Annie Hall

This is the quintessential Woody Allen film and defined a generation of people at the time it came out in 1977, many of his later films repeat the same ideas and themes of this one. Great romantic comedy, possibly THE romantic comedy of romantic comedies. The film centers around Allen in his typical nebbishy character, and his romantic involvement with Diane Keaton. Very funny, great 1970's feel, really captures the mood of Manhattan at the time, a time capsule which feels slightly dated but in a fantastic nostalgic way, not in a outdated campy way. Sums ups Allens theory about life pretty well, people in New York don't have to worry about much so they create their own neuroses. A template for what a romantic comedy should be to all those trying to write or make films.

The Trayvon Martin Case

While horrific and terribly sad, the Trayvon Martin case has captured the nations attention unlike anything since the murder of Emmett Till.  While the cases are different, many parallels do exist.  Young African American male visiting someone in the deep south is murdered.  Much of suburban white America wants to believe that racial stereotypes and attitudes don't exist anymore, but anyone who lives in a large city, or the south can tell you they are alive and thriving.  I have heard the argument that "We have a black president now, racism has ended" this is of course ludicrous. The racial stereotypes are deep seeded and have been around for generations, passed down like religion or love for a certain sports team.   In conjunction with the occupy movement, anti-war movement and other social and world wide issues being brought to light, we will see a rise in spotlighting all inequality globally.  This is a product of the 24 hour news cycle, as well as internet and more people having access to more information.  Not since the 1960's with the mass distribution of the television spot lighting the student demonstrations and Democratic convention of 68' have we had such a burst of varying movements and causes.  Our global enlightenment and quest for peace will come directly out of these movements.  While awful and tragic the death of Trayvon Martin is not something new, but hopefully the good that can come out of this senseless tragedy is awareness, and acknowledgement that we still do have problems in this nation and hopefully in the not to distant future we can rise above these problems and evolve.

Factotum

I just finished watching "Factotum" on Netflix and while it was an entertaining film, and Matt Dillon did a good job in conjunction with Lilly Taylor and Marissa Tomei. My only complaint with the film is that the actors were all good looking, this of course detracts and diverges from Bukowski's real life.  He was ugly, he knew he was ugly and that is what made him the person he was in reality.  The other gripe was just as simple as seeing it portrayed in modern times, people these days do not smoke as much as he did and others in the film.

Tim Ferriss, Slow Carb Diet

I started the Slow Carb Diet based on the book "The 4 hour Body" by Tim Ferriss over three weeks ago.  While my weight has fluctuated, I am down from 193 to 183.5 with little exercise, light walking.  I have had epic binge days, this past Saturday I had three donuts from Dunkin Donuts, angel hair pasta with broccoli, a bag of m&m peanuts, a 20 oz. bottle of Squirt, can of cherry coke, can of regular coke, 12" cheese and pepperoni pizza, Extra large coffee with cream and sugar.  My weight spiked five pounds after that, weighing in on Sunday at 188.5 off of the 183.5 Saturday morning weigh in.  I should mention I am a 5 foot 10 inch male.  Aside from my binge days, which according to Ferris prevent your thyroid from switching you down into starvation mode and keeps your metabolism guessing, I have followed the diet pretty close to his guidelines, occasionally I may have a pork sausage or a bit more 4% cottage cheese than he suggests having but all in all mostly accurate.  I have also not has as many beans as he suggests.  My review of the diet so far, after three full weeks, is that its a great way to adapt to a healthy lifestyle and long term plan.  The binge day, while counter intuitive, does seem to be helping me with cravings for things I would want and probably abandon the diet for if it wasn't allowed on the one day per week. 

Which American City Has The Most To Offer?

I realize this is a subjective argument depending on a variety of factors, age, interests, marital status, income etc.  After living in the Bay Area, Michigan, Chicago, New York City, Southern Florida and visiting over forty states I often wonder which American city is the most dynamic, has the most to offer, where is the vibe the best?  My biased opinion is the west coast for me personally, Portland, Seattle, San Fransisco and even LA to lesser extent.  I live in Chicago now and the city is vibrant, energetic and has over 77 unique neighborhoods.  Public transportation is solid, not as good as NYC in my opinion, but you can get most places by bus or train.  Chicago also has a dense urban core, the loop, which the city radiates out from, stretching as far as southern Wisconsin and northern Indiana.    The bay area has the B.A.R.T. which is pretty solid as well, and that area cannot be surpassed in regards to natural beauty, funky vibe and outdoor variety of activities.  New York City is not as clean as Chicago but offers a unbridled enthusiasm which makes it an exciting place to live.  Someone once said, "it's like a soda, it just keeps bubbling up to the top."  When I lived and worked there, it was before, during and after 9/11 and I lived in Manhattan.  In those days the lower east side and Williamsburg where the hip areas, Brooklyn was just starting to become cool and the place to be.  I visited this past September and while hanging out with a Director of Photography buddy of mine in his Alphabet City condo, he lamented that all the good stuff was now going on in Brooklyn.  I'm eager to find out what others think? What do you believe to be the city with the most to offer an early 30's, artistic type?

some paintings ive done

Jim Morrison Died Forty Years ago today

actually that isn't completely true, he died in the bathroom of the rock and roll circus a day or two earlier of a heroin overdose, and was snuck out of  the club a la "Weekend at Bernie's" style and then brought into his apartment and left in the bathtub.  The owner or manager of the Rock and Roll circus confessed years later to have seen him dead in the toilet.  The person who had sold Jim the pink Chinese heroin that was especially deadly in the summer of 1971 leading to many overdoses, did his absolute best to cover this up.  Selling the lethal dose earlier to Janis Joplin and many others was one thing, but this was just too much.  Had Jim Morrison not become such a drunk and ruined that life, he would still be living today and would be a great poet.