Sunday, January 20, 2013

Some Movies...


Notes from the Attic / Friday January 18, 2013:

Been a couple of months since my last entry here in the attic, “Some Fridays…” and appropriately enough I’m writing again on another “some Friday” (and yes getting the family in clean duds as usual). It’s been a couple of long weeks back in Radioville after kind of taking some time off from work the week before. It was nice, I guess, to at least not have to go in for a day or two and instead stay home here at the FrankenGreco Ranch with my furries during the day. For little Bella and my Shoey it was heaven lap/sit time to watch bad TV with Stevie during the day and not have me instead do the usual which is frantically stepping around, via flashlight (I have a thing for flashlights), little under foot Bella pawsies and Shoes meows/speak at 5:40 in the morning after a more than unwelcome too damn early alarm call from my phone while making my way downstairs to a big dramatic Jackson yawn and an eager Brady butt shake waiting for breakfast and then a pee/poop all the while trying to convince the JG that there is a certain urgency to getting dressed and ready for school as the bus doesn’t run on Jagger  time. There are the often JG check-ins, met with morning not awake growls, to remind him that just standing and staring dazedly at his dresser in the dark will not magically have clothes land on his back and ass.  This is then followed by the bus, a nap and another unwelcome too damn early alarm call from my phone for more of the frantic, then to the shower for a brushed tooth or three, a hair washed or five and an attempt in the half dark (hate bathroom lights) to make myself presentable enough to not frighten small children while villagers attempt  to drive me out of town with torches and pitchforks.  It’s even worse for the peoples of the village on the days when I shave in that half dark. I scare myself.

So I spent a few days at the end of that week with cat lap warmers and joyously not getting up for that second call of the phone alarm and found myself falling into the weekend where there was playoff football. Now this, as a guy, is usually as far as I go with the TV during the season on the weekend, especially at playoff time (Steelers or not). But it was just that, “Steelers or not”, that had me instead move away from the tried and true of hours upon hours of pre-game commentary and prognostication channel flipping (or just ESPN as default) followed by the games themselves  to,  instead, maverick that I am, try other channels!

I discovered movies! I knew they were there but I also knew they were always there with a boatload of commercials. So why waste my time? Plus weren’t they always  that  crappy flic that no one wanted to see in the first place (anything Adam Sandler comes to mind) or movies that bombed or just flared out? (anything Adam Sandler comes to mind again). Yes they were! And they ran more than once! I’m a fan of the Rock…my fault…Dwayne Johnson more than I ever thought.  “Gridiron Gang”? Watched it twice… ate lunch and dinner around it as a matter of fact. Jackie Chan? I’ve always loved him but after watching his “Karate Kid” re-do three times I had to actually shush the JG in the midst of view three when he came upstairs to show me his latest iPad app that blows shit up for the scene where Jackie breaks down explaining the car in his house.

Hell, I even watched “Beverly Hills Chihuahua”. I know I would probably be best off not even admitting that here but you know what?  If you can turn away from a talking animal flic especially when you’re just vegging all comfy with your own animals then you’re just not human and I don’t like you. Also throughout the weekend there were the requisite runnings, it seems, of “Shawshank Redemption” and “The Green Mile” which always catch my eye with the bits that then lead to the pieces and before I know it I’ve watched them both again smiling or crying pavlovian-like on cue.  Something Ron Howard? I found it. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck? Your choice on one or both like or not. Any number “Van Wilder?”  Comedy Central had the goods. Jason Stathem? Flip to Spike TV and let your brain stop.

All in all it was a damn fine weekend, well other than upsetting my Maria by falling asleep on the Saturday just as she was coming home from another day of annoyance at work when I had promised a Steve cooked meal (usually Spartan-like but always hardy with whatever boxed noodles are available plus shooked and then baked chicken and a can of corn) and a pay per view. I asked for a mulligan.

But in the end nobody was stinky on Monday morning, I had spent quality time with the furries, including Jackson and Brady who think the snow blanketed back yard is the greatest thing since pizza crust and I was more movie savvy , good flics or not. Opinion all. In my mind after such a weekend? They were the greatest films since “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn”, “Rosebud” and “Here's looking at you, kid.”

Then Monday came…sigh. There’s always then Monday.
 -fb