Books, books and more books!

Well I went to the west Book-A-Holic store in wichita today because they were having their annual warehouse sale which I have never gone to. Basically on the first day it's 10.00 a bag for as many books as you can stuff in there. Then on friday it's 8.00 a bag, saturday it's 5.00 a bag and then on sunday it's 3.00 a bag. I was handed a plastic bag when I got to the front of the warehouse (there's two double doors in the back of the store which leads you into the warehouse)and my searching started. Now the warehouse isn't really as big as I thought it was going to be but there were definitely a ton of books. That's the positive. The negative was (which was smart for the store) there was no rhyme or reason to organization so you literally had to go down every aisle and look at all the books so you wouldn't hardly miss anything. I got there at about 9:20 (they opened at 9:00) and it was packed already. I started at a section and worked my way around till I was completely done. First I looked at the all the small paperbacks (which is what I like the most anyway) throughout the whole warehouse and was barely scanning the hardcovers and trade paperbacks the first time through. Then I went through a second time to more aggressively look at the hardcovers and the trade paperbacks. (which I like but I didn't see anything that interesting in that format) That's usually what I do when it's this kind of sale. If it was all paperbacks I still would have gone through twice. You never see everything the first time through because you might not be able to concentrate, you're thinking can I look at all of these books, or people are in your way, etc. Now anybody who knows me you know I am not really fond of hardcovers as a rule so it would have to be something I would be really interested in for me to purchase even at these prices. But I did actually find 3 hardcovers and by then my bag was bursting at the seams and I was afraid it was going to explode any moment. In fact when I got home and was dropping the bag on the bed it did rip completely and out came the books! At the end of it all: I got out of there at around 12:30 (that's about 3 hours later for people keeping score) and got 34 books that I can add to the read pile. The cost: roughly 29 cents a book. Mostly science fiction and fantasy (mostly pre-90's) with a little bit of horror thrown in. So I would say it was a successful day for some cheap entertainment and I'll have to check out the next one.

Silje Leirvik, one of my favorite artists right now! I wish she had a record deal! From Oslo Norway!

Today Was A Tough Day

I have a lot of emotions going on right now. We put up the signs today for the store closing. We were all either pricing items, moving stock, moving consignment stuff, and just basically rearranging to get the store ready to go for the morning. I was mainly dealing with all the lps, separating the store stock to move it up front from the consignment stuff to keep that at the place where the vinyl is now. We were reading Facebook and looking at all the reactions from it since the announcement went out last night on there. The outside signs went up today on the store and it looks like the Journal is wanting to do a story on us naturally. I can tell you it looks surreal with all the signs in there. It's like our anniversary sales times two. Of course the nice side of me wants to thank all our loyal customers over the years because we honestly couldn't have done it without them. But unfortunately, the majority of the public have spoken and they don't want us around any more for whatever reason. So now Salina has graduated to another faceless town with nothing different to offer than any other city of their size. Yeah, alright you've got a Target and a Wal-mart to get your obscure cds and dvds. I just hope it was worth it to go to Target or Wal-mart all the time for a few extra bucks while not getting anything but the top 10 or 20 there. I don't know how many times I heard the past few years that people say they looked everywhere but they couldn't find it but they come to our store and we had it in stock. I just love it how people want a freakin' wal-mart in every corner but they give up on a store that gave them so many choices in products and catalogue. It absolutely stuns me sometimes when I think of this. What happened to people that want individuality and uniqueness in their community? Why are people like sheep where they can't figure out that customer service, selection, a knowledge of the product, that yes, it might cost a little more for a more personal relationship with the people who come in. That's what you get when you go to an independent store or at least you should. I should remember what somebody likes or dislikes and try to tell them about it. That's my job, that's the thing that separates us from the corporate stores. Most likely you're not going to have that one on one connection like smaller stores. And that's the key, and I know it costs a little more but I have no problem paying a little more for the selection and customer service I get. I always try to go independent whenever I can because in the long run the people appreciate it more, you feel wanted when you walk in, they're glad to see you. But to not understand that is beyond me. It comes with a price, it always has and it always will. And that's why the good customers understand this. They're not dumb, they know they can sometimes get the product cheaper either through a big box store or something like Amazon. But they choose to SUPPORT the little man, the independent! That's what makes a downtown unique, its own flavor, not corporate america! You know I was driving home tonight after eating out with Phillip and I gotta say I almost broke down, this is tough after 22+ years at the same job. I don't know what the future holds, only God does. I just have to be patient and hope it will all work out. I've been through this before, but with a factory job, not a retail one. But this is one much different, I have met so many good people through this job that I would have never met before. And some I can count as my friends and for that I am truly blessed. That's what gets you through these things. I have a great support system with my family as well. I have a great sister and brother who care about me, a great niece and her husband, Rachel and Jon, and a great nephew and his wife, James and Amy. I have so many great memories with James talking about NBA, the Sega Dreamcast Days, and everything else we talk about. We have talked about almost everything but it usually goes back to the NBA! He probably doesn't know how much I appreciate it over the years, for "getting" me, for understanding me, never judging me, and I truly love him for that. It seems like we have always connected with different things for whatever reasons. I'm lucky to have people like James & Amy, Rachel & Jon, Deb & Eric, and Rick in my life. I love them all. Well I just had the need to put this down in words tonight after dealing with today. I felt like it had to come out. Allright, ready for tomorrow.....

