1. Is there such a thing as and albino polar bear?
2. If so what color would it be?
3. Do mormons celebrate christmas and easter the same way christians do?
4. If the library at Alexandria hadn't burned down all those years ago, would we have some fucking flying cars by now?
5. If the saying "I'd rather be rich than famous, and happy than rich" is true, than why are there so many miserable middle class punks in the world?
6. Why can't Democrats and Republicans get along in Washington; when in this day and age they are, for all intents and purposes, the same thing?
7. If global warming is tuly as bad as everyone says why is it always so damn cold in the winter?
8. For what purpose does a congressional hearing for steriod use in baseball serve, when we have so many other important issues facing us at this time?
9. If an ignorant jackass, spews his hate speech and no one is around to hear it, are they still stupid?
10. Why can't we all just get along?
Okay the last one isn't mine but it is still one that will make your head hurt when you sit down and think about it.
Til we meet again,
Paul
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Saturday, December 15, 2007
You may call me a theater whore, I just call me a glutton for punishment.
So I have an eventful couple of months ahead of me. Three shows within six weeks of each other and rehearsals for all overlapping, is enough to make me wonder just what the hell I've gotten myself into. I knew that this show season was going to be tough to say no to. For those of you who don't know Stage West, the local community theater that I frequent, announced a slate of show for the 2007-2008 year that was an actors dream. Noises Off, Steel Magnolias, Oliver, A Few Good Men, Veronica's Room, Beckett, Camelot, Death of a Salesman, and Agatha Christie's Murder on the Nile.
Of these show I have already done Noises Off. But the truly interesting time comes now when I have parts in Veronica's Room which runs the first two weekends in February. A week after that closes Beckett opens for a three night run. Then with only a day to recuperate Camelot will open and run for the next three weekends. And to top it all off in the week off between Veronica's Room and Beckett I will be going to audition for Murder on the Nile.
So in the event that I die of exhaustion and never see any of you again just know that I died doing what I love. But seriously if you could please keep me in your prayers. I will need all the help I can get.
Til' we meet again,
Paul
Addendum
I have just recieved word that one of my shows has been rescheduled for sometime in the 2008-2009 season. This makes things much easier, but I must confess I was looking forward to having all three at virtually the same time.
Of these show I have already done Noises Off. But the truly interesting time comes now when I have parts in Veronica's Room which runs the first two weekends in February. A week after that closes Beckett opens for a three night run. Then with only a day to recuperate Camelot will open and run for the next three weekends. And to top it all off in the week off between Veronica's Room and Beckett I will be going to audition for Murder on the Nile.
So in the event that I die of exhaustion and never see any of you again just know that I died doing what I love. But seriously if you could please keep me in your prayers. I will need all the help I can get.
Til' we meet again,
Paul
Addendum
I have just recieved word that one of my shows has been rescheduled for sometime in the 2008-2009 season. This makes things much easier, but I must confess I was looking forward to having all three at virtually the same time.
Monday, December 3, 2007
College football this year in a nutshell.
For anyone who doesn't have an appreciation for just how messed up this college football season was take a look at this chart I found on Wikipedia.
Key matchups, upsets, and "The Curse of #2"
Date Visitor Home Significance
September 1 Appalachian State 34 Michigan 32 In the game that set the tone for the rest of the season, the two-time D-I FCS national champions shocked the fifth-ranked Wolverines in the Big House. It was the first time a D-I FCS team had defeated a ranked Div-I FBS team.
September 3 Forida State 18 Clemson 24 The Bowden Bowl debut for the new FSU offensive staff including coordinator Jimbo Fisher. Clemson jumped out to a 24-3 halftime lead and held on for the win.
September 8Virginia Tech 7 LSU 48 This early SEC-ACC showdown promised to be a defensive battle, but quickly became lopsided, as the Hokies were torched for 298 yards rushing and 302 passing.
September 8 Miami (FL) 13 Oklahoma 51 The Hurricanes get blown out in the first major road test for new head coach Randy Shannon.
September 15 Tennessee 20 Florida 59 In this key SEC East matchup, the Gators thrash the Vols behind two passing and two rushing TDs from quarterback Tim Tebow.
September 29 California 31 Oregon 24 Cal temporarily stamped itself as USC's main contender for the Pac-10 title, but can only seal the win when Oregon fumbles the ball out of the end zone in the last minute of play.
October 6 Florida 24 LSU 28 In front of a record home crowd, LSU comes from behind to complete the sweep of its top ranking, adding the USA Today Coaches and Harris Interactive polls to the AP writers' poll they earned the previous week.
October 6 Nebraska 6 Missouri 41 What promised to be a Big 12 North showdown turned into a Mizzou blowout, thanks to 403 yards passing, two passing TDs, and two rushing TDs from Chase Daniel, plus a strong performance from the Tigers' maligned defense.
October 6 Oklahoma 28 Texas 21 Oklahoma wins the Red River Shootout in Dallas, keeping itself atop the Big 12 South and on the fringes of the national championship picture.
October 6 Stanford 24 Southern California 23 In a season littered with upsets, Stanford pulls off perhaps the most shocking upset of the year when they stun the Trojans 24-23 on a fourth and goal TD pass by Stanford quarterback Tavita Pritchard to WR Mark Bradford with 49 seconds left to play. USC quarterback John David Booty breaks his finger during this game.
October 13 LSU 37 Kentucky 43 (3 OT) The Wildcats claim their first Number 1 scalp since 1964 in a three-overtime thriller in Lexington, helping erase memories of the final play of LSU's last visit in 2002.
October 13 Missouri 31 Oklahoma 41 This game between top 15 teams proved to be a preview of the Big 12 Championship. Oklahoma proved their worth by taking advantage of several Mizzou mistakes, including returning a Jeremy Maclin fumble for the go-ahead touchdown.
October 18 South Florida 27 Rutgers 30 For the second straight year, the Scarlet Knights knock off an unbeaten top-5 Big East rival on a Thursday night in Piscataway, thanks in no small part to 181 yards on the ground from Ray Rice.
October 20 Auburn 24 LSU 30 LSU had the ball in field goal range at the end of the game, but did not use its remaining timeout, instead calling a pass into the end zone, which goes for the winning TD with 1 second left, keeping their national championship hopes alive.
October 20 Florida 45 Kentucky 37 The Gators take charge of the SEC East race for the time being, defeating the Wildcats for the 21st straight time behind Tim Tebow's 4 total TDs. Andre' Woodson also improves his Heisman stock, throwing for 5 scores in a losing cause.
October 20 Tennessee 17 Alabama 41 On the Third Saturday in October, John Parker Wilson throws for a career-high 363 yards and three TDs to lead the Tide to a spanking of the Vols.
October 25 Boston College 14 Virginia Tech 10 Held scoreless until the final 2:11 at Blacksburg, the Eagles stay in the midst of the national title race thanks to a Matt Ryan TD pass, a recovered onside kick, and a second Ryan TD pass. This also proved to be a preview of the ACC Championship Game.
