Roasting Paymon Number One

Well, we can't tell Paymon stories without bringing up cars. Many of you know this story so I will leave out a few of the details. Of course I am also leaving out a few of the main details because I don't want the wrong person to read this and all of the sudden cops are coming to arrest Paymon before he even gets out of town.

See back in the day Paymon was a less-than-faithful employee of a certain major car dealership. He was responsible for washing the cars, delivering them to the show room, and filling them up with gas. An honorable job...with a lot of responsibility. Can you imagine having your hands on the keys to corvettes, camaros, and other beauties? Well Paymon could. And he took full advantage. Many times taking a car with 0.2 miles on its odometer and returning it will 200. Yes, the plan was flawless...as long as he stayed accident free. Unfortunately one October night a brand new Camaro Z-28 ended up heading in the wrong direction on Hickory Hill Road. Before we knew it the car was a total loss.

And that's the night that I learned why Paymon loved Superman so much...because he too had a secret identity. By day he is Paymon Keith Shokoohi, but by night he is Houdini. The man wrecks a brand new car, barely loses his job, isn't convicted of any crime, and basically gets off unscathed. Yes, the man is a magician. He is a hero. Paymon Shokoohi is a god.

And with this we send off our good friend to start a new life. I wish you the best of luck and all of the happiness in the world. You have truly been a brother to me and my life has been blessed to have had you a part of it. I know that we will always be friends. Good luck!

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Roasting Paymon Number 2

I guess I am going to wrap several great things in to one. First, living with Paymon has always been great. We have never had a fight, rarely had an argument, and barely got on each others nerves completely. But I know the day that I brought Laddy home from the animal shelter Paymon wanted to kick my ass.

Laddy was my gigantic fat cat. And Paymon had a real hatred for him from the beginning. Now don't get me wrong, Paymon isn't an animal hater. No one needs to call PETA. But he made sure to put the cat through boot camp. From snap n' pops to balled up paper, the cat might have been huge, but he had to reamin quick on his toes.

Another memory of being roomies with the Shokoohi include his couch. All of my friends through the years have made mention of Paymon and his couch. There were only a few times through the years that you someone would come to the house and not find Paymon in his typical position, sprawled out on the same couch. He and the couch are one and the same. I think the seat is going to miss him as much as I am. It's definitely going to miss Paymon more than Jason does.

And lastly, I will always remember the bad puns. I often told Paymon that if he were a rapper his stage name would be Big Pun. If you've ever watched tv with us then you know this to be true. He can turn any word, any name, and commercial into a bad joke that you can't help but laugh at. Some of my favorite new words, diseases, and conditions have come from tv watchin and pun makin.

My favorite string of bad jokes came from watching CSI. See, a girl who likes black guys is said to have BDS. Black Dong Syndrome. It is a disease that comes from the African Snake, smuggled here years ago. A black person is said to suffer from 'Roids. It is a shortened word for the actual disease which is negroids. A person who dies from 'roids will eventually contract niggamortis. It is a very difficult problem to solve.

Now that you all think Paymon is a racist I assure you that this was all said in good fun with all of our black friends present...ok, well we don't really have black friends, but Richard was there!

I know that I will never have another roomie like ya man. I hope that one day Becky can understand your jokes and laugh at their stupidity with the same glee that I do. If not, there's always room here for you to sleep on your couch.

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Roasting Paymon Number 3

You can't tell Paymon stories without taking about Carey. Yep, my sister. For those of you who don't know or weren't around for the drama (and there was plenty) Paymon dated my sister back in the day. Yeah, it was a match made in hell. Honestly, Satan and Billy Graham make a cuter, more stable couple.

Between Carey beating Paymon up, halting basketball games in the middle of play, barking like a pit bull from the window of her car as she drove by Josh's or getting caught doing 'things' by my snoopin' dad there was never a dull moment.

I will refrain from rehashing the harshest moments. Let me remember a few great ones. Like 'Postago.

Huh, you ask? Well Carey, in her best Memphian dialect once asked "Where I postago?" From that moment on the post-and-go has been our favorite football play. Postago? Really!

So, Paymon...thanks for the memories. And thanks for dating my sister. That was never uncomfortable. Really.

PS, I didn't have any pictures of Carey and Paymon so I used a picture of her and her new boyfriend. She doesn't beat him up as much as she did Shokoohi.

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Roasting Paymon Number 4

You can look at Paymon and tell that he loves food. I mean since he moved in to the house with me and started cooking those rice dishes I've easily gained 25 pounds. Thanks dude!

But on food story sticks out in my mind. We made a trip to Hueys one weekend. Our favorite item on the menu is cheese fries. Yum!

The only thing we don't care for on our fries are the scallions; little green onions that crunch and kind of taste like grass. Paymon, being the culinary expert that he is orders cheesefries with no Sicilians. Apparently we don't like green onions on our fries, but we also don't like the people of Sicily on our fries either.

Classic.

Roasting Paymon Number 5

I am going to begin raosting Paymon over the next few days. He is leaving on March 28th and I want to make sure and send him off in good fun and with great memories.


I have to begin with Paymon's love of music. Anyone who knows Paymon knows that he started off as quite the thug. He sported a Miami Hurricanes Starter jacket, a real mean grimace, and an attitude that meant business. Who knew that under the mean facade a kinder, gentler soul was hiding? Paymon's cd player has since been eaten up with Celine Dion, The Goo Goo Dolls, The Cranberries, Avril Lavigne, Lifehouse, and even Kelly Clarkson. And if you want to go way back, Paymon used to love Boys 2 Men and Mariah Carey too. Yep, who's not so tough now?

I remember one great line from a Cranberries song went something like this..."We were drinking vintage cider, having fun." Paymon's recollection of the lyrics were a little off. He thought that they were drinking vintage CEDAR. Pronounced see-dar.
Classic Paymon.

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In Case You Didn't Notice

On the right side of my page you can see the ltest book that I am reading and any new cds that I have purchased (or downloaded) that are worth mentioning. I also have an ever changing list of my favorite movies and television shows. Keep an eye on those as they will change periodically.

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TV Guide's Hot People Issue

TV Guide just released it's "sexiest stars on television" issue. Some of the stars receiving the honorary ego boost are obvious; Eva Longoria, Patrick Dempsey, and Evangeline Lilly. One name that stood out above all others though, Skeet Ulrich!
Skeet? Really? Should the bitter name not disqualify him immediately anyway? Even past the name and the one-note acting (don't get me wrong, I enjoy Jericho) do chics really think that this guy is good looking? Someone please comment below and let me know. Maybe I'm missing something.
And Josh Holloway? Is he sexy? It must be the bad boy thing that is so steamy to the ladies. I am really not seeing the appeal. Maybe there isn't enough redneck in me to understand.
Anyway, enough being jealous that I will never grace such a list. As you know I can't stand to see a list (or 2) without making one of my own.

BEST LOOKING LADIES ON TV
10. Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica)
09. Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill)
08. Jaime Pressly (My Name is Earl)
07. Jill Hennessy (Crossing Jordan)
06. Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars)
05. Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy)
04. Kelly Carlson (Nip/Tuck)
03. Evangeline Lilly (Lost)
02. Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives)
01. Ali Larter (Heroes)

Runners-Up: Jennifer Morrison (House), Rashina Jones (The Office), and Teri Hatcher (Housewives).

