Notable mentions

Been a fairly busy week thus far so haven't had so many opportunities to post.
Here are a few highlights....
- My nephew started year two yesterday and he spent a bit of time telling me that last year he had five detentions.
- I heard that One Tree Hill is getting a seventh and final season.
- I've been getting right into The Big Bang Theory after some guys at work were raving about it. Very funny show.
- I'm off on my short trip away tomorrow, can't wait.

Shouting at the TV

Don't you find it amazing, and a little strange, how watching sport can make you feel like you are there and what you say can have an impact on the game?
So I was watching the tennis tonight, fourth round of the Australian Open, and I found myself shouting at the TV supporting the Aussie, Jelena Dokic. Things like willing the opponent to double fault, complementing great shots, and saying `c'mon' a large number of times.
It's the feelgood story of the last few years how Dokic has climbed out of the wilderness and returned to Australia, making it through the qualifying to make the semi finals. And you only had to see the response she's been getting to know that all is forgiven and she has been embraced. So she won 7-5, 5-7, 8-6 and she found all the way, showing courage and endurance and she thoroughly deserves it. The top seed was knocked out from her side of the draw today so maybe she might get a crack at the title.
I think it is a good thing to shout at the TV from time to time, but it can be frustrating.

Late resolution

I'm not one for making new year's resolutions and this isn't one of them but a resolution is a good word to describe this decision. A vow, promise to myself are other good ways.
A hobby of mine from a long way back has been to have a bet on the horses, only natural when you look at my job.
Several years back a friend challenged me to go a month without betting and I did and got through it fine, so much so that I kept up that one month off each year for a few years.
I've decided I'm going to not bet for the month of February. Not only is it good to stop I think that I need to as I've been pushing my limits a bit from time to time and while that's okay if you keep winning the reality is that you also go through periods of losing.
That's where people can get stuck and drawn into addiction. Also, February is an expensive month for me with car registration due. So it makes sense to me to kill two birds with one stone. Funnel the bulk of my funds, where necessary, into the car and save the rest. Another good thing about February is that while there are a few major races it is not until March and April when the best comes along again so I won't feel like I am missing anything.
I don't have any concern about not being able to keep it up but I would like to ask for others to check up on me, ask me about it during next month.

Pushing the comfort zone

I live in a world that is predictable, to an extent, manageable and largely comfortable (relatively speaking) and I am preparing to, in a small way, step out of that comfort zone.
Next weekend I have a short trip away planned. It's really only 36 hours but it is to a place that is largely foreign to me (I've been there once, about 9 years ago).
That's the whole point though. To go somewhere that will stretch me a bit. As much as I, in some way, enjoy my world I have long craved to snap out of the patterns of the last couple of years.
There's a longish story behind it so if you want to know then ask and I will tell you.
But I have been working up to doing this for a while, and I've been keen to go south for a while as well (a longer while) and after Christmas I decided I should do it.
After a day or so of changing my mind, or trying to talk myself out of it a bit, I locked in the trip, booked accommodation and flights and now we're set.
I really can't wait for this flying visit, it's exciting and there are a few places I plan to go that I have always wanted to see.
I'll explain fully when I get back but I couldn't hold it in any longer.
Look at me, I'm growing!

Role Models

Sometimes a comedy that relies heavily on crudeness works and sometimes I think they cross a line.
Role Models is a film that would have been better served, in my opinion, by toning down the crudity just a bit. That said, I still had a laugh but I couldn't help but think it should have been better.
Paul Rudd, who I do have a bit of time for, is Danny and Sean William Scott is Wheeler, and they are two very different men who work together promoting an energy drink.
Danny is feeling particularly like life is stamping its feet on top of him while Wheeler is basically Stifler from the American Pie films grown up a little.
Danny's attitude causes them to be charged with a number of minor offences and they are forced onto community service after Danny's girlfriend Beth (Elizabeth Banks), a lawyer, saves them from jail (she also broke up with Danny causing his bender).
They are forced to work with children in need of mentoring. As the poster suggests, pretty bad idea. One of the kids though didn't need any encouragement to be a pest.
I was expecting a bit more but there are the usual Stifler-style scenarios from Wheeler while Danny gets a kid whose parents need a lesson in accepting their son.
Look, it's a comedy, it's fun most of the time and I had a laugh. I wanted a few more laughs but they sold them out for the lowbrow angle. One for the guys, though strangely there were more women in the audience. Go figure. A 6.5 out of 10.

Underappreciated

Do you ever feel like you're falling over yourself to help someone or make their life easier and they don't notice?
Perhaps that description is a slight exaggeration but it doesn't seem too far from the truth. To me anyway. I guess I'm feeling a little taken for granted at the moment.
There's a lot deeper basis for the situation that is hard to explain.
I always had an issue with myself in that I take things too seriously and that clashes a bit with my predicament. Yep, those in question seem to be able to live with less commitment and thus things don't hit as hard.

