Run and Hide

Movie Review: Hide and Seek

Day 26 of 2005 and I have only seen 3 movies...those of you recovering from the shock, feel free to take a minute to collect yourself before continuing...at least I haven't used any hard earned cash for any of the 3 (thanks Les!).

Hide and Seek is by all accounts a horror/scary movie...I am not big on these, but this one looked really good and how can you complain with the likes of Robert De Niro, adorable yet creepy Dakota Fanning and Amy Irving. Now, of course I like Dakota as she is a Georgia girl who restores my faith in actors. She is a 20-year-old in an 11-year old body and is more accomplished than many actresses who have been doing this for 10 times longer. She was the one redeeming factor of this movie.

Now look, 20th Century Fox made a big stink about protecting the "shocking twist" until the very last minute - but I turned to Angie before the movie and basically revealed the plot twist to her - funny thing is she said she figured the same thing I did. Sad really.

This movie was not the least bit scary or suspensful. I kept checking my watch trying to do the math to figure out how much longer I had to endure such pitiful story-telling.

So kids, save your money and your time (although I don't think it was much longer than 90 minutes) and rent this one. De Niro should have stuck with Focker's fare. Odds are he will still be making money off of that long after this movie is forgotton. I think I need to rewatch Ronin to get the bad De Niro taste out of my mouth.

Now - aside from the movie review - what else is going on with me? Well, after my post yesterday about my co-workers who are getting screwed by poor management, one of them was quite upset that I did not detail his plan for dealing with such bullshit. So here goes - the names have been changed to protect the goofy:

1) Misdirection - A classic tactic in any situation where you are trying to get the heat off yourself.

2) Clean and Sober - Keep your shit clean and there will be no cause for anyone to question you.

3) What we have here is a total lack of respect for the law! - In the movie classic, Smokey and the Bandit (the first one kids, not the crappy sequels), Burt does it best when he thumbs his nose at the law just to win a bet and get the girl. So the point is, help the girl get out of a bad situation with no regard for yourself.

4) Damn the Man! - As with any company, you should always look out for the cogs in the company wheels - after all, look what happened to Initech when they started laying people off..."it's not okay because if they take my stapler then I'll set the building on fire..."

5) Keep joking - A jumper cable walks into a bar and asks for a drink. The bartender says "ok, ok I'll give you a drink, but don't start anything..." You gotta keep your sense of humor...is it time for the Animal Crackerlympics?

Lindy Squared

Hey kids - Another double posting day - aren't you all just thrilled!?

And Susan - I need your email address...when and if you read this ;)

So I couldn't think of what to post until I had some chats with my friends at work who are getting a raw deal, and now I am just filled with crap to post.

Let me explain how the world should work. If you give a poor performance at work, your boss should coach you and teach you the right way to do something. If you still give a poor performance, you should be talked to again, and coached more vigorously. If you are still under performing, then you should be put on some kind of action plan. You do not jump to step 28 when you are standing at the Start space. Geez Louise!

If you feel someone is not doing their job and they have been coached, retrained, etc. and you have the ammo, just fire them and get it over with. But toying with people, it is bullshit and I will not stand for it! People suck and those people should NEVER manage other people. It is a joke.

Whew, okay so I feel better. I'm just so angry - I do not like seeing my friends unhappy - it makes me crazy and very sad and depressed. I love these people, they are like family and watching them suffer and get such a raw deal, it hurts me because it hurts them.

So chapter 12 in my reliving old relationships saga, today I AIMed with a bunch of my San Jose friends/former co-workers. Worthy AIMed me first and started the snowball-effect. Then I found Skelly and AIMed with him briefly. Then I emailed Nik and she and I are passing messages back and forth, and then I found Kendra online and AIMed with him for a bit. Thank goodness we are good, I think. Seemed like it. You know, you don't talk to someone for a long time and in your head you convince yourself that they hate you or that you have lost that friendship. I think the best thing that happened to us was no longer working together. Now I just have a big smile on my face - very happy that things are going well for my California friends and for me too.

(Sigh)...what a strange trip it's been!

Plastic is a Vital Part of Our Bright Tomorrow

Wow - Wednesday again so soon? Where does the time go?

I can't think of anything good to post about today. The migraine is gone (without aid of sex, drugs or rock and roll)...thank goodness. Today is a good day for birthdays - a friend of mine, Misty, The Great One and Paul Newman is 80 - geez!

So what should I talk about today? Hmmmmmmm...my weekend plans, maybe? Well, I don't have anything big planned for the weekend. I was thinking a movie-fest would be good, but who knows what I will be in the mood for come Saturday. I really want hockey - I was thinking of moving up my Macon trip to this weekend, but I just cannot decide. I mean, do I want to spend Friday traffic trying to get to Macon or take time from my Saturday to drive down there? Plus, I am waiting to hear from Suky...

What to do, what to do. I feel like I should do something really fun (get your minds out of the gutter). I could drop everything and head to Sundance...nice. Even my band, World Without Sundays is playing. Damn.

Wow, my life is SO boring. I miss the old days touring with bands and hockey teams...I need my hockey fix!

Okay, enough rambling...I'll post more later if I come up with anything good.

Love to all!

Double the Pleasure...Double the Fun!

Hello all -

I know this is crazy, I don't usually post twice in one day, but some things are on my mind and therefore I must put them in writing.

Thanks to my presence on the net (and a little help from Shawn) my desire to reconnect with old friends came to fruition today. My friend, Susan, wife of The Shadow, found me on the net today and dropped me a line. We ended up talking on the phone for an hour (the phone is not something I am a big fan of) and it was fabulous. She rocks (as always) and it was wonderful filling each other in on our lives (me working like a dog, her raising two girls). (Ahhhh, so nice).

It was a fabulous break in the day of migraine and really helped perk me up. But then, I started thinking a lot (and we all know I should not do that) and it makes me wonder...have I lost my grip with reality? Probably so, but I am enjoying the ride. It is a part of this blast from the past theme I have going the past couple of weeks and it has been wonderful.

So what to do, what to do...life. Life happens. You never expect the twists and turns and you usually enjoy going along for the ride, and that is what I am doing right now...going with the flow. No pressure, no pain, no regrets, no doubts. This is a new leaf I am turning over...so I have a few things to say to a few people:

-> Nikolas - you were a dear to me and truly a wonderful man. I was just a kid trying to find her way in the world and had a lot of "hollywood ending"-type ideals of how love should be. You were very accommodating and for that I will always care for you, but I know you are in a better place now.

-> Matt - wow - you were the master manipulator. You were a serial killer in training. You knew what to say and how to say it to move me like the puppet you felt I was. I learned from you now not to relate to people. You took Nik's death and used it to get what you wanted from me and now you are a distant memory that I laugh about. I was so young and stupid and I will never allow myself to be used and abused like that again. Thank you for the life lesson.

-> Mitch - can you say rebound? I used you as much as you used me. But I did learn a lot of tricks from you (we all thank you for that) and enjoyed the time spent with you. However, I was very happy once that was over as it wasn't healthy for me. You were better off going back to your list of conquests. Be thankful that I stopped returning your calls.

-> Chris - I don't know what to say here. You are in love with the idea of me and who you think I am. You love the fact that your parents approve of me and I have direction in my life. I care about you deeply, but know that on some level I was more interested in the idea of you too. We are better off as friends and I wish you only the best.

-> Christopher - I love you and always will, but I don't think I was ever truly "in love" with you. I think I was infatuated with the idea of you and that clouded my judgement (clearly, as I broke one of my rules for you). We were both in very odd places at the time and it seems like we both finally have our lives on track and I am proud to consider you a friend now and forever.

-> Jean-Ian - I am taking a big leap actually putting something out there, but I know I loved you. I don't know how it happened or why, but I do know that I learned from my experience with you that I shouldn't wait around for life to happen to me. I had no idea what I had standing next to me all of those nights until it was too late - I should have listened to the 20 people around us trying to tell me there was chemistry and electricity between us. It was a wild and crazy ride and neither one of us was prepared for anything to happen between us. The ugliness that ensued once you left Macon, that wasn't me and that wasn't you. I know you are happy now and that makes me happy for you. It was not meant to be.

-> David - I'm not sure where you fell in the mix, but you proved to me that you shouldn't mix business and pleasure - you were my first (and probably last) guy from work. I'm sure you are off somewhere running a bar or restaurant and partying with friends. Thanks for the brief distraction.

Wow - I feel better. Sorry for the interruption, folks. This is, after all, personal therapy and a journal of sorts for me to pour my thoughts into.

Now - on with my life. I'm looking for some fun - to kick back and relax and enjoy life. I'm not saying I will be picking up more guys in bars, but I know how to have a good time with friends and just let it be...

Off to dreamland...

I Never Did Mind About the Little Things

Migraines suck! I got home yesterday and was in headache hell. Headache isn't even the right word - if you have ever had a migraine, you understand. I took the good drugs and passed out. Unfortunately, narcotics don't keep you from dreaming. I had some insatiable dreams and then woke up fully expecting to not be alone. Then, I was awake, albeit loopy. And I was awake until like 2 in the morning. So when I got up this morning, I knew I should stay in bed. However, I had visions of my schedule for the day, so I dragged my sorry ass to work.

I didn't last but 2 hours. I was just in too much pain to attempt to be productive. So I left...it didn't hurt that Angie told me how bad I looked.

