Can I Have My Rash Back?

About 6 years ago, for no apparent reason that I can think of, I developed a rash on my lower right leg. Just above the ankle and extending along the side and front shin area for about 6 inches upward toward the knee.

It developed overnight and was with me for about 18 months, off and on. It went as quickly as it came and has never returned.

I miss it. This rash had one overwhelming quality, it was itchy as hell. It was never sore, just unsightly and itchy.

And scratching it was the absolute best feeling on earth. I'm not sure what kind of hormones or dopamine or seratonins or other feel good agents were released into my bloodstream when this rash was scratched but it must have bin akin to a junkie filling his veins with heroin. It felt that good.

The only reason I would ever stop scratching was because blood was starting to surface, then I knew I had to stop until the area healed and I could scratch some more. I had to develop new ways of scratching to prevent the blood, like scratching backwards so the dull end of my nails pestered the surface of my skin.

I would let the urge to scratch build up as long as possible. Then I knew that when I finally did scratch, it would be like a trip to heaven. God did it feel good!

I think of that rash now and then and feel blessed that it visited me for that short time. That kind of euphoria is rare these days. I wish it would return but I have no idea how to acquire it again.

Whatever it is that provides that intensely enjoyable feeling needs to be manufactured and marketed. It's in the body anyway, it must be natural, it must be good.

And Your Time Of Death Is...

Every hockey player knows that, sooner or later, he will suffer a very painful and possibly bloody injury.

Last night Taylor Pyatt of the Canucks took one (a puck) in the mouth. He had several stitches and according to reports his teeth were scattered about his oral cavity. A very painful and possibly disfiguring occurrence.

Every player knows that the chances of this or another kind of painful injury happening to them sometime in their careers is very very good. If Pyatt knew that, at some point in last night game, he was going to suffer this injury how would it have affected his game?

The chances of something really bad happening to each of us in our lives is really good. But since we don't know what those things are or when they might happen, most of us don't fret about it.

There is one certain thing that we all have to deal with. Our own death. We wonder how and when we will die. And more importantly, how we will react when the Grim Reaper comes for us. Will we even be aware of his presence?

At age 53 I am now approaching the autumn of my life. I know my days are numbered. I could have 20 to 40 years left.

The last 30 years have gone by so fast, it's amazing how really short a lifetime is.

If you knew when you were going to die would it make any difference? Most of us live our lives as if we were immortal. There is a small percentage of high achievers that seem to know that they have so little time as a human being that they make every moment count. They live life as if it were their last day on earth.

I envy them.

I thought it would be an interesting thing to predict my own time of death. I'm very healthy. I don't drink or smoke. Other than an occasional "enthusiastic" drive in My Mustang GT I don't partake in risky behaviour.

Counterbalancing that is the fact that both my parents died of disease very young, so the Genes are against me.

With that in mind I predict that I will die on: September 17, 2037. At that time I will be 83 years old. I have no particular reason for that date, it just came to mind.

Anything past that, well I will consider it Bonus.

So I have only 29 years to live. Yikes!

Movies, Movies, Movies

Mary Elizabeth Winstead



Ok, finally another post. What have I been doing?

The Christmas Season sucks, I hate the period between December 10 and January 1. I can't stand Christmas and I wish the general media would stop referring to it as the "most wonderful time of the year".

For me the most "wonderful time of the year" over a short period anyway are the first few warm days of Spring, which around here arrives in mid or early March. After which I consider the period between Sept 15 and October 15 as the "most wonderful time of the year". The Christmas Season is the WORST. Especially for those of us that work in the retail industry.

Anyway I have been spending some considerable hours with my new Hi Def TV and watching Movies in Hi Def from the pay stations Movie Central 1 and 2.

I hate going to movie theaters but I really like a good movie. In the past I've been renting the DVDs from the local Video store who have the nerve to charge over$5.00 for a year old movie.

Movie Central provides 2 year old ad free movies presented in Hi Definition for $17/month. And I can save them to my PVR, watch them when I want, and then I can transfer them to my other PVR where I can burn them to a disc and further enhance my movie collection which now stands at 693 movies. You gotta love technology!

