Death to TV

This is something I share with people often.  I do it because I like to sound frugal, and because it helps me seem like a person who has his priorities straight in the world.  I also share it out of arrogance, because it somehow helps me feel better than those to whom I am sharing.  Yes, I recognize these things, yet I do it anyway.

You’re asking…What is it you share?  I’m so glad you asked, because that way it makes it much easier for me to project my false morals on you.

The statement:  In my entire life, the only time I’ve ever had cable TV was during my 4 years of college. Yep.  Truth.  33 years old, and I’ve enjoyed cable TV for only 4 years of it.

Growing up, we had the huge outdoor antenna that usually sometimes got us the big 4 or 5 stations out of Louisville, KY.  Usually.  College – cable.  Enjoyed it.  The early years of Sports Center with Dan Patrick and Keith Olberman, movie reruns on TBS and USA, getting to watch the Bulls play more than 3 times  a year.

Ever since – no cable.  At least, not REAL cable.  For several years, I simply used an amplified tv antenna that normally got 4 or 5 stations.  For about 5 years now, we’ve had the “basic cable” package, which gets us anywhere from 6 – 9 watchable stations and cost us about $15.00 a month.

** Watchable stations do not include QVC, the local Knoxville brainwashed preaching programs, or the 24 hour a day local community news feed that updates me on things like Parents Night Out at Rockwell Baptist Church and Free Gummy Bear Day at Ace Hardware Store.

Now, if we really wanted to, we could scrounge up some money and afford regular cable.  We would need to cancel our monthly Blockbuster Online account, but it would be doable.  But here’s my issue….why give myself even MORE opportunity to watch TV, when I already watch more than necessary already?

Lately, we haven’t even really watched a ton of  TV.  We always watch The Office and 30 Rock, but everything else is hit or miss.  I watch sports occasionally on Saturday or Sunday, but rarely more than a couple of hours, and I rarely if ever watch an entire game of any sport from beginning to end.

We still use Blockbuster Online, but more sparingly than in the past.  It seems as though we’ve finally watched about every movie we would ever want to see, and most new releases just don’t pique our interest as much.  We keep Blockbuster Online mainly for the TV series that are sometimes harder to find in the stores.  Just this week we finished Season 3 of Dexter (amazing!).  And it’s cool to have access to older movies online that the stores don’t stock, like Cool Hand Luke or Chinatown.  One of which I haven’t watched yet, and one of which I didn’t really like.  That doesn’t matter though.  What matters is they are available.

But again.  Why do we need more TV?  We typically only have about 2 hours of actually family time together in the evenings before it’s time for Eli to go to bed.  On the weekends we go to church, grocery shop, run errands, and try to do something fun every once in a while.  I’m older now, so I typically go to bed around 10:30 instead of midnight.

Why do we need more TV?  Most shows are set up now so that you MUST watch every week to know what’s going on.  If you miss a week, you’ve got to catch it on Hulu before it’s too late.  We have no DVR, so we can’t just set up to record everything we like.  And why would we?  So we can send Eli to bed even earlier, and veg out even more on the weekends, just to get caught back up on How I Met Your Mother or Parks and Recreation?

No, I say.  Not more TV.  Less TV.  Admission – the pull is still there.  I want ESPN so bad I want to cry sometimes.  But I also know that 1 hour of Sports Center just doesn’t suffice.  For some reason, it’s necessary to watch it 3 times in a row, just to see if they deliver their lines differently the second or third time around.  So I fight the urge.  I fight Erin’s urge.  I fight Eli’s urge (Disney, Nick, Cartoon Network).  And we suffer through life with basic channels, an analog VCR for recording purposes, and Blockbuster Online for everything else.

And in some ridiculous and warped way, in my mind, that makes me seem better than you.  Unless of course you don’t have a TV at all.  Which simply makes you strange and out of touch.  =)

limerick

I’ll tonight work from six until eight
With other brains to speculate
Efficiency plans
That down to a man
Will give us more work and less breaks

This weekend we’ll drive to the state
Where bluegrass and coal mining mate
To hang with the crew
Both Edelen and Booe
You need me to elucidate?

Last night watched a movie so wack
With Keanu the thespian hack
Where he Stood Still the Earth
Not a crap was it worth
Can I please have my two hours back?

In the comments I’d sure love to see
A writer who eloquently
Can write such a prose
As me, I suppose
On my part it’s wishful thinking. =)

Movie Ratings – Part XI

At some point, I’ll become unsure of the Roman Numeric values of the movie ratings, which will force me to quit this series.  But I’m pretty certain that XI = 11, so we’re good for now.  Enjoy.

Terminator Salvation.  First impression – I realize this is partly the control of the movie theater, but this was the loudest movie I can remember seeing in the theater since the storming-the-beach scene in Saving Private Ryan back in 1997.  Second impression – Christian Bale basically acted like an even meaner version of Batman, which is to say he didn’t do much acting, just mean looks and a growling voice.  Third impression – some of the coolest special effects I’ve ever seen.  My Rating:  I can hardly remember anything about Terminator 1, Terminator 2, or Terminator 3 and still wanted to see this movie.  That’s weird.

Step Brothers.  Tea bagging.  Nuff said.  My Rating:  Will Ferrell, you’re a legitimately funny person.  You really are.  Will you please, please, please, please, please stop acting in every ridiculous dumb ass movie that comes your way, and start making more lasting choices.  And John C Reilly, you’re an awesome actor.  You were in Magnolia, one of my favorite movies ever.  Why are you getting dragged into this crap?  Help me understand!

Role Models.  Did you laugh at American Pie, Superbad, Napolean Dynamite, Dumb and Dumber, or the 40 Year Old Virgin?  Then, chances are, you’ll laugh at Role Models.  This movie was pretty much as vulgar as the previews made it out to be, but it ended up being MUCH funnier than I expected.  Sean William Scott is definitely a type cast actor, but he’s come a hell of a long way since Dude, Where’s My Car?.  My Rating:  It’s one of those movies you kind of feel guilty for laughing so hard at….just like American Pie, Superbad, Napolean Dynamite, Dumb and Dumber, and The 40 Year Old Virgin.

