So, What are your favourite movies of all time?

This is the lead in to a recent discussion that I had with my brother and his wife. My answer is difficult to confine, because I can't really say any movie specifically, I've just never been fully reached by any movie to the point I'd call it a favourite. I've liked a lot of movies for a lot of different reasons and I can only watch a few over and over, and even those I can't do for extended periods of time. In the interest of coming to some answer to the question I'll just have to put a list up and explain why they're high on my list...somewhat categorical as well:

Donnie Darko: has been one I liked a long time; existential love story; the directors cut did more to bash you over the head with existential arguments, the original was much better and subtle.

Star Wars: A "western" in space, what more could a guy want... only the original 3 do I really favor.

Indiana Jones: A "western" treasure hunt, just plain good adventure. Again, only the original 3, lets not even mention that last atrocity....

American Psycho: Just a great criticism of 80's society and some great acting by Christian Bale...perhaps a bit morose.

Young Guns: A really fun western shoot em up!

Alien: One of the best Sci-Fi horror/thriller films with one vicious alien.

Aliens: This time a great action Sci-Fi film.

Moulin Rouge: Tragic love and music, I just think it was a fun film.

Virgin Suicides:

Dune: The idea of a messiah is always interesting to me. A vast nothingness has always enticed me that there is something more beneath the surface...

There are more I plan to identify, but I'll have to come back to this...

2009 looks to be the year

Finally,
I see no obstacles to it happening. I've had the will for ages. I've been a member of the fan club for the past year. U2 is threatening to tour, supporting their new album! I will see them this time!

I fell in love with the band with the 'Achtung Baby' album. During the ZooTV tour I was 14 or 15 I believe, and just missed the opportunity to see them. My sister-in-law had won tickets to the show; I really wanted to go, but age and circumstance prevented it. Every subsequent tour U2 went on I never got to go for one reason or another. Usually when they were in town it was during finals week so I couldn't go; Popmart tour - I had finals, Elevation tour - actually saving my money for a trip and I wasn't loving the album, Vertigo tour - probably the closest I've come to seeing them since ZooTV but I just couldn't commit to seeing the last show in Boston and tickets were pricey.

This time I'm planning ahead, saving the money, and going to go no matter what I think of the next album! There is no reason for me not to see them this time around and I deserve it!

Happy Christmas Everyone and Happy New Year

I wish you all the best!

Art - another self portrait

I admit I'm a narcissist, but here is a self portrait I did recently that I've received some praise for; you be the judge! I do think it makes me look sad, which, SURPRISE, I'm not!

Sometimes I just want to drive until my iPod runs out of music

And by sometimes I mean lately that's been most times!

No! I'm not trying to escape anything right now, but I don't think you could blame me. No, it's just that I have a lot of good music and I just want to keep going and going and...

I do also have a lot of wanderlust at this time. I'm coming to an understanding of how little of this world I've seen and how much of it I do care to see. So, I'm thinking I should just keep going. I have made some awesome drives in my day, but I'd like to take some time with them from now on. I mean, the whirlwind drive non-stop from Nashville, TN to Boise, ID will always be epic in it's sheer scale and impetuousness, but I'd really like to take the time to actually see what there is to see between here and there, where ever that might be.

And, yes, I would like to get away a bit. I mean, jeez, things have been dreadful lately and this cold weather is getting to me!

If I haven't put this up here yet, I should have

And what would this blog be without some music!!! Probably one of my current favourite videos/remixes, not to detract from the original, Feist '1 2 3 4' Van She Tech remix to 'My Moon' video:


And the original:

Working on some things for this one

Lately I've been doing some things I've been meaning to do and I've come across some old journal entries and things that I'm hoping to put up here. I've already posted up some entries from 2002 you can find in the blog archives. Things from when I was quite a bit more philosophical and a bit younger too.

Posted up an old draft from earlier this year reflecting on Kenya and I. It no longer applies, so it's there and I don't have much else to say about it...

Also I'm working on some other posts from old things I've found and thoughts I'm ruminating over. I found some old correspondence between an old girlfriend and I and re-read it and found some good advice/observations on her part that I need to remember; I'll share those. Also found a autobiography I started, might work on that for you. Also an account of the trip Kenya and I took to London, I'm going to see if I can get some help to flesh that out and get it on here. Finally, there are a few things on my mind that just are the usual for this blog, so... sometime, I guess.
Best,
X

The unnatural yellow of yellow mustard.

I admit, I like the stuff. I've liked it since I was a child, but I also like most other mustard... Still, is it me or has the yellowness of yellow mustard gotten to some extremely weird hue? I don't think it was ever any natural yellow color, but now it seems to have gone to some point off the scale of what's natural or appetizing. Maybe it is the fluorescent lighting, maybe my eye's are bad(partly true), maybe it's trying to get peoples attention, and maybe the yellow 5 and yellow 6 got mixed wrong; but it really seems to be this almost neon yellow color. In quantity it looks like bright vomit(sorry that's gross), and when you spread it out you could simulate the sun it's practically blinding! I'm tempted to use it as paint for anything I want to see at night, maybe they should use it for street signs etc etc. It's just so obscene.

The progress of my typical head cold.

This is just so I can try and remember what to expect in the future.

Day 1. Feel a little tickle in my nose/sinus.
Day 2. Begin to feel a dry/scratchyness in the back of my throat/sinus.
Day 3. Cold sets in, sore itchy throat, congestion.
Day 4. More of the same. Fever/chills start in the evening. Lot's of hydration.
Day 5. Begin expectorating, congestion is reducing, big sleep.
Day 6. Expectorating continues, sore throat gone, no congestion. Feel good enough to do anything.
Day 7. Still very dry sinuses. Occasional cough.
Day 8. More of the same, but feeling well enough in general.