Paulie's Posts

Poem: Alone

2012-01-08T12:58:00.001-05:00

Alone

I guess I cried wolf one time too many,

so my truths simply fell on deaf ears.

Now I sit here alone with no one beside me,

no one to keep me company; just me and my tears.

Poem: Deep

2012-01-08T12:47:00.003-05:00

Deep

The smell of your breath is so intoxicating;

cigarettes and whiskey combined with my natural scent.

The taste of your body sends me into ecstasy.

I recall the passion and intimacy of the night before.

It is morning now and I lay here pleasurably spent.

I look over at your peaceful and beautiful state of repose.

I watch you as your breaths go in and then come back out

and am awed at the fact that such a beauteous being could be

right here, right now in my bed laying next to me.

So happy am I that the words I LOVE YOU I am so eager to shout.

I’ve been touched by you in ways I could only ever dream of.

I’ve been taught things by you I never thought I would learn.

I’m already in so deep as far as you are concerned and cannot see,

I cannot see any signs that I won’t continue to fall deeper and deeper.

I thank the heavens above for this amazing love that does so brightly burn.

Poems: Tragedy & Work Of Art

2012-01-08T11:59:00.004-05:00

Tragedy

Our bleeding and broken hearts stain the cream colored carpets

as one memory after another is expelled leaving an emotional trail…

of wreckage.

Once the love and fire we had for each other was uncontrollable,

But no more, now that love and fire has grown harshly bitter and stale.

But there is hope on the horizon, the sun will rise on us again.

Amidst this pain and brokenness, we'll find ourselves back...

in each other's arms

Trust will be restored and the love will be revealed again. This time,

it will be deeper and more fulfilling as we find ourselves back on track.

Work Of Art

One look from your eyes and my heart beats excitedly.

One caress from your hand and my pulse quickly races.

One kiss from your lips and my knees fall weakly to the floor.

I melt at your touch and fall captive to your warm embraces.

Why hasn’t a lover told you these things before?

Why hasn’t one marveled at your incredible beauty, sexiness and passion?

It seems so odd to think that I am actually the first

to proclaim that for me you are always in fashion.

I will be honest: There are times you frustrate me to no end.

I sometimes want to just grab you, kiss you and yell chill.

At times your uptightness just simply puts me off.

None of that matters, however, as I continue to love you still.

Your beauty is more overwhelming to me than a million stars.

Your gentle touch calms me more than could the bluest waters.

Your scent is more fragrant than even the most redolent flowers.

Your body is more magnificent than even the most breathtaking vistas.

Your hands have more skill than even the most accomplished potter.

Even the most luscious fruit cannot match the taste of your lips.

Your eyes are more piercing than even the sharpest dagger.

Your love is fuller than the most colorful flower garden in the summer.

I thank God each day for you, a masterpiece, a gift

You love me unconditionally as I do you beautiful

You let me take care of you day in and day out

Your pleasure never ever ceases to bring me joy.

No matter what time passes, I’ll never stop loving and wanting you

For me, my feelings will remain the same. They cannot be changed.

To my eyes you will ever always be the epitome of pure beauty,

For me, your loving arms will always be my home.

Poem: Your Love

2011-12-30T07:18:00.002-05:00

Your Love

I experienced things with you I that I never, ever, in my dreams

thought I would have the extreme pleasure of doing.

I was introduced to your charming yet complex world.

Your love took me deeper into that world I was intent on pursuing.

It beckoned me as I delved deeper and deeper inside

and I grew ever so closer, closer to the real you.

I found you intriguing and so easy to be in love with.

This love, your love, was the real thing and so true.

You showed me things that opened me up in new ways,

things that made me richer, fuller, happier and more complete.

These things taught me so many new ideas about myself.

Your love filled me with joy from my head to my feet.

With you I had the freedom to be just myself.

I never had to worry about being judged or rejected.

I was able to talk about anything in the world.

Your love meant me never having to feel dejected.

The life I had with you was full of promise and joy and wonder.

Each day spent with you was even better than the day before.

Our days and nights were always filled with laughter.

Having your love meant I would never need anything more.

Now that rich and beautiful life is over, gone with the wind.

The laughter has long since faded and the joy has vanished too.

I always believed that love would be enough to get us through the day.

Never again will I have a love like your love: One so refreshing and so true.

Poem: Soaring/Drowning

2011-12-27T18:51:00.001-05:00

Soaring/Drowning/Rising

The words you sing to me make me soar higher than a cloud.

Your touch makes me fly over and beyond the moon.

Your laughter fills me up with such elation.

One look from your beautiful brown eyes and I easily swoon.

Your caress soothes me when I’m scared

Your whispers in my ear fill me with gladness.

Your lips send electricity shooting through me.

Your presence in my life takes away all the sadness.

Whatever will I do if you go away?

How will I get by without you in my life?

What will I do when I don’t have your constant presence?

How will I survive this pain that cuts like a knife?

Yes, mistakes were made on both our parts.

However, we should not lose sight of the important goals.

Giving each other our true love and devotion each day.

Loving each other day and night with our hearts and souls.

When I see you again, I know nothing for me will have changed.

All I can hope is that when you see me you see the love I still have in my eyes

And embrace me with those strong arms while kissing me with those lovely lips

And letting me know that no more will we say our goodbyes.

Poem: In The Clouds

2011-12-27T18:12:00.003-05:00

Throughout the day, at every turn, I see your face,

that sweet beautiful face that holds those beckoning brown eyes.

I feel safe and sound in those big strong arms,

the ones that hold me in tight, impenetrable ties.

I dream of those red, tantalizing lips, the ones that taste so sweet.

They haunt me and taunt me day and night.

I think of touching your body all over, everywhere

sweetly, gently, hungrily and making you feel so right.

Your laugh delights me and makes me smile.

Your truth is so refreshing and a blessing to me.

I am heartened by your kindness, gentleness and compassion,

the way I react to your electric touch is plain to see.

Each and every day that comes holds for me a goal,

the goal of loving, holding, supporting and caring for you.

So, my love, I hope you know, this day and everyday,

about you I am crazy and for you I'll be true.

Poem: Passion

2011-12-27T18:12:00.002-05:00

Passion

You saw the love everytime you peered into my eyes.

You felt the need whenever I wrapped my arms around you.

You felt the warmth everytime you grabbed for my hands.

You knew the passion each day that door you walked through.

You experienced the fire during our lovemaking.

You knew the eagerness I had to taste and touch you.

You felt the satisfaction I had in making you moan with pleasure.

You knew the passion each day that door you walked through.

You lost the laughter I brought you each day.

You missed out on the luxurious trips that I would have brought to you.

You will regret losing the energy I brought that stirred up your life.

You lost the passion each day that door you walk through.

Poem: Revealed

2011-12-25T21:57:00.000-05:00

Revealed

My most private secrets…

My most intimate desires…

My deepest hurts…

My worst fears…

…things that have never been revealed are brought into the light.

New are the words I utter, words that have never, to anyone, been said.

With you, my ever glowing soul shines so very bright.

With you, my hungry and yearning body, is always well fed.

I see you just being and the sight of you takes my breath away.

The words that I hear you say have never been spoken to me before.

I find myself falling deeper and deeper in love with you each new day.

I discover that I’m wanting you so much more and more.

Ripples…

Hurdles…

Old tapes…

…they creep up from time to time to try and make us lose focus.

But we know this is real; nothing fake here, no hocus pocus.

I am bound to you in every way I can be

You are mine and I am yours in every way.

If only you could view yourself the way my eyes see,

My love to you I pledge each and every day.

The nominations are announced

2011-01-29T13:54:00.003-05:00

The nominees for the 83rd annual Academy Awards were announced this week and there were just a few surprises and, of course, some snubs (what a surprise!). However, it's always exciting seeing just who is nominated and the real fun is in predicting who will win. Those predictions will come later. Here's the breakdown of who's up for the little gold guy.

Best Supporting Actor: Notable snubs: Andrew Garfield for The Social Network, Josh Brolin for True Grit. Surprising nods: John Hawkes and Mark Ruffalo.

