Jessica Jones Meets The Doctor

Okay, confession: I quickly wrote off “Jessica Jones” as just another lowish-budget Netflix production, and let it sit at the top of my Netflix home page for weeks. Without shame. No guilt felt. I haven’t exactly been impressed by the Netflix originals, other than “Sense 8″… that was a halfway decent series.

I’m a huge fan of Marvel Comics. More so, DC Comics (Batman will always be the better hero). Honestly, I’m a little surprised that I didn’t even give the “Jessica Jones” pilot a shot right off the get-go. I’m usually not that quick to judge something that I would usually have a good reason to have an interest in. I don’t know if it was the black and red theme of the cover image, or my subconscious reception of all the marketing that eventually just got on my nerves, or the pasty pale complection of Krysten Ritter making her crooked red smile stand out against her face. Forgive me, Jessica Jones.

Forgive me.

Three weeks ago, while hanging out with some friends, I sat in while they checked out the “Jessica Jones” pilot. It wasn’t anything special. The plot starts out as any typical detective story would – a couple comes to a private investigator and hires her to take their case. Jessica Jones has demons of her own, barely revealed in the pilot, so as to hook viewers into watching the rest of the series.

I wasn’t impressed.

This morning, while perusing Netflix, looking for something to occupy my Saturday morning binge shift, I stopped at “Jessica Jones”. Decided to watch Episode 2. The plot thickens. More questions are presented, less detail disclosed. Forty-five minutes later, I continued on to Episode 3.

Who shows up. Yes, Who. Who, himself, in the flesh, Who took me completely by surprise.

Don’t be fooled by this behind-the-scenes shot of Tennant and Ritter, though. This time, The Doctor isn’t here to negotiate with the aliens, save London from the Daleks, rescue a cruise ship from a larger-than-life parasite, or recruit a new companion. This time, The Doctor is the villain. And it’s hot.

Jessica Jones is a character that’s haunted by her past, by a man named Kilgrave who presumably can make a person do anything that he wants them to. Like mind control. Or sonic paper. Whichever sweetens your cup of tea.

Jessica’s experienced Kilgrave’s power first-hand, and has seen him exercise his ability on other people. She’s determined to fight him and stop him from hurting anyone else. Who other than David Tennant to play such a dark, mysterious role?

So far, through Episode 4, I’ve seen David Tennant on the screen a grand total of perhaps forty-five seconds. That is all. Therefore, pardon me while I excuse myself and anxiously binge watch to Who’s next appearance.

Sunday Morning Meditations

I don’t know that I’ve ever associated curiosity with adventures. “Curiosity”, to me, has always been associated with intelligence (or dead cats).

On the flip side, I’ve always thought of adventures being sparked by spontaneity, or restlessness, or a change of scenery. Suddenly, it occurs to me that curiosity could be a perfectly valid motivation for adventure.

Thinking back, my biggest adventures have been the product of some degree of curiosity. All my excurions back and forth through San Francisco and the Bay Area were products of musical curiosity. My first time through the Lake Tahoe area was to take advantage of an overnight trip consisting of music and beautiful scenery. Now, my plans to adventure into the East Coast area are partially defined by a historical curiosity.

I personally believe that every adventure is blessed. Especially if it is partnered with curiosity.

29 cents

That’s all that’s currently in my bank account.

Quite literally. This year’s been tough, but! I still have a roof and warm water. I don’t like to be cold.

Things I can do with 29 cents:

1. Check how deep my tire tread is
2. Host a coin spinning contest with 28 other people
3. Buy 1 3/4 packages of Ramen
4. Support a busking musician
5. Ingeniously repair more than one wobbly table or chair
6. Open a small savings account between the sofa cushions
7. Come up with a list of things to do with petty change

Anything else you can think of that I perhaps missed?

Book Titles: Introduction

Well, it’s done. Last night, my buddy, Libre, and I debuted our acoustic project that’s been in the works forrrr… probably about four or five months, now. Am I glad to say that we’ve got the first show under our belts. I’m taking the opportunity to list a few notes-to-self for your insight and for my future reference, while my fingertips are still tender, sore, tingly, and peeling.

Things I (humbly) learned while playing my first public show in almost three years:

1. NEVER practice guitar for three hours on a show day.
2. If a photographer is going to be present, always iron your cardigan.
3. Make extra efforts to actually strum above the sound hole and not above the fourth-to-last fret, so your guitar doesn’t look so much bigger than you, regardless of what size guitar Ed Sheeran plays.
4. Grant more song introduction. When there’s a story behind the story, tell the story before telling the story. This also helps to boost nervousness. Oh, wait…
5. Break down and be unafraid of wearing semi-dark eye shadow on show days.
6. If another band’s equipment (i.e. stands, pedals, sheet music) is in front of you, they won’t bite you if you carefully move it over.
7. Always give a shout-out to the soundman. Should’ve learned this one a long time ago.
8. Keep a spare Ironman mask in your gig bag to hang on the drums behind you.

Libre and I have worked together on music projects before, and writing together has always come easy to us. He’s got a musical background in, like, everything, and can come up with lyrics and melodies very quickly. Works out for me, because I’m the worst at lyrics… My strong point is writing music. Our style for this particular project thus far has turned out to be somewhat of an acoustic folk/blues/soul, with hints of r&b and hip hop to complement Libre’s other explorative interests.

Our set list:

1. Never Rain
2. In A Coffeeshop
3. Waiting In Vain (Bob Marley)
4. The Distance (Oliver James)
5. 16 Years (The Griswolds)
6. Drive (Incubus)

 

The idea for the band name was actually a contribution from the Nixster. She had an idea for a band that would write songs based on literary characters, themes, or ideas, and would call itself, “Book Titles”. The band name stuck, but to be honest, there hasn’t been many literary references written into the music yet. Libre and I were handed our first gig before we had much of anything written. Rin Tin Tiger, a folk rock band from San Francisco, came through town and were also supported by The Morning Drive, a band from Fresno/San Luis Obispo/San Jose/wherever else those guys come from… and Book Titles was privileged to open the show.

Much love and thanks to the very talented Arthur Robinson, for snapping these memories. Find him at http://www.robinsonsart.com/.

Next time up: Cats vs. Dogs: A Benefit for No Kill Shelters.

Now, THAT’s gonna be a doggone good show.