According to SI & the Associate Press, Larry Brown is coming to Charlotte.
Source: Bobcats to hire Brown
I ate, slept & breathed Sixers basketball during the Larry Brown era in Philly. His style of coaching is great for a young team if it has the right attitude. Charlotte's core players should like his style. There will be a lot of x-tar heels on the team & staff too. MJ & Brown both played for Dean Smith. May & Felton are both alumni of the 2005 team that won it all.
Unfortunately, Charlotte is having a rough time embracing the team. Native & long-time citizens of the Queen City still feel burned by the Hornets. (I now have a glimmer of understanding for old Baltimore Colts fans.) The new arena is nice, but parking is a chore. Unlike other major cities with downtown arenas, Charlotte's mass-transit system is a joke. No, really...it's a joke! I've seen college busing systems that are better. Ticket prices may be reasonable relative to other cities, but add it all up and it's just not economical.
Still, the Bobcats greatest sin is television. They have made the worst television rights decisions ever. The way to get fans is to get them hooked on TV first. What did they do? They started out on an HD channel that was only available if a person had Time Warner's Digital Package. Then when that went bust, they swapped to the local cable "News 14" which is also only available to some viewers and had the cheapest looking production quality.
Had the Bobcats management gotten their games out across markets on multiple channels, maybe they would have built a fan-base. Hell, if they had done that from the start, they could probably have swapped to a cable-only channel by now and brought fans with them.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
The Return of the WTF Files
OK, there's a Newsweek article about Congressman Paul Broun calling for a crackdown on soft porn (like Playboy) in our military PXs. The rational? "Sexual assault is going up within the military, and I certainly think there's a very high likelihood that pornography being sold in military PXs is contributing to that."
Did this guy fall out of the stupid tree? Yes, and video games lead to violence. Let's ban those in military PXs as well. Let's see, we put men (and women) into a high-stress, rotating stop-loss, endless war with the endless threat of death (if you're deployed) or deployment if your state-side. But it's Playboy's fault that they assault someone? There's nothing "creative" in Playboy. Let's not forget that there lots better AND worse porn online (pointed out by the article.) No, this is a "think of the children" sound-bite for his constituents.
I'd also like to point out that sex has always been a part of war. GIs (on both sides) in WWII carried pinup girls in their pockets and tried to make time with the French ladies. Go even further back. What did you think the real duties of squire/stable boy are for his Knight while out in the field all those long nights?
The morality of soft porn in the PX should be secondary to the driving to the actual problems. But, we can't get into a discussion about moral behavior with soldiers who may be called upon to defend our liberty. Such a discussion might lead us to a more important discussion about the morality of the war we are fighting And we certaintly can't have that.
Then there's the other frightening notion that nobody will admit to: Perhaps there's no harm in a small circulation of Playboy in the PX. Men get urges. Men are visual by nature. Put us in high stress situations day-in-day-out, and we're going to want to get some release. A bit of softporn may actually prefent something worse from happening, not drive it happen. Good grief.
And that's why the WTF Files are back!
Did this guy fall out of the stupid tree? Yes, and video games lead to violence. Let's ban those in military PXs as well. Let's see, we put men (and women) into a high-stress, rotating stop-loss, endless war with the endless threat of death (if you're deployed) or deployment if your state-side. But it's Playboy's fault that they assault someone? There's nothing "creative" in Playboy. Let's not forget that there lots better AND worse porn online (pointed out by the article.) No, this is a "think of the children" sound-bite for his constituents.
I'd also like to point out that sex has always been a part of war. GIs (on both sides) in WWII carried pinup girls in their pockets and tried to make time with the French ladies. Go even further back. What did you think the real duties of squire/stable boy are for his Knight while out in the field all those long nights?
The morality of soft porn in the PX should be secondary to the driving to the actual problems. But, we can't get into a discussion about moral behavior with soldiers who may be called upon to defend our liberty. Such a discussion might lead us to a more important discussion about the morality of the war we are fighting And we certaintly can't have that.
Then there's the other frightening notion that nobody will admit to: Perhaps there's no harm in a small circulation of Playboy in the PX. Men get urges. Men are visual by nature. Put us in high stress situations day-in-day-out, and we're going to want to get some release. A bit of softporn may actually prefent something worse from happening, not drive it happen. Good grief.
And that's why the WTF Files are back!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
OK, Perhaps I've Been Watching Too Much Anime
Remember my recent post about Anime? Well, tonight I logged onto the Netflix home page to see if there was anything in my recommendations area. They started a new thing on the main page that shows 4 to 5 genres of movies with cover art. The genres change based on some computer modeling of my rentals and interests. Well tonight's genres were: Anime SciFi, Anime Action, Anime Series, Anime Feature Films, Anime Fantasy. I think I bugged the system when I added all that Mobile Suit Gundam to my queue. Now, I'm not saying I miss the Jane Austin movies that appear on my suggestion list because I rent them for Slick from time to time, but man can not be entertained by Anime alone.
For the record, my current Netflix rentals are "Troy," "Juno" and "Kingdom of Heaven." (Not sure why I decided to watch two Orlando Bloom movies at once, but whatever.) Last night I watched DVR recordings of the Simpsons & SNL. Tonight, I watched Baseball.
My usual propensity for geeky obsessions aside, I am not as obsessed with Anime as the Netflix computers believe. I need some variety. I have to figure out how to get my SciFi series, Action Adventures and Slick's British romance movies back on the page.
Note: Actually, the strangest thing happened the other night. I just stopped the episode of the Simpsons I had recorded on the DVR and Masterpiece Theater appeared on the screen. Somehow, I found myself watching My Boy Jack. It's about the Kipling family during WWI and starred David Haig, Daniel Radcliffe & Kim Cattrall. Am I allowed to admit enjoying it?
For the record, my current Netflix rentals are "Troy," "Juno" and "Kingdom of Heaven." (Not sure why I decided to watch two Orlando Bloom movies at once, but whatever.) Last night I watched DVR recordings of the Simpsons & SNL. Tonight, I watched Baseball.
My usual propensity for geeky obsessions aside, I am not as obsessed with Anime as the Netflix computers believe. I need some variety. I have to figure out how to get my SciFi series, Action Adventures and Slick's British romance movies back on the page.
Note: Actually, the strangest thing happened the other night. I just stopped the episode of the Simpsons I had recorded on the DVR and Masterpiece Theater appeared on the screen. Somehow, I found myself watching My Boy Jack. It's about the Kipling family during WWI and starred David Haig, Daniel Radcliffe & Kim Cattrall. Am I allowed to admit enjoying it?
