THURSDAY, DEC 19, 2002 - See you on the other side

I'll be spending the rest of the year in the Heartland. Be good.

FRIDAY, DEC 13, 2002 - The Soul Surfer / Shredder Paradigm

When any hobby or interest becomes popular, the early adopting elite often laments the influx of newcomers and the way things have changed. This can be observed with the cyclical rises and falls in popularity of yoga, martial arts, swing dancing, rock climbing, indie music, blogging, and so on and so forth. The list is nearly infinite.

And in my youth no one did this better than me. But what I've come to realize over time is that no one group ever has ownership, or ever had it. An interest is dictated by personal taste, and as such, evolves with the collective characteristics of its participating majority. Over time that becomes the new norm.

Perhaps the inability to enjoy an interest after it has reached the mainstream serves only to underscore the insincerity of one's supposed love of it in the first place; ironically, the classic definition of a poseur.

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FRIDAY, DEC 6, 2002 - Interview with The Booge

Today features The Booge, an enigma wrapped within the liner notes of a Frank Zappa CD. Read more here about this peanut butter and jelly sandwich enthusiast with impeccable manners.

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THURSDAY, DEC 5, 2002 - Hey, who let the NFG in?

It's all new to me. Hockey is an amazingly fast game in which the entire momentum of a game can shift in minutes. After a scoreless first period, the Bruins were up 3 - zip, scoring two goals in thirty seconds. By the middle of the third period, however, the Thrashers outplayed and tied the Bs, leading into overtime.

And close games loads of fun as long as the good guys win.

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WEDNESDAY, DEC 4, 2002 - In a goofy mood

Last month, I was involved in a discussion about films based on the criterion of whether they held up from their initial viewings. Answers varied due to preferences, favored actors, and, probably, age at the time when they were first seen.

We laughed at one another, agreed heartily, argued loudly, and as the beers became many, congratulated each other for having big dicks. Here are a few that I remember.

Underappreciated -- The Spanish Prisoner

Guilty Pleasure -- Titanic

Underrated -- Predator

Overrated -- Gone with the Wind

Best Film of All Time -- The Last Emperor

I saw The Piano again the other night. When I first saw it in the theater, I could be heard singing only its praises. It's still a beautifully shot film, but the overuse of literary devices like foreshadowing and symbolism give it all the subtlety of a Harvey Kietel frontal shot.

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TUESDAY, DEC 3, 2002 - A few thoughts

1. Our favorite monkey is up to her ol' shenanigans again. This new design is delightful in its simplicity. Every time she gets it right it sends me into a jealous fit.

2. Sometimes I have to think for a second to remember that Dick Cheney is the Vice President of the United States. I avoid network news because it more closely resembles E!; only with bombs, not boobs. All that aside, I wish he'd poke his head out more, reminding us that we don't actually live in an autocracy?

3. Judy Tenuta has a Web site. Back in her day it was proper nomenclature to call her a comedienne. Suffa, Pope!

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