Christian Bale-The Fighter (1st nomination)
John Hawkes-Winter's Bone (1st nomination)
Jeremy Renner-The Town (2nd nomination, 1st supporting)
Mark Ruffalo-The Kids Are Alright (1st nomination)
Geoffrey Rush-The King's Speech (4th nomination, 2nd supporting)

Best Supporting Actress: Surprising nod (for this category): Hailee Steinfeld.

Amy Adams-The Fighter (3rd nomination, supporting)
Helena Bonham Carter-The King's Speech (2nd nomination, 1st supporting)
Melissa Leo-The Fighter (2nd nomination, 1st supporting)
Hailee Steinfeld-True Grit (1st nomination)
Jacki Weaver-Animal Kingdom (1st nomination)

Best Actor: Notable snubs: Robert Duvall for Get Low, Sean Penn for Fair Game, Mark Wahlberg for The Fighter and Ryan Gosling for Blue Valentine. Surprise nod: Javier Bardem.

Javier Bardem-Biutiful (3rd nomination, 2nd lead)
Jeff Bridges-True Grit (6th nomination, 3rd lead)
Jesse Eisenberg-The Social Network (1st nomination)
Colin Firth-The King's Speech (2nd nomination, lead)
James Franco-127 Hours (1st nomination)

Best Actress: Notable snub: Lesley Manville for Another Year. Surprising nod: Jennifer Lawrence

Annette Bening-The Kids Are Alright (4th nomination, 3rd for lead actress)
Nicole Kidman-Rabbit Hole (3rd nomination, lead)
Jennifer Lawrence-Winter's Bone (1st nomination)
Natalie Portman-Black Swan (2nd nomination, 1st lead)
Michelle Williams-Blue Valentine (2nd nomination, 1st lead)

Best Director: Notable snub: Christopher Nolan for Inception

Darren Aronofsky-Black Swan (1st nomination)
David O. Russell-The Fighter (1st nomination)
Tom Hooper-The King's Speech (1st nomination)
David Fincher-The Social Network (2nd nomination)
Joel & Ethan Coen-True Grit (3rd nomination)

Best Picture: Notable snub: Secretariat. Surprising nods: Toy Story 3 & Winter's Bone

Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone

An Amazing Australian Adventure-Days 3-6

2010-08-15T20:30:00.002-04:00

So, as the adventure down under continues, I've been lucky enough to experience some wonderful things so far. I was honored to be invited to a birthday party this past weekend with some native New Zealanders. A hangi feast was prepared with some truly delicious dishes and fabulous desserts. My favorite was the steak (a specific kind to Australians called wooky or something like that) and the sticky date bread with syrup. Not as sweet as it sounds and not as rich either but very yummy. Everyone was so welcoming and included me in all of the conversations and made me feel like a part of the group. It was very lovely.

The same night I had dinner with a couple of Brian's friends. The one, Michael, is a complete hoot. He is outspoken, flamboyant and very very warm and genuine....Could have used some time with him when preparing for my role in The Boys In The Band...Afterwards, we went to a dance bar called The Midnight Shift (think The Bachelor Forum with a multicultural feel and a dance floor).

Sunday, I went to the MCC church in Granville; Good Shepherd. Very welcoming community with a nice mixture of GLBT people as well as straight allies. In addition to the keyboard, they have drums and an electric cello. I was made to feel very comfortable and will be blessed to have the opportunity to sing during next week's service.

This week we'll be visiting the Blue Mountains and walking through the Featherdale Wildlife Park. I'm determined to have my picture taken with a kangaroo (even though I am told they are smelly, nasty creatures) and a koala bear (which really is not a bear...discuss amongst yourselves). They don't call it a koala bear here, they just say a koala.

I hope wherever you are today, you are having an adventure of your own....

To be continued....

peace,

Paul

An Amazing Aussie Adventure-Day 2

2010-08-12T02:04:00.002-04:00

Last night was pretty uneventful. Went to Woolworth's to do some shopping. Woolworths (not to be confused with the American Woolworth's) is a massive supermarket, in fact, it's the largest supermarket chain in Australia. It's also known as Woolies, kind of like Wegman's is known as Weggies.

I neglected to mention during the jaunt around downtown Sydney, we saw some Aborignines playing didgeridoos. Cool instrument and the guys were even talking through it; saying thank you to people who put donations in their jars. If I get another chance, I will have my picture taken with one of them.

Today I walked around Earlwood and just looked around in a number of different shops; not buying, just browsing. I can't get over the currency. They don't have paper money for $1 and $2 (instead they use coins for these and the $2 coin is actually smaller than the $1 coin).

Early this morning around 6, it was raining a bit then it stopped and the sun came out. By late afternoon it had become overcast again. The high got up to about 62 degrees.

That's about it for today. This weekend sometime, I'll be attending a birthday party in which they will be "laying down a hungi" which I'm very much looking forward to. I promised the first round of pics would be up sometime on Friday (in Rochester time) and I will hold true to that.

I hope everyone is well.

peace,

Paul

Australian Adventures-Day 1

2010-08-11T02:46:00.002-04:00

So, I arrived in Sydney at about 7:25 on Wed. morning (Sydney is 14 hours ahead of NY) so Rochesterians were just thinking about being done working for the day. Two things I neglected to pack: White socks and some sort of jacket (it is still winter here for about another month and a half). Thankfully today was up to 18 celsius (or about 60 degrees fahrenheit but it felt cooler thanks to the chilly wind). The city is HUGE (take that Billy Fuccillo) and it's so weird driving on the left side of the road and having the steering wheel on the right side of the car.

Today we walked a good bit of downtown Sydney, went up to the Sydney Skytower (similar to the one in Rochester) and looked at the city.....just miles and miles and miles of city. We also experienced one of the food halls (think a mall food court that has its own zip code) in the Sydney Downtown Plaza. We saw the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Glebe Island Bridge, among other things. We had a couple from Las Vegas take our picture in front of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and she said it best about the cost of living in Sydney: The dollar is worth more than the American dollar but you need two of them to buy something for each US dollar.

For lunch Brian had Moroccan Chicken with chickpeas and I had roast lamb rump with lentil salad. Good food but it's weird because we ordered at the bar and were given a number to put on our table which was taken when the order was brought out. No one ever came over to ask how our meal was and we left without tipping. Apparently, in Australia, you don't tip and you don't usually have someone come over to refill your water, ask how your food is, etc.....Odd!

This evening we are going to one of the supermarkets. I've taken a ton of pics already and will definitely have the first album up on FB by Friday (your Friday, not my Friday).

More later.

Peace,

paul

Acapulco-the rest of the story

2010-07-04T08:51:00.002-04:00

So, the rest of the Acapulco trip was exhilarating, exhausting and very informative. I was lucky to attend some pretty awesome workshops which I am looking forward to sharing with the congregation. Now for the big news....my review of Corpus Christi.

First of all, I remember hearing about this show when it first opened and hearing some controversy about it. A gay Jesus? Really? No wonder people protested it and it was such a flop for Terrence McNally. The original show cast all men...the tour cast we saw was both male and female which was very nice to see.

As the show opens, we see the characters being baptized and receiving new names (the names of the Apostles) and they briefly talk about their characters. The show follows the growth of Jesus (or Joshua as he is called) throughout high school, prom, adult hood and a very intense relationship with Judas Iscariot.

The show is done with no set, per se, very minimal props and lots of daring dialogue. I have nothing but high praise for it and I applaud all of the actors for their participation (not all of them were gay or lesbian or religious) and found the show hilarious, thought provoking, shocking (yes, shocking, even though I knew the story) and sad. I actually got teary eyed at the end. Not huge buckets of tears but just enough to have tears running down my face. The cast was also emotional as it was their final performance because they have no more money to continue touring. I think people should see this show if for no other reason then it will bring them out of their comfort zone and without that, growth is not possible.

peace,

Paul

Acapulco Day 5

2010-06-30T13:47:00.002-04:00

Having a fabulous time in Acapulco. Even though I'm finding conference exhausting at times (typical), I'm really enjoying getting Spanish practice in. In a bit, I'm going downtown to a local farmer's market. Maybe have lunch with Jim and a Jesuit friend he just met who lives in Mexico. Oh, the decisions. Still gray, windy and while the rain has stopped, the beautiful sunshine is still nowhere to be found.

