Congratulations!Monday, May 18, 2009What did you do yesterday afternoon? Hmmph. That's nice. What did I do? Oh not much. I just SAVED HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, that's all. A scant 12 minutes before 14:00 hours, I got a call from my friend Chris at the Baptist Building. He was doing sound for a the commencement ceremony for LPA (Lighthouse Preparatory Academy, a local Christian school, and NOT Little People of America). They had rented out our ballroom (how many Baptist organizations can say they have a ballroom?) and there was a problem. One of the five graduates (it's the school's first year... give them a break!) had forgotten his diploma folder thing at home and had nothing to walk with! Normally this wouldn't seem like the end of the world but they were panicking and in need of a diploma. Chris called on the off chance that I had one in my office downstairs. I did not, but I had my OBU folder upstairs and needed to run to the office anyway, so I sprinted out the door and raced to save Graduation (while still obeying all posted speed limits, thank you very much). I got there just as Pomp and Circumstance began pomping and circumstancing and handed the folder to "Daniel" and helpfully suggested he turn it backwards so the gold foil stamp "OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY" didn't show. It turns out that I actually know Daniel. He's the score keeper at Sunday Night Hockey. It's a small world after all. Since there were only five graduates and I figured it would be pretty short, I went ahead and stayed for the ceremony. Plus they had cake! In case you were wondering, no, there was no photo montage set to Good Riddance. There was, however, a off-key duet of Friends are Friends Forever. And that, boys and girls, is the story of how Uncle Brian's OBU diploma graduated high school. AverageThursday, May 7, 2009 On the radio this morning, they announced that in the 32-country listening area, unemployment was above average in 16 of those counties. Isn't that exactly what you would expect, recession or not? Isn't that what "average" means?
30x30Tuesday, May 5, 2009 I’ve been inspired by the 30x30 list on Leslie’s blog. 26 and 11/12ths years old is is kind of late to begin working on such a list... this is the kind of thing I should have done at 20. It’s interesting, however, to note that as I look through this list, only four or five of these would have even remotely interested the 20-year-old Brian. What will I think of this list at 40? Probably whatever Obama wants me to think, but that's neither here nor there.Thirty goals is a lot, and I’m just letting you know right here and now there’s very very little chance that I will even pursue a lot of these. To hit that 30 quota, I had to add a few wild cards. Also, I added up the potential costs of these and it looks like reaching for the stars will cost approximately $18,536, not including the $200,000 government R&D grant I intend to use for #10. But hey, you never know when I might stumble across a couple garbage bags full of free money. Maybe I should just add ten more goals and give myself until 40. 1. Set foot on all seven continents This has been my thing for a while now, although I don’t remember when I decided to make it a stated “goal.” It's also going to be the one I am going to consciously work towards the most. It’s going to be a stretch to hit Australia, Asia and Antarctica in just 3 years + 1 month. Anyone want to come with? 2. Go a year without drinking Dr Pepper I’m four months and five days into this one, which is a real achievement considering I average probably two a day for the past 15 years or so. I’ve been relying on the crutch Diet Dr Pepper, and I’ve actually grown to like it. But things are all hunky dory. Sometimes I lay awake at night wondering if I will “recognize” Dr Pepper eight months from now. What if I don’t like it anymore? What if it doesn't like me? This makes me sad. 3. Go a month drinking only water This wouldn’t be too hard at all. In fact, I’m starting today. 4. Take a road trip in an RV Anybody want to sign up? 5. Take I-40 from the Pacific to the Atlantic Maybe this could be done in conjunction with #4? 