Monsters with Sandwiches

My wife Sara has started a new tumblr thing called Monsters with Sandwiches.

(What is Tumblr? It is like a attempt to rebrand blogging as a thing for hipsters rather than nerds? Cause that's what it looks like).

This started because Sara was reading the New Yorker and I was bored and reading over her shoulder and noticed the little cartoons that dot the essays -- not the cartoons with punchlines, but little cartoons, often connected to each other, that just provide some visual break-up on a page filled with words. I asked her what she would draw there, given the chance, and she said "Monsters." I said "What are the monsters doing?" And she said "eating sandwiches." So I gave her a stack of 3 x 5 notecards, and a black pen and made her draw bunches of them. We put them in frames and gave them to everyone for the holidays, and now they have their own website.

I am going to put them here occasionally. If you want some for your blog in whatever form -- doodles in your essays, links, profile pictures, grab Sara through the comments on the Tumblr thing.

An Open Letter To Pixar

by Sara

[Just for point of reference, Sara had this problem TWO Pixar movies ago, and they did not change since then. Here is what she had to say about UP]

Last night I saw Pixar's latest: "Up." As per usual it was not only beautifully crafted - making use of the 3D technology subtely with just a few moments that pop instead of over doing it - had a fully realized universe, with a rich and quirky character designs and colors that sang. Also, as per usual, the story was wonderfully made: heart-breaking, funny, bittersweet. They are getting better and better with crafting a story for children that does not pander, that is adult, but handled so that even the smallest viewers can follow. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Pixar, and I could go on and on about how well-done UP was, all the new elements they used without being flashy (male senior citzens as both the hero AND the villian? an overweight asian little boy whose weight and race are neither the subjects of jokes nor bludgeoning "messages," excellent both) and how I sobbed through many parts as my heartstrings were gently tugged. But I will stop here, everyone has either already seen and experienced these for themselves, or has read the many many reviews.

What I need to do now is plead. Please, Mr. Lasseter, please please please. At this point you and your company have made 10 films now some better than others, but all strikingly creative in their own way. and every last one of them focuses on a male protagonist, in some cases there are more than one protagonist, both male (Monster's Inc.). In the numerous worlds you've created and explored for us with along with your fellow men -- Brad Bird, Peter Docter, Andrew Stanton -- you've taken us from an anthill to a racetrack, from the toybox to a world populated by fantastic monsters and off into outer-space. Each time you give us something rich and wonderful but why can you do all that but not ever give us a female lead? it is not that females are lacking in Pixar's creations - there's jesse from Toy Story, mother and daughter in The Incredibles, and countless other girlfriends, wives, love interests. But they are given NOTHING to do. Even EVE, my favorite of all the Pixar characters, is just another 2-D rendering of a female: after strong introduction she spends the remainder of the movie running after and helping our male lead. (also, it is a bit shameful that in her introduction she is something at first to be feared and then to be conquered. not the most progressive view of womanhood...) Mr. Lasster you know your audiences are little boys AND LITTLE GIRLS. men AND WOMEN. We are here too. Just as we can identify with a Woody or a Carl, my husband would have no problems identifying with a story centered around Jesse (and not in the - oh look who needs rescuing type of way, either) and so would my brother, my father, my grandfather and my little nephew. As for Up: Ellie was a strong, brave little girl who grows up to get killed off in usual Disney format - kill the woman or make her disappear. Why couldn't Russell be an asian american LITTLE GIRL? not only would it mirror little ellie, and give her a future: in her generation little girls didn't often get the chance to be anything other than housewives, but in the 21st century there are many places and clubs for a funny tom boy to belong to, and a little female would have been a much sweeter character to form a bond with Carl, aching for his lost little ellie, and a much better foil. So why the hell doesn't she exist? It saddens and hurts me, that I company of talented artists and story tellers that I love as much as Pixar prevents me from loving them whole-heartedly. I am more than just a partner to my own creative quirky male spouse. I have adventures, thoughts, experiences of my own. As the other billion females on this planet. Please, give us something to do. Please tell our story too. I know I'll be written off as just another feminist woman having problems where there aren't any, except there are. Mr. Docter, your own little girl provided the voice of ellie. I'm sure you love her, I'm sure you find her to be fascinating, hilarious, curious and that you love her with all your heart. Don't you want her to go to your movies and find herself up there on screen as the main character? By that I mean, a female lead that gets the whole story arch and isn't reduced to either a photo on the wall or the support system for yet another boy? Unless your highest hopes for her are that she finds a nice boy to marry, which I highly doubt, why aren't you giving her that when you can? These things DO matter, and will to her as much as they do to me. I know this company was created by and is largely run by men, but that is not an excuse. If Miyazaki can make heartbreakingly beautiful stories centered around strong little girls and young adult women - movies that my male friends love just as much as I do - why can't you? For a better written, sweeter take on this please see Peter Sagal's letter after viewing "Horton Hears a Who."

