Crash Into Me

2003-04-07T12:05:00.000-04:00

Deep Thought For The Day

Sometimes when I feel like killing someone, I do a little trick to calm myself down. I'll go over to the persons house and ring the doorbell. When the person comes to the door, I'm gone, but you know what I've left on the porch? A jack-o-lantern with a knife stuck in the side of it's head with a note that says "You." After that I usually feel a lot better, and no harm done.

2003-04-04T09:53:00.000-05:00

Driving

So I made the 12 hour trip from Indiana to Monroe. And I have decided that the best CD to drive to of all time is Vs. By Pearl Jam.

2003-03-31T17:28:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

If you're a horse, and someone gets on you, and falls off, and then gets right back on you, I think you should buck him off right away.

2003-03-28T12:22:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

Better not take a dog on the space shuttle, because if he sticks his head out when you're coming home his face might burn up.

2003-03-28T12:19:00.000-05:00

Breaking Music News

R.E.M. has confirmed a 26-date fall North American tour, its first such undertaking since 1999. For Monroe people, they will be in Dallas, Austin, Houston, New Orleans and Birmingham...this would be a concerts worth going to.

2003-03-27T14:08:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason.

2003-03-26T12:47:00.000-05:00

Random Music Musings

Just bought and listened to Ben Harper's new album, Diamonds on the Inside...wow is it good.

I broke down and bought the Evanescence album. It's actually very solid, maybe a little derivative with the guitar, but her voice is amazing, it has good piano sections, and really good melodies.

I can't get enough of Busted Stuff by DMB.

The more I listen to A Rush of Blood to the Head by Coldplay, the more I realize how fantastic the album is.

I desperately wanted to see Pearl Jam on this summer's tour, since they only tour once every few years, but couldn't get anyone to go...shame on y'all.

2003-03-26T12:36:00.000-05:00

August and Everything After

Well folks, time for another review of a great album of the nineties. This time, it’s the Counting Crows’ masterpiece, August and Everything After. This album is fantastic. It’s a very sad album (Remy maintains that Adam Duritz can’t make a good album WITHOUT being sad) but the tunes range from fast and bubbly (Mr. Jones) to slow, mellow, and depressing (Time and Time Again). I truly love every track on this album. There were so many radio hits, and they all got overplayed, and yet Counting Crows STILL remained popular and trend-setting. This is a tribute to their artistry. From the opening silence of Round Here, to the final notes of the album, Counting Crows weave a wonderful web (like the alliteration?) of song-making. They truly set the stage for pop music in the 90’s that was good, alternative-ish, sad, and beloved. Still together and churning out great music, Counting Crows is a wonderfully talented band who just happened to hit the pinnacle of their musical genius with their first record. One of my favorite albums of my collection is their VH1 Unplugged album, where they really show off how brilliant they are. If you do not have this album, GET IT.

2003-03-26T10:20:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

Most people don't realize that large pieces of coral, which have been painted brown and attached to the skull by common wood screws, can make a child look like a deer.

2003-03-25T10:55:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

To me, clowns aren't funny. In fact, they're kind of scary. I've wondered where this started and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus, and a clown killed my dad.

2003-03-25T10:52:00.000-05:00

Breaking Music News

Radiohead's sixth Capitol studio album will be titled "Hail to the Thief." The 14-track set, one of the most anticipated albums of the year, will arrive June 10 in North America and a day earlier in Europe. It will be preceded by the commercial single "There There," which will be released May 26.

2003-03-24T13:12:00.000-05:00

Time and time again

Remy has a very interesting topic on his blog, about the speed of light, etc. And this reminds me of a number of conversations/debates we have had about the existence of time. As with everything, Remy has a very interesting view on the subject...one I disagree with but makes me think. I was just pondering this dilemma yesterday...God has no time limit, before everything else, God existed...He is not created...He just is/was/etc. My question is, if God knew everything, and knows everything, why did He wait until when He did to create the earth? Presumably time came and went, unmeasureable before He spoke earth and man into existence, and He knew from then and for always exactly what was going to happen every second and what will happen every second from now until forever...so why didn't He create us earlier? Is there any such thing as "earlier"? Maybe I'm not framing this question well...or maybe it lends credence to Remy's argument that time does not exist...God is above the concept of time. What does time mean? Is it merely a convenience that He has given us to measure events and seasons? Is it real? Does God travel back and forth from past to future, above and independent above time? This is a very theoretical and broad topic, and one that I have obviously not thought through all the way, but I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts on the matter.

