Soviet Postcards 1979

I found this set of Soviet era postcards in the Triangle Resale Shop in Bellaire, Texas. I am a collector of postcards (among other things), and they just struck me as being so cool and so sad at the same time. They're cool in the sense of being from the bygone Cold War, hammer and sickle era, but that makes them sad, too.



I don't read/speak Russian and my geographic knowledge (like that of most Americans') is impoverished, so I don't know what city the post cards commemorate. In one shot, you can see that the whole city is encircled by a brick fence. The architecture is crisp and clean, but the buildings are so functional, they lack aesthetic appeal.



Even the most ornate building in this city is whitewashed, which seems to cancel out opulence offered by the gilded gold and silver onion topped spires.



They're cool because they are presumably showing off the city at its best, but the subject matter is presented without artistic flare. An industrial landscape by American or European standards, there is nothing posh about the buildings or the scenery.



The statuary is a classically Soviet homage to communism and war. I ended up paying the bargain price of 50 cents for this odd little time warped package of postcards. One man's trash ...

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

We saw The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy this weekend, and it was GREAT! Just before Earth is destroyed by an alien wrecking crew, a human is rescued by a friendly alien who teaches him the secrets to hitch hiking throughout the galaxy. Superb job of filming an almost impossible story to visualize. The alien creatures were created by the Jim Henson's Creature Shop and they are original and funny. The president of the galaxy is a narcissistic idiot played by Sam Rockwell who adds flourish to his character via a George W. Bush accent that is dead on. I don't know if the accent was the director's idea or if it was something thought up by Sam Rockwell, but whoever thought it up is a genius. I don't think I can say enough good things about this film. Mos Def is amazing as Ford Prefect, the alien who saves the human, Arthur Dent. He was so good that I was halfway through the film before I realized it was Mos Def, and I even read something before seeing the movie that said he was in the film - that's good. Martin Freeman, best known for his portrayal of Tim in The Office, is great as the surviving human, Arthur. I loved Marvin the depressed robot played by Alan Rickman. Rickman delivered his voice over with amusing woe, if there can be such a thing. Marvin is the Eeyore of robots. We even went home humming, "So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish"- what a fun song! I have two confessions to make. The first is that I have not read the book, but it's now on my list, and the second is that I hope they market the Marvin robot and I hope it talks!

Meet the Fockers, All About My Mother, and Blazing Saddles

Meet the Fockers was as funny as Meet the Parents; which it to say it was funny, but not hilarious. Meet the Fockers picks up the story at the point that engaged couple, played by Ben Stiller and Teri Polo, are taking a road trip with the bride-to-be's parents, played by Blythe Danner and Robert DeNiro. Stiller's parents are played by Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand, and I enjoyed their performances much more than I expected to. So much so, that I could see them making a third installment with them starring instead of in supporting roles.

All About My Mother is one of Pedro Almodovar's best films. It's beautifully written and filmed. All of the actors in the film give perfecl performances. The story is of a single mother who's son was fathered by a man who left her and became a transvestite. The subplots include an aging actress, the plots of Streetcar Named Desire and All About Eve, a pregnant nun and another transvestite. This mix, believe it or not, is so beautifully handled that I found myself laughing and crying all the way through the film. Great film and great cast. Definitely see this one.

Blazing Saddles is a film I saw years ago when it came on cable in the 80's, but for the life of me I couldn't remember much of it. It's also one the most acclaimed Mel Brooks films, but seeing it again after so many years, it doesn't seem very funny at all. Blazing Saddles is the story of a corrupt politician's in the Old West who appoint a black sheriff, so that the town's folk will hate him so much that they will leave the town. I really like Mel Brooks (History of the World Part I and the 1000 Year Old Man), but this film was a bust for me as an adult. The racial jokes weren't funny, the sex jokes weren't funny and the fart jokes weren't funny. Blech!

Pobrecito Stevo

Jazz Sax - Artist Unknown

We planned for Steve to come down this weekend, but the plans were dashed when he ended up with food poisoning or a nasty virus (the verdict is still out on which it is). So, he's stuck in a hotel room, sick and alone in Dallas just waiting for the illness to pass and work to start again on Tuesday.

We miss you, Steve, and we hope you are feeling better soon! We'll just have to wait for the beta test in Houston to see you again.

Dad's Little Daisy

Daisy on Desk

The newest member of Mom and Dad's household has arrived, and this time Dad has laid down the law and proclaimed "the Daisy" is HIS cat. To this end he has taken 10 days off work to bond with his kitty. We're rooting for you, Dad. You are due in for a win in the cat department. Daisy is going to be yours (not Mom's).