So I came home and passed out on the sofa. I was in lala dreamland again and was quite content (sorry I cannot share the dreams here), but was rudely awakened by Ms. Johnson. She left me a message on my cell phone thinking I was Ms. Chapman wanting to pick up my child support check...WHAT? Hello people, listen to the voice on the voicemail message that says, THIS IS LINDY! Sheesh - I am too nice because I called back Children's Services and sat on hold for 20 minutes to attempt to let them know their error. Poor Ms. Chapman, I bet she really needs her check. My good deed for the day.

I need serious help now. My head is going to explode or implode or something soon. I need more drugs...or sex...or a really good head massage. (sigh).

So it is looking like poker this weekend isn't going to work out. Too many conflicts apparently, so I will have to wait another week to take people's money.

So where do I stand now? Let's see, I'm all set for a hockey fix next week (although I will be going to Macon to accomplish that), work isn't too bad, I miss my Maggie-Ming, and cannot wait for a true day off. Today doesn't count as I feel like ass... I miss old friends a lot...I have emailed a couple of them trying to reconnect - I figure 1 down, 5 or 6 to go :)

So I have resigned myself to no Robert's this weekend despite moving poker night. 3 nights in 1 week was enough alcohol and smoke-filled fun for me for now. I need to come up with some fun-filled entertainment for the weekend. Maybe I should call the guy I picked up on Saturday - mwhahahahaha...

Movie screening tomorrow night - apparently the 2nd pass is now spoken for, so those of you wanting me to share - too bad, so sad. Nothing exciting the rest of the week is planned - I'm always up for pleasant surprises, though. Bring 'em on!

The Simple Joy of Being Surprised By Life

Argh - how did it get to be Monday again???

So Sunday was pretty boring. I basically sat in my apartment and did laundry and dishes - so SAD!

Surprisingly, I was not in the least bit hungover from Saturday night. Not sure how that happened, but certainly I am not complaining. What a cool day! I watched crap on my TiVo and straightened up a bit (I have all week to get my place presentable for the poker gang).

My phone was silent all day (yeah!) and I heard none of my neighbors. WOW! I dumped more music on my iPod (that yes, is working beautifully) and I did NO work work. Sometimes I just love Sundays. The only way it would have been better is if I had been in bed with a warm body (preferably Gerard Butler or Zach Braff) considering it was like 20 degrees outside. Thank god for heat.

So today should be interesting...I'm still in a fabulous mood and am not in a rush to get to the weekend yet. We have a screening on Wednesday of Hide and Seek (which I have an extra pass for) and I guess I am looking forward to that.

But truly, you know what I really need...HOCKEY! I was thinking about this all yesterday and decided although Gwinnett is only 30 minutes away, the Macon Trax is much more fun. My buddy Joe Suk is the GM and will give me photo passes, plus then I can see my Aunt, Uncle and Cousin (if I time it right). Here is the trouble. The next home games are Friday and Saturday (Friday I know I will be beat, plus I have to prepare for poker night) and Saturday, of course, the gang is coming over so I can steal all their money from them. Then my next choice is Tuesday, February 1st (then I can take Wednesday off), which may actually be the best time to do it. Fridays are SO hard trying to get south in Georgia traffic - it would take me way too long. So now I can't decide. I'm emailing Suky today to see what he suggests. Personally, I would be content to drive to Orlando to see Christopher, but alas, they are not playing this year.

So what is next on the agenda? I have a morning call monitoring session with India and I still have random pop-ups on this computer. Not a good way to start my work week...I need a pleasant surprise today...I'm not sure what that should be, but something. I'm not asking for flowers (been there, done that, been embarrassed by), just something nice and unexpected...hmmmmmmmmmm

A Thousand Yellow Daisies

Personally, I prefer purple flowers to yellow...Believe it or not, and most of you probably will, but I am a hopeless romantic. I believe in love, romance, soulmates and passion. I just want to make that clear before I move on. You may wonder why I make this point first, but I htink you will understand more later in the post. First, let me fill you in on last night.

Last night was really fucking cold. It was about 30 when we headed to Robert's to drink with friends. We got there around 9:30 and Adam was already there, drink in hand. He and Shawn had introduced themselves and were chatting football and other such manly things - someone should tell Shawn that crack kills.

Angie and I strolled in and grabbed "our booth" and Michelle fixed us our usual (scary that we already have usuals). We chatted and waited for more people to show up. This girl I met last week, Allison and her friend Danielle (I think) came in and joined the fun. By drink #2, Shawn had to head out to play at CJ's and I ordered another drink...

Allison quized me about Shawn more - think she is trying to get into his pants?! - before she and her friend headed out to be groupies at CJ's. Then came Marcia and Dustin - soon to be followed by Dani and Mike. I think they were all entertained by my drinking and big ol' buzz. Adam was buzzing pretty hard too. Angie had stopped at half a drink and was working on keeping me sane.

So we continued to drink and chat and laugh and bitch about work - fun was had by all.

Somehow I ended up picking up a very cute guy - Michael - and got a big thumbs up from Michelle. Not sure what I did, but I came home with his number in my pocket. I stopped drinking around midnight and switched to water. Once I sobered up, I was ready to head out. The kids left one by one (Adam had to be taken away by his friend Brandon, twice).

Angie and I grabbed some food at the Waffle Hose and then she dropped me back at my car. I drove home down Peachtree (good to avoid the expressway). I drove in and the party-people next door were somewhat surprised to see me coming home at 3am. I think that they think I am too straight-laced.

I came in and grabbed a movie to go to sleep to. And of course, I grabbed a romantic comedy French Kiss. As I said, I am hopeless.

So here is what I want to know (after a cool night with friends and no stress), why are there no hopeless romantic men? Or if they exist, where are they? Nik, a former man of mine, was a complete romantic. Purple roses, limos, romantic dinners, picnics, etc. While it was fabulous, and there was a spark, I found I loved the idea of him more than being in love with him. Not to speak ill of the dearly departed, but if I had ended up married to him, it would have been a big mistake. I think the problem was that I was really young and didn't know what love was.

Since Nik, there was Matt who screwed with my head and my body. Ray, who was a friend of Matt's and while he was a really nice guy, just no umph. There was Chris and Chris - practically at the same time - I loved them both but again, not the "in love" kind of love. Then David who was just a fling and then my goalie, who I easily could have seen myself with. That said, I'm in a situation where the only people I meet are at work. Not too good for my social life, but I never give up hope.

Not sure what I am looking for at this point...mostly just some fun and no stress, but anything is always possible...right? Of course, I wasn't expecting to pick up strangers in bars...so back to the drawing board I guess. One day I will find and be ready for the sweeping gestures kind of relationship (if they really exist).

Man, I need a dose of reality and need to stop with the movies...

I'm Way Up Here

Hey kids -

Sorry I missed yesterday, but it was a nutty day for a Friday. I found myself leaving a 1-hour meeting 4 times to handle things that couldn't wait (including another meeting). It's official, I have blocked off my Fridays so that they aren't quite so zany in the future. Oh, how I needed a big drink.

I actually decided that I should abstain last night since I knew I would be drinking tonight and drank both nights last weekend. How like, grown up and mature of me :)

So yesterday - odd. Some weird things came up and people, friends, needing shrinking. Not literally a reduction in size, but a kind ear to listed and help try and exercise some inner demons. One friend is getting a raw deal from her grand-boss while another had something happen to him that he should have seen coming while yet another had a panic attack about how his boss and grand-boss are out to get him. I'm here to help.

I headed home fully expecting a boring night watching movies (did I mention I have 370+ DVDs I am committed to getting through this year?). Angie ended up coming over to hang out and play board games (yes, I am THAT boring). We played one game then headed out for food. When we came back, I think I was expecting us to play another game, but instead we took a crazy journey down amnesia lane.

I had gone through a box of old VHS tapes a couple of nights prior and found a concert tape from when I worked for a band (2 trillion years ago) called Memory Dean. We watched the tail-end of the tape which is this song called Rap Music Sucks (you have to understand that this song is really all about celebrating GOOD rap music). When I started working for the boys, there were 3 of them and this song was maybe 2 minutes long. By the time they released their big label CD, the song was almost 10 minutes long (plus they added a drummer, a dear friend, Larry and a Tour Manager, Shawn - see previous post).

Angie and I sat and watched the performance of the 10 minute version and couldn't believe it had been almost 8 years since this show (Angie taped it from the sound booth for us). This lead us into reliving Memory Dean stories and shows (some in different states) and bands we opened for and opened for us. We were much more than Band-Aids, we were a part of the team.

This lead into drunken nights in bars, which lead us to relive our days with Still Rain, the Atlanta Knights and the Macon Whoopee (hell the entire CHL). It was almost surreal, like we were talking about movies we had seen or someone else's lives. But honestly, it all makes me smile so much. It all has made me who I am today and has given me great stories to tell my grandkids (yes, I am aware I need to have kids in order to have grandkids).

I have great friends and a great life - hell, even Angie told me she was envious of my life right now. I'm not sure why, but I guess you usually want what you haven't got - but I do have a pretty cool best friend who keeps me in check on a regular basis.

This has been a pretty great week for me - I just am really happy in my life and as much as I would like to credit one person for making me realize this, I think it is me who helped me get here...as odd as that sounds (and some of you may not believe).

