I read over my blog entries after the fact, which means after they have been uploaded, and I often realize that they are laden or strewn (I couldn't decide upon which word to use, so chose both) with errors.
So be it.
Life is too short to fix inconsequential errors.
But are they inconsequential? Is deeming them so just a way to deal with the fact that I just don't care enough anymore to revise myself. (while that might be OK on a blog that no one but my dear reader(s) reads, is that OK in the real world? We must always revise ourselves. Although perhaps I mean reinvent.)
Time flew by tonight. I have had a lot of family stay with me recently. Tonight, suddenly, it was silent night.
But not for long. Loch Sess arrives soon. I await the funk.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Peggy
This post is dedicated to Peggy. Although I'm not entirely sure that she would like what I have to say about her.
I love Peggy. She's bold, ambitious, creative, and tries really, really hard to get what she wants. Which means that she tries too hard sometimes. Which can be her downfall.
(Oh, you're wondering who Peggy is? She's in Mad Men. Watch it.)
It sucks when the problem is that you try too hard. Because what are you supposed to do? Try a little less? Which goes against anything an ambitious person has been told (just give it your very best and forget the rest). How can you sit back and, say, watch things fall apart? Of course, you're going to try and try and try even if it means overwatering your plants so that the leaves turn brown, and roots start to rot, and it's all downhill for peace lily #2).
I like Peggy because she wants to succeed. She has a hunger and a drive. I used to think I had a hunger and a drive. I"m not so sure anymore. I like to think I have a hunger and a drive but that might not be the actuality. I'm mostly lazy.
Peggy goes with the flow. She got pregnant. Of her own volition? Not entirely clear. But she got pregnant. She dealt with it. And she moved on. And I support her for that.
Peggy does not use her looks to her advantage. Yes, she's female, and most men just go ga ga over a woman (particularly, in Man Men). But she's more interested in what she thinks about your work. I loved the scene in the finale episode where she finds out that no one cares that she brought in a new client that is going to save the firm because everyone is more interested that Don is going to marry his secretary. Made me think: yes, I know what you mean. No one expects me to marry anyone at work, but the point is that no one is interested in the sad tale of the person who toils and toils away in obscurity.
I love Peggy. She's bold, ambitious, creative, and tries really, really hard to get what she wants. Which means that she tries too hard sometimes. Which can be her downfall.
(Oh, you're wondering who Peggy is? She's in Mad Men. Watch it.)
It sucks when the problem is that you try too hard. Because what are you supposed to do? Try a little less? Which goes against anything an ambitious person has been told (just give it your very best and forget the rest). How can you sit back and, say, watch things fall apart? Of course, you're going to try and try and try even if it means overwatering your plants so that the leaves turn brown, and roots start to rot, and it's all downhill for peace lily #2).
I like Peggy because she wants to succeed. She has a hunger and a drive. I used to think I had a hunger and a drive. I"m not so sure anymore. I like to think I have a hunger and a drive but that might not be the actuality. I'm mostly lazy.
Peggy goes with the flow. She got pregnant. Of her own volition? Not entirely clear. But she got pregnant. She dealt with it. And she moved on. And I support her for that.
Peggy does not use her looks to her advantage. Yes, she's female, and most men just go ga ga over a woman (particularly, in Man Men). But she's more interested in what she thinks about your work. I loved the scene in the finale episode where she finds out that no one cares that she brought in a new client that is going to save the firm because everyone is more interested that Don is going to marry his secretary. Made me think: yes, I know what you mean. No one expects me to marry anyone at work, but the point is that no one is interested in the sad tale of the person who toils and toils away in obscurity.
Monday, October 18, 2010
The Social Network
I watched The Social Network with my siblings last week. The movie was excellent. It dealt with the present phenomenon of Facebook, and it was interesting to see the web site's origins, albeit in a slightly fictionialized account. The story is built around the deposition transcripts of two lawsuits involving the primary Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg. The first lawsuit was brought by three individuals who alleged that he stole their idea when creating Facebook. The second lawsuit was brought by one of his co-founders who claims he was wrongly forced out of thee company. Both of those lawsuits have settled.
