Deluisions of Grandeur

LONGEST. 24. HOURS. EVER.

2005-08-08T08:21:00.000-07:00

Staying up 24 hours, typing pretty much non-stop through the whole thing, introduces you and your body to a new and wonderful brand of pain. Blogathon was a great experience, though. One that I'll likely repeat next year. Juli is already kicking around the idea of a round robin fiction thing. Sounds cool, but we'd certainly need at least four people total. We've got plenty of time to think about it, to be sure.

The final product is an interesting read. Our three tastes in music are very different, and as a result, we cover a wide spectrum of music. Best of all, the three of us bonded. Having Lisa and Joe hang out was cool, because it was almost like a meeting of two worlds.

I slept until 2PM, then proceeded to ice my hands and just relax. Which is a lie, really, as I was on the computer lots, just not doing anything really thought-intensive other than update a character's journal in a role-playing game I play.

So today, Monday, I'm feeling a little better though my fingers are still killing me. But it's worth it. FINCA International is a great cause. Joe and Lisa are great friends. ***Dave did a great job with his, too. He's a trooper, because I don't know that I would have made it all the way through if it were just me.

But I did make it, and now I post this little graphic up with pride.

BLOGATHON 2005

2005-08-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

http://craftservices.blogspot.com

I am a member of Team Craft Services, a group of four posting to a blog every 30 minutes for 24 hours. We'll be discussing music, with all proceeds going to FINCA International.

FINCA (The Foundation for International Community Assistance) has been helping families to create their own solutions to poverty since 1984. FINCA provides financial services to the world's poorest families so they can create their own jobs, raise household incomes, and improve their standard of living. We deliver these services through a global network of locally managed, self-supporting institutions. We offer small loans and a savings program to those turned down by traditional banks, believing that even the poor have a right to financial services. With these loans, families can invest in, and build, their own small businesses and their income-earning capacity.

You have until August 9th to pledge. Click on "Craft Service/FINCA International" link on the sidebar to do so. Donations are not acutally paid until August 14th.

Please pledge to make a donation, even if it's just for a dollar.

QUIET AS A MOUSE

2005-08-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

Things have been quite obviously quite on here this past week. Last weekend I saw two movies, the unimpressive SKY HIGH and the infinitely better THE WEDDING CRASHERS. I had planned to write reviews for the two films, but between planning for my team blogathon effort and assorted other random stuff happening, I didn't get around to it. And now the moment's gone, so my first review will have to wait until next weekend, because I refuse to see THE DUKES OF HAZZARD.

I LOVED the Dukes of Hazzard on TV. It's almost like admitting to alcoholism or some other dirty little secret. My favorite character when I was a kid was always Sheriff Roscoe P. Coletrain. "I love it when a plan comes together," and then he'd do that trademark chuckle/guffaw thing. And then there was his faithful companion Flash, the bloodhound that would just sit in the front seat of the police car, ocassionally giving Roscoe what we can only assume is a very meaningful look. Ah Roscoe, will you ever get them Duke boys?

My love for the show is precisely why I will NOT go see the remake. Jessica Simpson is certainly part of that pool of people I completely can't stand in entertainment. Jessica Simpson, Penelope Cruz, Halle Berry, Julia Roberts (though I think she redeemed herself with Closer)... this is a tangent. Back to point. Some things are just so good (or so crappy) that they're sacred.

Could you imagine an A-Team remake without the original cast? Or one with mostly the same cast, only after aging a couple decades? Face's face isn't quite so alluring any more? Murdock's insanity a little subdued. Mr. T ravaged by lactose-intolerance, so the tried and true "slipping a Mickey into his milk to get him on a plane" is rendered useless. I'd cry, then rage, then cry some more.

And since no major studio movie is (rightfully so, given the laws of diminished collective intelligence regarding moviegoers) stupid enough to release against DoH, all we're left with are five indies, none of which interest me (no matter how hot Zhang Ziyi is... and she is... I just can't get into Asian cinema). So I'm stuck with older films. STEALTH is right out. MUST LOVE DOGS is really the only movie I'd even consider, but I don't think we're going to go there.

