Fifty Fifty Challenge

Here at pretzel gentleman, if we had to rank how often we do each of the following

Eat Pretzels

Watch Movies

Read Books

it would look like this:

1. Eat Pretzels

2. Watch Movies

3. Read Books

And to be honest, it isn't even close.

While it is unlikely that pretzels will ever relinquish their top spot in the pecking order, this challenge is an attempt to at least make it a contest for second. Fifty movies and fifty books in 2012. "But pretzel gentleman," you say, "what if I don't like books or movies. Or what if, like most Americans, I have always held a certain curiosity with regard to 'reading' and 'watching films,' but have never found a suitable way into these worlds, as opposed to, say, the joy and passion I feel for consuming and ranking the seemingly endless array of pretzels and pretzel-based treats that this world has to offer. What then, pretzel guy? What does this site have for me?"

Well, first of all, it's pretzel gentleman. This is a classy website, not some middle-aged oaf with askew facial hair standing on a street corner waiting for Shakes to come by and lure him away so teenage-version Brad Pitt can steal his precious pretzel cart to go off and kill some old lady on the subway. (Yes, I know it was a hot dog stand, but come on, close enough. Also, this being in part a movie review blog, I feel compelled to point out that that was a movie reference. If you haven't seen Sleepers, you should go watch it immediately. Also, spoiler alert.)

Second of all, lots. In addition to posting movie and book reviews, I'll be letting you know either what kind of pretzel the book or movie most resembles, or what salty treat said cultural artifact would best be paired with (kinda like wine...classy, no?). What's more, I'll be ranking each entry on a scale of 1-10 monocles (graphic possibly coming soon!) with the most deserving books and movies moving on to compete for the coveted Golden Top Hat, an award so profound and enigmatic that it defies a simple one sentence explanation. (Basically the best movie and book of the year. Eh, look at that.)

So buckle up! It should be a fun ride, or at least one that is not entirely tedious and bland. Of course there's always a chance that I could lose interest in this blog and abandon the project entirely sometime around March, and then you will have invested all this time for nothing. What a shame. Enjoy!