Find it at empireofideas.blogspot.com
Happy Reading!
.
Note: I have moved several of the most relevant posts here to my new blog, and deleted some that are no longer relevant.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Where The Streets Have No Name
An interesting addition by Bono to a live version of this song I have. Something about it calls to me.
Some beggars dreamt of other roads
Some beggars dreamt of other lands
Of another home
Of another home
Where the streets have no name
Take me
Take me
I hesitate to post this, because it relegates the last post to being second on the page, and despite being only a portion of the lyrics of my eighth favorite song, it goes so far beyond any other song lyrics I've ever posted in terms of meaning. Posting those lyrics was at once exhilerating, relieving, gratifying, and somber. The conflux of emotions, the sychronicities and the enigmas, were so profound I couldn't put them into words, hence I posted only the lyrics. Every time I read that post or hear the song though, I go away. Not to Carolina, but somewhere a little different. Perhaps an empty Saskatchewan highway on the way to Carolina. Between the flashing lines and the headlight beams..I feel many things, but there is one thing I do not. That is regret, and I am eternally grateful that a speck of that will never cross my mind.
Some beggars dreamt of other roads
Some beggars dreamt of other lands
Of another home
Of another home
Where the streets have no name
Take me
Take me
I hesitate to post this, because it relegates the last post to being second on the page, and despite being only a portion of the lyrics of my eighth favorite song, it goes so far beyond any other song lyrics I've ever posted in terms of meaning. Posting those lyrics was at once exhilerating, relieving, gratifying, and somber. The conflux of emotions, the sychronicities and the enigmas, were so profound I couldn't put them into words, hence I posted only the lyrics. Every time I read that post or hear the song though, I go away. Not to Carolina, but somewhere a little different. Perhaps an empty Saskatchewan highway on the way to Carolina. Between the flashing lines and the headlight beams..I feel many things, but there is one thing I do not. That is regret, and I am eternally grateful that a speck of that will never cross my mind.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Beyond My Wildest Dreams
I'd drive a thousand miles
Haul a trailer of tears
Just to see you smile
As the dawn appears
At the edge of the night
There's still a light that leads
Beyond my wildest dreams
Beyond my wildest dreams
Beyond my wildest dreams
I've been with you
Enough said.
Haul a trailer of tears
Just to see you smile
As the dawn appears
At the edge of the night
There's still a light that leads
Beyond my wildest dreams
Beyond my wildest dreams
Beyond my wildest dreams
I've been with you
Enough said.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Caradhras
I feel like I haven't written anything substantial in here in a little while. The last few posts have been riddled with meaning but they have been easy to write and gave away little, mostly song lyrics or lists or very brief bits of analysis. My last attempt to write something more concrete ended with a post called Flashes Before Your Eyes, which I thought was a good post, but was too revealing about certain things for me to throw it out there. Therefore, it went back on the shelf for a while. That may end up happening to this post as well, but i'll try my best to write something that is both meaningful and discrete.
Probably the preeminent issue on my mind lately spurs from a couple conversations I recently had about the future. I knew I was going to have to think about the issue that these conversations were concerned with, but that doesn't make it any easier to attack. I am reminded of a post I wrote last summer called The Long Road. Then, the issue was abstract. It is a little bit more multifaceted now that it is real. As opposed to my summer post, which was primarily about the perils of the Long Road and the fortitude that one requires to make that journey, this discussion is going to be a little more specific. Just for fun, I thought a little allegory would be in order.
As I see it, I have left Rivendell, and am taking the road southeast. The nature of my quest has become quite clear, but the nature of the enemy is still hidden and the road ahead is still long. I have left the valley well equipped but by no means invunerable. Following in the footsteps of the Fellowship, I have come to the foot of the Misty Mountains, and am left with a choice of two paths if I wish to continue going forward. There are other paths, but they lead away from the quest that I have undertaken, and that, for me, is not a choice I will make willingly.
To the casual observer, there seems to be only one path across the mountains. This is over the top of the great peak Caradhras, through the High Pass. This path has been taken by many travellers, and is most similar to the generic Long Road that I have previously mapped out. Scaling the peak will certainly require admirable fortitude, courage and strength of will, and it has claimed no shortage of victims. Still, it remains the common path and has been done successsfully many times. The main perils of Caradhras are three. The first is loneliness. The trek takes you through the lonely peaks, and each time you think of how far you are from home you tend to cringe, especially since looking back on a clear day you can see the green fields and quiet streams from which you came and yet the mountain blocks the view of any similar oases on the far side. The second challenge is temptation. Like the ring of power, the mountain can make you forget who you really are. High in the thin air you can see things that arn't really there, and the memories of the past tend to fade amidst the snow. The third challenge is commitment. There are times during the ascent of the mountain where one feels helpless, feels like the mountain can never be conquered. The peak does its best to thwart you, and even if you can overcome the first two challenges, sometimes the sheer veracity of the task can cause your resolve to wither away, and even if you do conquer the mountain, once on the other side you have nothing left to give.
Facing these challenges, there is certainly incentive to find another way. But only one more acceptable path is open, and it may be fraught with even fiercer perils. The path taken by the fellowship is a dangerous one, deep underground through the mines of Moria. This path also has three challenges,but they are different than the ones above on Caradhras. The first is the darkness. In the mines it is difficult to see anything. The lack of light, the lack of ability to see , can wreak havoc with the mind. It is a feeling of being completely alone, similar but distinct from the loneliness of the peak. The difference lies in the inability to see off in the distance. It eases the ache at times, but at other times it is harder. It depends on the person. The second challenge is the challenge of corruption. The mines seeth evil, and there are people that have simply forsaken their old lives and let themselves be lost in the deep. The risk of never emerging from the mines is not substantial, but it is there. The final threat is that the mines change people. The long time to reflect in the dark makes them think that just because the mines black everything out, they can as well. They forget the feelings that make them human, and forget the good in their past. They think they feel nothing, when really they've only forgotten.
The two paths are both fraught with danger, and the choice in the end must be a personal one. I don't know which path is mine, but I am reminded of a quote from George Mallory, the man who in 1924 was ever so close to being the first man to summit Everest. He may have even made it to the top, but he died on the way down so barring new evidence, we will never know whether or not he made it. When Mallory was asked why he wanted to climb Everest, he replied with the immortal words that will forever be associated with the mountain. "Because it is there."
Probably the preeminent issue on my mind lately spurs from a couple conversations I recently had about the future. I knew I was going to have to think about the issue that these conversations were concerned with, but that doesn't make it any easier to attack. I am reminded of a post I wrote last summer called The Long Road. Then, the issue was abstract. It is a little bit more multifaceted now that it is real. As opposed to my summer post, which was primarily about the perils of the Long Road and the fortitude that one requires to make that journey, this discussion is going to be a little more specific. Just for fun, I thought a little allegory would be in order.
As I see it, I have left Rivendell, and am taking the road southeast. The nature of my quest has become quite clear, but the nature of the enemy is still hidden and the road ahead is still long. I have left the valley well equipped but by no means invunerable. Following in the footsteps of the Fellowship, I have come to the foot of the Misty Mountains, and am left with a choice of two paths if I wish to continue going forward. There are other paths, but they lead away from the quest that I have undertaken, and that, for me, is not a choice I will make willingly.
