11/16/2006: "Wonders, Winners and Weiners"

music: Howie Day, Damien Rice, Josh Kelley...
mood: Happy Donut

CONCIDENCE: I went to Cost Plus World Markets, the place I imagine I would chose if I had to be stuck in a store and live forever (boy wouldn’t that be weird if that ACTUALLY happened) to buy ginger beer. This is all I bought. What are the chances that the man in front of me also was JUST buying ginger beer. Very odd. Maybe we know something no one else does, or we don’t even know.

PASS THIS: Went to finally update my passport photo and get that expedited. I smiled as you do when a camera is pointed at you, resisting the urge to stick out my tongue. And the guy at the Fedex/Kinko’s explained you can’t smile. I was offended. This is not a mug shot, I’m happen when I travel, I look like crap perhaps when I get off the plane to anywhere requiring a passport, but let’s be serious, I’m OFF the plane, I’m smiling. THIS is what I look like, a happy wreck, take the damn picture. Well being a happy person it took 4 attempts to get me looking sufficiently pissed so the image could be immortalized for 10 years.Whatever.

NUTS AND SQUASH: My new favorite treat, 3 minute microwave zucchini. I’ve always loved the word but never really liked it. At least I don’t like it uncooked in stuff. But MAN, do I love the stuff just warm and sweet with a tad of butter. And corn nuts. Hadn’t had corn nuts in forever, boy do I love those. They had them at the concession stand of Forever Plaid last week and I was totally enamored again. Mmmm corn.

FLASHBACK: Went to a gas station, a BEACON station over the weekend and was totally confused when I got our and was about to start pumping gas and couldn’t find the auto pay slot. Uh,….how do I pay? Oh, I have to go in and pay FIRST? Which, besides being way, way, way out dated and oh such a pain to actually have to TALK to people, is lame because you can’t ever fill up all the way without a hassle. $30 too little, $45 too much, then I have to go back and get a refund, and the man didn’t speak English and I forgot all my Vietnamese…anyway, very bizarre how accustomed I have become to the quick fill.

WEB COOLNESS: Already of course love Wikipedia, but have you seen Wikitavel. Oh. My. God. So cool. Way wiki. Did I mention how dangerous it was I nearly have a current passport again. sigh. And you will be fascinated I’m sure at Pandora.com. An interesting Music Genome Project.

WONDERS: Did you know, there were 7 ancient wonders of the world, 7 modern wonders of the world (I’ve been to 3 of the 7), 7 natural wonders of the world and NOW there is a campaign for the NEW wonders of the world. Why? Here are my votes for Wonders of the world: Me, because let’s face it, I wonder a lot, and people certainly wonder about me, and I can be WONDERFUL. Pluto. Because we didn’t specify the boundaries of the world and I feel bad people demoted it earlier this year. The Mystery spot, cause that’s some weird stuff, Monterey Bay Aquarium, WHOLE lot of wonder going on there. And why 7, I think if we are going to be limiting and arbitrary, 4 is just fine.

NOSTALGIA: I am often amazed at my memory and how it chooses to remember certain things and forget others. Recently I had revisited the Smurfs. We taped the Smurfs on Sat mornings along with lots of other cartoons and after my swim meets I would watch them on Sundays. In looking through the episode guides I am amazed of the seasons I watched (5 out of the 9) I remember nearly ALL the episodes. I have GOT to find better use for my brain cells. Seriously.

OVER HEARD: “Large sausage…wait, what am I saying, Sausage egg sandwich for Susannah” The 4 cops at Starbucks this morning, the manger and myself thought it was funny anyway. My response “what are YOU thinking about” got a chuckle as well. Gutter, I hardly know her.

