Collusion - 40% Off

My publisher, JMS Books, is selling e-books for 40% off from Christmas Eve through New Year's Eve.  You'll find my book, Collusion (http://www.jms-books.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29&products_id=993), and many other titles on sale at the site:

http://www.jms-books.com/

 

 

American Hustle

I saw American Hustle today for the ridiculously low price of $5.75. I can't believe I actually saw a movie, a first-run movie, for so cheap. I can't remember the last time I paid such a low price to see a movie. Thanks, Evanston! But I digress.

American Hustle was good. It was a little long for my taste, but I still enjoyed most of it. The opening slow-mo sequence with Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Bradley Cooper walking into a room at the Plaza Hotel to do a deal while Steely Dan's "Dirty Work" played was excellent. That scene alone was almost worth the price of admission. There's a lot going on in American Hustle and poor little Camden, New Jersey gets dragged through the mud yet again. Hell, Jersey as a whole gets dragged through the mud. As someone who lived in Jersey and went to college there, it's annoying to see yet another depiction of mobsters and corruption because movies like this just feed into the stereotype that everyone running the state is mobbed up or corrupt. I'm surprised Chris Christie hasn't come out frothing at the mouth about the movie. But maybe there's nothing he can say since it is based on the whole Abscam thing and New Jersey politicians were arrested during that whole debacle.

But, back to the movie. The performances were great. Christian Bale put on a ton of weight and looked awful as a result. Bradley Cooper's curled hair was ridiculous and he seems to be getting less attractive with each movie he does, poor thing. Amy Adams probably should win an Oscar this time especially since she was passed over for Junebug, Doubt, and The Master. Jennifer Lawrence provided comedy relief in the film, but I don't think her performance was Oscar-worthy. (I didn't think her performance in Silver Linings Playbook was either.)

Films about the 70s are so freaky and and often wonderful to watch just to see the clothes and everything that goes along with that decade. And, as someone who was born during that time, I find it strangely fascinating.

Burnt Money

Over the weekend, I saw a great Argentinian film called Burnt Money based on the true story of a gay couple who robbed a bank in Argentina in 1965. Their robbery resulted in a manhunt that lead to Uruguay where the two men were finally surrounded and killed. The movie is based on a book called Money to Burn by Ricardo Piglia (that I plan to read once the copy is returned at my local library). What I liked about the movie was that the gay relationship between the men showed that these two really cared for each other. One of the men, Angel, was clearly mentally ill (hence the "voices" he claimed to hear throughout their time together), but Nene (the other man) loved him and didn't abandon him even as he watched mental illness consume him. Aside from the story and the great acting, both the actors in the movie were also very good looking and that's always a plus with me. The movie does go a little Scarface at the end with the shootout with the police and I wish there had been more scenes showing Angel and Nene's relationship (and less with Nene and some chick he picked up at a carnival), but I still thoroughly enjoyed the film and would recommend it.

A Well-Oiled Machine

I went to the Illinois DMV Saturday to get an Illinois driver's license (and give up my New York one) and, I must say, the office I went to in Des Plaines was like a well-oiled machine. I did get there when the doors opened at 7:30 and I was walking out with my new license around 8:15.  Even though I had to take a written test (which I think is ridiculous since I had a valid driver's license from New York), I was able to breeze through every step and the DMV employees were quite nice. The woman taking my picture even let me retake it because I hated the first shot.  The one thing I didn't like was that all of my personal information was just out there for everyone to hear (including the guy standing at the counter next to me handling his business).  The counters should have some privacy dividers or something. Having to reveal my weight to total strangers is awkward, but whatever. It's over and done with.

Seriously?

Since I have blogged about Duck Dynasty in the past and how I enjoyed the show (at least the first season--I admit I haven't watched lately), I felt I had to say something about Phil Robertson's comments in the January 2014 GQ interview. I find the media firestorm over this totally ridiculous. Is anyone really surprised he feels the way he does? I'm not! It doesn't take an Einstein to see what the Duck Dynasty patriarch is about if you watch the show. My surprise is that A&E is acting like they're shocked over Phil's comments. That network has pimped those hillbillies (and they pimped the network right back) for a lot of change and now they're surprised one of them has ignorant views on blacks and gays? Really? Come on! A&E knew exactly what they were dealing with. They chose to give America a whitewashed version of Phil and the rest of the DD family but once the cameras were off, the real Phil emerged. And, as for Phil, he needs to learn when you start making that kind of money for a network, they own your ass and if you don't tow the party line, you'll be out on your ass. This is about money, my friends, plain and simple.  If A&E thinks they can keep their sponsors and continue to make money on the Robertsons, I'm sure they'll welcome Phil back. If not, some other network will scoop them up and let the dynasty continue.

