Olympian

October 31, 2001

I am el nino!
All other tropical storms must bow before el nino!!

Yo soy el nino!!!

For those of you who don't habla espanol ...el nino is spanish for...

THE NINO!

posted at 12:56 PM

--

October 30, 2001
Instead of a midlife crisis, is it possible to just have a crisis?

I haven't the motivation to do anything lately. Partially because I'm crippled now, partially because I'm recovering from the Plague.

I have however managed to see two movies since Friday. From Hell and K-PAX.
From Hell...what an amazing film. And by amazing film I don't necessarily mean great acting, believable script...I mean fan-fucking-tastic direction and visual effects. It completely drew me in and I was held captive for the entire 2 some-odd hours.
I can't even begin to explain how awesome the film looked. The colors were vivid and they seemed to pop out of the screen at you. The directors managed to capture the feel of Victorian England perfectly. (aside from heather graham...she didn't fit the look at all)

Johnny Depp was perfect in his role of Inspector Abberline, but it's a role that he is accustomed to after playing Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow and Corso in the 9th gate.
He's too smart, too savy and too sexy for his own good.

By far one of the best scenes I've ever seen was in this film. The directors had a straight on close up shot of one of the prostitute/victims. She was standing there waiting for her suitor to come a following. Next thing you know, someone walks in front of the screen, completely blacking it out for a mere second. As the stranger/ripper passes, you realize that the prostitute/victim standing there isn't normal. Suddenly, as she tries to breathe, a spray of blood bursts forth from her neck as you notice her neck has been slit. I nearly stood up and cheered.

Other bits that are just fabulous...
None of the actual killing is blatantly shown. It's done with flashes of the knife, between movements of the body...it's a hidden and secretive dance that seems to make it more gory than the movie really is. Because you can't see it happening, you're forced to fill in the blanks and your imagination almost always makes it worse.

I was so wrapped up in watching the film, the movement, the costumes, the surroundings that I didn't pay much attention to Johnny's predictable acting or Heather Graham's lack of...
I highly recommend seeing this movie if you're moved by visuals.

K-PAX was great, too. Not nearly as moving as From Hell, but still great. I had just finished the book last night, and saw it tonight...so it was still fresh in my mind.
I found that the movie was nearly identical to the book, making only minor changes in peoples ages or personalities. Having read the book made the movie predictable but it did manage to persuade me to change my opinion on Kevin Spacey's character, prot.
I can't say too much about how it effected me without giving away the ending...but I will say this. After reading the book I wasn't sure what I believed, when I watched the movie, I was able to make a decision.

Have any of you seen this?

Mysty, I know you hated From Hell...we just can't get it together on movies, can we ?

Roger Ebert liked it. I don't know why I trust him but I do. :)
posted at 12:56 AM

--

October 26, 2001

Amy and me drunk as all get out.
Notice, I have a lime in my hand so that I could suck away the alcohol taste after drinking. I'm not that much of a drinker so anything tastes bad to me. Besides these yummy lemon-tasting shot we did.

We have fun together, we do. Once, when we were about 18, we drove around with her friend Kevin's electric bullhorn and yelled at people in Royal Oak. We pretended we were the people at Cedar Point. "Keep hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times and enjoy your day here at Cedar Point". Sure, laugh all you want. Geeks! Yeah, I know.

Another time, when we were about 20 (?) we decided to spend New Years in Toronto. (backstory: I had this thing where I absolutely needed to spend New Years Eve in a different city every year. So far its been Detroit, London, New York, Toronto, Cancun, Chicago and one more I can't remember. Isn't that horrible?) Anyway, we were going with my friend Vic but the only way we could ease our parents minds was to say that vic was totally gay...gay as the day is long. Which was a complete and total lie. But they didn't need to know. This trip to TO had to be a very cheap one because all three of us were lowly college students with no money but big plans. What's a good way to save money? Bring your own food!!!! HA! We brought all of this food thinking we would save money....and ate nary a bite. I should also mention that we hardly ever left the hotel room before 5pm and everything in Toronto seems to close at 6pm. We also tricked Vic into going to a gay bar on New Years Eve , saying 'oh yeah, we think its a straight bar, we don't really know'. Ha. He still managed to hook up with the only other woman in the place.

Amy's been there for everything. Very rarely do you have a friend in your life that you can do everything around and say anything to and not even worry about ever losing them as a friend.
Its awesome.

I love amy.
posted at 12:41 PM

--

October 25, 2001
The song that gets me every time:

"Some day, when I'm awfully low,
When the world is cold,
I will feel a glow just thinking of you...
And the way you look tonight."

