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 That's right, I saw Rambo. The 4th and final (?) one. It was... Awesome. Hahaha, it was a lot of fun. I mean, absolutely terrible from a critic's point of view, but incredibly fun to watch. I remember when I first saw that uncut trailer floating around the internet over the summer and thinking, "This looks amazing." Well, I finally did and it was bloody brilliant. (Ha! Ha! Bloody brilliant! Oh, I make myself laugh.) For serious, it was bloody with the heads exploding and limbs everywhere... My favorite part, and I'm just going to say it, is when he rips a guy's throat out! With his bare hands! Amazing. I honestly don't remember the last 3 Rambos. I didn't even know there was 3rd one. I barely remember the first one and I just remember the second one being really bloody. But Stallone's still got it. I have to hand it to him. How old is he? 60? And he is still running and everything. Anyway, it was really fun. I enjoyed it a lot!  I'm slowly learning to appreciate what I have been given and what I have. I know that sounds cliché, but I feel like I'm going through this really humbling period of my life. People and things look a little different these days; I'm starting to see the cracks.
—Monday, January 28, 2008 1 comment Humble, me
 - Bill Gates' last day - In Praise of Melancholy - How to eat at a sushi bar - Star Wars guide to the candidates - Day19 Photography Polaroid Portrait Project - Prince of Intensity with a Lightness of Touch (requiescat in pace) (Previously: Lists, part 7)
—Friday, January 25, 2008 1 comment Lists, part 8
 YES! The Giants are going to the Superbowl!! I believe in you, Eli. I believe. You da man! Man, that was an epic game. Pretty much summed up by my friend: "That was the SICKEST, most EXCITING, AMAZING BATTLE of a football game I have EVER seen! GO GIANTS!!!" But no disrespect to Brett Favre. He truly is a living legend. He had such an amazing season but I can't help but root for the underdogs. Next up, Tom Brady and the Patriots in Arizona. Let's take down the unbeatable.
—Sunday, January 20, 2008 4 comments Giants go to the Superbowl!
 Can you imagine a life without your 5 senses? To not be able to touch, see, hear, taste or smell. To not be able to feel anything and be so lost. Anyway, I read Johnny Got His Gun recently and that's what's been on my mind. How terrible it would be to not be able to put your arms around your loved ones, to not smell dew on a summer morning, to not hear the waves crashing along the beach, to not see your one and only ever again... everything. You would only have your memories and only those lasting images in the darkness of your mind. Oh, boy. Anyway, this book is, well, anti-war. I knew that going in. It's written with a fury that can't be stopped: run-ons, streams of consciousness, ahhh! At times, I felt at the mercy of Dalton Trumbo, cornered by his rants; they're just so powerful. But what I didn't expect was to be so heavily impacted by the things beyond the anti-war sentiment. It's just... the humanity. The beauty of being human, to be able to live a life. To feel. To touch. And to have all that taken away? My God.
—Thursday, January 17, 2008 1 comment Johnny Got His Gun
 [Overheard in a dressing room] Mother to her young child: "Stop looking at yourself in the mirror and take off your clothes! (a few moments) Face the wall. No, LOOK THIS WAY. We're never going to leave here until you STOP LOOKING AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR. Now face the wall!"
—Sunday, January 13, 2008 0 comments You're so vain
 I was flipping through some of my old handwritten journals and I'm always fascinated by how my handwriting has changed. It went from big and bold to medium and rigid to, as it is now, small and free-flowing. I guess it's sort of reflective of how I've evolved as a person. Hmm. There Will Be Blood is magnificent and a masterpiece. This transition from utter amusement to complete and inevitable horror in scenes, the slow unhingement of Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis' character), the ruthlessness when it comes to greed and possession... it excites and disturbs. It's one of those films where I need to let it sink in and then see again. Plus, the music accompanying the film? Haunting and beautiful. Jonny Greenwood (guitarist for Radiohead) composed the music and it's just... ahh. The striking chords of the first shot is reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey-- it's that sound. Here, go to the official site and listen as the page loads. And then watch the trailer to hear more. Also, I loved the use of Brahams and Arvo Part in the film. I love how the pieces contradict the tone of the film. While on introspective things, I finished The Neon Bible by the late great John Kennedy Toole. It's the complete opposite of the hilarious A Confederacy of Dunces. It's heartbreaking and full of true emotion. The ending of the book sent me reeling. I was little shaken by it, to be honest. Anyway, he wrote this book when he was only 16. The man's a genius.
