freakboy muses music: DAPHNE (Single) - BLUE SUN CHASING

Blue Sun Chasing is a mixture of electronic and natural audio guiding you through a sensory of soundscapes.  These soundscapes are intimate, thought-provoking and sometimes eerily hypnotic explorations beneath the mindskin.  As with most music, especially of a more instrumental variety, the listener gets out what the listener brings in.

Daphne is a 2-track single with a theme that touches us all, sooner or later. 

(Death) is a Racket explores the high cost of dying in the U.S. with a drifting, contemplative sound.  I agree with the frustrating sentiment in this track, but I continue to ponder one thing.  Does the birdsong represent a departing soul or is it a sign that life goes on for those left behind? 

Casual Conversation delves into the fear of death with a sound that reflects, refracts and reverberates the terror of the unknown.  I will admit that I can't hear every word spoken in this track.  However, what I can make out, along with the ominous sound, leads me to chilling thoughts.  Perhaps not hearing all that is said symbolizes and enhances the unknown we all face.

You can find DAPHNE  by Blue Sun Chasing on...

Spotify 

iTunes 

Amazon 

For more soundscapes from Blue Sun Chasing...

Sound Cloud 

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind words.

Freak Out, 

JLH 

P.S.  A different post about a different single...

https://freakboyzone.blogspot.com/2016/03/only-happy-when-its-1995.html 

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The Collective Eye for September is open with books, blogs, music & more...

👁

https://thejlhcollective.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-collective-eye-september-2020.html 

freakboy on film: LOST IN SUBTITLES

I used to be a purist.

A non-English film was watched in its original language with English subtitles.  

Then December 2016 happened.

 

My chunk of vision loss made me an impurist.  

English language dubs seemed to be my only option.

It was just one more of my favorite things forever altered. 

Then in 2018 I went to the theater to see A QUIET PLACE.  I was told there were not many subtitles, which I suppose that was sort of true, compared to a foreign language film.  I sat in the back row with my Mad Scientist Glasses on and it seemed I could decipher enough of each subtitle to figure out what was being signed by the deaf girl and her parents.  The screen was big enough with a good contrast between words and background.  I was initially surprised and excited. 

Despite this big screen reading revelation, I ended up hating A QUIET PLACE.  This made me worry that I missed something in the subtitles.  So I later borrowed the DVD from the library and watched it with Descriptive Audio, which reads subtitles.  Nope, I missed nothing.  I didn't need subtitles to know the parents are the real monsters.  First, they don't look out for their youngest child and then they selfishly risk the lives of their remaining children by bringing a baby into the extremely dangerous sound-sensitive situation. 

That crappy film gave me hope.  Maybe with a big enough screen I could enjoy my foreign and silent films again!  An opportunity arrived in July 2019.  My sister in Omaha asked if I would house and dog sit for the month while she was meeting her first grandchild in a different state.  I agreed and packed a couple of DVD's to experiment with on her bigger and newer TV. 

After situating a kitchen chair for optimal viewing in the living room, I held my breath and popped in AMÉLIE (2001), one of my favorite non-English films.  Something as magical as AMÉLIE seemed to be happening.  I was deciphering enough words to enjoy the whimsical film again.   I was fully with her as she discovered the tin box, setting off her do-gooder adventures.  This overjoyed me, until I started to think about it.  

I had watched AMÉLIE countless times before my chunk of vision loss.  Perhaps I could decipher a lot of the subtitles because of multiple viewings.  I knew I had to experiment further and chose a Netflix film I wanted to see that only had a Spanish language track.  The title of that film is lost to me now, just like its subtitles were lost to my half-blind eyes. 

I tried other films, including the sci-fi silent film masterpiece METROPOLIS (1927), which I hold in high regard, but had not watched it as much as AMÉLIE.  The results of my experiment were harsh.  A bigger, newer TV wouldn't make a difference with deciphering subtitles unless I knew in advance what was being said.

Still, there remains the possibility of enjoying non-English films in the theater.  Well, if the one theater, with three screens, in my town actually showed foreign films, but it doesn't.  A fact that irritates me, especially when I hear tweets galore about a film I am interested in.  PARASITE (2019), for example. 