October 27 West Virginia 31 Rutgers 3 Steve Slaton's three rushing TDs and Pat White's 156 rushing yards lead the Mountaineers to an unexpected blowout.
October 27 Florida 30 Georgia 42 Georgia stays in the SEC East race with a win in the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.
October 27 South Carolina 24 Tennessee 27 (OT) The Vols blow a 21-0 halftime lead, but tie the game with a last-second field goal, and win in overtime after the Gamecocks miss a field goal that would have sent the game to a second overtime. Tennessee stays in the thick of the SEC East race.
October 27 California 20 Arizona State 31 The unbeaten Sun Devils come from behind to win and put themselves in the midst of the national title race.
October 27 Southern California 17 Oregon 24 The Ducks keep themselves in the national title race and knock out the Trojans.
November 3 Arizona State 23 Oregon 35 The Ducks convincingly win at home, knocking the Sun Devils from the unbeaten ranks and taking control of the Pac-10 race for the time being.
November 3 Navy 46 Notre Dame 44 (3 OT) In a triple-overtime thriller, the Midshipmen defeat the Irish for the first time since 1963, when Roger Staubach was at the controls for Navy. This ends a 43-game Irish winning streak in the series, the longest between annual opponents in Division I history.
November 3 LSU 41 Alabama 34 In Nick Saban's first outing for the Tide against his former team, the Tide have the lead in the fourth, but LSU scores two TDs in the final four minutes to stay in the thick of the national title race.
November 8 Louisville 31 West Virginia 38 The Mountaineers survive a scare from the Cardinals to stay in the national title race.
November 10 Virginia 48 Miami 0 With dozens of former Miami players returning for the final game Miami would ever play in the historic Orange Bowl, Virginia spoiled the party by sending them off with a 48 to 0 shellacking. Ironically, the majority of the capacity crowd had already left the stadium when the final whistle blew as a huge "We Are the Champions" banner was unfurled.
November 10 Connecticut 3 Cincinnati 27 In a matchup between two of the country's most surprising teams, the Bearcats get an easier-than-expected upset win.
November 10 Florida 51 South Carolina 31 In his annual game against his former team, the Ol' Ball Coach has no answer to Tim Tebow, who runs for five TDs and passes for two more.
November 10 Michigan 21 Wisconsin 37 The Badgers finally live up to their preseason expectations with a convincing win over the Wolverines.
November 10 Southern California 24 California 17 The Trojans continue the Bears' late-season tailspin and stay in contention for a BCS bowl berth.
November 17 Boston College 20 Clemson 17 In a showdown for a place in the ACC Championship Game, Matt Ryan strikes with a late TD pass to give the Eagles the lead, and they hold on to punch their ticket to Jacksonville.
November 17 Ohio State 14 Michigan 3 On a rainy day in The Big House, the Buckeyes get 220 yards on the ground from Chris Wells and a dominant defensive effort to win their fourth straight game in the storied rivalry and assured themselves of no worse than a trip to Pasadena, but with events that followed, it became New Orleans while the Buckeyes were "in the clubhouse" as the Big Ten season ended.
November 17 Oklahoma 27 Texas Tech 34 A bad night on the Caprock for the Sooners: First they lose quarterback Sam Bradford to a first-quarter concussion, then their national title hopes disappear behind 420 passing yards from Graham Harrell.
November 22 Southern California 44 Arizona State 24 The Trojans win over the Sun Devils and create a logjam atop the Pac-10.
November 23 Arkansas 50 LSU 48 (3OT) In the Battle for the Golden Boot, Darren McFadden rushed for 206 yards on 32 carries and scored three touchdowns, and threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Peyton Hillis, giving the Razorbacks their first win over LSU since 2002, their first in Tiger Stadium since 1993, and first over a number one-ranked team since 1981. Arkansas won the game in the third overtime when Matterral Richardson intercepted Matt Flynn's two-point conversion pass which would have tied the game.
November 23 Texas 30 Texas A&M 38 A&M wins consecutive games against their archrivals for the first time since 1994, sending coach Dennis Franchione out on a high note. The result essentially assured Oklahoma of the Big 12 South title; the Sooners removed any doubt the next day with a shellacking of their own in-state rivals, Oklahoma State.
November 23 Boise State 27 Hawaiʻi 39 Thanks to 495 passing yards from Colt Brennan, the Warriors beat the Broncos for the first time ever in WAC play, and win the outright WAC title for the first time ever. The following week, they came back from a 21-0 first-quarter hole against Washington to completed an unbeaten regular season, ultimately following in the footsteps of the previous year's Broncos and earning a BCS berth.
November 24 Alabama 10 Auburn 17 Not even Nick Saban's $4 million/year salary is enough to keep Auburn from winning their sixth straight Iron Bowl.
November 24 Connecticut 21 West Virginia 66 In a battle for the Big East title, the Mountaineers destroy the Huskies behind 517 yards rushing, 186 of them from Pat White, and state their case for a berth in the BCS championship game.
November 24 Missouri 36 Kansas 28 The Tigers take a 21-0 lead in the third quarter, and hold on to book a rematch with Oklahoma for the Big 12 title and a chance to make the BCS championship game.
November 24 Virginia Tech 33 Virginia 21 The Hokies take home the Commonwealth Cup and win a trip to Jacksonville for a rematch with Boston College, this time for the ACC title and a BCS berth.
December 1 UCLA 7 Southern California 24 Southern California got a measure of revenge for last year's upset and earned another trip to "The Grandady of 'Em All".
Can anyone say playoff?
Key matchups, upsets, and "The Curse of #2"
Date Visitor Home Significance
September 1 Appalachian State 34 Michigan 32 In the game that set the tone for the rest of the season, the two-time D-I FCS national champions shocked the fifth-ranked Wolverines in the Big House. It was the first time a D-I FCS team had defeated a ranked Div-I FBS team.
September 3 Forida State 18 Clemson 24 The Bowden Bowl debut for the new FSU offensive staff including coordinator Jimbo Fisher. Clemson jumped out to a 24-3 halftime lead and held on for the win.
September 8Virginia Tech 7 LSU 48 This early SEC-ACC showdown promised to be a defensive battle, but quickly became lopsided, as the Hokies were torched for 298 yards rushing and 302 passing.
September 8 Miami (FL) 13 Oklahoma 51 The Hurricanes get blown out in the first major road test for new head coach Randy Shannon.
September 15 Tennessee 20 Florida 59 In this key SEC East matchup, the Gators thrash the Vols behind two passing and two rushing TDs from quarterback Tim Tebow.
September 29 California 31 Oregon 24 Cal temporarily stamped itself as USC's main contender for the Pac-10 title, but can only seal the win when Oregon fumbles the ball out of the end zone in the last minute of play.