Worth a Second Glance...and a Third
10. America Ferrera (Ugly Betty)
09. Jenna Fischer (The Office)
08. Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother)
07. Ginnifer Goodwin (Big Love)
06. Hilarie Burton (One Tree Hill)
05. Lizzy Caplan (The Class)
04. Nadine Velazquez (Earl)
03. Sara Ramirez (Grey's Anatomy)
02. Kandyse McClure (Battlestar Galactica)
01. Kate Walsh (Grey's Anatomy)

Now, someone more qualified should post their picks for best looking TV guys. Can't wait to hear who you like on my list and who you can't believe made it.

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My Weekend

Went to nashville this weekend to check out a comic named Aries Spears. It was off the chain. I wanted to put up a couple youtube links so that you could check this dude out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHT860Z-oJs

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFTHSj8zYhU

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Movie Review

300

This review will be a bit different. Action movies are not usually my favorite. Sometimes they feel too thin or too shallow. So in honor of action movies my review will be the same way...

Here are 10 things I have to say about the movie.

1. Hell Fuckin' Yeah. The action sequences made me say it out loud, twice!

2. Leonidas was a real hero. The best since Maximus in Gladiator.

3. Xerxes was a creepy bad guy.

4. The cinematic presentation was amazing. Every bit as good as expected.

5. The choreography was spectacular.

6. The slow-motion and stop-motion bits made me hold my breath everytime.

7. The monologues were a bit contrived, but I believed everything they said.

8. Did every Spartan have a membership at Gold's?

9. The movie lacked significant sub-plots. (But don't all action flicks)

10. Frank Miller's graphic novels turned movies are 2 for 2. I will see the 3rd no matter what it is.

GRADE: A-

The Wrong Question

AOL ran a story today about the movie 300 making so much money. They asked this question: "Critics panned 300, but it still made tons of money. Are critics wrong?" Personally, I think the question is stupid. An opinion can neither be wrong nor right.
Critics just give their two cents. Some moviegoers, like myself, read them. Some moviegoers just don't care.
Critics don't predict box office take. That job is left to marker analysts and money men. A review focuses on quality and not quantity. Even a reviewer who gave 300 an A+ would never have predicted 70 millions bucks.
Folks love to bash on critics. We all love to hate on people with opinions. Speaking of opinions...I think we should all find one or two reviewers that we gnerally agree with and read their reviews and ignore all the rest. And even still, if something catches your eye, go see it. You will never agree with someone on every movie. It's impossible.
The only thing that the mixed and negative reviews for 300 proved is that most moviegoers put very little stock into what a critic thinks.

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Scavenger Hunt

LAREDO, Texas (AP) -- A citywide scavenger hunt turned sour for 40 Texas high school students when police learned of it and arrested them on felony charges of theft and engaging in organized criminal activity.
Laredo police accused the students -- most of them in their final year at Laredo high schools -- of stealing up to five truckloads of loot from across town. The scavenger list included items such as city traffic signs and pinatas, police said.
"We will cooperate fully, review the case and collaborate with officials to determine all the facts," said Marco Alvarado, spokesman for the Laredo school district. "If needed, we will take appropriate action as specified in the student Code of Conduct."
Police arrested the 32 adults and eight juveniles March 2. The students' names were not released.
Officers first uncovered the escapade when a group of five students was pulled over for speeding. Their car contained stolen stop signs, a garden hose and other items, police said.
A short time later, the police department started receiving calls from residents who were angry about commotion caused by cars speeding in their neighborhood and stopping at a vacant lot.
Police determined the lot to be a drop-off point for stolen items. Officers arrested the students as they made drop-offs, the department said.
The older students were taken to jail, while the younger students were taken to a juvenile detention center. The police also impounded several of the students' vehicles.
Juan Cruz, an attorney for United Independent School District, said the district would review the criminal charges on Monday and figure out what action to take.
A third-degree felony charge of engaging in organized criminal activity is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. A state jail felony theft charge is punishable by up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

300 Plus 70 Million

WTF. Rarely am I so wrong about how much money a film is going to pull in over the weekend. I thought for sure 300 would come in at number one. It was the only movie to make my "must see" list for this weekend. But first place for a March weekend is generally about 30 million dollars. Occassionally a cartoon or well marketed comedy will spike above that. (Wild Hogs made a remarkable 40 million last weekend)
However, 300 made 30 million on Friday alone and by the time the bell rang on Sunday afternoon the movie had capped at about 70 million dollars.
Looks like the summer movie season is heating up earlier than usual this year.
Next weekend I suspect 300 will do battle with Dead Silence for the top slot. I don't think Silence will rake in 70 million, but 30 million is not impossible. Word of mouth for 300 will determine whether it holds on to the top slot or not.
Either way 300 was huge and I am sure it won't take too long for the next Frank Miller graphic novel to hit the big screen.

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My Media Room

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Music Talk

There are a couple of cds that I wanted to let you in on.

Relient K - 5 Score and Seven Years Ago

The Christian band continues to grow musically without losing touch of what got them to where they are; catchy up-beat tunes with hooks worthy of deep sea fishing.

Great Lines: And here I sit in retrospect understanding that I misunderstood//thought I could make up your mind//You had a decision locked up so tight that it couldn't be touched

Teddy Bears - Soft Machine

Lots of big beats and head bobbin' pop spews from this disk. Whether it's a track featuring Ebbot Lundberg (The Soundtrack Of Our Lives) or Mad Cobra you just can't help but feel inspired by the urge to get up and move. This Swedish group is going to be making noise for a while.

Best Track: Punk Rocker (Featuing Iggy Pop)

Tokyo Police Club - A Lesson in Crime

Indie newbies make good. That about sums up TPC. A cross between The Strokes, The Hives, and The Shins anyone who enjoys tempo-altering, screeching power, and powerful groove should pick up a copy of this 7 track set.

Best Track: Cheer It On

What's Worth Seeing

It's that time again. A look at the weekly movie openings for Memphis. This week looks pretty thin, but the one movie that is worth mentioning is well worth the solo slot.

300
Summary (From IMDB.COM): Based on Frank Miller's graphic novel, "300" concerns the 480 B.C. Battle of Thermopylae, where the King of Sparta led his army against the advancing Persians; the battle is said to have inspired all of Greece to band together against the Persians, and helped usher in the world's first democracy.

My $.02: The trailers look amazing. Frank Miller's Sin City was awesome. The action looks promising. The story is inspiring. And the special effects and cinematography look radical and groundbreaking. So can 300 really live up the hype? The preliminary reports on Rotten Tomatoes seem to be torn. Right now the meter is hanging around 58% which is considered rotten.

My Anticipation: 7.0 (out of 10).

Movie Review

Black Snake Moan starring Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci

"She got this sickness like. She gotta get the dick in her." And that pretty much sums up the plot of this wild farce from director (and Memphian) Craig Brewer. The follow up to his acclaimed Hustle and Flow is nothing if it's not full of imagination and heart.

Samuel L. Jackson plays Lazarus, a down on his luck country farmer. After his brother runs off with his wife he finds himself at the end of his emotional rope. Christina Ricci plays Rae, the town slut. But we're told to not blame her because she's got the sickness. She can't help herself.

After Rae's "meal ticket" ships off to war she hits rock bottom and finds herself underneath man after man. Drunk, drugged, and beaten, Rae is left for dead after a wild night of partying.