Out of Sync

Galveston Island Far West End by Finijo

Maybe I don't change enough as time goes on. It seems to me that everyone around me is changing, moving, shaking... I am at a loss. I'd like to think that I have grown and matured over the years, but lately I find myself lying awake at night wondering what is happening, and if I am somehow out of sync. Over the years friends of mine (people I love very much) have changed drastically. They have changed from nice to unkind, sane to psychotic, gay to straight, and liberal to conservative. I had one friend that changed from straight to gay, but the only one surprised by that metamorphosis was him and it had no effect on the friendship. The gay to straight change, on the other hand, came as a shock to all who knew him and he walked away from all of us.

It's not that I dislike change. I think I've rolled with the changes in my life fairly well, but I also think I am basically the same person I have always been. My core values are roughly the same; my outlook is not really different than it was last year or 20 years ago. What has me perplexed is how and why people change the essence of themselves. I question whether they ever really were the person I thought they were, or if they somehow hid their true nature.

I have tried hard to cultivate long-term friendships since I was young, and I feel like I've been successful in that endeavor. I still have friends from junior high and high school, and I've kept my friends from college. I've even hung on to friends from each job I have had since I finished college. The people I call friends share some common ground with me, even if we aren't identical in our ideology.

I don't know if it is age, PMS, or some unknown variable that has me assessing my regrets in life, but they seem to center on the friends I have lost. I am surprised at how my failures (numerous as they are) are not among the things I regret. I see the value in every failure I've had, but the loss of a friend is altogether different for me. The loss of a friend leaves a void and I have no real understanding of what happened to cause the changes that broke the friendship. Without answers, I find myself questioning my ability to judge character, which is not something I have questioned in the past. I'm left wondering if I misjudged from the beginning and I was somehow deluded, or if it is normal or in vogue to reinvent one's self at some point in our life and I am just odd man out in that experience. Whatever the answer, the feeling is disconcerting and I am hoping it passes soon.

Shame on Texas

Blue Future by Finijo

Most of the time I take pride in being a Texan. It fascinates me that people all over the world know the state of Texas (unlike Iowa or Ohio), as though it were a country unto itself. There really is a Texas mystique.

Since George W. Bush has been president, I find my pride diminished by his heavy handed, judgemental, misguided and unethical leadership of our country. The example he has set as president has spawned the sense of entitlement in the Republican party that shows in their flagrant abuse of power in Texas and nationwide. From redrawing the voting districts in Texas to trying to do away with the filabuster, their hunger for power knows no bounds. Changing their own party's rules to allow Tom DeLay, the most corrupt politician since Boss Tweed, to remain the Majority Leader, in spite of his being investigated for ethics violations. They will stop at nothing to change laws and the American political system to continue to diminish the rights of the American public. The Republican party uses religious morality to bully anyone who speaks out against their unethical practices and to rally the narrow minded and ignorant masses to their cause.

I am republishing the following post from Smile Like You Mean It:

Bigots in charge

ANTI-GAY TEXAS MARRIAGE AMENDMENT PASSES SENATE

The amendment has been cleared to appear on a statewide ballot November 2005. Of course it will pass. Texas is filled with uneducated, hateful, fearful hicks.

This would mark the first time in history that a minority group would be singled out in the constitution in order to be denied rights. Constitutions are historically treated as sacred documents, designed to preserve rights and ensure equality for all.

Shame on the Texas lawmakers for allowing this amendment to pass the Senate. They should be ashamed of themselves. The hatred I feel for them right now is only tempered by my knowledge that eventually they will be defeated in reelection bids and will fade into oblivion as lonely, bitter, homophobes who pandered to the lowest common denominator in order to justify their lives.

I'm thankful that our government includes the judicial system which will eventually overturn this piece of hate legislation.

posted by Mike N

Altoids Sours

Altoids Sours and Altoids Sour Gum

Callard & Bowser, the company that brought us curiously strong mints and amazing butterscotch candy, has perfected the most curiously sour candy and gum in existence. It is so sour that it makes Warheads seem sweet. I love this stuff. Altoids' gum is so sour that you can't help but make a face when you chew it. It's so sour that it's actually a little stressful to eat it. Great stuff!

Luck Turns, Fate Twists

Cirque Baby by Finijo

Everything hinges on the choices we make. Sometimes life's great opportunities are dangled in front of us like exotic candy.

Most times the selection presented is common. It is rare to whiff, let alone to chance a glimpse into an extraordinary future.

We wait corpse-like for the Fates to present to us our options.

Keep your eyes wide open.

Art Rage

Confetti by Finijo

Marilyn brought home the May 2005 issue of Computer Shopper magazine and it included a CD with 50 free downloads. The painting above was my trial run using Art Rage, and the painting below was my second. I really enjoyed figuring out what would happen when I used different applications. Art Rage is a great program that allows you to paint and draw using your computer and mouse. It has a wide range of colors and several art mediums to choose from, including: oil, pencil, pen and ink, felt tip, and chalk. There are also several types of canvas to choose from, to give different textures to your art. It's a cool outlet for your creativity, because it's quick (immediate gratification is a good thing sometimes) and it's clean (no messy paints and brushes to clean up). The only problem I had while using Art Rage, is that my mouse doesn't allow me enough fine motor control to draw straight lines. In spite of that, I think this is a terriffic program.


