Lets get out of here.

Today some interesting things happened. Well one thing really. Steph and I talked about getting out of Utah. Neither of us can stand it here. I spoke to my dad today about working for his new company. This of course is not something that I wanted to do. But the money is really good and its a good chance to get out of here. I can make more money at this job then Steph can make at her current job. Plus we can live rent and food free for another 5 months or so. So I told my dad I wanted to do it. Its worth it to work another half year to be able to save more efficiently to make the movie. The catch is that who the heck knows where we will be sent. Anywhere from Flordia to Alaska. But even if its a place that I like less than Utah, at least it will be a new place. Another adventure for me and Steph and Sonny the wonder dog. So we will find out more on Monday. Hopefully we can do it.

-T

Back to work.

I went back to work today. Back to the old job. It was weird going back. Mostly because I didn't expect to. I took the bus and train to the airport this morning and picked up the rental car. Let me say first, that this worked out ok. Which is a bit of a shock. The last two times I had to get a company rental car it was a huge hassle. This time no. 2005 Grand Prix. Its pretty sweet.

Got back to work. Picked up my drawing packet, and began the task of verifying what we did. It seems that after all the work we did, no one did a particularly good job of writing it all down. So when we finished. No one had any accurate write ups of what we did. So the sent me back to verify everything.

One interesting thing that came along was this. There is a particular box, that a ton of wires come into. In this box, the wires have to be connected to a series of small devices. What they do isn't really important, but just believe me that it is very complicated to make them work properly. We had an expert come in and hook it all up. Not only did he do it, but he made it look really professional. High quality work to be sure. However, disaster struck the last week we were there. Another guy, who no one particularly likes got involved. Apparently something in that box wasn't working quite right. This other guy panicked. He really wanted to finish up and go home. And he did not want to stay in Utah any longer. I guess I can't blame him. Anyway, he went into that box and tore it all to hell and back trying to make it work. In the end, he claimed to make it work. I'm not actually sure that he changed much. Too be honest, it was this guy who said it wasn't working in the first place and I'm not entirely sure that he was right about that either. Now they claim it isn't working. So they are sending the original expert back out next week. And I can't wait to see what he says about what this other guy did to this box. It is an absolute disaster. I hope his heart can take it.
We shall see.

Heres the before and after.

-T

Lost?

Ok, what the heck. I watched LOST tonight. We decided to watch LOST instead of Veronica Mars. Mostly because VM is on replay Saturday night. Boy was this frustrating. Nothing happened. All they did was fill in the details that they omitted from last week. That would have been fine if any of those details had been interesting, or at the very least necessary. Then of course there was a great hook at the very end just to make us want to watch. All I can say is, that it is quite clear to me that this was meant to be a 2 hour season premiere that they decided to split up. I don't even think that they split it right in half and showed the second half the second week. I think the re-edited it and switched things around. Boy did it show. At least 10 minutes were things that we ACTUALLY SAW last week. Another 30 minutes was stuff we didn't see but pretty much knew happened. I like this show, but boy did they give us the shaft this week.

Oh by the way, I go back to work next week.
Late.
-T

Magic Soap and Magic Water

Several years ago I was at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a high school trip. A friend of mine came out of the bathroom and she told me she heard something funny. A girl in the bathroom was explaining to her mommy that the NASA had magic soap and magic water. Referring, of course, to the sensors that turn on the water in the sinks and what not.

I don't want to sound like a Kevin Smith or Quentin Tarentino movie, but.....
Do we really need sensors on the toilets and sinks in public restrooms? Before I get into whether or not the technology actually works, think for just a minute. Do we NEED this? Is it a problem to push the lever to flush the toilet? Lets not be gross, but can we not do this? I mean there are some things that could be on the handle, but really and truly they probably aren't anything that cannot be reasonably washed away. Now, I'd have to ask Stephanie, but I doubt that there have been many reported cases of people purposely contaminating the toilet handle for the pure evil of it all. So what are we saying here? "We know you don't like to wash your hands, so now we've given you another reason not to have to."

