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Toy Story 3

Since it was about 900 degrees on Sunday, I decided to take refuge inside of an air conditioned theater instead of heading downtown for the Red Bull airplane races. I saw Toy Story 3 in 3D at the Loews Theater in Kips Bay. I love that theater because it’s big, has good sound and comfy chairs, and most importantly, it’s right next door to a Borders Bookstore. After the movie I walked over and bought And Here’s the Kicker: Conversations with 21 Top Humor Writers on their Craft, and Comedy Writing Secrets. I can’t wait to finish reading Beach Week by Susan Coll and start both of these books! Beach week is extremely boring so far. I’m 257 pages in, and nothing exciting has happened yet.

Anyway, back to the movie. The mini-movie “Day and Night” that played before Toy Story 3 was cute. I had no idea, but apparently every Pixar film plays one of these shorts before the movie. It’s great to see a company using that opportunity to teach kids a moral lesson. But back to the main attraction. Toy Story 3. I didn’t really think it was necessary to be in 3D. The previews were much more 3-dimensional than the movie. I actually forgot that I was watching it in 3D for most of the movie. But aside from that, it was good! It’s hard to believe that the first Toy Story came out fifteen years ago though. Man, I’m getting old! It was funny, sad, happy, cute, all the things a good kids movie that can also be enjoyed by adults should be. It was easily relatable to someone my age or even a few years younger, which I thought made for a strong story line. Overall, good movie. I recommend seeing it at some point, although not necessarily in 3D.

Famous Writers School

I could spend hours upon hours in a library, searching for the perfect book to read. Fortunately I work just a block from both the main and mid-Manhattan libraries, so it’s extremely convenient to go check out a book on my lunch hour.

The last time I was in there I didn’t have much time. I spotted Chelsea Handler’s Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea on the 1-week only shelf, so I picked that up as a quick, light read for Memorial Day weekend. I didn’t have much time to browse for another one, so I left with the first book that caught my eye: Famous Writers School by Steven Carter. The last time I took a random book home, I wasn’t exactly impressed, but this time I couldn’t be more enthused. It’s so much different than any book I’ve ever read, but in a good way. I’m on page 184 (out of 252) so I can’t speak too much about the book as a whole, but it’s had me tripping over my feet because I can’t put it down while I’m walking down the street.

Apparently it’s partially based on the Famous Writers School that ran in the 1960s and 70s. The entire book is set up like a snail mail correspondence course. The teacher, Wendell Newton, mails his three students a series of assignments, one by one, in return for their fictional work. Each student mails a letter back to Wendell, including the required assigned work, awaiting Wendell’s feedback. This obviously creates three completely different fictional stories as told through each student, and a fourth through the stories of Wendell himself.

I think it’s pretty amazing the stories that are developing within this novel so far. I’m equally interested when each person begins their letter and/or stories because they all have equally interesting experiences. It’s basically four continuous stories, weaved throughout written communication. Different aspects are revealed at different times, and sometimes those aspects don’t seem to line up properly. After the first round of correspondence, you realize that Wendell is reusing some of the memorable phrases that the other students have used when writing to him, and you start to notice that something isn’t quite right.

I can’t wait to finish this book, but I definitely see myself reading it a second time to catch anything I may have missed the first time around. I might even have to buy it!

Secrets to Standup Success

I’m waiting for my new book “Secrets to Standup Sucecss” to come in the mail! Apparently it’s a good workbook to help develop standup material. I hope it works so I don’t choke on stage and get booed off!