PAIN IN THE ASS
There I was, minding my own business, waiting for the light to change, listening to Nine Inch Nail's The Fragile when suddenly I and my car are moving forward even though my foot was on the brake. An obvious phrase left my mouth and before I could continue to cuss, I get tapped again. The light changes and I pull into the first parking lot I get to, as does the car behind me.
My mind is racing and I'm sure I had a lovely look on my face. I get out of my car feeling twitchy all over from the adrenaline rush. I haven't been in an accident since I was about 17. The young woman who was driving the other car gets out and we do the usual "are you okay" conversation. Once we determine no one is hurt, we check our respective cars. Her front bumper is fine, but her license plate is a bit mangled. I fully expected to have a dent in my rear bumper. I go to check it out and was surprised to see nothing more than a crack about the length of my pinkie finger and a random screw sticking out of my bumper (see above).
After a bit of discussion, we exchange our info and head out. I debated on calling my insurance agent since there wasn't much visible damage. After talking to one of the guys at work who does his own car stuff, I decided to start the claim process. Of course, this means getting a hold of someone to check out the bumper to see if anything that isn't visible needs to be replaced. I'm dying to know where the screw came from. I call down to my dealer because they are a "select" service group with my insurance company which will make the paperwork tons easier. Of course, the body guy isn't there on Saturdays and apparently they don't have any pens or pieces of paper around because I couldn't leave a message. Now, these are the same people who drove me nuts last year when I had to get work done so I'm not particularly optimistic. I just am trying to make this process as painless as possible. Now I get to start the pain in the butt planning so I can get an appointment, get someone to follow me to drop off the car and get a vehicle to drive to work (all before 8 am including a 30 min. drive to work), get the claim number from the insurance agent, have a car for work, get my car back....arrrghhhh. If only I'd turned left instead of right.
There I was, minding my own business, waiting for the light to change, listening to Nine Inch Nail's The Fragile when suddenly I and my car are moving forward even though my foot was on the brake. An obvious phrase left my mouth and before I could continue to cuss, I get tapped again. The light changes and I pull into the first parking lot I get to, as does the car behind me.
My mind is racing and I'm sure I had a lovely look on my face. I get out of my car feeling twitchy all over from the adrenaline rush. I haven't been in an accident since I was about 17. The young woman who was driving the other car gets out and we do the usual "are you okay" conversation. Once we determine no one is hurt, we check our respective cars. Her front bumper is fine, but her license plate is a bit mangled. I fully expected to have a dent in my rear bumper. I go to check it out and was surprised to see nothing more than a crack about the length of my pinkie finger and a random screw sticking out of my bumper (see above).
After a bit of discussion, we exchange our info and head out. I debated on calling my insurance agent since there wasn't much visible damage. After talking to one of the guys at work who does his own car stuff, I decided to start the claim process. Of course, this means getting a hold of someone to check out the bumper to see if anything that isn't visible needs to be replaced. I'm dying to know where the screw came from. I call down to my dealer because they are a "select" service group with my insurance company which will make the paperwork tons easier. Of course, the body guy isn't there on Saturdays and apparently they don't have any pens or pieces of paper around because I couldn't leave a message. Now, these are the same people who drove me nuts last year when I had to get work done so I'm not particularly optimistic. I just am trying to make this process as painless as possible. Now I get to start the pain in the butt planning so I can get an appointment, get someone to follow me to drop off the car and get a vehicle to drive to work (all before 8 am including a 30 min. drive to work), get the claim number from the insurance agent, have a car for work, get my car back....arrrghhhh. If only I'd turned left instead of right.
KICK ASS
I have been looking forward to this movie for several weeks now. I haven't read the comic that the flick is based on, but I am a fan of the director, Matthew Vaughn. Without Layer Cake, I'm not sure Daniel Craig would have been considered for Bond and Stardust was one of the best book adaptations I've seen in awhile.
Don't have any delusions about Kick Ass; it is an R rated movie in every sense. It is violent, there is tons of cussing (a decent amount coming from a character who is about 11 years old), adult humor...have I mentioned the violence. This not Spiderman or Superman. In tone, it comes closer to The Dark Knight.
I really enjoyed it. Aaron Johnson as Kick Ass was solid. His expressions gave off just the right amount of optimism and naivete needed for his character to even consider trying to become a super hero without super powers. Nick Cage used his nuttiness for good instead of evil and chewed the scenery as Big Daddy. Wearing a costume just a couple of utility belt accessories short of being Batman, and channeling both Adam West and William Shatner, he practically takes over most of the scenes he is in. That is, until his daughter comes into the picture.
