...to shitty in sixty seconds

Pretty much my world went from amazingly peaceful and content to chaos and doom in the matter of opening one envelope. I was denied unemployment benefits and within those few seconds of reading that denial my life crashed. The whole truth is that in those seconds I realized that its the end of the month and I now have much less than a stable amount of cash flow and ability to pay bills. It pretty much sucks major ass. I'm disgusted at the system. I'm disgusted with myself because I should have been temping instead of waiting out a decision from unemployment and now I can't get any temp work. It is one of the lowest points in my life and it pretty much sucks. Yes, i know people are dying in Iraq but come on now... this is about me.

Dog Lost, Dog Found!

For the last 2 days I have noticed signs around my neighborhood here in the South End for a missing dog. I happened to pay close attention because there was a $1000 reward attached. Also, as you know I have the biggest weakness for animals and it pains me to think that someone's pet is missing. I would not rest if it was my pet, I would kill anyone that got in my way of finding my pet, so I read that poor sign with light tears in my eyes. His name is Bucklie and he was last seen in Union Park a couple blocks away. He got away from the dog walker and has been missing for I think 2 days.

Well, I just saw a report on the news about the couple that is offering the $1000 reward. They contacted a pet detective to the stars in LA that helped them redesign their fliers and helped them with useful hints as well as used his network to contact all selters and vets in New England. It was incredible. Then the piece hits you with...

"But they won't be needing his services anylonger" and there on the couch next to the couple is damn Bucklie. Some woman found him in Roxbury. He had a broken leg or paw and had a bright green cast on his leg. Dangit! I was bawling. Damn Bucklie! I am so glad he is safe and sound.

Sleep Study - Post #1

Did I tell you that I’ve applied to be in a 7 day sleep study at Beth Israel? It pays between $800 and $1300 depending on which group you are put into. Regardless, I will be in the hospital for 6 nights/7 days. There is the possibility that I will have to stay awake for 88 hours straight (Group A). If I am chosen for Group B, then I will be sleeping a regular schedule of 11pm to 7am each day. Obviously, the less you sleep the more you get paid. As we all know, I am unemployed, so bring on the no sleep for 88 hours money!

So, as of now I am scheduled to hit the hospital on Dec. 7th. Today was my second meeting with them, today was blood work, a urinalysis, and a nutritionist meeting. It was fun, they seem really cool. The nurse i met was a riot. The doctor was cute (Dr. Daniel Cohen). T he nutritionist was a blast as well. She told me about how one of the Beth Israel Doctor's was killed while riding his bike to work one day. She said it in a "those crazy Boston drivers don't care who's on the road" kinda way which was funny but not. I think her quote was "You know it's rough biking in Boston if the Doctor's are the first one's killed." Huh.

So, as long as nothing in their "see ya later" criteria shows up in my blood work, then I move on to the stress test which is some treadmill work and then I am sleep or sleepless bound for a week. How fun!

I've been informed numerous times that there will be various and many things attached to my person during my stay. I will have 7 electrodes thoughout my body (chest, arms, legs, head), 2 catheters/IV's (for blood drawing and possible drug or placebo injections), an anal thermometer that will be in the whole time, and some finger cuff like things that take my blood pressure every hour. Did I mention the anal thermometer?

More updates as I find them.

Ashes, gone with the wind?

Remember the opening of the Ashes EP "Hiding Places"? No, probably not unless you are my friend Libby reading this. Well, it starts with an amazing sample from the Stephen King movie "IT". It's great and it reminded me of how there was a period around 92-94 where every hardcore band put movie samples in their albums. It was great fun.

What ever happened to Elena from Ashes? I just googled her and its not promising. I did find however a listing of an Elena Ritchie that is part of Enormous Productions here in Cambridge! Could it be the one time hardcore boy fantasy lives here in my city? I'll email the listing on their site and see if its her. How fun would that be?

Plenty of Reviews... (click here)

I've loaded up a bunch of film reviews from this past week (hey give me a break, I'm unemployed I can watch a movie or five)... Head on over to the Media section to catch my takes on:

- Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
- 24th Day
- The Incredibles
- I'm Not Scared
- Before Sunset

Finally!

It's SNOWING!!!!!!

Mark it: November 12 (11:45am)

Finding Neverland (Click Here for review)

Finding Neverland (Sneak Peek and review)
Originally uploaded by duckydale.

Please head on over to the "Media" page to read the review for "Finding Neverland", Johnny Depp's most recent masterpiece.

*Thanks again Donna for the free pass. Hope you won your hockey game.

Oi with the white socks and tennies...

One thing I can never forgive a woman for is wearing tights and/or any formal attire with white socks and tennis shoes. I don't care how far your walk is from the train or from the car. It is not acceptable and you should be shot for it. Where is that DC sniper when you need him here in Boston. Come on ladies... I've seen on craigslist that "What Not To Wear" is casting in Boston in the next couple weeks and all I have to say is watch out bitches!

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Make lemon water. I've taken to only drinking my filtered water with a squeeze of lemon. Yes, unemployment has made me quite dainty. It's just such a nice refreshing sensation that there lemon. I am thoroughly enjoying it! I suggest you try it if you've not already.

Shaw's Market has lemons quite cheap too. I appreciate that.

Burrrrrrrrrr

It was only 25 degrees this morning when I woke up. That my friends, is what I call cold. Winter is just around the corner and that means one thing!!!! CHRISTMAS! I can't wait. I was in Barnes & Noble yesterday and it's already full of bargain bin Christmas cd's and picture books. B&N is decked for the holidays and I can't get enough of it. I don't drink coffee, but they are serving their Christmas Blend, what screams Christmas more? How about a 40th anniversary collectors tin with 550 jigsaw pieces in it representing a classic scene from "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer"? Oh, yeah... I got it! I've never done a jigsaw puzzle in my life, but I've got all the time in the world and the classic "Rudolph" is my all time favorite. A match made in heaven.

