Friday, May 28, 2010

The Final Countdown!!

So a friend of BG's is getting married tomorrow in Washington, DC.  I sent this video to BG to show to her friend Nik as I thought the title was very appropriate but I had to share it with you all as well.  The hair, the blinding white teeth, the tight pants.  What a great video.  Epic 80's.  These guys are still rockin.  You can check out their website here. 

Happy Friday loyal readers.  Heading into a three day.  I'm excited. It's supposed to be 60 degrees  here this weekend.  Maybe.  If the sunshines.  40 and raining right now which is very different for here *dripping sarcasm.  Doesn't matter though.  Its Friday.  I'm playing golf at some point, riding my four-wheeler.  Who knows, I might even have a beer or some imported Canadian whiskey.  Yes, I would say the chances of all of that happening are relatively high. 


Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Movie Clip Wednesday "The Civil War"

I'm Cheating here because this documentary was done on television on not at the theatre.  I apologize.

I remember watching Ken Burns' documentary on the Civil Way in 1990 and became enamored with Shelby Foot ( not in that way BTW but as a historian, where in the hell are you people's minds. Gosh) along with this epic documentary about the largest event in our history besides the American Revolution. A complete southern historian he had written a three volume set on the war in 1956 and it sold a few copies.  After Burns' documentary it was a best seller.  Foote made the documentary for me and a lot of others.  His insight into the time of the event is incomparable.  I have watched this series at least a dozen times.  It's the best thing done on television EVER in my opinion.  The still photography for the events, the voice narratives and who they chose to have them were all incredibl along with the writing and music which is haunting.  This clip is way over the asked for three minutes but trust me when I say it is well worth the watch.  Thanks to our wonderful host Boxer for picking such a great theme.  This has been my favorite.
From Wiki.

In the late 1980s, Ken Burns had assembled a group of consultants to interview for his Civil War documentary. Foote was not in this initial group, though Burns had Foote's trilogy on his reading list. A phone call from Robert Penn Warren prompted Burns to contact Foote. Burns and crew traveled to Memphis in 1986 to film an interview with Foote in the anteroom of his study. In November 1986, Foote figured prominently at a meeting of dozens of consultants gathered to critique Burns' script. Burns interviewed Foote on-camera in Memphis and Vicksburg in 1987. In 1987, he became a charter member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.



When Burns' documentary aired in September, 1990, Foote appeared in almost ninety segments, about one hour of the eleven-hour series. Foote's drawl, erudition, and quirk of speaking as if the war were still going on made him a favorite. He was described as "the toast of Public TV," "the media's newest darling," and "prime time's newest star," and the result was a burst of book sales. In one week at the end of September, 1990, each volume of the paperback The Civil War: A Narrative sold 1,000 copies per day. By the middle of 1991, Random House sold 400,000 copies of the trilogy. Foote later told Burns, "Ken, you've made me a millionaire."

Here's to you Mr. Foote. I really don't think Ken Burns rises to his success without you.

(I know its kind of long.  But at least watch Foote for the :30 mark to 1:14. )

Friday, May 21, 2010

A site for your viewing pleasure

So as I was rewatching my post about the bully montage.  I started wondering "Whatever happened to the chick in this?  She was pretty hot. And, well, she had those."  So because of Al Gore's glorious invention, I was able to use the internet to do a little research.  Her name is Joyce Hyser.  I found a nice write up about her here.    Upon further review, the blog I found it on looks pretty good.  It's call The Moviezz Blog.  Check it out.  Lots of cool stuff there.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Bully Montage

While making the rounds on the world wide interweb I came across this bully montage from the 80's on Filmdrunk.  Yeah, I know it says Huffington Post but don't get too excited, I don't read that nonsense.  This is fun to watch.  About 5 minutes and pretty well done.  Anyone of these movies would win best picture compared to what comes out of that place now.


Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Movie Clip Wednesday 5/19/10

This week our theme host Boxer has chosen best science fiction.  Here's the long boring drawn out story of how I arrived at my choice.  Grab some NoDoz or Vivarin (some CrossTops or Robin Eggs if you're a little older) and read the drivel.

For really big movies, I can almost remember exactly where I was when I watched them.  I saw Star Wars at the Cinema 7 in Billings with my sister, LP aka The Ancient One (I'm not saying she's old but when you start talking about how great Teddy Roosevelt was because you voted for him twice, well, you get the drift. "Oh that Teddy Roosevelt, he was a looker. 23 skidoo and lets go do the Charleston").  After the movie, we both went into the bathroom and stayed for 15 minutes, then snuck into Bad News Bears in Breaking Training.  I saw The Empire Strikes Back at the Villa Theatre in Malta and saw Return of the Jedi in Missoula.  I'm still pissed about The Phantom Menace.  You see, my good friend Five Wood won tickets to the premier.  Midnight at the Ellen in Bozeman. 

