Friday, March 28, 2008

Holy Headlines! #3

Free Floe-This past week a massive chunk of ice collapsed in Antarctica. The slab of ice is seven times the size of Manhattan and has been there between hundreds and 1,500 years. It broke of from the Wilkins Ice Shelf in Western Antarctica. The rest of the shelf, about the size of Connecticut, is narrowly holding on by a thin beam of ice which could also break apart.

If only those penguins, seals and polar bears would just stop jumping on the ice.

peace,
paul

Holy Headlines! #2

Are we still rolling?-Kate Bosworth (Superman Returns) and Jim Sturgess (Across The Universe) sure like to keep it real with their acting. While filming their steamy love scene for the Las Vegas drama, 21, the two thespians decided to loosen up with a couple, no, three, no, five drinks. Not even the two actors know how many drinks they had because they both eventually passed out. Bosworth says, "We were both so drunk..." and Sturgess concurs saying, "it was brilliant for about half and an hour. As we continued to drink...it just became sloppy and messy. I couldn't stand up at one point."

First of all, I wouldn't be publicly announcing that kind of stuff and secondly, I want to see the footage that DIDN'T make it into the film. I want to see just how drunk those two really were.

paul

Holy Headlines! #1


Can you hear me now?-Ah, tourists....They like to gawk, take pictures, leave their trash strewn all over and chip off ears on statues. Yes, you read that right. A Finnish tourist has been accused of chipping off an ear on one of the famed Easter Island statues. The statue, shown at the right, is one of 400 that represent ancestors of the island. What I want to know is why? And what would you do with a stone ear? What would you do with an ear period? The mayor of the island wants the tourists own ear ripped off. That won't happen but the tourist is under house arrest for 13 days and will then have to pay a fine.
The sad thing is that it is just another instance in which someone shows disrespect for something that doesn't belong to them.
paul

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Hello my friends & loved ones,

Another week has gone by and it's still cold and snowy. In some places there are still gargantuan chunks that seem to refuse to budge. Every now and then we see a glimpse or two of the sun but the relentless gray and misery of winter still lingers. However, the signs of spring are everywhere. From the growing buds to the singing birds in the morning, it's evident that warmth, sun, and shorts are not far away; not far away at all.


I forced myself not to say the phrase "only a matter of time" because that really doesn't make any sense. Of course it's only a matter of time because that's all we have. The question is, how much time. And speaking of time, we should make sure we are making the most of our time each day because not one of us knows just how much time we really have. Spend quality time with your loved ones and enjoy your life to the fullest. Remember, nothing ventured is nothing gained. The time is ticking away even as you read this email so go do something constructive and LIVE!!!

Until next time-pray for each other as I pray for each of you. And, remember, stay happy, stay healthy, and stay happy.

love,
paul

Fun

Here's a bit of humor for your Thursday.

Enjoy,
paul



Dog For Sale: Free to good home. Excellent guard dog. Owner cannot afford to feed him anymore, as there are no more thieves, murderers or molesters left in the neighborhood for him to eat. Most of them knew him as 'Holy Shit.'
big dog

Sunday, March 23, 2008

movie minute

Tale of the Treer: Donnie Darko director, Richard Kelly, released a film last year with one of the most interesting casts I've seen in a long time. That's not to say the cast was full of great actors but they were definitely an eclectic bunch. The film is Southland Tales and I've no idea what the heck was going on.

What I could make out is there was a nuclear attack in Texas and a famous celebrity came back after mysteriously disappearing; a flying blimp called the Treer MegaZeppelin was ready to take the rich politicos and celebrities on a high-flying tour and a group called the Neo-Marxists were trying to rig an election. Yes, this film took place in the year 2008 but it occurred in a world that looks just slightly different than the one we live in right now. Want more info? You'll have to watch the film yourself; just be aware, it's a mess!

Here's a rundown on the cast: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Sarah Michelle Gellar (who plays The Rock's lover?), Mandy Moore (another lover of The Rock), Seann William Scott, Nora Dunn, John Larroquette, Cheri (Saturday Night Live) Oteri, Amy (Saturday Night Live) Poehler, Bai Ling, Jon Lovitz, Miranda Richardson, Justin Timberlake and Zelda ("Go to the light, Carol Ann") Rubinstein.

It's out on dvd now!

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 1/4 bag

R.I.P.

Academy Award winning director Anthony Minghella died this past week after he hemorrhaged following an operation to remove a growth in his neck.

Minghella was a truly talented and, dare I say, brilliant director. He became interested in cinema at an early age and was overwhelmed with excitment by the Italian films he saw. He was working on yet another film at the time of his death; as of this posting, there's no word on what will happen with that film.

Some highlights of Minghella's to definitely check out: Truly, Madly, Deeply; The English Patient; The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Some other ones that might be worth your while are Cold Mountain and Breaking And Entering.

A brilliant director who will be missed.

peace,

paul

Friday, March 21, 2008

funny clip

Check out this funny clip deconstructing what went wrong during a dance between Ellen and Hardball host Chris Matthews.

