Movies, Movies, Movies

With school over for the time being I have this thing called time. Time do whatever I want, time to sit and do nothing if I want. I've never been that great at having unstructured time. What I mean by that is I can literally waste away an afternoon not doing anything. I guess that's not too bad these days but when I had stuff to get done for school it was not a good "talent" to have.

So with all of this time I've been catching up on my movie watching. In the past week or so I've seen The Darjeeling Limited (I loved it, I know a lot of people who didn't). I rewatched Talladega Nights with my niece Friday night which is always hysterical. I watched Gone Baby Gone which I commented on in my last post but I have to say again was so good I'd watch it again tomorrow - Casey Affleck was tremendous. Yesterday I watched Velvet Goldmine with Jonathan Rhys-Myers, Christian Bale and Ewan McGregor. It's movie I've always wanted to see and it did not disappoint. There is a a David Bowie like "character"(Rhys-Meyers) and an Iggy Pop like "character" (McGregor). Everyone is bi-sexual and I don't think McGregor wears a shirt for the entire movie. In the end it's a love story but a sad one. Eddie Izzard plays the manager and he of course is fantastic. I highly recommend this to anyone who is into the whole glam rock thing of the 70's.

Last night I watch Runnin Down a Dream: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. 4 HOURS of uninterrupted Tom Petty that starts way back in the Mudcrutch days. For a complete fanatic like me this is like heaven. They didn't get into any personal stuff that didn't directly have to do with the band - if it effected the band they talked about it. It was FABULOUS. No narration just interview after interview. It walks you through every step of his career, shows the progression of who he worked with (The Willbury's, Cash etc) and sadly shows the untimely death of bass played Howie Epstein (heroin).


Even if you are just a casual fan - I think this is a movie you will enjoy. And I have to say it was a nice break from all of the Iraq War movies I have been watching for my research. I'll continue to watch those too, just not in large blocks as I was doing before.

Remember Me????

Hello Everyone!

I feel like I've been gone ages and ages. I'm trying to catch up on my blog reading and commenting and hope to get up to date this weekend. I've missed you all (no really) and just in case you have forgotten me I thought we'd go over the basics once again.

I love this man...I turn into Slutrina Queen of Slutville in my head when I think about him. Especially when this picture shows up yeah he's all skinny and stuff but C'MON.














I'm a huge NASCAR fan - and I love this time of year. Races every Sunday!! whooo hooooo!






The next best thing about this time of year? BASEBALL. Yes the Red Sox are back in ACTION.







I think FUR is a movie that everyone should see. I also saw "Gone Baby Gone" the other night and it was fanfuckingtastic. Casey Affleck was amazing.

Ok other important things: I am totally OK with the Patriots losing the Super Bowl. The better team won. I do believe however that they did not cheat.

I am sick to death of Bush's bullshit and Dick Cheney's bullshit for that matter. These two fucking assholes have sent our men and women off to war and then left them with next to nothing when they have come home. I'd like to see what would happen if either of these shitheads or their families had to go over to Iraq....things would be different then.

If this war is still going on after I get my MSW I am giving serious thought to being a civilian therapist in Iraq. It's two years away and I hope beyond hope that we are out of there but I'm not sure we will be and instead of wondering what I can do to make a difference - I'm going to go where the need is the highest. (Don't tell my mom, she doesn't know yet).

I've missed you all - it's good to be back!

Funny

I don't know if it was Laura or Daphne but someone showed me these videos at residency and I think that they are three of the funniest things I have ever seen.

Before you watch them - this is John Roberts a comic who is from New Jersey and this is his loving impersonation of his mother (and he means that) The one about the tree was actually done at her house.

Really just watch them....




Just how far does that cord stretch anyway....and isn't that a cordless phone on the counter?

And finally....this one makes me pee my pants every time I watch it (OK not literally)
His mother coming to terms with her son....



Things will be back to normal in my life after this weekend...bye!

More Good News

I got into Smith College of Social Work. It's #2 on the list of the three places that I've applied. They have an excellent program! I'm really excited!

5 long years

I was going to wait until tomorrow to post about the anniversary of the war - but I can't. I'm simply going to post two links.

This is one of the saddest photos I have ever seen - and it really says it all.



And in an alternate universe we have President Jackass -


night all....

I GRADUATED!!!!!

OK so it's official now - I'm a college graduate!! I presented my thesis on Sunday night and got a standing ovation at the end. My grades come out today and I got an A. That's an A for 12 credits of work - very very exciting. I also stayed for the last 4 nights at Hotel Indigo. They have them throughout the United States and if you ever get a chance to stay in one DO IT - it's beautiful and the service is outstanding!

I'm so very happy to finally have my degree - there were times when I thought I wasn't going to make it (really). Now I'm excited to start grad school. Yipppeeeee!

Art Work

Some people have emailed me and asked me to post some of my more recent work. So here ya go.....
Here is some self pimping - they are all for sale!

Where To Start??

Thesis is DONE! I cannot believe it- it feels like I just went through 6.5 months of intensive labor. The final title is:

SHOULD WE SEND THEM IF WE CAN’T TREAT THEM?
An Exploration of Current Military Mental Health Policy & Treatment
During Operation Iraqi Freedom.



Whewww am I glad that's over. Now I just have to write a quick paper over the weekend for my last three credits and I'm DONE DONE DONE.

On March 16th I present my thesis and then on March 17 I graduate. I'm so freakin excited to have my bachelors degree....it's been a long long two years.

I'll be semi absent until then but will be back after graduation.

Ebay

Hey guys - I'm selling this lamp on ebay - check it out!

Something I Forgot....

I haven't been to a good live show in what seems like a really really long time. Well all that changed last night. Last night, two friends of mine and myself went to see The Levon Helm Band. Amazing, what a show. For those of you who don't know Levon Helm was the drummer for the legendary rock group The Band


I loved these guys and have always been sad that I wasn't old enough to see them live. They have each done their solo things since but the combination was just amazing.

Unfortunately we have lost two of the guys. Rick Danko died of an apparent heart attack (I believe) and Richard Manuel who hung himself in the late 80's.

Levon Helm was the drummer and one of the singers for the group. When these were breaking up they invited every musician they knew to a big Thanksgiving Concert filmed it and released it as the movie "The Last Waltz". It was largely a vehicle for Robbie Robertson's ego but nonetheless has great performances by The Band and all kinds of guests. If you haven't seen it I encourage you do do so. Here is a clip of Levon singing "Ophelia" (after a minute of Robbie talking)



Such a distinctive voice on Levon so you can imagine how devastating it was to hear that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer. Well he made it through it and still performs today.

So that brings us to last night....there are no words to express what it is like to see a musician who you have idolized for as long as you can remember and who has come back from the brink of never being able to perform again. This was the feeling that I had forgotten. I had forgotten that a good music actually reaches in and touches your soul and can absolutely bring you to tears (and I was several times). He had a bunch of guests who came out and sang as I'm sure he needs to rest his voice. Catherine Russell (who I had never heard of ) opened for him and was perfect for this crowd. He also had the legendary Phoebe Snow come out and sing and when she did Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic" it was like being in church.

At the end everyone came out and they did "I Will Be Released" it looked something like this but with a different cast of characters:


And before you ask - yes that is Neil Diamond - you have to see The Last Waltz he comes walking out on to the stage with a huge white stain under his nose....but I digress.

The show last night was a religious experience - and I had forgotten music could be like that. I'm so happy I now remember.