http://writespot.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by WriteSpot en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:21:54 GMT 2010-01-04T00:21:54Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977974577&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace I think the way to summarize the movies of 2009 is to say that if you like special effects and don't care about a good story then you were satisfied.  The big blockbusters of the year:  Transformers . . . Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:18:04 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977974577&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2010-01-03T21:18:04Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977974553&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace I'm going out on a limb and saying this will win for Best Picture of 2009.  Not necessarily that it IS the best picture of 2009, but because it's peaking at the right time (the end of the year) and . . . Sun, 03 Jan 2010 20:57:52 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977974553&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2010-01-03T20:57:52Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977969611&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace I watched this in regular 2D, which might have been a mistake.  Without the 3D/IMAX gimmicks you're really left with a very vanilla sci-fi/fantasy movie.  That was in part why I wanted to watch . . . Thu, 31 Dec 2009 04:06:25 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977969611&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-31T04:06:25Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977966364&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace I've never read any Sherlock Holmes books or watched any previous movies, so the most I had ever really encountered the detective was on Star Trek:  The Next Generation when the android Data played . . . Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:58:56 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977966364&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-29T01:58:56Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977966128&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace I had an interesting conversation with one of my brothers on Christmas Day.  His job entails negotiating with the Chinese on manufacturing contracts for an industrial firm based in Massachusetts.  . . . Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:15:55 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977966128&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Sheryl O. 2009-12-28T22:15:55Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977963797&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace (Rollingbay, WA) (AP) In an unprecedented moment of serendipitous timing, a daughter shows her parents proof that she really is gainfully employed.   Sat, 26 Dec 2009 20:30:43 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977963797&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Susan W. 2009-12-26T20:30:43Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977960484&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Since it's December 23 it's highly doubtful I'll buy anymore XMas music this season, though I did use the Borders gift card I got from Gather yesterday to purchase one, so you never know.  Anyway, . . . Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:23:27 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977960484&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-23T16:23:27Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977956997&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Drum roll, please... Thank you! That drum roll (and other clips of my All-Time Second Favorite Christmas Movie) serves to herald a major event, the awarding of the . . . Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:57:02 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977956997&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Briane P. 2009-12-21T14:57:02Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977954008&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace You can now buy my book from Barnes & Noble online, as well as Amazon. Check it out here For a description and sample chapter, click here Sat, 19 Dec 2009 03:25:45 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977954008&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-19T03:25:45Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977949876&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Since it is the time of "best of" lists I've been doing a couple "best of" lists of my own.  (And let's face it, it's an easy way to pick up a few points for doing very little.)  Since it's . . . Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:38:23 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977949876&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-16T14:38:23Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977948143&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace You could easily say the 00s were the decade of the superhero movie.  There were a few before that with the original Superman and Batman franchises, but the 2000s saw a boom in the quantity and in . . . Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:00:41 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977948143&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-15T15:00:41Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977947022&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Tis the season for Best-Of Lists, so here are a few best ofs according to me for 2009 and keep in mind these are only things I've seen or heard; for instance there's no sense telling me that "Precious" . . . Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:54:46 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977947022&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-14T21:54:46Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977946637&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Here's a list of every song on the special XMas playlist I made on WinAmp.  It's just about every song I have, though I haven't transferred the 14 tracks from my Tori Amos album yet and a few others . . . Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:25:58 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977946637&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-14T17:25:58Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977946498&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace I think my initial problem here is that I read the book a couple of years ago, so I don't remember it extremely well.  I really need to go to the library and especially check out the ending.  . . . Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:43:36 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977946498&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-14T15:43:36Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977943849&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Yesterday I threaded a needle. And I only have five little holes in my thumb to prove it. Then I programmed the answering machine. Today I will practice forging my own signature. Forgive me if I brag, . . . Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:14:42 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977943849&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Wilhelmine Estabrook 2009-12-12T13:14:42Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977943114&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace OK, so being a part-time amateur writer, here are some gift ideas for the part-time, amateur writer (or full-time professional one) on your list.   Netbook :  You can buy laptops for . . . Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:54:41 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977943114&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-11T21:54:41Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977942619&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace You know what happens when you can't sleep?  You end up watching a crappy late-night movie like 1989's "Night Visitor."  Or an infomercial with Tom Bosley.  Actually the latter might be . . . Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:57:30 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977942619&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-11T15:57:30Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977940010&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace First off it's important to note that "Terminator Salvation" qualifies as what I'd call a midquel.  It's a sequel to some events of James Cameron's "The Terminator" and "Terminator 2:  Judgment . . . Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:12:13 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977940010&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-10T03:12:13Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977939729&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Toward the end of each year, a few friends and I start an email thread about our favorite things in about a dozen different categories from the last 50 weeks or so. Books is a fixture on our best-of . . . Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:20:32 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977939729&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Chris Steib 2009-12-09T23:20:32Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977938917&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Like "The Ice Harvest" that I watched previously, this is another film taking place during the holidays that is not a holiday film.  Instead it's a dark comedy/crime caper about two hitmen who flee . . . Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:49:58 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977938917&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-09T14:49:58Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977935687&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Every Saturday morning, on Thinking The Lions , I unveil and discuss "Sweetie's Hunk of the Week," the men Sweetie thinks are hunky -- and what I think about that. I've been doing it for 41 weeks now, . . . Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:42:46 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977935687&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Briane P. 2009-12-07T20:42:46Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977935126&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace The Best Of Everything exists for one purpose and one purpose only: To make me rich and famous. But along the way to that route, it also serves to identify what is The Best in pop . . . Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:05:04 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977935126&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Briane P. 2009-12-07T15:05:04Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977935105&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace On my blog, 5 Pages I serialize a novel so that you can read it the way I write it -- 5 pages at a time. This is an excerpt from the current novel-in-progress, "the After,": Saoirse has died in a . . . Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:55:41 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977935105&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Briane P. 2009-12-07T14:55:41Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977935089&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace It wasn't until 1999 when I bought my first album of XMas music, Jewel's "Joy" album.  Since then my collection has grown exponentially.  Every year I tell myself that I'm not going to buy more . . . Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:23:58 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977935089&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-07T14:23:58Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977931445&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Nothing quite says the holiday like stealing $2 million from your boss and plotting to skip town with your best friend the local porn dealer.  Unlike heist movies like "Ocean's 11" the crime isn't . . . Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:58:52 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977931445&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-04T23:58:52Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977927225&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace I usually stay away from biopics because let's face it, they aren't REAL.  Sure they're based on real events, but they're always dramatized because let's face it, life doesn't package itself neatly . . . Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:55:03 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977927225&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-02T14:55:03Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977925384&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Anyone familiar with Michael Gondry's work like "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "The Science of Sleep" knows he specializes in what could best be described as "quirky" movies.  Or if . . . Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:24:39 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977925384&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-12-01T14:24:39Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977922997&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Over Thanksgiving weekend I watched a number of movies, so I'll catch up on these now by doing some quick reviews. # "Doubt" As a former Lutheran, I've never been a big fan of the Catholic church . . . Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:22:18 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977922997&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-11-30T03:22:18Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977922896&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace (Warning:  contains spoilers) Probably the biggest cliche ending for books, movies, and such are variations on "They Lived Happily Ever After" starting with the old Mother Goose stories.  . . . Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:14:23 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977922896&grpId=3659174697244497&nav=Groupspace Paul M. 2009-11-30T01:14:23Z