Billowing Red by Finijo

Reign of Fire, Latter Days, and The General

Latest Netflix DVD's:

Reign of Fire is modern day dragon tale. It's like Jurassic Park, but with dragons instead of dinosaurs. Unlike Jurassic Park, the dragons have the run of the planet (instead of an island) and they live on the ashes of what they burn (instead of live flesh), so you can imagine that the outlook for humans who survive the scourge is pretty bleak. The film stars Christian Bale as the hero and leader of one of the few remaining human enclaves. Matthew McConaughey is barely recognizable as the American who leads the cavalry, so to speak. He plays the part of the stereotypically ugly American, bold and bald; while Christian Bale seems to be sleepwalking through his part, by comparison. Overall, we liked movie. There was a unique story with suspense and action, but not too much gore. We recommend it for the whole family (as long as everyone in the family can handle suspense and dragons that are a little bit scary).

Latter Days isn't your average boy meets boy, gay love story; it's more of a party boy meets Mormon boy, gay love story. The script is witty and moving, and the characters are interesting and likable. Even the most obnoxious character in Latter Days (with the possible exception of Water Sports Boy) is more compelling than any of the characters in the film Closer (see post dated May 4, 2005). The two leads in Latter Days, Wes Ramsay and Steve Sandvoss, are relatively unknown, but they do a great job. You can't help but root for their characters and hope that they can work out their differences and live happily ever after. Latter Days is a funny film with some poignant and dramatic moments, a lot more like a classic love story than you'd expect from a film about a gay couple. We liked it a lot.

The General is a silent film from 1927 starring Buster Keaton and Marion Mack. Buster Keaton wrote, directed and did all of his own stunts (most of which involved a moving train), for The General. The first time I watched this film, I was in a film class in college and I was awed by how funny it was - even without color or sound (gasp!). This time around, I watched the film on DVD with my 11-year old nephew, Connor. Growing up in a home with film buffs, Con is used to seeing black and white films and even silent films, but I am still surprised when he doesn't complain about the lack of sound or color. He loved this film as much as I did - so much so, he watched it twice. The General tells the story of a sad sack train engineer who loses the two loves of his life (his girlfriend and his train) on the same day, and the hilarious lengths he goes to in order to get them back. If you've never seen a silent film, this is a great one to start with. There are also some funny Buster Keaton film shorts on the DVD, as an added bonus.

Saffie Before and After

Saffie has needed a shave for a long time (our big clue was the Tribbles she leaves all over our home), so I took her in this morning for grooming, since I was off. Here she is:

BEFORE:

She's a Lady by Finijo

and AFTER:

Saffie Shaved

7 Faces of Dr. Lau, Three Blind Mice, and Closer

We've lost track of what week we're on with Netflix, so our most recent Netflix views were:

7 Faces of Dr. Lau is an MGM film released in 1964, the kind of movie they just don't make anymore. It's a fantasy film about an ancient, Chinese and wise man, Dr. Lao (played by Tony Randall), who saves a town and it's people from corruption. Dr. Lao brings his magical circus to the western town of Abalone, Arizona ca. 1910 and shows the townspeople what is really important in life. It is a little dark in places and Barbara Eden (the town librarian) as a steamy encounter with Pan (John Ericson), but it is still a film the whole family can watch and it ends happily in typical MGM style.

This DVD has few extras, but it does include the theatrical trailer and some documentary footage of William Tuttle, the make-up artist responsible for turning Tony Randall into Dr. Lao, The Abominable Snowman, Medusa, Merlin, Apollonius of Tyana, and Pan for The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao. Tuttle was the head of the MGM Make-up Department, and in the mini-documentary he demonstrates how to make facial masks, used as bases for character make-up.

The whole world is a circus if you know how to look at it. Dr. Lao

Three Blind Mice is a film about internet crimes. It stars Edward Furlong and the British actress Emilia Fox. I liked this film and thought that the plot was unique and intelligent. The film holds your attention, especially if you are a technophile. I think this Three Blind Mice was underrated by most of the reviews I have seen. There are some plot twists that make it a bit confusing, but it all adds up in the ind. The graphic sex and violence make it a film that is inappropriate for kids.

Mike and I watched Closer last weekend and in spite of the great reviews it got, the film left us both cold. Closer stars Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Jude Law, and Natalie Portman. The film is about four gorgeous, but ultimately empty people, and not one of the characters is someone that I would want as a friend (or even an acquaintance). The storyline is interesting up to a point, but it centers around betrayal and it moves incredibly slowly. I never need to see this one again.

Connor's Free Spirit

Please Supervise Your Children

This is one of my favorite pictures of Connor. It was taken at the dog park when he was 4 years old. He had a great day of running and jumping and climbing trees. The caption on the sign reads: Please Supervise Your Children and Leash Your Pets - that makes the picture even better.