tidbits
“One of the things Ford Prefect had always found hardest to understand about humans was their habit of continuously stating and repeating thevery very obvious, as in It’s a nice day, or You’re very tall, or Oh dear you seem to have fallen down a thirty-foot well, are you all right?”
Saw Hitchhiker’s on Saturday night. Not perfect, but a hell of a lot of fun nonetheless, and reasonably true to the spirit, if not the letter, of the books. The animated “guide” bits and the film’s depiction of the Heart of Gold’s improbability drive were the best parts, I thought. The romance and the scene introducing the Point of View Gun were less well-done (and no, not just because of Trillian’s line at the end of the scene).
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The goatee is back, most likely just for a few months until the heat sets in and I shave it off in a flailing attempt to cool down.
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Donald’s bachelor party on Friday night was good fun. We went bowling and made it through about a game and a half before a bevy of high school girls descended on the lane next to ours and the “laser bowling” started up. We adjourned to my parents’ house and played poker. I hadn’t played before and think I would have enjoyed it more if I knew the hierarchy of card combinations. As it turned out, with the number of guys that we had (~9-10), the game was very long and turned out to be quite boring, though all the actual poker aficionados in the group were getting into it.
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Aaron wants to go to Australia over Christmas break this year, continuing our “tradition” of at least one big trip per year. I’m up for it, but I’ll be in the middle of my first year at PBC by that point, so the money situation’s likely to be more than a bit tenuous.
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Every Richard Maybury book reviewed by the School Library Journal on Amazon gets absolutely blasted, even to the point of being called “propagada.” Back in high school, those books were the foundation of my economic and political worldview. No matter–I suppose any material expressing something other than a milquetoasty “inclusiveness” or watered-down middle-of-the-road viewpoint will have its share of detractors. I can guarantee you my kids will read those books, along with 1984, The Prince, Wealth of Nations, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding and most anything else they’re interested in and I can get hold of.
Australia…. damn. Now there is an expensive plane ticket.
Poker can get quite tedious with more than 6 people. I’m always confused as to what a full house beats, I think it’s better than a straight which is weird to me for some reason.
Ouch, don’t flail too much when you shave the goatee off.
I should have known you’d have seen that by now… ;) I’m looking forward to it.
It was a bad game if you’re just learning how to play. I enjoyed it, even if i was a bit loud and slow. The beer helped distract me so i could get through it. Normally the game goes too slow for me to really enjoy with that many people…but it was good to just talk and hang out with some of the guys.
You need to come to our Wed. poker nights, Matt. After you’ve gotten a few sessions under your belt and start to see the strategy it gets MUCH more fun, believe me.
Your MOM is tenuous… sheesh. ;P
I dont want to hear a word about economics once the summer starts, you got that, Matt???
Poor kids…but then again, knowing you…if they take after you they might actually *enjoy* it. Bizarre.
Have a great week, Matt.
I’ve read:
1984
The Prince
The Wealth of Nations
Thank you International Baccalaureate!
Perhapsibly… We shall see what transpires when the end of the year rolls around.
I think part of my response to Friday night was that I was just really tired, too. I did enjoy the card game, after all was said and done. I liked it much better than say, heart or spades. Yich.
Why shouldn’t I mention economics come summer? Got something lined up job-wise that deals with that domain?
Rock on :) Did you enjoy them or was it “just schoolwork?”
My aunt was the founder/director of the IB program at the high school at which she taught in Gainesville. It always sounded like an awesome program.
Some card decks have a “poker cheat sheet” with the order of the hands. I think I should track one of those down…
/es/\\e
that movie is definitely on my list… keep the goatee… you really should try the Wed night poker… it is more fun once you get the hang of it and start figuring out others strategies…
AUSTRALIA… well I know I can’t be jealous of your trips now that I’ve been around a bit myself… but still… wee little green eyes…
Thanks for initiating lunch the other day…
you better not be eating a powerbar… =)
hahaha
I was actually chomping down on a Powerbar just as I read this comment…no joke. I laughed out loud.
Australia’s still just a pipe dream at this point… You’re going to Holland in a few months! That’s much more immediate and real (and cool).
I enjoyed 1984 immensly. The others I only grew to appreciate after I had read and dissected them, as it came to be. I loved IB, because it challenged me and allowed me to experience some great subject matter that I otherwise would not have been introduced to.
1984 was a pretty seminal book for me too. I can’t help getting pulled in for a few dozen pages every time I pick it up. I should read it from cover to cover again… When you finish The Da Vinci Code we should read Brave New World and compare the dystopian fantasies :)
I kind of wish I had had the chance to do IB. It sounds like an amazing program.