Snow Day

Boy today sure was a snowy day in Minneapolis. As any Minnesotan will tell you, the beauty of a slightly sizable snow storm is that it's the perfect excuse to lay around the house, watch TV, read books, and dink around on the Internet. Today's stimulating schedule of snow-day satisfiers, at least for Megs and myself, included:

1. Shoveling. Yes, shoveling snow is probably the most bitterly regarded aspect of every Minnesotan's life, but it does have its positive sides. First, it makes it possible to pull cars out of the garage without them becoming hopelessly stuck, especially cars with relatively low clearance (like the Protege). Second, after spending a solid hour shoveling, the shovelers can spend the rest of their day of leisure secure in the knowledge that they in fact did get some exercise in the morning, and furthermore, this exercise was work that has detectable results. Shoveling's classification as "work" makes it all the more satisfying and allows the shoveler to more easily justify a day of slovenly respite.

2. Point Break. My favorite movie of all time; Megs had never seen it. On the surface, sure it seems like another "whoa!" Keanu Reeves movie, but in reality its an allegory on the argument on the true expression of human nature: civilized man vs. savage man, an argument that dates back to Rousseau and Descartes. The movie eloquently articulates the case of the noble savage, most notably in the scene where Bodi, played masterfully by Patrick Swayze, passionately states that "We serve as an example to those people inching along the highway in their metal coffins that human spirit is still alive." However, the movie ultimately makes the case the savage spirit, anarchy for lack of a better term, ultimately destroys everything around it. I've always meant to write an analysis of the movie, maybe I'll take a crack at it sometime in the next few weeks.

Oh, the surfing cinematography is amazing, the score is moving, there are several gunfights, and Keanu has some absolutely hilarious lines at the end. It's a must see.

3. Ohio State vs. Wisconsin. #1 vs #2 only a few short weeks before the beginning of March Madness. Two of the best players in the nation squaring off, Greg Oden and Alando Tucker. A finish that went down to the wire. Wisconsin losing. What could be better?

On a side note, has anybody figured out why Greg Oden has been continuing to get the press that he has as the next phenom when he hasn't had that great of a season? Seriously, compare his stats to Kareem, Walton, Ewing, Mourning, Russell...the boy's got a ways to go.

4. Miracle. After Point Break, Megs declared that she got to call the next movie and, to my never ending fortune, she picked Miracle. I had forgotten what a great movie this is; the scene where Brooks makes the team skate till they are puking always gives me chills. Plus, any movie that practically spotlights "The U" is golden in my book.

5. Amazing Race. Has there ever been a realty show team more unstoppable than Rob & Amber? Seriously, they're like the Roger Federer of realty television at this point: so good it's scary to watch them take the opposition apart. With that said, there are too many variables within the Amazing Race to declare them winners at this point, but it's certainly theirs to lose.

I should mention at the end of all this that Megs made carmel bars today.

Ain't life grand sometimes? :-D