now why do they gotta go and do that?

the original 'i love the 80s' series was really pretty good. regrettably crude at times, but it did teach me about the decade in which i grew up and generally shut down all other activity in our apartment when it was on. i just turned off 'i love the 80s 3D'; minimal facts about the decade, over-abundance of really dumb graphics and a lot of bleeped-out words.

i visited with jeff parkin for about 20 minutes this morning. it's really pretty great that i can visit with former professors, call them by their first name, and give them a hug afterward. i noticed all seven volumes of 'the director's label' dvds on his shelf as i was leaving; asking about them, he said that i introduced him to them [he did show 'around the world' as part of his first 285 lesson], and that he can't show much in class from the newer releases. i've only got vol. 5 of the new set, but have that same feeling about them.
which is really a crying shame; while the chris cunningham set was severely weird, spike jonze and michel gondry have provided hours upon hours of really cool fun for me and several dancing associates. and while jonathan glazer has a few that are 'kind of cool', and the 'dollar/chicken' commercial always gets a laugh, the majority of the work and even the feel of the dvd is a little uneasy.

t got me the complete box set of the bbc 'office' for Christmas. a very cool idea, as i had been raving non-stop about nbc's rendition of it. but the british are a little [lot] more vulgar than the scranton crew, and after three episodes i suggested we play 'tekken 4' instead [i lost the final match in a very close game].
at the suggestion of a friend, i watched the final 'Christmas' episode. a handful or two of moments i wished weren't there, but i am beginning to think that the u.k. incarnation has more subtlety and heart than the u.s. series. which does say something, as the domestic show itself is very subtle for a network sitcom.
but one of tim's last interviews about how life goes on after the cameras turn off and that nothing is really 'finished' was really pretty cool, although i can't remember what feelings it stirred at the time.
and tim's secret santa gift to dawn and the ensuing change and results were wonderful. really a fulfilling but not sappy way to wrap up the short series.
i wonder how long nbc's will last and how long it will stay good? because right now it's one of the best things on tv.
i've been told i would love 'arrested development'.
and i regret that i haven't gotten up to speed on 'lost' to enjoy it with beej.

my fhe group has gotten me nearly hooked on '24'.

here i am talking about television.....

*********

i spent some time in the library today [fifth floor, cubicle with a window overlooking the quad] reading 'the promised Messiah.' i got the set of books as a Christmas present and started the first book about a year ago. i am about halfway through the first book.

one of my frustrations with myself is that i have a tendency to lose focus on personal long-term projects. but this is not one of those. i am going through the book with my scriptures, marking and cross-referencing the hundreds of insights and commentaries, and in the process am finding out how amazing the old testament is, particularly the psalms.
the notes and colored underlining in my scriptures grow slowly, but by the time i am 60, i should have a pretty cool set of scriptures.

i've worked with that guy getting hugged.