I did not use the computer or went online this past weekend.
Not even for a few minutes.
Not even for a few secs.
I just didn't feel like it.
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So, I apologize to those who sent me messages via Facebook or through my email or through Twitter and expected a quick reply. Sorry. Try sending your messages via my Yahoo email as that one I check daily. Or, send me a text message on my mobile which is the quicker way to get in touch with me.
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Instead of going online, I was immersed in Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. I'm now about 1/5th into the novel but it has been slow-going. Not so because it's a difficult read like Anathem was but because external factors interrupted my reading. And given that it was a weekend, there were other things that got my attention like chores that needed to be done and my three girls who are always a welcome distraction any time.
But so far, Heinlein's story about a human born on Mars and raised on Martian customs and traditions and suddenly finding himself in Earth culture is quite an interesting read. For one thing, the language used by Heinlein is different -- the idioms, the jargons, the voice and tone -- one has to expect such as the novel was originally written exactly half-a-century ago. But the seemingly unfamiliar and familiar use of words does not hinder the narrative. It's the writing style that is vaguely different, otherwise, you can still catch the drift of the story. I certainly can grok the words and the humor injected by the author. Witty is the word that comes into mind in several of the exchanges done by the story's characters.
Things are getting quite interesting with the book and anticipation for the development of the plot is building up but like I said, I haven't had as much time as I wanted to to devote to the book. Hopefully, I'll have more time to read more chapters this week.
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While I did not put any deadline into those personal pursuits I keep yakking about in this here ole blog, it will be quite some time before I get working on them. Primarily because I don't have a rig to use. While it may be possible to sneak in a few hours of toil on those personal stuff at the Desk, there won't be too much progress, that's for sure.
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Due to an unexpected bout with insomnia, I finished several movies last Saturday evening to early Sunday evening. In fact, for much of Saturday afternoon I was glued to the tube, something I haven't done for the longest time. And for the first time, I'm watching American Idol. Not because of Steven Tyler or Jennifer Lopez but more because since we switched cable providers, American Idol has become more visible (Star World and QTV) whereas before during our tenure with Destiny Cable, it was only possible on QTV which wasn't a usual channel destination. Still isn't up to this day.
Aside from American Idol, I was in cable movies mode and watched Talladega Nights twice, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (any movie with Kristin Kreuk in it is endurable even if the story is only so-so), and during the early morning of Sunday, Taken.
Talladega Nights, which I caught over on AXN, which starred Will Ferrel as a NASCAR driver was entertaining enough. I didn't laugh out loud or rolled out of bed holding my aching stomach from over-laughing but the comedic relief was ok enough for me to keep on watching. I'm not really a fan of Ferrel's style of comedy but his character and that of the other characters offered an interesting take on stereo-types that I had to finish the film. Special citation goes to the character of Sacha Cohen who's characterization of a former gay French F1 driver who veered to NASCAR to find a worthy opponent. The film's ending was unexpected which added a bit of unpredictability towards the end. I guess sometimes I just like to watch movies that have no real humoric sense just for the heck of it and find myself enjoying it. The reason I watched it twice? Caught the afternoon screening mid-way and later that evening was able to watch the opening half. My wife got interested in the film and we finished it together.
Predictable and not much depth. These are words that came to mind when I watched Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li. There was nothing fresh about the story and while plot moved along, there wasn't really much building up of excitement and climax. Even with the attempt to skew what the heck Bison's plan was did nothing to enliven the movie (Bison, played by actor Neal McDonough does not don the red suit, cape and cap as did the late Raul Julia in the Jean Claude Van Dame flick). Even the action was so-so and one expected much as this movie was based on an action-laden video game. The only saving grace of the film for me was it starred Kristin Kreuk. Not her acting (she did better acting on other roles she played like that of Lana Lang on Smallville or as the High Priestess Tenar in the TV mini-series Legend of Earthsea) but mainly because she starred in it and any film where you saw Kristin Kreuk's pleasant and lovely face is enough to keep you glued.
The best movie I've seen last weekend was the action thriller Taken. I didn't get to catch the opening minutes of the film but it didn't really matter because it was straight-to-the-point, the conflict ensued: a 17-year old student and her friend get kidnapped while vacationing in Paris. The abducted teener manages to get in touch with her father who happens to be ex-CIA and the father, fearing the worse for his daughter, calls in favors and immediately flies to Paris to search for her daughter. In the process, he unravels a prostitution ring that goes high into the French police service and in no-nonsense ala Steven Seagal way methodically butchers his way into his daughter's kidnappers to save her. Brutal, cold-blooded, 100% enjoyable. It might just be the effect of insomnia but I liked the way the film rolled by. A great mix of action and detective work and pinch in a few conspiracy stuff. In the end, the father saves his daughter and in the process break up a prostitution business. Fatherly love. I guess because I'm one, I dig the story -- you'll go to any lengths just to see your children safe and sound.
Wrapping the movie binge over the weekend was the Jackie Chan action-comedy The Spy Next Door. Jackie Chan plays Bob Ho, a pen imported who is in love with his neighbor, Gillian, a single-mom with three kids. However, the three kids hate Ho who they see as boring and unexciting. A family emergency puts Ho in charge of the three kids as a babysitter and chaos ensues. In truth however, Ho is a Chinese super-spy on loan to the CIA and when a Russian secret formula that turns oil to sand gets downloaded, Russian mobsters led by Ho arch-enemy Anton Poldark trace the downloader to Ho. Ho is forced to reveal to the kids that he is a super-spy and Ho and kids get involved in both domestic and espionage troubles. While not certainly a Grammy or Oscar winner, The Spy Next Door is a light romp that's good enough to end the weekend. It was child-friendly and I was able to watch it with my daughter (of course, answering her million questions on every scene) who liked the slapstick. Eliciting a favorable smile on my kid's face meant the movie was entertaining. Critics panned it as lacking in script but it was a welcome change from the usual dark, gritty spy movies -- reminding me of another Jackie Chan spy comedy movie The Tuxedo.
