Friday, February 10, 2006

It's Friday Night....

And I'm on duty for the weekend. Usually not an exciting time. But this weekend is an exception. As curator for the weekly Owen (my hall) movie nights last semester I got the idea of doing an International Film Festival. I figured I'd do it 1) in the winter when it is easier to stay inside, and 2) when I'm on duty so I don't "waste" a weekend. So this weekend is the first Owen International Film Festival (OIFF in my anacronym-filled world). Tonight is the official kick-off event which is the Winter Olympic Opening Ceremonies from Torino. Then tomorrow we're showing the following films:
The Piano -- New Zealand
Fireworks (Hana-bi) -- Japan
Open Your Eyes (Abres los ojos) -- Spain
Italian for Beginners (Italiensk for Begyndere) -- Demark

and on Sunday:
Good Bye Lenin! -- Germany
Shower (Xizao) -- China
Amelie (Le Fabuleaux destin d'Amelie Poulain) -- France
Amores Perros -- Mexico

Anyway I'm quite excited for this event. I'm lucky that I've got some great coworkers who are eager and helped with promotions and advertising. There is a good buzz...no there is a GREAT buzz! Not to get egotistical (ok, to get egotistical), I've seen plenty of people checking out the lineup and discussing which films they will see. Of course I've heard some complaints about "Why movie X" or "Why not movie Z from country Y?" As a wise sage once said, Suck on the Good. I'm just focusing on putting on a wonderful event.

Random Opening Ceremonies thoughts:
The dude hitting the anvil looks like Mega Man. No joke. It looks like the Stanford Tree made it. Cows on skates?! Moos? People dressed as cows?! I like the big skier of people. Yeah that is cool. Is that "Gonna Fly Now" they are playing? I don't think there is a better symbol then the Olympic Rings. For as good as he is, Bob Costas always seems a bit...pompous and arrogant. There must be some kick-backs going on for 70s music stars. So North and South Korea are marching together, but not competing, but may be in 2008. I think if I was a high-ranking official in S. Korea I would want nothing to do with Kim Jong-Il. Hey, there's Germany...I think I know someone from there :) Mrs. Blair and Mrs. Bush next to each other...awww. Is anyone else like me and ever thought of getting citizenship in some small country in order to go to the Olympics? So now we've got 80s music going and apparently Mongolia has troops helping us in Iraq. Really, Mongolia? B-Dubs knows his 80s music. And the US enters. Jeremy Bloom, now there is a guy who pretty much got screwed by a certain sports organization. Hey it's Hungary (but as BC let us know "Ungaria in Italian"), which is the only country of heritage I quasi-identify with. Although when people ask what I am I just say American.

Looks like the Cavs have a plan to keep LeBron. They better. Being the ultimate cynical Cleveland sports fan, I've often felt that getting that #1 pick for LeBron was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that we finally won something. Now it's not a championship but we got probably one of the best draft picks of all time, a team player, and a guy that is better then advertised. The cynic in me believes that after his 4/5 years in C-town, he will bolt for some team like the Knicks, or the Clippers, of some big-city team. Well after all the flack Dan Gilbert got a year ago when he took over the ownership, it looks like he is headed in the right direction. He knows the importance of LeBron to the team, the franchise, and the city. Hopefully this all works out. Of course us Cleveland fans will understand if it doesn't.

All you Case alums and others who've made it this far, the UAAs are underway. As I grow older, my contact with the team and knowledge of who can do what is limited, but they look to be having a decent meet. Of course I have no idea how the teams are doing as Emory isn't posting team scores! Or at least that I can't find.

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