Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Dare I?

Today I stumbled upon this cool t-shirt at threadless.com. It's called 'Spoilt' for obvious reasons, it spoils the ending to a famous book, TV show and movies. Look away now, if you don't want to know.


The question is, am I brave enough to wear it and risk the wrath of an irate passerby who didn't get a 'spoiler alert'?

When You're a Jet, You're a Jet All the Way

Dare I say it...same old Jets. Now that a little time has passed since the heartbreak of the Jets loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers I can better reflect on the game. Yet again the Jets brought us to the precipice of exhiliration, only to fall short, and leave us crying in our soup. Who's to blame? Alot of fans on talk radio want to blame Brian Schottenheimer's offensive play calling, but the truth is the defense was non-existent in the first half. In Bart Scott's now-infamous post-game interview after defeating Brady and the Patriots, he mocked the Patriots defense saying they "can't stop a freakin' nosebleed." Well, his words came back to bite him in the behind, because the same could've been said for the Jets defense on that day. Truth is, finger pointing is pointless. It doesn't change the facts, the season is over and we're not in the Super Bowl.

I take heart in the fact that they played with pride in the second half, and that we didn't have another blowout ala the 45-3 debacle against the Patriots. For a few minutes at the end of the game they even got me to believe; to believe that they could work some of their magic again and pull off a miracle win like in the Texans game. But, it was not to be.

As the saying goes, "Hope springs eternal." So, I'll hope for a great next season. I'll hope they bring back Holmes, Edwards and Cromartie (too greedy? I'll take 2 out of 3). I'll hope Mark Sanchez matures even more as a quarterback with another year under his belt. Lastly, I'll hope that we can finally get over the hump, and make it to, and win the Super Bowl. No harm in hoping.

Favorite Read of 2010

I read "Still Missing" by Chevy Stevens during one of my blogging absences, and while I didn't post a review before, it was without a doubt my favorite read of 2010. "Still Missing" is Ms. Stevens first novel. A riveting page-turner from the get-go, and one of those books that you instantly know will be made into a movie. The book relates the story of Annie O'Sullivan's abduction, captivity, escape and attempts at recovery, all told through Annie's sessions with her psychiatrist.

Annie is a single, 32-year old real estate agent in Vancouver Island. One Sunday while she's showing a house she is abducted by what at first instance seems a harmless, friendly man, who proves to be anything but. The Freak, as Annie calls him in her mind, takes her to a remote cabin where he holds her captive for a year. Annie has to endure rape, physical abuse and the Freak's twisted power game including his demeaning nightly bathing rituals, and even an imposed schedule for using the toilet. It's a compelling story of hope and perseverance in the face of even your darkest fears. A struggle between a deranged psychopath and a gutsy and determined heroine. A large part of the book focuses on Annie's life after the escape, including her desperate attempt to glue her shattered life and self back together. As if all of that wasn't enough, the plot has a few shocking surprises that keep you mesmerized right to the last page, heck, right to the last word.

The story is straight out of your worst nightmares, but yet so brilliantly told and the characters so well-written that you're compelled to keep reading whether you're unconformtable or horrified. I really enjoyed this book, and as I said, I hope they make it into a movie. The words are there. With the right cast, it could prove to be a blockbuster.

O Spring, Spring, wherefore art thou Spring?

'Ice, ice baby.' Shakespeare and Robert van Winkle (aka Vanilla Ice), two of the greats, referenced in the first two lines. It's that kind of a day. We are being clobbered with yet another winter storm, except this time it's ice. (Insert sarcasm here) Yay! Yes, yet another 8 hours of vacation time lost due to Mother Nature's fickle hand. Nonetheless, I've made lemonade out of lemons, and used the time to clean my kitchen, scrub the floor, watch TV, surf the net, and blog; and it's only 10 am.

(Swensen/Getty)

Do not despair though, because on this Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil and Staten Island Chuck both predicted that Spring will come early this year. Hooray! But, we might have to wait a little bit, because snow is forecasted for this Saturday and next Tuesday. As the great Yogi Berra would say, "it's like déjà vu all over again."

Must Watch: 'Jane Eyre'

This looks amazing. I can't wait!