When Hugh Hefner makes a Christmas card, his girlfriends take their shirts off!
Is their any news site offering news with a shirt on? It's just how I prefer my news. Sorry.

When Amy Whinehouse goes to the beach, she doesn't wear a shirt!
Please no, I'll do anything you ask. Don't make me look at those pictures. Come on man I'm begging you...

When the President (elect) goes to the beach, he doesn't wear a shirt!
Finally some "hard news" to take my mind off the weather.

Henry Luke Burt
Welcome to the big show.

Happy Birthday Mr. Burt
This may post on Friday, but those of you in the know, know that 28 years ago Thursday the world met its match, and his name was Lucas.

Brandon Roy for MVP
He doesn't need to start the All-Star game to be MVP does he? 52 against the Suns says not.

To be a man, or not to be...
In my never ending fight with ad companies who define masculinity as a mechanism for turning people into consumers errrr selling products & ideas, I have found a new favorite ad pitch. On Monday Night Football tonight a TV ad for the upcoming DVD release of Mamma Mia ad states "Be a man, buy her a musical". I'll stop here to ask the questions. Does the purchasing of a musical DVD make me a man? Does not purchasing the DVD make me less of a man? What does it all mean?

The Dizziness That is Trailblazer-land
Okay, so 5-3. Not a bad start to such a rough schedule. Quality wins over several playoff teams has kept the fervor that is Portland going. We are however, adjusting from the world beater mentality that existed before Kobe and his third quarter schooling brought Blazer-Mania down from orbit to somewhere around cruising altitude.

The other "incident" that happened against the Laker's in that "awakening call" of a game was when one Greg Oden, savior of Blazer Nation, injured himself in the first quarter for the third or fourth time as a Blazer causing collective panic to Oregonians everywhere, and a general backlash against the young man who has played in one full regular season game.

ESPN's Colin Cowherd came out this week and said that Oden "just didn't have it". Referring to an NBA ready game that is visible from the moment a player steps out on the court. IN DEFENSE, unless said player is stepping out onto the court on a recovering foot, and knee, and heavier than he has ever been in his life. ON THE OTHER HAND, Oden has taken some offensive possessions to dark bad places where shots look like bad passes to the bottom of the backboard. Stop arguing. Let's give the guy... some time.

Here's what I have learned about the Blazer's in the first eight games this year.

1- Greg Oden does not need to be Bill Russell for the Trailblazers to be a championship contender.

2- The Portland Trailblazers are not a championship contender, but they can be.

3- Even though I love him, we had to draft Oden with the first pick in '07, but the pick that makes Pritchard a genius is Rudy Fernandez because he is the third option that everyone hop(ed)ing Travis Outlaw would be.

4- Brandon Roy is the guy on this team whose back the team will ride to any championships they do win, and as long as he and LaMarcus Aldridge are on the Blazers, we have a chance to win.

5- Bottom line is that these guys need to get punched in the face (L.A.) just as much as they need to win with miracles (Houston), the point is that they have to play. Together. Win, lose, ugly, pretty, keep getting better with every game.

I am excited. You should be if you're not.

cut myself with the new blade the other night.
man it was quick.
i was told to be more careful.

A Man, A Blade.
I was at the popular discount store Ross, or Ross's (for Lucas) and I was waiting for my dear wife to try on some clothes when I happened upon the knife section. Let me quickly state that I have no sporting interest in knives other than to prepare the food that I feed myself with, but recently had noticed that our own collection was showing signs of its age. Our knives may be only six years old, but it's comparable to dog years I think. I was noticing a boredom that comes from using old dull knives. When the, not just possibility, but inevitability of cutting your finger "emergency room bad" made preparing a simple meal sexy. Well I have found the rush of life again and it came from my 6" usuba vegetable clever. Oh yeah, I said cleaver. I popped this bad boy out of its package and almost lost a finger before a single intended cut was possible. The blood rushed in my veins, but there it would stay... for now. I rinsed it off, called my little lady into the kitchen and set up an apple on a wooden cutting board. Down comes my hand and the apple separates as if it were meant to exist in two pieces never the one that I liberated it from being. I have found hope for a brighter future, it comes from the danger I live in every time I open the knife drawer. Next up... 5" chef knife for cutting meat. Oh yeah, the fear will keep me young.

My Broncos look worse and worse every game. Their only saving grace is that the San Diego Chargers are playing just crappier than they are. We need help. Mile High Salute!