More later.

peace,

Paul

2010-06-28T10:09:00.000-04:00

Debbie trying to get the pastor to relax.

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menu from the restaurant and the hotel where the cliffs are

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view from the restaurant to see the cliff divers. You can see one of the cliffs on the right.

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more city pics including the Volkswagon taxis.

2010-06-28T09:59:00.003-04:00

pics from the city in the tour van

2010-06-28T09:59:00.001-04:00

Woody, is that you?

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How much for three items????

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parking lot of Wal-Mart

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Bird on the table looking for food.

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Acapulco Days 3-4

2010-06-28T09:10:00.003-04:00

Sunday proved to be a very uneventful day. We did not leave the resort which was disappointing. Before I leave, I want to venture into the city at least once more. Now it will be more difficult because conference officially starts today (Monday).

On Sunday, we ended up going to the pool twice (no tan yet but I'm working on it). I'm surprised at how many non-natives just lie out in the sun for so long (of course having servers bring them food and drinks is nice) but it's not good. Have already seen a lot of burnt people. I cannot imagine burning and then having to get through a week long conference.

Rev. Lu and Maria (two women from our church) yesterday and Jim has been hobnobbing with all of his friends and colleagues.

In the evening, we had dinner (dos pizzas muy grande) and Debbie and I danced (sadly, or thankfully, depending on your perspective, no pictures were taken.) We were in bed shortly after nine.

More later.

peace,

Paul

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Acapulco-Saturday

2010-06-27T09:21:00.002-04:00

Saturday in Acapulco proved to be a very exciting but exhausting day. The day started just hanging out in the coffee shop. Me with water and Debbie and Jim with coffee. We just sat and enjoyed the sounds of nature and talked about what we would do.

From there, we walked along the beach and met a guy named Leo who was determined to have us visit his jewelry stand. "Real silver" and "good deals" he promised us. We didn't have any money on us at the time so we assured Leo we would be back before we left. It was amazing how warm the water was.

After that, we went back to our rooms and rested before walking to Wal-Mart for some essentials (water, snacks, sunscreen). The water in the resort is purified and filtered and is not bad; just tastes flat.

Before walking to Wal-Mart, we went to sign up for one of the tours. We opted to see the cliff divers. After signing up, we walked to Wal-Mart (about a 20-min) walk and, while it was not bad, we did have to stop a few times in some shady spots. Remember it's very very humid. The taxi drivers were determined to give us a ride but, hey, it's Mexico, we wanted adventure. Apparently, though, it's unheard of to walk 20mins to Wal-Mart. We actually spent quite a while walking around the Wal-Mart/mall.

The cliff diving show was incredible. We had dinner, dessert and two drinks and got to see two and a half shows. One started at 7:30 (we caught the end of that), we saw the 8:30 and 9:30 shows as well. There are about 40 divers (unionized) who dive from the ages of 16-38. They apparently start training around the age of 5. Several divers dive from about 60feet and then the final diver dives from about 100ft. One of the divers actually had a bandage on one shoulder. Not uncommon to get hurt but the tour driver assured us no one had ever been killed. One other plus of doing the tour: We actually got to drive into the heart of city. So amazing and I was taking pictures up a storm.

Back at the hotel we were all ready to drop. We slept well and woke up around 7 this morning. Now I'm here updating my peeps and watching Toy Story in Spanish.

Hope you are all well.

peace,

Paul

2010-06-26T07:57:00.002-04:00

Well, we had a few pretty uneventful plane trips to Acapulco, unless you count the moment when I tried to fill out the customs and immigration forms in Spanish. The stewardess inadvertently started handing out the Spanish forms to English speaking people. I thought, ok, I'll see how much of this I can actually fill out without looking at the English form. Apparently, Americans are not allowed to fill out the Mexican-American form. And I thought I was being so clever.

On our way to Mexico City, we went through several clouds; so cool. Even more impressive is flying over the clouds and seeing how they just hang there in the sky. La ciudad de Mexico is HUGE! I knew it was huge from Spanish class but actually seeing it sprawled out was amazing. And the multitude of colors; from the buildings to the houses to the trees.

Once we arrived in Mexico City, we ate at a restaurant in the airport called California Restaurante. We originally had a Spanish speaking waitress and I was determined to order only in Spanish. Unfortunately, Debbie and Jim could not so we ended up with a bilingual server. I have my work cut out for me: Between the accent, the rapidity with which they speak, the lowness of their voices and the fact that, as in English, several different words can mean the same thing, I've got my work cut out for me. Luckily, I love a challenge.

Anyway, I had chicken cordon bleu over spaghetti and Jim and Debbie had lamb tacos in a soft corn tortilla (I really like lamb) and lamb consumme. One thing about the restaurant that struck me as funny was the fact that they were playing American pop songs in English.

From there we asked several different people how to find out gate for Acapulco. I asked two people and Debbie asked one. Each one told us something different. Hmmm, boy did we look like the typical lost Americans. Finally, Debbie asked a federal police woman and she explained to me in Spanish how to get to where we needed to go. Luckily, I was able to remember some key phrases such as speak slower please and to the left or to the right.

We finally arrived at the Fairmont Princess Acapulco and I think this Fairmont Princess is even better than the one we stayed at in Phoenix three years ago. The place is huge and practically surrounded by the Pacific. Five pools, three buildings (Jim and I are in The Pearl and Debbie is in the Tower Princesa) and exhilarating views. I read a number of reviews of this place and they were very mixed. From the ocean themed carpets to the fun melodies the elevators play as you go from floor to floor (think the sounds of a child's toy) to the spaciousness and relaxing atmosphere, I already think this place is fabulous. I will venture out into the city to take some pics and tomorrow we plan on watching the cliff divers. By the way, I really really like palm trees.

peace,

Paul

LangDetectro>en GoogleC

Well, we had a few pretty uneventful plane trips to Acapulco, unless you count the moment when I tried to fill out the customs and immigration forms in Spanish. The stewardess inadvertently started handing out the Spanish forms to English speaking people. I thought, ok, I'll see how much of this I can actually fill out without looking at the English form. Apparently, Americans are not allowed to fill out the Mexican-American form. And I thought I was being so clever. On our way to Mexico City, we went through several clouds; so cool. Even more impressive is flying over the clouds and seeing how they just hang there in the sky. La ciudad de Mexico is HUGE! I knew it was huge from Spanish class but actually seeing it sprawled out was amazing. And the multitude of colors; from the buildings to the houses to the trees. Once we arrived in Mexico City, we ate at a restaurant in the airport called California Restaurante. We originally had a Spanish speaking waitress and I was determined to order only in Spanish. Unfortunately, Debbie and Jim could not so we ended up with a bilingual server. I have my work cut out for me: Between the accent, the rapidity with which they speak, the lowness of their voices and the fact that, as in English, several different words can mean the same thing, I've got my work cut out for me. Luckily, I love a challenge. Anyway, I had chicken cordon bleu over spaghetti and Jim and Debbie had lamb tacos in a soft corn tortilla (I really like lamb) and lamb consumme. One thing about the restaurant that struck me as funny was the fact that they were playing American pop songs in English. From there we asked several different people how to find out gate for Acapulco. I asked two people and Debbie asked one. Each one told us something different. Hmmm, boy did we look like the typical lost Americans. Finally, Debbie asked a federal police woman and she explained to me in Spanish how to get to where we needed to go. Luckily, I was able to remember some key phrases such as speak slower please and to the left or to the right. We finally arrived at the Fairmont Princess Acapulco and I think this Fairmont Princess is even better than the one we stayed at in Phoenix three years ago. The place is huge and practically surrounded by the Pacific. Five pools, three buildings (Jim and I are in The Pearl and Debbie is in the Tower Princesa) and exhilarating views. I read a number of reviews of this place and they were very mixed. From the ocean themed carpets to the fun melodies the elevators play as you go from floor to floor (think the sounds of a child's toy) to the spaciousness and relaxing atmosphere, I already think this place is fabulous. I will venture out into the city to take some pics and tomorrow we plan on watching the cliff divers. By the way, I really really like palm trees. peace, Paul

Oscar winner predictions

2010-03-05T22:20:00.013-05:00

Here we go: Check out last year's predictions-did not do too badly at all! Here are my picks for who WILL win and who SHOULD win. I know they're late but, hey, better late than never.

