Well, as the new year approaches I find myself in the middle of a three day parley - Friday, Saturday - Sunday. It would have been a four day swing, but I opted not to go to Leopard Lounge (Midtown) on Thursday night so I could rest up.
And I should have gone. A young lady I met Saturday told me she as at the Leopard on Thursday with a skirt on so short she had to take care to walk, bending wasn't even an option. It's funny, Atlanta Magazine wrote up the Thursday night and now the odd white couple will wander in and look confused. When I took Bait that time, even on a slow night his fresh from North Carolina ass was impressed as hell.
But I digress. Friday was at the Verve Lounge (Downtown-ish) for it's Casino themed Pre-NYE party. The room was so excited you might have imagined it was real money they were playing for. I left there and slipped out to a private function at Carbo's Cafe (Buckhead). A slightly older crowd, but free food and live music...and for the third year in a row Vernon Jones shook my hand and wished me a happy new year. These occasions are the only time I ever meet the man. I was supposed to head over to the new Esso (Decatur) after that but begged off.
Saturday was nice and simple, hung out with Sporty (all the women in my life now have nicknames starting with S - no reason) early and rolled into the Annual Pre-NYE Cocktail party I host every year. Very nice crowd this year, although when the guys with dreads smelling like weed and looking like sterotypical rappers started wandering in, I knew we'd gone long. Usually we "run out of cups" or "run out of alcohol" around one or so, and that way we can clean up and be done by three. This year we didn't close the bar until two thirty.
Nice tips though.
And tonight, if my old business partner ever shows up we're supposed to hit PURE NYE or if I can swing it a private little set down on the southside. Mansion party. Sweet.
Barkeep - Patrone, but with a lemon. I'm driving.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Holiday Cookies --- mmmmm
Holiday Cookie Ingredients:
1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup of brown sugar
lemon juice
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle Gentlemen Jack Daniels
Sample the Jack to check the quality.
Take a large bowl, check the Jack again, to be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Turn on the electric mixer...Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar...Beat again. At this point it's best to make sure the Jack is still OK, try another cup ... just in case. Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit, Pick the frigging fruit off floor... Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the Jack to check
for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt, or something. Who giveshz a sheet. Check the Jack Daniels. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of ar, or somefink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the sink, finish the bottle of Jack Daniels and make sure to put the stove in the dishwasher.
CHERRY MISTMAS
1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup of brown sugar
lemon juice
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle Gentlemen Jack Daniels
Sample the Jack to check the quality.
Take a large bowl, check the Jack again, to be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Turn on the electric mixer...Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar...Beat again. At this point it's best to make sure the Jack is still OK, try another cup ... just in case. Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit, Pick the frigging fruit off floor... Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the Jack to check
for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt, or something. Who giveshz a sheet. Check the Jack Daniels. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of ar, or somefink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the sink, finish the bottle of Jack Daniels and make sure to put the stove in the dishwasher.
CHERRY MISTMAS
Dreamgirls
Last night I saw the much hyped Beyonce movie Dreamgirls...and as it turns out of the three actresses on stage, not only was she the weakest actress of the three, she was clearly the weakest singer as well. Now don't get me wrong, she did a more than passable, in some respects an actually a very good turn as Deena, but when her costars Jennifer Hudson or Anika Noni Rose opened their mouths to sing, the poor girl was turned into little more than scenery.
This fictional tale of good girl group the Dreamettes to back up singers for James "Thunder" Early to the stars as the Dreams and the trials and tribulations success brings is well done, with a few small glitches that you gloss over in the theater, but make you wonder just a bit when you think about it a bit. Like whe they were in the studio and Effie walks out into the Detroit Riots ? Or when they replaced Effie with little or no notice and no press cared or made mention? Or the sudden 1950's style musical interludes to the story, with the leads singing dialogue.
Other than that, you get engrossed and at times emotionally invested in the story.
A story of the climb to fame, the changes and sacrifices, the drama, fall and return. It feels odd to say I don't want to give away the ending of a play that has been running on Broadway for 25 years, but since the theater I saw it in was crowded - and the previous four showings were sold out - I'm guessing that a lot of people had heard of it but never seen the actual performance. That or they are really really ardent Beyonce fans.
