The Holidays, New Blog site, Movie Reviews
The so-called holidays are kind of a pain in the butt for me, but they always have been so I don't associate it with my new advanced age of still in my sixties but so close to the seventies. When I was a kid, and yes I still remember that time, Christmas was a very difficult time for me and it just made me sad. Don't really know why this happened since I had great parents who did everything they could to assure me that there was a Santa Claus. I remember one year when my sister and I were about 4 for her and 6 for me, we came into the living room in the early morning to see what Santa had left and it seemed that the room overflowed with presents. My sister looked at my mother and dad and said, "I know there is a Santa now because we are poor and he had to leave this stuff." Fairly bright statement for a 4 year old but I learned later in life that she got the material things idea faster in life than I did. Regardless it was a very memorable Christmas and I will never forget it. I also remember as we got older, now in our early teens, she got a real nice, low mileage, sexy black Fairlane two door hardtop(term used then, but not now, to describe a two door car that would be a convertible if it didn't have a hard top). After my dad gave her the keys she went out to look at it and came back with the proclamation that she didn't like black. Oh well, guess Santa Claus just forgot to ask. But, I do remember that that honey of an automobile didn't stay around very long and was soon off to the used car lot it came from(of course replaced with one that was the correct color). So, I have made it through 68 Holiday seasons, helped raise 7 children(mine and theirs), now have 15 grand kids(mine and theirs) and still can't figure out why I dread this time of year. From what I can gather I do know I don't like the commercialization of the season(even though I am sure it has always been this way since to give something of value you have to go buy something of value, since just a hand shake and verbal expression of love and peace just doesn't get it), and I don't like the idea that you can't get any valuable business done in the last two weeks of the year. I really feel that in the USA we should declare the last two weeks as a two National Holiday and be done with it. No one, except retailers, want to do any business and the excuse is, "just come back to see me after the first of the year and we can talk." In the mean time I sit around planning my business for next year, twiddling my thumbs, writing blogs, but not really feeling that I am doing any business. So, let us all push for a two week National Holiday the last two weeks of December and call it "The Greerman Holiday"-since it is my idea and I am getting to the point of life where something should be named after me. I can see it all now, say in year 2050, "well where are you folks going during Greerman this year?" Oh, our newest space ship is not ready so we won't be going to Mars but maybe a closer planet. Since we have a whole two weeks of pleasure I am sure we can go to Venus or some place closer. We are so glad that the Greerman set up this time off for us, what a guy!!!
My new blog site was kicked off this week and the name is: http://www.maturefitness.blogspot.com/, and guess what it is about? Yep, you guessed it, mature(senior) fitness is an idea close to my heart and I hope to unleash lots of good stuff. Now for you triathlete faithful readers you may find it boring since you are already on the fast track of fitness, so be patient and tell your mature friends about the site.
The first ever true motorcycle rally for Lubbock is now on the fast pace of planning and doing. The name of the rally is: The Giant Side of Texas Motorcycle Rally, http://www.giantsiderally.com/, August 22-24, 2008. Planning is going fast and furious and even through the holidays I was able to get a lot done. It is happening!!!
Movie Reviews: "Charlie Wilson's War", *****, This is a five star movie without question. The odd thing about the movie is that it is a true story. This guy is a congressman from East Texas(I never heard of him before this movie) and he is persuaded to do something really good and out of the hands of the Congress or Executive branch of the government(meaning, fund a covert military operation in Afghanistan to save them from the daily attacks of the Soviet Union). Good time Charlie, as Charlie Wilson was called(he loved booze, women, and a good party) in the Congress is played by Tom Hanks and what a job he does. The wealthy Houston socialite that puts in the initial bucks and is a communist hater is played by Julia Roberts. She uses all of her financial assets and physical assets to get the job done. The renegade CIA agent that gets it done in the field is played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman and he delivers in this part as none before. This one will win some awards, a must see(and not because I am from Texas). Rated R for strong language, nudity/sexual content and some drug use).
"National Treasure: Book of Secrets", ****, A very good four star movie, but not one to gather awards and trophies for the actors. Nicolas Cage again plays historian Ben Gates, Diane Kruger plays Abigail, and Riley is again played by Justin Bartha. It involves the possibility that Gates' grandfather might have been involved with the assassination of President Lincoln. So, the family must set out to prove this wrong. It is a well done movie and has some entertaining twists along the way. Prime time viewing is worth the money. Rated PG for some violence and action.
"Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story", ***+, Many will think I have lost it for giving this movie that high of a score but it is really a sometimes serious, sometimes stupid, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes unique in presentation, sometimes just weird. So with those thoughts, this movie is about a rock and roll singer whose songs may change a nation. The singer is played by John C. Reilly and he does it well. This movie has some throw back stuff to the movies about Ray Charles, and Johnny Cash. If you have not seen either of these movies you won't get it. But if you have, you will see what I am talking about. It is an interesting approach with off beat script. I recommend going to this movie with a real relaxed laid back attitude. Rated R for sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use and language. Note: It has been nominated for some Global awards I notice.
"The Golden Compass", Ho-Hum, This is a perfect movie for insomniacs. Boring, boring, boring, boring, did I say boring? The only thing to stay awake for is the outstanding animatronics and visual effects. The acting is good, but the whole plot is very boring, did I say boring again?Possibly a 10-13 year old would like this but I am not sure. Go at your own risk and do not pay full fare. It is not worth it. Rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence. Note: This is also the movie that the Catholic church was against( again why I don't know or couldn't figure out, plus would that be like the kettle calling the pot black, with all of the sexual molesting law suits "the" church has gone through in the last 10 years?), so who are they to be calling some fiction, fantasy movie by Disney, bad??
greerman, during the Holiday Season
My new blog site was kicked off this week and the name is: http://www.maturefitness.blogspot.com/, and guess what it is about? Yep, you guessed it, mature(senior) fitness is an idea close to my heart and I hope to unleash lots of good stuff. Now for you triathlete faithful readers you may find it boring since you are already on the fast track of fitness, so be patient and tell your mature friends about the site.
The first ever true motorcycle rally for Lubbock is now on the fast pace of planning and doing. The name of the rally is: The Giant Side of Texas Motorcycle Rally, http://www.giantsiderally.com/, August 22-24, 2008. Planning is going fast and furious and even through the holidays I was able to get a lot done. It is happening!!!
Movie Reviews: "Charlie Wilson's War", *****, This is a five star movie without question. The odd thing about the movie is that it is a true story. This guy is a congressman from East Texas(I never heard of him before this movie) and he is persuaded to do something really good and out of the hands of the Congress or Executive branch of the government(meaning, fund a covert military operation in Afghanistan to save them from the daily attacks of the Soviet Union). Good time Charlie, as Charlie Wilson was called(he loved booze, women, and a good party) in the Congress is played by Tom Hanks and what a job he does. The wealthy Houston socialite that puts in the initial bucks and is a communist hater is played by Julia Roberts. She uses all of her financial assets and physical assets to get the job done. The renegade CIA agent that gets it done in the field is played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman and he delivers in this part as none before. This one will win some awards, a must see(and not because I am from Texas). Rated R for strong language, nudity/sexual content and some drug use).
"National Treasure: Book of Secrets", ****, A very good four star movie, but not one to gather awards and trophies for the actors. Nicolas Cage again plays historian Ben Gates, Diane Kruger plays Abigail, and Riley is again played by Justin Bartha. It involves the possibility that Gates' grandfather might have been involved with the assassination of President Lincoln. So, the family must set out to prove this wrong. It is a well done movie and has some entertaining twists along the way. Prime time viewing is worth the money. Rated PG for some violence and action.
"Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story", ***+, Many will think I have lost it for giving this movie that high of a score but it is really a sometimes serious, sometimes stupid, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes unique in presentation, sometimes just weird. So with those thoughts, this movie is about a rock and roll singer whose songs may change a nation. The singer is played by John C. Reilly and he does it well. This movie has some throw back stuff to the movies about Ray Charles, and Johnny Cash. If you have not seen either of these movies you won't get it. But if you have, you will see what I am talking about. It is an interesting approach with off beat script. I recommend going to this movie with a real relaxed laid back attitude. Rated R for sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use and language. Note: It has been nominated for some Global awards I notice.
"The Golden Compass", Ho-Hum, This is a perfect movie for insomniacs. Boring, boring, boring, boring, did I say boring? The only thing to stay awake for is the outstanding animatronics and visual effects. The acting is good, but the whole plot is very boring, did I say boring again?Possibly a 10-13 year old would like this but I am not sure. Go at your own risk and do not pay full fare. It is not worth it. Rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence. Note: This is also the movie that the Catholic church was against( again why I don't know or couldn't figure out, plus would that be like the kettle calling the pot black, with all of the sexual molesting law suits "the" church has gone through in the last 10 years?), so who are they to be calling some fiction, fantasy movie by Disney, bad??
greerman, during the Holiday Season
posted by Fast Twitch Mind at 9:29 AM
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