The Cephalopod Coffeehouse: September Blog List

Greetings to all!  I hope you'll join us for the next installment of the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, an online gathering of bloggers who love books.  The next meeting is set for Friday, September 27th.  If you're interested, please sign on to the link list at the end of this post.

The idea is simple: on the last Friday of each month, post about the best book you've finished over the past month while visiting other bloggers doing the same.  In this way, we'll all have the opportunity to share our thoughts with other enthusiastic readers.  Please join us:

The Cephalopod Coffeehouse: August 2013

Welcome one and all to the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, a cozy gathering of book lovers, meeting to discuss their thoughts regarding the tomes they enjoyed most over the previous month.  Pull up a chair, order your cappuccino and join in the fun.  If you wish to add your own review to the conversation, please sign on to the link list at the end of my post.

Title: Burma Chronicles
Writer and Artist: Guy Delisle

via Amazon

For the first Cephalopod Coffeehouse meeting back in May, I featured a book by Guy Delisle entitled Aline and the Others (link here).  As noted in that post, Delisle is best known for his travel narratives, all in graphic novel form. Burma Chronicles is his third such book.

Delisle's wife Nadège is a doctor with Doctors Without Borders, referred to in the book by their French name, Medécins sans Frontières (MSF).  She was assigned to a clinic in Burma (recognized by the UN as Myamar), primarily to combat malaria but to offer general medical aid as well.  Guy was initially a stay-at-home dad for their son Louis but once a nanny was hired, he was able to resume his cartooning career.  Burma Chronicles recounts his adventures both large and small in adapting to an isolated and impenetrable country. 

I really enjoy Delisle's ex-pat perspective.  Anyone who has lived in a foreign country knows that the experience is entirely different from just traveling through.  The tourist sights aren't such a big deal.  The challenges of building a life are what you remember.  For instance, Guy has great affection for supermarkets as a window into culture.  I also easily identified with his observation that people would ignore him on the street unless his son was with him.  Of course, that happens on native soil, too!

Delisle does not pull his punches regarding the military junta that rules the country.  While Rangoon comes off as a quiet and safe city for the most part, the silence is born of brutal government suppression.  When MSF and other international organizations are banned from certain parts of the country, the prevailing assumption is that the regime is cracking down and doesn't want witnesses.  In theory, the ex-pat community is above the fray but Guy can't help worrying about the Burmese friends he makes.

The book is essentially a collection of vignettes rather than one continuous narrative.  A few of the chapters, including tales of the family's side trips, are entirely wordless.  Some of the stories are quite funny, others heart-wrenching.  While Delisle's book did nothing to entice me to move to Burma, I'm certainly interested in exploring his other travel works.

Please join us and share your own review of your best read from the past month.  This month's link list is below.  I'll keep it open until the end of the day.  I'll post September's tomorrow.  Meetings are the last Friday of each month.  Next gathering is September 27th.

Star Trek: Charlie X

Episode: "Charlie X"
Series: Star Trek: The Original Series
Season 1, Episode 2
Original Air Date: September 15, 1966

Image via Tumblr

In "Charlie X," the crew takes on Charlie Evans as a passenger.  Charlie has been stranded, apparently alone, on the planet Thasus since the age of three.  Now a teenager, Charlie has developed telekinetic abilities which ultimately present great danger to the Enterprise.  It is a storyline which the franchise has mined frequently over the decades - a powerful entity gains control of the ship. The original idea for this particular episode came from the short story "It's a Good Life" by Jerome Bixby, which also served as the basis for a Twilight Zone installment in 1961.

A few points of Trek-culture interest in "Charlie X":

Photo via Memory Alpha

• In an early scene, Spock sits in the briefing lounge strumming a Vulcan lute, a 12-stringed instrument tuned to a diatonic scale.  The lute has been featured in later series as well, most recently in the Voyager episode "Riddles."

