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We finally did it. After weeks and weeks of watching the entire world go on and one about Avatar, Jen and I finally sat through the 2 hour and 40 minute behemoth that is James Cameron’s latest disaster.
I say latest disaster because his first monstrosity, Titanic, was one of the worse movies I’ve ever seen. I can honestly say that Titanic is now NOT the WORST movie I’ve ever seen; Avatar is!
I’m appalled at the hype and fawn the public has made over this movie. I’m not ever sure where to start in describing this mess.
I guess I’ll start with the horrible story. Thirty minutes into the movie and you knew exactly what would happen. It was like going to see a romantic comedy. You know the outcome but you sit through it anyway. If this hadn’t been Avatar, I would NOT have sat through it. But I kept hoping for something better out of the actors and that kept me in my seat.
I knew not to expect a spectacular story out of this movie. But I did expect one that had one small inkling of an ounce of originality and I did expect to be surprised. I experienced neither. What the viewer got was a stale idea that has been regurgitated over and over for decades in Hollywood. There’s a reason this movie was born out of a dream James Cameron had as a child: HE’D SEEN IT IN THE MOVIES!!
The actors spewed out lines of a weak and shallow screenplay like something from your high school musical. Actually, I take that back. I went to several of my high school’s musicals and the quality of acting was miles above Avatar. I’ve never seen Sigourney Weaver turn in such a weak and lifeless performance. Her incessant cigarette smoking and ridiculous one-liners was rivaled only by Stephen Lang’s Colonel. I felt like I was watching a bad Arnold Schwarzenegger movie without the quotable lines. Imagine “I’ll be baaak!” replaced with “I’ll see you later and then you’ll see me.” You really can’t attach that to any part of your memory. Unfortunately, the rest of the movie isn’t as forgettable.
As stunning as the effects are, that’s how bad the rest of the movie is.
I’m sickened by the fact that Avatar will most likely win the Oscar tonight. What sickens me is that it shows just how shallow this country is. Avatar is stupidity on such a monstrous level I can only compare its intellect with NASCAR, WWF, and Sarah Palin. It fits right in with the falseness that is WWF and the shallow, uninformed stupidity of Palin.
The 10 movies nominated this year are kind of a weak lot compared to other years. But Avatar seems to take the cake, as it were.
Jen saw Prescious, I didn’t. I can’t comment on the Oscar-worthiness of that movie but I can look at a preview and probably come up with a pretty educated opinion and say that I know it’s better than Avatar.
The only other movie I saw on the list was Up In The Air. While it’s a really fun movie with a great screenplay, I’m not sure it’s Oscar worthy. But it’s light-years ahead of Avatar in terms of quality.
I’m going to watch the Oscars tonight because I have a meager interest this year. I want to see which film wins Best Picture. I want to see which star will give the most long-winded acceptance speech, and I want to see some of the spectacle. But I will walk away repulsed if Avatar wins for anything other than special effects.
And if it does win, I hope one of those blue guys stands up and screams, “I’m the king of another world!”
This afternoon I got on our intranet bulletin board at work to peruse the latest junk sale. Our electronic bulletin board is a place you can post your car or your old baby clothes for sale. There’s a lot of in-between too.
I just couldn’t pass up a very large post that contained a bunch of CDs for sale. So I copied the titles and posted them here for your enjoyment.
As you read through this list, think about the titles and their significance in the music world at this time and place. Once you realize that all the titles are from the 80s…or close to them….now let me tell you that the individual who posted the titles wants $6 CD for them.
I challenge you to find one title listed below that would go for more than $.50 at a garage sale…or truck stop…or Loves…or Circle K Bargain Bin….etc.
I didn’t realize Michael Bolton wrote anything that could be considered “Greatest.” I think you might want to start a bidding war on the Mick Jagger CD too. Hmmm, an aging Rolling Stone past his prime with little musical talent left in his drug addled soul….wonder what that’s worth. I’ll start the bidding at, no, wait, you should have to pay ME to take that off your hands!
38 SPECIAL – TOUR DE FORCE
BEVELERY HILL COP – SOUNDTRACK
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – BORN IN THE USA
DAN FOGELBERG – GREATEST HITS
DAN FOGELBERG – WINDOWS & WALLS
DICK DALE & DEL TONES – THE BEST OF
DINAH WASHINGTON & B BENTON – THE TWO OF US
ENYA – PAINT THE SKY WITH STARS
FAME – SOUNDTRACK
GENESIS – WE CAN’T DANCE
GEORGE HARRISON – THE BEST OF
GEORGE HARRISON – CLOUD NINE
HALL & OATES – BIG BANG BOOM
HALL & OATES – OOH YEAH!
