January 1st

HAPPY NEW YEAR Everyone! I hope this year brings happiness and health to you and yours. I have a feeling 2003 is going to be an interesting year. If I knew what the next year would be bringing totally I would have to change my name to Ms. Cleo and charge you $1.99 a minute to talk to me. But sadly enough that’s not going to happen. Like I haven mentioned up here before 2003 is going to have to be better then 2002, what a frippin weird year. (Lot’s of twists and turns).

As always I made New Years resolutions, here’s this years batch:

1. Learn to be less harsh on myself
2. Further explore my limits and how to better myself as a person
3. Update the website more often
4. Push my business endeavors further (Some great stuff coming up with that)
5. Spend Lot’s and lots of quality time with William
6. GET A PLAY STATION 2 (see below, only 17 more shopping days Hint, hint)
7. Lose more weight
8. Finally Join a Gym (goes with the one above)

I don’t think all of them are too impossible to keep, and most will be easy to break by February 1st.

Well as said above only 17 more shopping days till my birthday, so far the grand total towards the PS2 is $20, hey it’s a start (thanks to the people who have donated, it is appreciated), only $179 more to go. With your help and support we can all get this over with and you can never hear me schmooze you up for anything again (OK, I doubt that but hey it sounded nice). If you want to make a worth while donation click here to go to the Pay Pal web site and send me a little something.

Hope you have had a safe and happy one and I’ll talk to you soon.

Peace

Mike

December 30th

Well I already know one of my new years resolutions will be to do this column more often and try not gripe so much in here. (Gee do you think I’ll make it past the first week of January on that one?) I’m pretty much on the fence this year about doing something for New Years Eve, as always with me I’ll probably wait till last minute and decide. I had a few invites locally but of course up in Maryland, and in Seattle also. Don’t get me wrong I love hanging and doing on New Years Eve, but this year just doesn’t feel like I need to be out there trying to find trouble. I’m sure it will find me somehow.

Would love to hear from everyone and see how they are planning on spending their holiday, and where. Drop me line here.

Last Saturday I went to see a great movie called Antwone Fisher. It was Denzel Washington’s first shot at directing a movie and he has created a masterpiece. This film is a true story about a young man coming to terms with a very violent, and abusive past growing up with in a neglected foster family. The movie has a lot of powerful moments that I didn’t expect from first time director, and Derek Luke’s portrayal of the main character was fantastic. From the when you first meet him at the beginning of the film as a troubled loner, you can see his growth throughout the movie. Even two days later, this film has me thinking. It showed that no matter how much you can beat the human soul down, if you want to, you could rise above any kind of adversity to better yourself. It has been some time since I have been to a movie where people all stand up and applaud at the end. If you want to read more about the actual Antwone Fisher and hear his story, click here.

Well today going to be a quick entry, I’m thinking of starting a new begging campaign since my birthday is only 20 days away. I’m thinking about asking everyone to donate a couple of bucks towards getting me a PS2 for my birthday. It's the only thing I'm asking for this year (Other then a 36 inch flat screened TV, but won't bring that up here). If you want to make a kindly donation you can make your donation though Paypal here.

Ok all, I wish you all a very Happy and Safe New Year, and will talk to you next year.

Peace

Mike

P.S. I’m thinking about growing my goatee back, what do you think drop me an e-mail to vote.

Hairy Faced	Clean Faced

December 29th

Well as you look back at all the time in your life and think, "Would I did it all again the same way?" What do you say? What would you change? What would you leave the same? My general feeling is that you should leave it all the same, (maybe with a minor tweak here and there, but over all the same). I wouldn’t change anything major. I guess where this is all going is that lately I have found myself starting to think a lot about where I want to have the different places I want to be in my life. I now have a better grip on what I want and where my mind and soul is pointing. I had already put the foundations for it over the past few months and now I know I’m pointing in all the right directions. As things become more solid with my decisions and such I will be filling you in, but for now just know that good and exciting things are on the way for my life, and those around me.

The holiday past without much fan-fair as predicted, I actually spend Christmas day going on a five mile hike with a Jewish organization called Mosaic, it was my first Jewish activity here in Atlanta. I had the opportunity to go to the Mitzvah Ball (basically a huge singles dance, kind of like a prom, so not my scene). The hike was very low key and was no pressure to meet or talk to anyone that I didn’t want to. I did actually make some great connections, so we will see where that goes also. I did volunteer to redo their web site for them so that will get me going with them also.

