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From the lack of actual stimulation through other media, my thoughts have been restricted to mere muses on film and music.

Definately could be worse, in my view, if the media is good (which it has been). But when I think about how I could be digesting classical literature and possibly expanding my mind with scholastic persuits, it kinda looks bad. But what are you going to do.

So in lieu of a rant on sexuality tonight, I'm going to talk about what's been entertaining my brain this week.

First off would be the new Paul McCartney album "Memory Almost Full". I'm not trying to hawk this on you guys, but this album is the real thing. For me anyways. I've listened to it three times so far, and each time I'm blown away by the quality. What's so excellent about this album is the fact that it doesn't sound like '70's Wings material, but is so completely McCartney that it makes you giddy. The pop is brilliant, mixing the new sounds with hooks only McCartney can craft.

Musically, the album mixes things I thought never could be. It grasps the best aspects of 'new music', with backing tracks that could have been pulled from any repuitable pop act of today, while at the same time keeping the fresh approach to music making firmly planted with amazing pop hooks. Really, if you played this album to people who only listened to new music, and didn't tell them who it was (incidentally, he plays nearly every instrument on the disc), they would probably hail it as the next big thing.

Plus, it's got one of my new favorite songs, "Ever Present Past". When I first heard it, I just sat there and drank it in. It actually made me feel, something that a lot of new music just doesn't do. Clearly this song should be a #1 single, and probably win a Grammy, because it effortlessly blends hard hitting musicality with great lyrics. Even if you don't care to listen to the whole disc, take a moment to check out this one song.

My second muse this week was last night's trip to the movies to see Ocean's 13. After the disappointingly obscure scripting of Ocean's 12, I thought the franchise would be finished. But George Clooney and the rest of the stellar cast pull of a great job in the newest film.

This is a movie made for movie lovers. It's clear from the start that it was made by people who love old films, and who are in it not to simply make deadline but to have a great time along the way. The comraderie between the actors is apparent, and makes the performances seem even more realistic. Couple that with the excellent cinematography and color-saturated sets, and you've got a feast for the eyes.

Two things were a bit lacking in the film, one of which was a drought of puncy dialouge. Where the first film had great one-liners and back-and-forth between actors, the third is missing that specail umph that could easily have been written in. Don't miss the first Oprah scene, hilarious.

Sadly I found Al Pachino's performance to be pretty bland. The usually fiery actor turns in a forgetable stint as casino owner William Bank. I think it's every movie fan's dream to be bitched out by Pachino, but here even when the moment would have been totally appropriate, the character never exudes more than a squint at any rivals. Disappointing, since we all know how berserk this man can be on screen.

So there, if you're looking for two things to do this weekend, you've got some options.