To the casual observer, there seems to be only one path across the mountains. This is over the top of the great peak Caradhras, through the High Pass. This path has been taken by many travellers, and is most similar to the generic Long Road that I have previously mapped out. Scaling the peak will certainly require admirable fortitude, courage and strength of will, and it has claimed no shortage of victims. Still, it remains the common path and has been done successsfully many times. The main perils of Caradhras are three. The first is loneliness. The trek takes you through the lonely peaks, and each time you think of how far you are from home you tend to cringe, especially since looking back on a clear day you can see the green fields and quiet streams from which you came and yet the mountain blocks the view of any similar oases on the far side. The second challenge is temptation. Like the ring of power, the mountain can make you forget who you really are. High in the thin air you can see things that arn't really there, and the memories of the past tend to fade amidst the snow. The third challenge is commitment. There are times during the ascent of the mountain where one feels helpless, feels like the mountain can never be conquered. The peak does its best to thwart you, and even if you can overcome the first two challenges, sometimes the sheer veracity of the task can cause your resolve to wither away, and even if you do conquer the mountain, once on the other side you have nothing left to give.
Facing these challenges, there is certainly incentive to find another way. But only one more acceptable path is open, and it may be fraught with even fiercer perils. The path taken by the fellowship is a dangerous one, deep underground through the mines of Moria. This path also has three challenges,but they are different than the ones above on Caradhras. The first is the darkness. In the mines it is difficult to see anything. The lack of light, the lack of ability to see , can wreak havoc with the mind. It is a feeling of being completely alone, similar but distinct from the loneliness of the peak. The difference lies in the inability to see off in the distance. It eases the ache at times, but at other times it is harder. It depends on the person. The second challenge is the challenge of corruption. The mines seeth evil, and there are people that have simply forsaken their old lives and let themselves be lost in the deep. The risk of never emerging from the mines is not substantial, but it is there. The final threat is that the mines change people. The long time to reflect in the dark makes them think that just because the mines black everything out, they can as well. They forget the feelings that make them human, and forget the good in their past. They think they feel nothing, when really they've only forgotten.
The two paths are both fraught with danger, and the choice in the end must be a personal one. I don't know which path is mine, but I am reminded of a quote from George Mallory, the man who in 1924 was ever so close to being the first man to summit Everest. He may have even made it to the top, but he died on the way down so barring new evidence, we will never know whether or not he made it. When Mallory was asked why he wanted to climb Everest, he replied with the immortal words that will forever be associated with the mountain. "Because it is there."
Monday, March 12, 2007
Blair's Top 25 One Liners
I needed a new Top 25 playlist, so I decided to acknowledge songs that have one line in particular that either makes the song great, turns it from great into a masterpiece, or is simply a tremendous piece of wordsmithing. The list is ordered based on two factors, how much the line improves the song and how good the line is on its own. The trend seems to be toward lines that have something to do with someone's heart. So here goes:
1.Rock and Roll Dreams, Meatloaf
"You're never alone, because you can put on the phones and let the drummer tell your heart what to do"
AND
"Angels had guitars even before they had wings"
2. Love Over Gold, Dire Straits
"It takes love over gold, and mind over matter to do what you do that you must"
3. Hurtin' Albertan, Corb Lund
"Man it ain't the same, as being home at the Saddledome, for the Oilers at the Flames"
4. Court and Spark, Joni Mitchell
"You could complete me...I'd complete you"
5. Not a Day Goes By, Lonestar
"It still amazes me, that I lie here in the dark, wishin you were next to me, with your head against my heart"
6. Iris, The Goo Goo Dolls
"When everything feels like the movies, you bleed just to know you're alive"
7. Simple As That, Lonestar
"Even when we're apart, you beat around in my heart"
8. Carolina in My Mind, James Taylor
"Watch her watch the morning sun, a silver tear appearing now, I'm cryin'"
9. Can You Feel The Love Tonight, Elton John
"There's a rhyme and reason to the wild outdoors, when the heart of this star-crossed voyager beats in time with yours"
10. Your Song, Elton John
"I hope you don't mind, that I put down into words, how wonderful life is when you're in the world"
11. St. Elmo's Fire, John Parr
"Just once in his life, a man has his time..and my time is now, I'm coming alive"
12. Solace, Xavier Rudd
"Yes it is a cruel world, but there is solace amongst the sin"
13. Sweet Baby James, James Taylor
"Deep greens and blues are the colours I choose, won't you let me go down in my dreams"
14.Chatahoochie, Alan Jackson
"I learned how to swim and I learned who I was, a lot about livin' and a little bout love"
15. What Kind of Man Would I Be, Chicago
"What kind of man would I be, living a life without any meaning?"
16. What is Love?, Haddaway
Self-explanatory
17. Rock and Roll, Led Zeppelin
"I can't count the tears of a life with no love"
18. The One, Elton John
"Where sex and love no longer jest"
19. Free, Burton Cummings
"Search for a lifetime, for the meaning of one word...if you could pick one word that word should be free"
20. Call On Me, Eric Prydz
Self-explanatory
21. Take It Easy, The Eagles
"Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, such a fine sight to see..it's a girl my lord, in a flat bed Ford, slowing down to take a look at me"
22. Timeless Love, Burton Cummings
"Cry my memories away...they haunt me by night honey, and they chase me by day"
23. Already Gone, Blue Rodeo
"Walk the streets of New Orleans, shirt soaked to my skin, through the mess of yesterday's parade"
24. These Eyes, The Guess Who
"These eyes have seen a lot of love, but they're never gonna see another one like I had with you"
25. The Last Laugh, Mark Knopfler
"They had you cryin', but you came up smiling, and the last laugh, baby, is yours"
All great lines, all great songs.
1.Rock and Roll Dreams, Meatloaf
"You're never alone, because you can put on the phones and let the drummer tell your heart what to do"
AND
"Angels had guitars even before they had wings"
2. Love Over Gold, Dire Straits
"It takes love over gold, and mind over matter to do what you do that you must"
3. Hurtin' Albertan, Corb Lund
"Man it ain't the same, as being home at the Saddledome, for the Oilers at the Flames"
4. Court and Spark, Joni Mitchell
"You could complete me...I'd complete you"
5. Not a Day Goes By, Lonestar
"It still amazes me, that I lie here in the dark, wishin you were next to me, with your head against my heart"
6. Iris, The Goo Goo Dolls
"When everything feels like the movies, you bleed just to know you're alive"
7. Simple As That, Lonestar
"Even when we're apart, you beat around in my heart"
8. Carolina in My Mind, James Taylor
"Watch her watch the morning sun, a silver tear appearing now, I'm cryin'"
9. Can You Feel The Love Tonight, Elton John
"There's a rhyme and reason to the wild outdoors, when the heart of this star-crossed voyager beats in time with yours"
10. Your Song, Elton John
"I hope you don't mind, that I put down into words, how wonderful life is when you're in the world"
11. St. Elmo's Fire, John Parr
"Just once in his life, a man has his time..and my time is now, I'm coming alive"
12. Solace, Xavier Rudd
"Yes it is a cruel world, but there is solace amongst the sin"
13. Sweet Baby James, James Taylor
"Deep greens and blues are the colours I choose, won't you let me go down in my dreams"
14.Chatahoochie, Alan Jackson
"I learned how to swim and I learned who I was, a lot about livin' and a little bout love"
15. What Kind of Man Would I Be, Chicago
"What kind of man would I be, living a life without any meaning?"