We stood in line for like three hours.  Certainly George "I havent missed a meal sinceAmerican Graffitti" Lucas would have created a master piece.  Instead of a brilliant piece of film-making we were treated to Lucas' version of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? There were like five real people in the entire movie.  I remember watching a special on the making of the two and half hours of my life I wont get back  Phantom Menace.  They were in the editing room and there was a big scene with ray guns and shit and all those little robot thingys.  Lucas says "we'll kill that one off screen later". Wait, what?  You'll kill him off screen?  Like any of the skillion people who are going to watch this are going to say "Hey, what happened to that one robot guy?  Oh, he must have been killed off screen".  Isn't that just like an arrogant Hollywood asshole who made three movies just for the money.  Sorry if I'm hiding my feelings for the dislike of the second trilogy.  I'll try not to sugarcoat it anymore.   Outside of the great light sabre battle at the end, this movie was the "drizzlins" as Schmaler would say.  I would like to kick George Lucas in the nuts. I went to all three of the second set.  Gave him the benefit of the doubt and kept waiting for them to get better.  The pod race? Are you effin kidding me?  The bottom line is that while this technically is science fiction, it really is mythology with an outer space setting.  So I started thinking.  There's some great sci-fi out there.   I've watched both versions of The Thing and they are both great.  John Carpenter's spin is fantastic.  Sidebar - James Arness, aka Marshall Matt Dillon, played the monster in the original version of The Thing.  I'm here to help.

Sidebar again - Lucas' effort in the second trilogy was horrible.  It reminds of a line from Spaceballs.  Mel Brooks' character Yogurt is standing there and I think Lonestar says something to the effect of "Will I ever see you again?" To which Yogurt replies "Hopefully we'll all be back in Spaceballs 2: The Search for more Money" So fitting.

I did some thinking and came up with Alien.  I love the concept and the suspense was incredible.  The movie really only has two violent scenes and yet you stay on the edge of your seat. What a great villan/monster. The mouth within the mouth, dripping alien spit.  Blood that eats through space metal.  Awesome! A great story line and its Sigourney Weaver's breakout movie.  What's the deal with her?  Am I supposed to find her attractive or not?  There have been movies where she doesn't look bad.  I mean, she's not ugly, but she's not a sex symbol either.  I guess not all women in Hollywood are supposed to be.  Anyway, here's one of the most famous scenes in movie history.  In space, no one can year you scream.  What a great tagline. Enjoy the gore and happy MCW.  Oh, I almost forgot.  The entire point of telling you where I was for really big movies.  I saw this at some theater in Missoula. I can't remember the name but it was the same theater I watched Return of the Jedi.   Was visiting my cousins.  Sat about ten rows from the front center-right on the edge of my seat.

Tuesday Tunes 5/18/10

It's been a while since we had any playlists here at COTR.  So if you are able to, have a listen to today's playlist.  The theme is sad songs.  I'm sad, so that's what you get. If you're new, you can check out my other playlist's here.  Pam, you need to confirm me as a follower on playlist you silly girl.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Monday Morning with The Association

I gave Calvin the day off. Again.  I heard this on the way to work the other morning and it's one of my all time favorites.  Just a simple song with heartfelt lyrics and great harmony.  I looked at a few videos and liked this one the best.  I love XM radio.  I don't think I've ever said that on here before.  Wait, what?


Saturday, May 15, 2010

In gratitude.

Just a quick note to tell you all how much all the kind comments and phone calls meant to me yesterday.  I will argue with anyone that I have been blessed with the best circle of friends any person could ever have.   The out pouring you all gave me yesterday proves that. 

Thanks to each and everyone of you.

Chip

Friday, May 14, 2010

I'm the best dog.

It was October of 1997. I decided I wanted a dog.  Connell Cheverolet was having free adoption day at their dealership.  When you adopted a dog from the Heart of the Valley shelter it cost you $50.  When Connell had adoption day, he picked up the tab. He did it twice a year.  The shelter would bring the animals to the dealership and you could check them out.  Pat Connell was a very generous man and community leader.  He died in freak construction accident and is sorely missed.

