This week’s five questions are inspired by the movie The Greatest Showman, which Scrivener strongly recommends. Perhaps I may watch this when I can find a free copy. Movies are just too darn expensive to go to these days.
1. What physical trait are you (or have you been) self-conscious about?
Since my open heart surgery in late 2015, the big "zipper" scar that runs down the middle of my chest. It is 7.25 inches long and looked extremely gnarly right after surgery. It took several months to heal. I have pictures of it with the stitches. You don't want to see it.
Under that big scar is a smaller puncture wound scar. That is where some kind of tube had to be rammed into my chest. I was out during the eight hour operation and recovery immediately after. When I woke up I could not speak, was hooked up to all kinds of high tech devices, and looked like a poor man's version of The Borg.
Today the wounds are nicely healed but still leaves an obvious scar. I won't go out in public without a shirt on.
Bottom line: Pursue a healthy lifestyle, especially if you are young.
2. When did you last do something risking injury?
Why did the chicken cross the road?
Crossing the street within a crosswalk risks serious injury or even death when drivers who are so focused on making a turn before the light turns red often don't look for pedestrians. I almost got hit several times by drivers making left turns who seem to be oblivious to pedestrians crossing the street. Hello! Look at the crosswalk before committing to that left turn.
3. Why do critics and the general movie-going public never seem to agree?
Critics seem to have this pre-conceived notion that films should either be 1. art 2. pursue some kind of message (usually liberal biased) or 3. be some kind artsy-fartsy character piece... throw in an overblown epic or two, and critics fall in love this crap. Critics don't like movies with a conservative bias, unless they are conservative... duh?
The public meanwhile vote with their hard earned dollars. Look at the weekly Box Office Mojo. Currently super hero movies are all the rage. Brings in big bucks for Disney and Sony Pictures. Marvel. DC comics universe.... yeah. All popular, big selling movies at the silver screen and on home video. Another category that the public loves are family pictures which includes a lot of animation. Toy Story, Moana, The Lion King, Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs, etc. I am most disappointed when some very good science fiction get dismissed by critics and most notably the Academy Awards. I was disillusioned by the Oscars the day the original Star Wars movie did not get its rightful "best picture" award for the year 1977. Bottom line is that people vote with their wallets no matter what in hell the critics say.
4. How do you feel about Hugh Jackman as an actor?
I have no opinion of this guy since I've seen only one of his movies. That would be The Fountain, which is a sci-fi fantasy film about three different characters who are seemingly the same person. I can't remember all the details since I watched this late in the night on some streaming channel. It was a good movie, but I think I have to watch it again. It seemed very disjointed at the beginning.
5. Who is the best singer you’ve seen in live performance?
I rarely go to live concerts because of the cost. Way too expensive just like the movies. The best concert performance that I enjoyed because I was up close and the performance was free, was by the group Dengue Fever in 2010. Chhom Nimol is a good vocalist for the type of surf-rock-Khmer-1960s era type of rock n roll music stylings the group is known for. So I'd put her on top of the few other bands I've seen including Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Ringo Starr, Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Norah Jones, and Jon Anderson of Yes.
