If you are sad that the holiday weekend is over, rest assured..it is not. Today is a holiday as well — National Neither Rain nor Snow Day.
Yeah, I thought it sounded made up, too, but it’s not. National Rain nor Snow Day celebrates the opening of the New York Post Office building on this date in 1914.
The building has the following inscription:
“Neither snow nor rain not heat nor gloom of night, stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
A lot of people — myself included — think of this as the United States Post Office motto, but it’s not; it was actually the motto of the Pony Express, which was never a government-funded operation.
I know…as holidays go, it’s not that exciting. Ask Kevin Costner; he did an entire movie on the topic — it was called “The Postman,” and nobody went to see it (except my brother Kent, who liked it a lot).
But I’m doing my best to extend your holiday weekend — to give you an excuse to stop your work and go home.
So, run! Be free! Find a horse and gallop off into the sunset!
On Twitter, it’s ‘Follow Friday,’ the day we suggest our favorites to friends.
The Egg ain’t no Twitter, but today — on the national release date of “Going the Distance,” starring Drew Barrymore — I have the perfect excuse to talk up an actor who has been one of my fav’s for years:
Justin Long
I remember Justin’s very first film – “Galaxy Quest,” that wonderful send up of the “Star Trek” series. Although he was 21 at the time, Jason was cast as teenage sci-fi nerd Brandon, who helps save the cast of a space TV show when they have to play their roles for real to save an alien culture. (It is way funnier than that sounds.) The cast includes Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman, and it is genius.
Next, Jason played another geeky high school kid in the TV series “Ed,” starring Tom Cavanaugh. That gig lasted four years, so he able to flesh out the role and make it more three-dimensional. I loved that show — it was an amazing ensemble — but when it ended, Justin went on to play versions of that same lovable, slightly geeky guy in a series of movies.
Then he became the MAC guy.
That person seemed a bit cooler and less nerdy (even for someone talking computers). And while you might think a role with that kind of visibility would move his career forward, it seemed to stall it a bit.
As he described in an interview, ‘it’s hard for the MAC guy to play a cowboy in a western.’
So, I’m really excited to see “Going the Distance.” Many of the top critics are saying good things, and the trailers look really funny. Plus, I think it could mean good things for Justin’s career in the years to come.
I rarely speak of new music here on The Egg (because I’m rarely aware of it).
But Katy Perry has been hard to avoid. She’s everywhere. I’ve seen her all over the talk show circuit promoting her new album “Teenage Dream,” and more recently hosting the Teen Choice Awards, which I’m not ashamed to say I watched.
(Okay, maybe I have a little shame.)
If you haven’t seen the album cover, Katy is lying in a cloud of pink cotton candy, which I assume inspired the scented CD.
That’s right. When you open it up, your nose is tickled by the sugary-sweet smell of everyone’s favorite carnival/circus/baseball game confection. Even if you’ve gotten sick on cotton candy in the past — hasn’t everyone? – it will no doubt inspire a memory of a good day.
Which begs the question: why aren’t more things out there scented?
In the movie “Legally Blonde,” Elle Woods scents her resume and prints it on pink paper. She says it ‘gives it a little something.’ Her instructor and future husband both seem to agree.
What other items would benefit from good smells? We obviously add scent to detergents and candles and body splash. But what about movie posters on display at the theater? Or Playbills handed out at Broadway shows? Or how about best-selling hardback novels?
Would scent add ambiance or irritation? Inspire comprehension or incite allergy attacks?
Add a ‘little something’ or ultimately, take away?
After all the anticipation and prognostication, the Emmy Awards are behind us. Even though I was happy with how they turned out — can we get a ‘woot woot’ for Jim Parsons winning Best Actor in a Comedy? — I still feel this enormous letdown that the awards are over.
I can only imagine how the stars must feel. They had their careers invested in the process — not just viewing parties and salty snacks — and I’m guessing they were up a bit later than I was, too.
So for everyone who’s finding it a bit hard to get started this morning, I offer this bit of entertainment news…because it certainly gave me a reason to live.
Ryan Reynolds and Bradley Cooper are going to share top billing in an upcoming movie.