It reminds me of days that I spent my time smiling my fool head off. Wandering around, giddy, wanting so badly to touch his arm/hand/leg/skin/anything that I would shake. Going out to dinner and not being able to eat. Sitting at home, waiting for an email to say "I'm president of the am fan club". Stupid idiotic stuff that always fades away too soon.

"Yes you're lovely, with your smile so warm
And your cheeks so soft,
There is nothing for me but to love you,
And the way you look tonight."

It makes me close my eyes and picture perfectly the way his room looked, the way his apartment was arranged. How we smoked on the balcony and yelled for the ducks that never came. It makes me feel warm. Not summer heat warm but more of that its freezing outside and you've got flannel sheets on the bed warm. I can still feel his arms (so goddamned soft and strong) around me while the hard cushions on his couch broke my back. Its love. Its love. Its love when you would rather sit through and be uncomfortable just so you can be a little closer to that person.

"With each word your tenderness grows,
Tearing my fear apart...
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose,
It touches my foolish heart."

It reminds me of watching videos on a lazy spring afternoon, not having to say a word to eachother but already knowing what's being thought.
Giggling about nothing important, wanting nothing more in the world but 5 more minutes to spend together.
The ache in my heart when he smiled. It did more than light up the whole room. It enchanted everyone in a 5 mile radius. It made you dizzy with excitement, crazy with the thought that anything in the world was possible as long as he was there. We made plans for the future. We picked out bedroom furniture. We named our (non-exsistant) dog and children....We grew old together in the span of 2 months.

"Lovely ... Never, ever change.
Keep that breathless charm.
Won't you please arrange it ?
'Cause I love you ... Just the way you look tonight."

The way he would sit and listen to me when I told a story. His eyes never strayed. When I gave him a letter about how he inspired me, he cried. He just held my hand and told me he loved me. I remember the feel of his jacket on my cheek and the way his arms fit around me just right. He smelled of cologne and cigarettes. Of hairstuffs and aftershave. Sweet smells, soft smells. His smells.
His eyes.
His hair.
His hands....I still remember it all. its burned into my soul and its painful. It physically hurts to remember but I'll never forget.

"Mm, Mm, Mm, Mm,
Just the way you look to-night"
posted at 9:16 AM

--

October 23, 2001
I am so sick.

and apparently I have either pulled a muscle or am having muscle spasms or nerve damage to my hip. I walk like an 80 year old man.

I'm so pathetic. Don't I sound like a winner?

I'm to that point of sickness where you don't want to lay down anymore, but you're too weak to do anything else. I want to lay in bed and watch Hong Kong movies all day...but I ache from just laying there. I'm starving but nothing sounds good and I can't taste it anyway. I can't sleep anymore but my eyes are too heavy to stay open.

Whine. Bitch. Moan.
posted at 10:19 PM

--

October 18, 2001
I forgot to say the coolest thing that happened on saturday.

In addition to rollerskating, we also went to the bar Pronto Too in Ferndale where my friend Brian works.
I'm waiting out in the lobby...and there he goes walkin by. It's RUDE JUDE FROM THE JENNY JONES SHOW!!!!!!

Now, mind you, I don't watch this show. I usually have it on in the background waiting for Conan to come on....

But I was so excited to see him. He was so nice.

Rude Jude Rocks.

posted at 12:59 AM

--

October 17, 2001
"With your feet in the air and your head on the ground"

Bear with me while I attempt to permanently fix this comment section. I think it's actually a good idea...interactive journal reading. Or something.

I tried to post last night, but apparently @home's router was down in my area so that nix'd that idea. You know how bad it sucks when you want to write about something, you've got this witty post all lined up but then you can't do anything with it? I could have written it on paper then transferred it for when my router was back up, but that just seemed like too much work. I went to bed instead.

And of course, today I don't feel like writing about my rollerskating experiences. I have such a busy day today and all I want to do is go back to bed and sleep.

Also, I think my "allergy free" down comforter is no longer allergy free. You see, I'm allergic to feathers. BUT...I found this great allergy free comforter with special sonically cleaned feathers. I bought into the propeganda that "it's not the actual feathers you're allergic to but merely the dirt and dander and mites and other crap lingering around on the thing". Hm. When I have to take an allergy pill before I go to bed to make sure I don't wake up in the middle of the night sneezing my fool head off, I would assume that the "allergy free" is a lie.
This upsets me to no end.

I shake my fist at you allergies.

Or I could just have anthrax. It has cold like symptoms, yes?

They're locking my mom's building down. Putting it on extremely high security. They're even building a 'safe-zone' area to open all of the mail. No one is allowed to joke about anthrax for fear of immediate termination. They're hiring in ex-military people to patrol the building.
It's freaky. But at least they're not taking any risks. Apparently there were three scares already.

