Dr. Ellie Sattler

The big controversy these days is the consumption of GMO products. In particular, a certain biotechnology company is spending millions to prevent labeling on packages containing genetically modified organisms.

In 2010, scientists pondered on what would happen if they could alter mosquito DNA to make them resistant to malaria. It would be a breakthrough and perhaps cure the spread of the disease. In 2009, they added a lethal gene in the mosquito DNA to combat Dengue fever. They let loose the insect in the Cayman Islands and it reduced the fever by 80%. Although highly controversial, the results astounded.

In 1993, genetics were also all the rage, a little movie by the name of Jurassic Park came to theaters. The premise? Create a park made up entirely of dinosaurs, and the public would pay through the nose to see the natural attractions in action. Of course, things don’t go as planned, there’s running and screaming and, well, you get the picture. In the midst of this wonderful premise, lies buried an interesting theory. What if scientist could find a way to extract dinosaur DNA from mosquitoes trapped in amber from millions of years ago? Would scientists have enough information to recreate the dinosaurs? Movies are movies, yet this had the markings of something plausible that may happen.

Enter Dr. Ellie Sattler, paleobotanist. She studies prehistoric plants. Invited along with paleontologist Dr. Grant and mathematician Dr. Ian Malcolm to Jurassic Park by creator John Hammond, she immediately asserts her position in the grand scheme of things:

Dr. Ian Malcolm: God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs.
Dr. Ellie Sattler: Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth.

No denying she has a way of grabbing someone’s attention. Her moxie directs her to do the things that guys ought to do. Who’s the one who hops into the middle of a dangerous jungle to investigate the ill condition of a Triceratops? Dr. Sattler. Who’s the one who dives hands first into a pile of fresh dung to examine the root cause of the pharmacological poisoning of the beast from local plant life? Dr. Sattler. And who’s the one who accompanies a skilled hunter into the wild to retrieve the children from harm’s way? Yep, you guessed it, Dr. Sattler.

Dr. Sattler

As a natural leader, she embodies the spirit of true serving. How else can one describe her disregard for her own safety when searching for the children and finding the remains of the truck from which they fell? On her own, with only a flashlight in hand, she searched for them at the bottom of a gorge—unarmed, mind you.

Then there’s the pivotal scene where she’s the one who has a talk with John Hammond, as the whole park falls apart at the seams, scolding him about the illusion of control he thought he had over the park. No one else could have pulled that off with him and get away with it. And let’s not forget who brought the power back up in the park while the raptors were having a party feasting on the guests. That’s right, she went and did it all on her own. Adding to fun times, she even came face to face with a raptor, keeping it at bay while finding a way of escape.

Dr. Ellie Sattler certainly is one of the fiercest female characters to hit a Spielberg film. It would have been amazing if she strapped on a shotgun and made meat of those carnivorous creatures threatening her friends. It would have been too easy, though.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale October 22.

What did you think of Dr. Ellie Sattler? What did you like about Jurassic Park?

Zombie Stampede

Anyone familiar with score music will know Marco Beltrami rocks the scene with incredibly powerful renditions of tension inducing bravado. All that means is he’s the go-to guy for heavy, heart-thumping themes. The other side of the composer, he produces some of the most poignant, emotion-filled melodies for the big screen. His quiet, eerie sounds he chooses to incorporate in the compositions drives his films to new levels of suspense and terror.

Tomorrow, the score releases in stores and retail outlets everywhere. What do I expect? I’m hoping a Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines whoopin’. I’m hoping when I put on my Sennheiser headphones, the walls outside will shake. Imagine a constant pounding with ear-splitting crescendos and breathtaking silences. We’re talking about Second Coming music without relent. Yet, I’m also hoping, in Beltrami’s inimitable style, beautiful, sweeping phrases, majestic and victorious in breath, to herald the dawn of the zombie apocalypse.

I’m getting shivers run up my spine thinking about it.

Zombie Climb

Beltrami’s also responsible for the rhythmic I, Robot score. The constant tapping heard is a trademark Beltrami sound sucking the listener into the vortex of his design. Shrilling flutes and reverberating brass counterpoints, clanging anvils, he has it all.