Best Animated Feature:
Should win-Up
Will win-Up

Best Editing:
Should win-Inglorious Basterds
Will win-The Hurt Locker

Best Cinematography:
Should win-Avatar
Will win-Avatar

Best Art Direction:
Should win-Avatar
Will win-Avatar

Best Costume Design:
Should win-Nine
Will win-The Young Victoria

Best Makeup:
Should win-Star Trek
Will win-Star Trek

Best Visual Effects:
Should win-Avatar
Will win-Avatar

Best Sound Mixing:
Should win-The Hurt Locker
Will win-The Hurt Locker

Best Sound Editing:
Should win-Avatar
Will win-The Hurt Locker

Best Original Song:
Should win-The Weary Kind (Crazy Heart)
Will win-The Weary Kind (Crazy Heart)

Best Original Score:
Should win-Avatar
Will win-Up

Best Live Action Short:
Should win-Kavi
Will win-The New Tenants

Best Animated Short:
Should win-A Matter Of Loaf And Death
Will win-Logorama

Best Documentary Short:
Should Win-The Last Campaign
Will win-Music By Prudence

Best Documentary Feature:
Should win-The Cove
Will win-The Cove

Best Foreign Language Film:
Should win-El Secreto De Sus Ojos
Will Win-The White Ribbon

Best Supporting Actress:
Should win-Mo'nique
Will win-Mo'nique

Best Supporting Actor:
Should win-Christoph Waltz
Will win-Christoph Waltz

Best Actress:
Should win-Gabourey Sidibe (Helen Mirren's a close second)
Will win-Sandra Bullock

Best Actor:
Should win-Colin Firth
Will win-Jeff Bridges

Best Original Screenplay:
Should win-The Hurt Locker
Will win-Inglorious Basterds

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Should win-Precious: Based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire
Will win-Precious: Based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire

Best Director:
Should win-Kathryn Bigelow
Will win-Kathryn Bigelow

Best Picture:
Should win-The Hurt Locker
Will win-The Hurt Locker

To all of you who view the Academy Awards as their own Super Bowl....Happy Viewing!!!!

peace,

paul

2010-02-15T22:30:00.002-05:00

Mama He's Crazy: Ok, so, we know that Jeff Bridges can act; he's got four previous Oscar nominations and an acclaimed career to prove it. Having said that, I was disappointed by his latest film Crazy Heart (R). Adapted from a novel by Thomas Cobb, it follows the highs and lows (mostly lows) of faded country music star Bad Blake.

Bridges' boozy, vanity free role is worthy of the Academy Award nomination it garnered but during much of the movie his is anything but likable and I felt as if he was overacting in a number of spots as opposed to just letting the character flow naturally. I also did not believe the relationship that transpired between he and reporter Jean Craddock (the finally nominated Maggie Gyllenhaal).

Criticism aside, Bridges does a great job as a washed up singer trying to find redemption thanks to the love of a real woman. And the song The Weary Kind is arguably the best of the nominated songs and I'd like to see it win the gold. Bridges does make it look easy and he's a major asset to an otherwise cliche story. I still don't think he deserves to win but he's one hell of an actor.

peace,

Paul

OMG! It's the AA's

2010-02-03T20:28:00.004-05:00

It's Official: The race for gold at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards is on, baby! First off, love it or hate it, the Academy has decided to nominate 10 films instead of 5 and what a range of films it is, with the inclusion of the tearjerker The Blind Side. There have not been more than 5 films nominated in one year since 1943. Hopefully the brass will get the upswing in numbers they've desperately been trying to recapture since 1997 when Titanic swept so many awards. Even without the inclusion of five extra films, this would have been an exciting year with the gargantuan Avatar, directed by James Cameron (his 2nd directing nom), pitted against The Hurt Locker, the little movie that could and also one of the most riveting films of last year. That movie is directed by Kathryn Bigelow, Cameron's ex-wife and the fourth woman ever to be nominated for best director (behind Lina Wertmuller, Jane Campion and Sofia Coppola). Personally, I think it would be awesome if Bigelow won. Not only is she deserving for creating such a powerful war film but it would be nice to show Cameron that he's not the only "king of the world." I was surprised that The Hangover, arguably the funniest movie of last year, was left off the list.

The other major nominees bring a mixture of plenty of new blood and some old standbys. I don't mean that disparagingly but it seems there's a few this year that we could have predicted in our sleep (hello, Morgan, Meryl and Penelope). Having said that, the new kids on the block are as follows: Colin Firth, Jeremy Renner, Christopher Plummer, Stanley Tucci, Christoph Waltz, Sandra Bullock, Carey Mulligan, Gabourey Sidibe, Vera Farmiga, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Anna Kendrick and Mo'Nique. It's nice to see Vera Farmiga and Maggie Gyllenhaal both nominated...finally.

Those who were shut out include Julianne Moore for A Single Man, Alec Baldwin for It's Complicated, Ben Foster for The Messenger, Abbie Cornish for Bright Star and perhaps the most glaring omission, Emily Blunt for The Young Victoria.

This year Meryl Streep once again breaks her own record and scores her 16th Oscar nomination. Sadly, once again, this will not be the year she wins her third award. That honor will more than likely go to Sandra Bullock (I hope not) or Carey Mulligan. I would like to see Sandra win just not for this film.

Other nominees who have been down this carpet before are Jeff Bridges (5th), George Clooney (2nd), Morgan Freeman (5th), Matt Damon (his 2nd but 1st for acting), Woody Harrelson (2nd), Helen Mirren (4th) and Penelope Cruz (3rd).

In the director's realm, new and old are almost split evenly down the middle. Jason Reitman, James Cameron and Quentin Tarantino all score their second nods while Lee Daniels and Ms. Bigelow are first timers.

No matter who wins or just politely claps while thinking, 'I can't believe she won', this should be a thrilling race.

Stay tuned as I will soon be making my predictions in every single category.

peace,

Paul

2010-01-16T18:32:00.002-05:00

I'm doing very very well with my movie marathon of potential Oscar nominated films. Only two more to go: Crazy Heart and The Last Station both of which have not yet opened...in Rochester. I'm going out on a limb here and saying that this is Jeff Bridges's year but not Helen Mirren's.

peace,

paul

2010-01-16T12:43:00.003-05:00

Singular Sensation: For those of you who are like me and are sick and tired of hearing about the single ladies (thank you, Beyonce!), the new movie titled A Single Man will make you forget all about that infectious ditty. Based on the Christopher Isherwood novel of the same name, Man tells the story of George Falconer who struggles to deal with his life after his partner of 16 years dies in an automobile accident.

The film is directed by famed designer Tom Ford and every single frame of the movie is so stylishly and artfully shot that the fact this is Ford's first film makes the movie all the more breathtaking. And let me say this about Firth's performance: He has played a myriad of roles in his nearly twenty-six year film career, including a gay tenant in Apartment Zero, the ever popular Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice, playing father to teen Amanda Bynes, and singing alongside Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia! Each one of those roles was memorable in their own right but in A Single Man, Firth erases those previous roles by giving an indelible, amazingly honest and sexually charged performance. Even if he doesn't win the Oscar this year (he might but probably won't), this is a role that deserves to be talked about and dissected.

The film closely follows the book complete with a myriad of scenes with very minimal dialogue; this is the kind of film that other Academy Award hopefuls should be getting ideas from, one in which the performance dictates the action as opposed to the plot. The only major flaw I found with this film was the ending; I didn't like it in the book and I don't like it on film. However, it's still worth seeing and thanks to Ford's keen eye, he deserves to receive a nominee for best director. The film also stars Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode, Nicholas Hoult and Gennifer Goodwin.

Top 10 of 2009

2009-12-29T10:34:00.002-05:00

I am a movie lover (all kinds as you will see from this list) and find few things more pleasurable than spending all day in a darkened movie theater (minds out of the gutters, please). Below is a list of the 10 best films of 2009, in my ever so humble opinion. These are films that were released in Rochester between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 2009. Therefore, some films such as Crazy Heart, Broken Embraces and A Single Man are not on this list because they were not showing. There is no particular order for this list. Enjoy!

