Sonja and I rented the DVD "The Count of Monte Cristo" last night. I loved this movie.

I kept saying to myself, I should have read the book first. This story had it all, love, prison, revenge, money, greed, SWORD FIGHTING!!! I was saying to Sonja how the sword fighting wasn't all that fantastic, however the emotion behind the fighting was what drove you. I have never wanted to see someone get their ass kicked soo much in my life.

Man! What a killer movie!

If you really like long movies, where half way through it, you feel like you are watching just the beginning of another movie, The Count of Monte Cristo is your movie. It was great on a rainy Sunday Evening.

A-

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Sonja and I saw Barbershop on Saturday night. I felt lucky becase she wanted to see the new Reese Witherspoon movie,Sweet Home Alabama, which I wasn't too interested to see.

Don't get me wrong I love Reese Witherspoon. I just like her in Election and Plesantville, where she is playing eclectic characters. I'm not too into the romantic comedy lately.

Anyway, back to BARBERSHOP. First of all, Ice Cube is becoming a good actor. He showed a lot of range in this movie. I don't know why, but when he smiles, I know everything is going to be OK. Ice Cube does a great job in this movie. And, judging the name of the production company (Cube Vision) he may have had a hand producing this movie.

The movie is funny. I gut-laughed with the audience many times. This movie was a "smart funny" no stupid Martin Lawrence Bull Shit. The movie had a lot of heart and a ton of laughs.

The supporting cast is excellent. Including another Fonda, son of Jane Fonda, Troy Garity.

Oh, and by the way, Jessie Jackson's critisisim of the move are based totally on one of the caracters making fun of Rev. Jackson and the civil rights movement. However, the point in the movie is that "you can say anything at the Barbershop". So Rev. Jackson, be quiet about this one, because you sound out of touch.

Go see this movie, it is a B+

~n

Busy week for the ol' Nickerbocker.

First was Jimmy Buffet on Tuesday. Seems like everyone I know was at this concert. The ol' man did not disappoint. Best concert I have been to in quite a long time. I would recommend anyone to see him. I was singing his songs for 2 days strait.

Yesterday (Wednesday) I was too hung over from too many Margaritas on Tuesday. After work, Sonja and I hooked-up with Steve and Emma at Mother's Bistro. I love this place, great food. It is supposed to be classy "Just like mom used to make" food. However I have never met a mom who makes anything with Ettouffe* in the title.

Today I was working on a logo for someone I met on my favorite website. I hope it brings some more work. I did this job for trade. He is going to show me his best fishing spots in return for the logos I did for him. Good trade, huh?

~n

* Props go out to Emma for helping me pronounce "Ettouffe".

Last night I was watching the second and third episode of the Civil War and I started to become obsessed with the story of one man. Not because he was some kind of hero, in fact I would say he was the exact opposite.

George Brinton McClellan was twice the Union Army leader during the civil war. Now this guy was a piece of work, we all know his type. For almost a year he did nothing but build up an army and never do anything with it. He complained that he did not have enough, men or resources, while an under manned and under supplied confederate army won battle after battle.

His insubordination to Lincoln was criminal. Lincoln pushed, poked and begged for action from McClellan's army with little action after. When he did move into action he was afraid to move and was tricked more than once into inaction more than once by a smaller Confederate force. When he did fight he blamed his loss on the President and gloated in his few victories.

We all know someone like this guy. The one who takes all the credit, does none of the work and blames his boss for everything. Mostly these guys find themselves in middle management somehow. It is amazing that McClellan made it so far as to be the top General in the Union Army.

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On another note, tonight is the Jimmy Buffet concert. I have been looking forward to this for quite some time.

~n

Google has done it again with their new news service. It works kinda like Slasdot and this website.

~n

One Hour Photo
Directed by: Mark Romanek

One Hour Photo was WAY too depressing for a Friday night. Sonja chose this movie. I wanted to go see Barborshop, however it was her turn.

I mainly didn't want to see it because it looked far too gloomy. After a hard week at work and play, I was in the mood for something a bit more light. I had heard mixed reviews of this movie, and that is the way I walked away from the move. Mixed

The director, Mark Romanek, has a long history of directing music videos. You can definitely see this in his movie. The entire movie was strong in visual symbolism and weak in storyline or character development. The movie never really ever built up any forward inertia. It just plodded along, boring me to death.

