Shadow world

Still looking for a conservative weblog I can read without wanting to hark up my lunch every time I hit the page. Any suggestions would be appreciated. (I know I asked this a while ago, but I couldn’t find the post, so I don’t know what suggestions people made then. Sorry.)

This is prompted by Dean’s World’s latest slide from self-parody into some sort of shadow world beyond parody. I’d like to believe there are some people across the smoking chasm that used to be the “middle ground” that have a tiny semblance of civility, thoughtfulness, and common sense. Not holding my breath.

You can’t make this stuff up, people

“I think George Bush is going to win in a walk. I really believe I’m hearing from the Lord it’s going to be like a blowout election in 2004. It’s shaping up that way.”

–Pat Robertson, on The 700 Club

Best comment on Atrios about this:
“Why does God hate America?”

Best Movies of 2003

1. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
2. Lost in Translation
3. The Station Agent
4. Spellbound
5. American Splendor
6. A Mighty Wind
7. Capturing the Friedmans

Words Mean Things Guilty Pleasure Awards for 2003

1. The Core
2. Terminator 3
3. Equilibrium

Virtual reality

When you’re sick, food is weird.

I love food. And these days I look at something fantastic, like the bars my mother made for me over Christmas, and I can understand intellectually how good they are. But I have absolutely no interest in eating them. It’s like I’m looking at my refrigerator through some sort of virtual-reality helmet.

I think there are people to whom eating is just a mechanical function – they eat to live. There are people who honestly “forget to eat.” I’m not one of those people. So being sick takes away something essential from my personality – that pleasure you get from eating something wonderful, or even just something familiar and comforting. (I make some killer homemade macaroni and cheese, for example.) More than anything, that’s what’s making me impatient to feel better.

Be your own calendar

Have you been reading Margaret Cho’s weblog? If not, you’re missing out on something great. Case in point: her New Year’s Eve post. Read it.

Why do people keep writing things better than I ever could? Damn.

Ahead to 2004

I wasn’t going to write a year-end post, but I just finished watching Kenneth Branagh’s “Henry V,” and it gave me a burst of energy. 2003 didn’t start out much better than the execrable 2002, but in the last quarter things suddenly picked up. I met someone very special to me, and I’ve been getting quite a few new clients.

Traffic on the weblog has been going slightly upward all year as well. I’m so grateful for the people who continue to come here and read what I have to say. I’m also grateful for the people it’s allowed me to meet, and the charge I get from being able to write whatever and whenever I want. That is a great gift.

All my best to you and yours in the new year.

Giving Andy his due

My abject hatred of Andy Rooney is well-documented on this site. But there was one thing the freak-eyebrowed old gasbag said that was right: when you have the flu, the only time you feel better is when you’re standing in a hot shower.

True, true, true.

UPDATE: Consumer endorsement of the new year – DayQuil. Good stuff, Maynard.

Word of the day

patois

The patois of the “Firefly” universe includes a smattering of Chinese among the English words.

Comic of the Day

Dean Can’t Win

At first I didn’t even want to use those words on this page. But I figure if enough people Google bomb those words to that cartoon, it’s a good thing.

Movie Quote of the Week

“But look now. If we lived in a state where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us saintly. But since we see that avarice, anger, pride and stupidity commonly profit far beyond charity, modesty, justice and thought, perhaps we must stand fast a little – even at the risk of being heroes.”

-Thomas More, “A Man for All Seasons”

I’ve quoted this movie more than once on this page. (If you’ve never seen it, or even if it’s just been a while, I would implore you to sit down and watch it. It’s that good.) In my latest viewing, on the fancy new A/V rig, not only the visuals were enhanced, but also the words sprung forth with greater clarity than ever. And the above quote, when More is awaiting execution in the Tower of London, reminded me so much of our times.

I hope we can all stand fast a little.