The Bucket List.  Two old guys keep getting older.  And before they die, they want to accomplish some things in life.  It stars Jack Nicholas and Morgan Freeman, so you kind of want to see it regardless.  And it made me think of my own bucket lists in life…things I wanted to accomplish before I turned 25, before I turned 30, before I turn 35.  Like those fellas, I’ve done almost none of it.  So I’m hoping that when I’m 70 and have a little more expendable income, my list will become a reality – skydiving, owning a jet ski, seeing Michael Jackson in concert, smuggling illegal immigrants in from Mexico, eating REAL Chinese food, and playing golf at Pebble Beach, just to name a few.  My Rating:  Sorry, I got so caught up in the thought of seeing Michael Jackson in concert, I forgot what the movie was about.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall.  Guys, if you watch it just to see Kristen Bell or Mila Kunis spend half the movie in a bikini, then it’s worth watching.  Ladies, if you watch it just to see Russell Brand nearly naked on several occasions, it’s worth watching.  Fortunately, you’ll have the added bonus of seeing a movie that is legitimately funny, entertaining, fairly original, and absolutely worth enduring as far as chick flicks are concerned.  My Rating:  Maybe you didn’t see the earlier part … Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis very often in bikinis.  Russell Brand often nearly naked.  And Jason Segal pretty much doing what he does comedically, which becomes slightly tiring after a while but mostly works.  Just see it, already.

bruno vs eminem

Have you seen this yet??

one of the funniest ever

This past weekend’s episode of Saturday Night Live was one of the funniest I’ve ever watched from beginning to end.  It feels weird to say this, but Justin Timberlake is the man.

Didn’t catch it?  Then you absolutely HAVE to watch this sketch:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/72446/saturday-night-live-immigrant-tale

Followed by this digital short:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/72434/saturday-night-live-motherlover

Seriously.  You have to.  Ridiculous.

And watch them in that order.  Makes it even funnier.

Movie Ratings – Part X

Wow, we’ve made it all the way to Part 10 of the movie ratings on this blog.  Hard to believe.  That means I’ve rated approximately 45 movies in the last (almost) 2 years.  As a special treat to commemorate the occasion, I have more ratings to share.  And you will like them.  Word.

Gran Torino.  How old does a guy have to get before he ceases to be intimidating?  In Clint Eastwood’s case, I’m guessing it will happen at age 94.  In the meantime, he’ll continue to write, act, direct, and kick ass.  My Rating:  Listen punk.  Ever notice how you come across somebody once in a while you shouldn’t have f**ked with? That’s me.

Watchmen.  This movie can be summed up in 3 words.  Big blue penis.  My Rating:  It was long, it wasn’t very action oriented, it was a little confusing, and it featured a big blue penis.  You make the call.

Don’t Mess With the Zohan.  Never in my life would I have thought hummus could be so funny.  Or racial slurs and profiling.  Or humping old women.  But somehow, against my better judgement, I watched this movie, and actually laughed.  My Rating:  If you’re trying to make a decision between Step Brothers, Don’t Mess With the Zohan, or Superbad…ah hell, it’s a toss up.  They’re all ridiculously crude, wrong, insensitive, and ashamedly funny.

Marley & Me.  I laughed.  Then I went, “awe…..how cute.”   Then I enjoyed some chips and salsa as the story developed.  Then I noticed some lacsadaisical movie making moments.  Then I laughed again.  Then some more time went by………………………..and then I cried.  And cried.  And cried more.  And then had to actually work hard to keep myself from vocally crying out loud.  This was like watching a really great episode of Extreme Makeover Home Edition and then having Ty Pennington die in a freak accident at the end of the show.  My Rating:  I’m recommending it.  But I’m stating imperatively that you MUST have a box of tissues nearby.  Don’t test me on this one.

Funniest Show on TV

(note – you can add additional answers)

Movie Ratings – Part IX

For part 9 in my movie ratings series, I’ve gone against the grain a little.  I actually really like every movie I’m writing about today.  I almost always throw in a dud or two, just because it feels more balanced.  And, since I’ve not posted a movie rating since October, I’ve certainly seem some duds (which I’ll write about later).  But today, it just didn’t feel right. 

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.  I’m starting to wonder…when Brad Pitt is 60, will he still look 30?  He has to be the most consistently younger-than-his-age looking man who’s ever lived.  Moving on.  This is certainly not the best movie I’ve ever seen.  But it’s certainly one of the most creative.  Anytime you can watch a 3 hour movie, and walk away not feeling like it was 3 hours, that’s a good thing.  My Rating:  If you have a curious case of Academy Award Nominated Movie-itis, then give this one a shot.

Wall E.  This rating is way overdue.  Wall E has already made it to DVD, but I’ve been fortunate enough to see it twice in the theater and once on DVD, and it continues to amaze.  I’m both shocked and angry that this movie didn’t get a Best Picture nominee…and I mean in the big boy category, not in the animated flicks.  The simple fact that you have sit with a 4 year old, and watch a 2 hour movie that has maybe 20 minutes of actual dialogue, and have that 4 year old be totally enthralled….well, that’s true movie magic.  My Rating:  Maybe the best movie of 2008, regardless of category.

Traitor.  I’m guessing this has not been a highly watched movie.  Don Cheadle is an amazing actor, but doesn’t seem to be a big draw when he’s the leading man.  He seems much more natural in great supporting roles (Ocean’s Eleven, Traffic, and Out of Sight come to mind).  But both in Hotel Rwanda and in Traitor, Cheadle proves he’s more than a supporting man.  Ultimately, Traitor makes you question your faith, your resolve, and your dedication to your beliefs and values.  It makes you ask yourself how far you would go for a cause you believe in.  My Rating:  You could pass this movie over in the Blockbuster aisle without even realizing it’s there…instead…stop, rent it, and watch it.

Michael Clayton.  It’s just a recipe for a good movie.  Great cast, intricate plot, twists and turns, moments of agonizing decision, gut checks, betrayal, you name it.  It was almost impossible for this movie to not be great.  Which it was.  George Clooney shines in a more contemporary role.  Tilda Swinton, one of the plainest looking people on the big screen, commands attention in every scene.  Tom Wilkinson is as great as always.  And the ending is superb.  My Rating:  Um, tough one here, huh?  See it!

V for Vendetta.  First…no, I didn’t just see V for Vendetta for the first time.  My friend Scott owns it.  I was at his home recently, and decided to borrow it, since I’d not seen it for a couple of years.  And, as before, it was so incredibly good that I wouldn’t help but to add it to my ratings list.  I think this may be the only movie ever that I could actually watch with my eyes closed, hearing only the dialogue, and still walk away loving it.  It’s clever, thoughtful, poetic, intriguing, enigmatic, powerful.  It’s main character wears a mask, yet you completely feel his emotions like they were written on his face.  A masterpiece.  My Rating:  It’s STILL not quite Braveheart, but this is a movie I’ll continue to watch for years to come.

observations

There were somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,000,000 people at the Obama inauguration.  That’s a lot of people.  Astute observation, I know.

Are the San Antonio Spurs EVER going to get to old to compete?  I’m beginning to wonder.  Seems like they’ve been the “older, veteran” team on the block for about 5 years now, yet they continue to win.

Michael C. Hall could possibly be the greatest actor whose name you just don’t recognize.

I’m having a really hard time finding any optimistic reserves regarding the economy.  At my place of employment, we were on 32 hour work weeks in November and December, had a mandatory shutdown from Christmas through New Years, changed to a company-wide 10% pay cut for January, and are now going back to 32 hour work weeks indefinitely.  And I feel like I have to consider myself lucky, because I actually still have a job.  It’s hard to imagine how the 15,000,000 jobless feel.

