High Wire

10 Aug

On the morning of August 7, 1974, while many New Yorkers were hurrying to work, a lithe Frenchman named Philippe Petit was more than 100 stories above them, walking from the top of one of the Twin Towers to the other and back again.

The story of this amazing and unlikely feat is told in the fantastic new documentary Man on Wire.

Why did Petit do it?

Well, it’s almost the same answer as the one given by George Leigh Mallory when he was asked why he was attempting to climb Mount Everest: “Because it’s there.”

Petit, too, is driven by simple motivation. He’s a performer, and he thinks that to walk on a tightrope between the buildings would be an act of incredible beauty. Continue reading →

Dazed and Confused

8 Aug

Oh man, this video sure is scary.

But They Sent You Away … Oh, Manny

6 Aug

This Is Actually Kind of Hot

5 Aug

http://www2.funnyordie.com/public/flash/fodplayer.swf?96d0a705

Bruce Stopped the Rain

3 Aug

Early on during his show Saturday night at Gillette Stadium, Bruce Springsteen played a special request for “the coach,” who apparently was in the crowd: Credence Clearwater Revival’s “Who’ll Stop the Rain.”

Well, for a while on Saturday, I was wondering the same thing.

And silly me, because it became a non-issue.

Like the Boss himself sang later in the show, “Don’t worry Darlin’, now baby don’t you fret.” Although it rained pretty hard at times during the afternoon and there was a heavy downpour again around 8:15, by the time Bruce and the E Street Band took the stage around 9:30, the sky was clear and there were stars out.

It was perfect.

So Bill Belichick, I think you have your answer: Bruce stopped the rain. Continue reading →

Seventh-Inning Sretch

2 Aug

If you’ve been to a Dodgers game out in Los Angeles like I have, you know it’s a very different experience than going to one here at Fenway. It’s a bit flashier and showier, and the fans — well, let’s just say the fans are a little less devoted than they are here in Boston (even the pink-hat–wearing ones). So when reading today’s column by CHB about Manny’s first day in LA, I have to admit I got a good laugh out of this line: “Maybe they’ll let Manny leave in the seventh inning with the rest of the fans.” Say what you will about Shaughnessy, but I thought that and his Gladys Knight reference (“In the end, Boston proved too much for the man”) were pretty funny.

Manny may not have been perfect, but I’ll miss him.

The Monkey’s Out of the Bottle

1 Aug

Like any good buzz, Pineapple Express takes a little while to sink in and take effect.

And once you get past the first, oh, 10-15 minutes, you’re in for a good time.

Not coincidentally, the uptick in the film’s quality comes at just about exactly the same time that James Franco comes on the screen, playing Seth Rogen’s drug dealer. Franco’s Saul sells Rogen’s Dale a rare and exclusive brand of pot called Pineapple Express, and after witnessing a murder (don’t ask), Dale leaves his roach behind. Thus, the bad guys know exactly who to look for, sending Dale and Saul on the run.

Comedy ensues. Continue reading →

Just Kidding

31 Jul

This morning on the way into work, I got a nice surprise: When we pulled into Packard’s Corner, the conductor came on the PA to tell us we were going express to BU Central. I say this was a surprise because the train was barely half-full, and usually we only go express if the car is full. Well anyway, so a couple people do the requisite freaking out and scurry off the train. As we pulled into the next stop a few feet up, at Babcock Street, the conductor again came on the speaker to announce, “Change. This car will actually be making all local stops.” I sighed, but then had to laugh because of the folks who had gotten off just a stop earlier for no reason. It was a classic case of schadenfreude.

Not that I think this was an intentional practical joke or anything, but it sure seemed that way. Maybe some T drivers do have a sense of humor.

Let the Eagle’s Soar

31 Jul

One thing about having a blog — a public outlet for writing whatever I want to — is that you never know who’s going to be reading what I write.

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about my bad experiences at the food places in Cleveland Circle. Well, Boston.com and UniversalHub.com both picked it up, and soon all kinds of people were telling me how wrong I was. How could I judge pizza places without actually having the pizza, one person asked. Why didn’t I just go to this place or that place, other people asked.

And thankfully, some other people did agree with me. Continue reading →

Put a Fork in ‘Em

30 Jul

I really hate to say it, but after Wednesday night’s loss, it may be time to call the 2008 Red Sox season over. I know we’re not out of contention yet (far from it), but if this week’s games are any indication, the spark’s just not there and we’re sinking fast. But I’d be happy to be wrong. Maybe all this Manny hoo-hah is just a major distraction and all will be fine after the trade deadline has passed. Or maybe it won’t, and we’ll continue this downward slide. I’m not jumping ship just yet (after all, it’s only July 31), but I’m starting to set my expectations really low.

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