Reviews and More

I’m currently in the process of setting up my home office. I recently purchased a brand new desk and chair as well as some shelves and wall art. I’ve got everything arranged pretty much right where I want it, so the only thing left for me to do is buy a good desk lamp to complete the look.

Earlier today I heard about a website that specializes in both desk lamps and table lamps, so I figured I’d take a look at some of the featured products. The site is called ShopTableLamps.com and I really loved how easy it was to browse through the hundreds of lamps that are available. I could browse according to criteria such as finish, price range, height, brand, or style, and was quickly able to find several lamps that would look perfect in my office. I am very interested in this Double Pole Desk Lamp, which I think looks very elegant and would nicely complement the rest of my furnishings.

All in all, I really liked what I saw over at ShopTableLamps.com and will likely go back to the site when I’m ready to make a purchase. Check it out!

I am not a big Will Ferrell fan because I don’t like the kind of obnoxious, in-your-face comedic roles that he usually takes on in his films. But I’d heard some good things about his more dramatic turn in Stranger Than Fiction, and since I was intrigued by the storyline in general, I decided to give it a try. It didn’t hurt that Emma Thompson and Maggie Gyllenhaal also star, as they are two of my favorite actresses these days.

Ferrell plays IRS auditor Harold Crick. Crick’s life has turned into nothing more than a very lonely routine that is pretty much dominated by his watch. He wakes up at the same time each morning, goes to bed at the same time each night, and fills his days by performing the same actions at the same times.

Then one day, Harold starts hearing a voice inside his head. The voice is actually narrating his actions about a half-second after he performs them. This of course freaks him out and prompts him to go see a psychiatrist. Not getting much useful help from her, Harold decides to go see a renowned literature professor (played by Dustin Hoffman) because the narrative is basically his life story. Perhaps the lit professor can help Harold discover who the writer is.

At the same time this is going on, Harold is auditing a bakery owner named Ana Pascal (Gyllenhaal). Ms. Pascal refused to pay a small percentage of her income taxes as a protest of some of the government programs she doesn’t believe in. She deliberately makes things difficult for Harold, which results in him having to spend more time than usual on the case. This in turn gives Harold and Ms. Pascal sufficient time to start falling for each other, and this love story turns into a compelling B plot for the film.

As the movie progresses, we are introduced to Karen Eiffel (Thompson), the writer who is indeed narrating Harold’s life. The rest of the film then deals with the way Karen comes to terms with her power as a writer, the way Harold learns to accept fate, and of course with the larger question of which is more important, life or great art.

Overall, I thought Stranger Than Fiction was a wonderful film. I realize that the logistics of the plot would likely break down under detailed scrutiny, but I wasn’t interested in holding the movie up to logic. I was immediately transported into the reality of the film and didn’t allow myself to become distracted by all the “Yeah, but…” and “What if…” questions that I could feel creeping up from time to time.

I was surprised at how much I liked Ferrell as Harold Crick. I never would have guessed that he could be funny and poignant at the same time and even add a dash of seriousness to the role. I thought he pulled it off very well, and I can’t really think of another popular comedian who would have been able to do a better job as Harold.

Maggie Gyllenhaal was absolutely fantastic as Ana Pascal. I usually get bored with movies that have a love story as the secondary plotline, but not this time — and I give Gyllenhaal all the credit for keeping me interested.

Overall, Stranger Than Fiction was much better than I thought it would be. I was pleasantly surprised by both the script and the actors, and give the movie 7.5 stars out of 10.

Most of the drug rehab programs I’ve read about follow the same approach to treatment. Patients are sequestered for a certain amount of time, and during that time they receive a combination of individual and group counseling sessions to help them uncover the basis of their addictions. After that, they’re summarily sent away and must suddenly fend for themselves in the “outside world” once again.

That approach might work for some people, but others clearly require an alternative method of addiction treatment, such as the one provided by Sober College.

The program at Sober College focuses on five so-called core areas (Sobriety, Life Skills, Career, Emotional Well-Being, and Fitness) that are critical to keeping up a lifestyle of recovery. In other words, students are taught the skills needed to handle real-world situations that are bound to arise once they leave the facility. Detox and primary treatment programs are available at Sober College, but many of the students are newly sober and are learning to deal with all the challenges that come with such a huge change.

Overall, I think the Sober College approach to drug rehab sounds like an excellent one. I believe that learning basic life skills is essential to a person’s chances of maintaining sobriety, and would take comfort in knowing that someone I cared about was getting exactly this kind of education from a treatment program.

There’s a great deal of information available on the Sober College website, so please check it out if you or someone you care about is in need of treatment.