Various and Sundry

Had a nice relaxing partial weekend down the shore. I almost ALWAYS have a good time with my best friend Jay. Very few people make me laugh the way he does, and that's very important to me. I'm usually the one making people laugh. I don't mind make people laugh, in fact I quite enjoy it, but It's nice to be on the receiving end every once in a awhile. It's good therapy for me to laugh so hard tears shoot out my eyes like Kamikaze bullets! We're very very much alike in some respects. Kinda like a brother to me. A brother that I actually like. No disrespect to my actual two brotherly siblings.

In the off season Long Beach Island, more specifically Beach Heaven, tends to be cold, bleak, and deserted. Just the way I like it. One of my favorite Thanksgivings was spent at Jays shore house with his mom and a small group of people. After dinner, Jay and me sat by a fire pit in the cold crisp night air sipping port wine. The only things missing were cigars, smoking jackets, and rocking chairs.

Yesterday (at work) we filmed a video that I conceptualized for a co worker who was trying to score one of those quad rider thingamajigs for our department. The US Smokeless Tobacco conglomerate, association, corporation, organization or whatever the fark it's called, apparently gives several of these four wheelers away each year to police departments.

Much like pursing a grant etc., they want to know why they should give one to your particular law enforcement organization. They want you to be creative to show that you're different. My co worker knew she wanted to make a video and ran some ideas by me because she knows I'm into film and have a bit of experience in that realm. To be honest, her ideas were absolute crap! After a few variations I came up with what I thought would work best. It was short, to the point, as well as dramatic with a bit of humor thrown in. Something for everyone.

We were assisted by the TV36(?) Anchor girl, (she looked too young to be a lady & wore too much make up) and a friend of hers who was a filmmaker. I think they shot it on video. They provided all the equipment as well as their time for free, although I think the town did in fact pay the girl, and the cameraman got some nookie! I'll attempt to briefly sum up the video.

It begins with a punk thug walking into a gas station convenience store where he distracts the clerk while he steals several canisters of Chewing (or what they now like to call it), "smokeless tobacco". I think they feel that's a nicer way to tout an alternative way to get cancer as opposed to smoking which is stinky and nasty!

After the theft, the thug hauls ass in his getaway vehicle (my obvious unmarked police- car) and the clerk realizing what's happened gives chase. He flags down a cop (my co worker) driving her police cruiser through the parking lot and gives her a description of the felon. She is then in hot pursuit.

Our lawless infidel (played by a rookie cop) is parked by some woods checking out his swag when he spots the police cruiser and takes off on foot across a footbridge into the woods. The cop runs up and stops, looks at the camera remarking how if she had one of those quads she'd be able to capture the criminal. Yes, corny, dumb, and slightly stupid, but the best we could do with very little time and manpower.

It's now out of our hands, as the filmmakers edit it. I'll be curious and a bit afraid to see the final results at the big premiere at Cannes. It should be noted that I in NO way support the US Smokeless Tobacco people in ANY way, shape, form, creed, religion, or color. I'm a big anti-smoking guy as my mother died from severe emphysema many years ago. It's an absolutely TERRIBLE way to die for all those involved.

Let see, what else is goin' on? I've got the 2nd big and scary family gig coming up. It's a celebration of my older brothers 50th(I think) birthday. Fortunately I was able to sucker some poor woman into joining me. It took quite a bit of alcohol, a little pill, and a videotaped commitment for it to happen, but now that we're passed the ugly business it will hopefully be a good time. If she wasn't coming I most likely would not be attending. Hey it's free food and booze at some swanky joint! Who could pass that up?

Now I just need to get a date for my friends December 5th Christmas party. I'll have to see if I can dig up that "Idiots Guide to Stalking" book I had laying around somewhere. I'm probably a bit rusty and I'm sure it will help.

After much consideration, I think I'm FINALLY gonna break down and purchase a computer. Many people have been pestering me for years to do so. I'm NOT caving! It's MY decision. I don't really like change but I suppose it'll be good to upgrade from my stalwart and dependable, not to mention technically obsolete MSNTV. I haven't actually gone shopping yet, but I have spoken to some computer nerds and have done a bit of research on the web.

I think I'm gonna go with a Mac with a 24" monitor. I've heard many good things about the apple. It's apparently pretty simple to use and you don't have to deal with all those pesky little virus things. On top of that, I also hope to be finally purchasing a decent digital camcorder and the Macs are great for film editing etc. There's also a very cool music program you can install which could be fun. OK, that's it for now. I gotta bounce! I've got band rehearsal in about an hour.

Oh, by the way. Do any of you out there in cyber land happen to have a cool name for my band? I've come up with POG (Pathetic Old Guys) Weezer and the Geezers, as well as Worst Case Scenario. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

Hey look Stef, another post that's awfully long.