I suppose 2004 was a pretty good year, but in the end, it’s just me, still alone at midnight on New Year’s Eve.
I’ve decided that I’m not going to make any resolutions for 2005. That way, at least I can’t be disappointed when 2006 rolls around.
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
Following up on Stacey’s disturbing Santa pictures, here’s a grainy video record of a local tradition. Ladies and gentlemen, direct from Villa Maria restaurant, here’s M**t**b**ing Santa. (Name edited to keep from getting crawled, but you get the idea.) Keep your eye on his right arm.
I should probably explain why he got this name, seeing as how it’s not overtly apparent from the video. The good folks at Villa Maria have set up this anamatronic Santa in their shop every year for the last 4 or 5 years, at least. The first time Darren and I noticed him, the right arm was moving at about twice the speed you see in the video, and his right hand was empty. And thus, the yuletide legend was born. Enjoy!
As Becca, Spike and I were approaching the AMC Hamilton 24 tonight for the 10:30 show of “The Aviator” (it almost ended up being “Phantom”, but that wouldn’t have mattered anyway…), we noticed a huge commotion outside the box office area. As we walked up, we noticed that the crowd was especially noisy, and that there were many police officers in attendance as well. (In my head, I’m hearing “I’ve got a baaaad feeling about this.”) Sure enough, as we get about halfway to the box office, we spot Darren and Stacey walking away from the theater. And my suspicions were confirmed. For the second time in four years, there would be no movie on Christmas, due to rioting. That’s right, rioting.
Prior to the last Xmas riot, the only time I had ever heard of a movie audience losing their shit to this extent was over a decade ago, when “New Jack City” first hit theaters. The last time I checked, “Ali” and “A Beautiful Mind”, the big Xmas movies of 2001, weren’t nearly as controversial as “New Jack” – ditto for this year’s primary selections. So, I’ve just got to ask…what the hell? I don’t know the particulars of this year’s altercation, but were there two groups diametically opposed to the casting in “Phantom”? Or maybe it was an argument on absurdism v. realism stemming from a heated screening of “The Life Aquatic”? Maybe it had to do with the lack of wire-flying sequences in “House of Flying Daggers”? I just don’t get it. And on Christmas, no less. Granted, I’m Jewish, so I don’t get that either, but what about all that “peace on Earth, goodwill toward man” jazz? Or does that go out the window once you’ve paid your $8.50? I would really love for someone to explain this to me.
Anyway, the thought of catching a movie at Marketfair was entertained for a brief moment, until we realized that a) the last show of the night was at 10:30 there as well, and b) a horde of people who couldn’t get in at Hamilton would be going over to Marketfair, and many of them had a head start on us. So we ended up back at Darren’s house to watch “Monsters, Inc.” which, in the end, isn’t a half bad way to spend an evening.
We may have to rethink the Xmas Movie Tradition for future years – the solution may be as simple as “don’t go to AMC Hamilton 24”, although I don’t know how well Darren would take that. (He’s very picky about his moviegoing experience – but I’ve mentioned that before.) It may be that going to an earlier film is the solution (we were delayed slightly by dinner – Becca, Spike and I went to Sunny Garden, and from the look of the place, you’d think that they were the only restaurant open tonight – and every Jew in Mercer County was there for dinner), but given everyone’s various dinner plans, I don’t know how well that could work either. Maybe we need to dump the movie idea and go with a brand new tradition – perhaps an Xmas Poker Classic?
Movies I want or need to see before I have to go back to work on January 3:
- The Assassination of Richard Nixon (presuming “limited release” includes our area)
The Aviator- Blade: Trinity
- Closer
House of Flying DaggersThe Incredibles- The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
- The Merchant of Venice (again, presuming “limited release” includes our area)
- Ocean’s 12 (presuming I can catch “Ocean’s 11” on video first)
“Ray” would be on that list too, but the closest theater that’s still showing the film is up in the Amboys. “Phantom of the Opera” would be on the list, except that, as I’ve pointed out elsewhere, I’m not overly fond of “Phantom” in any medium – and that the actor cast to play the title character apparently can’t sing. (How is that even possible, anyway?) I may end up seeing it tomorrow night anyway, depending on how the group decides. (I’m hoping enough people come around and choose “The Life Aquatic”, but I’m not counting on it – in which case, I’m pulling for “The Aviator”.)
There are also a number of movies coming out in January that I want to see, so hopefully I can knock a bunch of the ones I listed above off the list over the next week or so.