I wanted a small dog.  Like a beagle or something. I was living in a trailer at the time and didn't have room for a big dog. There were all kinds of dogs there that day but not a small one that I liked so I moved up to a 50 or 60 pounder.  There was this male.  Rudy was his name I think.  A Lab something cross.  I really didn't want a male.  They tend to piss on things in your house.  I kind of liked this knot headed pooch but wasn't sold on him. I went to Connell's 4 or 5 times that day.  Every time I was there, there was this other dog out of her kennell that someone was looking  at.  A beautiful Lab-Hound cross but she was very much standoffish (that's a word look it up).  Anyway, I was hell bent to take something home with me. Late in the day I went back to take one more look at Rudy.  I stood there and tried to talk myself into taking him home but couldn't do it. 

There in the kennel next to him was the Lab-Hound cross.  A pretty, pretty girl.  I looked at the lady from the shelter and asked her "why is she still here?" She responded "I don't know.  She's a great dog. We've had her for six weeks. She's been pet of the week twice and no one has taken her."  Pet of the week is an ad the shelter runs each Sunday.  If you take the animal, cat or dog, there is no adoption charge.  I asked her "So, if you had to choose between her and Rudy, who would you take?"  She replied "I'd take Sloan all day.  She's the kind of dog that once she figures out where home is, she will lay at your feet"  I thought for a second and then said "I'll take her."  I never took her out of her little cage. Never played with her to see her dispotion.  Took the gals word straight up.

"Oh my God! You're kidding?!" 

"No, if she's what you say she is, I'll take her home."

So I go in to sign the papers.  The lady I was talking to was very excited.  "This guy is taking Sloan!"  All the gals working stopped to tell me how greatful they were that Sloan was finally going to have a home.

It took a while for us to get used to each other.  The first night I brought her home, I put a blanket on the floor and told her to go to bed. She laid down and went to sleep.  I woke up at around midnight to check on her.  She was sound asleep on my love seat.  I made her get off and lay on her blanket.  I got up again at 2 and did the same thing. I got up at 4 and she was on the love seat. Again.  I told her to get off the love seat. She did. I threw the blanket on the love seat and told her to go to bed. It was one of many battles I would lose.

Throughout the winter she was very distant.  Never really warmed up to me.  We would go for walks. After a fashion I would let her off her leash and then spend an hour trying to catch her. It was a huge pain in the ass. That spring I started taking her to work with me.  I had this old Ford Ranger with a sliding rear window. Sloan would hop from the seat to the bed of the pickup and back again. She would hand over the side so far that I would have to stop in fear of her jumpin out. But, taking her to work made her bond with me.  I remember I had been taking her to work for a couple of weeks, one morning it was raining so I left her home.  The look in her eyes was heartbreaking and I could hear her howling as I got into my truck.

She loved to travel with me.  I moved up from the Ranger to a Dodge Dakota.  Sloan would stand with her back feet on the back seat and her front feet on the console.  Wagging her tail and spying for animals the entire trip.

I took her to The Prodigy's cabin one weekend. TP, his puppy Hogan, Sloan and  me went for a walk after lunch.  I turned Sloan off her leash as we walked down the road. She was about 30 feet ahead of me. TP and I are bullshitting away as we alwyas do. I looked up at Sloan and she is frozen solid. She's caught a scent.  I look off to my right and I see some deer about 100 yards away. Sloan can't see them as the grass by the road is too high. I started yelling at her to come back. She raised up on her hind legs, saw the deer and was GONE!  I raced after her screaming to come back. I must have run a 1/2 mile through the trees and she was putting distance between us. 

I went back to the road and told TP that she was either going to be shot by a hunter or I was going to have to go to Buffalo to pick her up. We went back to the cabin. I jumped in the truck and drove around looking for her for an hour but nothing.  We were sitting at the cabin watching a movie. It was about 7 O'clock.  TP got up to get us a beer.  He pulled two out of the fridge and was walking back to the living room when he said "Well, guess whose home?" He opened the sliding glass door and let Sloan in. She was whipped.  She looked at me with a face that said "I had a great day." Then she curled up right on the living room floor and collapsed in sleep.

I have way too many stories about this remarkable dog than I can care to write about. She battled two cancer surgeries and won. I tried my best to give her the life she deserved for all of the companionship she gave me and she gave me plenty.  She was between two and three when I adopted her so I made April 1 her birthday.  She turned 15 just over a month ago.

She's gone now.  The last week has been hard on her.  There was no more gleem in her eyes. Just the sadness of not feeling well.  I made the call to end her suffering and though I am glad she no longer is, I am sad that I don't have my beautiful loving dog anymore. 

Sleep well Dogger.  I can never repay you for all the happiness you brought me.  I have nothing else to say.

