Pushing Daisies

So the other day I was at the local Try-n-Save in order to replenish my dwindling supply of instant ramen (BTW there is such a thing as non-instant ramen and it's way awesomer), super-extreme size Doritos and criminally over priced razor blades when I just happened to find myself in the electronics section browsing the DVD aisles. Actually this has become a fairly standard routine on my visits there. I just like to browse and see what's new or maybe find an under-appreciated movie that didn't sell well and has been banished to the $5 bin now finding itself stuck between The Four Minute Ab Workout and The Land Before Time-Part 17.



Anyway, while looking through the New Releases (shouldn't that be "Newly Released") section I noticed Season One of "Pushing Daisies". I had never seen this show but remembered hearing good things about it and decided to buy it blind just on a hunch. I am so glad I did and I'll tell you why in a minute.

I've never been a huge fan of the "big three" types of TV shows. You know, the ones that revolve around cops, lawyers or hospitals.
There are so many already and they just seem to be pumping out more every day. Did you hear they are coming out with Law and Order SUX and CSI Boise. They have apparently run out of hospitals in the US to base Doctor shows on so the next one is going to be shot in Calgary and be called "Foothills Emergency - Take a Number and Shut Up".
I mean they're alright I suppose but there have got to be other areas of the human existence that could also be explored.

Recently my kind of TV shows have included:
Arrested Development
The Office (UK)
The Office (US)
Extras
Wonderfalls
and now Pushing Daisies

Pushing Daisies is unlike anything I've seen before. It's about a pie maker who can bring dead things back to life by touching them but if he touches them a second time they are dead again forever. It sounds kinda weird I know and it is. But it is much more also. It's original, witty, warm, funny, sweet, and leaves you feeling good at the end; rather than feeling like you've just had your "tolerance for evil and sleaze" envelope pushed ever further.
I ended up watching all nine episodes of the shortened first season in just three days and now I am totally hooked.

It's not a mainstream show for sure so you may not like it as I do but if you're looking for a new show to watch on Wednesday nights you might want to give it a chance. It actually airs on Tuesdays as well in Canada on the ACCESS channel.

The season two premiere is tonight in Canada on ACCESS and tomorrow (Wednesday Oct 1) on ABC.


P.S. If you are interested, I would highly recommend renting season one to get caught up as the storyline is continued and develops from episode to episode.

Things I’ve done

(borrowed from another blog)

The one's I've done are in bold type.

1. Touched an iceberg (at Berg Lake, beside Mt. Robson)

2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby’s diaper (9 younger siblings)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said “I love you” and meant it
11. Bungee jumped (twice)
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Russia
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke (I've lived in Japan, it's mandatory there)
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don’t
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie (if a Japanese TV drama counts)

Here are four of the actors who were in it

Check out the awesome 1990 ski wear

60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently (see #49)
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone (right leg jumping off furniture when I was 7)
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph (see# 78)
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi (that whole lived in Japan thing again)
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read the Iliad
93. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
94. Taught yourself an art from scratch
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours
106. Raked your carpet (we had green shag carpet complete with carpet rake when I was a kid)
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse (meh!)
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band (trumpet)
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum (Had to look up the word but, yes)
121. Tutored someone (taught English in Japan)
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in a historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class (business but not first)
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite (not on my dime but yes)
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo (although not where anyone could hear me)
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter (not telling)
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter (I don't know what that is)

