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Thursday, July 17, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Heck of a summer (so far...)
Hey Cougar Fans!! It's been a few months since I posted last... primarily because I wasn't sure that anyone was reading these things and also because it's been fairly hectic. Well.. Pooky last night asked me why I wasn't posting and when I told her (see above) she said, "I do!" So if for no other reason than to entertain my bride of almost 28 years, LET'S CATCH UP!!!
Major Events:
In May, I joined the Pookster in the "Improved Peepers Club". We traveled north of the border (they're sooo polite up there!) to Coal Harbour (notice the spelling... HarBOUR) Eye Center (www.seewell.ca) where I placed the future of my vision into the hands of Dr. Steven Kirzner (yep that's him on the website) and the technology advances of PRK. Everything went splendidly and I really wasn't nervous until after he finished the first eye... then I started hyperventilating... "what if he just screwed up my right eye?? I should probably stop him from screwing up the left eye!?! What if this is some terrible mistake???!!! I may never be able to see my beautiful Pooky again!!! OH THE INHUMANITY OF IT ALL!!! STOP HIM BEFORE IT'S TOO LA- what? he's done.. Oh.. OK... never mind." And of course, everything has turned out just as I knew it would. My vision is getting better every day (except for the blasted presbyopia... pres·by·o·pi·a
[prez-bee-oh-pee-uh, pres-] Pronunciation Key –noun Ophthalmology. farsightedness due to ciliary muscle weakness and loss of elasticity in the crystalline lens, also known as "just plain gettin' old!", ... Pookey loves that word) and I love having blue eyes instead of brown!"
In June, Legal Eagle Lexi and I actually fulfilled our life long (individual) dreams of running a half-marathon (that's 13.1 miles, folks) at the world famous 2008 Helvetia Half-Marathon. We drove down to Beaverton and our hotel on Friday afternoon and took a drive around the course. It was demoralizing... I was convinced that the miles in Oregon were a lot longer than the miles in Washington that Lexi and I had me measuring our progress by. I wanted to go home. I wanted to cry. I wanted to beat Lexi senseless for talking me into this stupid thing.
Helvetia is a rural community (I guess) on the edge of Portland/Hillsboro, Oregon. As my more experienced runner/Bro-in-Law Kelly T ("Thompson" for short) put it, "They don't call it Hillsboro for nuthin'..." (Kelly, his daughter Alison, and his son Eric, all marathon club members were running the course as well). The course started out in the "low country" meandering out and about for 5ish miles or so before turning ugly and becoming a 2 mile climb into what at the time seemed like the Swiss Alps. At mile 6ish we passed the Helvetia Tavern (for which the event is named) and at mile 7 we crested the top of the "peak", passing a church (for those who wanted to stop and offer a prayer of thanks for not having succumbed to a heart-attack or stroke) and a neighboring graveyard (for those not so lucky) and began the descent to thicker air and warmer weather... actually at the time that graveyard looked very VERY enticing... something about the thought of eternal REST!
At mile ten (somewhere around "H Hour + 3" I called Pookie on my I-phone (of COURSE I have an I-Phone... they're sooooo FUN!) to check in. She let me know that everyone (Thompsons and Lexi) had crossed the finish line. EXCELLENT. I was still "on plan/on schedule". If I came in last, then everyone else could feel good about NOT coming in last! (I'm such a giver... can you say "blessings in heaven" ?). I have to tell you, though, the last three miles were tough! Just when I thought I had it in the bag, the leg cramps started raising their ugly heads. At first I thought I should just slow down a bit, but then I realized I couldn't come up with a slower speed than what I was currently using (without slowing to a walk... which actually wasn't all that much slower than what I was doing) so I simply pressed on... dug deep... gutted it out... bit down hard... sniffed the pay-dirt... gave one for the Gipper... gave it all I had... you get the picture (I'm running out of sport euphemisms). I just didn't want to get beat by the last woman walker. They were crazy fast and already gaining on me; some had already passed me... one was actually carrying a cane!.. another was giving me verbal lessons on correct "walking technique" as she passed me ("Lead with your hips! Lead with your hips"). I said, "I'm not walking!! This is me RUNNING!!!" (oh the indignity). Anyway, long story short, I made it. I rounded that corner into the stadium (as most everyone else was packing up their cars and driving home). Oh the cheering... the clapping... pulling through the agony and experiencing the sweet sweet taste of success (in the form of a Helvetia Burger, yummy.. NOT!!). And thinking..."I will NEVER do this again!" Well, It's been four weeks since I ran that thing. It's been four weeks since I've run period. I need to get back out there... got that marathon in '09 to start training for!
Yesterday, Okay... I'm getting tired of blogging and I know you're getting tired of blog-reading. But before we call it a night, I just want to show you what we ate last night...
Major Events:
In May, I joined the Pookster in the "Improved Peepers Club". We traveled north of the border (they're sooo polite up there!) to Coal Harbour (notice the spelling... HarBOUR) Eye Center (www.seewell.ca) where I placed the future of my vision into the hands of Dr. Steven Kirzner (yep that's him on the website) and the technology advances of PRK. Everything went splendidly and I really wasn't nervous until after he finished the first eye... then I started hyperventilating... "what if he just screwed up my right eye?? I should probably stop him from screwing up the left eye!?! What if this is some terrible mistake???!!! I may never be able to see my beautiful Pooky again!!! OH THE INHUMANITY OF IT ALL!!! STOP HIM BEFORE IT'S TOO LA- what? he's done.. Oh.. OK... never mind." And of course, everything has turned out just as I knew it would. My vision is getting better every day (except for the blasted presbyopia... pres·by·o·pi·a
[prez-bee-oh-pee-uh, pres-] Pronunciation Key –noun Ophthalmology. farsightedness due to ciliary muscle weakness and loss of elasticity in the crystalline lens, also known as "just plain gettin' old!", ... Pookey loves that word) and I love having blue eyes instead of brown!"
