Spartacus: Blood & Sand

I'm one those people who don't watch a whole lot of TV. Usually, I'm a bit behind the times when it comes to TV series. I don't like to watch a show and then wait a week to see what happens next and we're gone alot. I prefer to wait until something comes out on DVD and then watch all of Season 1 in a couple sittings...or at worst over a couple days. To be honest, there are alot of TV series that I've never seen that would amaze most folks. Such as, Lost, 24, Desperate Housewives, Sex in the City. Oh, and absolutely NO reality TV for me. However, Ive been lucky of late. In the last few months I discovered THE WIRE, CRIME STORY, TRUE BLOOD, BREAKING BAD and now SPARTACUS: BLOOD & SAND. I started watching The Wire Season 5 through Netflix, and I was hooked. Now I'm working my way from the start (Season 1), & working through them a season at a time. I stumbled onto Crime story and was hooked as soon as Dell Shannon's "Runaway" came on. Breaking Bad grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I actually watched it over 1 snow day (teachers perks). Well, last night I came home and got on Netflix Instant and clicked on Spartacus Blood & Sand (Season 1) Episodes 1-3, since I'd heard alot about it but can't get STARZ channel. I was totally blown away. If you took Gladiator, Spartacus & 300 and put them together you have Spartacus: Blood & Sand. Its gritty, sexy, eye-catching. If you get Netflix go watch Episode 1 instantly on your computer and I'm betting you'll be hooked. It's nice to have some variety. Now I have several shows to watch other than (DEXTER, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS & TWIN PEAKS). My previous top 3. If you've never seen some of these that I've mentioned, go check them out, you're in for quite a treat!

Jed Ayers : Check him out !

Jed Ayers, is probably a name your not familiar with yet, nor his work. However, I believe you will in the future. Director, actor, writer of short stories & screenplays and soon author. These all apply to Jed, as do father, husband and all around nice guy. I'm proud to call Jed my friend & he's been very helpful in getting "SIGNS & WONDERS" up off the ground. If you enjoy my site go check out Jed's at http://spaceythompson.blogspot.com or search "HARDBOILED WONDERLAND", for a gritty crime noir site. While your at it, you can go to Amazon and put in an order for Jed's movie "MOSQUITO KINGDOM" which he directed & acted in. It was featured at the 2008 St. Louis International Film Festival. He's also currently working on a couple screenplays with St. Louis author Scott Phillips. Scott's book the "ICE HARVEST" was wonderful and was made into a feature film starring John Cusak and Billy Bob Thorton. You can read one of Jed's short stories "Politoburg", in the anthology, Sex,Thugs and Rock & Roll. Jed is currently writing his first novel & I can't wait to read it. I'll keep you posted on its future availability. Ayers has also just began a working gig for Barnes & Noble, writing bits a couple times a week on their website. I for one wish him nothing but the best & I truly believe great things lay ahead for this very talented & multi dimensional young man.

"K2" Fake Pot, A Real High

I read a story today by Joel Currier of The St. Louis Post Dispatch, and it really caught my eye. A new product called K2, (legal in Illinois and Missouri) a form of a "herbal blend" that gives off a high similar to marijuana and is hitting the shelves of local shops. It sells for $30 for a 3 gram package. Sales are going through the roof, flying off shelves and concerning local law officers. There is big money being made on a product that legally mimics the effects of marijuana. One St. Louis shop reported sales of $12,000 a month. Lawmakers are looking to ban all substances that mimic cannabis and you can look for legislation to follow. K2 contains a synthetic chemical that has a similar effect on the brain and is relatively cheap. The product does not contain THC, the narcotic found in marijuana, however K2 may be three times more potent than THC. The health effects have not been studied and little long term effects are known due to the products relative newness to the market. The manufacturer remains a mystery and is a closely guarded secret. Distributors refuse to divulge where they get it. So...for now, it's smoke em if you got em, but don't look back something might be gaining on you.

Romantic Getaway...try West Baden Springs Hotel

With Valentines Day just around the corner, a co-worker (Lisa Bories), got me to thinking about romantic hideaways. Lisa asked me if I knew anything about French Lick, because her & her husband were thinking of going there for Valentines weekend. Actually I did since Judy & I had been there a couple years ago. Forget French Lick & head up the road a couple miles to West Baden Springs Hotel, and into the lap of luxury. Billed as the "8Th Wonder of the World", when it was built in 1902. It boast a 6 story atrium & a wraparound sitting area complete with the huge white rocking chairs. Its grounds are well manicured & stunning in the summer time. In the 1920's it was host to sports stars, presidents, gangsters, and the social elite. It was a favorite getaway of Al Capone's. It was famous throughout the U.S. for its "sprudel water" with its supposed powers to heal. In 1934 it closed due to the Great Depression and would later become a Jesuit seminary and a college campus before closing for good in the 1980's. After years of sitting in disarray, a 30 million dollar renovation project (1996-98) was put in place to restore it to its original grandeur. Today it host's over 400+ rooms, a casino, and has to be seen to be believed. It is quite pricey at over $300 a night. However, if you have the means, definitely take your sweetheart and you'll feel what those in 1st class on the Titanic must have felt like...but this place won't sink. Bon Voyage !