16. What is Love?, Haddaway
Self-explanatory
17. Rock and Roll, Led Zeppelin
"I can't count the tears of a life with no love"
18. The One, Elton John
"Where sex and love no longer jest"
19. Free, Burton Cummings
"Search for a lifetime, for the meaning of one word...if you could pick one word that word should be free"
20. Call On Me, Eric Prydz
Self-explanatory
21. Take It Easy, The Eagles
"Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, such a fine sight to see..it's a girl my lord, in a flat bed Ford, slowing down to take a look at me"
22. Timeless Love, Burton Cummings
"Cry my memories away...they haunt me by night honey, and they chase me by day"
23. Already Gone, Blue Rodeo
"Walk the streets of New Orleans, shirt soaked to my skin, through the mess of yesterday's parade"
24. These Eyes, The Guess Who
"These eyes have seen a lot of love, but they're never gonna see another one like I had with you"
25. The Last Laugh, Mark Knopfler
"They had you cryin', but you came up smiling, and the last laugh, baby, is yours"
All great lines, all great songs.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
100 Questions
I've always liked these things, I remember getting something like this in junior high and using it several times to find out a lot about girls I was interested in. If this blog is going to end up being a complete portrait of who I am, it certainly needs the vital info. So onward!
100 Questions
1. Name: Blair
2. Middle Names: Edward
3. Province: Alberta
4. Place of Birth: Calgary
5. Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
6. Male or Female: Male
7. Bus most commonly taken: The #1 in Calgary. The #211 in Mtl I suppose.
8. School: McGill University
9. Occupation: Student/Running Aficionado
10. Initials: BEB
11. Screen Name: Wheatfield Soul
-Your Appearance-
12. Hair Color: Brown
13. Hair Length: Medium
14. Eye color: Depends on the light. Blue or Green.
15. Best Feature: My memory
16. Height: 6'1
17. Braces: No
18. Glasses: Yes
19. Age: 20
20. Diploma: BCom Finance/International Business
-Your 'Firsts'-
22. First best friend: Jesse Beckert
23. First Award: Not sure. The first one that mattered was the Indoor Soccer City Championship. 1998.
24. First Sport You Joined: Gymnastics
25. First thing you did today: Shower
26. First Real vacation: Summer 87, Waskesiu Lake, Saskatchewan
27. First thing you said when you were a baby: sun
28. First Love: Who knows? Only time.
- Favorites-
29. Movie: Chariots of Fire
30. TV Show: Lost
32. Artist: Burton Cummings
33. Song: Timeless Love
34. Food: Carrot Cake
35. Season: Summer
36. Candy: Swedish Berries
37. Sport: Track
38. Restaurant: When I'm in Mtl, The Keg!
39. Favorite Clothing: The mexico singlet or the flames jersey or the Go Pre shirt
40. Store: Westworld Computers
41. School Subject: History
42. Animal: Tiger
43. Book: Heir to the Empire (I know, I know)
44. Magazine: The Economist
-Currently-
46. What you did right before taking this survey: Watch The Emperor's Club
47. Single or Taken: Taken
48. Crying about: CMI
49. Eating: Nothing
50. Drinking: Hoegarden
53. Listening To: Bob Seger
54. Thinking About: Sleeping
55. Wanting: That's for me to know.
56. Enjoying: A break
-Future-
57. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?: That's the real question isn't it. We'll leave it at "making a contribution"