Taking Woodstock-Ang Lee's comedy-drama about the small town of Bethel, New York, and what happens when one town council member gets it in his head to have the biggest concert ever right in the town's backyard. Based on Elliot Tiber's and Tom Monte's memoir.

The Cove-Renowned dolphin trainer and activist Ric O'Barry details his trials in trying to stop the killing of thousands of dolphins in Taiji, Japan. The film also boasts a "cameo" by Hayden Panittiere.

Carriers-Brothers Alex & David Pastor directed this suspenseful thriller about a viral pandemic and the two brothers and their girlfriends who are trying to make it to the coast and not get infected along the way.

Food, Inc.-Just exactly what are we eating? What are the living conditions of the animals that eventually become the food we buy at the grocery store? This dramatic and shocking documentary should have you rethinking how you shop for your food.

The Hangover-What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas but only if you can remember the night before. The four characters in this film have a hell of a time trying to put the pieces together of a bachelor party that they've already forgotten. The tiger, the satchel, the chicken, the missing tooth and just who's baby is that. This film is one of the most uproarious of the year.

Sherlock Holmes-Robert Downey, Jr & Jude Law make a great team in this comedy-drama that paints the famed detective as an incorrigible lush (probably the only criticism I have with this film) but Downey, Jr. pulls it off. And that Rachel McAdams looks lovelier than ever.

Avatar-James Cameron's vivid, exciting and way overpriced sci-fi film hits all the timely themes in what I am hoping wins the Academy Award for Best Picture.

The Informant!-Matt Damon stars in this dark comedy based on real events. Damon plays a whistleblower who blurs the line between fact and fiction and then butchers it as he piles story after story in his attempt at notoriety.

The Hurt Locker-Hopefully this war thriller will make the long list of Best Picture nominees. Shot in the Middle East, it follows a group of men who defuse bombs and the tension that mounts as a result of the harrowing job.

Zombieland-A ragtag group of survivors of a zombie apocalypse come together and fight to stay alive in this comedy which features one of the best (if not the best) cameos of the year.

Hope to see you at the movies in 2010!

peace,

paul

Movie minute...DVD

2009-08-20T09:06:00.004-04:00

Don't mess with the Collingwoods. You'd think the four (really, only three) baddies in the new to DVD remake of The Last House On The Left (R or NR, depending on which version you watch) would have figured that out after the first go round. The original came out in 1972 and the remake actually transcends Wes Craven's B-movie feel predecessor.

Two teenage girls meet a random guy and follow him back to his hotel room (mistake #1) for some grade A weed (mistake #2, actually going inside). What turns into an innocent afternoon becomes a nightmare when three murderers show up; one of them being the father of the random guy. After the two girls are killed, the foursome show up on the doorstep of Emma & John Collingwood, parents of Mari Collingwood, one of the girls who was murdered.

There are several great twists in this updated version; one of them being that John is a doctor, another one being the cat and mouse chases between the Collingwoods and the bad guys. I won't tell the other twists but I will say it's been a long long time since I've seen a remake I actually thought was superior to the original. Don't get me wrong, the original was typical of the type of slasher movies that were coming out in the 70's but this was has not only been updated but improved. The leads still make some stupid moves and there are a few implausibilities, however, there is still plenty of blood spilling, nail-biting scenes and the final death scene is both gross and freakish and perhaps a little, dare I say, interesting and definitely torturous.

This is definitely a renter, unless you are just not into thriller/killer movies. If you are, the 2009 version of The Last House On The Left should not disappoint.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 4.25

movie minute

2009-08-17T20:09:00.003-04:00

Melancholy People: This is a much better description of writer-producer-director Judd Apatow's third directorial effort: Funny People (R). In it, Adam Sandler plays George Simmons, a paunchy, self-absorbed funnyman who spends his spare time watching his old movies and stand up routines. When Simmons finds out he has a terminal illness, he decides to grace the public with a surprise appearance at a comedy club after a 5-year hiatus. Also there, that night, is rising star Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) with whom George becomes "smitten" with and hires him to write George's comedy acts.

The relationship between George and Ira is an interesting one but one that really could have been even more fleshed out. As Ira becomes more and more confident, it seems as if George becomes more and more unstable; hard to do especially considering he appears unstable from the get-go.

The film also stars Leslie Mann (wife of Judd Apatow) as George's ex-fiancee, Eric Bana (as the lucky husband) and Jonah Hill & Jason Schwartzman as Ira's roommates.

The first half of the film is a mess and rarely funny or even comical (incluing the stand-up bits) but the second half shows surprising vigor but it's still not all that funny. It's a sad state of affairs when James Taylor has the best line in the movie. After Ira asks James if he ever tires of singing the same songs over and over, James responds, "Do you ever get tired of talking about your penis?" A good question for a comedian, which is a profession in which one sometimes does the same routine ad nauseum.

Sandler has never fared the best in his dramatic roles (Punch Drunk Love, Reign Over Me) and this film is no exception; he's much more adept when he is loose and going for the comedy.

The film could have been so much better and while it's not Apatow's best "comedy", more like a DRAmedy, it is entertaining and Mann has by far the best role. There are also several neat cameos; in addition to Taylor there are also brief appearances by Andy Dick, Paul Reiser, Ray Romano and Eminem.

This is more a DVD movie, although it's easier to fall asleep at home.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 2

2009-08-01T08:33:00.001-04:00

The living room. The windows you see will be different sometime before the end of the year. The one on the right will become a bay window and the one with the AC will have a stained glass window.

2009-08-01T08:31:00.001-04:00

The dining room which may at some point become the master bedroom when I expand. Also, the sliding glass door will be gone and in its place will be french doors, of course (I am gay!)

pics of the new house

2009-08-01T08:23:00.002-04:00

Kitchen complete with a dishwasher

Oh, the horror!!!

2009-07-31T17:25:00.002-04:00

Poor Michelle Obama must be wringing her hands like there is no tomorrow. She discovered sludge in her organic garden. "Girls, eat your muddy vegetables now!" will no doubt be heard ringing throughout the White House walls.

Apparently the sludge soldiers were none other than the Clintons (emit collective gasp here). Yes, it's common practice to use sludge which is just the use of sewage for fertilizer but now she'll have a heck of a time explaining to dignitaries just what that goop is on the tomatoes.

peace,

paul

P-U, oh, you smell good?

2009-07-31T15:39:00.002-04:00

It was just another day at the Bank Of America on N. Beach St. in Ft. Worth, Texas, when the hazardous material unit, fire department and ambulances were called to the scene because of a noxious odor. Officials were originally told it was carbon monoxide but the real culprit is far more wily and malodorous...it was the putried smell of perfume. Yes, one co-worker's perfume (scent unknown) sent 34 people to the hospital and sent a wave of hysteria among the 1,800 to 2,200 employees in the building.

All I can say is that perfume must have been laced with garlic.

peace,

paul

Sand Swiper

2009-07-31T11:51:00.003-04:00

Oh, please, say it ain't so...Some silly's been stealing the sand again and it has tourists in Cancun seeing, not white, but red. Yes, hundreds of feet of Mexico's white hot beach was cordoned off with police tape on Thursday because one of the beach's hotels was using a pump to siphon sand from the sea floor. The hotel in trouble is the Gran Caribe Real Hotel and the charges allege that they were illegally pumping sand and also built a breakwater which prevents sand from getting to the other hotels. In 2005, after hurrican Wilma, Mexico spent $19 million, yes, million dollars to replace the sand lost in the aftermath of the storm.

Let this be a warning to those with the little glass jars who want to take a little piece of paradise home with them...DON'T!

peace,

paul

Chit Chattin' the night away...

2009-07-31T07:23:00.003-04:00

What do the President, a police officer and a scholarly professor all have in common? No, this is not the setup to a bad joke...President Obama made good on his offer to share a beer with Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr and police Sgt. Joseph Crowley. The three sat around on Thursday evening discussing the important topics that keep us all up at night such as "why is the grass green?", "what happens to clouds at night?", and the ever popular "just what is the sound of one hand clapping?" In between those riveting discussions they also focused on the issue of race and, while agreeing to disagree (Crowley and Gates), they did come to the conclusion that this is a good learning experience and that moving forward is best. Hopefully next time President Obama wants to stick his two cents into something like this, he will choose better words than saying police "acted stupidly."