2003-03-24T13:03:00.000-05:00

Oscar Trash

Every year, I watch the Oscars and say "that's it, I'm not watching them any more, that was stupid." But every year, I find myself watching them again, being disappointed. A Beautiful Mind? A Beautifully mediocre movie, that's about it. Shakespeare in love? Yeah, that was better than Saving Private Ryan. Give me a break. How can Daniel Day Lewis not be the best actor of the year? How can a movie about adultery, murder and scantily clad women win over movies that have something substantive to say, done extremely well? Because of money. Because Miramax pays millions to have their movie nominated and win. It's ridiculous. I think movies need to be something special to win Best Picture...but apparently the academy thinks differently. They are pigeonholing themselves to mean absolutely nothing. Oscar nominee, oscar winner? Who really cares any more? Apparently I do, and I am a hypocrite. Because I will end up watching them again next year. Why do I do it? Good question, and one that I'm not able to come up with an answer to as of yet. I'll leave it up to y'all...why do we do it?
BTW, in my oscars, Road to Perdition would be best picture, Scorcese best director, Daniel Day Lewis best actor, Nicole Kidman was probably a good pick though I have not seen the Hours, and as for the other categories...I haven't seen enough of the nominated movies to comment.

2003-03-24T12:56:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

I think someone should have had the decency to tell me the luncheon was free. To make someone run out with potato salad in his hand, pretending he's throwing up, is not what I call hospitality.

2003-03-21T10:22:00.000-05:00

What's so great about weekends?

Ok, it's time for me to vent. I know everyone seems to love weekends, and I hate them. "Thank God it's Friday?", I think not. I know it must just be because of my schedule at this time in my life, but I DREAD the weekends. Let me give you a little insight into my weekend: Thursday: teach all day, drive 3 hours roundtrip for 3 hours of class afterwards. Friday: teach all day, come home for an hour, work until 10 or 11 waiting tables. Saturday: wait tables for 12-14 hours. I think everyone should feel sorry for Uncle Josh, and hey, this is my blogspot and my forum to vent. And who knows, maybe once I actually start getting PAID to teach, I'll love weekends, but right now I can't really see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sundays are the only exception, as they are the best day of the week, but I think Sundays are the beginning of the week, and don't really count as part of the "weekend". Poor me.

2003-03-21T10:18:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

Probably the earliest flyswatters were nothing more than some sort of striking surface attached to the end of a long stick.

2003-03-20T12:13:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

We tend to scoff at the beliefs of the ancients. But we can't scoff at them personally, to their faces, and this is what annoys me.

2003-03-19T14:58:00.000-05:00

Bandwagon

Hey, I jumped on it when I started my, blogspot didn't I?

1.LIVING ARRANGEMENT? I live at home until May, when I will be moving to Monroe
2. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Through New Eyes, Jim Jordan
3.WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? my mouse
4.FAVORITE BOARD GAME? Monopoly
5.FAVORITE MAGAZINE? Rolling Stone
6.FAVOURITE COMIC? Jerry Seinfeld
7.FAVOURITE SMELLS? rain, shampoo, mom's cooking, cucumber melon
8.LEAST FAVOURITE SMELLS? sewers
9.FAVOURITE SOUND? thunder, "i love you"
10. WORST FEELINGS IN THE WORLD? Christin put this best, see her blog; also disappointing someone close to you
11.WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING? probably shouldn't say:)
12.WHAT IS THE LAST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU GO TO SLEEP? """
14.HOW MANY RINGS BEFORE YOU ANSWER THE PHONE? 2
15.FUTURE CHILD'S NAME? Michal Joann, Caleb Joshua
16.WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE? my faith, my family
17. FAVOURITE FOODS? mom's chicken noodle soup, steak, shrimp and lobster
18.CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? chocolate
19.DO YOU LIKE TO DRIVE FAST? i love it
20.DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL? umm. no
21.STORMS -COOL OR SCARY? Cool, very cool...in fact it is thunderstorming right now
22.WHAT TYPE WAS YOUR FIRST CAR? '89 Mazda 626 hatchback
24.FAVOURITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK? gin and tonic
25.WHAT IS YOUR ZODIAC SIGN? Leo
26.DO YOU EAT THE STEMS OF BROCCOLI? No
27.IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY JOB YOU WANTED WHAT WOULD IT BE? sports announcer (radio or television)
28.IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY COLOR? none
29.EVER BEEN IN LOVE? yes
30.IS THE GLASS HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL? half full (on most days)
31.FAVOURITE MOVIES? The Godfather.
32.DO YOU TYPE WITH YOUR FINGERS ON THE RIGHT KEYS? yes
33.WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED? i have a waterbed, so nothing
34.WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE NUMBER? eleventy-billion (not a number...yet)
35 FAVOURITE SPORT TO WATCH? football (specifically notre dame)
35. WHO ARE YOUR SIBLINGS? Jessica, 23; Joel, 21
36. HAIR COLOR? strawberry blond
37. EYE COLOR? green
38.DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? yes
39.WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Ben Harper, Diamonds on the Inside
40.LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Lacey
41.HOW ARE YOU TODAY? A little sad, but ok
42.FAVORITE MONTH? August
43.SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? happy endings
44.SUMMER OR WINTER? summer
45.WHAT DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT? talked to lacey, watched american idol
46.WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TONIGHT? have dinner at my uncle's, watch a movie.