OK, cut the crap. One of my better mates lives life very much on the easy side, they rarely tie themselves down and just cruise at their own pace. I envy that quite a lot. There seems to be less stress involved there, from an outsider's point of view.
The trouble is they don't realise there are other people who don't share their desert island way of life. Again I say I envy that outlook but it gets hard to deal with.

I can get a bit on the self involved side at times but I do try very hard to put my friends first. This, hence this post, at times either goes un-noticed or unappreciated. I know my own expectations can get in the way. You know what, they aren't even expectations. More idealisms. My idea of how things should be seems to vastly differ and that causes friction sometimes.
But how can it be a bad thing to consider others first and openly care for others? I just can't work that out.

Edge of the seat stuff

Back when I was a teenager the cricket used to be exciting.
The main reason was that Australia was not the dominant team at the time, that title went to the West Indies, and any game we won had to be truly earned.
Over the past decade or so we have taken it for granted that the Aussies would win and they did most of the time. But in the last 12 months things have swung away from us.
I, for one, think this is actually a good thing.
Over the last few days we've had two matches against South Africa and the result was unpredictable and hung in the balance both times. Today we prevailed by six runs but it was a nail biter, real edge of the seat stuff. It was exciting and I think it is great for cricket.
I have to admit I lost a lot of interest in cricket because I don't get a kick out of easy wins where the other team just isn't competitive. So my interest turned to rugby league a few years back as it was becoming much more interesting to watch.
Footy season doesn't start for another six weeks or so and I will be watching the cricket, when I can, with some interest to see if it can maintain its new found holding power.

Seven Pounds

This is a hard movie to review because I don't want to give too much away.
Let me start by saying that Seven Pounds is heavy going but there is a point to it. I don't know that it is an uplifting film but there are certainly plenty of positives to be drawn from it.
Will Smith plays a man who seeks out seven people who deserve to have their lives change for the better. He's in a position to help them but only if their situation warrants it.
He's not a guardian angel, he has no supernatural powers. He's driven by guilt, it becomes clear very quickly but exactly why takes time.
Rather than go into the plot I'd like to say that the ending raises plenty of questions about his motivation. Was he helping people to seek redemption? And would what he did earn him redemption?
Seven Pounds is a film that requires your attention. There is no use drifting in and out because here is so much information to be taken in and observation is a big part of it.
To be frank it is a fair bit depressing but I did come out feeling like it was a worthwhile experience. There was one scene where `living an abundant life' was mentioned and I wonder whether that is the take home message from the film. It's not about wealth, in case you thought that, it is about living life and not living in fear.
There is a bit of a question mark over where the title comes from. I had a theory based on what I saw and there is another theory I have read about that seems true as well, and it comes from the Merchant Of Venice. But that's all I will say on that topic.
I reckon I could write pages trying to deconstruct this. I'll leave it as a very thought provoking, gripping, emotional and dramatic film that, if you are into that type of thing, you will be riveted. I was. An 8 out of 10.

From the vault

It's amazing when you a hear a song how it brings back memories or takes you to a different time in your life. While I'm not going to go into detail, as I can only write so much, I've had that experience in the past week or so.
Just after Christmas I bought myself an iTunes card and started to download songs to my computer (I'm always playing music when I'm sitting here typing or surfing) and it is funny that most of them have been blasts from the past. Those old songs I don't have in the CD collection for whatever reason.

Here's a rundown of what I've added lately:
Take On Me-a ha
You Found Me-The Fray
The Prayer-Andrea Bocelli & Celine Dion
Emotion-Bee Gees
Alone-Heart
Drive-The Cars
No Myth-Michael Penn
No Good-Kate Voegele
When Tomorrow Comes-Eurythmics
I Can Dream About You-Dan Hartman
Lean On Me-Club Nouveau
Get Used To It-Roger Voudouris
Don't Hold Back Your Love-Daryl Braithwaite
Drop The Pilot-Joan Armatrading

It's quite an eclectic mix of old and new songs but that's my taste. I like all sorts of songs but, I have to admit, the ones that are emotion-driven seem to speak the loudest to me.
Who knows what I'll remember and add next....

A letter of disgust

I need to get this off my chest, I don't for a second think anyone related to commercial television networks will read it but I will feel better having said it.

