15 years.
I'm sure it's supposed to be diamonds or wood or something equally cool in anniversary tokens. But, I have no idea what to get Mrs. Film Geek for our fifteenth wedding anniversary.
15 years.
The woman has put up with a lot. Once, she baked me a beautiful birthday cake from scratch. But, I was too depressed about getting old, and refused to get out of bed. All day. Not once, except to go to the bathroom. Until my friend John called to ask me out for a birthday drink at 10:00pm.
Somehow I found the energy to hit the bar.
I seem to struggle with social situations, which has probably cost us at least a couple of friends. Someone close to me once described me as: "Charming...But in a serial killer sorta way."
Yep. Mrs. Film Geek is a lucky bride.
So, number fifteen is coming up on the 19th, and I'm clueless about what to do. I freeze on all holidays and special events. I'm just not that romantic.
Any suggestions? (Besides office supplies, I mean.)
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
It Has Seasonal Changes In Plumage
One of the coolest benefits of the WV Bloggers Message Board is finding new state bloggers to read. Scarlet Tanager is one I've just discovered from the board, and I'm really enjoying her posts.
(I even looked up the bird on google!)
(I even looked up the bird on google!)
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
He Gets My Vote
John Mason gets my vote for Unluckiest Man Alive.
Sure, there are people worse off. But I'm talking luck. The little space between choices one makes, which affects future options and possibilities.
Mason, shown in this NBC photo with former fiance Jennifer Wilcox, was recently sued by the Runaway Bride for half a million bucks.
According to Atlanta television station WAGA, which reported on the lawsuit Monday night: "Wilbanks seeks $250,000 as her share of a home Mason purchased through the partnership with proceeds from $500,000 received for selling their story to an agent, plus $250,000 in punitive damages for allegedly abusing the power of attorney she granted for him to handle their financial affairs."
I hope he counter-sues for the egg on his face from that whole fake abduction fiasco. I mean, the guy was a rock when she pretended to go missing, then stood by her for months while she went through therapy and tried to get her life straightened out. He's a saint in my book...I would've bugged out after my second glance at those freaky eyes!
Sure, there are people worse off. But I'm talking luck. The little space between choices one makes, which affects future options and possibilities.
Mason, shown in this NBC photo with former fiance Jennifer Wilcox, was recently sued by the Runaway Bride for half a million bucks.
According to Atlanta television station WAGA, which reported on the lawsuit Monday night: "Wilbanks seeks $250,000 as her share of a home Mason purchased through the partnership with proceeds from $500,000 received for selling their story to an agent, plus $250,000 in punitive damages for allegedly abusing the power of attorney she granted for him to handle their financial affairs."
I hope he counter-sues for the egg on his face from that whole fake abduction fiasco. I mean, the guy was a rock when she pretended to go missing, then stood by her for months while she went through therapy and tried to get her life straightened out. He's a saint in my book...I would've bugged out after my second glance at those freaky eyes!
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Excuse Me, But You Were Saying Something About Change?
When I first started reading blogs--especially those written by fellow West Virginians (which are my favorites)-- the one that caught my attention early was The Spinster Girl's Guide To Love. I thought Spinster Girl was humorous, insightful and irreverent --all qualities I find interesting. Sometime in late July, Spinster Girl wrote about needing to make a change in her life. She hasn't written on that specific blog site since. I still check her site often to see if it's updated. As of today, it hasn't been.
I hope she found the change she was craving.
Change doesn't happen easily for me. It's uncomfortable, and causes me stress. I like the same clothes, the same haircut and the same routines. More than the average guy, I suppose. It's a good way to keep one's life less complicated. At least that is always my defense.
But some change can't be avoided. This week, for example, I changed jobs. I've moved from a terrific job with a wonderful group of co-workers to one that has been a dream job of mine for years. It's bittersweet. I miss not seeing my co-workers everyday, but I haven't felt this creative and energized in months.
This change is gonna be good. But, it's also scary.