The Prefontaine

Here's my official scorecard from the big race. Finished a bit over my goal, but I ran guts out. Just like Steve would have wanted me to.

Year-2008
Name- Strahl, Eric
#- 116
Age- 27
Sex- M
Town- Gresham
State- OR
Overall Place- 628
Division Place- 36
Time- 57:32
Split- 9:16

Good StartThe Denver Bronco's go 2-0 with back to back AFC West rival wins. Let's keep it up boys.

Did My TV Get Smaller
On Sportscenter today I was squinting to see my already small television divided into two distinct sections of programming. With live anaylisis on one quarter of the screen and the rest offering game stats of completed games, I actually looked at my remote to see if there was a button that would make this distraction stop. I could not find it so I got closer to the TV and now I don't have any nose hair. So I was not surprised during tonight's MTV Video Music Awards that during commercials they were going to the corner screen for the commercial, and advertising with what screen I had left, what was coming up... on the show I was watching. Nothing like being told what is about to happen in five minutes to take the fun out of such a lively and never predictable spectacle like the VMA's. Getting to my point, Kobe Bryant delivered the MoonMan for best video, and they preemptively described him in a way that struck me as a bit odd. So I'll offer it to you and get your opinion. Coming up in five minutes... Bad boy Kobe Bryant presents video of the year.
Can anybody tell me absolutely any reason in the history of this world by any chance, WHY, Kobe would be labeled a bad boy? As he limps through games flopping and getting cheap calls and pretending to be injured on one play so that it looks that much cooler when he dunks on the next. Bad boy? Hogwash, except... He was accused of raping a young woman in a Colorado resort. I found it rather sad, and pathetic that to make Kobe Bryant "cool" they had to play on his badassness which only stems from one incident, which probably shouldn't be used out of context or joked about.

90210
I will admit that I watched the new version of 90210. I will say that for the most part it was contrite and over written. I will admit however that anytime a character from the original show was on screen I was absolutely glued to my television. I guess it took this revamp to remind me that the original really did play a big part in my experience as a child growing up. That being said, the new show is not good enough to mean that much to a new generation of brats.

Are the Olympics so last week?
I forgot to wonder aloud whether or not it is silly for a sprinter to wear a skin tight outfit made of drag resistant technologically advanced super material, and then pin a big old floppy piece of paper to their stomach/chest with a number on it?

No time to breathe
As the Olympics come to a close, I have drafted my SECOND fantasy football team. That's right, two times the headache. Here's hoping I'm injury free and I at least compete. My first pick in both drafts was Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook. So, as he goes, my team(s) will go. Keep your fingers crossed.

Who's afraid of Eric Strahl
Friday August 22, 2008.
Ran 6+ miles for the first time on my training schedule for Pre. With one month to go I am at my target distance. Plus, After being at the top of my queue for about 2 1/2 months Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf came from BBVonline today which puts me in prime position to catch Lucas on the AFI top 100. Luckily after running six miles all I can think about is watching a movie with my feet propped up.

The Olympics from my couch?
The question that I will ponder for the next two weeks is... Should the Olympics inspire humanity to reach down within themselves and find the true potential of their athletic prowess? Or. Should I sit in front of the television, with a beer, and attempt to watch as many hours of sports I only care about every four years because I only get a chance to do this every two years?

Body for Sale: Cheap!
As most of you know Amber and I are running the Prefontaine Memorial run in September and I have some interesting marketing ideas. Mainly me. You can have this handsome face pitching your product (when I am not vomiting (less handsome)) for what could be easily negotiated down to a paltry sum. Here's the pitch; I have broad shoulders=so lots of ad space. I will promise to start at the front, so that as everyone (literally) passes me they will run smack into the ad, and I am aiming for like slightly less than ten minute miles, so I will definately be out there a while for more ad time.
I would paint my hair blue and wear wings for a case of Red Bull. Can anyone hook that up?
Call your marketing friends and see what the collective internet "we" can whip up.
I am not joking about the Red Bull thing, if you want me to advertise an insurance company I can be bought in Red Bull.

Oh yeah, I only drink sugar free Red Bull (quick heads up)

Is anyone listening to the new My Morning Jacket CD
I downloaded it from e music and have been shuffling it into my running music so I haven't listened from start to finish, but it has some tracks that are complete killers on there. It gives me "Evil Urges" to quietly rock out.

