Cheaper Than Therapy

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Three Thumbs Up!

Incredibles

I
t's not often that they line up for new movie releases at the little theater in town across from Main Beach. Last time I recall was for the first Harry Potter movie. But we were among those lining up for the 8:00 p.m. show this past Saturday night (which meant we waited in line about seven minutes before going in and easily getting three seats together) of The Incredibles.

We loved this movie. Loved it! My favorite character is the Edith Head-like superhero fashion designer Edna Mode, and the image that burns in my brain is the front view of the family's stunningly realistic, stylized post-modern suburban ranch home. But that's just me. Jackson was enthralled with Dash's high-octane mobility, and there was plenty of action to keep us all alert and amused.

Important: Don't let the PG rating or animation fool you. This is a smart, funny, amazing must-see movie (in a big theater with a advanced digital sound) whether you have kids or not! And I'm not just saying that because we bought Pixar stock, either.

November 08, 2004 in Great Expectations | Permalink | Comments (0)

A numb butt and nothing to show for it

I don’t know why I bother surfing the Internet, chasing down the blog muse. It just depresses me.

Because every time I do (which is not very often because I really don’t care much about anything that doesn’t directly involve or affect me, me, me) I come across website after website populated by writers who are observant, opinionated, concerned, witty, and amazingly prolific. Which in turn makes me feel out of touch, uninvolved, lazy as hell, and adrift without purpose or motivation.

I’m envious because writing seems so easy for everyone else. Posts seem to pour out of their fingertips like warm butter. For me, it takes forever to come up with anything I consider even remotely worthy of hitting that “publish now” button.

This morning for instance. (Uh, ok, so it’s afternoon already. Whoops.) Yes, I’m still in my pajamas, propped up in bed with my pillows and laptop, and my butt’s numb from sitting here for so long. Have I written anything? Noooo. Have I contributed to the wealth of informed commentary out there? Noooo. But I did come across a website that inadvertently set off today’s confidence crisis. And because I’m lazy, I’ll just use descriptions lifted from its “About” page:

Laobserved2

What is L.A. Observed? A website devoted to reporting, linkage and comment on aspects of Los Angeles that interest me. Media, culture, books and the politics of Los Angeles and its environs are my main focus, but as the editor my concentration sometimes drifts to the city's history, architecture, geography, sports and other topics.

Well who is this scatterbrain? (Reminder, his words, not mine.)
I'm an author, journalist and a native Angeleno. My background includes a long stint at the Los Angeles Times as a staff writer, an editor on the state desk and as a senior projects editor. I was hired away in 2000 to be the founding Los Angeles bureau chief of the Industry Standard magazine. I contribute regularly to Los Angeles magazine, have written two books about the history and culture of Los Angeles and am at work on another. A fuller bio and examples of stories may be found at my website, kevinroderick.com.

Besides thoughtful and informed posts on subjects that I should follow but rarely take the time to track, he has compiled an amazing set of links for anyone interested in West Coast media, journalism, the LA blog scene, authors, and more, and his posts swing off in other areas that I find interesting, like architecture.

So, thanks a lot Kevin. You helped numb my butt, and I'm no doubt a little inspired because of it.

October 02, 2004 in Great Expectations | Permalink | Comments (3)

InternetHomeof
I’m no graphic designer, but I know a good line when I see one. Visit W. Lynn Garrett’s charming and clever Internet Home of the Patron Saints of Graphic Design. The music alone is worth it. Kudos to AD for the link.


June 16, 2004 in Great Expectations | Permalink | Comments (0)

About Time

clock2.jpg

Yes. Someone does. Entirely too much it would seem. Click here.

(Sorry, I had to steal this from American Digest.)

February 22, 2004 in Great Expectations | Permalink | Comments (0)

Eye Candy

cjm

We were so happy to get to spend a few hours with our good friends from Marin County. That's Devan on the left, Jackson in the middle (duh) and Maddie on the right. Carolyn and I were nominated for Moms of the Year because we succumbed to their pathetic begging and forked over big huge steaming wads of cash to let them plunk cards into video game machines like the little gamblers in training that they are. (While we snuck out so I could smoke a cigarette. Bad, I know. Very bad.)

That's Carolyn with the poster children for video gaming below.

dbwcaro

February 20, 2004 in Great Expectations | Permalink | Comments (0)

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