Book Review: It’s Superman by Tom De Haven

I finished reading It’s Superman by Tom De Haven awhile ago but I’m just now getting around to wrapping up the review and posting it. Anyway, before reading the book, I perused the reviews on Amazon.com and I was not surprised to see several very negative comments. Whenever someone takes a new look at a much loved and established character like Superman someone isn’t going to like it. I, on the other hand, really enjoyed the book. Here’s why:

1. I really liked the setting. Seriously, if the concept of guys running around in tights is going to work (if it ever does), it really needs to be against the backdrop of circus strongmen, Flash Gordon serials, and dirigibles…all of which are sadly lacking in today’s society. While I have very much enjoyed the recent influx of superhero movies (i.e. Batman Begins, Superman Returns, X-Men, Spiderman, etc)--I even like the somewhat updated costumes--it’s hard for me to picture them in the modern world. Have you ever seen the production still of these movies? You know, Spiderman eating a bagel or Superman reading the paper. Ridiculous. I’m only reasonably sure some movie lighting and editing would help. I’m absolutely sure that throwing a tommy-gun-toting racketeer into background would do it.

2. I like that the story gets the reader from Clark Kent to Superman. That is, there’s a transition between the two. The movies tend to give us the Superman. TV’s Smallville gives us Clark. What they often don’t do is meld the two. If I see Superman in a movie, it’s hard for me to envision him growing up on a farm. Likewise, I love Smallville but the Clark Kent portrayed isn’t the kind of guy to put on tights and a cape. It’s Superman not only explains how Clark gets to Metropolis but it even explains the cape and the S on the chest.

3. I liked that the Superman and the world of the story, is in keeping with my understanding of the original Superman created by Jerry Siegal and Joe Shuster. So much of the current incarnation of Superman gives us the good guy/boy scout/black and white feel. Not that the original Superman wasn’t a swell guy but he was a greater reflection of the time period in which we was born. He didn’t simply “right wrongs” but he actually had fun with his powers. He could make smart comments and he had no qualms about giving a thug a good thrashing. Amazon’s reader often criticized It’s Superman for straying from the Superman story and, yes, there were liberties taken but I’m thinking it was actually more in line with the feel of the original. If you read some of the original comic strips, it’s pretty surprising.

4. The characters are multi-dimensional. And, no, this does not mean the story spans multiple dimensions.

5. It makes it clear that Clark has a hard time “fitting in.” Not everything is a breeze for the man of steel.

6. I simply enjoyed the writing.

So there you have it. A good read if you're a Superman fan.

Batman Battles the Ottoman Empire!

An exciting event occurred this past weekend. Batman was in town! In fact, he was visiting the local Ashley Furniture store, chillin’ with the citizens of Westfield, and grillin’ inside his tights (it was a sweltering afternoon). Batman was even kind enough to let his fans take a seat in the Batmobile!

So, Jesse met his first superhero and Dad was there with the camera. It was a good time. I was careful NOT to accidentally refer to Batman as Bru…I mean...never mind.

The Longest 400 Seconds of My Life

After warming up with a short jog, I hit the track last night. Utilizing the wicked slick sports watch I got for Father’s Day, I clocked myself at a 6:39 mile. Ok, so it wasn’t quite 400 seconds. Very close, though.

While certainly not horrible, that’s really not that great. Especially since I only ran a mile. That is, my goal was to run 1 (and ONLY 1) mile and it wasn’t part of a 5K or anything. Here’s what I learned from the experience:

1. I am out of shape. Those middle 800 meters hurt like the dickens. My legs didn’t feel that bad but I thought my lungs were on fire. My cardiovascular strength needs the most help.

2. I am simply out of practice. It’s been so long since I’ve run a mile (and paid attention to the distance) that I had difficulty estimating what I could do. Am I running too fast? If I speed up, will I collapse? When it was done, I’m pretty sure I had a little left to give. Had I known, I definitely would’ve pushed myself a bit more.

Anyway, it wasn’t a bad run. There’s certainly room for improvement and now I know.

Fitness? Fit-THIS!

Despite my previous entry regarding my views on jogging/running, I have failed to follow through with my plan to run parking lots. There really is no excuse for this. I fear I will find myself woefully unprepared for the zombie wars.

That being said, I went running the other night. It was the first time I’d done so for quite awhile. Much to my surprise, it went pretty well. I’m not really of fan of road running so I jumped the fence behind the apartments and tackled the practice fields of the local high school. I can’t say how far I ran. Nor can I even document the length of time I ran. I do know I ran far enough to make that post-run fence jump back appear pretty intimidating. (Note to self: Zombies probably can’t climb fences!)

