LORDS OF THE MOVIE MARATHON!










Amber and I did today what we have spent many a conversation contemplating. We watched the Lord of the Rings Trilogy (extended versions) back to back to back. We are in New York alone for the holidays and it seemed like a perfect way to spend an entire day with nothing to do. So here is the strategy we used to acomplish what some might say is the impossible... To watch a straight eleven hours of LOTR..
First- Exersize early- we walked the dogs to the park and then to the store for junk food (We are athletes, mind you).
Second- Well planned eating schedule-
1-Captain Crunch for breakfast
2-McDonalds for lunch (zaps all energy that would keep you from wanting to move during daytime)
3-Chips and dip + cheese puffs (for end of first movie, stamina is what I'm talking about here)
4-Energy drinks around Two Towers (prevents slipping into coma after McDs and other junk)
5-Chinese for dinner at half hour mark of Return...
6-Keep Sour Jacks in close proxemity at all times.
7-Green iced tea all day long (antioxidents help body fight all that immune system crushing sugar)
We Started at 11:50 am EST Sunday and finished at 12:41 am EST the next day (Oh Merry Cristmas all). Eleven hours of LOTR stretched into 12 hours 51 minutes with bathroom breaks and taken phone calls.
In conclusion it has been quite a journey we have been on today. A journey I would recomend to anyone who thinks they are as hard core as Amber and I are. Not many are though I imagine. The movies move very quickly and here at the end it doesn't feel like we just sat through all three. Peace Out and Merry Christmas!

You Probably did not hear it here first.
The new Shins album is due in January, and they have a video for the single Phantom Limb on youtube. Check it out if this link works, if not cut and paste. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkITsv3Nk6M

Happy Birthday Mr. Burt!

Welcome to the old man club. Trimming nose hair is soo fun.

Running with the bulls.
Christmas shopping is more fun when you are at a loss for oxygen because the sidewalks are packed from buildings to street with angry people. Merry New York Christmas.

It's the, the, the, THE GRINCH!

We saw The Grinch on Broadway this last Thursday. The theatre was beautiful and full of wide eyed little kids. It was a very fun show, although the magic of the film is probably unattainable on stage. Patrick Page (who previously played Scar in the stage version of The Lion King) was menacing and charming and really made the show. I would recomend the show for families with small children.

NYFA Has A Blog!
My class has started a blog at nyfaclass.blogspot.com so check it out and you can see all my nerdy friends talking about nothing but movies (not that anything else matters). KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

Movies To Check Out:
Some recent favorites of mine (I've had a little free time)
Theatre
Casino Royale
The Fountain
Marie Antoinette
Video
Deer Hunter
Curious George
Millions
Ed Wood
Thank You For Smoking
She's the Man
The Proposition
Postman Always Rings Twice

One Man's Treasure...

There is a very intersting phenomena that happens in an apartment riddled city like New York. People leave apartments all the time and moving furniture is a giant pain. So much so, that an alternative to moving all your stuff is just leaving your furniture behind when you relocate. It is a big factor in this phenomena that movers and vans and packing supplies actually cost more than just replacing the furniture from Ikea. Having said all this my very good friend Lucas has introduced me to the art of furniture scavaging. All this furiture that people leave behind usually just gets put to the curb on trash night by the landlords. So when one finds a piece that might just fit in their apartment they are not only getting free furniture they are saving the landfill space. Lucas has found a couple of nice pieces in the last year and called me tonight to let me know of an armoire that he spotted on the curb in front of his building (Amber has been looking for just such a piece). So we wandered over and snagged that beauty before anyone could beat us to the punch. Getting it up the stairs was a reminder that I really want to leave all of my furniture here when I move (we don't have an elevator and we live on the fifth floor). A big thank you to the very nice young man who lives in our building and helped me get it up the stairs out of the kindness of his heart.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!



Hey everyone, we braved the elements to see the Macy's Day Parade. We saw Gloria Esteban, Hall and Oates, Emmit Smith, Julie Andrews and some nice young rap star named Chris Brown (He seemed very nice). The marching bands rocked! Well we froze and got soaked but it was a blast and got home in time to see the end of the parade on TV because we were watching from where it started uptown.