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Eat This
My sister recently decided to "detox" her body from all the sugar, caffeine and fatty-fried crap for a month. It struck me that this short-term detox of hers sounds a lot like the actual day-to-day diet I usually consume. So, I thought I would give her (and you) some ideas.
First, she keeps referring to all the things she's giving up. This, bar-none, is the biggest mistake that anyone can make when trying to change their diet. If you treat it as a hardship that must be endured, then you will fail. Hell, even the word "diet" has become bad word. Eat better because it makes you feel better.
The second mistake about dieting is the choices. People pick the most bland, poorly prepared crap and then wonder why they miss donuts. Learn to relish simple, well-prepared foods. Little things help and you don't have to kill the budget to do it. Buy or mix seasonings for your meals. A good box of Hot Hungarian Paprika may cost $6 or $7, but it'll last a long time. Fresh garlic makes any meal better. Cook with olive oil. Swap to whole grains.
The other thing I dislike is prepackaged stuff, even if it's labeled "organic." This is especially true for my sister's little detox and for people trying to avoid processed foods for medical conditions like mine. Here's a good example: Salad dressing...even the fat free stuff. Mostly because "fat free" really means "We've piled on the sodium." Substitute? Yes, I'm about to say oil and vinegar. But, this is where the "little things" apply. Buy really good olive oil and a nice sweet bottle of balsamic vinegar. Don't waste it on cooking! Repeat! NEVER waste it on cooking. Pull it out just for those salads.
My friend Posey told me something early on last April when I decided to start losing weight. She said, "Don't starve yourself. You have to eat to lose weight." Now, this may sound counter-intuitive, but she's absolutely right. If you're hungry, eat! Just have to learn to avoid mindless snacking and learn to fill up on whole grains, fruits and veggies. If you don't like carrots, don't eat carrots. Find something you do like!
Good meal alternatives...
At Breakfast:
- Sugar & Cream in your coffee is insanely fattening with essentially no dietary benefits. If you must sweeten and "blond" your coffee -- I know I do -- try splenda and fat-free creamer.
- Fat Free Yogurt of all sorts of flavors is really good for you....If it has "active cultures." Try eating it with granola & frozen (slightly defrosted) blueberries.
- Toast is fine, but instead of butter put on a little peanut-butter. Yes, I know that peanut-butter is loaded in fat. But, it'll stick to your insides and help you get to lunch. It's also full of protein.
- On weekends make omelets. The wife likes spinach & feta omelets w/ garlic, onions & mushrooms. The mistake here is the stuff people eat w/ omelets. Try eating the omelet and nothing else.
At Lunch:
- Skip the lunch grill! If you don't want a salad or more yogurt, try a sandwich. Try whole grain and skip the cheese if you can. Use mustard instead of mayo. Load that hoagie up with veggies.
Afternoon Snack:
- Pretzels are good. Apples are excellent. If you've learned to be good then add on some cheese & some even turkey pepperoni.
- Popcorn. Please, for the love of all things good and holy, not the greasy movie theater butter. This defeats the purpose of eating popcorn in the first place. I like Kettle Corn Smart Pop, but I also have a sweet tooth.
Beverages:
- You've heard it before. Stop drinking soda. Oh, and never ever drink sweet tea. For you northerners, sweet tea is this southern stuff. A tea & sugar syrup is made and blended with more tea. In the winter, I drink lots of herbal tea. In the summer, I drink lots of water. I enjoy an "adult beverage" in moderation when my medication permits.
Dinner:
- One part meat/fish/poultry (protein), one part starch (whole grain), two-parts veggies. Fresh veggies are the best. But you say, "I don't have time to make salad." Here's a tip. Buy some plastic containers. Chop up 2-4 days of salad fixings. Done.
Desert and Treats:
- On a day-to-day basis, Slick likes a peppermint patty. Once a week, we make something naughty and enjoy it. There's nothing wrong with having chocolate chip cookies occasionally or even ice cream.
Enjoy Cooking:
- I admit to a luxury of being home to prepare meals. However, you'd be surprised how fast a grilled piece of pork with garlic served with grilled zucchini, salad and toasted pita bread can be made. You can also make grilled chicken w/ steamed veggies and rice then turn the leftover veggies and rice into stir fry the next day. A good, healthy meal can be prepared in 20-30 minutes. You can cut that prep-time in half by cutting veggies on shopping day.
I know that I can't force anyone reading this to eat better. I understand that people with kids and jobs find it tough to balance nutrition and time. I understand that single people hate cooking for one. But, last month's illness aside, I've shown the long-term benefits of healthy eating. And, if you doubt it by reading about me, then look at my wife. She's lost the same percentage of weight. Frankly, she looks hot...OK, I changed my mind! Stop looking at my wife.
Good luck with the detox dear sister. I hope you get to the end and realize that you should just keep going with it.
First, she keeps referring to all the things she's giving up. This, bar-none, is the biggest mistake that anyone can make when trying to change their diet. If you treat it as a hardship that must be endured, then you will fail. Hell, even the word "diet" has become bad word. Eat better because it makes you feel better.
The second mistake about dieting is the choices. People pick the most bland, poorly prepared crap and then wonder why they miss donuts. Learn to relish simple, well-prepared foods. Little things help and you don't have to kill the budget to do it. Buy or mix seasonings for your meals. A good box of Hot Hungarian Paprika may cost $6 or $7, but it'll last a long time. Fresh garlic makes any meal better. Cook with olive oil. Swap to whole grains.
The other thing I dislike is prepackaged stuff, even if it's labeled "organic." This is especially true for my sister's little detox and for people trying to avoid processed foods for medical conditions like mine. Here's a good example: Salad dressing...even the fat free stuff. Mostly because "fat free" really means "We've piled on the sodium." Substitute? Yes, I'm about to say oil and vinegar. But, this is where the "little things" apply. Buy really good olive oil and a nice sweet bottle of balsamic vinegar. Don't waste it on cooking! Repeat! NEVER waste it on cooking. Pull it out just for those salads.
My friend Posey told me something early on last April when I decided to start losing weight. She said, "Don't starve yourself. You have to eat to lose weight." Now, this may sound counter-intuitive, but she's absolutely right. If you're hungry, eat! Just have to learn to avoid mindless snacking and learn to fill up on whole grains, fruits and veggies. If you don't like carrots, don't eat carrots. Find something you do like!
Good meal alternatives...
At Breakfast:
- Sugar & Cream in your coffee is insanely fattening with essentially no dietary benefits. If you must sweeten and "blond" your coffee -- I know I do -- try splenda and fat-free creamer.
- Fat Free Yogurt of all sorts of flavors is really good for you....If it has "active cultures." Try eating it with granola & frozen (slightly defrosted) blueberries.
