happy 4th of july
i got to see the macy's fireworks from the nj turnpike, as they coincided with my drive into the city. they made me cry. the combination of all the stuff going on in the world compounded by the loneliness i feel whenever i go to work at the club.

i got to watch the return of the king on dvd today. i'd already seen it in theatres but it was fun to see it again and to be able to skip over the parts that annoyed me (e.g. most of the scenes where sam and frodo cry and depend on each other for support). i think i have figured out why the movies strike such a chord in me. and it's more than just the captivating story of good vs. evil, orlando bloom's eyes, or my affinity for new zealand, where the films were filmed. i think it's my awareness of how extraordinary a thing it was for peter jackson to make all three films at once, and the incredible camaraderie that must have been created because of it. i mean, the story focuses on a fellowship, and that was created in real life. so this movie makes me enjoy it on two planes, one in the movie, one on the outside. so it's this compounded movie-going experience. capish?