October 6 Florida 24 LSU 28 In front of a record home crowd, LSU comes from behind to complete the sweep of its top ranking, adding the USA Today Coaches and Harris Interactive polls to the AP writers' poll they earned the previous week.
October 6 Nebraska 6 Missouri 41 What promised to be a Big 12 North showdown turned into a Mizzou blowout, thanks to 403 yards passing, two passing TDs, and two rushing TDs from Chase Daniel, plus a strong performance from the Tigers' maligned defense.
October 6 Oklahoma 28 Texas 21 Oklahoma wins the Red River Shootout in Dallas, keeping itself atop the Big 12 South and on the fringes of the national championship picture.
October 6 Stanford 24 Southern California 23 In a season littered with upsets, Stanford pulls off perhaps the most shocking upset of the year when they stun the Trojans 24-23 on a fourth and goal TD pass by Stanford quarterback Tavita Pritchard to WR Mark Bradford with 49 seconds left to play. USC quarterback John David Booty breaks his finger during this game.
October 13 LSU 37 Kentucky 43 (3 OT) The Wildcats claim their first Number 1 scalp since 1964 in a three-overtime thriller in Lexington, helping erase memories of the final play of LSU's last visit in 2002.
October 13 Missouri 31 Oklahoma 41 This game between top 15 teams proved to be a preview of the Big 12 Championship. Oklahoma proved their worth by taking advantage of several Mizzou mistakes, including returning a Jeremy Maclin fumble for the go-ahead touchdown.
October 18 South Florida 27 Rutgers 30 For the second straight year, the Scarlet Knights knock off an unbeaten top-5 Big East rival on a Thursday night in Piscataway, thanks in no small part to 181 yards on the ground from Ray Rice.
October 20 Auburn 24 LSU 30 LSU had the ball in field goal range at the end of the game, but did not use its remaining timeout, instead calling a pass into the end zone, which goes for the winning TD with 1 second left, keeping their national championship hopes alive.
October 20 Florida 45 Kentucky 37 The Gators take charge of the SEC East race for the time being, defeating the Wildcats for the 21st straight time behind Tim Tebow's 4 total TDs. Andre' Woodson also improves his Heisman stock, throwing for 5 scores in a losing cause.
October 20 Tennessee 17 Alabama 41 On the Third Saturday in October, John Parker Wilson throws for a career-high 363 yards and three TDs to lead the Tide to a spanking of the Vols.
October 25 Boston College 14 Virginia Tech 10 Held scoreless until the final 2:11 at Blacksburg, the Eagles stay in the midst of the national title race thanks to a Matt Ryan TD pass, a recovered onside kick, and a second Ryan TD pass. This also proved to be a preview of the ACC Championship Game.
October 27 West Virginia 31 Rutgers 3 Steve Slaton's three rushing TDs and Pat White's 156 rushing yards lead the Mountaineers to an unexpected blowout.
October 27 Florida 30 Georgia 42 Georgia stays in the SEC East race with a win in the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.
October 27 South Carolina 24 Tennessee 27 (OT) The Vols blow a 21-0 halftime lead, but tie the game with a last-second field goal, and win in overtime after the Gamecocks miss a field goal that would have sent the game to a second overtime. Tennessee stays in the thick of the SEC East race.
October 27 California 20 Arizona State 31 The unbeaten Sun Devils come from behind to win and put themselves in the midst of the national title race.
October 27 Southern California 17 Oregon 24 The Ducks keep themselves in the national title race and knock out the Trojans.
November 3 Arizona State 23 Oregon 35 The Ducks convincingly win at home, knocking the Sun Devils from the unbeaten ranks and taking control of the Pac-10 race for the time being.
November 3 Navy 46 Notre Dame 44 (3 OT) In a triple-overtime thriller, the Midshipmen defeat the Irish for the first time since 1963, when Roger Staubach was at the controls for Navy. This ends a 43-game Irish winning streak in the series, the longest between annual opponents in Division I history.
November 3 LSU 41 Alabama 34 In Nick Saban's first outing for the Tide against his former team, the Tide have the lead in the fourth, but LSU scores two TDs in the final four minutes to stay in the thick of the national title race.
November 8 Louisville 31 West Virginia 38 The Mountaineers survive a scare from the Cardinals to stay in the national title race.
November 10 Virginia 48 Miami 0 With dozens of former Miami players returning for the final game Miami would ever play in the historic Orange Bowl, Virginia spoiled the party by sending them off with a 48 to 0 shellacking. Ironically, the majority of the capacity crowd had already left the stadium when the final whistle blew as a huge "We Are the Champions" banner was unfurled.
November 10 Connecticut 3 Cincinnati 27 In a matchup between two of the country's most surprising teams, the Bearcats get an easier-than-expected upset win.
November 10 Florida 51 South Carolina 31 In his annual game against his former team, the Ol' Ball Coach has no answer to Tim Tebow, who runs for five TDs and passes for two more.
November 10 Michigan 21 Wisconsin 37 The Badgers finally live up to their preseason expectations with a convincing win over the Wolverines.
November 10 Southern California 24 California 17 The Trojans continue the Bears' late-season tailspin and stay in contention for a BCS bowl berth.
November 17 Boston College 20 Clemson 17 In a showdown for a place in the ACC Championship Game, Matt Ryan strikes with a late TD pass to give the Eagles the lead, and they hold on to punch their ticket to Jacksonville.
November 17 Ohio State 14 Michigan 3 On a rainy day in The Big House, the Buckeyes get 220 yards on the ground from Chris Wells and a dominant defensive effort to win their fourth straight game in the storied rivalry and assured themselves of no worse than a trip to Pasadena, but with events that followed, it became New Orleans while the Buckeyes were "in the clubhouse" as the Big Ten season ended.
November 17 Oklahoma 27 Texas Tech 34 A bad night on the Caprock for the Sooners: First they lose quarterback Sam Bradford to a first-quarter concussion, then their national title hopes disappear behind 420 passing yards from Graham Harrell.
November 22 Southern California 44 Arizona State 24 The Trojans win over the Sun Devils and create a logjam atop the Pac-10.
November 23 Arkansas 50 LSU 48 (3OT) In the Battle for the Golden Boot, Darren McFadden rushed for 206 yards on 32 carries and scored three touchdowns, and threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Peyton Hillis, giving the Razorbacks their first win over LSU since 2002, their first in Tiger Stadium since 1993, and first over a number one-ranked team since 1981. Arkansas won the game in the third overtime when Matterral Richardson intercepted Matt Flynn's two-point conversion pass which would have tied the game.
November 23 Texas 30 Texas A&M 38 A&M wins consecutive games against their archrivals for the first time since 1994, sending coach Dennis Franchione out on a high note. The result essentially assured Oklahoma of the Big 12 South title; the Sooners removed any doubt the next day with a shellacking of their own in-state rivals, Oklahoma State.