I’m about halfway through the 4th book in the Twilight series…which, for now, is the last book.  The only other vampire book I’ve ever read – Stephen King’s “Salem’s Lot” – kept me awake at night, scared, watching my windows for floating shadow’s.  Not so much with this one.  Even though I’ve enjoyed it, it’s been less of a scary feeling and more of a Notebook-Return to Me-While You Were Sleeping-Sweet Home Alabama-One Fine Day sort of feeling. 

For the most part, when an athlete says, “It’s not about the money.  Even if I wasn’ t making anything, this is what I would be doing”, it’s crap. 

I have a weird thing for jackets.  At home, in the closet, I have a minimum of  12 different jackets….rain jackets, winter sledding coats, plain zip up hoodies, mid-weight jackets, pullover windshirts.  This is partly because of where I work, but a few of these are over 5 years old and still in good shape.  I can’t explain it, really.  I just like jackets.

Wanna watch some videos of guys having their arms broken while they arm wrestle?  Here’s your chance.

Just recently made hamburger steak at home for the first time ever.  I love hamburger steak.  I cannot understand why I’ve never made this before.  It’s sort of like making miniature versions of meatloaf.  And I love meatloaf. 

Good bye Goody’s.  I’ll miss you.  That one and only time I purchased a couple of sweaters from your store about 10 years ago was a great experience for me.  I loved those sweaters.  Got them for about $6.00 each and wore them for at least 7 years, before they finally wore out. 

Declarative Statement:  If you’re not a fan and active viewer of The Office, I pity you.

old tv shows on wgn

WGN (out of Chicago) has been running a thing in the evenings on weeknights where they show old “tv classics”…Alf, Family Ties, All in the Family, The Hartford Files, stuff like that. 

In particular, I’ve had the opportunity to catch old episodes of Knight Rider, The Incredible Hulk, and the A-Team.  All shows I grew up watching and had great memories of.  I’m sorry to say that these WGN reruns have KILLED my fondness for these shows.  Man, in comparison to today’s shows, they are AWFUL.  I mean, just absolutely AWFUL.  The plots are bad, the acting is bad, the color is bad, the scenery is bad, the dialogue is bad.  I’ve had trouble watching these shows for more than 15-20 minutes when they’ve been on because it hurts me so bad to do so.  I’m serious.  I’m grinding my teeth going, “how in the world did I ever love these shows so much.” 

It’s brutal.  It’s like drinking Tab, hopping back into a wood-paneled station wagon, whipping up a can of Spam for old time sakes, or visiting the church you went to as a child that hasn’t changed one bit since you went there as a child.  I’m almost awe-struck at how much television could improve just in the span of 20-25 years.  It makes me excited to see what tv will be like when I’m 50.  It even makes me excited to see what Spam will be like when I’m 50.  Hmmmm.  Yummy.

One of the funniest SNL sketches ever

Anybody catch this one yet?  It’s from this past weekend.  Absolutely, no doubt, one of my top 5 funniest SNL moments ever.  I’ve watched it about 6 times and can’t get enough.

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/update-palin-rap/773781/

if that link doesn’t work (it’s the nbc.com link)….then try this one…

http://www.dailystab.com/sarah-palin-rap-video-on-snl/

Still not sure what’s up, but wordpress is not cooperating when i try to embed video links.  It’s making me angry.

Hell Fire

If you’ve been reading this blog for more than a few weeks, you’re aware of just how much I LOVE door-to-door evangelists, bicycle riding evangelists, street preachers, gospel tracts, and so forth.  

Two weeks ago, before seeing the movie “Eagle Eye” with Erin at the Pinnacle theater in Turkey Creek, yours truly needed to use the restroom.  This is what I found on top of the toilet paper dispenser inside the stall.  Made for good bathroom reading. 

Just in case you can’t read it clearly….basically, it reminds you that there’s nothing more you need to do in order to go to hell.  It’s already a given that you’re on your way there….unless, of course, you believe upon Jesus and take a moment to pray something like….okay, okay.  I’m calm.  I know we all need Jesus.  I know that without Him I’m definitely on a one way ticket to hell.  But can you imagine one day being at church, camp, or a conference, and hearing a stirring testimony from a guest speaker, and it starts with, “I was a sinner.  I was on my way to hell.  Until one weekend I went to see Nights in Rodanthe with my wife.  And before the movie, I realized I needed to go number 2.  While doing my duty, I noticed a gospel tract on the toilet paper dispenser and thought, ‘what the hell, I’ve got a couple of minutes’.  And ‘what the hell’ was right, because I realized then and there that brimstone was in my future.  Then I prayed a prayer, left the restroom, and decided immediately with my wife that we would exchange our tickets and go see Fireproof instead.”

Movie Ratings – Part VIII

Tropic Thunder.  At some point in my life, I’m going to stop watching Ben Stiller movies.  If it weren’t for a killer preview and the infamous Robert-Downey-Jr-playing-a-dude-pretending-to-be-a-dude-disguised-as-another-dude black man performance, I’d probably have never seen this one.  Except for a few comical moments, it was just another Ben Stiller disappointment.  My Rating:  Whatever happened to the Ben Stiller of Reality Bites, Heavyweights, and Something About Mary?  Was he bad back then or was I just immune because of my young age?  Either way, Ben Stiller is no longer funny.

Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden.  How could I not see this?  I LOVED Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size Me and LOVED what little I got to see of his “30 Days” shows.  However, I’m just not sure what to say about this one.  Sort of good.  Sort of bad.  Sort of funny.  Sort of corny.  Overall, the concept was cool but the production was slightly lacking.  Could have been better.  My Rating:  Ahh, I don’t know.  I feel like I’m recommending cauliflower.  I really don’t care for it too much, but I can see how you might feel differently.  So, give it a shot.

Gone Baby Gone.  Remember back in the day (like 3 years ago) when Casey Affleck was simply that younger dude on the Ocean’s 11 movie series, and you knew who he was but could never remember his name?  Now he’s hit big time roles with The Assassination of Jesse James and Gone Baby Gone?  Well, at least in this movie, he definitely hit it big.  Felt a lot like Mystic River, in terms of feel, pace, drama.  Excellent cast, interesting plot, and some definitely twists and turns that you don’t see coming.  My Rating:  I could think of nothing better to do if you have a Friday evening free and can think of nothing else you want really want to see.  But, and I promise, it will be even better with fresh baked cinnamon rolls.  See Meriam’s Recipe Blog for details.

