The Constant Gardener

Go see this movie. So powerful. After it was over, I just sat in my seat and watched the credits roll, a million thoughts running through my mind. Don't do too much research into it; just go see it. There will be plenty of time for research afterwards.

Happy 32nd anniversary to my parents!

I wanna be like Bill & Chuck

Even if you're not a sports fan, go check out this conversation at ESPN.com's Page 2. Bill Simmons (aka The Sports Guy) and Chuck Klosterman (Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs) exchanged e-mails for several days, and they cover a huge range of topics. The one to watch for in this segment covers the first third of the article, involving New Media, the value of pop culture, and the blog revolution. But the whole series is worth checking out.

I kind of aspire to be a hybrid of both of those guys. They manage to write like regular people, but they always have hysterical and/or intelligent insights into the little things of life that we all enjoy. Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs is one of the coolest books I've ever read...Klosterman is able to find meaning in The Real World, for Pete's sake. And it actually makes sense. And Bill Simmons makes me feel normal for being obsessed with sports, in part because there's about a million people out there who read him and feel the same way.

I suppose it's all about finding your voice. I'm able to express myself through my job (I'm an actor, so I tell stories for a living), but I've always been fascinated with the written word. So that's why I blog, I guess.

Thoughts? Tell me what you think of the Simmons/Klosterman conversation...

cranky connection

An on-location blog from my sleepy hamlet's library...free wireless internet! I wish I lived next door - then I wouldn't have to pay for access at all. My internet connection is on the fritz again...I've had so many computer difficulties living in that apartment. Another reason that I'm glad to move.

My beloved Steelers lost yesterday. I'll spare you all of my analysis of the game; I will say, however, that I wasn't as torn up as I normally am after a loss. That was probably because (a) they lost to the world champs, or (b) I got a free drink from the pretty bartender, or (c) I watched the game with a pretty girl. I actually can't decide.

happy birthday to me

It's my birthday. It's the first birthday in a while where I've been by myself (translation: without a girlfriend) and it's a bit strange, I must admit. Still, I've got a fun series of events lined up - BBQ for lunch, dinner with friends, drinks with the entire world at night. I had a party a couple of weeks ago, so technically I'm double dipping, but it's all good.

comings & goings

Going through a reshuffling period. Old relationships are exploding and/or disintegrating, and instead I seem to be meeting extremely wonderful people who I only get to spend a few days with.

I worry more about the old relationships. I readily admit that I like to be liked, and as a result of that it's always really difficult for me to completely sever ties with a person. It's hard even when I want to get rid of somebody. But I totally understand that you gotta do it sometimes, especially when you've been romantic with a person.

Meeting new people is really exciting, but I always kind of hate it when you have great conversation for four hours and then you leave, not knowing if you'll ever see that person again. One of my best friends told me that you should just be grateful for the experience, and be excited that you may randomly bump into one of these people again. I guess I'm a pack rat: if I like you, I want to keep you around forever. Is that weird? I don't think it is...

No Time

A couple of days ago, I came to the realization that I needed to schedule trips to the gym, because otherwise I was never going to get there, and I would lose all of the buffness that I worked so hard during the first part of the year to acquire. Sounds like a good plan, right?

But now I'm looking at my schedule, and I realize what the real reason is - I have no free time. With work and outside projects and saying good-bye to people and more work and birthday parties and football...it's crazy. And when I am free - usually weekend nights - the gym is closed. Go figure. I can't wait until I return to New York City, where half of the gyms are open 24 hours.

I just want three 2-hour blocks a week. That's all I'm asking for. And some apple pie. And a pony.

Leavin' on a midnight train

Let me clarify the reason why I referred y'all to this article in my last post. As a black man, I'm excited to see black celebrities come together and do something positive. Too many times rappers and actors and athletes stay on the sidelines...they've kind of taken Michael Jordan's famous statement - "Republicans buy sneakers, too" - to another level. So read the article, if you haven't already.