That’s right. As if one of them isn’t enough eye candy for a film, the two will team up in what is being described as an “edgier, R-rated version of the Lethal Weapon series.”
What an embarrassment of riches. And you know it’s going to be hilarious, too.
Ryan and Bradley — if you’re listening — I thank you. I bless you. And I want to assure you…
I lived in Boston for six years, and never knew Lizzie Borden’s house was just down the road.
(Random learning from the Internet #725)
Turns out Lizzie Borden and her poor, axe-murdered parents were from Fall Rivers, which is an hour outside of Boston. Their house has been turned into a museum and bed-and-breakfast, and was recently chosen by The Huffington Post as one of the “10 Strangest Lodgings to Stay Around the World.”
I would second that notion.
Visitors can take a “time tour” of the murders — even see the carefully preserved skulls of the Bordens – then stay overnight in Lizzie’s room or the rooms of her dearly departed mom and dad.
Well, that certainly sounds restful.
Of course, we have to remember that Lizzie was found not guilty at the murder trial. But the made-for-TV movie, “The Legend of Lizzie Borden” starring Elizabeth Montgomery, is what is burned on my brain.
There she was — sweet, nose-twitching Samantha — spooky scary as Lizzie Borden. After watching her re-enact how the police thought the murders had taken place, I was never more certain in my life that any woman was a cold-blooded killer. Based on her performance alone, there is no way I would stay overnight in that house.
If the ghost of Lizzie Borden doesn’t get you in your sleep, I’m pretty sure Elizabeth Montgomery will.
Today, The Sticky Egg celebrates its one-year anniversary.
I have posted something every day since I first ‘turned on the lights’ August 20th of last year. Looking back, it’s kinda fun to remember why.
Earlier that same month, the movie “Julie & Julia” opened to rave reviews. If you didn’t see it, it told the story of a New Yorker named Julie who, frustrated with her dead-end temp job, decides to cook all 524 recipes in Julia Childs’ “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” in one year and blog about it. Julie’s quest and Julia’s life story are artfully intertwined in the movie, which earned Meryl Streep yet another Oscar nomination.
I saw the film opening weekend (shock, shock), and as I walked out, I overheard many people planning to cook fabulous meals the movie had inspired.
I just wanted to write a blog.
In the film, Julie’s daily blog chronicles her culinary successes and failures as she plows through Julia’s cookbook. By the end of the movie, it has earned her faithful followers, a feature in The New York Times, and a book deal. (Obviously, the movie later followed.)
After a year of writing The Sticky Egg, I too have faithful followers, and I look forward to their visits and comments. I also have learned the discipline that a daily writing deadline requires — even one that is self-imposed — and have really come to enjoy it.
In fact, if I didn’t write a little something-something every day, I would miss it.
So, The Egg continues into year two and beyond. And who knows? That book deal could be just around the corner.
But back off, Meryl — I’m playing myself in the movie.
Until recently, I’d never given much thought to how Facebook got its start.
Now the trailers for “The Social Network” are appearing on television and in theaters, and I am beginning to get a hint of what the founders had in mind when they created Facebook.
Sitting in their Harvard dorm rooms, they imagined this hip insiders’ guide to the Ivy League experience. So I have to wonder — what do they think of what Facebook has become?
People posting pictures of their evening meal. Their children’s first day of school. Extremely cute dogs and cats. And status updates ranging from the mundane to the ridiculous.
And let’s not forget all the business that is now being conducted on Facebook. (Did you know some people use it to promote their blogs and improv shows? Whackadoodle. )
Facebook today is simply as boring or as exciting as we are, because Facebook has become a very detailed reflection of our day-to-day lives…of everybody’s lives.
Not so insider, huh?
Oh well, they pocketed billions. I’ll bet that kinda dough has even tempted them to ‘like’ a Sunday church service shout-out from time to time.
That’s pretty much all a movie trailer has to say to get my butt in the theater. (I know what I like.)
And while this promo for “The American,” George Clooney’s latest film, definitely trumpets his starring role, it manages to make this thriller seem…well…boring.