I’m planning another run for tonight. I’m contemplating a trip to the school’s 400m track to see check my mile time. It's well know that zombies excel at the distance runs so I’ll really need to put some space between myself and them within the first mile.

Jackpot!

During my recent car search, I contacted many, many dealers regarding specific advertised cars. Even with the most helpful of dealers, this effort was largely uneventful.

All this lack of eventfulness changed today when I received a follow-up email from one of the dealers. Essentially, this email was a simple survey asking whether I was still in the market for a car. You're probably asking where this story gets exciting. Well, here is comes! The email is paraphrased below:

Subject: [dealer name] offers a penny for your thoughts.

Text: We are always trying to find better ways to serve our clients... so in my efforts to serve you better, how about a penny for your thoughts..

So, they've offered a penny for my thoughts not once but twice! Surely this is no mistake. I, for one, am pumped about this prospect. I answered the survey and tacked on the following:

Were you serious about the penny offer? If so, I work reasonably close to [dealer name] and might be willing to stop by.

I haven't checked with a lawyer but, if I'm not mistaken, we've have entered into a legally binding contract. I'm hoping they don't try to back out of the deal. If so, I'll be ranting about it here.

Civic-Minded Naming

Yes, the new car has a name. After much consideration, it came to me while feeding Jesse the other night...the car shall be named "Rhonda." For the first time in my life, I'm considering a last name for a car. Currently, in the running is "Chivek" and "McCivic." I think both work.

I'm sure we'll be close enough that we can simply use first names.

Dedication

We celebrated our infant dedication this past Saturday at our church home of Northview Christian Life. It was an extremely moving experience. More than once I could feel the tears welling up and I had to simply bow my head in awe. Taking that public step--with Jesse’s grandparents, great grandparents, and several family friends (not to mention several hundred semi-strangers) to witness it--meant a lot to us. It was a terrific way to welcome the Mother’s Day weekend.

It's called a baby dedication but it's really more of a parent dedication. It really is a demonstration of our willingness and commitment to raise Jesse to be the Godly man the world so desperately needs. Ultimately, it’s a showing of our desire to raise Jesse in such a way that, one day, he can choose to commit himself to God. While the public statement was awesome. I have a similar routine almost nightly. I hold my main man in my arms and say a prayer with him just before bedtime. Sometimes he's asleep. Sometimes he's trying to grab my glasses. Anyway, I pray for God’s blessing, guidance, and wisdom in raising Jesse. I pray for the courage to take the actions God requires of me. I pray for God’s protection over Jesse and his Mommy. I pray for the little man’s health and growth. I pray for a good night’s rest for all three of us. And I pray for a night devoid of leaky diaper (only for Jesse).

It's a big deal.

New Wheels

I looked at a lot of cars. I mean A LOT of cars. Seriously, I checked out everything from a 1963 Dart to a 1984 Corvette. I have little doubt that my search drove my very patient wife crazy. But, the search is over…I have a new-to-me vehicle. I scored a one-owner 1995 Honda Civic EX last night. It could use some work with a buffer but, otherwise, the thing is in great shape.

The car doesn’t really have the “cool-factor” I was going for. I mean, compared the Firebird and Cutlass convertibles I considered, the Civic is downright lame. I mean, can you see a Civic with a massive, fiery bird on the hood? THAT’S just silly.

So it lacks the swank of the Firebird. That’s sad but ok. It’s difficult to argue when I look at what the Civic does have going for it:

1. Roomy enough for me to buzz around town with my son.
2. Fuel efficiency.
3. Reliability.
4. A zippy VTEC engine.
5. Rides and feels like a go-cart.
6. A power sunroof (It’s not a convertible and it doesn’t have t-tops, but it’s decent).
7. 5-Speed manual transmission (way fun).
8. The name is a palindrome.

I’m hoping it all adds up to something I can keep and enjoy for a very long time. Maybe even long enough that I can scrimp and save enough to splurge on that project/hobby vehicle I’m always looking for. That being said, I’m not ruling out the possibility of a giant flaming hood-bird flying into my future.

Now all the Civic needs is a name. I've already used The Red Scare so that's out. The Baked Bean? Scooter? Any suggestions?

Them Duke Boys

The car to end all cars is officially available on eBay. It’s not just a General Lee. It’s THE General Lee. Or, at least, one of the very few REAL General Lees. It’s really a shame I don’t have the $2 million + to splurge on it. Seriously, there are replicas at the Auburn Collector Car Auction on a fairly regular basis and each one takes my breath away. Even a non-General Lee Charger of the era quickens my pulse. Paint it orange, throw up the “01”, play some Dixie, and my knees get a little weak.