And this is where the story kicks in. Rae is found by Lazarus on the side of the road barely clothed and hardly breathing. Lazarus, a religious blues man, helps her into the house and begins to nurse her back to health. But his discovers her sickness and decides it's his job to cure her. So he chains her up to his old radiator and the games begin.

Sure it sounds like a pretty wild plot. And it is. However, I went into this movie thinking that it was going to pretty much be a one trick pony; Sam Jackson spouting off one liners in the same vain as his Pulp Fiction character. My theory was pleasantly disproven and what started out as a unique and unusual story turned into a damned good movie.

That's not to say there weren't a few short comings. Justin Timberlake plays Ronnie. Rae's boyfriend that ships off to war as the movie begins. I couldn't get passed the fact that it was J.T. on the big screen. I kept waiting for him to bust out in song. I couldn't get passed the high pitched voice or the unmistakable attempt to act. It wasn't until the end of the movie that I finally settled down and was able to believe that Ronnie was on the screen and not NSync. This wasn't Timberlake's fault, it's just his celebrity is much bigger than this movie ever will be.

The movie is at it's best when the blues are pumping loud and clear through the theater speakers. The soundtrack is top notch and the soulful tunes break up the movie like a careful waitress slicing up a sweet piece of pecan pie. Sam Jackson sang several of the movie's best tunes including Blind Lemon Jefferon's 1927 track Black Snake Moan.

The film's pace is deliberate and sometimes seems to give you permission to drift off in your mind. But that's not to say it is slow or boring. There are just some moments that require a little more attention than others.

Christina Ricci does a great job keeping a straight face throughout some of the more insane moments. I still think her best role ever was in Monster, but this is close. She is believeable. She is passionate. And she's pretty much naked throughout the whole thing.

While not everyone will appreciate the tongue in cheek humor or how serious this flick ultimately takes itself I can assure you that it will give you something to talk about. And isn't that really the director's most important job requirement?

Grade: B+

Highlights

My day has been pretty groovy and I wanted to share just a few of those moments with you guys.

-I finally got an office today. After 26 months of broken promises I am out of the ol' cubicle in into an office. Now those of you alreay in possession of an office I hope that you haven't taken for granted the freedom that this allows. It's a space you can clear your head when the day is too tough. It's a private place to make a quick call. It's something that says "hey you do a good job and you deserve this freedom."
Plus to be honest it's a place for me to watch cable tv, listen to cds, and play hook up my dvd player. I know, I know...I have it so hard. But I do feel like I have earned it.

-Joey Porter signed with the Dolphins today. Steeler fans will be quick to point out that Porter is old, he's got two bum knees, a big mouth, and can be a real pain in a coach's side. But, let me counter if you will. Porter will only face one man. The days of double teams are over thanks to Jason Taylor filling the other side and Zach Thomas clogging up the middle. He is still an outspoken leader, and Steeler fans can argue the fact that he is a winner and a champion.

-Randy Shannon, the new Miami Hurricanes coach is shaking things up a bit. He's added a curfew, an on-campus living policy for underclassmen, a G.P.A. standard for upper classmen who wish to live off-campus, and given a zero tolerance decree for fire arms. Any player caught with a fire arm will be dismissed from the team and will be immediately expelled from the private university. he has the full cooperation of the unviersity president. Miami is about to get its winning swagger back...with a hard nosed coach.

-I saw a great movie last night. Talk To Her. The 2002 Almodovar flick was excellent. This spanish language tale is about two men who take a very strange path to friendship. One is a nurse caring after a lady in a coma. The other is an emotional wreck who falls in love with a bull fighter. When the bull fighter is put into a coma she ends up in the same hospital as the nurse. Through a series of curious incidents and coincidences the two hit it off and become friends. As one falls into a web of legal troubles and heart break the other fights to help him recover while keeping quite a secret himself. If you like a movie with twists and turns and lots of surprises then this is a must see. Of course I know many of you will pass b/c of the subtitles. Your loss.

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Come On Big Blue Let's Go!

I was thrilled to see the Tigers had climbed to number 5 in both the coaches poll and the Ap poll. If we win out in the conference tournament then we are a solid number two seed. Right? Not So Fast My Friend as Lee Corso would say. Bracketology has Memphis as a three seed. Even with the longest winning streak in the nation. Even with an undefeated conference schedule. Even with a top 10 RPI. Even with a top 5 poll spot. 3-seed? What gives?
No doubt our conference schedule isn't nearly as hard as say Florida, Wisconsin, Ohio State, or Kansas. But while these schools are playing Butthole State to warm up for the conference, the Tigers are grinding it out with Arizona, Tennessee, and Gonzaga. The RPI proves that our competition isn't that much worse than these schools.
Granted we have struggled over the last week and a half. SMU gave us a run for the money. BUT, we won. And that's what matters, right? No matter who you are, when you play a team for the second time, there is a chance that they are going to be better. They've looked at your game plan and studied it and know what to expect. Not to mention UTEP has a former Memphis coach leading them.
So, that being said. It looks like we are about the be screwed this coming Sunday. The difference between a 2 seed and a 3 seed is gigantic. It's the difference between playing a North Carolina in the sweet sixteen versus playing them in the Elite 8. That's a pretty big difference. At least as far as I am concerned.
The only thing that make me more comfortable is that I know John Calipari will never let it go if we get bent over like we are about to be.

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Happiness or Meaning

This is not a post about Heroes...this is a post about life. Keep reading, trust me!!!

I was watching Heroes last night. I wasn't a gigantic fan of the show until about three weeks ago. Before the season started I knew for sure that this show would land in my top 5. I am a big fan of super powers, heroes, and especially villains, but after the first three "chapters" I just wasn't getting into it. Because so many fans online continued to rave about it and because several of my spoiler sites swore that the best was yet to come I stuck with it.
Well I am glad that I did. The pay off came last week when H.R.G. got his very own special feature episode. It let me know that the creators do have a plan and that everything we've seen up until now has a reason. (Beyond season one, who knows, but at least the first season has a destination).
THE REAL STUFF
Anyway, I'm not here to discuss the actual show with you. I just wanted to give my two cents before I moved on to the real topic. Last night Nathan met up with the guy who is presumably behind most of what is going on. Linderman. While this Linderman is a real creep he had some insight on life that I think is incredibly accurate and amazingly real.

He said that life can only have two paths. You can either strive to live a life of happiness or you can strive to live a life of meaning, but you cannot have both. At first I disregarded the comment as a bunch of Heroes hooey. But then he elaborated and I really got what he was saying.
A life of happiness is a wonderful thing. You are contented. However, you live in he here and now. You can't look back into the past and you can't realistically anticipate the future. If you do either of those then you are not trully allowing yourself to be happy.
A life of meaning is alos a great thing. However, on this path you are not happy because in order to create some type of meaning and purpose you have to live in the past and see the realities of the future. You must understand pain and suffering and you must learn to change that so that the future is not so grim. So, a life of meaning and a life of happyness really can't co-exist.
I just thought that it was a neat insight and one that I completely believe. And I don't really look at it is as a negative outlook on life. Being a bit of a realist I think that it helps explain why so many people are unhappy. I think most folks attempt to take the path of happiness, but refuse to get out of the past or fail to quit looking at the future and they never can quite find that proper middle ground in the here and now.