Yesterday I finally made it to the place at my new gig where they make ID cards for employees. I filled out the form, sat down and practiced smiling while they arranged everything for the picture. Then:
Her: "Are you sure you want to do this today?"
Me: "Yeah. I need to, so I can get my parking pass."
Her: "Ok...[With a "Well, it's up to you..." inflection and verbal fade-out.]
Flash.
A couple minutes passed, and she handed me my bright, shiny new employee ID. I picked it up, took a look and realized my hair made me look, well...Just awful.
Kinda like this guy. In fact, a lot like that.
Except worse. At least this guy's pretty hip, and has a cult following. Me? Not so much of either.
I was embarrassed.
Added to the stress of the job transition, leaving co-workers for whom I care a great deal and learning the bureaucracy of a new job, this embarrassment sent me over the edge.
I took the ID card, mumbled a "Thanks..." to the woman who noticed my hair sucked and walked outside.
Sitting on a bench for awhile, I kept thinking of that damned post Spinster Girl wrote, titled: "A Little Change..."
It started with: "Change is inevitable and it's scary' and concluded with: "So, yeah, I'm looking for a change. A bigger one, anyway, and, maybe, in truth, I'm just too lazy to make one."
That sure sounded familiar. Too lazy to make a change, huh? A challenge.
So, I did.
By the way, if anyone talks to Spinster Girl, tell her I said thanks, and to come back soon.
I hope she found the change she was craving.
Change doesn't happen easily for me. It's uncomfortable, and causes me stress. I like the same clothes, the same haircut and the same routines. More than the average guy, I suppose. It's a good way to keep one's life less complicated. At least that is always my defense.
But some change can't be avoided. This week, for example, I changed jobs. I've moved from a terrific job with a wonderful group of co-workers to one that has been a dream job of mine for years. It's bittersweet. I miss not seeing my co-workers everyday, but I haven't felt this creative and energized in months.
This change is gonna be good. But, it's also scary.
Yesterday I finally made it to the place at my new gig where they make ID cards for employees. I filled out the form, sat down and practiced smiling while they arranged everything for the picture. Then:
Her: "Are you sure you want to do this today?"
Me: "Yeah. I need to, so I can get my parking pass."
Her: "Ok...[With a "Well, it's up to you..." inflection and verbal fade-out.]
Flash.
A couple minutes passed, and she handed me my bright, shiny new employee ID. I picked it up, took a look and realized my hair made me look, well...Just awful.
Kinda like this guy. In fact, a lot like that.
Except worse. At least this guy's pretty hip, and has a cult following. Me? Not so much of either.
I was embarrassed.
Added to the stress of the job transition, leaving co-workers for whom I care a great deal and learning the bureaucracy of a new job, this embarrassment sent me over the edge.
I took the ID card, mumbled a "Thanks..." to the woman who noticed my hair sucked and walked outside.
Sitting on a bench for awhile, I kept thinking of that damned post Spinster Girl wrote, titled: "A Little Change..."
It started with: "Change is inevitable and it's scary' and concluded with: "So, yeah, I'm looking for a change. A bigger one, anyway, and, maybe, in truth, I'm just too lazy to make one."
That sure sounded familiar. Too lazy to make a change, huh? A challenge.
So, I did.
By the way, if anyone talks to Spinster Girl, tell her I said thanks, and to come back soon.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
The Departed
It was a really tiring week. Much more than usual. So when my friend Bob invited me to go with him to see The Departed, I was thrilled. For me, there is no better way to relax than in soft, reclining stadium seats while snacking on hot buttered popcorn, chasing it with the biggest soda one can buy on the black market and sitting along-side a good friend.
With the customary space-in-between, of course.
That The Departed is a Martin Scorsese flick was the cherry. I've never seen a bad Scorsese movie; I even liked that period-piece film he did in the early 90s with Daniel Day-Lewis and Michelle Pfeiffer.
For me, that's evidence I dig the guy and his work.
