"I ate like a garbage box." - Akemi, the other day, after a particularly filling meal. She has a way with words, no? These are some of the inspired dishes she's been packing away... Last night, we elected to take a break from the kitchen and headed over to our favorite Japanese restaurant: Yuji's (2083…
May 30, 2014: Stargate Returns!
Wait. What trilogy? Oh, THIS trilogy: Yep, I'd heard rumblings - and they've finally been confirmed. 20 years after the original movie, Devlin and Emmerich will be rebooting Stargate for the big screen. I continue to be amazed by the franchise's staying power and continuing evolution, from a Devlin-Emmerich feature film that grossed 200 million to…
May 29, 2014: Lateral thinking!
Last blog entry, in compiling my list of crazy-but-true job interview questions, I failed to include one that should have made the list. Fortunately, my former Executive Producer Assistant, Trevor, was kind enough to remind me: “Are you comfortable occasionally draining my pet baboon’s anal glands?” – Joe Mallozzi To be honest, it wasn't a question…
May 28, 2014: Outrageous job interview questions!
I think pecans is the ugliest nut I have ever seen in my life - Akemi. I was, of course, shocked to hear it. It wasn't so much the bizarreness of the non-sequiter but the fact that pecan actually vaulted over walnut to take the top prize. Akemi clarified. Walnuts look like brains whereas pecans look…
May 27, 2014: The Weird Food Purchase of the Day = Kombucha!
May 26, 2014: The Weird Food Purchase of the Day = Nutritional Yeast!
May 25, 2014: Upcoming June under-the-radar movie releases to look forward to! Or not!
BORGMAN Release Date: June 6, 2014 What it’s about: A mysterious vagrant, a modern day Rasputin, insinuates himself into the lives of an upper-class family What it’s got working for it: Now that is one creepy and intriguing trailer. What’s it’s got going against it: Has the potential to be really good - or weird and…
May 24, 2014: Upcoming June movie releases to look forward to! Or not!
Hmmm. Slim pickings this month. EDGE OF TOMORROW Release Date: June 6, 2014 What it’s about: In the distant future, a soldier is caught in a time loop. What it’s got working for it: SF stories involving time loops are a lot of fun, IF they're done well. What’s it’s got going against it: But…
May 23, 2014: There is nothing worse than a missed opportunity!
Nope. Nothing worse than a missed opportunity. Why do I mention it? Oh, no reason. No reason at all. Hey, I should have mentioned in yesterday's blog entry - while we were on the topic of "waiting" - that I have yet to acquire copy of Paul McAuley's Evening's Empires for our forthcoming Book of…
May 22, 2014: Now we play the waiting game….. Ahh, the waiting game sucks. Let’s play Hungry Hungry Hippos!
One of the most irritating aspects of this business is the insufferable waiting. Waiting for notes. Waiting for ratings. Waiting for the catering truck to start serving lunch. And, chiefest of all, waiting for a green light. In the case of the latter, the frustration is both subjective and objective. You're personally frustrated by…
May 21, 2014: Conversations with my Japanese girlfriend!
This morning as I was prepping her for our medical phone consult: Me: The nurse will just ask you general questions like - Do you exercise? Do you get enough sleep? Akemi: Do you see ghosts? Do you see aliens? Me: Those questions are more likely to come up during your Mental Health assessment. Akemi:…
May 20, 2014: Back to business!
A gentle reminder that our Book of the Month Club reconvenes on June 2nd to Paul McCauley's Evening's Empires. But you already knew that because the information is right there on this blog's sidebar. Also, since we're on the subject, allow me to announce the winner of our July Book of the Month Club poll. This…
May 19, 2014: There’s no place like home!
According to our dog-sitter, my pug Jelly was "fussing a lot today". Despite her hip dysplasia and arthritic shoulders, she couldn't sit still. It was as if she could sense something was up. Something like... Dad coming home! Yes, following four great days in Vegas, I am back in familiar territory more familiar territory (since, truth…
May 18, 2014: Vegas Day #4!
So what exactly is "turndown service"? I mean, I know what it is. Sort of. At some point, after they've made up your hotel room, someone comes back in the late afternoon to pull down the comforter and fold over your bed sheet. Because....? Is it an excuse to come in and check up on…
May 17, 2014: Vegas Day #3!
Two great photo ops for Akemn. As is often the case when meeting celebrities, their true life personas don't always mirror their onscreen characters. Spongebob, for instance, was atypically silent - but no less genial, while Minion turned out to be a little a grabby. And flatulent. An excellent dinner last night at Sage…