Archive | April, 2007

Oh Well

11 Apr

I suppose it had to end sometime. So, allow me to say goodbye, Haley. I hope your leaving American Idol had nothing to do with me. I’ll miss you and will always remember the good times we shared.

Someone please tell me what happens from here on out. I’m not sure I have much interest in watching anymore. Haley may not have been the best singer of the group, but at least she made the show fun to watch. For me, anyway. I mean, really. What’s wrong with enjoying a hot girl running around half-naked while singing pop songs? Is that so bad? (yes, tongue firmly in cheek)

Life Is Good

9 Apr

I know writing about it will serve as nothing more than a jinx, but I just had to mention that I’ve developed some really good T karma lately. For the past week, every day, as soon as I’ve gotten to the Boylston T stop to go home (or within a minute of my arrival), the C line has shown up. There’s been no waiting, and I’ve gotten home within about 20 minutes of leaving the office. It’s been almost as if the car was just idling by, waiting for me to get to the bottom of the stairs so it could pull up and let me get on. Did you hear me? This happens every day. That’s unheard of! It’s miraculous! It’s beyond the realm of possibility! It even happened yesterday, a Sunday, when I went to the movies. I thought I was powerful before. Now it seems I can will a T into arriving at my whim. That’s awesome.

But that’s not all that’s going well lately. We’re now within the last 24 hours of Passover, and I can already taste the hot rolls and pasta dinner that I’ll enjoy at Bertucci’s tomorrow night. The Sox are back at home (and a bonus: Harry Connick Jr. is set to sing the National Anthem before the game on Tuesday). I learned this weekend that Felicity is back (to back) on television, on Fuse. I found MP3s of an awesome live show by Amy Winehouse. And, I’m pretty sure Haley is safe. Now, if only the weather would warm up, then things would be near perfect.

And yes, I expect most, if not all of what I’ve written about to cease immediately (sorry, Haley). There’s nothing like talking about good things to make them end.

He’s Got the Power

8 Apr

I’m giving The Lookout a B.

Why tell you that up front?

Because sometimes, to know where you’re going, it helps to know the ending.

That’s just one of the lessons learned from writer/director Scott Frank’s film about a promising young athlete whose life takes a tragic turn when he’s involved in a car crash, and then takes another turn when he’s involved in a bank robbery. Continue reading →

Show Him the Blueprints

7 Apr

True story: In 1971, author Clifford Irving pulled the wool over publisher McGraw-Hill’s eyes when he told them he was collaborating with the reclusive Howard Hughes on his autobiography. The new film The Hoax tells the story of Irving’s lie, and does so in convincing fashion. Hughes’ life, of course, was the subject of Martin Scorsese’s long and overrated The Aviator, and it’s fun to see a different perspective on that subject.

The Hoax boasts a top-notch cast, including Richard Gere and Alfred Molina as the author and his researcher partner. Both are very good. It’s especially enjoyable to watch as Gere keeps cooking up new stories on the fly. The story moves at a good pace, and director Lasse Hallstrom (Chocolat, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape) keeps it all grounded in reality, with archival footage peppered in for period effect. Of course, given that the movie is based on Irving’s own memoir about the experience, it doesn’t really dwell much on how the publishers themselves fell for Irving’s hoax. It’s hard to believe it could be as easy as it’s portrayed, even if it was 1971, in the days before the Internets and the mass media. Nevertheless, this is a true story about an untrue one, and as I’m trying to get across here, it’s a good one. I give The Hoax a B+.

Things That Make Me Go Hmmmm …

5 Apr

At the risk of saying the wrong thing, let me ask this question, with tongue firmly in cheek: Isn’t every Friday good?

During Passover, Some of Us Are Still Slaves to Something

5 Apr

When you get right down to it, Passover really isn’t such a bad holiday.

But it’s one of the greatest ironies that while we celebrate our freedom from slavery, we do so by being slaves to food. You can’t eat anything with wheat or flour — essentially, no carbs — and if you’re observant like me, you only eat stuff that says “Kosher for Passover” on it and you don’t go out to eat. (Yes, this is the one week of the year when I’m Jewish by practice, as opposed to the other 51 where I’m more a Jew by identity.) Continue reading →

Keep On Walking

4 Apr

Since I enjoyed it so much last year, I’ll be taking part in March of Dimes’ annual WalkAmerica again later this month. As was the case last year, I’m going to be fundraising and walking, but because I’m not a fan of charity solicitations, I’m not going to be sending out mass emails asking for donations. Instead, I’m posting this appeal, and there’s a link on the right side of this blog. I might also chime in every now and then with an update on my “training,” but that’s it. No hard sell, no guilt trip from me.

Last year I walked largely to support my company’s efforts to support our client, Continental Airlines, which is the official airline of the March of Dimes’ National Ambassador program and of WalkAmerica. It was a really worthwhile and successful day for both me and my coworkers, so I’m more than happy to support the cause again. And a worthy cause it is: if you don’t know, March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

I hope you will choose to help me either with your donation, your words of support, or even with your participation — the Walk is on April 29 at the Hatch Shell, and we make a six-mile loop around the Charles. Come on out and walk with us! The more the merrier.

Thank you in advance for your contributions and support.

Well, If Zach Braff Says So …

4 Apr

Have you seen this clip from Zach Braff’s new movie, The Ex, yet? In his intro, Braff says, “Vote for Sanjaya.” Given how Braff turned the world onto the Shins, I wonder if he’ll be equally as persuasive with his Idol pick. Ha ha ha … Anyway, the Sanjaya plug is funnier than the clip itself, so check it out.

Not Going Home Yet

4 Apr

Two words: Woo Hoo!

Actually, I thought Gina was pretty good this week. And I knew Phil wouldn’t go home because it’s gotta be boy-girl-boy-girl. But because of that fact, I’m pretty confident that Haley’s going to be with us for not one, but two more weeks. Especially because next week is Latin week (with J.Lo) and let’s face it, if any of the guys is going to have a problem with that, it’s Phil (not including Sanjaya, of course). And I’m sure the Latin thing is gonna work well with Haley’s hot look. So, I’ll get two bonus weeks with my favorite Idol contestant. (And if you want to hear my real prediction, I think she’s with us for at least three weeks if the week after Latin is Country music. That’s when LaKisha’s going home.) Woo hoo!

Free, Fast … and Sanitary?

3 Apr

Great. I go and get a high-speed Internets connection with Comcast that costs me way too much money each month, and now, just three months later, Google announces its own Internets service — and it’s absolutely free. According to the site, Google believes that “all users deserve free, fast and sanitary online access.” To that end, the service has a 10-times higher flow rate than basic DSL, it’s vaccuum-sealed to prevent water damage, and it uses “discreet DNA sequencing of your personal bodily output to display online ads that are contextually relevant to your culinary preferences, current health status and likelihood of developing particular medical conditions going forward.” Wait a second. What was that again? Yes, this was Google’s April Fools joke. And I didn’t learn about it until today (thanks, Jason). Still, I thought it was pretty funny, so I figured I’d post a belated link.

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