So here is a list of the movies watched lately and a brief one line critique:

Final Destination 3:
Mary Elizabeth Winstead: 10. Rest of Movie: 7. This one was filmed in Vancouver and basically a carbon copy of the previous 2. Winstead is freaking gorgeous!

Fun With Dick and Jane:
Better than the critics say. I love Jim Carrey, not his best but I give it a 7/10.

The New World:
The critics loved this one. I thought it was tedious, very boring. Stay away. 3/10

Hannibal Rising:
I think everyone can relate to the Joys of Revenge. Nicely done movie. 7/10.

You Me and Dupree:
Like the Carrey move, better than advertised. I like Matt Dillon and any movie with Michael Douglas can't be bad. 6/10.

Broken Flowers:
Bill Murray and his morose best! Very good unpredictable movie.
Why can't they make more of these? 9/10.

The Notorious Bettie Page:
This is one of those movies you hope gets better as it progresses but alas it never did. It has some merits and might be worth seeing. 5/10.

Saw II:
Good creepiness value to it, nice tension level. But not as graphically violent as one would hope. 7/10.

Open Water:
How to stretch a 15 minute "movie" into 80 minutes. They could have done a way better job with this one. Good premise but not enough substance. Supposedly based on a true incident. 6/10

Lord of War:
I don't like Nick Cage but I did like this movie. Like 8MM, he does this stuff well. There are a lot of slimy people controlling the world. Kinda makes you think. 8/10.

Brokeback Mountain:
If you can get past the creepy gay "love" scenes you can see why this movie was awarded. Very well done with good scenary shots. 8/10.

RV:
Good unconventional comedy. Better than I thought it might be. 6/10.

Cache:
Warning: Subtitles. This French movie keeps you guessing at: What's going on? You got to pay attention and for that I give it a 7/10.

Click:
Sandler's best movie and might be the best comedy I've seen in years. Funny and poignant. Great premise. 8/10

The Queen:
Maybe not quite as good as the critics suggest. I'm sure Tony Blair loved it. Interesting insight into the Royals. I wonder what the Queen thought? 7/10

Capote:
I used to see the real Capote on Johnny Carson a long time ago and Hoffman nailed him to a "T". The movie itself was tedious at times. 5/10

Munich:
I would have expected better from Spielberg considering the heavy subject and his own background. I thought it was a bit frivolous and pretty boy Eric Bana as the lead was a joke, bad casting. 6/10

A History Of Violence:
Best movie I've seen in a while. This is what movie making is all about. Absolutely fantastic! 10/10.


A Good Woman:
Everyone likes looking at Scarlett Johansson but casting her among some really great actors exposes her weaknesses. This movie has great dialogue and wonderful scenary, costumes and set. Very watchable, witty. 8/10

Into The Blue:
Jessica Alba in a bikini, hmmmm. Do you need to know anything more? So-so movie, pretty in Hi Def but you won't miss anything if you don't see it. 5/10

Good Night and Good Luck:
This is more of a documentary than a movie and I hate the Black and White, we know it was the '50s. Nice history lesson but that's about it. 5/10

The Constant Gardener: Melodramatic movie trying to make an important statement. It doesn't succeed. Borderline boring. 5/10

The Dark Hours:
Low budget done well. I still haven't figured it out and need to see it again. Keeps you guessing.
8/10

The Devil's Rejects:
Not for the squeemish, hehe. Deliciously horrific display of low life violence and utter human disrespect. I loved it! 9/10

Wedding Crashers:
Owen Wilson couldn't save this mess. Utter trash. Vince Vaughn is terrible, who told this guy he was funny? 2/10

Pride and Prejudice (2005): I totally love period pieces, especially those made by Britons about Britons. This movie is exquisite! Beautifully filmed and wonderfully acted. Keira Knightley might be a scrawny anorexic but the girl can act and she has a face you can look at forever.
9/10