BLOG 2 - Things I Like That You May Not Know You Like...Yet

The Art of Manliness. I stumbled across this web site when I was searching the internet for ideas for books to read. This site actually has a list called 100 Must Read Books - The Essential Mans Library, which is just 100 books every man should read before they die. I’d argue that the list is just as relevant for women. I do admit that their seems to be a bit too many books on teddy Roosevelt, but after all he was pretty manly.

Anyway, I was happy to find a man’s web site that wasn’t just about attractive women slumped over sports cars. I’d like to think that most men, on occasion, are a little bit deeper than that. The web site offers such cool things as a Barbershop locator's, grooming tips, how to shave like your grandpa and tips on how to talk like Frank Sinatra.

Persona is a 1966 film directed by Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman that probablyy deserves an entire blog to itself, which I might just do at a later time. Let’s just say that David Lynch has made an entire career exploring the themes of this film. It is thee foreign film that people spoof without even knowing they are doing so, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that its brilliant and a real piece of art, as all of Bergman’s films are.


Liv Ullman plays Elisabet, an actress who right before going on stage loses her ability to speak. The film takes place almost entirely in an islolated seaside cottage with just Elisabet and her nurse Alma, played by Bibi Anderson. Ullman hardly speaks at all throughout the film with Andersson speaking most of the dialogue. The film relies on visuals and Ullmasn's face to tell most of the story. Eventually, their identities begin to merge (like all of David Lynch's characters - Mulholland Drive anybody) and all sorts of artsy foriengn film stuff ensues. On a side not I can listen to women whispereing in Sweedish forever - who knew?

I'm convinced that Bergman was in love with both of these actresses - he did have relationships with both of them at different times. You can pick up on his infatuation with them in the way the film is shot - or at least I think so (or maybe I'm just infatuated with them myself) either way check it out. Click here to see a clip.

Dune the 1965 science fiction novel by Frank Herbert hurt my head. It took me a long time to get through the 489 pages and that's not including the four appendixes, maps, and glossary. And even with all that added information, I don't claim to fully understand it but yet it's still awesome. You have to love a book that is so complex that all film adaptions have failed. Although, the mini-series and the David Lynch version are both decent in their own ways. Now I hear that there is going to be another film adaption in 2010, I hope they don’t screw this one up as well. Anyway, if you like giant sand-worms, reclaimed body moisture (think about that for a second), and lots and lots of sand then this book is for you. I'm not going to try to explain the plot since I don't fully understand it myself but trust me it's a good read.

The Wire ran on HBO for five seasons. I never once watched it when it was on the air. I caught bits and pieces and just thought it was a lot of swearing within an incoherent plot. A friend and former coworker of mine would continually recommend the show to me but I took my sweet time getting around to watching it - I was wrong. Everyone should go rent season one of The Wire now! If Shakespeare was writing today he probably would be writing The Wire. It has to be one of the best written television shows ever. You need to watch it from the beginning and pay attention and if you do you’ll find yourself addicted and waiting by your mailbox for the next DVD from Netflix’s to arrive (or that could just be me). Yes, it’s a cop show. Yes it’s about Drugs. Yes it’s full of bad language and violence. All things that kept me from watching it for years – that was a mistake. WATCH THIS SHOW. Click here for a clip

So that's it. I like other stuff to but these are some things that I've been enjoying recently so that's why they were chosen.

The real point of this blog was for me to practice adding pictures and links but that doesn't matter.

Anyway, I hope you find at least one thing on here that's new and you feel like checking out.