TV Thoughts: Sherlock

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

tell that to the Great Detective.

the new BBC series, "Sherlock", balks that old axiom in a manner both brassy and gleeful; Taken from actual Holmes texts and repositioned in a modern context, this is a Sherlock Holmes for the 21st Century.

In a manner of speaking, this "series" is quite interesting; They've recreated an origins approach to the classic pairing of one eccentric detective and one old soldier with a slant for medicine --excellently executed by Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman -- and gives us a faithful interpretation of our adventurers.

the series is currently set to premiere in the US later this month, but avid fans can find the UK's airdates from earlier this summer. Rather than a longer, drawn-out season, the writers have opted to have three 90-minute episodes, a format which has only whetted this viewer's appetite for more such runs.

TV Thoughts: Rubicon

everybody watches one show that, no matter what, they seem to be utterly entranced by it, week after week.

right now, that show's Rubicon for me.

REWIND: Plunkett & Macleane

Every once in awhile, I'll stumble across a movie that catches my eye simply by the plot or the actor combination; this one managed to do both, and so I'll kick off a new branch of reviews called "Rewind", namely movies that are over a decade old that I want to recommend because most likely you've never heard of 'em.

Plunkett and Macleane is a film that tries to be a handful of things. I'll call its category, "neoclassical-punk", as it has undertones of a modern action film while also being a period piece. Other films that have a feel such as this might include the recent "Sherlock Holmes" film, the "Marie Antoinette" awhile back, or Baz Luhrman's "Romeo&Juliet". Basically, the category is any sort of classical-era film that seems to have late-20th-century action style and music underscoring that still keeps the feel of the piece but brings it to a vibrant, loud-rock life with its energy and soundtrack.

The story, in essence, is about two Englishmen, a brilliant thief and a penniless gentleman, who manage to escape their condemed fates, build a new and wealthy and solid reputation for themselves, and use it as a cover to steal from the rich.

First off, let's look at the casting. Johnny Lee Miller (Trainspotting, Eli Stone) is very charming as the wannabe-Gentleman, one Jamie Macleane, and it's clear to see that his prettyboy looks are the perfect tool for their activities. then there's Plunkett, played wonderfully by Robert Carlyle, a growing favorite in my book. He's got the plan and the chip on his shoulder and the streetsmart experience to continue a life of crime, and I like the energy these two leads have with each other. There's a hint of a Rosencrantz/Guildenstern in their banter, and certainly a few chuckles along the way. Liv Tyler's stereotypical breathy ingenue is played to the proper levels as a girl-with-a-taste-for-bad-boys. And you've got Alan Cumming, Ken Stott, and Michael Gambon rounding out the rest of the important characters. All in all, a treat to watch.

The film's flaws are really in the clash between action and Period, something all of these "neo-classic-punk" genre films struggle with, is that the modern-rock music sometimes completely pulls you out of the action, even if its tone fits the moment in which it's happening. In some moments, the action is a little too flashy for the period, and you quietly wonder if it would even be possible for things to go down like they do (I'm looking at you, fireworks heist) but you let it slide as the pacing is quite strong and you're thankful nothing is too dragged-out or awkward.

At other moments, the monotony of the elaborate dressing and the complicated group dances and the simplicity of travel and weaponry are perfectly executed, with a touch of grim humor as you feel for Plunkett's feeling out-of-place in this world of sneers and lordships. The heists themselves are sloppy and quick, which is entirely believable.

Regardless, the good moments and the bad moments are fairly well-balanced and overall I liked this movie. I don't feel that it's brilliant but it certainly stands in a tiny category with its brass balls swinging, unafraid and bold as the heroes it boasts of within.

Three and a Half out of Four nooses.

Bookshelf Badgering: "A Song of Ice and Fire"

I've read a slew of fantasy series in my time, but none has held my curiosity much like the "Song of Ice and Fire" series.

To begin with, I myself have a sordid origin story with it. A few years back a friend let me borrow a copy and I attempted to get through it. I can't say what was happening that distracted me at the time, but I slogged through the story and could not enjoy it.