That said, they don't always work either. So you sit there. You try to sit still so that you don't set it off accidently. But it flushes anyway. You breath funny, you lean forward, you lean back, you shift. It takes no movement at all hardly and WHOOSH. Then what happens? You're finished, you get up and it doesn't flush. Sorry, this happened to me recently. I couldn't make it flush. It flushed 4 or 5 times when I wasn't ready. I got up, couldn't make it flush. Finally I did, because I'm not a jerk. Then I went to the sink. I got soap on my hand, put my hands under the sensor and the water came on. I lathered my hands up good, and the water turned off. Guess what. Couldn't make it come back on. I tried three different sinks. It took forever to finally get one to work.

I don't know. Its just another one of those changes for the change sake things. Theres no reason to do it, they just do it to look like they are doing something. But no one stops to think: Do we need this?

aaaaaah what do I know.

-T

Debt and Student Loans

Today I had to take care of some Student Loan issues. Really, I was sending in a consolidation form. Really wasn't that hard, but boy do I make it hard anyway. I don't know why, but these things seem to really just build up. And I dread doing them. Then I do them, and I get mad at how easy they are.

What I really want is to be rich. Not really that rich. I don't even want to be rich enough so that I don't have any debt. Just rich enough to pay someone to take care of these things for me. Of course thats kind of stupid. If I'm rich enough for that, I can just pay off my student loans and then be done with it. All I want is my debit card. And enough money to do what I want, swipe my card and not worry about it.

Of course thats what everyone wants right? But I'm going to have it. And if my regular ambition isn't enough to get me there, then my extreme dislike for money management will motivate me.

-T

Desperate Housewives

Today we watched several more episodes of Desperate Housewives. Not quite as bad as our LOST marathon. We didn't cram them all in in time to watch tonights premiere of Season 2.

This is a good show, but its not THAT good. I do really like it and I am very interested in seeing what happened. I enjoy watching it for a couple of reasons. First is because its not shot on set the way most shows are. It feels much more like an HBO show for that reasons. Second because of Felicity F. Huffman. This might be the first time I have ever given the honorary F middle initial to a woman. But she is, in fact, all that. I'm glad she won the emmy. Though I imagine that if I was up for best actress in a comedy, I'd be mad that she beat me. Since calling this show, and especially her performance, a comedy is a bit sketchy.

I have a problem with the show. It may be the show's problem, but I suspect its really just my problem. That is that these four women don't interact very much. I think its probably because of Sex and the City. Which was an amazing show. Those gals were best friends. They were together all the time and they'd do anything for each other. These ladies are four seperate islands who sort of function together. Its not bad writing, I just don't really enjoy it that way. Its just me I know.

That said. I hope it finishes up well and hope the new season is good. I'll watch it next summer on DVD probably. It looks like Veronica Mars might have a weekly re-air date which means we can watch LOST and VM. Sweet.

-T

Steph and Me and the Universe

Steph and I got in a fight today. Not a big fight. But one about our plans for the future. As is often the case, when we talk or argue about stuff like this. I get irritated at first and then realize that she is right. The thing is that Steph and I came together for one very simple reason. Neither of us are comfortable going through life as a regular person. When we met we realized that we both hated the idea of 9-5 monday through friday jobs. Everybody's working for the weekend and what not. I won't spend my life that way, and she won't either. It's not just that. I want to be important. I want to do something that affects people, that touches people. I want to be famous. Not for the sake of being a celebrity, but I want to know that what I do influences people. And Stephanie does too.

The problem is, it can be a very daunting task from time to time. And from time to time Steph and I go through periods where we get discouraged. And really its been me for the past few months. And Stephanie wanted to point that out to me.

She's right, 100% right. I have this one problem. Somehow or another, I make everything seem more complicated than it is. I tend to build up tasks and goals to be so big that they are intimidating. I don't know why I do this. But I always have.

I know of no two other people in the world that are more talented and intelligent than me and Steph. There is no reason that she and I can't rule the universe at some point. And we will too.

Thanks for the push Stephanie. I love you.

-T

Hurricanes, the media and entertainment

There is little I hate more than sounding like the typical "I hate such and such" blogger. I hate the government, I hate the media, I hate whatever. But I'm pretty irritated about the media handling of this Hurricane, and the media handling of just about everything right now.

I'll be quick. My problem is that the news has clearly become our number one source of entertainment. Somehow, Stephanie and I are the only people who see it. Seriously. People are in love with the news, now more than ever. And people's obsession with what is right and wrong and good and bad is just nonsense. It's just their way of participating.

