One phrase in the English language that tends to fill our hearts with hope, “Pitchers and catchers report to training camp” While the dog and I pay very little attention to Spring Training (we give it up for Lent) those seven simple words are filled with potential, a promise of what could be. Some of you would say, “Why bother? Your home team is the Mariners and they’re usually done by Father’s Day” I would reply, “I may live in the moisture laden Pac NW, home to only team to win 116 games in one season, besides the Evil Empire (Yankees). However, I was born a Red Sox fan and will remain one until I die!” Just to clarify, I do cheer for the M’s as long as it helps the Sox. Unfortunately the Sox have established a tradition of playing poorly in Safeco. While the seats are better/cheaper and the food is tastier at Safeco than at Fenway ($9 bleacher seats and I’ll take Al’s Gourmet Sausage over a Rem-Dog any day of the week) it’s rare to see a Sox victory on that field.
I was laid low this past week, hovering on death’s door with a life threatening man cold.
Haven’t slept well since Tuesday, my throat feels like I’ve been gargling with ground glass and hot coals, freezing with chills then frying with fever and lastly, aches and a general feeling of malaise. The dog loved having me home, but was a bit let down due to a lack of trips to the park. I’m feeling better now, thankyouverymuch.
In the Headphones
We’ve been listening to a lot of opera lately. The dog loves anything by Puccini and I can’t disagree. To give Giacomo’s work some perspective, we’ve been contrasting it with various shows from The Grateful Dead’s Complete European Tour circa 1972 and several Pac Northwest shows The Black Crowes have done over the years. Tacoma, Dec ’10 was amazing! One of the best concerts I’ve ever seen. Live Downloads
has many Black Crowes shows available, direct from the sound board. For the Dead’s stuff you’ll have to go to their site or scan e-bay or Amazon for people selling used copies.
By the way, if you haven’t checked out an HD simulcast of The Met
performances you have to check it out. It’s the next best thing to actually being at the opera house and you can wear jeans and eat popcorn!
Visuals
On the Big Screen
The Descendants
The movie is very good and Clooney’s OK, albeit a bit flat. I'm just not sure it’s worthy of Oscar noms for Film, Director, Actor, Screenplay and editing.
On the Player
Anonymous
A film based on the Oxford Theory of Shakespeare Authorship,
i.e., Bill Shakespeare did not any poems of plays, the Earl of Oxford actually did.
The Big Year
Three men compete to spot the most species of birds in North America in one year, a very pleasant and enjoyable movie.
Contagion
An exotic disease contracted by an American businesswoman leads to 26 million deaths and global chaos. Watched this while I was sick, probably shouldn’t have.
Superbad
From 2007. Pretty much a documentary film of how males approach their high school years. A must see for every teenage girl!
Warrior
Estranged brothers end up in the same mixed martial arts competition, both with huge reasons to win. Somewhat predictable, but I gotta say I liked it.
Tube
Dune
The William Hurt, mini-series version from 2000. A bit closer to the book that the David Lynch version.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
OK, OK. It’s slow, dry and confusing, but Alec Guinness rocks!
On the Nightstand
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Just started it so can’t say much except that I’m hooked.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Non-fiction story of a poor, African American woman from Baltimore whose cells were used to discover a vaccine for polio, are present in nearly every research lab in the world and her family has never seen a dime in compensation.
Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes
A fictionalized account of a marine company in Vietnam. Intense and tragic.
