Looking Back On Back To The Future Day

It seems as though it is a requirement that all bloggers write a post on this subject so here is my attempt…

Yesterday was kind of odd for many of us that grew up in the 1980’s. I remember that there were a few movies when I was younger that I would watch over and over again. Three of those movies were the Back to the Future trilogy. These movies are not just representative of my movie watching habits from my youth but also many others including my wife. It is actually something that we have in common from when we were growing up.

While I was always partial to the third installment I was also intrigued even at a young age by the second movie which showed a prophetic glimpse into what at the time was the future. Well, yesterday the “future” became the present and while there are many things that are still far beyond the realm of everyday reality there are some interesting things that were actually pretty accurate. The movie and our current reality both demonstrate a number of commonalities which include a black man in a position of political power, instant news, drones, google glass, flat screen televisions, silent cars, voice activated lights, fingerprint identification and security, a baseball team in Miami, and a Cubs team that isn’t dwelling at the bottom of the standings. Oddly enough, the first version of reality also showed Michael J. Fox having issues with his hand which is a strange coincidence.

Of course there are also things that have yet to come to fruition such as the National Weather Service, hover boards, flying cars, rehydrating dinner, and a few other things that were seen as fictional conveniences. However, there have also been some things that have been developed since the time that the movie was made that far exceeded any predictions that could have been made such as digital music, smart phones, and, most importantly, the internet (although these things could be seen as having been implied by the immediate availability of news, payments made via card swipe at home, and officers immediately checking identification through a handheld device.

What might be the most important aspect to all of the movies is the simple fact that the human dynamic remains the same regardless of the year and what technology (or lack thereof) exists. There are always pleasant and not so pleasant people, the strong and the weak, the confident and the meek, the passive and the aggressive, the predator and the pray, the mental and the physical. People will remain the same contrary to the utopian and antiutopian worlds displayed in Demolition Man and Idiocracy (just to name a couple “recent” films). There will always be a Marty and a Biff no matter where or when you are. Just do us all a favor and stop asking Tom Wilson, a fellow Radnor High School Alum, about the movies.

One Week To Go!

Alright, who has been joyriding in the Delorean again? At this point I question whether June actually happened, July was more than a week long, and whether August started yesterday… however, according to this blog it, somehow, did happen. It doesn’t change the fact that it seems as though the summer lasted about a week and a half as we are already getting ready for the next stated meeting after having been adjourned from labor over the past three months. Three months to prepare and it still seems as though there is a bit of a rush to take care of some last minute items before the meeting.

With the meeting rapidly approaching it is once again time for the notice to be completed and sent out to the brethren… of all the things, this is what gets delayed? With everything else going on, projects that need to be managed, and fires that still have to be put out, it is going to be an interesting return to the lodge this fall. On one level I am looking forward to it but at the same time, I could do without some of the things that will most certainly be brought up during the night.

This time last summer, it seems as though things were much further along than they are now. It was also a time absent of some of the issues that we are now facing. But that was a different year and, sometimes, the worst thing that you can do is think about the past. This is a new year with new issues that need to be addressed and a future that is still with some uncertainty… nothing major just some questions I was hoping to have answers to by now.

Just over a week to go until the September meeting and there is a lot yet to be accomplished. At the same time, there are a number of projects in the works that will surely be great additions to the fall and a large group of dedicated new brethren that I am looking forward to seeing in action when the meetings resume next month. There are always challenges, it is one of the consistent aspects of the office, but there are always great programs, initiatives, and achievements (especially from the newer brethren) that make all the difficulties evaporate. All of these things make the lodge better in the long run and make this good men just a little better in the process as well.

Back To The Present

The New Year has started and there is a lot that we have to look forward to in the coming months and a lot that we have to be thankful for from the past year. In the past I have taken this opportunity to make a list of resolutions and to look back on the previous year. Well, those posts will be coming soon but I found myself thinking about something else today… Back to the Future… part 2.

A couple of days ago I found my wife watching the first movie in the trilogy as I ventured up the stairs and got ready for bed. It has always been one of those movies that she would fall asleep to and I really don’t mind because I remember watching them growing up as well. Last night we had to change things up as she had watched part one for a couple of nights in a row. So I put in part two, tucked her in, and came down stairs to get some work done not thinking too much about what was flickering on the screen.

