danajohnhill.org | Hard Times Come Again No More

I’m looking forward to seeing Fahrenheit 9/11 this weekend.  I’m guessing Saturday will be the day, unless tickets are sold out, which, in this town is possible.  Just try seeing anything popular on an opening weekend.  We have basically two theaters, and any time a big movie is released, only one of those theaters will be showing it.  They might try to show it on several screens (which is why the sixteen screen theater is really showing eight movies), but the evening shows are a big draw.  It’s no wonder, since “there ain’t a lot that you can do in this town”.

Another visit from Sandi (June 19-21) resulted in much fun and hang-outery.  Friday night: Zaxby’s Chicken and a movie, The Terminal.  Satuday, Ansel Adams exhibit at the Harn Museum, followed by pizza at the much admired Satchel’s Pizza, and followed even later by bowling and billiards at the Reitz Union.  Sunday morning brought our first trip to the breakfast buffet at the restaurant at the Holiday Inn a couple blocks from home.  It was acceptable, but nothing to write home about.  If you love bacon you would like it.  Lessons learned this weekend: I stink at billiards; the Reitz Union is good value and clean; The Terminal is an outstanding movie in almost every respect.

Meet my new neighbor, Goldie Weaver.  She took up residence about a week or so ago above my front door.  Fearful, I attempted to knock her web down with a water hose, but within an hour she was back, so I figure she beat me fair and square.  As long as she doesn’t jump on my head, and as long as I don’t find thousands of baby Golden Orb Weavers in my apartment we should be able to live side by side.

This morning, to my horror, Goldie had caught another female Golden Orb Weaver in her web.  My guess is that some time in the night the victim had challenged Goldie for her prime real estate.  This was folly, since Goldie is bigger than ever, and could take on any spider and probably small mammals or birds.  The intruder was clearly dead, since its abdomen was withered, and Goldie was sitting directly on top of it.  The moral of the story: don’t mess with Goldie Weaver.

Went to see Troy on the fifth.  It was very entertaining and the special-effects were good.  However, I do not like Brad Pitt, as I feel he is about as wooden as a Trojan Horse, and I thought they might have chosen a prettier actress to portray Helen.  What’s-her-name is pretty, don’t get me wrong, but we’re supposed to believe that her face launched a thousand ships.  I guess I just thought that there might have been a more appropriate looking model or actress to play the part.  Because I know a lot about ancient Greece, right?  I know nothing.  Anyway, a fine film with “thrills, spills, chills and kills.”

Filed under: Film, Food, Friends on June 30th, 2004 | No Comments »

Sad news: Nicolai Ghiaurov, one of my very favorite singers, and, indeed, one of the great vocal artists of the twentieth century has died in Italy at the age of seventy-four.  Fans of serious music can be grateful to have so many wonderful recordings of his amazing voice to treasure.  This Saturday’s Pre-Opera Program will feature Mr. Ghiaurov’s remarkable talent.  Tune in to WUFT-FM on June 5th at 1:00PM EDT.

My sunburn has at last been defeated, or shall I say, it’s given-up.  Sunburns: Nature’s Quitters.

So there’s a new restaurant in Gainesville called “Crispers” which bills itself as “fresh salads and such”.  It seems to be owned by Publix (my favorite supermarket), and offers nothing that I want except delicious, nutritious milkshakes with Publix ice cream, which I am just going to go on record here and declare the best ice cream you can buy.  I stop by after work almost every day because my companion enjoys their food.  However, each trip results in some mix-up which results in some profanity.  It is entirely their fault, as they cannot get an order right to save their lives.  This evening we had to drive 11.5 miles round-trip and complain to the manager to try and correct the problem.  Lamentably, the manager, Chris, was a wanker, and tried to place the blame on us, and suggested that we ordered wrong.  Sure, Chris, I ordered ham, a food I hate, and would never eat.  Then he actually suggested that in the future we should just learn to accept that I orders will be wrong.  I feel another of my trademark letters coming on.  I am not going to add Crispers to my Axis of Evil unless I get a unsatisfactory response to my up-coming letter.  But, Assistant Manager Chris at the Gainesville Crispers, you are not helpful.

My jury duty scheduled for the first was cancelled.  Good thing, because some defendant was about to receive an unfair and partial trial by this peer.  I’m kidding, of course.  Still, $15 per day ain’t enough money to pay da bills, as it were.  My serving on that jury would have just created a need for a future trial…for me, for shoplifting bread because I was too poor to eat.

A trip to the beaches of St. Augustine on the 30th resulted in a particularly unpleasant sunburn.  Have I not heard of sunblock, you ask?  I have, of course, and I put it on my face, so at least I am not lobster-face.  But standing in the ocean means that my legs are pale and my shoulders and back are red.  I have had much worse, but I had almost forgotten the feeling.  In a couple days, though, I should look tan and healthy.

Went to see Van Helsing on May 29th.  Pretty good, pretty good.  It would have been better had the theater not had the volume up so loud that my ears were bleeding.  I also note that ticket prices have sky-rocketed: $8.75 for a show!?  In five years I have seen the price of a movie ticket in Florida go from less than $5.00 to almost $9.00.  If it continues at this pace, in 2009 we will pay $16.00 to see a film.  Anyway, it was good to be back at the Royal Park 16 theater here in Gainesville.  I know that place has been having its butt kicked by the theater in Butler Plaza for a few years now.  I am sure of it because I can’t remember the last time I saw a movie at Royal Park.  Three years ago, maybe?  All the big movies of the last few years (Lord of the Rings, Spider Man, Signs, Chicago, etc.) have been shown at Butler Plaza, and Royal Park has been stuck with the garbage.  Not any more, though.  I see that they now have all the big summer films, except Harry Potter and Shrek 2.  So, good for them.  Now lower the volume!

Filed under: Film, Food, Gainesville on June 16th, 2004 | No Comments »