G.R.i.D. (Get Rich in Dallas)

In regards to the following posting from today:

If we haven’t already had too much fun this month! Let’s cap it off with some more…im old today…28 to be exact…and to celebrate I’m going to do what I do best…see how many miller lites I can drink! hope to see everyone tonight!

Dear Myspace Master for Alexandre’s,

I’d like to mention that the fact you regard 28 as old does not bode well for those of us who are beyond that age. As my 35th birthday approaches in the summer, I look at your statement only to possibly wonder if I am at a dinosaur’s age and debating whether my party should now be at Luby’s instead of the Monkey Bar or Club Dada where I was originally thinking of. Besides, I dare not want to be considered a middle-aged wannabe hip old guy. I just didn’t think I had made it there just yet.

So thank you for my holiday weekend deflation as I will change all my plans from the Slip Inn and TMC to polka dancing at the Czech Club after I’ve clipped coupons for my Ensure cans.

By the way, happy birthday and I will passive-aggressively revel in the slight flaw that you didn’t capitalize or add the apostrophe here - im old today.

Thank you,

Old blogger guy

Last week I posted an item about The Mustang Bar and Grill offering an alternative night out in Plano. My problem with it was the ad they placed in the Dallas Voice which, I feel, tries to come off subtle about being a gay event by using vague terminology. Since when is gay an alternative? That’s like saying it’s a choice. And don’t get me started on the title of Secret Sundays again. Just go read the posting so I don’t get angry again.

But I do give props to Francisco Castillo who responded to my dismay of the event defending his creation. Whilst you can read the comment after the posting, I felt it wise to repost here with running commentary.

---

Hello,

I put this event together so I feel I should respond. To be honest, I’m not really sure what your issue is. You’re slamming an event that you’ve never attended or called to inquire about. You’re basing your comments on an ad and not much more. But I’m not here to argue with you. I am writing to clarify a few things.

This is true and I try not to prejudge anything but when I get the feeling you’re scared to be upfront, then my confidence isn’t high going in.

Secret Sundays is a gay and lesbian event and it’s designed to appeal to the gays and lesbians in this far north area. The event starts at 6 p.m. and we hope everyone stays as long as they like. Meanwhile, the dining room is open to all guests, whether straight or gay. We’re not hiding anything.

The name Secret Sundays is just that…a name. We’re hosting a gay and lesbian mixer in Plano. That’s it. It’s just a sexy name. And if we’re not being overtly gay, it’s only out of respect for the conservative nature of the area. Plano is not like Oak Lawn and we must respect the gays and lesbians who choose to live here.

So thus I must assume that the LGBT community of Plano is not out. By that generalization, then are you really respecting that community? What I hear is more like you’re ‘respecting’ and pandering to what you deem is the conservative nature. Plano is not Oak Lawn. Oak Lawn is not Plano but am I to understand that Plano is essentially homophobic and such events need to be hushed and hidden?

This Mustang is also a diverse venue and we’re not embarrassed to say it. Did you know The Mustang also hosts an African-American night every Thursday? Our club night attracts 400-500 African-Americans every week. Our place is furthest north you will find any type of event catering to the Dallas Black crowd. The same can be said for our weekly gay and lesbian mixer.

And by the way, Plano is not too far if you live in Frisco, Plano, Carrollton or The Colony. Secret Sundays is meant to appeal to those people. Of course, you are free to drive in from all parts of Dallas. I invite you to attend next Sunday and see for yourself.

Plano is far for me. But so is anything past Northwest Highway and 75 from my small flat in East Dallas. My point is that terminology and presentation is crucial to the identity of the community. To imply that it’s a hidden or Secret population, first of all suggests exclusion and second, promotes separation. I truly applaud your efforts in promoting an event that appeals to the LGBT community outside of the normal gathering spots. It is these endeavors that allow such communities to grow and let others see that they are indeed everywhere and not boxed all in Oak Lawn. All I ask is for you to look at the ad again and think about what it does say and what it doesn’t. Does it reflect a prideful nature or a hidden one? And which side are you on?

Thank you for your response.

–Rich

Dear Mavs,

Despite two losses in a row, I’m still behind you. Let’s face it. You need this to keep you in check. You guys weren’t on at all against the Warriors and they brought it. So, it happens. And while it looked like you were coming apart at the beginning of tonight’s game against the Suns, you answered back and took it to double OT. Losing by two points sucks, but I’d rather you lose like that than winning by chance. 