But the score I believe most likely will have the greatest influence on World War Z is Underworld: Evolution. Imagine armies of zombies marching on a city while heavy timpani pummels in the background, a grand piano repeats the same phrase in its lower register, and syncopated strings push against the blaring of a lone trumpet. More? Add emergency sirens and real skulls he brought into the recording studio. That’s cool. That’s Beltrami. That’s probably why he’s the composer commissioned for the film.

Zombie Panorama

World War Z is a landmark event. No other time in film history will a blockbuster of such sheer scope and magnitude affect an entire genre upon release. This is Hollywood’s attempt at making zombies in vogue, injecting them into the mainstream for all to see.

Let’s hope the public’s ready. The Walking Dead ushered in a new generation of zombie fan, where it was cool again to like dead things crawling in the night. The media’s also having its heyday with TV series and movies parading zombies in the open. Entertainment such as In the Flesh and Warm Bodies has made stars of dead people.

If this film works, history will remember Brad Pitt as a visionary, willing to take risks, never afraid of the outcome of such gambles. Max Brooks’ novels will fly off the shelf, and no one will ever look back.

Bring it on, Beltrami. Let’s see what you got.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale October 22.

Are you going to see World War Z? Is music to a movie as important as the story?

Hogan’s Heroes (Photo Credit CBS)

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

Whoops, wrong narrative. Let’s try this again.

Back in the Eighties. Gosh, that does sound like a galaxy far, far away. Anyway, back in the Eighties, I became a lover of the VHS tape recorder. I’d get excited knowing I could tape my favorite program and watch it over and over again. And over and over. I can’t forget how many times I watched a certain episode of Hogan’s Heroes. Why? Well, because I could, of course. I treasured that tape. Looked after it. Coddled it. Then again, I was a geekboy with very little friends. Not really, but you get my point.

Then I discovered I can actually record programs without my being home. I couldn’t believe the instruction manual. All I had to do was program the timer on the display and I can enjoy an evening out playing mini golf with friends while the VCR taped an episode of David Hasselhoff’s Knight Rider. Yeah, yeah. Laugh. I liked the show. What can I say?

David Hasselhoff in Knight Rider (AP Photo/NBC)

That evening the mini golf was a bust. It had rained. I then thought, well, at least the evening wasn’t a total loss. I still had my Knight Rider. I eased in the comfort of my couch, flicked the remote, dimmed the lights, and greeting me was a documentary of the lifespan of a wasp. Fascinating. Where’s my show? Maybe I forgot to click on the TV/VCR switch. Am I getting PBS? Nope. I can see the timer on the display going forward. Second by second. Where’s my show!

It wasn’t the first time I had missed what I wanted to watch because of something that went wrong on the device. It wasn’t only me either. My dad would sometimes forget to change the timer from A.M. to P.M. He’d get lovely shows like three-hour marathons of Korean infomercials spanning the length of the tape. Livid? It isn’t the word I’d use to describe the nuclear meltdowns the VCR would initiate in our household. Oh, and let’s not ignore the chewed-up, mangled tapes the little sucker would spit out those wonderful days whenever the tracking heads were dirty. You might as well have placed crime scene tape at the entrance of our home.

No matter how bad those memories sound, I haven’t described the worst of the worst. If anything stuck in my mind as the epitome of time-recording nonsense in the VCR age, I would have to say it was Daylight Savings Time. All I wanted to do was record my program after 12:00 A.M.. Nothing complicated. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Huh, did I have a lot to learn. It wasn’t until later years that I learned the phrase “spring forward, fall back.” Before then, I was at the mercy of the programming lords of the universe.

For instance in Canada, DST doesn’t kick in until 2:00 A.M. I chuckle knowing the pain this caused. Every Spring and Autumn I was all over that timer. I was always an hour either late or early. Could never figure it out. Of course because it was late at night the programs recorded were less than appropriate for family consumption. The next day, I’d find things on my tape like catching the start of Buxom Bikini Babes from Biloxi staring at me. Believe me, not fun when your mom’s in the same room waiting for a classic movie.

Good golly, thank goodness we now have the internet where we can stream anything we want whenever we want. I don’t know how I survived the early days.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale October 22.

Do you have a technology mishap you’d like to share? Any other memorable moments?