It's starting to hit me that I'm moving in eight weeks. It's the beginning of the end...some of my friends are leaving on Tuesday. I don't get down very often, but I'm going to be kind of sad when they take off. Not as sad as some significant others will be (because their ladies are leaving them behind), but sad enough.

The business I'm in involves lots of travel - I essentially lead a nomadic lifestyle. And while I love some aspects of it, I hate having to say good-bye to people every few months. That's probably the major thing I would change.

Oh yeah...I'd also up my salary by a couple hundred thousand dollars.

Overcoming together...

This encourages me. Glad to see my people coming together.

Party/Football

Birthday party on Sunday...you should come. It'll be fun, honest. I think the hot tub may be going, too. If you guys are good, maybe I'll post the exciting goings-on - who made out with whom, who wore underwear on their head, who got completely sloshed... Oh, the good times we will have.

The NFL season officially gets underway tonight. I've been a huge football fan since I was a wee lad, so I'm pretty fired up. When I was a kid, I used to refuse to answer phone calls when the Steelers were playing. I've gotten a bit more mature in my old age...now I just limit the phone calls to five minutes. (Of course, now that I've got DVR, I don't have to worry about that anymore...hmmmm...)

Kanye

We're past Labor Day, kids, so you know what that means...school's back in session. New hip-hop class posted later today or t'm'row, depending on how busy my evening becomes.

While I'm on the subject of hip-hop, there was a big article about Kanye West in last week's TIME (who has been in the news recently, in case you haven't noticed) that was essentially trumpeting him as a hip-hop revolutionary. As much as I like Kanye, he's basically just done two things:

(1) Gone back to the formula used by early '90s groups like Tribe; and

(2) Sprinkled in a healthy sense of humor, much like Eminem.

There's the secret, folks.

And, by the by, without commenting on what he actually said, don't you think it looked like he was completely freaked out on that telethon? Ultra nervous, stammering... It was almost like a comedy routine. And the look on Mike Myers's face...priceless.

Labor Day

Personally, I think it's nice that we celebrate the hard work we do all year long by not working.

Please help.

Donate to the Red Cross. Since our government appears to be completely and hopelessly inept, it's even more important that every individual helps. Give up drinking beer for a couple of nights, or eating out this week. Every bit helps - even $5.

And if, after reading this, you're not convinced, turn on your TV and just watch some of the coverage on CNN, or ABC. Read the coverage in the New York Times, or from the AP. Then re-read the first paragraph.

One more thing...read this editorial from yesterday's Times (free registration required). The press is coming out swinging.

More Ramblings!

So I'm a contributor to a cool new blog called Infinite Monkeys. We're calling it a "multiplayer notepad". There are several other bloggers, and I'll link them eventually, but you should definitely check out the site here. I'll try to post something there a couple of times a week, but my trials and tribulations will still be posted here on a semi-regular basis. Look for an extremely corny joke I contributed.

I've added a few new links in my "blog" section - if you've got some time to burn, you might consider checking them out. Good people, and all very entertaining...

Got a job for November/December. I was expecting to get it, but it's always nice to get the official word. More details on that in the next few days.

Listening to the new Kanye West CD...so far, so good. It's very different than the first one, but I think that's a good thing. There's a huge article on him in last week's TIME, as well as a huge flow chart on hip-hop. I'm making my students read it.

And speaking of hip-hop, my hip-hop school will resume next week. The guys are excited. I think we're up to part II of the late '90s. I'll post it soon...

the verdict is in...

The 40 Year Old Virgin is fan-frickin'-tastic. I laughed, I cried, I ate copious amounts of popcorn. It's really funny. One of my friends said it's a "sophisticated stupid movie", and I might agree with that statement. Anyway, go see it and let me know what you think.

I have now gotten drunk four nights in a row. It always starts innocently enough: "Let's just get a quick drink." "Wow, that was a tough rehearsal - I need to have a beer and unwind before going to bed." "Left my card at the bar last night - I should really go get it." "Hey, it's Sunday night. We always go out on Sunday night."

