Working on www.richsrantroom.com , I spend a lot of time writing mildly amusing things that make me appear probably quite a bit smarter than I actually am.
People who have computers. Being literate helps too, I suppose.
Music is a very important part of my life and it gets me through a lot at times. Like: Steely Dan (most underrated band of all-time), Ben Folds Five, The Smiths (yes, including whiney Morrissey solo), Charlie Paker, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and a host of other Jazz greats, The Cure, Paul Simon (including with Garfunkel), Paul McCartney (only w/o the rest of the annoying Beatles...there, I said it), Bela Fleck (with and w/o the Flecktones, mostly with), Natalie Merchant, Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, The Cranberries, Wilco, Brian Wilson, America (OZ never DID give nothin' to the Tin Man that didn't, didn't already have), Elliot Smith, Rufus Wainright, Barenaked Ladies, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Stone Temple Pilots, Gordon Lightfoot, The Guess Who, Black Kids (local), Dot Wilder (local), Tropic of Cancer (local), The Julius Airwave (local), Cowford Tramps (local), whatever band(s) John Citrone is playing with at the timeDislike: Classical (I know, I know, I just don't get it), Gangsta Rap, Country (courtesy of the Red, White and Bue-wew-ue), Smooth Jazz (and NO, this does NOT contradict the Steely Dan statement!)
I'm very picky about movies, and that is not to suggest that I only like the "classics". There are some classics I loathe and some really cheesy movies that I rather enjoy. I do have two published movie reviews ("House of Wax" and "Beerfest") and would love to do more. What I don't like: Big Hollywood "blockbusters" or British comedies (sorry, the Brits need to stick to music, where they indeed reign superior). A good movie to me is like "Chasing Amy" or "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" or "So, I Married an Axe Murderer". Not because I think they are necessarily critically great, but because I enjoyed watching them, which is infinitely more important, don't you think? I am certain of one thing: Stanley Kubrick's movies are overrated. Does anyone else seem to notice that virtually ALL of his movies follow this exact pattern: Starting off with an intriguing idea, piqueing your interest in the first half hour and getting you excited for what you think is an allusion to a very unique movie, then growing increasingly boring after the first half hour, often putting you to sleep, and then ending anticlimactically with an absolutley horrible, haphazardly thrown together, seemingly thoughtless ending that makes you want to vomit. Think about it, they are all that way...maybe that's the pattern he's going for, who knows. It seems too consistent to be merely coincidence. Keep checking back here for more mindless movie bitching. Don't you think I'd make a great movie critic?
Sopranos (simply the greatest show ever written--David Chase is a genius), Northern Exposure (Chase also had a hand in this show as head w), Dr. Katz (see: Northern Exposure), Conan O'Brien, Craig Kilborn (hey, the guy got Morrissey to perform on his show...THAT'S talent), The Critic, The Simpsons, The Daily Show, My Name is Earl, The Office, Rescue Me, House M.D. seems pretty good(even if it is overly formulaic), a few others not worth mentioning. Dislikes: Courtroom dramas and autopsy-based televison shows. Most sitcoms are pretty annoying. Laugh tracks are hideous things and I'm glad shows like "My Name is Earl" is going away from them. Hopefully, one day, laugh tracks will be looked back on like smoking on airplanes.
The Picture of Dorian Gray (Wilde), The Old Man and the Sea (Hemmingway), Post Office (Bukowski), On the Road (Kerouac), Naked Lunch (Burroughs), Dracula (Stoker), The Tell-Tale Heart and other short stories by Poe, Great Expectations (Dickens). Those are just a few of my favorites. Most of my 'dislikes' I didn't get too far into...
Art Bell, William Burroughs, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, Ira Glass, Bob Costas, Pat Buchannon, Arthur Miller, Ben Folds, John Citrone, my dog Max (may he rest in peace), my cat Cuddles, my father...all of these are individual thinkers who have all made a profound difference in my life. Yes, even my cat. I learn from her everyday that cats are much better than humans.