I knew it wouldn't play in my town, but I got my hopes up when I saw the DVD at the library.  Surely PARASITE was such a critically acclaimed film that it would have an English dub.  Nope.  Just it's original Korean and a French dub. It's not like my DVD of AMÉLIE has an English dub, so I should've known.  However, I decided it was time for another experiment. 

I was going to watch PARASITE and see if I could follow the plot without the dialogue.  My sister was going to watch it with me in case I got lost and because she also wanted to see it.  I did ok at first, sort of.  I assumed that the low-income family had terrible cell phone reception and one of them got fired from a pizza parlor.  I asked and my sister explained what was really happening, which wasn't far off.  Then the plot got complicated and I got lost very quickly. 

"What's going on here?" I would ask and my sister would explain.  She occasionally read a subtitle aloud, but I didn't want her doing this throughout the entire film.  For the most part, after I grasped how the low-income family and the wealthy family were merging, I followed along, kind of.  My sister had to explain the peach allergy, the camping trip and the architect.  The result of that experiment was I need to watch a non-English film with someone I trust.

As for PARASITE...I liked it, but I feel I missed nuances in the characters and their relationships to one another.  If I find an English dub, or go back in time and find a theater showing it, I would watch it again.  Oh, and I will give the film extra points for not killing the family pets, unless I completely missed something during the birthday party massacre.  If I did, please don't tell me.

In conclusion, the frustrating thing about my eyes is being able to watch a film, while wearing my Mad Scientist Glasses, but still missing so much.  Descriptive Audio tracks help with English speaking films, but to my deepest pain and shame, English language dubs are essential in my post-December 2016 foreign filmic life. 

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind words. 

Freak Out,

JLH 

P.S. In case you missed UNHINGED...

https://freakboyzone.blogspot.com/2020/08/freakboy-on-film-unhinged-2020.html 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Collective a Eye for September is open with books, blogs, music & more...

👁

https://thejlhcollective.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-collective-eye-september-2020.html 

Sweltering Blurry Summer (August 2020 in Hindsight)

It's been a hot month.

Creatively, I can't complain.  I've spent the month writing something, anything, each day.  Some words may become part of this blog but most will be relegated to the digital paper archive.  This is my soul.

I've blogged a few times this month, but I expect each post will be my last.  So far Ive been able to use the old "Legacy" Blogger interface but irreversible change is looming.  I stopped practicing on the new interface when I inadvertently reverted a number of posts to drafts.  I managed to fix this potentially devastating mishap, but that was it.  I will wait and see if I can still blog when the new interface permanently takes its crappy, confusing hold.  This is my worry.

I also managed to release a video for The FreakOptic Files after a dry spell in July.  It's another installment in my riveting, never-ending Laundry Day series.  Creatively, I love my LD series.  Statistically, they are some of my least viewed videos.  Clearly, I don't give a crap what the mainstream public wants. This is my truth. 

Personally, I'm trying to remain calm as my country heads toward oblivion, no matter who wins the November U.S. Election.  The losing side, whichever side it is, will cry foul and unprecedented chaos will erupt.  This is my fear.

Throw in the continuing pandemic for added good-time fun.  The number of COVID-19 cases have been minimal in my county in Nebraska and are technically still low in comparison.  However those numbers have grown more rapidly in August.  From March to July there were only 43 cases.  This month has, as of this writing, added 30 more.  This is my paranoia. 

Thankfully, my cats convinced me to start a band (John and the Pussycats) to escape my worry, fear and paranoia for awhile.  This is my heart. 

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind words. 

See you in September. 

Hopefully.

Freak Out, 

JLH 

P.S. Another reader ordered a copy of DARK EXCURSIONS.  Maybe my 2020 will go down as the year of Dinkel. ❤️

http://thejlhcollective.blogspot.com/2018/03/dark-excursions.html 

freakboy on film: UNHINGED (2020)

                             (written by Carl Ellsworth / directed by Derrick Borte)

Rachel is having a bad day.  She is getting a divorce.  She lost her salon.  Her brother and his girlfriend have moved in with Rachel and her son.  Thanks to horrible traffic, her son will get detention for being tardy three days in a row and a client fired her.  