The Best Years of Our Lives
I'm down to the last handful of AFI films and I have to say that The Best Years of Our Lives was a film I was saving out of a lack of interest. That was until I began watching it and found another favorite film. This movie was made in a time when films were censored from the kind of "vulgar honesty" we've become accustomed to, yet it packed the punch of modern film making, with its well told stories and well timed action. I strongly recommend this film to anyone who misses a time in film when cleverly hidden metaphor packed more wallop than a naked prostitute shooting someone in the head while snorting a line of cocaine off the barrel of her smokin' Beretta.

Iron Man
Iron Man was the perfect primer for the summer movie season. A smart, well acted, action bonanza that leapt off the screen. Unfortunately I saw it after Batman and while thoroughly enjoying it, felt as though it paled in comparison to its larger more intense counterpart.

The Dark Knight
The most fully realized comic book movie incarnation I have ever witnessed, and as dense a film as I have seen in quite a while.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

This article was taken as is from IMDB.com

Heigl Withdraws From Emmy Race Over Poor Material

11 June 2008 7:01 AM, PDT

Grey's Anatomy star Katherine Heigl pulled herself out of the list of Emmy Award contenders as part of a protest about her character's development on the medical drama.

The actress, who won the Best Supporting Actress prize at the Emmys last year insisted she be left off the official ballot because she felt her character was awful during the most recent season of the show.

Heigl tells website GoldDerby.com, "I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and (so), in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organisation, I withdrew my name from contention.

"I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials."


That's what I would say too if I had no chance of winning an award that some people might hold me accountable for winning. Example: I took myself out of the running for employee of the month at work, due to the fact that I sucked hard and haven't really cared lately.

Sharon Stone is an Idiot: Redux
From my trusted news source; E-Entertainment televison's The Soup, I saw a clip of Sharon Stone at an AIDS benefit auction that she hosted, asking P-Diddy to bid on an auction item that he clearly didn't want. She walks into the crowd and asks him if he would like to raise the bid to which he replys that he doesn't have that much money. She then goes on to ask him why he doesn't have that kind of money. "Did you spend it all on crack or something". Genius. How would you like to be her publicist?

I have defeated Harry Potter: by finishing The Deathly Hollows...Finally
After much procrastination I finally made it to that place in a Harry Potter novel where you just can't put it down for very long. I have now read every book in the series and I was very pleased. I felt a similar sense of completion after Amber & I finished a back to back Lord of the Rings: Extended Version marathon back in '06. It took me about a year longer than most, but I had a hard time excepting that it would be over once I finished, and wanted to hold on to that feeling for as long as I could. As a mostly grown man I should probably not be so attached to these characters that it's hard to finish a book, but alas I could not help it.

One of the bigger surprises for me on the AFI list. I had low expectations, due to Lucas' mostly unfriendly review, but I found this film engaging and worthy of consideration for "classic cinema" status. I am not sure I was ready for such a heavy story and nicely twisted plot lines, but I was drawn in and entertained from very early on. A must for cinema lovers and a very high recommendation for the casual movie watcher.

Semi-Pro:Fully Sucks
Will Ferrell is downward spiraling toward the film career no one wanted Adam Sandler to end up with. Too bad.

AFI Update
Bringing Up Baby- Very sharp film. I very much enjoy the razor tongued slapstick romances of the thirties and forties much more than the schlock they pass off as romcom nowadays. Music and Lyrics by... Anyone... anyone.... didn't think so.
Rebel Without a Cause-I went into this film with a feeling that it would be overacted and the story would bludgeon me in the face like that Kimbo guy. I was very pleasantly surprised to really enjoy this film that felt fresh and pertinent. James Dean, for all his rebellious iconography is the level headed center of this film.
Amadeus- I enjoyed this film, I always wonder when they take a past cultural icon and play him as a buffoon, is it all that fair, but then I think, they wouldn't have put it in the movie if it weren't true. Then I am content. Ahhhh.
The Gold Rush- From the first time I saw him, I have been a fan of Chaplin, having finished the last of the three films he has on the list I realize that I should not need a purpose to sit down and watch his stuff other than the need for a good time.

Do the NBA finals start before Independence Day?

