It's Not Tragic to Die Doing What You Love

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

I'm in a great mood today. First off, because I got a call from Bubbles last night...and she had an appointment with a REAL doctor...and he took care of her like you would expect a real doctor to. Hopefully she'll be happy & healthy from now on. God knows I've been praying for it for a while now. Secondly, Season 4 of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" just arrived in my mailbox...and it's gonna be an awesome few nights of seeing most of the episodes for the first time (no cable since like episode two). Thirdly (I think that's a real word), I will be in Lake Tahoe in like...40 hours or so (depending on when my mom wakes up). Fourthly, somebody finally picked up my last shift on Sunday so I don't have to be penalized for being prepared two months in advance with this vacation. Fifthly, it's been raining the past day or so...and you know how I like the rain...like more than a friend. Sixthly, JUST LOOK AT ME!!! I should be in a great mood anyway. However, there was one thing that dampened my moods a bit...

Patrick Swayze Dies - Patrick Swayze personified a particular kind of masculine grace both on and off screen, from his roles in films like "Dirty Dancing" and "Ghost" to the way he carried himself in his long fight with pancreatic cancer. Swayze died from the illness on Monday in Los Angeles, his publicist said. He was 57. "Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully today with family at his side after facing the challenges of his illness for the last 20 months," Annett Wolf said in a statement Monday evening. She declined to give details. Fans of the actor were saddened to learn in March 2008 that Swayze was suffering from an especially deadly form of cancer. He continued working despite the diagnosis, putting together a memoir with his wife and shooting "The Beast," an A&E drama series for which he had already made the pilot. Personally, I was raised on his movies like "Road House" & "Point Break" and...I still have fond memories of the scene in "Ghost" with the Righteous Brothers singing background (Bubbles knows how I feel about that song) and it's truly a tragedy. He seemed like a great guy & a pretty talented actor too. So with that...here's a posthumous Movie List. I really can't think of a higher honor that anyone I've never met in person can receive from me. My condolences to his family & friends.

Patrick Swayze Movies

Medal Winners

Gold - Point Break (1991) - MY LIST!!! If you don't like it, write your congressman. I can already hear your groans...but please read this list through to the end. Yes, this is the ONLY time that you'll see this movie on the top of any kind of movie list with merit (yes, mine has merit) but anybody who has seen it, probably can quote a few lines. "I AM AN F-B-I AGENT!!!" Anyway, it's the story of thrill seekers turned bank robbers lead by Bodhi (Swayze) and the crack team of FBI agents sent to bring them down (Keanu & Gary Busey, how could they possibly fail?). Surfing, skydiving, passionate metaphors, the chick from "Tank Girl", lies, betrayal, manipulation, a character named Johnny Utah, just a great flick...and to tell you any more would only cheapen it.

Silver - Ghost (1990) - Okay, so as far as real movies go, this was probably his high point. Sam Wheat (Swayze) has it all. A great career, beautiful wife, he looks like Patrick Swayze, good times. Then he's killed during a routine mugging...and his ghost wanders around trying to make sense of it all. Why did he have to die? What will become of his fiancé (Demi Moore with a Beatles haircut)? Then he finds out...that maybe his death wasn't an accident. Using the help of a psychic (Whoopi Goldberg) now he has to avenge his death & save his lady...all from beyond the grave. Great flick. Check it out. There's the scene with the clay & the Righteous Brothers too. You've all seen that.

Bronze - To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything Julie Newmar (1995) - The tale of three fabulous cross dressers (Swayze, Wesley Snipes & John Leguizamo) and their cross-country trip to the championships...but their car breaks down in the rural Midwest somewhere...and now the world of New York cross-dressing meets the good ol' boys of farmtown...and the hilarity ensues. Now, do yourself a favor...and watch "Road House" (1989) followed by this movie. That way, you can see him kicking ass & taking names as a bad-ass bouncer with ninja skills & raw sex appeal...and then you can see him be a stunning man in an incredible wardrobe...yet still kicking ass occasionally. "Get your hand off my d**k, buddy!!!" If you haven't seen either movie, check 'em out. They have completely different appeals though.

Suggestion - Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill (1995) - I really liked this tall tale come to life. It's a Disney flick with Swayze playing the title character, Oliver Platt as Paul Bunyan, John Henry, & Catherine O'Hara as Calamity Jane...and a kid (Nick Stahl) on a magical adventure with them while he tries to save his family's farm from a greedy developer (Scott Glenn). There's even cameos by William H. Macy & the incredible Burgess Meredith. Also, "Black Dog" (1998) isn't half bad. It's about an ex-con truck driver (Swayze) who's manipulated into transporting illegal guns...and there's B-movie legends like Meat Loaf, Randy Travis, Stephen Tobolowsky & Charles Dutton. Check 'em out.

Flush It - Red Dawn (1984) - Okay, it was actually kind of hard to pick a Flush It because of Patrick's great line of work...but I picked this one because...well, it's the story of Russian deciding to invade the United States...via Colorado. Now, I can understand the whole take out the heart and the rest will fall...but taking out the heartland just won't do it unless their mission is to spread a disease (not that I'm giving them any ideas). Also, a bunch of kids (Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Charlie Sheen, Jennifer Grey, Lea Thompson, etc) bring them down. Now, I loved the movie. Don't get me wrong...but really? Really? So it's one of those rare Flush Its...where I still suggest that you check it out. WOLVERINES!!!

Future Watch - Dirty Dancing (1987) - NOW you know why this wasn't on the list. Of my extensive movie knowledge, I have yet to watch "Dirty Dancing" or its prequel...and that is why it did not make the list. Now, because I have had many friends & family members that quote this movie in any given situation...even when it doesn't make sense, I think that I have the basic storyline down without looking. A rebellious hottie (Jennifer Grey) likes to dance...but doesn't know about dirty dancing until she hangs out with a guy more than twice her age (Swayze) and then the conservative parents get wind...and it hits the fan. But "Nobody puts Baby in the corner" so they have a big final dance and have the time of their life...and roll credits. Was that about right? I'm sure I will find out when/if somebody wants to watch the movie with me. I've offered...but I refuse to watch this movie alone. I have to watch it with a fan...and apparently fans of this movie are all talk. There I said it. Prove me wrong (ladies...). Also, I was intrigued by his latest series "The Beast" but it was on WAY after my bedtime...and I think the Daily Show was on at the same time. It should be coming to DVD soon though.

So that'll do it for today. I've got some "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" to watch so...I'm pretty busy. Can't wait to check out Lake Tahoe for the first time...and see if it's a possible future adventure in this whimsical little thing called Life. Go support the Swayze estate by watching some of those movies...and more importantly, be sure to donate to medical research so we can find a cure for cancer. Have a great day everybody!!!