People used to give me a hard time about sports. How I'm too much of a "sports guy" The truth is, its got nothing to do with sports. It's human nature. People have a need to follow something. They have a need to discuss and debate the merits of something that is not contrived. Something that is unscripted. Thats why we liked sports for so long. And now thats why people like the news. They want to follow whats happening. They want to pick sides and talk and fight with each other.

In another year or too, you'll start seeing NewsBars opening. Places called Hardline or Left Wings and on the marquee it will say "Ten Cent Wings and Bill O'Reilly on the Big Screen"

The difference between us sports fans and the newsies, is that we understand its just a game. We fight and argue and entertain ourselves over adults playing kids games. And at the end of the day, its all in the spirit of fun, competition and comraderie. We don't pretend that we care about people in Louisiana, just to futher our arguments. We don't act like we care about kidnapping victims or shark attacks or the war just so we can have new ammo for our blogs. And we don't hide our natural passion for excitement and entertainment behind a facade of talking about "something important"

The truth is. I care about issues. And I care more about Hurricane victims than about 90% of America. But I care enough to not use it to entertain myself. Tomorrow is football day. FOOTBALL SATURDAYS!! There is little on this planet more important to me than that. So you can bet that tomorrow I'll be sitting around watching Football and not glued to MSNBC and Fox entertaining myself with other people's misery and pretending to do it because I care.

-T

What happens in Vegas can no longer Stay in Vegas

It has been a while since I said much about Baseball, but it is my first, best true love. As we have seen for the last three years, the "Steroid Controversy" has been getting bigger and bigger. And for as many years we have heard, and accepted, the fact that players will not tell on each other. That what happens in the club house stays in the club house. People cheat on their wives, people abuse alcohol and recreational drugs. And there is a long-time, unwritten rule that says we don't rat on fellow ballplayers.

Without getting into whether or not I approve of that mentality, my question is this. How did steroid use manage to find its way into this mix? I don't get it. No one disagrees that it is cheating. How does cheating the game fit in to this. You are cheating your opponents. You are also cheating someone else who is trying to make it to the major leagues legitimately. Pitchers will throw at a player if he admires his home runs too much. Unless your name is Barry Bonds (more on that later)Players will slide high and spike you in retaliation for some perceived offense. Baseball is loaded with "time-honored" traditions of policing itself and punishing people for showing up others. I don't understand how CHEATING got put on the protected side of the unwritten rules instead of the payback side. Rob Dibble threw a pitch at a baserunner who was trying to steal home because he thought the game was out of hand and that was rude. But he won't throw at people who he knows are cheating?

Ok, that aside for a second. Tonight it comes out, that new Steroid Poster Boy Rafael Palmeiro blamed his positive Steroid Test on Miguel Tejada. Saying Tejada gave him a vitamin that may have caused it. Whoa! So what happens in the club house stays in the club house until its you thats on the hook right? Then its blame anyone else that you can? Tejada by the way has been tested 3 times now and has been clean every time. He gave Palmeiro a B-12 vitamin, which apparently contains no Stanzolol, aka. Super Meat Head Pump You Up medicine.

If this isn't the last straw, I don't know what is. Major Leaguers can no longer afford to live in this world where silence and integrity are the same thing. As long as they maintain this attitude, then it will be the public's right, and the media's responsibility to cast doubt on every great achievment, on every suspicious injury and on every increase or drop off in production. Nomar Garciaparra. Class Guy? So what, he hasn't been healthy since testing started. Adrian Beltre 25 home runs in 03, 48 in 04, 18 in 05? Seems fishy to me. Roger Clemens? Good Story? Boston dropped him in 98 because they thought he was done. Maybe he was. He was so determined to prove the Sox wrong that he won 4 Cy Youngs since then. Guess what else happened in 98. The McGwire/Sosa musclehead marathon. Coincidence?

It is time for clean players to start cleaning this up. If you know who is doing it, tell us. Its time to get rid of those players. I'm tired of seeing Mike Schmidt and Hank Aaron and Harmon Killebrew and Reggie Jackson just shaking their heads. These are the greatest Home Run hitters to ever live. And they are wondering why no one will speak up for them. They can't. They are too classy for that. Why don't today's players respect them enough to stand up for them. Holy Crap People! I just called Reggie Jackson classy. Do you see how ridiculous this has become?