Ok, just my two cents. Thought I'd throw it out there.

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It Just Gets Worse

When I saw this video on local news I knew I had to find out more about it. You can never trust ANYTHING you see on local news. They have a way of spinning things to try to win ratings. So I jumped online and did a search.

WATAUGA, Texas (CNN) -- Police in suburban Fort Worth, Texas, said a videotape found in a search for stolen goods appears to show two teenagers persuading a 2-year-old boy and his 5-year-old brother to smoke marijuana.
Third-degree felony charges have been filed against the teenagers.


Well that about sums it up, right. This world has officially gone to hell. I just can't grasp the idea that two teenagers, (17 NOT 13), would do something like this. Seriously. But you know who should be blamed the most. The mother. She was in the back bedroom while all of this was going on. It's not like she didn't know that these teens were thugs. I'm sure she knew they were smoking pot. It's not the easiest smell to hide. To leave her children alone with them...she should be charged with criminal negligence.

2007 Tennis Tournament

(From Top To Bottom)
Andy Murray
Andy Roddick
Venus Williams
Tommy Haas
Lil Cree

Movie Review

ZODIAC starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr.

As many of you know, David Fincher is one of my favorite directors. Se7en was bloody good, Fight Club was nearly as brilliant as the book, The Game was full of twists and turns, and Panic Room was a ton of fun (who the fuck is Raul). My anticipation level was pretty high on this one for me because it has just been too long since he made a movie.

When I watch a movie I am always aware of three things. The first is the acting. A movie is only as good as its cast. Bad acting will take away from the entire plot of the film. But acting can only be great with great directing. And therefore the second thing I look for in a movie is the directing skills. But a director, in my opinion, can only make a great movie with a great script. Some might disagree, but I think the key to all perfect movies is the script.

That being said, let's begin with the actors and acting. All were in top form here. Mark Ruffalo (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, You Can Count On Me) is always great in everything that he does. This is no different. He plays an inspector tasked with finding the Zodiac killer. Jake Gyllenhaal (Donnie Darko, Brokeback Mountain) was sufficient as the main character, Robert Graysmith. Him playing a father was a bit hard to buy since he has always played younger characters. But his charm was used to the max when dealing with his kids or working around a zany, masterful Robert Downey Jr.

Downey Jr. played Paul Avery, a writer for the San Francisco, is the lead crime reporter on the Zodiac case. Avery is on a bit of a downward spiral in the movie kind of hitting close to home for the actor.

So, acting aside, let's look at the directing. Honestly, nothing special here to report. There weren't a whole lot of special effects, there were limited unique camera angles or points of view, and everything played very straight. Where Fincher does shine here is in bringing the late 60's and the early 70's era to life without it being a distraction. Several similar movies of late, Hollywoodland and The Black Dhalia, to name names, were very annoying to watch because of how hard the directors were trying to get you to notice their sets and costumes. Zodiac passes with flying clors where those movies failed.

That just leaves the script. The movie is based on several books written by Robert Graysmith. I didn't much care for his first book. It was very dry and read almost like a newspaper reporter's notes. Luckily, the movie's dialogue is pretty quick and it doesn't spend a lot of time catching you up. Once a character is mentioned or shown on screen you had better rememeber his or her name or you will find yourself lost.

Zodiac is a bit long, however they could have made a six hour movie and still not covered everything that should be noted about this serial killer. The length didn't bother me, but I heard several other moviegoers comment on it as we were leaving.

The movie covers nearly 25 years of history. When any amount of time passes in the film it is noted at the bottom of the screen. By the 4th or 5th flash of elapsed time I had already lost track of when we were in the story. Ultimately that became annoying and I just stopped paying attention unless the passed time was longer than a year.

What was surprising to me about Zodiac was the lack of a creep factor. I only tensed up in one scene and even that wasn't super chilling. The movie really does play out more like a video history than like that of an old fashioned detective story. It's dry in some places, but not once does the information stop coming. You are always learning something new.

The first half is especially bad about touching on a point with no elaboration. It isn't until the last quarter of the film that movie really hits its stride. That's when Graysmith, all the county sheriffs, and the inspectors all begin to close in on a few prime suspects.

Zodiac manages to be entertaining and informative. It manages to be a document of brutality. It manages to showcase police limitations and a lack of resources. It manages to show how easily someone can get away with murder.

If you've ever found yourself at home on some night watching Forensic Files or some other Court TV special or if you are extremely fond of 48 Hours Mystery then this is 2 hours and 40 minutes made just for you.

GRADE: B-

LOST

For those you that watch Lost, let's chat about last nights episode. By far the funniest episode of the season. You can always count on Hurley to bring the funny. His episodes are always heart warming and make me feel good about the show. With all of the doom and gloom, torture and terror, this was a very welcome break.
Sawyer dropped off quite a few lines from little house to skeletor. I think my favorite Sawyer moment was him teaching Jinbo the three most important English lines when it comes to dealing with women.
But the best line of the night went to Hurley when he called Sawyer Red Neck Man. His delivery was perfect.

So, the episode was short on mythology and didn't much move the story forward. And the suspenseful ending didn't really have me on the edge of my seat. We all knew Alex was the french woman's daughter. Kate telling her didn't really get my blood pumping. But it was a great stopping point and will really help kick it back into full gear next week.

I heard something on eonline today. You might want to stop reading now if you dont like spoilers. Last chance... SPOILER ENDS WHEN RED ENDS...Life and Style magazine is reporting that dm has been told that he will not be back next season. Now I don't know if this is true. Kristen is hard at work trying to find out if this is the case or not. But my assumption would be that this is true and that Charlie is going to kick the bucket pretty soon. I will be sad to see him go, but he really doesn't add a lot to the show. He is just another sad character that I feel sorry for. There are more than enough of them to go around.
I also hear that a new female character will be added by the end of the year and that she is not an other, not in a flashback, and was not on flight 815. Oh no, its an other other. Hmmmm.

All around good times last night. Next week is supposed to be excellent as Sayid returns to center stage. Coming up after that we have a Claire episode, a Locke episode, and a Nikki-Paulo episode. March looks to be a great month on Lost.

OUT!

STUPID PEOPLE

I was reading an article on AOL this morning about stupid lawsuits. I had to share a few of these with you!!!

Two Michigan men set a small fire in their store to collect insurance money on the goods. The fire spread to the next building, which they also owned. After confessing to the crime, the men sued for a claim on the building they accidentally torched.

Frivolous lawsuits aren't just an American epidemic. A woman in Israel sued a local weatherman and TV station after his predicted sunny forecast turned to unexpected rain, which she claims gave her the flu because she was ill-prepared for it.


In Michigan state Case No. 9650302, a prisoner blamed his flatuence on the food he was served in the state penitentiary. The Michigan State Attorney's office reports that lawsuits by inmates are on the rise -- and paid for by taxpayers.

A bank robber knocked off a California Savings and Loan. He shoved the stolen money roll, which contained a hidden Security Pac, in his front pocket. The device leaked red dye and tear gas giving the robber 2nd and 3rd degree burns, for which he sued the bank and the device manufacturer.

A Maine woman was hit in the face with her own golf ball after it struck railroad tracks on the first fairway of Fort Kent Golf Club and bounced back. She sued the golf club for damages.


One surfer sued another for stealing his wave. The court was able to establish guilt but dismissed the case because it could not agree on a monetary award for the pain and suffering endured having to watch another ride your wave.

