Wednesday, June 28, 2006
I promise I'll give you a more interesting update later, but for now I just wanted to whine. (and wine... but it's so early...)I just noticed my 'permalinks' under my posts no longer work. They used to but I think I didn't do the code correctly when I had to recreate my blog template. Oh that disasterous day...
Anyway, I doubt any of you will be able to help without being able to see how my directories are set up and all. But if you have any suggestions, well that would be nice, wouldn't it?
Saturday, June 17, 2006
H. O. T. Hot.So, another month; another 5k. And despite having run only maybe 4 times in the last month, I put in a performance I can be proud of. (Afterall... not everyone can finish 4th) Subtracting the 16 seconds that had ticked away before I even made it under across the start, I finished with roughly a 36:39. That is, for anyone not paying attention, 1:51 faster than my first race time and a mere 29 seconds slower than my last race time. And honestly I don't really attribute too much of that 29 seconds to being a slacker lately. I felt good. But it was HOT. Also, I could have kicked sooner, but that would have only made up so much time. It was really just poor race management. My first mile was a record 11:32 so I REALLY tried to slow myself down. I knew I couldn't keep up that pace and with so many people I knew at the finish line, I wanted to make sure I had something left at the end. My second mile was about 11:52, which is honestly still faster than I needed to be going. And by then I was BEAT. I was HOT. I wanted to die. So I tried to slow myself down a little more.
And I did. My last 1.1 mile was like 13:15 which is even a little slow for me. I was inspired to see my favorite girl, Betty the bongo, cheering me on at the end. (Actually the real hoot was the spider monkeys cheering us on in the beginning of the race. Hilarious) I need to worry less about saving anything for the end, because it's always there. That kick is kept in a reserve tank I don't even know how to access. I don't need to worry about using it up.
The moral of the story? I'm hot. I'm tired. I'm stiff. And now I have to go to work.
At long friggin' last!
So, I admit that I had been longing for Cars, not because I thought it would be great, but because Pixar couldn't release any of its own projects until it fulfilled its contract with Disney (with the release of Cars).
Obviously this whole thought process is now obsolete as there will be no "own projects" out of the Pixar crew, what with the official aquisition and all. However, when a Pixar flick is released, a Pixar flick I must watch. I know this. You know this.
So, being on the "outside" of the company for about the entire post-production life of Cars, I only really knew what you knew. It was about cars. And horrifically, it was quite possibly about race cars and rusty trucks that sounded suspisciously like cable guys. I admit it. I was worried.
But I should have known better. And deep down inside, I did. What a delight! THIS is why I go to movies like Shrek and scoff at what they try to pass off as cutting edge animation. THIS is why I cling to an outdated stock certificate signed by Steve Jobs when it should have been traded in for Disney stock months ago. THIS is why I get all fluttery even talking about my favorite now-absorbed animation team. THIS is why my sister will not go see non-pixar computer animation (or even Pixar computer animation) with my snobbish self. A-fucking-mazing. Yes. You heard me. Within the first 30 seconds of the movie, my cohort turned to me and whispered, "They may as well have just used actual pictures at this point". And he was right. Stunning. And for the next hour and a half they took every opportunity to show off what they can do. The reflections! The neon lights! The puddles! THE SPLASHES! *gasp!* The backgrounds! Oh, I have no words... and far too many words all at once.
The story was cute. The humor was both appropriate and hilarious. The animation was un-freakin-believable. The short in the beginning was wonderful. The funny bits during the credits... made me nearly wet myself. Others laughed at the credits. Others appreciated them. Others are not me and do not own every Pixar movie and watch them over and over and over and over despite not being 7 years old. I squealed like a.... something that squeals a lot. Loudly. And in a high pitched manner. SO WONDERFUL! I was 'happy as a tornado in a trailer park'.
*deep breath*
Whew. Ok. To bed. My 3rd 5k tomorrow, bright and early.
(and on a side note... Ratatouille looks fantastic as well! oh, summer 2007...)
Saturday, June 10, 2006
You're a pro at going with the flow You love to kick back and take in everything life has to offer A total joy to be around, people crave your stability. While you're totally laid back, you can have bouts of hyperactivity. Get into a project you love, and you won't stop until it's done You're passionate - just selective about your passions |
Oh, my god! I *AM* a total joy to be around! Afterall... Joy is my middle name. Can you imagine being, oh say... a total paul to be around? What does that even mean?
Speaking of pauls. I got to see some JP with JP (aka MB) tonight. I can officially add Blues Traveler to the list of artists I have paid to see more than once when really I was just going to see the opener. After a 2+ hour drive I only got like half an hour or so of Joe Purdy, but it was totally worth it. He was great, and I got to hang out with my favorite dealer, and we got to talk to Joe after the show.