November 23 Boise State 27 Hawaiʻi 39 Thanks to 495 passing yards from Colt Brennan, the Warriors beat the Broncos for the first time ever in WAC play, and win the outright WAC title for the first time ever. The following week, they came back from a 21-0 first-quarter hole against Washington to completed an unbeaten regular season, ultimately following in the footsteps of the previous year's Broncos and earning a BCS berth.
November 24 Alabama 10 Auburn 17 Not even Nick Saban's $4 million/year salary is enough to keep Auburn from winning their sixth straight Iron Bowl.
November 24 Connecticut 21 West Virginia 66 In a battle for the Big East title, the Mountaineers destroy the Huskies behind 517 yards rushing, 186 of them from Pat White, and state their case for a berth in the BCS championship game.
November 24 Missouri 36 Kansas 28 The Tigers take a 21-0 lead in the third quarter, and hold on to book a rematch with Oklahoma for the Big 12 title and a chance to make the BCS championship game.
November 24 Virginia Tech 33 Virginia 21 The Hokies take home the Commonwealth Cup and win a trip to Jacksonville for a rematch with Boston College, this time for the ACC title and a BCS berth.
December 1 UCLA 7 Southern California 24 Southern California got a measure of revenge for last year's upset and earned another trip to "The Grandady of 'Em All".
Can anyone say playoff?
Saturday, November 24, 2007
I have found the ultimate answer to Chuck Norris.
Okay so as many of you know I love to read. And while not a true bibliophile like my father I have an insatiable hunger for a good story. Well about a month ago I stumbled upon a novel called Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. If that title sounds familiar then you may not be surprised to learn that it is the novel upon which the atrocious motion picture The Relic starring Tom Sizemore was based. Now as you can probably tell I did not think much of the movie however the overall story was good enough to make me wonder if there was a book and if so what was left out that could have made it all the better.
Well my friends the answer is simple. FBI Special Agent Aloyisius X.L. Pendergast. You see what the movie did was it removed the true hero of the story and gave that title to a supporting if not equally bad ass character named NYPD Lt. Vincent D'gosta. So what makes Pendergast so wothy of the challenging of Chuck Norris. Well I'll tell you.
While at first glance Pendergast may seem unassuming and even a pushover, appearances can be deceiving. The man is a former special ops warrior, a master of disguise and a supernaturally effective investigator on par with the legendary Sherlock Holmes. While reading subsequent Pendergast novels Reliquary, Brimstone, Dance of Death and The Book of the Dead, it is quite clear that in a world of no originality, Pendergast comes as close as one could hope to a truly original character. He is described as a man who shows all the signs of a sociopath but has a true love for his closest friends, best shown in the Holmes/Watson relationship he has with Lt. D'gosta. He is a well cultured man with an appreciation for wine, books, history, art, music and food. His brilliance is matched only by his deadliness in tight situations. And of course just like Holmes he has his own Moriarty. Diogenes Pendergast his brother. An equally brilliant and infinitely insane man, Diogenes is driven to cause his brother pain and suffering on an almost biblical scale.
All in all Pendergast is one of the best heroes in contemporary fiction and if you like a good detective story I suggest you pick up one of his books. I promise you will not be dissapointed.
Til' we meet again
Paul
P.S. I almost forgot Pendergast is all those things plus a southern gentleman from New Orleans.
Well my friends the answer is simple. FBI Special Agent Aloyisius X.L. Pendergast. You see what the movie did was it removed the true hero of the story and gave that title to a supporting if not equally bad ass character named NYPD Lt. Vincent D'gosta. So what makes Pendergast so wothy of the challenging of Chuck Norris. Well I'll tell you.
While at first glance Pendergast may seem unassuming and even a pushover, appearances can be deceiving. The man is a former special ops warrior, a master of disguise and a supernaturally effective investigator on par with the legendary Sherlock Holmes. While reading subsequent Pendergast novels Reliquary, Brimstone, Dance of Death and The Book of the Dead, it is quite clear that in a world of no originality, Pendergast comes as close as one could hope to a truly original character. He is described as a man who shows all the signs of a sociopath but has a true love for his closest friends, best shown in the Holmes/Watson relationship he has with Lt. D'gosta. He is a well cultured man with an appreciation for wine, books, history, art, music and food. His brilliance is matched only by his deadliness in tight situations. And of course just like Holmes he has his own Moriarty. Diogenes Pendergast his brother. An equally brilliant and infinitely insane man, Diogenes is driven to cause his brother pain and suffering on an almost biblical scale.
All in all Pendergast is one of the best heroes in contemporary fiction and if you like a good detective story I suggest you pick up one of his books. I promise you will not be dissapointed.
Til' we meet again
Paul
P.S. I almost forgot Pendergast is all those things plus a southern gentleman from New Orleans.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Friday, November 9, 2007
TAG
tag . . .
Here's how you play....once you have been tagged, you have to write a blog with ten random facts, habits, or goals about yourself. At the end, choose ten people to tag, listing their names and why you chose them; don't forget to leave a comment on their page letting them know "tag you're it". You cannot tag the original people/person back that tagged you first, but let them know when you have posted so they can read your blog.
1. I was born with a collapsed lung.
2. My favorite snack food is a peanut butter and jelly and potato chip sandwich.
3. I am not above watching a good movie just because it may have chick flick implications. (but if it has Sally Field in it I avoid it like the plauge)
4.My greatest catharsis is my acting.
5. My greatest ambition is to be able to say that i am svelte once more. (because svelte is a cool word.)
6. I may be on the heavy side but I am good with who I am and not alot of people can say that.
7. I hate snow.
8. I love Scotch. Scotchy Scotch Scotch.
9. I can eat the crap out of a barbeque pork shoulder.
10. I too have an unhealthy view of how dead sexy I really am.
My tags
1. Jennifer V. - Cause she kicks ass.
2. George - cuz he pretty much thinks like me
3. Jessica - Cause she's hot.
4. Justin - cause he's like a second brother
5. Pete - cause he kicks ass.
6. Connie - because she probably won't do this thing
7. Brooke - because she's crazy
8. Aime - Cause she's a liberal kook
9. Jennifer C. - Cause she's a mommy
10. Jeff - cause he's Jeff.
Here's how you play....once you have been tagged, you have to write a blog with ten random facts, habits, or goals about yourself. At the end, choose ten people to tag, listing their names and why you chose them; don't forget to leave a comment on their page letting them know "tag you're it". You cannot tag the original people/person back that tagged you first, but let them know when you have posted so they can read your blog.
1. I was born with a collapsed lung.
2. My favorite snack food is a peanut butter and jelly and potato chip sandwich.
3. I am not above watching a good movie just because it may have chick flick implications. (but if it has Sally Field in it I avoid it like the plauge)
4.My greatest catharsis is my acting.