A New York woman sued the company that makes 'The Clapper,' saying she had to clap so hard to turn her appliances on and off that she hurt her hands and was unable to peel potatoes.

Just had to share!

OUT

Looking Back Then Looing Forward

For three days I had been looking forward to playing tennis, but when the time came it didn't live up to my expectations. See I had been planning on playing with Jason after work yesterday. When I told Paymon about it he asked if he could play. I told him of course he could. My goal over the next four weeks is to hang out with Paymon as much as possible. With him being gone at the end of March I want to get in as much hang-out time as I can.
Well when we got out on the court my game was just not there. I was hitting the ball long, my serve was erratic, and I had no rhythm. When we play with three people, two players play for a game and the odd man sits out. The winner of the game stays on and the loser rotates out.
Well I pretty much hate playing that way. It doesn't allow you to work on your game, you barely get any exercise, and it keeps your rhythm off for the whole night. I have no desire to go out and try to play tennis if I'm not getting better or at least not getting some exercise. So my night was pretty much ruined.
I finally got frustrated and let Jason and Paymon play while I sat out and watched. But now that I look back on it I think a couple other issues were at play. First of all my back was hurting pretty badly. The last two times I played tennis my back didn't really bother me. This time it got to me fast and hit me hard. I think I was partially getting mad because of the pain and frustration of continuing to have to deal with back pain. The other reason I was frustrated is that I realized how much I need to start working on my diet and exercise. In coming posts I will write more about that.

Ok, now that I have that off my chest it's time to look forward. I will be thirty years old in 19 months. How fucking scarry is that? I know that it isn't the end of my life or anything. Most people have their best years between 30 and 40. Thats when a lot of people get married, a lot of people have kids, and a lot of people settle down. These are all great things. These are all thingss that I am looking forward to. But there are other things that I want to accomplish as well. And here are a few of those things that I want to do before I am 30:

1. I want to learn to play an instrument. I know I can't learn to be good on an instrument in just a year and a half, but I can get the basics. I have never even taken the initiative to try.

2. I want to take tennis lessons. At least one. But more likely a series of lessons.

3. I want to write a book. I know, everyone wants to write a book. I really want to write a book. And I know that I can do it in 19 months if I just set my mind to it and go for it.

I think that these are all things that I can accomplish. Any encouragement, help, or opportunity that you can provide me will be greatly appreciated.


here are some song lyrics that really sum up how I'm feelin'!

failure by design
by Brand New

This is a lesson in procrastination.
I kill myself because I'm so frustrated.
Every single second that I put it off
Means another lonely night I got to race the clock.
(I ignore it and it ignores me too.)
What say we go and crash your car?
And every time I leave you go and lock the door.
So I walk myself picking at a chip on my shoulder.
I'm another day late and one year older.
It's failure by design.

OUT

What's Worth Seeing?

I'm going to try to post a little section here every Wednesday after the Malco movie listings are made. I will use this little blurb to give my two cents about what's worth seeing at the cinemaplex this weekend.

Two items blip on my radar on this first weekend of March:

BLACK SNAKE MOAN:
Craig Brewer returns to the dirrty south for his much anticipated follow-up to Hustle and Flow. This time his cast is a lot better, his budget a lot bigger, and the pressure a lot heavier.
Plot: (FROM IMDB.COM) A God-fearing bluesman (Samuel L. Jackson) takes to a wild young woman (Christina Ricci) who, as a victim of childhood sexual abuse, looks everywhere for love, never quite finding it.
The movie also features Justin Timberlake.
My $.02: I think that this film has the potential to be great. Sam Jackson seems to be right back into fine form after a short detour with Snakes on a Plane, Freedom Land, and The Man. It looks like a lot of fun.
Anticipation level for this film: 7.5 (out of 10)

ZODIAC:
David Fincher. That should be enough to make your mouth water and your hand to rezach into your pockets and pull out 10 bucks to see this film. For you haters out there, Fincher is the man responsible for Se7en, Panic Room, and Fight Club. Here he takes on another serial killer; The Zodiac.
Plot: (FROM IMDB.COM) Based on the Robert Graysmith books about the real life notorious Zodiac, a serial killer who terrorized San Francisco with a string of seemingly random murders during the 1960s and 1970s.
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr.
My $.02: This movie should have all the right stuff to be a classic. A great director. A great leading actor. And a scary plot full of suspence and intrigue. Will it live up to it? Only time will tell, but my guess is yes!

Anticipation level for this film: 8 (out of 10)

Movie Review

THE NUMBER 23 starring Jim Carrey

I checked out the movie "The Number 23" last night. After seeing that it was damned by critics across the globe, scoring a powerful 09% on rottentomatoes.com, I was sure that I was in for 95 minutes of pure suckage.

The truth is the movie didn't have a lot going for it. A February release nearly always means that it is a dump film. Some poor studio getting rid of its trash just before the summer season heats up. Plus Joel Schumacher behind the camera is never a sure thing. I have three words to prove my point. BATMAN AND ROBIN. Aside from that the 68 year old director is also responsible for 8 MM which I thought was a horribly pointless flick.

But, Mr. Schumacher and I do have a history. See, he directed The Lost Boys, one of my all time favorites. He also directed Flatliners, The Client, and A Time To Kill. So he has earned a few "passes" in my book. But nevertheless, him being the director was another reason for pause before heading off to see it.

The last cause of concern of course was Jim Carrey playing it straight. Now I am one of the folks in the camp of belief that Carrey should continue to stretch out and play a few more serious roles. Beyond Ace Venutra, Liar Liar, and Me Myself and Irene I have no use for the man's comedy. I know I am in the minority but The Cable Guy, Mask, and Dumb and Dumber were all a big waste of my time. (I hear frat boys groaning at me from all across the globe right now). The Truman Show was brilliant and I can't say enough about him as Andy in Man On The Moon. So I'm cool with Carrey giving the scary a try, even if I had my doubts about it.

So let's get into the movie. Carrey plays William Paul Sparrow, an everyday dog catcher with a sweet wife and a good son. His life is normal and boring until one day a series of unfortunate events lands a strange self-published book called The Number 23 in his hands.

As he reads through the book he discovers a string of erie events that seem to all revolve around the number. He delves deeper and deeper into the book until he becomes obsessed by the relevance of the number.

His wife, played by the always excellent Virginia Madsen, trys to get him back on track. When she can't do it she enlists the help of their son and then a family friend. As Carrey's character unravels we see a deeper mystery unfold between flashes of the novel and real life. Some of the book sequences are well done, but its noir tone and dialogue seemed to be a bit out of Carrey's league. In these breakaway scenes Carrey plays the book's main character Fingerling and Madsen plays his lover Fabrizia.

Honestly the movie had a good pace to it until the end. My interest was kept and my mind didn't seem to wander too much. Minus a few too many scenes with a strange dog I was right there in the mix.

The end managed to tie everything up into a nice little bow, which I appreciated. As an avid reader I hate when a mystery is left too open ended. What I didn't care for was how long it took to explain the mystery away. I think Schumacher assumed his audience was too dumb to draw a few conclusions on their own and he ended up over-explaining everything.

