On why everyone should see Breaking Bad even though the show is over

Well hello there!
It’s been awhile – I blame my MSc Project…but no worries, I’m back to fill you in on something I’m a bit late to the party for: the show ‘Breaking Bad’. You may have already read the accolades about how it’s the best show ever, and the Emmy wins etc etc. I resisted all these signs for six years, and it wasn’t until the immense hype around the series finale,along with seeing netflix had almost all the seasons available, that I gave in and decided to give it a shot.
One lesson I’ve learnt, is that sometimes catching a TV series from some random episode does not do the show justice, and instead, one should start from the beginning. This lesson served me well with Breaking Bad. From the visually pleasing opening shots of the pilot, followed by a frantic man driving an RV with a gas mask on and in his underwear (or his ‘bukta’ as we say in Guyana) I was intrigued. By the end of the episode I was hooked.

Apart from the promising, but not unique concept of someone driven to break the law in order to provide for their family, Breaking Bad stands out as a stellar show for a few reasons, which you may have read/heard before, but I ‘m repeating because I find them to be personal truths and not mere parroting:

– The acting. Oh lord the acting. I’ve not seen any of the actors in other work, so they were fresh faces to me, and whilst Bryan Cranston was previously known for his comedic chops, he was immediately Walter White to me; Walter White, the beaten man who has frittered away his promising career (work in Nobel Prize chemistry!) to become a high-school chemistry teacher working 2 jobs to make ends meet, then faced with the sum total of zero accomplishments as he faces his mortality. He is a slightly pathetic  person I found very relatable. Everyone else, from the wise-cracking slightly douchey DEA brother-in-law, to the son with cerebral palsy give similarly first class performances.

-The writing. This is a series with 52 episodes where one is hard-pressed to pick out a weak episode. Even the few weak episodes are still better than 95% of anything else on any screen. I’ve never seen another show that so skilfully evolves all its characters (especially the one of Jesse Pinkman), whilst simultaneously devolving the central character.

-Cinematography. The series has been likened to a modern Western, and though I really don’t like Westerns, if they have the visual chops of this show, that’s a concept I can get behind!

-Thematic concepts. Much has been written about what the show creator, Vince Gilligan, had in mind when he conceptualised the show. I didn’t read these comments/reviews/interviews until I was in Season 4, but from the first season it’s obvious, but subtle. This show is about consequences. There are also others about redemption, acceptance, boundaries, addiction, victimhood, family….and of course, why cooking meth and being a drug kingpin isn’t really a good idea :D. These concepts are presented in such a way that they creep into you. It’s never an overt thing, but something you can’t help but think about, both as you watch and for the hours after when you’re drawn mentally back into the breaking bad world.

– Action. And comedy. With all the seriously intense dramatic stuff that happens, it’s sometimes easy to forget the show is also a dark comedy at times. I’ve had several actual laugh out loud moments that have rightfully become minor internet phenoms. You deserve to discover these for yourself 🙂

-One of the most memorable villains ever. In season two you’ll meet Gus Fring. Played by the amazing Giancarlo Esposito, this dude is a consummate professional, who I was convinced was a psychopath and loved to hate. Later on I realised he wasn’t and was in fact quite human. Didn’t make him any less creepy though.

So. If you haven’t already, when you have some time, watch at least the first 3 episodes and if you’re not hooked, then you must be dead inside. Just kidding, it only means your viewing-compass needs a bit of recalibration XD. Feel free to tell me whether you agree with my views or think Breaking Bad is highly overrated…because hey,  maybe I just watched the same video as Peter Griffin did….

On the Oddlings taking NYC…Part 3: PERFECTION

We got back to the apartment around 2:30 am, and I fell asleep around 3:30 utterly exhausted. Then inexplicably I was awake at 7am and unable to fall back asleep. A quick browse of the internet and MFC showed that indeed, Mika was supposed to be on CNN right then! I was wary of putting on the TV but by then everyone else had awakened for one reason or another so we turned on the idiot box. While we waited (it would turn out to be an hour plus wait) some dozed off again but I couldn’t. Then there he was! Walking into the room to be interviewed by Soledad O’Brien and almost tripping on some cables on the floor (le gasp!) To fully understand the excitement in the room you have to realize that this is the first time 3 of us had seen him live on a TV screen – everything else prior had been streamed online and it had been that long since he’d been on american TV.