5. My greatest ambition is to be able to say that i am svelte once more. (because svelte is a cool word.)
6. I may be on the heavy side but I am good with who I am and not alot of people can say that.
7. I hate snow.
8. I love Scotch. Scotchy Scotch Scotch.
9. I can eat the crap out of a barbeque pork shoulder.
10. I too have an unhealthy view of how dead sexy I really am.
My tags
1. Jennifer V. - Cause she kicks ass.
2. George - cuz he pretty much thinks like me
3. Jessica - Cause she's hot.
4. Justin - cause he's like a second brother
5. Pete - cause he kicks ass.
6. Connie - because she probably won't do this thing
7. Brooke - because she's crazy
8. Aime - Cause she's a liberal kook
9. Jennifer C. - Cause she's a mommy
10. Jeff - cause he's Jeff.
Monday, November 5, 2007
My Favorite Movies Part 2
#5One of the few movies that will make me cry. Anyone who loves movies and baseball should not be without this movie.
What is this movie all about? This line says it all.
"Hey dad... you wanna have a catch?"- Ray Kinsella played by Kevin Costner
#4How can you not love this movie. I mean if you believe the Holocaust was the most terrible and unnecessary loss of human life the world has ever seen, you can't help but love the story of hope that this movie is. And if you deny that the Holocaust even took place you can rejoice in the loss of that life because you are a Jew hating piece of shit.
Anyway this is another of the few movies that make me cry, and I think the reason is quite obvious.Sum up line for this work of art.
"The list is an absolute good. The list is life."- Itzhak Stern played by Ben Kingsley
#3
Brando, Pacino, Duvall, and Caan, how can you possibly miss. Now I know that most of you will probably say that the second installment is better but I have always been partial to #1.
This movie is very difficult to sum up in a single line but if put on the spot I think that I would have to go with.
"It's not personal, only business."- Michael Corleone played by Al Pacino
#2Just an unbelivable movie. And I did not pick out a single movie in the trilogy on purpose because they are essentially one large movie and should be viewed as such.
Gandalf will now recite the sum up line for this movie.
Upon Frodo saying that he wishes the ring had never come to him, Gandalf has this to say.
"So do all who live to see such times but that is not for us to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."- Gandalf the Grey played by Ian Mckellan
And my #1 favorite movie of all time is.
Okay if this comes as a suprise to anyone who reads this blog I will be severely dissapointed. However I feel I should clarify that I am not speaking of strictly Episode IV. This trilogy (notice I said trilogy and not saga as I cannot in good taste include the prequels in this entry) is, just like LOTR, meant to be viewed as a whole. I know that this is probably a bit anti-climactic but so what.
Anyway I had to truly rack my brain to find the line from these movies that truly sums them up and I believe it can be found in Episode IV.
"You must do what you feel is right of course."- Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi played by the late great Alec Guiness.
So there they are. I know that many movies on this list would not make most top 10 lists but for the moment this is mine. I expect it to change as other movies come out or I see others classics that I have not seen before.
'Til we meet again
Paul
Sunday, November 4, 2007
My Favorite Movies
I was watching something on television yesterday with Steven Spielberg talking about his movies and what he liked and disliked about them, and it got me thinking about what I would consider the top ten best movies that I have ever seen and how many of those would be his. So I sat down and really thought about it and was surprised to find that he only has two spots in my personal top 10. Now as this is my personal top 10 a few of my choices may be unknown to some of you but these movies are all near and dear to my heart. So without further ado I would like to share with you my personal top 10 list of the best movies I have ever seen.
This movie gave me my introduction to William Shakespeare's masterpiece of literature Hamlet. It works on the very basic principal that if you can understand Hamlet you can understand anything. It has a wonderful cast strong characters and even though it fudges on certain facts about the military it is a wonderful movie that any self respecting movie lover should see.
I am sure that most of you have seen this movie as it is a classic with my friends. But that aside it is, I think one of the best movies ever made not just one of the best ones that I have ever seen. I mean Mel Gibson in a kilt how can you top that. Plus every time I watch it I talk in a Scottish accent for the next week, so that's all good.
Another movie that is definitely one of the best ever made. 'Nough Said
#10
Now this may be one of those movies that a good many of you may not have seen. If you haven't I suggest you go out and rent it as soon as you can. It is a beautiful movie about what it means to be an adult and more specifically what it means to be a man.
This movie is best summed up in one line.
"Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things that a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good. That honor courage and virtue mean everything, that money and power, power and money mean nothing. That good always triumphs over evil, and that love...true love never dies. Remember that. It doesn't matter if it's true or not. You see a man needs to believe in those things because those are the things worth believing in." - Hub Mccan played by Robert Duvall
#9
I have my brother to thank for putting me on to this movie. Every time I watch it it makes me wonder why Connery couldn't let this be his last movie before retirement instead of doing the terrible League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. This movie is a wonderful mentor tale and it is close to my heart for its wonderful insight into the world of writing.
In a movie like this there are many great lines and moments but I would have to say that the one line that best sums this movie up is a very simple one.
"That's not exactly a soup question is it." - William Forrester and Jamal Wallace played by Sean Connery and Rob Brown.
#8
This movie gave me my introduction to William Shakespeare's masterpiece of literature Hamlet. It works on the very basic principal that if you can understand Hamlet you can understand anything. It has a wonderful cast strong characters and even though it fudges on certain facts about the military it is a wonderful movie that any self respecting movie lover should see.This movies sum up line...
"The choices we make dictate the life we lead."- Bill Rago played by Danny Devito
#7
I am sure that most of you have seen this movie as it is a classic with my friends. But that aside it is, I think one of the best movies ever made not just one of the best ones that I have ever seen. I mean Mel Gibson in a kilt how can you top that. Plus every time I watch it I talk in a Scottish accent for the next week, so that's all good.
And is there any better sum up line than...
"Every man dies, not every man really lives."- William Wallace played by Mel Gibson.
#6
Another movie that is definitely one of the best ever made. 'Nough Said Sum up Line
"I don't know I'm making this up as I go along." Indiana Jones played by Harrison Ford
Well I was going to do all 10 here but a combination of blogspot not giving me access the add image function and the fact that I have to clean the kitchen make that impossible so I leave you with these five and I will reveal the last five tommorow.
'Til we meet again
Paul
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Vindication at last!
For many years now I have had memories of a 1970's anime cartoon that I used to watch as a child. It had to do with what many of those shows had to do with, namely a giant robot controlled by a human being that was charged with saving the world ala Voltron. One of the key differences with this show was that the robot resided under the protagonists swimming pool or fountain when not in use, and would rise up out of it when needed. The protagonist would then hop into a flying saucer like machine and fly up to the robots head where he would dock and then take the controls. However when ever I asked anyone if they knew what the name of this show I was looked at like I had two heads or something. My wonderful brother even went so far once as to call me crazy when I asked him about it and said that there was no such show.
Well today I am vindicated as my new best friend from my training class has informed me that I am in fact not crazy when it comes to my recollections of this cartoon. He was a huge fan of it when he was a kid and its name is Mazinger Z or Tranzor Z for us Americans.