6. See all 100 movies in the AFI Top 100 (sadly, I’ve only seen 29) However, I am going to skip #83: Titanic. It is my goal to die never having seen it. Also on my list of movies to (finally) see: The Goonies, Newsies, Hoosiers, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. 7. Read a book by Ayn Rand What's it going to be? Atlas Shrugged or The Fountainhead? Place your bets! 8. Be debt-free OK “debt-free, except for my house.” I’m pretty close on this one too. I should be there by the end of the year. 9. Learn to enjoy salad Even though I don’t enjoy it, I can eat a salad to be sociable (provided it’s drowning in ranch). I still have a hard time with the physical manipulation of the fork, knife and lettuce. It just doesn’t want to work for me! 10. Develop a recipe for Brian’s Famous _______ Chili? Barbecue sauce? Chicken potpie? Hummus? Artisan bread? Gumbo? Gazpacho? A “house” salad dressing? What does the world need? I need some suggestions! 11. See Paul McCartney in concert I've knocked our Queen, Paul Simon and it's looking like Brian Wilson is going to happen this Fall. Sir Paul McCartney is all that's left. 12. Write a scholarly white paper on Christian journalism I’ve been collecting a lot of resources. Now I just need a thesis. 13. Get my credit score above 800 I already have really good credit, but I think it’d be awesome to crack that upper echelon. Although now that I think about it, what good is a good credit rating if intend to live without debt? 14. Help a stranger on the side of the road change a tire Is it weird that I enjoy changing tires? 15. Beat Mario I, II and III on the NES I’ve beaten I, and come really close on III. 16. Organize all the papers from OBU I have stuffed in boxes in my garage. I'll need to set aside like, an entire week. 17. Hear Handel’s Messiah live And He shall reign forever and ever, King of kings! and Lord of lords! And He shall reign forever and ever, King of kings! and Lord of lords! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! 18. Go without a ticket for a moving violation I’m very proud of my perfect driving record. The two tint tickets don’t count. 19. Ride in a hot-air balloon I have a slight fear of heights, but I just think this would be really cool. 20. Permanently learn the correct usage for who/whom I look it up every time it comes up but some reason can never remember it. 21. Permanently learn the correct definitions for tornado "warnings” and tornado "watches” I can never remember which is worse. I've consulted with America's Weather Man (and my Facebook friend), the one and only Gary England and he tells us:
22. Obtain an International Driver’s License It's only $15! Isn't that awesome? 23. Vote in a primary election Aug. 3, 2010, here I come! 24. Finally man up and eat a lobster Bleh 25. Finally man up and eat some sushi Bleh 26. Lose 15 percent of my body weight This really shouldn’t be that hard. 27. Read through the entire Bible I’ve started this countless times and I’ve probably hit 97 percent of it piecemeal, but I want to do in an orderly, accountable fashion. 28. Learn to identify the cuts of chicken on the buffet Shut up, OK? Just shut up. I don’t know why I can never tell which is the dark meat and which is the white, I just can’t. OK? Telling me, "just get one of the breast peices" doesn't help me. I must have been sick that day in school. And someone pass the white meat. 29. Buy (and maintain the website at) a URL I owned www.baconcheeseburger.org (yes, .org) from 2005 to 2006, but that was before I started blogging. Plus, GoDaddy’s commercials have turned me off of the whole buy your own URL thing. 30. Unspoken :-) Mail CallFriday, May 1, 2009
It's not all that unexpected that I find a postcard in my mail box when I get home from work. In the last six months or so, I've gotten about 150 postcards from 45 counties on six continents (and a dozen or so states). Wow, that's a lot. I need to slow down.
But what was awaiting me today? This (click to make larger):   How cool is that? Way to go, Kelly!
I Wonder What Would Happen If...Thursday, April 23, 2009A Classic I know this is just about the oldest joke in the book, but it's still funny. Couldn't you just eat him up?