As the clock struck midnight and the calendar turned another page, I could hear the faint sounds of the fictional 2015 echoing down the stairs as the reality of that year was around me. It is amazing to think about something that seemed so far off when we were growing up to now be a reality. While always a little far afield in their predictions, it is even more entertaining to see the drastic difference between reality and the trajectory that Hollywood portrayed over two decades ago.

So where is my freaking flying car?!?!

I am fascinated watching the prediction of the flying car, hover boards, Café 80’s (I am sure there are a few that are around), rehydrating dinner (makes me think of Ramen noodles), 3-D advertisements on the street, the national weather service, and faxing still a prevalent form of communication. All of these things are in addition to the craziness of the ‘fashion’ which you could tell came out of the time when the movie was made. It would be interesting if these things were really part of our daily life but that is not the case.

However, what might be more interesting is what is not represented. The internet and email are a huge part of daily life but are nowhere to be found on the screen. Smart phones are more ubiquitous than the walkie-talkies that Marty and Doc employ but don’t make an appearance. Flat screen televisions have replaced the large boxes that once played our movies but the café still contained the former format. And did you see the size of those discs where they hid Jennifer?

So while we may not have flying cars and weather that we can control to suit our needs (or time travel), there are still a lot of things that we have today that even Hollywood couldn’t predict. It certainly isn’t all perfect but things could be a lot worse as 2015 gets under way. Of course, we will have to see if the Cubs to really beat Miami in the World Series this year… now that would be one heck of a prediction.

This Week In WTF: Healthcare and Immigration

Not saying he was a great President but he was pretty good compared to what we have now.

Yeah, I know, this is a completely random post but this past week there have been a couple of things that have forced me to record my thoughts. Not that anything bad happened there are just certain things that reminded me of the tremendous CF that we find ourselves in as a country with regard to policies in these two areas. Oh, how far we have come during the tenure of this President, the one who can do no wrong.

This week I had a few moments when I wished that the healthcare system was much simpler… the way it used to be when it was just a small PITA. While health insurance paperwork has always been a headache… the kind that is brought on by tediousness and nitpicking… it had only gotten worse in recent years. This was never more evident then when I went to enroll my wife on my health plan at work. Turns out the form is no longer enough and now they require special letters (no emails), answers to even more questions, and the blood of a virgin chicken that was discovered in Belize, carbon dated, and proven to be used in a Mayan ritual which then had to be verified by three archeologists (because four would be asking too much) with last names that have a “q” in them from three different countries that only import produce on even number days with temperatures above 55 degrees Fahrenheit and transported on a ship or plane where the entire crew has seen Back to the Future at least twice but has never watched the sequels.

I think this is how they will eventually made Obamacare solvent… people will turn over the extra money (it would cost us about twice as much for my wife to go on Obamacare) just so they wouldn’t have to jump through these hoops. It doesn’t even matter anymore whether you are in this country illegally, you can still get health insurance through the United States government. What kind of crap is that? Maybe, just maybe, if we let the immigration “reform” proposals collapse under their own BS we might have a chance at changing that. Maybe.

For now, people are streaming into the country where those who file applications for amnesty ‘shall not be detained, determined inadmissible, deported, or removed until their applications are finally adjudicated, unless they commit a future act that renders them ineligible with amnesty.’ Essentially, illegal aliens cannot be immediately deported unless they commit an illegal act. So, if they don’t do anything illegal (except of course for entering the country illegally) they are put into an application system that is more backed up and mismanaged than the VA hospitals in Arizona. Except instead of causing the deaths of those who fought for our freedom, it ensures a free pass to those who don’t even respect one of our most basic laws (and some of them don’t respect the law whatsoever as criminals are also eligible for amnesty and citizenship so long as they only committed one felony or three misdemeanors).

As Marty Huggins said, “It’s a mess.” I guess what this all comes down to is the fact that the system is broken, this administration had failed, and while I didn’t vote for any of this crap I, along with everyone else, have to deal with the fecal fallout. And if you agree with me then, according to the bluer than Violet Beauregard turning into a blueberry liberals, you’re a racist too. Never mind the fact that this is an equal opportunity cluster.

Sometimes The Second Choice Is Better Than The First

I forget what I was watching last night but I had the thought that we all get sometimes when watching a television show or movie and that is what if someone else were to be cast in that role? I am not talking about the characters being replaced on a show like Charlie Sheen taking over for Michael J. Fox or Joe Mantegna replacing Mandy Patinkin. I am thinking more about the iconic roles. It is something to think about.

