Some Quiet Time With Shepard

The One Where Shepard Tries to Cook

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:48:20 -0500

I've long held myself as an all-around epitome of awesomeness. However, one area has always been lagging: my ability to cook. I've justified this fact by pushing that my eternal bachelor lifestyle doesn't require culinary skills. But, the truth is that if I'm capable of keeping my house and yard respectable, my appearance impeccable, and my dog adorable, I should be able to cook my own food halfway decently. This blog entry and subsequent comments will be my public account of the meals I try to not suck at making. Critiques are appreciated as the only thing I know about cooking comes from wandering around the grocery store after an attractive shopper or some childhood memories of The Frugal Gourmet.

This one was a bell pepper, an onion, a garlic bulb, and some mushrooms sauteed in coconut oil. Salt, olive oil, and a little soy sauce were used for additional flavor. Also pictured: some baked pork tenderloin and a glass of water.

Fish oil and Johnnie Walker not pictured.

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One Line on the Sopranos

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:30:39 -0400

This is cracking me up:

A Little Sip of Fail

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 16:38:46 -0400

When the mascot feels bad enough to give you a beer, you know life is not going your way.

Another Semester Down, Another To Come

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:15:08 -0400

As I look at the schedule those fascists in the COSAM advisory offices have given me, I notice that the number of classes left continues to dwindle. Recombinant DNA, Molecular Genetics, Immunology, Virology, blah, blah, blah. Coming from a free-wheeling liberal arts background (going out five nights a week for "social experiments"), I sometimes have to remind myself why I continue down this path of science. While I was always interested in science as a child, it was the superficial macro approach that you find in the books at Barnes & Noble. It was awesome. I now know that science really sucks. Well, more that my mind isn't powerful enough to grasp enough of it to unravel the secrets of the universe. I like to remain painfully naive of the limits of my intellect, so it's easy for me to burn out and lose my motivation if I'm closed off in a lab or classroom all semester. Thankfully, it's easy for me to refresh myself. I just have to get out in nature, to go out with friends, or especially, to spend time with my parents and grandparents. Seeing the effects of aging makes it painfully obvious that I need to get back to work. So, while I'll probably never be a great scientist, I guess I need to keep trudging on. Thankfully, the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter. I'll graduate with a BA in Chemistry and a BS in Molecular Biology fairly shortly. Whether I stay for a BS in Applied Mathematics is iffy. I'm ready for a move, and I may have to catch up on my Math at grad school. Now, after one last final, I'm off for a ten-day break doing all those things I don't have time for in the semester. Maybe I'll actually be able to break out the old kayak and camping gear.

Shepard Recommends...

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:48:17 -0400

If you want to be wicked cool like Shepard, you've got to read what Shepard reads.

The last few books were such a streak of awesome that I decided to recommend all of them:

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain
Einstein & Oppenheimer: The Meaning of Genius
Up Till Now: The Autobiography

Shepard also likes to kick back with a beer and watch some TV now and then.

While mostly Stargate Atlantis and Battlestar Galactica, I do sometimes watch less important stuff. Like this one, which is also highly recommended:

Nassim Nicholas Taleb: The Future Has Always Been Crazier Than We Thought

Blasphemy

Wed, 07 May 2008 08:48:56 -0400

From The Guardian:

QUOTE

Jagger sought Clockwork Orange role

Sean Michaels
Tuesday May 6, 2008
guardian.co.uk

Somewhere in heaven there's a cinema playing movies that never were, films that existed solely in a producer's, an actor's, a screenwriter's imagination.

And when one day we make it through the pearly gates, past the pearly ticket booth and the pearly popcorn machine, one of the first films we'll watch is the other Clockwork Orange. The one that starred, and was soundtracked by, some of the 60s' biggest stars.

In a letter uncovered this week, we learn of the Clockwork Orange conceived back before Stanley Kubrick came on board and made his film with Malcolm McDowell. It reveals that Mick Jagger wanted to play the psychotic thug Alex, while the Beatles were interested in providing the soundtrack.

In the letter, executive producer Si Litvinoff tells John Schlesinger (Midnight Cowboy, Marathon Man), who was considering directing the movie: "After you've read the script and novel I'm sure you will see the incredible potential we all see in this project.

"This film should break ground in its language, cinematic style and soundtrack. [And] the Beatles love the project."

It's hard to fathom the Fab Four's sunny tunes adapted to the ultraviolence of Anthony Burgess' novel (or Kubrick's later film). And of course the movie was never made - Schlesinger turned it down, saying the film's extreme delinquency wasn't "the sort of subject I particularly want to tackle".

But still it's thrilling - and horrifying - to imagine Mick Jagger prancing about in droog regalia, committing acts of heinous violence while Here Comes The Sun comes thundering out.

Maybe we can convince Mick, Paul and Ringo to develop a remake.

If this is what Heaven is like, I'll have my tea with Lucifer.

