Reading: Planet Run
Music: Les Miserable (The Symphonic Recording)
TV/Movie: Pirates of the Carribean
Link o' the Day: Chris Reilly's PunchandJudy.net and The Official Bob Hope and Bob Hope Enterprises webpage

My friend Chris Reilly is at it again. He just returned from the San Diego ComicCon with some film options under his belt and critical acclaim and success for his latest project: "Punch and Judy: A Grand Guignol"

But you can't keep a good man down, which is why Chris is still lying flat on his back in a stupor and composing more fake biographies. The most glaring evidence is his claim to have been an extra in Lucas's AMERICAN GRAFFITI. I point this out because Chris, a life-long dyslexic, cannot spell, and has hence claimed to have been an extra in a more obscure film known as AMERICAN GRAPHITE.

I submit the following:

FACT: Chris Reilly amuses himself by pushing baby ducks into muddy water.

FACT: Chris Reilly used to, on a regular basis, break into the South Attleboro Animal Control facility to "liberate" captive dogs and cats, believing them to be aliens. (This most often occured following a viewing of E.T. the Extra-Terresetrial on video.)

FALSE: Chris Reilly is not now, nor has ever been, a member of a tree-worshipping cult.

FALSE: Chris Reilly's photograph did not appear in a folder discovered on a hallway floor outside the Vatican Offices. (This folder may or may not have read "Persons of Interest" as the translation was obscured by something brown and damp. It may have read "Persons of Suspicion"

FACT: Chris Reilly shaves his head when told to by his television.

FALSE: Chris Reilly is the vandal with the handle, sawed Courtney's boat, and shaved the barber. (one of these actually may be true depending upon your opinion of certain scurrilous facts)

* * *
A very busy weekend. And a rather good one, as well. Friday night Pretty Maggie and I went to Dave & Busters for dinner. The meal was a bit pricier than I expected, but was good. I had the catfish which was excellent. We played games. Won tickets. I discovered that I'm a pretty fair shot. (I knew this already, but I have lousy depth-perception, so it always surprises me that I can hit the broad side of a barn, let alone a target.)

Saturday, Pretty Maggie and I went to Lincoln Woods State Park for a swim. It wasn't too crowded and the weather was just about right. This is the second time I've gone swimming this year, and perhaps the second time in maybe ten years. I'm pleased to report that my backstroke and sidestroke are as strong as ever.

Sunday we went to go see Pirates of the Carribean. Now _that_ was a fun movie! It had everything. Pirates. Ghosts. Pirates. Treasure. Pirates. Swordfights. Pirates. Tall ships... and you know.. it had Pirates!

Avast, ye scurvy dogs!

And don't bother me with that "Reality vs. Myth Regarding Pirates" carp. I don't care. I've always been fond of the romantic version of pirates on the high seas--from The Crimson Pirate to the unequaled Pirates! game by Sid Meier. The more romanticism, the better. And Johnny Depp sure did camp it up. I've not seen such excellent mincing since the marching drill scene in Monty Python's "And Now For Something Completely Different."

* * *
Freelance-wise, it was a rather productive weekend. I did the Jane Kean book (A Funny Thing Happened On My Way To The Honeymooners... I Had A Life) in a single day. Granted, it was only 144 pages w/ photos, but that's still not bad. Sunday I gave the Baby Snooks book a complete workover and that will be sent back to the editor tonight.

I didn't get much of my own writing done this weekend (not even my journal entries) but I managed to take some notes. I need to find a notebook full of dialogue I wrote about two years ago which will fit well into what I'm working on now.

Now if I could only find that notebook...

* * *
And Bob Hope has passed on. Alas.

Sure, his humor started going downhill in the 80s, but I remain a fan of the road movies he did with Bing Crosby and his old radio appearances and cameos from The Jack Benny Show.

Way to go, ski-nose!

* * *
We have two links today to make up for my absences over the past couple of days. One is a repeat for Chris Reilly's PunchandJudy.net because it deserves another look--especially for "Punch and Judy: A Grand Guignol."

And in honor of Bob Hope, I give you The Official Bob Hope and Bob Hope Enterprises webpage.

Enjoy!