In June, Legal Eagle Lexi and I actually fulfilled our life long (individual) dreams of running a half-marathon (that's 13.1 miles, folks) at the world famous 2008 Helvetia Half-Marathon. We drove down to Beaverton and our hotel on Friday afternoon and took a drive around the course. It was demoralizing... I was convinced that the miles in Oregon were a lot longer than the miles in Washington that Lexi and I had me measuring our progress by. I wanted to go home. I wanted to cry. I wanted to beat Lexi senseless for talking me into this stupid thing.
Helvetia is a rural community (I guess) on the edge of Portland/Hillsboro, Oregon. As my more experienced runner/Bro-in-Law Kelly T ("Thompson" for short) put it, "They don't call it Hillsboro for nuthin'..." (Kelly, his daughter Alison, and his son Eric, all marathon club members were running the course as well). The course started out in the "low country" meandering out and about for 5ish miles or so before turning ugly and becoming a 2 mile climb into what at the time seemed like the Swiss Alps. At mile 6ish we passed the Helvetia Tavern (for which the event is named) and at mile 7 we crested the top of the "peak", passing a church (for those who wanted to stop and offer a prayer of thanks for not having succumbed to a heart-attack or stroke) and a neighboring graveyard (for those not so lucky) and began the descent to thicker air and warmer weather... actually at the time that graveyard looked very VERY enticing... something about the thought of eternal REST!
At mile ten (somewhere around "H Hour + 3" I called Pookie on my I-phone (of COURSE I have an I-Phone... they're sooooo FUN!) to check in. She let me know that everyone (Thompsons and Lexi) had crossed the finish line. EXCELLENT. I was still "on plan/on schedule". If I came in last, then everyone else could feel good about NOT coming in last! (I'm such a giver... can you say "blessings in heaven" ?). I have to tell you, though, the last three miles were tough! Just when I thought I had it in the bag, the leg cramps started raising their ugly heads. At first I thought I should just slow down a bit, but then I realized I couldn't come up with a slower speed than what I was currently using (without slowing to a walk... which actually wasn't all that much slower than what I was doing) so I simply pressed on... dug deep... gutted it out... bit down hard... sniffed the pay-dirt... gave one for the Gipper... gave it all I had... you get the picture (I'm running out of sport euphemisms). I just didn't want to get beat by the last woman walker. They were crazy fast and already gaining on me; some had already passed me... one was actually carrying a cane!.. another was giving me verbal lessons on correct "walking technique" as she passed me ("Lead with your hips! Lead with your hips"). I said, "I'm not walking!! This is me RUNNING!!!" (oh the indignity). Anyway, long story short, I made it. I rounded that corner into the stadium (as most everyone else was packing up their cars and driving home). Oh the cheering... the clapping... pulling through the agony and experiencing the sweet sweet taste of success (in the form of a Helvetia Burger, yummy.. NOT!!). And thinking..."I will NEVER do this again!" Well, It's been four weeks since I ran that thing. It's been four weeks since I've run period. I need to get back out there... got that marathon in '09 to start training for!
Me 'n the Legal Eagle
Legal, Me, 'n Pookie
Kelly 1 and Kelly 2... can you guess which one is the marathoner??
The Dedication: on a more somber note, I must say that one of my inspirations for running this thing (besides to run with The Eagle.. who by the way literally took off after a half mile and left me on my own...) was to celebrate the life of my older sister and former nemesis, Kirsten (wife of Kelly T, aka Thompson the Marathoner). Years ago, she was the victim of a tragic accident which left her terribly disfigured physically and handicapped emotionally... You see we were both bouncing on our parents' bed (she was probably 7 and I was 5) and I fell back and head-butted her in the mouth. She cried like a little girl... 'cuz she was a little girl, and I cried like a five-year-old boy, 'cuz, well, I was a five-year-old boy who had just had his older sister bite a hunk of flesh and bone out of the back of his head... but enough about me... this is about Kirsten. Anyway, It was her birthday on the 14th of June (the same day as the half-marathon) and I knew that had she been able to, she would have wanted to join us. I should clarify that nothing about the bed bouncing incident in any way had anything to do with keeping her from running with us... she's just totally out of shape. Anyway... after she reminded me that the event was falling on her Birthday, I decided to dedicate the last three miles (the toughest miles) to her memory... Kirsten, those miles were for you. Happy Birthday dear Sister.
Kirsten in her younger years.... after she'd moved on from making me give her horsey back rides across the living room floor every Saturday morning 4 to 5 times without stopping before she'd let me watch the cartoons that I wanted to watch even though I'd gotten up and gotten to the TV first and CALLED DIBS!! (.... no I'm not bitter anymore...)
Kirsten in her younger years.... after she'd moved on from making me give her horsey back rides across the living room floor every Saturday morning 4 to 5 times without stopping before she'd let me watch the cartoons that I wanted to watch even though I'd gotten up and gotten to the TV first and CALLED DIBS!! (.... no I'm not bitter anymore...)
Yesterday, Okay... I'm getting tired of blogging and I know you're getting tired of blog-reading. But before we call it a night, I just want to show you what we ate last night...
(...the crabs, ... not Gina)
Pookie loves dem Dungeness Crabs!!!
Until the next post!.........
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Legal Eagle Lexi
Heer come de judge! Heer come de judge! ;-)
After what must have seemed a lifetime of school, my Numero Uno Daughter (and baby of the family to boot) gradeeated from BYU's lawschool. We are soooo proud of her (but proud in a non-boastful way....).