Then, this summer, I ended up in possession of the first three books in this ongoing saga.

Movie Musing: Scott Pilgrim vs. the Adaptation

Once in awhile, a movie comes along that is nothing like what you've seen before.

I think this year, this is that movie.

Let's start with faithfulness to adaptation. Edgar Wright, known to most people as director of "Spaced" and "Shaun of the Dead", has done a fantastic job of bringing a comic book to the screen without losing any of the comic book "quirks"; In fact, this may be one of the MOST faithful CB/M adaptations I have ever seen (and being a geek I make it a point to see most all of them, regardless of quality).

TV Thoughts- the Good Guys

New shows that are fantastic seem hard to come by nowadays. HOWEVER. New shows that are at least a little refreshing are continuing to accumulate my Hulu account and my want-to-watch lists, though, this year, and it’s rare for me to start watching a show that was NOT recommended to me first. I have little patience for stumbling onto shows that seem to be a copy-paste idea with nothing but a new coat of paint and a younger cast. However, sometimes the shows that I sit down with, having no knowledge beforehand, can actually prove entertaining.

One of the newest recruits to the TV-loves-cops-and-guns subgenre is “the Good Guys”. Basically, Colin Hanks is the straight man to Bradley Whitford’s ridiculous partner in a buddy-cop dramedy that started up this summer. From the get-go, the music underplaying tons of scenes gives you a pretty standard feel of “action show fun!” while also keeping an almost-retro sort of fun to the show. That plus the 70’s pornstar mustache sported by Whitford is something of a character all on its own. The damn thing steals half the scenes if you’re used to his old character from “the West Wing”, and it’s somehow got a charisma and a vitality that make his slackjawed reactions to their escalating scenarios all the more funnier.

The pair spend each weekly episode getting into large-scale crimebusting from some seemingly innocuous start---and always at the bumbling, shoot-first-and-don’t-apologize ogrely tactics of Whitford’s character. Bailey and Stark (Hanks and Whit respectively) are “loveable” because they’re unorthodox, and fortunately this show has enough laughs alongside the explosions to keep one interested, albeit a repetitive tactic. But loveable is a relative term with this show as they are regularly singled out as the trouble-making pair on the police force and if I were the Commissioner I feel like I would be JUST as exasperated as she that these two assholes can create piles of mess and complication but somehow still manage to solve cases that seemed simple or nonexistent at first glance.

I think one of the reasons I can adore this show, and be somewhat nonplussed at the same time, is that it’s created by one Matt Nix. You may or may not be aware of his other show, “Burn Notice” which has garnered decent ratings, certainly enough for a fourth season now. The spy-who’s-no-longer-a-spy, but-still-uses-spy-skills-to-be-a-hero show had a solid start, but has lost my appetite even if I am still returning to see how things go down. Oh, and it seems like our writer/creator’s through-line for all shows will be “badass car that you wish you were driving”. I do enjoy the cars. Mmmmmm.

The biggest problem with both of these shows is that they are beyond merely formulaic, they’re this-is-a-blueprint-done-as-color-by-numbers. With Burn Notice it’s Michael getting roped into helping some schmuck who’s gotten entangled with hardcore criminals while occasionally beginning to delve into the still-4-seasons-later mystery to the bigger picture of WHY he was blacklisted as a spy. With Good Guys, the pattern goes, “pair opens a minor case, case blends with unrelated event and draws them into major police success against Bigger Circumstance”. Now I understand the logic behind this, but let me tell you right now, the minute Bradley Whitford’s Daniel Stark stops becoming funny in his over-the-top bravado and brustling bristles of butch-ness, I will not want to keep watching. That’s the pleasant part of the show—Hanks and Whitford execute each joke with accuracy and inner energy. It sincerely looks like they’re having fun MAKING this show.

In short, if you're a fan of either actor and If you’re a cop-genre fan and want something on the humorous side, then I would recommend THE GOOD GUYS. But if you’re looking for a Law & Order replacement you’re watching the wrong channel.