I'm training to be a cage fighter
After the Portland Starlight Parade, Saturday night we realized driving out of a garage and out of downtown would prove slow. So we entered some buffalo something or another for a quick bite while traffic dissipated. Turns out that said restaurant was one of these new fangled family eateries on steroids with like fifty televisions completely surrounding every spare inch of wall space. Which on this fine evening meant watching some one named Kimbo punch another guy in the face until blood ran from his cauliflower ear. I have been quick to mock in the past these cage fighting beasts, but I have to say actually watching it made my stomach turn. At the end when I almost couldn't take much more, I wondered if the human carnage was what was so upsetting or the fact that people were cheering it on like some show at the Roman Coliseum.

Amber and I are at the coast for a couple of days. We are staying at a dive with an ocean view of rain. It's perfect.

Sharon Stone: Class Act
Sharon Stone said in an interview with Chinese reporters at the Cannes Film Festival that the recent earthquake in China could be blamed on Karma. So now we place bets on how long before Stone is struck by lightening. Over/Under is the start of the Beijing Summer Games. Man this should be fun.

AFI Update
Because I choose to have no life here are the films I have watched over the last two days.
Manchurian Candidate- Excellent
American Graffiti- Jumped into my favs of all time list
The Third Man- Liked it, want to watch it again because I didn't love it.
Frankenstein- Entertaining, but dated on many levels.

I am also about to finish the last book in the Harry Potter series, so here's to free time.

Overnight
A documentary from 2004 about the amazing story of Troy Duffy and the film Boondock Saints. A cautionary tale for young filmmakers, and Irish alcoholics everywhere. This is the yardstick to measure out of control ego by which all should be afraid to be compared. Fantastic.

I just watched Intolerance, the D.W. Griffith silent film, which is on the AFI 100 ten year anniversary list. Let me just say that the one thing this film required from its viewer, is tolerance. It was very well done, especially for its time, but three hours of silent film is one tough task to sit through. My recommendation, only for the hard core, my friends.

Congratulations David Cook for winning American Idol. I don't really care anymore, but I still watch, so congratulations.

Why do people yell when talking on cell phones. I live in an apartment building where trashy fat women walk around yelling and cursing into there phones. I wonder if they realize that everyone with in a quarter mile radius can hear the intimate details of all this angst.

I just saw a bumper sticker that read "Gas was $1.46 a gallon when George Bush took office" I just thought it funny that someone shared my curiosity enough to produce a bumper sticker.

I got an Oregon Driver's license today. I had to retake the written test (which is on a touch screen computer?) I barely passed. Good picture though. I love the DMV.

The Golden Compass is out on DVD
That being said, don't waste your time on this pile of overwrought underwhelming fantasy rehash. I never turn movies off, but this one tested me every minute of the way. No heart, no brain, no style. Two hours I'll just never get back.

Did anyone see Radiohead on Conan last week?
They were amazing.

I think that it is an interesting time in the NBA. The Sun's, the Nugget's and the Maverick's are all headed for shake ups and they all fell short of winning the title that they were built for. The Sun's and the Mav's especially remind me of the early '90's Trailblazer's who were solid and so close to making it happen, but ultimately couldn't win the big one. Do these teams quickly rebuild or will it take 5-6 years or so like it had with the Blazer's the last two times they almost made it. One thing is for sure, rebuilding in the West will be difficult for any team the next couple of years with so many good young teams these oldies could be done for a while.

Gas Prices Hit All Time High In Oregon!
I just paid 3.51 a gallon on the way home, and local news reports that it could get to $8 a gallon. Which sounds reasonable since the cost of living has also gone up 400% during the Bush administration. Oh wait, gas is the only commodity that has increased at that rate? Weird.

I love Charlie Chaplin

I also love Buster Keaton, so don't get me wrong I'm an equal opportunity lover of silent film comedians. I even have a Harold Llyod film recorded on my DVR right now so I may soon have more love to spread around.











I watched City Lights recently, and was truly smitten with this silent film star all over again. Chaplin has such incredible comedic timing. When I think of modern comedy and what it now takes to be funny in a movie, I am saddened that no one carries this torch of smart, physical comedy. There are physical comedians, I think of Jim Carrey's Ace Ventura trying to be stealth while dancing on of a roll of bubble wrap or the football play that Ace physically rewinds and plays again in slow motion. It's not that a market doesn't exist for these guys its just that they are truly special and there are not that many of them around. I guess we should just cherish these gems when they are captured on screen. The boxing scene in City Lights is probably one of the funniest things I have seen in a movie, and every time I watch another Chaplin or Keaton film I am amazed at the timelessness of the laugh that has been and will always be enjoyed by those who watch these films.