I’ll tell you what really disappoints me with the listing…the complete lack of a VIN. I’m sure it’s probably old enough that it doesn’t have the full 17 digit VIN (though I could be wrong on that) but I’d love to run a CarFax report on it. I image is would read something like this:

12/14/1979: Vehicle Totaled - jumped ravine

1/4/1980: Vehicle Totaled – Jumped semi carrying Boss Hogg’s slot machines.

1/11/1980: Vehicle Totaled - jumped river

1/25/1980: Vehicle serviced at Cooter’s Garage. Later totaled.

2/8/1980: Vehicle totaled damaged while doing that “up on two wheels” trick in daring rescue of guest star Loretta Lynn.

2/15/1980: Vehicle Stolen, used in bank heist by look-alike owners. Totaled while jumping barn.

2/22/1980: Vehicle totaled during skirmish with Mean Green Machine. Damaged by stray dynamite arrow

2/29/1980: Vehicle reportedly used in theft of orphanage money. Later determined to be a replica owned by Boss Hogg in attempt to frame those Duke Boys. Vehicle totaled while jumping Hazzard construction.

De-luxe apartment in the sky

Well, I've been busy but I've obviously not been busy blogging. In the month since my last post, we’ve sold our house and had a surprisingly smooth closing. The actual move? Well, that was less smooth but moving is always such a pain no matter what It would've been a lot less smooth without our friends to help out and, for them, we are truly grateful. Believe me, the fridge and the arcade game wouldn’t have made it out of the house otherwise.

So, we’ve semi-successfully truncated roughly 1100 square feet from our living space. Ouch. It does hurt but we are learning to live without luxuries like couches, full size washers and dryers, and mopeds. I think the thing I miss most is the back yard for our dog. It rained this morning and taking her out to do her business was not at the top of my priorities. The experience will certainly help us appreciate our next living quarters.

In some most excellent news, my prodigal notebook has been found! The notebook was no big deal but it contained some ongoing creative writing that I was sorely missing. I was to the point where I’d simply accepted that it had been put into storage only to be found when we moved. Luckily, my ingenious wife suggested a yet-to-be-searched bookcase and there it was!

In closing, We're a movin' on up!

Dressing for Success

In local news, there is much talk regarding a proposal in enforce school uniforms in the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) school district. While I haven’t taken any polls, my understanding (at least from the few people that called the local morning radio show) is that most adults approve of the idea.

In most of all cases, I am NOT for the powers-that-be telling me how my child should be raised. For instance, I could (and may) write a separate blog entry with my questions regarding the implementation of full-day kindergarten. However, I’m not opposed to school dress codes. I know it won’t eliminate the typical social classes in schools but I do believe it will help remove some of the distractions clothing can cause. Who knows, maybe I would’ve scored higher on my AP Physics exam if the girls in my physics class were limited to only one, mostly boring, outfit. Probably not…but it’s a decent theory. And, as a parent, if it keeps me from arguing with my kids about what they wear to school, that’s even better.

I can see one drawback to uniforms. If everyone wears the same thing, how will they later be able to look back at their school photos and say “I can’t believe I actually wore that!”? Seriously, what’s going to be the point of your yearbook if you can’t laugh at your skinny tie, the white suspenders hanging off your shoulder, or your acid washed jean jacket. That’s why I would like to especially support highly embarrassing school uniforms. A school full of parachute pants or pink IZOD polo shirts (oh, wait, those ARE back in style) would certainly get my attention.

I would likewise support uniform haircuts if they involved heavy, heavy feathering.

Farewell, Speedwagon

Speedwagon is gone. I just handed the keys to my Pontiac Vibe over to the new owner. I feel like there’s a station wagon shaped void in my soul. I’ll miss the car…it was my first new car and it is still an excellent vehicle. Seriously, I think it was a good decision on my part. I found it a good home and the new buyers were very excited to find the car. I think they were even more excited than I was when I first bought it.

What do I do now? Well, several transportation options are under consideration. A small pickup? Some kind of sporty, fuel efficient, Econobox? There’s a certain Fiero nearby that, despite being completely impractical, I’m finding difficult NOT to consider. In any case, I will not be purchasing another new vehicle…probably ever. And whatever I do get will be cheap…cheap enough to allow plenty leftover from the sale of Speedwagon to make a good dent in our upcoming house down payment and/or what we still owe on The H-Bomb, my wife’s car,.

In the meantime, I’m hitching rides with my wife. Maybe I’ll bum transportation off of my coworkers. If the weather is decent, I can ride my bike to work. It’ll actually be kind of fun. Mayby not as much fun as building the Lego Vibe above but, still, fun.