Haters Can't Be Stopped

by Sara

I was just called a hater yesterday, and I agreed wholeheartedly. I wasn't called that out of anger either. It was out of affection and I believe perhaps a bit out of admiration, for I hate pretty much everything with a glee I hope is rather endearing.

It came up because we watched Before Sunset (Richard Linklater's 2004 sequel to Before Sunrise 9 years after the original screened) in class and I just hate Ethan Hawke. Just so, so much. And I feel he's only gotten douchier with age. Also, he has way too many teeth. The movie is rather twee, and exceedingly white. Two fairly problem-free white people whining to one another about how they're too old to be romantics anymore. la la la. Anyhoodle, I said as much in class when asked by the prof what our response to the movie was (the first words out of my mouth were Ethan Hawke is a giant Douche). I sort of sank into a wonderful reverie of hate on Le Hawke and his pretentious awfulness and how annoying a movie about other people complaining that they didn't have enough sex with one another really was, and when I came out of it one of my friends said "wow, you're really a hater." See, compliment!

Today I would like to talk about my hate of 24. I hate 24 because it's boring. Jack will eventually save us all, earning the grudging admiration of the Government, then next season they'll want to jail his ass for all the rules he broke saving them the season before. Sprinkle in some torture, a female Jack Bauer (known in my house as Jackquella), a computer geek or two, and a bad guy who can slip through any police blockade BY TAKING A BUS until such time as we have to wrap this whole thing up, et voila, 24. Yawn. Snooze. This season they're adding "human interest" story lines or whatever to make it more personal. Giving your big bad terrorist a girlfriend who doesn't yet know he's a terrorist? Not exactly a stroke of brilliance nor a story line that will have on the edge of my seat. So far I've fallen asleep to every 24 I've watched.

Seriously though? The President of the United States cannot get through the block that the terrorist calls her on (I call him the terrorist because I cannot remember his name on the show. It's the guy from Sengala -- which Geoff thought was a real African country btw.) HOWEVER, the WHEEL-CHAIR bound (way to play on our sympathies 24 peeps) sister of this guy's waitress girlfriend from his double life, SHE can fucking find the number no problem. Anyway, I have to go work out now, this hater rush is too much.

[FOR A MOMENT, I may have become confused by the sheer dumb-ness of 24 and thought FOR A MOMENT Sengala was a real place, but at least I remember the bad guys name is DUBAKU.]

Day Flight: Rome to New York: Mama Mia and, ugh, Speed Racer.

by Sara

Ok, both these movies were really really bad. I mean, I thought Sex and Stereotyping in the City was bad. That ain't got nothing on what I sat through on the flight home. Which was actually smooth and pleasantand I actually had a very tasty lunch and was feeling quite happy. That feeling was later crapped all over by the Wachowski Bros (those loveable scamps). Anyway.

