Left to my own devices

Life is full of regrets, so the saying goes. I suppose it's true. For some. There are people who seem to be without them, or at least don't acknowledge them very much. Perhaps they have the right idea? I tend to go through phases of regret. There can be long stretches when they don't materialize, consciously, and I go on about my day and look happily toward the future. Then, for a time, something may trigger the regrets, and they tend to mill-about for awhile, like unwelcome party guests, bringing down one's mood.

A commentary on the current 2012 Olympic games..... from a male point of view . There's been a lot of talk about the summer Olympics in recent days, from the opening ceremonies to some criticism of the NBC broadcasts of the events. While I'm not normally a fan of sports, it's hard not to get caught up in Olympic fever. What better way to celebrate the world competition -- centered in London, England this year -- than to offer-up my own commentary of events thus far? Ok, here we go!

Over the past couple of years, I've acquainted myself with some of the films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Known collectively as The Archers, Powell & Pressburger had a string of successful and innovative movies throughout the 1940s and '50s. I haven't watched everything in their collaborative filmography, but have had the pleasure of watching six of their features, and cannot recommend them enough. It's always exciting to discover new, quality entertainment, even when said 'new' entertainment is decades old. Classic cinema is truly a treasure trove of great wonders and ideas. Just for the heck of it, I've decided to rank and (briefly) overview each of the Powell & Pressburger movies I've seen. If anything on the list sounds like it might tickle your fancy, by all means, check it out. They're available on DVD and Blu-Ray.  All right, here we go:

We lost a ground-breaking, iconic astronaut this week. Sally Ride passed away from pancreatic cancer, leaving behind an inspirational legacy to women everywhere, as well as a same-sex domestic partner of 27 years. The revelation that Ride was in a long-term lesbian relationship with Tam O'Shaughnessy wasn't common knowledge, but in the wake of her death, it has become public fodder, for better or worse. I don't want to write about whether or not I agree with Ride's decision to keep her private life private. It was not our decision to make, and we must respect that. Yes, it's nice when public figures come out, as it often shines a more positive light on gay & lesbian culture, but it's really no one's business, unless the people involved choose to make it so. Instead, I want to talk about the reaction to Ms. Ride's life after her death, from people specifically opposed to the life she led for (at least) 27 years.

Because I am admittedly too timid to respond to the person who has set me off about this today, I'm going to vent here on my blog. Consider it a public response to a private wounding. Apologies in advance.

Actor Topher Grace turns 34 today. I was never really into That '70s Show , and find his choice of movies to be rather 'meh,' but darn it if he isn't an intelligent, dishy guy. Thus, he's our latest Pic o' the Week. The photo below, from Win a Date With Tad Hamilton! , isn't very revealing, but has long been a favorite of mine, simply because Topher looks so adorable in it (and has a great haircut). Enjoy! 

Filmmaker Errol Morris has written a relatively sparse column for The New York Times , in which he basically wants folks to chime-in as to whether or not they're an optimist or a pessimist about humanity surviving a massive asteroid impacting the Earth. I went ahead and answered the two-part questionnaire at the end of the article, even though the subject matter didn't really move me one way or the other. What did interest me, however, is the question of whether one is an optimist or a pessimist. Specifically, I am interested in whether one becomes more pessimistic about the future when they grow older. Allow me to explain.