58. Kids? 1 or 2
59. Want to be Married: In due time
60. Careers in Mind: Finance, Law....etc
-Which is Better with the Opposite Sex-
63. Hair color: Dark
64. Hair length: Long
65. Eye color: Green
66. Personality or Looks: Both (I have high standards)
67. Cute or sexy: Both
68. Unique Quality: Elegance
69. Hugs or Kisses: Both
70. Short or Tall: Slightly shorter than me.
72. Romantic or Spontaneous: Romantic
73. Good or Bad: Good.
74. Sensitive or Loud: Sensitive
75. Hook-up or Relationship: Relationship.
76. Harley or Car: Car
77. Trouble Maker or Hesitant One: Hesitant one
-Have you ever-
78. Kissed a stranger: Yes
79. Smoked: No
80. Streaked: No
81. Ran Away From Home: No
82. Broken a bone: Technically
83. Got an X-ray: Yes
84. Gone skinny dipping: It's on the to-do list.
85. Broke Someones Heart: Yes
86. Dumped someone: Yes
87. Cried When Someone Died: Yes.
88. Cried At School: No
-Do You Believe In-
89. God: That question has a complicated answer. I would say yes.
90. Miracles: Depends on the definition
91. Love at First sight: No
92. Ghosts: No
93. Aliens: Yes
94. Soul Mates: Yes
95. Heaven: Again, complicated.
96. Hell: Ah, redundancy
98. Kissing on The First Date: Yes
99. Horoscopes: No. But I do enjoy them.
-Answer Truthfully-
100. Is there someone you're thinking about right now? Of course.
100 Questions
1. Name: Blair
2. Middle Names: Edward
3. Province: Alberta
4. Place of Birth: Calgary
5. Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
6. Male or Female: Male
7. Bus most commonly taken: The #1 in Calgary. The #211 in Mtl I suppose.
8. School: McGill University
9. Occupation: Student/Running Aficionado
10. Initials: BEB
11. Screen Name: Wheatfield Soul
-Your Appearance-
12. Hair Color: Brown
13. Hair Length: Medium
14. Eye color: Depends on the light. Blue or Green.
15. Best Feature: My memory
16. Height: 6'1
17. Braces: No
18. Glasses: Yes
19. Age: 20
20. Diploma: BCom Finance/International Business
-Your 'Firsts'-
22. First best friend: Jesse Beckert
23. First Award: Not sure. The first one that mattered was the Indoor Soccer City Championship. 1998.
24. First Sport You Joined: Gymnastics
25. First thing you did today: Shower
26. First Real vacation: Summer 87, Waskesiu Lake, Saskatchewan
27. First thing you said when you were a baby: sun
28. First Love: Who knows? Only time.
- Favorites-
29. Movie: Chariots of Fire
30. TV Show: Lost
32. Artist: Burton Cummings
33. Song: Timeless Love
34. Food: Carrot Cake
35. Season: Summer
36. Candy: Swedish Berries
37. Sport: Track
38. Restaurant: When I'm in Mtl, The Keg!
39. Favorite Clothing: The mexico singlet or the flames jersey or the Go Pre shirt
40. Store: Westworld Computers
41. School Subject: History
42. Animal: Tiger
43. Book: Heir to the Empire (I know, I know)
44. Magazine: The Economist
-Currently-
46. What you did right before taking this survey: Watch The Emperor's Club
47. Single or Taken: Taken
48. Crying about: CMI
49. Eating: Nothing
50. Drinking: Hoegarden
53. Listening To: Bob Seger
54. Thinking About: Sleeping
55. Wanting: That's for me to know.
56. Enjoying: A break
-Future-
57. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?: That's the real question isn't it. We'll leave it at "making a contribution"
58. Kids? 1 or 2
59. Want to be Married: In due time
60. Careers in Mind: Finance, Law....etc
-Which is Better with the Opposite Sex-
63. Hair color: Dark
64. Hair length: Long
65. Eye color: Green
66. Personality or Looks: Both (I have high standards)
67. Cute or sexy: Both
68. Unique Quality: Elegance
69. Hugs or Kisses: Both
70. Short or Tall: Slightly shorter than me.
72. Romantic or Spontaneous: Romantic
73. Good or Bad: Good.
74. Sensitive or Loud: Sensitive
75. Hook-up or Relationship: Relationship.
76. Harley or Car: Car
77. Trouble Maker or Hesitant One: Hesitant one
-Have you ever-
78. Kissed a stranger: Yes
79. Smoked: No
80. Streaked: No
81. Ran Away From Home: No
82. Broken a bone: Technically
83. Got an X-ray: Yes
84. Gone skinny dipping: It's on the to-do list.
85. Broke Someones Heart: Yes
86. Dumped someone: Yes
87. Cried When Someone Died: Yes.
88. Cried At School: No
-Do You Believe In-
89. God: That question has a complicated answer. I would say yes.
90. Miracles: Depends on the definition
91. Love at First sight: No
92. Ghosts: No
93. Aliens: Yes
94. Soul Mates: Yes
95. Heaven: Again, complicated.
96. Hell: Ah, redundancy
98. Kissing on The First Date: Yes
99. Horoscopes: No. But I do enjoy them.
-Answer Truthfully-
100. Is there someone you're thinking about right now? Of course.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Flipsides
Classic. Just thinking about it sucks all the stress away for a few seconds. Phenomenal.
"Do you realize that I've been reading about this place since I was in junior high? The road to Olympic gold, Track Capital USA, The House that Bowerman Built.."
"You really know how to sweet talk a girl"
"I'll be coming down that back stretch, burning on all eight cylinders..."
Side 1- Enter Sandman, Metallica
Say your prayers little one
Don't forget, my son
To include everyone
Tuck you in, warm within
Keep you free from sin
Till the sandman comes
Sleep with one eye open
Gripping your pillow tight
Exit light
Enter night
Take my hand
Off to never never land
Somethings wrong, shut the light
Heavy thoughts tonight
And they aren't of Snow White
Dreams of war, dreams of liars
Dreams of dragons fire
And of things that will bite
Sleep with one eye open
Gripping your pillow tight
Exit light
Enter night
Take my hand
Off to never never land
Now I lay me down to sleep
Pray the lord my soul to keep
If I die before I wake
Pray the lord my soul to take
Hush little baby, dont say a word
And never mind that noise you heard
Its just the beast under your bed,
In your closet, in your head
Exit light
Enter night
Grain of sand
Exit light
Enter night
Take my hand
Were off to never never land
The Flipside- Night Moves, Bob Seger
I was a little too tall
Could've used a few pounds
Tight pants points hollerin' out
She was a black-haired beauty with big dark eyes
And points of her own sitting way up high
Way up firm and high
Out past the cornfields where the woods got heavy
Out in the back seat of my 60' Chevy
Workin' on mysteries without any clues
Workin' on our night moves
Tryin to make some front page drive-in news
Workin' on our night moves
In the summertime
In the sweet summertime
We weren't in love, oh no, far from it
We weren't searchin for some pie in the sky summit
We were just young and restless and bored
Livin' by the sword
And we'd steal away every chance we could
To the backroom, to the alley or the trusty woods
I used her, she used me
But neither one cared
We were gettin' our share
Workin' on our night moves
Tryin to lose the awkward teenage blues
Workin on our night moves
And it was summertime
And oh the wonder
We felt the lightning
And we waited on the thunder
Waited on the thunder
I awoke last night to the sound of thunder
How far off I sat and wondered
Started humming a song from 1962
Ain't it funny how the night moves
When you just dont seem to have as much to lose
Strange how the night moves
With autumn closing in
Night moves
Lord, I remember
Workin' and practicin'
Night moves
I remember
I remember
"Do you realize that I've been reading about this place since I was in junior high? The road to Olympic gold, Track Capital USA, The House that Bowerman Built.."
"You really know how to sweet talk a girl"
"I'll be coming down that back stretch, burning on all eight cylinders..."
Side 1- Enter Sandman, Metallica
Say your prayers little one
Don't forget, my son
To include everyone
Tuck you in, warm within
Keep you free from sin
Till the sandman comes
Sleep with one eye open
Gripping your pillow tight
Exit light
Enter night
Take my hand
Off to never never land
Somethings wrong, shut the light
Heavy thoughts tonight
And they aren't of Snow White
Dreams of war, dreams of liars
Dreams of dragons fire
And of things that will bite
Sleep with one eye open
Gripping your pillow tight
Exit light
Enter night
Take my hand
Off to never never land
Now I lay me down to sleep
Pray the lord my soul to keep
If I die before I wake
Pray the lord my soul to take
Hush little baby, dont say a word
And never mind that noise you heard
Its just the beast under your bed,
In your closet, in your head
Exit light
Enter night
Grain of sand
Exit light
Enter night
Take my hand
Were off to never never land
The Flipside- Night Moves, Bob Seger
I was a little too tall
Could've used a few pounds
Tight pants points hollerin' out
She was a black-haired beauty with big dark eyes
And points of her own sitting way up high
Way up firm and high
Out past the cornfields where the woods got heavy
Out in the back seat of my 60' Chevy
Workin' on mysteries without any clues
Workin' on our night moves
Tryin to make some front page drive-in news
Workin' on our night moves
In the summertime
In the sweet summertime
We weren't in love, oh no, far from it
We weren't searchin for some pie in the sky summit
We were just young and restless and bored
Livin' by the sword
And we'd steal away every chance we could
To the backroom, to the alley or the trusty woods
I used her, she used me
But neither one cared
We were gettin' our share
Workin' on our night moves
Tryin to lose the awkward teenage blues
Workin on our night moves
And it was summertime
And oh the wonder
We felt the lightning
And we waited on the thunder
Waited on the thunder
I awoke last night to the sound of thunder
How far off I sat and wondered
Started humming a song from 1962
Ain't it funny how the night moves
When you just dont seem to have as much to lose
Strange how the night moves
With autumn closing in
Night moves
Lord, I remember
Workin' and practicin'
Night moves
I remember
I remember
Friday, December 01, 2006
Kingmakers
This weekend is going to be one that resonates in Canadian politics for a long time. A number of different scenarios will play themselves out, and after watching closely the past few days, I'm not sure who I should be supporting in each of the races. In fact, whoever wins one will impact who I like in the other. So i thought I would take a few minutes to outline some of what I think before the results come in.
1. If Harper wins the next federal election, I like Dinning for Premier. In terms of electability, I feel like the four major liberal contenders fall in this order. Ignatieff, Rae, Kennedy, Dion. So I guess from this angle, I like Dion and Dinning to win this weekend.