Not unsurprisingly, I was most interested in the lawsuits. The depositions of the principal characters showed how adversarial litigation can be. Truly, the process is not about truth-seeking. Rather, it is about entrenching one's position, highlighting the strengths of one's case, and trivializing the other side's position. I found myself wondering -- to what extent do lawyers actually affect the outcome of litigation, or is the success generally driven by the factual circumstances, something that a lawyer does not have control over when a client walks into his or her office. But then one of the junior associates in the film talked about how simple questions could persuasively skew a juror's perspective altogether, and I found myself wondering . . .
about how seeds are planted in our minds. You can neglect these seeds, and perhaps they die and rot away. But when a seed takes root, man, it grows and grows. (Quite unlike my plants, I should add. I attend to them so carefully. I prune them. I cut off the dying leaves. I give them adequate exposure to sunlight. I keep the water out overnight so that the chlorine settles. I put a few drops of plant food in the water. I talk to them. I nurture, I nurture, I give and I give and I give and right now the peace lily in my living room has decided that it simply hates me, and is withering away. By the way, this is peace lily #2. I sound like a crazy person right now.).
Where was I? Once an idea plants itself in your mind, it's really hard to let it go. To see things in a different light. How things could have been otherwise.
What does this have to do with the movie? Ah, such is the nature of my movie reviews.
Next post: The Mad Men Season Finale. If I ever have a daughter, I want her to be like Peggy.
Not unsurprisingly, I was most interested in the lawsuits. The depositions of the principal characters showed how adversarial litigation can be. Truly, the process is not about truth-seeking. Rather, it is about entrenching one's position, highlighting the strengths of one's case, and trivializing the other side's position. I found myself wondering -- to what extent do lawyers actually affect the outcome of litigation, or is the success generally driven by the factual circumstances, something that a lawyer does not have control over when a client walks into his or her office. But then one of the junior associates in the film talked about how simple questions could persuasively skew a juror's perspective altogether, and I found myself wondering . . .
about how seeds are planted in our minds. You can neglect these seeds, and perhaps they die and rot away. But when a seed takes root, man, it grows and grows. (Quite unlike my plants, I should add. I attend to them so carefully. I prune them. I cut off the dying leaves. I give them adequate exposure to sunlight. I keep the water out overnight so that the chlorine settles. I put a few drops of plant food in the water. I talk to them. I nurture, I nurture, I give and I give and I give and right now the peace lily in my living room has decided that it simply hates me, and is withering away. By the way, this is peace lily #2. I sound like a crazy person right now.).
Where was I? Once an idea plants itself in your mind, it's really hard to let it go. To see things in a different light. How things could have been otherwise.
What does this have to do with the movie? Ah, such is the nature of my movie reviews.
Next post: The Mad Men Season Finale. If I ever have a daughter, I want her to be like Peggy.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Oh this here blog
I wish I could tell you that my real life was far more interesting than my blog life. Because I was just re-reading my last couple of blog posts and I thought, "Ick." As in boring, stop writing already, why don't you go out and do something for a change.
Last night I fell asleep on the couch at 645pm. Yes, it was a Saturday night.
In my defense, I had gone for a long run outdoors (something I never do, being more of a treadmill kind of guy, when I run that is, which isn't often). When I was almost home, I ran into Anjuna the Warrior Hero, and her room-mate, who said, oh come join us as we walk a mile or so. Which I did. Then I left them eating while I ran back home. So, as I lay on the couch, watching an SVU episode, I found myself dozing off . . .
I woke up at 9pm on Saturday night, and thought, oh my. I also realized I had fallen asleep in my sweaty, running clothes. So, I dragged myself off the couch, took a shower and contemplated dinner.