I promise tomorrow I will post something less heavy and quite humorous (this is the Robert's night where I will be drinking), so there is a good chance for some embarrassing Lindy stories to tell tomorrow!

I wish you all peace, love and Vodka!


I won't hold you down...I will let you go...I won't pull you back...I think you know me better than that. --Marcel

I Feel So Funny Deep Inside...

when you kiss me goodbye...SUGARHIGH!

Okay, so I have LOST my mind. I am hyped up on sugar, chocolate and caffeine. CHANTICO!

Oh lord - I am losing it. I'm punchy and giddy and cannot focus and am day dreaming about someone or sometwo...

Lobster...Pants...Flash...who am I forgetting?

Wow - It's like drunk dialing or something - I want to start calling people (or walking to their desks)...bad Lindy!

Okay, I need food, or something to burn off this energy...hmmmm, I wonder how I could burn off all this energy...

Bad thoughts, bad thoughts... Is it time to go home yet???????

Oy With the Poodles Already!

A dear friend of mine and I had a conversation years ago. I was annoyed with a guy (big shock) and made some crass comment like All Men Are Bastards (French Kiss is an excellent movie) and she started to laugh. And said, "No, all men are poodles." It was so ludicrous, but it was funny as hell. If you think about it, it's SO true. Nothing against men or poodles, but it has become a regular quote for me since then. I do my best not to lump all men into one category - while most men are similar in nature, they really aren't all alike...all the time.

Yesterday was a weird one for me and I think it had something to do with the way it started out. I think my light-headedness kind of carried me through the day. The day seemed filled with poodles...am I giving off some kind of vibe or something?

Last night I actually slept a little bit, but it was a bizarre sleep again. Very strange dreams and I would look at the clock every 30 minutes or so. I wouldn't say I am well-rested or anything, but more rested than yesterday. Unfortunately, my dreams were rated such that I cannot share them here.

So finally it is Thursday, and apparently my boss returns to the office today. I'm hoping he is well rested and relaxed so that he is unable to sully my most-excellent mood of the past few days.

What is next for me? Well, it is a crazy day today - I have many meetings and lots of work to get done. But there is a general lack of motivation going on. Isn't it Saturday yet? Please?

Although, Saturday means no more lobster... :( However, it does mean Robert's and drinking and Shawn singing...(sigh)...decisions, decisions....

Just Another Manic Wednesday

Okay, the weird week continues. I am still not really sleeping at night, but apparently have no problem dozing off on my sofa when I get home from work. Also, this seems to be when my phone rings as well. I never sleep through my phone ringing...what the hell is up with me, anyway?

Yesterday was pretty uneventful - I sent out an Evite for a little gathering at Robert's this weekend. I actually did get some work done and attended a couple of meetings. It has been so nice and quiet; I have enjoyed this SO much.

The little bit of time I spent sleeping last night I had some very odd dreams - I wish I could explain them but I don't really understand them myself. I'm not sure what it going on in my head these days, but at least when I am awake I am in a fabulous mood. Someone accused me yesterday of "getting’ some" this weekend - unfortunately, no...but at least my great mood keeps me from being annoyed by that! I'm not usually in a bad mood, I'm just not outwardly giddy as I seem to be right now. Angie is amused by my attitude these days - glad I can keep her laughing.

So this morning, I got to have an MRI done on my knee. My doctor, affectionately known as Rosencrantz, needs to figure out our next course of action and so he needs to see inside my knee to do so. No big deal, but I am very claustrophobic. Rosencrantz gave me a Valium to take 30 minutes before the procedure. But when the lady called to make the appointment, she said that since it was my knee, I would only be in the machine halfway, so claustrophobia should not be an issue. Oh why did I listen to her?

So luckily, they had The Killers CD on to keep me distracted - complete with headphones. Nice. But I was almost completely in the machine - with my arms raised over my head to reduce the closed in feeling - and oh, by the way, don't move for 30 minutes. Sheesh! So basically, I meditated for 30 minutes and concentrated hard on thinking about things I have done recently - playing poker, seeing movies, etc. By the time we were finished, I sat up and was really light-headed. So I drove into work - nice, huh?

So I came to work and jumped right in. I got to see a friend I haven't seen in months and all the cuties around here look good today. Overall, not a bad day at work so far :)

I Need a New Point of View

Here I sit, at work, listening to my iPod, trying to get work done very unsuccessfully. I had another long sleepless night and so I had a lot of time to ponder everything.

Seems to me that I have had a pretty cool life so far. I think I sell myself short quite a bit. I'm stuck in this haze of reminiscence and it all seems to bring a smile to my face. So what is going on with me exactly? It's day 18 in 2005 and not only have I only seen 2 movies (weird, I know), but there is no hockey (gasp) to distract me. Did I become boring, or something? I dunno, but it seems very odd.

Again, don't take this for a complaint - at all! Between being on the road with hockey teams, bands, and having an uncle who owned a really cool bar, I have plenty of great stories to tell (some embarassing ones about myself included) and a lot of fabulous friends that I wouldn't trade for the world.

The biggest problem with not having seen movies is that anyone reading this is forced to read my personal ramblings about men and work instead of my wicked cool movie reviews. Lanny did always tell me I should be the Movie Diva - I think I may lose my title soon (heaven for fend).

So what's with the goofy grin you may ask? Well let's see...my boss is on vacation until Thursday (score!) and a friend is coming in to town tonight for a couple of days. Also, I have not heard from Chris since my chit-chat with him regarding the Flower Incident of 2004. Could it be that he finally understands? Man, I hope so. I have reconnected with a dear friend and I'm about to turn 32! Okay wait, that doesn't exactly put a smile on my face...hahaha. I have a killer best friend who looks out for my needs and wants and somewhat keeps me sane and grounded. Wow - my life is in pretty good shape. NICE!

Now, what is missing? My creative outlets seem to have stagnated. Photography, cooking, singing...I remember when I used to do those things! All my energy seems to be drained from my being by the end of the work day. I need to start working to get some of that back...and quickly. Therefore, I'm focusing on a new point of view - starting today.

Life is great! I am a blessed person and I'm grabbing life by the balls (okay maybe a bit crude for me, but I can't think of another way to put it)! 100% positive outlook...I've missed the smiling, giddy Lindy. She has been hiding somewhere (probably back in California with Maggie). I'm a Gold Medallion - I can fly to San Francisco whenever I like!

Therefore, the theme for 2005 has been determined. I don't need any lucky pennies, no stardust, just good thoughts and lots of looking to the future.

To Sleep; Perchance To Dream...Ay, There's The Rub

in·som·nia
Pronunciation: in-'säm-nE-&
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin, from insomnis sleepless, from in- + somnus sleep -- more at SOMNOLENT
: prolonged and usually abnormal inability to obtain adequate sleep
- in·som·ni·ac /-nE-"ak/ adjective or noun

So I have been sleeping weird for a couple of nights. I have a feeling why it is, but I think it is probably a combination of things. I am distracted - in a big way. My brain will not shut off and it is bugging me. Time for action!

After my weekend of drinking and hanging out in a bar (please read previous posts), I decided that as I plan for the annual Lindy-Birthday-Bash (which was non-existent while in California), I'm thinking that this year we should take full advantage of Robert's since it is such a cool place to hang. So onto current events...

Yesterday was pretty uneventful. I did some straightening of my apartment (it is kind of a disaster). I still had my Christmas boxes out and needed to put them away. I need to regain control because it is time for another Texas Hold 'Em Showdown. I can't have all my friends over if my place is a complete mess. I watched a couple of movies on DVD (well, I had them on in the background). I watched some crap I had on TiVo (again, in the background). I did some work on my computer for my mother's catering business. BOR-ing.

So now what is in store for Lindy this week? Not exactly sure - a world of possibilities. I have a really good feeling about this week. I have a smile on my face and a song in my heart ;) I actually really do have a song trapped in my head, but it isn't one anyone would know. It is called Beowulf (the entire title is Beowulf, Captain Hook and the Albatross). It is by this band I used to work for (and go on the road with) called Memory Dean. It has been a Blast From the Past kind of weekend and so it is somehow appropriate.

So while I contemplate the life I have and the life I want, this song is running as a soundtrack at the moment. So in the beautiful words crafted by Mr. Bubba Dean:

Beowulf, Captain Hook & The Albatross
Then she let me tell it by myself
No embellishment for me
I was sailing on a tiny ship
Across a burning sea

My good friend Beowulf was at the wheel
He said he knew the way to go
So I sat with Captain Hook and talked a while
About his girlfriend who lived in Mexico

O babe you know I’m all right
I’ve got good company with me
The sun is shining and the wind is right
We’re just a little lost at sea

Captain Hook and I we took another smoke
“Look at the Albatross” he said
“Be nice to him” I said thinking it was a joke
Then the seabird he landed on my head

Days went by and the ship began to toss
The waves were getting pretty steep
I called on Beowulf to pet the Albatross
But he was at the wheel asleep

O babe you know I’m all right
I’ve got good company with me
The sun is shining and the wind is right
We’re just a little lost at sea

I woke up Beowulf and took his light
He went below to get some sleep
Captain Hook assured me that we’d make it through the night
Though the water was getting pretty deep

The Albatross alone sat still and satisfied
Captain Hook had nothing left to say
He kissed the Albatross as we watched the waves subside
And the seabird he flew away

O babe you know I’m all right
I’ve got good company with me
The sun is shining and the wind is right
We’re just a little lost at sea

For Your Consideration

Another crazy day in the Lindy weekend. The day started out slow, mostly waiting for my body to bounce back after our evening at Roberts. Wow, it just doesn't bounce back like it used to.

