I’m not in Steve Wynn’s league, but I’ve definitely damaged some of my own art (think dropping it on the ground, putting tape over the corner of something and watching the painting peel off when the tape is removed, and the occassional scuff mark.)  So – it was with horror (and a gret deal of sympathy) that I read Nora Ephron’s amazing story of watching Steve Wynn accidently put his elbow through Le Reve – a Picasso painting that Wynn owns that he had just agreed to sell to Steven Cohen for $139 million.

Now – that’s throwing an elbow that even Charles Barkley would be proud of.  Wynn was apparently incredibly gracious – merely exclaiming “Oh shit.  Look what I’ve done.  Thank God it was me.”  While I would have substituted “fuck” for “oh shit”, I’d like to hope I would have had the same calm reaction.

The New Yorker had a good interview with Wynn on this.  He’s decided to keep the painting.  In the face of $139 million and an incredible Picasso, it appears that Wynn kept his cool the whole way through.  Wow.

Who said lawyers aren’t creative?  Come on – it was at least one of you out there.  Last night at the Kidstek 6th Annual Tech Leader’s Dinner, each of the 13 tables had to do a “skit” that had something to do with kids, technology, and marine stuff (since the event was at the Denver Aquarium.)  My friends from Cooley Godward Kronish sponsored a table and Michael Stack and Sean Arend presented the poem “Pop Ups and Spam” read to the tempo of Theodor Geisel’s “Green Eggs and Ham.”)

That Spam-I-am!
That Spam-I-am!
I do not like
that Spam-I-am!

Do you like pop ups and spam?

I do not like them, Spam-I-am.
I do not like pop ups and spam.

Would you like them here or there?

I would not like them here or there.
I would not like them anywhere.
I do not like pop ups and spam.
I do not like them, Spam-I-am.

Would you like them on your screen?
Do you delete them with your mouse?

I do not like them on my screen.
I do delete them with my mouse.
I do not like pop ups and spam.
I do not like them, Spam-I-am.

You may like them.
You will see.
You may like dinner at Chilis’s for free!

I would not, could not eat for free.
Nor buy a car! You let me be.
I do not need a new home loan.
I do not need a new cell phone.
I am not looking for romance.
I do not need to be enhanced.
I do not like pop ups and spam.
I do not like them, Spam-I-am.

Not on my screen or Blackberry
Or from an off-shore pharmacy
I do not need a free plane fare.
I do not need to dye my hair.
I do not need a credit card.
I do not need to melt my lard.
I do not like pop ups and spam.
I do not like them, Spam-I-am.

I would not, could not, buy that stock.
Not in the dark. Not on a rock.
Nor buy a car. You let me be.
I do not like them, Spam, you see.

You do not like pop ups and spam?

I do not like them, Spam-I-am.

You do not like them.
So you say.
Try them! Try them!
And you may.
Try them and you may, I say.

Spam!
If you will let me be, I will try them.
You will see.

Say!
I like pop ups and spam!
I do! I like them, Spam-I-am!
And I am looking for romance.
And I would love to be enhanced.
I sure do need a credit card.
And purple pills and melted lard.
And I will get a new home loan.
And I will buy six new cell phones.

And I will view them in the rain.
And in the dark. And on a train.
And on my screen and Blackberry.
They are so good, so good, you see!

And I will view them here and there.
Say! I will view them ANYWHERE!

I do so like
pop ups and spam!
Thank you!
Thank you,
Spam-I-am!

I recommend you print this out, go find a nerd friend, and read this to him / her out loud.  Michael / Sean – this is brilliant.  I hope you billed someone other than me for the time you spent on this.

Do you need a 24 fix? 

Ok – it’s a spoof – but admit it – that was fun.

Amy and I went to The Departed last night.  I’ve got some general movie fatigue these days because everything seems to suck, be a remake of Top Gun, or just be dull.  However, The Departed was incredible and it just blew us away.

Jack Nicholson may be my favorite male actor of all time.  Leonardo DiCaprio is finally coming into his own now that he’s an adult.  Matt Damon finally had a role where he needed to act – and he did a great job.  While it’s weird watching Martin Sheen be anything other than Jeb Bartlett, he also shined even when he was splattering.  Vera Farmiga had the best line of the movie when she said to DiCaprio “your vulnerability is really freaking me out.”  And Marky Mark Wahlberg continued to bend my mind with his range. 

Scorsese made sure there was plenty of gratutious violence, but for a Boston-based corrupt cop movie, it was believable.  Having lived in Boston for 12 years, it’s such a delight to watch it in a movie rather than live there.

Well – this about says it all. 

Thanks Weird Al (and Lucy.)

I’ve been getting a few fun toys in the mail to help with my marathoning efforts.  A while ago Anthony Pigliacampo sent me a Gel-Bot from ventureDESIGNworks.  It sat on my desk for a while before I started using it.  Now that I’ve torn the packaging off of it and run with it a few times, it’s clear that it’s an intensely clever product as it combines a traditional water bottle with a gel dispensing thing.  Sunday’s run was a three gel run – I wish I’d had this with me so I didn’t have to stop, tear the tops off the gel packs (with my teeth), make a mess as I tried to slurp the gel out of the gel packs, and then crumple up the sticky package and put it back in my fanny pack.  They’ve also got a clever Press-Bot – imagine turning your Nalgene bottle into a french coffee press.

Congrats to Susan Mernit at Yahoo for completing her first half marathon. 

I had a long, miserable run on Sunday for about the same length of time (3:15).  I almost bailed at 4 miles – I was tired, my left knee is inflamed and probably a little infected from my fall earlier this week, and I was up in Keystone at 9000 feet.  My friend Paul joined me at mile 10 or so – when Renee and Amy dropped him off, all I could do was shake my head and say “man – this sucks.” 

Sometimes the runs are great, sometimes they aren’t.  But – they all require that you put one foot in front of the other.  Just like (metaphorically) so many other things in life.

Todd Langer – who makes the very cool Functional Innovations PAST (Posture, Aerobic, Strength, and Total Body Integration) balance products sent me a link a to the Boston Globe article about the efforts of a California company – Allerca – to create a hypoallergenic cat.  Ironically, I’ve never been allergic to cats – they seem to be allergic to me.  I once had a cat called Tiny (who was huge) that – after a few minutes of sitting on my lap, would randomly bite my forearm – not a love nip – but teeth deep into skin and muscle.  When I got divorced, I offered my ex-wife her choice of either the left half or the right half of Tiny – or – if she preferred – the front half or the rear half. 

Now – I find out from Allerca that the molecule that caused most human cat allergies is “Fel d 1”.  That pretty much explains everything.

Amy and I love art – it is an integral part of our existence on this planet.  The Boulder art scene – while modest by New York standards – is vibrant and we love to participate in it whenever we can.  One of the major events of the year is the annual Art Auction at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art.  It’s happening this year on October 19th from 6:30pm – 10:30pm and Amy and I are the title sponsors.  If you like art, this is a great venue to see over 75 original pieces – many by local artists – have a fun time hanging out at a great party, and contribute to one of Boulder’s important local arts-related non-profit organizations.