Several plans got switched/aborted that day, such as  meeting up with my friend from NY, or again with the one from Vancouver. Also, two of the roomies were not going to the second concert since they couldn’t get tickets.

The morning had a molasses-like quality – everything took forever to do – like packing and getting ready to post stuff to the other oddlings, but eventually we made it to the post office and back. Before heading off to the venue I had some amazing pho from the cafe right below the apartment. That day was starting out, and predicted to remain chilly so this southern girl had to fortify herself.

We parted ways at the subway station – 2 off to the statue of liberty and 2 off to see Mika…again XD. We got to Webster Hall around 1pm and there were about 10 people in line ahead of us, including a couple who was there from 3 am (!) Brave, but not the smartest planners, especially since they booked their return bus at 11 pm and would thus have to leave the concert even before it had ended.There was a very specific moment about half an hour into sitting on the cold steps,the chilly wind penetrating to my bones and staring at the very monotonous stone facade facing us that I wanted to chuck it all in. I was in the capital of the world, my friends scattered within miles and there I was sitting on my frozen ass bored to death.On reflection I guess I also felt the absence of some super fun people I’d met for the first time the night before and who couldn’t make it to this gig for various reasons. Fortunately I got distracted from that plan and eventually forgot about it, especially as we started to engage in conversation with the other queue-ers.

Time was passed by eating sushi, frequent bathroom trips, hilarious conversation and watching the band et al. to-ing and fro-ing. By 7 pm we were allowed in and it was a painless entry. There was no nervous anxiety on my part this time, since everyone had actual tickets. The cold had then numbed all my nerves anyways. I got a much better spot to the right of the stage, just about 5 persons to the center and the barrier was even closer to the stage. Touching it only required extension of the arm. I was standing next to my roomie and an MFC-er I first met in Montreal, and who had quickly become one of my favorite people. My feet felt almost normal. All of this portended very good vibes already for this concert.

The opening act was the same and they did the same routine as far as I could tell, but the crowd didn’t seem as enthusiastic as the night before. They built up a momentum though, and I eventually felt as if I was in a groovy trance club. They had added bunches of small roses and daisies to the ‘altar’ the DJ spun her grooves on and I was sorely tempted to take the roses as a memento after their set, but alas I wasn’t close enough to grab them since they were to my left. Luckily, a girl 2 persons to my left had the same idea so she got a big bunch and shared a smaller bunch with me.  She said she was going to give Mika the roses during a song and I had the immediate idea to shower him with petals from mine at that same moment XD. It needs to be noted that I think of petal showers very highly, and would sometimes do it to myself for no other reason than to feel fabulous 🙂 This needs noting, because I was to learn later that people in the balcony thought I ‘threw’ petals at Mika’s face (!)

The lights dimmed, band entered, then the man himself. After singing Relax, he sat down at the piano and looked transported by bliss. He said he was in a very good mood and though I confess I initially thought the reason was amorous (I can’t help my dirty mind XD) I quickly figured out it was likely because the album had ended its first day of release #1 on the iTunes pop charts. The setlist was the same as the previous day but it felt like a very different concert. During the slow songs I felt as if he was singing in my living room, just for a select group of us – the feeling was that intimate. I felt no other pressure than to fold my arms over the barrier and let the melody wash over me. This was alternated by periods of the best damn club ever, when the floor was shaking and I was raving. Though he was constantly over us, and easily within grab no one touched him gratuitously and I didn’t even feel the need to look at him all the time; full measure was taken of the band at various moments and there were lots of eye closing on my part to fully savor the moment. It was a roller coaster gig filled with a full spectrum of emotions and sensations that left me incredulous by the end. This was the best I’ve ever experienced thus far.

You can spot the roses at the forefront..

On fire!

Singing in the aftermath of the rose petals…

The (in)famous Perez Hilton was in the audience (balcony) and several times during the concert I watched up at him to see he was having an amazing time! After the show he was even tweeting to the Fan club Administrator about ‘arranging’ something :). There was word about us getting to meet Mika or something similar, so we stuck around to see what would play out. Turns out we were ushered up to the VIP area where we had a little chat with one of his U.S PR people and then with the man himself. It was short but sweet.