Anyway, Angie and I ate some lunch, ran some errands, then went for coffee hoping that it would help kick us into high gear. We had lots of conversations through the day about past relationships (boys) and stupid things we have done, etc. My head kept coming back to one place and somehow we would end up on that topic again. I'm sure you are thinking "oh, more lobster talk," but actually no. This is a lobster of a different sort. Until I can come up with something better, Lobster2. 'Nuff said!

So we decided we should go and visit our friend Shawn again at Roberts (what the hell, why not?). So we headed up there and hung out watching the Falcons kick the crap out of the Rams. There were some cuties at the bar that were apparently intrigued by me and so that was fun. As it got later and later, we were getting drunker and drunker. Apparently, since we hadn't eaten dinner, and lunch was over around 230pm, the alcohol hit us hard. We were a mess. Too bad Shawn showed up towards the end of my buzz. He would have been entertained.

Shawn came in, said he was over at CJ's playing, why didn't I call him? Ummm, duh, didn't know that's where he was. So he hung out for a few and then the masses started pouring in. The 'Coons game was over and therefore the world came out to play. Some cute blonde was playing his guitar and singing (I have no idea who he was, but he was good). We enjoyed the music and were singing along in our booth. Everytime we have been to Roberts, we have ended up in the same booth. It should permanently be ours, I think. But Angie always has to sit facing the door or she might go postal!

So we hung out until about 2am or so. Not exactly sure, but suddenly it was evident that Angie needed to go to bed (way too drunk for her own good - she did some drunk dialing) and I needed air - a lot of air...and space. We booked and didn't even say goodbye (I'm guessing I may pay for that later). We walked out with more cute boys who made sure we got to the car alright (chivalry must not be dead).

I turned on the car and then sat there for a few minutes. Angie was concerned that I was drunk and shouldn't be driving, but I assure you I had sobered up plenty. I drove the drunk girl home and made sure she was able to get through her front door, and then I went for a drive...a very long drive. If I could have, I would have driven to the mountains, or a lake and sat there pondering life.

Some weird shit happened to me this weekend and it makes me think...a lot. Have I spent the last 10 years working hard, having relationships, moving to California, only to end up at the beginning? Was this my journey...my quest? How is it in just a few short days, I find my way back home, not realizing that I had been away from it? Do we leave life up to chance? Do we fight for the things we want or the things we need? I think I have either lost my mind, or actually found it. I feel as if my skin is the only thing keeping me from going everywhere at once.

Enough rambling. Today should be a good day. I will it to be so. Ahh, if I only had that power.

My heart going boom boom boom
"Hey" he said "Grab your things I've come to take you home." --Peter Gabriel

Folding to Sharnold

Yesterday was pretty uneventful. I mean, work sucked and the day wouldn't seem to end, plus my plans with Leslie fell through (no biggie, it's been rescheduled), and I had a killer headache trying to become a migraine for 3 days. I didn't have time to eat all day, and by the end of the day was dying for food. So Angie and I headed to buckhead to eat (even though she had eaten lunch).

We had a bizarre meal...Angie had gotten some bad news about a friend and she told me about it. Our conversation became a very weird, heavy conversation. It really made you think.

So we left the restaurant and headed back to work (to get my car) and as we are heading down Peachtree, I ask Angie to hang a left at Buckhead Avenue to go swing by my friend Shawn's bar - just to see if he is there. We pulled up to Robert's and there was Shawn (affectionately known as Sharnold) walking around inside the bar - and looking good. Angie's response was that of course now we needed to stop. Duh.

We walked into the bar and the reaction on Shawn's face was this huge grin and a big hug. How awesome! We sat with him and had a drink or two and attempted to catch up. So I suck, I have been back since May and I hadn't told him. I intended to - but for whatever reason, I didn't. He gave me enough crap to make me feel guilty and then we moved on.

His bartender came and she joined the fun. We talked women (his) and jobs (all of ours) and friends and family. Then we started talking poker - Texas Hold 'Em - is there any other game worth playing? Next thing I know, we are sitting in a booth playing. Shawn got this killer set of cards and clay chips from his parents for his birthday. I managed to hold him off for hours until the crowds started filtering in. Can I say that I was lucky to hold him back for so long - he has this disarming, very charming smile where I know he is just trying to throw me off my game. It worked a few hands, but I kept my wits about me as much as I could.

Then he started to sing - much improved from 3 years ago. I really enjoy watching him perform - he is in his element and does it really well.

We finally headed out around 12:30 (did I mention we got there at 7pm?) because we were starting to fade. I think Angie was lucky she got us back to work without incident; she looked like she was going to fall over!

We had a blast and it just reminded me how much I love Sharnold. He is really one of my favorite people. He brings back a LOT of memories from our road-days and hanging with our band boys. So here I am listening to Beowulf, Rap Music Sucks and Peach State of Mind and remembering 10 years ago. It was such a big part of my life and I think I am better for it. And here is MSharnold doing well and seemingly enjoying life (maybe a little too much), but the whole thing just makes me smile. I need to hang out with Sharnold more - I don't want to lose touch with him again.

As for today, I woke up still smelling of cigarette smoke and oozing vodka from my pores. I could not get in the shower fast enough! Ahhhh, the drawbacks of spending almost 6 hours in a bar in Buckhead! Now, we need to organize a bunch of work folks to head out to Robert's for a night of drinking and music and fun!

Sales Rats Are Cute

Movie Review: In Good Company

Okay, I love About a Boy, so I jumped at the chance for another Paul Weitz directed flick. Apparently, the material was better before (this movie wasn't written by Nick Horby.

Now, this movie was good, but it could have been better. I have said it before, but I am happy to repeat that I will watch Dennis Quaid do and say anything. But really, Topher Grace is really talented. Each time I see a movie with him, I am surprised what an excellent actor he is. Not that I expect him to be bad or anything, but I never watched "That '70s Show" and initially only knew him from his cameo in Ocean's Eleven, playing himself, a stuck-up hollywood young actor with money to burn. But since then, he has done a couple of roles where he really stood out - this is no exception. But truly, his funniest was his repeat cameo in Ocean's Twelve.

This movie is one that takes a different path than you expect, and is a bit disconcerting from those of us who have been laid-off. But again, this is the era of movies that aren't predictable and this one definitely delivered. It wasn't heavy and the characters were human...normal...loveable. This was a hopeful movie that kind of puts the jet-setting 20-something crowd in their places. The morale of this story is, newer isn't always better.

I will say where the similarities lie between AAB and IGC - the main character only really starts living the life he wants once he meets and befriends someone unlikely and learns to grow into the man he could be. A great follow-up for Weitz, but the dialog needed a bit of tweaking - the comedy was there, and the audience was laughing out loud, but there was room for improvement.

Weird Scientology

I'm all about freedom of speech, freedom of religion, etc - c'mon, I'm half Jewish, half Presbyterian. The one thing that I don't "get" or really know why people believe in is Scientology. Now, I'm not trying to be close-minded, and it gets a bad-rap from the non-members of the world, but I think I need to really understand it from the outside in. Sometimes, it seems like a cult (granted people that that about MindSpring in our hey-day).

Let me explain why I am saying all this. So yesterday, I went to visit a friend of mine at her place of business. She told me what time to be there and that I should plan to be there for an hour. I was early (didn't know how bad traffic would be) and the girl at the front desk, January, recognized me (I had been there earlier in the week to pick something up). She didn't know my name and she didn't know my relationship to Leslie, but she was really nice and sweet and told me to listen to the radio for when she would be done (the show she does ends at 9 and then she has a pre-taped 1-hour - 90's at 9). So I sat and waited.

About 10 minutes later, January went looking and found that Leslie was in a post-show meeting and came back to tell me they usually didn't take that long. So I sat and waited patiently. Then, a really hot guy walked in. He was there to see Matt (whom I had heard was stuck in traffic and running late). He came and sat down next to me. Let me take moment to explain this lobby. It isn't huge, but it has this giant wall of a TV (projection) and then 5 backed bar-stool type chairs in front of the TV (at an acceptable distance). Then there is this not-so comfortable bench bolted to the wall. It's kinda industrial looking and metal. So I guess this guy followed my lead and figured the metal bench was more comfortable than the bar stools. He sat there for about 10 minutes while we watched "Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica" (can I help it if they had MTV on all day). I did get to see an EarthLink commercial with my friend Erik in it - that was cool!

Then I guess he caught my eye (I wasn't checking him out, ok. There is a conference room right off the lobby and I was watching the Ad folks). Anyway, he turned and said hey and how was I. I exchanged the usual plesantries and then went back to watching MTV (did I mention there was no sound as the radio was being piped in?). Next thing I know, he turns and tells me how nervous he is and isn't sure why he was there. So, you know me, I'm super friendly, so I asked him why. Thus ensued the flirty back-and-forth conversation.