SLOAN
1995-2010

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Random thoughts #19

Things that crossed my mind while wondering how I was so lucky to have such a great dog.  She's on her last legs I'm afraid.  She's 15. It's been a good run but think the end is coming.

I finished season three of "24" last night. I loved the first season. The second wasn't bad. Season three is the worst at this point. The reason: David Palmer. He's the worst president in American history, real or fiction. While we're on the subject, is it just me or is Barack doing is best to emulate a fictional president? Whenever President Palmer is giving a speech, at a press conference, etc. he reminds me of Barry. Coincidence? I THINK NOT!! Makes me have even less respect for him, Barry that is,  not that I had a lot to begin with.

I love how democrats, who are more than half responsible for our economic woes, still blame everyone but themselves. Yes, what Goldman-Sachs did was wrong, but isn't it more than the pot/kettle argument for them to be accusing anyone of being unethical? What's worse are the people who are actually taking the side of the politicians. Get a clue.

Ford sales are through the roof.  Hmmmmm. Wonder if there is any coincidence between their first quarter sales and the fact that Ford never took any bail out money?

Golf league, night one.

Its my favorite time of the year.  It's golf league!!  My band of hackers and I should get our first night of leagues done after being snowed out last week. 

Here's the schedule: at approximately 4:30, I'll leave my desk and make the five minute commute to Cottonwood Hills Golf Course.  Five minutes!  I love our new location.  Used to take me twenty.  Upon my arrival, I will put my clubs on a cart and take the key thereby insuring I have a cart for the evening.   Then, I will commute back the 1 mile to the Korner Klub Bar to get some "aiming fluid" in the ol' veins. Yes, I will leave my clubs on a cart at the course while I drive back to the bar for a glass of Canada's finest.  No, I will not worry about them being stolen.  Why?  Cause it's still that way in this part of Montana.

Opening night is a four man scramble.  Its my least favorite format because we don't get to play our money game and have to actually root for each other.  That's alright, we have ten weeks to root for those birdie puts to "get out!" if there are a few presses on the line.  Good times.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Movie Clip Wednesday 5/12/10


Every Wednesday is Movie Clip Wednesday.  This week's theme is best adaption for the big screen. Boxer has already blog jinxed me so I have to find another movie. I'll leave my first post here but will go find something else.

It goes without saying that The Godfather is the best movie ever made.  Ever.  So it has to be the best adaptation, right?  I can't honestly answer that question as I never read the book.  I don't read a lot of fiction.  I'm sure All Quiet on the Western Front was a good book because the movie is effin awesome.  Tried to use it for a theme but as usual couldn't find the right clip.  Same with Hondo  good movie but haven't read the book which is odd as I really like Louis L'Armour.  My dad loved him.  Died with a L'Armour book in his hands.

I did read Jaws and thought the movie was good but there wasn't any sex in it like there was in the book.  When you're 13 you have to make those kinds of judgement calls.

One of the first things I did in my student-teaching experience was watch To Kill a Mockingbird.  I hadn't yet read the book but the movie was wonderful.  I read the book shortly after seeing the movie.  I'm sure everyone else has read it so I don't have to tell you that it's a fantastic piece of literature.  So that's my choice.  I even found a great clip.  I'm sure I'm blog jinxed as well but who cares.  (MRM note: I didn't even get to post this and was blog jinxed. What's that saying about great minds?)

This is the scene where Atticus explains why you shouldn't kill a mockingbird. 


Here's my second one.  I read Gone to Texas after seeing the movie The Outlaw Josey Wales.  I don't often say the book is better than the movie but this book is fantastic.  I need to find a copy and read it again its been far too long.  The movied follows the book pretty closely and I won't spoil it lest anyone wants to read the book.

This is the scene where Josey meets Lone Watie played by the incomparable Chief Dan George.  What a great actor who brought the perfect amount of humor to this movie.    Happy MCW!

Forrest Carter was the author.  He also wrote The Education of Little Tree for which he won an ABBY award.  He was also a speech writer.  Maybe you've heard this famous line "Segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever".  Carter wrote that as well.  Amazing.


Thursday, May 6, 2010

I think golf league is cancelled for the night.




 Yes, these are pictures from my office windows.  Yes, they are from today May 6th, 2010.   Yes, golf league is cancelled.  Yes, I am going to have Crowns after work.  Yes, I am hammering my keys right through my keyboard. No, I am not happy.  Bring those global warming MoFo's up here for some spring time excitement.  Like my old friend Dick Rolfe used to say "Chipper, Bozeman is 9 months of winter and 3 months of poor sledding."  RIP Dick.  You went far too soon.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

I lost 17 pounds in 66 hours and so can you! Part One.