- Toast is fine, but instead of butter put on a little peanut-butter. Yes, I know that peanut-butter is loaded in fat. But, it'll stick to your insides and help you get to lunch. It's also full of protein.
- On weekends make omelets. The wife likes spinach & feta omelets w/ garlic, onions & mushrooms. The mistake here is the stuff people eat w/ omelets. Try eating the omelet and nothing else.
At Lunch:
- Skip the lunch grill! If you don't want a salad or more yogurt, try a sandwich. Try whole grain and skip the cheese if you can. Use mustard instead of mayo. Load that hoagie up with veggies.
Afternoon Snack:
- Pretzels are good. Apples are excellent. If you've learned to be good then add on some cheese & some even turkey pepperoni.
- Popcorn. Please, for the love of all things good and holy, not the greasy movie theater butter. This defeats the purpose of eating popcorn in the first place. I like Kettle Corn Smart Pop, but I also have a sweet tooth.
Beverages:
- You've heard it before. Stop drinking soda. Oh, and never ever drink sweet tea. For you northerners, sweet tea is this southern stuff. A tea & sugar syrup is made and blended with more tea. In the winter, I drink lots of herbal tea. In the summer, I drink lots of water. I enjoy an "adult beverage" in moderation when my medication permits.
Dinner:
- One part meat/fish/poultry (protein), one part starch (whole grain), two-parts veggies. Fresh veggies are the best. But you say, "I don't have time to make salad." Here's a tip. Buy some plastic containers. Chop up 2-4 days of salad fixings. Done.
Desert and Treats:
- On a day-to-day basis, Slick likes a peppermint patty. Once a week, we make something naughty and enjoy it. There's nothing wrong with having chocolate chip cookies occasionally or even ice cream.
Enjoy Cooking:
- I admit to a luxury of being home to prepare meals. However, you'd be surprised how fast a grilled piece of pork with garlic served with grilled zucchini, salad and toasted pita bread can be made. You can also make grilled chicken w/ steamed veggies and rice then turn the leftover veggies and rice into stir fry the next day. A good, healthy meal can be prepared in 20-30 minutes. You can cut that prep-time in half by cutting veggies on shopping day.
I know that I can't force anyone reading this to eat better. I understand that people with kids and jobs find it tough to balance nutrition and time. I understand that single people hate cooking for one. But, last month's illness aside, I've shown the long-term benefits of healthy eating. And, if you doubt it by reading about me, then look at my wife. She's lost the same percentage of weight. Frankly, she looks hot...OK, I changed my mind! Stop looking at my wife.
Good luck with the detox dear sister. I hope you get to the end and realize that you should just keep going with it.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
More Anime Than You Can Shake A Stick At
This post is for my "geek" readers. Many of my family and friends who are not into stuff like comic books, anime & video games may want to skim or skip this one. You've been warned...
I love Anime. I'm not the aficionado that some of my friends are. I've never been to a "Con." My life-long love of anime probably started with Star Blazers when I was a really little kid. As a teenager, I discovered Robotech.
Note: Robotech is a "crudely" redone American version of Macross of Japanese Anime legend. For better or for worse, I can't actually enjoy Macross. I've seen Robotech so many times that I keep finding things "wrong" with Macross. Such is life.
After Robotech came Akira. Akira isn't the first (or the best) but it's got all my favorite pieces: Great toys, a post-apocalyptic Tokyo, a young hot-head protagonist and really weird government conspiracy stuff that makes people all mutated. I've seen it just enough and my mind is Anime-attuned just enough that I'm even under the delusion that I generally understands the plot. For folks who haven't seen Akira, my claim is similar in scope to saying that I understand the plot to "The Wall" or "A Clockwork Orange." In other words, I'm hiding a lie within a truth within a lie.
Over the years, I've sampled a lot of Anime. Two people in particular (Avouz & Cainam) have helped fuel my discovery. The big thing I've learned is that there's a lot of different stuff out there. In fact, they have very divergent Anime tastes. Still, together they introduced me to Lodoss Wars, Ranma 1/2, Bubblegum Crisis, Cowboy Bebop and a host of other great stuff. When I last checked, the glaring hole in both their collections is Ghost in the Shell. It's my hope that this post will correct that. I assume that they've both seen the first movie, but what about the rest? And what about you? Have you seen it?
Ghost in the Shell is arguably one of the best franchises in Anime and Manga. The Wachowski brothers actively admit that it was a major influence of the Matrix. Geeks Of Doom recently reported that Steven Spielberg is even pushing for a live-action version. Thanks to Netflix, I've become a huge fan of the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series. SAC consists of two seasons episodes and one movie. SAC may also be the only Anime where I demand the English version. The English-speaking cast RULES!
The movies and SAC are a bit different, but the building blocks are the same. This is a futuristic Japan where cyberization is pervasive and people are integrated with the net. The players in these shows are a special ops police force dealing with the most unusual and deadly cybernetic crimes.
The biggest strength of the series (aside from the great anime) is also it's biggest weakness. The plotline is so complex at times that it becomes simultaneously intriguing & frustrating. There's a sequence in the 2nd movie that is such a complete mind-blower that sometimes I feel like the creators just wanted to see if they could simulate an acid trip. The same sequence of events is played over and over for 15-20 minutes, but each time it's radically different. The sequence ends leaving the viewer wondering which version was real. The message of the film seemed to be all of them and none of them. Reality is fluid.
My real problem is that I'm done. Thanks to Netflix, I've caught the entire series. There's nothing left for me to watch. So, I've been forced to move on. For my next "big" Anime project, I've queued up Avouz's favorite, Mobile Suit Gundam. There have been so many incarnations, series, movies and sequels that it's going to take over 60 rentals to get through it all. Since I won't watch it exclusively, it could take a year or more.
This also brings me to another point. Sometimes (and this is a good thing) I wonder if Netflix should change their name to Animeflix. Between the instant queue and the DvD rental selection, their selection is enormous. With that in mind, here are a couple of other things I highly recommend to fans out there.
Movies for fans of Spirited Away...
Princess Mononoke, Steamboy, Origin: Spirits of the Past, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Series for fans of Cowboy Bebop & Bubblegum Crisis:
Mezzo, Black Lagoon, Witchblade
I love Anime. I'm not the aficionado that some of my friends are. I've never been to a "Con." My life-long love of anime probably started with Star Blazers when I was a really little kid. As a teenager, I discovered Robotech.
Note: Robotech is a "crudely" redone American version of Macross of Japanese Anime legend. For better or for worse, I can't actually enjoy Macross. I've seen Robotech so many times that I keep finding things "wrong" with Macross. Such is life.