I'm not that hip to Jack Nicholson, whose Frank Costello is one of the leads in The Departed. I just don't get his schtick. I've liked him in some movies--The Shining comes to mind, and Five Easy Pieces--but frankly, every other film I've seen him in, he's just playing some degree of the same character (which, I suspect, I pretty much his own personality). Somewhere along the way, Jack's figured out that mussed-up hair, long rants laced with profanity, a sideways smirk and Runaway-Bride-Eyes gets him a big payday on the studio backlot.
But the rest of the cast! Matt Damon, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Mark Wahlberg. Martin Sheen. And Alec Baldwin in his best role since his too-brief stint in Glengarry Glen Ross. Plus, everyone gave this movie a great review. Two thumbs up from Ebert and the guy who replaced Siskel, an "A" rating from some of the Internet review sites. Hell, the trailer was more entertaining than some of the movies I've seen of late.
Pass me the popcorn, Bobby, I'm ready to be entertained.
The Departed has a terrific premise. Two young Massachusetts State Police Academy graduates (DiCaprio and Damon) begin their respective careers on opposite sides of the track. Damon's character Colin Sullivan is a former delinquent turned squeaky-clean cop who has serious ambition and childhood ties with organized crime. DiCaprio is a sensitive rich kid who doesn't want to be, and his character, Billy Costigan, goes deep undercover in order to infiltrate the Boston mob. Both characters are opposites in lifestyle, perspective and what they are willing to do to achieve their personal ambitions. Although they don't meet until near the end of the movie, they are tied together throughout by peripheral characters and circumstances.
But the movie fails. The story is told in a quick-scene pace that doesn't allow you to connect with the characters. I knew them, and understood their motivations, but I never really connected with them because of the way the film was edited. The dialogue originally sounded smart, then quickly became cliche. The main plot theme--that moles have been implanted in both the police department and the organized crime syndicate, and people try to figure out who is who--had holes in it that couldn't be ignored. And, Jack was Jack. Bug-eyed, hair-mussed, smirking-all-the-time, profanity-spewing Jack. People will probably be talking him up for an Oscar for this role...And when they do, I'll be shaking my head in disbelief.
I just don't get it.
Near the end, I began second-guessing myself, thinking maybe I was criticizing too harshly. After all, I was tired and grouchy from a tiring work week, and Bobby ate most of my popcorn. Maybe it was just me. Then, near the final scene the most dramatic event of the movie occurred--an unexpected, violent scene during the final five minutes that changed the whole movie--and the audience laughed. Hard. In unison.
And they weren't supposed to.
UPDATE: Never wanting to influence folks based on my opinion alone, here is a USA Today review that says The Departed is Scorsese's best since Goodfellas. It even credits the editing as keeping the viewer "off kilter," as a good thing. Decide for yourself.
With the customary space-in-between, of course.
That The Departed is a Martin Scorsese flick was the cherry. I've never seen a bad Scorsese movie; I even liked that period-piece film he did in the early 90s with Daniel Day-Lewis and Michelle Pfeiffer.
For me, that's evidence I dig the guy and his work.
I'm not that hip to Jack Nicholson, whose Frank Costello is one of the leads in The Departed. I just don't get his schtick. I've liked him in some movies--The Shining comes to mind, and Five Easy Pieces--but frankly, every other film I've seen him in, he's just playing some degree of the same character (which, I suspect, I pretty much his own personality). Somewhere along the way, Jack's figured out that mussed-up hair, long rants laced with profanity, a sideways smirk and Runaway-Bride-Eyes gets him a big payday on the studio backlot.
But the rest of the cast! Matt Damon, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Mark Wahlberg. Martin Sheen. And Alec Baldwin in his best role since his too-brief stint in Glengarry Glen Ross. Plus, everyone gave this movie a great review. Two thumbs up from Ebert and the guy who replaced Siskel, an "A" rating from some of the Internet review sites. Hell, the trailer was more entertaining than some of the movies I've seen of late.
