Thought Train to Pusan

Tomorrow (or I guess tonight technically?) the World Figure Skating Championships start in Japan. So before those get under way, here is the incredible, record-breaking short program that Yuzuru Hanyu performed in Sochi, right before he and Patrick Chan both stumbled their way through their free skates (it pains me to think about it, because I know that they are both so much better than that). It's so flawless, and he brings so much sass and personality to certain moves in it that I just fell in love with him. Also I'm pretty sure Jeffrey Buttle choreographed this program for him (but correct me if I'm wrong), which makes so much sense when you look at the kind of moves and style in there.  I look forward to seeing what Yuzuru's career holds in the future, and wish him luck performing in his home country within the next couple of days; I'm sure he's going to blow the roof off the joint! But for now, let's revisit his amazing performance in Russia earlier th

This series keeps drawing me in with so many questions and little mysteries about all of the different characters, and if someone hadn’t already borrowed my sister’s copy, I would have kept on with the 3 rd volume in this series immediately after finishing Head Games . There is something really refreshing about the familial mystery to be found in Locke & Key , with cleanly detailed artwork that just adds to the overall appeal. This second volume, Head Games , picks up with the Locke family, and the eerie new friend of Tyler’s, Zach, who was previously in the form of the woman in their old well house. Zach is recognized at the high school by one of the old professors, who identifies him as an old student that had disappeared over twenty years earlier. Zach sees this information as threatening his plans, and decides to “deal with” anyone who seems to recognize him even in the slightest. He does this all while posing as the nephew of the high school gym teacher, who appears to

Today we have a routine by the lovely Kevin Reynolds, who I sometimes refer to as the True Elf Prince (sorry, Legolas), skating to a musical selection by AC/DC. And why have I chosen this skate today? Because even though he may not land some of his jumps, there is nothing more wonderful than someone being true to themselves. Most of the other competitive skaters may perform to classical music or a swelling movie soundtrack, but not Kevin (at least not in this program): he chooses to skate to the kind of music he loves, with minimal costuming and a little personality flare in his moves, which just shows how much fun he has with the choreography of his program.  Keep on doing your thing, Kevin, you marvellous being. And might I add, that your long limbs are ridiculous and amazing? Because they most certainly are. (The skate doesn't begin until about the 3:00 mark of this video):

Today's skate that I want to share is of Jason Brown's free skate at the 2014 US Open championships. I hadn't really heard of this young man until recently, and absolutely fell in love with this skate for a few reasons: first and foremost, because you can clearly tell that he is having so much fun performing it, and I can't help but smile while watching him. He has so much energy and flexibility in those long limbs of his, and his split-jumps are amazingly effortless! There is something so infectious about Jason Brown already in his career, and I can't wait to see what he accomplishes in the years to come.  Plus, who doesn't love a good routine set to the soundtrack of Riverdance?

After meeting me, it's only a matter of time until you find out that I am quite a big fan of figure skating (particularly men's figure skating), though this interest is something that ebbs and flows depending on the time: however the Sochi Olympics just refuelled that fire, and I am once again completely in love with the sport. Because of my rekindled affection for figure skating, I've decided to periodically post videos of some of my favourite skating performances, starting now. But first, some explanation: Figure skating requires an intense amount of athleticism, which I think some people often forget, as it is technically a "glamour sport". But behind the shiny veneer and effortlessness that is presented, I'd hazard to say that any skater is not a world-class athlete. How many people do you know that can dead-lift a muscular girl while speeding across ice on two blades, only to hold her with a single arm, or throw her up in the air and put her back down

Collecting Lucifer issues #14-28, and presented in a series of 3-part tales, Lucifer, Book 2 packs just as much interest, theological imagination, grotesqueness, and creativity as the first volume in the series. This kind of thing is definitely not for everyone, and my appreciation of the illustrative qualities varied from artist to artist within the book. However, I once again thoroughly enjoyed the characterization that Mike Carey has created in Lucifer, many of the issue covers and artworks separating the different sections within this book are absolutely stunning! The second volume of Lucifer picks up where the first book left off: with Lucifer in the process of creating his own new universe. This new realm lies within no boundaries of authority but his own, and without the presence of God or the other heavenly warriors, many different sects of spirits, demons, and other creatures all want a slice of the new world under the Morningstar’s rule. Schemes are made, and deals a