Both parties are guilty of overreacting and not listening to each other. This is a situation that got completely out of hand because two people were both trying to prove something...that they were each right. By the way, the original 911 call made no mention of race, something else that is of significance here.

Of course, there is something else that can be learned-if your door becomes jammed when you are trying to unlock it, maybe it's time for a new door. And there's still no word on whether there were free refills at the "beer summit."

peace,

paul

Frowning Flag

2009-07-10T20:44:00.003-04:00

What exactly does an upside down flying flag mean, anyway? It doesn't mean that one is unpatriotic (hello, George W!). Instead it means a sign of distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property. It's a sign that dates back to before the 1900's. A man in Wausau, Wisconsin decided to fly his American flag upside down on Independence Day of all days. Police officers "stormed" his property and removed the flag only to return it a day later. They probably didn't really storm, instead they probably moved very fast (like Jason moved in the Friday the 13th movies).

Vito Congine Jr. is considering legal action for violating his first amendment rights. He flew the flag upside down because he was distressed after spending almost $200,000 to buy and remodel a downtown building for an Italian supper club and being denied a liquor license. Oh, so, this is all about not being able to drink???? Apparently the other people in town thought that Congine meant disrespect (TEETOTALERS!!!!!!).

Hello, can't we all just get along? I will say this, however, what a PERFECT day to fly the flag upside down!!!!

peace,

paul

Peep-A-Boo

2009-07-10T13:12:00.002-04:00

Just when you thought you'd heard of everything, something new and unexpected comes along. This fall, in National Harbor, Maryland, a new store will open called Peeps & Co. No, it's not a cousin of Hooters, nor does it feature scantily clad women. Instead the scantily clad items will be peeps. Yes, those lovable (and squishy) marshmallow delights will have their own store. Other items such Hot Tamales and Mike & Ikes will also be available but the main attraction will be those multi-colored bunnies. There will even be Peeps dressed as the Village People and Peep pens will be sold.

Hey, why stop at the Village People? Why not Wolverine or Spock peeps? How about peeps dressed as Britney Spears? Oooh, Simon Cowell peeps. Now that's one peep a number of people would love to take a bite out of!

peace,

paul

A new visitor at the peak

2009-07-10T12:51:00.002-04:00

History has been made yet again and this time right here on the East coast. Another living thing made it to the top of the highest peak this side of the Atlantic and it wasn't a human. No, it was....Josh, the camel. Yes, this humped creature made it all the way up the mountain and apparently back down again. He of course was guided by a mere human (at least we know who's boss in this relationship). Stay tuned because next week an elephant will climb Kilimanjaro.

peace,

paul

The Salmon of Sperm

2009-07-10T07:38:00.002-04:00

There's one pool you probably don't want to go swimming in; apparently it's in Egypt. A woman from Poland is suing an Egyptian hotel because her 13-year-old daughter became pregnant while the two of them were on holiday...From swimming in the hotel's pool! The mother's argument is that her daughter became impregnated by stray sperm that were swimming around in the pool. I wonder if they were doing the breaststroke or the freestyle swim. Besides being gross, this story is absolutely asinine. I feel bad for the lawyer who has to represent the mother and I want to know how the daughter kept a straight face when she told her mother that's how she became pregnant.

Too bad it couldn't be true those sperm could be getting some gold medals right now.

peace,

paul

2009-06-26T20:24:00.002-04:00

It's too BAD that his life took such a weird turn.
Like a THRILLER with a bizarre and unsatisfying ending. People all around the world are saying to him and his music that I JUST CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU.
He was a man WITH A CHILD'S HEART who just wanted to be HAPPY.
He was OFF THE WALL and implored us to DON'T STOP 'TIL YOU GET ENOUGH.
And as I look at the reflection of myself, my own MAN IN THE MIRROR, I know he had his eccentricities and imperfections but realize it should not take away from the fact that this man whose music and passion made him a force of HUMAN NATURE. And now his spirit is GONE TOO SOON. I can REMEMBER THE TIME when he transcended the notion of BLACK OR WHITE and I still hear his music as he tried to JAM(med) with a LIBERIAN GIRL and SCREAM(ed) about his CHILDHOOD. Very well do I recall the famed white glove and that incredible moonwalk as he sang about how he was going to HEAL THE WORLD and telling people YOU ARE NOT ALONE because WE ARE (part of) THE WORLD. As I grew up, his music was just ANOTHER PART OF ME, a soundtrack to my life. And now, though his spirit was taken like a SMOOTH CRIMINAL in the night, now Michael as you EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD towards the light, may you realize you'll always have ONE MORE CHANCE to get it right as your music lives on forever. And for those haters...I SAY SAY SAY what? I'll tell ya to BEAT IT because I do WANNA BE STARTIN' SOMETHIN' wit you. He may have been weird but his music is timeless. So, GIRLFRIEND, just LEAVE ME ALONE as I crank up DIRTY DIANA, hear about BILLIE JEAN and her kid yet again and pay no mind that SOMEBODY'S WATCHING ME shake my booty. The King of Pop is gone and though there AIN'T NO SUNSHINE today, it IS A BRAND NEW DAY. We know Michael it's true when you say I'LL BE THERE. You have GOT TO BE THERE! WILL YOU BE THERE tomorrow. Yes, your music will be and it will be just the MUSIC AND ME-GET IT? Good then put BEN down, shake the BUTTERFLIES out and go get some BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR.

RIP MJ

Your Face Here

2009-05-13T13:11:00.001-04:00

...And you too could be the face of Jesus, or not.

Enjoy,

paul

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/05/13/moos.me.so.holy.cnn

Beauty-1, Brains-0

2009-05-13T13:05:00.001-04:00

Enjoy the answers provided by these beauty queens...The poor things...

paul

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/05/12/ac.shot.tuesday.cnn

Oh my bloody hell....

2009-05-11T18:01:00.001-04:00

Enjoy (and take that Paul Potts)...

http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/realityrocks/173062/greg-pritchard-britains-got-talent-reaches-new-heights/

movie minute

2009-05-10T20:40:00.002-04:00

Ahead, Warp Speed: In the new Star Trek (PG-13) movie (the 11th in the film's franchise), director J.J Abrams (of Lost fame) doesn't remake the series but offers a compelling prequel to the characters we've come to know and love.

As the film opens, George Kirk is the captain of the S.S. Kelvin which is on a disastrous course with a Romulan ship led by Nero (Eric Bana).

Fast forward a bit and we see you Kirk (hotheaded and oozing self confidence) and Spock (intellectual little devil that he is) and the childhood they both experienced that until now we weren't privy to.

The movie is an exciting, special effects laden thrill of a ride. It has all of the famous characters (Sulu, Uhura, Chekhov, Scotty, McCoy, Kirk, Spock) and how they all came together to fly the Starship Enterprise.

The cast of the movie is impeccably chosen; especially Zachary Quinto as Spock. Tyler Perry (Medea himself) even shows up as Admiral Richard Barnett.

The only flaw this movie has is the whole time travel, time space continuum which involves the return of an original Trekkie. I kind of understood it but thought it was a bit indulgent. It's a theme that Abrams is quite fond of (hello, Lost!!!).

Having said that I thought Abrams did a kick-ass job of reigniting the moribund series and deserves a kudos for being true to the series as we've seen it so far. One thought, however, did Amanda Grayson (Spock's mother) really die? If so, then how did the original TV series bring her back from the dead? Yes, that was Winona Ryder playing Spock's mother, by the way. Perhaps she could be one of the featured stories in the next Star Trek movie, directed by Abrams of course.

I have never been a big fan of Star Trek but I did truly enjoy this movie. I give it 3 bags of popcorn (out of 5).

peace,

paul

kitty part 2

2009-05-09T13:36:00.000-04:00

Surprise!

http://video.yahoo.com/network/100000086?v=4877571&l=100045484

creepy!!!

