Sunday, October 31, 2004
So the KC Chiefs seem to actually be getting it together finally - albeit a bit late. But there is hope for the season if KC can play well from here on in. Today, the Chiefs exacted revenge on Peyton and the Colts -- who came into Arrowhead and manhandled the Chiefs to the tune of NEVER HAVING TO PUNT THE WHOLE GAME!! -- whilst I feasted on grape jelly hot dogs and listened to Blue Trash extol the virtues of the then seemingly mighty Colts. I couldn't decide if I was pleased or not when the Pats dismantled the Colts a week later. At any rate, KC took the shootout at Arrowhead today and now stands at 3-4 with road games against TB and New Orleans coming up before the MNF showdown with the Pats from Arrowhead.
Speaking of MNF I will attend my first ever MNF game tomorrow night as the Jets take on the Dolphins from Giants Stadium manana. . . I am looking forward to it.
In other news I completed my final official race before the 2004 ING New York City Marathon -- which I invite you all to join me at a week from today. Although my original was to finish in under 4 hours a calf muscle along with a few uncharacteristic bouts with the flu have prevented me from any possibility of doing that. Keeping it under 5 hours will probably be all I can hope for at this point. . .
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For,
Moses
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Speaking of MNF I will attend my first ever MNF game tomorrow night as the Jets take on the Dolphins from Giants Stadium manana. . . I am looking forward to it.
In other news I completed my final official race before the 2004 ING New York City Marathon -- which I invite you all to join me at a week from today. Although my original was to finish in under 4 hours a calf muscle along with a few uncharacteristic bouts with the flu have prevented me from any possibility of doing that. Keeping it under 5 hours will probably be all I can hope for at this point. . .
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For,
Moses
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Movie Review: Friday Night Lights
I have quite a few obsessions in life. Three of my worst are, in no particular order: Religion, Sports and Americana. Perhaps, it's because FNL so captures these three things that I enjoyed it so much.
FNL is ostensibly the true story of a Texas high school football team's struggles throughout the course of the season, but in reality it is a biting examination of a small town's often unhealthy fixation on a sport played by 17 year olds. In one poignant scene one of the protagonists asks, "I don't feel 17, do you" to his teammates who are subjected to pressures that might make a grown man wilt. Indeed, the townsfolk obsession with football borders on the religious and the movie conveys rather well how important the success of this football team is to town's residents. This devotion is nothing short of religious. In this day and age where we hear about religious "fanatics" and sports "fans" it's easy to forget how much allegiances sports teams with their group psychology, self identity and civic pride can mirror many of the roles that religion has traditionally played in the course of humanity. This is nowhere more evident than in the good 'ol U.S.A. where we love our God and our sports. This film rather artfully balances these themes and ideas. . .
Although the movie has it's flaws, most notably that the ensemble cast necessitates rather thin character development, it is a thoroughly worthwhile film that captures both the attention f the viewer and the essence of small town America.
The last thing that he said was set this fucker off,
Moses
|
I have quite a few obsessions in life. Three of my worst are, in no particular order: Religion, Sports and Americana. Perhaps, it's because FNL so captures these three things that I enjoyed it so much.
FNL is ostensibly the true story of a Texas high school football team's struggles throughout the course of the season, but in reality it is a biting examination of a small town's often unhealthy fixation on a sport played by 17 year olds. In one poignant scene one of the protagonists asks, "I don't feel 17, do you" to his teammates who are subjected to pressures that might make a grown man wilt. Indeed, the townsfolk obsession with football borders on the religious and the movie conveys rather well how important the success of this football team is to town's residents. This devotion is nothing short of religious. In this day and age where we hear about religious "fanatics" and sports "fans" it's easy to forget how much allegiances sports teams with their group psychology, self identity and civic pride can mirror many of the roles that religion has traditionally played in the course of humanity. This is nowhere more evident than in the good 'ol U.S.A. where we love our God and our sports. This film rather artfully balances these themes and ideas. . .
