Announcements went out that registration would be capped at 26,500 for the 30th Anniversary of Philadelphia’s Broad Street Run, and despite the miserable weather over 22,000 crossed the finish line.

I have to admit, I loved running in the rain.  While I’m satisfied with the result, it would have been nice to get under 90 minutes.

So I know I went out to see the Watchmen last week, but I haven’t been able to catch up with the other members of MLD to ask them what THEY thought. What say, folks?

I did read the graphic novel a year or two ago, before I even knew there would be a movie. I read it because of rumors that the storytelling devices Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore employed were how the writers/producers of LOST told their story, at least in the first 3 seasons. Not only was that hugely evident on first reading the book, the complexity with how the lives of all the characters lives, both good and bad, became interconnected became a jumping off point to ask deeper questions, both in terms of the LOST universe and the Watchmen universe. But that is perhaps beyond the scope of what I’m trying to say here.

I liked it, though there were some differences from the graphic novel that were irksome. Overall, though, I think Zach Snyder (of “300” fame) did a respectable job at trying to film a heretofore unfilmable comic book.

No spoilers here, but I’ll join the chorus and say: BEST… OPENING… CREDITS… EVER! Just wish Snyder could have gone a little more in-depth with both Rorschach and Adrian’s stories.

See it, and I reiterate my question to my MLD cohorts… What say, folks?

When I reach that professional plateau where reading is indeed part of my job, it won’t be a distraction. For now, though, reading stuff outside of the courseload IS one of many distractions. The offending book in question?

Best American Non-Required Reading 2006

Never picked up anything with Dave Eggers‘ name attached before, but after scanning his intro at a used bookstore in Ocean City, NJ, I bought this and his introductory opus, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Still haven’t read the latter, but it sits on one of the bookshelves behind my stain-resistant couch.

Every lavatory trip, though, I’ve been reading BANR 2006, and among written pieces on things ranging from the Iraq War to a lesson in creative writing (by the late Kurt Vonnegut!), and excerpts from graphic novels by guys like Joe Sacco, I found what has become my favorite list of all time: The Best American Things To Know About Hoboes!

There is a bit of history involved (hoboes written out, thanks to FDR!!!), and the piece concludes in a few pages. The real gold is the list of 700 hobo names. Yep, 700. I can count on this list to make me laugh, every time I pick it up. You get classic-sounding names like: Boxcar Jones, the Boxcar Benjamin Disraeli and Tennessee Ernie Dietz, but the real joy is in names like Slo-mo Deuteronomy, Fr. Christian Irish the Deep-Fat Friar, Whitman Sampler and Dee Snider. I’d share a boxcar with all these tramps.

Just keep your distance from Battlin’ Joe Frickinfrack. Before you know it, you’ll be scrappin’ for pork and beans under a watertower, makin’ moonshine for the blind tiger with the flim-flam man and outrunnin’ the railroad bulls, while some copper stars are chasin’ the lot o’ ya.

Don’t say ya hain’t been warned.

Signed,

-Strictly Local Lydonwrites

I wasn’t sure if I was going to include this here or not, but here goes.  I’ve taken it upon myself to get back to basics and run.  I somehow found this new dedication after seeing too much of myself recently and as far as distractions go, this is one for the ages.  The Nike+ helps (if you’re using it, my username is ptb).

My half-marathon training began on February 10th, and tonight I managed a very satisfying run from the Art Museum to my home (thanks for the drop-off, Angie).

It occurs to me in rereading my reviews from yesterday that perhaps they would provide more value if I had placed the relative “like” or “dislike” into some sort of scale like everyone else in the world who reviews things does.

So what I’m going to propose is using a scale of 1-5 to rate the level of distraction that the movie, comic, music etc. provided. I figure the higher the rating the more welcome the distraction. Now lowly rated items may still be very distracting, however just not in a good way.

So what about:
1 – Your parrots screaming along with Rock Band 2. (What?  You don’t have that problem?)
2 – Christian Bale’s Batman voice.
3 – A bee hanging around your blanket during a picnic on a summer day.
4 – The troll guy who holds the locker room door during Sixers games.
5 – Porn being slipped into the Super Bowl during the best play of the game.

Just throwing it out there. This may still need more consideration.