2009-05-09T13:34:00.002-04:00

You can decide for yourself is this cat's meow for real or is there something or someone behind it?

paul

http://video.yahoo.com/network/100000086?v=4877569&l=100000085

weekly post from May 8, 2009

2009-05-08T19:44:00.001-04:00

Good morning friends & loved ones,

As I sit and write this it's a rainy, slightly chilly and gloomy day. Having said that, we should be rejoicing in the fact taht it is Spring and Summer is practically right around the corner. I like to think of Spring as the time when God's world wakes again after a long sleep and dances in beauty and laughter.

I know that this is going to be very difficult for many to fathom but there was a time not too long ago when I would wake up and immediately shift into task mode (or business mode as I heard it called). Instead of reveling in the beauty and sounds of the morning and praising that I was alive for another day, I would quickly take on the stress and business of the day. After a time, I did learn how to wake up each morning with laughter and playfulness.

It seems, however, that I have recently lost that. It really hit me this morning as I sat in the car on the way to work and realized I had yet to crack a smile; how sad that was. How is it that we let the daily grind of life get to us before we've even gotten out of bed or had that first cup of coffee or greeted the first person of the day? Where is our sense of playfulness at 5 in the morning? I know, I know, you may be thinking, 'How can ANYONE laught at 5am when it's barely even light out? I used to ask the same question but it's really easier than you might think. It's a mindset, it's the determination and choice to NOT be serious or gloomy or so task oriented. It's similar to the belief that happiness comes from within (it does). Yes, there are things we need to think about and get done but it's vital for us to remain young at heart. If we don't we begin to lose our enjoyment of life.

As you enter your weekend (when most of us sleep in or delight in the fact that we don't have to work for two days), I challenge you to start the new week with a smile on your face and laughter in your heart as you awake from your Sunday slumber. It can be fun and downright infectious. Besides studies have shown that laughing is good for us and beneficial to life.

Next week-Prayer. Does it really work or is it just a waste of energy?

Stay safe, stay happy and stay healthy....and LAUGH OFTEN! If the flowers and animals can do it, we can too.

love,

paul

weekly post from May 1, 2009

2009-05-02T09:27:00.001-04:00

Hello friends & loved ones,

Happy May!

I've been thinking a lot this week about my life, how I choose to live it and the choices I make. If I'm not hurting anyone or committing any crime or being destructive in my behaviors, then why would someone else be bothered or uncomfortable or offended by the way I DO live? Why would someone shun me or pass judgment on me? I'll bet Jesus asked himself that question a lot while he was performing miracles, calling people out for hurting others. He did not let those negative and hateful people stop him from preaching about truth, love, acceptance and inclusion.It's the same way with us-as long as we are living our lives in God, being truthful to ourselves and others and not hurting those we love, we're living God-like lives. The hard part is keeping the hatred out of our own hearts and remembering that even though there are people who judge us, we should continue to pray for them and not harbor any ill will.This weekend and in the coming weeks, rise above the fear and negativity of those that try to beat you down and live a life you can be proud of. Someone else's discomfort represents ignorance, fear and intolerance-the opposite of what Jesus stood for.

Have a great weekend and stay safe, stay happy and stay healthy.

love,paul

Video

2009-05-02T09:25:00.001-04:00

Enjoy,

paul

http://video.yahoo.com/network/100284668?v=4956499&l=3774740

Parroting Actions

2009-05-01T16:07:00.000-04:00

Who says white birds can't dance?

Enjoy.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2009/05/01/sr.parrot.rhythm.cnn

Life imitates Art

2009-04-16T23:07:00.003-04:00

Samuel L. Jackson once exclaimed, "I'm sick and tired of these motherf*****' snakes on this motherf*****' plane." However, that was a movie and this is real life. A plane en route to Melbourne, Australia from Alice Springs had four baby pythons escape from a bag inside a plastic foam box with air holes. When the Qantas flight landed, it was discovered the snakes had escaped.

Passengers for the other flights were diverted to other flights and the plane was fumigated...The 6-inch snakes which can grow up to three feet were never found. (Sniff, sniff)...I smell a sequel....

peace,

paul

Thursday Funnies

2009-04-16T17:28:00.000-04:00

Enjoy,

Paul

DID NOAH FISH?
A Sunday school teacher asked, 'Johnny, do you think Noah did a
lot of fishing when he was on the Ark ?' 'No,'replied Johnny. 'How
could he, with just two worms.'

HIGHER POWER
A Sunday school teacher said to her children, 'We have been
Learning how powerful kings and queens were in Bible times. But,
there is a Higher Power. Can anybody tell me what it is?'!
One child blurted out, 'Aces!'

MOSES AND THE RED SEA
Nine-year-old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned
in Sunday School.'Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses
behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of
Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, he had his army build a pontoon
bridge and all the people walked across safely.
Then he radioed headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers
to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved.'
'Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?' his Mother asked.
'Well, no, Mom. But, if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd
never believe it!'

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
A Sunday School teacher decided to have her young class memorize
one of the most quoted passages in the Bible - Psalm 23. She gave
the youngsters a month to learn the chapter.
Little Rick was excited about the task - but he just couldn't
remember the Psalm. After much practice, he could barely get past
the first line.
On the day that the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in
front of the congregation, Ricky was so nervous. When it was his turn,
he stepped up to the microphone and said proudly,
'The Lord is my Shepherd, and that's all I need to know.'

UNANSWERED PRAYER
The preacher's 5 year-old daughter noticed that her father
always paused and bowed his head for a moment before starting his
sermon. One day, she asked him why.
'Well, Honey,' he began, proud that his daughter was so
observant of his messages. 'I'm asking the Lord to help me preach a
good sermon.'
'So, how come He doesn't?' she asked.

LOT'S WIFE
The Sunday School teacher was describing how Lot's wife looked
back and turned into a pillar of salt, when little Jason interrupted,
'My Mommy looked back once while she was driving,' he announced
triumphantly, 'and she turned into a telephone pole!'

GOOD SAMARITAN
A Sunday school teacher was telling her class the story of the
Good Samaritan. She asked the class, 'If you saw a person lying on
the roadside, all wounded and bleeding, what would you do?'
A thoughtful little girl broke the hushed silence,'I think I'd throw up.'

BEING THANKFUL
A Rabbi said to a precocious six-year-old boy, 'So your mother says
your prayers for you each night? That's very commendable. What does
she say?'
The little boy replied, 'Thank God he's in bed!'

UNTIMELY ANSWERED PRAYER
During the minister's prayer one Sunday, there was a loud
whistle from one of the back pews. Tommy's mother was horrified. She
pinched him into silence and, after church, asked, 'Tommy, whatever
made you do such a thing?'
Tommy answered soberly, 'I asked God to teach me to whistle, and He did!'

TIME TO PRAY
A pastor asked a little boy if he said his prayers every night.
'Yes, sir.' the boy replied.
'And, do you always say them in the morning, too?' the pastor
asked. No sir,' the boy replied. 'I ain't scared in the daytime.'

ALL MEN / ALL GIRLS
When my daughter, Kelli, said her bedtime prayers, she would
bless every family member, every friend, and every animal (current and
past).
For several weeks, after we had finished the nightly prayer,
Kelli would say, 'All girls.'
This soon became part of her nightly routine, to include this
closing. My curiosity got the best of me and I asked her, 'Kelli, why
do you always add the part about all girls?'
Her response, 'Because everybody always finish their prayers by saying
'All Men'!'

SAY A PRAYER
Little Johnny and his family were having Sunday dinner at his
Grandmother's house. Everyone was seated around the table as the
food was being served. When Little Johnny received his plate, he
started eating right away.
'Johnny! Please wait until we say our prayer.' said his mother.
'I don't need to,' the boy replied.
'Of course, you do.' his mother insisted. 'We always say a
prayer before eating at our house.'
'That's at our house.' Johnny explained. 'But this is Grandma's
house and she knows how to cook!'

DVD of the week

2009-04-16T17:22:00.003-04:00

Shhh...it's a secret: The French film Ne le dis a personne or Tell No One in English, is a gripping, well-planned not to mention beautifully filmed thriller which pits a widower against the police in a game of cat and mouse.

Eight years ago, Alex Beck's wife was murdered but the body was never found. Alex was the only suspect and yet there was no proof he committed the murder. Suddenly, new evidence surfaces that points to him murdering two other people and it's only a matter of time before evidence that he murdered his wife will surface. He also receives a strange video email-one of his wife on camera looking right at him. What?