So his name is Scott, and he works for an organization who helps get kids off the street and rehabed. Great cause! We talk more about the organization and how the program works. I spoke up and made some crack about at least someone is doing something (I'm a big advocate for helping people kick their drug habits and have faith in the potential of people). He loved this - totally fed off it. Anyway, then it comes out - he went through the program (sigh) and was homeless 18-months ago. He had a 12-year cocaine addiction (double sigh). He is now clean, and has been for the same 18-month period. Awesome! Okay, so not a bad thing. At least he has his second chance at life, etc. Who cares, the past is the past, right? So we talk more about the organization and says the radio station called him and he is nervous about having to promote their non-profit organization (basically looking for support). So I explained that all he really has to do is sell himself in this situation. He is living proof of how good the system can be. Then he starts telling me about the National Board of Directors...Tom Cruise..., John Travolta..., and by the way, have I head of L. Ron Hubbard.... Scientology. I can pick 'em can't I?

Oh how I longed for fresh lobster.

Okay, so Matt finally showed up, begging forgiveness. Off walked the hottie with baggage. So I have decided, I need to learn about this thing called Scientology before making any rash judgements. I'm open-minded. I belonged to the cult called MindSpring in my day.

Anyway, dear January kept going to see where Leslie was, but she was in a meeting. Apparently, she was concerned about disturbing her (even though we had an appointment) and I am too nice a person to push it. I gave up after almost 2 hours (I'm a busy woman too).

So later, I got an email about how sorry Leslie was and she was so annoyed that January didn't come and get her (as she sat in her meetings waiting for me to show up). I'm really hoping she isn't in too much trouble, but we have regrouped and are meeting tomorrow. But I feel bad for January - she was so nice and everything. But I'm guessing she may know better who I am tomorrow and it won't be a repeat of yesterday. I hope.

6 days til Lobster-fest!

Daredevil Part Deux

Movie Review: Elektra

It took 11 days to see my first movie of 2005 - completely out of character for me, especially when there was a weekend and a half in there. Laziness and lack of motivation I guess (plus I have been sick). And then, my first movie being Elektra - not the best of decisions, but it was free (thanks, Leslie!).

Since the beginning of this blog 6 months ago, and the fact that I am actually writing reviews, causes me to avoid all reviews of a movie until I have thought it through and those thoughts on virtual paper. I'm pretty good at avoiding it since I see a lot of screenings and sneaks - no one else has had the chance to see a movie. I'm almost always with Angie at these things and she and I exchange few words about a movie after unless it was just amazing or a complete piece of crap...Elekra fell into neither category, but it comes close. Unfortunately, this time there was a 3rd party there who is unaware of this unspoken deal between us (not his fault) and thus he began railing on the movie as we were walking out of the theatre. I managed to tune him out, but then someone came up to me today and was giving me the same review (he had gotten it from the 3rd party) and was regailing the tale back to me. I was quick to let him know I had already heard this review and did not agree with it - not quite.

So now that I have a free minute and a half to write this, so let me thrust my opinion upon all you who read this :)

Elektra, portrayed in Daredevil as an interesting character (really the only interesting part about that movie). Those of us who have not been reading the Elektra comics were craving details into her background - why was she fighting bad guys, where did she get all the leather, and explain the sais. That said, I think this movie was anticipated by a lot of us, and while all of this was explained in Elektra, it took too long to explain it. The movie's pacing was off and there was not enough fighting - HOWEVER, the fight scenes were cool. The band of misfits, known as The Hand, after Elektra junior (you have to see the movie) were pretty cool - live tattoo boy, death-breath, and the like - but very 2-dimensional. The blind guru, General Zod...I mean, Stick (played by Terence Stamp, was a bit too preachy and it turns out a master manipulator.

Look - it ain't a bad movie, but it isn't so good either. I went in with low expectations so I wasn't disappointed, and actually a teeny-bit surprised. But chica, get a cooler costume. Your leather was much cooler than your red satin number. Fire your wardrobe mistress immediately.

Only I Would Get a Faulty iPod

I have wanted an iPod for months and months, then the other day, Angie calls me and says "Hey, I got a free iPod!" which you know, bugs me because life isn't fair - haha.

Anyway, on my way home, I stopped and bought a Silver iPod mini and went home and attempted to breach the perimeter at Fort Knox. Have you seen this packaging? I mean, seriously, lots of little plastic protectors and even bar codes on the twist-ties on the firewire and USB cables - enough already!

Anyway, around 8pm, instead of turning on 24, I went upstairs to my office and started installing this thing. I was using USB (did I mention I do not have USB 2.0 on my computer) and it was taking forever. Silly me, I actually have 2 firewire ports on the back of my machine - stupid, Lindy.

So somehow, not sure how, but I get to iTunes and start ripping and importing music, but no matter what I imported, it didn't appear on the iPod - I even called Angie for Tech Support (usually it is the other way around). After all, she should be the expert after 1 day with her own device, right?

In the middle of all of this, my niece, Maggie, calls me because she wants to talk to me, but she starts crying, and then sobbing and I have no idea why. It was heart-breaking. So I told her she could call me back when she felt better and she said she would. Oh well.

By 11pm, I had given up. I went through my normal routines and found that the iPod wouldn't format. Clearly a faulty unit. So I packed it all up and now, must face the Best Buy challenge at some point today (post-work, pre-Elektra). Fort Knox is sealed up (sorta) with lots of plastic gone and little barcodes trashed. Not much I can do about that.

Then Maggie called back to tell me all about her yellow pajamas and her crocodile book and how she would share her book with me when I came to her home (hint, hint). It made my night, but seriously, I was still bummed about the iPod.

So today, on my "lunch break" I ran up to Bestbuy and swapped it out. I told them the harddrive was bad and he swapped it out without hesitation and no fighting...makes one worry doesn't it?

There's Never Anything Good on TV

Okay - so not really. There are lots of great shows actually, but there are plenty of times where there is nothing to watch and then I have a dilema - which of my 374 DVDs do I watch. Yes, you read right - Three HUNDRED and Seventy-Four. Insane, right? Not so much when you think about my history and complete love of movies. I only buy things I KNOW I will watch more than once (obviously, that doesn't narrow it down too much). Actually, I am pretty picky and often times I realize that there is something I have not watched in forever and don't really plan to - eBay, sista!

Anywho, with all my DVDs, even if I watched one per day (and let's face it, that's not possible, especially when 1 DVD could be 6 discs like Buffy Season 7), I still wouldn't get through them all in a year. However, I'm going to see how far I get.

Now, easily, I'll get through all 3 LOTR EE DVDs one day soon (Angie and I planning a day which includes 2nd breakfast, elevensies, etc. and probably some LOTR Monopoly as well). That's the toughest 12 hours to make sure to get through (only because it is SO long - nothing to do with the content).

Did I mention I also have a subscription to Netflix and I already have THREE movie screenings this week? Elektra on Tuesday, The Woodsman on Wednesday and In Good Company on Thursday. Whew!

Okay, so I love movies - what can I say?

The Final Countdown

So after a long year of movies (103 to be exact), I feel I need to rank them. Now while I'm an ambitious person, it would take me way too long to rank them all. So instead, I'm giving you the top 10 and the bottom 10. Now, please note that I get a lot of passes to free movies and with my lack of financial standing, I cannot turn such things down (although, I think I skipped about 10 movies I had passes for due to scheduling conflicts or a lack of interest). Also, occasionally I will go to a movie to kill time until the movie I really want to watch starts. One more thing, if you don't know me, let me explain. I get to the movies early and don't leave before the end...ever - even crappy flicks that turned my stomach, like Event Horizon. So - on with the show!

Top 10
1) Garden State
I know this is no surprise to anyone. I haven't shut up about this movie since I screened it in July and got to talk to Zach Braff and have him sign my scrubs. Still love it...it should still be nominated. 'Nuff said.

2) Sideways
Wine and comedy. Nothing better and great acting to go along with a really well written story. If you haven't seen it, what exactly are you waiting for?

3) Finding Neverland
Johnny Depp strikes again and as a real guy, too (No, Jack Sparrow is not a real person). Excellent story, amazing performances, no question there will be nominations.

4)(tie) The Incredibles
Pixar rocks...need I say more?

4) The Phantom of the Opera
Ahhhhh...Gerard Butler...yummmmmmmm. He deserves a nomination and he can enter my living room anytime he wants. How long do I have to wait for Beowulf & Grendel? Too long.

6) Ocean's Twelve
Cheers to making sequals who surpass the original. People who don't agree with me just don't get it. Get over yourselves!

7) Collateral
Some things really DO get better with age, right Tom? It doesn't hurt having Michael Mann leading the way. But, I'm a bit concerned that M:I-3 is in pre-production. C'mon JJ Abrams, give it that special touch of yours!

8) The Bourne Supremacy
Again, better than the original. This one just squeaks by The Bourne Identity. When is Bourne Ultimatum getting on your schedule, Matt?

9) Hero
Gotta love the action flick complete with sub-titles. Of course, you knew I would like it. I usually enjoy all the Foreign films that get nominated (too bad this was nominated for 2003).

10) Lost in Translation
Yes, this was a movie from last year, but I didn't see it until 2004. Therefore it counts and explains its place at the bottom of my top 10 list. But it is as great as everyone says.


Now onto the crap!