Don’t expect calls, run the ball and get Jiop on players like Stoudemire. That’s all. See you at the championships.

A fan,

Rich 

Dear Mr. Clooney,

I feel it is in your best interest that I write you this letter. Please know, that I am a fan and I have a high respect for your willingness to do good work as an actor as opposed to simply making millions and I respect your politics regarding legislation and the current state of affairs. Having said that, what is up with you?

Last weekend, The Good German came out here in Dallas. Your movie about an American military journalist in Berlin caught up in a murder investigation sounds alluring along with the whole Casablanca look the movie goes for. I’ll definitely check it out but I had to shake my head at yet, another Clooney-Soderbergh venture.

I’m worried that your and director Steven Soderbergh’s love-fest for each other is becoming…well…boring. And predictable. Mr. Clooney, I implore you to look into other ventures with other good and even better directors. I’d be most interested to see what Scorsese could do with you (provided he gets over his DiCaprio love-fest himself). Spielberg and you could make quite a pairing. Sam Mendes, Ang Lee, Jonathan Demme. Heck, Woody Allen. I’m almst willing to see you in a Michael Bay action movie. Just anybody other than Soderbergh for once.

I imagine you are quite aware of this but maybe you’ve never looked at it from outside the box. Let’s take a look shall we? The following is from IMDB. Anything before Out of Sight won’t count and I’ve deleted any television or unnecessary inclusion:

Ocean’s Thirteen (2007) - directed by SS
Michael Clayton (2007)
The Good German (2006) - directed by SS
Syriana (2005)
Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
Ocean’s Twelve (2004) - directed by SS
Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)
Solaris (2002) - directed by SS
Ocean’s Eleven (2001) - directed by SS
The Perfect Storm (2000)
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
Three Kings (1999)
The Thin Red Line (1998)
Out of Sight (1998) - directed by SS

So it may not look like much that only six of your last 15 movies were directed by Soderbergh. Heck, DeNiro had eight with Scorsese. But I can’t let you off so easily. See, this ‘thing’ between you and Soderbergh has become more of an octopus with tentacles in all directions. At first it seems like a Clooney thing because of your constant pairing with Mark Wahlberg a la Three Kings, The Perfect Storm and you producing Rock Star (which we won’t bring up again) but then Ocean’s Eleven is where it started with you and Steven.

Now let’s look at Confessions of a Dangerous Mind - your directorial debut. Oh, look, Sodie was an exec producer. And look, your costar Julia Roberts is in your movie as she was in O11 and O12 as she was in Erin Brockovich directed by none other. Let’s not forget her failed venture with SS, Full Frontal. We can forgive Damon’s and Pitt’s cameos in your movie since that was all in fun.

You went to Intolerable Cruelty with the Coen Brothers but that doesn’t give you much reprieve as you had worked with them previously on O Brother Where Art Thou. I’m sensing a pattern. You play it safe.

Your brilliant Good Night and Good Luck was high on my list for that year. Great job. It should have won best picture. I see Sodie is an exec producer again. But in that same year, you won an Oscar for starring in Syriana. A movie NOT directed by SS. Hey great. But remember that tentacle thing I mentioned? Your director Stephen Gaghan also wrote Traffic which I believe was directed by, oh, I don’t know…Steven Soderbergh? Also starring Catherine Zeta Jones who was in O12 as the daughter of Albert Finney’s character who also starred in Traffic AND Erin Brockovich. Lest we forget Damon was along for the ride in Syriana. Codependent much?

Let’s not stop there. You and Sodie exec produced Insomnia with Al Pacino, who I believe will be in O13 according to the trailers. And then there was Far from Heaven with Oscar nominee Julianne Moore and Patricia Clarkson who was in GNGL.

From my findings, the only movie you and Stevie produced that didn’t tie into anywhere else (yet) was Adrien Brody’s The Jacket. However, I won’t be surprised if any from that cast will end up in either of your movies.

So what’s the deal? I was almost impressed to find your next movie Michael Clayton had no ties but then Sodie was listed as producer. And at what point is it all a little TOO incestuous? I fail to find coincidence in the following:

Cate Blanchett with you in German and Pitt in Babel (with Damon in Mr. Ripley but that was a long time ago)

Pitt and Roberts in The Mexican

Zeta Jones and Pitt in Sinbad

Zeta Jones and Roberts in American Sweethearts

and then we can start going on a limb here–

Pitt and Jolie in M/M Smith.

Jolie and Damon in the Good Shepherd

Damon and Wahlberg in The Departed

and so on and so on.