No wonder she vigorously honks her horn and angrily drives around a man refusing to go at a green light.  Unknown to her, Rachel has just incurred the wrath of a severely unhinged man who has nothing to lose.  He makes it his mission to show Rachel the real meaning of a bad day in a rage that goes beyond the road.

Just when I thought FANTASY ISLAND was going to be the last new film I would see in the theater, along comes UNHINGED.  A local librarian recommended this 2020 film because it was new and because she was surprised by how much she enjoyed it.  So, I attended a Thursday night screening.  Before you call me brave or crazy for risking my life during a pandemic, I was the only one in the auditorium.  Social distancing has rarely been so easy. 

Sitting all the way to the left in the back row, the perfect vantage point with my Mad Scientist Glasses, I experienced a disturbingly suspenseful ride.  Have you recently honked, yelled or flipped off a driver?  It's 2020 and the world is on edge, which makes UNHINGED a perfect film for these chaotic times.  Honestly, it almost makes me glad I can't drive anymore. 

Caren Pistorius is believable as Rachel.  Even my half-blind eyes could see the love she has for her son while dealing with the stress of life and extreme road rage.  Russell Crowe is convincingly unsettling as the man gone over the edge.  If I hadn't known it was him, I would not have recognized him.  The other actors are good, but this film belongs to Pistorius and Crowe.

One question remains.  Did I enjoy UNHINGED because it's an entertaining popcorn thriller or because it was something new?  I believe I legitimately enjoyed UNHINGED because I would watch it again.  FOOTLOOSE, for example,  was "new" to me this year and once was more than enough. 

In conclusion, if you are hungry for something with a kick that's actually new, then take what precautions you need and drive calmly to a theater near you and see UNHINGED!  

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind words. 

Freak Out,

JLH 

P.S.  In case you missed my visit to FANTASY ISLAND...

https://freakboyzone.blogspot.com/2020/03/freakboy-on-film-fantasy-island-2020.html 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My books & blogs...

http://thejlhcollective.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-collective.html  

booking freakboy: NO DISTANCE BETWEEN US (A YULETIDE STORY) by Young

NO DISTANCE BETWEEN US is a non-fiction short story about one young man's experience at a UK boarding school during the holiday season.  After a fancy ball, the young man and his male friend Nikee explore their desire which will take them beyond friendship. 

The author shares his sexual awakening in a sensitive, sensual, erotic way.  He fills the pages with searing imagery, coating the reader in a liquid atmosphere.  This is just a taste of what would come for the author.

NO DISTANCE BETWEEN US is a part of The Harem Boy's Saga, a memoir by Young, which is available at an Amazon near you. 

Amazon 

 

Amazon UK 

For more information... 

aharemboyssaga.com 

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind review.

Freak Out, 

JLH 

P.S. A different book by a different author...

https://freakboyzone.blogspot.com/2020/02/booking-freakboy-lust-simon-by-john.html 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Collective Eye for August...

👁

https://thejlhcollective.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-collective-eye-august-2020.html 

channel freakboy: UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS (1971-1975)

I signed up for a free week trial of BRITBOX.  Yeah, a week seems skimpy, but I wasn't even sure I would fully subscribe.  First, BRITBOX does not offer the option of downloading programs to watch offline.  Second, only a few series caught my half-blind eyes.

UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS is one of those series.  My sister watched this series on MASTERPIECE THEATER back in the day.  (PBS was the only channel in my area of the US to air British television in the 1970's & 1980's). She loved it and has often expressed a desire  to rewatch this classic program.  Obviously I kept BRITBOX longer than expected.  

Having no internet at home, nor a TV made in the last 15 years, my sister and I parked outside the library in the early mornings and late evenings. With my tablet situated on the dashboard, my wireless speaker between us and my Mad Scientist Glasses on, we traveled across the Atlantic and stepped back in time.

There are two families living at 165 Eaton Place in the early 20th Century.  First, there is an upstairs family, The Bellamys,  which include Lady Marjorie (Rachel Gurney), her husband Richard (David Langton) and their almost grown children James (Simon Williams) and Elizabeth (Nicola Pagett).  Then there is the downstairs family, the servants, which include the butler Mr. Hudson (Gordon Jackson), the cook Mrs. Bridges (Angela Baddeley) and parlor maids Rose (Jean Marsh) and Sarah (Pauline Collins).

