Friday, November 17, 2006

Crazy4Smallville's Weekly Review 6:7

Crazy4Smallville Weekly Review 6:7


I’m not sure what to think about this episode. There were some really good parts and some really bad parts, but the show ended with me scratching my head. Perhaps if I were up-to-date on the comic aspect of the Superman mythos, I may have a better understanding of what happened. But, being that I don’t… I’m at a loss and full of questions.

Who and what was the creature that helped Clark beat the skeletal-eating brute?
What were those things Clark kept stepping on?
Why didn’t the El crystal work on the phantom freak?
What difference does it make if they’re a phantom or not – I thought the crystal worked on all creatures from the Phantom Zone? Isn’t that how they got there in the first place?
Whose side is Lionel on? Is the old Lionel back?
If Lionel and Lex become full partners again, will Lionel tell Lex about Clark?
Why did Lionel wipe out Chloe’s research?
What will Chloe do with the Lex Luthor files now that she has them?
How did Jimmy get so smart? Isn’t he supposed to idolize Clark Kent, not be jealous?
Why was Clark so rude to Chloe?
Who do you think was on level 33.1?
How did Lionel know about level 33.1?
If Lex was in an alternate frequency, how was he able to see and hear Lana and Chloe?
Wouldn’t they be static too?
Why did Lana risk her life and her baby’s life to find Lex?
Will not the static jump cause a miscarriage?
Why didn’t Lex get down on his knees when he proposed?
Where was Lois?
Why would Clark run off to find a phantom freak instead of helping Lex?
How did the meteor freak escape level 33.1?
Does anyone else find it surprising that Lana hates meteor freaks?
Has she forgotten that it was her actions that brought the latest meteor shower by killing Genevieve Teague?
Is anyone else glad that Jensen Ackles is playing Dean Winchester instead of the wimpy, love-struck Lana boytoy, Jason Teague?
Why didn’t the Green Arrow go help Clark?
Where was Oliver Queen – Betty Ford?

Well, I’m sure I have a lot more questions, but these are what I’ve for now.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Crazy4Smallville's Weekly Review 6:7

What an episode! Not that it had a lot of bells and whistles, but it had a very strong moral fiber backbone that you might have missed unless you looked really close.

I have a feeling that this episode probably won't be on the top of everyone's list, it contained a lot of 'growth' for Clark. While it didn't showcase his 'abilities', it showed what truly makes him 'super' - his heart and his zest for truth, justice and etc.

I.e. - While Oliver is out 'saving the world', he's doing it without the maturity needed to do it right. His heart is in the right place, but his priorities and his maturity level still has a lot of room for growth. Opposite of that you have Clark, who's taking the time to mature, making sure that his path is clearly defined before he steps into the role. I guess it kind of goes along with the old adage about whether a title makes a person or the person makes a title. I personally feel that people should walk in something long before they receive that title or recognition. Here Clark is doing just that - he's being Superman long before he ever receives the acknowledgement. The Green Arrow saw this maturity and greatness in Clark and realized he didn't have it in himself - yet. So, though Clark didn't have a costume and wasn't out 'saving the world', he was still being the hero by doing what was right (not allowing Lex to die, etc.)

Clark also made a major leap when it came to Lana. He was able to control his own emotions when Chloe and Lana met for lunch. He's showing that he's moving beyond her. He also showed it when he busted into the mansion (which I thought he wasn't supposed to do anymore) and displayed his concern for her, not his emotions. He had compassion, but it was with the heart, not the chemistry.

Clark and Lois - I love their banter and I LOVED when she dissed him by pointing out her trust for Chloe's action over his. This is the way it's supposed to be between them - Lois thinking Clark is an incapable of helping anybody, when he's the true hero behind it all. I think they're finally starting to set up the dual identity personality that literally blinds Lois from discovering the truth about Superman. I've always heard that it was Clark' s glasses that kept his identity secret, but it was the persona of Clark being inept that was his true mask.

tonight's episode was about 'love' and how it shaped everyone into who they were. Because of the love that the Kent's poured into Clark his whole life, they helped formed him into the superhero he is and he can't help but pour that love out to everyone around him. For the past few years Clark has fought against his destiny with Jor-El because of who he thought Jor-El to be - a cold, heartless dictator. But, he's beginning to learn just how much love Jor-El had for him, discovering what a great man he was and how he saved Clark because of his love for Clark and for the human race. This lines up with what Clark knows and understands, because it's what his parents have poured into him his whole life. Superman's weakness has always been his 'love' for humanity, not a cold, hard rock.

Opposite of that you have Lana and Lex. Lana lost her parents at a really young age and then was abandoned by her aunt Nell when she was still young and in highschool. She didn't have that firm, solid foundation of love and she has been on a crusade her whole life to find it. It has taken her from one bad relationship to the next. Her relationship didn't work with Clark, not because Clark didn't love her, but because she didn't love herself. I firmly believe that you can't pour love out into another person unless you are first filled with it yourself. Lana desired what Clark had (the love of and for his family and friends), but confused it with desiring Clark.

Lex, whose mother died when he was young and was raised by the cold, calculating Lionel, also doesn't know how to love, yet desired the same of Clark. He desires what Clark has and that has led to his desire for Lana. He can't love, because he doesn't have any love for or in himself.