Mama Mia - I start with this movie because I am not sure I am going to watch anything else at this point but need to watch something and, y'know, my mom liked it. Also, I LOOOOOVE me some ABBA. I do. I can't deny it. You can't hate something that fun. You can't. You can't stop your feet tapping or yourself from singing along, especially to Dancing Queen, I DEFY you to try. So yes, every time they broke into song - which was approximately every 15 - 20 seconds - I did find myself kind of smiling. Except for when they sang the two or three songs I was unfamiliar with. I think one was actually written by the ABBA fellas for the movie (or bway show). Those songs weren't any good anyway...

Honestly, this movie is not even really what I'd call a "movie." It's the "most serious and important actress in the world," Meryl
Streep, hanging out in Greece with some not-as-famous-nor-as-good-actors, all singing ABBA songs, looking like they are a bit drunk, and having a blast. This movie was made for moms and grandmothers and it succeeds. The plot (there's a plot. there really shouldn't be. they should just walk around this island and then occasionally break out in to ABBA song and dance numbers, it would've been better...) is convoluted and sometimes I think they forgot it all together, then kind of remembered, then forgot again. Former James Bond Pierce Brosnan I THINK was trying to do an American Accent. I think. it was hard to tell. He wasn't using his regular accent, well, not the whole time. And in the beginning I think we were told he's American. But, Bond is def not 'Merican and it shows. Also, he can't sing. he SHOULDN'T sing, actually, but he did sing which was unfortunate. Solos even. And if that wasn't him that was singing, whomever they dubbed in also shouldn't sing. As for good bits other than the music, I will cop to thinking it was hilarious seeing a doughy, half naked Colin Firth proclaim to be gay and grab a super euro trash Greek boy up in an "embrace." Also, seeing him, Bond, and that guy from the pirate movies and The Glass House... whashisface...AH stellan skaaaaaaarsgaaaaaaaaaaard, in spangly tight unitards with big-ass flared bottoms and platform shoes at the end of the movie. They do a bit at the end with just the leads where they are all on some stage in ridiculous 70's jumpsuits and they sing and dance to two ABBA numbers. But, I mean THAT is what a movie about ABBA music should be. Why weren't they dressed like that the whole time??? End notes: I hated that I couldn't sing along to this movie. The rest really was unmemorable, except the location. Note-to-self: go to Greece, also, remember to rip my copy of ABBA Gold to my ipod when I get home.

Up Next: The Most Awful Movie Of All Time; AKA -- Speed Racer

Firstly: I don't care if you liked the Matrix sequels. They were awful, you are wrong and you can tell me all the reasons why I am wrong til you're blue in the face but you'd still be wrong and I am right. They sucked. The Wachowskis proved they can't really make movies, and that the first Matrix was some sort of random fluke. Those movies also proved that they think they are really smart and deep and philosophical and shit. What is funny is that they are the opposite. Ok, so we're on the same page, those last two Matrix movies were horse crap. You know what's kind of worse? Speed Racer. This. Movie. Was. TERRIBLE. Like, I knew it was going to be terrible going in, but I was without choices and also I was kind of curious. I had read the reviews, I had listened to my friend who saw it on shrooms and who swore to me that itwas really a fantastic movie but you had to be tripping your ass off first. I can tell you that a) why would you need or want chemical alteration to watch this? If I had been tripping than I think what I would have experienced would be an awful movie without bells and whistles and shiny psychedelic colors to distract me. Cos they would cancel each other out. Where's the fun in that? and b) this movie was just like a cataclysm of bad. I have no problems with shiny colors. Yes, they gave me a headache in this instance, but y'know, the acting was just so dismal (side note: why did they hire a crash test dummy for the romantic lead? was a 2x4 unavailable?). I have been on a hate-fest with Christina Ricci ever since she lost way too much weight, and stopped starring in things like the Ice Storm and Buffalo 66 and started, well, starring in suckage. Here she barely registers as a living breathing person. She's sort of a cardboard cut out that is stuck into most every scene, sort of like a "find the Ricci" game. She occasionally said stuff, which really she shouldn't have, cos actually speaking was more detrimental than just standing there staring vacantly. This movie wasn't really about "girl power" if y'know what I mean. But anyway, it was clear that she wasn't really important. So we'll just move on. Kind of cute haircut tho, and it makes me long for short hair again.