Not once in the movie did I feel strongly for any of the characters. The closest emotion I felt was when the photo guy, Sey (Robin Williams) was running away from the police at the end. And even then I really didn't care if he got caught or not.

Everyone else in the move seemed emotionless, and boring. Only one who really stood out was the little kid (Dylan Smith). He did a good job binding all the crazy adults (and probably the director) together. I hope to see him again in future movies.

All in all this movie was average. cinematography was excellent, and the writing was boring.

All in all I would give this a C+.

~n

What can I say, I have writers block today. I can't seem to think of anything to say, so I'll just talk about my inability to create a cohesive sentence.

My boss just walked in and I sounded like I was on the witness stand. He must think I'm up to something. Last night I was so tried after a day of fishing. I sounded like some idiot who was trying to pass at a Harvard Alumni dinner. I kept using big words that didn't fit. Why I didn't just revert to a 2nd grade word level with my tired brain, I don't know.

Why does my brain go on vacation like that? I never gave it permission to do it's own thing. I think I'm going to need to have a talk with it, and if it does not shape up, we'll have to bring in a replacement.

Maybe I should go back to school? I'll be a lawyer.

Man, I must know 9 people who are in law school right now. Sounds like in a few years we'll all be in court. I have no idea why someone would leave a job to go to law school. Too much LA law in the 80s and Ally McBiel in the 90s, I guess.

I'm rambling (this is what you get when I have writers block).

On a great note, my buddy Dave has left the ranks of the unemployed to join CollegeNet. Good luck Dave!

I'll go back to work. Guess what I'm doing today. I'm writing documents. With writers block these are going to be about as interesting as reading the warning label on a bottle of beer.

Thanks for listening. :)

~n

I love The Matrix. I really look forward to the next movies. If you want some good SPOILERS about the next two movies, enjoy this Rolling Stone article.

~n

This weekend Sonja and I took off to Pacific City for a weekend of debauchery. We hooked-up with the gang at a great pub Pelican Brewery. Some of the beers were way hoppy for me, however I found a nice "Cream Ale".

After that we headed back to the pad to play a party game and start drinking. It wasn't bad, we only had about 20 fights about the rules, and I only wanted to kick the shit out of somebody, once.

Most everyone went to bed after that, however that was when the fun began for a few of us. 2 of my buddies were still up drinking, and they wanted to go to the local Indian casino. I knew that they would go, no matter if I went or not, and they were way too drunk to drive. So I decided to go, and my wife decided to tag along.

After a few spats, and a couple scolding by Sonja, we got to the casino in good spirits. Fist things first, we found our home for the evening, a low-rise black jack table. Damien took 3rd base and the rest of us just sat back while he would always break the ice with the dealer.

Sonja went to the bathroom, and I decided I would start playing in the void of any adult supervision. I whipped out a big 20$ and started playing with my 4 chips.

Damien did a great job of showing me his system. I was lucky enough to have started on a winning streak, right away so I doubled my whole 20$. Without parental approval, I thought it would be smart to stop right then, and take my profit.

All of a sudden, Sonja walks up to tell us that she won 160$ in a slot machine. She just stuck a dollar in the machine and won! Something out of a movie, if you ask me. Well that stole my fire for the night. So we were up 180$. Not bad.

We all convinced my lucky wife to try out Blackjack. With my profit, she started on a mean streak and popped our money up to 75$. Not bad for starting with 20$.

That was a great night, and we all came out ahead in one way or another. When we got home we all couldn't sleep (4AM). So I read, while everyone sat around and giggled.

The next day another awesome day, when a bunch of us went to The Sportsman, and watched the Michigan/Notre Dame game on TV. Notre Dame's offense was horrible, however they did enough to win. The defense did the rest.

After that, home, and a good night with my dog and the wife.

~n

I'm not feeling well today, so I just want the weekend to come.

SHIT! I forgot I have to go to the coast with some friends tonight. Well I hope I start feeling better, because I know they will want to drink. I just want to go home, pop in a DVD and then go to bed.

~n

Why didn't I think of this?

All I can say is thank god for Scientists!

~n