Photo via Dreamwidth

• Three-dimensional chess is a pastime frequently seen in Star Trek series, the first-aired appearance in "Charlie X."  3D chess concepts predate Trek by at least a century, though the board used in the show was designed especially for the series.  While game parameters were never defined within the show, Andrew Bartmess published standard rules for the Trek board in 1976.

One could easily argue that Spock, more than any of the Enterprise captains, is the iconic character of the Star Trek franchise.  Leonard Nimoy, the actor who portrayed the pointy-eared half-Vulcan from the first failed pilot onward, was born in Boston on March 26, 1931, just four days after William Shatner's birth in Montreal.  His screen credits extend all the way back to 1951, his first film lead coming in 1952's Kid Monk Baroni.  Among numerous guest roles on television, he first worked with Shatner in a 1964 episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

There are far too many great pictures of the young Nimoy to limit ourselves to just one.  The following is My Wife's favorite:

Photo via The Trek BBS

This one's mine:

Photo via Examiner.com

A few more gems for good measure:

Photo via deviantART

Photo via Trek Core

Photo via Bonanza Boomers

Now in Theaters: Fruitvale Station

Film: Fruitvale Station
Director: Ryan Coogler
My Overall Rating: 5 stars out of 5

via Wikipedia

There are no surprises in Fruitvale Station, Ryan Coogler's debut feature-length film.  The opening scene is cell phone camera footage of the actual murder of Oscar Grant III at the hands of transit police in Oakland, California, early New Year's Day 2009.  So for the rest of the movie, which recounts the events of the last day of Oscar's life, we the audience know exactly what's going to happen - when, where and how.  All of the devices used to portray the victim as a sympathetic character are direct and to the point - again, no surprises.  Yet everything is executed perfectly.

Oscar, played by Michael B. Jordan, is an ex-con struggling to hold down a job and keep his young family together.  As we follow him through his day, he reveals himself to be a decent, compassionate person despite his obvious shortcomings.  All moments of warmth and joy, all glimpses of a hopeful future are clouded by what we know is coming.  If you don't love Oscar and his family at the beginning of the story, you certainly do by the end.  When the loss finally hits, it's devastating. 

Of course, that's the whole point.  Coogler, all of 27 years old himself, wanted to establish the character as something more than just a name in the news, more than a martyr.  Oscar is human,  a friendly man, easy to like.  He is flawed, just like all of the people around him.  Just like us.  His death is unfair and it hurts.

Yes, go see this movie.  You won't see a better one this year.

And bring Kleenex.

US Open 2013: My Picks

It's been a crazy summer in tennis.  Legends won in Paris.  Legends lost early in London while a national hero finally claimed the prize.  Per usual, the dramas which have been building over the course of the tennis year all near climax as the US Open begins.  Neither of my picks is especially daring this time, though neither is even the odds-on favorite. 

My Men's Pick: Novak Djokovic (1st seed, Serbia)

via Khelnama

Generally speaking, Novak Djokovic is the world's best hardcourt player.  He is nowhere near the sure thing Nadal is on clay or Federer once was on grass but he is the top gun on the surface.  However, an unexpected storyline has emerged this summer as Nadal has gone on a tear, claiming the titles in both Montreal and Cincinnati, beating Djokovic in the semis of the former.  It will be a barn-burner of a final if they both make it.  While he's not the player he once was, I still think that if both men show up in top form, Nadal wins.  But the question with Nadal at this stage of his career and his season is always how well the knees will hold up.  I think Djokovic takes the prize this time.  For the record, I'd love to be wrong on this one.


My Women's Pick: Victoria Azarenka (2nd, Belarus)

via wallfive

As always, the top-seeded Serena Williams is unstoppable if she plays her best.  But age is cruel in tennis and with 32 right around the corner, Serena can't summon her best as dependably as she once could.  Azarenka, last year's losing finalist, is her biggest threat.  She is one of very few women on tour with even a chance at matching Serena's power.  Azarenka has won two Australian Opens so far.  I say she adds the US Open to her Majors tally this year.