I endured as long as I could. After four years of being married and more importantly, four long years of denying Amber the opportunity to color my hair... I finally gave in. This is before and after the haircut and a bit of fadding.

Bond, James Bond
Go see the new bond. Eva Green is the perfect reason if you are out of them. She is a new force in Hollywood, at least I am a huge fan. The action is non-stop and if you can keep breathing the whole time you will have a blast.

Late October Review

Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins and The Killers, How much can one person handle. First Jenny Lewis, she along with the twins and her great band put on a fantastic show. The music and dancing was very fun, but her voice carried the whole show and left everyone wanting more. She is a loved performer and even had reasonably priced t-shirts ($15). The Killers, expensive T's ($30) and a mediocre venue, The Theatre at Madison Square Garden (don't got to a show in the 300 section not cool) not the stadium but an underground theatre with very low ceilings. BUT, The Killers rocked and although we were too far away from the sound system and the band frankly the energy was still getting us going all the way back. The show was great fun and the band was terrific.

Marie Antoinette

This may very well not be one of the best movies of the year, but it is one of my favorites by far. I loved every minute of this film. Sofia Coppola says so much about her characters and story with out an overload of heavy diologue, she lets her camera film and we as an audience get a chance to feel.

The Departed
It has been a big week in my world!
New albums from The Killers and The Decemberists, both of which are terrific, started the week off with a bang. The boom came today when I saw The Departed, Martin Scorsese's new film, a remake the Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs. I mention the fact that it is a remake so that I can say that from frame one it is a Martin Scorsese film. It is fierce, brutal, and unaplogetic. Say what you will about Scorsese, he is not for everyone maybe, but his films bleed passion and and truth even if playing out as the opera they tend to. He releases a film once every two years or so and I begin waiting for them as soon as the credits role on the last one. Scorsese at his tender age is making films with more guts than most any filmmaker half his age. Quintin Tarantino claimed that directing is a young man's job, I give you my two favorite action films of 2006: Miami Vice by 63 year young Michael Mann and The Departed by 64 year young Martin Scorsese.

Lucas and Eric's Big Adventure.
Lucas needed to go downtown and check on buying a cable for music recording and I happened to be on vacation for the week so ventured out in the big city to wander around for a while. We got off the subway and headed in the direction of Times Square where the music shop was located and we were stopped by the producers of the Dr. Keith Ablow show. He snuck up behind us and before we could run were being interviewed for a "what the people on the street think" segment. It was actually fun and he was very nice. I will update if we find when the show airs, it is new I am not sure it airs on the west coast, should be sometime next week. We then saw Nellie Furtado do a live show in the middle of Times Square. We were then wandering uptown and came across the Letterman show taping a segment on a side street and they crashed a car almost into a crowd of gathering viewers. As we were leaving the late show building were heard some cool music coming from a back door of the Roseland venue and we walked around to the front only to realize the cool music we heard was a sound check for the Racontours who were putting on a show that night. Never a dull moment in the NYC, and stay tuned for the details of Malinda's big night with Conan O'Brien.

"Revenge"
I have just completed shooting my first semester final film project. I have screened the footage but have not begun editing yet. I am very proud of the work and will keep updating as the project moves forward. I do have to say that half way through film school I feel as though I am hitting my stride as a student of the great art.

The Black Daliha Sucks!
I am sorry but don't waste your money.

Hello Everybody,
Sorry for the delay in posts I have been prepping my first term movie. I am remaking an Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode. I have condensded it down quite a bit but I am very excited to film on Wednesday. I have a couple of terrific actors and I think we will make something to be proud of. Since I wrote last Andrea and I tried to crash the VMA's. We couldn't get within a block and a half but we had fun. We got home and watched one of the worst produced award shows I have ever seen. The Killer's were one of the few bright spots which leads me to my next point. Amber Lucas Malinda and I are going to see The Killer's in October at Madison Square Garden. 75% of us are completly stoked and Malinda will be converted asap. I also got the Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley) CD and I am enjoying it, and Amber and I are going to see her in October as well. Lots of news and tired fingers, I will contact you all after I finish shooting so have fun!