First let’s start off with a couple of warm up ‘nearly cast’ moments:

• Sean Connery was originally offered the role of Gandalf in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy but declined.

 

• Bette Midler turned down the role of Annie Wilkes in the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s novel ‘Misery’. Kathy Bates would ultimately win an Oscar for the role. I guess it was too large a leap from Beaches to Misery.

    

• Another notable decline was when Will Smith was offered the role of Neo but turned it down. I guess he picked the wrong pill.  

Some movies would have been completely different:

• When casting the movie The Godfather, studio executives wanted to cast a well know actor in the role of Michael Corleone. Specifically, they wanted someone like Warren Beatty or Jack Nicholson to fill the role. It is for this reason that director Francis Ford Coppola nearly got fired for his choice of Al Pacino who was an unknown commodity at the time.

 

• Mickey Rourke won critical acclaim for his portrayal of Randy the Ram in 2008's The Wrestler. He can thank Nicholas Cage for ultimately deciding that he wouldn't be able to get into the right shape by the time filming was to start. Cage actually initially accepted the role and even began research by attending wrestling events.

 

• Back to the Future would have been a completely different cinematic experience had the role of Marty McFly not been completely reshot when Michael J. Fox became available. While Fox was the original choice for the role, a scheduling conflict (he was starring in the television show ‘Familiy Ties’ at the time) originally prevented him from playing the iconic role. The producers turned to Eric Stoltz and his method acting ways to fill the role but ultimately decided after 5-6 weeks of filming that he was not the right person for the job and persuaded Fox to come aboard. The movie was reshot and the rest is history.

 

• The movie Ghostbusters has a number of re-casted parts. If John Belushi had not passed away, he would have played Dr. Peter Venkman as the part was ultimately written for him. The roles of Winston Zeddmore and Louis Tully were also written for specific actors namely Eddie Murphy and John Candy. It would have been quite the interesting movie if those three actors filled the screen.

 

• After an impressive audition, Kurt Russell nearly got the part of Han Solo. Nick Nolte and Christopher Walken also auditioned for Han Solo, Cindy Williams and Jodie Foster were considered for Princess Leia, and Robby Benson screen tested and nearly got the part of Luke Skywalker.

 

• While many actors have played the role of Batman, there is an even longer list of those who were nearly cast to play the role of the caped crusader. Before agreeing on Michael Keaton for the role, Warner Bros. wanted, at varying times Alec Baldwin, Tom Hanks, Bill Murray and Pierce Brosnan. Frankly, they all would have been better than George Clooney and, most likely, Val Kilmer. While Tim Burton’s ultimate decision to cast Keaton was met with shock by the movie-going public it turned out, he was a perfect Bruce Wayne/Batman. On a side note, Robin Williams has been the first choice for two Batman villains (Joker, Riddler).

 

• Early in his career, Tom Selleck had a difficult career decision to make. He had two offers in front of him. One for a television show called Magnum P.I. and the other for a starring role as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark. While Selleck became a television star and has had a very successful career, he had never been able to successfully cross the divide and become a box office star. For those of you scoring at home, this makes 2 come from behind victories for Harrison Ford.

 

• From two successful second chances to two missed opportunities. Molly Ringwald had a bright future ahead of her after a string of hit movies in the 80’s including “Pretty in Pink”, “Sixteen Candles”, and “The Breakfast Club” but she soon found out that it is not so easy to transition into truly adult movie roles. Of course, it didn’t help that she turned down the roles of Vivian in “Pretty Woman” and Molly in the movie “Ghost”. Things may have been quite different if she had taken on those types of career defining roles.

There are many more ‘what if’ type of casting moments but there are also the WTF kind of casting considerations that we can all be thankful they never happened the way they originally supposed to. Consider these choices:  

• John Travolta gave two roles to Tom Hanks. In 1994 Travolta chose to star in Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" which meant he had to turn down the role of Forrest Gump. Of course, if Michael Madsen had accepted the role of Vincent Vega, Travolta wouldn’t have had a conflict and Hanks may have never won the Oscar. Years later, he also turned down a role in ‘The Green Mile’ which again went to Hanks. You would think that after that kind of generosity they would be bosom buddies.