2003-03-19T10:53:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know.

2003-03-18T12:50:00.000-05:00

Stupid Movies And The Betterment of Society

As much as it pains this movie buff to say it, I love stupid movies. I get such a kick out of movies just put on celluloid for my entertainment and to get me to laugh. Of course I enjoy great cinema as much as the next guy, probably even more. I love to think in a movie and think ABOUT a movie, deriving enjoyment from how well it is put together, themes that weave their way in and out, cinematography, etc etc. I absolutely believe there is an objective aesthetic to art. However, that is not to say that stupid movies aren't "great" in their own way. They make us laugh...they make us ache with laughter, they pull off satire with the greatest of ease. There is a great quote that I am going to absolutely butcher, but it goes something like, "...it is easy to make someone cry genuinely, it is much more difficult to make them laugh genuinely." Some of my favorite movies in the world are absolutely awful works of cinematic genius. Take Ace Ventura: Pet Detective for example. Absolutely no plot, a horrible script, bad overacting, no soundtrack to speak of...and yet, I love it and I can't help but laugh so hard I cry every time I watch it...it's brilliant in its stupidity. Now, there is definitely room for well-done comedies, such as The Royal Tenenbaums, Rushmore, The Big Lebowski, etc. that make you think AND make you laugh. However, those are not pure entertainment designed to make our bellies ache. And there has to be a place allotted for movies such as this. Billy Madison, Tommy Boy, National Lampoon's Vacation, Dumb and Dumber, Zoolander, Austin Powers (the first one)...the list goes on and on. We absolutely need to watch these in moderation, as we need to do everything. However, to say that just because a movie seems "stupid", it is worthless, is overstepping our bounds. I know I'm being hypocritical when I criticize movies like Bring it On and Save the Last Dance for the same reasons, but I really think there is a hidden art to making a person weep with laughter. Anyways, that is just my two cents worth, and I know I probably feel this way mostly just because I'm a guy, but I'm curious to what y'all think...

2003-03-18T12:29:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

To me, boxing is like a ballet, except there's no music, no choreography, and the dancers hit each other.

2003-03-17T12:56:00.000-05:00

I'm Back

Well, it's been a bit of a hiatus, I know, but I'm back now. I know most of you don't care, but oh well, it's my blog. It was a long weekend, a lot of work going on. And when I wasn't working, I was out in the GORGEOUS weather. I had a blast playing a bit of baseball yesterday with Dad and Joel. Wow, I had almost forgotten how good the crack of the bat feels. But what I really wanted to mention was the fact that the NCAA tournament field was announced yesterday. The tourney starts on Thursday with more basketball being played in a single weekend than any weekend of the year. The wonderful thing is, it doesn't get much purer (sports-wise) than college basketball in March. No salary caps, labor disputes, lazy and spoiled millionaires...just good hard-working college kids working their guts out. The thrill of a cinderella upset in the NCAA's is second to none, where even slow white boys are given their opportunity to conquer. Now, I know this phenomenon is a much bigger deal in Indiana, but I would encourage people all over to start embracing probably the purest sport to watch out there. GO HOOSIERS!