Enjoy,
paul

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/20/ellen-degeneres-deconstru_n_92634.html

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

movie minute

Gory Games: Just watched the film Sleuth with Michael Caine and Jude Law. The film, directed by Shakespeare aficianado Kenneth Branagh tells the story of two men who conspire to outwit, outplay and outlast each other. Oh, wait, I'm thinking of Survivor; sorry, my mistake. First of all, I'd like to ask people out there...If you were sleeping with someone's spouse, why would you go to the cuckold's (look it up) house...at night....by yourself? Foolishness, pure foolishness.

Anyway, Caine plays Andrew Wyke, a writer, who invites his wife's lover, Milo (Jude Law) to his estate and encourages Milo to steal his expensive jewels. He already has Andrew's wife, why not take his jewels too? He literally insists that Milo make it look like a burglary and even walks him through it. The "game" takes a deadly turn and soon Milo is begging for his life.

Cut to three days later and a seemingly inept detective shows up at Andrew's estate asking after Milo. Soon, there are more games afoot for both Andrew and the detective.

This movie is a remake of the highly entertaining 1972 film which was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz (All About Eve). The film starred Sir Laurence Olivier (as Andrew, the writer) and Michael Caine (as Milo). The film had a playfulness about it and the writing was sharp. The remake, which was released last year, has a sense of corniness and the writing is insipid. What's more, Jude Law is sorely inept in his role as Milo; Michael Caine acted rings around Jude as both Andrew AND Milo. Everything about Law is unconvincing, even the ring on his cellphone (not to mention annoying). I think this remake was unnecesary (not as unnecessary as the Psycho remake) but unnecessary nonetheless.


One more thing I'd like to say is, I don't know who Kenneth Branagh is sleeping with these days but I think he needs to come out of the closet because he is definitely taking out his homosexual tendencies on these characters; especially in the third act of the film. If he's not gay, then maybe he should be.

If you are a Caine fan then check this out. If you are a Law fan, rent The Holiday and skip this seriously sloppy seconds.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 1.5

paul


weekly post from March 21, 2008

Hi my friends & loved ones,

Well, daylight savings has begun and the days are getting longer. This Sunday is Easter, the Christian celebration of Jesus rising from the dead. While it is a joyous day and on Sunday we will be singing excitedly and I'll be doing one of the most ambitious pieces of modern Christian music I've ever done, it has made me think that while Jesus died and then rose, we have the opportunity to rise every single day. We have the chance to become better and greater and do better and greater things. Herewith, a short story to illustrate my point.

In January of 1999, an 88-year-old grandmother who lost her husband to Alzheimer's, and would eventually lose a daughter to the disease, walked from Pasadena, California to Washington, DC. At one point she was even on skies in her trek across the country. Doris Haddock walked across country because she so strongly believed in campaign finance reform. A native of New Hampshire, after the democratic candidate dropped out for state senator (because of a campaign finance scandal, nonetheless), Doris, 94-years-old at this point, ran for the Democratic party against incumbent Republican Judd Gregg. She stood up for what she believed in and went the distance; even appearing in a live debate with Gregg (who in 2005 won $850,000 in the Powerball Lottery-like he needed the money). To see the documentary of Doris Haddock, check out the DVD Run Granny Run. My point is that we should all be inspired, every day, to stand up for what we believe in and have conviction, courage and confidence.

Until next week-Stay safe, stay happy and stay healthy.

Happy Easter!

love,

paul

Sunday, March 16, 2008

weekly post from March 13, 2008

Greetings my friends & loved ones,

I pray that each of you is feeling the signs of Spring; I certainly am and I'm enjoying every second of it (and not just because it's my favorite season).

I was reminded by my spouse that one year ago this week was when I began my descent into "madness." I became a different person, partly because I was depressed and started medication and partly because I wasn't content with my life and thought that I knew what I wanted and was determined to go after it...no matter what. This lasted until well into the fall of last year. Come to find out-what I wanted was what I had all along.

What a difference a year makes!!! I remind myself everyday that life is good and that I am fortunate; very fortunate. May each of you remember each day the blessings you have and how fortunate you are. That is my wish for you.

Meet Marla...the new Monet? The must-see DVD of the week is the just released My Kid Could Paint That. My Kid tells the story of 4-year-old Marla Olmstead from Binghamton, NY who paints. The documentary follows Marla and her parents as Marla's paintings become famous and she begins to have her own art shows and her paintings begin to sell for thousands and thousands of dollars. It all starts from a NY Times article who catches wind of a human interest story and as the story develops, the detractors come out. Is Marla really creating the paintings? Is her sometime-art dabbler dad coaching her or doctoring her paintings? And, the biggest question of all, just what constitutes art? Marla is compared, not to Monet, but to Jackson Pollock who was famous for creating paintings that literally looked like a 4-year-old could have painted them (it's true, and if you are fan, you know it's true). In fact, there are some film clips of Pollock creating a painting. It's really an engrossing film and extremely interesting and Marla is truly adorable (wouldn't want to be around her when she's in a bad mood, though).