Bottom 10 or so - in alphabetical order
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Every 3rd Will Ferrell movie doesn't suck - this wasn't it. How does he have 11 movies in production for 2005 and 2006...oh wait, he plays the odds...

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
Why make a sequal if you are just poorly remaking the first movie?

Chasing Liberty
I should have known better...but, I was just killing time.

Christmas with the Kranks
Tim Allen, the kind of Christmas, ust doesn't deliver when he isn't playing Santa.

De-Lovely
Damn, tell me again why you spoiled Cole Porter for me?

Jersey Girl
C'mon Kevin Smith, stick with Jay and Silent Bob next time. I was disappointed (but not as much as most were).

King Arthur
Clive Owen needs to get back behind the wheel of a BMW...STAT!

Ladder 49
Who knew a movie could make Backdraft look even better?

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
Love the cast, but this sequal fell short...where are the scenes of the gang running in and out of doors down a long hallway? Use your history!

Stateside
Not sure what this movie was made for, when I figure it out, I'll let you know.

The Spongebob Squarepants Movie
Poor Maggie, all she wanted was a movie to go to so she could eat popcorn and have ice cream afterwards. This only fit the bill because it was technically a movie. Good thing she walked out of the theatre talking about The Incredibles!

Without a Paddle
I love you Seth Green, and it was cool seeing you at the screening, but stick with good movies and their sequals. The Italian Job II?? Thanks for listening!


The good news is I didn't pay for about half of these. Some were screenings and some I snuck into (shhhh). But damn, I saw some bunk this year, didn't I?

I'm Gonna Have Pancakes with a Side of Pancakes

New Year's Eve - always an interesting evening. The last few years I have turned it into a movie night because there are too many crazy people on the roads, drinking and doing drugs. Not a place for me, thanks.

Anyway, this year I went too a great party with some friends and had a lot of fun. I had a coule of drinks, but stopped early. Honestly, I didn't think we would stay too long as Angie and I went together and she is a least social person I know (so we compliment each other). But she said we should stay past midnight much to my surprise. So we did and it was fun. I saw some friends I hadn't seen in years. I got to talk party planning for a friend's bridal shower. I got to vent about people at work (with people from work) and overall, had a blast.

But...and there is usually a but...I didn't get home until 4am - that's right FOUR A M! I actually dropped Angie off around 3:15-ish, but getting out of town (did I mention Angie lives in the heart of madness?) was hell. Luckily I knew some back ways, but still it took forever.

That said, after a night like that, what do you want when you get home? Aspirin? Water? Bread? All of the above? No. I wanted pancakes and lots of them. Problem - I had no pancake mix and was in no condition to make them fram scratch (for those of you non-culinary folks, it requires separating eggs and whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks). Also, I had no buttermilk. DAMMIT! Now, here I am late in the day still trying to recover (did I mention that I slept until almost noon?) and I still want pancakes. This requires me to go to the store and buy crap - not gonna happen my friend.

I guess I will just have to suffer through. Life isn't fair ;)

The Scottish Angel of Music

Movie Review: The Phantom of the Opera

Last one of the year folks, and was it a doozy! Can I just say, who knew Gerard Butler could sing like that??? I'm hooked. Okay, so I was hooked on him long ago (can you say "the only good thing about Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life?" Also, I was in love with the character of André Marek from the book, but Gerard certainly made him more appealing in the film version of Timeline!

Okay, so I have rambled on enough about Gerard...maybe...did I mention that I could see him as the next James Bond? I love his accent too :)

Anyway, as I was saying, I was thoroughly impressed with this movie. I went in with low expectations, except for Gerard - mainly so I wasn't disappointed. And WOW - what a show. It is very much like the stage play, but with more depth and darkness. Having seen the play 3 times on the stage, I am quite a fan. I found myself singing (to myself) the entire movie and really pulling for The Phantom for once. (Okay, I love Michael Crawford's voice, but he is no where as sexy as Gerard playing this role). Here is what was amazing about the Phantom in this version - you feel for him. You want him to hold onto his love for this girl who has filled his soul with light. He really portrayed the fear of being undesirable and unloved and alone so well. But when it came down to it, he felt more for his love than for himself and that is one of the best traits anyone could ever have. I really identified with him.

Gerard deserves a nomination for this role, although it is a tough pool this year. And truly, Joel Schumacher's vision and direction really brought this to life. I can't think of anyone who could have done a better job. And having THE scribe of Andrew Lloyd Webber at the helm didn't hurt either.

I did the theatre a favor, though. I'm truly an Alto, so I really just mouthed the words to myself rather than trying to hit Christine's high Soprano notes. Boy, it makes me miss singing in the choir...

De-Lovlier

Movie Review: Beyond the Sea

I love Bobby Darin's music and I love Kevin Spacey, therefore I should love this movie. So I didn't love it, but I did like it a lot. Now just about anything was better than De-Lovely, but this is more what De-Lovely could have been.

They both jumped around and were a bit hard to follow, but in this one, the musical numbers were fantastical, much like with Chicago. Dancing in the streets and a big finale.

Look - this movie was somehow rooted in fact, but a lot of dream sequences and fantasies - so it was a bit hard to separate fact from fiction (plus the disclaimer at the end didn't help to clarify). However, it was well shot and Kevin is an exceptional singer. It just needed more Umph. More direction. More, je ne sais quois.

Nice job Kevin - I already had bought the soundtrack. But, this is most definately a rental if you are into this kind of thing. I would like to know, who was this kid, William Ulrich. I was quite impressed with him!

Ho Ho Ho and a Bottle of Apple Juice

I figured I should post something non-movie-review and talk about my Christmas holidays. So here goes...

I picked up Maggie (for those of you not paying attention, my 3-year old niece from California) on the 22nd from the airport - no she was not travelling alone, her parents were with her, of course. So the airport has this crazy rule which only partially makes sense - you cannot "stand" at the exits; only active loading and unloading allowed. It was cold, rainy and my brother needed me to watch Maggie so he could get all the bags (including the car seat), which meant I had to "stand" at an exit. Good news was no one bugged me about it - whew!

We got home to Gramma and Grampa (my parents) and the fun began. Dinners together, cute Maggie-isms, lots of Christmas memories.

It all started with taking her to the zoo on Thursday. She LOVES going to the zoo and had never seen live Pandas before. So off we went, in the freezing temperatures. The woman selling tickets said everything was half price since it was so cold and only the Pandas and Elephants were out. Funny thing, Maggie counted 22 different species that she saw. Granted, a lot of those were in the Reptile House, but still 22 animals. I was smart enough to take quarters and pennies with us because Maggie collects those smashed pennies with the pictures on them. Thank goodness, we found 2 machines and she was very happy to get more smashed pennies for her penny passport back home.

On Friday, Maggie and I made cookies (with help from Mama) - Oatmeal Double Chocolate Cookies. Maggie helped by pouring the sugars into the mixing bowl, adding the eggs (which she had me crack for her), and scoops of flour and oatmeal. I dumped in the chocolate chips and she directed my stirring. I prepared some cookie sheets for her and she and her mom (My sister-in-law, Christina) used the cookie-scoop to place them on the sheets. Then, Maggie's job was to count the cookies. Very cute. So we put out some cookies and milk for Santa and my brother was kind enough to consume them this year. Maggie was quite distressed that Santa did not finish all his milk. We explained he was in a hurry and didn't have the time to finish it all.

Christmas was great - Maggie helped to pass out the presents and seemed to love all her new things. She was enthralled with the Little People under the tree when she came downstairs.

We had a nice Sunday with the family. I saw my cousin Carrie "Bear" who I hadn't seen in close to 7 years. It was fabulous catching up with her and seeing my Uncle Alan who I am pretty close to.

Maggie left on Monday morning and I was very sad. I shed a tear or two as no matter how much time I spend with her, it never seems like enough. I will say that when I was sitting in the long line of cars at the airport - Maggie yelled out "Dadda, Aunt D - I found a Spotting Park - look there" and there, my friends was a parking spot. Now it was way far away from the terminal, but god love her!

I, Lindy, Resolve To...

Okay so the new year is fast approaching - how it got to be 2005 already, I have no idea. So in the spirit of making changes for the newest year, I have made a list.

My new year's resolutions:
See more movies - 103 just isn't enough
Abuse alcohol and drugs
Laugh at people who are less fortunate than I am
Step on bugs (ants, spiders, etc) and small creatures
Forgo smiling and stick my tongue out to nice people
Travel to 3rd world countries and sell technology at outrageous prices
Call in sick to work whenever I feel fabulous
Work the systems (call every company I use and threaten to cancel so I get cool deals)

But seriously, I plan to exercise more, take real vacations and do at least one fun thing each weekend that isn't going to a movie. Not sure what that will be yet, but I will do my best to come up with some. Suggestions are always welcomed!

The Song of the Recluse

Movie Review: The Aviator

I am a movie buff. I love movies, I see over 100 per year in the theatre (thank goodness a lot are free), but I am a movie buff who is NOT a big fan of Martin Scorsese. I know he is a genius, but his movies just aren't for me (except for The Color of Money ). This movie was almost the same, but I didn't dislike it. It was actually quite good.

Now, I learned a lot about Mr. Howard Hughes and am surprised that Leonardo DiCaprio played him so well. Who knew he had such versatility? Certainly not me.