What constitutes an Anthrax scare, anyway?
"hey bob, you got some white powder on your shirt there..."
"OH SHIT NO WAY! I was just opening my mail and....damnit. I must have the Anthrax"
"Shit dude, get away from me"
Bob pokes finger into Anthrax-like powder and examines the contents. "oh.......... you know what, this is powdered sugar from that donut I ate earlier."
"Woo, that was a close one Bob...a real scare!"

Poor poor taste.

I'm late.

posted at 10:37 AM

--

October 16, 2001
After posting that yesterday....I've realized something. Didn't they already let the rabbit eat the trix? Wasn't there a contest you could do, if you bought the box of Trix you could send in your vote from the back of the box? I think the rabbit won by a landslide, though I can't be sure.

What a horrible marketing ploy. Make children feel bad about this poor rabbit who goes out of his way to eat this cereal ...but then just as he's about to get some, snatch it away saying "silly rabbit, trix are for kids". It just bothers me.

Anyway. I went rollerskating on saturday. Good lord. I felt 14 all over again. At least they played "Pour Some Sugar On Me" by Def Leppard and "Push It" by Salt n Peppa.
It was totally old school style, right there yo.

There's a lot to tell about it, but I'm actually on my way out the door. Look for more later.
posted at 2:12 PM

--

October 15, 2001
Please Let the damn rabbit eat his Trix!!!
posted at 1:33 PM

--

October 12, 2001
This is pretty damn funny:

WIllie Wonka, homie style, yo.

posted at 6:49 PM

--

October 09, 2001
"but you comin back to me is against the odds..."

I was driving home from my parents house and I was bored with what was on the radio. I was bored with my cds. I needed something good to listen to because number one I am sick and number two it's a long drive when it's silent.
So, I'm flipping channels.
The first song I come to is "Honky Tonk Woman" by The Rolling Stones.

This song is incredible. It reminds me of being young and hanging out with my dad's side of the family during family parties. It reminds me of a time when everyone on that side honestly got along instead of this "lets get along only because we're family but not because we really like eachother" bullshit that's going on now. It was those times when my Uncle D. still lived here and my Uncle R. was still practicing karate. I used to follow him around, stars in my eyes, hoping that he'd kick or punch something. He was only something like 13 years older than me...so my earliest memories are still with him as a teenager. He was one of Michigan's top karate champs. He even given a special award by Chuck Norris. How fucking unbelievable is that? Probably not very much for you...but damn, I love me some Chuck Norris. Anyway...
That song is about times when everyone would sit around, food would be cooking, everyone would be laughing. My grandpa would break out his guitar and play some really cool blues-rock. My mom still had long long hair and looked like an asian princess. It was a great fun time. If memories could smile, this would would be grinning ear to ear.

The next song I heard was "Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)" by Phil Collins. Continue laughing. I still don't care. This song was the theme song for the movie of the same name, starring Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward. I've loved Rachel Ward since the love birds. I'm a big big sucker for the Thorn Birds. In fact the two movies that have shaped and misshaped my romantic ideals in life have been Against all Odds and The Thorn Birds. Anyway, Against All Odds. 80s movie extraordinaire. Bad ex-football player turn mafia type hoodlum pays Jeff Bridges to find bad guy's ex-girlfriend. Meanwhile, Jeff finds her, falls in love...bad guy finds out...fighting ensues...break up of friendships and relationships. Love Triangle of sorts. Bad guy wants girl, Girl wants Jeff, Jeff wants girl but...girl doesn't think that she should be with Jeff because of the problems and residual feelings she has for bad guy. BIg mess. I remember the first time I saw this movie I had to be about 9. I cried at the end because they obviously loved eachother very much but due to extenuating circumstances, they can't be together. This is a constant theme in my life.
Who hasn't felt like Phil ..."So take a look at me now There's just an empty space...And you coming back to me is against the odds....And that's what I've got to face" That reeks of junior high break ups. Crying into your pillow. Every other cliche in the book. I love cliches.
Maybe I'm just more emotionally charged than most people.

I don't know. I'm not always tacky. I also cry when I listen to Salamandrina by Einsturzende Neubauten....so sue me.

I have an idea for a script. I'm pretty excited about it finally being able to come together. It's a conglomeration between several things in my life, things I've been thinking about for years and several songs that I have recently rediscovered and fallen back in love with.
One of these songs is "Last Goodbye" by Jeff Buckley

I've also discovered almost every memory revolves around music. Is this common? I know that the two things that recover memories most effectively are scents and sounds. But, I just wonder how many people actually have a soundtrack to their life.
Speaking of soundtracks.

The best song ever, hands down, is the main theme to American Beauty. It conveys every feeling that is humanly possible.
Or perhaps I'm just talkin crazy cos I'm tired.

