tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36925402011-07-08T03:10:59.331-04:00"WHEN BLOGS ATTACK!"We're the part of the movie where the main character throws up.Philnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3411100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1167318523262083582006-12-28T10:04:00.000-05:002006-12-28T10:12:27.553-05:00CROWN THEM QUEENS OF THE DERBYFor those who are interested, the Gotham Girls Roller Derby season ended last month with a laughter. Here's the story, courtesy of the Queens Ledger website. It's been an up-and-down season for the Queens of Pain, which suffered through injuries and defections at the start of the Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1163602499910544512006-11-15T09:54:00.000-05:002006-11-15T09:58:19.086-05:00THE SHITHEAD EXPOSER'S BURDENThe following is a piece of supposed “satire” written by an actual New York City Parks Department employee, David Langlieb, for his Haverford College Alumni magazine. I want to point out that these are not my opinions. While I am reprinting them (I couldn’t post a link, since Haverford College apparently removed them from the Internet), that is for purely Philnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1163004883593588802006-11-08T11:54:00.000-05:002006-11-08T12:02:02.883-05:00MAN PUSH CART: ME FUCK STORY? A few months ago, I started a new section at the paper entitled “Cinema.” I write articles for it every two weeks, which cover films set in the outer boroughs, directors who live there, or both if I’m lucky. This past week, I wanted to write about “Man Push Cart,” a film you may have heard something about. It tells the story of a pushcart vendor, one of the Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1162394688380165992006-11-01T10:24:00.000-05:002006-11-01T10:28:43.796-05:00BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THE GOTHAM GIRLS? Queens Of Pain Take It To The Wire The Queens of Pain, reigning champions of the Gotham Girls Roller Derby league, will defend their title next month against either the Brooklyn Bombshells or the Manhattan Mayhem. Star jammer Suzy Hotrod scored five points in the closing minutes to cap Queens’ comeback over the Bronx Gridlock. Meanwhile, recent Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1161200491681121392006-10-18T15:41:00.000-04:002006-10-18T15:41:31.720-04:00EXTREMELY EARLY OSCAR PREDICTIONS I’ve seen the best film of the year, and it’s Martin Scorcese’s “The Departed.” But since there’s still four other Best Picture slots to fill, the question becomes, “Which lucky movies will get to come in second for the title of 2006’s best projected entertainment?” Now of course, the Oscar prognosticating started long before I wrote this post. However, IPhilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1160580119404001112006-10-11T11:21:00.000-04:002006-10-11T11:30:14.426-04:00IMPRESSIONS OF MOVIES Seeing a flick in New York City has gotten way too expensive, especially when you factor in the cost of riding the subway to and from the theater. Still, if you go early enough in the day, and fit in more than one, it actually balances out. Last Saturday, for example, I took in a double feature comprised of “The Departed” and “A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints” at thePhilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1160488989498900712006-10-10T10:03:00.000-04:002006-10-15T22:18:26.026-04:00WHAT IS WISDOM THAT DOES NOT PROFITEROLE THE WISE? I’m going to tell you a story that still seems unbelievable, as if it were the product of a fevered dream rather than cold, hard reality. Make that creamy, sugary reality. Okay, here’s what happened: I was walking down Leonard St. on my way to the supermarket last night. As I crossed Devoe St., I suddenly became aware of Italian Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1159641113703450532006-09-30T14:31:00.000-04:002006-10-01T17:59:48.110-04:00VACATION REPORT, PART TWO THURSDAY, SEPT. 21st Oh, what a glorious day! It was packed full of fun activities. First we played with Molly’s super-cool dog, a part pit bull mix that may be the friendliest canine ever. Then we went to Pike’s Fish Market in Seattle, which not only features seafood, but produce, prints, magic goods, and comic books. At Molly’s recommendation, we ate Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1159633133247859922006-09-30T12:17:00.000-04:002006-10-01T17:58:10.603-04:00VACATION REPORT, PART ONE So K. and I have been back from Washington for about six days now. The trip was awesome, and I feel totally refreshed and invigorated from all that faraway travel. As some of you may know, this was not the first time that I visited K.’s home state. I also dropped in this past New Year’s. The prior northwestern exposure, however, only made the second time aroundPhilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1157738797500639282006-09-08T14:06:00.000-04:002006-09-08T14:06:37.526-04:00PHIL X AT JET LI PRESS JUNKET! Yep, you heard it right, folks! International martial arts movie star Jet Li will be in Manhattan next Friday to promote his new movie “Fearless,” and I am officially on the press list. That means I get to snap photos and ask questions of the guy who played Chinese folk heroes Wong Fei-Hung and Fong Sai-Yuk, not to mention the superhero Black Mask, in Hong Kong Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1157734222582863542006-09-08T12:50:00.000-04:002006-09-08T13:06:21.626-04:00CRIME TIME AROUND NOONTIME A week ago, I was the only staff reporter on-hand, so when the call came in about an attempted murder up the road, I was the guy who answered it.The suspect was an accountant named Marilyn Pulaski, who apparently had a history of not getting along with her mother. Around noontime of last Friday, for whatever reason, she snapped, and grabbed the aforementioned Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1157413329661848442006-09-04T19:42:00.000-04:002006-09-05T21:02:43.033-04:00WHY LEAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD, EVER? In honor of Labor Day, I thought I would write something honoring the men and women who make up our country’s food industry. But then I thought about it, and realized that I don’t really know anything about our country’s food industry, save the local shops and restaurants where I occasionally buy my food. Then I thought about it some more, and came to the Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1156996573207875282006-08-30T23:56:00.000-04:002006-08-30T23:56:42.996-04:00MY UNCLE PASSES AWAY, AND I NEED TO PUT ON WEIGHT I apologize if that title sounds a little self-absorbed, but trust that it will make sense as you