Three out of Five mustachios.

Movie Musings: INCEPTION

I'll start out by admitting that it's 4:15am and I am writing this article in two parts; i'm forcing myself to take a nap, and go see this movie again, to make sure that I can find the best words possible to write a review for this film. By the time you read this I'll have mulled the movie over for about twenty-four hours. As always, no spoilers below, though a few plot points/key elements will be discussed.

Comic Book Consideration: POWERS

One of the things that I enjoy about reading comic books is that I tend to read en masse. While it may put a dent in my monthly funds, it certainly provides me with things I’m willing to go back and read more than just once. POWERS is a perfect example of this; It’s certainly made me a follower and it’s put out a ton of interesting material for reading over the last decade.

TV Thoughts - STARGATE UNIVERSE

Of the new shows I've tried to dive into this year, one of the surprising ones has been STARGATE: UNIVERSE.

Bookshelf Badgering: the Dresden Files

One of the book series I would recommend hands-down to any of my friends, without question or hesitation, would have to be the Dresden Files. I won't bother explaining individual plots to you but will hit what I like about the series and let you enjoy each story should you pick 'em up.

Steel Yourself!

Iron Man Review(s) part II

alright, now that we got the comic book portion out of the way, on to the movie!

IRON MAN 2 (or: when superheroes take a coffee-and-donut break from saving the world)
Let me say this right here and right now: this review is mostly about the technicality, not the substance itself. The movie was decent, it continues the series faithfully, I wholeheartedly recommend you go see it, anon and soforth. Everything I have to say today is focused essentially on nitpicking.


I've had a lot of thoughts about this film over the course of the past week. While watching the film, I had a few reservations because I'd heard the Early Critic Reviews spoke of a poor film.

As a fanboy, let me tell you that those were dissuaded, for me, in the first gorramn minute or so.

Now, that being said, I do have some arguments with the film.
The movie, as a whole, is enjoyable. I think that this is a fine continuation of the series, it continues the overzealous, arrogant, playful impression of Tony Stark that RDJ has solidified into my memory as THE Tony Stark. the man who hides behind humor because he wants to be a steely as the armor he dons. Of course, good drama happens when that mask breaks, and we see Tony in way over his head this time around and that's a great thing. I think that the writers and the director have set a very clear approach and stuck to it.

I had a few nitpick problems with the film. For one thing, I was a little disappointed that so much of the movie was an Avengers set-up. Now some people argue that's what made the movie better. Personally, I enjoyed it greatly BUT felt that it was still heavy-handed and we could have been set with, say, five to ten minutes less of it. The sheer volume of it brought Samuel L. Jackson to ludicrous standings with me this time around. Sure, I believe that Nick Fury is a sarcastic bastard and humor suits him. But the writing for this film, matched with Sam's ability to Bring It, meant that Nick Fury was cheesy to a new degree. I say this disappointed me because there was a temperance to him in his little cameo last time that suggested the badass but didn't overshadow it with a slightly campy approach. Having the Captain America Shield, Thor's Hammer after the ending credits, totally cool; they were there briefly and we moved on.

Also, there was NOT enough Mickey Rourke in this film. I had hoped for so much more screen time. I blame Heath Ledger's similarly short screen time in Dark Knight for setting the bar high now in films like this to bring their best in bursts.

The storyline itself only dragged when the Avengers stuff happened and the War Machine/American Military part happened. While I understand the need to dumb it down and explain, we could have fit most of that stuff into the "I'll take it. all of them" scene and the brief scene where Rhody sees it's being taken out of his hands. that's it. Even a non-comic-book fan should be able to pick up on that stuff without it.

Sam Rockwell plays down-on-luck, sleazy guys really well. I look forward to more Justin Hammer in IM3. That being said, he conveyed it so well that I reiterate, it could have been done in a shorter amount of film reel and still had the same potency.

Scarlett Johansson was a pleasant addition to the cast in that I wasn't sure how Black Widow was going to be in this interpretation. I was pleasantly misguided in my worry, and look forward to her in the Avengers film continuing this role.