21.  Wow, where do I start?  First the cast.  A bunch of hacks…and Kevin Spacey.  Second, a personal recommendation to Hollywood.  Can you please, please, please stop making great books into second rate movies?  This is not to say many books weren’t made into great movies….Get Shorty, The Notebook, Misery, The Hunt for Red October, Shawshank Redemption, Silence of the Lambs, and A Time to Kill all come to mind.  But then, on the flip side, you have movies like The DaVinci Code, Dreamcatcher, every other Nicholas Sparks movie SINCE The Notebook, The Stepford Wives…and now, 21.  Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not against books being made into movies.  In fact, you can go HERE to see a TON of books turned into movies…most of them very good…I just very much dislike when it’s made into a bad movie.  Like 21.  Great book (Bringing Down the House).  Read it.  Loved it.  Bad movie.  My Rating:  Shame on Kevin Spacey for being in this movie.  Shame on him.

The 1st Thing I’ve Built In Years

A couple of weeks ago the subdivision Erin’s parents live in had it’s 12th annual community garage sale.  It’s always big, and really good.  We’ve participated 3 times, and always sold everything we put out.  This year, while walking around the neighborhood, I found the Sanyo 27″ TV you see in this picture…and bought it for $20.00.  It now sits in Eli’s room. 

However, when we bought it, I knew there wouldn’t really be a spot in his room to put the TV.  So I decided to build him a TV table.  Myself. 

I sketched it out, did the measurements, went to Lowe’s, found the wood, had it cut on site, realized AFTER it was cut that I had grabbed the 2×10″ wood instead of the 2×12″ wood, which screwed up my sketched out plan.  So I had to figure out how to use the precut wood I had instead.  Figured it out.  Proceeded to build the table in our kitchen.  Realized the screws I was using were not really the right kind.  Went to Ace Hardware and got new ones.  Made lots of noise and lots of dust in the kitchen.  Measured mostly by eye, which you aren’t supposed to do, realized the table was slighly wobblier than I had hoped, but was able to use two left over pieces as extra support braces.  Decided to nail those in instead of screw them, which was REALLY loud in the kitchen.

And finally finished.  Didn’t varnish or paint it.  I wanted Eli to be able to draw and decorate and write all over it if he wanted.  He did for a while and was done.  But it’s still his for the decorating.  And it holds up his TV.  So, when it was all said and done, Eli got a 27″ Sanyo tv in GREAT condition, a custom made TV/VCR/DVD stand, and a VCR/DVD combo (from his grandparents who weren’t using it anymore), and I spent a grand total of about $50.00.  Not too bad.  However, it kind of sucks to think that it took me 29 years before I had a TV as big as the one he now has at 4 1/2.

Movie Ratings, Part VII

Be Kind, Rewind.  Be Kind.  Don’t make me watch another minute of this.  Mos Def sucks, yet continues showing up in movies.  Jack Black sucks, yet continues showing up in movies.  Erin and I muscled our way through this, but we should have rewound it after 20 minutes.  My Rating:  IT’S TERRIBLE!

The Assassination of Jesse James.  For a moment, harken back to movies like The English Patient, Seven Years in Tibet, the Last Emperor, or the final 60 minutes of the last Lord of the Rings movie.  Great movies, worth watching, good to recommend….but really, really, really slow.  And even if you’re a Brad Pitt fan, I think you’ll be surprised at his level of acting in this movie.  My Rating:  this movie is odd, good, quirky, weird, scary, well acted, worth watching, and I recommend it … but it moves at a VERY slow pace.

3:10 to Yuma.  This might be the best movie of the last several months that nobody talks about, has gotten little to no pub, and I had a hard time even remembering that I saw it in order to put it in my movie ratings list.  And it makes no sense.  It’s good.  Really good.  Really really good.  My Rating:  I need to be at work at 8:00am, in bed by 11:00pm, and at church by 7:00am on Sundays…but if I ever need to catch a 3:10 train to Yuma, I definitely want Russell Crowe by my side.

Starship Troopers 3: Marauder.  Who saw the original Starship Troopers, roughly 10 years ago, when Denise Richards was the bomb?  Come on, raise your hands, don’t be shy.  Weren’t those alien spiders crazy scary?  Weren’t Casper Van Dien and Neil Patrick Harris the most awesome three-named guys ever?  For it’s time, it was pretty sweet.  And let me say that Starship Troopers 3 holds the candle proudly.  Action, love, adventure, goriness, it’s got it all.  My Rating:  Are you serious?  Do you think I actually watched Starship Troopers 3?  If you did, then SIKE!

Definitely, Maybe.  I’ll say this.  Ryan Reynolds has come a long way since 2 Guys, a Girl, and Pizza Place and Van Wilder.  This dude can really act.  This movie, in a way, reminded me of Love, Actually.  On the outside, it looks like your normal, stupid, boring romantic comedy.  Then you watch it, and it’s got something different and almost watchable about it.  A new twist, a creative story line, believable characters, whatever.  It just ends up being better than you expected.  My Rating:  Is this movie worth watching?  Maybe, Definitely.

Is It Sarah or Tina?

One was born on May 18, 1970 with the given middle name Samatina.  The other was born on February 11, 1964 with the given middle name Louise.  Which is A and which is B?

One has a 17 year old daughter who’s 5 months pregnant.  The other portrayed an infertile mother and hired a baby mama to have a child for her.  Which is A and which is B?

One was born in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania and graduated from the Universita of Virginia.  The other was born in Sandpoint, Idaho and attended Hawaii Pacific College before transferring and graduating from the University of Idaho.  Which is A and which is B?

One hosted a weekend news show entitled “Weekend Update”.  The other majored in communications-journalism and worked briefly as a sports reporter.  Which A and which is B?

One is kind of attractive in a cute sort of way.  The other is sort of cute in an attractive kind of way.  Which is A and which is B?

One is both the youngest and the first woman governor in her state’s history.  The other was the first female head writer in the history of a major comedy show.  Which is A and which is B?

One was recently announced as the “sexiest woman in the world” by readers of the lesbian/bisexual website AfterEllen.com….consequently, she is happily married to a man and is not a lesbian.  The other has sons named Track and Trig….consequently, neither enjoy running track or calculating trigonometry.  Which is A and which is B?

More Questions

Where have all the cowboys gone?

For you betters out there … I give the over/under on the number of seasons before American Idol finally fizzles out at 4.5 season.  Where do you put your money? 

Who is this? 

 

 

When a comedian or performer has an awesome show, someone might tell him, “man, you killed it out there tonight!”  Doesn’t that sound extremely odd and anti-funny?  I mean, if an assassin successfully guns a man down, does a cohort tell him, “dude, you had them laughing so hard out there!” ?? No, because that makes no sense.  Why do we say so many things that make no sense?

Did you know you can occasionally catch re-runs of ALF weeknights on WGN?

Which would you choose?  $1,000,000 in a wire transfer.  Or $3,000,000 in pennies truckloaded to your home and dumped in your yard?

Scrubs might be my all-time-favorite-tv-show-that-I-almost-never-watched.  What’s yours?

Whoooo let the dogs out!?  Woof, woof, woof!