Which turned into a quick run to Gristedes before it closed. There I wandered around looking for (a) cup o' noodles, (b) Thai chili flavor chips, (c) ice-cream (I settle on Pistachio and then another tub of Hazel nut) and headed back home. Nothing screams sad and pathetic as shopping at 945pm in Gristedes for cup o' noodles, let me tell you.
It's fall. I have to pretend that the new season of TV shows is NOT my best friend and make a concerted effort to go outside and socialize with the real world. Stay tuned.
Last night I fell asleep on the couch at 645pm. Yes, it was a Saturday night.
In my defense, I had gone for a long run outdoors (something I never do, being more of a treadmill kind of guy, when I run that is, which isn't often). When I was almost home, I ran into Anjuna the Warrior Hero, and her room-mate, who said, oh come join us as we walk a mile or so. Which I did. Then I left them eating while I ran back home. So, as I lay on the couch, watching an SVU episode, I found myself dozing off . . .
I woke up at 9pm on Saturday night, and thought, oh my. I also realized I had fallen asleep in my sweaty, running clothes. So, I dragged myself off the couch, took a shower and contemplated dinner.
Which turned into a quick run to Gristedes before it closed. There I wandered around looking for (a) cup o' noodles, (b) Thai chili flavor chips, (c) ice-cream (I settle on Pistachio and then another tub of Hazel nut) and headed back home. Nothing screams sad and pathetic as shopping at 945pm in Gristedes for cup o' noodles, let me tell you.
It's fall. I have to pretend that the new season of TV shows is NOT my best friend and make a concerted effort to go outside and socialize with the real world. Stay tuned.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
how is it possible
that I have not blogged in about three weeks? I craft blog posts in my mind, at random times, and . . . I guess I stop there.
I watched Cairo Time. I know what you're thinking, oh please not another movie review, you're not particularly insightful and you give things away for those who haven't seen the movies. But, I can't help it! I went to Egypt last month, and so I have to think and process all things Egypt. If I were more intellectual and not a lazy bum, I would read the book on the ethics behind archeology (if I would ever get around to actually ordering it on Amazon) (and, for that matter, I would order the new biography of Cleopatra. At least time is on my side for that one since it has not yet come out!). The movie was good. Great acting. Lots of moment when you were supposed to intuit what the actor/ actress was thinking, which I like. And the soundtrack is excellent. Great score, and fantastic piano parts in some songs. I fantasized immediately about buying a piano, with a tiny light above it, and then playing those songs at night right before going to sleep.
My curtains are billowing in the wind. It was a humid day, or so it seemed at least when I came home to my apartment this evening and thought that someone mixed water and heat in my apartment and left it all to saturate. But now, just past midnight, it's cool air coming in. And my curtains -- finally put up -- are billowing.
Almost in October. Time flies. The year flies by. Blog posts get thought about but do not get written. This is one of my favorite times of the year. Not just because I love fall -- I do love fall. But also because . . . yes, you're right, TV shows start again! It's viewing season. I have to line up my DVR properly (and delete old stuff stored on it -- I think I'm at 95% capacity!)
I never put my itunes on shuffle. Mostly I know exactly what I want to listen to -- often, it's the same song over and over and over and over etc. again. And over again. But right now, I was listening to the soundtrack to Cairo Time . . . and the soundtrack ended and my itunes hopped on to the next song on the list, and it's The Cranberries! Pleasant surprise.
This blog post is becoming like a diary entry. There is no theme here.
THIS IS CHAOS.
I watched Cairo Time. I know what you're thinking, oh please not another movie review, you're not particularly insightful and you give things away for those who haven't seen the movies. But, I can't help it! I went to Egypt last month, and so I have to think and process all things Egypt. If I were more intellectual and not a lazy bum, I would read the book on the ethics behind archeology (if I would ever get around to actually ordering it on Amazon) (and, for that matter, I would order the new biography of Cleopatra. At least time is on my side for that one since it has not yet come out!). The movie was good. Great acting. Lots of moment when you were supposed to intuit what the actor/ actress was thinking, which I like. And the soundtrack is excellent. Great score, and fantastic piano parts in some songs. I fantasized immediately about buying a piano, with a tiny light above it, and then playing those songs at night right before going to sleep.