Oh, poor Dan from Roseanne. Remember how awesome he was in the Big Lebowski? and pretty much every Coen bros movie they put him in? DanDanDan. Not every writer-director duo who are brothers are the Coen brothers. I know it's hard to keep straight. (Side Note: Also, keep in mind you might also want to avoid working with the Farrelly bros as well.) Yes this is tricky. Yes, there are too many writer-director brother teams in Hollywood. But, I think you can do it. I met you once and you were kind of scary but also very funny and very nice. You have a daughter whom you love. If you really really do love her, you wouldn't have done this to her so please promise me, and her, you won't ever be in a movie like this again. If she ever asks you why you starred in this horrible movie, tell her the truth. You owed some guys some money and it was either be in Speed Racer or have your fingers broken.

Susan Sarandon - wtf. no, dude. wtf? were you bored? did you accidentally wander on to the set and they just filmed it? maybe you were high. or perhaps it was a lost bet with your boyfriend Tim Robbins over something very very political and liberal-minded. or perhaps it's all three. Or, perhaps the Wachowskis, those loveable scamps, promised you another Rocky Horror. They lied to you. LIED! I know you don't always star in like the best movies. There was that one where you were an age-ed rock groupie with Goldie "one day my lips will eat my face" Hawn. My mom liked it and you guys are kind of the same age so I get that you occasionally want to make a nod toward your contemporaries who, in their later years have lost their taste. Fine. But this? Unforgivable. You will have to find some way to make it up to me. Perhaps Obama can help you retool your image with a position in his administration. That would help.

ok. Here's an interesting thing: Jack from LOST is TOTES Racer X. I'd know that "gruff but supposed to be also tender, strong and commanding yet slightly vulnerable" voice anywhere. Also that nose. I hate Jack on LOST. Guess what? Hate him here too. I know, there is SO MUCH to hate about this movie. But he gets to be singled out. I don't even hate Ricci or the crash test dummy (imdb tells me his real name is Emile Hirsch. Weird name for a crash test dummy) as much as him. Ugh, even more when he takes off the mask. Can you please STOP it with the bug-eyed thing? Ben is supposed to be bug-eyed and creepy on LOST. We love it. You are supposed to be our hero but all you do is stare bug-eyed in anger or stare bug-eyed supposedly with "love" for kate. Blecch. you are icky. stop being icky. It's even worse when you smile. when you smile it always looks like you're faking it. I have decided that you are a psychopath. I have no sympathy for you, even when you are beardy and addicted to pills and alcohol. so, hah!

the rest of this movie: ok, so there's an annoying way overly precocious little kid who mugs it up so hard i'm afraid he's going to break something. But, I am used to kids like this, they are all over my TV. I know the monkey is there cos it was in the cartoon but honestly, with all the rest goin' on they could've losed the monkey. He was only there for the one scene where he threw his poo (I guess I have to commend the Wachowskis for their restraint. They had a monkey on set the whole time and only shot ONE monkey-throws-his-poo scene?). There are many many seizure-inducing shiny things. And gravity apparently doesn't exist when you drive a car in this world. People have really dumbass names. Occasionally throughout this thing the movie goes "anime." But not in the cool way that Tarrantino did, but in a random, half animated/half live action wha? kind of way. Those scenes contribute greatly to inducing headaches and seizures. The cars are a shiny and brighter and smoother than candy. Y'know, that might be a positive. I like things like that. However, sometimes they show battle damage and sometimes they don't. Whatever, thinking about this film is tiring...I know that fat, creepy villain from somewhere. (IMDB: Roger Allam). I like him, he's overacting and chewing scenery, good. someone should be having fun. everyone else is sort of zonked out. crash test dummy hot lead Hirsch or whatever is having trouble "emoting" which kind of fun to watch at first but I'm getting impatient. This movie is also over long. I shouldn't need more than 72 minutes of this and yet I'm given 135.

