Resolved

We're leaving in the morning for a quick trip up the coast, so in all likelihood, this is it for 2008. My 218th and final post of the year.

Now, I'm not one for new year's resolutions. If I'm making any for 2009, I'll never tell, and I'm not admitting to having made any in 2008. But if I had, today's post would represent me having stuck to a resolution for (close enough to) a full year.

In the scheme of new year's resolutions, writing a few lines of nonsense every couple of days might not seem like much. Check that: isn't much. Still, I'm pleased with myself for sticking to it, for getting something, anything, up here on a regular-enough basis. I think these 218 posts - well, most of them, anyway - were much-needed reminders to myself that writing can be pretty easy when it's fun, and it can be fun when it's so easy. Once in a while they even made me laugh, which probably wasn't the point. But, as my beautiful and observant wife has often observed (beautifully, I might add), I'm pretty good at cracking myself up.

Plus, it was a handy way for me to remind you about all of the awesome t-shirts for sale at S and J Market, which could really use your business during these difficult economic times. One of our satisfied t-shirt customers is Bugs, who has this one and is about to get this one, once I can get to a mailbox. I also mention Bugs because she deserves a special thanks for reading every single post and commenting - in some cases many, many times - on most of them.

To the other six or seven of you who have checked in on me so often this year, I thank you very much, for keeping the escalator going. What do ya' say we do it again next year?

Early morning Frost

I waited until 12:16 a.m. to start writing this one, just so I could use that headline. Crazy? Like a fox, baby.

The point is: I owe you another (soon-to-be) famous Six-word Movie Review. It's already been a couple of days since I went to the show to take in Ron Howard's new slapstick comedy, Frost/Nixon (trailers here).

Just kidding about the slapstick thing. But it did make me wonder if, in 35 years or so, we'll get a major motion picture about the buildup to - and fallout from - Katie Couric's groundbreaking CBS interview with Sarah Palin. The can-you-really-not-even-name-a-newspaper-or-magazine? one. Because that might be fun. Wow, I almost made it through December without a Sarah Palin reference. There goes that streak.

The film: Frost/Nixon.
The six-word review: Sheen/Langella are intense/on-target. Entertaining.

Only one real complaint, although it's an issue with the story, not how it was told on film: Thanks to the way Frost came out of the episode - that is, with his reputation enhanced immeasurably - one of the movie's lasting messages seemed to be that if you're a lightweight quasi-journalist, you can succeed just fine if you have a few talented people doing all of your prep work and then you cram for a few hours before a big interview. Which is probably about right.

Not quite The Graduate

There's so much cat hair on and in my keyboard, I'm not sure how the thing keeps working. But it does, which means that I can present to you another Six-word Movie Review!

The film: Last Chance Harvey. (Trailer here.)
The six-word review: Willy Loman finds true love. Eh.

(More fun than the movie itself was seeing former Piston-Bull-Laker-Raptor-and-Heat(er?) and three-time NBA champion John Salley at the theater.)