And then there is the Barry Bonds/Willie Mays fiasco. Worthy of its own separate discussion. Barry Bonds is a classless Jackass. There has never been a better example of the word Jackass then Bonds. And there aren't many people in Baseball that are more classy, and better loved than Willie Mays. I'm a Dodger fan and I see Willie Mays and get goose bumps. And Willie loves Barry. And will defend him to the end. What Barry Bonds is doing is painful to watch. How he can let Willie Mays stand there and Defend him that way. And before you say there is no proof of Barry on Steroids, there is mountains of evidence. Including his own admission in Grand Jury Testimony.


Willie Mays carried the olympic torch a few years ago. And he turned that torch into a trophy. He presented that trophy to his Godson Barry Bonds last year on the field when Barry passed him on the Home Run list. It might have been a touching ceremony if not for that fact that Willie was the only person in the entire world that thought that Barry wasn't a phony. Then it just became sad. One day someone will finally rat out Barry to the point where he will have to come clean. And that day he will owe one very big apology to his Godfather. I hope it won't be too late.

The time has come for the 90% who are clean to stop covering up for the 10% who are not. Tradition and unwritten rules be damned.

-T

The TV onslaught continues

Still going. Tonight we watched the first episode of season 2 of LOST. Wow. Thats about all I can say. Pretty darned amazing. It started 25 minutes late because of the delay from our local ABC affiliate showing non stop coverage of that Plane in LA that had its landing gear turned around. Really quite unnecessary to show non-stop coverage of this. (more on that later) and of course in the end the people on the plane were ok. Except that now they have to get back to Burbank from LAX during rush hour. (definitly more on that later) So anyway, it started late, so we were forced to watch about 25 minutes of over-the-top wrap up of Season 1. And since we had just crammed all of season 1 into the last 70 hours or so, I'd say we didn't really need it.

That said. It was pretty great. I don't know what I'll do tomorrow without a single episode of LOST to watch. So I guess we will watch more Desperate Housewives.

Yes its true I am now watching that other show from last year that took the world by storm. One last night and one more tonight. I must say its better than I expected. Thats not saying too much yet, as I had really really low expectations. I thought that it was just a show about Horny Housewives. But apparently its got a plot and a bit of a mystery. So thats cool. We also slipped in another episode of SportsNight. Which I continue to really love. What is kind of cool in this case is Felicity Huffman. She plays an upper level sports programming big wig on Sports Night, and in Desperate Housewives she plays a mom who left an upper level big wig job. So it kind of feels like she is the same character. Which is fun.

And so it goes this thing of ours.

-T

LOST

Well, we did it. 20 episodes of LOST in 3 days. 11 episodes on Sunday evening, 1 at Lunch Monday, 6 more Monday night, 1 at Lunch today and the last one tonight. Its pretty nutty, I dont really know how it happened. It just did. We went to get a movie at the Hollywood on Sunday and they didn't have what we wanted. So we just got some episodes of LOST and went nuts.

This show is pretty darn good. I know I'm kind of late to the party, but it is every bit as good as I had heard. Really it seemed too gimicky to me last year. When I heard people talk about it, it didn't really sound much better.

But it is. It is very well acted, and the story is very compelling. Initially I had some problems with the flashbacks, but little by little, as the flashbacks become more intertwined with the many different characters, I began to enjoy them quite a bit.

As with most shows, I had some complaints early on. However, with this show, I think it had pretty much worked past all of them by the end of the season. I was in the midst of LOST mania on Sunday night when it won Best Drama at the Emmys. But I can say now that I am glad it did. Considering there was no Sopranos in the running this year. Next year, that will be a different story.

I also understand Stephen King better now. He wrote an article last week saying that he really likes LOST and hopes that the producers know how to end it, and end it properly. Rather than dragging it out for more years and watering down the significance. I can certainly see that as well. Its hard for me to imagine this thing lasting more than a second season honestly. But 5 or 6 seasons is too much. I also hope they get this thing wrapped up properly. Its difficult to say because we don't know what they have in mind. But heres to hoping.

Tonight is the night. Season 2 of LOST on ABC 9/8 central

-Tom

L.A., Subways, Bridges and Me

Stephanie recently asked me, What's up with you and Subways? It reminded me of something my friend Ben once told me. He and I had been friends for a few years. Then I met a new friend Jo in Grad School who was actually an old friend of Ben's. Anyway, I was talking to Ben one day and told him that I met this girl Jo that knew him. He told me he knew because he had talked to her recently. Then he told me that Jo said "boy he sure loves bridges." I was surprised. Of course I do love Bridges. And having been roommates with Ben for about 3 years, Ben knew that too. But I had not known Jo very long at this point and it was clear to her.