I know that I am and will continue to be in the minority when it comes to this movie, but I liked it. I didn't love it. I won't buy it. I won't put the poster up in my media room. I won't go shouting from the rooftops for you to see it. But I will tell you that I enjoyed it. And for a run of the mill February Tuesday it was a nice retreat from reality.

GRADE: C+

Exciting Drug Information

In Pharmacology, all drugs have two names, a trade name and generic name. For example, the trade name of Tylenol also has a generic name of Acetaminophen. Aleve is also called Naproxen. Amoxil is also called Amoxicillin and Advil is also called Ibuprofen.

The FDA has been looking for a generic name for Viagra. After careful consideration by a team of government experts, it recently announced that it has settled on the generic name of Mycoxafloppin. Also considered were Mycoxafailin, Mydixadrupin, Mydixarizin, Dixafix, and of course, Ibepokin.

Pfizer Corp. announced today that Viagra will soon be available in liquid form and will be marketed by Pepsi Cola as a power beverage suitable for use as a mixer. It will now be possible for a man to literally pour himself a stiff one. Obviously we can no longer call this a soft drink, and it gives new meaning to the names of "cocktails", "highballs" and just a good old-fashioned "stiff drink". Pepsi will market the new concoction by the name of: MOUNT & DO.

Tattoos

So I am thinking about getting a third tattoo. Can't quite decide what I want. I've thought about a dragon on my left shoulder that would also stretch out onto my chest and should blade. Major, huge, big, ginormous. I've also thought about a smaller more tribal dragon.

Maybe not a dragon at all. Maybe an iron cross...or is that too cliched? Do you guys have any suggestions or ideas? I want something that has some meaning. I also thought about sticking with the phoenix rising from the ashes theme and am considering maybe a half sleeve based on that entire concept. Maybe some flames, some ash, and of course a Phoenix rising up towards the sun.

Here is a pic of a tribal dragon that I was looking at. Let's hear your thoughts, please.

I Suck I Know

I am the worst blogger ever. Just when i think that I am about to get back into the groove its like BAM, something happens and I stop blogging. I actually almost forgot my username and password to my blogger account.
Personally I think everyone should have a blog. I mean it is such an easy way for everyone to keep up with one another. I can tell everyone I know my opinion on something at once. And I can read everyone else's opinion on that or similar topics. But that's asking too much. I still can't get all of my friends to sign-up for stupid ol' myspace.

Anyway, I watched the movie "Man of the Year" last night. It has Robin Williams and Laura Linney in it. It wasn't extremely funny or anything, but it made some excellent points about politics, big business, lobbyist, and oil. It dogged political campaigns, ad revenue and spending, and behind-the-scenes favors. And then it capped it all off by proving that no matter what, all serious contenders for political office are basically the same people. Cookie cutter representatives.

This cookie-cutter issue is none more apparent than the coming Presidential race. The biggest "what's the difference" issue is in the democratic party. Hillary Clinton vs Barack Obama. A woman versus a black man. Hmmmm....couldn't be more different, right? Wrong they couldn't be more alike. Thy have voted the same or nearly the same on every single issue they have faced in the senate. The biggest difference: Clinton supported going to war, but now supports a gradual pull-out of the troops in Iraq. While Obama never supported the war, he too supports a gradual pull-out of the troops in Iraq. Other issues are identical as well, but the main issue at stake is the war. No other topic will hold as much weight this time around as what to do with our involvement in Iraq.

This war-heavy election could easily be won by democrats if they would cease the in-fighting. People seem to be tired of a winless war. But if the dems can't get their heads out of their asses long enough another central figure in the war on terror might become our next president. Rudy Giuliani. You remember him, right? He was the mayor that so delicately handled the 9-11 tragedy. He is also responsible for cleaning up the city of New York and making it an attractive, safe, tourist friendly city again. And if you take him too lightly he might sneak up on you.

Ok, enough politics. I promise to write more. I swear it. But only if you promise to read it.

Cree

2007 Will See Return Of Big Box Office

2007 is shaping up to be a huge year for the movie business. Here is a list of my most highly anticipated mainstream movies. Expect billions at the box office.

10. Ocean's 13 (June 8): Even though I hated Ocean's 12 I can't wait to see the next installment. Ocean's 11 was just that good.

09. Bourne Ultimatum (Aug 3): The first two were great, I just hope they do away with the shaky camera effect. I almost got sick last time Jason Bourne kicked ass on the big screen.

08. American Gangster (Nov 2): Denzel and Russell Crowe. This movie isn't a career breaker, but both could use a hit after lame releases in 2006.

07. Live Free or Die Hard (July 4): Cheesy title, but I can't wait to hear the much older looking Bruce Willis mutter his famous line "Yippie Ky-aye Mother Fucker!"

06. Rush Hour 3 (Aug 10): If only Chris Tucker would make other movies too. He truly is one of the funniest guys in the business. And most lazy!

05. Zodiac March 2): David Fincher returns for his first movie since 2002's Panic Room. Hopefully this one will be more Fight Club, less Jodie Foster. Should be easy since Foster doesn't star, Jake Gyllenhall does.

04. Evan Almighty (June 22): Steve Carrell picks up the torch where Jim Carrey left it in this Bruce Almight Sequel. If it is half as funny as 40 Year Old Virgin then it will be a hit.

03. Grind House (April 6): Tarantino and Rodriguez team up on this old school styled double feature. They get an A for effort before I even see it. The set is divided by fake advertisements and movie trailers!

02. Transformers (July 4): Ok, so this movie may suck, but the trailer is so good I can't help but get excited! Prime looks amazing. Bumble Bee is a new 2009 Camaro.

01. Spider-man 3 (May 4): Venom. Enough Said.


My box office prediction for biggest grossers of the year are as follows:

1. Spider-man 3
2. Shrek 3
3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoneix
4. Pirates Of The Carribean 3
5. Transformers

Biggest Busts:
Fantastic 4: Rise Of The Silver Surfer
The Simpsons

Best Movies Of 2006

15. Thank You For Smoking
14. Inside Man
13. The Prestige
12. Jackass 2
11. The Last Kiss
10. The Descent
09. Superman Returns
08. V For Vendetta
07. Lucky Number Slevin
06. Apocalypto
05. Borat
04. The Departed
03. The Science Of Sleep
02. Little Miss Sunshine
01. Brick


Granted this is Memphis and there are several movies that I have been unable to see because they haven't released here or they were only here for one week. Once I have seen those movies I will update my list.
Those movies are:

Children of Men
Half Nelson
Pan's Labyrinth
The Good Shepherd
Sherrybaby
The Groomsmen
Little Children

Hope u enjoyed the top ten movies as much as I did!

Happy New Year.