Last weekend I piled into the Sierra Duromax (at 15.8 miles per $4.40 gallon of diesel) and headed to points south to meet up with Puekee at Provo, Utah (Go Cougs!) to attend the long awaited event. Pooky had got a little jump on the event by flying down a few days earlier to presumably help LegalEagleLexi pack up and get ready to move on up here (hence the choice in MY vehicle). I took off around noon and met up with my Numero Uno Son (and oldest child by 2 1/2 minutes), his wife (my Numero Uno Daughter-in-Law), and my Numero Uno In-Laws, all of whom had taken off three hours before me. We all met up at the Double Tree Inn in Boise, Idaho... kind of a half-way mark. Then next day, the in-laws blitzed for Provo while Matt, Julie, and I took a detour to my home town of Malad where Julie got a quick tour of heaven on earth and we had a SCRUMPTOUS lunch at the Malad Drive-In. Matt had the Special, J-Girl had the Glamour Burger and I stuck with the classic Cheese Burger with everything as well as a Deep Sea Dandy. Matt and Julie went with the Fresh Lime for refreshment and I selected a vintage root beer (again staying with the classics). We all shared fries with fry sauce (yum yum) and had scones with honey butter for desert. Oh glory be.. it was like eating manna from heaven. After tossing the trash we scooted past the ol' Allen Drug (a mere shadow of what it used to be), headed past the homestead (it's painted yellow... YELLOW!.. blasphemous!.. that house was built to be white with green trim..PERIOD) we too headed south to meet up with the fam at the La Quinta Suites in Orem (a dismal mistake... but more on that later).
Gathering up the clan we headed to another conjurer of past memories for dinner, The Brick Oven where we met up with my sister Kirsten and her husband Kelly who just happened to be passing through on the way back from visiting their daughter (new baby boy!!) and were looking for a free meal.
(moving left to right: LegalEagleLexi, Kirsten (the bane of my youth), her husband Kelly, J-Girl, Matt (did I mention that they are "in the family way.. grandson on it's way), your's truly (I look like I really don't need a pizza) George, Verna, and The Pookster).
After dinner we Lexi went home to party hardy with some other graduates, and we all headed back to La Quinta (or as I came to call it, "La Casa De Diablo!" but that's another story... suffice it to say I will NEVER stay at the La Quinta Inn in Orem Utah again...)
The next morning we picked up the graduate to be and headed down to the historic Provo Tabernacle where the festivities were to occur. I dropped everyone off and then went around the block and parked in a two hour spot realizing that I'd have to come back and move the car just before the commencement exercises began (we got there early to get good seats and were planning on a three hour stay).
We did the picture thing and just hung out and enjoyed the moment and about 15 minutes before the main event, I took off to move the car so we didn't get towed or ticketed. As I walked up to the driver's side door, I stepped on a piece of pavement which had cracked and risen a bit and that was all she wrote. My ankle rolled and I went down like a 260 lb sack of potatoes trying to get in shape for a half marathon. Oh the pain.. the agony.. the embarrassment of laying next to a car crying like a baby in the middle of the afternoon in a pinstripe suit.
After getting my wits about me again, I managed to get up and limp back to the Historic Provo Tabernacle and back to my seat (a block away... forget about the car.. it was George's anyway) and sat down just in time for the event to start. It took some doing, but after awhile pain tends to begin to have a numbing affect. I became more interested in the speakers and the choir than I was in my throbbing ankle. I also think that the quality of the program helped take my mind of my injury. The speakers did a great job and when the graduates crossed the stage after getting "hooded" I found myself feeling extremely grateful that my daughter could receive her credentials from such a wonderful institution with such a sense of purpose and mission.
(GO LAWYER-COUGS!)
At the end of the the commencement exercise, everyone was asked to stand and sing America the Beautiful. It was awesome. I have not felt so patriotic since the days right after 9/11. I quickly found that I could not sing because my throat was so tight with emotion. I struggled to simply speak the words. It was amazing. I doubt very much that I could have felt this way in any other place than at BYU. WOW! I'd almost like to go back next year just to experience it again. Anyway... it was an awesome experience and one I won't soon forget.
After Lexi said her goodbyes, we headed back to the van (it was still there... no tickets) and headed back to La Casa De Diablo... nothing had changed... suffice it to say, heads rolled and Matt and Julie got moved to another room (with a bed with sheets) at the La Quinta's expense. I finally was able to get off of my throbbing aching ankle and get some ice on it .
(nice gams!!)Three days later (last night) while attempting to help Newman (our dog and decent mouser) catch a furry little beast as it scurried through our family room, I would manage to roll the other ankle and end up hobbling around on TWO sprained ankles... luck of the irish (and stupid old men).
Just before we left Provo for good, we stopped by Lexi's favorite restaurant, Cafe Rio, for one last salmon taco and a grilled taco salad. I asked my lovely daughter, "So Legal Eagle Lexi, who we gonna fleece with a lawsuit first?" Her reply???
Just before we left Provo for good, we stopped by Lexi's favorite restaurant, Cafe Rio, for one last salmon taco and a grilled taco salad. I asked my lovely daughter, "So Legal Eagle Lexi, who we gonna fleece with a lawsuit first?" Her reply???
Look out New York... Heer come da judge (and she's packin' righteous heat!!!)
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Global Warming at My House
It's April 24... April 24!! Diesel is $4.45 a gallon and it's snowing!!... Al Gore is an idiot.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Catch UP
Holy Cow!! Has it been a month since I last posted!?!? Deary me. Ok... in as few of words as I can conjur to adequately give this past month justice, here's the update:
- George (Pookie's Pop) and I graduated from Salmon University with honors (and in my case a couple of door prizes INCLUDING a really nice fishing reel). LOOK OUT FISH!! Weezagonna do some damage this year!