Oh Noes!Monday, April 20, 2009 Back when I was a young journalist and full of pluck (a three-and-a-half week stretch in 1999), I really enjoyed CNN. I liked the news ticker that crawled across the bottom of the screen and for some reason I was really impressed by Larry King. The idea that you didn't have wait until 10:02 that night to learn of the goings on of the world was still pretty novel and I was impressed that they were able to go steady, 24 hours a day. As the news industry as progressed, CNN.com has become of many sites I hit to stay informed. But CNN is beginning to abuse the privilege.Their top story has the following, earth-shattering headline: 21 polo horses die in South Florida! Now, I like horsies just as much as the next guy (they taste delicious!) but by what stretch of the imagination is this the most important news item of the day? I guess it's only right that a far less important story like Iran to allow appeal for US journalist convicted as spy be listed 13th on the page. Come on, Ted Turner. Snap out of it. Were there Pan Flutes and Accordions?? Yes. There were Pan Flutes and Accordions.Sunday, April 19, 2009 Last night I trekked to St. Louis’s FABULOUS FOX THEATRE* to see one of my favorite artists of all-time, the one and only Paul Simon. He was worth the 150-mile drive, even if I had to sit there for 113 minutes before he even came on stage and I didn’t get home until 2:31 this morning.The event was actually the 21st Annual Bob Costas Benefit for the children’s cancer wing at a local hospital. I’ve never been to a benefit like this before, and was surprised to see about half the crowd in tuxes and prom dresses. I at least wore a sport coat, so I was far from the most underdressed. If you’re going to expect people to suit up for a concert, you need to make that clear on the tickets. The FABULOUS FOX THEATRE is pretty cool. You really should take a look at the architecture and décor. I've been to some pretty awesome theaters across the world, but the Fox takes the cake. If I lived in the STL, I'd be there every weekend. Bob Costas emceed, and he’s actually a funny guy. “There are so many kids that need our help, and Madonna can’t adopt them all.” Also a winner: "This economy is rough on everyone and people are being let go all the time. I don’t know if you remember, but it used to be Simon AND Garfunkel.” Not a winner: All three Sarah Palin jokes. I get it. She likes to shoot things and can see Russia from her front porch. The first “act” was comedian Robert Klein. I’m told he’s a very famous and influential comedian. I may be exposing myself as very un-hip, but I didn’t think he was funny. Comic ballads to colonoscopies just don’t seem that cutting edge. The short sports announcer with the great hair did much better. His set lasted an hour, then we had an intermission and I promise you 35 full minutes of thanking sponsors. But it’s hard to complain because some kid is across town dying of leukemia. Finally Paul Simon came on at exactly 9:53. Way to go, Walten Family Dentistry, for being a Silver Circle Sponsor! Next time I'm stuck in St. Louis and need a filling, I'm calling you! I love Paul Simon. The second album I ever bought with my own money was Simon and Garfunkel’s Sounds of Silence (the first was the soundtrack to Cocktail. Don’t judge me, you know you love Kokomo) and I’ve been a fan ever since. I like they way he speaks his words as he sings them. I also am a fan of his later, post-Garkfunkel solo work, but to a slightly lesser extent. But come on, who doesn’t love the music video to Call Me Al? The world could use a few more Chevy Chase cameos. A lot of people merely shout lyrics in tune but not Paul Simon. He lays the words down very carefully. I also really respect that he is a singer/songwriter. I’m not going to knock the artist that only sings another’s songs, but it takes a special person to cover every single angle of the process. He is 68 years old, but his voice is as strong, clear and smooth as ever. Backed up by his nine-man band, he sounded great. You can tell he truly loves making music. He is also a very, very little man. The set list (not in order): Slip Sliding Away Graceland Gumboots Crazy Love Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes Still Crazy After All These Years Call Me Al The Boy in the Bubble From the S&G era: Mrs. RobinsonSounds of Silence The Only Living Boy in New York Me and Julio Down by the School Yard The Boxer The S&G tracks were pretty freaking awesome, even if they weren’t note-for-one the same as the original recordings. S&G bread and butter was (were?) their delicate harmonies and Simon had to rearrange a lot of the songs to fit one vocalist. I sang along to try to help him out, but I’m no Art Garfunkel. I just don’t have the hair. He didn’t play everything I wanted to hear, but beggars can’t be choosers. I would have loved to have heard 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, Cecelia, Scarborough Fair and Bridge Over Troubled Waters. Oh well, you can’t win ‘em all. So I tick off another box on my See Before I (of They) Die List. I got Queen a few years ago in Chicago and I’m planning on seeing Brian Wilson in NJ this fall. If Paul McCartney will just go on tour one more time, I can rest easy. Oh, interesting tidbit: and there was a blind woman next to me. Her dog just slept at her feet the whole time. I guess he just wasn't music lover. *It kills me that people/institutions get this wrong: theatRE is an art form. TheatER is a building. It Kinda Renews Your Faith in the Human RaceFriday, April 17, 2009
I'm man enough to admit I love watching The Sound of Music. Real men dig musicals! Truly macho men dig musicals re-envisioned in Belgian train stations.