Pan & Scan, I Hate You.
Let me clarify, Whomever invented the idea of pan & scan, I hate you sir/ma'am. Pan & Scan is what television producers have done to kill movies from the inception of the idiot box until a few years ago when some genius decided it was a good idea to stretch televisions out to a more eye pleasing dimension. Pan & Scan refers to the concept of taking a film shot for the wide screen and cropping and/or squeezing the image to fit inside the more square confines of the TV screen. I am not here to drop math on you and use terms like 16:9, but I will say that when I recorded Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind from AMC I thought they would have the decency to broadcast the film in the original format that the director shot and intended it to be seen in.

They did not.

I would say that about 65-75% of the film has this grinding pan from one side of the frame to another, especially annoying on any already existing camera movement. I found the whole experience off putting and degrading to the film watching experience. I am disappointed that through my trek of AFI's 100 greatest films to have not truly experienced Close Encounters as the film Spielberg had intended to show. AMC stands for American Movie Classics, so please continue to show classics, but give us proper presentation and while you're at it how about less commercials, most of which are only promoting your own channel.

Psst.. We're already watching your channel.

Turner Classic Movies is where its at anyhow, better movies, no commercials, and properly formated movies. Thanks Ted Turner.

This is my One Hundredth post!
I am going to celebrate with a cool refreshing Red Bull.

Movies with the Masses
I went to my local theatre last night with some bin candy for a show. It was a discount theatre full of teens and families. It was nice to see the film going masses in full force on a Saturday night. We saw Definitely, Maybe which was actually good. Cute.

Man I could use a Red Bull after that intense movie review.

No Country For Old Men.

Flawless script. Excellent cinematography. Brutal acting. If you don't mind a little violence, this is a film worthy of accolade.

I am addicted to Red Bull. I don't know when exactly it happened, but if I smell the stuff my heart rate jumps and I start thinking about when and where I can get my next fix. I'll even drink RockStar or Full Throttle or the one from the dollar tree. Look for more on this topic soon. I have to do some research to get to the root of the problem.

There Will Be Blood


If watching a QuentinTarantino movie is like get punched in the face until you fall down, then There Will Be Blood is like a starring contest in which your knees buckle by the sheer will of Paul Thomas Anderson's glare.

R I P

Charlton Heston
Passed Saturday at the age of 84.
If you have not seen a film starring Charlton Heston in a while, do yourself the favor and enjoy one soon. His presence on screen as a leading man in cinema is undeniable. I recommend Ben Hur, Touch of Evil, or The Greatest Show on Earth. As a matter of fact, go to the video store, because that would be a perfect weekend of movie watching.

My Better is Better than Your Better

I catch myself at times being a bit of a label snob. I tell myself that I get what I pay for, and that quality costs money. That is except for Nike. I buy Nike stuff (not exclusively) because I am a sucker for their advertising. Media Studies was my major in college, so this is what I spent my youth learning to immune myself to, and yet every time Nike rolls out a new ad campaign I am ready to buy some swooshed shoes and go train for something. I cannot think of another companies' ads that inspire brand consumption like Nike. A lot of slick ads can catch my attention with sly cleverness, but I usually end up just buying the music from the ad on the internet (hint: they weren't selling music). Nike has through the years made commercials that have stuck in my concessness and inspired me. My two favs are the Winter Olympics ad that used match cutting to portray various Olympic events with kids playing ie. a kid ridding a bike seemlessly cut with a speed skater on a track. The other was during the "We Love Runner's" campaign when a boombox weilding fan followed a guy jogging down the street blasting "eye of the tiger". Fantastic.

Well the newest campaign is a quickly cut montage of in your face trash talking from a bunch of today's best athlete's including my favorite... Mr. Brandon Roy. I have to say though that my favorite line comes from Sonics rookie Kevin Durant when he states that his fast and his quick just had a baby named speedy. Once again this onslaught of pure adrenaline has readied me to work... For what I am not sure, but I better get going because my better isn't really better than anyones better. Yet.

When given a day off with nothing to do, the average human being might write out a list of important things to do. Tasks accomplished in that precious free time that no one suffers too much of. When I have a day off with no plans, I watch movies. And Saturday I watched four movies. Now now, I had previously started three of them (short attention span), but I finished all of them. These four films all were all included in one of the two AFI lists that I have blogged about previously. So my quest to catch up to Lucas continues with, Dr. Zhivago, All The President's Men, Duck Soup, and lastly The Searcher's. Fear not Lucas I am still like thirty behind you, but heed this warning, I am only nine days off (in which Amber also works) away from catching and passing you to the finish of the Great AFI Watch of '07-'08.