read this post. So about ten days ago, my Eldest Uncle, who had been fighting leukemia for more than a year, died. It wasn’t an abrupt end for him. By the time it was all over, the cancer cells had completely compromised his immune system, Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1155771621774245212006-08-16T19:33:00.000-04:002006-08-16T19:42:59.440-04:00QUEENS: KING PONGS OF TABLE TENNISI wish I could take credit for that headline, but alas, it was managing editor Blaine who came up with it. I had originally titled my article on Saturday's tournament in Chinatown, "Queens: Kings of Table Tennis." But "King Pongs?" A stroke of brilliance.Anyway, you can find a transcript of what I wrote listed below. In summary, it was a lot of fun, and we shouldPhilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1155692748736248292006-08-15T21:45:00.000-04:002006-08-15T21:49:58.610-04:00SOFTBALL: IT’S HARDCORE FUN If you’ve been reading my blog regularly, you know that the newspaper I work for participates in a softball league. It’s comprised of us, plus three other periodicals based in Brooklyn and Queens, although we are easily the best. No, I don’t mean that we’re the best newspaper, even though that’s also probably true. I mean that we have the best group of softball Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1155302870720471512006-08-11T09:26:00.000-04:002006-08-11T09:31:48.156-04:00BAILING OUT MY “LIFEBOAT” REVIEW My first review for Alfred Hitchcock’s “Lifeboat” is included at the end of this post. Meanwhile, if you click on the following link, you’ll go to the sister blog, where you’ll find my second review. These are different reviews of the 1944 suspense thriller, which starred Tallulah Bankhead and Walter Slezak. They are different reviews right down to the core, a Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1154659456127271852006-08-03T22:42:00.000-04:002006-08-03T22:48:40.376-04:00LOCAL NEWSPAPER, LOCAL SPORTS TEAMFrom the (online) pages of The Brooklyn Downtown Star:Some Pretty Girls Play One Ugly Roller Derby GameLast Saturday, the Gotham Girls Roller Derby League returned to the Schwartz Athletic Center at Long Island University’s Brooklyn campus. For the season’s third match, the Bronx Gridlock lived up to their name against the Brooklyn Bombshells, stalling the home Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1154304290687111802006-07-30T20:04:00.000-04:002006-07-30T20:07:53.166-04:00SIX MONTHS AND I’M RUNNING THE PLACE It’s not quite August yet, but it will be soon, and that will mark both a small step and a giant leap for Phil X. Why? Because August – more specifically, the second Tuesday of the month – will mark six consecutive months as a paid newspaper reporter. Six months at my current job, people! I’d throw a party, but the odds are I’d let the euphoria get to my Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1153931722365305012006-07-26T12:35:00.000-04:002006-07-27T09:34:43.150-04:00PLAY BALL?! Excerpt from an actual conversation on Monday between “Blaine,” the managing editor, and “Rick,” the community editor: Blaine: Hey Rick, can you give (freelancer) Marlene Peralta a call to see if she can play softball on Friday? Rick: Uh, isn’t she coming off spinal cord surgery? Blaine: I’m not forfeiting Friday’s game, Rick! Apparently, it’s time once again for Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1153320370678576452006-07-19T10:45:00.000-04:002006-07-19T12:09:09.630-04:00FESTIVAL – ITALIAN CATHOLIC STYLE! A few Sundays ago, I spent the afternoon at nearby Havemeyer St., observing the annual Giglio Festival hosted by Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. I had been sent there by my editor, who assured me that large men would be lifting a giant altar and carrying it down the street. No, he wasn’t predicting a robbery; he meant it as part of the festival itself. Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1153280688208507962006-07-18T23:42:00.000-04:002006-07-18T23:44:48.223-04:00TERRY GILLIAM HAS A NEW MOVIE!It's called "Tideland." Sure, the preview looks weird, but it has Jeff Bridges. He and Gilliam worked together on "The Fisher King (1991)," which was terrific.I'm really looking forward to this. Only three months until October.Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1153144756251689792006-07-17T09:58:00.000-04:002006-07-17T10:02:34.733-04:00PARTY OF MANY, MELANCHOLY OF ONE I’ve been having a rough time as of late, and I think the main cause has been my job. Don’t get me wrong; I love being a reporter, but the news business is a fairly pessimistic one, and I think I got caught up in the bad vibes. I probably bottomed out last weekend, when K. went out of town. Now, it should have represented a chance for me to enjoy having Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1150859415816592402006-06-20T22:55:00.000-04:002006-06-20T23:14:48.013-04:00ANOTHER PHIL X INTERMISSION:Yes, Rupert Zwevoid has compiled some new material to post during my "hiatus." But why rush him? After all, I have a poem by veteran journalist David Tucker that I would like to share.Eternal thanks to my lovely K. for introducing me to this unique voice, and for buying me his book of poetry, Late For Work. Yes, I do feel some sense of simpatico with the guy."Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1149771121629539792006-06-08T08:49:00.000-04:002006-06-08T08:54:11.496-04:00A PHIL X INTERMISSION:While Rupert Zwevoid continues to sporadically publish his memoirs, I thought I would interject my report on last week's Gotham Girls roller derby game, in which Brooklyn came out on top. Enjoy, sports fans..."These Girls Are The Bomb (Shells)" Roller derby may be considered a "fringe sport" at best, but last Friday, the Gotham Girls drew a respectable crowd with Philnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1147899290847332392006-05-17T16:54:00.000-04:002006-05-17T16:55:22.316-04:00PROLOGUE: THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE UNITED STATES I just love west coast highways. They remind me of what it’s like to spend all day trapped in a cubicle, or working in closed quarters, then stepping out at five p.m. into the sunshine and open air. Twirling arms around and kicking up heels in newfound spaciousness. I indulge in that same sense of unrestrained freedom as I gently Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1147899233892791242006-05-17T16:53:00.000-04:002006-05-18T08:53:54.020-04:00CHAPTER ONE: THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE UNITED STATES So you want to know how I ended up in California? Oh. What you really want to hear about is what planet I come from, how long I’ve been here, and