RIP
Steve Irwin, the crocidile hunter, was killed just off the coast of Australia today. When Amber and I first started hanging out we would watch his show together into the wee hours of the night. Ever annoying he has always held a special place in my heart.

Andrea takes a bite out of the big apple!


She has come to the city with an appetite to explore.


Yesterday we went by Central Park and down fifth ave stopping at Trump Tower for Starbucks. On our way to Times Square where we had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. Horrray for overpriced ham- burgers!


Today we went to the South Street Seaport for lunch. We then walked down to the financial district to check out the World Trade Center Memorial Cite were a new display of pictures has been put up to commemorate the fifth aniversary.

Lastly we checked out Wall St to make sure it wasn't just a bunch of Bull.

IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN A PREVIEW FOR "THE DEPARTED" THE NEW MARTIN SCORSESE FILM GO TO APPLE.COM AND WATCH IT NOW.

Subways Are Cool
A true benefit of living in the boondocks of Manhattan is that I have plenty of reading time on the city's fine subway system.
Although they can be hotter than the firery pitts (my theory is that because they are so far below ground it's just that much closer to hell) the cars themselves are air conditioned (most of the time) and my roughly half hour commute has provided me the time to read two books in the last month. Freakenomics is terrific I am almost done, and You're Only as Good as Your Last One, film industry book, was equally entertaining. Three cheers for not having to watch the road on the way to work.

New Film From Wes Anderson
"The Darjeeling Limited" is set to shoot this Decmber in India starring Adrian Brody, Owen Wilson, and Jason Schwartzman. Written by Schwartzman, Roman Coppola, and of course Anderson. This is said to be the story of three brothers who set off on a road trip after their father's death. It will be interesting to see how this film will stand up in Anderson's filmography. This is his fourth film in a row to deal with the father son dynamic and I wonder if the death of the father will break this tradition in the future of his work.

My apologies to Barney's of NYC.

My wife and I are just cheap, and in no way meant to harm this fine name in retail apparel.

What a Crock

Amber and I attended our first sample sale in NYC. Barney's of NY held a huge clearance sale in the basement of an old building down a creepy side street and we went to shop. Sticker shock didn't wear off until we left. Amber looked at some great shoes today that were like 40% off, but when the original price is over 500 bones it really doesn't play off like a great deal. Our favorite of the day was a tule skirt that was originally over $5000 marked down to a thrifty $3200. We walked out of there with armloads of nothing but the notion that cheap label whores are over tanned and under patient willing to push, shove or glare if you are between them and a pair of gold strappy Prada shoes.

THANK YOU NEW YORK CITY


We saw Little Miss Sunshine last night and after a terrific film and a side slpittingly funny finale the audience clapped. This is something I tried, on multiple occassions, to do in Medford and was consistently ridiculed. Long live watching movies at a theatre with your fellow man.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALFRED HITCHCOCK!

One of cinema's great masters would be 107 if he were still alive today, and you can bet that he would still be making movies.

Spoiler Alert-Lady in the Water-
I saw M Night Shamalama-ding-dong's new comedy, Lady in the Water last night. I thought it was the most self-serving and arrogent piece of work I've seen in a long time. I cannot believe the entire point of the movie is that... I am afraid that people will uknowingly read this and I hate to spoil it. Well I can say that the theatre patrons were laughing way more than the director intended and especially at the end I thought I was watching Wedding Crashers with all the riotous laughing. The feeling from those I've talked to is that the mythology is fun, but the execution was off the mark, to say the least. All that being said Paul Giamatti was fantastic and the reason the movie was still an enjoyable experience for me. I really was entertained through the movie I just left the theatre with a feeling of not connecting to the film. Similar to, although I enjoyed it much more, Superman Returns. Needless to say I have not been too impressed by this summer's offerings, but have not gotten to the movies enough.

News to Come...
Hey everyone, Amber and I just moved in to our apartment, hence the delay in blogging, and I am just dropping a quick note to all that we are well and we own more crap than fits in tiny NYC apartments. We had sushi the other night and when you dine in it is half price! We had dinner for $11. There are good parts to the NYC as well. I am working on a Vince Vaughn Vs. Owen Wilson 2006 blog stay tuned...........Pictures of the apartment next time.