Black Widow

Past Women Who Wow Wednesday posts have focused on female characters that could empower women into becoming better in whatever position life has given them. But after having thoroughly researched Black Widow’s record, this writer is at odds with placing this woman on a pedestal.

What can one say of Black Widow’s behavior that in some form or another wouldn’t cause someone to cringe? Definitely not the following:

• In Ultimate Marvel, Romanova is a former KGB spy and assassin
• Genetic or cybernetic implants make her a formidable combatant
• The woman is known for killing her ex-husbands
• Responsible for the death of Hawkeye’s wife and children
• Publicly revealed Bruce Banner’s connection to the Hulk
• Collaborated with the Liberators in their invasion of the U.S.

There’s more, yet that would involve divulging major plot points in Black Widow’s history. Suffice it to say she leaves much to be desired on the honor and trustworthiness scale.

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff

However, when she appears in Iron Man 2, she’s Natalie Rushman (Scarlett Johansson), Stark Industries’ replacement for personal assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) who moves into the company’s CEO position. No one knows what to make of the redhead until S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury reveals Natalie Rushman is covert operative Natasha Romanoff, planted to monitor Iron Man, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). You see, Tony’s dying, and she needs to keep him from harm’s way. Natasha also injects Tony with a special serum to slow the palladium poisoning he’s been experiencing due to his use of the arc reactor that keeps him alive.

In the movie The Avengers, there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind where Black Widow’s loyalty lies. From the very first frame, we see her in a quandary. A Russian general is about to interrogate Natasha as three soldiers stand in the wings. She dispatches them whole—tied up, no less. The information flows from the general’s mouth.

Yeah, but can anyone trust her? Nick Fury can. He trusts her with the most important assignment of all—bringing in Bruce Banner. No other Avenger can do what she can. Nick doesn’t trust anyone else to do what she can. One wrong move and Bruce turns into the big green guy. No doubt, she did it. She brought him in without a fight.

Once on the helicarrier, her next assignment gets more complex. Interrogate Loki. What’s your plan? Of course she didn’t ask the direct question. Through subterfuge and ploy, Natasha discovers Loki’s nefarious design to deploy Hulk to do his dirty work. One problem, though: When Bruce Banner does turn into the big green guy, Natasha is the only one to delay the inevitable—the absolute destruction of the ship.

When the final battle occurs in New York City, Black Widow’s the only one who understands someone has to close the portal spewing the Chitauri upon the earth. Iron Man’s pathetic attempt at brutal stoppage does not work. Thankfully, she follows through with her genius plan and saves the city from destruction.

No matter what her past, Black Widow has redeemed herself with The Avengers.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale October 22.

Have you seen The Avengers? What did you think of it? Do you know of Black Widow’s past?

Frankenstein

Are you ready to enter the world of zombie literature? Well then, what are we waiting for? Here is my version of classic literature zombie style:

Moby Dick and Zombies—Ahab’s sanity: “The undead’s madness deceives the soul. When you think you are fed, it transfigures you further into some hideous creature also known as—human.”

Emma and Zombies—Emma talking to Harriet about Martin: “I lay it down as a general rule, Harriet, that if a monster of bountiful means cannot cleanse the entrails of its screaming victim, it is not a monster fashioned from death, but human. Of course, do not imagine that I want to influence you.”

Dracula and Zombies—Van Helsing criticizes his protégé: “Ah, it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all. How can it explain the lust of the flesh, the drinking of the blood and the craving of the sinew if a dead man cannot walk? Is there no vampire that can stop the undead?”

Frankenstein and Zombies—Victor warns Walton: “How dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who uses that knowledge against the spawns of the grave. For the grave dwellers hearken to no one and they will devour those who so foolishly perceive their homes safe.”

Dracula

The Great Gatsby and Zombies—Nick: “There are only the hunted, the hunting, the eaters and the eaten. No more, no less. The dead walk among us.”

Of Mice and Men and Zombies—Crooks talking about loneliness: “A guy needs somebody. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference if he’s dead and risen from the grave, festerin’ at the jaw, chewin’ at the maggots, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya, it don’t get too lonely with the dead walkin’ ’bout.”

