Weekend Update

Emliy and I saw Team America again today. It was sweet. I think this is the first time I've seen the same film twice in the theaters. I'm going to buy the DVD when it comes out, which will make it number 3 or 4 in my collection. Everyone should have to see this movie.

We also managed to take in a show of a more cultured nature this weekend. Yesterday evening, we saw Omnium-Gatherum at the Zachery Scott Theater. It was enjoyable, but I still don't understand why they were in Hell. This sort of thing is usually lost on me but Emily can't seem to make heads or tails of it either (which makes me feel a little better).

In other news, our soccer game yesterday ended in a tie (1-1). Emily had several shots on goal, but none of them ever worked out. This is most unfortunately since women's goals count for two points.

I didn't have any shots on goal, but I think this had more to do with playing right fullback (this is a defensive position that doesn't often give me reason to be past the half-way point of the field) than any imcompetence on my part. On the other hand, I did have a very nice run up part of the field past 2 different defenders before passing the ball to a teammate with a well place kick. It was quite exciting as it showed considerably more skill than I actually posses. I'm still not sure what happened. Oddly, I managed to do it one more time shortly thereafter when the goalee threw me the ball. My first thought when I realized he was do so was, "Shit. He probably wants me to do that again." I think I'm turning out to be pretty good at this (for a newbie).

The low point of the game had to be needing to take a crap at the park in the middle of the game. I'm not a big fan of public toilets, but my stomach was being very insistent. At least the game wasn't at Zilker Park where they have port-a-potties and not an actual building with bathrooms in it.

If you're wondering why I didn't report on a soccer game last weekend, it's because it was rained out. Emily and I pulled up to Zilker right at 8am (right when the game is scheduled to start) to find no one there and puddles on the field. Quite unfortunate as we were out on the town late the previous night.

That is all for now. Don't forget to vote! (Unless you are uninformed on the candidates and their stances on the issues of the day, in which case, please stay home. You're fucking it up for the rest of us.)

Voting with your wallet

I voted last Saturday. It was a spur of the moment thing - Emily and I were driving about town and we happen to pass an early voting site. If I hadn't voted then, it might not have happened at all. Slim pickings this year and all.

But the much bigger and important news is...

I have a +10 position at 56.9 on Bush winning the presidential election over at Tradesports.com. Additionally, I have a very small position on Bush getting 300+ electoral votes at about 2-1 odds. I think I'm going to ride these out 'til the end.

Update: Okay, I might need to go back to just reading the news and looking for a new cell phone. My position on the 300+ electoral votes thing just increased by 150%.

Update: Well, I'm now in for almost $150 and it's time to be done. If all my contracts pay out at full value, I stand to make a little over $150.

Determination

Why I'm supporting Bush:

Last month I had lunch with a dear friend from grad school; he's a monstrously successful real estate developer and a staunch and senior Kerry supporter here in California. We argued about the election, and the war. He understands the war, but isn't convinced that Bush is smart enough to pull it off.

"I don't think that matters as much as you do," I told him. "I'm probably smarter than you are - in terms of IQ tests and grades in school. You're a multimillionaire, and I'm not - even though I've been in businesses parallel to you for as long as you. Why do you think that is?"

"Because I'm more determined than you are," he replied.

"Exactly," I responded.

Soccer, game 2

I forgot to mention before that we won our soccer game last weekend, 1-0. I think this was the first win for the team, also. I was not the one who scored, btw.

For what it worth, I did get quite a bit of action in the last few minutes of the game. I was on defense and we were a man down, so it entailed quite a bit of running around, simple to get to the ball first and kick it away.

Team America: World Police

Emily and I saw Team America yesterday. I think it's safe to say that this is the best movie of the year. Maybe the whole millennium. Seriously.

However, if you're a bleeding heart who staunchly opposes the war, you probably wont like it. Being the butt of the joke usually makes it less funny.

Here is an excellent review by Roger L Simon. And another here by Sneaking Suspicions. And here you can discover how little Roger Ebert gets it. In fact, the last paragraph is mind-numbingly off the mark.

Update: I was in the bookstore today (10/18) and asked about the soundtrack. It doesn't come out until the 26th.

Boadicea

Boadicea is the name of the 12th track on Enya's Celts CD. It is the melody of Boadicea that underlies the Fugee's song, Ready or Not.

Boadicea, or Boudicca meaning Victorious, was Queen of the Iceni tribe of East Anglia. She led a rebellion in 60 A.D. against the Romans, destroying the cities of Colchester, St. Albans and capturing London. She was eventually defeated by the Romans, and rather than be humiliated by them, she poisoned herself.
-- Roma Ryan, in Enya's The Celts CD booklet

As an aside, the Fugees originally used the melody without permission.

Merriam-Webster Online says that it's pronounced boo-dick-a, with the emphasis on boo.

Just got around to watching the third debate

Some days, the utter hypocrisy modern liberalism drives me nuts. But since I'm going to bed soon, this day is almost over...

tiding

a piece of news -- usually used in plural <good tidings>

I can't remember how it came up (I think I was singing Christmas carols), but I was trying to define this word for Emily. I was pretty much spot on. :)

Anyway, I just thought I'd go ahead and share the word with the rest of you.

Via Merrian-Webster OnLine.

I just played my first game of soccer with Emily and 'The Zoo' (that's the name of our team). It was a good time, and since I didn't score for either team it was a wash for me personally. On the other hand, the team, as a whole, lost.