My curtains are billowing in the wind. It was a humid day, or so it seemed at least when I came home to my apartment this evening and thought that someone mixed water and heat in my apartment and left it all to saturate. But now, just past midnight, it's cool air coming in. And my curtains -- finally put up -- are billowing.
Almost in October. Time flies. The year flies by. Blog posts get thought about but do not get written. This is one of my favorite times of the year. Not just because I love fall -- I do love fall. But also because . . . yes, you're right, TV shows start again! It's viewing season. I have to line up my DVR properly (and delete old stuff stored on it -- I think I'm at 95% capacity!)
I never put my itunes on shuffle. Mostly I know exactly what I want to listen to -- often, it's the same song over and over and over and over etc. again. And over again. But right now, I was listening to the soundtrack to Cairo Time . . . and the soundtrack ended and my itunes hopped on to the next song on the list, and it's The Cranberries! Pleasant surprise.
This blog post is becoming like a diary entry. There is no theme here.
THIS IS CHAOS.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
The Kids Are Alright
I liked the movie "The Kids Are Alright" with Julianne Moore and Annette Benning. Teh movie is about a lesbian couple with two children, impregnated by the same anonymous sperm donor. Except he no longer is anonymous when the children seek and find out his identity.
And then suddenly the close-knit family finds itself having to incorporate and deal with an insider.
The movie was very good for a variety of reasons. First, I never really had thought about the day to day practicalities of growing up in a household with gay parents. At one point, the daughter's friend called her a "dyke" because she was shy around boys, and the son's friend called him a "fag" because he didn't want to do something adventurous. And while this is a typical "insult" lobbied by kids against each other, it took on a particular resonance when one stepped back and realized that the daughter and son were children of gay parents. How much more did the insult hurt then? Was it particularly cruel to call someone something knowing that their parents were that very thing?
Second, at one point in the movie, one of the women falls for the anonymous sperm donor. What I found interesting was the portrayal of sex. In the beginning, the two women are having sex in a way that seemed, to me, well, very unsexy. One of the women was watching gay porn, while the other, underneath a big, heavy blanket, went down on her. You did not see any titillating body parts. Furthermore, the whole episode seemed more funny/ weird than exciting. Why was one woman completely hidden underneath a blanket. Wasn't she suffocating?!? But when that same woman -- formerly hidden under a blanket -- had sex with the man, well, va va voom. They went straight at it, they threw themselves at each other, and you just saw them rolling around doing their thing. I could not tell why the sex was portrayed so differently.
Third, how often does a lesbian cheat even temporarily on her partner with another man? This part of the story seemed to play on the theme that women go through a bisexual phase but ultimately emerge heterosexual, and what they really want ultimately is a man. Was this stereotype true in long-term, committed lesbian relationships (was there statistical backing to the stereotype)? Turns out, according to the representative lesbian friend to whom this question was posed, this happens more often than you would think! Not sure what to make of that.
And then suddenly the close-knit family finds itself having to incorporate and deal with an insider.
The movie was very good for a variety of reasons. First, I never really had thought about the day to day practicalities of growing up in a household with gay parents. At one point, the daughter's friend called her a "dyke" because she was shy around boys, and the son's friend called him a "fag" because he didn't want to do something adventurous. And while this is a typical "insult" lobbied by kids against each other, it took on a particular resonance when one stepped back and realized that the daughter and son were children of gay parents. How much more did the insult hurt then? Was it particularly cruel to call someone something knowing that their parents were that very thing?