2003-03-17T12:51:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

When you go in for a job interview, I think a good thing to ask is if they ever press charges.

2003-03-14T10:23:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

I bet one legend that keeps recurring throughout history, in every culture, is the story of Popeye.

2003-03-13T13:58:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

If you define cowardice as running away at the first sign of danger, screaming and tripping and begging for mercy, then yes, Mr. Brave man, I guess I'm a coward.

2003-03-12T21:40:00.000-05:00

Random Music Musings

My favorite song right now in my tunnel-vision music world is Fred Jones Part 2 by Ben Folds.

As much as I love The Dave Matthews Band, and even the song, I am tired of Where Are You Going.

Underrated songs that are great: I Am Mine by Pearl Jam (their best "radio song" since Better Man) and Electrical Storm by U2.

I heard a song by a new band called Evanescence on the radio the other day (it's from the Daredevil soundtrack as well as their new album), called Bring Me Back To Life (or something like that). I dismissed it and them out of hand, as just another Linkin Park wannabe. But I have heard the entire song subsequent times, and it's actually very good. Has anyone ever heard of this band? Is their whole album good? What's the deal?

Booth, Robbie, and anyone else, if you are listening, email me or post on here about the Pearl Jam concert. Tickets go on sale Saturday.

Discuss.

2003-03-12T12:39:00.000-05:00

Braveheart

Ok, it's time for my next pick for "greatest movies of the 90's" and this is an obvious choice. So much has been written of and spoken about with this movie, especially in the reformed community, that it would be redundant to say much more. Therefore, I will keep my post short. While it is not completely historically accurate (Robert the Bruce would NEVER have betrayed his country, as my Scottish friends would preach) and while it has been maybe even "too" talked up, Braveheart is a fantastic film. Not only is it well acted (even though Mel is a bit short for William Wallace), well scored, well shot, well written, etc. but it evokes emotions that not many movies can. One is moved to tears THROUGHOUT the movie, not just at the end or at a particularly sad scene. The scenery is beautiful, the courage displayed valiant, the underlying AND obvious themes and metaphors wonderful, the time period brutal but great, I could go on and on. Is it a perfect movie? Hardly. There are lines at pivotal moments that seem at the time well written and wonderful but upon further reflection a bit superficial and kind of a let down (They may take our homes, they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!) But no movie is perfect (well, besides the godfather) and this movie is great despite and INCLUDING its flaws. Because for every line like that, there is one that gives you goosebumps just thinking about it (Every man dies, not every man really lives). Braveheart was an instant classic and will be around for years and years to come, influencing and speaking to future generations as it did ours. I love Braveheart, and I consider it one of the greatest movies ever made. "They fought like warrior poets. They fought like Scotsman. And won their freedom."

2003-03-12T12:27:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

If you were a poor Indian with no weapons, and a bunch of conquistadors came up to you and asked where the gold was, I don't think it would be a good idea to say, "I swallowed it. So sue me."

2003-03-11T14:03:00.000-05:00

Fantasy Baseball

Well, this won't interest all of you, but I figure I can post my fantasy baseball team here, since it's my blog. What did everyone think of the draft, by the way? How did it go? Thanks to the Booth for putting all of this together. Anyways, as everyone else does, I have high hopes for my team, and I'll post it in the shout outs.

2003-03-11T13:59:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

I'd rather be rich than stupid.

2003-03-10T12:21:00.000-05:00

Love Makes People Stupid

So what is it about love that does this? In my 25 years of being alive, I have noticed this phenomenon quite often probably 100 percent of the time, in varying degrees, even in my own life. Normally reasonable or thoughtful or quiet, etc. people are reduced to inane babble, silly name calling, all that crap (let’s call it “shmoopiness”---thanks Seinfeld) with their “love”. And if you aren’t a part of it, it’s really annoying. Of course, if you are partaking in it, it is wonderful (I know I know, I’m a hypocrite). Anyways, I see people all the time who find themselves in love and all of a sudden, even what they used to hold true becomes something to be disregarded. For instance, I once overheard an argument between two friends about kissing and how it was wrong before at least engagement, unless it’s just a peck or something. However, when this same individual “fell in love” that went right out the window. I have never been able to explain all of this, and I have even fallen prey to it once or twice:) But what I’m asking y’all is, why??