Super Man?
We saw the new Superman Returns last night. Most of my filmschool friends saw the IMAX version of the film opening week, and they were less than amazed. I went into the film without a feeling of what to expect. Superman is obviously one of the biggest fictional icons for young men, but I realized at my age Superman movies were a little before my time. I remember watching some of the originals as a child, but it has been many years since I've seen any of them. After talking with people who have recently seen them, and then watching the new one in the theatre I must admit I enjoyed myself but was left wanting more. Which is funny that a two and a hlaf hour movie could feel unfinished, but Returns just left me not quite full. I was impressed with the special effects, the actors all did a great job, and director Bryan Singer handled much of the film with a nice touch. I did feel as though the movie's first act is so long that the second felt incomplete. It was one of those movies were I noticed the end coming quickly and I was not quite sure if everything had been set up yet. I have heard from a repeat viewer that the film was more satisfying the second, third time around, but in NYC I will not be investing the $10.50... maybe on video.

Hello Everybody,
My Pop's grilled me about not updating my blog. So Pop's, I'm back in the game. First things first, I now have a MacBook from the fifth ave Mac store located in midtown (it's pretty cool). We got a free ipod (upgraded to a 30 gig) with the purches and now I am back on the internet. I will begin spilling the beans on the big apple, but today I would like to share with the world how great it is being right here right now. Film school is great, I had a revelation the other day. I could actually make a living doing this when I am done. I could not be more excited that Amber is in a great salon that she really enjoys and that I am making movies and that we both followed our dreams. Rosco has a brother now, Monte has been keeping her busy with the wrestling, and the chasing, so she wishes you all well.

HEY EVERYBODY
Quick note, Amber and I have arrived in NYC and we still don't have a place to live. It sucks but I started school and hopefully everything will be well soon. More updates to come including a detailed report from the road.

Sleeping too well?

Here's the new nightmare of a video from Pearl Jam for their second single Life Wasted. It's my favorite song on the new album, but I won't be watching this video before bed.

Bill Walton.
I have had the opportunity to watch some playoff basketball because I am unemployed and I have to admit that Bill Walton is the worst announcer I have ever heard call a game. To aleve the sting from this ego crushing blog, I will admit I have heard him on radio shows and I believe his energy and passion translate quite well. He seems always prepared with a long winded take on contemporary NBA life that is entertaining and amusing, but listening to him call a game one starts to think his cleverness is scripted. When I watched Portland Trailblazer games in my youth, Walton would constantly dog my home team while professing his everlasting love for the greatest human being to walk the planet since our lord and savior Jesus Christ aka Shaquille O'Neal. I once believed that maybe Walton wanted to have Shaq's love child or maybe his years in P-Town were so unpleasant he holds a grudge, but listening to him this year I am coming to terms with the fact that he just loves to say the most profound thing that comes to his mind whether or not it is or is not true. You can tell by the way fellow announcer Steve Jones gasps for breath while repeating whatever senile word vomit quote Walton has just dropped that his peers might just feel the same as I do. Bill, I don't want to sound too angry I really am not, but your energy translates just fine w/o a profound statement every five seconds. Good luck to all of us as the finals quickly approach.

Oregon. It's my favorite state.

Yesterday I went to Applegate Lake with my wife and friends. I realized when we drove off our second dirt road onto the side of a tributary just how beautiful my great state is and just how much I will miss what Oregon means to me. To me Oregon is a place of natural beauty, friendly people, and meth. I love how quickly a person can move from the bustle of the city to the utter peace and quiet of a stream, trail, or mountain. The water in the river was about 33 degrees fahrenheit, which for the educated, means about a half-hour ago it was still snowpack.

So we went to the swimming area of the reservior. I was coaxed in, and after five minutes the stabbing pain went away and normal breath patterns could resume. As we ready for our cross country journey I cannot help but think about how much I will miss buzzing, chirping, non-motor motivated water movement, and just how small nature can make one feel.

I am Stuck on an Island: Hear's Ten Discs for me to Bring.