For those who don't know, the original Dreamgirls was written as a vehicle for the incredibly vocally talented, but generously proportioned Nell Carter. The story is that of the character Effie White and her struggle with having the talent but not the look, not a fictionalization of the Diana Ross and the Supremes (their story hardly ended as well) nor of Berry Gordy and the Motown label (though it draws quite a bit from that tale). That Beyonce's name appears next to the lead Jamie Foxx attests to her draw value, not her role or talent.
Hearing Jennifer Hudson sing however, some will question why she doesn't have more music on the charts, and why a certain someone else does (although this movie is clear why things like this happen).
A few months ago I heard the Oscar whisper in relation to this adapation, and I'm going to add my two nickels in that there are some fine performances in the pic. Both Jamie Foxx and an astonishing Eddie Murphy mold themselves into their roles. Ms. Hudson as well may find herself in the running for a statue as well as an able Danny Glover or Anki Noni Rose.
But if a certain name is called by the Academy in relation to this picture, I'm going to have call Shennanigans!
Barkeep - two shots of Patrone.
This fictional tale of good girl group the Dreamettes to back up singers for James "Thunder" Early to the stars as the Dreams and the trials and tribulations success brings is well done, with a few small glitches that you gloss over in the theater, but make you wonder just a bit when you think about it a bit. Like whe they were in the studio and Effie walks out into the Detroit Riots ? Or when they replaced Effie with little or no notice and no press cared or made mention? Or the sudden 1950's style musical interludes to the story, with the leads singing dialogue.
Other than that, you get engrossed and at times emotionally invested in the story.
A story of the climb to fame, the changes and sacrifices, the drama, fall and return. It feels odd to say I don't want to give away the ending of a play that has been running on Broadway for 25 years, but since the theater I saw it in was crowded - and the previous four showings were sold out - I'm guessing that a lot of people had heard of it but never seen the actual performance. That or they are really really ardent Beyonce fans.
For those who don't know, the original Dreamgirls was written as a vehicle for the incredibly vocally talented, but generously proportioned Nell Carter. The story is that of the character Effie White and her struggle with having the talent but not the look, not a fictionalization of the Diana Ross and the Supremes (their story hardly ended as well) nor of Berry Gordy and the Motown label (though it draws quite a bit from that tale). That Beyonce's name appears next to the lead Jamie Foxx attests to her draw value, not her role or talent.
Hearing Jennifer Hudson sing however, some will question why she doesn't have more music on the charts, and why a certain someone else does (although this movie is clear why things like this happen).
A few months ago I heard the Oscar whisper in relation to this adapation, and I'm going to add my two nickels in that there are some fine performances in the pic. Both Jamie Foxx and an astonishing Eddie Murphy mold themselves into their roles. Ms. Hudson as well may find herself in the running for a statue as well as an able Danny Glover or Anki Noni Rose.
But if a certain name is called by the Academy in relation to this picture, I'm going to have call Shennanigans!
Barkeep - two shots of Patrone.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
My Movie
I mentioned earlier a film I was working on so I'll clue you in, in case I ever finish the script (75-80% done), get funding and take some time off from the regular job to shoot it, you can say I used to read that brother's blog and know the whole story and I wonder if he'll loan me some money.
I won't.
I've been fascinated with film and filmwork since I was little. In school we once took this weird aptitude test that told us what skills we had and what we were best suited for. It turns I have the skill set for every other job in the world except the two I wanted, one of which was working in film. That may have been the magic moment, well that and my parents getting cable.
I directed my first short at Summer Camp, and have some some small acting on the stage as well. Nothing heavy, light stuff. But in front is a little gaudy, fun...but gaudy. And so in college I decided that what I really wanted to was direct. And finish one of the six or eight writing projects I started.
Enough backstory...onto the film.
It's a small film, I'm figuring in the neigborhood of $25,000 to shoot and that includes buying the cameras. In essence a quick four day shoot, the second half of the last being reshoots and the like. Basically a talking heads flick, it's designed to be shot in one room so I don't even need to worry about sets or locations. It's topical and written for a broad audience, as well.
