The King without a crown

I love Minnpost for many reasons. (You oughta check it out if you dont already read it). Today, gracing my inbox in the shadow of Michael Jackson's death, was a great tribute story. Short, sweet, honest, and to the point.

Check it out here:

MinnPost - Jim Walsh: King of Pop is dead; long live that little kid from Gary

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Like I Need Any Reasons

Want to know the secret to getting smarter, looking younger, losing weight, staying healthy, being happier, and achieiving a general level of awesomeness?

Take a Nap! Read 19 Reasons to Take a Nap.

Just think of the all the good stuff that would happen if we all took an afternoon siesta!

Nap on!

Recommendations

I thought I would take the time to post a list of good books I've read and movies I've seen recently.

Books:

Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen. I finished this book a few weeks ago and I still miss it.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I have not gotten this emotional over a book in quite a while. In fact, I don't recall ever actually tearing up over a book before. Don't be put off by the logistics (or lack of) regarding time travel in the beginning of the book. Just go with it. It'll all make sense eventually. Apparently it's been made into a movie that will be released later this summer. Quick! Read the book before the movie comes out.

Movies:

In the Valley of Elah. The message overall is objective but becomes intimately subjective upon the viewer's interpretation. Not for the faint of heart. The ultimate test of a great picture is one which stays with you long after it's over, intrudes upon your mind and emotions and truly dictates your mood for the rest of your day. This one clearly passes the test.

Lars and the Real Girl. Great plot, greater characters. Absurdly loveable.

Milk, The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire. I fit this all into the same category, for obvious reason. The story lines are not original (in the sense all were inspired by previous events or books) but the way the stories and characters come together on the screen is clearly moving. Slumdog Millionaire is a much-welcomed deviation from the rest of the films in this year's Best Picture Category (and previous years', for that matter). Fresh and ultimately uplifiting.

The Duchess. It's a decent film, but I'll admit that I'm highly partial to Victorian-era themes, settings, and characters. This pulls the three together quite nicely.

Burn After Reading. The Coen Brothers are very 'take-it-or-leave-it' for me, but I found this to be their most enjoyable film since Fargo. The characters, especially Geroge Clooney's, are brilliantly comical amidst the abdsurd situations they find themselves in. SO funny.

I Have an Opinion and I'm Not Afraid To Use It

Carrie Prejean, current Miss California, currently has the news networks and the interwebs ablaze with her anti-gay marriage statements and viewpoints. She's stirred up quite the controversy. While I wholly do not agree with her opinions, I do have to credit her (or Perez Hilton?) for keeping same-sex marriage discussions on the tip of America's toungue.
The only thing worse for America than maintaining our general attitude of intolerance would be allowing for an attitude of indifference.
Miss California recently stated in a press conference that she felt "punished for exercising my free speech." Honey, disagreement is NOT punishment. Backlash, maybe. People challenging your old-fashioned views of the world? Hardly punishment.

So, in the spirit of discourse, I provide my opinion. So what if it happens to echo one of my new favorite Lily Allen songs? Girl's got spunk (and we LIKE spunk!)

Enjoy!

Transformation Nation

Way to go Maine! Another victory for equal rights!

Today Maine joined the ranks of Connecticut, Iowa, and Massachusetts - all states that have legalized same sex marriages.

Minnesota, when are you going to jump on this bandwagon? It's about time!

Food for thought:
"The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life." - Jane Addams

Team Switzerland

"Love is that condition in the human spirit so profound that it empowers us to develop courage; to trust that courage, and build bridges, and cross over them so we can attempt to reach each other."
-Maya Angelou

Gratitude and the Art of Life

"The most invisible creators I know of are those artists whose medium is life itself. The ones who express the inexpressible - without brush, hammer, clay or guitar. They neither paint nor sculpt - their medium is their being. Whatever their presence touches has increased light. They see and don't have to draw. They are artists of being alive."
- J. Stone

Thank you to all those 'artists' who have touched and guided my life. My being is your canvas, and for that I am ever thankful.

$500,000 Immigrants

I'd feel pretty special if I was worth $500,000 dollars. Especially if people spent their free time with their eyes glued to their computer screen, hoping to catch a glimpse of me on streaming web video. Apparently, 4 such lucky people exist.

I came across an article (headline article, mind you) on CNN today about the recently installed cameras along the US-Mexican border. These aren't just any old cameras. Oh no - a series of 15 cameras, to the tune of a 2 million dollar cost, stream constant video via the web to anyone who's willing to watch. The purpose? So Joe Schmo, or Joe the Plumber, can sit on his arse at his computer from the luxury of his couch, bag of chips in hand, and live out his wildest Border Patrol fantasies. According to the article, over 200 million Americans have logged on to serve their "civic responsibility" of protecting our borders. Excuse me while I gag.
One such ICE-wannabe (ahem, 'virtual-deputy'), explained how he logs on from time to time in hopes of catching a fence jumper. If he sees one (or any other suspicious activity) he can email an alert to a real sheriff, who "might" do something about it. He was quoted in the article referring to himself as a part of an altruistic group of volunteers, out to help out the country. But what in it for him? Pure entertainment. He goes on to say, "It's no different than watching 'Everybody Loves Raymond' reruns," he said. "It's just something to do.

Read the article in all it's glory by clicking here.

This monstrosity of a project has cost upwards of 2 million dollars of taxpayer money, years of coordination, and led to a whopping 4 arrests of undocumented border-crossers. Like I said, to the tune of $500,000 a pop. What a deal!

If you are so inclined to test our your skillz as a border patrol, go all out at www.texasborderwatch.com. Register for your free account today. Then, please - go check behind all your framed hanging pictures. Just to be sure.

In the Spirit of Humility

Times of extended stress and multiple pressures often lead me to begin doubting myself. I usually have no problem handling things when stressors come only sporadically and one-at-a-time. However, lately I've felt as if I'm quickly piling task upon task and deadline upon deadline, and it's led to me feel quite scattered and stretched too thin. Anxieties begin to mount and soon doubt and second-guessing take over.

So, it'll come as no surprise that a post I encountered recently on Dumb Little Man, titled "8 Harsh Truths that will Improve Your Life," came as a much needed relief with essential life-lesson reminders I mustn't forget. Re-reading this list has served as comfort to me on several occasions lately, and hence I've decided to post it here, in the hopes that is may provide the same comfort to others who may be needing it's message.

So - here it is. Enjoy!

Because playing with your food can be a form of art...

It's nasty, it's gross, its disgusting, but you just can't turn your eyes away. And this is why you're fat.

At Last...

You are ours, at last.

Starting off right...

The highlight of 2009 so far? The author of one of my new favorite books, Animal's People, commenting on my blog. Sweet! Thank you, Mr. Sinha!