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Showing posts with label LuLu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LuLu. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Man From Earth


 

Last month, at LuLu's suggestion, I watched Man From Earth.  It's a film set largely in a single living room, where five friends come together to say goodbye to a departing colleague, John Oldman. At the party John tells his friends that he is 14,000 years old, a survivor of the Stone Age who changes location every ten years to avoid detection. What follows is an intellectual discussion among the group that occasionally rises to the level of anger and violence, as they try to determine whether their friend is a medical marvel - or a liar. 

This movie is highly lauded, and Lu enjoyed it, but I thought it missed the mark. It wasn't bad, it was just . . . well, awkward. 

The small setting, the cast of friends that are suspiciously diverse in attitude, thought, and personality,  the dialogue-driven script, it all says "stage play" to me, not movie. 

Which is fine, but even as a play I think it falters. Remember what I said about the friends, how they were all so different as to make you wonder why they are friends at all? As the story goes on and they settle more into archetypical roles the friends feel more and more like they are there to justify to the audience why John is speaking; no, lecturing

SPOILER:

 I was also annoyed by the random brushes with the famous: Van Gogh, Columbus, Buddha, and let us not forget his assertion that he himself is Jesus Christ. Here, you may rightfully wonder if the film lost me with John's sacrilegious boast. No. Perhaps it would have, had the claim not struck so many other sour notes with me. He's of European ancestry, going back 12,000 years at that point, studied under Buddha, dismissed the idea of God, or at least an active God - yet he somehow chose to immerse himself in ancient Israel, living the life of a devout Jew? For what? Why? How did he pass? Not for the purpose of "becoming Jesus," because he makes it clear he wanted nothing of the sort. Nonsensical. 

END SPOILER

My beefs aside, it was entertaining enough, and I don't regret seeing it. I grade this a C+




Friday, January 5, 2024

My New Threads

For Christmas Lisa got me a gift certificate for a suit from the tailor shop next door to my office building. 2 days after christmas, on the 27th when Lulu and I went down to Kenosha I went in for a fitting. 

A couple days ago I picked it up but today was the first day I wore the new Duds. The suit felt notably higher quality than the ones I own from Men's Wearhouse and DXL. And I thought I looked great in in it.


I did receive several compliments during the day about the suit, a few more specifically about the tie, but the most impactful comment probably came from a homeless woman that saw me walking to the courthouse. 

Quoting the woman "You look great.  Today."

LOL


I'm not sure why I look so glum that last picture I guess she just hit the shutter at the wrong second.

What a great gift Lisa thank you!

Monday, January 1, 2024

Two Things Worth Remembering

I wanted to post this snippet of conversation for two reasons. 

One, to forever immortalize the day that Junie first utilized her driver's license by being out on her own. She spent New Year's Day evening driving to her friends house, then driving to Lisa's work where the two girls visited for a while, followed by a few errands before Junie dropped off her friend and headed home.

Second, and more importantly, it shows the love and trust that Lulu has for her baby sister.  

Good job to both of you!

Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Ron's Place

As I mentioned after the mammoth creation, Lulu and I headed down to Kenosha to deliver both the statue and a dorm fridge she donated to my office. While we were in Kenosha she patiently waited for me to be measured for my suit, then I treated her to a late lunch at Ron's Place, restaurant recommended to me by my coworker Seth. 

I do not recommend the cheddar cheese curds as they are not really curds just small blocks of cheese deep fried. Edible and tasty but they are not cheese curds my friends.

I thought my entree was going to be a similar disappointment. I chose the 5x5 Burger, which is their mainstay and a popular item. But when it came out it looked like nothing more than a burger patty an oversized mediocre looking bun. I will say I was wrong. The burger tasted like it was grilled over charcoal, and the entire sandwich had great flavor the source of which I cannot easily identify. I would order it again.

Meanwhile Lulu ordered a modified club sandwich with onion straws, and a side of french fries. I don't recall what this item is called on the menu but it was mighty tasty too.

If you're in Kenosha and one casual pub food, Ron's Place is definitely worth a stop. 
 

Dig a Mammoth Skeleton

For Christmas Yaya bought me a mock mammoth skeleton that came encased in a block of clay. The box included a plastic hammer and chisel with which to free the individual skeletal pieces. 