When we left the Hall we noticed a great many more people than the previous night gathered outside waiting for him to come out, and felt fairly lucky that we didn’t have to compete with them. We went to grab a bite again but in greatly reduced numbers and then sadly and wearily parted ways to various destinations. Safe to say, the people who were going on to the Chicago gig were the envy of the group! XD

We got back to the apartment around 3:30 am and my airport pickup was at 4:15am, so I stayed awake. The rest  – trip to the airport, the  sleepy sad hugs goodbye and the zombie trek through the airport – was a blur. But I made it home safely later that day, semi catatonic but happy as f**k!

Amazing memories, no regrets and can’t wait for my next trip!!

Nasx.

On the Oddlings taking NYC…Mika Gig #1

The next day we were up a little later because we had to wait on the ‘Final Oddling’ to join us. She was coming in from Philly via train which was slightly delayed, so in the interim I planned out the day’s activities and listened to my stomach growl.
She got there safe and sound and it was brilliant to finally meet her, especially since she brought us packages of candy and wonderful knicknacks!

The main event of the day was obviously the concert – the first Mika concert for two of the Oddlings – but due to a messed up situation with presale tickets and not being able to get them until the doors opened etc, we decided not to queue very early since it would likely be pointless. Instead we took the opportunity to explore a little more of the Island.

First stop was breakfast at the Chinese bakery down the street where I experienced a sweet pork bun-thing that shouldn’t have worked as a breakfast item but was so good and so did! Then of course the obligatory Starbucks…Afterwards we set off to Max Brenner’s, a place I was introduced to by my best friend earlier this summer and fell in love with. The theme there is basically the more chocolate the better! It’s like a grown up Wonka factory with amazing concoctions. Thankfully it wasn’t packed and we got seats with ease (this is normally impossible but I guess the early time helped). Let me let the pictures do the talking…

Tiramisu cocktail

Waffle fries dusted with chili and cocoa powder

Just a simple ice cream…

11 am chocolate cocktail never felt so good! I had great plans to get a little alcohol buzz before the gig and this was my first step. Turned out to also be the last step because somewhere along the line I forgot to drink! XD But everyone gave the place a thumbs-up, so that was good. We continued on the sweet tooth train by visiting a Godiva store next. Much delectable-ness was bought for a bargain and that was also good. At this time I got in contact with the other MFC-ers to ascertain their location. I found out they were already in line at the venue and there were 3 other persons in front of them. This made me nervous, but there was nothing I could do about it, since we weren’t scheduled to be there for at least another 3 hours. So I just took deep breaths and hoped the forecast of rain would deter any more queue-ers…

After getting slightly lost, which I take full blame for :), we made it to the next stop: Dylan’s Candy Shop! We were visiting here for 2 reasons -Mika raved about it in 2009 and it was THE candy emporium in NYC…and the Oddlings all love candy a little too much XD Dylan’s did not disappoint – from the shelf entirely devoted to mustache accoutrements and candies to the stairs with candy trapped in layers, it was a wonderland of all things sweet and cavity-forming. We left with lingering hearts…

Mika’s fave candy in a box…

We were supposed to make 2 more stops but time was rapidly dwindling so we had to choose between a Japanese toy store and the Evolution Store. We choose the latter and I’m so glad we did, because it turned out to be a truly amazing place! It’s the go-to place for minerals, taxidermy and other natural history thingys. We walked around in awe and everybody ended up purchasing something this time. Maybe it’s a good thing there are import restrictions, otherwise alligator heads and other oddities would’ve been bought that day XD. Then we were on our way back to the apartment full of nervous energy for the gig.

My friend from Vancouver joined us at the apartment and we all changed into gig gear with Stardust being the ‘theme’. We managed to get glitter on everything so I would say it was a success. We’d bought rain ponchos and umbrellas earlier so we set off to our destination fully prepared. When we got to the venue it was a pleasant jolt seeing Mika’s name up on the marquee and even pleasanter to meet the other MFCers. There were a few new faces but we would quickly get to know them before the night was out. Because of the whole presale situation we stayed at the head of the queue with the others, and I felt guilty about jumping the line, but thankfully no one protested. New Yorkers can be nice after all! XD We passed the time by making up weather-appropriate lyrics to Stardust (new song on the new Mika album) and then proceeding to sing them out loud.

