Wednesday, September 05, 2007

A Few Items of Import

Lots of Jason Bourne

I'm not a huge espionage/ spy/ cloak & dagger movie kind of guy. But this week we watched both The Bourne Supremacy and Ultimatum. At some point I do want to have a Bourne-a-thon as, really, all three movies are one, long movie.

I may also actually check out the Ludlum books at some point. I'm a little curious to see how Ludlum handled the source material.

I did dig the last Bond movie a whole lot, but I think the Bourne movies probably informed the latest Bond more than the other way around.

The movies don't talk down to the audience, they move at a good clip and keep you engaged in the mystery surrounding Bourne. It's pretty good stuff. Jason will bemoan this opinion, but I wasn't a huge fan of the movie Ronin, and I generally feel my interest glazing over when it comes to spy movies and their trailers. Perhaps its the good casts in the Bourne movies (well, I'm a fan of Brian Cox, and I could watch Joan Allen tie her shoes for an hour), or the well choreographed fights and chases...

I dunno.

At any rate, one day they will put all three movies together in a DVD set, and I will buy them.



The Big Bang Theory

This fall CBS is bringing a sitcom to the airwaves featuring a guy I knew back the day, Jim Parsons. Leaguer Anne F. got all up in my grill about my lack of Big bang Theory coverage, and lately they've been placing ads for the show on Yahoo Mail, so I figure now is the time to mention Jim's latest venture in the world of TV.

Here's a link to some promo the show is running.

Here's a link to more info about Jim Parsons.

Here's the show's official site.

You may remember Jim Parsons from such shows as Judging Amy or movies like Garden State. Or that Quizno's commercial where he nursed from a wolf. Anyhow, we're wishing Jim the best of luck, even if his show is at least partially about making fun of socially awkward comic geeks (ahem).

It was good to hear from leaguer Anne F. Hi, Anne!



Jason on Skates

It seems that next Thursday, I shall be on skates. Jason's pals Eric and Stephanie have rented out Skateland for the night before ACL Fest begins.

I have not been on skates for many pounds and many years. Still, I am intrigued. Do my old skating abilities still linger in the back of my mind? Is Jamie still up for a couple's skate?

It's also important to note that Eric, Jason and Reed's band, the Mono E, will be playing hot, hot 80's tunes. Who knows what horrors await us...?



Toad in the House

This evening when we let the dogs back into the house after they had a potty break and treat, a huge toad came in with them. It was a fairly large toad, maybe three inches long and two inches wide, and it just sort of hopped in the back door and under a piece of furniture we have by the back door.

Obviously toads don't bite, and I've played with enough toads as a kid to know there's nothing less risky in nature than picking up our croaking friends, but they do pee all over you when you pick them up.

Anyhow, we got toads in our yard, which is great. They eat bugs. I must read up on how to cultivate a toad population.

Oh, and I got the toad out with an open door and a bit of encouragement with the business end of a broom.

8 comments:

J.S. said...

Toad pee is good for you. Quiets the voices in your head.

Anonymous said...

I think Mono E should play "Kids in America," which every time I hear it reminds me of Magic Skate in Spring, TX. (closed down sometime mid-1980s).

The League said...

I want to say magic Skate is re-opened. For some reason I want to say that one of the Olympic speed skater's family's owns Magic Skate and my mom knew them. I will foloow up.

Anonymous said...

MAGIC SKATE?!!!

Sigh. The home of my 5th Grade Birthday party (which was awesome, btw). Devo's Whip It always remind me of Magic Skate. Every so often (less frequently than a Black Light Skate or the Backwards Skate or the Couples Skate) the DJ in the booth would play a "Name that Song" competition by playing a snippet of a song - the first person to skate over and identify it won prizes. I won once by knowing Whip It, which probably had more to do with my being right near the booth than anything else. I won a free big pickle form the Snack Bar. When I hear Whip It, it takes me back to the soft thud of my skates bumping against the DJ booth shouting "WHIP IT BY DEVO!! WHIP IT BY DEVO!!"

Good Times, Good Times.....

Anonymous said...

This Magic Skate story will tell you a bit about where my priorities lay in elementary school...

One time I was at Magic Skate with some kids (a birthday party? I cannot remember), and I must have been in third or fourth grade.

While I was over at the arcade, a girl rolled up to me and asked on behalf of her friend if I'd like to go skating. I declined, and went back to my video game.

That's my clearest memory of Magic Skate. I always stunk at roller skating, and was never much interested in the couples aspect.

But I can also picture the way cool mural that lined the straightaway back wall of the place, with a big Statue of Liberty head on the right.

Anonymous said...

IMHO, the Bourne movies are superior to the books. The books are serviceable spy stuff, but nowhere near as subversive. Por ejemplo, 1/2 way thru the 1st Bourne book he's made nice with the CIA and spends the rest of the time hunting down the nefarious "Jackal". Oh, and he's angry because of Vietnam, not, you know, being waterboarded.

Michael Corley said...

The same thing occured at my home, though the toad was smaller.

I have always loved toads. As you say, they are just about the most NON lethal creature that is bigger than a pill bug. The worst that can happen is, as you say, pee.

The League said...

I have very vague memories of Magic Skate, as we moved before I was in 4th grade. I do recall asking them to play the theme song to "The Greatest American Hero", and the DJ agreeing to do so. I guess I liked the song, but mostly I think I saw the sleeve for the 45 on the wall and it was one of the only things I recognized.

I waited an hour and he never played it. I assumed he had a play list and was super, super busy, becasue when you're 8, you think there's no bigger job in the world than DJ at Magic Skate.

Now, I kind of wonder if he forgot, or if the DJ simply didn't care... which is sorta sad.