A Wonderful Night..

Step into the wayback machine with me Mr Peabody..

Time was, when I was doing my freelance film criticism, this night was one of the highlights of my year. I was seeing around 150 (196 one year) movies in a year and therefore had a thorough, in-depth understanding and knowledge of most things cinematic. Tonight, was the apex of all of my viewing. All those Friday and Saturday afternoons in the dark, all those Sundays spent writing, creating and posting the reviews for my site, it all lead up to this. There were even 2-3 years where I did in-depth articles about my analysis of who should be nominated and thusly who should win. It was fun. It was exhilarating. It gave me a rush. I loved it.

I have always been a movie fanatic, I have always loved most things cinematic. That hasn’t changed a bit. So why did that aspect disappear? Long story short, ironically, was California. Hollywood. Where the magic happens, my move there tapered off my movie viewing/writing to the point where I’m lucky if I see 10 movies a year (I used to do that in a month). Could I do it again? Who knows. My life is a mass of unpredictability but it would be nice to get back in touch with that side of me.  Everyone has their passions in life and from about 1998-2003, reviewing movies was mine. I still have my opinions (don’t bring up Big Lebowski, Napoloeon Dynamite or Nicholas Cage) which I am not afraid to voice and never will be. This thing may diminish my body but I’ll be damned if it takes my mind. So tonight, Seth, please don’t screw this up (no James and Anne, no Oprah/Uma) and Academy, please get it right. 

Another Day In Paradise

Pardon my seriousness for a moment: I feel like I have to say this every so often so bear with me. I try my best to bring smiles and laughter here through these glimpses into my life and mind. But the truth, as most know, is that every day is a fight for me. A fight through pain, nausea and other related symptoms resulting in near constant medication (bear with my repetition, most of you know all this already). 

Fight of my life sounds so melodramatic and that is one thing I try my best to avoid but it is the hardest thing I have ever dealt with and recently my condition has gone noticeably and inexplicably downhill. But I still fight every day, its all I know how to do. I try to keep my life as close to some semblance of normal and who I used to be as I can. And I will always fight, one time when my stubbornness (thanks Mom, Janice Salisbury for that) comes in handy. But truth be told, as I have said ad nauseum, having my loving, amazing wife and soulmate Melissa, my best friends Becca and Liza, my like-minded "sister" Janette and the entire network of friends and support that I do is invaluable. However you do it, via a shoulder, an ear, thoughts, prayers, words here, they are all very important to me. So in my typical long-winded way, I'm trying to say thank you. One and all.