 

• Mel Gibson was offered, and turned down the title role of Maximus in the 2001 Best Picture Academy Award winner “Gladiator”.

    

• O.J. Simpson was originally offered the role as The Terminator but producers later reconsidered the offer when they deemed him ‘too nice’.

Can you imagine that trifecta of feces? Those iconic movie roles could have been lost to mediocrity had the casting gone as originally planned. It just goes to show that change is sometimes good and no matter how crazy of a ‘what if’ scenario you come up with they will, most likely, not even come close to the near misses of reality.   

Where Is H. G. Wells When You Need Him?

Excuse me, can I get a lift?

Did you ever have a day at work that just seemed like you were stuck in quick sand? That was the kind of day I had at the office when, no matter how much I got done, there always seemed more things that needed to be taken care of as the hours passed. It wasn’t until about six in the evening when I could feel the frayed end of a rope between my fingers and I was able to pull myself away from my desk.

We all have these kinds of days regardless of profession and, like many other things, there are pros and cons to this occurrence. While the pace of the day and frustration of the growing pile can wear on you, the fact of the matter is that the day goes much faster when you are constantly jumping from one project to another. Of course, that presents and entirely new problem in that when you look up at the clock and see that the day has passed you by, you are left wondering what the heck happened and feel like you didn’t get enough done.

I am also curious to see what the carry over is going to be like in the morning. Normally I wouldn’t think much of the overflow, the fact that I will be out of the office all day (I am taking a theoretical “day off”) could turn a busy day into a bit of a cluster. If it were a simple day off I would have cancelled it but it is rarely just a day off and I have made a commitment that will keep me from my desk. Tomorrow will just have to be one of those days when my laptop will just have to travel with me.

While some may say that is unfair or just generally complain about the situation that is not how I feel about the situation. Yes, I would like to have a day off when I don’t have to think about these things, when I could leave work at work and just enjoy the day, but that is not the career I chose. As I have said before, I have to be busy, I have to feel like I am getting something done all of the time. Sometimes that need is satiated by action while other times it can just as easily be quenched by thought.

The only thing I have to figure out is how to add hours to the day so I can have the best of both worlds… enough time to get everything done at the office with enough hours left over to accomplish all of my other side projects and even more time left over to spend some quiet time with my wife. But, unless someone had a time machine, Delorean, or time turner for sale, I am going to have to make do with the limited hours of the day. So now it is time to rest and prepare for the avalanche that will inevitably break away from the mountain in the morning.

Someone Get Me A Time Turner Or A Delorean

Look, a random Harry Potter reference!

While I have kept my calendar pretty full this past year somehow I have always able to find room for one more event, one more project, one more meeting (the only exception has been my regular Rotary lunch meeting but that was more of an inevitability rather than a possibility). Even my plans for next week were not impacted by the sudden addition of another item for next week. This week that streak came to an end when a conflict arose when I glanced at my schedule for this Saturday.

I wish that there was more time in the day so that I could do everything but that isn’t the reality of life. If anything it is only going to get harder as the days pass and I become more and more efficient in my daily routine(s). Even now, I find myself looking up at the time and wondering where the past two, three, or four hours have gone. It is astounding and a little disturbing to realize how quickly time has passed. It is also a pleasant surprise to find myself engrossed in my work without counting the minutes of the morning.

It makes me think about how many days, how much time, we spend counting the minutes of our lives just waiting for time to pass rather than focusing on the task(s) at hand. The past few years have had too many days and nights like that and I will do everything in my power to prevent a return to those kinds of moments. I am certain that there will be situations where that is inevitable but no one should have that feeling as a regular part of life.

Since May, this blog has provided those moments of respite when I could focus and write whatever came to mind without over-thinking an opinion or topic. However, sometimes over-thinking is exactly what I needed to do to keep my mind occupied and my fingers moving across the keys. It has been a means to keep busy and, even though there are many nights when I don’t know what I am going to write about until I am two paragraphs in (like you couldn’t tell), this is still a means of creative solace.

This blog will remain a part of that schedule that seems so much in flex at the moment but there are certainly things that are going to have to be removed. At this point I don’t know what is going to be cast into the pile of conflicting passions but I know that cuts are going to have to be made especially with the increasing responsibilities to my job, my lodge, and Rotary. I am going to try and avoid changes whenever possible but I know they are going to happen.

