Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
Pirates of the Caribbean III Rant
Not a review, here, just a slightly edited discussion board post that I felt sharing beyond the few contributors to that board.
**********************************************************************************
I spent a decent part of the last day or so meditating on what made this film so wretchedly bad. I even contemplated (and believe I could) setting up a Slactivist-type project whereby I would write an essay a week on some micro portion of the film, dissecting how it is “instructively bad” at each individual point.
The plot is bloated and migraine inducing, while the photography and editing is shockingly bad. A stellar example is a scene between Knightley and Chow Yun Fat that can’t decide whether to use dolly shots or jump cuts and so intersperses both with little rhyme or reason—managing to confuse spatial relations and break rhythm at the same time. Look, I’m not asking for mise en scene here—this is an adventure movie, not Citizen Kane--but I think if this were a film school project it would get thrashed.
I think what ultimately grinds my gears about the latter two installments is the pointlessness of the whole thing and the way it tends to use reversals and new information as deux ex machinas rather than mythological layering. Oh it was fun to see the shifting allegiances in the first film, but by the second (and certainly the third) you would think the characters would know what they stood for and wanted even if others were mistaken about them. The pirate code seems binding at times, at others, it is merely, you know, “suggestions.” The problem with that is that the film wants to have it both ways…chastising government and institutions for being capricious and hypocritical yet championing the pirate life not as some embodiment of a Thoreau-like adherence to a personal integrity but only as a rebellion against that which it isn’t all that different from.
Look, I hate the RNC as much as the next namby-pamby liberal who laments the erosion of our civil rights under the Bush regime—but must EVERY adventure film portray ANY form of institutional power as totalitarian? I wrote an op-ed piece a couple of years ago about how Hollywood films were doing the cultural work of paving the way for war with film after film that lionized a small group of noble brethren who withstood robotic and totalitarian armies (historical and fantastic) by holding fast to principles in the face of great odds. No more…
Here we get Elizabeth Swann doing her best impersonation of Winona Ryder doing a postmodern interpretation of Henry V…”we few, we happy few, we band of loosely affiliated mercenaries with momentarily aligned mutual interests…for whoever fights with me is my brother, from now until the end of the scene!”
These characters are so devoid of deep commitments (or even passions) that it just feels like nothing is at stake…a feeling that is only exacerbated by the decision to treat death as one more plot hurdle to be written around rather than a consequential possible result of a wrong (or, God forbid, a right) decision.
But hey…I’m a red blooded, American male, so who wouldn’t want to watch Keira Knightley prancing around in a tighty-nighty that can barely cover her (as Forrest Gump would say) “butt-tocks”? At least her attributes are more consistently present than Sparrow’s “now you see them—now we are too busy to think of how to get rid of them so they’ll disappear for no reason” surrealistic hallucinations. Maybe the film wouldn't have been nearly three hours if someone hadn't accidentally inserted Un Chien Andalu in the second reel.
Somewhere out there, I’m willing to bet there is some fundamentalist who is protesting The Simpsons and Harry Potter but who wouldn’t blink at Jack’s (or Barbosa’s) assertion that “there is more than one way to gain eternal life” or find its phrasing anything other than coincidental.
(1 rum bottle out of 5)
**********************************************************************************
I spent a decent part of the last day or so meditating on what made this film so wretchedly bad. I even contemplated (and believe I could) setting up a Slactivist-type project whereby I would write an essay a week on some micro portion of the film, dissecting how it is “instructively bad” at each individual point.
The plot is bloated and migraine inducing, while the photography and editing is shockingly bad. A stellar example is a scene between Knightley and Chow Yun Fat that can’t decide whether to use dolly shots or jump cuts and so intersperses both with little rhyme or reason—managing to confuse spatial relations and break rhythm at the same time. Look, I’m not asking for mise en scene here—this is an adventure movie, not Citizen Kane--but I think if this were a film school project it would get thrashed.
I think what ultimately grinds my gears about the latter two installments is the pointlessness of the whole thing and the way it tends to use reversals and new information as deux ex machinas rather than mythological layering. Oh it was fun to see the shifting allegiances in the first film, but by the second (and certainly the third) you would think the characters would know what they stood for and wanted even if others were mistaken about them. The pirate code seems binding at times, at others, it is merely, you know, “suggestions.” The problem with that is that the film wants to have it both ways…chastising government and institutions for being capricious and hypocritical yet championing the pirate life not as some embodiment of a Thoreau-like adherence to a personal integrity but only as a rebellion against that which it isn’t all that different from.
Look, I hate the RNC as much as the next namby-pamby liberal who laments the erosion of our civil rights under the Bush regime—but must EVERY adventure film portray ANY form of institutional power as totalitarian? I wrote an op-ed piece a couple of years ago about how Hollywood films were doing the cultural work of paving the way for war with film after film that lionized a small group of noble brethren who withstood robotic and totalitarian armies (historical and fantastic) by holding fast to principles in the face of great odds. No more…
Here we get Elizabeth Swann doing her best impersonation of Winona Ryder doing a postmodern interpretation of Henry V…”we few, we happy few, we band of loosely affiliated mercenaries with momentarily aligned mutual interests…for whoever fights with me is my brother, from now until the end of the scene!”
These characters are so devoid of deep commitments (or even passions) that it just feels like nothing is at stake…a feeling that is only exacerbated by the decision to treat death as one more plot hurdle to be written around rather than a consequential possible result of a wrong (or, God forbid, a right) decision.
But hey…I’m a red blooded, American male, so who wouldn’t want to watch Keira Knightley prancing around in a tighty-nighty that can barely cover her (as Forrest Gump would say) “butt-tocks”? At least her attributes are more consistently present than Sparrow’s “now you see them—now we are too busy to think of how to get rid of them so they’ll disappear for no reason” surrealistic hallucinations. Maybe the film wouldn't have been nearly three hours if someone hadn't accidentally inserted Un Chien Andalu in the second reel.
Somewhere out there, I’m willing to bet there is some fundamentalist who is protesting The Simpsons and Harry Potter but who wouldn’t blink at Jack’s (or Barbosa’s) assertion that “there is more than one way to gain eternal life” or find its phrasing anything other than coincidental.
(1 rum bottle out of 5)
Emma (1-3)
I enjoyed discussing Jane Austen with my most recent class, so I thought I'd try something different and blog about passages once a week as a means of working through one of her works--creating a book discussion platform if anyone wants to join.
I'm starting with Emma because it is the book with which I am most familiar, having discussed it with a panel of scholars at a National Humanities Center study a few years ago.
Emma begins with, well Emma.
We are told that she IS "handsome, clever, and rich" but only that she "seemed" to unite "some of the best blessings of existence." The negation effect of "seemed" is tantalizingly ambiguous. Are money, looks, and wit only seeming blessings, or does Emma only seem to unite them (either with each other or something else)?
More ambiguous still is the transition between the first paragraph, where we are told that Emma has lived "twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her" and the second paragraph where we are told that "her mother had died too long ago for her to have more than an indistinct remembrance of her caresses" (1).
The juxtaposition of these roughly contradictory statements is too archly delicious to be anything other than intentional, coming as it does so early in the novel. What do we make of it, then? "Things aren't always what they seem" is a master trope in Austen's fiction, and it makes an early appearance here. Beyond that, though, the order with which we are given these statements strikes me as telling. The words "handsome," "clever," and "rich" are bold words, and they create a near immediate impression. By the time we are told about her mother, we are already subtly envious with and frustrated at her. Why should Emma have all the best blessings of existence?
Why indeed? Is there a satisfying answer to that question, or are we all by nature prone to envy? Part of Austen's achievement in this novel is that she stacks the deck in Emma's favor and then makes us feel guilty for our natural reaction. She does this, in part, by letting us see how little sympathy those we envy usually receive. Miss Weston had "fallen little short of a mother in affection" (1), but the gulf between a mother's caresses and the excellent service of a governess, exemplifying as it does the "very little" that has distressed or vexed Emma ought to make us wary right off the bat of taking anything the narrator says (especially about Emma) at face value.
Oh and a word about Emma's father--he is "affectionate" and "indulgent." These are two seemingly benign (or fortuitous) adjectives. Given the fact, though, that Emma's condition of having too much her own way is described as "evil" (more on that in another post) and that although he is amiably high maintenance, he is high maintenance indeed, we have yet another example of first impressions not being exactly trustworthy.
What are the best blessings of existence--of ours or someone else's? We certainly act as though we know and pursue the answers that come to mind with a relentless vigor. Oftentimes the conditions or material things that we are most desirous of, though, can be the most injurious to us, while those we are the most fearful of surrendering are the portals to richer blessings still.
[To read more examples of close readings, click on the label for Emma at the bottom of this post.]
I'm starting with Emma because it is the book with which I am most familiar, having discussed it with a panel of scholars at a National Humanities Center study a few years ago.
Emma begins with, well Emma.
We are told that she IS "handsome, clever, and rich" but only that she "seemed" to unite "some of the best blessings of existence." The negation effect of "seemed" is tantalizingly ambiguous. Are money, looks, and wit only seeming blessings, or does Emma only seem to unite them (either with each other or something else)?
More ambiguous still is the transition between the first paragraph, where we are told that Emma has lived "twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her" and the second paragraph where we are told that "her mother had died too long ago for her to have more than an indistinct remembrance of her caresses" (1).
The juxtaposition of these roughly contradictory statements is too archly delicious to be anything other than intentional, coming as it does so early in the novel. What do we make of it, then? "Things aren't always what they seem" is a master trope in Austen's fiction, and it makes an early appearance here. Beyond that, though, the order with which we are given these statements strikes me as telling. The words "handsome," "clever," and "rich" are bold words, and they create a near immediate impression. By the time we are told about her mother, we are already subtly envious with and frustrated at her. Why should Emma have all the best blessings of existence?
Why indeed? Is there a satisfying answer to that question, or are we all by nature prone to envy? Part of Austen's achievement in this novel is that she stacks the deck in Emma's favor and then makes us feel guilty for our natural reaction. She does this, in part, by letting us see how little sympathy those we envy usually receive. Miss Weston had "fallen little short of a mother in affection" (1), but the gulf between a mother's caresses and the excellent service of a governess, exemplifying as it does the "very little" that has distressed or vexed Emma ought to make us wary right off the bat of taking anything the narrator says (especially about Emma) at face value.
Oh and a word about Emma's father--he is "affectionate" and "indulgent." These are two seemingly benign (or fortuitous) adjectives. Given the fact, though, that Emma's condition of having too much her own way is described as "evil" (more on that in another post) and that although he is amiably high maintenance, he is high maintenance indeed, we have yet another example of first impressions not being exactly trustworthy.
What are the best blessings of existence--of ours or someone else's? We certainly act as though we know and pursue the answers that come to mind with a relentless vigor. Oftentimes the conditions or material things that we are most desirous of, though, can be the most injurious to us, while those we are the most fearful of surrendering are the portals to richer blessings still.
[To read more examples of close readings, click on the label for Emma at the bottom of this post.]
The Simpsons Movie
My review of The Simpsons Movie should be available sometime today at Christian Spotlight on Entertainment.
Here is a link.
Here is a link.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
2007 Disc Golf Trip--Wrap Up
Finally back home after two long days of driving.
Tallies:
States Visited: 10
Courses Played: 11
New Courses: 9
Total States in Which I have now played disc golf: 37
Tallies:
States Visited: 10
Courses Played: 11
New Courses: 9
Total States in Which I have now played disc golf: 37
Sunday, July 22, 2007
2007 Disc Golf Trip--Illinois
It is ironic that in my quest to play disc golf in all 50 states that Illinois was the last state I played east of the Mississippi. (Because Cindy and I lived in Illinois for 10 years.) I was planning on playing in the trip we took with the Truffins several years ago, but rain prevented it.
Cindy and I played 9 holes at Long View Park in Rock Island, IL. The park was wide and spacious, and the grounds were immaculately mantained, but we couldn't find tee markers. (They were set in the ground to allow mowers to go over them.) Because the holes were so long and there were so many up and downs, we spent more time looking for tees than throwing the holes.
Despite some long holes, we did manage to play par golf over nine holes, thanks to a booming downhill drive on #1 and a long putt on another hole. Just walking the course was a challenge, and the time constraints sent us on to DeKalb without finishing the round.
My friend Mark and his son Chris went out with me to Kirkland, Illinois to play a new ocurse there. It was surprisingly fun, little course, but there were a bunch of geese on the river, so the course was overrun with goose droppoings. I threw an SE Leopard into the Kishwaukee. (Grrr.) It wasn't grip lock, just a matter of not knowing the hole and realizing where the shore line was.
I did get some nice birdies, and Illinois is on the board, raising the total number of states played to 36 or 37.
Longview Park; Rock Island, Illinois
2-4-2 4-4-3 2-3-3 (27) Out
Pioneer Park; Kirkland, Illinois
2-3-3 3-3-3 3-3-2 (25) Out
3-4-2 4-3-2 3-2-3 (26) In 51
Cindy and I played 9 holes at Long View Park in Rock Island, IL. The park was wide and spacious, and the grounds were immaculately mantained, but we couldn't find tee markers. (They were set in the ground to allow mowers to go over them.) Because the holes were so long and there were so many up and downs, we spent more time looking for tees than throwing the holes.
Despite some long holes, we did manage to play par golf over nine holes, thanks to a booming downhill drive on #1 and a long putt on another hole. Just walking the course was a challenge, and the time constraints sent us on to DeKalb without finishing the round.
My friend Mark and his son Chris went out with me to Kirkland, Illinois to play a new ocurse there. It was surprisingly fun, little course, but there were a bunch of geese on the river, so the course was overrun with goose droppoings. I threw an SE Leopard into the Kishwaukee. (Grrr.) It wasn't grip lock, just a matter of not knowing the hole and realizing where the shore line was.
I did get some nice birdies, and Illinois is on the board, raising the total number of states played to 36 or 37.
Longview Park; Rock Island, Illinois
2-4-2 4-4-3 2-3-3 (27) Out
Pioneer Park; Kirkland, Illinois
2-3-3 3-3-3 3-3-2 (25) Out
3-4-2 4-3-2 3-2-3 (26) In 51
Thursday, July 19, 2007
2007 Disc Golf Trip Day 9: You Really Ought to Give Iowa a Try
I happened to notice last night that there was a Play It Again Sports in Burnsville that was advertising a big sale, so we waited until 10:00 a.m to get on the road. Unfortunately none of the discs were on sale. I did see a few Jaguars, though. I haven't seen those discs in years.
The drive was brisk to Ames, and after lunch and much agonizing over which of two nearly identically described courses to play, we settled on the Carroll Marty DGC. I was thinking it might have less traffic than the course on campus, but it was actually pretty crowded.
The course was nice enough, but we hit it in the heat of the day and there were more than a few hidden pins that caused us to walk 1/2 way up fairways. That, combined with the numerous elevation changes kind of wore me out for a short course.
Cindy and I shot a 49, the odd thing about which was that we birdied holes two and three and then parred about 11 consecutive holes before getting deuces on 14, 15, and 16. Two of these were longer holes that wouldn't necessarily be ones I would think of as gimmees, so I really need to heed Cindy's reminder that you don't always know where your birdies are coming from. I remember how disappointed I was in Fargo that I deuced the first three holes and didn't get but one more the rest...would I have cared if I had got one on the front nine and then got three in a row in the middle of the round? Sometimes shorter holes are harder to calibrate on the fly and a longer, more open hole can be easier. The last hole we deuced was a 300 foot pinnacle to lower elevation shot, and I've noticed that a lot of these Midwest courses are enamored of these sorts of holes. (One park in Minnesota had three of them, I think.) The eighteenth was a 270 or so uphill. Nothing too impossible, but the walk up to my approach was tiring. We went into the clubhouse and Cindy got another Skeeter but I didn't get anything.
We got into Des Moines about 4:00 pm, but the course I was thinking about playing was actually on the other side of town and we were a little tired, so we decided to get a nice dinner and do laundry in the free facilities.
Speaking of which, Priceline has treated us nicely this trip. Despite a preponderence of surly check in people (in Minnesota and Iowa), the rooms have been really nice, and the Candlewood Suites in Des Moines has been especially good. I'm not sure I can use Priceline to save money at the lower end anymore, but it does tend to get me a nicer room for roughly the same price I would pay retail for a bargain hotel.
Going by Penzy's tomorrow, but we still haven't decided whether or not to play Des Moines in the morning or a course just across the border, such as Moline or Rock Island.
Carroll Marty DGC; Ames, Iowa
3-2-2 3-3-3 3-3-3 (25) Out
3-3-3 3-2-2 2-3-3 (24) In 49
The drive was brisk to Ames, and after lunch and much agonizing over which of two nearly identically described courses to play, we settled on the Carroll Marty DGC. I was thinking it might have less traffic than the course on campus, but it was actually pretty crowded.
The course was nice enough, but we hit it in the heat of the day and there were more than a few hidden pins that caused us to walk 1/2 way up fairways. That, combined with the numerous elevation changes kind of wore me out for a short course.
Cindy and I shot a 49, the odd thing about which was that we birdied holes two and three and then parred about 11 consecutive holes before getting deuces on 14, 15, and 16. Two of these were longer holes that wouldn't necessarily be ones I would think of as gimmees, so I really need to heed Cindy's reminder that you don't always know where your birdies are coming from. I remember how disappointed I was in Fargo that I deuced the first three holes and didn't get but one more the rest...would I have cared if I had got one on the front nine and then got three in a row in the middle of the round? Sometimes shorter holes are harder to calibrate on the fly and a longer, more open hole can be easier. The last hole we deuced was a 300 foot pinnacle to lower elevation shot, and I've noticed that a lot of these Midwest courses are enamored of these sorts of holes. (One park in Minnesota had three of them, I think.) The eighteenth was a 270 or so uphill. Nothing too impossible, but the walk up to my approach was tiring. We went into the clubhouse and Cindy got another Skeeter but I didn't get anything.
We got into Des Moines about 4:00 pm, but the course I was thinking about playing was actually on the other side of town and we were a little tired, so we decided to get a nice dinner and do laundry in the free facilities.
Speaking of which, Priceline has treated us nicely this trip. Despite a preponderence of surly check in people (in Minnesota and Iowa), the rooms have been really nice, and the Candlewood Suites in Des Moines has been especially good. I'm not sure I can use Priceline to save money at the lower end anymore, but it does tend to get me a nicer room for roughly the same price I would pay retail for a bargain hotel.
Going by Penzy's tomorrow, but we still haven't decided whether or not to play Des Moines in the morning or a course just across the border, such as Moline or Rock Island.
Carroll Marty DGC; Ames, Iowa
3-2-2 3-3-3 3-3-3 (25) Out
3-3-3 3-2-2 2-3-3 (24) In 49
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Disc Golf Trip: Burnsville, MN
Little bit of a transition day as we made our way back to Minneapolis before turning South. Was a hot, humid day, and I only ended up playing Alimagnet Lake Park near Burnsville (Minneapolis suburb). It was only twelve holes and fine for a neighborhood park. I took a +1 (three birdies, four bogeys), which was irritating because I just wasn't concentrating on easy approach shots or didn't know particular layouts which affected approaches.
One of the baskets was stolen. I noticed at Fargo that there was a reward being offered for four stolen baskets and wondered whether basket theft was more popular in certain areas.
Couple of random trip notes:
--saw a deer near an exit at Indiana.
--in Wisconsin saw a blur running across a field. Looked at it and realized it was a bear. Wow, cool animals.
--notice on the map that we were near Mankato and Sleepy Eye, but I couldn't find Walnut Grove, which I might very well have made a sojourn to see. (Todd and I went to Sleepy Hollow but skipped Robert Frost home.)
--I would have thought I was making hasty generalizations about the way Minnesotans drive (not well) if there hadn't been a stand at the welcome center offering me tips on how to cope with "aggressive drivers."
--According to the rules of the 2007 Mashed Potato Scupture Contest at the Potato Days Festival in Barnesvill, MN, entrants may "embellish" their sculptures with "materials of their choice" as long as those materials don't include paint or more potatoes.
One of the baskets was stolen. I noticed at Fargo that there was a reward being offered for four stolen baskets and wondered whether basket theft was more popular in certain areas.
Couple of random trip notes:
--saw a deer near an exit at Indiana.
--in Wisconsin saw a blur running across a field. Looked at it and realized it was a bear. Wow, cool animals.
--notice on the map that we were near Mankato and Sleepy Eye, but I couldn't find Walnut Grove, which I might very well have made a sojourn to see. (Todd and I went to Sleepy Hollow but skipped Robert Frost home.)
--I would have thought I was making hasty generalizations about the way Minnesotans drive (not well) if there hadn't been a stand at the welcome center offering me tips on how to cope with "aggressive drivers."
--According to the rules of the 2007 Mashed Potato Scupture Contest at the Potato Days Festival in Barnesvill, MN, entrants may "embellish" their sculptures with "materials of their choice" as long as those materials don't include paint or more potatoes.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
2007 Disc Golf Trip--Days 6/7; Wisconsin, Minnesota, Fargo
Lot of driving and disc golfing and not much else.
Played Deforest, Wisconsin. It was a traditional ball golf layout. Wide/generous fairways, slightly longer drives than I could make. Some obstacles but not tight. I think I threw the Sidewinder like 14 of 18 drives. Nice signage and well thought out, but not too exciting. Definitely the sort of course that the better player would win, since there isn't much here to punish less than good shots, so it's about making good shots (longer) consistently. I think Cindy and I threw a 53 or so.
Played Acorn Park in St. Paul. It wasn't as short as I thought, and the signage made it unclear as to which tees to play. We ended up playing some combination of longs and shorts, I think. We shot a 50, including throwing in a 80 foot chip or so with the Roc.
Played Oak Grove Park in Fargo. Got there late in the day and started on Hole 10. Birdied the first three holes (10, 11, and 12) and missed a makeable putt for birdie on the next. Then settled down. Muddy course (on Red River Bed, looks like it floods some time), but I settled down after that and took an irritating five on 560 foot hole 18. Finished with a 51.
Minnesota and Wisconsin are really quite beautiful this time of year. Lots of huge farms which look majestic rather than dull because of undulating hills rather than perfectly flat land.
Been playing some good golf, but I think the "great" round may be trying to get out.
Played Deforest, Wisconsin. It was a traditional ball golf layout. Wide/generous fairways, slightly longer drives than I could make. Some obstacles but not tight. I think I threw the Sidewinder like 14 of 18 drives. Nice signage and well thought out, but not too exciting. Definitely the sort of course that the better player would win, since there isn't much here to punish less than good shots, so it's about making good shots (longer) consistently. I think Cindy and I threw a 53 or so.
Played Acorn Park in St. Paul. It wasn't as short as I thought, and the signage made it unclear as to which tees to play. We ended up playing some combination of longs and shorts, I think. We shot a 50, including throwing in a 80 foot chip or so with the Roc.
Played Oak Grove Park in Fargo. Got there late in the day and started on Hole 10. Birdied the first three holes (10, 11, and 12) and missed a makeable putt for birdie on the next. Then settled down. Muddy course (on Red River Bed, looks like it floods some time), but I settled down after that and took an irritating five on 560 foot hole 18. Finished with a 51.
Minnesota and Wisconsin are really quite beautiful this time of year. Lots of huge farms which look majestic rather than dull because of undulating hills rather than perfectly flat land.
Been playing some good golf, but I think the "great" round may be trying to get out.
Monday, July 16, 2007
2007 Disc Golf Trip Day 5--South Bend, Indiana
The day began with two pleasant experiences: more complaining about Ada, and a leisurely breakfast with the Truffins before departing Tiffin.
On the former...I took seven to eight penalty strokes at the tournament, only one of which was caused by gong out of bounds in a meaningful sense. Yes, the two meter rule was in effect (first tournament I've played that chose to have it), and yes, I lost a stroke to it. The annoying thing was the sidewalks. Picture this computer screen as the playing field on which a hole is set up. Now blindfold a four year old and give her four to seven seconds to randomly scribble on the screen. These are your Ada sidewalks, and they are all OB. I'm all for giving right of way to pedestrians, but when it's a spaghetti latticework of four foot strips of concrete running through the course that has nothing, really to do with whether or not you threw a good shot or a bad one, I figured you could just as well have each group throw their respective minis in a plastic bag before each hole, draw one at random, and assess its owner a penalty stroke.
I did, however, check the PDGA results and see that despite throwing rollers and thumbers and being dreadfully bored hobbling around on blistered feet, I threw within a stroke of my PDGA rating, so at least the experience won't kill my rating.
The drive to DeKalb wasn't too long, so we decided to stop at Rum Village Park in South Bend, Indiana. I had one bad approach shot that cost me a four on a 260 foot (or so) elevation to elevation shot, but I got a three on the looooooong ninth hole (no yardage marked, but it felt like 550 or so downill). All the pins were in the long position, making it a bit more challenging, and I just missed on some long putts. Still, Cindy and I managed to throw a fifty-five. Normally the double nickel is my least favorite score, especially on a new course, but there were enough long holes here that I had to concede that this was a pretty good round. (Cindy nearly holed a three on her own for a 365 foot downhill hole and is throwing the Skeeter very nicely.) I suppose on some level, I needed to throw a challenging courses a well more than I needed a pitch and putt. I mean, after you throw a 91 in a tournament round, I think you need some evidence you are not a total loser, even if that 91 was on 21 holes from ridiculous long tees in 25 mph winds.
The worst part of the day is it took us about an hour to drive the eight miles or so between Gary, Indiana and the Illinois border. As near as I can tell, it was all just a bottleneck from losing one lane to road work. Grrrr.
That means we arrived in DeKalb later than anticipated, but fortunately we gained an hour from going to Central time. Entering DeKalb isn't much at all like revisiting Toccoa. My memories of Illinois are pleasant, if not overly rose-colored, but I still get that same disconnect of trying to fathom, you know, actually living in a place in which I'm now an outsider. I told Cindy that sometimes it doesn't feel like a lifetime ago so much as it feels like we've led several different lives, and I'm trying to remember that one.
Rum Village Park; South Bend, Indiana
2-3-3 3-3-3 4-3-3 (27) OUT
3-2-4 4-3-3 3-3-3 (28) IN 55
On the former...I took seven to eight penalty strokes at the tournament, only one of which was caused by gong out of bounds in a meaningful sense. Yes, the two meter rule was in effect (first tournament I've played that chose to have it), and yes, I lost a stroke to it. The annoying thing was the sidewalks. Picture this computer screen as the playing field on which a hole is set up. Now blindfold a four year old and give her four to seven seconds to randomly scribble on the screen. These are your Ada sidewalks, and they are all OB. I'm all for giving right of way to pedestrians, but when it's a spaghetti latticework of four foot strips of concrete running through the course that has nothing, really to do with whether or not you threw a good shot or a bad one, I figured you could just as well have each group throw their respective minis in a plastic bag before each hole, draw one at random, and assess its owner a penalty stroke.
I did, however, check the PDGA results and see that despite throwing rollers and thumbers and being dreadfully bored hobbling around on blistered feet, I threw within a stroke of my PDGA rating, so at least the experience won't kill my rating.
The drive to DeKalb wasn't too long, so we decided to stop at Rum Village Park in South Bend, Indiana. I had one bad approach shot that cost me a four on a 260 foot (or so) elevation to elevation shot, but I got a three on the looooooong ninth hole (no yardage marked, but it felt like 550 or so downill). All the pins were in the long position, making it a bit more challenging, and I just missed on some long putts. Still, Cindy and I managed to throw a fifty-five. Normally the double nickel is my least favorite score, especially on a new course, but there were enough long holes here that I had to concede that this was a pretty good round. (Cindy nearly holed a three on her own for a 365 foot downhill hole and is throwing the Skeeter very nicely.) I suppose on some level, I needed to throw a challenging courses a well more than I needed a pitch and putt. I mean, after you throw a 91 in a tournament round, I think you need some evidence you are not a total loser, even if that 91 was on 21 holes from ridiculous long tees in 25 mph winds.
The worst part of the day is it took us about an hour to drive the eight miles or so between Gary, Indiana and the Illinois border. As near as I can tell, it was all just a bottleneck from losing one lane to road work. Grrrr.
That means we arrived in DeKalb later than anticipated, but fortunately we gained an hour from going to Central time. Entering DeKalb isn't much at all like revisiting Toccoa. My memories of Illinois are pleasant, if not overly rose-colored, but I still get that same disconnect of trying to fathom, you know, actually living in a place in which I'm now an outsider. I told Cindy that sometimes it doesn't feel like a lifetime ago so much as it feels like we've led several different lives, and I'm trying to remember that one.
Rum Village Park; South Bend, Indiana
2-3-3 3-3-3 4-3-3 (27) OUT
3-2-4 4-3-3 3-3-3 (28) IN 55
Saturday, July 14, 2007
2007 Disc Golf Trip--Day 4; Ada, Ohio
Found out at the last minute that masters had to play round one from the long tees. 797 feet to an open hole with 25 mph wind gusts. Bleech.
The grounds were immaculately maintained, but the design, especially the long tees, was boring. Lot of 500-800 foot holes with not much variety. I've never thrown so many rollers and thumbers.
Can't say I enjoyed it.
The grounds were immaculately maintained, but the design, especially the long tees, was boring. Lot of 500-800 foot holes with not much variety. I've never thrown so many rollers and thumbers.
Can't say I enjoyed it.
Friday, July 13, 2007
2007 Disc Golf Trip--Day 3; Tiffin, Ohio
I returned to Hedges-Boyer with Todd and Cindy to play some singles, and I was happy to throw a 56 (1 under par for 19 holes). I threw in two longer putts, but I chunked two approaches. Overall, I was very happy, carding five deuces on a longer course and getting in a round under par. (I hope I can keep up the putting at Ada tomorrow.)
I looked up the course stats on the PDGA site, and 56 was a 909 rated round in their last tournament, which feels about right. I could easily have been 3-4 strokes lower if some putts had fallen, but I could also have been 2-3 strokes higher.
I'm still thinking about not knowing what my strengths are. I don't think of myself as being good or better at longer courses...but I seem to be getting good results on longer courses. (There is less margin for error on short courses, I know.)
Hedges-Boyer Park; Tiffin, Ohio (19 holes)
2-3-3 3-3-2 3-3-2-4 (28) OUT
3-2-3 4-4-3 3-2-4 (28) IN 56
I looked up the course stats on the PDGA site, and 56 was a 909 rated round in their last tournament, which feels about right. I could easily have been 3-4 strokes lower if some putts had fallen, but I could also have been 2-3 strokes higher.
I'm still thinking about not knowing what my strengths are. I don't think of myself as being good or better at longer courses...but I seem to be getting good results on longer courses. (There is less margin for error on short courses, I know.)
Hedges-Boyer Park; Tiffin, Ohio (19 holes)
2-3-3 3-3-2 3-3-2-4 (28) OUT
3-2-3 4-4-3 3-2-4 (28) IN 56
Thursday, July 12, 2007
2007 Disc Golf Trip--Day 2: Columbus, Tiffin
Day two began with a change of plans. We decided rather than drive to Tiffin and spend a day in Columbus on Friday, we would meet the Truffins in Columbus and get back in time for Todd's doubles at the Tiffin course.
In addition to my chimerical goal to play disc golf in all fifty states, I have a slightly less obsessive one to track down all the Artemisia Gentileschi on public display. So we met the Truffins at noon at the Columbus Museum of Art, which holds Artemisia's David and Bathsheba (1651).
The painting was a good one, but it was a bit harder to warm up to than some of her others. Perhaps it was the outdoor setting--certainly the museum had it in a room that was a bit too small, making it hard to take in the painting whole without a bad glare on one part. (The reproduction linked above is a poor one, but what can you do?)
I wrote a poem that got me paid a dollar for being reprinted in an art journal after seeing my first Artemisia, so my tradition is to write a poem for each new painting of hers I see. (I don't normally write poetry, but this is a nice exercise.) Here's my poem about this one:
"On Viewing Artemisia Gentileschi's David and Bathsheba at the Columbus Museum of Art (July 12, 2007)"
When did you know something was wrong?
Did others go before you to prepare the way that was not so clear?
Or did you forge ahead,
Oblivious to the flaccid foundations of your fragile refuge?
Did your women's intuition--that Biblical Spidey Sense--tingle,
Telling you it wasn't alright,
When all the powers of earth and heaven said that it was?
Did your fear recede when you knew it was him?
A friend of the family.
Trusted.
Or did you sense even then the shadow of lust he hid even from himself?
Did you grow to love him as love grew inside you?
What shadow passed between you and your father,
As you were punished for his sin?
You will never be alone again.
History will absolve but never clothe you.
Blessed be the man who need never face
The torturous peril
Of a solitary woman
Taking a bath.
*****************************************************
After a nice lunch (and a pile of nachos higher than my head), we made our way to Tiffin and did manage to venture out for the Thursday night doubles. It's always weird being the new guy at club doubles as people don't know whether to be happy or sad they drew you. I exonerated myself nicely, shooting -4 with my partner (winning number was -8), dropping in several long chip shots and putts to keep us in the running with the other group up to the very last hole.
The course was a bit long and open--in other words, it didn't play to my strengths, but I had fun with it, throwing a thumber approach on one hole and a roller on another drive to net a 300 foot plus deuce.
Tomorrow it appears that we will stick around Tiffin, so maybe I'll play the course again.
In addition to my chimerical goal to play disc golf in all fifty states, I have a slightly less obsessive one to track down all the Artemisia Gentileschi on public display. So we met the Truffins at noon at the Columbus Museum of Art, which holds Artemisia's David and Bathsheba (1651).
The painting was a good one, but it was a bit harder to warm up to than some of her others. Perhaps it was the outdoor setting--certainly the museum had it in a room that was a bit too small, making it hard to take in the painting whole without a bad glare on one part. (The reproduction linked above is a poor one, but what can you do?)
I wrote a poem that got me paid a dollar for being reprinted in an art journal after seeing my first Artemisia, so my tradition is to write a poem for each new painting of hers I see. (I don't normally write poetry, but this is a nice exercise.) Here's my poem about this one:
"On Viewing Artemisia Gentileschi's David and Bathsheba at the Columbus Museum of Art (July 12, 2007)"
When did you know something was wrong?
Did others go before you to prepare the way that was not so clear?
Or did you forge ahead,
Oblivious to the flaccid foundations of your fragile refuge?
Did your women's intuition--that Biblical Spidey Sense--tingle,
Telling you it wasn't alright,
When all the powers of earth and heaven said that it was?
Did your fear recede when you knew it was him?
A friend of the family.
Trusted.
Or did you sense even then the shadow of lust he hid even from himself?
Did you grow to love him as love grew inside you?
What shadow passed between you and your father,
As you were punished for his sin?
You will never be alone again.
History will absolve but never clothe you.
Blessed be the man who need never face
The torturous peril
Of a solitary woman
Taking a bath.
*****************************************************
After a nice lunch (and a pile of nachos higher than my head), we made our way to Tiffin and did manage to venture out for the Thursday night doubles. It's always weird being the new guy at club doubles as people don't know whether to be happy or sad they drew you. I exonerated myself nicely, shooting -4 with my partner (winning number was -8), dropping in several long chip shots and putts to keep us in the running with the other group up to the very last hole.
The course was a bit long and open--in other words, it didn't play to my strengths, but I had fun with it, throwing a thumber approach on one hole and a roller on another drive to net a 300 foot plus deuce.
Tomorrow it appears that we will stick around Tiffin, so maybe I'll play the course again.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
2007 Disc Golf Trip--Day 1: Winston-Salem
Cindy again decided to join me on this year's summer disc golf excursion, mostly because I was going by North Dakota, the only continental state she has not yet visited. My goal is to play disc golf in all fifty states, and this trip should add six to my current total of thirty.
I'm still a bit sore from The Great 8, so we are easing into the disc golf part of the trip. Today's drive went from Fuquay-Varina to Charleston, WV, with a stop in Winston-Salem to play Horizon's Park.
I've played the course twice before, and the first time I did I shot a 49. Cindy and I play doubles and we shoot a 49; it's hard not to look at that as signifying that I haven't improved. I know I have, though. It's a very windy day, so conditions aren't great. There has to be some other indication of improvement besides continually raising the bar on your best ever. While I'm putting well, I'm approaching poorly and I make two mental errors. So perhaps one mark of improvement is that I tied a previous "hot" round even though I'm struggling. I make two long putts, but I'm beginning to notice that some of my approaches in the 100-150 foot range are not as precise as they should be. I also still pick the wrong disc on occasion. We take three fours (inexcusable), and one is on a hole where I remind myself that the only way to get a four is to go in the bush to the left of the hole--which I promptly do.
To focus on the positives: I am increasingly my distance a little, especially throwing uphill. I get a birdie into the wind on a right turning uphill hole that I probably wouldn't have reached before.
Overall, it was a good way to break up the drive, and a fun course to play to get into the flow.
Horizon's Park: Winston-Salem, NC.
2-2-4 2-3-4 2-2-3 (24) Out
2-2-3 3-4-3 2-3-3 (25) In 49
I'm still a bit sore from The Great 8, so we are easing into the disc golf part of the trip. Today's drive went from Fuquay-Varina to Charleston, WV, with a stop in Winston-Salem to play Horizon's Park.
I've played the course twice before, and the first time I did I shot a 49. Cindy and I play doubles and we shoot a 49; it's hard not to look at that as signifying that I haven't improved. I know I have, though. It's a very windy day, so conditions aren't great. There has to be some other indication of improvement besides continually raising the bar on your best ever. While I'm putting well, I'm approaching poorly and I make two mental errors. So perhaps one mark of improvement is that I tied a previous "hot" round even though I'm struggling. I make two long putts, but I'm beginning to notice that some of my approaches in the 100-150 foot range are not as precise as they should be. I also still pick the wrong disc on occasion. We take three fours (inexcusable), and one is on a hole where I remind myself that the only way to get a four is to go in the bush to the left of the hole--which I promptly do.
To focus on the positives: I am increasingly my distance a little, especially throwing uphill. I get a birdie into the wind on a right turning uphill hole that I probably wouldn't have reached before.
Overall, it was a good way to break up the drive, and a fun course to play to get into the flow.
Horizon's Park: Winston-Salem, NC.
2-2-4 2-3-4 2-2-3 (24) Out
2-2-3 3-4-3 2-3-3 (25) In 49
Monday, July 09, 2007
The Great 8
On Saturday, I played in the Great 8--a marathon disc golf tournament in which players begin at Zebulon Community Park and attempt to play eight courses in one day.
Despite playing some great golf and literally running the last course and a half, my partner (Cliff Patton) and I took a DNF by six holes. We were on hole 13 of Cedar Rock when time was called. This ending was incredibly frustrating for an otherwise great experience. It was not any one thing that caused the delay, rather an accumulation of little things. I'm pretty sure I'd be able to finish (barring an accident) if I play next year, and I've ironed some of the issues that caused delays already.
This year's scores:
Zebulon Community Park (Starting Hole 16)
4-2-4 2-3-3 3-4-4 (29) Out
3-3-3 3-3-3 3-3-3 (26) In 55
Cedar Hills (Starting Hole 1)
2-3-2 2-3-2 3-2-3 (22) Out
3-2-3 3-3-3 3-3-3 (26) In 48
Kentwood
2-3-2 2-3-2 3-2-3 (22) Out
2-3-2 3-3-3 3-3-3 (25) In 47
Buckhorn
3-2-3 4-2-2 3-2-3 (24) Out
2-2-3 2-3-3 2-3-3 (23) In 47
UNC-Chapel Hill (Beginning Hole 8)
3-3-3 3-4-3 2-2-3 (26) Out
3-3-2 3-3-4 3-2-3 (26) In 52
Valley Springs (Durham)
2-2-3 2-3-2 3-2-3 (22) Out
3-3-2 3-2-3 3-3-3 (25) In 47
Wellspring (Running!)
3-3-2 3-3-3 3-3-2 (25) Out
3-3-2 3-3-3 3-4-3 (27) In 52
Cedar Rock (Skipping Holes 8&9/7to10)
3-3-3 3-3-3 3-3-3 (27) Out
3-3-3 DNF
Despite playing some great golf and literally running the last course and a half, my partner (Cliff Patton) and I took a DNF by six holes. We were on hole 13 of Cedar Rock when time was called. This ending was incredibly frustrating for an otherwise great experience. It was not any one thing that caused the delay, rather an accumulation of little things. I'm pretty sure I'd be able to finish (barring an accident) if I play next year, and I've ironed some of the issues that caused delays already.
This year's scores:
Zebulon Community Park (Starting Hole 16)
4-2-4 2-3-3 3-4-4 (29) Out
3-3-3 3-3-3 3-3-3 (26) In 55
Cedar Hills (Starting Hole 1)
2-3-2 2-3-2 3-2-3 (22) Out
3-2-3 3-3-3 3-3-3 (26) In 48
Kentwood
2-3-2 2-3-2 3-2-3 (22) Out
2-3-2 3-3-3 3-3-3 (25) In 47
Buckhorn
3-2-3 4-2-2 3-2-3 (24) Out
2-2-3 2-3-3 2-3-3 (23) In 47
UNC-Chapel Hill (Beginning Hole 8)
3-3-3 3-4-3 2-2-3 (26) Out
3-3-2 3-3-4 3-2-3 (26) In 52
Valley Springs (Durham)
2-2-3 2-3-2 3-2-3 (22) Out
3-3-2 3-2-3 3-3-3 (25) In 47
Wellspring (Running!)
3-3-2 3-3-3 3-3-2 (25) Out
3-3-2 3-3-3 3-4-3 (27) In 52
Cedar Rock (Skipping Holes 8&9/7to10)
3-3-3 3-3-3 3-3-3 (27) Out
3-3-3 DNF
Sunday, July 08, 2007
This blog is rated...
Damn! I can't believe my blog is rated "G."
Hey, maybe it's PG now, since I said "damn."
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Competitive Eating
Why, every fourth of July (and sometimes at other times) are we subjected to coverage of this nonsense? Why with famine in the world, obesity prevalent in America, and a general ignorance about the most mundane matters of health, do we get front page coverage on guys trying to eat 60 hot dogs in twelve minutes without throwing up.
