Day 150/365 - Who Watches the Watchmen?... Me, that's Who

Today I went to a matinee showing of the new movie 'Watchmen' with my friend Chris. We decided to see it at the Uptown where they have a really big screen and we opted to try our luck with the 12:15 showing, figuring it would be less crowded. We were right on that score. The theater was only about two-thirds full and we were able to snag prime seats in the balcony. As we left we noticed that there were already people in line for the next showing, even though it was still more than an hour away.

'Watchmen' has gotten some bad reviews, but Chris and I both liked it. I read the graphic novel back when I was in high school and I had forgotten most of it. Basically all I could remember was who the bad guy actually was, and that Dr. Manhattan was kind of an ass. I think they did a good job of adapting it for the big screen. They devoted a fair amount of time to developing the story and the characters and it wasn't just stunts and fights, although it was a fairly brutal movie in parts.

Visually speaking it was very well done and it avoided looking fakey. The performances were mixed. The actor portraying Nite Owl did the best job with his role, and he's really the only completely likeable character. The other characters you can like, but with some reservations. The rest of the cast was so-so. The actor playing Rohrschach was quite good, but his character is pretty one-dimensional. Homicidal sociopaths tend to be like that.

All things considered it was a pretty good movie. It does a good job of taking a look at the dark side of being a superhero and the costs that lifestyle carries with it. The movie is rather hard on women, though. There are only two female characters and they flip between being vixens or victims, plus there is a vicious attempted rape scene that was tough to watch. Also, I could do quite nicely with a little less screen time for Dr. Manhattan's swinging and swaying blue male member. Would it have killed him to wear pants a bit more often?

(Taken with my Nikon Coolpix S200)

Day 149/365 - Supporting My People

Local news and information website DCist.com has a 'Photo of the Day' feature wherein they highlight the work of a local photographer. In order to solicit photos for that feature, as well as to provide illustrations for the site's articles and other features, DCist has its own photo pool on Flickr. Additionally, they run an annual "DCist Exposed" photography exhibit.

This year's show is being held at Flashpoint, an arts incubator in the Gallery Place section of Washington, DC. It closes tomorrow, so tonight I made sure I swung by Flashpoint on the way home from work so I could finally check it out. Quite a few of my Flickr contacts have works on display in the exhibit: Erin, Brian, Marie, Pat, Phil, and Angela.

There were some really amazing photos in the exhibition. I put a few of my own entries in, but I didn't get selected for the show. Oh well, guess I'll just have to work at taking better pictures this year so I can make it into next year's exhibition.

(Taken with my Nikon Coolpix S200)

Day 148/365 - Happy Hour at Matchbox

I went to a happy hour at at bar/restaurant called Matchbox with a few people from work tonight. That's my first beer above, a Chimay. I only had two, though. Everyone had stuff they had to do tonight so we only hung out for about 90 minutes. Still, it was nice to get out and socialize for a bit.

Matchbox specializes in pizza, but they also have these really good mini-burgers. That's what I ordered. I had to get the order of 6 because 3 mini-burgers just isn't enough. I need a "baby bear option," dammit. Where's the size that's just right?

(Taken with my Nikon Coolpix S200)

Day 147/365 - Post-It Note Impression No. 2

Didn't have a shot for today, so I relied on my old standby measure -- the Post-It Note Impression. I think this one is even easier than the last one I did. I'm really going to have to try to come up with tougher ones.

Quick, who am I?

(Taken with my Nikon Coolpix S200)

Day 146/365 - Back to the Salt Mines

No more living the life of an idle vagabond. Today was my first day back at the office after my vacation in Venice. The scene above is of the tables and chairs on the small terrace in front of my office building, still bearing the marks of yesterday's snowfall. I spent the day going through my accumulated emails, catching up with clients, and telling my coworkers about my trip <cough> not to mention adding titles, tags, and descriptions to the Day One set of my Venice photos <end cough>.

Now it's back to making my own bed, fixing my own meals, being awakened by my alarm clock rather than church bells, riding the Metro underground rather than the vaparetto down the Grand Canal, hearing "next station stop, L'Enfant Plaza" rather than "proxima fermata, Ca' d'Oro," and not having prosecco and gelato nearly every day.

Like untold thousands before me and thousands more yet to come, I believe I may be smitten with Venice. La Serenissima, my carissima.

(Taken with my Nikon Coolpix S200)

Day 145/365 - Finally Home

I'm finally back home in the DC area after catching a flight from Chicago's O'Hare airport (that's it pictured above) at 6:15 this morning after the last leg of my return from vacation in Venice was cancelled last night due to weather issues. Luckily my body was still operating on Venetian time (i.e., 7 hours ahead of Central US time) so getting up pre-dawn was no big deal this morning.

I don't think I'll be booking a flight that requires me to change planes twice en route again. I only did it this time because American Airlines doesn't fly to Venice so I had to switch off to one of their code share partners for part of the trip. I didn't want to book a more direct flight through another airline and lose out on getting approximately 10,000 frequent flier miles. I think I should now have enough miles for a free flight to Europe, so it should be considerably less than five years before I make my next trip abroad.

Hmmm, where to go next? Decisions, decisions...

(Taken with my Nikon Coolpix S200)

Twice on Sunday Bonus Photo - Venetian Gondolas

For this week's bonus photo, we have a shot of a pair of gondolas in a canal taken on my recent trip to Venice. Ahhh, Venice...

(Taken with my Nikon D80)

Day 144/365 - Stranded in Chicago

It's 4 am Venetian time and I'm bone weary and stuck at an airport hotel outside O'Hare. This sucks. My connecting flight to DC was cancelled on account of the winter storm hitting the East Coast. So not only am I delayed in getting home from my trip to Venice, but I'm missing out on seeing the first real winter storm we've had in years.

All things considered, I think I'd rather have just spent an extra day in Venice instead. I'd like a do-over, please.

(Taken with my Nikon Coolpix S200)