After Robotech came Akira. Akira isn't the first (or the best) but it's got all my favorite pieces: Great toys, a post-apocalyptic Tokyo, a young hot-head protagonist and really weird government conspiracy stuff that makes people all mutated. I've seen it just enough and my mind is Anime-attuned just enough that I'm even under the delusion that I generally understands the plot. For folks who haven't seen Akira, my claim is similar in scope to saying that I understand the plot to "The Wall" or "A Clockwork Orange." In other words, I'm hiding a lie within a truth within a lie.
My wife's short version of Akira
"AKIRA" *BOOM* "KANEDA" *BOOM* "TETSUO" *BOOM*
"AKIRA" *BOOM* "KANEDA" *BOOM* "TETSUO" *BOOM*
Over the years, I've sampled a lot of Anime. Two people in particular (Avouz & Cainam) have helped fuel my discovery. The big thing I've learned is that there's a lot of different stuff out there. In fact, they have very divergent Anime tastes. Still, together they introduced me to Lodoss Wars, Ranma 1/2, Bubblegum Crisis, Cowboy Bebop and a host of other great stuff. When I last checked, the glaring hole in both their collections is Ghost in the Shell. It's my hope that this post will correct that. I assume that they've both seen the first movie, but what about the rest? And what about you? Have you seen it?
Ghost in the Shell is arguably one of the best franchises in Anime and Manga. The Wachowski brothers actively admit that it was a major influence of the Matrix. Geeks Of Doom recently reported that Steven Spielberg is even pushing for a live-action version. Thanks to Netflix, I've become a huge fan of the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series. SAC consists of two seasons episodes and one movie. SAC may also be the only Anime where I demand the English version. The English-speaking cast RULES!
The movies and SAC are a bit different, but the building blocks are the same. This is a futuristic Japan where cyberization is pervasive and people are integrated with the net. The players in these shows are a special ops police force dealing with the most unusual and deadly cybernetic crimes.
The biggest strength of the series (aside from the great anime) is also it's biggest weakness. The plotline is so complex at times that it becomes simultaneously intriguing & frustrating. There's a sequence in the 2nd movie that is such a complete mind-blower that sometimes I feel like the creators just wanted to see if they could simulate an acid trip. The same sequence of events is played over and over for 15-20 minutes, but each time it's radically different. The sequence ends leaving the viewer wondering which version was real. The message of the film seemed to be all of them and none of them. Reality is fluid.
My real problem is that I'm done. Thanks to Netflix, I've caught the entire series. There's nothing left for me to watch. So, I've been forced to move on. For my next "big" Anime project, I've queued up Avouz's favorite, Mobile Suit Gundam. There have been so many incarnations, series, movies and sequels that it's going to take over 60 rentals to get through it all. Since I won't watch it exclusively, it could take a year or more.
This also brings me to another point. Sometimes (and this is a good thing) I wonder if Netflix should change their name to Animeflix. Between the instant queue and the DvD rental selection, their selection is enormous. With that in mind, here are a couple of other things I highly recommend to fans out there.
Movies for fans of Spirited Away...
Princess Mononoke, Steamboy, Origin: Spirits of the Past, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Series for fans of Cowboy Bebop & Bubblegum Crisis:
Mezzo, Black Lagoon, Witchblade
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Does this make the devil a toaster?
"Without the Bread of Life We Are Toast!"
Quoted from the front sign of my local Freewill Baptist Church
Alternative Post Titles:
- Things I dare my sister to say in a sermon.
- Butter me up because I'm goin' straight to hell!
- What unspeakable things do I have to do to become French Toast?
- Ooooo...I have to worship there next Sunday!
- But I'm on a Gluten-Free diet!
Frankly, I should have hired the guy who writes Overheard in Philly to come up with a better title...oh well...
Quoted from the front sign of my local Freewill Baptist Church
Alternative Post Titles:
- Things I dare my sister to say in a sermon.
- Butter me up because I'm goin' straight to hell!
- What unspeakable things do I have to do to become French Toast?
- Ooooo...I have to worship there next Sunday!
- But I'm on a Gluten-Free diet!
Frankly, I should have hired the guy who writes Overheard in Philly to come up with a better title...oh well...
Sunday, April 13, 2008
John 14:12
John 14:12
"Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these because I am going to the Father." - NRSV
iDad recently asked me if I could tell him why this verse holds so much meaning for me. The context of his question was not, he assured me, in any way related to any kind of stewardship Sunday planning. When I pressed him for the details, he told me that it was for a sermon next week. With just a bit more pressing I learned that the congregation was working on some kind of "gifts" survey. The more I heard, the more I was certain that the context of the question was stewardship Sunday planning. We went back and forth a bit with our typical verbal sparring before I gave him a half-hearted answer that left us both wanting more.
Now in both our defenses, any kind of hint of a stewardship discussion tends to put most people on the defensive. Pastors become defensive because they don't want people to immediately think of money and/or being overwhelmed with extra commitments. They want people to think about the Gospel's call to fellowship and service. Parishioners (and sons) don't want to get into a discussion about shelling out more money or giving up more free time. Somehow, I generally leave any type of discussion about stewardship bouncing between guilt and self-justification.
Still, in any context, his question is with merit. What is it about this verse that I find so appealing? The simple answer could be that it was my confirmation verse. I can not verify that. At some point I read this verse and it blossomed into meaning for me. For a long while I surmised that I was just being lazy. Surely, there are better verses to connect with. Part of me also questions if I chose it out of hubris. It's not a typical favorite verse, yet it sounds smart and full of meaning. Still waters run deep and all that crap. But I digress...
At some point in my life -- in that nebulous zone between the baptismal waters hitting my forehead & my finding this verse -- God called me his (or her) own. I believed. I believed enough that I struggled with a Call to Ordination for years. I had deep personal burning bush moments that were unfortunately lacking fire or the loud booming voice. (I continue to blame Cecil BDeMille for my false expectations.) From that struggle, I learned one simple truth: We are all "Called" by God.
This is the part where I originally opted for a long tangent about Liberation Theology & the works of various spiritualists like Henri Nouwen & Edward Hays. I eventually got into my own personal concept of being an instrument of God's Sanctification. Somehow, this information seems incredibly important part of this explanation. It is, but it isn't. It is because it explains my drive to focus on relationships and understanding of our collective potential as "wounded healers." It isn't because I've already lost most anyone who's reading due to my lack of brevity.
So, let's get right down to it!
On the surface, this is a bold statement of instruction to the faithful. Christ is saying, "You're gonna kick ass in my name!" You might surmise that this is a triumphant statement of works righteousness! Calvinists rejoice! The Lutheran poster-boy's favorite verse is a statement of works!