Ah, Hit Girl. Instantly iconic and the best part of this movie. Chloe Moretz seems to dominate without even trying. She is perfect in the role and even though she and her father are essentially psychopaths, you root for her. You want her to get the revenge she needs and has trained for. Extra kudos to the movie's costume designer. Hit Girl's crime fighting costume is spot on. And major kudos to Chloe, her stunt double and the stunt coordinator. Chloe is the main focus of not one, not two, but THREE major fight sequences (one of them fabulously carried out to Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation"). For me, it was exciting to see a girl as the focus of a fight sequence without having her character in some skimpy outfit, there by making the fight more about the violence and anger than making it about sex.
I was checking Chloe's resume and she is going to be in the American remake of Let Me In. She will be playing a child vampire who befriends the boy next door who is being taunted by bullies. I wasn't sure how I felt about this remake, but now that I know she is in it, I am excited.
Kick Ass is one of those movies that you will either love for what it is or you will absolutely hate it...like Roger Ebert, who I don't think got it. Just don't take the kids.
Don't have any delusions about Kick Ass; it is an R rated movie in every sense. It is violent, there is tons of cussing (a decent amount coming from a character who is about 11 years old), adult humor...have I mentioned the violence. This not Spiderman or Superman. In tone, it comes closer to The Dark Knight.
I really enjoyed it. Aaron Johnson as Kick Ass was solid. His expressions gave off just the right amount of optimism and naivete needed for his character to even consider trying to become a super hero without super powers. Nick Cage used his nuttiness for good instead of evil and chewed the scenery as Big Daddy. Wearing a costume just a couple of utility belt accessories short of being Batman, and channeling both Adam West and William Shatner, he practically takes over most of the scenes he is in. That is, until his daughter comes into the picture.
Ah, Hit Girl. Instantly iconic and the best part of this movie. Chloe Moretz seems to dominate without even trying. She is perfect in the role and even though she and her father are essentially psychopaths, you root for her. You want her to get the revenge she needs and has trained for. Extra kudos to the movie's costume designer. Hit Girl's crime fighting costume is spot on. And major kudos to Chloe, her stunt double and the stunt coordinator. Chloe is the main focus of not one, not two, but THREE major fight sequences (one of them fabulously carried out to Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation"). For me, it was exciting to see a girl as the focus of a fight sequence without having her character in some skimpy outfit, there by making the fight more about the violence and anger than making it about sex.
I was checking Chloe's resume and she is going to be in the American remake of Let Me In. She will be playing a child vampire who befriends the boy next door who is being taunted by bullies. I wasn't sure how I felt about this remake, but now that I know she is in it, I am excited.
Kick Ass is one of those movies that you will either love for what it is or you will absolutely hate it...like Roger Ebert, who I don't think got it. Just don't take the kids.
DUMB ASS
On tax day, there was a tea party downtown in the town where I work. I know at least one co-worker took the day off to go (really? seriously?). I think one of my sales reps took an extended lunch to be there. I'm surprised our office didn't close. Sarah Palin came to a near by town and charged people to see her. I haven't read the coverage just because I get angry every time I think about her. I keep hoping she will disappear from the public scene, but no luck so far.
Well, I think I've caught up now. OH, almost forgot. Duke won the NCAA men's tourney. It was a very exciting and well played game. I read yesterday that one of Butler's best players, Gordon Heyward put his name in the NBA draft, but hasn't hired an agent yet. That just means if he changes his mind, he can go back to school with no problem. I was disappointed when I read that. He's only a sophomore (if I remember correctly) and knowing that all but one of the starting 5 could be back next year had me really excited to watch Butler play. I know that money is a powerful lure, but I prefer it when the guys stay in school and get the most out of the college experience. That's just me.
Well, I think I've caught up now. OH, almost forgot. Duke won the NCAA men's tourney. It was a very exciting and well played game. I read yesterday that one of Butler's best players, Gordon Heyward put his name in the NBA draft, but hasn't hired an agent yet. That just means if he changes his mind, he can go back to school with no problem. I was disappointed when I read that. He's only a sophomore (if I remember correctly) and knowing that all but one of the starting 5 could be back next year had me really excited to watch Butler play. I know that money is a powerful lure, but I prefer it when the guys stay in school and get the most out of the college experience. That's just me.
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