A somewhat desperate and vain attempt to quiet the naysayers in my head
Friday, March 31, 2006
Movie Friday
Since I am a huge film buff and tend to see a lot of non-mainstream films, I have decided that I will make Fridays Movie Day on my blog. I'll mention a film I have seen recently and why I liked it.
This week, I would like to extol the virtues of an Israeli motion picture Walk on Water. I saw this film after a friend highly recommended it. The film's central character is an Israeli Mossad assassin named Eyal. He is given an assignment to track down an ex-Nazi officer who committed atrocities in World War II. The grandchildren of this Nazi war criminal know little of their grandfather's existence and his past. Eyal impersonates a tour guide in an effort to get closer to the criminal's grandson Axel who comes to visit Israel and his sister Pia. (Pia lives in Israel and works on a kibbutz.) As Eyal visits different places in Israel with Axel, they are both forced to face their past and current political, social, and personal feelings on a wide range of issues.
One of the things I liked best about this film is its many twists and turns. You are never quite sure where it's taking you. This film is also beautifully shot and shows off much of the breathtaking natural beauty of Israel. And that's if you can get past how hot Isreali men are! Damn...
This film does have a gay story line, but it's not the central focus of the film. It's always enjoyable to have a suspenseful and entertaining film that isn't all about the gayness, you know? On a side note, this film cost $1.3 million dollars to make, but it has the look and feel of a much more expensive film. A warning note for those of you that don't like subtitles, this film does have some. However, the majority of the film is in English, so don't fret.
Hope you're all doing well and have a terrific weekend. Cuidate. ;)
I have been in serious stages of puppy love for the past year or so. When I lived in Phoenix, I prolonged breaking up with a guy for 2 weeks because I liked his dog so much. I had no chemistry with the guy at all, but his dog and I, we were made for each other. A few weeks ago, as part of a class I was taking, I got to meet several German Shepherd police dogs. They were so beautiful. I wanted to take one home with me.
I anticipate getting one or two puppies later on this summer. The house where I live now is not equipped to handle dogs, especially puppies, so I will have to move in order to adopt. Still, I am anxiously awaiting the day when my puppies will arrive. In preparation for this, I have been researching many different breeds of dogs.
I have been in love with Chihuahuas for a long time. They're very cute and lower maintenance. As I tend to work longer hours at my job I would feel better knowing that if I didn't get to exercise them one day here or there, it would not be the end of the world. My friend has a Dalmatian and he is so sweet. But I have heard that Dalmatians tend to be a bit high strung and I don't want a dog that could potentially destroy my house while I'm gone. I also love how affectionate and sweet black labs are. Again, I would feel horrible if I didn't have the opportunity to exercise my dog(s) properly. San Francisco is a dog city, hands down. The dog parks are packed with every kind of dog you can imagine. On Monday, in my neighborhood, I passed several Pugs, two Chihuahuas, a couple of pound dogs, a Poodle, a Golden Retriever, and a Great Pyrenees in the span of 45 minutes. (For those of you that haven't seen one of these dogs before, they are amazing. They are large and look like an enormous snowball with jet black eyes and a black nose.)
So if any of you have dog advice, hit me back. I've never owned a dog before, but I am anxiously looking forward to hearing the pitter patter of little feet this summer.
People complain a lot about the cost of living in San Francisco. While you might not be able to purchase any kind of dwelling with a roof for less than $500,000, you can find decent Thai food for under $10 a plate in every neighborhood in the city. It's an industry unto itself.
Some of my favorites include Tom Kha Gai (a lemongrass soup made with ginger and coconut milk shown above), Yellow Curry Chicken (a mild sweet curry with potatoes and carrots), Penang Curry, and the ever popular Thai Iced Tea. It's basically liquid crack. If you have a cold, Tom Kha Gai is amazing. It clears your head and makes you feel better in a flash. When I moved away from San Francisco for a few years, I used to crave Thai food. Now it's at my fingertips from morning 'til night.
Some people have drug addictions or alcohol issues. Not me... Just set me up with some Thai food. I'm happy as a clam.
Does anyone not have it? As I allow my mind to race over and over with possible bad outcomes to my current position in life, I realize that I definitely spend more time in the realm of “What if”? (I attribute this to my mother who is undiagnosed obsessive compulsive and, I assume, the one who passed this dreaded genetic sequence on to me.) I’m constantly faced with fears of not succeeding at work, not being able to purchase a home, not having a dog nor a boyfriend, and being fat and unpopular. Where will I be buried when I check out from this plane of existence? What if I were to develop a terminal illness? What if I choked on a sandwich and died unexpectedly? Would anyone discover my body for days?
I am definitely a 'glass is half empty' kind of guy.
Is there a reason that I am consistently late to work? I don’t enjoy being late to work, but at the same time, I dread giving them even one more minute that I am being compensated for. I have been in training at a new job for seven months in a completely different field of work than my previous occupation. Being that I do not have a college degree, this job pays well, has good benefits, and affords me a generous amount of time off. So what is the problem, you may ask? The people I am working for, by and large, seem hell bent on putting me through an antiquated hazing type ritual before being qualified in my job position. After 9 months of training, I will then be on probation for a year. Can anyone say, “JESUS FUCKING CHRIST????” On top of said issues, this job is a very high stress position. So, as of late, after being up to 15 minutes late to work a few times over a 7 month period, I have now been given an unofficial documentation letter of my tardiness. What part of said documentation letter is unofficial, I dare not ask.
Being a member of Generation X, I am an extremely intelligent and charming individual with very little motivation to actually accomplish anything. I am much more concerned with pouring over my Netflix list than I am pursuing a college degree. That being said, I am terrific at parties and social occasions. I often have people say, “Oh my God, you are so smart and funny. I can’t believe you don’t have a boyfriend or that you’re not a doctor or something.” Believe it people, believe it. Sadly, being an entertaining party guest and/or friend does not pay the rent.
Being a San Franciscan, I appreciate the fog, the clouds, the rain, the gray, the stillness. We are inexorably linked, they and I. Today started cloudy and cold and the rain began just after noon. I am extremely fair complected and I take gleeful pleasure in the fact that those who love to tan and have a gleaming golden brown skin will not be able to do so today. Ah yes my friends, anyone in this town who is tan is a fake 'n baker and we all know it.
I had lunch with my good friend today before the rain, the divine Miss S. It's always so easy and comfortable to be with her and that is a gift. Is there anything better than the unforced laughter and the closeness one feels when you're with true friends? People you've known for years who know you, love you, and accept you for who you truly are? Thanks for lunch doll xo.
