zen and the death of Phillip Seymour Hoffman (picture the Pacific Northwest coast, at 6am, awakening to a gentle rain underscored by quiet Beethoven) I have been feeling very zen-like this week, and it's all because of a classical music station based out of North Carolina. Well that and God (but then again what isn't because of God?). Ignoring the fact that I was actually in Raleigh last week, Monday morning when I was all alone in the back half of the office I really needed some relaxing music to underscore my return to work and the gray/rainy day outside. Windows Media player had a few suggestions for classical music, and since the one in Washington state was playing a German march (it was like 5 am out there, who listens to German marches at 5am?!), I decided to try the next one, which came out of Raleigh and defined my day perfectly. All day long I was just in a state of calm (could have been also that I've been hopped up on Sudafed for 4 days), which was very helpful. I have never been one to have classical music playing in the background of life. I knew a girl (once) back in college who could do this very well. But now I think I'm sold on this concept. Plus despite the flooding (these New Englanders are crazy), I like the gray skies and rain, at least while I'm stuck in the office. What fun is sunshine if you're stuck in front of a computer, anyways? Just temptation. No, serve me rain and Mendelson please.

So I'm not one for excessive gore in movies, but the death of Phillip Seymour Hoffman's character in M:I:3 (I know, two colons? Who does that Cruise think he is? I'm not going to make a joke, it's too easy) was just lame. SPOILER ALERT: THE BAD GUY DIES AT THE END. I mean one minute he and Cruise are rolling around on the ground and then the next minute he's just dead, hit by a truck passing by, and you never see him again. The more I think of it the more I was upset about it, but then again the movie was just a lame excuse for a James Bond movie. Ving Rhames had some good lines and it was nice to see Hoffman do something other than just be an incredible actor, but other than that it was just exotic locations, beautiful women, loads of explosions, sneaking in and out of Vaticans and skyscrapers, and lots and lots of sweat. I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong, but Casino Royale is so going to be the best action movie this year, and maybe the best Bond in a while. And I liked the Brosnan ones. Check out the trailer. Eh, Rob?

I was at peace again today, but I was also yawning a lot. Peace despite my low cashflow and the ol' car giving me trouble again--I got a notice from AAA last week letting me know I've used up my four free services for the year already. Plus now the driverside lock is broken, so my key just turns when I put it in...I have to walk around to the passenger door and manually unlock the drivers door from that side. Oh well, as long as it runs through the year. But then I came home and took a nap, and awoke to sunshine. Very odd based on the weekly forecast, but have no fear! Clouds are moving back in.

Hey speaking of Have No Fear, did I mention that they're filming the live-action Underdog movie here in Providence. My friend Nate told me that Jim Belushi was in town over the weekend to film a cameo. Nice!  ¶ 5/16/2006 06:53:00 PM