Although the movie has it's flaws, most notably that the ensemble cast necessitates rather thin character development, it is a thoroughly worthwhile film that captures both the attention f the viewer and the essence of small town America.
The last thing that he said was set this fucker off,
Moses
Friday, October 29, 2004
Movie Review: Team America:World Police
Although Yolanda is a collosal SouthPark fan. That gene seems to have skipped me. Although, I'll occasionally chuckle at SP, in general I find it ham handed, obnoxious and even occasionally offensive. So it was with some reluctance that I went to TA:WP this weekend.
Boy was I wrong. While it had many of the hallmarks of SP, namely obnoxious over the top humor, it was in my estimation a raging success. Perhaps because it deals with the all so serious politics of the day the SP formula seems to work. When you hear a nefarious Kim Jong Il planning his destruction of the world with Cartman's voice filtered through an over the top Korean/generic Asian accent you can't help but guffaw.
Perhaps it's a sign of the times also that satire of both the over the top Bush administration AND the obnoxious know it all Bolshevik Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon types shouldn't be subtle. Whatever the reason, if you want a good laugh go check out this flick, it's an hour and 45 minutes of almost non stop laughs.
I am not afraid,
Moses
|
Although Yolanda is a collosal SouthPark fan. That gene seems to have skipped me. Although, I'll occasionally chuckle at SP, in general I find it ham handed, obnoxious and even occasionally offensive. So it was with some reluctance that I went to TA:WP this weekend.
Boy was I wrong. While it had many of the hallmarks of SP, namely obnoxious over the top humor, it was in my estimation a raging success. Perhaps because it deals with the all so serious politics of the day the SP formula seems to work. When you hear a nefarious Kim Jong Il planning his destruction of the world with Cartman's voice filtered through an over the top Korean/generic Asian accent you can't help but guffaw.
Perhaps it's a sign of the times also that satire of both the over the top Bush administration AND the obnoxious know it all Bolshevik Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon types shouldn't be subtle. Whatever the reason, if you want a good laugh go check out this flick, it's an hour and 45 minutes of almost non stop laughs.
I am not afraid,
Moses
Thursday, October 28, 2004
The Red Sox Finally Do It
Wow, that sucked. . .
Sometimes the light's all shining on me;
Other times I can barely see,
Moses
|
Wow, that sucked. . .
Sometimes the light's all shining on me;
Other times I can barely see,
Moses
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Movie Review: I (heart) Huckabees
I (heart) Huckabees is a funny and thoughtful movie in the mold of early Woody Allen (with a bit of the very later Deconstructing Harry). It is an interesting adventure into a problem that everyone from the Sartre to Woody Allen to the writers of The Matrix and American Beauty to Radiohead to your dear narrator seem to be interested in nowadays, namely: Why the Hell are we all so damn unhappy in the modern world?
The answer (or at least one of them) seem to be that we are simply too afraid, to stupid or too lazy to ask the important questions.
In I (h) Huckabees the protagonsit is an unhappy environmentalist who is obsessed with a coincidence in his life. Desperate he seeks out Dustin Hoffman and Lili Tomlin a couple who bill themselves as existential detectives/therapists. He then embarks on a journey that he quickly loses control of, the result is a fun crazy adventure filled with metaphors special effect and scenarios that represent his epistemological quest.
Personal Note: As a philosophy guy, I am always encouraged to see a popular with such explicit philosophical and I enjoyed it tremendously. Unfortunately, I don't know how successful movies like this are in provoking thought in audiences that have have forgotten many themes before the movie has actually ended. I fear that those old and sophisticated enough to understand a movie like this will not necessarily be moved to ask themselves the tough questions that this movie raises if they have not already inquired into such matter before seeing the movie. That said, here's to a valiant effort to bring philosophy to the herd. . .
Moses
|
I (heart) Huckabees is a funny and thoughtful movie in the mold of early Woody Allen (with a bit of the very later Deconstructing Harry). It is an interesting adventure into a problem that everyone from the Sartre to Woody Allen to the writers of The Matrix and American Beauty to Radiohead to your dear narrator seem to be interested in nowadays, namely: Why the Hell are we all so damn unhappy in the modern world?