GO WEST: I had recalled hearing about Silverado the movie, ages ago from my dad. This was a movie made in 1985, a western. I recorded it on a whim, I was in a WAY western mood, hankering for saloons, horseback riding, dusters and a good gunfight and was AMAZED as the opening credit rolled. Danny Glover, Kevin Costner, Kevin Kline, Jeff Goldblum, John Cleese, Brian Dennehy, Rosanna Arquette…and the list goes on and on. With lines like “I don’t want to shoot you, and you don’t want to be Dead” you can’t go wrong. It was a GREAT story, and I was particularly impressed with a VERY young and hyper as well as funny Kevin Costner. What happened to him? He got all subdued and boring. Anyway GREAT soundtrack and just fun. 4 ½ RRDS

BONDAGE: Saw Matador with former 007, Pierce Brosnon as a really undesirable character, Think Benicio Del Toro in Loathing Las Vegas. But it was a charming movie, Greg Kinnear is really great to watch, he reminded me a bit of William H Macy in this film. Greg has a solid body of work that isn’t very versatile but really great to watch, particularly Nurse Betty and this film. 3 ½ RRD’s for this dark comedy.

STAY: A random selection starring Ewan McGregor and a great virtual unknown (at least to me) Ryan Gosling. This film is directed by Mike Forster who is German, and it TOTALLY shows in this film. He coincidentally directed Stranger than Fiction, the new Will Farrell movie that looks AWESOME that opened this past weekend. The editing in the film is ART. Reminded me of Run Lola Run crossed with Memento crossed with Donnie Darko. Fantastic, real cinema art here folks. He’s also directing the upcoming The Kite Runner, based on the book which I have but haven’t yet read. I don’t know if I understand it all to be honest, I would LOVE to watch this one with someone and get their take on it, because I can’t decide what was real and what wasn’t and it’s super cool. There’s a lot of Hamlet in this as well and references to other films which I liked. And of course a Damien Rice song at the end of the film…gotta love that…some people are just made for end credits. I have no idea why this film didn’t get more play, or any play, I never heard of it. What would I do without Netflix. 4 RRD’s.

GONE TO THE DOGS: Two dogs (big, old lovely ones) walked past the house as I was pulling out of the driveway for work this morning. Has life gotten so hectic that dogs have to take themselves for their own walks. No collars, no owner on the way, ahead or behind. The fat Border Collie eyed the jeep and I was temped to help them out (Read: dognap them to work and create chaos and trouble for all) but after a good love, they went on their way, up the hill, seemingly knowing exactly what they were doing. I swear our neighborhood. So strange. I need me some dogs. FUR!!!

LATIN STEROTYPES: There are some bad stereotypes out there, libelous and ignorant but here’s one that I have observed to be true. Latino/Hispanic men in America have NO problems complimenting a perfect stranger. Several weeks back I was sitting in a bar with my friend John. We were talking about him and his wife’s impending move to the Big Evil (Los Angeles) and a man selling flowers walks in. He of course comes up to me and I say no, only to notice that he is looking at John, no me. I look at John and say don’t. John says How much? Flower man says $10 for a dozen. I say, John, don’t. John takes out his wallet and says how about 1 rose for $1, the man is insulted and goes to try his luck at the back of the bar. We have a good laugh. 10 minutes later the man wanders to the front of the bar again, and gives me a single red rose. John gets out his wallet, the man is insulted yet again, he says in his broken English, “ No, Gift” and he wants a hug, so I thank him, laugh and give him a hug, a small price to pay for a lovely flower and lord knows I wouldn’t want to insult him myself. John continues to try to give them man $1, he gravels, following him to the door, Please take the money, the flower man gestures and nods as if to say “You gringo, have insulted this lady, and insulted ME by doing so! Your money is no good here! Shame on you! Rot you chivalrous bastard, rot in hell.” It was the source of much amusement. This past week as I walked down the street, two Hispanic men passed me and as they passed one of them just blurted out, “You look very nice, you really do.” Now, I don’t know if it’s because I smile to people on the street which they might not be used to, or if I just look happy (cause I am) but the Latin men just never hesitate to just bust out a complement. So thank you Latin male community for whatever reason, going there.

MUSIC: New Favorite song of the week...STARLIGHT by MUSE....how great are these guys?!

WINNER OF THE WEEK: Cecil Criger, a 77 year old customer I helped buy tickets on the phone. He not only has a GREAT name, which will end up in a play or something I write, but was kind enough to impart that at his age he could tell when a girl was pretty just by her voice on the phone. Funny, Criger doesn’t sound Hispanic to me?

COUNTDOWN: 41 Days.