Left to my own devices

Austin Butler is our Pic of the Week! The actor turned 23 yesterday. Enjoy.

As many of you know, I'm a fan of science fiction. Specifically, I've always been drawn to the notion of time travel, and whether or not it could ever be a reality. In truth, the implementation of such a concept terrifies me, as it could alter our known history or splinter events into multiple time streams. Regardless, it's a fascinating idea to consider, and I happen to believe that we already engage in time travel on a daily basis. Allow me to explain.

Confession time. The comedic roles of Robin Williams are like nails on a chalk board to me. If someone wanted to to torture me, just a few minutes of Good Morning, Vietnam , Mork & Mindy , RV , or any of his stand-up routines would do the trick. The only exception to this would be Mrs. Doubtfire , a movie that just works. Having said that, I do appreciate the joy and laughter that Williams' manic persona brought to so many people. For me, I loved Robin Williams the serious man. Here's where I think he sits atop the mountains of greatness, along with Brando, Stewart, Finch, DiCaprio, Braugher, Hanks and many others who were or are masters of their craft. In a serious role, I found Williams to be riveting. He won an Oscar (for 1997's Good Will Hunting ), but could have been nominated (and won) for many more performances. He was that good.

Happy Friday, everyone! This week's pic is of model Nathaniel Sherman. Enjoy!

As you know, I'm a bit of a movie lover. There are classic films that rate very highly and must not be missed: Gone With The Wind, Citizen Kane, Hobson's Choice, The Ten Commandments, The Manchurian Candidate , etc. But just as much a part of the fabric of movie history are the movies that are just plain fun to watch. Stuff like Silver Streak, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, Some Like It Hot , the Police Academy movies and, of course the James Bond series of films. To date, there have been 23 Eon Production films in the James Bond franchise, and here we find out which ones are the best, and the worst. Ready? Here we go....

Going on a cruise is something a lot of people like to do these days. I had never partaken of that type of vacation until December 2012, via the graciousness of Ashley's dad. It was fun. We took the City of New Orleans  train down to its namesake, and that was an adventure in itself. We met a record producer and his wife who were from Memphis, and had a fascinating conversation with them about how she'd known the long-lost musician Rodriguez back in her college days. Having never been to New Orleans before, Ashley's dad -- a seasoned pro at traveling -- gave us the grand tour. We stayed downtown, walked by Canal St., stayed for a bit in the French Quarter, took a horse & buggy ride and learned some of the neighborhood's history, had some hot chocolate and beignets at Cafe Du Monde, and ate some delicious Boo Fries at Acme Oyster House . The cruise set-off the next day, for a five-day trip, and it was enjoyable. We were on the Carnival Cruise Line ship E...

Today is the 29th birthday for actor Chace Crawford, so he's our Pic of the Week. Enjoy!