Best Reason for Me to Hope That Your Work Computer Has Speakers

The New York Times has some interviews with Mormon Missionaries online that, if you ask me, are awful nice, maybe even sweet, if I may use the word. Considering that missionaries are viewed as interlopers and a nuisance by many, this small feature is very sympathetic to the guys (and girls) as it examines, briefly, their personal motivations and experiences. It's nice, I hope everyone will check it out.

And for the record, I've met, worked, or eaten with each of the Elders shown in the pictures. I'm nearly 100% sure that I know the sister who starts the interview off (her voice is very familiar, but of course I can't remember her name) and the Elder in the lower right hand corner, (Elder Donaldson), is definitely the Elder that talks twice in the interview.

And Last night I finally saw Batman Begins. Not so bad, really. So different from the other Batman movies (especially the first one) in that it didn't seem to contain any moments that junior high boys would be going "Oh man! And remember when Batman did This? Or when he did That?" Compared to the Joker being pulled from a helicopter by a gargoyle tied to his leg, the dispatching of this film's villains is quite underwhelming. So not your typical comic book movie that it could have been called Law and Order: Gotham Superhero Unit. Yet, like the original Batman, Batman Begins did contain lousy "I've got to get one of those!" sorts of lines.

And it was just weird when he'd lie down to drive the Batmobile. Reminded me a little of Condorman, but not enough.

But worthy of note, at the same time I saw Batman there was a special sneak preview (if the night before official release counts as a "sneak", that is) of Rize at the theater. While waiting outside for Mike an SUV pulled up and out came, I'm not making this up, clown after clown (including the "famous" Tommy the Clown who invented the clown-dances that the movie focuses on.) Joining the clowns was the film's director, David LaChapelle. Not that I know what David LaChapelle looks like, but, c'mon, who could the artsy white guy with all the clowns be but David LaChapelle?

Wow, I really like to write "David LaChapelle"