Sound of Music: belgian Train Station ArrrrrrrgMonday, April 13, 2009 I think we can all agree that we're relieved the captain of the Maersk Alabama was finally rescued over the weekend and that the pirate threat has been (temporarily) nullified by some sharp shooting Navy SEALs. (see story here) Piracy in the modern era has become a real threat to lives and property, and bears no resemblance to the "glamorous" characters in the semi-entertainment Disney movies.That said, let's all pause to make light (again temporarily) of the problems that plague the Indian Ocean and enjoy the idea of actual seals and pirates locked in mortal combat on the high seas. Happy Easter!Sunday, April 12, 2009Low in the grave He lay,
Jesus my Savior, Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord! Vainly they watch His bed, Jesus my Savior; Vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord! Death cannot keep its Prey, Jesus my Savior; He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord! Up from the grave He arose, With a mighty triumph o’er His foes, He arose a Victor from the dark domain, And He lives forever, with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose! Sigh.Monday, April 6, 2009 Breaking news: Hillary Clinton is waging war one of my major goals in life: to set foot on all seven continents, including Antarctica. I had planned to knock Australia and Asia off the list before going to frolic with the penguins, but now I may have to move it up on the itinerary. Why, Hillary? What did I ever do to you?Clinton calls for stricter Antarctic tourism limits(CNN) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for tighter controls over tourism and other forms of pollution in Antarctica Monday, arguing for greater global cooperation to help preserve the continent's environmental and scientific research value.The Dry Valley region of Antarctica has seen an increase in visits by tourists. Addressing a joint session of the Arctic Council and the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, Clinton said the Obama administration is concerned about the growing popularity of tourism in the southern polar region. She said the United States is proposing new international limits on the number of landings from tourist vessels, as well as greater cooperation to prevent potentially hazardous discharges from those ships. At the same time, the United States is proposing new requirements for lifeboats on tourist ships "to make sure they can keep passengers alive until rescue comes," Clinton noted. Aside from worrying about the environmental impact of tourism, the U.S. is "concerned about the safety of the tourists and the suitability of the ships that make the journey south," she said. Video Watch Clinton say how the Antarctic has been protected from war » The issue of tourism in the Antarctic has become an increasingly divisive issue in recent years, pitting scientists and preservationists against a travel industry seeking to capitalize on a growing demand for adventure and nature-oriented tours. Over 46,000 tourists visited Antarctica in the 2007-2008 tour season -- almost four times as many visitors as during the 2000-2001 season, according to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators. Clinton's remarks came as the United States helped mark the 50th anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty, a model for "how agreements created for one age can serve the world in another," Clinton said. Clinton noted that President Obama sent the U.S. Senate an amendment to the treaty Friday that would spell out how the international community should better prevent and respond to environmental emergencies in Antarctica. The amendment would cover the question of liability tied to environmental damage in the ecologically sensitive region. In addition, the United States has proposed an extension of the treaty's marine pollution rules "in a manner that more accurately reflects the boundaries of the Antarctic ecosystem," she noted. "The treaty is a blueprint for the kind of international cooperation that will be needed more and more to address the challenges of the 21st century," Clinton said. "It is an example of smart power at its best: governments coming together around a common interest and citizens, scientists and institutions from different countries joined in scientific collaboration to advance peace and understanding." Clinton argued that the treaty "and its related instruments remain a key tool in our efforts to address an urgent threat of this time: climate change." A number of international scientific research stations have been established in Antarctica in part to help explore the probable causes and effects of global warming. advertisement Twelve nations initially signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1959; 47 nations abide by it today. The accord specifies that Antarctic territory cannot be used for military purposes. It bans, among other things, nuclear testing and the disposal of radioactive waste material on the continent. It also protects freedom for international scientific research in the region. OK We're Going to Have a Problem Here Hey Mack Brown? You're dead to me. You know what Kurt Vonnegut used to say about asterisks, don't you?From The Oklahoman: Texas claims Big 12 championship with an *Published: April 5, 2009 Prominently displayed on a wall inside Texas’ Moncrief-Neuhaus training facility is a list of the Longhorns’ Big 12 and South Division championships. According to the Austin American-Statesman, the Longhorns have included 2008 among their Big 12 championships — with an asterisk. Last season, OU edged out Texas and Texas Tech for the South title in a three-way tie determined by the BCS Standings, despite a fervent protest from Texas coach Mack Brown and Longhorn fans. The Longhorns claimed that because they defeated OU head-to-head, they deserved to go to the Big 12 title game — despite the fact they also lost to Texas Tech, which created the three-way tie. On the last week of the regular season, Texas fans even paid for a flyover in Stillwater before the Bedlam game to remind voters of Texas’ 45-35 win over OU in the Cotton Bowl. Nevertheless, the Sooners went on to beat Missouri in Kansas City, Mo., to win their unprecedented third-consecutive Big 12 championship. Apparently, that victory is still not being acknowledged in Austin. Said one school official to the Statesman, “We beat both teams (OU and North Division winner Missouri). I thought that (championship game in Kansas City) was for the runner-up spot.” Best.Cartoon.Ever.Friday, April 3, 2009TGIF
Happy Friday!