Wow. George drives a car…and works out. He also cleans and assembles his gun. That’s really intense stuff. Of course, the priest has a foreign accent, which should add some intrigue…but based on the voiceover, he is one boring old dude. Thank goodness George chases someone with a gun at the end, or I’d think this was a talkie.
Look, there are probably a lot of people like me who will give George the benefit of the doubt here and see it anyway. He has set a high standard with his work. But I think the editors of the trailer should take note — George Clooney’s personality sells, and you didn’t use it here.
“I don’t think God’s very interested in me, Father,” George says at the end of the clip.
Retinal scans. They’re all the rage in action films.
How do you gain access to most high-security labs? Retinal scan.
What unlocks the CONTROL headquarter doors in “Get Smart?” Retinal scan.
Why does Tom Cruise steal eyeballs in “Minority Report?” Retinal scan.
Ick.
And now retinal scans are coming to a vending machine near you! (Well…if you live outside the United States, that is.)
Massachusetts-based Next Generation Vending and Food Service has begun testing machines that use retinal scans to identify and charge customers for their vending machine purchases.
Kinda creepy, kinda invasive. Which may be why in the United States, they decided to instead test cash-free machines that link a person’s thumbprint to his or her credit card.
Not sure why that’s less creepy…but it is. Maybe because we shake hands with people all the time, but it’s rare that we rub eyeballs. Or let people scan our heads unless it’s medically necessary.
Buying a PayDay doesn’t seem like a medical necessity. Unless it’s been a really hard day at work.
There is nothing I love more than watching a movie and discovering a hidden gem.
You know — that actor or actress who’s the friend of the lead who looks kinda familiar but you can’t figure out where you’ve seen ‘em before.
But I can.
It’s one of my favorite pastimes. Ask my friends. I’m actually pretty annoying about it. So I cannot believe that I totally missed this one.
After seeing Anna Kendrick play Jessica in three “Twilight” movies and nab a much-deserved Oscar nomination for her work in “Up in the Air,” it was only this week during publicity for her upcoming stint in “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” — opening in theaters today — that I realized that I had seen her years ago in a little movie musical called “Camp.”
I think I hear my friends laughing at me….
If you haven’t seen it, “Camp” is about a summer camp for theater geeks. Anna plays Fritzi, a wallflower who attaches herself to the camp diva…or so it appears. At the end of the film, when all the campers are performing at the big gala for the parents, Fritzi sabotages the diva and steps in to sing her big number, “Ladies Who Lunch,” blowing off the roof in an incredible performance.
Of course, I didn’t know it was Anna then…just that there was this HUGE voice coming out of a teeny tiny little girl.
I remember Justin’s very first film – “Galaxy Quest,” that wonderful send up of the “Star Trek” series. Although he was 21 at the time, Jason was cast as teenage sci-fi nerd Brandon, who helps save the cast of a space TV show when they have to play their roles for real to save an alien culture. (It is way funnier than that sounds.) The cast includes Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman, and it is genius.
So, I’m really excited to see “Going the Distance.” Many of the top critics are saying good things, and the trailers look really funny. Plus, I think it could mean good things for Justin’s career in the years to come.
)
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If you are sad that the holiday weekend is over, rest assured..it is not. Today is a holiday as well — National Neither Rain nor Snow Day.
The building has the following inscription:
“Neither snow nor rain not heat nor gloom of night, stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
A lot of people — myself included — think of this as the United States Post Office motto, but it’s not; it was actually the motto of the Pony Express, which was never a government-funded operation.
But I’m doing my best to extend your holiday weekend — to give you an excuse to stop your work and go home.
So, run! Be free! Find a horse and gallop off into the sunset!
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Tagged Movies, comedy, Holiday, advertising, entertainment, Humor, The Postman movie, life, holiday weekend, Business, Labor Day, education, commentary, Labor Day weekend, National Rain Nor Snow Day, New York Post Office Building, 1914, New York Post Office Building inscription, "Neither snow nor rain not heat nor gloom of night, stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds, United States Post Office, United States Post Office motto, Pony Express, Pony Express motto, Kevin Costner, "