2003-03-10T11:39:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

Ambition is like a frog sitting on a Venus Flytrap. The flytrap can bite and bite, but it won't bother the frog because it only has little tiny plant teeth. But some other stuff could happen and it could be like ambition.

2003-03-09T21:17:00.000-05:00

Pearl Jam Update

Ok PJ fans, we are getting down to crunch time. Tickets go on sale this coming Saturday. They are 36.75 each, and will probably end up being around 43 bucks each after ticketmaster hits us where it hurts. They go on sale at 10 AM. Now, there are a couple of ways we can do this. I don't know if it is general admission, but if it isn't it would be nice to sit together. So, you can either all mail Lacey a check for around 40 bucks BEFORE Saturday, and she can get all the tickets at once (so we can sit together), or you can get your own individual tickets online at www.ticketmaster.com, but I would do it right around 10 AM if I were you so you get good seats before it sells out. I'll leave it up to you, but post on this blog and let me know what you want to do, if you would. Thanks!

2003-03-09T21:10:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

The face of a child can say it all, especially the mouth part of the face.

2003-03-08T08:43:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

I bet the main reason the police keep people away from a plane crash is they don't want anybody walking in and lying down in the crash stuff, then, when somebody comes up, act like they just woke up and go, "What was THAT?!"

2003-03-07T13:49:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

I hope if dogs ever take over the world, and they chose a king, they don't just go by size, because I bet there are some Chihuahuas with some good ideas.

2003-03-06T10:57:00.000-05:00

Ten

My favorite/the best album of the nineties was a much easier decision. I know you all probably thought I was going to review Nevermind. That’s the obvious choice. However, I think Pearl Jam’s Ten is better, and I certainly enjoy it more. And its impact on music in the nineties, and beyond is undeniable. How many Pearl Jam/Eddie Vedder ripoffs are there in modern music? Too many to count.
Each track on Ten is woven together so well, evoking raw intensity and power one minute, and heartfelt passion the next. To have four of the most powerful singles of the decade on ONE ALBUM that are still played all over radio to this day is a most impressive feat. The ironic fact is that Ten was never number one. I think that is a benefit to it. It never had a number one single. That is also something to be proud of. The things that matter remain. Eddie Vedder and company crafted a truly memorable and fantastic record here. Every guy in America that was growing up in that time will confess wanting to be Eddie, just for a few minutes. The Seattle scene/sound/clothing, etc. took over the nation. The list of accolades can go on and on. The fact that Pearl Jam can pretty much still sell out any venue on the planet, over 11 years later is a tribute not only to this album, but to one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

2003-03-06T10:44:00.000-05:00

The Ring

So I finally saw The Ring, last night. I had heard only good things, and to be sure I thought it was well done. It was definitely creepy in some parts and genuinely scary in others. But I have heard comparisons being made to movies like The Shining, and that is just not warranted. I thought The Ring was a good movie, but The Shining downright freaked me out. Also, I just didn't think the movie had a whole lot to say. Then again, I have loved movies that had a LOT less to say:) Anyways, I was just trying to get everyone's thoughts on the movie.

2003-03-06T10:31:00.000-05:00

Breaking Music News

As Dave Matthews is about to kick off a fresh round of acoustic touring with sideman Tim Reynolds on March 19 in Wallingford, Conn, Reynolds recently told the Boulder (Colo.) Daily Camera that he and Matthews have recorded a studio album together, although no further information was available at deadline.

2003-03-06T09:58:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words - "mank" and "ind". What do these words mean ? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.

2003-03-05T09:46:00.000-05:00

It's gonna be a busy summer...

All you DMB fans out there, listen up. Especially ones living in and around the Monroe area. The summer 2003 tour dates for the Dave Matthews Band have been announced, and they will be playing in (surprise, surprise) Little Rock. The date is July 13th (a Sunday). As with Pearl Jam, I think it would be fun to get a group together and go up for it. DMB always puts on an amazing show. Tickets will probably go on sale around March 29th, I will let you know as soon as I can. As for now, just gimme a shout out if you would perhaps like to attend, and spread the word to those outside of blogdom who might like to attend. BTW, those Pearl Jam tickets go on sale a week from Saturday.

2003-03-05T09:40:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

Dad always thought laughter was the best medicine, which I guess is why several of us died of tuberculosis.

