Archive for the ‘Fun Stuff’ Category

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Missing In Action

Sunday, January 24th, 2010

Yes, I have been missing in action. If you are one of my few loyal readers I apologize for this. Life happens. Been busy. Haven’t found much to comment on that is worth your time and I do try to find things to say that is worth your time. So, just wanted to let you guys know I’m still out there. Just trying to balance the different demands we all have on us. Things will even out soon enough.

So, just to be sure that I give you somethhing worthwhile, here’s a link to a You Tube video that I think is worth seeing. I’d seen it before and like all things on the internet it came back around. Supposedly, this video was submitted to a contest by a 20-year old. The contest was titled “u @ 50″ by AARP”. This video won second place. When they showed it, everyone in the room was awe-struck and broke into spontaneous applause.

It is worth watching so enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA

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Friends, Countrymen, Writers, Lend Me Your Votes

Monday, January 4th, 2010

As many of you probably know, i write a little. And as so often happens with bad habits, I try to share it with as many people as I can. In other words I seek publication. Well, I got a story into Whortleberry Press’ 2009 anthology: “Strange Mysteries.” My contribution was titled: “The Two Mrs. Lees.” It’s the story of a 19th century Chinese wizard and his faithful cat and their adventure in trying to discover why a particular businessman is being haunted. It was fun and I enjoyed writing it.

Well, Whortleberry Press has just announced that they are going to give out a fan favorite award for the stories in the anthology. It’s just bragging rights but since I’ve been known to brag a little, I’ll run for it. That’s where I’m asking for your votes. It’s one vote per computer so I need to reach as many people as I can if I’m to get the votes necessary to pull off first place. So, if you like the story, like me, or just want me to go away, here’s your chance to vote. The link is below and remember, that’s Arthur Sanchez and “The Two Mrs. Lees.”

http://whortleberrypress.com/whortleaves.html

I thank you for your support.

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There’s Your Sign

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

The comedian Jeff Foxworthy and his buddies have this routine where they talk about something stupid they’d seen or done and how somebody will have a snappy comeback to point out that stupidity. The story is always finished by the admonishment: “There’s your sign.”

Well, this isn’t actually about stupidity but there is without a question a: “There’s your sign.”

A friend of mine sent me a link to this video of a guy in England who’s a pretty fantastic cyclist. He does stuff on his bike that no sane person should. And when I was sixteen I would have thought this to have been the ultimate in coolness and run out to try to accomplish some of the stuff he does in his video. Well, at the age I’m at now (I’m way past 16), I just keep thinking he’s going to kill himself. No, no, while watching this video I was thinking: “The cops are soooo going to bust you for this.” No, it gets worse than that, I thought: “Does this boy have any health insurance?” Then I remembered that it’s England and they have socialized medicine. “Well, then, the cops are definitely going to bust his . . . ”

There’s my sign. And it’s about growing up, growing old, or having taken one too many trips to the ER. In any case, it’s a fun video. Watch and see all the things he does that seem to defy the laws of physics. Watch the faces of the crowd cause in several shots people come running to see if he’s all right when he’s just pedalling away after his stunt. It’s cool. (Just don’t let your kids watch it.)

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1137883380?bctid=21337502001

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It’s All Physics

Monday, November 16th, 2009

A friend sent me this video. It’s supposed to be a commercial that was run in Europe. It’s for Honda. The story is that it’s done completely in “real” time, as one shot, with no computer or visual tricks. It’s just like when people set up dominos and then knock them down to create interesting patterns or reactions. This is a really cool video and I’d like to think it is completely real. According to the email I got, it took 606 takes to get it perfect and the months of prep work. It was definitely worth it. Check it out — Honda Commercial

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A Funny Halloween Story (or Joke)

Saturday, October 31st, 2009

I wish I could credit the guy who wrote this joke because it will get a smile out of you (or a groan) but I got it via the internet and so it’s one of those viral jokes everybody gets but nobody knows where it came from. Enjoy!

A man is walking home alone late one foggy Halloween night, when behind him he hears:

BUMP…

BUMP…

BUMP…

Walking faster, he looks back and through the fog he makes out the image of an upright casket banging its way down the middle of the street toward him.

BUMP…

BUMP…

BUMP…

Terrified, the man begins to run toward his home, the casket bouncing quickly behind him.

FASTER…

FASTER..