what nefarious goals I have planned to conquer your little liquid-covered marble with the green streak down the middle. Well, I guess it’s a start. I’m from the planet Zwevoid, locatedPhilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1146238755952230612006-04-28T11:39:00.000-04:002006-04-28T11:41:51.353-04:00SEASON FINALE? Well, I hope you enjoyed my last blog post, entitled “FORMER PREZ? BUT I BARELY KNOW HER!” It will, in fact, be my last for quite a while. You know I just love posting about my misadventures online, but at this point, I can’t help thinking that my newspaper job should come first and foremost. You see, I can make more money if I write more articles. As it stands, a lot of Philnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1146237760269990832006-04-28T11:22:00.000-04:002006-04-28T12:03:39.463-04:00FORMER PREZ? BUT I BARELY KNOW HER! Alright, so I haven’t written a blog post in about a week. Let me try to fill up some space with a mundane event in my life – like meeting a former President at HSBC Bank last week…! Now, I know what you’re going to say: “Phil X, you’re such a tease. You mean that you met a former president of HSBC Bank, don’t you? Now stop joking around and get back toPhilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1145647363807619772006-04-21T15:22:00.000-04:002006-04-26T18:04:22.306-04:002006 WESTERN CONFERENCE ROUNDBALL ROUND-UP, A.K.A., HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVES On the heels of its Eastern conference counterpart comes this Manifest Destiny-determined second half. Now, I know what you’re going to say: “Phil X, I thought you didn’t follow the Western conference this year.” Well, you’re right. But all that really means is that the following analyses and predictions are not Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1145627014204956432006-04-21T09:43:00.000-04:002006-04-26T18:06:39.923-04:002006 EASTERN CONFERENCE ROUNDBALL ROUND-UP: It’s nearing the end of April, which can only mean one thing: time for the NBA Playoffs to start! We’ve determined the scoring title. The seven-month, 82-game campaign is complete. Now it’s time to decide all the marbles in grueling, best-of-seven face-offs. Questions abound: Will the San Antonio Spurs repeat as champions, winning their third Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1145470624946335652006-04-19T14:16:00.000-04:002006-04-19T14:17:59.890-04:00PHIL X: PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE?! Yeah, right. I mean, what’s next? “Phil X: New Prime Minister of Italy?” How about, “Phil X: Jimmy Smits’ new Vice President on “'The West Wing?'” But it looks like I should work on that acceptance speech, and possibly brush up on my Italian, too, because I got to play baseball last week – for money! Sure, it was only for two hours. And it was a practice Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1145202301767478302006-04-16T11:44:00.000-04:002006-04-16T11:58:59.920-04:00‘ON RECORD’ VERSUS ‘OFF RECORD:’ On Record (What We Can Say Without Being Sued): “Two weeks ago, change came to the ranks of Community Board 5, as several board members found themselves opted off the Maspeth, Glendale, Ridgewood and Middle Village local governmental arm.David Hendrickson, Camille Horowitz, Martin J. Hanrahan, Thomas P. Nillawafer, and Richard Paloma were let go (notPhilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1144289197479345102006-04-05T22:06:00.000-04:002006-04-06T10:03:41.310-04:00FOR WHOM THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY TOLLS (THOUGH IT DEPENDS ON HOW MANY AXLES YOU HAVE) *Warning… This post unexpectedly becomes a Hemingway short story about midway through. I'm not sure why.* So I spent much of last weekend slurping marinara sauce and healing the sick. No, I wasn’t a missionary doctor stationed in Italy. Or God. On the contrary, I was a cleric in an AD&D game at the home of Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1143831715401070152006-03-31T14:01:00.000-05:002006-03-31T15:53:09.996-05:00IT PAYS TO PAY YOUR PROOFREADER (AND HERE’S THE PROOF) I’m not just a reporter at the Ledger/Star/Observer/Register, I’m pretty much an entire weekly newspaper onto myself. Not to brag, but I handle the Page 3’s, the Events Calendar, Classifieds, Legal Notices (Okay, that last part isn’t very much). Now I’m responsible for writing the new “Brevity” page each week. I don’t know if “Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1143732420765693812006-03-30T10:26:00.000-05:002006-03-30T17:43:16.790-05:00C.S.I. = “CRIME SCENE INTRUDER?” So I tried sneaking into my first crime scene yesterday. I didn’t get anything scoop-worthy, which was very disappointing. But at the same time, I learned a valuable lesson. A crime scene is like a sample sale from a popular fashion designer: If you want the good stuff, you have to show up early. I probably showed up about thirty minutes late. The whole Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1143179317430846352006-03-24T00:40:00.000-05:002006-04-28T11:51:07.813-04:00ALL MY FRIENDS ARE TURNING INTO ANIMALS! So I’m in the office this morning taking care of the more routine part of my job – the Page 3’s and Events Calendars for all eight papers – when my editor tosses me The Daily News and says, “Hey, Phil. Check it out. There was a coyote loose in Manhattan last night.” Considering that I saw elephants running across 34th St. on Monday night/Tuesday morningPhilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1142431535881743772006-03-15T09:04:00.000-05:002006-03-15T09:05:35.906-05:00ENEMIES: A MISUNDERSTANDING II Did I make DCD the focus of the following story? Maybe I should have headlined it, “DCD Speaks—A Q_____ L_____ Exclusive!” Big Brother Watching Little Kids By Phil XThis past week, City Councilman (hereby “CC”) announced that $250,000 in city capital funds had been earmarked to improve the security of I.S. ___, which was the victim Philnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1142396445400442912006-03-14T23:19:00.000-05:002006-03-15T09:08:19.976-05:00ENEMIES: A MISUNDERSTANDING Today represented a big day in the life of Phil X: I made my first political enemy. Let’s hear it for me! Woooo! I inadvertently planted the seeds for that adversarial thing last week, while making calls for a story I was working on. It had to do with an intermediate school in Queens that got burgled last year. The culprits broke into a trailer, and made off Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1142192512414360172006-03-12T14:38:00.000-05:002006-03-15T23:52:50.906-05:00A KILLER OF A DREAM Okay, so I want to write about the dream I had last night, because I’ve been awake for several hours