Just some random things that have been greatly enjoyed over the last week or so.
Film – saw Juno tonight. Incredibly good. Every performance was spot on and I especially can;t say enough about Ellen Page and J.K. Simmons. If you haven’t seen it – you should.
DVD – King of California. Another movie with incredible performances. Michael Douglas at his best. Hilarious and at the same time a movie that really has something to say about suburban existence.
Books – Thanks to my trip to Vegas I got to read Into the Wild
and Earth Abides last week. I love it when I have time to read and find great stuff with which to fill that time. Earth Abides is another in my way too long string of apocalyptic novels.
TV – While I didn’t send any peanuts to CBS, I am a fan of Jericho. I caught the first season on the internet this summer and while it had some incredibly cheesy moments, something kept me watching. I’m glad I did. With only a handful of episodes to tell it’s story, the show has really tightened up and has great pacing and storytelling this time around. If you haven’t been watching, check out season 1 on DVD and the season’s episodes at cbs.com
Hoop – It’s tourney time and I spent a good part of the day in the big chair watching teams I care nothing about play basketball because that’s what you do on the first day of the tournament. And I plan to do it for the second day as well.
Ah the joy of simple things.
Categories: Books, else, films, sports, top five
Tags: basketball, Books, cbs, earth abides, into the wild, jericho, juno, king of california, movies, ncaa tournament, television
Now that it looks like the NBA is coming to Oklahoma City, there are a lot of suggestions flying around about potential nicknames for whatever team finds its way to us (*cough* Sonics *cough*). Most people are trying to come up with names that are appropriate to OK and fit with our history or culture. Here are my suggestions for team names that would reflect what teams will experience when they come to play in the heartland.
10. OKC Weathermen (all you will see on TV the whole time you’re here)
9. OKC Roadkill
8. OKC Drive Thrus (in honor of our role as the nation’s fast food leader)
7. OKC Round Bales
6. OKC Billboards (from the moment you land until the moment you leave, they are everywhere)
5. Oklahoma City Evangelicals
4. OKC Wind
3. Oklahoma City Neocons (“W” could be the mascot since he’ll be looking for work after January)
2. OKC Nickel Slots
or we could just go with the reality of basketball in Oklahoma
1. Oklahoma Football Off-Season
I’m sure Bennett and Co. are taking notes.
Over the last couple of years, I have really gotten into documentaries. After watching Maxed Out the other night, I got to thinking about the documentaries that have most struck a nerve with me.
Maxed Out - On predatory lending and the credit / debt crisis in America. (good review here)
Who Killed the Electric Car? - On the different players involved in shutting down the growth of electric cars in the late 90′s.
Jesus Camp - This is absolute abuse.
Sicko – On the American health care system and other around the world.
Wal-Mart: the High Cost of Low Prices – This one may just set me off because of my feelings towards WM.
This message is brought to you by all of the time I spend in public places either for work or school.
1. Ringtones – I know you love Achy Breaky Heart. I’m glad (?) you love Achy Breaky Heart. I have no desire to hear how much you love Achy Breaky Heart every time your kids call to ask when you are coming home. No song has ever been written that is worth hearing the same 10 second clip all day every day.
2. Walkie Talkie feature – The only thing worse that hearing just one side of someone else’s conversation is hearing both sides.
3. The whole bluetooth thing. You do not look cool. You do not look important. You look like you are a) talking to yourself or b) being assimilated by the Borg. It is kind of fun to watch new users fumble with them though.
4. Texting – Beside destroying the English language, texting has made it possible and even socially acceptable to talk to someone else while you are being talked to face-to-face. And don’t get me started about people texting while driving. Or using any function on your phone while driving. I would rather move down the highway with a troop of drunk chimpanzees driving monster trucks (nice image, huh?) than be anywhere near a 16 year old girl driving with a cell phone.
5. Private conversations held loudly in public places. You wouldn’t believe the conversations I couldn’t avoid hearing. Actually, you probably would – you’ve heard them too. Or had them. Headphones – don’t leave home without them.
I feel like I should go out and sit on the porch and yell at kids about getting on my yard.
do you care? probably not, but this is a good place for me to remember.
Thanks to The Movie Blog for the links to the lists from different studios.
Cloverfield
The Happening
The Dark Knight
Prince Caspian
Get Smart
Honorable mention goes to: Yes Man, Indiana Jones, Iron Man, and a bunch of others I don’t know anything about yet.
It’s time for the writers to get this strike over with. I’m dying for these shows to come back or be able to start on time in the spring.
Lost
The Office
Colbert Report
The Daily Show
24 (especially since last season was so bad I’m pretending it didn’t happen.
The perfect list for a week of papers and finals.
No way to order this. It’s hard enough to limit it to five.
The Road – Cormac McCarthy
The Stand – Stephen King
A Canticle for Liebowitz – Walter M. Miller
Oryx and Crake – Margaret Atwood
Children of Men – P.D. James
Honorable mention (sorry I couldn’t resist)
World War Z, The Forge of God, Lucifer’s Hammer, Alas, Babylon
In honor of OUs crash and burn against Tech the other night.
5. USC 55 – OU 19 – National Championship, Jan. 4, 2005
4. Texas 14 – OU 13 – My first OU/Texas game to see live (1990)
3. Caleb’s flag football team losing their shot at their only win of the season on a double reverse late in the game
2. Getting hit in the face with a line drive foul ball at an 89ers game when I was 7.
1. One word – Bartman.
Should I be getting a proposal finished up this week? Yes. Should I spend every waking moment making that happen? Yes. Have I wasted a whole lot of time this week instead? Absolutely.
1. Watching every minute of a bad Monday Night Football game between two teams I care nothing about.
2. Reading Slam by Nick Hornby
3. Going to bed early. (for me anyway)
4. Cleaning up my office. (this is the ultimate sign of desperate avoidance)
5. Madden 07. Yep, I’m 12.
And it’s only Wednesday – just think of the things I will come up with by Friday.
This may actually be in order.
1. U2
2. Counting Crows
3. Stevie Wonder
4. Genesis
5. Blues Traveler