2003-03-04T12:44:00.000-05:00

Pulp Fiction

I thought long and hard about my decision for my number 1 movie of the 90's. There were so many favorites to choose from! In the end, I had to go with my gut, and say that Pulp Fiction was not only a great movie, and one of my favorites of all time, but it changed the face of modern cinema. That said, let me take you back in time, nearly ten years... The summer of 1994 was a paradox. There were two films that summer that would vie closely for the Academy Award for Best Picture. And yet those two films were polar opposites. There was the family-friendly, critically acclaimed (and admittedly very good) Forrest Gump. It was a long look at a simpleton making it in the big bad world. Butting heads with that film was the equally acclaimed, Hard-R masterpiece from cult director Quentin Tarantino, Pulp Fiction. These movies could not be more different. And yet, there was something about Pulp Fiction that kept you guessing, kept you interested, kept you thinking. Was it the non-sequential storytelling? The f-word being used more times than you could count? The disturbing images? The breakthrough acting performances? The dialogue that at one minute would have you laughing uncontrollably and the next scratching your head? I would submit, all of the above. Tarantino has an uncanny knack for taking overdone movie genres and making them his own. Basically, this was a movie about bad men...criminals. And yet, those people have normal conversations, normal lives outside their jobs. What happens when we examine those normal existences? Moviemaking history. Pulp Fiction is tough, taut, gritty, and brilliant. The plot, storytelling, soundtrack, performances, I could go on and on, every bit of the movie is fantastic. I will not go into detail here about the plot, how it fits together in a chiasm, the bit roles, the sly nods to other cult directors...I could go on and on about every detail of the movie. I just want to leave you with one last thought. Whether you agree with me or not, Pulp Fiction is one of those rare pieces of cinema that will be around, popping up for years and years to come.

2003-03-04T12:11:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

I don't think I'm alone when I say I'd like to see more and more planets fall under the ruthless domination of our solar system.

2003-03-03T14:09:00.000-05:00

The Nineties

Most of you know that I was born in the 70's, and I lived through the 80's. But I consider myself a child of the 90's. I did most of my growing up in that seminal decade. High school graduation. College graduation. Moving to Moscow. The list is endless. That decade is where I also gained my appreciation for my musical and cinematic tastes. The 90's were a great decade for both. So I will now be starting a weekly feature on my blog where I review one CD and one movie that impacted myself and the decade highly (i.e. the best of the 90's). Strap on your seatbelts folks, whether you agree or disagree, it should be a fun and nostalgic look at my favorite decade so far.

2003-03-03T10:59:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

I wish I had a Kryptonite cross, because then you could keep both Dracula AND Superman away.

2003-03-02T15:52:00.000-05:00

A Defense of Sports

As most of you know, I am a major sports enthusiast. As long as I can remember, I have loved them and they have been a big part of my life. You couldn't be a part of my house growing up if you weren't a Dallas Cowboys or Indianapolis Colts fan, an Indiana Pacers fan, a St. Louis Cardinals fan, an Indiana Hoosiers fan, and especially a Notre Dame Fighting Irish fan. I have countless great memories of watching Saturday and Sunday afternoon football, basketball in the winter, baseball in the spring and summer, March madness...the list goes on and on. I literally grew up playing whiffleball in my best friend's backyard, imagining we were people like Shoeless Joe Jackson, and Lou Gehrig, and playing tackle football in the snowy Indiana fields, with endless pick-up games of basketball (this IS Indiana, after all). And that love evolved into other areas of sports (just ask anyone in the greater Moscow area about myself and volleyball:)). All that to say, sports are great. They are truly fun entertainment for the whole family...to watch and to play. It's something about the thrill of competition that is built into the human psyche. So let's get some love out there for sports.

2003-03-02T15:46:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

The people in the village were real poor, so none of the children had any toys. But this one little boy had gotten an old enema bag and filled it with rocks, and he would go around and whap the other children across the face with it. Man, I think my heart almost broke. Later the boy came up and offered to give me the toy. This was too much! I reached out my hand, but then he ran away. I chased him down and took the enema bag. He cried a little, but that's the way of these people.

2003-03-01T08:54:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

Fear can sometimes be a useful emotion. For instance, let's say you're an astronaught on the moon and you fear that your partner has been turned into Dracula. The next time he goes out for the moon pieces, wham!, you just slam the door behind him and blast off. He might call you on the radio and say he's not Dracula, but you just say, "Think again, bat man."