The answer (or at least one of them) seem to be that we are simply too afraid, to stupid or too lazy to ask the important questions.
In I (h) Huckabees the protagonsit is an unhappy environmentalist who is obsessed with a coincidence in his life. Desperate he seeks out Dustin Hoffman and Lili Tomlin a couple who bill themselves as existential detectives/therapists. He then embarks on a journey that he quickly loses control of, the result is a fun crazy adventure filled with metaphors special effect and scenarios that represent his epistemological quest.
Personal Note: As a philosophy guy, I am always encouraged to see a popular with such explicit philosophical and I enjoyed it tremendously. Unfortunately, I don't know how successful movies like this are in provoking thought in audiences that have have forgotten many themes before the movie has actually ended. I fear that those old and sophisticated enough to understand a movie like this will not necessarily be moved to ask themselves the tough questions that this movie raises if they have not already inquired into such matter before seeing the movie. That said, here's to a valiant effort to bring philosophy to the herd. . .
Moses
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Movie Review: The Motorcycle Diaries
The The Motorcycle Diaries is quite simply one of the finest movies that I have ever seen. I cannot give a movie a higher recommendation.
With incredible ease the movie manages to: 1. entertain 2. amuse 3. provoke thought and 4. educate.
The story which is an effectively an early life (actually only a few months) biopic of the revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara traces his 8000 mile journey through Latin America with a buddy on motorcycle.
Never boring the two find themselves in interesting predicaments fighting mother nature, a beaten down motorcycle (they ironically dub it "The Mighty One" until it's long overdue demise when a mechanic advises them to rename it "The Dead One") and occasionally some jealous husbands.
But lest you think that this is merely the story of two young men having a motorcycle let me assure that it isn't. It actually traces their experiences through Latin America culminating in their destination at a leper colony (there are some scenes here that are not for the squeamish -- that means you Yolanda!!) But most importantly, throughout this movie it traces the growth of Guevarra as he learns about suffering and injustice in the world.
What's best about this movie though isn't the hilarious exchanges between Guevara and his friend, or the beautiful scenary that is masterfully shot of various Latin countries, or even the tremendous character growth that Guevarra undergoes; rather it is the fact that none of it is heavy handed or preachy. The story is allowed to unfold unfettered, consequently the viewer can judge for him/herself.
Regardless of your position on Guevarra, and at least one good friend of mine is refusing to see based on his position on Guevarra, this movie is worthwhile.
You say you want a revolution,
Moses
|
The The Motorcycle Diaries is quite simply one of the finest movies that I have ever seen. I cannot give a movie a higher recommendation.
With incredible ease the movie manages to: 1. entertain 2. amuse 3. provoke thought and 4. educate.
The story which is an effectively an early life (actually only a few months) biopic of the revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara traces his 8000 mile journey through Latin America with a buddy on motorcycle.
Never boring the two find themselves in interesting predicaments fighting mother nature, a beaten down motorcycle (they ironically dub it "The Mighty One" until it's long overdue demise when a mechanic advises them to rename it "The Dead One") and occasionally some jealous husbands.
But lest you think that this is merely the story of two young men having a motorcycle let me assure that it isn't. It actually traces their experiences through Latin America culminating in their destination at a leper colony (there are some scenes here that are not for the squeamish -- that means you Yolanda!!) But most importantly, throughout this movie it traces the growth of Guevarra as he learns about suffering and injustice in the world.
What's best about this movie though isn't the hilarious exchanges between Guevara and his friend, or the beautiful scenary that is masterfully shot of various Latin countries, or even the tremendous character growth that Guevarra undergoes; rather it is the fact that none of it is heavy handed or preachy. The story is allowed to unfold unfettered, consequently the viewer can judge for him/herself.
Regardless of your position on Guevarra, and at least one good friend of mine is refusing to see based on his position on Guevarra, this movie is worthwhile.