Lately I have found myself looking at a few of the online personals site, and in all truth when I do look at them I feel very odd, it’s kind of a love / hate relationship with the ad’s. I’ll be the first one to admit it that I have had some decent experiences with meeting people though them, but also some really bad experiences too. I have talked about a few of the people that I have met since my divorce, I try not to hide anything from you, and if I’m dating someone and they are part of my life of course I’ll be bringing them up in here. But that’s not where I was starting to go with this subject (god I get off on tirades sometimes). What I was going on originally about the personals site is it’s kind of funny how your supposed to make a good impression. Both male and female use some of the worst photos I have ever seen. I have seen mug shots better then some of these. You’re supposed to be meeting the person of your dreams, and you have posted the pictures of you from your cousins wedding or Bar Mitzvah on there. Not a good thing. Then there is the other end of the spectrum with the people who put the glamour shots in the ad, the sad thing about that is that it doesn’t represent you either. You maybe get dressed like that once a year or so. But the odds are you won’t be showing up on your first date dressed like that, so why represent yourself that way. My feeling is that you should put pictures of yourself that shows the real you. What the person you will be meeting will actually see when the first date happens. Ok, I could talk hours on this subject matter, but will hold off for a little bit, it’s just one of my pet peeves.

On the movie front, I finally broke down and saw Star Trek Nemesis the day before Christmas. A lot of people panned the movie and said it was one of the weakest of the 10 Star Trek films. So hearing all this I went into the film with very low expectations, but was very happy to find out that my fears were completely unfounded. I was happy to see a very well rounded story and a reunited cast "for the their final voyage". To put it in the most basic terms it was like watching a two-hour episode of Star Trek. The plot involves the Enterprise being called to Romulus the home world of the Romulan Empire, to start negotiating for a peace treaty, but it all becomes very obvious that it’s not going to happen when the empire has been taken over by the deformed Warrior race from the planet Remus, and let by a "clone" of Picard named Shinzon. I won’t ruin much more of the storyline for you but it was a fun film, and it showed a deeper side to Picard then all the other movies. There were a couple of cute cameos from the Star Trek Universe (Whoopi Goldberg, Will Wheaton and Kate Mulgrew), I totally do recommend Nemesis more then I thought I would. It’s overall fun, and a great escape into the Star Trek Universe.

I also saw Antwone Fisher, but I will review it tomorrow night. It’s now almost 2am and I’m pretty wiped from a long day.

I hope you’re all doing well and have had a great holiday.

Talk to you soon

Peace

Mike

December 23rd

Hi all, this is like the 3rd time I had to start writing this article, each time I got about half way through and started to go hmmmm a little to goofy, or too negative or such. Sometimes I just start writing and just go with whatever comes off the top of my head. The first column I tried to write was made to sound like I had a Scottish accent (ala Sean Conery or Fat Bastard, your choice) but then I thought better of it since the accent was only in my head. DOH!! Trust me it would have been really funny if this was radio. Oh well. The second version was talking about how you only had 24 more hours to get out there to spend, spend, spend till your credit limit hits, and how George Bush is telling everyone to spend all they have to help the economy. But that too didn’t really go off, as I wanted.

So here I am now trying to figure out what to really talk about on this Monday before Christmas. It’s kind of tough I guess trying to get all up and happy about this holiday since I don’t celebrate it. Yes I’m glad for my friends and my family that do actually celebrate it. But when you grow up Jewish and celebrate a different set holidays, December 25th doesn’t really mean anything to you. Well yes growing up it did because we got out of school. But as you get older you kind of lose that spirit since it has no real meaning anyway. I think the creators of South Park put it perfectly when they came up with the song “I’m a Lonely Jew at Christmas.” Now don’t get me wrong, I can see some of you thinking, “Ok he’s just ticked because of beliefs or because of what happened to between me and Angela”. But in all truth that is I have felt this way about the holiday for many many years, and I obviously am not the only one who dose feel that way either. I just find it a little hypocritical when people are so nice to each other and spend so much money for charities and their families, but the rest of the year they just blow them off. It would be wonderful if people could be that way year round. Instead of just for a month, it is almost like people are being nicer in hopes of Santa bringing them something nice. OY. Don’t get me wrong Jewish people aren’t above anything I have written above either. Just instead of Santa, we just have Murry the Hanukah Dwarf bringing our Gelt (Gold foiled, Chocolate Coins) and Draidels to us. Well in all truth though as far as Jewish holidays go Chanukah is actually one of the minor holidays. The holiday has gained importance in the modern world so the Jewish boys and girls can compete with Christmas.