2. If Harper loses the next election to Ignatieff or Kennedy, I still like Dinning. I feel like Ignatieff would get my vote if I was picking my personal favorite for Liberal leader. Kennedy impressed me tonight though. Both of those men have some strengths, and despite my dislike of the Liberals recently, I would be willing to give either the benefit of the doubt. Therefore, I would still pick Dinning for premier as the best man to negotiate Alberta's place within Canada. Ignatieff is my favorite Liberal candidate, so if one of them has to be PM, I'd rather it be him.
3. If Harper loses the next election to Dion, as remote a possibility as that is, I have a very hard time predicting what would happen. Dion's policy, beyond environmentalism and national unity, remains very much a mystery to me. I will say that since he was such a Chretien hardliner, I might expect something along those lines...but as for which premier would be the best fit if Dion were PM..no idea
4. If Harper were to lose to Rae, as much as I dislike social conservatism, Alberta needs Ted Morton. Everything that Morton, Harper et al. wrote in the Firewall Letter would become absolutely true, and Alberta needs a hardliner to fight someone who is essentially an NDP turncoat and prevent them from ruining our province. Being accomodating to a Bob Rae government would be suicide. If Albertans thought the NEP was bad..there's absolutely no predicting what Rae would do. All I know is that Ontario's economy took a nosedive when he was in charge, and I've never met an NDP'er who said "fiscal responsibility" and meant it. That includes Bob Rae.
5. From a Conservative point of view, there was one man who terrified me above all others at the Liberal convention tonight. Luckily for Harper, he's not one of the candidates this time around. The two minutes that Justin Trudeau spoke, introducing Kennedy, gave me the irrefutable impression that he will be the PM one day. He's a tremendous orator, he has a legendary name, he's fluently bilingual and hes is young, smart and as far as I can tell..a pretty good looking dude. Us Conservatives better be ready..and we better have a titan of our own ready to fight Trudeau in about 10 or 15 years. Harper, Day, Manning...none of them would stand a chance. We better start preparing now.
1. If Harper wins the next federal election, I like Dinning for Premier. In terms of electability, I feel like the four major liberal contenders fall in this order. Ignatieff, Rae, Kennedy, Dion. So I guess from this angle, I like Dion and Dinning to win this weekend.
2. If Harper loses the next election to Ignatieff or Kennedy, I still like Dinning. I feel like Ignatieff would get my vote if I was picking my personal favorite for Liberal leader. Kennedy impressed me tonight though. Both of those men have some strengths, and despite my dislike of the Liberals recently, I would be willing to give either the benefit of the doubt. Therefore, I would still pick Dinning for premier as the best man to negotiate Alberta's place within Canada. Ignatieff is my favorite Liberal candidate, so if one of them has to be PM, I'd rather it be him.
3. If Harper loses the next election to Dion, as remote a possibility as that is, I have a very hard time predicting what would happen. Dion's policy, beyond environmentalism and national unity, remains very much a mystery to me. I will say that since he was such a Chretien hardliner, I might expect something along those lines...but as for which premier would be the best fit if Dion were PM..no idea
4. If Harper were to lose to Rae, as much as I dislike social conservatism, Alberta needs Ted Morton. Everything that Morton, Harper et al. wrote in the Firewall Letter would become absolutely true, and Alberta needs a hardliner to fight someone who is essentially an NDP turncoat and prevent them from ruining our province. Being accomodating to a Bob Rae government would be suicide. If Albertans thought the NEP was bad..there's absolutely no predicting what Rae would do. All I know is that Ontario's economy took a nosedive when he was in charge, and I've never met an NDP'er who said "fiscal responsibility" and meant it. That includes Bob Rae.
5. From a Conservative point of view, there was one man who terrified me above all others at the Liberal convention tonight. Luckily for Harper, he's not one of the candidates this time around. The two minutes that Justin Trudeau spoke, introducing Kennedy, gave me the irrefutable impression that he will be the PM one day. He's a tremendous orator, he has a legendary name, he's fluently bilingual and hes is young, smart and as far as I can tell..a pretty good looking dude. Us Conservatives better be ready..and we better have a titan of our own ready to fight Trudeau in about 10 or 15 years. Harper, Day, Manning...none of them would stand a chance. We better start preparing now.
89 Dice
Right now there are at least 89 things flying around my head. This is going to be a stream of conciousness post.
1. This post will end with song lyrics
2. Life is crazy
3. I have a terrible finals schedule
4. I dont know what to do with my life
5. It's been too long
6. I want to go to Mexico
7. Damn I've been screwing things up
8. 89...pretty darn good
10. Awkwardness
11. If this doesn't work, I'm gonna be very mad with myself
12. Is I-banking too intense for me?
13. Do I really love Finance?
14. Would leaving it all behind for NZ really be that bad?
15. Can I write a post soon called "Beyond My Wildest Dreams"?
16. How hard is CMI actually going to be?
17. How hard could it possibly be to get a 79 on Fin 2?
18. Am I in good enough shapeto run 1:21?
19. Will I be by February?
20. Do I want to go to Law School?
21. Is elegance outmoded?
22. Why is it this time?
23. I like Sushi
24. I thought this was low-key
25. What the hell are dishes anyways?
26. Confidence and Success are far too correlated
27. I like straighforwardness
28. Straightforwardness gets me in trouble
29. Strangely, I dislike barging ahead
30. Equally strangely, not barging ahead gets me in trouble
31. Am I gonna make it to 89?
32. I love Star Trek Jokes
33. Am I too unique?
34. Do I love being different?
35. Hanging By a Moment
36. It's getting late
37. I'd just as soon kiss a wookiee
38. I can arrange that
39. Not a Day Goes By
40. The Lake
41. Gone to Carolina
42. Law school?
43. Is a Rhodes Scholarship out of the realm of possibility?
44. MSN is strange
45. I'm glad I had that conversation
46. That conversation made me feel terrible
47. Why can't things be simple?
48. Is chivalry dead?
49. How come Daniel Craig never gets in awkward situations?
50. "I wanna Log Into You"
51. I love the Arrogant Worms
52. "But you do, right?'
53. "I dont know. How do you know?"
54. "I just think you know"
55. "Yeah. I do"
56. "Don't tell me what I can't do!"
57. How much will I give up for a job?
58. "Love over Gold, Mind over Matter"
59. Mark Knopfler is the man
60. Golden Heart is #3
61. How much do i value the friendship of Dave, Aaron and co?
62. Call on Me is sweet
63. Live Together, Die Alone
64. 100 hours a week?
65. What is really important?
66. What if I get a shitty job and sacrifice everything else for it
67. Can I do well enough on the LSAT's?
68. How well is well enough?
69. "Never would admit to flying blind"
70. Please let this work
71. How can I make a difference?
72. Stephen Harper is cool
73. If Bob Rae become PM, I'm leaving the country
74. Does admitting my mistakes help?
75. Do I just look like a bigger idiot
76. I wish she's given me a hug today
77. DB is a tool.
78. "I'll see you in my dreams"
79. "I know"
80. I love to run
81. I've been forged into who I am
82. Why?
83. How many chances do I have left?
84. Tahitian Skies
85. Women are like Klingons
86. CI's?
87. How am I going to decide about next summer?
88. "Who are you really, and what were you before?"
