since the last checkup – i’ve finally finally finished bonfire of the vanities and it was just great. as i mentioned in an earlier entry – status, at least according to mr. tom wolfe – is everything. we do everything because of status and for the sake of status. and because i tend to adopt the ideas of any book i’ve most recently read, i agree. filmwise, the most residual image is from cool hand luke starring a young paul newman. never has a film made life seem so pointless and tragic. but i loved how being “dealt nothing” and still “playing it cool” was reiterated throughout the film – like when luke runs away multiple times but is caught again and again – he doesn’t show frustration or resignation, but he just keeps “cool” and does it again and again… ’til he dies of course. and to those who’ve been hating on anchorman, i don’t know – i thought it was entertaining and it gave me the necessary laughs. i think i just loved the 70s costume and the cultural spoofs and of course, will ferrell did not disappoint. so what if it was a bit campy?

oh – and just to go back on a previously read book – the metaphysical club by louis menand – i found a website online that has an hour-long video lecture by him about pragmatism. i don’t normally link things from my site, but because this is educational, i will break some rules: go here http://forum.wgbh.org/wgbh/forum.php?lecture_id=1397 to watch – he pretty much sums up his book, so if you’re not gonna read it, this is a good way to say you did.

but yes, the list! how can i forget:

books
the bonfire of the vanities by tom wolfe
currently reading:
the invisible man by ralph ellison
hooking up by tom wolfe

films
spiderman 2 (2004), cool hand luke (1967), bottle rocket (1996), before sunrise (1995), my boss’s daughter (2003), unfaithful (2002), hero (2002 – Chinese), ghost world (2002), anchorman (2004)