Excursions and Tips

It's been a few weeks since my last post, but things move at a crippling speed here so developments needed some gestation... NEW DEVELOPMENTS: I'm interning at the state capitol again.

The snow storm hit last week and this crap school expectedly cancelled school for 2 or 3 days. I'm not sure because I didn't have class anyway. I only have class on Thursday (plus one online and another which meets one weekend a month). Then, legislative session was cancelled for the week. I spent last week doing absolutely nothing, and it was everything I thought it could be (Office Space). I taught some roommates how to play euchre and spades while drunk and that proved the difference-maker. We played cards until 4 or 5 am several nights, with some nights ending in snow fun. We'd go outside and jump in 5 ft snow drifts or do flips off the community picnic table.

Last weekend brought nothing new at all...I rented 6 movies after recently discovering that Hollywood video has a 5 movies for $5 deal on their oldies. So I rented one newby...Half Nelson...and 5 oldies:

1) The Great Escape: I enjoyed this 1963 flick way more than I thought I would. It was obvious that the soldiers were caught...and that's not good...but the film showed them trying to escape filled with almost childlike glee. It made me want to be a POW for a few weeks so I can dig tunnels and try to escape.

2) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974): The best horror movie I have ever seen. The camerawork gives the movie a constant visceral attitude that the overdone blood and guts of modern horror flicks fail to sustain. Rent this movie.

3) Event Horizon: In my opinion, you don't have to like sci-fi movies to appreciate this one. It's about a rescue vessel sent to retrieve a government ship that had disappeared 7 years prior. No one knows where it went...or what it brought back with it.... Sounds lame and cheesy but...no.

4) A Simple Plan: this move stars Billy Bob Thornton and Bill Paxton as brothers who find a duffel bag filled with millions in the woods. As the movie progresses, a 'simple plan' to hold the money until later is perverted into chaos. I don't want to spoil, so I will stop. It's directed by Same Raimi whose credits include The Evil Dead and Spider Man series, as well as For the Love of the Game and Indian Summer... He also makes Billy Bob act in this movie, not just play himself (drunken stereotypical hillbilly).

5) A Clockwork Orange: I can sum this movie up right now; Rape..Theft..Rape..Brawl..Jail..Rehabilitation..End. OK there's more...especially since it's Kubrick. Released in 1972, it's more futuristic Kubrick tackling a familiar theme of control similar to A Space Odyssey. The sets are colorful and funky revealing them as completely 70's, but somehow not hack. Anyway the future is not the bottom line in this movie. The bottom line: No one can be changed or controlled unwillingly. Just look for the futuristic typewriter.

THIS WEEK>>>>

The early days lived up to a blind man's expectations, but last night skyrocketed. Since I'm now working at the Capitol, I'm privy to certain events known as 'legislative receptions,' which really means 'open bar and free food so let's get fucked up'...so I did.

I went straight from the Capitol to the Hilton for the appetizer - The Illinois Firefigter Reception - where I broke the Ash Wednesday meatless rule by eating meatballs, ribs, and turkey. I drank many beers as well. Normal times. I also met some fellow interns...and now...
TIP...
When you first meet someone, it's frustrating to remember several names at once. So what you do is think of an adjective decribing that person that has the same first letter as the person's name. So last night, I met Lefty Leanne, Joyful Jasmine, and Professional Paul.

Anyway...after the reception, we went to a bar and played darts. For some reason, on a Wednesday, the Guiness girls were at this bar passing out free Guinness, Bass, and prizes. I won a new t-shirt, beads, and a glowing pin. I drank many free beers, won a few dart games, and forgot my debit card. Overall it was a raging success.

STAY TUNED....