State of the Blog 2013

Squid do not molt in the wild.  But here in the blogosphere, The Armchair Squid undergoes annual transformation, shedding the skin of the previous year and preparing for new adventures ahead.  As the interests of the blog's humble author shift and reader interests shape the conversation, The Squid seeks greater refinement and more nourishing feeding grounds.  To this end, the blogging motto for Year 5 in the life of The Squid is a very simple one: Embrace the Inner Geek.


Blogging Projects

I have been very pleased with the first three months of the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, my bloggers' book club.  The idea: each month, participating book enthusiasts shall post about a favorite book from the previous month's reading.  Bloghop meetings are held the last Friday of the month.  I hope the concept will continue to evolve and expand during the coming year.  If you would care to join us, I plan to keep a sign up list in the upper-right corner of my blog for as long as the group remains viable.


Good Reading

I've got big changes planned for these posts.  Comic books have been a major guiding factor in the course of The Squid over the past two years.  Inspired by comics, I tested a new concept during a slow week in February: reflections upon original series Star Trek episodes.  I've only posted two over the past few months but with the dawning of Year 5, Trek entries shall become a weekly feature at The Armchair Squid.  I'm aiming for Wednesdays.  Embrace the geek!

I will continue my more generic book reviews as well: comics, sports books and children's literature.


Family Adventures

I'm hoping for more family travels in the coming year - not big trips, necessarily, but perhaps more frequent ones.  We have a lot of friends we haven't seen in a while and I do regret not making it to the ocean this year - good goals to work toward.  I'd like to give camping a go next summer, too.  I did a fair amount of tent camping as a kid but we've never done it as a family, apart from one overnight in the backyard.

I'm planning a theme for my own Family Movie Night choices this year - more on that in a bit.  Food, always the best incentive for getting everyone out of the house, may make occasional blog appearances as well.  Family posts are likely to launch on Sundays.


Tennis

via hermes' helix

The Armchair Squid began as a tennis blog.  I cut back a bit on my posts in the past year - weekly during Majors rather than daily.  I intend to continue the same for Year 5.  The US Open starts on Monday.  Expect my picks to win soon.


Music

via Popdose

This is my trickiest blog topic.  Music is my day job and I do my best to keep blogging and work separate as much as humanly possible.  But music is everywhere and it's silly to pretend that it's not important to me in the rest of my life.  Generally, it has worked best for me to connect music to the other topics I blog about.  For the coming year, I plan to explore music in film.


In conclusion, I am eternally grateful to all of you who have shared in my explorations.  To borrow from Jon Wertheim, if any of you enjoys reading The Armchair Squid half as much as I enjoy writing it, we're all doing pretty well.  I hope you'll join me for Year 5.

If you're interested in previous State of the Blog posts, try the links below:

2012
2011
2010

Squiddies 2013

The Armchair Squid turns four years old today.  It's time to hand out some hardware.  And the Squiddy goes to...

Biggest Surprise: The Walking Dead

via Webcomics Guide

The critics raved but I was still unsure about The Walking Dead comics.  Zombie narratives are definitely not my thing - too much blood, too formulaic, too hopeless.  And yet, there was something about the series that worked for me.  I think two factors helped me enjoy Walking Dead more than the standard zombie fare: 1) the series is drawn in black and white so the copious amounts of blood are not red and 2) we don't actually see the zombies very often.  The story focuses on the struggles of a small group of characters to make a new life in a post-apocalyptic world rather than a constant onslaught from the undead.  After four trade paperbacks (finishing with Volume 4: The Heart's Desire), I decided I'd had enough.  That's still a lot further than I would have expected to get.


