By: Joe A while ago, I watched Requiem for a Dream for the first time in years. The next day, I was texting with some friends about it and I remember typing “requiem for a dream is our lives.” It seemed an intuitive thing to say at the time. I sent that to a group... Continue Reading →
By Joe A small, mouthy bird is standing by his car in a parking lot. It’s almost 11:00 PM. The parking lot lights are still on but will go out soon as they are on a timer. Finally, a rambunctious dog walks out of the door of the massive hardware store that sells everything from... Continue Reading →
By Joe “The trick is to find one item, one detail, and focus on it.” -Detective Somerset to Detective Mills Originally, I planned on writing about the various symbols seen throughout David Fincher’s 1997 movie Seven, but when I heard the line quoted above, I decided to focus only on the role that numbers... Continue Reading →
I watched Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket recently for the second time. The first time I watched it was more than a decade ago at least, so my second viewing was almost like seeing it for the first time. I did, of course, have vague memories of the training sequences and I remembered Private Pyle... Continue Reading →
In a debate by Intelligence Squared U.S., the motion of which is “Science Refutes God,” the always eloquent and extremely impressive speaker Dinesh D’Souza said the following as a response to a question concerning religious experiences: “We’re talkin’ here about an experience [of having the sense of some experience of God] that’s been had by... Continue Reading →
Well, it’s very modern, you know – to build buildings such as these, skyscrapers they’re called…gratte-ciel…grattacieli…cloud-gorers, even. I’ve heard it said that the skyscraper began here – what an honor! William Le Baron Jenney! I once read « Le luxe des ‘skyscrapers’, c’est de permettre à l’être humain de monter au-dessus de lui-même. » - oh! and... Continue Reading →
Today is Friday. I am sitting at a Starbucks typing this – something I very rarely do (typing at Starbucks, that is). I recognize the staff here. I think maybe one or two of them recognize me. I usually come here with a buddy of mine, sometimes on a Friday, but he is out of... Continue Reading →
Now, I cannot – will not – divulge certain information as to exactly how and where, but, I recently found myself becoming acquainted with a prostitute. ‘Acquainted’ is not a euphemism – I have not paid her for sex, let alone engaged in it with her. When I told her I wanted to write about... Continue Reading →
A friend once expressed to me a frustration that prevents him from becoming more of a reader. After leaving a second-hand bookstore, he explained (empty-handed) that everything is arranged by author and since he knows no authors, he can’t look for and find anything he would perhaps like to buy and read. I pointed out... Continue Reading →
DA-PHNE (chicago) 