Second, at one point in the movie, one of the women falls for the anonymous sperm donor. What I found interesting was the portrayal of sex. In the beginning, the two women are having sex in a way that seemed, to me, well, very unsexy. One of the women was watching gay porn, while the other, underneath a big, heavy blanket, went down on her. You did not see any titillating body parts. Furthermore, the whole episode seemed more funny/ weird than exciting. Why was one woman completely hidden underneath a blanket. Wasn't she suffocating?!? But when that same woman -- formerly hidden under a blanket -- had sex with the man, well, va va voom. They went straight at it, they threw themselves at each other, and you just saw them rolling around doing their thing. I could not tell why the sex was portrayed so differently.
Third, how often does a lesbian cheat even temporarily on her partner with another man? This part of the story seemed to play on the theme that women go through a bisexual phase but ultimately emerge heterosexual, and what they really want ultimately is a man. Was this stereotype true in long-term, committed lesbian relationships (was there statistical backing to the stereotype)? Turns out, according to the representative lesbian friend to whom this question was posed, this happens more often than you would think! Not sure what to make of that.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Despicable Me
To my shock and horror, I realized that I forgot to write my review about Despicable Me. Which is not cool -- here you rely and depend on me for guidance on what to see, and I let you down. (Wait, you mean you don't consult this blog before you plan your social outings? What is the point of this here blog, then? Just for me to chitter chatter away to myself, instead of the whole wide world?).
Enough of blog angst (there is no lamer question than: What is the meaning behind my blog?) and on to the movie review. As usual, spoilers ahead. Because I can't discuss something without giving it all away.
I loved the movie. It's animated! It's about a villain who wants to be the most evil villain ever, but is thwarted by . . . three orphan girls. At first, he tries to use them as part of his evil plot, but then he ends up falling for them. Yes, he finds that he has a heart thumping beneath his animated costume, and so they all live happily ever after. Oh, in addition, he doesn't really succeed with his evil plot, but who cares, he has a family, and also the big bad villain he was trying to dethrone finds himself on a one-way rocket missile to the moon. Hate when that happens.
I love the idea of being as villainous as you can be. It's evil. We spend so much time trying to be good, that sometimes it's not so bad to be just a little bit naughty. So if you want to steal the moon -- oh, you fiend -- why, good sir, I say go for it. Just don't commit any war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide along the way, OK? (We'll leave out the crime of aggression for now, I'm still not sure how it is defined. Oh all this nerd talk, it's so villainous.).
I have never been a villain. I don't think I would know how to be one, to be honest. I tend to be one of the good/ nice guys. But wait, we finish last you say? How depressingly sad.
Go watch the movie. I give it two thumbs up.
Enough of blog angst (there is no lamer question than: What is the meaning behind my blog?) and on to the movie review. As usual, spoilers ahead. Because I can't discuss something without giving it all away.
I loved the movie. It's animated! It's about a villain who wants to be the most evil villain ever, but is thwarted by . . . three orphan girls. At first, he tries to use them as part of his evil plot, but then he ends up falling for them. Yes, he finds that he has a heart thumping beneath his animated costume, and so they all live happily ever after. Oh, in addition, he doesn't really succeed with his evil plot, but who cares, he has a family, and also the big bad villain he was trying to dethrone finds himself on a one-way rocket missile to the moon. Hate when that happens.
I love the idea of being as villainous as you can be. It's evil. We spend so much time trying to be good, that sometimes it's not so bad to be just a little bit naughty. So if you want to steal the moon -- oh, you fiend -- why, good sir, I say go for it. Just don't commit any war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide along the way, OK? (We'll leave out the crime of aggression for now, I'm still not sure how it is defined. Oh all this nerd talk, it's so villainous.).
I have never been a villain. I don't think I would know how to be one, to be honest. I tend to be one of the good/ nice guys. But wait, we finish last you say? How depressingly sad.
Go watch the movie. I give it two thumbs up.
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