Did meet a dance troupe last night from upstate New York - I believe they do Afro-Carribean dance. It's so nice to see people of color out here. We partied until the wee hours of the morning, and I tried to convince them that they should stay here with me instead of flying back east, but apparently I wasn't persuasive enough.

It's time to make my triumphant return to the gym...

i love that new car smell

Went car shopping with my friend Sarah today - we posed as boyfriend and girlfriend so that the pushy used car salesmen wouldn't push her around. And it was pretty successful - only one really tried to put on the full court press. We're gonna whup his ass on Saturday when we go get that car.

Off to see The 40 Year Old Virgin. I'll let you know what I think.

traveling & posing

I got a job. Exciting, no? One of my friends is doing the coolest thing. She got a job for six or eight months, and she's posting her experience here. Maybe I'll do that.

So anyway, now I go from Sleepy Hamlet to New York City in December to Cowtown in March. (I don't like posting where I actually am because the hamlet is WAY too small...that's also, by the way, why you're not getting any salacious details about my dating life, either.)

I'm exhausted - I spent my weekend doing a big AIDS benefit. One of the things I did to raise money was...and, even as I type this, I still can't believe I did this...pose for a calendar. Except that the calendar never got off the ground, so we ended up just selling the pictures. The group shots are pretty cool, and I actually kind of like the way I look in my individual one. I'm not naked or anything, but I'm not sure if I want to show the pictures to my mother. So I was kind of embarassed showing off that much flesh, but I believe that I need to do whatever I can to stop the spread of this disease. It's killed too many people and ruined too many lives for me to be worried about modesty.

Off to forage for food in the wilds of my refridgerator...

Empty nest syndrome

My houseguests left today. I had a dear dear friend visiting me for 2 1/2 weeks (hence why I haven't been posting all that much), and it was great. Usually I'm ready for people to leave, but part of me wishes she had stayed longer. Maybe I'm mellowing in my old age.

Anyway, it's simultaneously lonely and nice to have the apartment to myself. I can watch football or eat anything I want and I don't have to worry about what anyone else thinks. But it was nice having someone to talk to, and it was really nice having someone to come home to.

Have I mentioned how much I love my iPod? Added a bunch of new songs yesterday. It makes the walk to work like Christmas.

random post

Kind of watching "The Life Aquatic..." right now...it seems like a weird movie. Think I'm going to need a really good reason to watch it all the way through from the beginning. And I normally like Wes Anderson's stuff.

It's starting to feel like late summer out here...remember those last days of vacation, trying to squeeze in as much playtime as you could before you had to go back to school? I'm actually working on a play right now that takes place on the last day of summer vacation. Maybe that's why I'm super sensitive to the time of year.

Not much else to report. More on Monday...

Hustle & Flow

See this now. Saw this movie on Monday while I was in The Big City - excellent. My friend and I ran out and bought the soundtrack immediately. Terrance Howard has been around for a long time, and it's nice to see him get a role that he can knock out of the park.

I must admit, however, that it may not be a movie for everyone. It's really hard to explain this movie if you haven't seen it, but you are basically watching a pimp at work. And when he raps, he raps about his life - two of his songs are called "Whoop That Trick" and "It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp". Yes, they are a bit degrading, but, if you see the movie, you'll understand why they're the new hotness.

you are looking LIVE...

This is a blog on location today, comin' atcha live from my friend's house. Aren't you excited?

I'm at my friend's house because I'm doing laundry for free. I hate doing laundry. The only perk to doing it is that my friend has a powerful air conditioning unit (which my slovenly hovel lacks). So I can beat the ridiculously hot temperatures AND be productive at the same time. It's official: I am the smartest man alive.

Driving several hours to the The Big City on Monday to pick up a different friend at the airport. I think the first thing I'm going to do is get some Krispy Kreme donuts. I miss those a lot. I also miss nightlife and culture and pro sports teams, but that's a different list for a different day.

Have a good weekend...happy August...