—Friday, January 11, 2008 0 comments Handwriting, There Will Be Blood, The Neon Bible
 "I feel a little better the further the train gets from the house. The tingling that has been running up and down the inside of my legs is stopping, and my feet feel like they're really there now, and not like two cold things that don't really belong to the rest of my body. I'm not as scared anymore." -- John Kennedy Toole, The Neon Bible  Had I seen Juno in '07, it would have been my favorite film of that year (my apologies, Ratatouille). It was completely charming in its quirky yet touching manner. I found myself wiping away several tears near the end, which sort of surprised me because I had been laughing through most of it. What did I like the most about this movie besides the wise-cracking Juno, witty dialogue, and love? That familiar (teenage) assumption of thinking you know the world better than the older people around you. Through the seemingly unbreakable facade of Juno, we see tiny cracks break through her normally "mature" demeanor. Because after all, she is only 16 and dealing with something way beyond her years. I liked that. I liked seeing her realize that hey, I really am only this age and I still need to learn and truly understand what's happening around me: life. Also, I wish Michael Cera had a larger part; I really enjoyed all his scenes. Aww, I'm sort of tearing up thinking about the ending. That's a definite DVD purchase.  "It's all about chaaange, maaan. Chaaange. We gotta vooote, maaaan." I stared, wide-eyed at the woman who had suddenly turned around and started talking to me. I whirled around, thinking there was someone else there but no, it was just me. She kept staring at me and saying, "Chaaaaange, maaan. We gotta chaaange." She looked rather elegant: long, black winter coat with a pleasant green scarf to match. She wore nice black boots and carried a large black leather purse. But when she spoke, she sounded like a hippie from the 60's. As in, make love not war, maaan. I didn't know what to say. I kept hoping that someone, anyone, would walk past us and hear her like I heard her, but no one did. I wanted to wave my arms around and go, "IS ANYONE HEARING OR SEEING THIS?!!" Eventually she stopped once the form she was waiting for came. But right before she went about her business, she glanced back at me and murmured, "Chaaaange, maaan."
—Saturday, January 5, 2008 2 comments Change, man
 And the results are in: Obama and Huckabee win Iowa. Random thoughts: wow, Obama, Clinton, and Edwards were neck-to-neck for a while. That's incredible. I think it's kind of funny that Huckabee won (Chuck Norris put you on the map!), but he seems like a good candidate for the Republican party. Who am I supporting, you ask? I'm always hesitant to answer, but I believe in Barack. Next round is New Hampshire on the 8th, with polls showing that it's between Romney and McCain, and Obama and Clinton. I have to give props to all the candidates for campaigning endlessly. Without hesitation, they're off to New Hampshire to continue. Amazing. (Want a quick overview of the candidates on the issues? Here you go.) I'm going to be honest here: I'm really not that great with politics but I do like talking about it because it kind of helps me understand and a get a feel for things. Every four years, it seems like I relearn the entire election process all over again, and each time I feel like I get a little better at it. Plus, I like hearing what others have to say; words can be so powerful and inspiring. And more than ever, I feel immersed because I genuinely feel we have the power to change.
—Thursday, January 3, 2008 1 comment It's all Iowa, baby
 I made ratatouille yesterday using Smitten Kitchen's recipe, and let me tell you, it was delicious! Who knew translating from film to real life would be so tasty? The smell of it just permeates the entire room; it's so warm and welcoming. (I served it with some bread and cheese on the side.)
—Wednesday, January 2, 2008 2 comments Making ratatouille
 Happy New Year, everyone! May 2008 be the best yet.
—Tuesday, January 1, 2008 3 comments Happy 2008!
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