Some other things I really like are Baseball Stadiums, Interstate Highways, specifically interchanges, Shopping Malls, High Rise Buildings, aircraft carriers, steamboats, space exploration, oh, and movies.

There is a connection, and its not just arbitrary nerdiness. I like Mankind, not to put to fine a point on it. errr Humankind I mean. What gets me excited, what turns me on, what makes me want to tell stories is this idea of humanity.

Throughout history, Cities have always been Man's greatest achievement. It was what made us different from the animals. We built homes for ourselves out of bamboo and grass, but we put those huts in a circle and created an area to meet and gather in the center. Those villages turned into little hamlets and towns. Town squares and intersecting streets happened. None of it according to any one person's master plan. The ability to build large communities, and the ability to travel between communities are two of the most basic, yet truly amazing qualities that humankind possess.

Bridges and skyscrapers are just amazing to me. You have to stop for just a minute and take yourself outside the world you were born into and take for granted. Then take a look at some of these things.


The Empire State Building. Not built with today's modern technology. Built in the 1930

The Brooklyn Bridge. Built in the 1870s! Built before Cars


In some ways its now an example of what is wrong with our cities. But nonetheless impressive.

The US. 101 / I-110 interchange near Downtown LA. Built in 1962. All, amazing feats of construction.

There is something so amazing about the size and scope of these things that we can do. Do you know that we have landed on the moon? No really, we all know that. But stop to think about that for a moment. And all of this, balanced against the fact that we are such personal and emotional creatures as well.

I like movies about people. Small and tight, emotional and personal movies about individual humans dealing with life and relations with others. And grand sweeping movies about humankind and what we as a group can accomplish. These are the best kinds of movies and stories. And these are the things that excite me most.

-T

The Fair and Fairs in general.

Well it is Sunday again. Steph and I are in the middle of a LOST marathon. (more on that later) I need to stop to blog for a minute. Today, we went to the Utah State Fair. It was alright. We walked around looked at various booths that were selling various things. Lots of, what I'm guessing is illegal unliscenced movie and cartoon merchandise. Then of course fake non-liscenced things, like orange Football Jerseys with the Number 7 and the word Denver on them. The other thing is dragon and wizard related products. Now there weren't too many of these things yesterday, but typically at fairs you will see quite a lot of this. Usually incense burners of some kind. Now incense is typically, but not always, related to drug use. And considering that Utah tends to be below the National Avg. in drug use, that could explain its below the National Avg. in Medieval paraphernalia. Hard to say.

More LOST to watch.

-T

Time to get this Movie Made

For those that may not know, Stephanie and I are working on a movie. It is a documentary about Baseball Stadiums and Fans. www.ballparkmovie.com is our website. The point of our film is for me and Stephanie and our Faithful Pup Sonny to travel around the country from ballpark to ballpark. We will document everything along the way. Asking questions of people in each city. What is unique about your going to games at your ballpark? and Why is it important to you to be a fan and go to games? But mostly, we will show our adventures in the car and on the road. Its going to be fantastic.

This project is really great. It is something that Steph and I cooked up last year, and it very important to us. For me, documentaries are best when they tell stories about real people. And especially stories that talk about what real people are passionate about. Steph and I are both very big fans of Baseball. And for us, a day at the Ballpark is the very definition of a great day.

Another thing that we both love is travelling, especially by car on the open road. We really love to visit other cities in different states. In 2003, the three of us drove from Boston to LA. It was heaven. Car packed to the gills and 4 month old puppy in the backseat. Good times. We saw the Dodgers play the Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago. This was the legendary game when Ozzie Osbourne "sang" Take Me Out to the Ballgame. We visted many cities on the way. We stopped and took pictures at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Tiger Stadium and Comerica Park in Detroit and the Metrodome in Minneapolis. It was about the most fun I ever had.

I know people tend to romanticize Baseball to death in our culture, but there is something truly incredible about what a baseball team means to people in those cities. And there is something equally special about how those fans and cities make up America. I just can't wait to get out there and get it started.

-Tom

The Sopranos

We were supposed to watch the next disc of Sports Night tonight. Sadly, Netflix did not deliver. So we decided to watch a couple of episodes of the Sopranos. Man this show is awesome.