So…who’s up for a day at the movies? =)
I realize that I’ve been a little remiss in posting here. I mostly attribute that to being sick. I’ve finally managed to shake off what can only be described as The Plague, what with the sneezing, and hacking, and congestion, and the constant spitting of the HEY FROINLAVEN. Anyway, I’m back in action now, so I guess I should provide a quick update.
I’ve mentioned it selectively, mainly because I wanted to make sure the people I work for didn’t suddenly realize they’ve made a horrific screwup, but I’ve been promoted. I’m no longer an administrative assistant – I’m actually in a position now where I get to make decisions and run scholarship programs, and what not. Youth of the world, fear me, for I hold your futures in my rather sizeable hand. (Nah, I’m just kidding, you’re alright.) Truthfully, my new job includes a lot of the things I took on above and beyond my old job – it’s just that now, the above-and-beyond stuff is my focus, and I get to shed the filing and phone answering. And there’s a slight pay raise involved. So it’s all good.
Until, that is, I’m asked to stay until nearly midnight to finish a project. (Spike, I feel your pain.) Truthfully, I didn’t mind staying – I still collect fat overtime in my new position, and the project was important to the future existance of our program (and, not-so-indirectly, my future employment). But, and you-know-who will back me up on this, we were planning to have The Sauce that night. So, not so much with those plans. (Maybe this week, sometime?) Also, I never want to be stuck in L Building until midnight again – it’s a normal cube-farm during the day, when there are people around, but at night…it’s just downright creepy.
Let’s see…what else has happened? Well, there was this. (For the record, yes, I did go to the men’s room after the meal, but seeing as how I abhor public spectacles and the Happy-Clappy Birthday Song on my birthday, under no circumstances did I say anything to the servers. Not that I was accused, but I thought I’d just mention.) And I’ve lost a handful of money at poker. (Pocket aces. I had pocket aces and got beat – by trip threes! UGH!) I haven’t had much of a chance to get to the movies – a situation I hope to correct over the forthcoming holiday break – more on that in a minute.
As mentioned elsewhere, tonight we had our non-demoninational holiday celebration. (Chrismas? Hanukkah? Why choose? I had even suggested the traditional Festivus pole, but I was shot down.) As I felt like Cindi and I had started to bond, in a “kid and goofball uncle” kind of way, I got her (what I thought, anyway) would be a nice gift. As it turns out, to a one-year-old, an Eeyore that talks, crawls, and plays music, is, in fact, the antichrist. When Darren posts the video, you’ll see what I mean. (I swear to Brak, I thought I was getting her something nice! I should have just given her a cardboard box filled with bubblewrap and crinkly tissue paper. She would have liked that.) Anyway, I hope that, eventually, she and Eeyore can see eye-to-eye, and I’ll just say thanks again to everyone who was there, both for a fun evening, and for a mighty haul of fantastic gifts.
I’m fully getting into the Xmas spirit – mainly because it means time off from work. My cell phone ringer has officially been changed from “Battle Without Honor or Humanity” to James Brown’s immortal yuletide classic, “Go Power at Christmas Time” 
. Becca comes home this week – she’s got a lot on her schedule, what with her sister being home too, and other various plans, but I figure I’ll at least be able to have coffee with her or something. I just have to make it through three more days of work, and then it’s vacation through the beginning of the new year – and that’s never a bad thing. I assume there will be poker at some point soon, because my luck’s due for a turnaround. (Pocket aces, for chrissakes!!!) And we got out first snow of the year tonight – to hell with the “official” seasons, winter is here! Woot!
For now, tho, it’s to bed with me. Hopefully this week will be less busy at work, and I’ll have time to check in on the job.
“You go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you might want or wish to have. […] You can have all the armor in the world on a tank…and a tank…can be blown up. And you can have an up-armored Humvee, and it can be blown up.”
-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld tries to explain to troops in Kuwait why they’re protecting themselves with “hillbilly armor”, 12/8/2004
Words fail me. To borrow a phrase from Lewis Black, I’m amazed the amassed Army personnel didn’t rise up as one and slay him.
Grammy Award nominations were announced today. Good news for fans of music that doesn’t suck.
When the moon is directly overhead, you weigh slightly less.
Where’s that damn moon…?
Just a quick note to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. I spent most of today with my family up at my aunt’s house in Pomona – and as usual, I had a much better time that I expected to. Of course, it might have had something to do with listening to Lewis Black all the way up (at my mother’s request!), but it was just a very pleasant day.
On a related note, it’s time for the Garden State Parkway to install those Express EZPass lanes at ALL of the toll plazas. If I have to pay tolls at all, I like not having to slow down below 55mph to do it. So get on that.