Dear network TV,
I feel it is right for me to point out, as a consumer, that the treatment of viewers by all commercial networks in Australia is appalling. Any program that doesn't make a million viewers in its first two weeks seemingly gets dropped regardless of the following it may have. Nothing gets a chance to be built up. As a result I don't watch commercial programs other than the news and repeats of Friends and The Simpsons. My other viewing consists of the programs you hype, and some you ditched, by other means (i.e. imported DVDs, the internet). While this may not concern you I should point out that revenue for commercial television comes from advertising. I am not seeing the advertisements your clients are placing so their money is wasted, on me anyway. And I know I am not the only one who watches their favourite shows in this way. To channel nine, you guys wouldn't know a great show if it hit you in the face. Passing on Chuck was a bonehead idea, it's the most interesting, funny and entertaining show in years. Now Fox 8 gets a belated go. I'm just glad it was recommended to me, now I'm into season two and it is just getting better. So perhaps it might be an idea to treat your viewers with some respect and consideration. Instant success is very rare, real success must be built over time. So thanks to technology and globalisation I get to see what I want to see without being treated like someone who doesn't matter.
Sincerely,
Ray.

Now I do feel somewhat better. It's just good to have a rant now and then. In some way I envy the USA, as it is large enough to sustain the shows that we here get little access to. Great example is One Tree Hill, half way through season 6 in the States, didn't make it half way through season 1 here. Thank God for DVD.

Comic book guy stereotype

I was wandering down Pitt Street this afternoon and I decided to head into the Comic book store there for a browse.
I had been in there before and I was, at the time, slightly motivated to see if the latest Buffy collection was out. As I made my way around the store I started to notice the people behind the counter.
Now I must offer apologies to Brant here because I know he's right into the comics world but I was very amused that the staff was largely living up to the comic book nerd stereotype.
Without being able to recall exact conversation there was a lot of banter about the significance of certain characters, issues of comics and well you get what I mean. One of the staff would pass as `normal' in that you wouldn't have picked him for a fan. One particular member might as well have had stereotype printed on his shirt.
I'm not having a go at them, I was just amused that these people (and more particularly this situation) exist. In certain situations, like with movies or racing, I could well come across in the same manner if I worked say in a music store (I can picture myself a John Cusack-like character from High Fidelity - sweet).
Anyway, I picked up Buffy season 8 volume 3: Wolves At The Gate. The whole comic continuation of the (awesome) TV series is starting to wear thin but I will continue for now as when you are a fan of something it is hard to let go.

Sleepless in Sydney

When you get home at 9pm or thereabouts and it is still 30 degrees you know you're in for a hot night.
It was the same yesterday. I had to resort to using a relaxation tape to get me to doze off when I couldn't get comfortable. Everyone complains about the weather, probably more than anything else, yet it is one thing we have no control over.
At the moment it's a heatwave but a few days ago we were obsessing over the coldest December in a while or something to that effect.. Where had summer gone? Now it's too hot!
I haven't exactly had sleepless nights, it just takes a while to count enough sheep to get the job done. Feels a bit like it though when you wake up after just six hours when eight would be much better. The predictions are that we're getting a 10 or so degree drop in temperature tomorrow so things should be more pleasant.
It was a fairly standard day today. Watched the cricket after work for a while and it was very intriguing for the fifth day of a test match but also satisfying to see Australia scape home to beat South Africa for what will really only be a consolation win. I went out to the club for dinner with some mates then watched an episode of Chuck before getting ready for bed.
So I sit here in my shorts ready to hit the sack. Sounds like a good idea.

Yes Man

What a way to start the year!
I have to declare, for those who don't already know, that I am a huge Jim Carrey fan so I was always going to like Yes Man .
You've probably seen the trailer and know that this is about Carl, a man who chooses to live his life by making excuses and avoiding things - he's a no-man.
He's challenged by a friend to start saying `yes' and, really, he takes it to the extreme level (you'd expect that from Carrey though) to the point where he says yes to anything.
In essence I guess this is another version of Liar Liar but I think there is a point to it, at least I found one.
The lesson is to live life. Say yes once in a while and that is the lesson that Carl learns, eventually. We don't need to say yes to everything, because the consequences of that are plain to see on the screen. But by saying no too much we are cutting ourselves out of life. I should know.
So I see this as somewhat prophetic, a reminder that I need to start saying yes more often.
Look you really get what you see otherwise with Yes Man. There are a few queasy bits but basically it's just a sit back and laugh film and what's the harm in that.
Don't pay any attention to the reviews. Sometimes reviewers, and I know a few of them, expect every film to be Shakespearean to have any substance. Few take a film for what it is. This is a comedy, it is out there, surreal and largely implausible. But that doesn't make it a bad movie.
If you like Jim Carrey in films like Liar Liar, Dumb And Dumber, Ace Ventura etc then this is a worthy addition. If you don't then don't see this film. I had a great laugh, an excellent start to 2009 (with the new Harry Potter trailer thrown in). An 8 out of 10.