Isn’t the mere fact that the period of time from a presidential election in November to the time the new president actually takes office in January is referred to as the ”LAME DUCK” period enough to persuade Congress to possibly revise that procedure?

Weeds

In the last 8 days, Erin & I have watched the first TWO seasons of Weeds.  I’d heard it was good.  It’s a Showtime original comedy/drama that first aired in 2005.  I LOVED Mary Louise Parker on The West Wing  (side note – I loved EVERYTHING on The West Wing, about The West Wing, or even related to The West Wing).  So, it was worth a try.

WOWWWOOOWWWW!!!!  What an incredibly funny and off the beaten path show!  Seriously, 2 seasons in 8 days.  22 episodes in eight days.  At an average of 27 minutes per episode, that’s 594 minutes of watching Weeds in the last 8 days.  And we can’t wait to start season three this weekend!  I can’t even begin to explain the entire premise of the show.  It involves marijuana, a death in the family, desperate housewives, guns, condoms, pta meetings, family life, and more.  And who could have ever imagined that Kevin Nealon could be as genuinely funny as he is on this show?  I’m not talking about stupid/goofy Steve Martin funny.  I mean REALLY truly funny, and a really solid actor to boot.

Sufficeth to say…for the last 8 days….I’ve been high on Weeds.

** Update 8.18.2008 – we are now halfway through Season 3.

Movie Ratings – Part VI

Indiana Jones & The Crystal Skull.  The Ark of the Covenant, The Cross of Coronado, various ancient artifacts, The Holy Grail…and space aliens.  That’s exactly what I want from my archeological adventurer movie.  Space aliens.  Oh yeah, have I mentioned I’m not a big fan of Shia Lebouf?  My Rating:  I would say it’s about the fourth best movie in the Indiana Jones series. 

Bella.  Do you ever go to rent a movie, and you see that movie you’ve never heard of, but all over the movie cover are raving critical quotes, film festival award symbols, and enough stars to make you think you’re dizzy?  And sometimes you take a chance and rent it.  And it ends up sucking?  And sometimes you take a chance and rent it.  And it’s really really good and you’re so glad you took a chance?  My Rating:  We took a chance and rented this movie.  And I’m really really glad we took the chance. 

Wanted.  I’ve always thought Angelina Jolie was a good looking woman.  But I never really considered her to be “hot”.  Until now.  And somewhere along the way, over the last couple of years, I’ve grown to be a BIG fan of James McAvoy.  He’s of the same ilk as Ryan Gosling.  You don’t really think about them much in terms of being big time actors, but, man, are they good.  And would somebody please tell the movie industry to stop casting Common in movie roles?  He’s total dead weight on the screen.  And, as much as I like Morgan Freeman, is it really necessary for him to be in 68% of the movies I’ve seen in the last 5 years?  My Rating:  It’s totally far fetched and unbelievable….but it’s a LOT of fun to watch.

The Dark Knight.  Okay.  Erin and I went to see last weekend, its second weekend in theaters.  We wanted to see it in IMAX.  We showed up at the theater at 2:30pm in hopes of seeing the 3:40pm IMAX show.  It was already sold out.  In addition, the 7:00pm IMAX show was already sold out.  And so was the 3:10pm showing, which was the next show in the regular theater.  So we got tickets for the 4:10pm show.  Then, beginning at 3:00pm, she and I started the line for the 4:10pm show.  Yep, first in line.  By 3:30pm the line was about 150-200 people deep/thick, and by 3:40pm the 4:10pm show was sold out.  But then, at the glorious time of 3:50pm, the barrier was opened, and we were the first ones in the theater, getting the select choice of seats (which was about 5 rows up, dead in the middle).  By 4:00pm, the theater was almost full.  Around 4:10pm, just before the previews, the idiotic movie goers who think it’s no big deal to show up right at the movie starting time show up, and have that oh-so-funny “oh crap” look on their faces as they realize it’s the neck-cricking seats for them this afternoon.  (One of Jason’s big pet peeves – not showing up early to movies.  Seriously.  If I can’t be in the theater about 10-15 minutes before the scheduled show time, I don’t want to go.)  Then we watched the movie.  And I was proud of myself for having the strength and stamina to hold off going to the bathroom for the last 80 minutes of the movie.  It hurt, but it was worth it.  My Rating:  Do you really need me to rate this movie?  Even if I thought it was so-so or not-that-great, you know you have to see it anyway.  And if I think it’s the greatest movie since Titanic, then I’m just riding the bandwagon.  So who cares?  You’ve probably already seen it twice anyway.

A Few Updates

I’ve played more tennis in the last 2 months than I had in the last 10 years.  It’s been great.  Although playing until after midnight on Tuesday nights with my pals, getting to bed around 1:00am, and then getting up for work the next day has been a little rough on this old body.

I’ve picked more berries in the last two weeks than I have in my entire life previously.  Picked some fresh blackberries at Daniel & Mandy’s about a week ago, and just ate them right off the bush.  Then, Eli & I went to The Fruit & Berry Patch in Halls a few nights ago and picked some blackberries and peaches and took them home.  Then a couple of nights later, Erin, Eli, & I went back out to the Patch and picked blueberries, grapes, blackberries, and apples.  And we bought a thing of honey made in Nebraska that is probably the most delicious honey I’ve ever tasted.  Then we went home and I took the blackberries and blueberries and made a homemade cobbler all by myself.  Never did this before.  It was really really good….and VERY sweet….went just a little overboard on the sugar.  Although I did take the cobbler to work the next day and it disappeared quickly. 

Work is hectic.  One guy in my department was let go about 4 weeks ago, and another girl resigned and went off to greener pastures.  So I’m taking on some full time web accounts again, on top of trying to do the things I’ve been doing the last several months….technical training and development, product development, various projects, etc.  Stressful.

I LOVE the show So You Think You Can Dance.  Love it.  I’ve watched previous seasons as well, although I’ve never committed to watching it every single week like I do with Lost, The Office, or Prison Break.  But the dancing is so incredible.  This isn’t celebrities “trying” to dance.  It’s 18-28 year olds who are actual dancers trying to make it and get their big break.  I love it.  The choreography each week is so stinking creative and amazing.  And I don’t think I can dance.  I know I can.

Erin has recently gotten pretty good at throwing Frisbee.  I’m not sure how or why, because every time she’d tried in the past, it went pretty poorly and she’d get frustrated and quit.  But something clicked.  And although there’s still room for improvement, we’ve actually gotten out and thrown several times over the last few weeks.  Awesome.

Because of season passes that were given to us as a gift, we’ve been able to go to Dollywood & Splash Country 4 times each so far this year.  Yee Haw!