I had discussed the decline in box office numbers and if it was cause for alarm with my friend Kat, or rather, I had asked her about it in a little friendly interview. She's very insightful when it comes to film, as she's going to be a director in the not-too-distant future (it's more a "when" than an "if" I think). My answer is quite simple: Where is the quality this year? By and large, this year has been one of unimpressive, uninspired movies. There's been no real standouts; nothing truly memorable. The summer is supposed to be the big movie season: the bloated, fuck all, balls-to-the-wall popcorn munchers; the star-vehicles; awesome comedies. And we've had, what? Batman Begins, The Wedding Crashers, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Fine films, but ultimately forgettable. Hollywood needs a shot of innovation and inspiration.

So, in summary. No reviews until next weekend, when my wife and I will do our very best to watch FOUR BROTHERS, THE GREAT RAID and THE SKELETON KEY.

FROM THE ASHES, LIKE THE MIGHTY PHOENIX(And other poetical type crap like that there)

2005-07-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

Let's hope this entry goes better than the first, shall we? Let's shall. Okay. Deep breaths. Center. Align the chakras. I hereby close this Word document without saving as a sacrifice to the Techno gods.

Huh? I am not a bum. I'm a jerk. I once had wealth, power, and the love of a beautiful woman. Now I only have two things: my friends and... uh... my thermos. Huh? My story? Okay. It was never easy for me. I was born a poor black child. I remember the days, sittin' on the porch with my family, singin' and dancin' down in Mississippi...

I think it's fitting to start things off with a movie quote. If you know me, then you do too. I'll risk being labelled insensitive in this country currently obsessed... oversessed (is that even a word?) with political correctness, for a smile. A laugh would be even better. Making people laugh is one of those things I live for.

I'm not new to blogging. In fact, check my profile and you'll see I've had this account since February of 2001. I started my first blog before people knew about Livejournal, when online journaling was new and innovative and so very cool. I remember reading Wendi Strang-Frost's journal, then making my own and talking Doyce Testerman into getting his own. So Wendi begat Rey. Rey begat Doyce. Doyce begat ***Dave. ***Dave begat the seven nations of Judea...no, that's the wrong story. But that's the genealogy I remember. It was four-and-a-half years ago, and while D&D have succeeded with the whole blog thing, my blogging endeavors are usually short lived.

Why, then, did I decide to try yet again? Beats the hell out of me. Actually, I decided I would participate in Blogathon 2005 this year (Note to self: Talk to Joe and Gina to see if they want to do a team thing) and I didn't want to use LJ or GJ for it. The journal services make it difficult, at least for me, to just speak my mind. They are full of high school type dramatics. While I've made many wonderful acquaintances, and even a few friends, the whole friends list thing make journals a perfect tool for communication, but not necessarily self-expression. At least not for me. And maybe I need to do more of that. There's a certain liberation in just writing something, not knowing if anyone is going to read it. And to indulge my vain and selfish sides, I want people to take the tiniest bit of effort to read what's on my mind.

Right. Ramble over. It's oddly good to be back. Here's hoping I stick to it this time.

SWEET MERCIFUL CRAP

2005-07-25T12:42:00.001-07:00

So I wrote this really long entry to reintroduce myself into the world of "legitimate" blogging, and I accidentally navigated away from the page, thereby sending the entry to Davey Jones' Locker.

So I grumbled and typed in a brand new entry, not nearly as clever as the first. I finished it, and clicked on Publish...

While trying to retrieve the URL: http://www.blogger.com/post-create.do
The following error was encountered:
Read Error
The system returned: (104) Connection reset by peer
An error condition occurred while reading data from the network. Please retry your request.
Your cache administrator is webmaster.

Haha, I'm having a great start, aren't I? Excuse me while I jump off a bridge. Watch this space for an actual first entry when I'm not about to throw things. Like this computer.