Maybe it’s a Clooney - Soderbergh Dynasty. Maybe I’m thinking too much about it. But I’m concerned about you. Break away just once and let loose. Let me see you and Jodie Foster, Paul Giamatti or any actor who can challenge you. Maybe Spike Lee? Hook up with Tarantino again if you can. Just do something different and soon because now you’re comfortable. And we, the audience, already know what to expect from you. What actor wants that? You’re already a class act. Quit trying to convince us you are.

Best of luck, Mr. Clooney. On my way to see Pursuit of Happyness starring that Men In Black guy.

Rich

cc: Steven Soderbergh

cc: Brad Pitt

To all those who went out to make this movie #1, I just want to say thank you for supporting a full fledged homophobe and anti-semite. And a drunk. Can you wait for Michael Richards next movie?

Maybe it’s just me being too harsh but his personal and hateful views override his artistic credibility and thus I do not wish to see any more Mel Gibson movies.

Rich

PS. I got a few Mel dvd’s for sale cheap. $3 each. Braveheart; Conspiracy Theory; Pocahontas (not Special Edition). No, really.

This is sort of a repost but wanted to share here on GRiD. 

---

One of my myspace friends is Equal Rights for All which may or may not be the official myspace page of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). I don’t know but somehow I don’t think so because this posting isn’t the tone the HRC has. But I’m still compelled to share.

“The Bible contains six admonishments to homosexuals and 362
admonishments to heterosexuals.
That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love heterosexuals. It’s just that
they need more supervision.”

Dear Religious Fundamentalist:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I
have learned a great deal from your self righteous speeches, and try to share that
knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend
the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that
Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other
specific laws and how to follow them.

1. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a
pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors.
They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in
Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair
price for her?

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in
her period of menstrual cleanliness - Lev.15:19-24. The problem is,
how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

4. Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and
female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend
of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can
you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?

5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus
35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated
to kill him myself?

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an
abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than
homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this?

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I
have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading
glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room
here?

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair
around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.
19:27. How should they die?

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes
me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two
different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing
garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester
blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really
necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town
together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn’t we just burn them to
death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with
their in-laws? (Lev.20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident
you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is
eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted disciple and adoring fan,
Jack

p.s. if over 70% of “straight” marriages are ending in divorce, how are you going to “protect” marriage by preventing more loving couples from getting married?

Dear Mr. Manager,

 

While on a day off from work, I decided to partake in a movie at my favorite movie house, the AMC 30. I like this theater because it always appears to be clean and the grandness of it all makes for an exciting movie experience. The bathrooms are pretty much always presentable and I never have a problem getting my tickets at the electronic box office.

My choice was Miami Vice on Wednesday, August 9 at 1:05 pm. I arrived in time to buy my ticket and use my moviewatcher coupon for concessions. I have yet to decide if I’m either cursed or it is your hiring methods because despite all my pleasant experiences at your theater, I have a knack for finding the one line that never moves.

However, I think the solution for my ailment would be in your hiring practices. While I do not propose discrimination, I do suggest you have certain educational and social skill requirements in your potential employees. It would be nice to be greeted with a smile and a hello. It would also be nice to be handles by someone who has some idea of the products you are selling. Several times I’ve asked for combo # 3 (hot dog and drink) only to have them ring up the # 2 which consists of two large drinks and a large popcorn. Once I could forgive this. Four times no. In the case they do not ring me up immediately, they have to look up onto your menu board to see what I’m ordering. I find this most disconcerting.

Also, in the sense of customer service for those in line, please train your employees to handle a customer as efficiently as possible. In the event they do not have their coupon or moviewatcher card for a discount, might I suggest to encourage decision making among the cashiers to move the line along. You lost a sale with me when the lady ahead of me (whom I had problems with as well) had a coupon issue that threw off the cashier merely because she did not have her Moviewatcher card. Instead, he opted to wait for her husband to come in with the card. This while the other lines were moving promptly. I almost missed my movie. A fate worse than death for me. In addition to that, his machine apparently wasn’t working properly. While opting to wait for the husband, he decided to try to fix the computer. In short time, it was obvious, he didn’t know what he was doing. One idea, move to the next station!

As a person who has worked retail as well as with personal clients, customer service is very important. Not just to me but to a company as a whole. And if those lacking in such primo positions (ie. concessions) I then have to wonder about the quality AMC is willing to portray inits service.

On the flip side however, ticket takers and box office personnel have been most friendly and helfpul.

Regards,

Rich