updates, celebrations, the works

Blog entries ought to be insightful and well-constructed -- at least better constructed than, say, tweets. But the following is more like thought vomit, coming from 3 cups of coffee, a BLACKHAWKS STANLEY CUP, and other such things.


I have been struck of late by the fact that my brothers and I are now "old." OK we're not all (are any of us?) fully mature adults yet, but hell, how well I remember graduating from high school and where I was psychologically. Even more vivid is my college graduation, where Al is now in his life. Emotionally our situations are somewheat different in that there was next to no celebrating for my college graduation/Al's high school. Mom was in chemo, and couldn't even attend Al's commencement a few short miles away, let alone mine in California. Dad came out to SCU like the trooper he is, and I was a mess of nerves and emotions .. my perspective temporarily gone, that was NOT a pretty picture -- but that's a story for another day.


This year, the celebration was well worth the wait. Al and Franz were both home, and we had a grand old bash in the backyard, attended by all our good friends and lubricated by copious amounts of beer , vodka, rum, tequila and blue curacao (I made it a semi-luau party). I was so touched that my cousins Theresa and Derek came from the Cities and Fargo, and, more excitingly, Teta Mary and STARAMAMA from Toronto! My heart was overflowing with joy, even whilst there was often more alcohol than blood in my veins & arteries. And definitely too much fatty food. But thanks to everyone, and congrats to my wonderful brothers Aloysius and Franz.


Between then (May 27-29) and now, there have been tidbits of general interest news that I feel compelled to share with the universe for reasons unknown. One, I joined a "gym." Parentheses denote the fact that this is a Cardinal Fitness, not a true gym in that it has no pool or track, and the elliptical machines could be little more sophisticated. I finally had to suck it up and join after feeling the old familiar pain in my right knee and lumbar region from running. It feels good to exercise! I'm not quite to where I was last year, but then I started earlier and there were a number of other factors contributing to my success then, not the least of which were more consistent weather, more control over food intake and free lunch choices @ work.


Last week I got to see my old friend Christine, whom I met in York, England over three years ago, for a few hours as she waited for a connecting flight. I was so happy to see her and was amazed at how it felt like no time had passed at all. I guess that's how it is with good friends.


TMI (?) news: I finally got fed up with my stupid skin and bought Proactiv. My acne isn't and never was terrible, but I was finally won over by those before-after pictures, and thinking back to this time last year when I was experiencing no skin problems whatsoever (think medicines that regulate hormones, people...) I just got a little overwhelmed--that and there was a vending machine right there in front of me at Macy's. So far it seems to be working well but maybe it's the power of suggestion. At least it isn't burning my face off, which is what happened when I tried it back in 2002. Did they change their formula? Or is my face just more weathered now?


Silly news: Over the last few weeks--I think in fact that it was after flipping through channels and watching part of Gladiator on Starz--my cerebral cortex remembered how amazing Russell Crowe is. Not just physically sizzlin' but really, really talented guy. Anyway, I have made it my mission to procure every single one of his films. With the exception of the early Australian ones, which are a major bitch to find, and then not in Region 1 format, I have accomplished this task. Skip to the end where I go into some review-type things.

I should probably sign this off as it's getting a bit lengthy. Must go rustle up some grub and continue celebrating the Blackhawks' stunning victory.

Here follows rambling reviews of some of Russell Crowe films:

I have to say, I hope Denzel Washington fired his agent after Virtuosity. The film's redeeming quality is Crowe. He totally gets into the character, as ludicrous as some of the scenes are. With a lesser actor, we would have been able to read the "I can't believe I'm doing this, I look like such as ass" on his face the whole time. I love Denzel, but he didn't have much to work with in this movie, poor guy. You want to see a good Denzel movie (that also stars Mr. Crowe), rent American Gangster. Killer soundtrack on that bad boy, too.


If you haven't seen The Insider, see it. Pacino, Crowe and Plummer constitute a total triumvirate of kick-ass acting in this gem. I also liked State of Play more than I expected to (fave scene there is Russell's character simulateously driving, singing and pounding on wheel to the beat of an Irish tune, and pouring Cheetos into his mouth. -- It's like we were separated at birth!!).

Interesting too that films I remember loving years ago fell flat this time around: example would be L.A. Confidential. Nothing particularly wrong with it, just kind of flat. Kim Basinger gives me the creeps for some reason. New favorite thing about that movie is actually Guy Pierce's delivery on this line: "Stop talkin' about Bud White." Not sure why.

Fuck the haters when it comes to Mystery, Alaska. I don't care that it's a half-baked good idea for a film, Russell looks très delicieux in skates and a hockey jersey, 'nuff said. And once again, delivers his lines with feeling and never once letting on that he knows he could be doing so much better than this film.

Pass on A Good Year, but not for any good reason other than that it just doesn't "feel right" to put 3 powerhouse lead dramatic actors together with a powerhouse epic/drama director in a silly romantic comedy. It doesn't work. Even though poor Ridley appeared to do everything right, right down to the cute music. You spend the entirety of the movie waiting for Russell and Marion to cut the cutesy crap and go fight the Hezbollah or corporate fraud or something. Maybe too it's that we know Crowe and his love for Oz too well to believe him in a role as a total pom? Or just maybe--haha--it's simply that I don't like wine snobbery.

3:10 to Yuma better than I remember. Mr. Crowe, that's a good look for you.

The two Ron Howard films. Oh, A Beautiful Mind is right on. And that should have been the Oscar winner in my view for you, Russell. If for nothing else than the body language. You became John Nash Jr. so much that I forgot it was you, and that's it. Something about the hand movements. And then, Ron, what happened in Cinderella Man? I'm going to blame the fact that you strayed from your tried-and-true formula and went with Thomas Newman for the score. I felt like I was strapped in Shawshank. On the other hand, a cutesy score might have made me literally throw up during Renee's impassioned final speech to hubby before he goes out for the Baer fight--instead of just making me nauseous. Crowe, you were great as always, though Mr. Paul Giamatti stole many of the scenes.

Robin Hood was just fine. People can just calm the heck down. I do agree that it would have been better if it had been R-rated, but then kids couldn't see it, and that would be no good. You seem to be really enthused about the movie if your tweets don't lie, which is good. Kudos on the attempts by Russell and other cast members to have NORTHERN English accents- a stab at authenticity, fantastic! And it made miss York all the more. Way to go walking out on that BBC tool who was going off on you having "Irish" accent, Mr. Crowe. That was top form!