Best TV Shows 2006

1. Battlestar Galactica- Consistently the best show on tv. The emotion and intensity is enough, but the show also manages to weave current affairs and politics into a futuristic space show.
2. Greys Anatomy- This is a must see appointment every week. A show written for women, but still finds a way to draw in the male crowd. I also love that spoilers for this show are either hard to find or great big red herrings.
3. Veronica Mars- Veronica grew up this year and moved on the solve college cases. The second season finale back in May was a bit overwritten otherwise Ms. Mars might be at the top of this list.
4. The Shield- The most intense, gritty show on tv. Forrest Whitaker even brought it up a level. I just wish we had more episodes each year to enjoy.
5. Lost- Those of you that know me already know that if I could put this show at number one I would in a heart beat. The second half of season 2 was amazing, but the first six episdofes of season 3 have been missing something. (like more original cast members) I love Ben and Juliet, but I need my losties fix too.
6. How I Met Your Mother- This show is the next Friends...minus one thing. The viewers! Why CBS is not giving the post superbowl slot to this super show is beyond me.
7. Medium- The writing on this show is so original. Too bad NBC is already treating the award winning ensemble like a step child (just like it does Scrubs).
8. The Office- I'm a late-comer to The Office. That doesn't make it any less brilliant. Jim is one of the best characters on tv and this show hits so close to, er, work.
9. Dexter- A sympathetic serial killer is the lead of this show. Believe it or not, it works. Dexter will be back for a second season. I suggest you make a call to your local Showtime provider.
10. Boston Legal- This year of Boston Legal has already given me a lifetime of saying to use with friends and family. Thank you Denny Crane.

Biggest Disappointments
1. The Sopranos- New episodes are so few and far between that I can't even remember the last time there was a good season.
2. The O.C.- I actually quit watching this show after last season. The Johnny, Marissa, Ryan triangle was too much. It actually made me miss the days of Oliver. I hear this season has been better, but I'm not falling for it. Too little too late.
3. 24- I know most people would disagree with me. But this show has fallen so far from its perfect first three seasons. Really, I will say it again, the show is called 24, not CTU, CTU L.A., or Jack and friends.

Is It Really?

Can it be that Christmas is just a few days away? I mean, my Christmas shopping is done, my gifts are wrapped, my tree is lit and yet it seems like Christmas is a long ways away. Maybe it's different if you have kids. I know when I was a child Christmas was all that I could talk about; Santa and his great journey to Snakey Lake Drive to deliver presents to the Carwile household. Where is that magic now? I miss feeling like every breath was one second closer to the best time of the year.
Is it possible to have that again? I don't know that it is.
It's like watching a magican performing a trick, but knowing how the whole thing works. It just isn't as special. You can't help but think, it's so simple, how could I have ever felt that THIS was ever something so amazing.
I want that feeling back. Maybe I need to create an annual holiday tradition with friends. You know, a party or dinner that would bring everyone together for a special evening. But would that make me feel any more celebratory towards the holidays? Or would it just feel like another burden to cross off the list before the end of the year.
I am not trying to be a humbug. Honestly. I am trying to do the exact opposite. Recapture that zest. Do you have any ideas? Let me hear them. I would love your comments.

THE BRIGHT SIDE

This has been a terrible year. Back surgery. Money problems. The passing of both grandparents. A good friend who discovered she has leukemia (her second non-curable disease). Yet all of the bad things that have happened have brought some good. I am so excited about seeing my family. I have been pretty open with them in the past, telling them that I really couldn't care less about being with them around the holidays. Shame on me. I now see the value in spending as much time with them as possible. They are all I have and they would be there with me no matter what. So, through all of the bad news I have gained some real perspective this year. And for that I am so grateful.

And in case I don't get to write again before Christmas. Please have a very Merry Christmas!!!

Best Albums of 2006

20. Eyes Open by Snow Patrol
19. Ben Kweller by Ben Kweller
18. Return To Cookie Mountain by TV on the Radio
17. First Impressions of Earth by The Strokes
16. Magic Potion by The Black Keys
15. The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me by Brand New
14. Boys and Girls in America by The Hold Steady
13. Robbers and Cowards by Cold War Kids
12. Dog Problems by The Format
11. Rise and Fall of Butch Walker... by Butch Walker and the Let's Go Out Tonites
10. 10,000 Days by Tool
09. Happy Hollow by Cursive
08. Welcome To The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance
07. Whatever People Say I Am, I'm Not by Actic Monkeys
06. I'm Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass by Yo La Tengo
05. The Crane Wife by The Decemberists
04. Black Holes and Revelations by Muse
03. Broken Boy Soliders by The Raconteurs
02. St. Elsewhere by Gnarls Barkley
01. NightCrawler by Pete Yorn

A Weird Fetish

People are in to all kinds of weird things. The waiting list in Florida to see an execution is over 500 people long. I could never watch something like that. Hell I have a hard enough time watching people brush their teeth on tv. The squishy sounds and the foamy mouths make me gag. I can't imagine watching another human being die right in front of me, especially by choice.

I was reading an article in Rolling Stone last night about Colorado's state laws in regards to children serving adult sentences. It was extemely sad. Colorado has children as young as 12 serving life in prison without parole. One teenage kid was a life long victim of abuse and molestation. He finally put a fire poker upside his mom's head. He will never see the outside of a prison cell again. He was immediately sentenced to a maximum security adult prison where he was locked up with other murderers and child rapists.
The reason Colorado is so strict is because of two very conservative Christian organizations in the state. The two joined forces in some state elections a few years back and had their gigantic congregations only vote for certain "tough on crime" candidates. One of the ogranizations was the New Life Christian Church which was founded by Ted Haggard. Haggard is an ultra conservative, hate-fire-brimstone kind of guy. He just resigned from his position earlier this year b/c he was caught bangin' some guy in a seedy hotel. His "no-forgiveness" attitude sealed the deal for so many youngsters in prison.
In the last decade Colorado's prison population has gone up over 500 percent.

Okay, enough soap box. Just wanted to vent.

Opening Lines of Books

Johanna gave me a gift a year or so ago. It's called "The Writer's Block." It is a small, thick, square, block of writing starters and ideas to get the pen moving on the paper.
One of the suggested exercises is to identify some of your favorite opening lines of books. And then you are told to write 5 of your own.

Well after giving this much thought I decided to share my favorites list with you. Here are my favorite opening lines:

1. Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
-Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

2. It was a wrong number that started it, the telephone ringing three times in the dead of night, and the voice on the other end asking for someone he was not.
-City of Glass by Paul Auster

3. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.
-A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

4. Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

5. This is my favorite book in all the world, though I have never read it.
-The Princess Bride by William Golding


Some of my favorite more modern ones are:

1. I sat across the table from the man who had battered and tortured and brutalized me nearly thirty years ago.
Sleepers by Lorenzo Carcaterra

2. There's a guy like me in every state and federal prison in America, I guess - I'm the guy who can get it for you.
-Rita Hayworht and the Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King.

3. My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973.
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

4. When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home.
-The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

5. Until I began to build and launch rockets, I didn’t know that my hometown was at war with itself over its children and that my parents were lock in a kind of bloodless combat over how my brother and I would try to live our lives.
-Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam

Awesome New Show

I watched the premiere of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip last night. All I can say is WOW. The show was engaging, well written, fun, different, and perfectly acted. I felt like I was backstage spying on all of my favorite folks from Saturday Night Live. (SPOILERS AHEAD)
If you don't know what this show is about here is a brief re-cap: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip takes us behind the scenes of a show called Studio 60 On the Sunset.

The make-believe Strip is a live comedy sketch show(think: Saturday Night Live) on a fictional broadcast network called NBS. During the premeire of the show's new season an executive producer has a major melt down on camera and causes a media frenzy. Jordan (Amanda Peet) is the network's brand new president and she must work quickly to save face and save the show. With her first act as president she hires Matt and Danny to run the show. Matt (Matthew Perry) is a former writer for the show and Danny is the former director of the show. Both of them quit after a falling out with a network head-honcho (Steven Weber). Weber's character doesn't like the move, but backs it in an attempt to allow Jordan to hang herself.
It seems like the show's focus is going to be on Jordan, Matt, Danny, and the three main actors for the show. Studio is a program for people who like TV. It is a behind the scenes, guts and glory show that is targeting a very specific demographic. If the show fails it will be because of that and no other reason.
Studio 60 was created by Aaron sorkin who also did The West Wing. I was never a fan of The West Wing, but I always appreciated its high quality. That quality and high standard is present here as well.
Check it out. I think you would like it.