2007: Reading List

Now that it’s March, it seems like a good time to lay out some of my plans for 2007. Among my many goals, I really want to spend more time reading. I don’t know why I don't currently spend more time in a good book. I’m sure I could make excuses but there wouldn't be much substance to them. The point is, I do enjoy reading. Plus, reading is probably the second best thing I can do to improve my own writing (another of my goals for the year).

Anyway, my initial list for the year is as follows:

1. The Bible
Do you italicize that? Anyway, I just finished 1 Chronicles. My goal isn’t necessarily to finish but, rather, to both read and comprehend what I read on a regular basis.

2. Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper
I’ve flipped through the book and it looks good. Beyond that, I don’t know much about it.

3. 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller
Career books are hard for me to read. This on is recommended by Dave Ramsey so we will see.

4. The Modern Library Writer's Workshop: A Guide to the Craft of Fiction by Stephen Koch
I’m actually fairly deep into this already. Good stuff. There have been several things regarding writing and storytelling that are defintely contrary to my previous notions of the process. It makes more sense than my thinking.

5. The Physics of Superheroes by James Kakalios
I like physics. I like superheroes. Learning is fun. What could be better?

6. How to Write Funny: Add Humor to Every Kind of Writing by John Kachuba
This has been on my shelf for a long time. Need to dig in.

7. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
I believe some of the Amazon reviews on this one referred to it as leftist propaganda. Others said it was rightist propaganda. Personally, the political leanings of the undead are of no concern to me. I'm much more interested in simply surviving the zombie threat.

8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
I can’t NOT read it.

Fitness by Brett

I scored a great deal on a second-hand Bowflex a couple months ago and I love the thing. I need to use it more often but that but that’s another entry altogether. What’s become painfully clear, though, is that I need to work on some sort of aerobic activity. I ran cross-country in high school and that was good. I’ve since dabbled in running but never with the kind of commitment needed to gain real health benefits.

I think the biggest problem with that kind of long-distance running is that it’s really “jogging”. Honestly, I don’t find jogging to be all that fun. Mind you, I do like to run but it really has to be running. I need to feel the air rushing by. I need to see the scenery lose focus. I need to feel like I actually have to lean forward to keep my legs from leaving my body behind (notice the italicized "running").

Besides, when do you ever really need to jog? When, in real life, will I ever need to travel 8 miles on foot and at a pace faster than a walk? When my car breaks down? And my moped breaks down. AND my bicycle breaks down? That doesn’t seem likely. C’mon, mopeds run forever.

Now, running is a skill you can really use. Chasing the dog in the back yard…running. Catching my kid before he falls down…running. The impending zombie horde uprising (believe me, they’re just biding their time)…definitely running.

So, here’s my new workout plan. Whenever I’m out on errands, I’m going to run the parking lot. Yep. Instead of searching for a good spot, I’ll just park and book-it to the entrance. When I’m done, I’ll bolt to the car. It’ll be top speed or nothing, even if I have to push a cart. Sure, it’ll be awkward to leave my wife at the car while I run to the store but she’ll probably appreciate me getting back early enough to pick her up at the store exit. Otherwise, I’m thinking people will just assume I’m in a huge rush without actually realizing I’m just checking out the stock of Hot Wheels cars.

With the stops at Target, the library, and work, I bet I can get in multiple 100-yard dashes each day. And think of the time savings!

Our 10th Valentine's

If my math is correct, this is the tenth Valentine's Day my wife and I have celebrated. Those initial dates typically involved a trip to the Muncie Fazoli's, checking out what's new at the local Wal-Mart, and a VHS movie watched on a tiny TV in a tiny Ball State dorm room. Now, well, it's nothing but the best...a trip to the Macaroni Grill, Target, and a DVD!

Seriously, looking back, a lot of things have changed since those college days. We're in a house instead of a Ball State (GO CARDS!) dorm. We have homemade food (beyond the basic Ragu and pasta) instead of dining service. My job is certainly more profitable than working the dorm's front desk ever was. My wife has her own car instead of a hand-me-down. My car...well...ok, bad example...I still regret getting rid of my college car but that's beside the point.

Anyway, as big as those changes seem, they only scratch the surface. What's even more important that NOT living in a dorm? Well, obviously it's our relationship. Every year my wife and I grow closer and, as that happens, I find even more reasons to love her. As we study the Bible, I see her incredible wisdom and faith. With the birth of our son, I saw her strength. When I see her with our son now, I see what a wonderful mother she is. As we contemplate even more big changes I see her bravery. Absolutely amazing. She's more wonderful and beautiful than ever.