Yes, I believe in the place and purpose for works in our lives, but no I reject works righteousness. I am not "climbing Jacob's ladder" or buying my way into heaven. So, what gives?
Here's what it says to me.
The believer WILL do the works of Christ. It's not just a statement about now, it's about tomorrow and the next day. I WILL DO! I may not have. I may not tomorrow. It's not a statement of law. It's Grace. Believe and you will be an instrument of God! You may not think it's possible. You may be a complete fuck up. You may be sick, tired, confused. You may fail to tithe appropriately. You may piss off your friends, screw your co-workers and pollute the environment, but because of your faith you WILL be an instrument of God.
This isn't a carte blanche justification to do wrong or shrug responsibility. Luther says, "Sin boldly" for a reason. It's the grace to use your gifts as you are able. It's also the freedom to say "No" when you feel spiritually used up. Because when you least expect, Christ will say "YES" for you. In fact, you may find yourself doing greater works than you ever expected.
In closing: I want to thank my father for making me "waste" nearly 24-hours trying to articulate this without the compulsion to write an entire book. And you, dear readers, you should thanks to the delete button.
"Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these because I am going to the Father." - NRSV
iDad recently asked me if I could tell him why this verse holds so much meaning for me. The context of his question was not, he assured me, in any way related to any kind of stewardship Sunday planning. When I pressed him for the details, he told me that it was for a sermon next week. With just a bit more pressing I learned that the congregation was working on some kind of "gifts" survey. The more I heard, the more I was certain that the context of the question was stewardship Sunday planning. We went back and forth a bit with our typical verbal sparring before I gave him a half-hearted answer that left us both wanting more.
Now in both our defenses, any kind of hint of a stewardship discussion tends to put most people on the defensive. Pastors become defensive because they don't want people to immediately think of money and/or being overwhelmed with extra commitments. They want people to think about the Gospel's call to fellowship and service. Parishioners (and sons) don't want to get into a discussion about shelling out more money or giving up more free time. Somehow, I generally leave any type of discussion about stewardship bouncing between guilt and self-justification.
Still, in any context, his question is with merit. What is it about this verse that I find so appealing? The simple answer could be that it was my confirmation verse. I can not verify that. At some point I read this verse and it blossomed into meaning for me. For a long while I surmised that I was just being lazy. Surely, there are better verses to connect with. Part of me also questions if I chose it out of hubris. It's not a typical favorite verse, yet it sounds smart and full of meaning. Still waters run deep and all that crap. But I digress...
At some point in my life -- in that nebulous zone between the baptismal waters hitting my forehead & my finding this verse -- God called me his (or her) own. I believed. I believed enough that I struggled with a Call to Ordination for years. I had deep personal burning bush moments that were unfortunately lacking fire or the loud booming voice. (I continue to blame Cecil BDeMille for my false expectations.) From that struggle, I learned one simple truth: We are all "Called" by God.
This is the part where I originally opted for a long tangent about Liberation Theology & the works of various spiritualists like Henri Nouwen & Edward Hays. I eventually got into my own personal concept of being an instrument of God's Sanctification. Somehow, this information seems incredibly important part of this explanation. It is, but it isn't. It is because it explains my drive to focus on relationships and understanding of our collective potential as "wounded healers." It isn't because I've already lost most anyone who's reading due to my lack of brevity.
So, let's get right down to it!
On the surface, this is a bold statement of instruction to the faithful. Christ is saying, "You're gonna kick ass in my name!" You might surmise that this is a triumphant statement of works righteousness! Calvinists rejoice! The Lutheran poster-boy's favorite verse is a statement of works!
Yes, I believe in the place and purpose for works in our lives, but no I reject works righteousness. I am not "climbing Jacob's ladder" or buying my way into heaven. So, what gives?
Here's what it says to me.
The believer WILL do the works of Christ. It's not just a statement about now, it's about tomorrow and the next day. I WILL DO! I may not have. I may not tomorrow. It's not a statement of law. It's Grace. Believe and you will be an instrument of God! You may not think it's possible. You may be a complete fuck up. You may be sick, tired, confused. You may fail to tithe appropriately. You may piss off your friends, screw your co-workers and pollute the environment, but because of your faith you WILL be an instrument of God.
This isn't a carte blanche justification to do wrong or shrug responsibility. Luther says, "Sin boldly" for a reason. It's the grace to use your gifts as you are able. It's also the freedom to say "No" when you feel spiritually used up. Because when you least expect, Christ will say "YES" for you. In fact, you may find yourself doing greater works than you ever expected.
In closing: I want to thank my father for making me "waste" nearly 24-hours trying to articulate this without the compulsion to write an entire book. And you, dear readers, you should thanks to the delete button.
Friday, April 11, 2008
So, We Went for a Hike
Right after writing that downer of a post, I got up, put my hiking gear on and took the dog to Cain Creek. He's covered in mud and I'm ready to pass out, but that sure helped. I'm eating the oranges my in-laws brought from Florida and then I'm going to keel over.
I Can't "Taste" Anything
You know when you have a cold and you can't smell so nothing tastes right? You find food either unappealing or needing extra spice. That's a good analogy for how I'm doing this week. After weeks of being super sick, I'm sapped of stamina but itching to do stuff. Nothing "tastes" right. I've started two different books that I know I should be enjoying but can't. I've got absolutely no interest in playing WoW today. I try to write and I'm completely blocked. And because I'm still having pressure headaches & fatigue I can't take on more substantial projects. I'm sure someone wants to tell me I'm depressed and I'm sure that I'm at least a little blue. It's almost expected after the month I've had. And, I know that I'll push through it eventually, but it's frustrating. I also know that if it doesn't pass in a week, I can go back to the doctor's and get some additional pain killers and even some "happy pills" if I want. I just don't like the side-effects of either.
It Worked Flawlessly
Last night, MLB.TV worked flawlessly. The Phillies fell in extra innings, but I got to watch...them strand over a dozen base-runners... *sigh*
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
My Love/Hate Relationship with MLB.TV
My mother-in-law (aka "the Queen") was gracious enough to buy me MLB.TV for another season. (An early birthday present.) While I'm grateful, I'm also frustrated as hell MLB.TV service. I must admit, I'm glad I didn't have to pay for it. Here's my story...
It started during spring training. I made a mistake on the order page which I could not undo. When I tried to start over, it added a 2nd, then a 3rd and a 4th order. Even clearing my history file didn't help because it was tied to my login. I eventually was able to clear it, but when I finally ordered the damn thing I inadvertently ordered the low-end 400K streaming version. I searched for days and could not find an upgrade option. I was stuck with low-end video.