Ok, Here's its major (alright, not the only major but I'm tiring out here) downfall - there is like a totes important, totes relevant MESSAGE!!! -- would it be a Wachowski movie if there wasn't some sort of overt MESSAGE? no. no it would not -- so get this, turns out corporations are like bad and stuff. Rich people and CEOs and junk think that cos they have money that they can like, y'know, break rules and rig sports and keep making money and no one will say anything. but that's like SO WRONG! If you really really really believe and can like, um, drive a car really really well (which is far as I can tell means having a semi-sexual relationship with your car, which you've given a gender, pushing your foot down extra hard on the gas pedal occasionally and pushing a button) YOU WILL TOTES PROVE THEM WRONG!!! cos, like, you have heart and heart beats money in rock- paper scissor- money-heart game all the time! YEAH! If only the crash test dummy could've mustered that much enthusiasm...

(random semi-related fact: NASCAR came out of bootlegging. Bootleggers in the south and in Appalachia rigged their cars to go faster and outrun the cops so they wouldn't get caught haulin' booze. Then they started drag racing each other. Then they started racing with rules. And tada - Nascar. it's totally true.)

I hated this movie. I was relieved when it was over. There was a "TWIST ENDING." Racer X is actually speed's disgraced brother (the movie was never terribly clear about why speed's brother (speedier? stickshift? I forget brother of speed racer's name, sorry.) was disgraced in the world of racing. The movie tells us that he apparently crashed a lot. Or made other people crash which was bad. Or rather, when he did it was bad cos I saw lots of people crashing and doing stuff but Speed didn't get in trouble. Ok, he did once but I really honestly could not follow this movie. It somehow had the paradoxical effect of feeling ADD-addled and unfocused, jumping quickly from scene to scene, while also being extremely draggy and taking a long time to get anywhere. Maybe the Wachowskis have special physics-bending directing powers. ANYHOODLE. so speedy there, his brother turns out to be Racer X, right? 'cept Racer X is revealed to be Jack from LOST and jack doesn't look like the brother. Guess what? Turns out, speed's brother (can't remember the brother's official name. stickshift? exhaust pipe:?) had the same surgery that nic cage and john travolta did in Face Off. Except with Jack from LOST's face. But he ends up not telling his family for...reasons...uknown to us all... so boring. so don't care. wever. This is the THIRD time the Watchowski's have wasted my time. I would ask for it and my money back except y'know, I can't. My head is throbbing at this point and so I actually have to switch off the screen and take two advil. I end up dozing a bit from boredom until some sort of breakfasty snack type thing is served. This time my food isn't good. Insult to injury!!!!

Airplane Movies (Hancock and Sex and the City)

by Sara [This is part one of two]

I have a horrible fear of flying. This doesn't keep me from traveling, but aside from drugging myself into incoherency, I often find I have to rely on the in-flight entertainment to keep me from falling into abject terror at the slightest tremor or bump. Some airlines have awesome in-flight entertainment. I once flew on a Virgin International aircraft that had better in-demand music, TV and movies than my home. And I love JetBlue for letting me watch TV from the minute I sit down until I have to deplane. However, I recently flew with Alitalia and their in-flight "entertainment" well, it was slim pickins. I had a choice of about 8 movies, two of which were Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Both of which I've seen and were the unfortunate top choices. I was left with: Mama Mia, Hancock, Sex in the City (the movie), Speed Racer, and then three Italian language movies. The magazine had promised a Bollywood production but they lied. I saw Hancock and Sex in the City on the flight out and Mama Mia and Speed Racer on the way back. I would like to emphasize that if I were not trapped on a flying metal tube for 9 hours I wouldn't touch any of those movies, even if I were in as drugged a state on land as I was in the air. But, this is a girl who on one flight watched Welcome to Mooseport, and none of those seemed to be as bad as that. I will now break down each movie according to my reaction and what was going on in the flight at the time. Oh and SPOILERS ABOUND, however I assume with this trash no one gives a rat's.