Biggest Disappointment: The Man Who Knew Too Little

via Wikipedia

We had a pretty good year with Family Movie Night films.  The Man Who Knew Too Little, a 1997 Bill Murray vehicle, was the only real clunker in my estimation.  It's funny at times but the story falls well short of compelling.


Best Match: Australian Open Fourth Round: Djokovic vs. Wawrinka

via Live Tennis Guide

Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) is not likely to threaten for Major tennis titles.  At age 28, he has never advanced passed the quarterfinals of a Slam tournament.  However, he is the sort of tough grinder who's difficult to root against.  In January, it really looked like he had Novak Djokovic, the top seed and two-time defending champion, on the ropes in Melbourne.  The Serb eventually managed a 12-10 escape in the fifth set and went on to win the title.


Best Story: "Sweet Caroline"

After the bombing at the Boston Marathon, baseball stadiums across the country played Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline," a song adopted long ago by the Red Sox, in tribute.  When I heard the crowd at Yankee Stadium sang along with gusto, I couldn't help tearing up a bit.  However, the following from the Salt Lake City Marathon is even better.  Definitely worth a re-post:




Best Read, First-Time Category: Paper Lion by George Plimpton

via The Scores Report

Renaissance man George Plimpton was brilliant at playing the stuffy aristocrat on screen.  In print, he was humble, insightful and pretty darn funny.  Paper Lion is a seminal work in sports journalism, chronicling Plimpton's adventures while embedded with the 1963 Detroit Lions.  It's the sort of book that's embarrassing to read on an airplane because I can't stop giggling.  It also provides a wonderful glimpse of a simpler time in professional football - a must for any thoughtful fan.


Best Read, Re-Read Category: Macbeth by William Shakespeare

via Etsy

No one's better than the Bard and Macbeth is my favorite among his plays.  For my submission to July's Cephalopod Coffeehouse, I read an illustrated folio addition, artwork by Von.  Macbeth has it all: murder, intrigue, insanity, power lust, dark magic.  What's not to love?


Best Comics Find: V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd

via Amazon

I have long loved the film version of V for Vendetta but never got around to reading the original comics until last month.  After posting my review, I quickly learned that not all comic book readers are as impressed by Alan Moore as I am but he's definitely my favorite.  His allegorical rant against Thatcherism is highly compelling, the best graphic narrative I have seen so far.


Athlete of the Year: Andy Murray

via Roger Federer Fans

Andy Murray's entire career has been validated over the past twelve months.  Britain's #1 won his first Major at the 2012 US Open.  The real prize came just last month when the Great Scot ended the UK's 77-year title drought at Wimbledon.  Now maybe - just maybe - everyone will get off his back.  (Yeah, right...)


Post with Most Unexpected Consequences: A Comic Book Scavenger Hunt, A-Z: Fathom

via Westfield Comics Blog

One of the least interesting comic books I read for this year's A-Z Challenge inspired one of the most interesting conversations - most revolving around the merits of the cover art (or lack of merit, depending on perspective).  Discussion in that thread also lead directly to the creation of the Cephalopod Coffeehouse (details here).


Best Family Adventure: Lake Superior

We did not make it to the seashore this year but we did the next best thing by visiting the world's largest body of freshwater.   During our Michigan adventure, we took a boat tour of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.  Superior is nothing short of awe-inspiring.  I felt like I had reached the edge of the world, staring out across 150 miles of empty water.  Until this summer, it was the only one of the Great Lakes I'd never seen, except from an airplane.


Best Unexpected Benefit of Blogging: A Blogger Posse

At this point, I really shouldn't be surprised by the joys of making friends in the blogosphere.  However over the past few months, I've found an unexpected niche among a small enclave.  It started with Suze's Tiny Harmonies series in March, grew with A-Z in April and found a regular meeting place with the Cephalopod Coffeehouse.  Several of them are Coffeehouse regulars so if you'd like to get to know them, too - and why wouldn't you? - please join us for August's meeting.


Squiddy Posts from Previous Years:

2012
2011
2010