My Dreams Are Better Than Yours

Tue, 06 May 2008 08:18:03 -0400

It never ceases to amaze me exactly how extraordinary and interesting the futurist mind works. I sauntered over to Lifeboat this morning and checked out this article by Michael Anissimov:

http://lifeboat.com/ex/brain-computer.interfaces

My thought patterns follow a different route. Some might call them simple. To that I reply with "Good day, sir!" and proceed to charm their significant others. So, while I think of the future I dream of playing racquetball until I'm no longer gray, having a Bender-like robot that can always drive me home, and adventuring with Hemingway and Thompson in some holodeck-like contraption. Basically, my imagination only goes as far as stuff I know or have seen in the media. Considering that I once prided myself as being a talented alcohol-fueled writer, that's kind of sad.

Toward the end of the article, he mentions the possibility of this technology being abused as a drug-like feeling. From my understanding of how this would work, that seems to be a big possibility. This is the next logical jump from reality television, I suppose. I just hope that we have enough psychiatrists and appropriate medication for when dreams go bad. Or when people tune into the crazy stuff that goes through my head at night.

Can you spot the funny?

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:51:46 -0400

Shepard Reviews More Flicks

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:17:12 -0400

Forgetting Sarah Marshall - 4.25/5 Russell Brand created one of the most likeable characters in recent memory with Aldous Snow. Overall, it was very well pulled off and is deserving in being placed with 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, and Superbad in the Apatow cabinet.

21 - 2.75/5 Oh, this was pretty bad. I'm a big Kevin Spacey fan...and he was really the only saving grace in this flick. Kind of fun, kind of makes you cringe.

10,000 B.C - 3/5 The problem with this movie is that you really have to enter some fantasy universe to enjoy it. And it's a fantasy universe that looks like ours, but has elements of drastically different geographical and time periods all smashed together. And, it's basically the plot of Apocalypto. So, eh.

The Bucket List - 3.5/5 It's hard not to like a movie with the power of Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman together. But, it falls a little short outside of that. Still worth watching just to see those two do what they do best.

Jumper - 2.5/5 It was bad. Seriously, not good at all, bad. Poor story-telling, poor acting, just bad.

Juno - 3.75/5 I saw it in theaters and saw it again once it was released. It think this flick would be phenomenal if Diablo Cody had not tried to toss in every little hip slang she could think of instead of actual coherent sentences. The acting is great, but the dialogue grates on the nerves of anyone that's not a teenage girl. People don't really speak like this. It's basically Dawson's Creek, but with "trendy phrases" instead of drawn out monologues.

There Will Be Blood - 4.75/5 I seriously love this movie. Originally, I stated that it was not quite as good as No Country. After watching them both again on DVD, I think that I was in error saying that. It's atleast as good...and that's saying something. This movie is damn near perfect, and I've never seen better acting than that done by Daniel Day Lewis in this movie. This just replaced Brando in On The Waterfront for the best performance of all time as far as I'm concerned.

Gone Baby Gone - 4/5 I really liked this one. Affleck catches a lot of shit, but he digs back to the Good Will Hunting days and brings something true from the Boston area on this one. My brother-in-law didn't like it because it didn't have a happy ending. Too bad. It's truthful, and I can appreciate that.

I Am Legend - 2/5 So, I saw it. I was probably biased going in, but it was worse than I feared. This thing has absolutely no story, and plenty of eye candy to keep you from realizing it. It doesn't lead to any emotional connection with the characters whatsoever. That, plus huge errors in the story that I won't get into in case someone hasn't seen this abortion....Just filth.

The Nines - 3/5 I thought this was going to turn out really well...until the last 30 minutes or so. Then it became stupid. Still, kind of worthwhile.

Eagle vs. Shark - 3.5/5 I enjoyed this one. Since Flight of the Conchords, I've become a fan of Jermaine Clement. While a little different humor, I still found it quite a bit of fun.

Sunshine - 4.5/5 Very good science fiction. It's the best I've seen in a decade or so.

30 Days of Night - 2.5/5 I really didn't like this. I don't see the appeal.

Beowulf - 2.5/5 I couldn't justify the liberties taken with the story. Even still, not a very good flick.

The Darjeeling Limited - 4/5 I really like Wes Anderson, and this one was no different. Very good, and the best short I've seen in a while preceeding it.

Things We Lost in the Fire - 4/5 I liked this one, too. I'm a fan of both Duchovny and Benecio del Toro, so it was a treat. Very good overall.

Hitman - 3/5 While I like Olyphant from Deadwood, I couldn't quite get into this one. Kind of fun, though.

American Gangster - 4/5 Very strong story-telling and acting. High quality all around.

Goodbye, Mr. Heston

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 11:20:27 -0400

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/04/06/heston.dead/index.html

Charlton Heston died yesterday. It's hard to dislike the man, although I know some anti-NRA people have tried. Still, throughout his life he stood for things many people just sit on the sidelines about.

One of the best pieces of film to ever grace the screen: