Taking Stock 2008: Part One

[fancycwabs]

Things lost in 2008:

• Wife
• Kids
• Retirement account
• Sleep

Things learned in 2008:

• I'm pretty much a chump
• Life isn't even remotely fair
• When a black guy runs for President, you find out rather quickly which of your friends are closet racists

Things accomplished in 2008:

• Car: Paid off
• Separation, and most of the financial and legal whatnot that surrounds it
• The Memphis Barbecue Map
• Having my sense of humor somewhat validated via favrd
• Plays
  1. The Underpants
  2. Little Women
  3. Sweeney Todd
• fancycwabs.com, your online resource for all things fancycwabs

Things tried for the first time in 2008 (Worthwhile Restaurant Division):

• Las Delicias
• Muddy's Bake Shop
• Banh Mi at Indochina
• Noodle Doodle Do

Movies on the Big Screen in 2008 (not quite in order):

• Cloverfield
• There Will Be Blood
• Jumper (ew)
• Persepolis
• National Treasure: Book of Secrets
• No Country For Old Men
• Iron Man
• Speed Racer
• Prince Caspian
• Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull
• The Incredible Hulk
• Get Smart
• WALL-E
• Hellboy II
• The Dark Knight
• Tropic Thunder
• Quantum of Solace
• The Animation Show 4
• Twilight
• Synechdoche, NY
• Doubt

Comments

[resk.livejournal.com]

What did you think of Synechdoche, NY?

[fancycwabs.livejournal.com]

It was both lovely like a poem and irritatingly navel-gazing, venturing over the some of the same thematic territory that Kaufman had covered excellently in Adaptation without the benefit of flowers. It's helpful to have boned up on your high school literature beforehand, as he drops literary references without hesitation.

Roger Ebert liked it so much he reviewed it twice. Once (http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081105/REVIEWS/811059995/1023) the regular way, then again (http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2008/11/o_synecdoche_my_synecdoche.html) in his blog. My companion for the film thought it was "weird" and she was right, but it's also genius of the highest order, and something that can give film discussion groups material to chew on for years to come.

Ooh. The screenplay! (http://www.sonyclassics.com/awards-information/synecdoche_screenplay.pdf) Check out the eulogy on page 142 of the pdf. Look at what folks who don't read the comments are going to miss!

[resk.livejournal.com]

That's a lotta links. And by "a lotta," I mean 3. I shall peruse them at a later time when I have more time to peruse them. I thank you.

[fastlearner.livejournal.com]

Any wisdom gained?

[fancycwabs.livejournal.com]

See category 2 in re: chumpage, fairness, and racism.