Saturday, May 30, 2009

Pin Heads 2.1


The pinhead picture used in the previous post is worthy of it's own fan club.

DUDES AT BONNAROO
[TQ]

Friday, May 29, 2009

Pin Heads 2.0 (continued)

As you may have heard, Lebowski Fest is bringing the Movie Party to this year's Bonnaroo and we are super stoked about it.

As part of the Bonnaroo shows and the Speed of Sound Tour, The Dudes will be resurrecting the Giant Bowling Pin Costumes. The original pin costumes which were made of knee-piercing chicken wire and hot glue have fallen into a state of disrepair.

The place making the new pins was kind enough to send us some "in progress" photos complete with a model. We know nothing about this guy but we like him.



Pin Heads 2.0 to debut at Bonnaroo. (Sadly, this guy will not be there)

Do you like 6, Mr. Lebowski?


Six weeks to go.
The countdown continues.

For this post, I went deep into the Achiever Forum.
The message threads, for the most part, lie in one of three categories:
-Lebowski Fest (Everything related to Lebowski Fests, questions & suggestions)
-What Have You (Discuss anything and everything related to the Big Lebowski, trivia, what-have-you)
-Everything Else (This is the place for any non-Lebowski related discussion. Links, pontifications, what-have-you... Anything goes here!)

One of the funnier threads is found in Everything Else titled "Lebowski Mis-quotes v2.0."
Here are a few examples I copied from the Forum:

I am the marmot.
im just gonna go find a home depot.
Obviously you're not a gopher
Also, Dude, Swine flu is not the preferred nomenclature, uh, H1N1 Flu, please.

Oh, I know that guy - he's a Scientologist.

The forum began long before I found it.
I'm not sure what started this thread. Possibly it was created as an affront to people who unintentionally mis-quote the most quotable movie of all time?

Regardless of its intent, it's fun - and funny.


Made me laugh to beat the Black Diamond Heavies.

Once again, I thank The 7:11 Crew for providing the above countdown image.[TQ]

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Black Diamond Heavies: a brief introduction



Any band that lists Charles Bukowski as an influence, like Black Diamond Heavies does on their MySpace page, is a band I want to hear. (They also list "crazyass women" as another influence.)

I think everybody in attendance at the 8th Annual Lebowski Fest will be shocked at how much music just two people will produce... I specifically chose the word "music" to be intentionally general. I have the feeling this is a band that can only be described after experiencing.

It should be safe to say it won't be that "Great scene from Adventures in Babysitting when a young Elizabeth Shue sang the blues" kind of blues. This might be more a "what happens when sons of a Bourbon Distiller and Bible Preacher musically consummate while following less rules than in Vietnam" kind of blues.

You shouldn't need an extra reason to attend the next Lebowski Fest, but I just gave you one anyways.[TQ]

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Nice Marmot

I have yet to mention Lebowski Fest Portland.
What could The Big Lebowski possibly have to do with Portland, Oregon?

Do I have to draw you a map?
(Thankfully, Google already has)


To the people of greater Portland,
Why haven't you taken this sticker and placed it humorously around that community?

For the record, and to keep the Sheriff of Malibu off my goldbrickin'ass, I'm not suggesting vandalism of any kind. Please, for the love of Brandt, just take a picture of a park ranger from there and submit it to the site.[TQ]

Monday, May 25, 2009

Memorial Day

Veteran
There are many Achievers worldwide. For those of you not in the United States you may not know that the last Monday in the month of May is Memorial Day (A U.S. National Holiday).

It's a day set aside for everyone to commemorate U.S. men and women who died during military service. Banks are closed, there is no mail, and children don't have school (some of us lucky enough to be employed outside of a service based establishment may have the day off as well).

The scene that is the obvious one to mention today is Donny's eulogy. I think it is important to note that although this is a very enjoyable scene, that one of the specific Vietnamese locations mentioned, Khe Sanh, is very much real... And that many did in fact lose their lives in that ordeal.

The Battle of Khe Sanh was a complex struggle that spanned months in 1968 and is worthy of it's own film. Historians today are still debating who won the battle, but that is a subject I don't think people are coming to LeBlogski to learn.

Please pardon the breif departure from levity as us American Achievers celebrate Memorial Day, just as our pal Walter would want.[TQ]

Friday, May 22, 2009

Ever hear of the Seattle Seven?



The following words have seven letters:

Bridges
Goodman
Buscemi

And of course, bowling.

I'm deciding to stop myself here, knowing full well if I exerted more effort I can come up with more (for example: burgers, fucking fascist and vaginal). Give me a a few keystrokes with Dragon's online script and Excel, and I could figure out exactly how many 7 letter words are spoken throughout the film.


The 8th Annual Lebowski Fest is officially seven weeks away.
Seattle will host the next Fest after the Annual Lousivlle edition.
A town where The Dude and, uh, six other guys...

Moments after The Dude mentioned his days with the Seattle Seven to Maude, he noted his years in the music business - specifically his work on the Speed of Sound tour.

It makes poetic sense to me that this large endevor (Lebowski Fest Speed of Sound Tour) begins in Seattle. I'm not privy to any info that this was their intention, but even if it is a coincidence it's worth mentioning.

Also worth mentioning, the marvelous "countdown logo" gifted to me from the 7:11 Crew.

Thank you for allowing me to ride your creative coattails.[TQ]

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Publishing, Entertainment, Political Advocacy


This is a bummer man. That's a, that's a bummer.
Seems like my company's online policy was created by the Sheriff of Malibu.
Truth of the matter, my company (and this policy) is more than right...

There's a lot to see over in the Achiever Forum.
If you're able to view the message boards (unlike me at work), there's a lot of worthwhile time wasting material such as:
A magnificent movie trailer mashup
Julianne Moore Stalkers
My attempt to find a pre-Fest hamburger

Oh, and a simple message for any Forum Rookie:
Don't be afraid of any Dragons.[TQ]

Monday, May 18, 2009

Get On Your Boots (or rather, Jellies)

In the summer of 1997, I was 18 years old and a (very) recent graduate of high school.
My, at the time, favorite band U2 had released an album that wasn’t as critically acclaimed as some of their prior efforts.

Nonetheless, U2 had scheduled a massive outdoor concert at Soldier Field.
It was heartbreaking to my 18 year old life that I was unable to see that show.
I vowed that I would make up for it, and to an extent I did, when I saw U2 four years later during an Arena tour.

U2 is set to take the road again, announcing a massive outdoor concert tour that will bring them back to Solider Field for the first time since 1997. Again, it’s on the heels of yet another album that I personally feel is below their previous two. I had purchased my ticket to their show on Sunday September 13. This was very exciting to me.

I am no longer planning on seeing U2 when they come to Chicago this September.
Is it a function of the fact that I’m now 30, and have somewhat grown out of my “first [music] love” of Bono & Company?... Partially...
But there’s something more important that’s happened since 1997.

Specifically, the release of The Big Lebowski in 1998.

This event was the impetus that led to a complete recalibration of my fandom priorities.

When it was announced that the Lebowski Fest Speed of Sound Tour would be hitting Chicago staring September 13, Bono didn’t stand a chance – it was not, for him, a Beautiful Day.

I will still be around fans who will yell out favorite lines from a man who prefers just four letters in his name. A man who often wears sunglasses. A man who… well, I’m having a difficult time finding a common way to link a passion for foreign debt relief and reimbursement for rug damage, but you get the point.

Last Friday tickets went on sale for Denver, Minneapolis, Chicago, Toronto, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, DC and Austin. I quickly bought mine for Chicago along with an extra pair… Understanding that Bono is busy Sunday September 13 for the Movie Party, maybe he and a special lady friend will like to bowl with me the next two nights before they skip town?[TQ]

Friday, May 15, 2009

8 weeks until the 8th Annual



We're eight weeks away from the 8th Annual Lebowski Fest.
I have my tickets, do you have yours?



In the last two months I've bought four tires and a new belt for my engine.
The timing was with my 317 mile drive in mind.
My car will be in tip-top shape.
Last July, it was the fastest four and half hour drive of my life.
I felt like a kid on Christmas morning, but this time I was driving the sleigh.
Cars, apparently, can run on adrenaline.



The news will continue to get better over these next 8 weeks.
Currently, there has been no announcement regarding the entertainment at the Garden Party.
I eagerly await that news, and am hopeful that the Founding Dudes will produce more surprises.

Will they be able to top last year, which included:
Celebrity bloggers (USA Today's Pop Candy)
Liquor infused deserts from Reality Show Sensations (Chef Duff's Toe)
A packed Documentary premiere (The Achievers)
And let's also not forget--let's not forget, Dude (Snow Monster!)


But that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
Last year entailed so, so much, more...
Mark it 8.[TQ]

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Today's reason to reget not attending Lebowski Fest LA 2009

"You don't go out looking for a job dressed like that do ya? On a weekday?"
I felt a small amount of regret after last night's post.
The picture I selected was too much on the side of chauvinism.
Here's something for the ladies.

There's a nasty stereotype / rumor / sentiment about TBL being preferred primarily (and almost exclusively) by males.
Sadly, yesterday's post may have contributed to that over the line thought.

I won't get into that argument now, but urge you to read Chalupa's post on the topic courtesy The Lebowski Podcast blog.
(Which, by the way, if you have been reading this - you will want to read that as well)[TQ]



Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Today's Reason to reget not attending Lebowski Fest LA 2009

"I like it too. It's a male myth about feminists that we hate sex. It can be a natural, zesty enterprise. However there are some people-- it is called satyriasis in men, nymphomania in women--who engage in it compulsively and without joy."
Southern California.
Wow.
And I thought I liked White Russians before seeing this picture.

I remember, back in the time before I finally decided to attend these Fests, looking at the pictures coming back from the most recent Fests and just becoming consumed with regret...
But there was also hope and optimism.

Oh, it's as good as advertised people... And there are many more this year than ever before...
Get out there and achieve!


[TQ]

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Ever thus

Ready for The Wiltern





Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Maude Stand-in Behind The Scenes

We recently received an email from Andrea Nunn who was Julianne Moore's stand-in for The Big Lebowski. As proof, she sent in these photos which were just way too cool to sit on.

Well, enjoy.










Andrea will be attending Lebowski Fest in LA this week!

Sunday, May 3, 2009

AND A GOOD DAY TO YOU, SIR.

Last week I was driving down Irving Park Road in Chicago.
I was on my way to see a concert, by the band that got mega-famous for this song.
Along the way, while I was in the left lane, a noticed a fellow Achiever in the right lane.
I know this from the sticker on the car:
I was happy this car was to my right, because on the right rear window of my car, I have the following decal:
Eye contact proved impossible. The only way to get the fellow driver's attention would have been through a sign of aggression. The honking of a horn for example. But that's the last thing either of us wanted.

It reminds me that there is still no suitable non-verbal communication between us to acknowledge that there is another Achiever in our presence. Last summer I was 4 hours away from my home at a Radiohead concert, wearing the below shirt:
"Hey, the Dude abides!" was yelled to me from a far. I was easily able to nod my head politely in return and extend my favorite salutation, "AND A GOOD DAY TO YOU, SIR."

My friend who was with me, an amateur, asked if that interaction was something Lebowski...
He quickly texted his wife the note that they had to re-watch the movie soon.


One member of the Ohio foursome known as Treehorn Productions to some, or the 7:11 crew to others, has the only idea I've heard to date of a non-verbal communication to a fellow Achiever.

It involves a hand raised high while bowing one's head in a reenactment of a Brandt gesture. Just before The Dude was directed to Mr. Lebowski, who was in seclusion in the West Win
g.

This specific member of the foursome (that won the Best Costume Trophy last year) looks enough like Brandt to have a winning costume. He was perfecting this gesture last July and in my picture he's performing it to all the masses of the Executive Strike and Spare.

It's a very nice idea indeed... However, not one I could execute in my non-convertible car, let alone keeping my eyes on the road.

Speaking of salutations, be careful if you are attending this weekend's Lebowski Fest LA 2009. There's some sort of hog-related influenza frenzy around the southern U.S. border. I personally don't believe the fear, but advise against shaking the hands of any carpet-pissers. **Please note that I very confident that both Mark Pellegrino (Blonde Treehorn Thug) and Philip Moon (Woo the rug pisser) washed their hands regularly, especially after micturating.**

I wish safe travels to all about to embark on the voyage to the City of Angels.
Selfishly, I've begun my countdown to 8th Annual at my desk at work... A desk which features the below sticker over my phone: However, don't forget - there are a bunch more Fests thanks to the unprecedented Speed of Sound Tour.[TQ]