, doesn’t it? They have come here today to make a promise to each other and to God to love each other. And a big part of loving each other is to love both of you and to build a strong, happy and supportive family for both of you to grow up in.

When you leave this church today, you will each have gained a new step-parent and a new step-brother. Your new family members do not replace anyone else, but rather add to the love that surrounds you. And as a family, you will all share that responsibility to love one another and support one another.

___, ___, ___ and ___, will the four of you pledge to be a fair and loving and supportive family?

We will.

Wedding Vows

___, I love you. You are my best friend. Today I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love and cherish you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy and when it seems hard, when our love is simple, and when it is an effort. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live.

Ring Vows

___, this ring is a symbol of my love for you. Let it be a reminder that I will always be a faithful partner to you and a devoted, loving member of our family. With all that I am and all that I have, I give it to you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.