I greatly enjoyed digging them out but, just as with model airplanes as a kid and Legos when Smiley was briefly interested in them, I really am no good at assembling these kind of things. So Smiley stepped in to help with that part of it.

Shortly thereafter Lulu and I delivered the mammoth to my office in Kenosha, where it sits a top my microwave and one side of my Polish flag, with the other side guarded by a porcelain bird that Lu got me for Christmas.


It was a very thoughtful gift.

Thursday, December 7, 2023

Ralph Passes

At 11:15 this morning I saw that Smiley was calling me at my office. Knowing that it would have to be something bad for him to call (not text) during work hours, I answered by saying "What's wrong?"

He told me that Ralph was dead.

Smiley had woke up and found Ralph beneath his cat tree, clearly having passed away overnight.

I remember wondering that morning why Ralph wasn't downstairs to greet me as I prepared for work, as had become his custom.

Even in this picture, you can tell he'd lost a lot of weight in the last three months.  We were concerned enough to adjust his food to a less diet- conscious brand, but we chalked it up to the stress of joining a chaotic household. 

In retrospect, while he did become a resident of the second floor instead of the common areas on the first, he never seemed phased by the noise, or by Sawyer. 

I told Smiley to wrap Ralph in a pillowcase and lock him inside one of the dog's cages and to tell the rest of the family.  I told him I would leave early to bury him and say goodbye, but that I had to stay at least until early afternoon.

Shortly before 4:00 I came home, dug a hole along the fence line, and gathered Lulu and Junie with me. Yaya had been notified by phone and sent her sympathies and a number of great pictures of Ralph. By this point Smiley said that he had shed his tears and said goodbye and did not want to participate.



We clipped some hair from him, collected his custom engraved brown leather collar that I had ordered for him, placed him in the grave, and said some prayers.

He was not with us long, just like the grandfather that I named him after, and the similarity of him passing in his sleep unexpectedly was mentioned more than once.

He deserved a longer life. We deserved more time with him.  But I am confident that his 3 months with us were spent surrounded by happiness and love, and were certainly a better alternative than life in the shelter that I took him from in September.

Rest in peace Ralph. We love you. 

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Road Trip Doggos

Seeing as they tagged along for the ride to work this morning, here are my doggos as they came to pick  me up from work in LULu's car back on September 20th!



Saturday, October 7, 2023

How often do you think of the Roman Empire?

As I was sitting at a coffee shop with LuLu yesterday I overheard a conversation at a nearby table. They mentioned the recent Tiktok trend where men are asked how often they think about the Roman Empire.  The surprisingly common answer to that inquiry - "a lot/everyday/every other day"

Now according to these people - two men and a woman - this was "probably a lie," designed to woo potential female partners, and that no guy thinks of Rome that often. What woman, other than Mary Beard, would grow faint at such a line wasn't made clear.  Nor am I alleging these were America's best or brightest scholars: one of them said that the only time *he* thought of the Roman Empire was when he was watching a movie about it, "like 300" - which of course is a movie about Greece, not Rome. 

Now a few weeks ago Junie, asked me this very same question, phone in hand, probably to comply with that Tiktok trend.  And my answer was an honest "A few times a day."

I assure you, that wasn't to reel in a lady or because Rome was a "patriarchal,  militaristic society," or any other drivel that haters use to dismiss the answer. My reasoning is simple: Why wouldn't you think of Rome often? 

Not just the Empire, but the Republic that proceeded it, and Byzantium that followed it. The built a society that spanned three continents and lasted 800 years (1800 if you don't exclude the Eastern half of the Empire); not the largest empire in history, true, but no doubt the most influential to modern life. Law, politics, language, construction, you name it, the Romans had a hand in improving it. 

I think of their roads and their cement every time I drive over streets like Logan Avenue in Milwaukee, riddled with so many potholes you think it was target practice for artillery; I think of their language whenever I look up a term of art in the law; I think of their role as conquerors and their willingness to embrace change when I think of Christianity; I think of their art and their architecture and their weapons and their Senators and their Emperors and . . . 

Well, I think of them often. 

And NOT just when I watch "300."

Friday, September 15, 2023

Happy, um... what month is it anyway?

Look what Smiley and Lulu did to our house - "because we should do it while I'm in the mood" he said - on this 15th of September, 46 DAYS before Halloween.

Yes, we're those people.

Stay tuned for our Christmas tree next week.