I do think that other than Leo, the rest of the characters were quite flat and not nearly as interesting, save Cate Blanchett playing the legend,Katharine Hepburn - and quite convincingly I might add. She was so amazing and impressive - I almost forgot she was Cate and not Kate.

I would highly recommend this movie, but if you are not a Scorsese fan, you might want to wait and watch this at home. It is pretty intense and is 155 minutes - at least at home you can take a break and lighten up a bit after this heavy fare.

Over the Top

Movie Review: Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

Okay, so I have been a bit remis in posting to this blog in the last 10 to 14 days. The holidays have kept me too busy and I just didn't make the time. I tried a couple of times in the last few days, but everytime I sat at the computer, Maggie came up wanting to play computer games with me. So, even though I saw these movies on separate days, I am posting 3 separate reviews instead of posting them all together...

Granted, I have not read the Lemony Snicket books - so take that into account when reading this review. I loved the story! I loved the kids (okay, I've been a fan of Liam Aiken's ever since The Object of My Affection - that Jennifer Aniston movie no one but me saw).

But seriously folks, Jim Carrey needs to learn that even though there are roles that seem tailor-made for him (The Riddler, The Grinch, Count Olaf), he needs to have a dimmer switch installed so the "over the top-ness" is not TOO over the top. He knows how to act - The Truman Show, Man on the Moon, The Majestic. Why does he not understand that even if the characters are from comic books or such that this does not mean that he has to play it so overboard that he is annoying.

Anyway, the movie was good, the other actors were excellent, but Jim Carrey just killed it being great.

Worth renting...

Rescuing the Bond Company Stooge

Movie Review: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

So Bill Murray is a trip, Wes Anderson is awesome, but this movie is not my favorite of their pairings. I would not put it up there with Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums, but it is a true Anderson picture.

It's funny, and the turns this movie takes are very Anderson-esque, but it falls short of his previous 3 movies. Owen Wilson was great, as usual in these pictures, but truly, there was not a real stand-out character (although, Klaus was pretty damn amusing).

This movie is still leagues above other mainstream flicks and I highly recommend taking the time to venture out with the Zissou's.

Here is hoping that 2006's The Fantastic Mr. Fox gets back to freshman standards!

Flight of the Remake

Movie Review: Flight of the Phoenix

It is hard for, watching a remake of a Jimmy Stewart flick. I love Jimmy Stewart - he is my all-time favorite and I have never seen anything of his I didn't enjoy watching. The original Flight falls into this category. So fast forward almost 30 years and make Dennis Quaid Captain Frank Towns (ripped physique and all) and you have yourself a fine movie. And how exactly does a 50-year old have a 6-pack? Nothing personal, Dennis, but WOW...and yummy ;)

This movie was fun - not at all predictable. Giovanni Ribisi plays the smarmy aircraft designer quite well - and this role is a departure from the original Hardy. No nominations are going to be handed out here, but it isn't that kind of movie. The is action, some internal strife, and my personal favorite, a character who is a chef. Let's face it, no one will top LL Cool J in Deep Blue Sea with his explanation of the perfect omelet:
We will start with the perfect omelet which is made with two eggs not three. Some amateurs use milk to add density; this is a mistake.

And his explaination of physics/relativity:
Einstein's theory of relativity. Grab hold of a hot pan, second can seem like an hour. Put your hands on a hot woman, an hour can seem like a second. It's all relative.

I would like to try Sammi's Peach and Palm Salad. But I digress. If you want a good flick, with a little action and some decent dialog, go see the new Phoenix. Not a bad rise from the ashes of an oldie.

I Dreamed a Dream

Have you ever had one of those intense dreams where you wake up and expect it to have really happened? You expect to wake up in a different place, or with someone beside you. I have these all the time, and I must say it is getting a little eerie.

So last night I had a dream that took some odd turns. First, I was at work, sitting in my cube, typing away. The phone rang and it was someone I work with, Jason. Apparently, all permissions for customer service agents were gone and the agents were going to start transferring calls to me as I was the only one with full access...and oh by the way, could he monitor the calls I was taking. Knowing me as most of you reading this do, of course I said sure. So I proceeded to take CS calls for a couple of hours. Then my boss walked up and wanted to know what I was doing and why. I was in trouble!

So I had Angie come and take calls at my desk, while I got the permissions restored (which took all of 5 minutes). So basically, I had forgotten to just fix the problem instead of putting on a wacky band-aid. Great, Lindy!

Next, I was in this meeting where everyone seemed to be confused and didn’t understand what we were talking about – but I knew exactly what was going on. So I proceeded to start teaching a class instead of running this meeting – I was in front of a black board and was pointing to words with a piece of chalk – I turned around and everyone in the meeting was suddenly 8 years old. Someone even gave me an apple.

I left work, and went with work friends to Perlino’s (the greatest Italian restaurant in Atlanta) for a nice dinner. Justin gave us the full star treatment and we had a lot of wine and a lot of food. It was great! We left and most everyone drove off, but I was driving one person (previously referred to as the lobster).

The lobster and I got halfway back into town, when we decided to go to my place to watch a movie. My place was perfectly spotless (yeah, right) and we had a blast. Popped popcorn (not sure how we could eat anything) and had the surround sound on and watched The Last Samurai. The doorbell kept ringing and I had to go downstairs and answer it. It was the party neighbors twice and other neighbors the other 3 times – all needing to borrow something.

Finally, the place was quiet, and we enjoyed the movie – a lot! (Insert your own details here.) So things happened, ba-da-bing-ba-da-boom – no need to give more detail than that. And then I woke up.

So what does all this weirdness mean exactly? I’m no good at analyzing. It was very odd and I am having a hard time getting it out of my head this morning!

The Trouble with Lobsters

So I had a weird, but good day. Worked sucked - it is just really crazy right now - but there was a light at the end of the tunnel. The beauty of lobsters is that they are sweet and funny and light up my day. The trouble with said lobsters is that they aren't around all the time.

But, for me, as a wuss in the boy department, I try my best to let the men make the moves. I'm not good at it and I always expect the worst. But habits be damned, I went for it. Now my definition of going for it is completely different than most, but I'm a really good flirt and don't mind chatting about just about anything.

I don't tell people I like them - it's too hard for me. I have been badly burned in the past and try not to repeat history. But, I will tell someone that they are funny, or adorable, or that I like having them around, as long as it is within context that I can back out if needed. I'm such a wuss! I'll be an old maid one of these days.

But, I said something I wanted to say and it was well received. Wahoo! Now, I just have to wait a few weeks...darn! Okay, headed out to buy a Christmas Tree! Merry, Merry!

Skipping Bad Christmas Movies

Movie Review: Christmas with the Kranks and Shall We Dance?

So I have to say, that some times I see a movie because it is convenient for me. Christmas with the Kranks was one of those. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't really good either. It had one or two scenes that were cute or funny, but they were mostly in the trailer. Tim Allen, the holiday movie king, had some moments, but mostly this was forced. Botox, tanning salons, itsy bitsy teenie weenie bathing suits and the battle with the 10 foot tall Frosty were quite predictable and a bit disappointing. Jamie Lee Curtis has been pretty good of late, picking her spots. We barely see her (maybe 1 movie a year) and this was a poor follow-up to the remake of Freaky Friday. It's hard enough seeing her in the mom roles, but she is better suited for the undercover agent mom and the stiff upper lip body switched mom, then the buttoned up, holiday boycotting, buy a hickory honey ham at whatever cost mom. Save your holiday cash for something more worthy.

So the reason for Kranks was to kill time until Shall We Dance?. I am a sucker for Richard Gere - let's face it. He is a platinum beauty and worth every penny, no matter what the role. I haven't missed one of his movies in over 11 years - this would be no different. Granted, I waited a long time (bascially I had no time to see it previously) and had to drive to bumble to get this one done this weekend. But it was worth it.

Look, if I had to give it an overall rating, I would say it was a C+, but I try very hard not to put such labels on films. It's too subjective, after all. But this movie did a couple of things well - dancing and entertainment. This movie didn't need J Lo specifically, but she played her minimal part well. But as a movie, there was little development as to why Richard just had to start taking dance classes. He didn't seem interested in cheating on his wife with J Lo, but they implied that from the beginning. He wanted to feel happy and why looking at a dispondant J Lo in the dance studio window made him think that he should start dancing, I just will never fully understand. But after a weekend of serious movies, I needed something just for the entertainment value alone. Otherwise, my week would have started on a weird footing - and I have enough weirdness in my life as it is.

Look, Richard is no Fred Astaire - no one ever can be again. But he is light on his feet and managed to take a brash, blonde, trailer-trash type dancer and make her look elegant and high-class on the dance floor - that was a feat. And Susan Sarandon has such range and is so believable in every role she undertakes - it was worth the $6.50.

Being Spanglish

Movie Review: Spanglish and Being Julia

First, I have to start this out with a bit of a rant. Why must the movie companies build trailers that completely misrepresent the actual movie people are spending their hard earned cash to view? This happens way too often for my taste, but I think I am one of the view who might still enjoy the picture. Thus bringing me to Spanglish.

I'm not a big Adam Sandler fan to begin with. But I do truly enjoy James L. Brooks' movies. Adam basically plays Thomas Keller. For those of you not into restaurants or the wine country, Thomas Keller is the owner and operator of The French Laundry in Yountville (Napa), California. This is the most sought-after reservation in all of the U.S. and it is more of a performance art piece than a meal at a restaurant...but I digress.