You say you want a revolution,
Moses
Monday, October 25, 2004
At the risk of sounding of a reverse Bill Simmons this past weekend made me ill. First, BC spanks the venerable Notre Dame, then the Sox take game one, then the Pats eke one out against the J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets and then to top it all off the Sox take game two. I can only take solace in the fact that the Sox had a 2-0 lead in 1986 as Blue keeps reminding. I will officially adopt the Cards as my NL team for life if they can pull this one out. I think that I have never rooted so hard for anything except the 1996 WS, the 1993 AFC Champioship and perhaps the 2001 NCAA Championship game. . .
Cause I fell on Black Days;
I fell on Black Days,
Moses
|
Cause I fell on Black Days;
I fell on Black Days,
Moses
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Went for a 13 mile run today with three girls I'd met on the LIRR. Realized immediately that we had absolutely nothing in common. About a half hour into the run I decided that the only way I could possibly entertain myself would be to count every time they said either "gross" "eeoow" or said what appeared to be their two favorite words "my boyfriend". I started counting about one half hour into the run and by the end I had 34 such references. This meant that they said one of these things on average about once every three minutes. Actually, the "my boyfriend" thing was by far the most common I would say (and I don't have an exact breakdown) but probably that accounted for at least 27-28 of the combined references. . .
Oops I did it again,
Moses
|
Oops I did it again,
Moses
Saturday, October 23, 2004
I woke up today and realized that this isn't a dream. The Red Sox are playing in the World Series and A-Rod and the boys are home. I can't believe this is happening. Go CARDS!!!! I always liked Missouri. . .
On a happier note: I watched my Miami Heat's preseason game, Shaq looks great.
Your Dreamworld is just about to end,
Moses
|
On a happier note: I watched my Miami Heat's preseason game, Shaq looks great.
Your Dreamworld is just about to end,
Moses
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Ok so that was pretty awful. I just hope that Boston doesn't win the World Series. I believe that they need a WS win in order to ratify this victory over the Yankees. If they don't win the WS, this victory over the Yankees will be almost Pyrrhric.
More than a feeling,
Moses
|
More than a feeling,
Moses
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
This is terrible, just fucking awful. The Yankees suck, the Chiefs suck, I got nothing. It's all preseason Heat games for me from this point on. I'm going to go clip my fucking toenails.
and i hope that you die;
and your death will come soon;
i'll follow your casket;
in the pale afternoon;
and i'll watch as you're lowered;
into your deathbed;
and i'll stand on your grave till i'm sure that your dead,
Moses
|
and i hope that you die;
and your death will come soon;
i'll follow your casket;
in the pale afternoon;
and i'll watch as you're lowered;
into your deathbed;
and i'll stand on your grave till i'm sure that your dead,
Moses
Monday, October 18, 2004
So the Yankees lost game four late last night, but I had long since hit the sacka. After the short rest Saturday, the early morning trip to SI, the half marathon and the trip back I was just wiped. As I type this the Yankees are headed into the 5th inning down 2-1, but I still feel pretty good. Tomorrow will be rough if they lose.
Blue thinks it's going seven and Deertick's still nervous as Hell. I feel ok.
Discovered iTunes today which is fun but can be dangerous. A point and a click and you just bought an album. . . Uh oh. . .
when my baby's walking down the street
I see red,
I see red,
I see red,
Moses
|
Blue thinks it's going seven and Deertick's still nervous as Hell. I feel ok.
Discovered iTunes today which is fun but can be dangerous. A point and a click and you just bought an album. . . Uh oh. . .
when my baby's walking down the street
I see red,
I see red,
I see red,
Moses
Sunday, October 17, 2004
I ran the Staten Island Half Marathon today in 2:08. I have come to realize that there is no way that I am going to be able to come in at under 4 hours in the marathon. The calf injury and two bouts with the flu have insured that there is no way that I will be able do it.
The Staten Island half marathon is actually, for my money, the hardest of it, Mahattan and the Bronx. There is one hill about 3/4 into it that is just absolutely brutal. It's really steep and very very long. I have a lot of work ahead of me.