Movie Theaters & Ghost Town

On friday I went to the movies for only the third time this year.
On my first two outings I saw Wall-E and The Dark Knight, both of which were pretty good but somewhat over-rated in my humble opinion.
I used to go out to the cinema much more often but lately I have found myself waiting for the DVD to come out and watching movies at home.
A few of the reasons for this change are:
- The ridiculous price of the snacks. I honestly don't mind paying $12 or $13 for admission because I realize that making films costs a lot of money. However, the price for a large popcorn and drink at my local googleplex is now (I checked) $12.50, for what is probably 17¢ worth of syrup and corn kernels. It's truly mind boggling to me how they can charge so much and baffling to me that there are still so many people who are willing to pay it. I figure, for the price of admission, popcorn and a drink I can own the movie on DVD later and still have a buck or two left over.
- The manners, or lack thereof, of my fellow movie goers. People talking, letting their phones ring, answering their phones, proceeding to have a conversation on their phones, texting, checking e-mail, talking, kicking the back of my seat, putting their feet up on the empty seat beside me. (Sometimes you can still smell the dog poo they stepped in, not that same day of course but about a week prior and it's still just barely lingering if you know what I mean.) Did I mention talking?
- Then there's the candy noise, or should I say wrapper noise. It always seems to happen just at that moment in the movie when the tension is highest, the major twist is about to be revealed, and you could have heard a pin drop, if it weren't for the guy who chooses that exact moment to rummage frantically for his last M&M while he simultaneously sucks in about three litres of air from between the remaining ice cubes at the bottom of his drink which hasn't actually contained any real liquid for the last half hour. It still amazes me to this day that such thin and seemingly delicate plastic can make such a noise as to fill the entire theater with ear piercing snaps, crackles and pops that would surely put those Rice Krispy elves to shame.
- I'm sure there are more reasons but that is what comes to mind at the moment. In the old days having people, who ranged from mildy inconsiderate to just plain rude, ruin the movie was a fairly rare experience but it seems nowadays it happens literally nearly every single time. So I tend to go less often.

Anyway, back to the real reason for and topic of this post. (And here I thought my last post got away from me.)

The movie I saw this time is called Ghost Town. You may wonder why I chose this one to see on only my third outing of the year. Basically I wanted to see it because I'm a Ricky Gervais fan. You may not have ever seen him or heard of him but if you have ever seen the show "The Office" he is the one who started it all. The American version with Steve Carell is of course a remake of Gervais' original British version. I'm a big fan of both and also liked Gervais' next project called "Extras".
I was hoping to see more of his particular brand of humor and wasn't disappointed. I will admit that some people don't care for him much but that is bound to happen when someone is doing something that noone else really does in the same way at all.

This is a romantic comedy but don't let that put you off. Also, I know movie trailers often contain the best bits of the whole movie but that is definitely not the case for Ghost Town. It is much better than the trailer lets on. I won't spoil anything for you but if you like comedy that's quick witted and razor sharp, thanks to Gervais' unmatched delivery and his impeccable timing along with some genuinely touching moments, you might want to give this a try. It's not the greatest movie of all time by any means but I quite enjoyed it and think you might want to consider it as well.
At the very least, see it once it comes out on DVD.

P.S. I'm not the only one who liked it either. As of now it's at 87% on Rottentomatoes.com which is significantly better than all seven of the movies that outsold it at the box office this weekend.

...you got that hair slicked back and those Wayfarers on Baby...

Sometimes, no, lots of times, I think it would be nice to live someplace where summer lasts for more than just two short months...

No, I haven't actually been anywhere lately.
These pictures are from four years ago when I was on a business trip and just happened to have a free weekend in Miami Beach.
I just figured that since I don't have much else to post about right now plus the fact that I don't really recall telling anyone much about this trip at the time, I might as well use these pictures for a sort of end-of-summer post now.

It was hot, humid (in the best kind of way) and just all around tropical there. Even the rain was warm...
(Yes I realize it's so not raining in this picture but I was just sayin' when it did, it was.)

I stayed at the Ramada..... and this ain't it!

I got to see a Champcar (Indycar) race there as well. Talk about good timing. Ultimate awesomeness!

I'm definitely looking forward to my next "blue sky holiday"... whenever that may be.

P.S. I began this entry with the simple intention of posting my own personal favorite end-of-summer song and leaving it at that. After doing that though, my previous (and month old) "Breaking Dawn" post was still right up there with it (seemingly refusing to give up the number one spot and begin its journey downward into blog oblivion) so I decided to look for a couple of photos to add just to push BD out of the picture a little farther. Then I realized I would have to add explanation for the pictures and then came the addition of the DJ Sammy version of Boys of Summer and it all just kind of got away from me. Oh well.

Also, I just realized that neither I nor anyone else I know is in any of the pictures so who's to say I didn't just pull them randomly off the internet and then made up the whole went-to-Miami story. The fact that both versions are plausible is proof, though unintentionally and accidentally provided, of a heretofore unmentioned yet ultimately inescapable lameness which, I admit, did indeed loom over the entire adventure. I'm not saying it wasn't awesome. I'm just saying that I am perfectly aware that it could have been SO much better.