- Pookie's got some NEW PEEPERS! We went up to Canada to have our eyes LASIK'd and both got turned down. Seems that I'm too blind and Gina was had too "delicate" eyes for the doctor's comfort zone. Ergo (that's Latin for "sooooo") Gina went the PRK route instead. That's where they burn the entire surface off of the eye, laser the heck out of the cornea, and then let it all heal back. Upside: It's all the rave in Europe and Canada now and they end up having less "after-surgery problems as a whole. Downside: It takes at least a week (or two in Pooky's case) for the peepers to become fully functional again (one more reason to give thanks for TIVO!). Now that it's all over and done with, the Pookster is really happy with the results (although for a few days she was VERY crabby... er I mean disappointed). Now that I've seen the result, I'm thinking of having it done myself at the end of May. I love the smell of burning cornea in the morning...
- The post burglary activity is now mostly behind us. Other than dealing with the hassle of figuring out everything that got stolen, getting it reported to the insurance company, and then getting it replaced, it hasn't been too much of a pain in the neck. The security system is in and I'm in the process of having a gate installed at the end of the lane. My co-worker got robbed two days ago in a very similar manner as we did. There have been three other robberies in our neighborhood since us. Our gate is in the process of being installed. What a hastle. Sign of the times I guess. I've been trying to teach Newman how to be a better guard dog. Every night I get on my hands and knees and get in his face a growl while Harry rubs up against my leg... Newman just looks at me with his pathetically confused face....
- Movies we've seen since my last posting include
- LexiLawyer and I are in training. Yep... we're runners. Only 151 miles more to the Adidas Helvetia Half Marathon in Hillsboro, OR. I'm running it for two reasons... 1. A chance to run with my daughter and 2. I'm told that there is a FANTASTIC HAMBURGER awaiting those that finish. SO BRING IT ON!! IT'S HILLSBORO IN JUNE OR BUST!!! (right Lex?) WHICH REMINDS ME.... Last week we saw "Run Fatboy Run" which is now my mantra. (It was a very funny movie by the way...)
- Books I've read in the last little while include
- George (Pookie's Pop) and I graduated from Salmon University with honors (and in my case a couple of door prizes INCLUDING a really nice fishing reel). LOOK OUT FISH!! Weezagonna do some damage this year!
- Pookie's got some NEW PEEPERS! We went up to Canada to have our eyes LASIK'd and both got turned down. Seems that I'm too blind and Gina was had too "delicate" eyes for the doctor's comfort zone. Ergo (that's Latin for "sooooo") Gina went the PRK route instead. That's where they burn the entire surface off of the eye, laser the heck out of the cornea, and then let it all heal back. Upside: It's all the rave in Europe and Canada now and they end up having less "after-surgery problems as a whole. Downside: It takes at least a week (or two in Pooky's case) for the peepers to become fully functional again (one more reason to give thanks for TIVO!). Now that it's all over and done with, the Pookster is really happy with the results (although for a few days she was VERY crabby... er I mean disappointed). Now that I've seen the result, I'm thinking of having it done myself at the end of May. I love the smell of burning cornea in the morning...
- The post burglary activity is now mostly behind us. Other than dealing with the hassle of figuring out everything that got stolen, getting it reported to the insurance company, and then getting it replaced, it hasn't been too much of a pain in the neck. The security system is in and I'm in the process of having a gate installed at the end of the lane. My co-worker got robbed two days ago in a very similar manner as we did. There have been three other robberies in our neighborhood since us. Our gate is in the process of being installed. What a hastle. Sign of the times I guess. I've been trying to teach Newman how to be a better guard dog. Every night I get on my hands and knees and get in his face a growl while Harry rubs up against my leg... Newman just looks at me with his pathetically confused face....
- Movies we've seen since my last posting include
- "21"; the story (loosely based on fact) of Harvard students who devised a way of count
ing cards and won a BOATLOAD of DENIROS in Las Vegas before being caught. - "Leatherheads"; the amusing (if not extremely well written) story of the beginnings of pro football (enjoyable)
- LexiLawyer and I are in training. Yep... we're runners. Only 151 miles more to the Adidas Helvetia Half Marathon in Hillsboro, OR. I'm running it for two reasons... 1. A chance to run with my daughter and 2. I'm told that there is a FANTASTIC HAMBURGER awaiting those that finish. SO BRING IT ON!! IT'S HILLSBORO IN JUNE OR BUST!!! (right Lex?) WHICH REMINDS ME.... Last week we saw "Run Fatboy Run" which is now my mantra. (It was a very funny movie by the way...)
- Books I've read in the last little while include
- "Cell" by Stephen King - CREEPY (and VERY enjoyable... I LOVE Stephen King novels).
- "The Few" by Alex Kershaw; the true story of the few Americans who snuck out of the country to join the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and fought i
n the air battles of The Battle of Britain (a full 18 months before the U.S. even entered World War II... in fact, they broke a bevy of neutrality laws in order to get to Britain). It was very inspiring and sad because all but one of the original "Eagle Squadron" were killed defending the British against the Nazi onslaught. Good Book!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
HBO's John Adams
I gotta say I'm excited for this mini-series! I read the book by David McCullough and it was very VERY good. Paul Giamatti is playing the role of John Adams and I do enjoy his work. He was great in Cinderella Man and The Woman in the Water and from the bits and pieces I've seen/heard he's will not let us down in this role either. Laura Linney is playing the role of Abigail Adams (I thought Aby was a brunette!?!?). I'm not sure how I feel about that fit. To be honest, I think she's too pretty. My take on Abigail is that she was more "earthy". I"m willing to wait for an episode or two before I pass my final judgment (it's your role to blunder at this point, Laura... break a leg).