Arcade Fire: Funeral
If you have not heard this album, you need to. Every song is a gem and I could listen to it on replay for a week and not be board track 1 is one of my favorite songs of all time.
Audioslave: Audioslave
If I needed to cut down a palm tree or do anything that required testosterone, I would be listening to this beefy disc to get it done. Plus I really like it.
Interpol: Turn on the Bright Lights
Have to thank GAP for putting a newer song on their CD that I could seek out and purchase one of my new favorite bands second CD. This is their first and it is genius. Moody might soon pop up to you as a theme in music choices and these guys certainly fit that bill, but the energy of this album is terrific.
The Killers: Hot Fuss
The Killers could keep me dancing all nigh long, terrific CD, for me the disc that ushered in this contemporary rock scene we are in and I appreciate that very much.
Pearl Jam: Yield
My favorite band, not sure how to pick just one, but this is the album PJ was touring on when I saw them in concert first and I remember the first single Give in to Fly played on a radio during class in high school and I will never forget the feeling of hearing it for the first time when I should not have been listening to the radio at all.
Postal Service: Give Up
Endlessly listenable. The result of a terrific collaberation that will hopefully make another record.
RadioHead: OK Computer
Creepy, but that is why I like it. RadioHead seems to march to their own tune which reminds me of PearlJam in that they would cut off their noses to spite their faces and not sell out. I admire them very much for that.
REM: Automatic For the People
A classic. I have been a fan of this album as long as I have been seriously listening to music. It is one of the best all time albums.
The Smashing Pumkins: Siamese Dream
Another moody piece that reminds me of my youth and yet feels accomplished and contemporary.
The Strokes: Room on Fire
The Strokes saved rock, it has been said and I agree, they gave me something to listen to when the smell of bubble gum and M&M's were ruling the radio. It is also no coincidence that the rise in popularity of The Stroke is in direct correlation the decline in popularity of LimpBisquick, so thank the Lord for The Strokes.

Honorable Mention
Coldplay: A Rush of Blood to the Head, Counting Crowes: august and Everything After, Cranberries: No Need to Argue, Death Cab for Cutie: Transatlaticism, David Gray: White Ladder, Green Day: Dookie, Nirvana: Unplugged in NY, Mazzy Starr: So Tonight That I Might Sleep, The Shins: Oh! Inverted World, Soundgarden: Superunknown, StoneTemplePilots: Core, U2: Achtung Baby, The Verve: Urban hymns, Weezer: The Blue Album, Yeah Yeah Yeah's: Show Your Bones,

Oldies but Goodies
I was trying to pick singular albums that through my life I have tried to wear out. These artists are from an era before me and all I have at this point are greatest hits albums that obviously rule because they are the best of collections. So here are the artists who's songs I cherish, but whose albums either never existed or I am not familiar enough with just one to pick. This does not diminish the importance of this music however, because I do own most of these greatest hits albums
The Beatles
Johnny Cash
Bob Dylan
Jimi Hendrix
Elvis Presley
Rolling Stones
Violent Femmes
The Who
Neil Young

America, you dumb idiots
I understand that of the top four American Idols, rocker Chris Daultry would be the least in need of an AI title to enjoy a successful music career, but what the bleep people. He has not had one bad week, not every one perfect, but mr. consistancy goes out in fourth place. Bad form and I am ashamed to be an American right now. You may be asking yourself if I have the right to complain? You bet I am an AI voter and my voice was not heard. Luckily I still have a touch of McFeeeever and the voters better make her the new princess of pop or else. Lastly the term "douche bag" has been thrown around on a couple of my good friends blogs and I would like to now nominate myself for that perticular title. E Strahl OUT

The Life of Riley

I have been unemployed for about a week now and I must admit that life is good my friends. I have played golf twice and jogged to the IslandJuice one morning with Amber after waking up at ten. I am enjoying it while it lasts.

Five-Second Movie Reviews
Match Point was an interesting movie that suffered from a slow second act. The middle of the movie kind of hung for a while with what seemed like no place to go. Which is weird because the character development was good, and as an audience we knew the direction the story would head toward but the pacing seemed a tad stagnet. The movie is 2 hours 4 minutes. Overall I turned off my DVD player with a sense that I had been entertained by a movie more mature and sophisticated than the next reviewed masterpiece American Dreamz with a Z. This movie was the unfiltered bitter rantings of what I hope is an educated liberal American. If that is true it did not come through in the telling of this perticular story. Some good comedic performances, but nothing exciting was said. And that is why I go to the movies my friends, to see something better than I feel I could come up with after an evening's discussion with friends. This movie sucked.

