FOR FRIENDS FAR & WIDE.

News.

	29 December 2004 MOVIE: SCHOOL OF ROCK (2003). A rock 'n' roll loser fakes his way to a substitute teaching job at a prestigious prep school. Here, now, we see Jack Black in his element. Forget the preplexing schmaltz of Shallow Hal or the slapstick of Orange County--this time, he's got rock and roll, plenty of opportunities to scat-sing face-melting guitar solos, and even a super-cute bunch of kids to play World's Coolest Uncle to. There's not much to say, really. Our A-list antihero, after first fooling his class into playing backup so that he can solo endlessly over their rudimentary riffs, bonds with the children who eventually come to his rescue after parents discover the fraud that is their teacher--all just before giving the performance of their lives at the local Battle of the Bands. The goopy sweetness of this tidy little story is as palatable as the dregs squeezed off from, oh, Nick Hornby's High Fidelity perhaps, and I felt myself going for casual second helpings just as one does when there's a bag of M&M's lying around. This movie comfortably celebrates the extraordinary silliness of Mr. Black: lovable court jester; soft-hearted John Belushi for Gen Y-ers. And now raise your goblet of rock.   Back to main PHOTO DIARY. The heavy rains in California brought about endless complaints from its residence, until this rainbow appeared.   Back to main PHOTO DIARY. We went to New York City for a week during the Christmas holidays. We saw the tree at Rockefeller Plaza... ...the dancing snowflake musical display on the side of Saks... ...and this crazy home-grown display featuring music, dozens of stuffed animals, and even a tiny winter village with a steam train running through it. We hung around the city with Nicki's cousin Daxx... ...and Nicki's mom. She kept us well fed with roast beef, oxtail stew, ackee & saltfish, and beef patties. Toward the end of the trip we met up with Ray in Union Square and got drunk at the Coffee Bar.   Back to main PHOTO DIARY. There's a hummingbird who lives in a nest just one foot from my living room window. It drives Nancy Drew crazy.   Back to main Archives. 17 August 2003 — 24 August 2003 — 31 August 2003 — 07 September 2003 — 14 September 2003 — 02 November 2003 — 09 November 2003 — 16 November 2003 — 23 November 2003 — 30 November 2003 — 07 December 2003 — 01 February 2004 — 08 February 2004 — 15 February 2004 — 22 February 2004 — 29 February 2004 — 07 March 2004 — 14 March 2004 — 21 March 2004 — 28 March 2004 — 04 April 2004 — 11 April 2004 — 18 April 2004 — 25 April 2004 — 02 May 2004 — 09 May 2004 — 16 May 2004 — 23 May 2004 — 30 May 2004 — 06 June 2004 — 13 June 2004 — 20 June 2004 — 27 June 2004 — 04 July 2004 — 11 July 2004 — 18 July 2004 — 25 July 2004 — 01 August 2004 — 08 August 2004 — 15 August 2004 — 22 August 2004 — 29 August 2004 — 05 September 2004 — 12 September 2004 — 19 September 2004 — 26 September 2004 — 03 October 2004 — 10 October 2004 — 17 October 2004 — 24 October 2004 — 31 October 2004 — 07 November 2004 — 14 November 2004 — 21 November 2004 — 28 November 2004 — 05 December 2004 — 12 December 2004 — 19 December 2004 — 26 December 2004 — 02 January 2005 — 09 January 2005 — 23 January 2005 — 30 January 2005 — 06 February 2005 — 13 February 2005 — 20 February 2005 — 27 February 2005 — 13 March 2005 — 20 March 2005 — 27 March 2005 — 03 April 2005 — 10 April 2005 — 17 April 2005 — 24 April 2005 — 01 May 2005 — 08 May 2005 — 22 May 2005 — 29 May 2005 — 05 June 2005 — 12 June 2005 — 19 June 2005 — 26 June 2005 — 03 July 2005 — 10 July 2005 — 17 July 2005 — 24 July 2005 — 31 July 2005 — 07 August 2005 — 14 August 2005 — 28 August 2005 — 04 September 2005 — 25 September 2005 — 02 October 2005 — 09 October 2005 — 30 October 2005 — 06 November 2005 — 13 November 2005 — 20 November 2005 — 27 November 2005 — 04 December 2005 — 18 December 2005 — 01 January 2006 — 08 January 2006 — 15 January 2006 — 22 January 2006 — 05 February 2006 — 26 February 2006 — 12 March 2006 — 19 March 2006 — 26 March 2006 — 02 April 2006 — 16 April 2006 — 23 April 2006 — 30 April 2006 — 07 May 2006 — 14 May 2006 — 21 May 2006 — 04 June 2006 — 18 June 2006 — 25 June 2006 — 16 July 2006 — 23 July 2006 — 06 August 2006 — 13 August 2006 — 03 September 2006 — 17 September 2006 — 01 October 2006 —