Today was a pretty good and productive day: I used a Best Buy Rewards thing that was going to expire tomorrow to order Citizen Kane, The Great Escape AND (hold onto your hats, folks) Milo and Otis. Toss in The Parent Trap and Smokey and the Bandit and you have the five best films ever made. Leslie and I launched an online "book club," Miles of Books. She gets all the credit for the classy color scheme. We're starting with The Pilgrim's Progress. Reading begins Sunday. I noticed the teller at the bank had made a deposit of $83.60 instead of $183.60 before I had driven home and then been forced to drive all the way across town and argue for 45 minutes. I wrote a Seussian review of I Love You, Man. I got my oil changed. I came up with an excuse to go to KC next week and skip In Office Day. I took a nap. I discovered I look really good in yellow. Everyone Chip InTuesday, March 31, 2009 Despite the Econocolypse, 2008 was a banner year for the film industry. Forget AIG or idiots who bit off way more debt than they could ever hope to chew, it's those I'll-stay-at-home-and-read-a-book people that are prolonging this recession. I know I did my part.
Greetings from Jefferson City! Today I sent a postcard to Puri1959 in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. Here's a little something about Puri:My passion is: photography, travel and letter. The photograph profession does training. Be in Mataró (Barcelona) Spain born. I am very ondernement and can I also very quiet be, am gladly only also between the mob move myself I good. Love many vegetables eat and have for manny years stopped with smoke…. On to a long friendship. loves, Puri Gosh I love non-native speakers. But still, not bad for a third language. Butterfly in the Sky / I Can Go Twice as High It's been far, far too long since I've sat down and actually read a book.
That's why I'm especially excited to get back in the groove of things, beginning with my fresh new copy of John Bunyan's classic allegory, The Pilgrim's Progress. As a method of forcing myself to follow through and keep on a regular schedule, I'm going to be blogging my notes; an online book club of sorts. Along with the intellectual stimulation and inherent entertainment value of a good book, hopefully there will be some spiritual benefit from the endeavor as well. I am the Pilgrim, and he is Me. Count yourself lucky I've let you in on the ground floor. Leslie is going to help too. The first installment this grand experiment (it's a sad day when consciously sitting down to read a book is such an irregular event as to be called an "experiment") is scheduled for Friday evening, which means you'll have to wait until then for my in-depth analysis and insights. until then, content yourself with this primer on Mr. Bunyan, courtesy of the Gutenberg Project: BUNYAN, JOHN (1628-1688). —B. at Elstow, near Bedford, the s. of a poor tinker, was ed. at a free school, after which he worked at his father's trade. At 17 he was drafted as a soldier in the Civil War, and served for two years at Newport Pagnell. That's the English Civil War, in case you were wondering. Wikipedia says the conflict was between supporters of King Charles and supporters of the Rump Parliament. Hehe... "Rump." At 19 he m. a pious young woman, whose only dowry appears to have been two books, the Plain Man's Pathway to Heaven and the Practice of Piety, by which he was influenced towards a religious life. I'd just as soon my fiance not be so poor as to own nothing but two books, but the romantic and recently reformed book lover in me says we should all be so lucky. In his autobiographical book, Grace Abounding, B. describes himself as having led an abandoned life in his youth; but there appears to be no evidence that he was, outwardly at any rate, worse than the average of his neighbours: the only serious fault which he specifies is profanity, others being dancing and bell-ringing. Oh dear God, no. Not bell-ringing. Anything, anything but bell-ringing. The overwhelming power of his imagination led him to contemplate acts of impiety and profanity, and to a vivid realisation of the dangers these involved. In particular he was harassed by a curiosity in regard to the "unpardonable sin," and a prepossession that he had already committed it. He continually heard voices urging him to "sell Christ," and was tortured by fearful visions. I'm not saying I would have done it, but I do wonder how much they were offering JB for Christ. Are we still talking about 30 pieces of silver or has inflation caught up with our Lord and Savior? That was borderline sacrilegious. Sorry. After severe spiritual conflicts he escaped from this condition, and became an enthusiastic and assured believer. In 1657 he joined the Baptist Church, Darn right he did. began to preach, and in 1660 was committed to Bedford Jail, at first for three months, but on his refusing to conform, or to desist from preaching, his confinement was