now, and I’ve already forgotten parts of it. It starts with me busting into a public library in Miami, which may strike some of you as a reprehensible act, but I distinctly recall having justifiable cause: I had a book that was overdue, and the library was closed. Also, IPhilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1141235833501105742006-03-01T12:56:00.000-05:002006-03-01T12:57:13.516-05:00WHAT A SCOOP! "Look! Up in the sky!" "It's a bird!" "It's a plane!" "It's – PHIL X!" "Yes, it's Phil X - strange visitor from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities fairly equal to those of mortal men. Phil X! Who can track the course of mighty drivel, bend truth with his bare lies, and who, disguised as Phil, mild-mannered reporter for a small metropolitan newspaper, Philnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1139517761929091832006-02-09T15:41:00.000-05:002006-02-09T15:46:39.843-05:00GOOD NEWS FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE BAD NEWS (OR ANY NEWS)The inspiration for today’s post comes from the “Live Nude Blog!” mailbag, which we routinely peruse but rarely acknowledge. “Maggie” from Westchester, NY wrote to us with the following comment:“You should write a novel this year.That is all.”If that only that were all, Maggie. Unfortunately, there is a part of the novel-writing equation that Philnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1139517573301746612006-02-09T15:35:00.000-05:002006-02-09T15:40:15.513-05:00ARE YOU COOL ENOUGH TO BE LOVED BY CHUCK KLOSTERMAN? PART II:And now the moment you’ve all been waiting for: The second half—?’s number 11-23—of the quiz reprinted from Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs.For the first half, click here.11. You are watching a movie in a crowded theater. Though the plot is mediocre, you find yourself dazzled by the special effects. But with twenty minutes left in the film,Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1139080826656440692006-02-04T14:19:00.000-05:002006-02-07T12:19:28.526-05:00HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE YOUR WASHThere was a minor riot at the laundromat the other day. I’m not entirely sure how it started, but I know I wasn’t the cause.The reason I don’t know how it started was because I had to run home and grab more of K.’s laundry. You see, we hadn’t taken care of our dirty clothes in nearly a month, and during the interim, none of our soiled sweaters, jeans, orPhilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1138815508625768042006-02-01T12:37:00.000-05:002006-02-02T21:47:36.603-05:00FEELING DOWN IN THE ‘SHRUMPS’Nothing says “Chinese New Year” like a dinner out. It doesn’t even have to be Chinese food; I once capped off a quarter-chicken value meal at Pollo Tropical with a fortune cookie, and considered my actions sacri-licious, though not necessarily sacrilegious. But this time, K., her pals S., J., and E., and myself decided to dine in Chinatown, specifically a cozy little Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1138659143239575842006-01-30T17:09:00.000-05:002006-01-30T17:12:23.253-05:00WE INTERRUPT YOUR IRREGULARLY-SCHEDULED QUIZ……to bring you: Oscar updates?According to a news report I just read, the Oscar nominations come out tomorrow morning. Just as 2004 came to be known as the “Year of the Biopics,” with nominations for Martin Scorcese’s “The Aviator” and Taylor Hackford’s “Ray,” 2005 may go down as the “Year of the Important Film,” with projected Best Picture nods for AngPhilnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1138484224113142462006-01-28T16:33:00.000-05:002006-01-28T16:37:04.133-05:00ARE YOU COOL ENOUGH TO BE LOVED BY CHUCK KLOSTERMAN? PART I:During my last job, wherein I served as the office manager for a rehab clinic in townie Brookline Village, I took to reading during my free time. One of the books lying around was Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, a collection of essays by the inimitable Chuck Klosterman.His essays are interesting to say the least. One of my favorites had to Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1138295464501609992006-01-26T12:10:00.000-05:002006-01-26T12:11:04.516-05:00SUCCESS IS A SKATE OF MINDK. and I went ice skating this past Sunday, which was only my second time ever. It may shock you to hear that I suffer an ice sport deficiency, but hey, I’m from Miami. True, I probably could have learned to rollerskate/blade, or skateboard, or do something that required balance atop a gliding object. I guess, “Better late than never” has pretty much become my official Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1137614310443449142006-01-18T14:56:00.000-05:002006-01-18T14:58:30.456-05:00VAGINA DENTATA SORTAAccording to the Hunter Envoy, CUNY Hunter’s official weekly campus newspaper, customers in certain Asian and South African countries will soon be able to get their hands on “Rapex,” a tampon equipped with sharp barbs that can immobilize an attempted rapist, while posing no harm to the wearer.Elizabeth Stein, the Hunter Envoy’s Women’s Editor, explains that, “…the barbs attachPhilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1137547831115047812006-01-17T20:30:00.000-05:002006-01-18T10:07:34.303-05:00BUT WE STILL HAVEN’T ANSWERED THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION: WHAT VIDEO GAMES DID THEY PLAY?!The streets of South Florida might be a little bit safer tonight, now that three suspects, William Ammons, age 18, Brian Hooks, age 18, and Thomas Daugherty, age 17, have been arrested and charged with the beatings of three homeless men early last Thursday.I was planning to rant my eternal disappointment atPhilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1137510719744568242006-01-17T10:06:00.000-05:002006-01-17T10:11:59.760-05:00REVIEW REDUXYou may not have noticed it, but there’s a new review of “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind” over at The Sur-reel Life. I think it’s far superior to what came before, which I was never confident in. What can I say? I was under a self-imposed deadline, and it took me an extra couple of days to come to terms with what Miyazaki was trying to do. At any rate, I like the new review, whichPhilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1137184010675235452006-01-13T15:25:00.000-05:002006-01-13T18:49:47.670-05:00CLICK-CLICK-CLICK = TICK-TICK-TICK?I'm surfing through the paper this morning, and I read about the three teens who beat two homeless men, and murdered a third, near the place where I used to live. Even more outrageous than the crime itself, however, was the incoherent blather offered by Ron Slaby, a developmental psychologist at the Center for Media and Child Heath at Children's Hospital Boston.Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1136503490107392052006-01-05T18:24:00.000-05:002006-01-05T21:20:20.680-05:00NORTHWESTERN EXPOSUREI don’t know about all you cats and kittens out there in blog-land, but personally, I had a pretty good Christmas/New Year’s holiday. After gorging myself on a hearty Saint Nick’s Eve meal of turkey, jellyfish, and cranberry sauce, I caught a non-stop flight to Washington state, where I met the parents of my awesome girlfriend, K., for the first time.The plane ride itself wasPhilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1135350117536039812005-12-23T10:00:00.000-05:002005-12-23T10:01:57.553-05:00LAST BLOG POST ‘TIL THE NEW YEAR?Let’s make it a good one, then.Yesterday, I attended a Christmas party for the staff of Addiction Prevention Clinical Partners of Boston. It was sponsored by a drug firm—one of the largest in Japan. Perhaps ironically, most of the stuff they sell us is for treating eating disorders or compulsive shopping.No, actually we purchase large quantities of a sleep aid. Philnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1134674182478249302005-12-15T14:14:00.000-05:002005-12-15T18:33:08.163-05:00WONDER WHY THAT PEANUT BUTTER SEEMS CRUNCHIER THAN USUAL?Today was pretty much an average day for me, except I might have eaten a cockroach this morning and a cat climbed on my head late in the afternoon.How the cockroach thing happened: I decided to make myself a peanut butter and sliced banana sandwich for breakfast. So I grabbed the multi-grain brain from off the top of the refrigerator, undidPhilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1134526512694410942005-12-13T21:14:00.000-05:002005-12-14T00:01:26.406-05:00BOLD PREDICTIONS (AND OTHER DICKY THINGS)Okay, I’m about to do something I normally wouldn’t, which is make a bold prediction about the 2006 Oscar. Here goes:Based on the following, mildly compelling evidence—Best Picture awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics Circle, the New York Film Critics Circle, the Boston Film Critics Circle, the National Board of Review, and the most Golden Globe Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1134235967169699112005-12-10T12:22:00.000-05:002005-12-10T12:42:50.433-05:00YAY, 'CRUEL WORLD!'This morning, I was perusing the weekly newspaper "Dig," which is sort of like Boston's answer to "The Onion." An item in the write-in column "Oh, Cruel World!" caught my eye, and I feel the need to reprint it. Something very similar happened to me on Puerto Rican Day a few years back, when I refused to buy a dinky toothpick flag from some shit-eater who was probably on his wayPhilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1134159135082931942005-12-09T15:06:00.000-05:002005-12-09T15:41:10.003-05:00SOMEWHAT FAST, NOT EXACTLY CHEAP, BUT DEFINITELY OUT OF CONTROLAs many of you probably know by now, I am the defacto office manager for a drug clinic in Brookline. That means I order office supplies, call the electrician when our power goes out (which is frequently), assume an authoritative tone to people who are actually smarter than me, and call out for lunch from the local sub shop.The food Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1133399099520513152005-11-30T20:04:00.000-05:002005-11-30T20:11:00.160-05:00TOP TEN THINGS THAT I AM THANKFUL FOR THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, ’05 EDITION10. The many wonderful people whom I have had the privilege of calling my friends.9. Free turkey dinners, served to me in the homes of the many wonderful people whom I have had the privilege of calling my friends.8. Leftovers from the free turkey dinners served in the homes of many wonderful people whom I have had the privilegePhilnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1132243631891031402005-11-17T11:06:00.000-05:002005-11-20T18:43:30.996-05:00WORKING HARD? HARDLY WORKINGMy current job has its share of cons.I work for a psychiatrist, an addiction specialist who manages a set of clinics. As a result, he is constantly in and out of the office (Fourteen clinics across the state of Massachusetts yields a lot of frequent driver miles). It's not surprising, in fact, if the doc stays out on the road for an entire day, leaving the management Philnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1131553545638170392005-11-09T11:25:00.000-05:002005-11-20T18:44:33.726-05:00LIVE ‘FREE’ OR DIE TRYING!I haven’t watched enough movies lately. I borrowed a DVD of D.W. Griffith’s “Intolerance” from the library almost three weeks ago, but never did watch it. Guess I’ll have to check it out again, because it’s due back today. Ah, the weekends, where the fuck did they go?On the bright side, instead of imbibing the groundbreaking cinematic cross-cutting of Griffith, that Philnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1131206372612554192005-11-05T10:58:00.000-05:002005-11-19T16:58:50.663-05:00ABOUT LAST WEEKEND III: THE SEARCH FOR SPORT, PART III: THE SEARCH FOR ABOUT LAST WEEKEND III: THE SEARCH FOR SPORT, PART IIAs I sit here in Boston early Saturday morning, waiting for K. to arrive, I think back to her visit three weeks ago, and that episode at Twin Donut.I had just come back from the bathroom, and we were perusing the breakfast menu. K. said something, which somehow, I didn’t Philnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1129943720313835802005-10-23T15:20:00.000-04:002005-10-23T15:20:13.863-04:00ABOUT LAST WEEKEND III: THE SEARCH FOR SPORT, PART II: INTERMISSIONLET’S TAKE A BATHROOM BREAK BEFORE CONTINUING WITH THE STORY.Sunday, October 16th, 2005This time, it wasn’t a fire alarm that woke K. and I up, but drumbeats in the distance. They started out as small, muffled sounds, but gradually became louder, to the point they were unavoidable.I had been lying in bed, my forehead arched in Philnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1129991668151254922005-10-22T10:33:00.000-04:002005-10-22T10:50:50.333-04:00TRULY FOOTBALL IS THE SPORT OF KINGS.Nothing's cuter than a cat with a helmet!Philnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1129943664906455032005-10-21T21:07:00.000-04:002005-10-22T10:51:46.526-04:00TWO FOR THE PRICE OF... NOTHING.My movie review blog now has items posted about Hayao Miyazaki's classic, "Kiki's Delivery Service," as well as Robert De Niro's maiden film appearance, Greetings. Sorry, but he doesn't actually appear in drag during the movie.Read the reviews... IF YOU DARE!Philnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1129927464815135732005-10-21T16:43:00.000-04:002005-10-21T21:35:44.726-04:00ABOUT LAST WEEKEND III: THE SEARCH FOR SPORTI want to briefly write about last weekend, which was easily the most fun I’ve had in quite a while. As most of you may have discerned from previous blog entries, whenever K. and I are together, we usually pass the time browsing in ethnic markets or eating in nice restaurants. They’re wonderful activities, though not the most touristy things to do. Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1129244704851263452005-10-13T19:04:00.000-04:002005-10-13T21:49:36.483-04:00A CALM, RATIONAL GAME, or, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE!First one who replies to this post is a degenerate asshole who annoys me with his goddamn automated comment ads, only because it’s easier work than fucking his mother up the ass, which is how he normally earns a buck.To be fair, there’s every chance that it’s a woman behind these stupid ads. If that’s the case, said person regularly bends over Philnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1129226273611323232005-10-13T13:57:00.000-04:002005-10-14T00:25:30.046-04:00USED TO READ COMIC BOOKS? YOU MAY NEED “CRISIS” COUNSELING.Who says comic books are just for kids?I may have to peruse an alt-news outlet like “The Boston Phoenix” to find print coverage anticipating DC’s “Infinite Crisis.” But the “…Phoenix” ain’t for kids, save the ones who regularly cruise “Village Voice”-esque local tabloids, looking for phone sex and/or Asian prostitutes.And let’s remember, Philnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1129048316386031052005-10-11T12:29:00.000-04:002005-10-11T12:31:56.396-04:00EXPECT THE UNEXPECTEDOriginally, my plan was to get up early Saturday morning, and take the train to Worchester (pronounced “Woo-ster”), where they have a museum/theme park called the EcoTarium (pronounced "Ee-ko-tear-ri-yum). Throughout the summer months, up until October 23rd, the EcoTarium hosts these tours where ordinary joes like you and me can experience what it’s like to be a treetop Philnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1128829411171089052005-10-08T23:42:00.000-04:002005-10-09T11:18:49.726-04:00SEASON PREMIEREI haven’t actually been dead the last few months. In fact, couple hours after the tall, reedy dame with the derringer got the drop on me, I opened my eyes and found myself tied to a chair in the middle of a dimly-lit garage. Out on the periphery were yahoos in dark suits, wearing faces like vengeful angels. She was with them, too. Leaning against what seemed, in the vaguely-hangingPhilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1123973746502135752005-08-13T18:55:00.000-04:002005-10-08T23:47:09.520-04:00CLOSE, BUT NO CIGARSince gas prices were exorbitant, I thought it best not to go directly home from Swampwater U. Instead, I drove down SW 8th—not out of the way at all, since that’s the direction of Highway 826. I drove until the canal running beside the road turned off, until I passed beneath the 826 underpass, until the strip malls and condos gave way to seedy motels and cracked concrete. The Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1123973701911569952005-08-13T18:54:00.000-04:002005-08-13T18:55:01.916-04:00MUG SHOTSo I got up this morning, took a brief dip in the pool, then drove for an hour over to Sweetwater, where my old university is.I went to the university bookstore under the premise of buying a coffee mug, or some sort of souvenir commemorating my 3 years at that fine institution. It was my home before I transferred to NYU, and I daresay it contributed more to my development than the privatePhilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1123813971683780642005-08-11T22:32:00.000-04:002005-08-12T11:21:29.590-04:00HEY, LOOK! A BLOG POST!Once again, it’s been over a month since I’ve posted about anything. Not that life hasn’t been interesting in the meantime. I’ve settled on a place in Boston, which is conveniently located when it comes to class, but probably won’t bust my budget. I move there in a few weeks; until then, I am staying with K. in her new apartment in the Village (Expect a twist ending, Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1121397964375419552005-07-14T23:25:00.000-04:002005-07-22T12:30:50.303-04:00IN DEEP DEWEYBefore the take-out place incident, however, K. and I visited a certain library-themed hotel located in midtown. First we went to the “Library Garden Bar,” which was on the roof. Fittingly, the “Library Garden Bar” featured neither books nor a garden of any sort. We expressed our dissatisfaction to a man wearing a blue apron. Back in the lobby, he had welcomed us, and led us to the Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1121397891776291472005-07-14T23:23:00.000-04:002005-07-14T23:36:33.853-04:00JERKING AGAINUnfortunately, a title like that will probably keep most people from reading this post. That would be a shame, depriving the public of an opportunity to hear about my latest bout of questionable behavior.Actually, I did good this time. Instead of just exploding into a ball of rage, I resorted to smart-asshood. Funny, but I remember a time when I’d go into my arsenal of smarmy remarksPhilnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1121184181707806112005-07-12T12:02:00.000-04:002005-07-12T12:07:24.156-04:00BIRTHDAY BASH, BIRTHDAY BLUESIf you’ve been paying any attention to this blog over the last few months, you’ve probably noticed that there hasn’t been much to pay attention to. Normally, I use this page as an outlet for my emotional extremes, such as angst, joy, and hatred. But ever since I got back from California, I’ve been drained. When I haven’t been scrounging for work, hanging with my Philnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1121185058997638982005-07-12T11:15:00.000-04:002005-07-13T02:01:59.966-04:00A RAGE-A-THON REDUXI decided to take down an older post, in which I badmouthed where I used to work, Dahan & Nowick, LLP. It seemed too mean-spirited. Also, I spent way too much time making fun of my ex-manager’s facial clenches/tics (Although, jeez, any more and she’d need a flea collar).For a while there, I was determined to put an ugly chapter of my life behind me. Luckily, I stumbled upon an Philnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1119291382728307142005-06-20T14:11:00.000-04:002005-06-20T14:19:16.470-04:00CINE-MUCH FUNThe past week has been a good week for movies. Last Wednesday night, K. and I went to the Loews E-Walk in Times Square to see BATMAN BEGINS. Our mutual friend S., whose salon we attend every other Thursday, got us the tickets. By the way, the movie’s spectacular; click on the link above to read my (for the masses) review. Or go to reellifeallaboutmymovies.blogspot.com/. Feel free to Philnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1114142436885412912005-04-22T00:00:00.000-04:002005-06-20T15:06:37.446-04:00ABOUT LAST WEEKEND EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CYCLONE(Before getting started, I should point out that this may be my last post in a while, since K. and I are taking a road trip to California on Saturday.Until I return, feel free to browse my other site, reellifeallaboutmymovies.blogspot.com/, where my thoughts on Sin City are posted. Happy Passover! I promise to write about the trip when I get Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1113235403666101412005-04-11T17:08:00.000-04:002005-04-11T13:54:08.610-04:00DECISION ’05: WHO WILL BE THE NEXT POPE?The hubbub over who will succeed the late Pope John Paul II has barely started, but personally, I think it should get as much American television airplay as last year’s Presidential Election. After all, Catholics are a major political force in this country. Judging by a recent ABC news poll, they might also be the most progressive-leaning of the major Philnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1113235307002084512005-04-10T23:01:00.000-04:002005-04-11T12:09:34.230-04:00ARE YOU BEING AN ASSHOLE, OR IS IT JUST ME?So I stayed over at K.’s place the other night. She had to be at work by ten the next morning, and I planned to spend all day at my future CUNY digs, studying for my Phonetics of American English class back in the year 2000. It was a little after nine by the time we got on the subway bound for Manhattan. Little did I suspect, however, that upon entering Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1112161356516838562005-03-30T19:04:00.000-05:002005-03-30T19:15:01.893-05:00NOT ANOTHER WAL-MART POST!I found an interesting web article about Wal-Mart, which may or may not sway my opinion about the retail super-giant. The Wal-Mart near my parents' house in Miami didn't spring up until after I moved to NYC. I came close to visiting it during my last trip home, but didn't make it past the DVD section about twenty feet in.Is Wal-Mart an abomination, or a godsend? All I Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1111590963891998492005-03-23T10:13:00.000-05:002005-03-23T10:17:34.766-05:00WOULD GRAD SCHOOL BE GOOD SCHOOL FOR PHIL? PART II: GRAD SCHOOL WOULD BE GOOD SCHOOL FOR PHILTwo days ago, City University left a message on my phone while I was visiting my uncle in Bellevue. Apparently, they were impressed enough by my grades in Speech-Language Pathology prerequisites (especially the all-important Phonetics course) that they’re admitting me conditionally for the fall. I just Philnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1111462192070706392005-03-21T22:29:00.000-05:002005-03-24T16:44:22.513-05:00"LOVE LETTERS," or, "VOL LOTTA SHAKIN’ GOIN’ ON"I don’t know what inspired us to try out the game. But we weren’t drunk on sake, which makes it all the more amazing.An apartment in Bed-stuy. A Sunday afternoon spent secluded from the gloomy weather outside. K’s mattress on the floor of her bedroom, faded daylight tainting our great white happy through the skylight on the ceiling.I don’t know if Philnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1110663776294140092005-03-12T16:42:00.000-05:002005-03-12T23:13:13.860-05:00"ADVENTURES IN OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATIONS, PART III," or, "SHAMPOO U."I just finished washing my hair. That shouldn’t be a big deal, except, as it turns out, I haven’t cleaned it in almost two months.The unbelievable story: Sometime in January, I realized that the generic brand of shampoo I was using just wasn’t cutting it anymore. Maybe the cold weather played a factor, maybe it was the fact Philnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1109862101006042882005-03-10T09:59:00.000-05:002005-03-12T16:47:11.103-05:00THE LEGEND OF "DORK’LATE"I want to get the dream I just had down on paper, because it’ll probably fade away if I wait too long.In my dream, I was the owner of a new coffee shop/bakery in Manhattan. But the establishment was what my dreaming brain apparently considered dork-themed. The walls had framed "Lord of the Rings" movie posters, as well as Spider-Man pin-ups by John Romita and Sal Buscema Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1109948135353148432005-03-04T09:53:00.002-05:002005-03-12T23:06:16.493-05:00PICKING SOMETHING UP ON THE "CUTE GIRLFRIEND" RADAR…Around 1 pm today, K.’s plane will be touching down in Detroit, the city of Motown. She might give me a ring from there, and if she does, I will certainly be glad to hear from her.Maybe four hours later, she’ll arrive in Laguardia. With any luck, by the evening, we’ll be seeing each other for the first time in over two weeks.I won’t lie. I have Philnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1109779284569247292005-03-02T10:59:00.002-05:002005-03-12T23:03:56.576-05:00WHERE ARE ALL THE NEW POSTS?I haven’t updated my blog in over a week, due to some family issues that have, to put it mildly, been a distraction.The family issue: My uncle Yan was sick all last week with the flu. It swelled his throat, and for a few days he could not even drink water. He put off seeing a doctor until Saturday, where he had to be rushed to the emergency room at NYU Downtown. My momPhilnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1109046207775054442005-02-21T23:22:00.000-05:002005-02-22T10:40:05.126-05:00OSCAR 2005: MY THOUGHTS ON THE BIG RACEBefore making my bold Oscar predictions, I want to remind readers that K. and my adventures in Maryland over Valentine’s Day weekend are available here: CUPID AIMED FOR THE HEART, BUT MUST HAVE TAGGED HE... You can also go to the blog of kari herself, who is currently visiting the Land of the Rising Sun. Now, on with the show!WHO WILL TAKE HOME OSCAR COME Philnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1108592232943223622005-02-16T17:16:00.000-05:002006-02-07T12:18:09.460-05:00CUPID AIMED FOR THE HEART, BUT MUST HAVE TAGGED HER IN THE STOMACH INSTEAD.Nothing says romance like watching your girlfriend vomit.That’s the realization I came away with after this past Valentine’s Day weekend. Okay, there was other stuff, too. For example, I realized that giant chain stores like Ikea do have their good points. I also discovered that other urban mass transit systems exist, Philnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1107277468732755652005-02-01T13:03:00.000-05:002005-02-01T12:12:52.376-05:00DOG DAZE AFTERNOON
Before we baked muffins Monday night, K. and I encountered what appeared to be a homeless man pushing a shopping cart up Avenue U. After he passed us (we were going opposite ways), he turned around and said,
"HEY! ARE YOU JESSICA?"
