That I hate which I am supposed to love...
Glory
The Shawshank Redemption
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Sometimes you do what you need to do
I spent another day riding around with Teacher Dave volunteering with Capital District Habitat for Humanity which is always a good time.
Firstly, it is because Teacher Dave is a great person to spend a day lifting and hauling things with.
Secondly, it is for a great cause.
Finally, lifting and hauling donated furniture and cabinets and the assorted jetsam of home remodeling projects (don't speak to me of drywall ever again) means that I don't need to work out that day or the next.
So...in case you have things (like lovingly used furniture), you can go to the above link and donate it for the tax deduction. The items are then brought the the CDHfH ReStore where they are sold and the profits go to the various projects that Habitat sponsors in the area.
Or you could choose to volunteer some of your time.
I am doing it again on Friday and looking forward to it.
Firstly, it is because Teacher Dave is a great person to spend a day lifting and hauling things with.
Secondly, it is for a great cause.
Finally, lifting and hauling donated furniture and cabinets and the assorted jetsam of home remodeling projects (don't speak to me of drywall ever again) means that I don't need to work out that day or the next.
So...in case you have things (like lovingly used furniture), you can go to the above link and donate it for the tax deduction. The items are then brought the the CDHfH ReStore where they are sold and the profits go to the various projects that Habitat sponsors in the area.
Or you could choose to volunteer some of your time.
I am doing it again on Friday and looking forward to it.
Monday, July 19, 2010
The Movies You Love To Hate
As you saw yesterday, I love Annie Hall. I think it is an almost perfect film, with some moments that make me laugh out loud.
About I made the post, I received two e-mails from people that I respect.
The first one expressed that she knew that it may change my opinion about her, but she hated the film.
The second person e-mailed me to tell me that she had never seen it.
While I was flabbergasted by someone not having seen Annie Freaking Hall, I was rendered speechless by the idea of someone who I happen to believe to be brilliant loathed this film.
Then I started thinking about it.
There are a number of movies that people love that I cannot stand.
Why? Well, I would say that they are crap, but most of my issues with the films come from the idea of the film being better executed than the film itself.
Here are a couple (or four) of mine:
Braveheart
Schindler's List
Gladiator
Forrest Gump
These are all beautiful films. I am not challenging that in the least. However, none of them are great films. All of them suffer from the belief that everyone attached to the film is doing something important; fighting tyranny, documenting the power of the individual, and providing a survey of historically significant moments.
In the hands of lesser people, these films could be wonderful, but then end up being over blown and to some extent (and it applies to all of them) cartoonish.
What films do you loathe that everyone else loves?
(And in deference to a number of my friends and peers, I am not even going to mention Star Wars: A New Hope.)
About I made the post, I received two e-mails from people that I respect.
The first one expressed that she knew that it may change my opinion about her, but she hated the film.
The second person e-mailed me to tell me that she had never seen it.
While I was flabbergasted by someone not having seen Annie Freaking Hall, I was rendered speechless by the idea of someone who I happen to believe to be brilliant loathed this film.
Then I started thinking about it.
There are a number of movies that people love that I cannot stand.
Why? Well, I would say that they are crap, but most of my issues with the films come from the idea of the film being better executed than the film itself.
Here are a couple (or four) of mine:
Braveheart
Schindler's List
Gladiator
Forrest Gump
These are all beautiful films. I am not challenging that in the least. However, none of them are great films. All of them suffer from the belief that everyone attached to the film is doing something important; fighting tyranny, documenting the power of the individual, and providing a survey of historically significant moments.
In the hands of lesser people, these films could be wonderful, but then end up being over blown and to some extent (and it applies to all of them) cartoonish.
What films do you loathe that everyone else loves?
(And in deference to a number of my friends and peers, I am not even going to mention Star Wars: A New Hope.)
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Sum Good Dim
Yesterday, Sandor sent me a text asking if I was up for lunch (By the way, did you read about Sandor?) and of course I was up for it. I was up for anything at that point, after having a wonderfully awful Friday evening (and a much worse Saturday morning) and lunch with someone with as developed a palate as Sandor is always an adventure.
He suggest Ala Shanghai for dim sum. I love me some dim sum and this was just what was needed to fill my soul with happiness (as well as my body with food).
Before I write about the food, please let me explain that it was some of the best and most attentive service I have ever had. I could be more effusive in my praise if you need me to be, but experience it for your self.
Sandor and I split a plate of cold appetizers that were tasty but required a little too much work. For the record, on the plate was smoke fish, salty duck, Shanghai dough, Aster salad, sliced pork shoulder, and spicy cabbage. The smoke fish and salty duck (as is traditional) were rough chopped and had bones in them, and while it did require effort, they were tasty. The Shanghai dough and spicy cabbage are worth the trip to Latham.
For the dim sum itself, we went with Steamed Crab and Pork Soup Dumplings and the Steamed Scallion Rolls.
I do not know what I was expecting with the dumplings (I had not read any reviews and I had never had soup dumplings before) but the shear explosion of flavors in my mouth made me weep that I had never had these before. They are rich and flavorful with an indescribable texture. Again, something that you need to experience for yourself.
The scallion rolls were what I was expecting. Now that make it sound like they were average or "ho-hum". That is so far from the truth. Nice and doughy, fragrant and well textured in the mouth, these rolls have become the standard against which I will judge all rolls, from dinner, to jelly.
See Table Hopping for Steve's snapshot review and Albany Eats has a wonderful post on this.
No, I really don't...
I write like
David Foster Wallace
David Foster Wallace
I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!
For the record, this was the piece that I used. (This piece did it too, I love DFW, but...I am so not him.)
My open letter to 7-Eleven generated this:
While the lost iPhone post gave me (and I don't even know who this guy is):
Read the interview with the creator of this at The Awl.
The Post Where I Do The Opening Monologue from Annie Hall
Why have I been watching Annie Hall so much? I don't know.
Maybe because it is one of the funniest movies ever?
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