A few years back I saw an ad with a reviewers quote in it. The quote said the Sopranos was "The Greatest Work of Popular Culture in the Past 25 Years" Now this was around 2001 I think, so we are talking about 1976. Now, quite a few impressive pieces of pop culture have been presented since 1976. Lets stop a moment. Rocky, Forrest Gump, E.T. Jurrassic Park, Titanic and that movie with the blond kid and the Wookie and the Laserswords. What else? Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Hootie and the Blowfish. Friends, Seinfeld, Cosby, Cheers, oh and of course Sports Night. What else? Stephen King, Tom Clancy, Danielle Steele?? Books Tom? Really? Ok we'll leave them out. Sportscenter, Jim Rome, Super Mario Brothers, TRL it goes on and on.

I just remember thinking how stupid it was to make such a bold statement. Clearly the statement made just to be big and obnoxious and not really mean it. The only thing is, and I know how it sounds but... It might be. I mean it really might. I don't know. Lets not be ridiculous, the Tony Soprano isn't as big as Michael Jackson or Bart Simpson. Certainly not in exposure. And I would argue that there are certainly some movies that are better overall. But truth be told, it is the best television show I have ever seen. That goes against, my Curt Warner/Barry Bonds theory of waiting until they are gone to annoint them, but I don't care. Its simply that good. And I guess thats really all I have to say about that.

-T

Lunch with Stephanie

Today was very nice. Steph and I met near her work for lunch. I caught two busses up to near where she works and then we drove to Training Table for lunch. Ahhhh Training Table. I love that place. Now this may not seem like a big deal to the world. However, those of you who read this blog religiously will understand. I am, of course, currently car less. Or Car Free as I like to call it. And I am currently in the process of testing the local bus and train system to see what I can do. Turns out. I can get to near Steph's work in 30 minutes. Thats pretty good. It takes Steph about 15 minutes to get to work from here.

Now, the other nice part. I mean in addition to excellent bus work. Is that Steph and I got to eat lunch together. I love eating out with her. Its one of my favorite things. I love to sit at across from her at a table and have a meal and a conversation. Its just one of the most enjoyable things I can do in a given day. Anyway, it was a great and intellectual way to get me away from this living room and this computer and the nothingness. A refreshing break. Thanks Steph.

-T

We love it We love it.

I love LA. As the song goes. Its one of my favorite places on Earth. So the question is, why don't I live there? Its actually a pretty darn good question. A better one is why the heck do I live in Utah? But we won't get into that now.

I have been pretty content to just think that Steph and I have a movie that we are going to start making in February, and there is no point in moving before then. And that is fair. But we hate it here, and have talked about moving a few times. To the East Coast mainly. To Boston or Charleston, or somewhere else back there. But never really to LA. Why? Well, for one its expensive. Boston is too of course, but Stephanie is from there like I am from Charleston, so there is always family to help out potentially. Really, logically, it just seems like theres no reason to go to LA right now. But still...

Stephanie suggested that I am a little scared about going there. And, well, I think she is right. As usual. Errrrr. I hate that. I guess I am a little nervous about it. Living in LA was pretty easy. It was really nice. The tricky part was getting settled. Once we were in, it was ok. I think I am a little nervous about getting set up there again. Its really stupid, but its a lot like that little bit of dread one feels about jumping into a pool when they know the water is a little cold. You know once you get in, that you will be fine and even love it. When I played football as a kid, I was always a bit nervous about that first hit in a game. Just waiting to go out and knock someone down would give me butterflies in the stomach. But once I hit someone, then it was on. I think this is a little like that.

As a kid, when I felt this way, I would always want to get in as soon as possible. I wanted to be in on the first play of a game so that I could get past that and get into the game. How that relates to this, I do not know. I need to get back in the game. But I want to do it right.

The only thing that matters at this point is movie making. Thats how it is from now on. Every move I make is based solely on getting this film on the road. To LA or wherever, first things first.

But... I will be back there. Sooner, rather than later.

-T

Hurricane/Tropical Storm Ophelia

Man I wish I knew what this thing was going to do. We are all a little more aware of Hurricanes right now. But this one is right next to where I am from. My parents, grandparents, aunts uncles and friends live there. My parents house and my old bedroom, boxes of my baseball cards and Star Wars toys. This is something I deal with every year. Nothing much. Just keeping an eye on whats up. In case something actually big happens and I have to go home and dig my parents home out of the mud or something.