IRENE CARA – WHAT A FEELIN
JOHN FOGERTY – CENTERFIELD
JOHN HIATT – PERFECTLY GOOD GUITAR
JOHN LENNON & YOKO ONO – MILK & HONEY
JOHN LENNON – IMAGINE
JUICE NEWTON – CAN’T WAIT ALL NIGHT
JULIAN LENNON- VALOTTE
LUCINDA WILLIAMS – SWEET OLD WORLD
MELISSA MANCHESTER – GREATEST HITS
MIAMI VICE – SOUNDTRACK
MICHAEL BOLTON – GREATEST HITS 1985-95
MICK JAGGER – SHE’S THE BOSS
MOTOWN GRAMMY RHYTHM & BLUES – 1960-1970
MOVIE GREATS – THE BES OF
NATALIE COLE – EVERLASTING
OTIS REDDING – THE VERY BEST
PAT METHENEY – AS FALLS WICHITA/SO FALLS WICHITA FALLS
PAUL & LINDA MCCARTNEY – RAM
PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND – PAUL BUTTERFIELD
PAUL MCCARTNEY – FLOWERS IN THE DIRT
PAUL MCCARTNEY – BROADSTREET
PAUL MCCARTNEY – PIPES OF PEACE
PAUL MCCARTNEY – TUG OF WAR
POCHANHONTAS – SOUNDTRACK
PRIME CUTS – SHELFIELD LAB
ROCK INSTRUMENTAL VOL 2 – THE SIXTIES
ROCK INSTRUMENTAL VOL 4 – SOUL
ROLLING STONES – UNDERCOVER
ROLLING STONES – TATTOO YOU
ROLLING STONES – THE ROLLING STONES
ROLLING STONES – VOODOO LOUNGE
ROY ORBISON – 18 GREATEST HITS
SLIM HARPO – THE BEST OF
SYLVIA – ONE STEP CLOSER
TEXAS TORNADOS – 4 ACES
THE CARS – SHAKE IT UP
THE COASTERS – THE VERY BEST
THE DRIFTERS – THE VERY BEST
THE MAVERICKS – MUSIC FOR ALL OCCASIONS
WE WERE SOLDIERS – SOUNDTRACK
WHITNEY HOUSTON – I’M YOUR BABY TONIGHT
YANNI – LIVE AT THE ACROPOLIS
YANNI – DARE TO DREAM
I struggle every day with my belief, or better yet, my lack of belief. This morning father sent me an email that was forwarded from a friend of his. I’m going to post the email here and a link to the blog it came from. This sums up how I feel. I’m not always ‘delicate’ in the way I express these ideas, but this sums up my thoughts much better than I could have written them down.
I’ve never thought of myself as trendy. But apparently I’m part of a fast-growing demographic, people who claim “no religion.” I don’t know what that means for others; I may not even be all that clear what it means for me.
But for starters, here’s what I am NOT.
I am not anti-religion. I have too many friends and relatives who find religion a source of comfort, guidance, and solace to dismiss their choices (which include all three great monotheistic religions, as well as Buddhism and others, less known). I also have too many friends and relatives for whom religion is really little more than another source of ongoing torment and anxiety to make it appealing to me.
I’m not an atheist, because most atheists seem to be just as certain about there being no god as the devout are that God exists. I don’t see how either group can be so certain.
Nor am I a Christian, especially if that requires believing in the divinity of Jesus of Nazareth. A good guy, certainly, an influential teacher, unquestionably, worthy of study, absolutely. Divine? Neither logical nor credible.
I find just as many flaws with all the other established religions. Much to admire, but too many defects to adopt. I could be Baha’i without the socialism/communism parts, but that’s like saying I could be Mormon except for that whole Joseph Smith and the tablets of gold thing, or Catholic if it weren’t for that pope guy.
So I continue to meander through life (which has, admittedly, been notably free of tragedy and hardship) as a none (no uniform or rules), certain only that those who believe they have the universal answer are universally wrong; and hopeful I’ll be strong enough to maintain my journey when I have to deal with the inevitable sadness that is an integral part of life. As far as what, if anything, comes next, here’s my analogy: I’m thinking heaven is kind of like a party. I’ve heard there is one and while I’m not sure who’s hosting, I wouldn’t mind being invited. So I try to live my life in a way that would make me an attractive guest.
I’m linking the following from Norman Lear (Thanks, MaryAnn). If someone starts that church, maybe I’ll join, just for the company and discussion, if nothing else.
Here’s the link.
Yes, you are correct. This is going to be a post about going to the bathroom!
Over the last several weeks I’ve read a handful of blog posts, from the dozens I follow, about taking a dump either at work or in a public place. These were funny entries on the embarrassment of public defecation and the general distaste for having to make doody somewhere that isn’t your home!
Part of me has sympathy for this group of people; but the other part is confused! I guess I’m confused because my requirements for a public bathroom are pretty simple. It must be clean and have toilet paper. A locking door helps, but it isn’t mandatory if you have a friend with you who can stand guard.
Some time ago I got busted doing #2 in a Starbucks. I thought the door was locked. Apparently it was not and the next potential user walked right in to see me on the throne, book in hand (yearh, I read while on the toilet! I know – TMI.)
Things like that just happen. You get over it. We’re all human. We all have to go to the bathroom. We all poop and pee and it all comes out the same way, generally speaking.
However, I can sympathize with the people who refuse to go in public. It’s a pain in the butt (no pun intended) if you have to go to the bathroom and the facility is filthy. I have a stomach disorder so I’m kind of an expert on going #2. That means that I can probably tell you where all the clean restrooms are in my part of the city. So yes, it sucks when you can’t find a clean facility. But I’m not about to skip my plans and rush home to violate my own toilet.
If I can find a way to do it in a bar in Cancun, Mexico, so can you!
I think the real embarrassment comes when someone else walks into the bathroom and the odor overwhelms them. Obviously they will know you were the one that created it since you’re in the stall. Here’s something even worse:
The person before you is the one who left the offense and you just came in to pee. You finish your business and got to wash your hands when the next person walks in and thinks that you did it! It’s like you’re getting blamed by proxy. And if you say, to a stranger, ‘I didn’t do that!’, you’re a total dork.
Maybe the best thing to do in that situation is just fess up to a crime you didn’t commit. When the next person walks into the restroom, just look up from the sink and say, “Whew, what load off my mind!…….don’t pass out!”
I’m taking a break. I’m tired of doing this and need a break. I’ll be back but I just don’t know when.
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