Missed Connections

You know the feeling; you see a stranger, and without even talking to him or her, you know that they could be the love of your life. But you walk away, never knowing what might have been.

Of course, you could always get on your local Craigslist site and create a missed connections post. I mean, I've never done that. But I wouldn't judge if you did. If you don't know what these are, I suggest you do your research. They are entertaining, engrossing, and though I hate to admit it, I've gotten that warm, fuzzy feeling from reading them.

But with this website, they're just too much. I mean, they were already great, just oozing with averted love and pathos. But now, set to paint and paper, I can't not smile. I think you'll agree.

This is one of my favorites:

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes

I'm sure many of you have seen this already, and I know I've shared this with some of you individually, but this group gives me the good kind of chills and this performance of their single, "Home," is wonderful.

A dear friend shared this song with me while driving around on a day that neither of us particularly enjoyed, and I can honestly say that hearing this for the first time made it much better. Look for the recording of this song; it's marvelous.

Falcon, the Balloon Boy

Honestly, I don't know what could be nicer than this little incident that seemed to own the airwaves on Thursday, Oct. 15. After receiving a comuniqúe (cooler than text) asking if I had heard of Falcon, the Balloon Boy, I immediately set out on a digital quest to find all I could about him. After reading many news transcripts, watching many videos, and scanning the comments of those following the story from magical beginning to safe, but disappointing, end, I knew that I wanted to name something in my life Falcon.

I also learned that I wanted to invest in some sort of flying contraption that required little-to-no skills in aviation, and was metallic and shiny so as to attract a lot of media attention.

Check back soon for some Falcon, the Balloon Boy fan fiction.

If you have no idea what I am talking about, I suggest you do a quick Web search with your browser and search engine of choice. Simply use the search cues, "Falcon, the Balloon Boy."

I wrestled with the idea of just posting some videos and transcripts here, but I decided that the journey is half the fun.

Tron McKnight

I know this may be a cop-out, but I just wanted to use this forum to refer the readership to another nice blog written by a nice guy (my roommate). There are lots of nice things in this blog, and I'm certain you'll have a lot of nice chuckles whilst reading.

Enjoy the nicety that is Tron McKnight.

name that sensation

Help me out, please. I'm trying to come up with a word. What do you call it when a song falls into your lap and you're instantly smitten. You don't want to listen to any other song for at least a few days, or maybe ever again. Maybe. You're smitten, so you're allowed to entertain the idea that this song might be It for you. You put that song into its own playlist and then set that playlist to repeat. You haphazardly whip up a mix CD topped with that song or copy the song to your iPod so you can listen to it over and over again in your car. With the windows down and the wind blowing and the leaves are changing and you do feel home.

This song might be It for me.
(But I've said that before. And before that. And even before that. So many times.)

So what do you call this kind of song when it happens to you? Maybe I'll make you a mix of those songs of mine if you come up with a name for them that saves me the trouble of saying, "Oh man, I just heard this song and I can't stop listening to it."

Mono-Moviewatching

Have you seen Disney/Pixar's latest film, UP? If not, and if it is still playing in a theater near you, go see it ASAP. It's a wonderful movie, and I hope your experience will be as...um...moving...as mine was.

Hopefully all of you have gone to a movie by yourself. In my professional opinion, a solitary movie-going experience is up there with riding a really great roller-coaster for the seventh time in a row, or having a really great cup of coffee and thinking about the wonderful book you just finished. A solitary movie-going experience to UP is heavenly.

And soggy. And somewhat embarrassing. But still wonderful.

I had been wanting to see UP for a long time, as it had not yet come out in El Salvador while I was there. When I got back to the States, it took me a while to go and see it, and one day after my classes I finally did. By the way, a solitary movie-going experience is best experienced during a matinee showing.

So, I finally went. I walked in to the theater, and my only company were two mothers and their respective children sitting in the middle seats on either side of the aisle. So I settled down in the second row to the back: out of sight.

I was crying within the first 15 minutes. And by crying, I mean sobbing. And by sobbing, I mean, I was making crying noises and had my handkerchief out. I was a mess. I was doing all I could to not be heard by the mothers and children, who I'm certain were NOT crying.

Now, let's make something clear: I am not a crier. It is rare that I cry, and usually, when I do, I feel stupid. Sometimes my thoughts are that maybe a cry would be good for me, but about a minute in I usually regret it and want to get on with my life. So my UP experience was quite the anomaly. And, though I was embarrassed about it, I must admit that I left that theater feeling pretty good.

I'm not sure what the nice thing is here. It could be the movie, solitary movie-going experiences, or the therapeutic catharsis of a rare and unexpected cry. I suppose it could be all three.

Please don't bring up the crying thing outside of the digital world. I'll deny it. And I don't want to be a liar. That's not very nice.

New Movie Trailers: New York, I Love You

Remember Paris, Je t'aime? I could watch it again and again, but I've never been to Paris, and it's not even at the top of my list of places to see before I die.

I have been to New York City, and I did love it. After my tour group left Staten Island, I got sidetracked by a Middle Eastern street vendor on our way to the alluring bargains of Chinatown. Suddenly I found myself alone, lost in some public park because I couldn't resist New York's cheap and tasty street food. I sat on a park bench with the kebab in question, and imagined that this was what it felt like to be local. I was slightly disappointed when my friends finally found me.

That was the moment I fell for New York, and that is why I am so glad that a new New York, I Love You trailer just went online this weekend.



Hurry up and get here, October 16.