Needs more Jarvis/garage fun time. the Papa Stark stuff was nice, and "inventing" a new element was something that screamed Comic Book Approach so effectively that I am thrilled to see it happen, and in a cool way, on screen.

I suppose that my biggest argument with the film is that there was no imminent sense of urgency to it. For awhile we had the techno-virus in his bloodstream, but then that got turned around with a one-shot cure. YAAY. oh wait. there's still forty five miuntes? ho hum. what to do?

the action? great. the humor? beyond iron-clad. i just needed a bit more drama.

all in all, i give it Three Out Of Four Stars.

Steel yourself!

okay, so maybe a metals joke wasn't the best title for a two-part IRON MAN review. yayyyy puns.


with all the Iron Man paraphernalia on the shelves these days, it's hard for a non-fan or a casual Iron-ite to want to pick any of it up because of the sheer volume of literature. But if I could recommend only one, this would be it...

IRON MAN:NOIR

a quick intro to the NOIR universe: Marvel has created a "what if?" scenario where all of the familiar faces have been transplanted, sans the usual superpowers, into the gritty early-20th-century America, circa the gangster-heavy depression era.

IRON MAN: NOIR further dives into this fun pulpy 'verse by bringing us the wild, Indiana-Jones-like adventures of one Anthony Stark, a millionaire playboy looking to feel alive. His daring outings are chronicled as fiction for a local pulp magazine but we learn from the get-go that most of these "stories" are fairly accurate takes on what happens when Tony leaves the country.

I say "Indy-like" because the first issue literally starts with nazis, a rare artifact, some backstabbing, and big explosions. We're off like a bullet from there, into this somewhat fairytale lifestyle, and we learn most of the usual stuff but now set to World War I instead of a later tech-advancement era in warfare. We get a nice peek at the Iron Man suit in motion, but then the issue ends.

Part two came out this past week and I'm actually kind of pleased to say we didn't even see the suit at work; Instead we're on a dive to the fabled city of Atlantis- which it turns out has some basis in fact (again, Indy-like parallels) and we're launching right into the overall plot once more.

While it's only halfway through this four part starter to the Iron Man vein of the NOIR 'verse, I am thoroughly enjoying it and highly recommend it. It's got a very action flavor, and is very reminiscent of those old Pulp scifi adventures of the era it's set during. Major props continue for the the shout-outs to classic Marvel stuff (Baron Zemo, Namor, more on the way I'm sure) as all the NOIR series have effectively done. Personally, I can't wait to see the Iron Armor in action next issue :)

Kick-Ass (review)

you've heard it joked about before, but I believe it when I say the Geek Age is upon us.

From the minute I walked into the movie theater today, I knew that my years of trying to defend geekdom were not in vain-- the first three of five movie trailers before the lights went down? Comic Book Movie adaptations. ridiculous, and awesome. Now, getting that out of the way, I have had a couple hours to digest my thoughts on Kick-Ass and I'd like to share 'em:



This movie was exactly what's promoted. For those who've been oblivious to, or ignoring, the various trailers and posters splayed across billboards and subway stops, Kick-Ass is a film about a teenager who asks the question, "how come nobody's ever tried to become a superhero, in real life?" The answer is, because you're going to get the holy hell knocked out of you. Dave wants to become a superhero. So, he buys himself a wetsuit on e-bay, and heads out to make a dent in the world. Naming himself Kick-Ass, he is almost immediately hospitalized, but the young man remains unfazed and once his strength returns he continues his "crimefighting" and along the way he meets Hit Girl and Big Daddy, a father-and-daughter pair of vigilantes (Nicholas Cage and Chloe Moretz) who are far more suited to this kind of work, and these fledgling heroes end up butting heads with one of New York's stereotypical-type crime bosses. Things get gritty, gory and glorious.