2010 Academy Awards coming soon... March 7th

The nominations are out, so whose gonna win the hardware? Their are all kinds of experts making predictions, but I gotta say I've got a pretty good track record myself. Over the past 7 or 8 years I've had about an 90% success rate and even predicted that Crash would win best picture. So here's the deal... I'm gonna attempt to tell you who will win, and who I feel should win, in the 8 major categories. Lets start with who will win: Best Picture "AVATAR", Director "KATHRYN BIGELOW" , Actor "JEFF BRIDGES", Actress "SANDRA BULLOCK", Supp. Actor "CRISTOPF WALTZ", Supp. Actress "MONIQUE", Adapted Screenplay "JASON REITMAN", Original Screenplay "QUENTIN TARANTINO". Now.. who should win in my humble opinion? Best Picture it's hands down, "THE HURT LOCKER", Director "KATHRYN BIGELOW", Actor "JEFF BRIDGES", Actress "MERYL STREEP", Supp. Actor "CRISTOPH WALTZ", Supp. Actress "MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL", Adapted Screenplay "BLOOMKAMP & TATCHELL" for District 9, Original Screenplay "The COEN BROS." I really want to see The Hurt Locker win the best picture award. I'll also be thrilled to see Jeff Bridges finally get the award he so richly deserves. However, if Jeremy Renner would win.. I'd be happy for him, but its Mr. Bridges time. I also, find it pretty cool to see James Cameron up for Best Picture & Director awards against his ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow. It should also be noted that no woman has ever won the Best Director award.. until now! It is also, the first time for an African American (Lee Daniels) to get nominated in that same category. One of my favorite movies of the year was "CRAZY HEART". I'd loved to have seen it get a best picture nod. It didn't, but the title track "The Weary Kind" by Ryan Bingham & T-Bone Burnett did for Original Song. I hope it wins. If you haven't heard the soundtrack from Crazy Heart, you should race to buy it. It is terrific and you'll be amazed at the vocal abilities of Jeff Bridges and Colin Ferrell.

Sundance Grand Jury Award Winner

Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell, was one of my favorite books of the last several years. Daniel Woodrell, along with William Gay and Cormac McCarthy comprise what I believe to be the 3 best writers of true Americana alive today. Their writing is gritty & real, striped of all pretentiousness. Winter's Bone has been made into a film, directed by Debra Granik. It premiered at The Sundance Film Festival last week with no big stars and no buzz. Word of mouth spread like wildfire and became a must see by weeks end. The film garnered the top prize, the Drama Grand Jury Award Winner. Roadside Attractions picked up the film for national distribution. In a nutshell, the film & book is about a 17 yr.old girl,(Rhee Dolly) living in the Ozarks, caring for her sick mother and two younger siblings. Her father, a meth dealer, has gone AWOL & has used their home as collateral for his bail bond. Rhee goes in search of her Dad or face losing the only thing they have in the world, their home. The book is outstanding but brutal & raw. The film is at the top of my must see list. Maybe... now Mr. Woodrell, will gain the widespread following his work so richly deserves. He is also the author of a previous novel, "WOE TO LIVE ON", which was made into a film as "RIDE WITH THE DEVIL", and directed by U of I grad Ang Lee. A St. Louis premiere of Winter's Bone would be pretty sweet. Mr. Woodrell is a Missouri native.

ROAD TRIPPIN TO THE LOU

I don't have any idea if anyone even reads my stories, but if you do, and you can find just one thing on here, (a book, movie, venue, artist or musician) that makes your world a little better place, or more colorful and fun to be in...well, then I've succeeded. All I know, is for me personally, I'm always looking for those "spice of life" discoveries. This Sunday Judy & I woke up to a beautiful sunny day( for Jan.) and decided it was a great day for a road trip to the Lou.. (St. Louis). I threw in a CD of Lucinda Williams (one of those discoveries that Patty Abbott led me to) and you just couldn't help but feel free as "Can't Let Go", "I Lost It" ,"Concrete & Barbed Wire", "Right in Time" and "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" helped set the mood. Great stuff! I dare you to listen to those 1st 2 tracks & tell me that you're still depressed. Once we got in town we headed to The Moolah Theatre, to see "CRAZY HEART". Over the next 2 hours I sat on my cozy leather couch and was transported to another place and time. Jeff Bridges gave a lifetime performance as country western singer "Bad Blake". I wont ruin it for you, but I will tell you to go see it, or rent it. The soundtrack is top rate & includes songs by Waylon Jennings,Lightnin Hopkins, T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham and of course Jeff Bridges and Colin Ferrell ( by the way..they can sing). We left the Moolah and headed to a couple of my favorite bookstores, BIG SLEEP BOOKS & LEFT BANK BOOKS in the Central West End. Of course we found a couple books we had to have..we always do. Then we headed to U City and Vintage Vinyl & Subterranean Books before catching the late afternoon showing of "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus" at The Tivoli Theatre. I was pretty excited about seeing this show. First, it was Heath Ledgers last film & most importantly it had Tom Waits playing Mr. Nick (The Devil). I was hoping for so much more than I got. It was pretty slow and the plot lines were a bit jumbled at times. However, I don't care if you saw the worst movie of the year, if you saw it at the Tivoli it was worth it. Finally, we stopped for a burger & hit Borders to pick up the "Crazy Heart" soundtrack before heading home. This was an unusual trip as we skipped Ted Drewes on this occasion (it was winter). As I hit the Illinois border and darkness fell, I stuck in a CD of Ramblin Jack Elliott and "Soul of a Man" and for a moment " all things were right with the world".