Shame on Sports Illustrated, especially for featuring this prominently on their web site.
Double shame on ESPN for broadcasting it.
Hey guys, why not show clips from a DISC GOLF tournament instead?
Shame on Sports Illustrated, especially for featuring this prominently on their web site.
Double shame on ESPN for broadcasting it.
Hey guys, why not show clips from a DISC GOLF tournament instead?
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
2007 Cha-Ching & Zing
I had pretty much decided not to play the 2007 Cha-Ching & Zing.
Zebulon has always been a long course that pretty much kicks my butt, I had had faded badly at a tourny in Kinston earlier this summer (and resolved to not play any more two day tournies), I was getting ready to play the Great 8 and go on vacation....
But the PDGA ratings came out and I went down 4 points (877 to 873), I got an unexpected cash flow problem worked out, and I didn't want to leave for vacation with that bad taste in my mouth. Plus, I had one of my better rounds at Zebulon during the Dogwood Crosstown Challenge last year, making me wonder if maybe I wasn't better off on a long course.
Well, I took a 6 on the very first hole, and I thought I was in for a long weekend. It was a long weekend, but I somehow managed to hold it together. I played three mediocre/poor rounds (70, 68, 70 on 19 holes) and one great for me round (58 on 18 holes).
To give an idea about the last round:
1) It was the highest rated tournament round I've thrown, ever.
2) It was the highest rated round for my division (Advanced Masters) that weekend.
3) It tied or beat 6 open players and 6 Open Master players. (Not that my overall score was anything close to them...just saying on a given round if I play over my head and they have a terrible round...)
Now this is strange. It goes against several "conventional wisdom" points I've developed...specifically a) I do better on short courses than long (because I can putt and can't drive over 260 feet consistently; b) I have to start hot and hold on because I wilt over time as I get tired; c) I do better if those around me are playing better.
Granted it may just have been a strange biorhythm day or something, but I felt strong and despite having some ups and downs and not getting a good score in the morning, I was still able to finally break through and shoot a good round on Sunday afternoon. The last round should erase the other three as far as my rating (all four average 870) tourney should help my rating a little, I think, and I'm glad I went. Next stop, the Great 8:
Saturday
RD 1 (Starting on Hole 17)(Alternate hole=2B)(837 rating)
4-2/2-5 4-4-3 6-3-4 (37) 6-3-3 3-3-3 4-3-5 (33) (70)
RD 2 (Starting on Hole 17)(Alternate hole=2B)(866 rating)
3-3/3-4 2-5-3 3-3-6 (35) 3-3-3 3-4-4 4-5-4 (33) (68)
Sunday
RD 3 (Starting on Hole 17)(Alternate hole=2b) (841)
4-3/3-6 3-4-3 4-3-6 (39) 3-4-3 3-4-3 4-3-4 (31) (70)
RD 4 (Starting on Hole 14)(18 holes) (936)
3-2-4 3-3-3 4-3-4 (29) 4-3-3 3-3-3 4-3-3 (29) (58)
A couple of things I learned, too:
If I'm having mechanical problems, I need to fix them with the mechanics, not by changing discs.
A stroke counts the same no matter where you get it. We tend to think that the blow up holes are the ones that get us, but I felt like I was doing well in Round 3 but flubbed a few approaches and had two penalties for OB making 4s out of 3s and a 6 out of a sure 5 and maybe a 4. Every hole counts.
Zebulon has always been a long course that pretty much kicks my butt, I had had faded badly at a tourny in Kinston earlier this summer (and resolved to not play any more two day tournies), I was getting ready to play the Great 8 and go on vacation....
But the PDGA ratings came out and I went down 4 points (877 to 873), I got an unexpected cash flow problem worked out, and I didn't want to leave for vacation with that bad taste in my mouth. Plus, I had one of my better rounds at Zebulon during the Dogwood Crosstown Challenge last year, making me wonder if maybe I wasn't better off on a long course.
Well, I took a 6 on the very first hole, and I thought I was in for a long weekend. It was a long weekend, but I somehow managed to hold it together. I played three mediocre/poor rounds (70, 68, 70 on 19 holes) and one great for me round (58 on 18 holes).
To give an idea about the last round:
1) It was the highest rated tournament round I've thrown, ever.
2) It was the highest rated round for my division (Advanced Masters) that weekend.
3) It tied or beat 6 open players and 6 Open Master players. (Not that my overall score was anything close to them...just saying on a given round if I play over my head and they have a terrible round...)
Now this is strange. It goes against several "conventional wisdom" points I've developed...specifically a) I do better on short courses than long (because I can putt and can't drive over 260 feet consistently; b) I have to start hot and hold on because I wilt over time as I get tired; c) I do better if those around me are playing better.
Granted it may just have been a strange biorhythm day or something, but I felt strong and despite having some ups and downs and not getting a good score in the morning, I was still able to finally break through and shoot a good round on Sunday afternoon. The last round should erase the other three as far as my rating (all four average 870) tourney should help my rating a little, I think, and I'm glad I went. Next stop, the Great 8:
Saturday
RD 1 (Starting on Hole 17)(Alternate hole=2B)(837 rating)
4-2/2-5 4-4-3 6-3-4 (37) 6-3-3 3-3-3 4-3-5 (33) (70)
RD 2 (Starting on Hole 17)(Alternate hole=2B)(866 rating)
3-3/3-4 2-5-3 3-3-6 (35) 3-3-3 3-4-4 4-5-4 (33) (68)
Sunday
RD 3 (Starting on Hole 17)(Alternate hole=2b) (841)
4-3/3-6 3-4-3 4-3-6 (39) 3-4-3 3-4-3 4-3-4 (31) (70)
RD 4 (Starting on Hole 14)(18 holes) (936)
3-2-4 3-3-3 4-3-4 (29) 4-3-3 3-3-3 4-3-3 (29) (58)
A couple of things I learned, too:
If I'm having mechanical problems, I need to fix them with the mechanics, not by changing discs.
A stroke counts the same no matter where you get it. We tend to think that the blow up holes are the ones that get us, but I felt like I was doing well in Round 3 but flubbed a few approaches and had two penalties for OB making 4s out of 3s and a 6 out of a sure 5 and maybe a 4. Every hole counts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)