Sadly, this issue never really became a problem. During spring training, they only showed a handful of games and I never got to watch a Phillies game. Then, during the first week, they played the Nationals and the Reds. Now, I live along the North/South Carolina border. I'm hours from Washington and Cincinnati. My TV (Local, Cable & Satellite) has never carried a Reds or Nationals game that I'm aware of. Still, I'm in their blackout zones.
I posted 2 service emails: 1 asking about the blackout (which was really just a way to vent) and another asking for help in getting the better video package. Since my service emails went unanswered, I attempted to call MLB.TV. After waiting on hold for 20 minutes, I gave up. I tried again a few days later and gave up after another 20 minutes. I loath bad customer service. I've walked away from stores never to return for less than this. *SIGH* BUT, I "need" baseball. I resigned myself to waiting for the Mets series and settling for 400k. Finally, the Mets series started and what did I do? I missed the first game completely. You know...the really good game!
Today, I logged on promptly at 7:05! I was ready. There's good news and bad news. The good news was a little box offering me the option of upgrading my subscription to 1.2M streaming. The bad news? I got multiple errors loading the 1.2M streaming software. Thankfully, the 800k stream worked and I got to watch the Phillies...as they got their butts handed to them!
So tonight, after the game, I went about trying to figure out how to make the streaming work. I won't go into extensive and painful details. Let me sum it up with this. 1.2M streaming requires a buffer plug-in. What does this mean? It means that there's an icon on my taskbar with no control panel, no folder in the start menu and no uninstaller in the add remove programs area. Do you have any idea how much I detest that sort of thing? I treat unwanted taskbar icons without manual control as viruses. Oh yeah, did I mention how it didn't work properly? After reading several user forums, I figured out that I could go into the Windows Internet Control Panel, change the Trusted Sites requirements and add an unsecured mlb.com address to the list. I finally got to watch the last inning of the San Diego game in 1.2M streaming. At least it worked in Firefox. I hate having to use IE7 for anything. I detest the icon. I don't like anything taking up memory or bandwidth. I loath the idea that I'll have to find a way to manually uninstall the program after baseball season. (Imagine what the long version of this story would have looked like!)
That said, here's my silver lining...
It works now! I have 1.2M streaming baseball. I also figured out how to import the *.csv file of the Phillies schedule (Download from mlb.com,) edit it and import it into Google Calendar. So, once I chill out about the fact that I hate MLB.TV's service and software, I can rest easy knowing that my Calendar will alert me about the games and I'll be able to watch them (unless they play the Nationals, the Reds or the Braves. I can only listen to those games.)
Sadly, if pressed I'd have to recommend MLB.TV, but only in situations where a person could not afford to watch the games on real TV. Knowing what I know now, I can't say I would have wanted to shell out for this service on my own. I keep reminding myself that it's a long season and the service is still relatively new. Here's hoping that I've gotten all the BS out of the way.
It started during spring training. I made a mistake on the order page which I could not undo. When I tried to start over, it added a 2nd, then a 3rd and a 4th order. Even clearing my history file didn't help because it was tied to my login. I eventually was able to clear it, but when I finally ordered the damn thing I inadvertently ordered the low-end 400K streaming version. I searched for days and could not find an upgrade option. I was stuck with low-end video.
Sadly, this issue never really became a problem. During spring training, they only showed a handful of games and I never got to watch a Phillies game. Then, during the first week, they played the Nationals and the Reds. Now, I live along the North/South Carolina border. I'm hours from Washington and Cincinnati. My TV (Local, Cable & Satellite) has never carried a Reds or Nationals game that I'm aware of. Still, I'm in their blackout zones.
I posted 2 service emails: 1 asking about the blackout (which was really just a way to vent) and another asking for help in getting the better video package. Since my service emails went unanswered, I attempted to call MLB.TV. After waiting on hold for 20 minutes, I gave up. I tried again a few days later and gave up after another 20 minutes. I loath bad customer service. I've walked away from stores never to return for less than this. *SIGH* BUT, I "need" baseball. I resigned myself to waiting for the Mets series and settling for 400k. Finally, the Mets series started and what did I do? I missed the first game completely. You know...the really good game!
Today, I logged on promptly at 7:05! I was ready. There's good news and bad news. The good news was a little box offering me the option of upgrading my subscription to 1.2M streaming. The bad news? I got multiple errors loading the 1.2M streaming software. Thankfully, the 800k stream worked and I got to watch the Phillies...as they got their butts handed to them!
So tonight, after the game, I went about trying to figure out how to make the streaming work. I won't go into extensive and painful details. Let me sum it up with this. 1.2M streaming requires a buffer plug-in. What does this mean? It means that there's an icon on my taskbar with no control panel, no folder in the start menu and no uninstaller in the add remove programs area. Do you have any idea how much I detest that sort of thing? I treat unwanted taskbar icons without manual control as viruses. Oh yeah, did I mention how it didn't work properly? After reading several user forums, I figured out that I could go into the Windows Internet Control Panel, change the Trusted Sites requirements and add an unsecured mlb.com address to the list. I finally got to watch the last inning of the San Diego game in 1.2M streaming. At least it worked in Firefox. I hate having to use IE7 for anything. I detest the icon. I don't like anything taking up memory or bandwidth. I loath the idea that I'll have to find a way to manually uninstall the program after baseball season. (Imagine what the long version of this story would have looked like!)
That said, here's my silver lining...
It works now! I have 1.2M streaming baseball. I also figured out how to import the *.csv file of the Phillies schedule (Download from mlb.com,) edit it and import it into Google Calendar. So, once I chill out about the fact that I hate MLB.TV's service and software, I can rest easy knowing that my Calendar will alert me about the games and I'll be able to watch them (unless they play the Nationals, the Reds or the Braves. I can only listen to those games.)
Sadly, if pressed I'd have to recommend MLB.TV, but only in situations where a person could not afford to watch the games on real TV. Knowing what I know now, I can't say I would have wanted to shell out for this service on my own. I keep reminding myself that it's a long season and the service is still relatively new. Here's hoping that I've gotten all the BS out of the way.
Random Thoughts
Today's post is a bunch of random thoughts I've been having, but that I'm unable to come up with enough coherent thoughts about to make them "post-worthy" on their own.
Thank You
This one goes out to flyDad & the Queen. On their way home from Florida, they stopped in. While they were here they took care of a bunch of things that I've been too sick to take care of. My lawn is cut. My garage light works. My guest toilet no longer runs all night. Things that I didn't even know where dirty are apparently clean now. They rock!
Chinese Olympics
This is awesomely fantastic! Best idea ever! Yes, the Olympics could be a complete disaster, but in the grand scheme of things this could be the single-most important moment in global human rights in the 21st century. Let the protests continue. Let the Chinese government try to control the media. Let the whole world watch!