When it started to drizzle a little more we were herded into the bar in the venue and told to form an orderly line. All the Fan Club people were at the head of the line but I was a knot of apprehension  I feared not being on the pre-sale list, I was angry about the mass of people who had come at the last minute and totally ignored the line to crowd the entrance, I was annoyed at the music in the bar; I was just a nervous mess. Turned out I didn’t have that much to worry about, the hard and much-appreciated work of the Fan club moderator ensured all MFC-ers got in first, our names were checked against the pre-sale list and we made it to front row no problem. My best friend and I got separated from the rest and so were to the left of the stage. It wasn’t a bad spot but I knew we won’t get much front row attention since Mika tended to favor his left side and the center. It was my friend’s first Mika gig and first front row. She was bemused by our intensity, but happy to be there I daresay.

The opening act – The Dolls – were actually very interesting and a nice crowd plumper but I was anxious for the main event. Amazingly, about 5 minutes early the show starts and I forget my throbbing feet and intense hunger. For the first half of the show I’m enthralled but eventually the hunger and pain come back and I’m distracted for brief spurts. The show was excellent, with great crowd interaction and much floor shaking (I swore it would cave in at some points), but it wasn’t better than my first gig in Montreal, just different. He employed the use of a choir (who would come to be called the Polka Dot Choir) for the first time, and they were a big success. It was especially endearing (and money-saving! XD) that he picked fans who submitted vids to be in the choir.

At the end of the gig I was happy but limping so sat right there on the floor as the room cleared out. Every one then went down stairs to buy the new merchandise and CDs that were on sale. I wasn’t going to get anything but ended up purchasing 4 CDs as gifts and a tee shirt. Hey, it saved me the trouble of going to Barnes and Noble where I was going to get them anyways! At this point my best friend had had enough and decided to make her way back to Queens. She said she’d had a blast but just wasn’t up to waiting an indeterminate amount of time for him to come out – which was what the rest of us were going to do. I bid her a sad adieu and went outside to wait on the performer.

Fortunately the wait wasn’t long. After getting hassled by security a few times about where we could conglomerate, and after about maybe a 20 minute wait, he came out. He was in a hurry because he had to get up early to be at CNN (we thought he was peddling some misinformation but turns out he was right). He did sign all the proffered items though, including my CD booklet. That it was a small group (maybe 15 persons) helped. I took that opportunity to give him my thank-you present, a 1960 first edition Miguel Street by Nobel prize winning Trinidadian author V.S Naipaul. I told him I heard he collected first Editions and hoped he would like this one; he thanked me with his usual grace, but I just hope he didn’t leave it in his hotel room XD It started to rain again so he was getting hustled away, but not before he was intercepted by a very LOUD and ‘indecorous’ fan who in spite of that ended up getting a picture with him.

Miguel Street…

He drove away and we stood around, giggly and on an endorphin and hunger fueled high. We started drifting aimlessly in search of food and at the next stop light met with the band who were leaving to catch a cab. It was a quick but happy meeting and I told Joy (the backup singer/drummer) how I thought she was reverse-aging (she really is!) She said her secret was baby lotion. 🙂

Eventually we ended up at a Ukrainian restaurant and proceeded to make a joyful mayhem in the place – all 16 of us. Later walking home from the subway, I reflected on how amazing the night turned out and thought it couldn’t possibly get better. I was wrong.

to be continued…..

Nasx!

On chasing waterfalls…

I’m reading this thoroughly entertaining novel right now where the protagonist lives for a bit in the Kaieteur National Park area and it got me feeling wistful and reflective about my own journey there 3 years ago. My memory is a bit fuzzy (should’ve started blogging since then dammit!XD) but with the aid of pictures allow me to recap.