And Matthew Vaughn, who's directed a few other great films (Layer Cake, Stardust) knows how to blend action-based fiction with a heartfelt story and some important lessons. The struggles Kick-Ass undergoes mirror your Peter Parker attempts of the early Spider-Man films, and the father-daughter relationship is a touching as it is twisted.

I think what pleased my inner geek most was how effectively Vaughn stuck to the original source material, and the few changes made which actually worked better for film than the original bits.

However, the thing I'd much rather talk about with this film is the one thing that could potentially neuter the full-scope of the viewing audience -- the "R" rating. You know what, folks? I don't think this movie could have been what it was without it. There's profanity abound, and there's violence that, in any other context, might be called gratuitous. But you know what? THIS IS A COMIC BOOK MOVIE. of course there's going to be gratuity. If you're an adult, wary about seeing this film, and mature enough to say, "okay, I don't like profanity and violence but I'm open-minded and I won't get my panties in a twist over it," then you'll enjoy it as much as the rest of us. I acknowledge it's over the top, but it's stylistic.

Stylistic violence? yes, dear reader. This production pulls no punches- it knows it's a bit silly, and frankly the tongue-in-cheek commentary about how gorramn goofy one would look hitching up one's underwear-on-the-outside (with cape, of course) and attempting to talk an armed robber out of his theft. Kick-Ass gets the merciful heavens beaten out of him, multiple times, and if anything I think it would send a logical message to younger viewers, "don't be a dipshit. fantasy is for your enjoyment, DO NOT attempt this at home". Another great moment that pokes fun at the superhero genre is one of my favorites, hands-down, in the film. In what can only be described as inspired, Nicholas Cage's already-comic-book-over-the-top Big Daddy has a distinct "voice" a la the Christian Bale take on Batman (clear inspiration for Big Daddy)...however, Cage's Hero Voice is, I kid you not, a cross between William Shatner and Adam West-era Batman. It's amazing. For all the gripe Cage can get about some of his over-the-top acting in films recently, I'll call this one fantastic and not regret it. Perfectly cast. creepy at times, but perfectly cast.

I don't think I can write this article fairly without bringing up a key chatter point about the film, namely that co-star Chloe Moretz has been given a lot of attention as the katana-wielding, swear-powerhouse twelve-year-old. Older generations who have learned more about this movie are appalled that such a young child could be allowed to say things that would make most people's jaws drop. And that this sort of film, and a role like hers, would be a bad influence on teenagers and pre-teens who managed to see it.

Frankly, I think her own quote could sum it up far better than I could, in response to audiences that have a problem with the youngster spouting foul language and dicing up drug dealers:

"Just because I talk a way in a movie doesn't mean I'd ever do it in real life. My friends don't talk that way." (source)

She's quite mature and appropriate regarding the whole situation, I feel, and as an actor I feel that if these sorts of articles, and not just the criticisms, were circulated then perhaps those with weak stomachs wouldn't complain as loudly and unnecessarily.

and here's another article that explains how her mother has had a strong hand in keeping her level-headed and helping her define the line between acting and reality.


Back to the review.

As a film itself, I feel that Kick-Ass is a very enjoyable depiction of what it might be like to try and struggle with such an outlandish career choice. But that's what makes it so GOOD, you see? when Mark Millar wrote this he knew what he was doing and I feel that as comic books and cbm's (comic book movies) become more mainstream-accepted, having a deconstruction piece that has no problem acknowledging how silly it can be while giving you a fun action flick, that's a well-spent movie ticket.

Three and a half stars out of four.

Caprica, six episodes in: a review

One of the more interesting shows to hit television this season has been 'Caprica'. Technically, it's a spin-off of Battlestar Galactica, but save for the name, and the foreshadowing of where the show dovetails into BSG's universe fifty years from now, that's where the similarities end. You can have NEVER watched battlestar and still get quite a ride out of Caprica. and I recommend you give it a go.

Part of what I like about this show is what to me makes GOOD science fiction: the fictional, gadget/fantasy aspect is backseat to the story. It's really just about a small group of people struggling with their circumstances and trying to find their purpose in life.

