Slingshot Man

This is spectacular. Robin Hood eat your muttonheart out. Annie get your gun then put it down and watch Rufus. Dead Eye Dick, quit being such a jerk. Seriously, we get it, you're a good shot. But wouldn't it be nice if we could just call you Dead Eye Dale. Once you settle down get a load of ole Rufus. Doc Hollywood, Rufus is YOUR huckleberry. Ralphie, you'll shoot your eye out unless Rufus beats you to it. John Paxton, watch Rufus take the literal rock and get nothing but net every time. And by net I mean exploding rabbit. Watch and learn, markspeople.

Reflecting on 1,000 Beautiful Things

I've been trying to reflect on this past week's experiment in chronicling beautiful things. What started off as a spontaneous idea ended up being a deeply moving experience. I spend a significant time criticizing things. It's part of my job. It's part of my learned background from school. It's one of my key strengths but also a frustrating weakness. So to be glued to my computer reading your lists of beautiful things was simply amazing. It was uplifting, eye-opening, heart-warming, nostalgic, hopeful, sentimental and meaningful to be a part of something that took on a life that none of us could've anticipated. So many times while reading the list I made this strange "hmm" noise to myself or said out loud, "yeah." I'm sure you did the same. Here's a few of my favorites.

88. A lazy game of H-O-R-S-E
131. the sound of rain on a tin roof
168. an unexpected letter
303. walking around bare foot, especially in summer with the grass between your toes
331. Hearing stories about when your grandparents were young lovers.
402. the good kind of tired - after working hard & being satisfied by it.
442. Cutting the perfect turn on perfectly flat water.
550. realizing my first reaction after scoring was to look up at the sky, at Heaven
5501/2. Bradley telling me I changed him into a soccer fan, or at least a soccer acceptor
790. "Hey dad, you wanna play Candyland?

I've been trying to figure out how this whole thing happened. I honestly didn't think we'd get past a couple hundred. Was it the challenge? Do we like to be a part of ridiculous goals? Why was it contagious? Was it the topic of beauty? I don't think the same thing would happen if I asked you to list 1,000 salty things. Although, that would be fun too. (#1. Ohio streets in January.)

So let's say for sake of argument that it's the topic of beauty that was so contagious. Why? What about this experiment caused you to stay involved until we reached our goal? I would love to hear from you but perhaps even more meaningful would be for you to reflect on why you participated like you did. There was something magical to the whole thing. It's good to reflect on such things. So I know I've asked quite a bit of you as of late. But I would love to hear your reflections if you're willing to share.

Gillyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

MLK Jr.

1,000 Beautiful Things

Wanna help me list 1,000 beautiful things? This will require those of you who never comment to comment. You know who you are. You can do it anonymously. I would encourage that actually if you plan on listing something like: #457: handful of toenails. For you consistent commenters out there, I'm guessing you're gonna have to list like 200 things to hit this "goal." The only rule: use numbers in your list. I'll start. And I'll help you finish. Yes? Go....

1. Big, fat snowflakes that don't cause traffic jams.
2. Miss Jackson rolling around in the accumulation of said flakes.
3. Morning coffee.
4. Those guys and their insane faith in the book of Acts.
5. Nearly every frame in Slumdog Millionaire.
6. Free lunch today.
7. Dreams, hopes starting to materialize.

T.B. dropping knowledge

A friend gave me a book for Christmas. This morning I read an intriguing thought from Tim Burton. One that I plan on wrestling with today.

"...I tend to subscribe to the idea that, in a sense, you're always making the same film over and over again. You are who you are; your personality is usually the consequence of what you went through during your childhood, and you spend your life, consciously or not, rehashing the same ideas over and over again. It's true of all human beings, and it's even more true of artists. Whatever subject you tackle, you always end up taking a different approach with the same obsessions. In a way, it's annoying, because you'd like to think you're evolving. But at the same time, it's exciting, because it's like a never-ending challenge. It's like a curse you're desperately trying to break."

Agree? Disagree? Have a sudden craving to google Johnny Depp?

Slumdog

Slumdog Millionaire is an absolute must see. If I had a gun and it were legal, I would hold it in front of you and make you go see this film. It is perfect. Run, don't walk to a theater near you. If you have eyeballs they deserve to see this. Your ears deserve to take in this intense and clever story. It's bloody brilliant. Take a look...

Friendly Polka

Break thru that web of indifference

Dan C. sent me an email of old advertisements. I've seen a lot of them. This one stood out as simply unbelievable. Click the image to read the copy.

It's Tricky

This clip from Fail Blog is funny by itself.



But play it with this song and you double the funny.