The Scarlet Letter and Zombies—Roger tormenting Arthur: “No creature, for any considerable period, can say it is not a zombie. Its hunger betrays it and its countenance screams its identity.”

To Kill a Mockingbird and Zombies—Atticus: “You never really understand a person until you rip his eyes out from its sockets. Until you search inside of his stomach and twirl it about.”

Little Women and Zombies—Louisa May Alcott: “I want to do something splendid…something heroic. I want to tear the lungs out of a zombie and hang them on a tree. I want to disembowel the creature until the branches are covered with its dripping intestines.”

Lord of the Flies and Zombies—Jack: “We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not human. We’re zombies, and the zombies are best at everything.”

Your turn, have a go and try a few. See if you can add to this list.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale October 22.

Do you have a quote you like best? What is it that you like about zombies?

Toronto

In April, Evert Houston, an Executive Producer at Blue Flame Collective, a Toronto-based film production community he co-founded along with Executive Producer Oliver Ward, approached me about one of my photos I had taken a few years back of the Monument to Multiculturalism in Toronto. He was thinking of using the shot for their Village Global short film festival advertisements, itinerary and such.

Of course you know what pops into my head first. How much? But as he went on to describe the film festival and how it represented the unique multicultural diversity Toronto has to offer, I thought to myself, there’s no way I’d pass up a chance to be part of this growing community of artists with the common goal of celebrating the city’s rich ethnicity.

I stopped him mid-sentence and said, “I’ll give you the answer you’re looking for. Yes.”

Village Global

From there, my wife and I received a personal invitation to attend the exclusive premier of twelve short films presented by Blue Flame Collective in the heart of Toronto on June 2nd.

The festival was by invitation only. We had no problem getting in since our name was on the list. Associate Producer and actress Farah Merani greeted us with an incredibly warm smile, then introduced us to actress Janice Giles who gave us a quick orientation of the area. It was so much fun meeting them knowing we’d see them shortly on the big screen.

My wife managed to grab a seat close to where the hustle and bustle took place. I found it exciting to hear the conversations around me about projects, future projects, and plain ‘ol banter going on. Seated next us was Justin Sanchez, Writer / Producer / Director and star of the short film The Lingering. Later in the intermission, I expressed to him my deepest admiration of his work.

I won’t get into all the films we saw because there were a dozen in all, but I will say this: all of them were unique in their own way. The ones that stood out the most to me were We Each Have Our Armies by Bobby Del Rio, about the trials of an interracial relationship, and Just a Prayer by Farah Merani, about a woman’s personal struggle with the choices she makes in life. Each had controversial themes. Each presented a surprising resolution to their conflicts.

As mentioned, the event had a dozen films in all. Six presented, then after a short intermission, the final six closed the festival. We stayed for the whole thing, enjoying the talent Toronto had to offer.

You know, it’s wonderful to live near an area rich in culture and diversity. It’s even more wonderful when that culture and diversity reflects in the art of film.

I would like to thank Evert Houston for his invitation and for the opportunity to meet face to face. My wife and I definitely had a lot of fun.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale October 22.

Have you ever been to a film festival in Toronto? What was it like?

Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater

When Rose walks aboard the Titanic, who many call The Ship of Dreams, for her it is anything but. She likens it to a prison where her soul cries out for freedom and there is no escape. Her fiancée, Caledon Hockley, a man of wealth and viable means, promises her the world if she wouldn’t deny him. His wish? Open your heart to me, Rose. The price sounds too costly.

Enter Jack Dawson, the free-spirited young man who would change Rose’s life forever. He travels from place to place on tramp steamers and such. He won his ticket on the Titanic in a lucky hand of poker. A very lucky hand. They meet in the moonlight, she, wanting to take her life, he, wanting to save it. Give me your hand. You don’t want to do this, he says. Come on. One more step and she would’ve found herself floating in the middle of the Atlantic with the water so cold it would’ve hit her like a thousand knives. You saved me, Jack, in every way a person can be saved.

Rose meets Jack in First Class, among the most important on the ship. His art captivates her. Her cheeks grow hot at his drawings of the women. Did you like this woman? I think you must have had a love affair with her. Not at all, he says, just with her hands. She was a one-legged prostitute. Rose melts knowing she promised her heart to Caledon. All the wedding invitations have gone out, there’s no escape of the inevitable. She has to marry him.