Speaking of the films Dr. Zhivago was a snooze, All The President's Men was excellent, Duck Soup was better than I thought it would be, and the Searcher's, I grew up on John Wayne so I always enjoy his movies.

Thanks for the Memories

I don't mean to poo-poo, but watching the Oregon Duck Men's basketball team implode in the NCAA tournament today completely incinerated my desire to care about March Madness. I didn't know I cared this much, but I guess I did. They missed 15 straight 3-point attempts during one stretch of the second half, and yet it did not stop them from heaving brick after brick. What could they build with all those bricks? How about a lead for MSU who went from 13 down to winning by 10 or something. Sorry again, I mean I am still proud and all, but wow, they sucked the life out of the whole thing for me. Short of a winning bracket I just don't see myself watching a bunch of basketball this weekend or next. Just ask Amber I am actually this cranky.

Tourney Time!

If you would like to know who will win in every years Eight vs. Nine match-up... Look at my bracket (I'll happily show you) and bet on the other team.

I am half way through day one and I am already in last place in my division. Good news is that I just got beer and I have nothing to do for the rest of the weekend except watch every other team that I pick to win, lose. If I could only pick wrong on every game I could try to pull some reverse bracket scientology or something, but I am just mediocre, not fantastically good or bad.

I am mildly upset that I listened so much to all the hype only to pick Georgia upsetting Xavier and miss one more pick. A fourteen over a three, what was I thinking. I am glad however that unlike Lucas I only picked one Georgia upset. Sorry bud, no sweet sixteen for the Bulldogs.

Lastly, Bravo to the local Portland State Vikings. They got crushed this morning, but what a great time they must have had (until the game started)

Do Not Fret Al Gore!
I read a story on npr.com about how scientists are not finding an increase in ocean temperature even though air temperature is rising and the ocean levels are expanding. The water temperatures are actually slightly decreased.

I do believe in our power to control global warming, and that global warming is a very real and serious threat. This story is however, an interesting example of how much we have yet to discover about this planet of ours.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88520025

New York City

I had an I miss New York day today. I was bored during some training at my new job and found a Sudoku puzzle on a desk. I picked it up and after my first scan of the numbers I had to work with, it struck me. I was heart sick missing the bright lights of the big city. I always did Sudoku on the A train and I guess I haven't done many/any since we moved back. It has been interesting being back in Oregon since last fall. I suffer from manic swings of contentedness and longing that keep me fairly unstable most of the time.

AFI Update
This is an update to a MySpace.com blog wherein Lucas and I tallied how many of the AFI's 100 greatest movies we had seen. Once that I found out that I had only seen like half (I was shocked by this) I was inspired to get a hold of these movies and watch them quickly. Well I worked my queue and DVR and I began catching up slowly. That is until AFI released a ten year anniversary list last summer adding like twenty new movies to the list. Well recently I have been working hard to spend my movie watching free time knocking films off of both my lists. So as I move forward I will be bringing up a film now and then that is worth getting a hold of.

This Week I fell in love with 12 Angry Men, again. It is a perfect film. I thought I had seen it before, but couldn't remember exactly (so I had to watch it again). I started it while doing dishes and before five minutes had gone by, I was on the couch entranced. This drama was filmed mostly on a single set, and plays out one of the simplest stories, just perfect.

Stay tuned... I have lots of films to go.

The King of Kong
My little sister and I decided to build birdhouses yesterday. I decided quickly that I didn't want to build some cute little bird house that would quaintly compliment a small water fixture in a modest yard.
I wanted to build a monument to birds, and one of the great archatectual marvels of my favorite city not named Portland. So alas construction began on an all day project that would turn out to be a three nest home in the guise of the Empire State Building. Ridiculous, maybe. Preposterous, sort of. Obnoxious, well yes.

There is a dedication ceremony not yet scheduled for the day this modern cedar marvel lands at its resting place (somewhere in the Burt's yard). I dedicate and give proper ownership of said property to my dear friendo Lucas Burt. May your dreams be as big as my bird house.