Now having said how excited I am about this project, I have to admit that I heard something today on POTUS (XM Radio channel something-or-other) that has me somewhat disappointed about this one of the episodes. Evidently the makers (director) has felt it necessary that it include a sex scene between Giamatti and Linney. First of all, even the thought of Giamatti in a sex scene is disturbing in and of itself, but even more to the point, WHY!?!? Why is it necessary to show a love scene between John and Abigail?? It wasn't in the book?? It wasn't in the original script (that's supposed to closely follow the book). Why does Hollywood think that everything needs to have sex scenes in order to be believable? Here's the scene as described by the director: John has been in Paris and separated from Abigail for a long time. They are very very in love (this is true) and the separation is painful for both of them. Finally, John makes it possible for Abigail to cross the Atlantic to be with him. The original scene evidently included John and Abigail acting the very proper Northeastern protestants that they were by greeting each other as "Mrs. Adams" and "Mr. Adams". John then gives Abigail a tour of their house in Paris moving through each room and floor until they end upstairs in the bedroom. This is the point were they make physical contact for the first time. This is also where the director decided it was "necessary" (his word, not mine) that they ad lib a love scene. He said in effect, "it's important that we know that people of this time had sex. It's important to the project that we have some moment of our founding fathers... um... well the third 'F' [giggle, giggle, smirk, smirk]." Ummm... I don't think I need that (and by the way, how crass and disrespectful can you be?). I assumed that since they'd had a lot of children that the fact they'd had sex was self-evident. In fact, if you read the book, it's incredibly obvious that they were madly in love with each other, but the expression of their love to one another, even in their most personal writings was tempered by the the "properness" of a New England society still steeped in puritan sensibilities and was based more on their admiration for the person than their infatuation with the person's parts (I mean, C'MON... look at how they dressed!!!). I think a much more appropriate scene would have been for John and Abigail upon reaching the bedroom, to reach out and slowly draw each other close while looking into each others' eyes and while starting to slowly smile, each knowing what was on the other's mind, slowly close the door on the camera leaving us standing on the other side. We all know what happens next. We don't need to be in the room with them when it happens. To do otherwise just disrespects the love that the Adams' had for each other and the privacy in which they held their intimacies. The "love scene" as described by the makers of this episode has much less to do with "it's importance" or "our need to view it in order for it to be honest and real" and much more to do with Hollywood's degrading (and I may say self-inflating but WRONG) presumption that we're all just a bunch of voyeuristic deviants and that need a movie to have sex and violence in order for it to be worthwhile. So sad, so sad The just don't get it.
Now having said how excited I am about this project, I have to admit that I heard something today on POTUS (XM Radio channel something-or-other) that has me somewhat disappointed about this one of the episodes. Evidently the makers (director) has felt it necessary that it include a sex scene between Giamatti and Linney. First of all, even the thought of Giamatti in a sex scene is disturbing in and of itself, but even more to the point, WHY!?!? Why is it necessary to show a love scene between John and Abigail?? It wasn't in the book?? It wasn't in the original script (that's supposed to closely follow the book). Why does Hollywood think that everything needs to have sex scenes in order to be believable? Here's the scene as described by the director: John has been in Paris and separated from Abigail for a long time. They are very very in love (this is true) and the separation is painful for both of them. Finally, John makes it possible for Abigail to cross the Atlantic to be with him. The original scene evidently included John and Abigail acting the very proper Northeastern protestants that they were by greeting each other as "Mrs. Adams" and "Mr. Adams". John then gives Abigail a tour of their house in Paris moving through each room and floor until they end upstairs in the bedroom. This is the point were they make physical contact for the first time. This is also where the director decided it was "necessary" (his word, not mine) that they ad lib a love scene. He said in effect, "it's important that we know that people of this time had sex. It's important to the project that we have some moment of our founding fathers... um... well the third 'F' [giggle, giggle, smirk, smirk]." Ummm... I don't think I need that (and by the way, how crass and disrespectful can you be?). I assumed that since they'd had a lot of children that the fact they'd had sex was self-evident. In fact, if you read the book, it's incredibly obvious that they were madly in love with each other, but the expression of their love to one another, even in their most personal writings was tempered by the the "properness" of a New England society still steeped in puritan sensibilities and was based more on their admiration for the person than their infatuation with the person's parts (I mean, C'MON... look at how they dressed!!!). I think a much more appropriate scene would have been for John and Abigail upon reaching the bedroom, to reach out and slowly draw each other close while looking into each others' eyes and while starting to slowly smile, each knowing what was on the other's mind, slowly close the door on the camera leaving us standing on the other side. We all know what happens next. We don't need to be in the room with them when it happens. To do otherwise just disrespects the love that the Adams' had for each other and the privacy in which they held their intimacies. The "love scene" as described by the makers of this episode has much less to do with "it's importance" or "our need to view it in order for it to be honest and real" and much more to do with Hollywood's degrading (and I may say self-inflating but WRONG) presumption that we're all just a bunch of voyeuristic deviants and that need a movie to have sex and violence in order for it to be worthwhile. So sad, so sad The just don't get it.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
The Celluloid Corner (or Kelly's Picture Pics... whatever)
Me thinks tis time to catch up on the movies I've seen in the past couple of weeks and provide all of you folkses out there my thoughts on what's worth seeing these days in Cinemaville, USA.