Now, for those anti-SciFi, i will acknowledge this doesn't outweigh the Science Fiction aspects to some degree, but I stand by my claim; if you give good Sci-Fi a chance it's actually quite a fun ride. Part of what makes two of my favorites what they are is exactly that- "Firefly" and "Battlestar" are about a pile of people struggling with the cards life's dealt them. Being in space, stuck on a ship while they try and relate to each other or get through the personal drama between them, well that feels like an afterthought most of the time.

And 'Caprica' is a prime example of this. Most of the reviews I've come across have had fair opinions on the matter; and mostly, the dissonance comes from the same point. Those who pan it don't like it because it doesn't fit their model of "science fiction" because there's no laser fights, there's no spaceships, there's no grand epic battles, there's no clear heroes. Those who like the show enjoy it for the EXACT SAME REASON. Caprica is about power struggles. It's about a man who lost his family, seeking revenge or some form of justice. About a businessman coping with tragedy and trying to use all the resources in his vast knowledge and wealth to gain back what he lost. About a child who has been reborn, and sees the world with a new set of eyes. About a daughter, trapped between worlds, trying to find her way.

I'm writing this after watching last week's episode because it finally hit upon one character I was dying to see more of. But we'll get to that. First, a quick summation of the story so far:

Caprica is the pinnacle of civilization, a New York / America of sorts, in a world where the Twelve Planets rule- one for each sign of the zodiac. Those who haven't been in BSG's world, it's like the 12 Signs represent a different ethnicity, each having its own quirks and traditions. A central part of this is that the world is polytheistic, and the idea of a sole god or sole power who created all is the outcast, the heretic. This leads to the terrorist-like group known as the Soldiers of the One, who firmly believe that the moral-but-loose ways of the gods is not only wrong, but will be the downfall of society.

The jumping point of the pilot is that these soldiers have struck a blow to Caprica's bustling world by bombing a subway train in broad daylight, killing thousands. The plot focuses on two families in the wake of this tragedy, the Adams and the Greystones.

the Adams are the more familiar of the two, to returning fans; We learn early on that Adams is an immigrant-adjusted Adama, much like Ellis island used to do, in order to begin life anew. (the Adama family is a key player in Battlestar Galactica, and to see old man Adama as a thirteen year old boy gives us our tie to the future.) Joseph Adams is a high-placed lawyer who comes from essentially the latin mafia, or Taurons in Caprica-verse. He's broken the mold and rarely connects with his brother, a hitman for the Taurons, trying to lead a clean life and make a name for himself. As the bombing took his wife and daughter, leaving him to raise Billy Adams without any way of knowing how. And as the emotional turbulence from this settles, he finds himself drawn back into that darker side of his past, and slipping into a path of revenge trying to find vengeance for his tragedy.

Daniel Graystone has had it all; he's a genius inventor, the Steve Jobs of his time. He's a technological genius, and his response to the bombing is to use the holoband, a virtual reality he created, to try and re-create his daughter, who died in the tragedy. The holoband has, like all technologies, become perverted with widespread popularity- teens and young adults have managed to create a section of the Virtual World that is full of sex, drugs, death, you name it the taboo is there. There are no consequences because dying in the virtual world simply deactivates your headset, leaving you back in reality, and yet the obvious pull is there. At this point in the series, Daniel has sacrificed much of his public credibility in order to try and make advances, save his daughter, and find a solution to the part of him that's empty inside now.

Zoe, his daughter, has come back to life thanks to Daniel's efforts- but he's not aware of how alive she is. He reconstructed her basic self digitally, but because she was something of a tech genius herself, a part of her brain she'd locked away in the Holoband gave that spark Daniel recreated a REAL part of Zoe. I see this as an aspect of the show questioning the existence/purpose of a soul in manmade technology.

the Soldiers of the One, that 'terror' group promoting the heretical One God, is an enigma still but has continued to develop as the show goes on.