extended with little interval for a period of nearly 12 years, not always, however, very rigorous. He supported his family (wife and four children, including a blind girl) by making tagged laces, I have no idea what tagged laces are. For our purposes here, let's pretend they are those springy shoelace thingies 3rd grade girls wear. and devoted all the time he could spare from this If you're not careful, tagged laces can consume your entire day. to studying his few books and writing. During this period he wrote among other things, The Holy City and Grace Abounding. Under the Declaration of Indulgence he was released in 1672, and became a licensed preacher. In 1675 the Declaration was canceled, and he was, under the Conventicle Act, again imprisoned for six months, during which he wrote the first part of The Pilgrim's Progress, which appeared in 1678, and to which considerable additions were made in subsequent editions. It was followed by the Life and Death of Mr. Badman (1680), The Holy War (1682), and the second part of The Pilgrim's Progress (1684). B. was now widely known as a popular preacher and author, and exercised a wide influence. Kind of like a 17th Century Rick Warren, only JB actually had biblical insight. Yeah. You heard me RW. In 1688 he set out on a journey to mediate between a father and son, The cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon, Little Boy Blue and the Man in the Moon in which he was successful. I don't have much experinence in the area since I've never had much conflict with my father, but I have to think most successful father-son mediation revolve around watching Field of Dreams. On the return journey he was drenched with rain, caught a chill and d. in London on August 31. He is buried in Bunhill Fields. B. has the distinction of having written, in The Pilgrim's Progress, probably the most widely read book in the English language, and one which has been translated into more tongues than any book except the Bible. The charm of the work, which makes it the joy of old and young, learned and ignorant, and of readers of all possible schools of thought and theology, lies in the interest of a story in which the intense imagination of the writer makes characters, incidents, and scenes alike live in that of his readers as things actually known and remembered by themselves, in its touches of tenderness and quaint humour, its bursts of heart-moving eloquence, and its pure, nervous, idiomatic English, Macaulay has said, "Every reader knows the straight and narrow path as well as he knows a road on which he has been backwards and forwards a hundred times," and he adds that "In England during the latter half of the seventeenth century there were only two minds which possessed the imaginative faculty in a very eminent degree. By my count, that sentence has 140 words. $1 to the first person to diagram it. One of these minds produced the Paradise Lost, the other The Pilgrim's Progress." B. wrote about 60 books and tracts, of which The Holy War ranks next to The Pilgrim's Progress in popularity, while Grace Abounding is one of the most interesting pieces of biography in existence. With the possible exception of Let's Talk about Pep, Sandy "Pepa" Denton's seminal masterpice detaling the behind the scenes intrigue that was Salt and Pepa. (Other awesome autobiographies available here.) That was pretty rude, what I said about Rick. I'm sorry buddy. You keep selling your over-hyped books, praying for presidents and rocking that ridiculous beard. I don't have to read your books if I don't want to. When is Kevin Costner going to make another decent movie? Would I Buy Pizza from a Vending Machine?Sadly, yes. Yes I would. Lent FAILMonday, March 30, 2009 Sad Fish :-(I supposed it's my own fault. I've come to expect a lot from the Lenten Menu at The Towne Grill (improperly apostrophed motto: "Food at It's Best"), but their last offering left me with a bad taste in my mouth (pardon the pun). First, the service was slower than usual. TG's waitstaff are normally on the ball, but for this visit the service was on par with the meal, which is to say it was not so hot. It took longer than normal to take my order and much longer than normal to receive my meal. I ordered the Special: A fried catfish fillet, fries, cole slaw, green beans, hushpuppies and roll. The catfish, which in meals past was so flaky, hot and light was oily, chewy and tasted more than a little bit muddy. Instead of delicate hints of Creole and a suggestion of lemony goodness, all I tasted was the Missouri River. The fries were over done and the roll was of inferior quality. The green beans were merely average, and don't get me started on the hush puppies. Even the portions failed to live up to my expectations. It wouldn't surprise me if the cancer-fighting Omega-3 fatty acids had been genetically replaced with that foul tasting periodontal cement they use at the dentist. I've never been a cole slaw man, so I cannot comment on its merits. The same goes for the tartar sauce. So over the weekend, I arrived at a crisis of faith. The Towne Grill had destroyed my faith in the magic of the Lenten Fish Fry. Knights of Columbus, where were you when I need you? But thankfully the story doesn't end there. Wherever God closes a door, somewhere He opens a window, just like Julie Andrews promised! I hereby do place all my faith in the magical and mystical Catfish Gnome! All hail the Catfish Gnome! March (Meme) MadnessFriday, March 27, 2009 Fine. I'll do it. Three Things, here we go:Three Names I go by:
Three jobs I have had in my life:
Three Places I have lived: Three TV Shows that I watch: Three places I have been: Three people that IM/email me regularly:
Three memorable movies: Three people that text me regularly:
Three of my favorite foods:
Three of my favorite desserts:
Three favorite bands of all time:
祈禱中 Today in Chapel, some missionaries on furlough from Taiwan spoke to us. I won't regale you with the juicy details of the hour, but I would like to point out these awesome "prayer reminders" they gave us. You heard the chopsticks, 祈禱中! HuckMonday, March 23, 2009 Gov. Huckabee and my boss in "Cheyenne Room" at the lovely Capitol Plaza Hotel.Today was the second in my Republican Governors who Failed to Parlay Their Current/Former Office to a Job in Our Nation's Capital Lecture Series (see the first here). Our speaker today was former governor of Arkansas and Republican presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee. He gave the keynote address for the annual Vitae Foundation dinner. I don't have the in-depth analysis of policy and political discourse like last last time. Sorry. He was pretty good and a definitely politician. He was very quick to shake my hand, make eye contact, remember my name, etc. I don't agree with him on all the issues, but I would have gladly taken him over McCain (though I don't know if he could have done any better against Obama). He was pretty on-message (all things pro-life) and didn't stray much, although he did get in a Fair Tax plug when a guy from the local radio station asked him. In the "exclusive" interview with my boss, he made lots of Baptist jokes, which I always enjoy. So yeah. There's that. Here's the thing. Politics make me tired. I hope I'm still just burnt out from the circus that has been the last year. I'm a thinking human being, so I very much want to be informed and involved in the goings on in the world, but man it's just to exhausting. Give Huckabee credit. Today he communicated his beliefs and passions but didn't turn me off to politics. But I'm still tired. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Well? Do They??Friday, March 20, 2009Let's Hear What the Teleprompter has to Say...Thursday, March 19, 2009 What does Barack Obama's teleprompter think about the pressing issues of the day? I'm glad you asked, because now he's blogging.
They Seriously Had to do a Study to Figure This Out? And Yet I'm Jealous I'm not the One Who Wrote It. Darn you, A. Pawlowski! Darn You to Heck!Monday, March 9, 2009
By A. Pawlowski
And why not? When some of the funniest, most dramatic, romantic and poignant words are spoken on the big screen, it's no wonder they stick with us long after the movie is finished. It also turns out that using movie quotes in everyday conversation is akin to telling a joke and a way to form solidarity with others, according to a researcher who has actually studied why we like to cite films in social situations. Gee willikers, really? "People are doing it to feel good about themselves, to make others laugh, to make themselves laugh," said Richard Harris, a psychology professor at Kansas State University. Slow down, Professor Turbo, I'm not following you. So when I say, "I caught you this delicious bass," I'm... trying to make someone... laugh? What if I really caught them a delicious bass? What then, Dr. Genius?Harris decided to ask hundreds of young adults about their film-quoting habits after he and his graduate students realized it was a common behavior that no one had looked at closely before. Does it really take a team of graduate students to tackle this question? People like to appropriate some of the good will that peers might have with the film in question, and show off their pop culture prowess. Next you'll be telling my we need to study why English lit majors like to quote Shakespeare. Don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing the practice. I, myself, like to fish that pond often. He found that all of the participants in his study had used movie quotes in conversation at one point or another. They overwhelmingly cited comedies, followed distantly by dramas and action adventure flicks. As for horror films, musicals and children's movies, "fuh-get about it." They were hardly ever cited, Harris said. Don't cite musical or children's movies? Last night alone I referenced "The