2003-02-28T09:54:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

I bet when the neanderthal kids would make a snowman, someone would always end up saying, "Don't forget the thick, heavy brows." Then they would all get embarrassed because they remembered they had the big hunky brows too, and they'd get mad and eat the snowman.

2003-02-27T13:05:00.000-05:00

Tolkien---King of all Fiction

As most of you know, my favorite book(s), especially fiction, are the trilogy...The Lord of the Rings. They had a profound impact on me, and really are where my love of reading came from. They are masterfully written, obviously, and I consider Mr. Tolkien a genius. So what are some other favorite books of people out there, or books that proufoundly impacted how and what you read? I'm talking mostly of fiction here, no serious "I read the Bible!" answers. That's too obvious. So gimme some shout outs!

2003-02-27T12:54:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

If they ever come up with a swashbuckling School, I think one of the courses should be Laughing, Then Jumping Off Something.

2003-02-26T11:55:00.000-05:00

BREAKING MUSIC NEWS

Radiohead's long-awaited next Capitol album is due June 10 in North America, although a spokesperson says the date may change. Rumored album titles "2+2=5" or "Are You Listening" could not be confirmed by the spokesperson. An as-yet-unnamed single will precede the album in mid-May.

2003-02-26T11:04:00.000-05:00

A Thinking Man's Mafia Movie With Heart

So I watched Road to Perdition last night. I had seen it once before and thought it was one of the best movies I had seen in the last five years. But I had to back up my gut reaction. Well, it's officially backed up. Echoes of the Godfather were bouncing around the walls of my living room. The acting is superb, the dialogue poignant, and the cinematography, art direction, costumes and soundtrack first rate. The underlying themes/imagery of the movie are fantastic. Don't get caught up thinking it's "depressing", really get to what is under the surface and see what is in store for you. I can't recommend this movie highly enough. Now don't get me wrong, I like the in-your-face mob movies like Casino and Goodfellas as much as the next guy, but these really resonate with me and hit home like those others can't.

2003-02-26T10:34:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

At first I thought, if I were Superman, a perfect secret identity would be "Clark Kent, Dentist," because you could save money on tooth X-rays. But then I thought, if a patient said, "How's my back tooth?" and you just looked at it with your X-ray vision and said, "Oh it's okay," then the patient would probably say, "Aren't you going to take an X-ray, stupid?" and you'd say, "Aw screw you, get outta here," and then he probably wouldn't even pay his bill.

2003-02-25T12:10:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

If I lived back in the wild west days, instead of carrying a six-gun in my holster, I'd carry a soldering iron. That way, if some smart-aleck cowboy said something like "Hey, look. He's carrying a soldering iron!" and started laughing, and everybody else started laughing, I could just say, "That's right, it's a soldering iron. The soldering iron of justice." Then everybody would get real quiet and ashamed, because they had made fun of the soldering iron of justice, and I could probably hit them up for a free drink.

2003-02-24T12:31:00.000-05:00

Global Cooling

As my friend Jerry Seinfeld would say, "so what's the deal with global warming"? What are these nuts crying about? We have had about the harshest winter in recent memory here in Indiana, going over a month without getting above freezing, and we just had ANOTHER winter storm that dumped 6 more inches of snow on us. In fact, this is in the top ten snowiest winters EVER in Indiana. So what is their function, these environmentalist whackos? Are they really so arrogant they think WE can destroy the planet? I say, let God be sovreign, and let's use the AC on high, drive our cars all over the place and generally live it up! What do y'all think?

2003-02-24T12:27:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

I'd like to be buried Indian-style, where they put you up on a high rack, above the ground. That way, you could get hit by meteorites and not even feel it.

2003-02-23T09:51:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

Why do people in ship mutinies always ask for "better treatment"? I'd ask for a pinball machine, because with all that rocking back and forth you'd probably be able to get a lot of free games.

2003-02-22T11:25:00.000-05:00

A Show About Nothing

I've long held to the belief/fact that Seinfeld is the greatest show in television history. Yes that's right, show, sitcom or otherwise. Now, I haven't watched a lot of "old" TV, so perhaps this is a generationally biased statement. What does everyone think of my thesis about Seinfeld? Why or why not?