It is Here

The much anticipated Pearl Jam by PearlJam was released today. My review will have to wait until I have more chances to spin the disc, my wife for some reason didn't want to listen to it on repeat for hours, but the pre-order from tenclub that I mentioned last week arrived on the release date and the bonus live concert is awesome.

Rosco Takes on the Capital




Amber passed her test to become licensed in the state of Oregon,

and Rosco shook hands and kissed babies.

First Golf of the Season!

I have been unemployed for about twenty four hours, which means that I was long overdue to begin the golf season. Amber and I went to StewartMeadows this afternoon and got farmers tans. Amber got a new driver during the offseason and now she is smokin' drives a buck-fifty. I have only been to the range twice this season so my game is rusty, but I played ok for the first time of the year and we had lots of fun.

White Stripes Fans

Check out this new Coke commercial that Jack White participated in. Coke has no intention of playing the commercial in the US at this time and it is schedualed to play in the middle of the night once in the UK.

Last day at Work


Yesterday was my last day under the confines of the coperate structure... sort of. I left my full time job and have two shifts left at my part time job. I would like to say that even when selling my soul to the coperate devil I worked with some great people who made every day almost barable. Thank you to all who helped the days pass by befriending me on my nearly ended journey in retail. NewYork here I come.

One More Week!

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the movie list, coming soon, top ten albums, I am working mine out you should begin as well.
Pearl Jam by Pearl Jam, I hate it when they say self titled, hits the shelves in one week. I have pre-ordered mine from www.tenclub.net which gets me a digital download of the album at 12:01 am Tuesday morning and a live disc from a 1992 show they played on NewYear's Eve in NYC. They have been doing a little more press for this new album (impressing the new label is my guess) and the music sounds great. If you click the link www.amazon.com they have a live performance of "life wasted" They will also be on Letterman on Thursday the fourth of May.

I am so sorry

Apparently I have angered the gods and upset the balance in the time space continuum by not picking five single films to be stranded in a theatre on a desert island. I do however have to point out that even with the gross misconduct I have committed one Mr. www.donniejeter.com stated that Antonio Bandares was in the Hunted with Tommy Lee Jones when any ex-Blockbuster employee would know, even if they were fired, that Benicio Del Toro was on the run in that terrible movie whose only redeeming quality was that it was filmed in Portland. So without any further delay, and I have increased the list to ten, here are my favorite films to watch over and over as I sit waiting to be rescued ( I am not proactive enough to look for a way off) In no particular order.....

1- Lord of the Rings Trilogy- Extended Cut- (I am still counting as one film because master Lucas said it was OK)
2- Psycho- My favorite Hitchcock masterpiece that should not have been as good as it is, but it is. Stunningly well executed.
3- Taxi Driver- Every Scorsese movie feels like my favorite, I connect to his films and believe he is one of the most technically gifted directors of all time.
4- Rushmore- I wanted to be a director before I saw this movie, I knew why I wanted to direct after watching it.
5- Magnolia- Like Rushmore, I saw this movie at a pivotal time in my youth and it blew me away with what it managed to say.
6- Out of Sight- Soderbergh at his best, launched two movie actors into movie stardom, I love this movie.
7- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind- The most true and heartfelt romance movie I have ever seen. Technically brilliant.
8- Citizen Kane- The first time I saw it-OVERRATED- by the fourth I knew three times ago it is the best ever.
9- 2001: A Space Odyssey- Even when watching it the first time seemed a chore the imagery created be Kubrick is as breathtaking today as I am sure it was forty years ago.
10- Fight Club- I have always distanced myself from this film due to its cult following, but its power and truth are undeniable, this film will always resonate with my generation and hopefully keeping teaching us lessons.

Show me your comments

As a blogger I love reading what the people think about my thoughts so I am setting up a couple of blogs for you to react to...