This time next year, we’ll be getting Eli ready for Kindergarten.  Buying a backpack, shopping for school clothes, getting pencils and paper, finding a cool lunchbox.  How is this possible?  5 years ago this little person did not exist.  Now he talks back, climbs on the counter to secretly find snacks, dances all around the living room breakdance style, wears his water mask/goggles in bed while watching cartoons, prefers to get dressed all by himself, picks bugs up off the ground, sings on tune, loves to eat mushrooms, has a sort-of preschool girlfriend who is so clingy to him that he says “why does she be my friend ALL the time??”, and laughs just as wonderfully as ever.

Movie Ratings – Part V

The Savages.  Can you believe that a guy as odd looking as Phillip Seymour Hoffman is such an amazing actor and has played a wide variety of roles in MANY great movies?  He’s great.  Laura Linney is great.  The story is great.  The acting is great.  God is great.  Cocoa Pebbles cereal is great.  My Rating:  Watch the movie.  But do it while eating Cocoa Pebbles and thinking about God.  It will make it even better.

I Am Legend.  You know, I sort of avoided seeing this movie.  Mentally, I sort of put it in the Men-in-Black-Part 2-I-Robot sort of Will Smith going overboard with the whole supernatural alien movie thing.  But then I heard someone say it’s worth watching.  And I’m easily swayed.  That may not be a good thing if I ever visit Vietnam and a native encourages me to try the fried Iguana livers…but in this case, it worked out.  I liked it.  My Rating:  Give it a try.  But watch it late at night, in a dark living room, with surround sound, and a pillow to hold onto. 

Enchanted.  A curious one for me.  It’s always a little odd when a movie with sort of bad reviews and poor ratings gets an Oscar nomination for Best Actress (Amy Adams).  Do you see it because of the performance, or not see it because of the reviews?  Hmm.  Well, I’m married.  And my wife is a female.  So, yes, we saw Enchanted.  And McDreamy.  And well….  My Rating:  This movie had the possibility of being as good as Elf…but ended up being about as good as Ever After.  Which is to say I wasn’t terribly impressed.

Before the Devil Knows Your Dead.  (Déjà vu spoiler alert)  Can you believe that a guy as odd looking as Phillip Seymour Hoffman is such an amazing actor and has played a wide variety of roles in MANY great movies?  Sorry, but this wasn’t one of them.  This movie had about has much suspense and thrill as my last statement did.  My Rating:  I would have expected Tom Berringer, Eric Roberts, or C. Thomas Howell to star in this movie….but instead it had Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke.  Shame on them.  And if anyone reading is still familiar with Tom Berringer, Eric Roberts, or C. Thomas Howell, you’ve been watching way too many bad movies.

Wild Hogs.  I haven’t even finished this movie.  We stopped it last night at about 1:15.23, with probably 30 minutes left to go.  It was late.  Had to go to bed.  But saw plenty enough to give you this rating.  My Rating:  It’s bad.

The Bachelorette – Season 4

Yep, I did just stay up until 11:00pm last night watching the 3 HOUR finale of The Bachelorette – Season 4, in which Deanna and Jesse ended up together.  Wow, what a marathon.  Truth is, I’d seen maybe 1 episode this season.  But this weekend, we were in Kentucky visiting my family, and my sister Kari Jo had the last 2 or 3 weeks of it recorded on their DVR, and on a lazy Saturday afternoon we all watched it together.  Turns out Deanna Pappas (the Bachelorette) is originally from Campbellsville, Ky, where my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew live. 

And I’ve seen a few of The Bachelor series in the past.  And none of the relationships work out.  In fact, Ryan and Trista from 2003 are the only “successful” couple out of 16 different Bachelor and Bachelorette series to date.  Not the greatest success rate.  A 6% success rate, in fact.  I think the rate of relationships in which the woman turns lesbian, leaves the guy, and hooks up with another women is even higher than 6%.  I mean, that’s dismal.  Which leaves me wondering how the show continues to be successful?  That’s like having a reality TV show about drug addiction recovery, in which addicts successfully kick-the-habit on tv, and then 15 out of every 16 contestants ends up back on drugs within 3 months of the show.  Not good.

For future reference, here’s how you know who’s going to get picked on The Bachelor or The Bachelorette.  Whoever the show makes you THINK is going to get picked…is not going to get picked.  They do it all the time.  It’s on purpose.  The couples spend hours and hours together on dates, and you get to see 15 minutes of it.  The producers plan this all out, editing things so that you think one guy is toast (In this case – Jesse), and another guys is a shoe-in (Jason), and then it goes down completely the opposite way.  In fact, they make this slant so obvious, that it’s now almost predictable.  The family loved Jason.  He was hot, stable, family oriented, committed, open, honest, and the “chemistry” always seemed to be there.  Then there was Jesse…not as committed, nervous, not really ready to settle down as quickly, family seemed more unsure of him….and, of course, she picks Jesse.  It’s like watching WWE wrestling, except with lots of kissing and walks on the beach, personal helicopter rides, and other over-romanticized happenings. 

And, guys, be serious.  Who really wants to be lumped together with 25 other dudes to “compete” for a girl you don’t even know….even if she is attractive?  Especially when you know she’s making out with at least half the other guys on the show?  No way this happens naturally.  There has to be some coaching and planning behind the scenes to make this play out well on tv. 

Anyway, I’m rambling.  It’s probably because of my lack of sleep.  Which is mostly due to the 3 HOUR Bachelorette marathon finale.  Which, for some unexplainable reason, I watched.  Thanks Kari Jo.  I’m blaming it all on you.

Movie Ratings – Part IV

And on we go….

No Country For Old Men.  If I’m ever a redneck cowboy, living in the desert, and I come across a bunch of shot up vehicles with dead people in them….I’m not investigating the scene.  Nope.  I’m out of there.  The last thing I need is a guy with a cow-killing air gun and an advanced silencer Uzi coming after me.  But, damn, was it interesting to watch.  My Rating:  Not the best Oscar winning movie ever, but a worthy winner nonetheless.  So you gotta see it.  Just be ready to hide your face.  

Bridge to Terabithia.  This might be one of my favorite fantasy-style movies since The Neverending Story.  It reminded me of my youth, when my friends and I used to tramp through the farms, building castles out of hay, finding adventure in a small creek, sword fighting with tobacco sticks.  A gut-wrenching but heart warming ending.  My Rating:  As far as movies with “Bridge” in the title go, it’s MUCH better than “The Bridge – A Movie About the Controversial Church of Scientology“.

Once.  Simple.  One of the best movies I’ve ever seen.  One of the most gut-wrenching endings I’ve ever seen.  One of the most believable, real, honest, clever, romantic stories you’ll find.  Is that enough to convince you?  My Rating:  SEE THIS MOVIE.  It was the highest critically rated movie of 2007.  Seriously.  SEE THIS MOVIE.

Fracture.  Anthony Hopkins has certainly done better movies (not counting The Edge).  Ryan Gosling has certainly done better movies (ever see The Notebook or Half Nelson?).  Fracture?  Yeah, this movie is fractured.  Had some promise.  Didn’t see it through.  My Rating:  Rent Half Nelson instead.  I’m not reviewing it officially, but you’ll get to see Gosling in a fantastic role.  And you won’t cry as hard as you did watching The Notebook.  Seriously.  I still cry just thinking about The Notebook.

