A part of this viewing list: Criterion Collection Spine #297: Robert Bresson’s Au hasard Balthazar. One would expect a painter-turned-filmmaker to have an eye for composition, and Bresson definitely exceeds that expectation. Throughout Au hasard Balthazar “shots as paintings” abound. This is the first film I’ve seen by Bresson, and before I watched it, I [...]

A part of this viewing list: Criterion Collection Spine #311: Hideo Gosha’s Sword of the Beast. It just happens to be coincidence that I was reading the Hagakure when this movie came in on my hold list at the library. Naoshige once said, “The Bushido signifies desperate death. Several tens of sane samurais could not [...]

The house across the street from my apartment is for sale for $50k. The house payment would be cheaper than my rent, but upon looking at the inside I estimated another $50k would need to be invested just to make it livable. I don’t have the time, money or inclination to do that kind of [...]

I’ve’nt run 9 miles in something like 10 years when the cross country team used to haul ass from the highest point in the county [the high school] to almost the lowest [in a van down by the river]. I did it today though. And my legs friggin’ hurt. I think I’m pretty well cardio-vasculared [...]

I’ve decided I tend to be excessively jerkstore when I’m hanging out with friends and making small talk. I think it is a combination of being slightly bored with small talk, and only-child-trying-to-be-the-center-of-attention-ism. As soon as something interesting catches my attention, however, I become my basic ever-curious self. Now that I realize why I’m an [...]

Tremont West Development Corporation gave me some nice compliments and a plaque for Tremonter. Thank you, and thanks to Steve for taking the picture.

So I was a jackass and didn’t run today. I had a three mile run scheduled but the motivation just wasn’t there, my calves are still pretty knotty and it was bitchass cold out. I’ve got more excuses than Wrigley has chewing gum, but I’m hoping that this tactical day off will let me do [...]

Well, it is definitely the cold air that makes my right knee wig out. Today was the first really cold day I’ve had to run in since the last time my knee hurt, and it started hurting again. I don’t understand why it is my right knee though. The left one is the one that [...]

Possible ideas for future Joe Bob animations: Joe Bob goes on a date Joe Bob joins the SCA Joe Bob in space Silent Joe Bob Joe Bob visits High Society Joe Bob buys a car Joe Bob Halloween special Joe Bob and Robin Hood Joe Bob the Pirate Samurai Joe Bob Any ideas from y’all?

Tuesdays will be three mile runs for the next forever. My times are improving, however. I’m not sure if it has to do with the new tires or if my body fully readjusted back into training mode. In any case, I did my three miles yesterday at my average time during high school and I [...]

Today is for you; for today is you; euphoria is to dance more enhance your glory; ignite incite rewrite history; trust mystery; reform horror storys and remind all to recall today; for today is you if you are for today. Doggerel helps dust out the bats in the belfry.

A part of this viewing list: Criterion Collection Spine #10: Nicholas Roeg’s Walkabout. It is probably just me, but it seems like the 1970s were filled with films featuring nubile and naked young Australian women in Edenic settings. Walkabout is one of those films. I could put a full frontal picture of Jenny Agutter’s character [...]

Here is the second installment in the epic struggles of Joe Bob. I put in a bit of sound with this one and it will start once the flash file loads, so you might want to make sure you have headphones plugged in. I edited the mp3 with Audacity, an open-source audio editor, which was [...]

I bought new shoes today, New Balance 808 Trail Shoes from Dick’s Sporting Goods. The 808s are last year’s model, and since the 809s just came out I got $35 dollars off the price of the 808s. New shoes are an important purchase, and it is incredibly hard to find good shoes when you have [...]

Today was a perfect day for running. I did my three mile workout in good time and then made myself a bowl of sausage and vegetable soup and a quart-sized smoothie. One smoothie for me fills up the whole blender, but the fat-free yogurt is just the sort of protein I need after a good [...]

In which Adam receives notice that he has been selected as an alternate to a Neighborhood Connections Grant-making Committee.

In which Adam reviews spine #4 of the Criterion Collection: Federico Fellini’s Amarcord.

My run happened a bit later than usual today because a buddy needed hauled out to Fairview Park to pick up his car. Despite the later running time, my gear was still wet from the rain the day before. That meant I was going to have to run in the craptacular cold in wet clothing. [...]

In which Adam writes yet another poem about fishing.

In which Adam writes a poem that is an experiment in form, and which ultimately fails, in his mind.

A part of this viewing list: Criterion Collection Spine #6: Jean Cocteau’s La Belle et la Bête. At the present moment, a film that goes against average taste gets few bookings in France, and outside of some ambitious pictures undertaken to maintain prestige, production is almost at a standstill and the studios deserted. A poet [...]

In which Adam reviews spine 5 of the Criterion Collection: François Truffaut’s The 400 Blows.

My knee doesn’t hurt anymore! I put in my three miles in good time with nary a twinge. Unfortunately, the Cleveland weather has sorted itself out and settled on the expected: nice weather on days I don’t have to run, rain, snow, ice, and cold on the days I do have to run. Motivation becomes [...]

You beat me again          and again I run and again I return to the familiar comfort of terror and the bruises you leave      and I leave      on you      on me. [no this is not about my life, for] we jump not toward the sky but away from the earth; a moment of tearing, a primitive [...]

In which Adam posts about a WordPress Bug.

In which Adam reflects on today’s second reading and Fr.’s homily.

In which Adam posts about a new recipe.

Today was like running the gauntlet, wind, ice and suburban soccer moms doing kerb-checks in their Ford Planet-Eaters while making their weekly trip to the West Side Market. I had a seven mile run, but only completed four and change; the grillionth time I almost died from a wind gust pushing me off a bridge [...]

A poetry night recap.

In which Adam talks about finding people to run with.

In which another entry is made into the annals by our hero concerning poetry, pot and deliberate word abuse.

In which our hero talks about yet another three mile run.

In which Adam goes to see some bands and reflects on feeling out of place.

In which Adam relates his ninth day of running and talks about a stray dog.

In which Adam relates his continuing adventures chronicling the continuing adventures of Joe Bob. Stop-animation style.

In which our hero recounts a dream he had last night.

Yesterday I snapped a bunch of pictures of the various things I did throughout the day. I got this idea from Peppermint who did something similar way back in the day. [Can't find the link to the exact post.] You can see all the photos in the set here.

In which Adam reviews spine #3 of the Criterion Collection: Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes.

Today I had a 6-mile run, the first long run of my training session. I ran an average of 8:30 per mile which is pretty good considering I had to stop a few times to rest my right knee. I don’t know what is going on with that. I think it might be a pinched [...]

Today my cat Calvin is getting euthanized. I’m okay with that, since he is withering away, incontinent and likely senile. He’s lived a life that any cat would be proud of and I’m going to tell you about it. We don’t know exactly how old Calvin is because he adopted us. Or, to be completely [...]

In which Adam talks about his quadricep.

In which Adam reviews spine #2 of the Criterion Collection; Akira Kurosawa’s Shichinin no samurai.

In which our hero battles lactic acid.

Today was the second day of my training for the 2006 Cleveland Marathon. I didn’t write about the first day because the first day was a day of rest. Jeff Schuler recommended Hal Higdon‘s training programs and I naturally selected the novice program to help me prepare. Here is a week by week look at [...]

In which Adam reviews spine #1 of the Criterion Collection; Jean Renoir’s Grand Illusion

In which Adam makes his first stop animation and also uses Flash for the first time.