Last weekend, Pookie (as I love to call my better half) and I decided to do a Double Feature at our local Monroe Galaxy Cinemaplex. Now this is something we used to do all the time when the ol' Galaxy 12 Theaters was new and "happenin'" and sitting by itself next to a gravel pit back behind Fred Meyers (back when Monroe was nothing more than a cow town on hwy 2 with big dreams of becoming a metropolis complete with big city lights and a Red Robbins and a Lowe's Home Improvement Center). But them days are long gone by and me 'n Pookie are so much less energetic nowadays (and although Monroe now has a Red Robbin and Lowe's Home Improvement Center... right across the street from the Galaxy 12 Cineplex as a matter of fact... it's still a cow town on hwy 2 and the gravel pit is still in business). Anyways, on with my review. So... the double feature... we were feelin' spry and wild... maybe it was the promise of Spring, or maybe we had been drinking too much Diet Coke, I don't know... maybe we just wanted to escape our wearies and woes and we had some extra danieros in our pocket. it was just something we had to do. Soooooo... we did.
The first movie we saw was Jumper; the story of a crazy kid with a crazy gift and no sense of personal or ethical responsibility. After learning that all he had to do was visualize in his mind where he wanted to be and **Poof** he was there (his motto was "if you can think it, you are there") he became a lazy slob who didn't even take
the time to learn how to use a doorknob (which became an obvious problem for him when "jumped" home from the opera only to find his front room full of a big bad Samuel Jackson waiting for him and the poor lad couldn't figure out how to open the door ("why didn't he just jump back out?" you ask. Pay your own $7.50 and find out).
For a show that I thought was going to serious exploration into the juxtaposition of trying to develop a serious loving relationship within the boundless nexus of the space-time continuum (a definite metaphor to the the Mormon concept of eternal families), I was sorely disappointed and Pooky was just downright confused. (I hate it when I have to leave her to make a quick jaunt to the men's room only to return in the middle of a critical fight scene where the hero has somehow gotten tied up in a web of high voltage cables fighting off the evils of darkness while at the same time trying as best he can to create a worm hole with nothing but a whim and a thought which will suck his reality, not to mention his apartment building, into a parallel universe in order to save his lover's life while possibly destroying his own, and in an attempt to grasp the magnitude of what is unfolding on the screen before me, asking Pookie, "what did I miss??" and hearing her non-chalant reply, "ummm... nothing much." ) It was too deep a movie for my Love. I understand this now. Soooo on a Kelly's scale of Sir Issac Newton to Albert Einstein I give it a Mr. Waldron for good effort but obviously playing too those hoping for a sequel. And what about jet lag??
Our next Choi du Cinema (impressive, no?) was something of a lighter fare. Pooky loves the kids classics (as well as story lines with a little more fantasy and a lot less hard scientific theory.. actually she loves the romantic comedies but we couldn't make the showing of 10,000 BC) so into the Spiderwick Chronicles we went. I have to admit, this was a bit more fun and entertaining (OK, OK... I like the kids fantasy thing too). This movie had that kid who starred in
August Rush (do NOT get me started on that mess of a movie) in a roll a' la Haley Mills in the Parent Trap (i.e. he played twins). Lots of fun and creepy creatures trying to get some book that he, his "brother", and his sister are supposed to protect and keep hidden. I have to admit, there were some scenes in there that would have had me as a 5 year old crawling under the seats and bawling like a baby, but the end was surprisingly funny and light hearted. On a Kelly's scale of scary movies, I think I'd rate it in there with "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" (what a classic) for about the same mixture of chills 'n giggles (remember that organ in the attic with the blood stains on the keys?? Thinking of that organ playing by itself still gives me the willies 40 years later!!)
Now, speaking of love comedies, I went and saw 10,000 BC the other night because I new it just had to be one of the best movies of the 2008 season. OH MY WORD! I have three words for t
his movie (for the love of all that is good and worthwhile, PLEASE give heed!): DO NOT GO!!! Actually, this movie can be summed up in one word: LOSER (or perhaps another three words: WASTE OF MONEY!!). In the infamous words of Mr. Gump, "That's all I have to say about that."
(Pookee Love.... you would have hated it)
Last weekend, Pookie (as I love to call my better half) and I decided to do a Double Feature at our local Monroe Galaxy Cinemaplex. Now this is something we used to do all the time when the ol' Galaxy 12 Theaters was new and "happenin'" and sitting by itself next to a gravel pit back behind Fred Meyers (back when Monroe was nothing more than a cow town on hwy 2 with big dreams of becoming a metropolis complete with big city lights and a Red Robbins and a Lowe's Home Improvement Center). But them days are long gone by and me 'n Pookie are so much less energetic nowadays (and although Monroe now has a Red Robbin and Lowe's Home Improvement Center... right across the street from the Galaxy 12 Cineplex as a matter of fact... it's still a cow town on hwy 2 and the gravel pit is still in business). Anyways, on with my review. So... the double feature... we were feelin' spry and wild... maybe it was the promise of Spring, or maybe we had been drinking too much Diet Coke, I don't know... maybe we just wanted to escape our wearies and woes and we had some extra danieros in our pocket. it was just something we had to do. Soooooo... we did.