This movie was marketed as a Romantic Comedy involving a family and their Spanish-speaking maid. Instead, this movie is about said maid and her dealings with an off-kilter American family and how she learns to make her way in Los Angeles. Well done, Mr. Brooks. I was taken by surprise, and there were a couple of scenes where it dragged a bit, but over all, a break from the mold. It needs a run through the editing room, but there were a lot of aspects of this movie that I really enjoyed. Personally, I think Cloris Leachman stole the movie. This is great as a rental, but if you are looking for something out of the ordinary, take the time to go see this one.

Next up, Being Julia. Okay, this movie took some odd turns, and Annette Bening plays a great narcisist, but it was not what I went in expecting. The movie was on a pretty good run, and then it took a strange left at revitalized actress and then seemed to flounder a bit until suddenly it all became clear. It was like watching a great Agatha Christie novel unfold where all the suspects are brought into the study to discuss everyone's motives and watch the masterful mind of Hercule Poirot point the finger at the killer and no one's lives will ever be the same again. Fun!

Most people will not get this movie and will most likely get lost half way through Act II, but those select few will love this crazy romp through 1938 London's theatre scene. Ahhhh, I should have been living in the 30's - I would have had some fun :) One note - there is not enough of Jeremy Irons in this movie.

Too Darn Hot...

Movie Review: Closer and Kinsey

Let me start off by saying that I did not intend to see two sex movies in one night. It was all in the timing and I don't make the movie schedules. I was an innocent bystander.

Seeming to be more like a play than a movie, Closer was still enjoyable...at times. There seemed to be a lot of fast forwarding going on, only I didn't have the remote. Years would pass between acts, and that was the most disconcerting part of this flick.

Now, take Natalie Portman out of the long robes and heavy makeup, and put her in stripper garb and dyed-fire engine red hair and you can hardly recognize her. She has such versatility - I'm impressed with her a lot. Julia Roberts can do just about anything and I will enjoy watching it, but sometimes need a little convincing - but not in this movie. The words coming out of her mouth - shocking! I love Jude Law (see previous posts) but Clive Owen needs help. He is good to look at, I don't mind the deep voice, but he was less than convincing in this tale.

Overall, I enjoyed the movie enough to not be sorry I paid for it, and being pulled in SO close to a movie, was a little off-putting to me. I think I need to sit on this one a bit longer to figure out if I really liked it or not. I know I did, but not sure what I really liked about it. It was different - and different is always welcomed. And Mike Nichols is a genius. I guess this was his point - to make you feel involved and force you to examine your own relationships. Wow - maybe I need therapy!

Next up, Kinsey...

According to the Kinsey report
ev'ry average man you know
much prefers to play his favorite sport
when the temperature is low
but when the thermometer goes way up
and the weather is sizzling hot

Cole Porter said it best (and usually does). But truly, these characters were NOT average men. They were young men willing to do anything for the cause - sure they were, it meant having sex ALL the time and with many different people. Warning - this movie is not for the timid, shy, innocent folks out there.

This movie was amazing. Now granted, there are a lot of graphic scenes and dialog, but it is warranted. (The poor girl behind me left as she had had enough at one point.) This is the story of a man trying to figure out sex from a scientific perspective. He was a revolutionary. This movie really gives insight into who Dr. Alfred Kinsey was in his day, even if it was dramatized. Liam Neeson fit into this role a little too easily, which makes you wonder.

I think this was an amazing piece of cinema, that many would never understand. However, if you don't mind the graphical content, you should see this movie. It's a dispassionate look into sex - hetero, homo, and bi - that does not preach about it, yet still recognizes the true evil of sexual predators. It isn't for everyone, but it is excellent.

Back to the North Pole

Movie Review: The Polar Express

Think back to when you were just a kid. You believed in Santa Claus, elves and the North Pole. Can you remember when you stopped believing? Was it all at once, or a gradual thing? For me, I can't really remember, but I miss that feeling. Life was so much easier back then and I was much more hopeful and was a real dreamer. That's how I felt when I watched The Polar Express.

The people look a little fake, but they are in digital animation form (even if helped along by performance capture technology and every character is played by Tom Hanks). It was a little longer than I expected, but it was a feel-good movie. I will say that in terms of the original book, it was a much shorter trip, indeed.

Now I think a lot of people don't like the movie so much since it is such a departure from the book (if I remember right, there are more characters on screen than in the book and I don't remember anything about the train derailing), but for a holiday movie trying to restore your faith in things you cannot see or touch, I think they did a really good job.

This is not the typical kid-movie fare, where the script is written as much for the adults as for the kids. But I think most adults will enjoy it for what it is - a fairy tale made for the big screen with action and drama. Overall, a fun ride. It really just put me more in the Christmas mood than I already was, but I don't ming paying $8 for that!

So the one thing that was most disconcerting about this movie was the music. Now I love Robert Zemeckis, but I think he did us a dis-service by hiring the composer from Back to the Future, Alan Silvestri. So the whole movie sounded like Back to the Ghost of Christmas Past.

A Lookee-loo With A Bundle Of Joy

Movie Review: Ocean's Twelve

Well, it must be sequel week as this is the second one for me in as many days. But truly, the only thing the same about Ocean's Twelve, are the characters and it is about a heist. Who says that is a bad thing? I sure as hell don't!

Take George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon in suits and you have a sure-fire hit with the ladies. But add in a heist or two, lots of misdirection, witty banter and in-fighting - you get a blockbuster worthy of seeing.

This movie had a few villians, lots of stuff to steal, complex schemes to steal said stuff and even had Julia Roberts making fun of herself (with a little help from her friends - hats off to Bruno). Steven Soderbergh knows how to make a sequel worth spending your hard-earned bucks on. He even shot this differently - it was more like Traffic than Ocean's Eleven (not a bad thing). The movie didn't even need to bring in new talent - enter Catherine Zeta-Jones, but she added a flair (and a love interest for Rusty).

So my advice to you, don't see this movie if you are expecting another Ocean's Eleven - you will be disappointed. In some ways, this movie is actually better. Look, who needs cookie cutter movies who just repeat themselves to death (say like Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason). I don't - I want something fresh, new, fun.

Why did movies have to stop being fun??? This movie was truly FUN!

Whister's Daughter

Movie Review: Blade: Trinity

So let it be said that I am a sucker for sequels. If I enjoyed the first movie, odds are I will spend the money (or at least the time) to see the 2nd and possibly 3rd movies in a series...I would guess that's why the studios keep on making them.

Thanks to Leslie at 99X and Nick at Chud, I don't have to spend as much money on these as I used to. Whew.

So the first Blade movie was really good - I love a good vampire hunter flick - not to mention, I'll watch Wesley Snipes do just about anything on screen - yummy! The second movie, left quite a bit to be desired. But this third one caught my eye during the trailer. Quippy characters, yummy co-stars and more vamps. I was sold. Honestly, it may have fallen lower on the list of priorities if I was going to have to shell out $7 or $8 on this one, but free is good.

So truly, this movie is more about the sleeper cells of vampire hunters known as The Nightstalkers - a band of misfits helping keep the vamp headcount to a minimum. Quite a shock since the first two movies implied that it was all Blade's work that kept the undead at bay. This gang of renegades has really cool weapons, a blind mastermind of a scientist who has created the vampire Ebola virus and her daughter who looks as sweet as honey, but comes up with doozies like "My friends are going to come and kill you." Next comes the kick ass Abigail, played by Jessical Biel - I have never been a big fan of hers, but her fighting style brought me back to the days of Buffy and the Scooby Gang. Then there is hottie, Ryan Reynolds, whose witty comments and buff exterior make him a welcomed addition to the Blade series. My friend Randee went out with him a couple times; she neglected to tell me how yummy he truly was.

Now, add the villains. The original vampire (known in folklore as Dracula), was kinda cool, and the disturbed Danica, played by Parker Posey round out the cast - can someone please find her a good endontist before it's too late?!?

Overall I enjoyed this movie much more than expected - I will probably buy the DVD only to watch Wesley and Ryan with their rippling muscles and washboard abs. What can I say, I'm a chick!

So this leads me to rate some all time sequels in their order of greatness. Enjoy!

Star Wars Series:
1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. A New Hope
3. Return of the Jedi
4. Revenge of the Sith (I hope)
5. Attack of the Clones
6. The Phantom Menace

Alien Series:
1. Aliens
2. Alien
33. (tie) Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection

Star Trek Series (the original):
1. The Wrath of Khan
2. The Voyage Home
3. The Undiscovered Country
4. The Search for Spock
5. The Motion Picture
6. The Final Frontier

Star Trek: The Next Generation Series: (you cannot rate these with the original)
1. First Contact
2. Generations
3. Nemesis
4. Insurrection

Indiana Jones Series:
1. Raiders of the Lost Ark
2. The Last Crusade
?. Indiana Jones 4 (this has to be better then TOD)
13. Temple of Doom

Jason Bourne Series: **honorable mention since it rarely happens that the sequel is that much better than the original.
1. The Bourne Supremacy
2. The Bourne Identity

That's all I can think of right now - I'm sure I will add more later. I never saw any of the Godfather flicks, which is why they do not appear in this post.