While my schedule may seem unmanageable to some, I enjoy it. I like having somewhere I have to be and something I have to get done. I need goals and objectives. This is what has kept me going in recent years and what continues to drive me today.

The only difference is that I enjoy every part of my day rather than just a few moments scattered throughout the week. In fact, while there are some conflicts that have arisen, there are still some gaps in the calendar that need to be filled. I guess it is time to get some things done and complete some projects that  I have been putting off lately (of course I will share them with you as they are in process or completed). In the end, a candle has two ends for a reason so why not burn both of them.

This is not the first Back to the Future reference. Not by a long shot.

Bad Tired vs Good Tired

Does Marty experience good tired or bad tired?

There are two kinds of tired in this world – the bad kind and the good kind. We all go back and forth between the two and try to find a balance between the waking hours and the unconscious void. But we have to go into this equation with the acknowledgement that we all have a balance that is unique to each and every one of us. Some only need five hours to be fully functional; a few people need small spurts of sleep; while many require something closer to ten hours a night to perform during the work day.

I have met all kinds of people who require all kinds of sleep and I have lived through different periods where I have had to accommodate various balances. And now I find myself trying to recalibrate the scales so as to get the most out of life without slowly burning myself out as the week progresses. It is a challenge to say the least but one that has brought up another factor in my search for equilibrium.

When I was working the night shift (and at times working two jobs) there were many days that I didn’t get enough sleep which left me sluggish and forgetful during the hours when my eyes were open. However, the days that I was getting enough dreaming hours I still woke up feeling as if I had just closed my eyes. This, I have found, is the definition of bad tired. It is a feeling of never being able to adequately catch up on something we all too often take for granted. It is the feeling of having to push yourself just to function during the day (or night); it is the drain of not looking forward to getting out of bed to put in another eight hours on your time card.

Even now, as I write this blog, I still find myself tired and there are a few things that I just haven’t had the energy to put into as I did before but now it is a good tired. I end my day feeling as if I accomplished something. Some days I feel as if I haven’t gotten enough done but there is still a sense of satisfaction in the effort put forth during the waking hours. While it is still difficult to rise in the morning (I have never been an early morning person), I look forward to the day, getting in the car, and going to work. I feel a renewed sense of purpose and a desire to keep pushing forward.

Now is a very good time and while I am looking forward to finishing up this post and going to bed I am also looking forward to the morning. It’s a very simple thing but it’s something that has been missing for a long time and I have learned to appreciate it unlike I have ever done before. Every day is a gift and I am enjoying the good tired that comes with it.

Time To Get Out Of The Kitchen

Sometimes the most interesting things you come across in a museum are not what you see but what you read. The titles and descriptions that summarize exhibits say a lot about both the period being presented and the time when the exhibit/museum was constructed or overhauled. This was the case last weekend when my wife and I visited the State Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

As we turned the corner we came across various household items demonstrating the progression of technology and convenience that the industrial revolution brought about at first and what electricity accelerated. It was quite an interesting exhibit with many items that we had seen and some that we were experiencing for the first time. However, what struck us as a little outdated was the title, in big bold capital letters, at the top of one of the dividers:

“MACHINES BEGIN TO FREE THE HOUSEWIFE’S TIME”

Of all the items in the museum, this simple slogan seemed to be the mostly antiquated as it said nothing to elaborate upon the overall convenience that technology has brought into homes for the entire family. It was indeed gender specific and one that wasn’t offensive it was just plain odd as it demonstrated the age not of the artifacts but of the museum itself. It was like stepping inside H.G. Wells’ mind after he took a hit of acid; it kind of made sense but at the same time you were disoriented and wondering where you were and what year it was.

In addition to the vernacular of decades past, the evolution of the commonwealth seemed to come to a screeching halt sometime in the 1980’s. I half expected to see a DeLorean parked out in front of the building as we left. It really was kind of sad that the museum had been left to a time done by neglected by technology and without pride in one’s commonwealth. No wonder I don’t ever recall having taken a school trip to see the history of our state.

Given the needed strictures placed on our economy maybe it is time to explore other options as a way to maintain these facilities. I don’t know what specifically needs to be done but I know that something should be done. I say all this without a thought through solution in mind but with the hope that we can rejuvenate this and other facilities throughout the state so that our history is not forgotten for when the keystone crumbles the rest of the structure will surely follow.