Rose

Do you love him? Oh, Jack, what a silly question to ask. It’s simple, do you love him or not? Rose props her head high, and declares her departure. Wait a minute, it’s First Class, he has to leave! Not before he teaches her how to spit. Strange kids. On the First Class deck, he aims for the sunset bathed ocean. It went far. They’re one. No denying they belong together.

But then there’s Cal. Caledon. What to do? Rose’s heart tears from knowing if she gives him up, she’d be giving up her security. He’s been good to her. If you don’t break free, Jack says, your heart will die. Maybe not right away but the fire will eventually go out. Rose makes her decision. It’s not up to you to save me, Jack. For both our sakes, leave me alone. As strong as she tries, she can’t muster the courage to ignore Jack. Nothing can quench the fire within her not to be with her secret lover.

Jack and Rose

When the iceberg finally hits, they can smell the ice. But Rose had decided. When the ship lands, she will disappear with Jack. Before that happens, he will have to free himself. Cal frames him with stealing The Heart of the Ocean diamond. Into the belly of the ship Jack goes, handcuffs and all.

As the ship sinks, Rose’s desperate search for Jack leads to a water-filled grave. Where, oh, where has my Jack gone? In the bowels of the beast, her back against the wall, the vessel groans. She will find him. She will rescue him just as he had done for her. Except this time, she will never doubt him again. Ever.

Rose eventually finds Jack, rescues him from his watery prison, and he leads her to the top of the ship where they consummate a promise of life. Whatever you do, Rose, don’t let go of my hand. We’re gonna make it. Trust me.

I trust you.

The ship bobs for a bit. Stays still. Then flounders. In a rush, waves swallow the couple whole. A few minutes later, the ocean regrets taking the lovers and releases them to the surface.

On a scrap of debris, Jack asks Rose one thing of her. With every last trembling breath he can collect, promise me you will survive. That you will never give up. No matter what happens. No matter how hopeless. Promise me now, and never let go of that promise.

I promise.

Never let go.

I promise. I will never let go, Jack. I’ll never let go.

Green Virus by Azdude

Many empires and regimes have crumbled due to discontent of the masses, an all-encompassing geological disaster or a biological catastrophe so grand no one was left to record it. Sometimes the combination of the three had triggered the ruinous tragedy. Aside from the history lesson, the ancient civilizations of Assyria, Egypt, Greece, Rome and countless of others have long since disappeared. The lot having suffered rebellions, invasions, earthquakes, plagues. Other than a handful of monuments, and artifacts, not much is left.

What would life be like if a real zombie apocalypse were to take place? Experts have discussed this topic to death (no pun intended). Is it a wonder? It’s a fascinating topic. The destruction of life on this planet, ushering in a new breed of organism higher than humans in the food chain. Let’s have a go at a few scenarios in order to inspire some conversation.

Virus

The Plague—A hospital somewhere in the United States receives a patient with flu-like symptoms. In their care, the victim, Patient Zero, experiences convulsions, pale skin, and blood oozing from the ears. Patient Zero dies. The doctors order the body to the morgue. The hospital has yet to enact any quarantine protocols. One of Patient Zero’s former attending doctors begins to feel feverish. It’s only a fever, nothing to worry about. The doctor drops on the waiting room floor and convulses. Blood runs from the ears. Whatever Patient Zero brought into the hospital is now airborne. Still, no quarantine. Back at the morgue, Patient Zero suddenly rises from the table and lunges at the orderly who was prepping the body for an autopsy. Death comes fast. In the waiting room, the doctor also dies, but not before having breathed on a dozen or so patients. One of the patients makes a run for the doors. Her arm is broken. She doesn’t care, no way is that thing that killed the doctor going to kill her.

The hospital finally enacts quarantine protocols. Rubber gloves, masks, segregated sections. It’s too late, though. The whole hospital is contaminated, and what became of Patient Zero soon takes hold of the others. The woman with the broken arm dies in an alley. She rises again to join her brothers and sisters flooding the streets from the hospital exits. The pangs of hunger dictate their walk. One at a time, the dominoes fall. A hospital becomes a school. A school becomes a government building. Within a week, mile after mile falls in the hands of the zombies seeking meat. Within a few months, United States, Canada, and South America lay in ruins. Europe soon falls.