The first movie we saw was Jumper; the story of a crazy kid with a crazy gift and no sense of personal or ethical responsibility. After learning that all he had to do was visualize in his mind where he wanted to be and **Poof** he was there (his motto was "if you can think it, you are there") he became a lazy slob who didn't even take
the time to learn how to use a doorknob (which became an obvious problem for him when "jumped" home from the opera only to find his front room full of a big bad Samuel Jackson waiting for him and the poor lad couldn't figure out how to open the door ("why didn't he just jump back out?" you ask. Pay your own $7.50 and find out).For a show that I thought was going to serious exploration into the juxtaposition of trying to develop a serious loving relationship within the boundless nexus of the space-time continuum (a definite metaphor to the the Mormon concept of eternal families), I was sorely disappointed and Pooky was just downright confused. (I hate it when I have to leave her to make a quick jaunt to the men's room only to return in the middle of a critical fight scene where the hero has somehow gotten tied up in a web of high voltage cables fighting off the evils of darkness while at the same time trying as best he can to create a worm hole with nothing but a whim and a thought which will suck his reality, not to mention his apartment building, into a parallel universe in order to save his lover's life while possibly destroying his own, and in an attempt to grasp the magnitude of what is unfolding on the screen before me, asking Pookie, "what did I miss??" and hearing her non-chalant reply, "ummm... nothing much." ) It was too deep a movie for my Love. I understand this now. Soooo on a Kelly's scale of Sir Issac Newton to Albert Einstein I give it a Mr. Waldron for good effort but obviously playing too those hoping for a sequel. And what about jet lag??
Our next Choi du Cinema (impressive, no?) was something of a lighter fare. Pooky loves the kids classics (as well as story lines with a little more fantasy and a lot less hard scientific theory.. actually she loves the romantic comedies but we couldn't make the showing of 10,000 BC) so into the Spiderwick Chronicles we went. I have to admit, this was a bit more fun and entertaining (OK, OK... I like the kids fantasy thing too). This movie had that kid who starred in
August Rush (do NOT get me started on that mess of a movie) in a roll a' la Haley Mills in the Parent Trap (i.e. he played twins). Lots of fun and creepy creatures trying to get some book that he, his "brother", and his sister are supposed to protect and keep hidden. I have to admit, there were some scenes in there that would have had me as a 5 year old crawling under the seats and bawling like a baby, but the end was surprisingly funny and light hearted. On a Kelly's scale of scary movies, I think I'd rate it in there with "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" (what a classic) for about the same mixture of chills 'n giggles (remember that organ in the attic with the blood stains on the keys?? Thinking of that organ playing by itself still gives me the willies 40 years later!!)Now, speaking of love comedies, I went and saw 10,000 BC the other night because I new it just had to be one of the best movies of the 2008 season. OH MY WORD! I have three words for t
his movie (for the love of all that is good and worthwhile, PLEASE give heed!): DO NOT GO!!! Actually, this movie can be summed up in one word: LOSER (or perhaps another three words: WASTE OF MONEY!!). In the infamous words of Mr. Gump, "That's all I have to say about that."(Pookee Love.... you would have hated it)
Sunday, March 9, 2008
The "Burgle" revisited
Things are getting somewhat back to normal around here. The list of stolen stuff includes ALL of my camera equipment, all of the jewelry that Gina didn't have on at the time, three laptops, all of my software, two handguns, an old pocket-watch, Gina's passport, an ounce of gold formed into a pendant, Gina's ipod, ipod dock, a Garmin handheld GPS, Underwater housing and strobe for one of my cameras, a video camera, a couple of duffel bags, and a whole lot of memories. The claim has been put into the insurance company (American Family Insurance) and we'll see how good they are to their customers.
You know, for the most part, I'm not that worked up about the whole thing. It's only stuff and we're insured. However, there are some things that will never be able to be replaced. The two handguns were guns my father gave to me when my parents moved from their home in Malad to be closer to family up here in the Northwest. I spent many a Sunday afternoon with my dad up at the Malad "Junk Yard" shooting up tin cans and glass bottles. I remember on winter afternoon when my dad fashioned a big pile of snow so that when he shot into it with this particular Ruger .22 cal he was able to find the expended cartridge so that I could have an undeformed bullet. The .38 cal which was stolen was a gun he got after being deputized by none other than Ralph Burton for the sole purpose of being able to get his hands on this "police special". He quit the "service" immediately after getting the gun. The pocket watch had belonged to my grandfather (Charles Marshall Allen) and my parents had just had it completely rebuilt and refurbished. It wasn't worth much in dollars, but it was inestimable in it's sentimental value. There was also a one ounce gold pendant that my in-laws gave to my daughter when she completed her undergrad at BYU. Eight years ago they stole a civil war era musket that had been my grandfather's. Again, not worth much money wise, but invaluable in memories. The sad thing about all of this is that I'm sure that the guns probably have been thrown into some nearby lake and the watch simply trashed. Makes me sad.
Anyway! we now have ADT in our house and in the next couple of weeks I will have a gate up at the end or our lane. Live and learn. I told Gina we should just take any money we get from the insurance and put a down payment on a place over in Hawaii... plan for the future and all that. I'm not sure she went for it. We'll see....
Thursday, February 28, 2008
I've been BURGLED
Well folks, it happened again... some fine person or persons decided that they just couldn't do without the fine things that Gina and I seem to have. Soooo instead of simply asking if they could have some of them they decided to help themselves. This afternoon as I was closing up shop getting ready to head north to my favorite gas station (the diesel is ALWAYS cheapest at the Smokey Point Safeway) and maybe stop by The Cycle Barn to pick up a leather jacket, I get a phone call from Gina who is on the verge of tears.
"We've been robbed again," she said.
I couldn't believe I was hearing what I was hearing.
"WHAT?!?!" I said.
"We've been robbed again!"
Evidently after meeting me for lunch at Subways (6 inch toasted club, white bread, shreaded mixed cheese, everything but pickles, extra onion and olives, hint of mustard, oil and vinegar, salt and pepper, baked lays BBQ chips, and a diet coke... mmm mmm mmm!) she meandered on home and entered through the garage. She said the kitchen seemed a bit messier than usual but nothing too out of the ordinary... then it hit her, her laptop was gone and the back door was open. She immediately ran back outside and called me (see above).
