Funny, just not worth keeping anymore.
My favorite kind of movie? Comedies.
Today, on the RID project, I admit I own too many comedy DVDs and begin giving them away.
From the English-inspired Fish Called Wanda to two other comedies inspired by life in L.A.
I enjoyed all three of these movies. Thoroughly.
But again, available to rent, rather than to own.
And that’s a developing theme of the RID project.
Just bein' honest.
OK – I know this is going to get some of you started.
I think Office Space is WAY overrated. Yeah, it’s good. But hell, I’d argue it’s not even the best flick in which Jennifer Aniston makes an appearance. My opinion? See here.
Sure, it has great lines – but that just makes it Caddyshack of a different era.
Again, Dave says, “3/4 thumbs up…a decent movie…but hardly a classic.”
Hoist it upon the RID pile, and let the anger begin.
Some read, some not.
The RID project isn’t just about my homelife – it’s about my worklife as well.
Today, I give away some books that have been languishing in my office – not used for years.
As I look at these today, it gives me a little pause to think about the false separation between business and life for most Americans.
I’m a little irritated at “big business.” A couple of examples:
1) I recently heard about someone who was looked down upon at work, because they “talked so much about their personal life in their workplace.” Of course, that workplace also felt free to send emails to this employee day and night, and often got irritated when the employee didn’t respond “right away,” even if it was midnight, or over the weekend.
2) Someone I know was interviewing for a job recently and was told “overtime is expected.” Uh, if overtime is expected, how about scoping the job in a way that the person is paid for that time, or maybe…just maybe…the company recognizes that more than one person is needed to do the job?
3) Someone I know was recently looking at taking some upcoming PTO time. Their company got busy, and the employee was asked, “Is that upcoming time out of the office personal or business?” The implication was, if the employee was out of the office for business it was ok, but if it were for personal vacation (or just sanity) they should reschedule it, because the company was more important right now.
Sorry folks, but bad economy or not – we’ve lost our priorities. The workplace needs to fit into your life – not the other way around.
Just sayin’.
A great read.
A great book about the sorry state of healthcare in this country.
This story, told in the first person, is about one father’s coming to grips with all the stress he’s put on his body over the years…and the implications thereof.
Good reading for anyone concerned about their own health, or about healthcare in general.
As a person whose own father has been in the hospital too much over the last few years, I have a pretty set opinion about healthcare in this country, its overwhelming human and financial costs, and the general disregard we have for people in their old age.
I fear my beloved home country has come to worship only work, and workers. Where those who are injured, or elderly are left to their own devices to figure out how to afford the very care they were told their taxes were going towards, and would take care of them the rest of their lives.
I know, pretty preachy for a Tuesday, but that’s how I’m feeling today.
Maybe we Americans will someday wake up and realize the real change that is needed in our healthcare system. I fear that we’ll only learn the lessons as the boomers begin to age, and it’ll be too late for the kinds of fixes we could do today.
No, we’ll wait, til…someday. When the costs are higher, and the changes to the system will feel too harsh.
You know, just like we do with our own health.
Good cultural reading.
I got these books a few years ago.
I enjoy studying things that are outside the mainstream, especially if they’re out of MY everyday life. I find people and cultures endlessly fascinating.
Learning about the history of hip hop, and the adventures of a minority in the white-dominated world of advertising, opened my eyes (and mind) up to the experiences of those who had drastically different backgrounds than I did.
Here’s to keeping the mind open to a diversity of experiences, and the joy that comes from learning about those different from yourself.
Steve Martin = Genius.
I admire Steve Martin so much.
Writer, comedian, actor, musician, art collector…here’s a guy who always brings something special to what he does.
I bought this book a few years ago. My close friends know I don’t read fiction, but I broke my rule…for Steve. And I’m glad I did, I enjoyed this book. (You know, not enough to convert me to a fiction lover, but still.)
So today I cast it on the RID pile…hoping it finds the next person to enjoy it.
Don't hate because I used to like Will Ferrell.
I continue the “giving away DVDs” theme with this random collection of comedy DVDs.
Seeing these DVDs reminds me of the time I did standup comedy, something I’ve been toying with trying again. I love the feeling of weaving a story, perfecting it, then performing it for an audience.
Comedy is the one thing I think I’ve always been “into” throughout my life. It’ll be interesting to see which comedies sit atop the RID pile, and which ones I choose to keep.
Stay tuned.
Served me well.
I’ve never really been a “shoe guy.”
I’ve stuck with 5 – 10 pairs, and that’s been quite enough, thank you very much.
Lately, I’ve purchased a few new pairs, so…
time to RID.
This pair of Chuck Taylors is the first to go. I’ve had these about 10 years…and I must admit, it makes me a little sad to let them go. I love how they’re a great fusion of “ignorable old school styling” matched with a color you just can’t ignore.
And that fact that this guy wore them back in the day didn’t hurt either.
But lately…I’ve had to admit…they’re just not that comfortable.
So, off they go.
Tempting to make some reference to this, but leaving it alone.
So, goodbye Chuck Taylors. Please find another wearer who likes you as much as I do.
Oh....Woody.
A good Woody Allen movie always makes me laugh.
But looking at this DVD today, reminds me of an interesting part of the RID project.
Like Woody, I’ve got to let past mistakes be in the past. Move on, don’t hold on to old things, old emotions, old images of myself I might feel simply because I’ve made mistakes.
Woody’s obviously forgiven himself, so I guess I can too.
Here’s to living in today.
PERSONAL ANECDOTE: What do George Plimpton and Darwin have in common? They both inspired me during travel. I watched the movie “Creation” (highly recommend it) and heard the Jonathan Coulton song, “Talk With George.” More writing coming soon about how these two men are directly inspiring me.
What I got rid of today. 