89. Dice- Finley Quaye and William Orbit #12 All-Time. The newest addition to the top 25.
I was crying, over you
I am smiling, I think of you
Where your gardens have no walls
Breathe in the air, if you care
You compare, don't say farewell
Nothing can compare
To when you roll the dice and swear
Your love's for me
Nothing can compare
To when you roll the dice and swear
Your love's for me
I was crying, over you
I am smiling, I think of you
Misty mornings and waterfalls
Breathe in the air, if you care
You compare, don't say farewell
Nothing can compare
To when you roll the dice and swear
Your love's for me
Nothing can compare
To when you roll the dice and swear
Your love's for me
Nothing can compare
To when you roll the dice and swear
Your love's for me
Virtuous sensibility
Escape velocity
Nothing can compare
To when you roll the dice and swear
Your love's for me
Nothing can compare
To when you roll the dice and swear
Your love's for me
Nothing can compare
To when you roll the dice and swear
Your love's for me
Breathe in the air, if you care
Don't say farewell
Nothing...
1. This post will end with song lyrics
2. Life is crazy
3. I have a terrible finals schedule
4. I dont know what to do with my life
5. It's been too long
6. I want to go to Mexico
7. Damn I've been screwing things up
8. 89...pretty darn good
10. Awkwardness
11. If this doesn't work, I'm gonna be very mad with myself
12. Is I-banking too intense for me?
13. Do I really love Finance?
14. Would leaving it all behind for NZ really be that bad?
15. Can I write a post soon called "Beyond My Wildest Dreams"?
16. How hard is CMI actually going to be?
17. How hard could it possibly be to get a 79 on Fin 2?
18. Am I in good enough shapeto run 1:21?
19. Will I be by February?
20. Do I want to go to Law School?
21. Is elegance outmoded?
22. Why is it this time?
23. I like Sushi
24. I thought this was low-key
25. What the hell are dishes anyways?
26. Confidence and Success are far too correlated
27. I like straighforwardness
28. Straightforwardness gets me in trouble
29. Strangely, I dislike barging ahead
30. Equally strangely, not barging ahead gets me in trouble
31. Am I gonna make it to 89?
32. I love Star Trek Jokes
33. Am I too unique?
34. Do I love being different?
35. Hanging By a Moment
36. It's getting late
37. I'd just as soon kiss a wookiee
38. I can arrange that
39. Not a Day Goes By
40. The Lake
41. Gone to Carolina
42. Law school?
43. Is a Rhodes Scholarship out of the realm of possibility?
44. MSN is strange
45. I'm glad I had that conversation
46. That conversation made me feel terrible
47. Why can't things be simple?
48. Is chivalry dead?
49. How come Daniel Craig never gets in awkward situations?
50. "I wanna Log Into You"
51. I love the Arrogant Worms
52. "But you do, right?'
53. "I dont know. How do you know?"
54. "I just think you know"
55. "Yeah. I do"
56. "Don't tell me what I can't do!"
57. How much will I give up for a job?
58. "Love over Gold, Mind over Matter"
59. Mark Knopfler is the man
60. Golden Heart is #3
61. How much do i value the friendship of Dave, Aaron and co?
62. Call on Me is sweet
63. Live Together, Die Alone
64. 100 hours a week?
65. What is really important?
66. What if I get a shitty job and sacrifice everything else for it
67. Can I do well enough on the LSAT's?
68. How well is well enough?
69. "Never would admit to flying blind"
70. Please let this work
71. How can I make a difference?
72. Stephen Harper is cool
73. If Bob Rae become PM, I'm leaving the country
74. Does admitting my mistakes help?
75. Do I just look like a bigger idiot
76. I wish she's given me a hug today
77. DB is a tool.
78. "I'll see you in my dreams"
79. "I know"
80. I love to run
81. I've been forged into who I am
82. Why?
83. How many chances do I have left?
84. Tahitian Skies
85. Women are like Klingons
86. CI's?
87. How am I going to decide about next summer?
88. "Who are you really, and what were you before?"
89. Dice- Finley Quaye and William Orbit #12 All-Time. The newest addition to the top 25.
I was crying, over you
I am smiling, I think of you
Where your gardens have no walls
Breathe in the air, if you care
You compare, don't say farewell
Nothing can compare
To when you roll the dice and swear
Your love's for me
Nothing can compare
To when you roll the dice and swear
Your love's for me
I was crying, over you
I am smiling, I think of you
Misty mornings and waterfalls
Breathe in the air, if you care
You compare, don't say farewell
Nothing can compare
To when you roll the dice and swear
Your love's for me
Nothing can compare
To when you roll the dice and swear
Your love's for me
Nothing can compare
To when you roll the dice and swear
Your love's for me
Virtuous sensibility
Escape velocity
Nothing can compare
To when you roll the dice and swear
Your love's for me
Nothing can compare
To when you roll the dice and swear
Your love's for me
Nothing can compare
To when you roll the dice and swear
Your love's for me
Breathe in the air, if you care
Don't say farewell
Nothing...
Saturday, November 18, 2006
How James Became Bond
Fantastic Birthday. Once tax was over the day was pretty much non-stop awesomeness. Everything went right. The afternoon was fantastic, the Keg was reliably great, and Casino Royale was everything I expected. Phenomenal movie, I think it will end up being my second favorite Bond movie, after GoldenEye. I have to rewatch some of the old ones before I can definitively say that though. Anyway, now that I have a few hours to chill before the T&F potluck and the joint birthday event, I can start on this post that I've been meaning to write for a while now.
The most fascinating thing about Casino Royale was understanding how someone could become James Bond. Most interesting film and literary characters are quite one-dimensional, they have a single event that defines them, makes them who they are. This is a convinient literary tool because of its simplicity, but is fairly unrealistic. There are a few characters though, who are slowly forged into their final persona, through a long series of events and choices. "It's our choices that make us who we are, far more than our abilities." These are the characters that one can learn from. Unfortunately, they are quite rare, due to the fact it usually takes many seperate incarnations of the character at different stages of his life in order to illustrate the character's progression. Off the top of my head, in addition to Bond, the characters that fall under this category include Harry Potter (but we don't know where his journey is taking him yet), Anakin Skywalker (but his transition left a little to be desired), and the Lost characters (especially Jack and Eko). It isn't a long list. It is, however, a useful list. Even though I have little in common with any of those characters, it is still an instructive exercise to look at the areas in which there are similarities, and the areas where there are opposite parallels. Additionally, there are common threads that run through all these journeys and they can be constructive to look at as well.
Examining this is one small part of me trying to figure out a coherent strategy for planning my own journey. My journey is still in the early stages, but the next couple of years are going to be critical in defining my path. In an attempt to light my way with regard to next summer and the following year, I have undertaken a number of fact-finding activities. I have gathered information, laid out my options and have tried to talk to as many people as I can about the options that are available to me. Using this information, I have begun to think about which options best reflect who I am and who I want to be. I have added to this the more minor contributing factors, like my short term goals, the effect my decisions would have on others and their consequent opinions, thought experiments like this one, and many other things. It is my hope that when all this is analysed as a whole, I will know what decision I should make.
