Category: words mean things (Page 38 of 223)

Sometimes horoscopes can be strangely insightful. Here’s mine:

Cancer
You like things more than you like people right now. Things stay where you put them and bend easily to your will. People develop opinions about you, some of which make you happy and some of which have to be corrected. Anyone trying to burst the balloon of your elaborate joke will find a lot more than hot air inside. In your own flamboyant way, you’re telling the truth. Once you drop the cheerful curmudgeon act, it turns out that you really love people. They’re wonderful to touch and fun for sharing good ideas and good times. You also love people because they can applaud.

Commerce observations

1. I used a “self-checkout” station at Shopko the other day, where you stand at what looks like a giant ATM machine and scan your own purchases. It was fascinating and vaguely disturbing all at the same time.

2. Apparently there’s been a new sales seminar at Best Buy. The salespeople, especially the ones who roam the “Oh my god is he really going to buy a flat-screen TV?” area, are required to stride up to you, shake your hand, announce their name in a loud purposeful voice, and then demand to know yours. Anyone who’s ever read this site will know exactly how I feel about this new strategy.

3. My mortgage bank office is in a mini-mall right next to a Check-N-Go.

Family

Admittedly, a lot of my photographs don’t have any people in them. To counter this a little bit, I made a TypePad gallery of some family photos, taken by me and others. Enjoy.

Matchstick Men

I saw four movies this weekend, a lot even for me. Friday was “Magdalene Sisters,” and Saturday was “Underworld.” Then yesterday afternoon, because I wanted to get out of the house, I saw the regrettable “Cold Creek Manor” with Sharon Stone. It doesn’t even merit a review, except possibly for Stephen Dorff’s naked sweaty torso on display through the first third of the movie.

Then late last night came “Matchstick Men.” I wasn’t expecting much; my friend Paul’s prejudice that a movie with Nicholas Cage will probably suck has seeped somewhat into my own consciousness. Plus, my brother had just finished telling me he didn’t like it. But I was pleasantly surprised. Cage grabs hold of his neurotic con man character Roy and doesn’t let go, much like the bulldogs Roy seems fond of. Great stuff also from Alison Lohman as Cage’s long-lost teenage daughter, and Sam Rockwell of “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” as Cage’s partner.

Anyone expecting a conventional caper movie (like Ocean’s Eleven or similar) will probably be disappointed. It’s more of a character study wrapped in caper.

Recommended.

Lunchtime conversation

Me: There’s a lid for every pot. At least I hope so. Right now, all I have is the pot.

Michele: That’s OK. After all, you can still cook without a lid.

Looking for something funny to brighten up your Monday morning? Here you go. (via Barney Gumble)

I miss Kaboom cereal.

Things I Think About

In the “Star Trek” universe, do they have transporters on Earth as well? Or is it just a ship-to-shore, military technology type thing?

Tonight, courtesy of Rachael Ray, I made Chicken and Dumplings, pretty much from scratch. It was delicious, and there’s a ton left over. I’m quite proud of myself, actually.

Underworld

The movie I thought most about while watching “Underworld” was “Daredevil.” In my “Daredevil” review, I said it suffered from failure to commit. Well, despite its faults, “Underworld” commits big time. It’s rare these days to see a movie like this that picks a premise and really runs with it, full-out. I was extremely entertained the whole two hours – and how many movies can you say that about?

Other surprises: the mythology of this battle between Vampires and Lycans (werewolves) seems pretty well thought out – again with the commitment. That’s necessary if they’re going to make this into a series. And Kate Beckinsale, striding around purposefully in Trinity’s catsuit, proves that she’s a bona fide star. If she can make you invest in the idea that she’s an immortal vampire bounty hunter, I think she can handle pretty much anything.

Problems exist, of course. There is some bad acting, particularly from the guy who plays the vampire villain Kraven. And the chemistry between Beckinsale and Scott Speedman from “Felicity” is non-existent. Some of the scenes are overlong. But put it this way: I’d much rather watch this again than watch “Matrix Reloaded” again.

Definitely recommended.

Industrial design as art

Bill Noll has put some seductive images online of the new Apple G5. (via splorp.blog)

Drool.