Pretty slick, eh?
I'd tell you more, but that's how you get Armegeddon and Deep Impact in the same year. The big issue now is funding. I had a friend who was going to pony up the cash, but I lost contact, now I have a professional fundraiser who may do me a favor. I'm working on it.
So if I get the money, and I ever tell you more I rememeber to once it's in the can, look for me!
Hey, barkeep...Jack and branch water. No ice.
I won't.
I've been fascinated with film and filmwork since I was little. In school we once took this weird aptitude test that told us what skills we had and what we were best suited for. It turns I have the skill set for every other job in the world except the two I wanted, one of which was working in film. That may have been the magic moment, well that and my parents getting cable.
I directed my first short at Summer Camp, and have some some small acting on the stage as well. Nothing heavy, light stuff. But in front is a little gaudy, fun...but gaudy. And so in college I decided that what I really wanted to was direct. And finish one of the six or eight writing projects I started.
Enough backstory...onto the film.
It's a small film, I'm figuring in the neigborhood of $25,000 to shoot and that includes buying the cameras. In essence a quick four day shoot, the second half of the last being reshoots and the like. Basically a talking heads flick, it's designed to be shot in one room so I don't even need to worry about sets or locations. It's topical and written for a broad audience, as well.
Pretty slick, eh?
I'd tell you more, but that's how you get Armegeddon and Deep Impact in the same year. The big issue now is funding. I had a friend who was going to pony up the cash, but I lost contact, now I have a professional fundraiser who may do me a favor. I'm working on it.
So if I get the money, and I ever tell you more I rememeber to once it's in the can, look for me!
Hey, barkeep...Jack and branch water. No ice.
Why the BCS is the greatest
The Bowl College Series (or the BCS) is the best designed and well constructed concept of it's kind. I state this because it is obvious the that most of the college football obsessed have no clue as to it's actual function. The BCS is not designed to pick a clear winner, but to further muddy the championship picture and create the off-season conversation and bickering that foster the rivialries that sell tons of officially licensed merchandise which fills the coffers of the NCAA, endquote.
It works to so well it's a wonder the NFL hasn't scrapped the Superbowl in favor this system that just invites long-term arguments.
As you may have figured out by now, I'm not really a big college football fan. At my alma mater the game wasn't really the draw. You didn't arrive until the 2nd quarter, you watched the band perform, spent the third quarter trying to find the location of the hottest party and were gone by the 4th. The university also had a paucity of home games, sometimes as few a four, in favor of "Classics" that allowed them to draw bigger audiences from alums reluctant to travel and change the revenue structure in their favor. So I guess I kinda missed out on my indoctrination.
But then if you watch college football, you have to know it's loaded on the top and squeezes out everybody else. A top team really only plays three or four quality games a year and so a team that finishes the season with more than one loss had a horrible season, as they lost in one of the few instances they actually had to play. Be real, the chances of Education is Our Focus University beating We turn out Pro Athletes by the Dozen Tech is slim at best, and it's only the marquee matchups between the afore mentioned Pro Athletes by the Dozen Tech and someplace like say Our Staduim is a Temple to Sport College that really matter. Which actually helps out in the Televison scheduling with the ad dollars, as they don't get spread out due to the paucity of these games.
It's not like the NFL where in a sixteen game schedule "on any given Sunday" one team can beat another. There are some who detract from the professional leagues because it means sometimes a team that went 8-8 is still in the hunt to be the champion, or that occasionally due to the conference setup a team that went 9-7 gets in when a team 10-6 finds itself enjoying an early winter, but the current system used by the pros is light years ahead of the BCS.
I know the BCS doesn't really work, as it is only used for the "top tier" of college football, whereas Division I-AA and Division II (terms the NCAA would prefer we not use) use the old fashioned playoff system. Why not use this at the top tier as well, getting eyeballs on the early bowls that would now actually mean something and giving even more importance to the latter, the middle ground colleges be damned. It's not like the "top tier" schools were educating most of these athletes anyway (look at the graduation rates) so what's a few more weeks until they can hang around campus flashing booster money?