Now with all that said though I do wish everyone a very happy holiday if I don’t talk to you before. Hopefully it will be a relaxing time for you. Or for those actually celebrating the holiday I hope you get what you asked Santa for. In William’s case it was the entire Toy’s R Us catalog.

Peace

Mike

P.S. Ok this one sounded preachy again, but not as bad as rendition #2 trust me on that one, Sorry.. HAPPY HOLIDAY!

P.P.S. I was out and about in Atlanta on Saturday and saw the new Beetle Convertible. Oh my god, what a fantastic car. I’m actually thinking about trading in the Pathfinder for it. Take a peek here.

Ok Today’s’ funny come from Candace, and just in time for the holiday shopping season.

THINGS TO DO AT WAL-MART WHILE YOUR MATE IS TAKING HIS/HER SWEET TIME:

1. Get 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people's carts when they aren't looking.
2. Set all the alarm clocks in housewares to go off at 5 minute intervals.
3. Make a trail of tomato juice on the floor to the restrooms.
4. Walk up to an employee and tell him/her in a official tone, "Code 3 in housewares", and see what happens .
5. Go to the service desk and ask to put a bag of M&M's on layaway .
6. Move a 'CAUTION-WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.
7. Set a tent up in the camping department and tell other shoppers you'll only invite them in if they bring pillows from the bedding department.
8. When a clerk asks if they can help you, begin to cry and ask, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?'
9. Look right into the security camera and use it as a mirror while you pick your nose .
10. While handling guns in the hunting department, as the clerk if he knows where the anti-depressants are.
11. Dart around the store suspiciously while humming the theme from 'Mission Impossible' .
12. In the auto department practice your Madonna look using different size funnels.
13. Hide in the clothing rack and when people browse through say 'PICKME! PICK ME!!!'
14. When an announcement comes over the loud speaker assume the fetal position and scream 'NO! NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!'
15. Go into a fitting room and yell really loudly....'Hey! We're out of toilet paper in here!'

October 20th

You know when you always have something in mind to do but then when 2am runs around your like “Ok, do I really want to start writing a new update for the website?” Usually by this time my eyes are so blurry and glazed over that I just crash. I know excuses, excuses… so hence here I am on Friday night writing you since it feels like I have been neglecting you for a while. Also after looking back at a few of my last couple of entries I have been sounding kind of low. (Kvetchie) I guess it’s the time of year and also still being new to the area and not knowing tons of people. Don’t get me wrong I have met a lot of nice people so far, and have the start of a few great friendships but I do miss having friends that I can just call and have something to do within ten minutes. I’ll have it here but it will just take time to meet the right people. I’ll give this one to you the people are generally a lot nicer down here. I also do notice that people do seem use nicknames or pet names even for total strangers. "Hon" "Babe" "Sweetie" "Cutie" a lot more then in other areas that I have lived. (OK it dose freak me out when the guys say it to me, but hey that’s my hang up, JUST KIDDING).

I actually have been really busy this week finishing up a few projects and I’m really starting to get back into drawing again. Just usually sketching what ever is on my mind (ok maybe a little scary, but it’s so great being artistic again). Once I find some things I'm happy with I will scan them onto the computer and put them up here. I’m actually thinking about actually digging out my paintbrushes and actually doing some original artwork for myself. Of course I’ll save the refrigerator space for some new drawings from my favorite artist William Faber. Speaking of artwork I’ll have to show people once again that I am not Odd Todd. I have gotten a few more e-mails this past week asking me if I’m him. Honest guys thanks for the flattery and yes I do like eating Pringles and drinking Coff-ay and staring at the walls all day. But Todd is a guy from New York who has been unemployed now for almost a year and a half, and a very talented and creative Flash Animator. Mike = Web designer / Todd = Flash Design. Speaking of Todd, congrats to him for being nominated for best short animated cartoon for the Sundance Film Festival. Click and vote for him here, oh yeah and he also has a new holiday cartoon up on his site, very funny but not for the weak of heart.

Earlier today I went and saw Lord of the Rings – The Two Towers. First off I want to say I loved it. But on a quick side note that there were some bozos in New York protesting this movie because the title is insensitive to the families of the victims of 9/11. OH PLEEZE!!! Give me a fricken break. Have we become so P/C in this country that you have people bitching about a title of a book that came out 40 years before the World Trade Center disaster. I’m sorry but folks if your going to be that sensitive please put your blinders on and just continue reading Readers Digest and follow George W. blindly like the lemmings that you are.