And, speaking of money, the Target credit and debit card breach is awful. I went to a Target but, thankfully, not during the time period in question. Whew! I just squeaked away from that hot mess. My question is why did someone else have to break news of the breach? Target should be have been out in front of this thing, yet they were lagging behind. I suspect their reluctance to jump on this had to do with...wait for it...money! They didn't want to lose business during this holiday season and they didn't want those customers to have their credit and debit cards shut down.

Another Shameless Plug

Here's another shameless plug for my new book Collusion, available now at JMS Books:
 http://www.jms-books.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29&products_id=993

Philadelphia community college English instructor Brian Daly seems to be on top of the world.  After weatherman Jay Tanner, his on-again/off-again lover of five years, finally divorces his wife and comes out of the closet, he and Brian move in together.  But there’s trouble in paradise.  Brian’s best friend Olivia Carter isn’t getting along with Jay.  The two bicker whenever they’re together and ignore Brian’s pleas for them to be friends.  In addition to trying to broker peace between Jay and Olivia, Brian is busy fending off Sean Gluski, a love-struck student who is infatuated with him.  When Brian spurns Sean’s advances, the student threatens to accuse him of sexual harassment if the two don’t sleep together.  And, just when things look like they can’t get any worse, Brian finds out Jay has been cheating on him with Olivia and that she’s pregnant with his partner’s child.  

Collusion is a story of love gone wrong and the efforts taken to try and make it right again.

 

Gee Whiz, It's Snowed...Again

Now that I live outside of Chicago (or the Chicagoland area as it's referred to here), I have to reacquaint myself with snow and all things snow-related. Not that it didn't snow in New York, but the snow we got there often wasn't much. Here in Evanston, the situation is totally different. I had to go out and buy some snow boots and a "Chicago" coat to deal with the weather. (Actually, the Chicago coat was more of an excuse for me to get a new coat, but whatever.) The boots, however, were a necessity. I came to Chicago ill-prepared for the snow but I am quickly adjusting. As a Detroiter, I dealt with snow all the time, but I haven't lived in Detroit for more than 10 years and I'm out of practice. Shoveling? Brushing off your car? Refilling the window washer fluid? Unplowed side streets? Huh? What? Oy! I've been here for about three weeks now and I've already had to deal with snow. Welcome to winter, Kim. Unfortunately, it's here to stay.

Discombobulated

Since my move from Brooklyn to Evanston and starting my old job in a new location, I've felt seriously discombobulated lately. This morning after I shoveled the car out to drive to work, I got about five minutes from home and realized I'd left my cell phone at home. So, I went back home and got it because I didn't want to be without my phone on a cold, snowy day like this. Then I got to work and realized I left my watch at home  Doh! I hope these minor mind farts don't continue. I have to chalk them up to my state of disarray since resulting from the move. I still don't feel totally in control of everything right now. My routine still feels wonky and everything feels slightly off kilter. I certainly hope I can get back on track soon.

$8.60 vs $10.50

Since my move from New York to Illinois, I've noticed a dramatic change in the price of restaurant food.  For example, I would often get a chicken bowl from Chipotle for lunch in New York and the bowl plus a regular drink would cost me $10.50.  When I purchased the same combo here in Illinois, it was $8.60.  That's a savings of $1.90, nearly $2!!  I couldn't believe it.  I must say that my new hometown of Evanston has some great restaurants and I hope to visit many of them. I like the Lucky Platter on Main Street and Chicago and their tacky artwork (such as the piece featured below) is an added bonus. Enjoy the tasty food and the creepy art!

Bye Bye, Brooklyn!

I moved from Brooklyn over the Thanksgiving holiday to Evanston, Illinois and I'm quite happy with the move.  This causes a little wrinkle in my blog URL titled Detroiter in Brooklyn, but that's something I'll have to worry about later.  I made the move for a number of reasons but mainly because I was able to keep my day job and just transfer offices and I have family in the Chicago area.  Also, it will be a lot cheaper living in Illinois rather than New York and saving money is always a good thing. I loved Brooklyn and I had a great apartment there (that will become a great apartment for someone else), but it was time to go. So now I'm ready for the next chapter of my life in the Chicago area.