Part One: Red Eye Flight from New York To Rome - Hancock and Sex and the City.

Ok, this flight was empty. There were two rows to every one person. This is seen as a positive, especially by my friend who can sleep on airplanes. I watched Hancock with dinner. It was the best of all four movies I ended up suffering through. Yes, Will Smith cutesy shtick have worn thin, yes it is hard to buy him as a grumpy drunk but this movie has Michael Bluth. I was the only person on earth who didn't know the twist so I suppose I experienced it the way the movie people wanted. The twist wasn't interesting and the last, oh, 20 minutes or so were not very satisfying. So with the magic of cell phones Will Smith and Charlize Theron can stay in touch without one or the other dying? Who are "these people" that keep coming for them? She makes it sound like it's the same people every time but it's so obviously not. And THAT GUY is the "Big Bad?" really?! He's not even a semi-famous B-list actor so why would I even care. And, wtf? Why do they only need a distance of a few feet to be immortal? meh, whatever. My biggest complaint is tat Michael Bluth isn't given enough to do. That and then he takes her back anyway and then Will Smith puts a heart logo on the moon and then suddenly all the ad people now think it's a totes cool idea? But the movie took me through dinner, during which there was turbulence. The kind where you have to hold you cup or it will fall off the wee table. So I was way more interested in the movie than I had to be.

Turbulence continues, I take the first half of my happy pill and flip to: The Sex In The City The Movie What Was Made From that TV Show What the Womens Folk Like.

Ugh. No really. Ugh. The pill has kicked in and so I'm zooey but I'm conscious. This movie is terrible even stoned. I never liked the show. I hate the clothes. I hate the cloying tone. I want to punch out Carrie Whatshernuts from the opening line that tells me how that women in their 20's come to New York for labels and love. I personally came to New York to study art, have sex, get very drunk, grow up and have a life. I have never own Prada anything, don't know anyone who does and don't know anyone who cares. Moving on... I truly hate these women. And why the fuck to they keep screeching "SAMANTHA!!!" whenever the woman from Mannequin shows up? She's always showing up. This should stop being exciting news... Oh, this one time I totes saw Chris Noth while I was in Chelsea seeing art. He was filming an ep of Law and Order: Chris Noth Wears a Jacket or whatever. I see him around a lot tho. I do not think he's at all attractive. Plus, I was a totally Lenny Briscoe fan. Anyhoodle, moving on. Why does Carrie have feathers sticking to her head? I never understand the fashion crap of this show, which I have caught in syndication unfortunately. I guess in this world Fashion = Looking As Stupid As Possible. But really, this observation of mine is not new, I know. I am caught however by one moment. The only moment in the entire 50-hour long crapfest that was this movie (seriously, I had nothing to do and nowhere to go but I was begging this movie to end round about the 2nd hour. This thing was LOOOOONG). Ok, the moment is Kristen Davis holding Horseface McGee and screaming at Chris Noth to stay away. I am tearing up remembering this. Seriously. Kristen was so raw and so freaking real. I did NOT belong in this movie. I recommend watching these 30 seconds and these 30 seconds only. The rest of this is just really... the messages they are pushing, it's such fucking llama shit. Jennifer Hudson's character is shoehorned in and lame, but whenever she's on screen all I can think is "oh, that poor girl, I wonder how she is" cos that whole tragedy was really sad. This is not what they wanted me to think. There is a scene where someone shits themselves. No, really, someone shits themselves. Amidst tons of sex jokes and boiling women down to flat stereotypes and vomiting designers names at us they cram in a poop joke. loverly. the movie ends predictably with everyone getting what they want out of life. Samantha's a whore - NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT (sayeth the movie to us) the rest of them are again happily married (oh, hey! horseface marries Law and Order in the same courthouse that Geoff and I debated about changing our names to Spaghetti-Batman! This is my only moment of excitement. The red head who is really a blonde and now a late-in-life lesbian goes back to her husband cos in this movie when someone cheats, but they only do it once and are really REALLY sorry and it's actually the women's fault cos she didn't fuck him enough and instead of talking about it he cheated but again is REALLY REALLY SORRY said woman must take him back or be seen by everyone, including her bestest friendies, as a coldhearted unfeeling snake. Listen, I have my own (ok, Dan Savage's) thoughts on cheating, but really. If this is her deal breaker, it's her deal breaker. But fine, movie, I get it. he LOVES her so it's totes ok. Oh and lovely Kristen Davis (she's really cute) has a real baby because adopting a Chinese one totes isn't like having a kid for really-REALS. and having a kid for really-reals means you are extra-specially in love and your Chinese baby is just a symbol of how your love was totes weak before. take THAT! and horseface gets married and has a big closet even though the shit that Law and Order there pulled is shown to be like, super mean but again, if you're really REALLY SORRY and you really REALLY LOVE someone, you totes have to get married even if marriage isn't really for you. and like, not everyone has to get married, cos being a slut is TOTES COOL but, like, most people should get married cos like, love RAWKS. oh and: Prada, louboutin, lacroix yadda yadda yadda. I am now stupider and ANGRIER for having watched this shit. I am glaring, half stoned, around the empty cabin of this airplane needing to take my wrath out on someone but fail. I have to swallow my rage and remarks of "WHAT THE FUCK, NO SERIOUSLY WHAT THE FUCK" along with the rest of my pill. I spend the rest of the flight failing to sleep while being too drugged to open my eyes. I am content to listen to several episodes (that I have seen a couple of times already) of The Fairly Oddparents and then some horribly lame sounding kids show called Vampire Weekend...no wait, that's the band. It was Vampire something. There were vampires in it, from what I remember hearing.