That's all I've got for this week. Until next week, stay safe, stay happy, and stay healthy.

love,

paul

Saturday, March 08, 2008

Unbelievable audio/video clip

My friend Bud sent this to me and, while I don't know (yet) the Legislator who made this comment or even if it's real, it does have some semblance of truth in the heartland of our great country.

peace!!!!,

paul

http://www.victoryfund.org/files/listening.html

weekly post from March 1, 2008

Hello friends & loved ones,

Before I got my job as a script writer, I really had no excuse not to write an email every week. Now, I have the perfect excuse: "I write every single day, why would I want to write on the weekends, too?" Yes, it would be all too easy for me to use that excuse but I find it's good for me to write on the weekend. Besides, I can write whatever I want to instead of being limited to making it relevant to a heating/cooling company. By the way, the most difficult clients are dentists/periodontists and the easiest are schools/colleges.

I had a "freak out" moment this past week in which I was skittish and every sound literally made me jump. I hadn't been that scared since my life was threatened during my first year of college. The situation was that someone, whom I was trying to distance myself, was in some legal trouble and I vacillated between being concerned and not wanting to be dragged into the situation. It got me thinking, is there a fine line between being a Christian and thinking about yourself?

Some would say that yes, there is a fine line but I don't agree. I think one can be Christian and still look out for oneself. I can be concerned about someone and yet still not want to be a part of that person's life. It would be different if there were something I could do for that person but there's not and being in that person's life would be a detriment to the life I'm trying to live. That's the key! One must weigh the detriment.

So, I sit here, hoping that things will turn out well while living the best life I possibly can. That, ultimately, is what it boils down to. None of us is perfect and mistakes are imminent but as long as we have truth and faith we will be alright.


peace,

paul

Friday, March 07, 2008

Friday fun

Enjoy...

If you remember the Original Hollywood Squares and its comics, this may bring a tear to your eyes. These great questions and answers are from the days when 'Hollywood Squares' game show responses were spontaneous, not scripted, as they are now.

Peter Marshall was the host asking the questions, of course..

Q. Do female frogs croak?
A. Paul Lynde: If you hold their little heads under water long enough.

Q. If you're going to make a parachute jump, how high should you be?
A. Charley Weaver: Three days of steady drinking should do it.

Q. True or False, a pea can last as long as 5,000 years.
A. George Gobel: Boy, it sure seems that way sometimes.

Q. You've been having trouble going to sleep. Are you probably a man or a woman?
A. Don Knotts: That's what's been keeping me awake.

Q. According to Cosmopolitan, if you meet a stranger at a party and you think that he is attractive, is it okay to come out and ask him if he's married?
A. Rose Marie: No; wait until morning .

Q. Which of your five senses tends to diminish as you get older?
A. Charley Weaver: My sense of decency.

Q. In Hawaiian, does it take more than three words to say 'I Love You'?
A. Vincent Price: No, you can say it with a pineapple and a twenty.

Q. What are 'Do It,' 'I Can Help,' and 'I Can't Get Enough'?
A. George Gobel: I don't know, but it's coming from the next apartment.

Q. As you grow older, do you tend to gesture more or less with your hands while talking?
A. Rose Marie: You ask me one more growing old question Peter, and I'll give you a gesture you'll never forget!

Q. Paul, why do Hell's Angels wear leather?
A. Paul Lynde: Because chiffon wrinkles too easily.

Q. Charley, you've just decided to grow strawberries. Are you going to get any during the first year?
A. Charley Weaver: Of course not, I'm too busy growing strawberries.

Q. In bowling, what's a perfect score?
A. Rose Marie: Ralph, the pin boy.

Q. It is considered in bad taste to discuss two subjects at nudist camps. One is politics, what is the other?
A. Paul Lynde: Tape measures.

Q. During a tornado, are you safer in the bedroom or in the closet?
A. Rose Marie: Unfortunately Peter, I'm always safe in the bedroom.

Q. Can boys join the Camp Fire Girls?
A. Marty Allen: Only after lights out.

Q. When you pat a dog on its head he will wag his tail. What will a goose do?
A. Paul Lynde: Make him bark?

Q. If you were pregnant for two years, what would you give birth to?
A. Paul Lynde: Whatever it is, it would never be afraid of the dark.

Q. According to Ann Landers, is there anything wrong with getting into the habit of kissing a lot of people?
A.. Charley Weaver: It got me out of the army.

Q. It is the most abused and neglected part of your body, what is it?
A. Paul Lynde: Mine may be abused, but it certainly isn't neglected.

Q. Back in the old days, when Great Grandpa put horseradish on his head, what was he trying to do ?
A. George Gobel: Get it in his mouth.

Q. Who stays pregnant for a longer period of time, your wife or your elephant?
A. Paul Lynde: Who told you about my elephant?

Q. When a couple have a baby, who is responsible for its sex?
A. Charley Weaver: I'll lend him the car, the rest is up to him.

Q. Jackie Gleason recently revealed that he firmly believes in them and has actually seen them on at least two occasions. What are they?
A. Charley Weaver: His feet.

Q. According to Ann Landers, what are two things you should never do in bed?
A. Paul Lynde: Point and laugh

Sunday, March 02, 2008