In this scene from The Shining, Jack is in the bathroom with Delbert Grady, the Overlook’s former caretaker. Jack stands to our right and Mr. Grady to our left. The perspective created by the parallel rows of urinals, sinks, ceiling lights and orange paint focuses our attention on the two men.
Kubrick holds this shot as Mr. Grady denies his identity. Jack presses him with a cocky attitude. Then the perspective suddenly changes.
The tables are turned, both figuratively and in the shot. The men “switch sides” as Mr. Grady drops the charade and tells Jack, “You are the caretaker, sir. You have always been the caretaker.” The focus is sharpened with more urinals and sinks are in the shot. Jack’s cocky attitude is replaced with fear.
Now we’re in Jack’s intimate zone. He gives a nervous laugh and his confusion and anxiety are palpable.
Now we’re only a few feet from Mr. Grady. In these close shots the characters have a very personal conversation. Mr. Grady explains the threat posed by Danny, and suggests the “good talking to” that Jack ought to give Danny and his wife, Wendy. Jack admits that Danny is a “willful” boy and reveals a secret about Wendy.
It’s a gradual crescendo that uses cinematography beautifully to heighten the increasing intimacy of their relationship and conversation, and one of the reasons I love Kubrick’s work so much.
This ridiculous story only proves my point. Two weeks ago it was announced that Microsoft had made a deal with Seth MacFarlane to produce an hour-long, commercial-free TV spot featuring Family Guy characters to promote Windows 7. Today, they’ve backed out:
“The company had originally signed on to tie Windows 7 to an uninterrupted half-hour episode of the show known as Family Guy Presents: Seth and Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show that airs November 8th but now says the material it saw in an early cut is ‘not a fit with the Windows brand’ and will leave any Windows 7 advertising to a 12-week Family Guy-related tour.”
Clearly, whoever gave this the green light has never seen an episode of Family Guy. Off-color humor is the thrust of the show. I don’t understand that they’re thinking in Redmond.
“Target people who have never used a product like yours before. These folks aren’t picky [and] want something simple that works … For example, Nintendo goes after people who aren’t using other video game systems. While Xbox 360 and Sony one-up each other trying to reach experienced, demanding gamers, Nintendo goes after newbies. The Wii’s controller makes video games so simple that a three year-old can play it.”
You think working from home means watching Star Trek in your underwear? Grab your bat’leth, because those are fighting words.
In the feast-or-famine cycle of self-employment, I’ve recently put on my Fat Guy Pants and pulled up to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. It’ll last as long as most turkey dinners do, but I’m going gorge myself until it’s over.
Managing it requires paper, pens and a plan. I typically do a weekly review of all my open projects, but tonight the David Allen Angel on my shoulder was pestering me. “Dave,” he said. “You’ve got to get this out of your head. Don’t wait until Sunday. Remember the anxiety dream you had the other night? Who do you think sent that to you?”
He’s right, of course.
David Seah creates amazing files for this very purpose. The Progress Tracker is an awesome project manager. Use one sheet per project, with the associated actions listed below. Track how long each action step takes in 15 minute increments and use the notes section for reference info. I keep each one in a labeled manila envelope.
Now I’ve got each project broken down into small, observable action steps. The most pressing go into my notebook, sorted by importance (the 3 Most Important Tasks of the Day go on top) and context (@computer, @phone, @errands, etc.). Now I can feel I’m in a state of relaxed control even though there are many people waiting for me to fulfill commitments I’ve made (Please don’t stop writing me checks!). There’s a lot to do, and some discipline and organization can make it all happen.
If there’s time to watch TNG (Skin of Evil is the best episode ever. EVER!) while wearing a pair of boxers and my Cooper’s Seafood House T-shirt, I haven’t found it.
(Pay no mind to the fact that I wrote this in running pants and a hoodie).
Today there just happens to be home video of the moment the balloon “got away.” Note that there’s no little boy anywhere. Also, check out the balloon. There is no way for a person to get inside. It’s completely sealed. Dad knew this since he designed and built it.
In other words, he knew all along that it was impossible for his son to be inside.
“Growing up, we occasionally holed up in the corner of McDonald’s when someone’s cool mom dropped some bills on a deliciously greasy birthday party. There was usually a giant mural along the wall with all the McDonaldland characters living fantasy lives in their all-burgers-all-the-time world. If you were lucky, you might even have played on the McDonaldland playground equipment with some of these guys…”
“The random name generator uses data from the US Census to randomly generate male and female names. Use it for screenplays, fake id’s, car rentals, pick-up lines, books, prank calls, movies. Give a random name to that special someone you meet at the bar.”
WordPress’s popularity is exploding, and with it a cottage industry of premium themes. The most fashionable feature magazine layouts, jQuery sliders and corporate-style designs. Amateur designers and weekend warrior types are mimicking these things on their own sites.
What ever happened to a plain old blog layout? In most cases it’s the most appropriate choice. When a blog I’ve enjoyed for months or years adopts one of these themes for no good reason, I’m disappointed. It’s like being at a concert where the band has gotten “artsy” with weird arrangements of all their songs. I want to say, “Your songs are awesome as written. You’re just ruining the experience.”
“Microsoft and Fox are joining forces to showcase how the power and simplicity of Windows 7 can enhance the content Fox viewers enjoy most, whether it’s comedy, drama, sports, or reality programming on TV or on the Web.
Microsoft and Fox also plan to put on a 12-week college tour allowing students to try Windows 7 and tying in outdoor-movie nights hosted by the Stewie and Brian characters of ‘Family Guy.’”
It’s not that this is a bad idea, it isn’t. It’s that Microsoft’s marketing has been all over the place during the past 2 years: Jerry and Bill, I’m a PC, Laptop Hunters and now an hour-long, prime time cartoon. It’s symptomatic of the company’s larger problem: They try to be everything to everyone. Enterprise, middle class 50-somethings in the suburbs, small businesses, college kids … not to mention all the hardware manufacturers that run Windows.
