Hold Tight

RIP Sally Menke

If There Were No Tea Party

vs.



let's get back on track, people.

Why I Won't Be Going Into Politics

Tonight my father gave me "the talk", which happens about once every six months. It is when he relays in his own subtle way how he believes the direction in which I am taking my life is not optimal. The close alternate to this speech is how I made crucial errors in the past. The last time I got that lecture it was about how I should have played football, gone to Penn State, and could now be making millions of dollars. I tried to counter with the fact that I am 5'10'', have not been in shape since I was 12, and have had four psychotic episodes. Also I'm white.

Anyhow, the current version of "the talk" is about how while acting is admirable, and will probably make me happy, and is something I could do well in, my "gift" for politics made me obligated to pursue that instead. Apparently I have a rare grasp for fact, figure, and dynamics. It really isn't false modesty when I say I don't entirely agree. Nor is this back-handed boasting, just a frame of reference for how my dad gets because I know who Scott Walker is.

After my sincere modesty, I told him that even if he were right I'd equate it to someone understanding more than the average bear about serial killers being told they should become a criminal profiler. To deny it may be shutting the door on a true affinity, but it's the best choice. I simply can't think of anything that would contribute to my already natural hopelessness and depression than working in politics right now.

We have a choice between pussies and cowards. Pussies don't know what's best and are too scared to think about it, cowards do but refuse to do it. I'll let you decide which party is which. Either way, we're in a terrible time for those who want the real solutions to at least be discussed. And I can't imagine being on the inside. I would burn out.

A few of my friends either are or have worked on campaigns, for either side of the aisle. Things have gone well for some, less so for others. Either way, I sense a creeping malaise in all of them. The vigor, idealism, and passion that come with youth would seem to indicate that politics would be a young man's game, but I don't think that's the case. I imagine we're producing yet another generation of the disillusioned who will become more and more detached and opportunistic. And that's fine probably. Little pink houses for you and me.

Nobody wants to see how the sausage is made. But people really don't want to realize that they're making sausage.

P.S. that picture is totally going in the bank.

Labor Day

Chin Chin

Natchez

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google map of the route at the end of Waits' Don't Go Into That Barn. Seems doable. Next Summer.

Man Man

This trailer seems to encompass all of my values. I'm trying to think if anything has been left out.... Nope.

Go Orange

Embrace my distant nationalities like any good American during the World Cup, and being Dutch & Basque (whatever that means), hmmm I wonder who I am to root for...

I think we've all had enough of these Latinate pretty boys

Proper Villains

Unspeakable badass. No explanations or identification, and it shouldn't be any other way, though there are a few I don't know. The track is Godspeed!, which takes me back. Observations and questions:

Good call on John Ryder over Roy Batty for Rutger, it's a nice wild card. Kind of a weird choice for Oldman though, how do you not go Stansfield?

Also isn't this just a list of the best human characters (other than Royal Tenenbaum)? And who will speak for Hans Landa and Ivan Drago?

Go Orange

Famous Dutch off the top of my head:

Franklin & Teddy Roosevelt.

Gerardus van der Leeuw (in no way famous. His wiki page is half the size of the guy who was drummer for Motley Crue after Tommy left, if that ever even happened. But I'm learning about him right now, and he said 'Sacred power is the root of all religion & 'the object of religion is highly exceptional and extremely impressive', so clearly he was a lot of fun.)

Rembrandt.


Famous Brazilians off the top of my head:

Pele (who should almost be disqualified from this comparison)

Seu Jorge, the dude from City of God and The Life Aquatic.

Tereza Widmar.

The Gathering

Four reasons I am in love with this Rick Barber ad:

1) It continues the fine tradition of Alabama asking to be carved out of this nation and set adrift. We could easily do it while we're cleaning up the Gulf.

2) Rick Barber is a pretty good actor. When this doesn't work out, which it probably won't, he needs to be on the Office as an intense friend of Andy Bernard.

3) How deferentially he still calls George Washington "Mr. President". Entirely appropriate.

4) It is directed exactly like The Patriot.

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The Anatomy of Faith: An Introduction to Religion, Fifth Edition

Happy Father's Day

I ask my father "Did you see JAG has a new show?" like JAG was a show about a guy named JAG.

Totally

HIGH-FIVE SUPER BOWL! - watch more funny videos

Now I am ready. As a side note, I'm not sure how I feel about how much comedy bits make me want to be a has-been. I could do without success.

Chips Ahoy

Not going to go crazy and guess technical categories, just putting myself on the record before the nominations are read. May or may not come back with analysis, because I don't really blog anymore, but I'll try to. Haven't seen a couple of these I'm guessing on, which feels dirty.

Best Picture:

Avatar
District 9
Inglorious Basterds
The Hurt Locker
Up
Precious
Star Trek
Up in the Air
An Education
The Blind Side

Best Actor:

Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker

Best Actress:

Emily Blunt, The Young Victoria
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

Best Supporting Actor:

Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Christian McKay, Me & Orson Welles
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds

Best Supporting Actress:

Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Diane Kruger, Inglorious Basterds
Mo'Nique, Precious
Julianne Moore, A Single Man

Best Director:

Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Neill Blomkamp, District 9
James Cameron, Avatar
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds

Best Original Screenplay:

Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Joel & Ethan Coen, A Serious Man
Bob Paterson & Pete Docter, Up
Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Wes Anderson & Noah Baumbach, The Fantastic Mr. Fox
Neill Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell, District 9
Tom Ford, A Single Man
Nick Hornby, An Education
Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air