Netflix
In high school, in my AP English Literature class, we had an amazing teacher.
To this day, when people from that class meet up, we debate whether he was the greatest genious in modern history, or a run-of-the-mill nut.
I’m leaning towards the former, but I’m open to persuasion.
Regardless, as we learned in class one day, the only two movies that he has ever walked out of at the theatre were The Matrix and American Beauty.
The former is in my Netflix queue; the latter was today’s Netflix pick.
American Beauty, while unsettling, was a great movie.
It is every bit the perfect example of the modern, existential suburban dystopia.
It’s very dark, and, in a way, it’s a perfect subject for a follow-up to my post on the Arcade Fire’s Neon Bible.
I certainly hope this won’t be my life (I’m almost positive it won’t be), and I hope it won’t be for anyone I care about either. Although I do know people whom I worry about settling into the suburban groove, where status and possessions are everything, and where insecurities are hidden to create appearance of “perfection” that is more important to life than (and that can even prevent) true satisfaction.
Tonight
Tonight my friend Mike from high school (who, like me, also just got out of a great, long-term relationship for no logical reason, and who has also found his way back to South Jersey) had a great idea: we should get drunk over instant messenger!
We tried that once before, but, having eaten too much that night, I just couldn’t keep pace. Oh well.
Anyway, tonight he suggested it around 7pm.
But before we could get started, I had to go to the post office to return my movie (by the way, I’m definitely downgrading my Netflix plan; 3 at a time is just too much of a chore).
I also wanted to go running.
The weather was a little chilly, but it’s getting nicer. And running is probably my favorite form of exercise, aside from sports. I walked a mile to the track, jogged 2 miles in 24 minutes, and walked a mile back, arriving almost exactly an hour after I left. I really am a fat old man. lol. But it was fun anyway, and I’ll get better.
After I got back, I had to acknowledge that Mike had a fun idea, and a fitting one, considering what I got in the mail today.
(Yes, I really do use an old Gateway PC as my nightstand, but I’m talking about the sign).
When I lived in France, I lived in Schiltigheim. Schiltigheim is a a close-in suburb of Strasbourg. It is also known as the capital of France’s beer industry.
From my place there, I lived within walking distance of three breweries. Fischer was my favorite.
For a while, I had wanted a metal Fischer sign. I didn’t like the one that was most common. The only time I saw my favorite, it sold for over $100 on eBay. So, when I saw this one for under $20 including shipping, I just had to get it.
It came today, and I hung it right over my bed!
In the US, Fischer’s logo is Strasbourg’s Gothic cathedtral. In France, though, their logo is a little kid sitting on top of a barrel of beer drinking from a cup as big as his head. The French logo is cooler, and that’s what I got!
Anyway, Mike and I drank online tonight, which was a surprisingly fun way to spend a Friday night.
(Speaking of surprising, isn’t this a surprisingly coherent post after having 7 drinks? I’m proud of myself, but I’ll reevaluate in the morning).
My highlight (ok, lowlight) was trying a beer that had been in my grandmom’s fridge for at least a decade.
It wasn’t as bad as you’d think, but it was hardly good.
After the second drink, I dumped it.
Here’s a picture of me with it:
Yes, I look homeless.
That’s all for now!
73s!
Filed under: Garyana, Movies, Reminiscing