Drama, joy, tragedy, scandal and humor fill the lives of these two families over 27 years.  Members of both upstairs and downstairs come and go, sometimes permanently, as the world changes around them.  The Titanic sinks.  A World War erupts.  A pandemic hits.  Protests and riots blaze through the streets.  The stock market crashes.  Despite it all, the residents of 165 Eaton Place carry on, and probably wouldn't find the 21st Century all that different.  

Even though my sister raved about UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS over the years, I was anticipating a stuffy, English drawing room drama.  What I got was a lively series that often jumped a year between episodes, effectively cutting out filler storylines that often bog down modern series.  The acting was natural and the characters were complex, never falling victim to caricatures.  The believability of the characters and storylines make this series an intimate and relatable experience.  I was instantly addicted, which is probably why we flew through the 68 episodes in just a few weeks. 

I originally thought about filling this post with spoilers, but I just can't do it.  UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS is such an emotional roller coaster that I don't want to ruin this exhilarating ride for you with specific details.  Just prepare to laugh, cry and pick your jaw up off the floor when you enter the world of 165 Eaton Place. 

Before I let you go to watch UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS, I must address DOWNTON ABBEY (2010-2015).  Similarities abound between these two exceptionally entertaining series.  How could there not be?  They are both set in roughly the same era and country, with the same class structure.  I've spent the last few weeks trying to figure out the one major difference between the two series and I think I hit upon it.  DOWNTON ABBEY romanticizes this time period more than UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS.  Perhaps a bigger budget on DOWNTON meant more of a focus on fashion and set design or maybe the constant wit of a certain character created a very television atmosphere in the ABBEY.  Either way, UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS has a more realistic feel to its characters and storylines, in my opinion.  Besides, UPSTAIRS  came first, so there! 

So subscribe to BRITBOX (at least for a month) and binge UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS!  Oh, you can also watch the 2010-2012 sequel series, which is decent, but doesn't shine as bright as the original. 

Freak Out, 

JLH 

P.S. A different post about a different series my sister and I binged. 

https://freakboyzone.blogspot.com/2020/01/channel-freakboy-dark-shadows-door-to.html 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My books & blogs...

http://thejlhcollective.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-collective.html   

Blogging like there's no tomorrow...

I have blogged through Google's directly named blog site Blogger since 2013.  I even found my way back to blogging after losing a chunk of my vision back in 2016.  It helped that Blogger's interface had not changed during my absence.  I knew which buttons to click because I had done it all before.

Now Blogger is changing.  A new interface is available and soon the old "Legacy" interface will disappear.  I've been experimenting with the new version and have been failing miserably.  Maybe it's my half-blind eyes, but the layout is confusing.  

The only thing I've managed to achieve in the new interface is typing the title.  I can't seem to locate where the body of the post will go. Logically, I know it should be beneath the post title, but I've tapped my tablet screen all over without success.  I also can't figure out how to view and edit previous posts.  Of course, because of all of these issues, I haven't a clue how to add pics & vids.

To top it all off, I can't zoom in by gently spreading two fingers apart on the screen.   The new interface is immovable, in that respect.  I see lots of screenshots in my future, assuming I solve my other Blogger probs.

I'm so frustrated that I need either a deep tisssue massage or a horse tranquilizer.  I know, I know.  Progress and all that crap.  Honestly, it seems the easier things are supposed to be, the more difficult they actually are.

So, I'll keep blogging here, using the "Legacy" interface, for as long as I can and I'll continue practicing with the new interface.  If I can't figure it out, perhaps I could try to make a fresh start through a different blogging site.  As The Brady Kids once advised...

🎵When it's time to change, you've got to rearrange, who you are into what you're going to be.🎵

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind words.

Freak Out, 

JLH 

P.S. The Collective Eye is open and popping in August! 

👁

https://thejlhcollective.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-collective-eye-august-2020.html  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My books & blogs...

http://thejlhcollective.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-collective.html