Penguin Suit
Forget the price of gas. Has anyone checked out the price of tux rentals lately? I could almost buy a whole suit for the amount I'm spending to rent the damned thing. Don't get me wrong, it's totally worth it. I'm honored to be in the wedding and excited as hell about the "gamer-geek" bachelor party.
Murder by Shakespeare
This is a note to all my Shakespeare loving murder-mystery junky friends. Look for a book called "Interred with Their Bones" by Jennifer Lee Carrell. I don't know why I'm reading it, ....I was at the library, I needed a book, it was there and they didn't have the Asimov book I wanted....but I digress...
I can't stop thinking how much my wife, sister, BostonPobble and a slew of other friends would enjoy it. No spoilers here! All you need to know is that it's a present-day murder mystery, the killer is using the works of Shakespeare and the action starts in the first 20 pages. I could tell you more, but NothingKnew yells at me when I post spoilers & I'm only on page 100.
The Phillies
I have determined that I must remain deeply skeptical about the Phillies for them to have a shot in hell. Whenever I think they "look good" they fall apart. Whenever I talk about how much they suck, that's when they win. So, from now on the Phillies suck!
Thank You
This one goes out to flyDad & the Queen. On their way home from Florida, they stopped in. While they were here they took care of a bunch of things that I've been too sick to take care of. My lawn is cut. My garage light works. My guest toilet no longer runs all night. Things that I didn't even know where dirty are apparently clean now. They rock!
Chinese Olympics
This is awesomely fantastic! Best idea ever! Yes, the Olympics could be a complete disaster, but in the grand scheme of things this could be the single-most important moment in global human rights in the 21st century. Let the protests continue. Let the Chinese government try to control the media. Let the whole world watch!
Penguin Suit
Forget the price of gas. Has anyone checked out the price of tux rentals lately? I could almost buy a whole suit for the amount I'm spending to rent the damned thing. Don't get me wrong, it's totally worth it. I'm honored to be in the wedding and excited as hell about the "gamer-geek" bachelor party.
Murder by Shakespeare
This is a note to all my Shakespeare loving murder-mystery junky friends. Look for a book called "Interred with Their Bones" by Jennifer Lee Carrell. I don't know why I'm reading it, ....I was at the library, I needed a book, it was there and they didn't have the Asimov book I wanted....but I digress...
I can't stop thinking how much my wife, sister, BostonPobble and a slew of other friends would enjoy it. No spoilers here! All you need to know is that it's a present-day murder mystery, the killer is using the works of Shakespeare and the action starts in the first 20 pages. I could tell you more, but NothingKnew yells at me when I post spoilers & I'm only on page 100.
The Phillies
I have determined that I must remain deeply skeptical about the Phillies for them to have a shot in hell. Whenever I think they "look good" they fall apart. Whenever I talk about how much they suck, that's when they win. So, from now on the Phillies suck!
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
I'm Still Alive
Just a note to friends who have emailed me to check in. I'm still here!
After basically recovering from the digestive infection (as illnesses go, I don't recommend it) I found myself in the midst of a multi-day migraine. From what I can tell, it was a combination of not being able to exercise enough to manage my fibro for several weeks and a sudden shift in the weather causing my sinuses to act up. I'm still fighting it. The goal is to stay relaxed but active. How? Basically, I have to keep my brain just occupied enough to not notice the pain while at the same time keeping my body loose. Walking, meditating, even swinging a club at the driving range (1/2 a bucket and really slow) all seem to help. I've been living with my iPod and reading lots of books.
After basically recovering from the digestive infection (as illnesses go, I don't recommend it) I found myself in the midst of a multi-day migraine. From what I can tell, it was a combination of not being able to exercise enough to manage my fibro for several weeks and a sudden shift in the weather causing my sinuses to act up. I'm still fighting it. The goal is to stay relaxed but active. How? Basically, I have to keep my brain just occupied enough to not notice the pain while at the same time keeping my body loose. Walking, meditating, even swinging a club at the driving range (1/2 a bucket and really slow) all seem to help. I've been living with my iPod and reading lots of books.
Monday, April 07, 2008
My Summer Movie Watch List
Anyone else been really disappointed with the crop of movies lately? Did you skip I Am Legend for some unknown reason? Do you wonder why the last movie you truly enjoyed just happened to be a kids movie, Enchanted, you took your niece to at Thanksgiving?
If you're like me, you prefer to rent the "Oscar-Notables" for your home theater and save the big-screen experiences for blockbusters and outings with the kids (or in my case, my sister's kid.) I still haven't seen "No Country for Old Men" or "Juno," but both will certainly end up in my Netflix queue eventually. For me, the big screen isn't about "quality cinema," it's about getting my fill of summer-blockbuster goodness! That's why I'm rather excited about the upcoming Summer-movie season.
From April to July, here's just a few of the movies I'm anticipating (In order of release):
Forbidden Kingdom (4/18)
With Jackie Chan & Jet Li, this movie is shaping up to be a must-see for kung-fu movie fans. My gut, based on the plot & recent performances from both stars, makes me a bit concerned. What's it about? It appears to be a classic tale of a young kid becoming involved in some mystical threat to humanity. Li & Chan are his "mentors." It'll probably either be too Disneyfied or too Bulletproof Monk...and yet I'm looking forward to it. This is definitely a "tomatometer" watcher. I'll see it if it's over 65%. Anything lower and I'll wait for DvD.
Iron Man (5/2)
Opening weekend anyone? It looks HOT! I am a comicbook fan but an admitted Iron Man detractor. A high-functioning alcoholic who's too smart and too self-righteous for his own good, Tony Stark has an epiphany that makes him turn into a cybor-suit wearing vigilante. Frankly, he'll always be a jackass. Thus, the casting of Robert Downey is perfect. And is that Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper? The special-effects look tremendous. If they avoid the mistakes of Fantastic Four, slow origin story and drawn out Thing's lost humanity story-ine and instead focus on action-beats and Stark's insomniac, high-octane jackass personality I will love this film in spite of myself.
Speed Racer (5/9)
A friend called it Anime NASCAR and I think he's on the money. Remember that hovercraft racing game for the GameCube. Image if someone took the Speed Racer cartoon series and set it to that game. That's what Speed Racer looks like. For some reason, that sounds cool to me. It's also got spot-on casting. That doesn't mean I'm not worried. After the first Matrix movie what have the Wachowski Brothers done? They made those crappy Matrix Sequels. On the other hand, they made the Matrix. It was a revolutionary film. It was like nothing anyone had ever done in film before. Could lighting strike twice? Why might it truly suck? Epileptic seizures anyone? Seriously! I got a headache just looking at the promo.