Did I mention it's only 25 degrees out?

"Saw" Review

"Saw" Review
Originally uploaded by duckydale.

Way back in the middle of the summer I reported to you how fucked up this trailer was and how much I couldnt wait to see it. Well, that day has finally come and I will hold true in saying this thing is fucked up. Now, don't get me wrong, there are some major problems with this film (some acting and some plot lines and some cringe worthy dialogue) but in theory and execution, "Saw" is fucking maniacal.

Cary Elwes, you killed my father, prepare to die. Oh, wrong film. Cary Elwes can't act. Period. But, he works in this film as one of the tortured victims of "The Jigsaw Killer."

Danny Glover, without Mel Gibson you might as well be cardboard. The performance pulled through by this so called veteran of acting is pathetic and pointless. His whole storyline (and any story outside of what is happening in that room with two men chained to pipes with nothing but a hacksaw, a cigarette, a cellphone, a bullet and a dead body) - is pointless.

I know this is an indie film. I know it's an amazing film for a limited budget and that it was a festival darling. It deserves that praise. But, where "Saw" goes wrong is in forcing reasoning into a reasonless scenario. Without a backstory into Cary Elwes character and that horrible police investigation, "Saw" could have been one of the true original and maddening horror films of all time.

It could have pulled off terror and senseless violence in the tradition of the original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" but they were afraid to go there in my opinion. I think worrying about marketability corrupted the genius this film really is. Torture and terror for the purpose of hurting or killing. Plain and simple. Instead it tries to invoke some morality into the sitatuation, ruining the mind numbing and cring-worthiness of the film.

My favorite and most terrifying parts are as follows:

- Shawnee Smith's character recants her experience and eventual escape from the killer. It had me shaking in my seat. It is pure evil shown on film. Fucking genius sequence.

- Cary Elwes takes drastic measures to free himself from the chains. This is the point of the film. This is the redemption of torture and sadism. This is what I came to the film for and what I worried the film was never going to become. But it did!

- The ending two minutes. Pure and simply a masterpiece of horror cinema.

All in all, this is worth it's weight in Sundance gold. Menacing (in terror and Danny Glover's performance).

Rating: *** (out of 5)

"You Mean You Want Me To Blow Rock?"

That is a quote from "Airplane 2" by the way, I wasnt being gross. So, here is the scoop. The other day my computer died. It was not pretty. Maintenance men came to my door and I went downstairs, let them in, was away from my computer for no more than 15 minutes. I come back and iTunes is cutting in and out. So, I close iTunes but it takes forever. I close the other apps and that takes forever. I then notice that my harddrive sounds kinda sick, so I restart. It takes forever to restart and when it does, an evil black DOS window comes up asking for prompts. Hi, its not an Apple IIE from 1983. So I restart again, same issue.

Mind you this was Monday early evening. As of this morning I still have no computer, I have been flagged by AppleCare and can now only speak with a supervisor and had to spend half of my Apple Gift Card on a program to help salvage my harddrive. I am no well. If I was working, I would have had to call in sick because I dont know about you, but I cant go a day without my computer. Thank god Jon has another Mac. What did we do before computers?

Regardless, right now I am archving and reinstalling my operating system which should save all of my documents and preferences so I can at least back up and then probably do a full reinstall. UGH!

"Processing Base System"

Here is the main issue. I didnt want to just erase and reinstall OSX because I am a fucking moron and have only like a third of my files on disc. So, I need them (hence why I had to spend $99 on DiskWarrior to help me salvage my harddrive in hopes of doing what I am now doing so I can retreive them later). I mean, I have a bazillion songs I've downloaded (legally and otherwise - cough cough). I have numerous television shows and/or porn I have downloaded (...or otherwise) not to mention I would lose all of my pictures and job search stuff and all of my writing and documentary documents as well. I wouldnt have been pretty.

"Processing Additional Applications"

So that is why I am now flagged at Apple, because I have probably a couple thousand worth in programs (legally and otherwise) that I dont care to go through the process of getting (...and otherwise) again.

The moral of this sad story is this my friends. BACK UP YOUR FUCKING COMPUTERS AND IF SOMEONE RINGS THE BELL LET THEM ROT IN HELL!

2004 Election

Presidential Debate No. 3
Originally uploaded by duckydale.

So I passed out infront of the television at like midnight and woke at 1am to see no clear winner. I go to bed and wake up this morning and its still unclear who had won this election. It makes me sick to think that GWB has won this, but sadly I am sure he has. I understand that Kerry has yet to conceed and I hope this is not one of those sore-loser situations and that the battle over Ohio and the midwest is a valid one.

I've mentioned this before, but it makes me sick to think that the last year has been a waste of time. Yes, over 21 million young voters came out to the polls, the election was always in the foreground and I truly believe that people began to become aware of the true evils of GWB and the war in Iraq. But if GWB is the President again, there is so little hope for this country. I know it's a close call, but how are that many people still in accord with GWB and all he has done? His scare tactics have worked, if Kerry won last night, then I am sure we would have already been attacked by terrorists this morning. So good job President Bush you cunt.

Vote Kerry!

IMG_0026
Originally uploaded by duckydale.

This is a quick photo of my ballot after I voted KERRY/EDWARDS!

Find My Polling Place (click here)

Find My Polling Place (click here)
Originally uploaded by duckydale.

In case you were having trouble remembering where to vote tomorrow, please click on the bullseye (which is between Bush's eyes - er, I mean...) it will bring you to a site where you type in your address and it tells you your polling place.

Please remember to get out tomorrow and to rock that vote!