Movie Ratings – Part III

As much as I liked my movie rating scale, I’ve already come to find it too limiting.  So, since this is MY blog and MY movie ratings, I’ve decided to rate the movies however I see fit.  If you don’t like it, tough.  But please keep reading anyway, because I don’t want you to leave.  That would suck. 

Kung Fu Panda.  “Skadoosh” is my new favorite word.  Did you know that Beauty & The Beast is the only animated movie EVER to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture?   Now that animated movies have their own Oscar category, that just doesn’t happen anymore.  With movies like Kung Fu Panda, Wall E, Cars, and other incredible animated movies, it’s time to change that rule.  My Rating:  Did you like Cars, Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Ratatouille, & Monsters Inc?  Then you’ll definitely like this.

Juno.  I’ll be honest.  I liked it, but I sort of expected it to be even better.  Ellen Page was good, but I had a hard time seeing her as a 16 year old.  She looks young, but she acts SO old.  Almost like a 1990’s Natalie Portman, but even MORE adult-like, if that’s possible.  Jason Bateman was great, and the overall story was really good.  Wanna see Ellen Page in an incredible role?  Check out Hard Candy.  That one will shock you.  My Rating:  If you watch it because you noticed it was nominated for Best Picture last year, it’s about a B.  If you watch it because you love those lower budget films with a great cast, good stories, and believable characters, then it’s more like an A–. 

Fool’s Gold.  If you’ve already seen this movie, there are probably 2 reasons for it.  One, you think Matthew McConaughey is hot and will watch any movie he’s in (not a bad reason).  Two, you’re a guy and your girlfriend or wife thinks Matthew McConaughey is hot and wants to see any movie he’s in (again, not a bad reason).  My Rating:  ESPN, mowing the yard, The Neverending Story, baking a cake, Dazed and Confused, vacuuming, and Secret Admirer would all be better choices.

Funny Games.  Spoiler Alert….it’s not funny.  Not at all.  It’s mean, scary, hard to watch, weird, gruesome, odd, and kooky all rolled into one.  Problem is, it just isn’t really  that good.  And what’s up with Naomi Watts’ career?  My Rating:  If you need something different to watch, try it out.  But ultimately, you’d be better off renting The Ring, and once again be reminded at how freaking scary THAT movie was. 

Jesus Camp.  Okay (with a straight face), how you can you not wanna watch a film that features 10 year old kids speaking in tongues and rolling around on the floor in the Spirit?  I don’t know what to say about this film.  Honestly, I just don’t quite understand why it was made and released mainstream.  Was it to make fun of the Jesus Camp?  Was it to shed some kind of light on something?  Was it an honest promotion?  I don’t get it.  My Rating:  If you’re a Christian, and you’ve seen the promos, you know you wanna see it, just to see if it’s as ridiculous as it looks.  So do it.  You may not like it, but at least your curiosity will be served.

My Movie Ratings – Part II

Be sure to read my personal movie rating scale (in the post right below this one), so you’ll understand where each movie ranks. 

Lions for Lambs.  When you see Tom Cruise, Robert Redford, and Meryl Streep on the cover of a DVD, you immediately have certain expectations, right?  Individually, they are all on top of their game.  Collectively, however, the movie was a little lacking for me.  My Rating:  I Loved Seven.  Did you love Seven?  This Was Okay.  But This Was No Seven.

The Lookout.  Yeah, you’re probably going to have to Google this one to even know what it is.  And I’m too lazy right now to link every single one of these.  Sorry.  But this one is definitely worth seeing.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt (3^rd Rock From the Sun) has become a great actor, although he’s mostly in indy-style stuff.  Jeff Daniels is in this one too.  My Rating:  Oh Yeah, You Should See It.  Just Be Sure to Follow It Up With A Few Good Men.

There Will Be Blood.  How can I explain this one?  Wow.  It’s sort of like my heart and soul are filled with Coca Cola.  And this movie is a straw.  And the straw reaches over, penetrates my heart and soul, and drinks up the Coca Cola.  IT DRINKS IT UP!!  My Rating:  It’s Sort of In Between Crash & Shawshank Redemption, With a Dash of Magnolia. 

Cloverfield.  Great Technical Stuff!  Giant buildings!  Mediocre acting!  Scary monster!  Please, stop shaking the camera, I’m getting sick!  I want to keep watching, but I need some Advil!  Ahh!  Oh, it’s over?  Hmm.  Okay.  My Rating:  If William Wallace From Braveheart Belched, This Movie Would Come Out.

The Other Boleyn Girl.  A true story of intrigue, sibling rivalry, the struggle for power, fancy dresses, sex with the King of England, painful childbirth, shaky plot, Eric Bana, Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Scott-Thomas, who’s that guy, why did they get married again, what did that mean, I’m getting lost, help me understand, huh?  My rating:  Ever See The Bridges of Madison County?  Slow, Watchable, Totally Mediocre?  Yep.  It’s About Like That.

My Movie Ratings – Part I

With Blockbuster Online, we see our fair share of movies at home.  And fortunately, I’ve actually been able to see a handful of movies in the theater over the past few months….partly because one of Erin’s co-workers is the sister of the CEO of Regal Cinemas.  Cha Ching.  So I thought I would share some personal movie reviews and ratings on flicks I’ve seen over the past few months.  I’ll offer minimal thoughts, so as to not ruin any plot or narrative, and then I’ll rate the movie.  After much consideration, I’ve developed my personal movie rating scale.  Here it is:

My Movie Rating Scale:

Holy Crap – It’s The Second Coming of Braveheart

It’s Sort of In Between Crash & Shawshank Redemption, With a Dash of Magnolia

On Par with Heat, Just Not Quite There Yet

Oh Yeah, You Should See It.  Just Be Sure to Follow It Up With A Few Good Men.

It’s Definitely Watchable….It’s Just Not Braveheart, And Never Will Be

I Loved Seven.  Did You Love Seven?  This Was Okay.  But This Was No Seven.

It Could Have Been Better If Steven Seagal Was In It

Ever See The Bridges Of Madison County?  Slow, Watchable, Totally Mediocre?  Yep, It’s About Like That.

If William Wallace From Braveheart Belched, This Movie Would Come Out

It Only Wishes it Could Be a Preview on the Braveheart DVD

Could Be a Cult Hit – If You’re a Member of the I-Love-Movies-That-Suck Cult

Remember Ace Ventura?  Yeah, It’s Almost That Bad

I Would Rather Watch a 2 Hour PBS Documentary on Smog While Snacking on Seaweed

So….let the ratings begin….

The Nanny Diaries.  Life in New York City is something I’ll never comprehend.  But Laura Linney is a great actress, and Scarlett Johansson is quite easy to look at.  My rating:  It’s Definitely Watchable…It’s Just Not Braveheart, And Never Will Be.

