It's amazing how much difference the weather can make in my desire to do absolutely anything outside. Today it's 53 degrees and sunny while the past 2 weeks have been cold and effin miserable and I couldn't be more excited about going for a run outside. Maybe work on my farmer's tan a little bit, get that gorgeous thing going again.

I have to admit though that it's extremely impressive and satisfying to see that volunteers still keep coming out even though, for example, the day before yesterday it was 9 degrees with wind chill. 9 degrees is SO COLD. Without gloves on my hands lasted maybe 30 seconds before it got to be too painful to keep them out in the open. My face felt almost brittle although I'm sure I didn't look as bad as Tom Coughlin did at the NFC Championship.

It's probz going to start warming up again for real soon. Very exciting.

Dedicate

Went to another dedication today for a group of 6 new homeowners that had already moved in or were about to move in to their new homes. It's just another indication that what you are doing really, really matters to people when you get to see them officially presented with the 'welcome to your new house' by Habitat but especially from the supervisors who worked on the homes as well as the AmeriCorps.

Nobody cried this time, including me. Not that I ever cry.

The Joker

Finding out that Heath Ledger passed away today was an extremely sad moment for me (and for his family I'd imagine) because one of the reasons I'm so excited about the "Dark Knight" is because his performance looks as though it's going to be absolutely outstanding. It seems as though the movie would have represented a giant step in his career and would put him in line for some huge and meaningful roles.

I'm not saying that "Brokeback Mountain" wasn't a big role because it definitely was; he deserved the Oscar nomination. It's just that "Brokeback" didn't really introduce how good of an actor he really is to the mainstream audience that "Dark Knight" will. I am a huge Christian Bale fan but I imagine it will be Heath Ledger that really steals the show in the upcoming (not soon enough) Batman flick.

RIP

American Gangster

There are not many actors who can better embody a character than Denzel Washington. His performances - from the ones I've seen, at least - are always extremely powerful and incredibly character-driven. He can pull you in to a movie like few other people can. One of the 'others' that can compare to Denzel is Russell Crowe. The two of them together, in one movie, is like a movie that features Jessica Biel and Jessica Alba getting naked. Together.

Obviously, that comparison leaves something to be desired. Especially seeing as how Crowe and Washington don't give me hard-ons. Unless by 'hard-on' you mean extreme appreciation for their acting talents...

American Gangster was an extremely good movie. All of the acting jobs were superb. Unfortunately I was sitting within 20 feet of the screen so I could not fully appreciate the cinematography and the theater we went to wasn't the type of place one goes to to truly appreciate the audio and video qualities of a film (can't beat a fifty cent flick though). Other than the inequities of the theater the film did slow down at points. 2.5 hours is a long movie, regardless of how good it is. It's also weird when a movie, in one way or another, tends to glorify a notorious criminal. At the end of the movie it seemed as though the film maker was saying that Lucas' collaboration with the police made up for the thousands upon thousands of lives he helped destroy by selling the living shit out of heroin. The movie also made a big deal of the 'familial relationships' that Lucas established, seemingly with the point of saying that this made him a better person, in some way or another, than other drug dealers. Because that is what he was: a drug dealer on an unprecedented scale.

Oh well. It didn't make the movie any less enjoyable. It just gave me some food for thought.

Giants

Wow. Eli Manning looked legit in this game.

Music is my boyfriend

Song currently stuck in my head:

The Sleeping - King of Hearts

They're a pretty emo heavier rock group that reminds me a lot of AFI. They're also featured in Guitar Hero III.

Exfoliating

I really want to shave my legs, but I'm not sure it's justified since I don't really ride my bike anymore. I always made fun of the xc guys who shaved their legs because it was pretty pointless for them to do it all the while substantiating my right-to-shave by saying that bicyclists need it in case of falls and the likely event of subsequent road rash.

Still, they do look nice shorn. And tan.

Bonus

On Saturday after work I was talking with the homeowner whose house we had been drywalling that day. He and three or four other homeowners who had signed up to plow through some of their 'sweat equity' hours worked with Rebecca and I to get about 60% of the house completely drywalled.

It had been a pretty busy day and the three of us were just shooting the breeze when he told Rebecca and I that he wanted - before his house was finished - to get a picture with our team in it (Me, Rebecca, Charles) to frame and permanently place in his home.

Now that's rewarding.

Juno

Juno was absolutely fantastic. The humor was perfectly dry and sarcastic with enough wit to satisfy even my lofty tastes. Ellen Page was fantastic. I hope to see her in many movies to come; Michael Cera's hot streak continues even though he uses body glide on camera. That stuff is whack.

Peter Parker's boss was excellent as her father. Shit, everyone was good. No need to be specific.

Philly

Philadelphia is so. effing. cold.


"Feels like" 9 degrees today. That is absolutely ridiculous. Going to see Juno with Seth this afternoon while Sean makes money being a salesperson.

I know I should just call the Philly HfH but that's scary and I don't like talking to people on the phone. I wish she'd just answer my damn email.

I'm not sure if I could afford to be an AmeriCorps and live in Philly...rent here would be (including utilities and the like) at least $500-600. Making $800 a month really kills your quality of living arrangement possibilities.

There are so many plusses to living here though that Charlotte just doesn't have. Maybe I should have taken the GRE's last summer. Ahhh hindsight.