Updated Review

Well, I got to see 300 again with Justin recently. I am finalizing my score at 8. Upon second viewing (and discussion with Justin), I realized that there isn't anything really new and exciting about this movie other than the visual style. The story has a lot of expected outcomes to it. This doesn't bother me too much because it is based on history, and the truth is, this is the kind of movie that I really enjoy -- big action, decent fight scenes, interspersed with just a touch of drama and maybe romance. There were the obligatory sex and Hollywood scenes, but I don't they detract from the better half of the movie. Although I realize this will probably not get into my top 10 favorite movies of all time, it is still one that I will buy to own and watch several times.

Short and Sweet

This week's poem comes from Marianne Moore (1887-1972), entitled "I may, I might, I must". I could not an official link to it anywhere, so here are the 4 powerful lines in their entirety:

If you will tell me why the fen
appears impassable, I then
will tell you why I think that I
can get across it if I try.

It may not seem like much, but for me this week, it will do nicely.

Not too late to be a hero

Those of you paying attention might notice I'm running out of time this week to post a poem. The really sad thing is that I had picked out a poem to write about on Monday night, but since then I kept forgetting to actually *write* the post. Ah, the follies of a busy, stressful, life.

Anyway, this week we have some uplifting verses from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, A Psalm of Life. My first reading was a quick skim and I thought, "Oh, old and boooorrrring". Luckily, the book I've been reading includes comments from fans and what one person said made me go back and view this one more seriously. So if you're thought the same thing when you linked over to look at it, then take a deep breath ...pause..., and read this one ALOUD. The words carry more impact when carried by the voice.

So I'm going to be up and doing.... ciao!

Whee!

I got a chance to play on a Nitendo Wii this weekend, since my brother brought his up with him while visiting this weekend. I have to admit, despite the poor graphics quality, the revolutionary remote does make games a lot more interactive and fun to play. Also, it was enjoyable to try and create our own little avatars, called Mii. It's exciting to think about the future of console games that combine this interactivity and advanced graphics. Despite all the laughing, I don't really want to get own of my own because I have enough games and other things that take up more time than I have.

Worth watching

Finally, something worth going to the theatre for -- 300. Yes, I was pretty excited when I first saw the previews, but tried not to get my hopes too high. This time I was not disappointed. I'm going to rate it an 8 or a 9 -- luckily for me I'll get to see it a second time with Justin so I can finalize my score. I don't want to give too much away, but if you liked Sin City, or Gladiator, you will probably like this one too.

Back to School

This week's poem is more famous, yet for some reason I never knew there was more to it than the two lines about the tired and poor. It's The New Colossus, written by Emma Lazarus and emblazoned on the plaque of the Statue of Liberty. I mean, how could I have missed, "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" That is such an American thing to say... even if we do seem to not want the tired and poor anymore. And with Google, I got to learn even more about this sonnet that I must have skipped in school.

It's a four-letter word

I've decided it's time to get serious about one of my New Year's Resolutions. I mentioned earlier that I was making acceptable progress, but since then I have been stuck. The up-side is that I'm not gaining. However, I'm not losing like I want to either.

That means it's time to make some *real* sacrifices. For the month of March, I am going to cut way back on going out for lunch and eat homemade meals. This will be difficult because a big part of my personal stress-management is being able to laugh and talk with coworkers at lunch while away from the office. So I'm going to try and just go home so that I will still be away from the office, but I won't have as much social interaction. Of course, I won't have the temptation to eat lots of bad food either.

So three and a half more weeks to go. We'll see how far that gets me before I decide if I can give up the sacrifice, or get even more brutal with myself.

I need a vacation

And to second that thought, this week's poem is John Keats : Sonnet VII, where we are taken away from the hustle and bustle of city life to the great outdoors and are reminded that the human spirit is renewed and reconnected best when out in nature.

Update: Lern 2 spellll... doh