Ross

Faster

I was thinking this was going to be a typical Dwayne Johnson vehicle but boy was I wrong. This film took a much darker tone than I would have ever thought. After spending 10 years in prison for a botched robbery that left his brother dead, Driver (that's the only name we know) immediately goes looking for the informants that instigated the death of his brother. Meanwhile we have the Cop (Billy Bob Thornton) who's a few weeks away from retirement but has a nasty drug habit who's also trying to reconnect with his only son and the mother of his child. Cicero (Carla Gugino) is on the case when people become murder victims and Driver becomes a wanted man by the police and also by another killer as well. What's the connection with him? Well you'll just have to see the film to find out! Much better than I would have given credit for this was a nice change of pace for Johnson who is not his usually smartass self in this one. Here he is way quieter and much more menacing who must have worked out a hell of a lot to get those guns for arms looking that big. An enjoyable ride (with Driver's car a treat for gearheads) with no holding back on the violence and blood (this is a R-Rated film). Check it out if you want to see Johnson in something other than The Tooth Fairy or Race To Witch Mountain.

Mesrine:Killer Instinct

A great start of a two parter, this movie is based on famed French criminal Jacques Mesrine played absolutely brilliant by Vincent Cassell. We see Jacques in the Algerian war after the lengthy prologue where he has to do unspeakable things. After leaving the war he lives with his parents and not soon after is running with the wrong crowd. This film had an epic feel to it since it spans through two different decades. We see Mesrine's rise to famous bank robber to a lengthy prison stay. Throughout, the story keeps popping along with a frenetic pace, always interesting with his meetings with two important women in his life among other people. I am being rather vague with this review not really telling you a lot but make no mistake put this one on your list as well as part two which comes out at the end of march on dvd & blu-ray as well. You won't be disappointed! Highly Recommended.

Get Low

Well I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand the acting in this film is simply amazing particularly Robert Duvall and Bill Murray respectively. On the other hand I was frustrated by the actions of the main character. It involves secrets and is handled rather poorly in my opinion. I can't really say much more than this about it but as I said Duvall was great as a man who wants to go to his funeral before he dies. Murray plays the funeral director that's going to help him out. One can't discount the acting performance of Lucas Black as Buddy, Frank Quinn's (Murray) right hand man at the parlor. Adding to that we have Bill Cobbs as Rev. Charlie Jackson a man who knows a secret about Felix Bush (Duvall) and also Sissy Spacek as Mattie Darrow who Felix has know for years. Duvall is hidden behind a huge scraggly beard and a hat and it's like you don't even see him sometimes which when playing a character that's a great job of acting! Murray is well Murray, the man makes it look effortless. All the actors have some great lines to say but I still have to say it's not a perfect effort by any means. I would have to give it at least 4 stars for the acting alone but a film is not made by just the acting, you have to have direction and a great script and I just thought the script let me down. You might not think that. Check it out for yourselves. Worth it no matter what for the acting!