Prince Caspian (5/16)
Honestly, my enthusiasm for this film is low, but as it draws closer my urge to re-read the book is really high. That's why it's made my list. If they follow closely enough to inspire my imagination, I'll be happy.
Indiana Jones 5/22
Could I have dropped everything else and simply written a post about this one? Hell yeah! Dr Jones is back, baby! Am I crazy or too much of a FanBoy? No matter how hard I try, I can't imagine this being bad. First, Harrison Ford is my film-hero. I've got more DvD's with him than any other actor. Don't doubt the range and skill of Shia LaBouf. And when in doubt, it's got Cate "God Save The Queen" Blanchett! ...gotta stop before I start gushing... Just queue the theme music, baby!
Incredible Hulk (6/13)
It's been promised that the Ang Lee film will be all but erased from memory. That's probably the #1 reason why I'm excited. #2 has to be Edward Norton as Banner. I like that they are using the "helicopter drop" (dropping Banner out of a helicopter to inspire the change) and the "monster-movie" style showdown in the middle of a big city. This is the kind of movie made for the Summer Blockbuster. Who cares if it's well written. Just as long as the fights rock and "Hulk Smash!"
Get Smart (6/20)
I wish I could see this with my father. It's his kind of movie. I expect to laugh a lot. Unfortunately, we won't be together for family vacation until August. "Missed it by that much!"
Hancock (7/2)
Remember when Will Smith owned the 4th of July? Could Hancock restore the magic? Imagine a superhero with all the strength and invulnerability of Superman only imagine he's the kind of crass moron you want to give the finger to in the mall parking lot. That's Hancock. And you know that Will Smith can pull it off. Now, we all know that the movie will be about Hancock being taught a lesson in responsibility, but it still should be fun.
Dark Knight (7/18)
To truly know me is to understand a few essential things. For example: I love my wife, I'm too emotionally attached to Philadelphia Sports and Batman is one of my heroes. And not that campy Batman from the 60's. No, Frank Miller's Batman! The Dark Knight! Why am I most looking forward to it? This best Joker ever was the version presented in "the Killing Joke" by Allen Moore. This is also the inspiration for Heath Ledger's Joker in the film. Get ready for a very frightening psychopath.
If you're like me, you prefer to rent the "Oscar-Notables" for your home theater and save the big-screen experiences for blockbusters and outings with the kids (or in my case, my sister's kid.) I still haven't seen "No Country for Old Men" or "Juno," but both will certainly end up in my Netflix queue eventually. For me, the big screen isn't about "quality cinema," it's about getting my fill of summer-blockbuster goodness! That's why I'm rather excited about the upcoming Summer-movie season.
From April to July, here's just a few of the movies I'm anticipating (In order of release):
Forbidden Kingdom (4/18)
With Jackie Chan & Jet Li, this movie is shaping up to be a must-see for kung-fu movie fans. My gut, based on the plot & recent performances from both stars, makes me a bit concerned. What's it about? It appears to be a classic tale of a young kid becoming involved in some mystical threat to humanity. Li & Chan are his "mentors." It'll probably either be too Disneyfied or too Bulletproof Monk...and yet I'm looking forward to it. This is definitely a "tomatometer" watcher. I'll see it if it's over 65%. Anything lower and I'll wait for DvD.
Iron Man (5/2)
Opening weekend anyone? It looks HOT! I am a comicbook fan but an admitted Iron Man detractor. A high-functioning alcoholic who's too smart and too self-righteous for his own good, Tony Stark has an epiphany that makes him turn into a cybor-suit wearing vigilante. Frankly, he'll always be a jackass. Thus, the casting of Robert Downey is perfect. And is that Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper? The special-effects look tremendous. If they avoid the mistakes of Fantastic Four, slow origin story and drawn out Thing's lost humanity story-ine and instead focus on action-beats and Stark's insomniac, high-octane jackass personality I will love this film in spite of myself.
Speed Racer (5/9)
A friend called it Anime NASCAR and I think he's on the money. Remember that hovercraft racing game for the GameCube. Image if someone took the Speed Racer cartoon series and set it to that game. That's what Speed Racer looks like. For some reason, that sounds cool to me. It's also got spot-on casting. That doesn't mean I'm not worried. After the first Matrix movie what have the Wachowski Brothers done? They made those crappy Matrix Sequels. On the other hand, they made the Matrix. It was a revolutionary film. It was like nothing anyone had ever done in film before. Could lighting strike twice? Why might it truly suck? Epileptic seizures anyone? Seriously! I got a headache just looking at the promo.
Prince Caspian (5/16)
Honestly, my enthusiasm for this film is low, but as it draws closer my urge to re-read the book is really high. That's why it's made my list. If they follow closely enough to inspire my imagination, I'll be happy.
Indiana Jones 5/22
Could I have dropped everything else and simply written a post about this one? Hell yeah! Dr Jones is back, baby! Am I crazy or too much of a FanBoy? No matter how hard I try, I can't imagine this being bad. First, Harrison Ford is my film-hero. I've got more DvD's with him than any other actor. Don't doubt the range and skill of Shia LaBouf. And when in doubt, it's got Cate "God Save The Queen" Blanchett! ...gotta stop before I start gushing... Just queue the theme music, baby!
Incredible Hulk (6/13)
It's been promised that the Ang Lee film will be all but erased from memory. That's probably the #1 reason why I'm excited. #2 has to be Edward Norton as Banner. I like that they are using the "helicopter drop" (dropping Banner out of a helicopter to inspire the change) and the "monster-movie" style showdown in the middle of a big city. This is the kind of movie made for the Summer Blockbuster. Who cares if it's well written. Just as long as the fights rock and "Hulk Smash!"
Get Smart (6/20)
I wish I could see this with my father. It's his kind of movie. I expect to laugh a lot. Unfortunately, we won't be together for family vacation until August. "Missed it by that much!"
Hancock (7/2)
Remember when Will Smith owned the 4th of July? Could Hancock restore the magic? Imagine a superhero with all the strength and invulnerability of Superman only imagine he's the kind of crass moron you want to give the finger to in the mall parking lot. That's Hancock. And you know that Will Smith can pull it off. Now, we all know that the movie will be about Hancock being taught a lesson in responsibility, but it still should be fun.
Dark Knight (7/18)
To truly know me is to understand a few essential things. For example: I love my wife, I'm too emotionally attached to Philadelphia Sports and Batman is one of my heroes. And not that campy Batman from the 60's. No, Frank Miller's Batman! The Dark Knight! Why am I most looking forward to it? This best Joker ever was the version presented in "the Killing Joke" by Allen Moore. This is also the inspiration for Heath Ledger's Joker in the film. Get ready for a very frightening psychopath.
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