The year was 2009. I had a tinge of homesickness so I decided to present the spouse (then boyfriend) with a trip to Guyana. To make it extra special, I looked into visiting the legendary Kaieteur Falls since neither of us had been there. Kaieteur Falls is only one of the largest single drop falls in the world and possibly the most famous tourist attraction in Guyana. It’s 3 times the height of Niagara and one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world by virtue of it’s water volume and height. The tale goes that the waterfall is so named by the indigenous Patamona tribe because the chief Kai paddled himself over the falls as a sacrifice to the great spirit, thus saving his tribe. Ever since I can remember, the image of Kaieteur has dominated my concept of Guyana’s ‘interior’ (the term for any land apart from the coastline of the country), and festooned many textbook covers and tourism magazines. I’ve always dreamt of visiting, but for the average Guyanese the trip costs about as much as a trip to a neighboring island, so unsurprisingly many people chose the latter. Recently however there have been special initiatives offering locals reduced prices so more Guyanese can actually experience this local gem.

I researched everything online and decided to go with evergreen tours. There was an overland option to get to the falls that involved days of hiking and scenic fabulousness I’m sure, but I was lazy and chose the plane option. I can’t recall the exact price but it was less than 200US per person – inclusive of return flight, meals and snack – not a bad deal at all! When we got to Georgetown we paid for the trip,  and prayed for good weather on the day of flight. The trip was scheduled for the hubby’s exact birthday. I choice I started having misgivings about when I reached the airport. I’ve travelled in small planes before but nothing as small as that plane – it was an eight or ten seater and looked like something time forgot. I reassured myself that pilots don’t normally have deathwishes so obviously it was air-worthy, but I had dark thoughts, I admit XD I had a recurring image of his mother killing me for dooming her son on his birthday XD We boarded the plane, nevertheless, and I was relieved to experience a noisy but non-tumultous flight, being especially fascinated by having a non-pressurized cabin and windows we could open (le gasp!). We soon left the coast behind and for the next half hour I was dazzled by the mighty Essequibo river and its many (supposedly 365) islands. Seeing the vastness of Guyana never fails to impress me and that was a great vantage point for impressing.

First stop was Baganara Resort, situated on the Essequibo River. I was struck by how well kept and tranquil the place was. This is somewhere I hope to return to within the next few years. No matter what ails your soul, it could be rejuvenated in a place like this. We had a scrumptious lunch there and wandered the grounds. A 2 hour stop went way too quickly and soon it was time to depart for the main attraction.

The Gazebo at Baganara Island Resort is perfect for contemplating the Essequibo river…

View of grounds and peek at GuestHouse

The flight from Baganara to Kaieteur was around 45 minutes, the majority of which was spent going over forest so dense it looked like so many heads of broccoli. The few spots of cleared forest both inspired pride in humanity having conquered that bit of the mighty forest and displeasure at the pockmarking it created. Soon however, it was just uninterrupted dense greenery of the sort that could hide a crashed plane forever…or possibly dinosaurs. It was humbling and majestic. At one point we flew past a ‘mini-waterfall’ that was so pretty it would’ve been the main attraction anywhere else. We landed on a patch of bare ground to the cover of overcast skies. Everything felt wet though any rainfall had been hours past. We were advised not to take anything from the park grounds and I surprisingly complied that one time 🙂 Our guide then started the short hike to the falls.

People say that Kaieteur can ‘call’ you…meaning draw you to it’s edge, likely for some fatal end. I scoffed at that of course, but confronting that large body of water thundering over a precipice is indeed magnetic. A few months later a young female tourist threw herself over the falls during an apparent bout of depression. The report saddened me, but I could relate to the sensual poetic pull the falls might offer someone with supposedly nothing to lose. I have a controlled fear of heights so I kept away from the edge, but hubby had no such compunctions and did several daredevil maneuvers involving the edge that caused me to walk away from him both as a supplication and a threat.  There are no guardrails or barriers of any sort at the site though you’re obviously warned of the dangers. You can literally touch the river a few feet before it leaps over the edge.When tourist volume increases this might change, but for now it’s an intensely sensory, immersive and unforgettable experience.

It turned out that two of our travelling companions were actually BBC reporters doing a piece on Guyana. The video belong is the result of their trip. But before you watch that feast your eyes on what my crappy camera captured.  🙂

View of the Valley of the Falls

Another view…

Daredevil boyfriend…

Sorry for the color XD

Yup, that close..

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Nasx