So to all of you who said that I was a looney freak for remembering a show that did not exist, I only have one thing to say to you... KISS MY PALE HAIRY WHITE ASS!!!
Til we meet again
Paul
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Friday, October 19, 2007
The Lost Generation.
For those of us born in the wonderful years between 1975 and 1985, there seems to be something missing. I am speaking of course of our wonderful generational name. What is a generational name you might ask? Well a generational name is the moniker given to a generation of people as a whole that identifies them with a specific time. Our grandparents belong to the Greatest Generation. Our parents are Baby Boomers. Their younger siblings and cousins belong to Generation X. I have heard the current generation of kids and teens referred to as the IPOD generation. But we have no cool moniker to identify us to the generations to come. Why is this? Oh I know that most of us are lumped into the very generic sounding Generation Y, but doesn't that sound a little lazy to you. I want a cool generational name.
So what can be done to rectify this serious breach of decency and all that is right and good in this world. We must stand up and say to the world at large "Hey what about us?" Next we should find a generational name by which to go. It must be something that truly defines that ten year stretch of time. For me there can be only one choice but I am open to suggestions. I say we start calling our selves the "Star Wars" generation or some such derivation. In my mind (biased as it is) there is nothing that had a greater impact on the world in that 10 years than Star Wars. Not only that but nobody born between 1975 and 1985 can really remember the world with out it. It has always been a constant in our lives and it also gave a whole generation of people a new mythology in which to dream and a whole new universe in which to live.
As I said this is only my suggestion because I am severely biased (anyone who knows me well enough can attest to this fact). So I am not opposed to entertaining alternate suggestions. Tell me what you think and maybe we can agree on a generational name and finally have a place in the world.
Just some food for thought.
Til we meet again,
Paul
Monday, October 15, 2007
I had forgotten just how good this movie is.
Great story, excellent theme song, great villians, kick ass sidekick and the wonder that only a cheesy 1980's Sci-Fi movie can offer all combine to make The Last Starfighter a must have for any self proclaimed movie geek's collection.
If you have never seen this movie rent it or buy it as soon as possible because it will not let you down. Some interesting facts about this movie are that it is the first movie to use CGI exclusively for all of its effects shots. It is also the final movie of the late great Robert Preston as the unforgettable Centauri.
Anyway as you can tell I love this movie. I have ever since I was a little kid and even today it is still one that I can watch and enjoy without any guilty pleasure feeling like some of my other beloved childhood cinematic adventures.
So check it out if you want a excellent adventure.
Til we meet again,
Paul
Saturday, October 6, 2007
A tale of two houses.
I got this email a little while ago and it really struck a chord with me in regards to how some of our leaders are perceived. I don't expect to change any minds about the two people listed here but I do ask that you read this and take it for what it is.
House #1A 20 room mansion ( not including 8 bathrooms ) heated by
natural gas. Add on a pool ( and a pool house) and a separate guest
house, all heated by gas. In one month this residence consumes more
energy than the average American household does in a year. The
average bill for electricity and natural gas runs over $2400. In
natural gas alone, this property consumes more than 20 times the
national average for an American home. This house is not situated
in a Northern or Midwestern "snow belt" area. It's in the South.
House #2 Designed by an architecture professor at a
leading national university. This house incorporates every
"green" feature current home construction can provide. The house is
4,000 square feet ( 4 bedrooms ) and is nestled on a high prairie in the
American southwest. A central closet in the house holds geothermal
heat-pumps drawing ground water through pipes sunk 300 feet into the
ground. The water (usually 67 degrees F. ) heats the house in the winter
and cools it in the summer. The system uses no fossil fuels such as oil or
natural gas and it consumes one-quarter electricity required for a
conventional heating/cooling system. Rainwater from the roof is collected
and funneled into a 25,000 gallon underground cistern. Wastewater from
showers, sinks and toilets goes into underground purifying tanks and then
into the cistern. The collected water then irrigates the land
surrounding the house. Surrounding flowers and shrubs native to the area
enable the property to blend into the surrounding rural landscape.
HOUSE #1 is outside of Nashville , Tennessee; it is the abode of
the "environmentalist" Al Gore.
HOUSE #2 is on a ranch near Crawford,
Texas ; it is the residence the of the President of the United States ,
George W. Bush.
An "inconvenient truth".
House #1A 20 room mansion ( not including 8 bathrooms ) heated by
natural gas. Add on a pool ( and a pool house) and a separate guest
house, all heated by gas. In one month this residence consumes more
energy than the average American household does in a year. The
average bill for electricity and natural gas runs over $2400. In
natural gas alone, this property consumes more than 20 times the
national average for an American home. This house is not situated
in a Northern or Midwestern "snow belt" area. It's in the South.
House #2 Designed by an architecture professor at a
leading national university. This house incorporates every
"green" feature current home construction can provide. The house is
4,000 square feet ( 4 bedrooms ) and is nestled on a high prairie in the
American southwest. A central closet in the house holds geothermal
heat-pumps drawing ground water through pipes sunk 300 feet into the
ground. The water (usually 67 degrees F. ) heats the house in the winter
and cools it in the summer. The system uses no fossil fuels such as oil or
natural gas and it consumes one-quarter electricity required for a
conventional heating/cooling system. Rainwater from the roof is collected
and funneled into a 25,000 gallon underground cistern. Wastewater from
showers, sinks and toilets goes into underground purifying tanks and then
into the cistern. The collected water then irrigates the land
surrounding the house. Surrounding flowers and shrubs native to the area
enable the property to blend into the surrounding rural landscape.
HOUSE #1 is outside of Nashville , Tennessee; it is the abode of
the "environmentalist" Al Gore.
HOUSE #2 is on a ranch near Crawford,
Texas ; it is the residence the of the President of the United States ,
George W. Bush.
An "inconvenient truth".
A feeling of Independence.
Well I had a fantastic week.
First the parents were gone for 10 days on a well earned vacation. So I got back a little bit of the independent feeling that I had when I lived on my own. It made me realize a few things about being independent that I had not really thought of before.
The first is cooking. I had forgotten how much of a pain in the butt it is to have to make my own meals for days at a time. It was both a very liberating and irritating experience.
The next was cleaning up after myself. Most of the time when my parents go away for a few days I typically let the house go. But this time I truly put forth a concerted effort to make sure the house did not get out of control as it would have 10 days do become a true disaster area. I am pleased to say that I was able to really keep the house in a good state and that only about an hour or two was required for the final clean up on Thursday before the parents came home. I am understandably proud at this accomplishment.
Finally it was nice to have the parents gone for this amount of time. They put a great deal of trust in me to make sure that the animals were taken care of, the house stayed in one piece and most important of all that I did not spend all my money while they were gone. It was needless to say a wonderful feeling to be able to do all this and keep myself honest.
Anyway I know that this may not be my most exciting or thought provoking post but I truly felt the need to express what this week meant to me.
