Sunday, July 18, 2004

Napoleon Dynamite - A little closer to reality

The skies poured rain upon us this weekend. Considering I live in a desert city, this was somewhat surprising. Perhaps more surprising was the fact that I had stepped out of the movie theater 2:30 am early Saturday morning having watched Napoleon Dynamite for the 2nd time in three days. See, it is unusual for me to watch a movie more than once (at least until it hits television). Watching movies is such a time consumer that I try to at least watch different movies.

I was curious, so I went to see Napoleon Dynamite for the first time. I would hesitate to call the movie great. The protagonist is seriously flawed and not very likable. The characters seem a bit underdeveloped. The plot is flimsy at best. Although the movie is very funny at times, what would possess me to go back?

Upon further reflection I realize Napoleon Dynamite is actually a much closer representation of reality than most movies. So what if the movie has no point to it? Rarely does life have a point. As illustrated in the movie, life is more like a series of events that come after each other. There are highs and lows, but they tend to come unexpectedly and without rhyme or reason. I look at Napoleon Dynamite as the antithesis of the WB network and all the 'teen' movies that have come out over the years. I mean, how often in real life do you see people who are so good looking, articulate, and well adjusted. You may know a few of these people, but certainly not everone. Napoleon Dynamite looks at the other extreme. The main character is obnoxious and pathetic. Social interaction is awkward and stilted. Even the popular kids seem more or less ordinary. Granted, the film exaggerates a little, but that's what makes it funny.

Napoleon Dynamite is not for everybody. I liked it, perhaps because it is so opposite of all the typical teen movies, that I feel by seeing it, I'm helping to restore the cosmic balance of the universe. I know someone who saw it (twice) to see the 'stupodity' of it (and I'm quoting him verbatim). The real star of the movie is not Napoleon himself, but the world he lives in. It is both absurd, yet somehow familiar.

I HATE Windows!

As each day passes, I get closer and closer to buying a Mac.

Monday, July 12, 2004

So what if I like diet soda?

I come in to work today, and my co-workers express amazement that I'm drinking a diet mountain dew (yes this mythical soda does exist)! What's the big deal, there are many advantages to someone who drinks diet soda.

Advantages of drinking diet:
  • No aftertaste!

  • You don't waste calories on soda.
    I'll admit I'm a bit of a soda junkie.
    Approximate calorie allotment per day: around 2,000
    (more if I do some physical activity)
    Calories wasted on drinking diet soda: 0
    More food for me to eat!

  • If I do happen to eat something that's sugary, like cheesecake, it tastes much sweeter. After all, I'm not used to the sugar rush, so the effect is greater.

You don't like diet? I didn't either. When I had braces a long time ago, my orthodontist suggested I switch to diet. It took me several weeks to get acclimated to the taste (It tasted pretty nasty at first). But after that, it tasted just fine. In fact, I can't drink regular cola anymore because it tastes like pure syrup to me!

Look, I'm not trying to convert anybody. I just want people to stop hurling the stones of sarcasm at all the poor people who do drink diet. I'm not trying to lose weight, I just want to get more mileage out of my food!

Odds and Ends

I drink regular sprite because I needed something to drink that doesn't have caffeine. There's not much variety in diet sodas (only diet coke/pepsi) out there, outside of the supermarket. I also need my iced tea with sugar. Ironically, I can't stand diet sprite or diet iced tea (blech!)

Sunday, July 11, 2004

Career Inventory Test

Introverted (I) 90% Extroverted (E) 10%
Imaginative (N) 60.53% Realistic (S) 39.47%
Intellectual (T) 64.71% Emotional (F) 35.29%
Easygoing (P) 50% Organized (J) 50%
Your type is: INTP
You are an Architect, possible professions include - strategic planning, writer, staff development, lawyer, architect, software designer, financial analyst, college professor, photographer, logician, artist, systems analyst, neurologist, physicist, psychologist, research/development specialist, computer programmer, data base manager, chemist, biologist, investigator.
Take Free Career Inventory Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

Introverted (I) 90% Extroverted (E) 10%
Imaginative (N) 60.53% Realistic (S) 39.47%
Intellectual (T) 64.71% Emotional (F) 35.29%
Easygoing (P) 50% Organized (J) 50%
Your type is: INTJ
You are a Planner, possible professions include - management consultant, economist, scientist, computer programmer, environmental planner, new business developer, curriculum designer, administrator, mathematician, psychologist, neurologist, biomedical researcher, strategic planner, civil engineer, intellectual properties attorney, designer, editor/art director, inventor, informational-graphics designer, financial planner, judge.
Take Free Career Inventory Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

POST SCRIPT: Since my last catagory was so close, I decided to retake the test to see what would happen if I was a little more organized. How nice that I tied it; I can post both results.

Not so poetic

Okay, to be honest lately I've had the urge to write some poetry. Unfortunately I have lacked the ability to write anything worthwhile. What's weird, is that in the span of one year, six years ago, I wrote a half dozen or so poems. Nothing since then. So what's different? What was I feeling then which allowed me to use poetry as a receptacle. Was is wistfulness or anguish? Who knows? I'm surprised that I managed to write anything due to my perfectionism and my obsession with rhyming stuff.

In other news, I've filled out my profile. It's not necessarily complete, but you can take a look, if you dare...

CD burning?

I usually don't buy music CDs. They are, in my opinion, way overpriced. When I buy a CD, I usually can't help but feel disappointed with the overall product. Sure, some of the songs are good, but unless I like the whole CD, I feel I overpaid. I'll admit that CDs make good gifts, but buying them for yourself seems pretty inefficient.

A while back, going against my instincts, I decided to buy a Billy Joel Greatest Hits CD, figuring I would like most of the songs. Before I go on, I should let you know that I have this tendency to not want to change CDs in my CD player. Instead, I go ahead and play the same CD over and over again for hours. How unfortunate that I find that my Billy Joel CD really consists of 2 CDs! What's worse, half of my favorite songs are on one CD and half on the other. So, as I sit hear listening to the 2nd CD (over and over again, hours on end), I decide I should start investigating CD burning technology. That way, I can make ONE unified Billy Joel Greatest Hits CD, with the songs I want.

What!? Someone agrees with me? Visit here for someone who also thinks CDs are overpriced (among other things).