Little Mermaid" at least two dozen times: "It's a dinglehopper!"When asked about their emotions while quoting films, most people reported feeling happy, the study found. If it made them feel sad/confused/depressed/angry/remorseful/fearful/exasperated do you think they'd do it? Side note: check out this fascinating (no, seriously) Wikipedia entry for "emotions."For those who can't get enough of movie quotes, there are countless lists and trivia dedicated to them online. Depending on your budget and taste, you can buy T-shirts, mugs, games and posters featuring your favorites. Web sites like MovieQuotes.com allow users to submit film lines to a growing quote bank and take quizzes. Some movies, like "The Godfather," "Casablanca" and "Gone With the Wind," seem infinitely quotable. It's called "classic." Next you'll be telling me the Bible seems "infinitely quotable."Others can produce a single unforgettable line that will define that film forever: "You can't handle the truth" from "A Few Good Men" and "I see dead people" from "The Sixth Sense." I've always thought "You can't handle the truth!" to be overrated. The actual most quotable line from that movie is by Cmd. Gibbs: "Captain West, this is Lt. Commander Galloway. Jo, you know Mike Lawrence."A number of Hollywood masterpieces can infuse a single word with meaning: Think "plastics" from "The Graduate" and "Rosebud" from "Citizen Kane." "Citizen Kane" = GREAT movie. Despite my love of Simon and Garfunkel, I'm not a huge fan of "The Graduate."Movie quotes can even be used to teach lessons in the unlikeliest places. A blog on JavaWorld.com recently took lines from movies such as "Jaws," "Jerry Maguire" and "The Princess Bride" and applied them to software development, of all things. "My precious," the words uttered by Gollum in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, for example, can teach programmers a valuable lesson, the blog said. "In software development, it is good to take ownership of things," JavaWorld's blogger Dustin Marx wrote in explaining the quote's significance. "However, we can take it too far to where we refuse to admit anything is wrong with what we've done or insist ours is the only way to go." Seriously? We're going here? Like a food connoisseur pairing wines with meals, one man's fascination with memorable film lines led him to self-publish a book that advises readers which quotes would be perfect to use in which situations. Jim Silverstein, author of "Movie Quotes to Get You Through Life," called the 14-year project a labor of love that grew out of his fondness for bantering in movie quotes with friends in college. Silverstein -- a self-described "computer guy" who lives in suburban Chicago, Illinois -- began compiling his book in the early 1990s, watching hundreds of films and gathering more than 2,000 quotes in the process. The constant search for good lines made it hard for Silverstein to relax while watching films at home and annoyed his wife because he would frequently pause the movies to write down the lines, he said. OK, this part is actually kind of cool. Silverstein, 39, categorized the quotes under topic headings such as compliments, excuses and marriage. Readers looking for zingers have an especially big selection of movie lines to choose from; the insults category has nine subgroups, including appearance, intelligence and sex. Everyone loves movies, so citing them is a way to break the ice, Silverstein explained. "I think it's a matter of lightening up conversation, maybe finding a better way to say it than you would have said yourself," Silverstein said. "It's meant to help you be clever. ... Sometimes, when you don't know what to say, why not say what James Caan said? Why not pull out a Marlon Brando: 'Make me an offer I can't refuse'? Everybody understands." Ahh... the trusty standby, "WWJD?" (What Would James (Caan) Do?) Silverstein's own favorite quotes include lines from movies such as "Roxanne" and "Spinal Tap." But with some of his friends looking for work in a tough economy, he has become fond of citing a line from "Raising Arizona" to cheer them up: "You're young, and you've got your health; what [would] you want with a job?" What? Not a single reference to Monty Python ("...then thou shalt count to three; no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four, shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three.)? Have they never met a male college student? Also, my dad LOVES "Raising Arizona." I can take it or leave it. What is Nic Cage's appeal?
Top 100 movie quotes (according to the American Film Institute)I starred the ones I've seen. Because I know you were wondering. Wow, only 36. I have some work to do. Sadly, my personal favorite movie quote didn't make the list: "I was born a small black child" (Steve Martin, "The Jerk"). Wow. Lots of racial humor in the blog lately. Bad form, BK. Bad form.
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