The twists and turns fit together nicely and the camera work is almost flawless. The movie also stars Kristin Scott Thomas who I personally would watch read the phone book for two hours; she plays Alex's "sister-in-law" and she plays a lesbian!

I won't tell you if there a happy ending or not (remember, it is a French film, they are notorious for their vague/somewhat depressing endings) but I will tell you it's one heck of a ride.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 4

A lesson from the older folks

2009-04-15T07:22:00.003-04:00

Remember Paul Potts from a couple of years ago. Paul who? Paul Potts, he sang an amazingly heartfelt, not to mention beautiful, rendition of Nessum Dorma on Britain's Got Talent and ultimately went on to win the competition.

Now comes his female counterpart. Just recently, Susan Boyle (who is certainly no Edie from Desperate Housewives) sang I Dreamed A Dream. Yes, she actually breezed her way through this showstopper from Les Miserables. Below are both Paul and Susan. They could teach the yungins from American Idol a few things. It's always a good sign when even Simon Cowell is surprised.

By the way, Susan makes reference to Elaine Page who is a British singer and actress. She's been heard in Chess, been on Broadway in Chess and Sunset Boulevard and in The Drowsy Chaperone in the West End.

Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

2009-03-28T15:14:00.002-04:00

Hmmm.....I wonder if there's anything good in the vending machines. Oh, how about a pizza.

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=12676493

fun videos

2009-03-24T15:45:00.001-04:00

Enjoy,

paul

http://mail.cgicommunications.com/servlet/webmail?NAS_ID=fece716584a64a656feb95b05c1ff1ba&sessionID=fece716584a64a656feb95b05c1ff1ba&SITE=loadattach&fid=1&mid=10200&partLevel=6&fn=Video_of_Nadya_Suleman_Giving_Birth_NEW.wmv&ct=video%2Fx-ms-wmv&sz=3407094

http://mail.cgicommunications.com/servlet/webmail?NAS_ID=fece716584a64a656feb95b05c1ff1ba&sessionID=fece716584a64a656feb95b05c1ff1ba&SITE=loadattach&fid=1&mid=10201&partLevel=8&fn=SpeedBump.wmv&ct=application%2Foctet-stream&sz=3013288

2009-03-22T19:13:00.001-04:00

A pic of me with my hip new hair which I'm really liking.

Enjoy....

peace,

paul

My March Madness Message

2009-03-19T16:31:00.003-04:00

Basketball, schmasketball....I couldn't care less about the sport and I wouldn't know Allen Iverson or LeBron James if I tripped over them nor do I have the faintest idea of what the difference is between a point guard and a power forward. I do know, however, that this time of year is my absolute favorite time. For most of the week so far we've had beautiful, clear and sunny skies; the kind of skies I like to just point my face toward and soak in the natural vitamin D of the sun.

It's great to be alive. Life is beautiful and should never be taken for granted or thrown away. I'm writing this with the tragic accident of Natasha Richardson fresh in my mind. She was an extremely talented and beautiful, Tony award winning actress who was sadly never nominated for an Academy award. I heard about her fall while skiing and then heard the news she was in a hospital in NY. I was away from a computer for a few hours on Wednesday and then when I went online and saw that she had passed, I was shocked. It is just one more piece of evidence that life is fleeting and should be appreciated and lived fully each day.

Natasha will be missed! Prayers and heartfelt wishes to her family.

peace,

paul

2009-03-13T16:36:00.003-04:00

Swedish golfer Henrik Stenson really goes the extra mile for a sport he loves. During the third hole of the World Golf Championships at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Miami, Florida, Stenson is seen here disrobed. The ball was stuck in the mud and he was forced to play dirty for the second shot.

Lucky for Stenson he ate his Wheaties that morning....Not bad, not bad at all.

2009-03-04T07:59:00.002-05:00

"Hello, 911? I need help. Wendy's ran out of vanilla Frosties and I need an officer down here now!"

Absurd, huh? Well then you'll really think this is bizarre. A woman in Fort Pierce, Florida, dialed 911 three times on Feb. 28 when McDonald's ran out of chicken McNuggets. The woman ordered a 10-piece and, when the restaurant ran out, she become upset. They offered to give her a McDouble but she was having none of that. To add to the insult, the restaurant refused to give the woman a refund because it isn't their policy to do so. After calling 911 three times, an officer was finally sent down. The woman was charged for misusing 911.

A similar incident happened in early February when a man called 911 after a Burger King in Boynton Beach stopped serving lemonade. You just can't enjoy a chicken combo meal with no lemonade. He was also charged with misusing 911.

I guess that means next time I want a strawberry shake from McDonald's and they tell me the strawberry machine isn't working, but the vanilla one is just fine, I shouldn't call 911 to complain and demand that they send a unit.

peace,

paul

Video Of The Day

2009-03-03T16:45:00.002-05:00

Tuesday's viral video from freezing cold (yet surprisingly sunny) western NY.

peace,

paul

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/03/03/ac.shot.monday.cnn

2009-03-02T07:48:00.001-05:00

I'm ready for boot camp, Sarge.

Hey, I have no hair...Buzzing continued

2009-03-02T07:47:00.003-05:00

Here I am doing my best to look like Norma Shearer.

2009-03-02T07:34:00.002-05:00

I've gotten the middle part off and now I'm getting the rest buzzed off. As you can see from this pic, I have a bit of the punk rocker look going.

2009-03-02T07:33:00.003-05:00

Here's a pic of me in church getting the first buzz down the middle. In total, there were 10 people who decided to get their heads buzzed.

Hey, I have no hair...the final pic (with hair)

2009-03-02T07:30:00.002-05:00

The first day of my "new" life. I'm getting my hair buzzed off today (along with 6 other people) at church in order to express solidarity with one of the parishioners who is losing her hair because of chemo. I soon won't have any hair but I do have a small animal growing on my chin. Yes, I'm going to attempt to grow a goatee...For the first time.

Hey, I have no hair...the final hours

2009-03-02T07:28:00.003-05:00

A couple of the final pics of me with hair. As you can see from the back, it had gotten quite long.

weekly email from February 27, 2009

2009-02-27T11:37:00.000-05:00

Hello friends & loved ones,It's 51 degrees this morning and as I sit here I realize that any vanity I have is going to go out the window in less than 2 days. On Sunday morning, I along with 6 other fellow churchmembers, will have our heads buzzed in support of one of the congregants who is losing her hair because of chemo. The bigger picture is that we will also be indirectly supporting all people who live with cancer each day of their lives; it will give us just the briefest glimpse of what their lives might be like with no hair. And they don't have a choice of losing their hair.Why on earth would I ever think of buzzing my head though, you may ask. Because I'm frequently talking about stepping outside of one's comfort zone and I figured if I'm going to talk the talk, I need to walk the walk. I've got my baseball caps (imagine me in a baseball cap) all set to go. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous and maybe a titch scared but, I'm human, and I have just over 48 hours left before my lovely locks are gone...if only temporarily. I promise to take pictures and put them on my blog.

Until next week (when I'll be bald), stay safe, stay happy and stay healthy.love,paul

What A Record!

2009-02-19T15:51:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure I'd be proud to have my name in the Guinness Book Of World Records as the most married person in the country but a woman from Indiana does hold that distinction. The woman, born Linda Lou Taylor and now known as Linda Wolfe, probably has Erica Kane from All My Children beat with the number of marriages she's racked up-23.

Her marriages include weddings to a preacher, convict, bartenders, homeless men, two gay men and a wife beater. Her first marriage was in 1957 (at just 16-years old) and her last was in 1996 as part of a publicity stunt. The man she married was the most married man in the country, Taylor was his 29th wife. Sadly, he died a few days shy of their one-year anniversary. One man she even married three times and, not to be outdone by Britney Spears, was married to one man for a mere 36 hours, 19 hours less than Britney and Jason Allen Alexander. Her longest marriage-7 years. Guess she took the term 7-year itch to heart.

Taylor, who now uses the surname of Wolfe, says she would get married again. Why not? Go for 30.

Congrats Wolfe for getting into the Book.

peace,

paul