The countdown

25 days until kickoff! I thought I would never last when it was about 60 days til kickoff, and now that practice has started it's a sure sign that the season is in sight, yet the waiting becomes that much harder given the news, observations, and speculations every day that are just enough of a tease that the days seem to go by slower. Notre Dame isn't making things easier since they've started to post videos of practices and interviews with players and coaches. That's a surefire productivity killer at work, and will only quench my desire to see a real football game for so long.

10 days until Snakes on a Plane opens! You can't stop the hype surrounding this flick. Of course, we already know how the S.O.A.P. story will end: with the Hollywood snobs calling it one of the worst movies of all time, while the cult following it gets will keep the movie alive through web sites, chat rooms, DVD sales, and probably even Rocky Horror-like audience participation lines. Sure, bad movies come and go all the time, as do those that find a niche audience. But the unique thing about this movie is how it came to be one that will straddle both categories. Once the concept of the movie became public knowledge, people began speculating as to the details of the plot and whether Samuel L. Jackson's character would be similar to the bad asses he's played in other movies, i.e., the kind of guy who would say, "There are too many motherfucking snakes on this motherfucking plane!" The entire discussion became a catch phrase and a punchline, yet still intrigued many potential fans of the movie. Interest of all kinds was sustained and significant enough that the producers reopened shooting to add more scenes that contained exactly what fans on the internet were asking for! Snakes on a Plane is almost certainly the first big budget studio film to deliver that kind of content to such a large test audience. One thing's for sure -- it will have the highest opening weekend among internet nerds of any movie not based on a comic book.

9 days until I get my first filling, ever. My last visit to the dentist was a routine cleaning until they took x-rays using their fancy new digital equipment and showed me the "films" on the computer screen. The imaging is so good they can zoom in on any area of your mouth, and digitally analyze problem spots that the naked eye can't even detect. That's what revealed an erosion of my enamel on the side of one tooth, probably, the hygienist said, because of drinking too much pop -- ironic, because I gave the stuff up in February. They won't even have to drill or put me under; it's more of a preventive measure. I've never had the slightest problem with my teeth -- no cavities, no fillings, no braces, no retainers, no wisdom teeth removed, nothing. I'm just pissed that after a lifetime of faithful brushing, my streak has come to an end.

3 days until the opening of Pulse. I have no real interest in this movie other than I was surveyed about it at the theater this spring. I watched the trailer and gave them truly honest feedback about how well I knew the actors, what parts of the story appealed to me, etc. I only wonder how my feedback was taken, because the guy taking the survey started fudging my answers starting with the simplest first question. He asked where I was from, I said Richmond, and he said, "Well, we'll put Washington, DC, because otherwise we can't use your answers." Later he asked how many times I went to the theater each year, and when I gave a number he didn't like, he nearly doubled it, again so I would fit the profile of the moviegoer they wanted to research. I'm happy to give you feedback on your stupid movie, but if I'm not really someone you're trying to market it to, don't waste my time and even though the survey is anonymous, don't make me out to be someone I'm not. Fucking Hollywood.

1 day until my birthday. I'm getting old.