K. and I both turned around, and saw him looking at us. I indicated myself, and said, "Who, me?" The man nodded, before repeating,
"ARE YOU Philnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1107274659049253942005-02-01T11:16:00.000-05:002005-02-01T19:52:24.070-05:00"MUFFIN-MAKING MONDAY," OR, "MUFFIN TINS ARE NOT ICE TRAYS."
One quick blog post, then it’s back to studying.
In case any of you readers were wondering, yes, I am still taking Speech-Language Pathology courses during the 1999/2000 academic year. Also, yes, I am still surfing the timestream in my trusty time capsule, the "Mr. Peabody." However, Rupert Zwevoid, the extra-terrestrial visitor/ Philnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1106779371743591262005-01-26T17:42:00.000-05:002005-01-26T18:29:33.696-05:00A MOST PEERLESS PIEROGI
Professor W. sent out newly-printed copies of my recommendation this morning, and that’s a good thing, because I want to be in a good mood to wax poetic about pierogi.
Was this the Ukrainian dish that launched a thousand ships
And burnt the topless tower of Ilium?
Yes, but only because the waiter was clumsy and spilled the plate on Ilium’s head.
God knows he was Philnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1106546376479433832005-01-24T01:59:00.000-05:002005-01-24T09:31:49.113-05:00"I ONLY HAVE ICE FOR YOU," OR, "PARK TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME"
You could say I was "sled tired" by the time I got home Sunday night. Around four in the afternoon, I went with K., and her roommate C. to Prospect Park. We took a bright orange sled christened "Rosebud" along, too.
We took turns zipping down steep, snow-covered hills atop "Rosebud." I can’t speak for K., C., or other friend L., whoPhilnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1106288625058778232005-01-21T01:16:00.000-05:002005-01-21T01:58:58.693-05:00WANT NOT, WASTE SOME
Since Sam and thecomicman both came down with a mysterious illness simultaneously, K. and I went to see "The Aviator" instead.
Actually, we had Indian food for dinner, then went to see the movie. And I almost ruined the entire night by obsessing about WASTE.
See, my major thing today was to visit a former professor at NYU during his office hours. This professor, who will Philnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1106183867092229822005-01-19T20:17:00.000-05:002005-01-19T22:17:50.366-05:00FUN—SUPERSIZED!
I saw "Supersize Me!" the Morgan Spurlock documentary about the dangers of eating nothing but McDonalds for 31 days, at K’s house yesterday. Someone came up with the brilliant idea of eating a big bag of McDonalds food at the same time. Mmmm… McDonalds food… Quarter-Pounder with Cheese… Large fries… Sugary orange drink fortified with Vitamin C…
I was pleasantly surprised by how Philnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1105665650891514712005-01-13T20:20:00.000-05:002005-01-13T23:01:47.440-05:00ABOUT LAST WEEKEND…
It was not devoid of events. Indeed, it was not uneventful. One could go as far as to argue that it was… eventful.
I got to eat good food, carouse with good friends, and put a smile on a soon-to-be bride’s face. I got to explore Grand Central Station, ride a train to Westchester, play a round of Taboo, and travel back to Yankee Stadium in a convertible with the top down. I Philnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1105216435280037802005-01-08T15:33:00.000-05:002005-01-09T23:24:58.126-05:00BECAUSE I COULD BE WRITING GRAD SCHOOL APPLICATION ESSAYS…
…Let me talk about Veryfine Grape Drink instead.
Back when I was a wee lad, so wee I was still living in the bowels of Brooklyn, Veryfine Grape Drink was my favorite beverage. Granted, it was full of sugar, bereft of actual juice, and tended to leave a lasting stain on a white T-shirt. But it was also the perfect antidote to a hot Philnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1104679973448833662005-01-02T10:31:00.000-05:002005-01-02T18:53:46.096-05:00I THOUGHT ‘NAPOLEON DYNAMITE’ WAS OKAY—GOD!
It’s a sweet little film, worthy of its cult status. The filmmakers probably used a real house, a real school, and real outdoor settings in Idaho. Combine these aspects with lots of static camera shots, and the movie reminded me very much of the films of Hal Hartley, though it never matches the epic feel of Hartley’s 1997 masterpiece about social Philnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1104603862862606452005-01-01T13:18:00.000-05:002005-01-01T16:28:44.230-05:00THE BLOG AQUATIC, with PHIL X!
You may be wondering who I’ve been spending a lot of time with lately. If only I weren’t such a playful and/or secretive bastard, I’d go ahead and write her name in my blog. However, I am nothing if not precocious, so I will refer to her as "‘K.’ of the Alternate Reality Incident." Or just ‘K.,’ for short.
Last Tuesday, K. and I went to see Wes Anderson’s new filmPhilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3692540.post-1104562371515977922005-01-01T01:52:00.000-05:002005-01-01T09:28:30.360-05:00FIRST BLOG POST OF THE NEW YEAR
Let’s get this out of the way as quickly as possible.
WHERE I’VE BEEN: If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ve probably noticed that my 1999 adventures ended abruptly after November, 1999. What, no more two-fisted time travel tales?
Actually, I haven’t been free to post over the last four weeks, because I got stuck in a parallel dimension, very similar Philnoreply@blogger.com2