Saturday, August 26, 2023

The Flash


Last night I watched this summer's "The Flash" with LuLu. After grossing only $268 million worldwide, it is widely considered one of the biggest box office bombs in history. It may cost Warner up to $200 million in losses, and effectively end many of the future projects hinted at in the movie, affecting the course of many a career. 

It has also , from what I've personally seen online, been universally derided by fans and dismissed as a lousy film.

Well. Humans being humans, they quickly fall into lockstep.  I doubt most of those people ever even saw the film, because you know what?

It ain't half bad.  I liked it.

I'll admit it started poorly, with a ham fisted comedic opening. Haha, the fastest man alive is always late for work. What a witty idea! And the CGI in the hospital scene was downright embarrassing.  15 minutes in I thought the critics were right and I was in for another Black Adam.

Then it turned right around. In the end I think this ranks up there with the first Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and the Snyder Cut Justice League.

Keaton's Batman was the supposed to be the fan favorite draw of the film, but I didn't think it contributed anything all that great to the film, and I actually think the character was one upped by Sasha Calle's Supergirl. That's a shame, because I think you could have done a lot with him. Instead, we got bitter old Luke Skywalker, alone in retirement. Yawn.

On the other hand Ezra Miller, he of the constant legal and moral trouble, is probably to blame for the public reaction at the box office. But he's a helluva Flash, and the most annoying part of the characterization (the bumbling social idiot routine) finally ended once he had to play mentor to his younger/ alternate self. He does a grand job of carrying the film. By the end I think he put DC into a heck of a jam, because I can't picture another actor playing the role as well. 

Anyway, you've probably read or seen all the spoilers as the whole world seemed to abandon all customary F's when it came to this movie lol, but I'm going to honor custom and end the review here, before I give too much away.

Long story short, it's an enjoyable film.  I grade it a B.







Sunday, July 9, 2023

JJ and Dave's Wedding Reception

This afternoon Team Slap was happy to attend the wedding reception of JJ and Dave, held at Maggiano's at Mayfair Mall. As you can see from the tabletop menu, it was a heck of a meal (not to mention an open bar for soda/wine/beer). 

Frankly, there were soooo many good appetizers in such abundant quantities that I was well past full by the time the main course was served - not that that stopped me!


Note that Lisa and I didn't look too shabby! 


Neither LuLu nor Smiley could attend because of work obligations (although Lu did JJ's hair early in the afternoon). But Lisa's Mom was there


As was Junie and YaYa


and YaYa's long time beau, Alex


An elderly couple (friends of the bride's Mother) were seated along at a nearby table and Lisa invited them to join us, and they did!


This "butter cake" - whatever that means - was to die for. My word!!



Here's wishing the newlywed couple decades of love and happiness!




Wednesday, April 12, 2023

John Wick 4


I saw this with LuLu at the 9:50pm showing yesterday at Showtime Cinema, off Loomis Rd.  We were just about the only people left in the building by the time it ended. 

I love the Wick franchise and enjoyed the heck out of this film, but I will not pretend that it was little more than a expertly choreographed, bloody carnival ride. 

If you want plot and character depth and even the slightest bit of realism, go watch the masterful first entry in the series and leave the rest of us alone with the subsequent violent fluff LOL



Monday, February 27, 2023

Nolan For the WIn

When something frustrating or unusual happens at work I say "Dear Diary . . .," as if I'm going to record it for posterity. 

Today my friend Nolan gave me a lift to the bus stop after work, as Lulu had borrowed my car.  I don't remember what he did, but I started to say the catchphrase when he interrupted:

"Dear Diary, this journal is full.  Shut the F--K up."

I broke out laughing. LOL

Thursday, February 16, 2023

The Forecast Was Snow Joke

Look, I'm not saying this is the storm of the century. So far, it's so mid that I think MPS jumped the gun by cancelling school (and to do so yesterday evening? Waaay too soon). Then again, I chose to work from home rather than commute, so who am I to talk?  

But it's coming down, and coming down steady. It's a mid snow too, not airy but not completely wet and sticky. 

Anyway, to stay ahead of the curve LuLu and I headed out to shovel and cleared the property, and our share of the alley, of the first couple inches of the mess. 

Future efforts will be delegated to Dem, Smiley, Lisa, and Junie




The dogs don't seem to mind it tho