You decide. What would be the soundtrack to your life?
posted at 11:59 PM

--

October 08, 2001
I'm mad.

Mad. mad mad.

Clive isn't coming to Michigan in ten days. He's cancelled.
So. I"m cancelling him for an extended period of time.

BOO to you , Mr. Barker.You made me excited for your upcoming visit...you made friends go out of their way to get their tickets to see you...you scheduled and cancelled.
I'm angry at you. Yes. I'm angry AT you.

What is so damned important about LA that you have to centralize your events around that location? Just because you and morrissey live there does not make it the only place on earth that you can be. In fact, now I hate LA ten times more than before. I loathe LA. I rue the day that LA was founded.
I shake my fist in your general direction.

SO yes. I'm cancelling you , Clive Barker. You will not be allowed to be in my thoughts or I will not be reading your books for ...as long as I can stand because I just bought your new book, damnit. But, that makes me more mad because I bought it specifically for your signing ....THAT YOU ARE NOT HAVING.

Michigan is a good place. It's better than your fake plastic LA.....GRR.
posted at 9:56 PM

--

October 04, 2001
They're developing a vaccination for people affected by mad cow disease.

We were discussing this last night, wondering why they would want to treat people affected by it rather than the cows themselves.
But we came to the conclusion that no one would want to eat "formerly mad" cow meat.

I was laughing for about 30 minutes straight on that one.

"I mean, he was mad, but that was a long time ago. He's gotten his life back together. He's even applied for a part time job!"

Laughter so hard I cried, I tell you.

Remember, I get extraordinarly stupid when I'm tired :)
posted at 11:23 PM

--
S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT!!!!

Sorry for the delay in posting..I've been especially moody lately and don't feel like whining a whole lot. Generally when I get moody I "hibernate". I got this term from my friend Amy whose good friend Kevin used to do this to exercise his drama queen muscles.
I just tend to shut myself off from everyone and deal with it as it comes. Once I'm back to being normal again, I go back out to into the welcoming arms of my public. ha.

Yeah, so in addition to being mopey, I've been trying to find a job. No. Scratch that. I've been trying to find a career. How pretentious does that sound? I know. I know. I need the money so I should just go get a shit job to help pay the bills. But for some reason, I can't. I feel like a complete asshole for admitting that, but it's true. The hella sweet job that I had lined up fell through because the recruiter was lazy. I guess that's what I get for bragging, really. It's not like I'm being particularly picky, either. I just don't want a job where I make 5 bucks an hour OR have to be someone's secretary. I just don't have the personality for it. I'm too angry. I can't smile politely while I go and get some jackass their coffee.

There was a job I applied for, that I thought "why the hell not." Adult Chat Room Moderator. In All Female Office Situation.
Either that was meant to entice the opposite sex or make other females feel comfortable. I'm not sure. I've worked with all females before. It's not pretty.

I saw Hearts in Atlantis and Zoolander over the weekend. Talk about a huge gap between those two films.
Zoolander was especially stupid and wonderfully funny. (A laugh-riot!! Says the Seattle Times! Uproariously Funny! Says the Ohio Tribune!)
I really appreciate Ben Stiller's sense of humor.
(would there be an apostrophe s or just s? the sense of humor belongs to ben stiller.....good lord. I just woke up. I can't handle grammar this early)

Anyway, as I was saying. I appreciate his sense of humor. It's not as filty as, say, Chris Rock or as stupid as Jim Carrey. Though, I do appreciate their individual humors as well. It's more serious funny. I don't know. You've seen Cable Guy, you've seen mystery men. It's definately a different kind of humor.
And any movie with Will Ferrell is a damn fine film. A lot of people don't really get into that "silly" kind of stuff. I know. Sometimes you just need to step back and not think and just laugh your damn head off.

I thought it was especially funny after having spent all of friday night with those angry models.

And, Hearts of Atlantis. Great film. I loved the book and was kind of nervous about the screen adaptation. I thought it might be difficult to capture the essence of the story because the book is sort of told in three parts. The movie, however, dealt with only one side of those stories. The main story of Bobby and Ted Brautigan. The casting of this movie couldn't have been any better. Anthony Hopkins makes you want to jump out of your seat and go up and give the man a big huge hug. He's so welcoming and warm that you can't even imagine that he is the same guy who cooks peoples brains and has old friends for dinner.
Though, he did deliver many lines in the same intense manner, it was the look of him that made it feel different.
The only problem I have with this book is that it left a lot of things up in the air if you haven't read the story. They didn't explain the low-men at all. They didn't give you a feel of why Ted went into trances. There was a lot of history missing.
I don't know if I would have liked this movie if I hadn't read the book.
I wish I could go back and see it through "virgin" eyes.

Oh well.

Off to the doctor.
posted at 12:08 PM

--