Ya know how I said "11/22/63" would be the last book I read this year? Sadly, I am a man with no willpower. I just finished two books today. "Agent to the Stars" a comic sci-fi novel by John Scalzi (a name old J-Lander's should recognize), wandered off plot for a bit but was still worth a 'B', and "Angle of Investigation" by Michael Connelly, an ebook that's really just a novella's worth of Harry Bosch stories. I'd grade the first of the stories an A, the second a B, and third (surprise!) a mere C/C-.

Quote

"Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means." - Ronald Reagan

4 Films

"Jackass 3" - the funniest installment yet. Luvvved it.

"Another Earth" - slow and intellectual (what I call a 'Oriental' film, after the pretentious theater on the East side). But I liked it, and would recommend it.

'Faces in the Crowd', starring Mila Jovovich, is a thriller about a woman who survives a serial killer attack only to lose the ability to recognize faces, leading to a wee bit of a problem once the killer returns to visit. Standard fare, no better or worse than a C.

'Limitless' was silly but a lot of fun, and it didn't end as I thought it would (always a plus). I'd give it a B/B+

Jedi YaYa

Candy Cane Lane

@candy cane lane w/ the kids

After Candy Cane Lane we stopped and visited with my parents for a bit, then returned home for dinner and my annual viewing of "It's a Wonderful Life". And yes, a s always, I teared up

11/22_63

Today I finished reading Stephen King's time travel thriller "11/22/63". It had plenty of tension filled moments, was chock full of historical detail (largely unadulterated by the needs of the plot) and in short it was a fun read. A. [note: this will probably be the last book I read in 2011. I think I'll take it easy and start up again in the new year]

Kim Jon II and Vaclav Havel

Kim Jon II, the leader of North Korea, is dead. He was a nut and a sabre rattler and has kept his country in the stone age for decades. Meanwhile Vaclav Havel, a longtime anti-communist activist, playwright, former Czech President and perennial contender for the Nobel Peace Prize has died at age 75. Any bets on which one will get more press?

Christopher Hitchens is dead. Enjoy the heat.

Kudos to Smiley for pronouncing his "Sh" sound worksheet correctly!

Fright Night

Redboxed the remake of "Fright Night" and wonder of wonders it's better than the original. The writing is sharp, blending horror and laughs in all the right proportions, and the acting is terrific (special nod to Anton Yelchin). Plus - drum roll please - DAVID TENANT, aka the Doctor, stars as vampire hunter Peter Vincent. Hell, even the *bloopers* on the DVD were worth the rental fee. A+

Try It

What I Learned Today: The english bits of 'Feliz Navidad' lends itself perfectly to a Dracula/Transylvanian accent.

Unkwown

Tonight, after the "30 Minutes . ." dud, we put in Liam Neeson's "Unknown". I liked it. A little long, a little improbable, but entertaining and with an imaginative little premise. B+

A Nightmare

Went to bed 'round midnight, woke up at 4:04 from a nightmare bad enough that I promptly went downstairs and hurled. Great night.

Atlas Shrugged Pt 1

i watched "Atlas Shrugged Pt 1" yest. Objectively, it was an ok film that struggled at times to find enough action to warrant its length. Subjectively, it was great to see a film that correctly warns of a near future where the governments whims trump private property, free markets, and worst of all initiative. Lisa stated a few times that "that could never happen". Wait and see. Wait and see.

A Celebrity Sighting

Saw Chester Marcol today (Packers kicker from '72-80)

Jerry Robinson

Jerry Robinson, the creator of The Joker, Robin, Two-Face, Alfred, and other staples of Batman lore is dead. He was 89. RIP.

When Tribal Sovereignty Challenges Democracy: American Indian Education and the Democratic Ideal

@ my Dad's request I read and offered my opinion on "When Tribal Sovereignty Challenges Democracy: American Indian Education and the Democratic Ideal" by K Tsianina Lomawaima & Teresa L McCarty [Amer. Educational Research Journal Summer 2002 V30 #2). I agree with the authors that tribal education is far below par and needs to change, but found much of the paper a simple recitation of ills. More time on proposed solutions might have been nice. In short, no different than most papers I read in Education.