Pass me the popcorn, Bobby, I'm ready to be entertained.
The Departed has a terrific premise. Two young Massachusetts State Police Academy graduates (DiCaprio and Damon) begin their respective careers on opposite sides of the track. Damon's character Colin Sullivan is a former delinquent turned squeaky-clean cop who has serious ambition and childhood ties with organized crime. DiCaprio is a sensitive rich kid who doesn't want to be, and his character, Billy Costigan, goes deep undercover in order to infiltrate the Boston mob. Both characters are opposites in lifestyle, perspective and what they are willing to do to achieve their personal ambitions. Although they don't meet until near the end of the movie, they are tied together throughout by peripheral characters and circumstances.
But the movie fails. The story is told in a quick-scene pace that doesn't allow you to connect with the characters. I knew them, and understood their motivations, but I never really connected with them because of the way the film was edited. The dialogue originally sounded smart, then quickly became cliche. The main plot theme--that moles have been implanted in both the police department and the organized crime syndicate, and people try to figure out who is who--had holes in it that couldn't be ignored. And, Jack was Jack. Bug-eyed, hair-mussed, smirking-all-the-time, profanity-spewing Jack. People will probably be talking him up for an Oscar for this role...And when they do, I'll be shaking my head in disbelief.
I just don't get it.
Near the end, I began second-guessing myself, thinking maybe I was criticizing too harshly. After all, I was tired and grouchy from a tiring work week, and Bobby ate most of my popcorn. Maybe it was just me. Then, near the final scene the most dramatic event of the movie occurred--an unexpected, violent scene during the final five minutes that changed the whole movie--and the audience laughed. Hard. In unison.
And they weren't supposed to.
UPDATE: Never wanting to influence folks based on my opinion alone, here is a USA Today review that says The Departed is Scorsese's best since Goodfellas. It even credits the editing as keeping the viewer "off kilter," as a good thing. Decide for yourself.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Close, But No Cigar
The Hollywood hype was neat: McConaughey looked freaky-yet-cool, McG seemed to maintain his genuine admiration for our town and it's story, and ESPN commentator Lou Holtz was respectful on-air of the football program.
What a night!!
Oh, yeah, except MU lost.
23-22.
Central Florida showed an urgency that Marshall didn't at the end, and a passing attack The Herd couldn't stop during the final seconds..
Too bad. I was kinda hoping for a Hollywood-style ending.
What a night!!
Oh, yeah, except MU lost.
23-22.
Central Florida showed an urgency that Marshall didn't at the end, and a passing attack The Herd couldn't stop during the final seconds..
Too bad. I was kinda hoping for a Hollywood-style ending.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
My Little Town
The Huntington Herald Dispatch is reporting today on the national attention Marshall University and Huntington will be getting during tomorrow evenings football game with the University of Central Florida. According to the university press release, We Are...Marshall star Matthew McConaughey and the film's Director, McG, will be in attendance, as well as representatives from: Entertainment Tonight; Access Hollywood; Extra; Yahoo!; MTV; iVillage.com; CSTV; YouTube; iTunes and Rivals.com.
ESPN 2 will show the game.
Oh, yeah...A 4 minute segment of the film--not the trailer you've seen before--will be shown on the stadium's scoreboard at half-time.
ESPN 2 will show the game.
Oh, yeah...A 4 minute segment of the film--not the trailer you've seen before--will be shown on the stadium's scoreboard at half-time.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Exerting My Influence
Or, maybe it's just a coincidence.
Still, Oprah has slipped from number 4 to number 8 on Fortune's 2006 list of the 50 Most Powerful Women In Business.
Yeah, yeah...I know it's a coincidence, and her slip has nothing to do with my "Please, Make It Stop" rants.
But a guy can dream, can't he?
Still, Oprah has slipped from number 4 to number 8 on Fortune's 2006 list of the 50 Most Powerful Women In Business.
