My Top Ten Movie Theme Songs
The other night we went to see the IMAX version of Eagle Eye. One of the great features of IMAX movies is that they don’t have 20+ minutes of previews even before the previews. Instead we were sitting there staring at a blank screen. However while the screen was blank the room was far from silent because they had a delightful compilation of movie scores playing.
I love movie soundtracks and often hear them playing in my head while performing different everyday tasks.
Have you ever run to the theme from “chariots of fire“, or heard the ominous “da-da, da-da” of Jaws while swimming? Of course you have, and so have I.
So as I sat and enjoyed the miscellaneous themes I was inspired to consider my own top-ten list of movie sound tracks and to post them for all of my faithful readers. Before you get all bent out of shape regarding my selections allow me to break down the criteria I used for this list. First consideration goes to the title track; the main theme of each film. Is it instantly identifiable with the film? Secondly I excluded all musicals. Third, they did not have to be original compositions for the film (3 are not), but if they are not they have to be MORE identifiable with the film than with their original purpose. Fourth, does the song play in my mind on a semi-regular basis for no particular reason? And finally if the movie had a bonus of an amazing soundtrack this helped to compensate for title score deficiencies. Read the rest of this entry »
An anti-nuclear epidemic
A terrifying epidemic has swept over a small Massachusetts high school.
“We see this has a serious public health urgency,” said Dr. Lauren Smith, medical director for the state Department of Public Health. “We stand ready to support the Gloucester community to develop an appropriate . . . response to what is clearly a significant problem in their community.”
And to make matters worse it appears as though the school is doing nothing to try to stop it…
“It is very clear that the board is not in favor, and will not support, contraception in the school,” Dr. Orr told the Boston Globe. “There is an epidemic at the school.”
What horrifying sexually transmitted disease is destroying this quaint little fishing town?
Syphilis?
Gonorrhea?
Herpes?
AIDS?
Maybe it’s a new incurable disease?
Grand Canyon Tips
Well we just got back from our very great, heck I’d even call it a “Grand” vacation to the Grand Canyon. Our trip consisted of the following
Sunday- drive from Poway to Flagstaff
Monday- Meet our party at the South Rim, leave their vehicle and carpool to North Rim, stay the night at the North Rim Lodge.
Tuesday- Hike down to Phantom Ranch via the North Kaibab trail (14 miles).
Wednesday- Spend the day at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, do shorter day hikes, take pictures, etc.
Thursday- Hike up to the South Rim via the Bright Angel trail (10 miles). Stay at the Kachina Lodge.
Friday- Drive back to our vehicle on the north rim and begin our trip back home to Poway. We stopped and spent the night in Vegas.
Saturday- Get home!
That was the trip, here are some tips… Read the rest of this entry »
25 lessons from 7 weeks of Jury Duty
As I mentioned in my previous post I learned an awful lot during my time of civic duty. The following 25 are things that I learned during this time. They range from things that I learned about the judicial system to things that I learned about people to things that I learned about downtown San Diego. While some may better be called “things I was reminded of” I’m still going to include all of them under things I learned.
Spoiler Alert: If you haven’t read my post describing the case and would like the opportunity to guess the verdict then do not read this post. Read the rest of this entry »
My time as a member of the Justice League
Where have I been? Was I just sitting by watching while my blog stats dropped like the US dollar? Not exactly.
Since February 26th I’ve been employed by the government for a special mission. During this time I’ve been told repeatedly that I may not divulge information about my task. However now that my job has finally come to an end I am free to discuss with you any information you’d be interested in hearing regarding my adventure. Read the rest of this entry »
Sensational Basin Picks
I was feeling a bit nostalgic yesterday so I went back and reviewed a classic post from last year. Sooper Bole Picks
Indeed that was one of my most diverse group of commenter’s and it opened the door to a strange progression of posts. What began as a discussion about who would win the super bowl led to a discussion about sabbath observance, then a discussion about alcohol and then somehow a long debate over parenting.
Weird.
Well I have no idea where this current game will lead us but let me once again issue the challenge for my readers to predict the outcome of “The Big Game”
Last year’s winner, miss Juarez, won a lotto scratcher but then wasted it by using her keys to scratch instead of a lucky penny.
This year’s winner however will get the option, they can either choose a lotto scratcher OR a free Chipotle burrito.
Also there was some debate last year as to why she won and not someone else who had the same point differential. Thus I give you a list of rules…
Rule #1 I have the final decision and will declare the winner based upon my assessment of the most accurate score prediction. Therefore I will disqualify anyone who makes more than one prediction or who owns any type of New England associated paraphernalia.
I guess that’s about all the rules I can think of for now. However I do reserve the right to make up rules as I go along.
Buwhahahahaha!
I consider myself reasonably intelligent
It’s true
At times I have been accused of thinking too highly of myself. Indeed I think I have thought too highly of myself.
However an honest evaluation of my own intellect by comparison basis leads me to the conclusion that I am “reasonably intelligent”.
I have a decent enough understanding about a decent enough number of subjects that I can make “intelligent conversation” with a decent enough majority of any given general population.
Basically I know enough to say that I don’t know enough and that there is much more out there for me to learn and understand.
The point of this post however isn’t to brag about my perception of my own level of intelligence, but rather quite the opposite. The point of this post is to make known the things I am certain I don’t know.
This post is dedicated to things I have tried to understand but have yet to “get”. Read the rest of this entry »
Fun Stuff for San Diegans
It feels like forever since I’ve written a blog.
(but it’s not like my lack of entries have diminished my blogging activities because Alex provokes me like an Iranian speed boat)
anyway I read a nifty little story in the UT this morning that provided a worthwhile link and subsequent commentary.
Here is the story… San Diego named on the “It list”
And here is the commentary… Read the rest of this entry »
The Top Ten Christmas Songs EVER
How about some leftovers? I am re-posting this from last year just in case you became a fan of the Den some time in 2008!
I love Christmas music. I’m sure you do as well. I like to blast it out my car windows when I roll up next to some fender rattling bass thumper at the Poway and Community road intersection. I thoroughly enjoy that special genre of music that transforms our sunny Southern Californian mindsets into nostalgic winter-wonderland-wanter’s.
Christmas music is so peculiar. It makes us long for things we might have never even experienced. Does anyone else ever shiver when they hear “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire”? Has anyone ever actually seen chestnuts roasting on an open fire?
For your reading pleasure I give you a nice little den diversion dedicated to the songs that make the season. Read the rest of this entry »
A Man’s Review of San Diego Shopping Malls
I have a well known and strictly enforced rule in my family that we will not be “getting into the Holiday Spirit” until, at the very earliest, the day after Thanksgiving.
There will be NO Christmas decorations put up.
There will be NO singing of Christmas songs.
There will be NO watching of Christmas movies.
There will be NO writing of Christmas cards.
It’s entirely unfair to Thanksgiving to be giving Christmas preferential treatment. Alas, our culture doesn’t feel the same and has made a perverse habit of forcing Christmas down our throats earlier and earlier each year to the point where not only is Thanksgiving getting robbed of it’s due respect, but even Halloween has taken a back seat to Christmas and in some truly deplorable cases even Columbus day.