The Rocker

BTW, our movie last night was "The Rocker" with Rainn Wilson as a guy who spends 20 years in a funk after being dumped by a band on the brink of superstardom, only to get a second chance behind the kit for his nephew's band. I expected the movie to be awful and was pleasantly surprised. It isn't going to resonate in my heart forever or anything, but it was a moderately funny, mildly sweet feel good story.

Feast of the Immaculate Conceptio

Just back from Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It felt good - I needed that. Now a quick breakfast and off to work . .

Quote

William Temple replied to his critics who regarded answered prayer as no more than coincidence, “When I pray, coincidences happen; when I don’t, they don’t.”

 - David Watson, Called & Committed, (Harold Shaw Publishers, Wheaton, IL; 1982), p. 83

Harry Morgan

Harry Morgan (aka Col. Potter on MASH) has died at age 96. RIP sir, I enjoyed your work.

The Journal-Sentinel just asked me to do an extended column for publication on Christmas Day. Quoting the email from the editor: "You seem to have a knack for writing holiday columns with just the right feel." Flattered and all, blah blah, but mighty sick of being good enough to be sought out for publication and yet never considered for regular work.

My Thoughts

Former IL Gov Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison today on corruption charges. Blech. I'm all for punishing the guilty, but to my mind imprisoning someone for a non-violent crime seems like a waste of resources. Stab someone, rape, murder, even risk someone's death (by drunk driving or by carrying a weapon during a crime) and by all means lock 'em up, but short of that there have to be more cost-effective & intelligent solutions.

We Remember

70 years ago today my maternal grandparent's were on a date at the Riverside Theater. The movie was stopped, the lights came on, and an announcement was made that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor. They both knew my Great Uncle Leo (grandma's brother) was stationed there that morning. He was part of the crew of the USS Vestal, moored alongside the Arizona. Luckily, he survived, but of course 2000 Americans did not. To all the men at Pearl that day, thank you for your service. We'll always remember.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

We just finished watching "Forgetting Sarah Marshall". It was much, much better than your average comedy/rom-comedy, Kudos to Segel for a funny, well-crafted script that made the characters real and complex, each with their own flaws and strengths. I was really impressed (and the great cast didn't hurt). A + (Lisa was less keen on it, but ya ain't hear to read her opinions, are ya?;)

St Nick is Coming!

The stockings are full and laid out by the fireplace. An unintentional compliment from the kids tonight: one of them asked why we bothered with the stockings since "there's always too much to fit in them anyway". For that, a big thank you to Lisa, who I swear works all year long to compile an impressive hoard of goodies for the holidays.

The Smurfs

I just finished watching 'The Smurfs'. It is what it is, a not unpleasant kids movie w/ a nostalgic hook for the grown-ups. NPH, as is his norm, rocked.

Water For Elephants

"Water for Elephants" surprised me by being a darn good, non-weepy romance set during the Great Depression. Robert Pattison, aka Twilight boy, proved to be more than just a pretty face, and Renee Witherspoon very nearly convinced me she had one. A-

Moving Malcolm

"Moving Malcom" is a film about a guy who's devastated when his fiance (Elizabeth Berkeley) leaves him at the altar. A year later she calls him - but only to ask if he could help her elderly Dad move while she's out of town. It's more of a mild drama than a comedy, but enjoyable either way. B.

Quote

I love you more than tongue can tell - a saying of Robin Bush (daughter of George and Barbara, sister of Dubya) who died of leukemia at age 3. The family never forgot the saying, adopting it and using it often since her death a half century ago. It appears in private letters between father and son reprinted in 'Decision Points'.

judy Lewis

The secret illegitimate daughter of Clark Gable and Loretta Young; I  just saw her speak on a documentary a few months back. RIP.

Becoming Chaz

Long day. As a nightcap we watched "Becoming Chaz", a documentary that followed Chaz Bono through the 1st year of his transition from a female to a male. Excepting the morbid title music, it was a happy if not carefree window into his life, made all the easier to accept by his likable personality and the presence of his quirky girlfriend. Read between the lines of the doc though, and you'll come away certain that the relationship btwn Chaz and Cher is tenuous (if loving), and that he is far more accepted by his father's side of the family. It's Lisa's opinion that this has as much to do with Cher's reaction to Chaz's weight and non Cher-ness  as his gender. I think it's a good point.