Playing with the queen of hearts;
knowing it ain't really smart;
The joker ain't the only fool;
who'll do anything for you,
Moses
|
The Staten Island half marathon is actually, for my money, the hardest of it, Mahattan and the Bronx. There is one hill about 3/4 into it that is just absolutely brutal. It's really steep and very very long. I have a lot of work ahead of me.
Playing with the queen of hearts;
knowing it ain't really smart;
The joker ain't the only fool;
who'll do anything for you,
Moses
Thursday, October 14, 2004
"I get pretty impatient with people who are able-bodied but are somehow paralyzed for other reasons." _ Christopher Reeve
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Monday, October 11, 2004
|Sunday, October 10, 2004
All that most maddens and torments; all that stirs up the less of things; all truth with malice in it; all that cracks the sinews and cakes the brain; all the subtle demonisms of life and thought; all evil, to crazy Ahab, were visibly personified, and made practically assailable in Moby Dick. He piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the general rage and hate felt by his whole race from Adam down; and then, as if his chest had been a mortar, he burst his hot heart's shell upon it
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Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Growin Up
A week ago I turned 30. To be honest the anticipation was much worse than the actual event. Since I feel exactly the same and I don't really think about being thirty very often it winds up being much easier than I had anticipated. However, in the months immediately preceding my birthday I was fairly disturbed about turning 30 and took every chance I could to mention that I was, in fact, 29.
I suppose that what I disliked the most about turning 30 was that I felt that at age 30 one is indisputably an adult. Along with that comes responsibility and a loss of the ability to chalk mistakes up to youth. And no matter how many times I repeated like a mantra Satchel Paige's axiom that age is "a question of mind over matter, if you don't mind it don't matter" nothing seemed to help.
By the time the day of my birthday rolled around -- and I had long since decided not to have a birthday party -- I found myself out at one of my favorite watering holes with a very small group of buddies and drunker than Joe Namath during a Suzie Kolber interview. I woke up the next day in a haze thinking, "I'm 30 now" but not feeling any different. I figured if I didn't feel any different there was no reason to be all wound up about turning 30. I figure now that if I keep living as I had been and enjoying life as much as I do that there was no reason to fear the inevitable march of time.
Things are never as bad when finally upon you as they appeared in anticipation.
When they said sit down;
I stood up,
Moses
|
A week ago I turned 30. To be honest the anticipation was much worse than the actual event. Since I feel exactly the same and I don't really think about being thirty very often it winds up being much easier than I had anticipated. However, in the months immediately preceding my birthday I was fairly disturbed about turning 30 and took every chance I could to mention that I was, in fact, 29.
I suppose that what I disliked the most about turning 30 was that I felt that at age 30 one is indisputably an adult. Along with that comes responsibility and a loss of the ability to chalk mistakes up to youth. And no matter how many times I repeated like a mantra Satchel Paige's axiom that age is "a question of mind over matter, if you don't mind it don't matter" nothing seemed to help.
By the time the day of my birthday rolled around -- and I had long since decided not to have a birthday party -- I found myself out at one of my favorite watering holes with a very small group of buddies and drunker than Joe Namath during a Suzie Kolber interview. I woke up the next day in a haze thinking, "I'm 30 now" but not feeling any different. I figured if I didn't feel any different there was no reason to be all wound up about turning 30. I figure now that if I keep living as I had been and enjoying life as much as I do that there was no reason to fear the inevitable march of time.
Things are never as bad when finally upon you as they appeared in anticipation.
When they said sit down;
I stood up,
Moses
Friday, October 01, 2004
Computer Wellness Tip
DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES DOWNLOAD MICROSOFT SERVICE PACK TWO. It nearly killed my computer. . . and Blogrophenia with it. . .
I will survive,
Moses
DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES DOWNLOAD MICROSOFT SERVICE PACK TWO. It nearly killed my computer. . . and Blogrophenia with it. . .
I will survive,
Moses