Have a Great Weekend Part II
Okay, okay, okay....
So here is the scoop. My meeting let out early and the Blazers have won the first two games of there road trip. Now all the rest of the world may be having a hard time, but I should take heart in the fact that things, while not great, are really not so bad for me. I will take this as a lesson learned, luckily I don't have any money in stock market right now.

Have a great weekend everybody!
Well,
I just clicked over to CNN.com to see what's going on in the world and apparently someone exploded a small bomb in Times Square, Chinese hackers got into the Pentagon's computer system, the Stock Market dropped today to it's lowest point in over a year, a storm dropped a foot of snow right before a tornado hit the same area, UNC student body president Eve Carson was shot to death near campus on Wednesday, did I mention that a barrel of oil will set you back $100, I have to work on Saturday, and the Portland TrailBlazers, who have lost nine of their last ten on the road, start a five game road trip tonight. I almost can't wait for Monday.

Check this Out
Hey, I am not a huge fan of youtube.com, I am not just saying that because I dropped 30k on film school and this site is infested with these ding dongs that think they are filmmakers, but occasionally I miss something in pop culture and I check it out on the site to catch up. With that disclaimer out of the way please go to youtube.com and look up the recent music videos produced for Jimmy Kimmel's late night talk show. Look up up Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Kimmel or Sarah Silverman. Some combination of this celebrity names will reveal some truly inspired television that is as funny as anything since Conan shaved his "Strike Beard"

Let's Hear it for the Boys
I just wanted to take a moment and give props to my Portland Trailblazers who, in the last two years, have given Portland a team that we can believe in again and I am very appreciative. These guys are a lot of fun to watch and even when they lose, they seem to be trying to do it the right way. When Greg Oden comes back healthy and we can rebound (in any capacity) we are going to be dangerous. You may have noticed that I began saying "we" well thats because, when I cheer for the Blazers, they do better. Rip City Baby!

Favorite Music of 2007
Well as is has been almost a year since I paused blogging and so now it is time again for the year end lists. My thought is that no one but Lucas and Amber will read this, but alas I carry on with the hope that people care enough about what I think to sit down, read, and then find this music. First hint, ask Lucas, I am always giving him music to listen to and he is probably using the discs as coasters so give him a shout. I am going to break this down into three categories; Music from artists I was familiar with before this year, New to me artists, and finally a short list of discs that I did not get to, but hope to check out before '08 gets cruising too fast....

Returning Champs
As you can read below, I was very excited about '07 before it happened and most of these albums were highly anticipated.

Arcade Fire:Neon Bible- Dark, Moody, and big. I am still listening to it. No Cars Go is pure genius.
Interpol: Our Love to Admire-Saw them in concert. Fantastic album, my favorite band.
Radiohead: In Rainbows-I didn't pay, but I should have, they are always great and worth it.
Rilo Kiley: Under the Black Light-Slow to grow on me, seeing them in concert helped. Jenny Lewis is one of my favorite artists working right now.
The Shins: Wincing the Night Away-Saw them twice this year. What a great year.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs: EPA brilliant 5 song set to satiate my appetite until their next album.

News to Me
If you have had a conversation with me in 2007 this is what I told you to listen to.

Andrew Bird: Armchair ApocryphaAn album Lucas might like, why do I even try...
Beriut: The Flying Club CupCheck this out, it's fantastic.
Feist: The Reminder-She is very sharp and I love her dance moves.
The Good, The Bad, and The Queen: Self Titled-I'll follow Damon Albarn anywhere.
The Grand Ole Party: Humanimals-They are releasing this album this year, but I bought it at a concert in '07 so it goes here. These guys/gal are a blast.
The National: Boxer-I have an argument for this being the best album of 2007, listen and see.
Panda Bear: Person Pitch-Out there a little bit, and that's why I like it.


Not There Yet
Kanye West: Graduation
White Stripes: Icky Thump
Modest Mouse: We Were Dead Before the Ship Sank

I subscribe to the service E Music which is a pay to download site. I find most of my new music through these guys and it is cheap to download a couple of albums a month. That said my not quite got to them albums are major label records that I would have to buy outside of my nasty downloading habit and that is why I am slow to them.

Let me know what I have missed, this is what struck me and what I am listening to right now. Please recommend something if you think I would like it.

I'm Baaaack...
Well good readers of my blog (no one) My good friend Lucas has decided to start blogging again so he is dragging me back in. I am happy to be back though and I am already working on a couple of things. See you soon