If you ever want to know if a guy used to wrestle, ask him how much he weighs.  If he says "185-190 pounds" he didn't wrestle.  If he says "186 pounds" he was a wrestler.  You see, wrestlers always know how much they weigh to the pound.  At the very least, they know how much they weighed the last time they stepped on a scale.  Every pound matters when you are trying to make weight.  Every quarter pound matters.  This is a story about making weight.  Its about abusing your body for no real good reason (well except to win, I guess that might be a good reason).  It's about the sunny slopes of long ago. Its about the Center of The Universe from here on referred to as COTU.  It's about Malta.

This story contains strong language.  Lots of "f" bombs.  Lots of CAPS for yelling purposes.  Just trying to give you a feel for everything.  It migth get does get kind of long  ( thus the two parts) so grab a glass of Crown your favorite beverage and hopefully you'll enjoy the ride.

I lost 17 pounds in 66 hours and so can you!! Just follow my simple program!

It was Christmas break of my senior year at Malta High School.  The break was well needed and deserved.  We had gotten off to a great start as a team.  An undeafeted dual record and had won the Chinook Invitational and placed second at our own.  ^Sidebar (and they'll be a lot of them) - Chinook won our tournament, they were our arch rivals all through high school which I found bitterly ironic as my dad was born and raised there.^  I went into the break with two losses, both to Duane J from Poplar but more on that later.

Going into the break word got out that a Japanese exchange team would be touring Montana and making two stops.  Two different teams from Montana would be selected to compete against them. Despite wrestling well in the first half of the year, I didn't like my chances.  Those guys (the Japanese, was going to say Japs for short but thought better of it) wrestled freestyle while we wrestled folkstyle or collegiate.  They are very different in technique and scoring.  I hadn't wrestled freestyle since my freshman year.  

During the break Coach Gordon (aka Uncle Gordy, behind his back heeheehee) informed me that I had been selected to represent Montana on one of the two stops.  I was thrilled and surprised at the same time.  I mean, Duane J had beaten me twice and only had one other loss to some kid from Hardin or somewhere in southern Montana. 


Movie Clip Wednesday 5/5/10


Our glorious host Boxer has chosen "worst casting" as this weeks theme. I really like MCW except that I can seldom, if ever find the appropriate clip.  As soon as I saw this week's theme I immediately went to "anything that has starred Keanu Reeves except Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure".   Then I said "no, definate blog jinx."  So then I went back in my mental archives.  Back to the days when I went to the movies every week.  Not like now. Now, I pull up to the "cineplex",  look at the marquee, get out of my truck and walk to the back where I open up my endgate and then slam it on my hand.  It's less painful than watching almost any of the crap that Hollywood is putting out.  Anyway, I remember watching Darkman with Liam Neeson and Larry Drake.  You may remember Drake playing President Obama a mentally challenged office worker on L.A. Law in the 1980's.  It's a roll he won two Emmy's for. Drake played the bad guy in Darkman. I remember watching that movie and just saying to myself "how did Benny get to be so mean?"  But as luck (bad of course) would have it I couldn't find a clip of Drake in this roll. 

I then went back to Reeves.  A close second was the kid who played Annikan Skywalker in Star Wars Episode 1: Two Hours of your life you won't get back.  Then I thought, "it's not his fault that Lucas is a cheap, fat bastard who didn't want to pay money for some real talent" and left the kid alone.   Anyway, here's a random Keanu Reeves clip.  The thing about this clip is that the editing was excellent.  You can't even see the strings.

This is a really great scene because Reeves doesn't have any dialogue until the end.  Happy MCW.


Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Tyler Durden quotes

I'm a daily reader of Tyler Durden over at What Would Tyler Durden Do. I think the dude is funny as hell so every once in a while I'm going to post a list of his best quotes from my readings.  Enjoy.

Regarding Seinfeld's new show The Marriage Ref     "The show is filled with comedians so it should be funny, but also exciting, because the loser is fed to a giant snake."

About Whitney Houston not being able to sing that great anymore "The song is famous for the huge ending, but that was before Whitney spent 10 years smoking crack, which doesn’t have as many vitamins and minerals as you might think."

To George Clooney and his beautiful girlfriend "I think I speak for all of us when I say that George Clooney and his fabulous life can go fuck themselves."

About Megan Fox's boyfriend   "Hey does anyone know how to cut the brake lines on a car? Hypothetically speaking of course."

Monday, May 3, 2010

Your Monday morning Calvin 5/3/10

3/24/86