2003-02-22T11:22:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

A good way to threaten somebody is to light a stick of dynamite. Then you call the guy and hold the burning fuse up to the phone. "Hear that?" you say. "That's dynamite, baby."

2003-02-21T13:53:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

One thing kids like is to be tricked. For instance, I was going to take my little nephew to Disneyland, but instead I drove him to an old burned-out warehouse. "Oh, no," I said. "Disneyland burned down." He cried and cried, but I think that deep down, he thought it was a pretty good joke. I started to drive over to the real Disneyland, but it was getting pretty late.

2003-02-20T21:15:00.000-05:00

BREAKING MUSIC NEWS!

Simon and Garfunkel, the dynamic duo with the worst relationship since the John-Yoko-Paul triangle are receiving a lifetime achievement award at this year's Grammys that take place Sunday night. Word on the street is that they will perform one song together for the first time since... Also, they are talking about a possible tour this summer. I don't know about y'all, but I don't really like reunion tours. However, this one would certainly break the mold, and I would pay serious money to see that concert. So good luck boys, and don't let the egos get in the way!!

2003-02-20T12:53:00.000-05:00

Hello, my name is Uncle Josh and I'm an alcoholic.

Ok, not really, but I do have an alcoholic question. I was reading in Leviticus yesterday and came across a passage that strictly forbade and I'm going to paraphrase a bit here "strong drink", i.e. alcohol, in the tabernacle, where the Lord was sacrificed to, worshipped, etc. Does that mean that having/consuming alcohol in a church (apart from communion, obviously) is wrong? I know that at many reformed fellowship dinners and events that take place at churches, there is wine and beer consumed by the boatload. I have not made up my mind on the issue...what does everyone think about this?

2003-02-20T12:16:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.

2003-02-19T21:22:00.000-05:00

A "Royal" Film

Ok people, I just saw an old archive of a discussion on a blogspot and it was brought up for discussion that The Royal Tenenbaums isn't a good movie. Let's get some SERIOUS praise and hear why it is an absolutely great movie...funny, touching, well done, you name it. I know I think it, I just want to start a ground swelling that has the Academy apologizing for not naming it movie of the year THIS year, even though it came out LAST year. Beautiful mind, shmeautiful mind. Let's hear you!

2003-02-19T15:54:00.000-05:00

2002: The Year In Music

Now that all of the magazines are having their lists of all the "tops" of 2002, I figured it was time for Uncle Josh to do the same, and since the Grammys are Sunday, I figured I could have a Grammys of my own, since I never agree with the actual ones (except when U2 is cleaning up). So here goes, feel free to comment on my picks, post your own, and bash anyone's choices.

2003-02-19T14:57:00.000-05:00

Deep Thought For The Day

When you're riding in a time machine way far into the future, don't stick your elbow out the window, or it'll turn into a fossil.

2003-02-18T12:53:00.000-05:00

Pearl Jammin'

Well folks, it looks like the 2nd best band in the world is going on another world tour. And it's time we all (at least everyone who can) went out and supported them and enjoyed one of the best concerts you'll ever see. I will be down south, thus I am campaigning for a trip to Little Rock on June 10th, a Thursday evening. Tickets go on sale March 15th and will probably be in the vicinity of 40 bucks. So gimme a shout out if you wanna love and be loved by Eddie and the boys!

2003-02-17T15:03:00.000-05:00

WATCH ME!

Ok, but what has everyone been WATCHING lately? I just saw the Two Towers again yesterday, and of course loved it. I have also seen Blood Work, Moulin Rouge (again), and every episode of Seinfeld and Friends I can get my hands on recently. Discuss!

2003-02-17T15:02:00.000-05:00

LISTENING POST

What has everyone been listening to lately? What musical tastes are out there? I'll post mine, and hopefully we can take it from there. Feel free to discuss these choices!

Ben Folds---Rockin' the Suburbs
Norah Jones---Come Away With Me
Zwan---Mary Star of the Sea
Pearl Jam---Riot Act

2003-02-17T13:49:00.000-05:00

Well kids, I finally did it. Good ol' Uncle Josh succumbed to jumping on the bandwagon and getting his own blogspot. I know it's sad, but I just needed a forum to talk about everything from movies and music to the most random thoughts that jump in and out of the chasm that I call my mind. So hopefully you won't be too burdened by all the blogspots out there and will take the time to "pop in" and at least say hello.