Don't worry, I didn't wear a trench coat

I've never been much of a loner, and I've always harbored some special fear of eating at a restaurant alone and, even worse, going to a movie alone.

But then I went to Kankakee.

Halfway through the week, I was ready to do anything that didn't involve VH1. So I decided to see every good movie playing in town. And I did see them all. Both of them.

In response, I have one comment and one question.

Comment: "Walk the Line" is incredible for many reasons, but hearing Johnny Cash's laugh coming out of Joaquin Phoenix's mouth is probably No. 1.

Question: What the hell was going on in Syriana? I probably would have known what kind of bizarrely confusing morass I was wandering into if I had first read this part of Roger Ebert's review:

The movie's plot is so complex we're not really supposed to follow it, we're supposed to be surrounded by it. Since none of the characters understand the whole picture, why should we?

Anyway, if nothing else, I at least got past my phobia of seeing movies alone. I might have accomplished more this week, actual journalism stuff even, but that's a topic for a post when I'm a bit better rested. I fly home first thing tomorrow morning.