Ok I got a bit off the topic but back to our feature presentation. The Two Towers (grrrr, stupid people just tick me off… Oopps sorry still fuming about the above paragraph). The movie picks up right after the first one ends, and thank god doesn’t do a flash back for the people that haven’t seen the first one. (Previously on Lord of the Rings) the movie was long enough without any real flashbacks. Peter Jackson once again captures the feel, of Tolken’s trilogy. But takes his storytelling skills to the next level since the Fellowship has broken up into three different storylines. The Frodo and Sam making there way towards Mordor, Gandalf, Aragorn and gang fighting for mankinds survival, and Merri, Pipin and Treebeard romping through the forest. Each one handled with extreme detail and care. None rushed or pushed aside. The cinematography of course was beautiful again. I won’t ruin any parts of the story for those who haven’t seen the film or read the book yet. I did find the film very entertaining and moved very smoothly, but at 2 hours and 59 minutes I did find myself getting restless for the last 15 minutes or so. I’m already thinking about when next week I will find time to see it again. (Well it beats waiting till next year for pt. 3, "The Return Of The King")

Previews worth mentioning from this film. They did have about 10 previews but the one’s that left a mark on me are:

Finding Nemo – the new film from our friends at Pixar, kind of literally finding the little fish in a very, very big pond.

X-men 2 – More Mutant mayhem, should be interesting to see what they do with this story line. Liked the first one, and seems to have lots of Wolverine, so you can’t go wrong.

Bad Boys 2 – ummmm didn’t really care for the first one, can’t believe they are making a second one. Too many things blowing up and no real story.

Dumb and Dumberer (Dumb and Dumber 2) – A prequel to the first movie, and I hear it won’t even have Jeff Daniels or Jim Carey. Why bother.

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind – The story of Chuck Barris (yes the guy that used to host the Gong Show) in which he is a game show host during the day and claimed to be a trained killer for the CIA at night. This film looked like it had the most potential out of all the previews, and has a great cast to boot, probably a Mike must see.

Well anyway that’s it for tonight. I could go on for hours. Right now I’m in one of those writing moods, but a lot of times I don’t know what’s appropriate to mention online and not, so I’ll just call it quits for tonight, before I mention something that I would have to tell you to erase from your memory banks. LOL.

Hope you all have a great weekend and I’ll talk to you soon. GO SEE TWO TOWERS IT WILL BE WORTH IT!!! (and don't let any protesters bother you. Geeze, ok I'll stop now).

Peace

Mike

P.S. I'm listening to the radio, Sheryl Crow is playing currently and her song has a great line in it. "It's not having what you want, It's wanting what you've got" Truer words have not ever been spoken.

After the events in my life and around the world over the past couple of months, I have more and more been thinking about life and how short it is. Oh boy, I bet your going "here goes Mike becoming all sentimental on us". No don’t even think that my friends, I realized about five years ago that nothing lasts forever and have been trying to better myself for it and living life to the fullest since then. But with the move here to Atlanta and all the changes my life has been facing I realize that sometimes you just have to step back and see where your life and your livelihood are standing. Almost like an end of the year report. Well I have a few more weeks left in 2002 and no offense to anyone but all I can say is good riddance. After talking to quite a few friends, and reading over the newspapers from the past year. I can safely say the year 2002 will never be a high point in human history. In no short terms 2002 sucked. I have a feeling that 2003 is going to be an interesting year for everyone. I don’t like predicting anything, I leave that to my psychic friend Taylor, but hey common folks, it can’t get much worse. (Well we do still have two more years of George W. in the White House, so you never know).

Ok, I never made it to see Star Trek – Nemesis, but from all accounts I have heard that I should save my money and wait for the $2 theaters (which the movie should be there in about a month or so). So I guess the next film to see will be "Lord of the Rings – The Two Towers" (today's fun link) that opens at theaters on Wednesday. I have also heard that the new Jack Nickelson movie "About Schmidt" looks interesting. So at least there are a few movies ahead in my future. Not sure though about which movie will be the Christmas movie this year. I’m kind of leaning towards "Analyze That"or maybe "Gangs of New York"who knows, it’s still a whole week and a half away.

Went exploring Athens, GA today fun little college town that spawned the likes of R.E.M. and the B-52’s and inspired the coming of age 70’s film "Breaking Away". It wasn’t that far of a drive from Atlanta and it seemed to have some funky shops and restaurant in their downtown district. (Like every town in America they are cursed with the strip malls and box stores like Target and Wal-Mart). If your ever in the area definitely worth a visit, and who knows your might run into Michael Stype or Kate Pearson.

Well that’s it for tonight, boy was that a rambling rant tonight.

Take it easy

Peace

Mike

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