Yeah, yeah...I know it's a coincidence, and her slip has nothing to do with my "Please, Make It Stop" rants.
But a guy can dream, can't he?
Sunday, October 01, 2006
The Sentinel
A sentinel, according to some cheap online dictionary I googled, is: A look-out. A person employed to watch for something to happen. Given that, there are plenty of characters who qualify as sentinels in the Michael Douglas and Keifer Sutherland drama, The Sentinel. While some agents are watching over the Prez, others are watching out for themselves.
Apparently, some Secret Service agents are not as altruistic as we think.
The film never spends a significant amount of time developing it's characters, instead moving pretty quickly into the investigation of a plot to assassinate the President. Early in the investigation it is uncovered that a mole is working from within the Secret Service, although we are unsure who the mole is, or what the motivation of the mole might be.
Douglas plays Pete Garrison, a long-time Secret Service agent who once took a bullet for Reagan. Although the feds took a liking to Garrison for that, Pete has a habit of bending the rules, especially when a skirt is involved. As a result, Garrison has never advanced up the ranks. Could he be the mole, using greed, resentment and sex as a motivator?
Eva Longoria is a rookie agent, assigned to partner up with Sutherland's character as an investigator. She isn't given lots to do, and has no significant contribution to the flick. Except (and I don't want this to sound sexist), she sure is pretty. Maybe that's enough this early in her film career.
Sutherland plays David Breckinridge, an investigator within the Secret Service assigned to ferret out the mole. He used to be best friends with Garrison, although the two hate each other now because Breckinridge blames Garrison for the break-up of his marriage. Could he be the mole, and trying to frame Garrison as the mole out of revenge?
Kim Basinger is First Lady Sarah Ballentine. The hottest First Lady since Jackie O, Ballentine plays up her sexuality with Garrison, and seems distant and detached from her husband, the Prez. Could she be behind the plot, in order to topple her husband's career? I mean, it wouldn't be the first time...She did it to Alec Baldwin.
The Sentinel isn't a bad movie, but I thought it relied too much on characters that were superficial and not well developed. It was predictable, under-used characters and the writing was pretty typical. The flick did have me guessing through much of the first half; but in the end, after some plot devices became pretty obvious, I thought the ending was anti-climactic.
Apparently, some Secret Service agents are not as altruistic as we think.
The film never spends a significant amount of time developing it's characters, instead moving pretty quickly into the investigation of a plot to assassinate the President. Early in the investigation it is uncovered that a mole is working from within the Secret Service, although we are unsure who the mole is, or what the motivation of the mole might be.
Douglas plays Pete Garrison, a long-time Secret Service agent who once took a bullet for Reagan. Although the feds took a liking to Garrison for that, Pete has a habit of bending the rules, especially when a skirt is involved. As a result, Garrison has never advanced up the ranks. Could he be the mole, using greed, resentment and sex as a motivator?
Eva Longoria is a rookie agent, assigned to partner up with Sutherland's character as an investigator. She isn't given lots to do, and has no significant contribution to the flick. Except (and I don't want this to sound sexist), she sure is pretty. Maybe that's enough this early in her film career.
Sutherland plays David Breckinridge, an investigator within the Secret Service assigned to ferret out the mole. He used to be best friends with Garrison, although the two hate each other now because Breckinridge blames Garrison for the break-up of his marriage. Could he be the mole, and trying to frame Garrison as the mole out of revenge?
Kim Basinger is First Lady Sarah Ballentine. The hottest First Lady since Jackie O, Ballentine plays up her sexuality with Garrison, and seems distant and detached from her husband, the Prez. Could she be behind the plot, in order to topple her husband's career? I mean, it wouldn't be the first time...She did it to Alec Baldwin.
The Sentinel isn't a bad movie, but I thought it relied too much on characters that were superficial and not well developed. It was predictable, under-used characters and the writing was pretty typical. The flick did have me guessing through much of the first half; but in the end, after some plot devices became pretty obvious, I thought the ending was anti-climactic.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)