At the start of Casino Royale, 007 isn't that unique. All the ingredients are there, but he has yet to make himself into something more. He's not any different than a Jason Bourne, a Jack Ryan, a spy that is capable but not yet distinguished. The things that make him into 007, the vodka martinis, the gadgets, the dry wit, and the persistient belief that commitment is both dangerous and painful have yet to surface. But as we see in Casino Royale, Bond is this way for a reason.
Although Bond is essentially ageless, the way I see the movies is a progression of the character. Despite the different time frames that the movies are made, I personally see a very clear evolution of James into Bond. Obviously, Casino Royale is intended to be the first Bond movie chronologically. Craig's Bond has all the technical skills needed to take on the world's best, in terms of martial skill, poker/baccarat ability and sexual prowess. However, he but is still figuring out how to define himself. (I too, am still defining myself, so I think I can learn the most from Craig's 007) By the end of Casino Royale, he is beginning to understand where his great strength lies, and is adjusting himself accordingly.
The way I see the evolution of Bond is the following. Craig's rookie Bond is cocky, and hasn't yet learned to control his ego and use it to his advantage. He understands humour, and finds pleasure in wit, but it is not the staple of his personality that it will become. He has a hard edge, the toughest incarnation of Bond, and he is more ruthless in his younger days.He has yet to develop a cynicism about the world and his job, although he understands that what he does is morally grey. Perhaps most importantly though, he is willing to love. He already has a thourough understanding of women, but he lacks the armour that characterizes most of the later Bonds. However, with Vesper's betrayal, Bond is shattered, and becomes a man bent on revenge, letting his emotions guide the use of his considerable power. Where he goes from here is not known yet, but future Craig films will undoubtedly reveal that.
Fast forward a few years and you find Bond had changed a little. The second evolution of Bond is Bond as portrayed by Timothy Dalton. Aside from a single line in Licence to Kill, which implies that it takes place after On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Dalton is the next logical portrayal of the character. He is what I imagine Bond becomeing after he has hunted down Vesper's killer and taken his revenge. He retains the hard-edge and ruthlessness of Craig, but has become more polished. He knows how to carry himself now, and after his early trials and his quest for revenge he has learned how to keep his ego in check. He is still a fighter though, perhaps the most balanced of all the incarnations of Bond, half suave secret-agent and ladykiller, and half arrogant, and sometimes cruel, assassin. With regards to women, he has learned to use his considerable charm to his advantage, but there is something inside him that isn't dead yet. You can clearly see his armour, set up to block anyone from doing to him what Vesper had done. But you can also see his pain, you can see that there is still a man beneath the armour. When another 00 agent is killed in front of him, he loses his composure for a few seconds, and all the rage and conflict within him are are clear as they are when Craig plays Bond.
After some time in that transitional stage, he reaches the a more mature stage, the stage where he becomes a legend. This is Connery's Bond, where the man inside is well hidden, where Bond has finally learned to use wit, humour and casual self-assurance to augment his emotional armour. He had softened a bit as the memory of Vesper's loss eases a little with time. He does not feel the need to inflict punishment on himself when he can accomplish his goal in another way. He has mastered the arts of wit and seduction, but seems to open up just a little as he ages. Throughout the Connery films, there exists the sense that Bond may one day find a woman he can let in. His considerable armour is there, and serves its purpose well, but there is a feeling of possibility that one of these women might win Bond's heart.
Eventually, one does. In George Lazenby's only outing as Bond, he lets a woman into his heart again. He initially agrees to marry her as a means to an end, but after spending considerable time with her his armour cracks and he lets her in. I guess by this time he is lonely enough, and far removed enough from Vesper, that he is willing to take another chance. But as Bond once said, you only live twice. Bond's arch-nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, kills Tracy shortly after they are married. Bond's armour goes back on, this time for good. There is no question in Bond's mind now, there is no room for love in his line of work.
The new Bond, the Bond that knows he will never have a happy ending, begins to look at himself in a different way. He realizes that the life he has chosen for himself involves sacrifices, and accepts that fact. Bond embraces who he is, who he has become, and what vestiges remained of James are swept away. He is 007, more a number and a legend than a man, "The ultimate gentleman spy, irresistable to women, deadly to his enemies," and nothing else. The armour will never come off again. This is Brosnan's Bond, master of the double entendre, committed to having as much fun as possible while saving the world. His ego has transformed into something extrodinary, an unshakeble self-assurance and belief that 007 is invincible and will always win. GoldenEye is the only Brosnan movie where I actually thought at anytime during the movie that 007 had met his match, and that was only because he was facing an adversary with the same 00 finesse, the same aura of invincibility.
At the same time, it is a little sad to see the human side of Bond slip away. Two scenes in GoldenEye drove this home to me, made be feel a bit sorry that saving the world has robbed Bond of his humanity. First, when Natalya asks him, "How can you be like this? How can you be so cold?" Bond looks her straight in the eye and says, "It's what keeps me alive." Later in the movie, Trevelyan tries to break through Bond's armour, take a stab at Bond's soul and remind him of Vesper and Tracy. He says "I might as well ask you if all those vodka martinis drown out the screams of the men you've killed, or if you find forgiveness in the arms of all those willing women for the dead ones you failed to protect." Bond just gives him a raised eyebrow. Nothing more.
Bond's journey should probably end here, but it doesn't. There are several more Bond films, starring Roger Moore, that depict Bond in what I see as his elder years. Moore's Bond seems to think saving the world is a bit funny, he's done it so many times it really isn't that hard anymore. It's as if he could save the world on a whim. This deeply cynical attitude is perhaps a natural result of all Bond's previous adventures, but in a lot of ways it is a bit sad. Bond has already lost his soul, his chance at happiness, and now he isn't even as cool as Brosnan's Bond anymore. The movies are entertaining, but more entertaining in a comedic, Schwarzenegger sort of way. He's still got the skills with the ladies though. Those never go away.
So that's my analysis. What can I learn from Bond's journey? I'm not sure yet. But maybe there will be another post on that topic sometime. One thing though, is for sure. James Bond is the very definition of cool, but Daniel Craig has shown us that that cool came at a heavy price. And he showed us in a way that was both brilliant, exciting, and yes, pretty darn romantic. I didn't know Bond had that shower scene in him. Kudos to you, James.
The most fascinating thing about Casino Royale was understanding how someone could become James Bond. Most interesting film and literary characters are quite one-dimensional, they have a single event that defines them, makes them who they are. This is a convinient literary tool because of its simplicity, but is fairly unrealistic. There are a few characters though, who are slowly forged into their final persona, through a long series of events and choices. "It's our choices that make us who we are, far more than our abilities." These are the characters that one can learn from. Unfortunately, they are quite rare, due to the fact it usually takes many seperate incarnations of the character at different stages of his life in order to illustrate the character's progression. Off the top of my head, in addition to Bond, the characters that fall under this category include Harry Potter (but we don't know where his journey is taking him yet), Anakin Skywalker (but his transition left a little to be desired), and the Lost characters (especially Jack and Eko). It isn't a long list. It is, however, a useful list. Even though I have little in common with any of those characters, it is still an instructive exercise to look at the areas in which there are similarities, and the areas where there are opposite parallels. Additionally, there are common threads that run through all these journeys and they can be constructive to look at as well.