Parasite

The Parasite—Having prepared his BBQ’d meat, potatoes and vegetables, a man sits to eat at the balcony table with the view of the city as his entertainment. He ingests the meal, cutting the morsels in measured pieces. The knife has trouble with one portion of the meat. A little undercooked. He’ll be fine. After dinner, the man lays down on the couch only to wake up three days later, disoriented by a terrible throbbing headache. He wobbles from his condominium to the street in a state of confusion. A little girl approaches him on the sidewalk from the opposite end. The man attacks the girl, biting her in the shoulder. To escape, she scratches his face and runs.

The bite pounds on the girl’s shoulder causing her to go numb in a park under a tree. Parasitical eggs from the man’s saliva enter the girl’s blood stream to lodge in her brain. She blacks out. Her young age causes the eggs to hatch quickly and mutate. She hops to her feet. Disoriented, she finds her way to a school. There, the biting starts. One child at a time, the parasites feed on the children’s brains until the parasite mutates further to crave flesh.

Like dominoes, society falls.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale October 22.

Do you think these scenarios are so far-fetched that they can’t happen? Do you have scenarios of your own?

Barrie, Ontario, Shore

Welcome to my Freedom Friday post where I talk about whatever comes to mind. And what’s on my mind at this moment is last weekend. What did we do that was so special? My wife and I loaded the car, dropped the kids at friends, and spent three days away from it all. We enjoyed a mini-vacation, if you will, without the cares and worries of life’s little inconveniences. You know the ones. Laundry, cooking, cleaning, dusting, shopping, mowing the lawn, washing the windows, picking up and dropping off the kids to their activities, and a myriad of life’s other chores we do, but have only so many hours in the day to accomplish.

Barrie, Ontario, Rocks

Barrie, Ontario, Fountain

When we arrived at our hotel last Friday night, I unloaded the car while my wife took care of our room. The first thing that’d happened, which set the tone for the rest of our stay, was my wife’s chitchat with the desk clerk led to a free upgrade to the room. There was a lacrosse tournament happening that same weekend, and rather than have us stuck on a floor with partying teenagers, the desk clerk booked us in the honeymoon suite complete with a king-size bed and Jacuzzi. When I say Jacuzzi, I mean hot-tub-in-the-center-of-the-room Jacuzzi. It gets better.

Our hotel was close to the highway, making it easy for us to travel from one activity to another. Most of our time, however, we spent in the throes of relaxation. The word downtime comes to mind. It doesn’t even come close to describing what we experienced. Believe me, a weekend without the kids does not inspire a time of planned recreation.

Inside the hotel room, we dropped our bags on the spot and left for dinner. We have a special restaurant we visit whenever we’re in town called Ling’s Cuisine. I can describe their food as delicious, yet somehow the phrase needs some work. Beyond delectable? How’s that for a description? Their atmosphere is quiet, and their service is perfect. Their servers know their menus, having the ability to recommend plates and understanding their ingredients. For instance, I didn’t know what tobiko was until our server said they were flying fish eggs. The eggs don’t fly, it’s the fish that breed the eggs that fly. Good to know, anyway. I ordered a couple of plates of salmon maki while my wife chose a Miso (vegetable) soup and Salmon Teriyaki. As we enjoyed our dinner, my wife nodded regarding the couple behind me. They, too, were enjoying time alone. They had a full bottle of white wine with their meal. By the end of the evening, it was all gone. She smiled at me knowing where they were going.

Ling’s Cuisine

Philadelphia Maki

Salmon Teriyaki

Our Saturday consisted of waking up late and heading to the pool. The water was cold yet manageable. I spent most of my time in the hot tub gazing out the ceiling windows into the clouds. One cloud in particular caught my attention. It was the puffy white kind set on a crystal blue background. It shifted. First, it turned into a genie, then it became a cowboy. As the minutes passed, it became apparent it was disappearing before my eyes. It sparked a thought. Our lives are like the clouds, passing so fast that one day we’ll also disappear into nothingness. One day we’re here and the next—poof—we’re gone. Well, that was the morbid portion of my post. I also do song and dance on demand and recite funny limericks.

