Matchmaker, matchmaker …
Posted by Rick - 24/05/02 at 02:05:20 pmI have had a personal Web site since 1995, but it has only been since February 2000 that I have maintained a weblog. Prior to that my site was mostly a glorified “about” section sprinkled with bookmarks disguised as content. One of the features of my old site was a list of friends—many of whom I had met in online chat rooms—who traded live music and included links to their tape lists and a notation on where they lived.
However, as my web design skills increased, I eventually decided to clear up the clutter, find my voice, and join the Blogger Revolution.TM I wasn’t chatting any more, and with the exception of a few friends with whom I still maintained contact, I didn’t communicate with many of the people on my taper’s page.
So it took me by surprise when my friend John’s girlfriend, Erica, told me that they had met because of my taper’s list. Erica told me a beautiful story about how she had found my list of tape traders, and contacted John to ask if he would record a few shows for her. John, being the sweetheart of a person he is, complied with her request, but rather than simply popping the cassettes in the mail, they made arrangements to meet. John and Erica were married in December of 2000, and at their wedding they made a speech thanking me for my role in their love story. It touched me deeply.
John and Erica’s love story came to mind because lately I have had reason to wonder if I am somehow being rewarded for my role in their lives. Recently an online—and real life—friend introduced me to the woman with whom I want to spend the rest of my life. I can’t thank you enough, Skarlet. You may not have known what you were doing when you invited Sarah to Atomic that night, but I certainly appreciate that you did. Thank you.
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I only read it for the articles …
Posted by Rick - 15/05/02 at 02:05:01 pm
I think there is at least a hint of irony in the fact that so many people who read The New Yorker do so predominately, if not exclusively, for the cartoons. Afterall, The New Yorker’s readership is generally considered to be a well-educated liberal—albeit mostly white upper-class—bunch that is often described with words like “sophisticated” and “intellectual.”
However, it’s not like these cartoons are Broom Hilda or Snuffy Smith. They are certainly much more cerebral. But so many people I know open their monthly issue and proceed to flip through the pages hunting for ones with cartoons on them. To their credit, some are also perusing the magazine for articles they may be interested in reading later; but many are simply content to read a dozen or so cartoons each month.
So while I was flipping through a recent copy of the New Yorker—enjoying the cartoons and wishing I had more time to read all the articles—I found this little gem which I found apropriate for those of us who maintain weblogs or journals of some sort.
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Two weddings and a fun for all …
Posted by Rick - 06/05/02 at 05:05:51 pmUntil last week I hadn’t been to the theater to see a movie since Marc, Lori, Josh and I went to see Lord of the Rings. Not having read the book*, I didn’t find this movie all that interesting. Especially considering all the hype that surrounded it. But last week I saw two excellent—and very different—films that I enjoyed very much: Monsoon Wedding and Spider-man.
Monsoon Wedding is a film by Mira Nair, an Indian-born producer/director, who made her directorial debut in 1988 with the Academy Award-nominated Salaam Bombay! Monsoon Wedding tells the story of a modern Indian family coming together for the arranged marriage of Aditi and Hermant. But while the bride and groom are important characters in the film, Monsoon Wedding is not entirely their story. It is the story of family, and of the joy and pain that comes from being a part of one. It is about a father’s love for his children—as well as his departed brother’s—and the sacrifices he makes for their happiness. As cliche as it sounds, I laughed and I cried. I cheered and clenched my fists. This is a beautiful film on many levels, and I encourage folks to catch it. I know it will become a part of my DVD collection.
The other film I saw this weekend was Spider-Man. Now, I have never been a fan of the so-called summer blockbuster, and I was never a comic book reader, but Spider-man is not the traditional over-the-top action movie that seems to define previous films about comic book characters. For instance, for the first time in such a film, the superhero does not have his superpowers when he is introduced to the audience. This alone makes for a much more personal experience with the film and the characters. Another difference between this film and previous movies based on comic book characters is that the film doesn’t rely on special effects, outrageous plots, and sillier and sillier villains. Sure there are some really cool FX, but they aren’t ground-breaking, and they don’t overshadow the film’s story. At its core, this film is a love story, but it had a little something for everyone. For these reasons it is no surprise that it broke box office records this weekend.
* I have since read all three books, and then re-watched the first 2 movies. I liked them much better after reading the books.
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