Examining this is one small part of me trying to figure out a coherent strategy for planning my own journey. My journey is still in the early stages, but the next couple of years are going to be critical in defining my path. In an attempt to light my way with regard to next summer and the following year, I have undertaken a number of fact-finding activities. I have gathered information, laid out my options and have tried to talk to as many people as I can about the options that are available to me. Using this information, I have begun to think about which options best reflect who I am and who I want to be. I have added to this the more minor contributing factors, like my short term goals, the effect my decisions would have on others and their consequent opinions, thought experiments like this one, and many other things. It is my hope that when all this is analysed as a whole, I will know what decision I should make.
At the start of Casino Royale, 007 isn't that unique. All the ingredients are there, but he has yet to make himself into something more. He's not any different than a Jason Bourne, a Jack Ryan, a spy that is capable but not yet distinguished. The things that make him into 007, the vodka martinis, the gadgets, the dry wit, and the persistient belief that commitment is both dangerous and painful have yet to surface. But as we see in Casino Royale, Bond is this way for a reason.
Although Bond is essentially ageless, the way I see the movies is a progression of the character. Despite the different time frames that the movies are made, I personally see a very clear evolution of James into Bond. Obviously, Casino Royale is intended to be the first Bond movie chronologically. Craig's Bond has all the technical skills needed to take on the world's best, in terms of martial skill, poker/baccarat ability and sexual prowess. However, he but is still figuring out how to define himself. (I too, am still defining myself, so I think I can learn the most from Craig's 007) By the end of Casino Royale, he is beginning to understand where his great strength lies, and is adjusting himself accordingly.
The way I see the evolution of Bond is the following. Craig's rookie Bond is cocky, and hasn't yet learned to control his ego and use it to his advantage. He understands humour, and finds pleasure in wit, but it is not the staple of his personality that it will become. He has a hard edge, the toughest incarnation of Bond, and he is more ruthless in his younger days.He has yet to develop a cynicism about the world and his job, although he understands that what he does is morally grey. Perhaps most importantly though, he is willing to love. He already has a thourough understanding of women, but he lacks the armour that characterizes most of the later Bonds. However, with Vesper's betrayal, Bond is shattered, and becomes a man bent on revenge, letting his emotions guide the use of his considerable power. Where he goes from here is not known yet, but future Craig films will undoubtedly reveal that.
Fast forward a few years and you find Bond had changed a little. The second evolution of Bond is Bond as portrayed by Timothy Dalton. Aside from a single line in Licence to Kill, which implies that it takes place after On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Dalton is the next logical portrayal of the character. He is what I imagine Bond becomeing after he has hunted down Vesper's killer and taken his revenge. He retains the hard-edge and ruthlessness of Craig, but has become more polished. He knows how to carry himself now, and after his early trials and his quest for revenge he has learned how to keep his ego in check. He is still a fighter though, perhaps the most balanced of all the incarnations of Bond, half suave secret-agent and ladykiller, and half arrogant, and sometimes cruel, assassin. With regards to women, he has learned to use his considerable charm to his advantage, but there is something inside him that isn't dead yet. You can clearly see his armour, set up to block anyone from doing to him what Vesper had done. But you can also see his pain, you can see that there is still a man beneath the armour. When another 00 agent is killed in front of him, he loses his composure for a few seconds, and all the rage and conflict within him are are clear as they are when Craig plays Bond.
After some time in that transitional stage, he reaches the a more mature stage, the stage where he becomes a legend. This is Connery's Bond, where the man inside is well hidden, where Bond has finally learned to use wit, humour and casual self-assurance to augment his emotional armour. He had softened a bit as the memory of Vesper's loss eases a little with time. He does not feel the need to inflict punishment on himself when he can accomplish his goal in another way. He has mastered the arts of wit and seduction, but seems to open up just a little as he ages. Throughout the Connery films, there exists the sense that Bond may one day find a woman he can let in. His considerable armour is there, and serves its purpose well, but there is a feeling of possibility that one of these women might win Bond's heart.
Eventually, one does. In George Lazenby's only outing as Bond, he lets a woman into his heart again. He initially agrees to marry her as a means to an end, but after spending considerable time with her his armour cracks and he lets her in. I guess by this time he is lonely enough, and far removed enough from Vesper, that he is willing to take another chance. But as Bond once said, you only live twice. Bond's arch-nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, kills Tracy shortly after they are married. Bond's armour goes back on, this time for good. There is no question in Bond's mind now, there is no room for love in his line of work.
The new Bond, the Bond that knows he will never have a happy ending, begins to look at himself in a different way. He realizes that the life he has chosen for himself involves sacrifices, and accepts that fact. Bond embraces who he is, who he has become, and what vestiges remained of James are swept away. He is 007, more a number and a legend than a man, "The ultimate gentleman spy, irresistable to women, deadly to his enemies," and nothing else. The armour will never come off again. This is Brosnan's Bond, master of the double entendre, committed to having as much fun as possible while saving the world. His ego has transformed into something extrodinary, an unshakeble self-assurance and belief that 007 is invincible and will always win. GoldenEye is the only Brosnan movie where I actually thought at anytime during the movie that 007 had met his match, and that was only because he was facing an adversary with the same 00 finesse, the same aura of invincibility.
At the same time, it is a little sad to see the human side of Bond slip away. Two scenes in GoldenEye drove this home to me, made be feel a bit sorry that saving the world has robbed Bond of his humanity. First, when Natalya asks him, "How can you be like this? How can you be so cold?" Bond looks her straight in the eye and says, "It's what keeps me alive." Later in the movie, Trevelyan tries to break through Bond's armour, take a stab at Bond's soul and remind him of Vesper and Tracy. He says "I might as well ask you if all those vodka martinis drown out the screams of the men you've killed, or if you find forgiveness in the arms of all those willing women for the dead ones you failed to protect." Bond just gives him a raised eyebrow. Nothing more.
Bond's journey should probably end here, but it doesn't. There are several more Bond films, starring Roger Moore, that depict Bond in what I see as his elder years. Moore's Bond seems to think saving the world is a bit funny, he's done it so many times it really isn't that hard anymore. It's as if he could save the world on a whim. This deeply cynical attitude is perhaps a natural result of all Bond's previous adventures, but in a lot of ways it is a bit sad. Bond has already lost his soul, his chance at happiness, and now he isn't even as cool as Brosnan's Bond anymore. The movies are entertaining, but more entertaining in a comedic, Schwarzenegger sort of way. He's still got the skills with the ladies though. Those never go away.
So that's my analysis. What can I learn from Bond's journey? I'm not sure yet. But maybe there will be another post on that topic sometime. One thing though, is for sure. James Bond is the very definition of cool, but Daniel Craig has shown us that that cool came at a heavy price. And he showed us in a way that was both brilliant, exciting, and yes, pretty darn romantic. I didn't know Bond had that shower scene in him. Kudos to you, James.
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