If I were stranded on an island equipped with a theatre and I could only bring 5 DVD's these are my choices-








1- Lord of the Rings Trilogy-Extended cut (all three movies count as one)-you will soon realize I am a huge cheater-
2-The Alfred Hitchcock Masterpiece Collection-14 Universal classics including but not limited to Psycho, vertigo and The Birds.
3-The Stanley Kubrick box set- 9 of the great movies ever made and at 3+ hours 2001 would sure help those lonely days go by.
4-The Martin Scorsese Collection- This particular set doesn't include Ragging Bull, but Goodfellas and a personal favorite, Who's that Knocking on My Door make this the collection to pick between his two offerings.
5-Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind- One of the truly original movies of our time and endlessly watchable.
6-Rushmore-I wanted to cheat and make up a Wes Anderson box set, but it doesn't yet exist. Rushmore is my fav of his brilliant cannon.

If by five you thought I ment five then you don't know that I am a sentimental pack rat.

Part Three: Medford Vs. New York


One of the more interesting things about moving to a place like NY is talking to people you know about the idea of leaving a small town like Medford. At my place of work everyone is slowly finding out about my approching departure, and I really have come to enjoy all of the advice from people who have never even visited. Of course the number one note from everyone is, be careful a lot of people get mugged/robbed/raped/beat up/ killed/ or even worse become Yankees fans.
My good friend Lucas and I had an interesting discussion about the number of crimes per capita and were laughing when we thought out loud that if three people were murdered in NY out of the tens of millions who live there that we like our chances better than if one were to be killed in Medford. I know it is not the safest place on Earth, but the look on my mother's face when we mentioned the close proxemity to a park of an apartment we were looking at, she seemed horrified at the idea. The most interesting aspect of NY that came to me during our visit is that millions and millions of people live there and there are just like me. There are not charming and polite or outgoing and nice, but they have a purpose to their day and they are trying to move from A to B, just like me. Which is actually a reassuring thought, we are all in it together.

Part Two: School

The New York Film Acadamy building was a little different than I had expected it to be. First it is in a great old building that was never intended to be a school, and yet NYFA seems to intergrate itself into the space quite nicely. It is a little hectic on the first and second levels, where people move frantically and the space feels more like a busy newspaper room than a school with messy computer lined walls and people talking on the phone and to each other, the whole thing has a certain ant farm quality to it that once used to may seem like business as usual, but is a little intimidating at first for sure. I guess the point of this blog is to fully realize the relief/satisfaction/fear/hope that this building brings to my life. I am fully aware of the potential of this situation, and have been for a while, I am just hopfull I can capitolize on my education there and create a prosperous life doing something I love.

Part One: Travel

First off plane rides. I have now flown a whopping 4 times. I am not for sure but, I think it is getting more boring. I am probably cranky because I flew home without without my favorite conversationalist Amber to keep me busy over 8 hours in and out of airports. Second- Subways...What a great system of moving millions of people around an island. Too bad entering a station without any knowledge can bring an almost grown man to cry like a baby. BUT, I got the general idea of it soon and can not wait to soon give tourists directions so they don't get lost down there. One more quick note, there are stations that are three stories deep! Can you believe you go down three flights of stairs to a train. Lastly, when in NY... Stretch your calves because you are going to walk my friends. I got a terrible cramp in my right leg the second day and I didn't feel better until sitting 8 hours in the planes on the way home, BUT, The city is beautiful in all its glory and walking is never boring for a moment. Here we are in the alley that the Today Show is filmed every morning.

Preceding NY updates
I will be updating in the next couple of days about my recent trip to NYC. Tonight however I am going to sleep. Today I arose at 9am (6am PST) and just got home at 2:30am the next day after driving home from P-Town. I work tomarrow from 8-4:30 and then 5-9 so keep me in your thoughts that I won't collapse at some point. ES

Bleeding thumbs Unite

Donnie and I just played MarioStriker for GCube for about two hours and I am not sure I will be able to use my left thumb tomorrow. These Mario games are a load of fun and, for my money, way more entertaining than most other games I've played.

Graduation Day!!!!


To my favorite person in the world...
Congratulations on a years worth of hard work, and here's to a lifetime of success...
Love Eric