And that's why, when my wife gave me a framed picture of her with our handsome little son, it was the greatest Valentine's Day gift I could've received. I'm happy to have it brightening my work cube.

Financial Pieces

Friends have recently gotten me reading and listening to the advice of financial counselor Dave Ramsey. Essentially, his philosophy is that debt is bad...GET OUT OF IT AND STAY OUT OF IT. It shouldn't have been anything all that shocking but reading his book, Financial Peace Revisited, and regularly listening to his radio show over the past couple weeks has been an eye opening experience. His reasoning is financially sound as well as Biblical and, like the Bible, his teaching is honest and challenging but always, at its core, loving and compassionate.

Anyway, I think we've been aware that we needed to review our finances for some time. Having recently added a family member and subtracted an income, the need for such financial review has grown all the more clear. We're not broke and we're not necessarily going broke but we certainly do not have financial peace. What to do about it? Well, that's a great question?

The good news is that I believe we've already made the needed changes to our mindset. As for actions, we're strongly considering a move to a smaller, more affordable home. I wouldn't mind selling my car, buying something cheaper, and using the proceeds for said home and/or investment. We could stick it out in our current home but it would be 5 years of pretty dramatic skimping and saving to get out of two cars and a home equity loan and, honestly, I'm not sure we love our house that much. Plus, that puts us 5 years behind in saving for Jesse's college, 5 years behind in more intense retirement planning, 5 years behind in vacations and other "fun" money spending, 5 years deeper in commitment the paycheck from a career I don't necessarily love, and 5 more years of worrying about "the next big expense" whether it be some home repair, medical bills, or even child #2.

We have been continually praying for God's guidance in our finances and we're confident He will guide us. He has already blessed us greatly and I hope we can use those blessings wisely.

retro brett store!

It's never too early to start thinking about Christmas 2007! If you're looking for something special for that special someone, might I suggest something that includes a spacefaring monkey? No, it's not another sequal to the Every which way but loose movie franchise. It's just about everything available at the retro brett store on Cafepress! Check it out...laser toting, jetpacked monkeys on shirts, mugs, and mousepads. And don't miss the "strange visitor from another planet" themed stuff. I've actually got one of the monkey shirts and it never fails to grab the ladies' attention. Little Jesse is even waiting to grow into a matching bodysuit.

Lil’ G: WELCOME TO THE WORLD!

Yes! We have a baby! On 11/30/2006, our little Jesse was born. He was a healthy 7 lbs, 15 oz and a nice 21.5 inches long. The labor went easier (a mere 8.5 hours) than we expected and everyone is quite happy about that. Plus, we’re all healthy, sleeping reasonably well, and simply amazed at our new little boy. We are truly blessed and we are incredibly grateful for God’s generosity. It is and will continue to be a great responsibility and we pray we will raise our little man to be the big man God would have him to be.

It’s funny. At one point, I walked by the hospital nursery and Jesse was the only baby and there happened to be two nurses standing near him. I joke that I saw them mouth the words chosen one and prophecy. Seriously, though, we will do all we can to ensure he does have a terrific life.

It’s obviously taken me a while to get this posted but, you know, I’ve been busy. Here’s a photo…bask in the glory that is his handsomeness.

Lil' G: Pack Your Bags

Tomorrow is the day. Unless labor starts voluntarily today, we'll be at the hospital tomorrow morning to be induced. That's right...6am tomorrow morning! It sounds early but I have a strong suspicion that no one at our house is going to be sleeping much tonight.

That being said, our weekly appointment went just fine yesterday. There's not really anything new to report. They monitored the baby's heartbeat and movements for 30-40 minutes and everything looked great. Well, the baby had hiccups for the first 15 minutes and that skews everything and messes with the monitor. But, after that, everything was great.

If you came to the blog looking for something extra retro sweet, check out the Mego Museum. Make an extra effort to view the gallery and especially the U.S.S Enterprise and the Hall of Justice. You know what? Even if you didn't come looking for retro sweet, it's probably in your best interest to check out the Megos anyway.

Still Waiting

I apologize for not having a nifty image today. If you're looking for ultra-cool retro stuff, check out this home that just screams "SWANK!".

As for Lil' G, well...we're still waiting. Our appointment this morning went just fine though there's nothing to make us think we'll be trading Thanksgiving turkey for hospital cafeteria food. There have been plenty of contractions but nothing regular.

Lil' G does have an official schedule now. We'll have another appointment next Tuesday and we're all set to induce labor next Thursday. That is, of course, assuming Lil' G doesn't arrive before that. G, you've got a week.