Saturday Night at the Movies

It's been a long week. A cold week to boot. The paycheck will be nice but day after day ofunknown quit times, working holidays, and weekend(s) has really messed up my internal clock. Frankly, I've entered a bit of a zombie zone. Get up, go to work, come home, waste time and go to bed. Pretty indifferent about it, actually. So Saturday night was a welcome change- rented a couple movies while out shopping. First up was Wallstreet: Money Never Sleeps. That film had all the punch of a wet dish cloth. Michael Douglas puts in an addictive performance when he turns on his charm, and yes, there are a few minor twists and turns but overall, pretty predictable. Good for a Sunday cable movie.

Next up, The Social Network. A much better film, and Justin Timberlake sells the sleazy, partying, pseudo-con extremely well. I must admit, I pretty much dismissed FB for several years, back when it was fresh and my sister (and everyone she knew at college) were engaged in it. Dismissed in much the same way I felt about cell phones. You see, I'm not that social of a person. In fact, to say I was a traditionalist is like saying the sun is hot. But these days it doesn't take a genius to see how great a tool FB is. Privacy aside (please, if you're reading this you're on the net, you gave up privacy years ago), there is no better method today to bring friends together collectively. Instantly. Flexibly. And with minimal time and expense. It is, in fact, the modern replacement for the Saturday night card party when local friends would get together and chat and share and discuss. Today, of course, we're global. I have friends with similar interests in Iceland, Belgium, Australia, and all over the US. Anyone of us routinely posts pictures of the latest challenge, the new acquisition, a common-interest news story on the web, what exotic dish someone is making tonight, etc. Soon, one finds new acquaintances with friends of friends. A phone call or an email is a medium. But FB is a tool, and really I think, just the tip of the iceberg. How far one extends their toes into the water is up to them.