In the Valley of Elah.  Really good cast.  Good overall story.  Very nice performance from Tommy Lee Jones, even better than his role in No Country, in my opinion.  My rating:  Oh Yeah, You Should See It.  Just Be Sure to Follow it Up With A Few Good Men.

The Heartbreak Kid.  Can Ben Stiller actually act?  He’s talented, right?  He’s capable of being funny, isn’t he?  Didn’t he once have a bright future ahead of him?  My rating:  Remember Ace Ventura?  Yeah, It’s Almost That Bad.

Transformers.  Man, was I a big fan of the 80’s cartoon.  BIG fan.  You know what I’m not a big fan of?  Shia LeBeouf.  Major overactor.  Some cool effects, a nice emotional quality to the transformers themselves, and a total waste of Josh Duhamel’s decent acting ability.  Although it did elevate Meghan Fox to super-hottie-on-the-cover-of-every-men’s-magazine status.  My rating:  It Could Have Been Better If Steven Seagal Was In It.

Alvin & The Chipmunks.  Well.  Um.  Eli seemed to like it okay.  And I thought it was cool that Jason Lee was able to take off the mustache, wear nicer clothes, be a successful musician, and still pretty much look, sound, and act just like Earl J. Hickey.  My rating:  It Only Wishes It Could Be a Preview on the Braveheart DVD. 

The Electric Car

This one is for all my environmentally friends out there. And there are many of you. I want to recommend a documentary. I would actually consider it a must see.

Who Killed the Electric Car? Seen it? Heard of it? You need to. It’s pretty amazing. Back in the mid 1990’s, partly out of pressure from the California State Government, the electric car hit the streets.  Most of us here in the southeast or midwest may have never seen one.  Many of us probably never even heard of it.  But it existed.  And it worked.  And the cars were amazing.  Many were owned by celebrities….you know, all the ones that now drive Prius’s, ride bikes, speak out against smog, and live in homes that cost $1000.00 each month just to heat and cool?  Yep, those celebrities.  Without giving away the plot, the electric car effort came to a screeching halt, back around 2000 or 2001. 

However, back then, in the $1.50/gallon days, no one could have forseen $4.00/gallon gas just 7 years down the road.  So, after a short hiatus, in which most of the population has probably forgotten the electric car ever existed…..they’re making their way back.  For real.  You can check it out.  Here.  Or here. 

And whether you’ve seen them or not, electric cars are on the road.  Their just few and far between.  Want proof?  A couple of weeks ago, I was in the Barnes and Noble parking lot on Kingston Pike at about 8:00pm.  Was heading there to do some reading before meeting some friends to play tennis.  When, what did my eyes behold?  This…

That’s right.  An electric car.  And not only that, but one with some BAD ASS wheels baby!  Notice the picture on the left.  I really liked how the car was parked right in front of a $50,000 Porsche Boxster.  Awesome. 

So, cross your fingers.  I say it’s very possible that, within the next 10 years, electric cars could be a true reality.  And not just 100 of them scattered across the nation, but mass produced and parked in yours or my garage.  Well, I don’t have a garage, but that’s not the point.  It’s real.  It’s coming.  And I’m terribly excited about it.

Ironman

My small group went to see Ironman last night, 9:30pm, at Regal Pinnacle in Turkey Creek.  Believe me, we debated long and hard….study chapters 13 & 14 of Zechariah, or go see Ironman?  Our leader dutifully tried to steer us toward the study, but the movie prevailed.  John had to work late – until 9:00pm – so we determined we could all get there early, buy tickets, and have one ready for him when he got there from work. 

Very entertaining movie.  I know nothing about Ironman, the comic character.  Nothing.  And had absolutely no idea what to expect from the movie.  Probably would not have gone to see it if we weren’t going as a group.  But it was pretty sweet.  Robert Downy, Jr pulled off a comic hero role quite impressively, the special effects were really really good, and the story line was pretty creative.  Actually, I’d put it right behind Batman (Christian Bale or Michael Keaton Batmen only – none of that Val Kilmer or George Clooney crap) as my favorite comic movies.  A very close third would be X-Men…then Spiderman…then falling pretty far behind would be (in a dismal tie) Daredevil, Hulk, Fantastic Four, and any others that came out I can’t remember and most certainly did not see. 

Anyone else craving Salsarita’s?  Better question, does anyone else (like me) pretty much always crave Salsarita’s?

am i Lost?

I was a huge fan of the tv show Alias. I saw all but a couple of episodes over 5 full season.

JJ Abrams created Alias. He also created Lost. Therefore, I committed to watching Lost from the time it first aired on September 22, 2004.

This show has been amazing, confusing, intricately woven, fragmented, maddening, action packed, romantic, emotional, frustrating……you get my point.

There are times I’ve watched and thought it was some of the greatest story telling I’ve ever seen on television. Other times I’ve watched (remember the polar bear back in season one?) and thought, “what the crap does this stuff mean?” And sometimes that question has never been answered.

Lost returns this week. Is this the last season? Don’t know. Do I want it to be the last season, or do I want the story to go on for another 2 years? Don’t know. Am I as excited about this abbreviated season as I have been regarding previous seasons? Don’t know. I do know that I will continue to faithfully watch. I’m too deeply invested not to.

I’m just crossing my fingers and holding out hope that all the loose ends will tie together, the nagging questions will be answered, The Others will be completely identified and ousted, that no more random “survivors” miraculously show up out of nowhere, that Locke will forever inhabit the island and start a profitable adventure program, that Sawyer will come to know Jesus as his Savior, and that Hurley may actually begin to show signs of weight loss.

Considering he’s been living on an island for about 4 months, eating nothing but natural fruits and vegetation and walking a good 5 miles a day, I’d say that’s not too much to ask.

the moment of truth

Anybody happen to catch “The Moment of Truth” last night on Fox? It was the premeire episode of the new show where you win money simply by telling the truth. Contestants are given an extensive polygraph test before the shows with over 50 probing questions. 21 of those questions – mostly the juiciest and most embarrassing ones – are asked during the show.

Last night, a guy admitted that he had not yet pursued having a child with his wife of 2 years because he was not sure if she would be his life long partner. He smiled. She didn’t.

The show originated in Columbia. And despite high ratings…it was cancelled…because a contestant admitted she had hired someone to kill her husband! Seriously! You can read about it here.

The show almost demands we ask some questions of ourselves.

If you were submitted to a polygraph and could be asked ANYTHING by your significant other, what would they discover about you? If you could do the same to them, would you even want to? Would it even be remotely healthy? Is it better to know EVERYTHING about your mate (their every thought, fantasy, temptation, past sins, etc.) or is it better to know and understand them as a whole person…a flawed person…and to ultimately trust that their love is real and their intentions are good, despite those flaws?