Til we meet again,
Paul
P.S. For those of you who have been following my job hunt I am very pleased to announce that I got the Customer Service position at United Health Care and will be starting on Monday at 8:00 a.m.
Finally it was nice to have the parents gone for this amount of time. They put a great deal of trust in me to make sure that the animals were taken care of, the house stayed in one piece and most important of all that I did not spend all my money while they were gone. It was needless to say a wonderful feeling to be able to do all this and keep myself honest.
Anyway I know that this may not be my most exciting or thought provoking post but I truly felt the need to express what this week meant to me.
Til we meet again,
Paul
P.S. For those of you who have been following my job hunt I am very pleased to announce that I got the Customer Service position at United Health Care and will be starting on Monday at 8:00 a.m.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Miranda...
So I watched Serenity last night and it struck me just how freaking awesome this movie is.
I had seen it before but because of various reasons it did not stick with me any more than it just being a really good Science Fiction flick. Now granted that would be reason enough for any SCIFI geek like me to extol all about it but a few things struck me last night as I watched it that I did not notice before.
First off I loved the imagery of the people of Miranda just laying down and dying because the government had essentially taken away there reason for life. In case you have never seen the movie the Alliance, which is the governing body in the future in which Serenity is set, set up a colony planet called Miranda, on which they introduced a drug into the atmosphere processors that made most of the population no longer want to fight, and as a result they also lost all ambition for the future and died. For better or worse we as human beings thrive on conflict. Whether it be sporting events, a good healthy debate, or war, conflict gives us a reason to better ourselves and think outside of the box. Don't believe me just ask any parent what the most gratifying experience of their life is. In probably 99.9% of cases they will tell you that raising their kids takes the top spot. Now ask them what the most trying experience has been. Not surprisingly they again will tell you it has been raising there kids.
Why is this? Well it goes to the idea that we as humans feel the need to be accomplished. There are few things in this world better than the feeling of accomplishment. There is an old saying that nothing worthwhile comes easily. It takes the proverbial blood, sweat and tears, to get anything worth getting.
Next it struck me as interesting the parallels of this incident in a fictional universe and things that are going on here in ours. We now live in a society that for the most part does not want us to do for ourselves. Instead it tells us that we are entitled to anything we want regardless of whether or not we have earned it. But the curious thing is that the place that I like to call the real world does not work that way. It never has and it never will. The real world still holds to the basic principles of hard work, and entitlement because of that hard work. But we have a government that is working hard to make us all believe that we don't need to. We are entitled to happiness and riches just because. The reason they want us to believe this is because it takes the power out of our hands as a people and puts it in theirs. In other words they want us docile because we will be easier to control.
So what can we do to stop this. Well in the words of Malcolm Reynolds, the greatest space pirate to come along since Han "the man" Solo, "I aim to misbehave." It is only through thinking for ourselves and doing for ourselves that we can stem the tide of entitlement that is crushing this country. The last time I looked we still lived in a society that lets us follow our own beliefs and desires. If your beliefs advocate entitlement over empowerment then continue to follow the "party line" that our government wants you to follow. But if you are like me and believe that "Nothing worthwhile comes easy." than teach to your children, preach it to your friends, and above all else never stop believing that you are right.
Well thats it for this rant. Sorry if it was a little long winded.
Til we meet again,
Paul
P.S. River Tam kicks ass!
I had seen it before but because of various reasons it did not stick with me any more than it just being a really good Science Fiction flick. Now granted that would be reason enough for any SCIFI geek like me to extol all about it but a few things struck me last night as I watched it that I did not notice before.
First off I loved the imagery of the people of Miranda just laying down and dying because the government had essentially taken away there reason for life. In case you have never seen the movie the Alliance, which is the governing body in the future in which Serenity is set, set up a colony planet called Miranda, on which they introduced a drug into the atmosphere processors that made most of the population no longer want to fight, and as a result they also lost all ambition for the future and died. For better or worse we as human beings thrive on conflict. Whether it be sporting events, a good healthy debate, or war, conflict gives us a reason to better ourselves and think outside of the box. Don't believe me just ask any parent what the most gratifying experience of their life is. In probably 99.9% of cases they will tell you that raising their kids takes the top spot. Now ask them what the most trying experience has been. Not surprisingly they again will tell you it has been raising there kids.
Why is this? Well it goes to the idea that we as humans feel the need to be accomplished. There are few things in this world better than the feeling of accomplishment. There is an old saying that nothing worthwhile comes easily. It takes the proverbial blood, sweat and tears, to get anything worth getting.
Next it struck me as interesting the parallels of this incident in a fictional universe and things that are going on here in ours. We now live in a society that for the most part does not want us to do for ourselves. Instead it tells us that we are entitled to anything we want regardless of whether or not we have earned it. But the curious thing is that the place that I like to call the real world does not work that way. It never has and it never will. The real world still holds to the basic principles of hard work, and entitlement because of that hard work. But we have a government that is working hard to make us all believe that we don't need to. We are entitled to happiness and riches just because. The reason they want us to believe this is because it takes the power out of our hands as a people and puts it in theirs. In other words they want us docile because we will be easier to control.
So what can we do to stop this. Well in the words of Malcolm Reynolds, the greatest space pirate to come along since Han "the man" Solo, "I aim to misbehave." It is only through thinking for ourselves and doing for ourselves that we can stem the tide of entitlement that is crushing this country. The last time I looked we still lived in a society that lets us follow our own beliefs and desires. If your beliefs advocate entitlement over empowerment then continue to follow the "party line" that our government wants you to follow. But if you are like me and believe that "Nothing worthwhile comes easy." than teach to your children, preach it to your friends, and above all else never stop believing that you are right.
Well thats it for this rant. Sorry if it was a little long winded.
Til we meet again,
Paul
P.S. River Tam kicks ass!
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Random Thoughts
Hello Everyone.
Just some random thoughts that I have had this week.
1. Who is this Will guy and what did he do to piss everyone off so much that all they want to do is fire at him?
2. Is it safe to call the Harry Potter series one of the best works of literature ever created?
3. Felting pool table rails sucks great big donkey nuts!
4. Is there any greater feeling than seeing someone you despise look like an Idiot? (See my last post and what I had to say about Britney Spears)
5. Is there any song that has been released in the last twenty years with a better message for life than "The Dance" by Garth Brooks?
6. I know one person who could kick Chuck Norris' ass. His name is Robert Duvall.
7. Is there any western better than Lonesome Dove?
8. They need to stop making Highlander Movies. Although I loved the first movie and the TV series the well is dry and the horse is dead.
9. I hate election years. Especially when they last more than one.
10. Sometimes a "Once in a lifetime opportunity" means you loved doing what you did but you would never do it again.
That's all for now. I hope I did not bore you too much.
Til we meet again,
Paul
Just some random thoughts that I have had this week.
