putting off health

There are some things that need to be actually written into a daily planner.

Definitely getting to a dentist. Apparently a split molar isn't something to ignore for awhile. My left jaw hurts like hell. Put some expsensive ambosol in there this morning so I could sleep a bit. But at work now I still have to deal with it. Swishing some mouthwash over the area helps for a few minutes. I'll likely go through a bottle before my shift is done.

My right knee still has something not quite right. May get it ex-rayed on Monday.

Also have to ask OHIP to look up records as far back as 2004 when the Rudd Clinic lost my results from something there and claimed I was a no show. Not that I'm planning a belated lawsuit. I just like to know.

It would have been better to assume from the start that "we're taking care of it" is not something to believe and that ultimately it's better to find out immediately if someone is trying to avoid giving you bad news. Need to prevent hemmoroids as much as possible too. Maybe permanently. I mean how do I plan for anything? Pain in the ...

Have to settle on a new doctor and a dentist as well, not necessarily in that order.
Man, been a while since I've had a real persistant tooth ache. I can only swish so much mouthwash in there to numb it. Man, pain is an inconvenience. It's worse if I lie down.

Movie director birthdays today

a) George Lucas
b) Robert Zemeckis
c) Sofia Coppola

Happy birthday all.

I realize Cate Blanchett turns 40 today. Happy birthday to her.
But for years I've just thought of the directors who share this birthday.

Mother's Day

Happy mother's day, mom. Although it's safe to say she won't likely read this blog.

I planned in advance this year and got some flowers ordered, annoying the operator by repeatedly making sure the morning would be time of delivery.

Now she won't be at home until the afternoon. Oh. well.

Porky's and Star Trek

Last night I sat down and watched a DVD I got from the public library. I hadn't seen it since it first hit VHS more then 26 years ago. It's about friendship loyalty, antisemitism, racism, and the trouble of finding a bad guy that can make a bunch of horny kids of little distinction seem like heroes. A local brothel in the 1950's, run by the brother of a corrupt Sherrif whose station is next door, is run with little concern for repeat business. Customers may return, but usually to seek revenge. The unlikely system is that Mr. Porky has located his strip club in a free standing structure suspended over water for no apparent reason other than to give Porky a place to dump people. Apparently the regular clientelle don't mind their strippers right beside the police department. The third act of the film is the most entertaining and upbeat, and Porky makes a perfect punching bag as an antagonist so bad and mean that he defies logic or motivation of any kind. Basically he is fat and mean without a bit of business sense. He of course is balanced out by Ms Ballbricker as the minor heavy and her petty tyranny at the school railing against anyone who has sex. It's a formula that obviously worked but on reflection even the turning of the tables with their "good" police officer and the community inexplicably coming together seems a little starry-eyed. It reminds me of perhaps the one good line in the awful "It's Pat," while seeing if they have anything in common Pat's mate Chris says, "You know what I'm against? Senseless evil." Porky is a fat man who seems to have aquired riches by antagonizing potential customers from the nearest town. At least with Ballbricker one look at her explains why she hates youth, pretty girls, and peeping penises.

Star Trek (2009) I saw at the first Toronto matinee I was aware of, only because I was unaware there had been screenings the previous day. D'oh! In a couple of places my eyes glazed over a bit listening to time travel and black holes being explained, but those were brief and the movie itself has momentum to get past it. Knowing the original crew characters will be an advantage, since much of the fun is in the subtle recognition of habits and moves or quips we know. But it is almost more of a homage to Nicholas Meyer's Wrath of Khan and The Undiscovered Country going by what is referenced. Although I am assured that there are more references to the TV series, which sounds reasonable enough. If people haven't seen any Star Trek and want to be up to speed, The Naked Time, and Space Seed episodes from the original series, then the Features The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock, The Voyage Home and The Undiscovered Country in that order will be excellent preparation for the new Star Trek. I have no idea whether it plays as well for people who don't know the characters. They might feel on the outside of an inside joke. The main thing is that at least the evil antagonist here has a grudge we can understand, which will be apparent when you see it. Good logical flick.

bad movie warning signs

I'm not recommending anyone see Empire Records, but it's a recent viewing that comes to mind. It came with Singles by Cameron Crowe on the same DVD and looked like a deal. With a better script, Alan Moyle can make a good movie (New Waterford Girl. Pump Up the Volume), but with a weak one you can only ask so much even with a mostly talented cast. About 14 minutes into Empire Records there's a little scene of head bopping and hair-flinging dance as the cast begin their day at the record store. It brings to mind the dancing at the end of The Breakfast Club, except that in the John Hughes classic the dancing is EARNED and very welcome after some heartsearching dialog and character development. Here, in Empire Records, it's off-putting cutsey-pie crap. The only sign of something happening is that the manager Anthony LaPaglia doesn't immediately fire an employee who has stolen and gambled away a day's cash but even then it just stands as weirdness. I'm not sure I should go on watching it.

Babelgum

Congrats to Michael O'Hara who was one of the winners in a recent competition with his "Mr. Happy" animation. Getting a free plane trip to see Spike Lee isn't too shabby. It must have been a couple of years ago that short was made. These things take a long time. I know I've tried to upload a few things to Babelgum. I don't know why I've dragged my feet.