I imagine this will be lost in the wind, another voice crying out in the darkness, but then I'm sitting down at the dark end of the bar, so my voice should have a little company.
Hey, barkeep...Marker's Mark with a dash of Sprite.
It works to so well it's a wonder the NFL hasn't scrapped the Superbowl in favor this system that just invites long-term arguments.
As you may have figured out by now, I'm not really a big college football fan. At my alma mater the game wasn't really the draw. You didn't arrive until the 2nd quarter, you watched the band perform, spent the third quarter trying to find the location of the hottest party and were gone by the 4th. The university also had a paucity of home games, sometimes as few a four, in favor of "Classics" that allowed them to draw bigger audiences from alums reluctant to travel and change the revenue structure in their favor. So I guess I kinda missed out on my indoctrination.
But then if you watch college football, you have to know it's loaded on the top and squeezes out everybody else. A top team really only plays three or four quality games a year and so a team that finishes the season with more than one loss had a horrible season, as they lost in one of the few instances they actually had to play. Be real, the chances of Education is Our Focus University beating We turn out Pro Athletes by the Dozen Tech is slim at best, and it's only the marquee matchups between the afore mentioned Pro Athletes by the Dozen Tech and someplace like say Our Staduim is a Temple to Sport College that really matter. Which actually helps out in the Televison scheduling with the ad dollars, as they don't get spread out due to the paucity of these games.
It's not like the NFL where in a sixteen game schedule "on any given Sunday" one team can beat another. There are some who detract from the professional leagues because it means sometimes a team that went 8-8 is still in the hunt to be the champion, or that occasionally due to the conference setup a team that went 9-7 gets in when a team 10-6 finds itself enjoying an early winter, but the current system used by the pros is light years ahead of the BCS.
I know the BCS doesn't really work, as it is only used for the "top tier" of college football, whereas Division I-AA and Division II (terms the NCAA would prefer we not use) use the old fashioned playoff system. Why not use this at the top tier as well, getting eyeballs on the early bowls that would now actually mean something and giving even more importance to the latter, the middle ground colleges be damned. It's not like the "top tier" schools were educating most of these athletes anyway (look at the graduation rates) so what's a few more weeks until they can hang around campus flashing booster money?
I imagine this will be lost in the wind, another voice crying out in the darkness, but then I'm sitting down at the dark end of the bar, so my voice should have a little company.
Hey, barkeep...Marker's Mark with a dash of Sprite.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Ranting and Raving
I believe in the common sense of the idea, I'm wasting my blog. I could be discussing a diatribe against the growing concern of Iran...which presents a formidable challenge for the next round of political leaders as the Radicals attempt to distract the West with terrorism as they make a final sprint to join the Nuclear Club... or I could discuss the housing bubble in this country... which combined with a unfocused and mercenary bent towards a TRUE, unfettered, captalistic society by the current administration has fueled a period of gratitous excess in which a down turn or hiccup of the inflationary markets will turn a number of folks who have turned there homes into piggybanks into paupers...or the current state of sport ...Go Cowboys...or education and parenting...where the kids are so emotionally ill prepared to deal with the possiblity of mediorcity a school is doing away with the honor roll after students commit SUICIDE because of the pressure that's gving them...
...maybe something worthwhile or timely...
Nah. You can get that anywhere.
I may chime in from time to time on more wordly and esoteric topics, but I've got a full time job and full time night life, trying to get three books and movie off the ground, and cram in computer gaming ...AND THIS BLOG...all in 24 hours. Blogs of that sort require actual freaking research, sources and facts. This is all pretty much speculation, conjecture and jokes.
And by the way, if you get poetry, it means I was stuck for something to say.
Sorry.
...maybe something worthwhile or timely...
Nah. You can get that anywhere.
I may chime in from time to time on more wordly and esoteric topics, but I've got a full time job and full time night life, trying to get three books and movie off the ground, and cram in computer gaming ...AND THIS BLOG...all in 24 hours. Blogs of that sort require actual freaking research, sources and facts. This is all pretty much speculation, conjecture and jokes.
And by the way, if you get poetry, it means I was stuck for something to say.
Sorry.
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