BUMP…

BUMP…

BUMP……

He runs up to his door, fumbles with his keys, opens the door, rushes in, slams and locks the door behind him. However, the casket crashes through his door, with the lid of the casket clapping.

clappity-BUMP…

clappity-BUMP….

clappity-BUMP…

on his heels, as the terrified man runs.

Rushing upstairs to the bathroom, he locks himself in. His heart is pounding; his head is reeling; his breath is coming in sobbing gasps.

With a loud CRASH the casket breaks down the door.

Bumping and clapping toward him.

The man screams and reaches for something, anything, but all he can find is a bottle of cough syrup! Desperate, he throws the cough syrup at the casket…

and,

(hopefully you’re ready for this!!!)

The coffin stops

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A Halloween Story

Friday, October 30th, 2009

As an experiment, the folks over at Anotherealm.com tried doing a ’shared world’ anthology. Basically, that’s when a handful of writers all try writing stories about the same place and time. They also can use several common characters but each is creating his/her own unique story. The experiment involved writing about a Halloween party. Well, three stories got done and they are now up for viewing. And since they are about a Halloween Party, this week seems like the best time to be reading them. So, if you’re interested, click the link below to read the three stories that got done. See if you can spot where the stories overlap (one writer’s characters walk past or interact with another writer’s characters). And enjoy.

http://anotherealm.org/modules/AMS/index.php?storytopic=14

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Something to Cure the Monday Blues

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Mondays can be a bit rough. So I thought I’d offer up something fun. I’ve had this video for a while. Don’t actually remember where I got it from (or from whom) but it’s a ton of fun. Eric O’Shea is obvioulsy a standup comedian. This is him doing a bit of his routine. I think based on this small tidbit that it might be worth catching all of Eric’s show if the opportunity arrises. Eric has an interesting take on how to make commercials more fun. Enjoy.
eric_o_shea_-_tv_commercials

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2 Minute Review: “Julie & Julia”

Monday, September 21st, 2009

Don’t go see this movie if you’re hungry.

No, seriously, don’t go hungry. The movie will make you hungry. If you go in feeling even a little bit peckish, you’ll come out starving. It’s no wonder that now, after all this time, Julia Child’s cookbook has finally hit number one. After seeing this movie you’ll want to go out and do all of the recipes.

That said, it’s a fun little movie. Meryl Streep will definitely get an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Julia Child. Amy Adams got the short end of the stick because, despite a very good job doing her character, her character is nowhere near as fun as Julia Child. Besides, haven’t we all seen enough of confused, depressed, self-absorbed writers who start blogging in order to try and prove that they have something to offer . . . Hold on, wait a minute, that sounds an awful lot like . . . Naaaah, forget about it.

Anyway, a nice quiet film about finding yourself. As my brother-in-law said as we were leaving the theater (with just a hint of disappointment): “It was a good movie. Nothing blew up but it was a good movie.”

It was a good movie.

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Pixar’s “Up”

Monday, August 3rd, 2009

This review might be a little late but what the heck, the movie is still enough fun to mention. The short review is that if you haven’t been to see “Up” then I recommend it.

Now I know what some of you are thinking — it’s an animated film. Those are for little kids, right?

Well, not exactly. Pixar has been on a remarkable winning streak. They’ve been making animated films that not only entertain the little ones but which have a lot to say to us adults. They’ve also shown that they will use solid storytelling techniques and not cheap out because it’s a cartoon. (Spoiler Alert!) And as if to prove the point, there is a sequence very early in the movie that reveals to us the main character’s entire life – and it’s done without dialogue. It’s just a series of images, or moments, which shows his life as he lived it. It’s terrific. In fact, it’s so good that about 50% of the audience at my showing was in tears at the end of it.

How’s that for storytelling?

I was reminded of the fact that Walt Disney said he knew he was on to something when, standing at the back of the theater at the premier of “Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs,” people cried when it looked like Snow White was dead. Walt was amazed that the audience was responding to an animated character as if she were real.

Well, Pixar has hit the same nerve. By the end of the film you’ll believe in an old man who ties balloons to his house to make it fly, a Boy Scout who’s never really been on an adventure, and a dog “who’s only just met you and already loves you.” It’s tons of fun.

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A Public Service Video — Closing a Bag Without a Clip

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

I’d actually heard about this one from a couple of people and it seems to be one of those simple things that most people are amazed you can do — create an air-tight seal on a bag of chips without a bag clip, paper clip, or any other device you manage to find. It’s all in how you fold the bag. Here it is:

close-a-bag-without-using-a-bag-clip-from-betty-4-22-09

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