This was illustrated through the Thanksgiving dinners. At the Kent farm, everything was warm, cozy, close and full of love (even with Lionel Luthor there). When Clark gave his thanksgiving speech, he acknowledged the love that was given to him by his parents as being what formed him into the great man that he was. Everyone at that table (except Lois) knew his secret and knew what a great compliment he paid to his parents. Opposite of that you had Lex and Lana sitting apart from each other at a long, cold, formal table. They were doing the best they could, but you can't do much with what you don't have.

Well, anyway. I had a longer review, but most of it got deleted by accident. I didn't realize it would be so long and so philosophical.

Till next time,
~T.L. Gray

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Magic Island - Editing Chapter Three

I'll be going over all the crits I received for chapter three today, while chapter four goes through queue. I'm hoping to get chapter six written by this weekend. Chapter five comes up in queue next week.

I'm really enjoying this pace. I write a chapter or two a week, really spend time polishing it up, submitting the new chapter in queue on Wednesday's (so that appears in queue the week after), collecting all the crits I received on the previous chapter and then re-editing that one. It's a good pace and the book gets really polished as I go. I like this process much better than the way I did it last time with The Year of the Unicorn by holding them all until the end and then spending a few weeks going over it.

Right now, with all the turmoil going on in my life in other areas, I'm finding solace in my writing. It's my moment of escape. Magic Island couldn't have been a better story for me to escape into. The adventure is light hearted and fun - and that's what I need more than anything right now. I wish I could be Frannie and lead an adventurous expedition in search of a hope that will turn an ugly world right side up again.

Till next time,
~T.L. Gray

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Writing Update

Well, it looks like Orientation is back on the table. A few editors from New York are interested in the story and so my agent has submitted it. I really wanted to do another round of edits before I submitted it again, but we'll see what happens. Perhaps I'll get a great editor who'll help me with that re-write. My plan was to take a break and work on Magic Island and then revisit Orientation and The Year of the Unicorn with a fresh set of eyes and then submit them together. Then I planned to take another break from the Necromancer Series and work on either a new story (got an idea of a story about a cheerleader named Cristi) or edit Bitter Tea or Mystery Meatball, and get it polished and ready to submit.

I'm currently enjoying my re-write of Magic Island. The story is developing beautifully and I'm having a lot of fun writing it. It holds a special place in my heart, because it takes me back to my own adolescence. It's my Goonies. It's fun, adventurous and whimsical. It really, really makes me want to be a kid again and play out in the rain, if only for a few days. The story is now up to chapter four in my critique group, and so far I've received very good reviews. Possibly the best for any of my stories so far. Believe me, this critique group is harsh - so to please them is quite an accomplishment.

My agent now has Milledgeville Misfit and I look forward to hearing what she has to say about it and can't wait to see what happens when she starts shopping it to publishers.

Well, that's my update on what's going on the writing world. Now, I just need to take the time and update my websites: http://www.tlgray.net and http://www.thenecromancers.com . I've neglected them. Shame on me!

Till next time,
~T.L. Gray

Friday, November 03, 2006

Crazy4Smallville's Weekly Review 6:5

Crazy4Smallville’s Weekly Review

Jimmy Oslen was a hoot in this episode. I dropped my spoon when he blurted out his Egyptian theory to Chloe. Poor Chloe, will any man be smart enough for her? This one is a few bricks shy of a load, but hey… he was adorable.

Lex is an arrogant, pompous jerk… just the way I like him. He was rude, cold and calculating and made no excuses for his behavior. I wanted to slap him for the way he treated Clark, but that’s what I love about him. I love to hate him.

Lana’s moving more and more over to the dark side. She knows Lex is bad… she calls him on it and yet she makes the decision to stay? Why? It’s not because she trusts him, because she flat out admitted that she didn’t. It’s not because he trusts and is honest with her… because he didn’t do anything to try and hide that fact. So, what is it that brings these two together? I don’t know… but I think it works – at least the chemistry does.

The whole Raya/ Phantom Freaks (Baer) storyline was a bit lame and ‘boring’ to me, saying the same thing we’ve heard a million times already. But I know TPTB need a catalyst somehow to give some background into Jor-El so that Clark will know that he’s not a jerk out to destroy the earth, but to save it. They backed themselves into that corner and now they’ve had to create this lame storyline to make it happen.

I LOVE, that he’s now ready to fulfill his destiny, however at the same time I got excited about that – knowing that he’ll go off to become the Superman he’s destined to be and get his training from Jor-El, I feel sad because it will probably happen at the end of this season or the next for sure. That means no more Smallville. I don’t even want to think about it.

Well, this is a short review. There wasn’t much to talk about. Perhaps when Oliver Queen comes back onto the show, there’ll be more interest. I did miss Lionel and Lois this week. Hope to see them soon.

Till next time,
~Crazy4Smallville

Thursday, November 02, 2006

New Word - Loge or Loggia

I love to learn new words and want to do my part in speading literacy. This morning, my new word is:

Loge - (lozh) n. 1. A small compartment, esp. a theatre box. 2. The forward rows of a theatre mezzanine.

Loggia - (lo'je-e) n. 1. A roofed but open gallery or arcade along the front or side of a building, often at an upper level. 2. An open balcony in a theatre.

While I don't have any Theatre tickets on hand or have any plans in the near future to attend the theatre, I do know that the next time I do so I will look for the loggia.

Till next time,
~T.L. Gray