OUT.

5 For Friday

This week there are 5 things that you can put on the board now. Here they are:

1. Of the 7 top 25 match ups this Saturday 6 of the higher ranked teams will win. I know which lower ranked team will score a win, but I am not going to stick my neck out there that far.
well, the higher ranked teams went 5-2. My hidden pick to click was Oregon over Oklahoma and that did happen. No one saw the Michigan route of Notre Dame coming. But 5-2 is close to 6-1 so I will take the victory.

2. The 5 new movies out this weekend will gross 34 millions dollars all together. The movies are The Black Dahlia, Gridiron Gangs, The Last Kiss, and Everyone's Hero, and Trust The Man. (Give or take 2.5 million)
Looks like 35.7 million is going to be the total. We will know for sure by 5 this afternoon. I win!

3. www.cokermustgo.com will be one of the most popular sites on the net for hurrican fans come Sunday.
No doubt about this one!

4. Kyle Cockrum will win the mini-invitational poker tourney this weekend. (Its a mini b/c we are only inviting 9 players so that we all fit at one table).
well, I am sad to say that I was wrong here, but I was...because I won the 120 bucks...soI win anyway!

5. I'll take an easy one here. The Mets will clinch the NL EAST this weekend and secure the first playoff spot.
so far this hasn't happened. Damn the Pirates. But it will today. You can put it on the board

Fall TV

Ok, I admit it. My name is Chris and I am an addict. Just like Sara on Prison Break, just like Charlie on Lost, just like Bree on Housewives...I am an addcit. But my drug of choice isn't heroine or booze. It's television. I can't stand the wait any longer. Thank god for FOX and bringing back a few shows early.
Here is my list of MUST-SEE-TV for the fall. It is a list of every show that I plan on watching, tivoing, and taping. See, to get them all in I have to use all three means. Live tv, a vcr, and my three tivos. That's right, 3.

This is a night by night run down of the shows that I am looking forward to. Beside each show is a number. That number refers to the buzz I feel about watching each show. A 10 is a major jones, a 5 is a mild curiosity, and a 1 means I am only watching because there is a small aspect drawing me .

MONDAY
7:00 The Class (7) I saw a sneak preview and I liked what I saw. For fans of Friends and Frasier
7:00 Prison Break (5) So far it's off to a ho-hum start. And they killed my fave character.
7:30 How I Met Your Mother (8) I am ready to suit up. Barney alone is worth my time.
8:00 Two and a half Men (6) I love this show, but last season was a bit unbalanced at times
8:00 Vanished (6) I wasn't going to keep watching this show, but they have intrigued me.
8:00 Heroes (9) One of my most anticipated shows. The reviews have been stellar.
8:30 New Adventures of Old Christine (7) The Seinfeld curse really is over.
9:00 What About Brian (5) I heard from several people that the show is a must see, but will anyone watch it?
9:00 Studio 60 On Sunset Strip (6) The buzz around this Matthew Perry return is building.

TUESDAY
7:00 House (7) Never missing a beat House is at its best.
8:00 Veronica Mars (10) Three mysteries instead of one! I love it as much as LoVe.
9:00 Nip/Tuck (8) Last season was so bad...glad that season 4 is already kickin' its ass.
9:00 Smith (7) I love Ray Liotta, but I hear that Simon Baker is the reason to watch.

WEDNESDAY
7:00 Jericho (6) Skeet Ulrich? Well the idea is enough to make me give it a try, but a short leash.
7:00 Bones (7) I love this show I just wish that it wasn't a procedural.
7:00 30 Rock (6) I hear it's hilarious. I love Tina Fey. I am willing to pony up a half hour.
8:00 Lost (10) Need I say anything at all about this show???
8:00 One Tree Hill (5) Last year the show kinda of jumped the shark, and race car, and preg test
8:00 Justice (5) I didn't want to watch this show, but Victor Garber made me do it.
9:00 The Nine (9) The most hyped show of the season, its looks like Lost crossed with 6 Degrees
9:00 Kidnapped (3) I liked Jeremy Sisto on Six Feet Under. I have a quick trigger with this one.

THURSDAY
7:00 Ugly Betty (5) Not so sure about this one, but the reviews are A+.
7:00 Survivor (6) I wouldn't even watch if they hadn't caused such a fuss with the race thing.
7:00 Smallville (7) Lex and Clark are finally going to hate each other.
7:00 My Name Is Earl (7) Jaime Pressley is sooo worth your time. Watch this show!
7:30 Happy Hour (6) I may be the only person who like this show, but I don't care.
8:00 Grey's Anatomy (9) This is a chic show, but us guys love it too.
8:00 CSI (7) The best of the series. The only one I am watching now.
9:00 Six Degrees (7) Reviews have been mixed, but JJ has earned a 4 week trial.

FRIDAY
8:00 Battlestar Galactica (9) Give it a try. I know you will love it. Frak, just trust me.

SUNDAY
7:00 Desperate Housewives (6) I hear this season is much better. It had better be.
8:00 The War At Home (7) Another show that I love, but may be alone.
9:00 Without A Trace (5) Off of it's worst season I will have little patience with this one.


PREDICTIONS
The first show to get canned will be "Happy Hour" on Fox.
The most popular new show will be "The Nine"
CBS will cancel "Jericho" during or following season 1.
The best new sitcom will be "The Class"
CSI will average 21 million viewers and Grey's will average 17 million.

Ranking the best nights of TV
1. Wednesday
2. Tuesday
3. Thursday
4. Monday
5. Friday
6. Sunday
7. Saturday

I promise to keep you posted about what shows are good and which ones to take off the season pass immediately.

OUT

And The "Learn To Take A Joke Award" Goes To:

British actor Jude Law is still seething over his Oscar night embarrassment last year - when host Chris Rock made fun of the prolific star's relentless screen appearances. Law was initially unfazed by Rock's quips, but he became infuriated when Rock sniped, "Who is Jude Law? Why's he in every movie I have seen for the last four years? He's in everything. Even in the movies he's not in, if you look in the credits he made cupcakes or something." All the King's Men star Law says, "At first I laughed because I didn't think he knew who I was. Then I got angry as his remarks became personal. My friends were livid. It's unfortunate I had five or six films come out at the same time." -from imdb.com



give me a break dude. have you ever watched the oscars? between all the boring stuff they usually make jokes at the actor's expense. It was your turn. get over it. Noone watched your movies before and it's not like you are going to lose business. right?

OUT!

5 For Friday

5 Things to look for this week.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes to top Texas in the earliest 1 vs 2 match-up in college football history.
2. The Colts, Patriots, Bears, Eagles, and Seahawks to win this weekend.
3. Jessica Simpson and John Mayer to get back together again.
4. Mike Boogie to win Big Brother 7.
5. New movies Hollywoodland, The Covenant, and The Protector to make less than a combined 30 million bucks this weekend.

You can put it on the board!

OUT