Ripping Off AvClub's "The Hater"

By Sara

Because I am home sick for the second day in a row (let's hear for the Flu!) I am going to comply with my loving husband's repeated requests for me to guest blog. Why does he want me to guest blog, you ask? Because of my rampant hate, intolerance and impatience for just about everything in pop culture. This doesn't mean that I don't adore it as well, I just tend to snark on everything that Geoff loves, in a way that he finds hilarious. He thinks you'll find it hilarious too. I have my doubts, but anyway, my snark level is at an ultimate high because I'm super cranky that I'm stuck in HERE while my friends are out sledding in a winter-wonderland -- which is some MAJOR bs as I've been wanting to go sledding for ages and no one would get on board with me -- I thought I'd write the flagship post and turn my crank into some outward hate.

I am promised a special weekly post if my hate is good enough and I'm funny enough. Usually I will be hating on everything that Geoff loves, especially TV. Perhaps some movies thrown in. I MAY dabble in comics, but that is sacred territory around here so I know I will have to have a damned good (and damned hilarious) critique if I'm gonna fly.

The format will be oh-so-simillar to Amelie Gillette's HATER on The Onion's AVClub website (for those unfamiliar check it out: http://tinyurl.com/9edspv) here are some things I will be hating on:

24 (ridiculously overblown republican torture-porn alpha-male claptrap. but what really bothers is me is that EVERY DAMNED SEASON IS THE F'ING SAME! )

30 Rock (a show I once loved too that has turned from quirky funny boyfriend to desperate and lame boyfriend but you stay with him because of a mixture of nostalgia, hope and your own sad desperation)

BSG (featuring "how many characters have cried and/or shot themselves" episode misery index)

The Wire (I haven't seen it, and man are the people who have SERIOUSLY annoying cultists)

and of course LOST. A show I watch because i HAVE to watch it and there is some major backlash going on. I think I've realized I dislike 90% of the cast.

FUN STUFF!!!

Sinupret Commercial

by Sara

This is the most disturbing commercial I have ever seen. What is wrong with these people?

MUTO: animation on public walls (Commonplace Book)

Sara wanted to share this video for the commonplace book. It is pretty cool, and about seven and a half minutes long (although since it is not a narrative you do not need to see the whole thing).


MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

http://www.blublu.org/sito/video/muto.htm