That afternoon we headed to Boston Pizza, a Canadian gourmet pizza franchise that also specializes in serving gluten-free pizza. My wife was happy, and as I said once before—happy wife, happy life. This time our conversation centered on how nice it was not to have any responsibilities for the weekend. Both of us had dopey eyes for most of the meal. Boy, we thought, we should do this more often. Amazing what alone time will do. You young parents will know what I mean when you’re away from the kids for some time. It’s like a natural sedative.

Boston Pizza (Exterior)

Boston Pizza (Interior)

For our Saturday night entertainment, we enjoyed that wonderful Jacuzzi and went back to Ling’s. Good things go a long way. You know, it’s funny. We were driving to the restaurant and I notice a biker in all his glory on this amazing-looking bike. I mentioned this to my wife, telling her how much I admired it. She said, “Yeah, Jack, but it isn’t a Harley.” I thought, who is this woman who I’ve known for almost half my life. Is there something she hasn’t told me about her past? How does she know what a Harley looks like?

On Sunday, we wanted to head over to see the new Star Trek movie Into the Darkness, but we had the complimentary breakfast in the guest lounge downstairs, and went back upstairs in the serenity of silence instead. Without a doubt, we got our money’s worth from our room. The explanation I have for you there is when you get free time away with the person you love most in this world, you don’t want to spend it watching a movie. So we sat next to each other on the bed reading.

Salmon Lover Roll

And, as the cliché goes, all good things must come to an end. We got back home late that evening after having treated the kids to the Sushi Garden. I guess you can say we all enjoyed a sushi-filled weekend.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale October 22.

Have you ever gone on a getaway weekend with your love? What did you end up doing?

Angelina Jolie as Mrs. Smith

From the start of the film Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie play the namesake couple seeking help for their floundering marriage. Looking at them, you wouldn’t think they needed counseling. They look incredible together, even though the chill in the air could freeze anything within the radius of a few feet.

As part of this week’s Women Who Wow Wednesday series, today’s highlight is Jane Smith. Be forewarned, if you haven’t seen this movie, spoilers lie ahead.

Meeting for the first time in Bogotá, Colombia, Jane approaches John on the run from the Columbian authorities. The attraction couldn’t be more genuine. Locked in a hug, the sound of sizzling fills the room. Without waiting, they marry. As the years move along, Jane becomes the perfect wife. Her home, immaculate. Her cuisine, extraordinary. Her marriage? Not so much.

In the whirlwind of their short courtship and subsequent marriage, Mr. & Mrs. Smith forgot one crucial element for making their relationship work. Honesty. They didn’t confess their innermost thoughts to one another. And—they didn’t tell what line of work they were in. Oh, they rehashed some made up story about working in an office, but they didn’t tell the whole truth. In essence, they lied to one another. Then they wonder why their marriage is sinking faster than an anvil placed on floating paper.

Mrs. Smith

The truth? Both John and Jane are assassins. Pretty good ones, too. They work for competing agencies, vying for the same contracts in their small, niche industry fishbowl. When a mission Jane has assigned goes afoul, she discovers the reality. Her husband’s working for the other side. He has to go. At least, this is what her agency wants. Unbeknownst to her, John’s agency has a similar contract. She has to die, too.

One evening, as the Smiths have dinner in their lovely suburban home, a lively discussion ensues. Well, not that many words pass between them, but they sure know how to communicate. From one corner of the house to the other, their communication consists of firing at each other with live rounds of ammunition. Vases blow. Furniture explodes. Walls collapse. Still alive, baby? Your aim’s as bad as your cooking, sweetheart. And that’s saying something!

A few more attempts on her life, and Jane’s had it. She wants John taken out. Not so fast, there’s the small matter of what the agencies have done to perpetuate this hatred between the couple. Purpose-filled, analytical, she later learns the agencies played them against each other in an effort to even out the playing field once they were gone.

They take a last stand, and they eventually find themselves in marriage counseling once again. This time, they’re gushy-eyed all over each other. Their marriage survives intact.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale October 22.

Have you seen Mr. & Mrs. Smith? What did you think of Mrs. Smith?