Holla Holla

I know it's been a while since I last wrote -- probably the longest lapse in writing since I became "self employed." I can't remember much from the last week or so, and I can't tell if it's because the last week or so was so crazy or so boring.

The only thing to happen to me was a near-fatal exposure to a couple of cats the resulted in some severe allergy symptoms over the weekend, a trip to the emergency room (not for me, but I was along for the ride), and diagnosis of pinkeye (again, not me) and a diagnosis of asthma (me). Couple all that with a trip to the doctor's office and $65 worth of pills and inhalers, and you can tell that I probably want to forget the last week and a half.

Alternatively, some good things have happened -- I got a part time internship doing something I like -- programming for web pages and work in photoshop. There's also a chance it could be a full time, honest-to-God job. For any of you who are going it alone in the world as far as employment, you know it's sometimes tough not exactly knowing from where the next paycheck (or IF it) will come.

So, happy news, I'm off to Galleria Umberto to celebrate.

Cool?

Watching the Red Sox game today, I could swear that Trot Nixon's "entrance" music is Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line."

Now, I am a huge Cash fan and am happy whenever I hear his music, his songwriting or his presence in the world, but I kind of find it odd that I Walk the Line finds itself in the same company as the hard rock and hip hop tracks that accompany batters to the plate. Nixon's last entrance track was wrestler HHH's theme, so I guess that is a step in the right direction.

Slow Times

Spring is supposed to be that time in the business cycle when things really pick up. You could also say this about peoples' lives. The snow has finally melted, the sun is out longer and there is just a positive energy in the air. Right now, however, I find myself in a business and personal flux. I have a few things on the horizon, but nothing solid, nor immediate, hence nothing much to write about in the AYB. I do enjoy writing mini move reviews, but I don't want to have to rely on them to be the sole new content of this blog.

I'll be out of town for three weekends over the next month, so maybe I'll have something more to say soon.

Word Check

I admit, I am sometimes at fault when it comes to this topic I'm about to discuss, but I need it off my mind.

Now that the WWW allows anyone to give their opionion, I find myself reading those opinions and cringing. Sometimes it's just the content, but most times, it's the poor grammar, spelling and misuse of words that make me want to travel back in time to 1988, before the Internet era, when all I had was Uncle Fester's Quest on Nintendo.

Anyway, where was I... yes, the grammar and words and stuff. I was on Netflix just now, rating Batman Begins (4/5 stars) and was perusing the user comments for the film. The last one on the page starts with this line "This is the penultimate Batman movie. You've got everything here..."

Penultimate means "next to last", not "super ultimate" or something else that makes the word "ultimate" even more ultimate. Ugh.

These forums that now let us post opinions should at least police us when it comes to proper writing.

Carl's Netflix Review #4

The Edukators
5/5 Stars

Excellent movie! This is a story about three young Germans whose idealism gets them in over their heads. The Edukators are a group of radicals. They're burglars. They break into the homes of rich people, but rather than steal anything, they simply rearrange furniture and leave a note: "Your days of plenty are numbered." They aren't looking to ruin lives, just shake things up and plant the seeds of a revolution, perhaps. Things go wrong, however, when one of their targets comes home during a break-in. A hostage situation ensues -- but who is the victim in the end? Beliefs clash and faith is questioned. Definitely check it out.

Location, Location, Location

It was brought to my attention this week that in addition to the weather, Boston gets the shaft when it comes to sunlight. In Detroit, in late June, the sun does not set until 9:13 pm. During that same time of year in Boston, the sun sets at 8:20 pm.

We are located on the eastern side of the eastern time zone while Detroit is on the western side of the same time zone. So while the sun as already set in our part of the country, it's still in the sky in their part of the country -- but our clocks read the same. The only trade off? Detroit has darker mornings in the winter. Oh boo hoo.