but one of the more interesting recent developments of the show has been Tamara Adams; We saw her briefly after she died, when Joseph Adams came to Greystone and asked if he could bring his daugther back, too; But after Joe got to see Tamara, she seemed to disappear in that moment, because Greystone had no "active" part of her like Zoe had left behind. And yet, Tamara has continued to exist in some way (I'd explain but as it is I've gotten too long-winded so I won't bore you further. just watch!) on the Holoband, and now we see that because she has no body to transfer into, she's apparently immortalized in the virtual world. The spirit of a teenage girl discovering there's less pure about the holoband than she'd thought makes this particular character arc really enjoyable, and this week finally satiated me a little bit by returning to Tamara's quest to find a way home (not knowing she'd died because she was created from pre-Tragedy snippets of herself existing online).

I know this has been wordy, but that aside, I really recommend you give the show a try. It's a great focus on character drama, and the acting while not perfect is certainly moving as the Esai Morales and Eric Stoltz give solid performances as two fathers trying to come to grips with the tragedies they face.

~P

stumbling back into practice...

a little story that found its way out of my mind and onto the screen tonight. all thoughts/comments welcome.



Kevin stepped out into the street and let out a sigh as the icy cold slush seeped in through his sock and soaked his left foot. He’d misjudged the depth of the puddle by quite the margin, apparently, but grimaced and continued to cross the street. Soft, crisp crunches echoed his footsteps as he continued across to the curb; the snow was still coming down, but now, in the late hours of this stormy Wednesday in February, there was nothing going on to drown out the sound. In any other circumstance, he might have found the quiet disconcerting, but after working a double shift, he was very glad for the silence that settled on him as gently as the flakes.

The sidewalk was cleared almost to perfection just in front of his apartment as he neared, a sign that Clarence had been hard at work today. Kevin paused for a second to muse over this thought, and couldn’t help but laugh to himself. The old man’s name probably wasn’t Clarence, but he certainly looked like one. Whether he was senile or just crotchety, the neighbor never spoke to Kevin and he likewise returned the respect of privacy. But regardless of animosity, Clarence would sweep the stoop of his apartment and the adjacent walkways. Dirt, trash from the teenagers who regularly left their litter and cigarette butts as some sort of misguided tribute to the neighborhood, or snow, such as today- he would sweep it into the crevice between curb and street without saying a word to anyone, as if it was his sole duty left in life. A life that probably was past his expiration date, but that didn’t stop the silent sweeper , now did it?

The keys in his hand jingled sharply in this silence, and the door opened without its usual stubbornness. Up the creaky steps and another turn of another key, Kevin set his over-packed messenger bag down on the couch, running a hand over Danielle’s back. The cat made no attempt to reject the brush, nor did she respond much at all; merely the bored stare she often had in her eyes when she was tired. She remained rooted to her spot just left of center atop the back of the couch, looking in the direction Kevin had just headed.

He flicked on the light in the kitchen as he entered, and blinked as his eyes adjusted to the fluorescent sunburst that hit him. It didn’t slow him down, but it was a reminding irritant of how much he wanted to just close his eyes and let sleep take him for a stint. The kitchen counter was cold to the touch, and the emptiness of it almost seemed to beg for the sandwich fixings to fill that void.

As he prepared his meal, he thought about what might be worth writing about today. Nothing had particularly excited him during the long shift, and normally even the asshole patrons of the lower East Side diner he worked at would provide some sort of fodder for his evening mental-exercise bout. The clinking of ice in a glass drew Danielle into the kitchen, her tail betraying her curiosity as she watched him pour the whiskey into it. Three fingers’ worth seemed plenty for a day like today, and Kevin took his traditional spot on the couch, sinking comfortably into the indentations in the black leather that were so familiar. With a few quick clicks of the mouse, soft jazz began to pour from his laptop. He stared at the blank screen, fingers poised over the keyboard, waiting for the words to find their way through his nerves and channel themselves out through his hands.

A quick snatch of a phrase came to him, and as quickly as the idea formed, keystrokes were being entered as smoothly as a concert pianist, and Kevin set about letting his day exit through his own sonata.