Just when I had adjusted to the three-hour time difference, I’m back from Vegas and very tired.
Overall, it was a good trip, as I’ve already said: productive and cost-effective as far as my work objectives go, and fun as far as everything else goes.
Here are some “reporter’s notebook”-style things I thought I’d mention: Continue reading
You’re not going to believe it’s me saying this, but if I don’t see another TV for a month, it will be too soon.
After three days of CES, I’ve certainly seen enough of them. Plasmas, LCDs, 1080p full HD, etc etc etc. Each one bigger and blacker. LG has a 102-incher, Panasonic has a 103-incher, and Sharp has a 108-incher. Clearly, size matters.
I’ve also seen a lot of cell phones, cameras, mp3 players, iPod accessories, camcorders, blah blah blah … after three days of speaking to PR people and asking about availability and pricing, it’s all blending together (good thing I’ve taken plenty of notes).
And of course, nothing I’ve seen has been as cool as Apple’s iPhone, which is not here because Apple doesn’t do CES. Still, yesterday in the press room, it was all anyone was talking about. Continue reading
Hello from Las Vegas, where I’m at for a few days for the Consumer Electronics Show.
It’s my third time at the show and it’s great fun, as work trips go. I’m so eager to see all the new cell phones, camcorders, TVs, etc. that I got to the show more than an hour too early today (I thought it opened at 9, but it opens at 10). Ha. But it’s all good.
Anyway, just wanted to say a quick hello because this time I have a good excuse for not posting. If I find a couple minutes and something I can write about quickly, I’ll try to say hi. Otherwise, I’ll be back with pictures and stories and a fuller report later in the week.
So how do I explain the fact that I’ve now gone almost a week without a single posting?
Well, I can tell you it’s not because I’m still in shock about the cancellation of The O.C.
And it’s not because I’m stunned it took so long for anyone else to notice the similarity between Leo DiCaprio and Eric Dane, which I’ve been saying since October.
It also isn’t because I’ve melted thanks to the unusually warm weather here in Boston.
The truth is, I don’t have a reason. But I’ve gotten enough questions about my blogging absence that I felt like I had to post something.
So, here you go. I’m alive. Happy New Year, y’all.
Updated 1/27
Although I still haven’t seen a few films that are on my to-see list (namely, The Queen, The Good German, Night at the Museum, and Babel) I thought I’d do a special year-end post to give attention to the movies I enjoyed the most this year.
I’ve gone through and reread my reviews, noting what letter grades I gave and why, and here are my rankings for the best movies of the year — or at least those I consider my favorites: Continue reading
I could really get used to this “week off” stuff.
It’s nice for a few days to sleep in, roll out of bed sometime between 9:30 and 10, take my time getting ready, do what I want (or don’t do anything at all), and just relax.
Alright, sure I’ve spent plenty of time this week playing with my new computer, but I’ve also learned a couple things too: Continue reading
Like any sports movie worth its salt, We Are Marshall plays with your emotions using the typical methods: an underdog who everyone has counted out, swelling orchestra music to generate a bigger response, gruff non-believers, and more.
So knowing you’ll be getting stuff like that going in means you have to evaluate the movie on a different level.
To that end, Marshall is a movie you can root for. It’s not the best sports movie ever, and it doesn’t really earn your tears like, say, Rudy does, but it’s a rousing tribute to how a school and community got back on its feet after a terrible loss. Continue reading
Buying a computer isn’t supposed to be a life-changing experience — unless you’ve never had one before, I suppose — but after this past weekend I can say with all certainty that I am a changed man.
You see, until now I had been using an HP desktop computer at home (wait for it) that was running Windows Me and I was accessing the internets using a (gulp) dial-up connection (the phone cord was strung up along the ceiling from one end of the apartment to the other).
But on Saturday, as a Hanukkah present, I bought myself an iMac and hooked up a cable internets connection with an AirPort Express so it would be wireless and much much faster. (And no, I didn’t pay for it all myself; I used gift checks and other stuff, plus money I’d been saving.) Continue reading
It could have been God awful, but thankfully, Rocky Balboa redeems itself as a worthwhile movie and a nice send-off for the beloved character.
Basically, that’s because the movie has a lot of heart — actually, that’s all it has. And to that end, there is a lot of sad-sack Rocky bemoaning the past — both his boxing heyday and his late wife, Adrian — and there are quick shots of the people who’ve crossed his path (old opponents like Clubber Lang and Drago, old trainers, etc.) and trips to places of significance. Continue reading
I can’t remember the last time I was home for Christmas week. (Actually, that’s not true. It was 1999. And I know that because I went to see The Talented Mr. Ripley in Framingham with Farrah on Christmas Day. So let me start over.)
It’s been a long time since I was home for Christmas week. Most years since I was a wee tot I have spent it in Florida with my family. That one time, in 1999, I didn’t have off from work, so I stayed in Boston. It was also the year I went to my last Matzo Ball. So lame. But this year, by choice, I’m staying in Boston. I’m going to have a vacation at home. And I’m really looking forward to it.
How will I spend the week? Well, for one thing, I’m not going to the Matzo Ball, even though Christmas Eve is now apparently “Jewish Valentine’s Day.” Whatever. Instead, I have plans to see a movie and go for Chinese food on Christmas day, the “traditional” Jewish way to spend the holiday. I may come into work one afternoon just to clean up and get organized (we’re off all week). And I may go to lunch with some friends who are working. Oh, and I’ll probably see a few movies. But other than that, I’m an open book. I may just buy my Hanukkah present — a new computer — and set it up. I will likely clean my apartment again, maybe do some more purging. Maybe I’ll take a road trip all the way out to Framingham or Burlington to brave the “after Christmas sale” shoppers. Oh, the options. I sort of like knowing I have a week ahead of me with nothing to do, really, and all the time in the world to do it.
Maybe it’ll actually snow next week. Finally. That would actually be nice. If it does, I promise I won’t complain about being in Boston in the cold instead of in sunny Florida. I’ll be sleeping in my own bed, hanging in my own apartment, sleeping late, coming and going as I please, running errands if I need to, and just doing my own thing, and that’s more exciting to me this year than getting a tan — not that I ever do.
So, as I begin a well-deserved week off, I just wanted to tell y’all that I’ll still be here and blogging all week — though likely not as frequently. If you’re looking for something fun to read, you can count on me to deliver when I can. Have a good one!
Martin's Musings 