So, since I'm convinced maybe 2 of you have even heard of Joe Purdy, and maybe one has actually heard Joe Purdy, here's a Top Ten of sorts for you. It was as much as I could narrow it down. Enjoy!
"So I'm going to make you brave. Yes, I'm going to make you brave."
Thursday, June 08, 2006
So, I'm not sure I've ever posted my "review" of last summer's The Island, but I'm going to take just a moment to gush now.First, it's important that you understand how I rate movies. I fully appreciate academy award winning flicks, obscure indy pieces, powerfully moving stories, blah blah blah. Those are "good" movies. Important movies. But a movie need not be important to be good, or even great.
I also appreciate dumb and somewhat explosive Hollywood crap... for what it is. Sometimes they are good movies. But they are never favorites, and even less frequently, "important".
And if you know me at all, you know my not-so-secret passion is sci-fi movies. The older and cheesier the better. Planet of the Apes, Logan's Run, Blade Runner, Mad Max (all of them), Andromeda Strain, Total Recall, Contact, etc. You get the idea. Those are great movies. Science Fiction is great because it allows Hollywood explosions and important, thought provoking stories to marry harmoniously, and blissfully. *swoon*
For example, I-Robot looks on the surface like an inane, cg enhanced, Will Smith explosion-fest. But if you look deeper, you find a true old-school classic story, one of sci-fi's finest. A story that has been retold in print, the small screen, and now in a fashion that even America's lowest common denominator can appreciate. I-Robot shares a thing of beauty, pure retro-futuristic sci-fi, in a style that the original conceivers could never have imagined possible. (Did I just get so passionately worked up about I-Robot? I haven't even gotten to The Island yet!)
So... The Island.
I knew the moment I saw my first teaser preview. I knew it would be everything I could hope it would be. And I have such high hopes.
I had recently seen Logan's Run. And since it's safe to assume that maybe one of you (I'm actually betting on none, but don't want anyone to feel underestimated) has actually seen Logan's Run, then it's probably safe to assume you just can't relate to my passion for this type of story. It does what my favorite sci-fi stories do. It creates a futuristic world, sometimes utopian, often post-apocalyptic, occasionally both, in which we are able to study some deep, philosophical question about society, politics, humanity, etc. I've decided not to tell you what we're exploring in this particular flick as I hope any of you haven't seen it will go rent it.
And while I would have been drawn to this story, what really captivated me, being the visual person I am, was the look. Oh, delight! Joy! I immediately wanted to bless it with my favorite label: retro-futuristic, Made to look like what was once thought of as futuristic (think every 70's/80's sci-fi flick). But as I sit here and watch it... it's not RETRO-futuristic at all. It's very much modern-futuristic. So why do I want to call it retro-futuristic? Because while it is current, flashy, and tech-y it also employs the simplicity, almost naivete of the original sci-fi films. Stark surroundings, bland (if unusual) wardrobes, even the characters are innocent and simple in their limited world. It's a thing of beauty.
It isn't overblown. It isn't unbelievable. It isn't filmed in a distracting manner. It isn't about marketing, sex, explosions, idiocy. We have a thought-provoking story, classic if updated and relevant. We have a beautifully futuristic style, again a classic updated. We have Ewan McGreggor in a white track suit.
Look, I'm not saying it's my favorite movie ever. Not by a long shot. What I'm saying is... it gives me hope. The folks in Hollywood are still capable of doing things right.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Who does their make-up right before the last 10 minutes of 'Never been kissed'? What the hell was I thinking? *incedentally, who falls literally halfway down the stairs while attempting to relay this rhetorical question to you? ow...*
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Here in town you can tell he's been down for a while,But, my God, it's so beautiful when the boy smiles
My ipod just gave me an rapidfire sequence of great tunes. I love it. Nice addition to a delightful day.
The Voice of Reason and I took the Somerset Collection by storm this afternoon leaving no shoe un-ogled, no dress un-tried-on, and no tank top un-bought. Ok, I only bought 3 tank tops (and 2 halters, and 3 white button-ups for work, and a dress). TVOR had much more restraint, walking away with only one amazing dress.
We also got to experience MB in action. We've already seen him play the professional dealer, but now we got to see him all suited up and being the boss-man. That was a fun little hiatus from our shopping adventure, and surely the highlight of his evening. We were relatively well behaved, afterall.
Other than getting a teeny bit lost on the way there, it was a nice trip with plenty of girl talk and chit chat. Who doesn't need that every now and then?
Friday, June 02, 2006
So, I guess I should take this time to tell you some good news.I got a promotion! Hooray! Now all you ladies and gentlemen who are fond of visiting me at work (and thankfully there are many of you) will have to look for me in a strip mall slightly farther east.
And do so next week because our BIG SEMI-ANNUAL SALE is starting bright and early Monday morning! fun fun fun!
If you don't hear from me for awhile it is probably due to the craziness that will be my life in the next couple weeks, months, etc. Wish me luck.
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