The point is, this is a part of our life. We know it, we accept it, we live with it. So now its a little strange to do it amidst all of this Katrina craziness. Im not complaining or anything. Its just weird. I feel like I have to sort through all of this insanity, just to do my typical September ritual. Which I usually do, completely unnoticed.

Whatever. It looks like its not going to Charleston anyway. Thats good.

-T

Tid Bits and Knick Knacks

Just a couple of things real quick that I was thinking about.

First Off: In honor of my newly found carlessness, I changed my quote at the top of my page. Something I found on the internet that shows the true genious and complexity of those of us who are above such a pedestrian form of transportation as the automobile.

The full quote is this:

"The pedestrian is a social being: he is also a transportation unit, and a marvelously complex one and efficient one. He is self-contained, self-propelled, and moves forward with a field of vision about 100 degrees wide, further widening this with back-and-forth scanning movements to almost 180 degrees. He monitors a host of equations: two crossing patterns at left front, 290 feet a minute, three on the right, angle on the cars 30 degrees and closing, a pair abreast dead ahead, a traffic light starting to flash DON'T WALK. In fractions of a second he responds with course shifts, accelerations, and retards, and he signals to others that he is doing so."

Indeed we are Powerful as the Emporer has forseen.


Next up: I looked at my blog from yesterday and saw that it says Septemeber 11th right before I began talking about Television. I thought it important to say that while I had realized yesterday that it was Septemeber 11th, when it came to blogging it really didn't occur to me. I bring it up now only to say that I didn't feel the need to bring it up. It was a big deal to me. As big to me as most anyone else who was not directly involved. But I am glad to put it in the past. And while I will certainly never forget about it. I do not feel compelled to speak about it. I think sometimes, too many people do things because they think they should do it, and not because of any genuine passion to do it. Anyway. Enough of that.


Lastly. Barry Damned Bonds is back today. After months of being out with a knee injury, he returns to the lineup tonight. I don't know what to say. Thats not true. I could go on and on. But we will just wait and see. I have my suspicions about him and his alleged steroid use and his alleged injury. But another time and place for that. So we will just take a look and see what happens for the rest of the year and decide later.


-T

Sports Night: The TV Series

Tonight we watched a few episodes of the short lived TV series Sports Night on DVD. Its pretty good. First things first. Nate Fisher aka Peter Krause is in this show. I love him. I mean love. The guy is awesome. This could easily turn into a How great is Six Feet Under? Blog. But I wont do that. I think that guy is awesome. I'd love to put him in a movie. And he is fantastic in this show. That said. The show is a little weird. Its very funny. The dialogue is weird. It is real choppy, in that 30s and 40s "machine gun dialogue" sort of way. That makes it kind of cool. But sometimes its a little too obtrusive. It also has some very serious moments, which are good and bad. They are good because the show feels like more than just a sit-com. But they are bad, because they are a little awkward and a little too routine. I find myself saying I wonder what the moral of this episode will be. And somewhere about 2/3 of the way through I know the mood is about to change. It would be better if some episodes had very little seriousness and some had a lot. It would feel more natural.

I also think this show missed its window. In subject matter and style both. As far as being a show about the fun and craziness of sports anchors it came about 2 years after the "golden age of Sportscenter" on ESPN. Which might not be a problem if that Golden Age had lasted longer than about 1 year. Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann on the 10 o'clock show and Karl Ravech and Craig Kilborn on the late show. Keith Olbermann had already been fired from ESPN by the time the show aired. Kilborn had not only left ESPN but had gone on to invent the hilarious Comedy Central Classic "The Daily Show" Only to have that show destroyed by pretentious turd Jon Stewart. (More on that Later).

Additionally, the show was a little too early to for its offbeat sort of style. I think the show was cramped by shows like Seinfeld, Frasier and Friends that were on top of the charts at the time. In 2000, shows like Sex and the City and Ally McBeal had provided a model for the comedy/drama that does not fit the standard tv formula. Clearly this show had sort of a different thing going on. I think it probably just didn't get a chance to do its own thing. I also think it would have worked better as a 1-hour show. Its ok though. If the choice is more of this show or Nate being Nate on Six Feet Under, I'll take the latter.

Until Tomorrow
-T