Road, Movie

Vishnu (Abhay Deol) is at a crossroads in his life. He doesn't really want to go into business with his father selling his hair oil for the rest of his life so when he gets a chance to drive a worn out beat up 1942 truck to a destination 6 days away for his uncle he jumps at the chance. Along the journey he meets up with a boy who wants to tag along with him (where's his parents?!) so he lets him but it's not soon after that they have trouble with the truck. He can't get it started again so the boy walks off, with Vishnu thinking that he won't come back. The next day the boy (Mohammed Faisal) comes back bringing a mechanic named Om (Satish Kaushik) to help him out. To say Vishnu is a hard guy to like is an understatement. We, the viewer are constantly thinking this guy will never be liked because of the actions he does continually to the boy and the mechanic. However the mechanic gets the truck to start and finds out that Vishnu is actually driving a moving cinema truck with a projector, films, and even a screen. It is the rest of the film where we see these three people with 3 different personalities making a journey driving to Vishnu's destination and meeting different people and embracing life along the way (and showing a movie or two along the way!) This was a pleasant enough feeling movie set in India. It's the kind of movie where people learn about themselves and expose their mind and way of thinking to different thoughts and perspectives. Worth your time if you're wanting to see a film that probably a lot of people wouldn't see or get a chance to see. Not life changing but a nice little film.

A Girl Cut In Two

This makes my third Claude Chabrol film and I must say this is by far the worst one of the bunch. After seeing The Bridesmaid (pretty good) and earlier La Ceremonie (very good) and still wanting to see his last film he made before his death in september, 2010, Inspector Bellamy I had high hopes for this one but once again it's an unbelievable story about a middle aged man snagging a beautiful weather girl half his age. There's so many of these movies from France but for this one there was just zero chemistry between the two leads Ludivine Sagnier (the girl from Swimming Pool) and Francois Berleand. Adding to that is a rich young man trying to woo her as well and you've got a love triangle on your hands. Benoit Magimel as Paul Gaudens the young man in question came off as a little child most of the time who I expected to see him fall on the floor and cry at the top of his lungs if he didn't get his way. Pretty immature I must say. The one bright spot was Mathilda May (the nude vampire woman from the classic Lifeforce) who was Charles's (Berleand) friend and agent (he's a writer). I can never get over the way that these men just suddenly forget they're married and have a young hottie on the side. They have no remorse and it's particularly sad in this movie because his wife Dona (Valeria Cavalli) clearly loves her husband and they seem to have a great relationship other than he's seeing somebody about 27 years younger than he is. Overall nothing to recommend here.

My Soul To Take

A great prologue starts the latest offering from famed horror director Wes Craven which seems like I should be more harsh to this film but finding enough things in the film to say I would have to recommend it reservedly. Nothing here we haven't seen before but with an interesting premise that helps move the story along I enjoyed it for the most part. I had some problems with the acting ability of a few leads but overall it wasn't too embarassing. There was a serial killer called "The Ripper" who's death in the town coincides with the birth of seven babies. Now these babies are teenagers and the legend says that one of the seven has the soul of the killer and will start the bloodshed again. By no means is this up to Scream's standards or even Craven's last movie from five years ago "Red Eye" which was a really good action film with no horror elements in it which proved Craven was a director who could do more than horror (which was no surprise to me or countless other horror fans). This will not blow you away but on the other hand you won't regret seeing it either. I just don't know if you'll feel very strong about it in the long run. Time will tell.