"Call the police," I said, "I'm on my way home!"
So much for the tripple feature at the Monroe Galaxy Theaters (I was thinking maybe "Jumper", "The Spiderwick Cronicles", and one other movie yet undetermined... tonight was Gina's booknight at our house).
I got home and passed one of our trusty (if not rather useless) Snohomish County Sherriffs driving up the hill as I was driving down (Gina said he told her he had an emergency... he didn't LOOK like he was on his way to an emergency to me). He'd given her a form to fill out and told her to call him when it was complete... Thanks Mr. Sherriff Man (do NOT get me started on my feelings about our local police force!) Anyway, we entered the house and started doing inventory. It seems that we are now minus all my camera equipement (5 cameras, 10 lenses, 2 strobes, a bunch of filters, an underwater housing and strobe, and a digitial video camera with a bunch of goodies), all of Gina's ipod stuff and speakers, 3 laptops, Gina's jewelry, checkbooks, and other things as of yet to be discovered. It sucks. I don't think it will end up being as bad as it was when we got hit three years ago, but I hate that feeling of being so violated and vulnerable. Time to put that gate and security system up (like I should have done 8 years ago). It just makes me mad that I have to.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Politico II
Not to beat a dead horse (or I guess in this instance a dead Romney) but I just ran across an article from the Wall Street Journal which substantiated everything I posted in Politico I regarding anti-mormon bigotry being the driving force behind votes against Romney (forget the whole "flip flopping" argument). Click here for some enjoyable "light" reading: http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/genera_suzanne__080212_an_inconvenient_trut.htm
Friday, February 15, 2008
Celluloid Corner
Yesterday was Valentines Day... I have to admit that I came through once again with a killer gift for my wife. Dangly ear-rings. Guys... you can't go bad with dangly ear-rings. Anyway.. Last night we went to the local movie house and saw Definately, Maybe. On the Kelly Scale of 1 to 5, I give it an "OH MY GOODNESS WHAT A LAMER MOVIE MY WIFE MADE ME TAKE HER TO ON VALENTINES DAY". It was a chick flick that even the chicks weren't diggin...
Today, however, my wife headed north to visit the in-laws (my in-laws, her parents) so I got to a movie all by my self. Now being the good husband that I am, I called her (before she managed to get across the border and her cell phone still worked) and gave her a list of possible movies that I was allowed to see without her.
- Spiderwick.. "No, I think I want to see that too," she said.
- Rambo... "By all means GO!"
- The Eye... "Too scarey... I will not be going"
- The Jumper... "No, I want to see that one with you," she said. "Love of my life, it's SciFi," I said. "I don't care, I might like it," she said. "It deals with Space Time Continuum," I said. "I think I'd like some Space Time Continuum in my life about now... don't go!"
(what did she mean by that?!?!) - Fools Gold... "A Stupid Show... go"
The "Feint"
Have you heard about Senator Obama's amazing affect on people at his "revivals"? In at least four he has had to interrupt his speech due to some poor young woman fainting in his midst...FIVE TIMES!! Seattle's own Dori Monson AM 710 KIRO played snippets of each of the events and it was simply amazing. Each time Senator Oh-Blah-Ma stopped mid sentence, encouraged his followers to help the poor girl sit or lie down, called upon the ever-present EMTs to attend to her needs and (every time) just so happened to have an unopened bottle of water ready from under his podium which he gave to the poor damsel, made sure that everyone knew she was going to be OK and then said, "now where was I?" at which the crowd went beserk with joy and thanksgiving that the poor girl had the good fortune of having the Good Samaritan Senator there to save her. WHAT A GREAT HUMAN BEING!! Oh my goodness... what a sham!! I can't wait for some national news line to pick up on this one. Politicians KILL me!! Wasn't he accused of plants earlier on in the campaign (or was that Hillary??) And now this... Not that it's a bad idea, but he followed the same script over and over and over again... like no one would notice. He may be an inspiring speaker, but I have to question his intelligence at this point. But hey! Opra-God (my wife hates it when I call her that... Opra, not my wife... ) loves him... I guess he can't be all that bad, eh?
hmmmm.....
hmmmm.....
Thursday, February 14, 2008
El Politico!
I have to say that MITT IS STILL THE MAN! Talk about class. Did you all read about him putting country above self today and coming out in support of his prior nemesis McCain? Wow.. talk about leadership. I'm tellin' ya America, we let a great one get away in the likes of him. I was VERY disappointed when he threw in the towel but with the Hucksterbee fanning all the anti-mormon sentiment, I think the writing was on the wall (oh yeah, sure... I can hear all you EvanJELLOsists out there saying, "Who US?? Anti-mormon? Why NO SUH! We voted for Govenah Huckabee 'cuz he's a good ol' boy and true consuhvatist ta boot!" BULLPUCKABEE!! You voted for Huckabee 'cuz you couldn't stand the thought of having a Mormon in the White House! (C'mon now, time to be honest. Don't forget what The Good Book says about lyin' even if it is to yourself... To thine own self be true!) Anyway, let's let bygones be bygones. And let's let Huckabee BE Gone! C'mon Gov! Give it up already! It's time to show some of the class that Mitt shows and get behind Senator McCain (as painful as that is gonna be). NO he wasn't my first choice (can ye tell?) but he's now our best choice for keepin' HilBillary (yep I mean both of 'em) and Senator My Aching Back Oh VOMIT out of the kitchen (not to mention Lincoln's bedroom).
oooo-WEEE that felt good! ;-)
oooo-WEEE that felt good! ;-)
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