1. Who is this Will guy and what did he do to piss everyone off so much that all they want to do is fire at him?
2. Is it safe to call the Harry Potter series one of the best works of literature ever created?
3. Felting pool table rails sucks great big donkey nuts!
4. Is there any greater feeling than seeing someone you despise look like an Idiot? (See my last post and what I had to say about Britney Spears)
5. Is there any song that has been released in the last twenty years with a better message for life than "The Dance" by Garth Brooks?
6. I know one person who could kick Chuck Norris' ass. His name is Robert Duvall.
7. Is there any western better than Lonesome Dove?
8. They need to stop making Highlander Movies. Although I loved the first movie and the TV series the well is dry and the horse is dead.
9. I hate election years. Especially when they last more than one.
10. Sometimes a "Once in a lifetime opportunity" means you loved doing what you did but you would never do it again.
That's all for now. I hope I did not bore you too much.
Til we meet again,
Paul
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Did you notice...?
Hello all.
Did anyone else notice the lack of coverage of the 9/11 attacks on the regular news outlets this year. I was at work on Tuesday and turned on the television we have there to check out what I was sure to be a good hours worth of coverage remembering the worst attack on American soil. Instead what did I find? A story about the return of Britney Spears at the VMA's. Okay so I figured that they were probably just waiting until we got close to the time that the second Plane hit the towers to start there real coverage and this was just filler until it began. So I made it a point to take another look around 9 o'clock figuring that soon they would have to begin some kind of memorial coverage for those lost in NY, Washington, and Pennsylvania. But no. I saw a grand total of about ten minutes of coverage concerning 9/11. The rest of the coverage was on stupid shit like Britney Spears, and what fashions were in for this fall.
Now I by no means want 24/7 coverage of the events and memorials that happened to mark that day, but come on. 10 freakin minutes. What the hell is that all about. Needless to say I more than a little miffed at what I saw that day. Have we as a society truly fallen that far that we would prefer to see coverage of a skank like Britney Spears than take a few hours out of our day to remember the horror of that day and why the fight against these extremist Muslims, is so important. In case you hadn't noticed they want to kill or convert us all. Not just a few but all of us. Republican or Democrat. American or Australian is does not matter. If we do not fall to our knees and worship the way they want us to and follow the same moral code as them they will cut off our heads.
I weep for our country sometimes. I hope against hope that I am wrong about what I saw and that I just missed the coverage, but I do not think so. So as I leave you today think about what is important to you in this life, and remember that there is evil in this world that can not be bargained with or bought out, it can only be fought and destroyed. May god bless our troops and bring them home as soon as it is right to do.
Til we meet again.
Paul
Did anyone else notice the lack of coverage of the 9/11 attacks on the regular news outlets this year. I was at work on Tuesday and turned on the television we have there to check out what I was sure to be a good hours worth of coverage remembering the worst attack on American soil. Instead what did I find? A story about the return of Britney Spears at the VMA's. Okay so I figured that they were probably just waiting until we got close to the time that the second Plane hit the towers to start there real coverage and this was just filler until it began. So I made it a point to take another look around 9 o'clock figuring that soon they would have to begin some kind of memorial coverage for those lost in NY, Washington, and Pennsylvania. But no. I saw a grand total of about ten minutes of coverage concerning 9/11. The rest of the coverage was on stupid shit like Britney Spears, and what fashions were in for this fall.
Now I by no means want 24/7 coverage of the events and memorials that happened to mark that day, but come on. 10 freakin minutes. What the hell is that all about. Needless to say I more than a little miffed at what I saw that day. Have we as a society truly fallen that far that we would prefer to see coverage of a skank like Britney Spears than take a few hours out of our day to remember the horror of that day and why the fight against these extremist Muslims, is so important. In case you hadn't noticed they want to kill or convert us all. Not just a few but all of us. Republican or Democrat. American or Australian is does not matter. If we do not fall to our knees and worship the way they want us to and follow the same moral code as them they will cut off our heads.
I weep for our country sometimes. I hope against hope that I am wrong about what I saw and that I just missed the coverage, but I do not think so. So as I leave you today think about what is important to you in this life, and remember that there is evil in this world that can not be bargained with or bought out, it can only be fought and destroyed. May god bless our troops and bring them home as soon as it is right to do.
Til we meet again.
Paul
Saturday, September 8, 2007
The Joys of Live Theater.
For those of you who don't know I am an actor. It is really the only thing that I do well and strive for perfection in. It is also the only addiction that I have that is actually beneficial to me. For any one wondering what could possibly posses a person to stand up on a stage in front of complete strangers and make a total ass out of themselves, I will try and explain why at least I do it.
Contrary to popular belief acting is not an easy thing to do. It involves long hours of rehearsal, both at the theater and away to effectively create a believable character and an enthralling experience for those who come to see us. We put ourselves through pain, suffering, and exhaustion voluntarily and regularly with no thought as to what we may be doing to our health, both physically and mentally. And when this is all done but before opening night we frequently leave the theater looking like something out of a George A. Romero movie.
But all of that is worth it when opening night comes. The unadulterated high that we get from putting everything on the line and leaving it all on stage is enough to keep us going for days. You want a high that you never really come down from? Then put all that you are into a character, sweat your ass off giving every ounce of energy that you have into bringing that character to life, and just when you think that nothing good could possibly come of it all, take a look into the faces of your audience. It is an experience that no one who has not gone through it can possibly understand.
Now granted the trials that we suffer in no way compare to those of others in this world (soldiers spring immediately to mind), but we do suffer none the less. However the rewards that we gain from this experience include close friendships with people we probably would never have met otherwise, a little ego boost, and the knowledge that if nothing else we gave our absolute best to bring little distraction to the lives of people who live in a world that needs distraction from time to time.
Oh yeah there's one more reason I almost forgot. Chicks dig actors!
Til we meet again
Paul
Contrary to popular belief acting is not an easy thing to do. It involves long hours of rehearsal, both at the theater and away to effectively create a believable character and an enthralling experience for those who come to see us. We put ourselves through pain, suffering, and exhaustion voluntarily and regularly with no thought as to what we may be doing to our health, both physically and mentally. And when this is all done but before opening night we frequently leave the theater looking like something out of a George A. Romero movie.
But all of that is worth it when opening night comes. The unadulterated high that we get from putting everything on the line and leaving it all on stage is enough to keep us going for days. You want a high that you never really come down from? Then put all that you are into a character, sweat your ass off giving every ounce of energy that you have into bringing that character to life, and just when you think that nothing good could possibly come of it all, take a look into the faces of your audience. It is an experience that no one who has not gone through it can possibly understand.
Now granted the trials that we suffer in no way compare to those of others in this world (soldiers spring immediately to mind), but we do suffer none the less. However the rewards that we gain from this experience include close friendships with people we probably would never have met otherwise, a little ego boost, and the knowledge that if nothing else we gave our absolute best to bring little distraction to the lives of people who live in a world that needs distraction from time to time.
Oh yeah there's one more reason I almost forgot. Chicks dig actors!
Til we meet again
Paul
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