Well folks, it has been a solid month and I am still speechless of the Battlestar Galactica mid-season finale. When I say my mind was blown, I mean my mind was blown. The season as a whole has been up and down so far. (Don't read anymore if you don't want to have the finale ruined) After the Baltar trial, it would be hard to maintain the suspense, so I understand why some episodes felt like filler. Another issue I had was the whiny nature of Starbuck after her apparent return from the dead. While there was a nice conclusion to this plot line, it took a little long to get there.
Well, back to the finale. President Roslin continued to battle her problem while the Final Four kept their identities hidden. I loved the drama of knowing who the Final Four were, even though the crew did not. And man, the big reveal with Tigh and Adama was a total hit to the gut. But, not as big a hit as the final scene. I won't reveal the final scene, but it was unbelievable. After all this time, it was so satisfying. I still can't quite believe how it ended. It was a very stirring moment that left me totally speechless. I just hope that everyone was able to enjoy it as much as I did.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
How Sweet It Is
So, one of the minor issues that we have had during the wedding planning centers around the grand idea of a sweet table. For those that cannot read into it yet, I am being very sarcastic. Personally, I do not care for the idea of a sweet table. For those of us that don't know, a sweet table is a table full of sweets that is brought out after the cake. The key for me in this equation is after the cake. For the life of me, I cannot justify the idea of having a sweet table when a cake is a sweet! Mar's mother is insistent about this detail for the sake of tradition. Her mother is Italian, which is where this tradition comes from. Anyways, it has been a bone of contention.
Maybe I am crazy, but as far as I am concerned, a sweet table is not very high on the list of necessities. As we have been planning this little party, tradition is something that has been constantly pushed to the forefront by our parents. In my opinion, we should be able to make up our own minds for our wedding. This is not to say that we will buck all tradition, but sometimes I think that our parents forget that we are two consenting adults capable of making responsible decisions. I am sure that things will get worked out, but in the meantime, don't be surprised if you hear me airing my grievances.
Maybe I am crazy, but as far as I am concerned, a sweet table is not very high on the list of necessities. As we have been planning this little party, tradition is something that has been constantly pushed to the forefront by our parents. In my opinion, we should be able to make up our own minds for our wedding. This is not to say that we will buck all tradition, but sometimes I think that our parents forget that we are two consenting adults capable of making responsible decisions. I am sure that things will get worked out, but in the meantime, don't be surprised if you hear me airing my grievances.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Location, Location, Location
So, I do not know about the rest of you folks that have planned a wedding, but this business is very stressful. Well, the first big step after the engagement was for us to pick a location. One thing that is very lucky for us is the fact that we have summers off from school, so we have a lot of free time, even though we still work at the restaurant. The first two weeks after I proposed we did nothing but look at potential wedding sites.
We went to around ten different places in the Naperville area, and I have to say that all of them were nice. After visiting each place, we always asked each other what our top three choices were. We always seemed to have the same top three, but our number one was always different. Well, that all changed after we made one fateful stop: Walter Payton's Roundhouse.
We just totally fell in love with this place. The building is dripping with character and has a ton of history. We will have the ceremony in the courtyard, followed by a reception in their grand ballroom. On top of all of this, who wouldn't want to get married at a place that was run by the greatest of all the Bears. Our date is August 1, 2009, so make sure to mark your calendars. More details will follow as they become available.
We went to around ten different places in the Naperville area, and I have to say that all of them were nice. After visiting each place, we always asked each other what our top three choices were. We always seemed to have the same top three, but our number one was always different. Well, that all changed after we made one fateful stop: Walter Payton's Roundhouse.
We just totally fell in love with this place. The building is dripping with character and has a ton of history. We will have the ceremony in the courtyard, followed by a reception in their grand ballroom. On top of all of this, who wouldn't want to get married at a place that was run by the greatest of all the Bears. Our date is August 1, 2009, so make sure to mark your calendars. More details will follow as they become available.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
At Long Last
Drum roll please... Marilyn and I got engaged! Yes, after six and a half years, we are proud to announce our engagement. The magical date was May 31st, 2008 and the location was the Riverwalk in Downtown Naperville. I had been planning the event since my sprig break and had to go into total stealth mode to prevent Mar from knowing my intentions. Anyways, after finagling some time to myself to go shopping, I ended up finding the ring of our dreams at the Diamond Gallery in Naperville. Shopping for the ring was quite the ordeal, I went to several places before I found the right fit, more on that later.
Now that the ring was picked, I had to set up a time and place. Since we live in Naperville and have spent so much of our time here, I decided the Riverwalk would be the perfect place. Well, I went down and scoped out the scene and picked one of the covered bridges to serve as the location. With the place and date picked, I let a couple of people in on the secret so I could have someone in place to take a couple of pictures.
Considering the fact that our schedules are so similar and always seem to be jammed packed, I did not want to make the day appear to be out of the ordinary. Marilyn was under the impression that we would be going out to dinner with some of our friends and I did my best to make it appear like a normal day. After working the morning shift, we came home and got ready for to go out.
We parked a good distance away from the restaurant and she looked at me like I was crazy. I just told her it was a nice day, so lets walk. Well, she started walking towards the restaurant and I started walking away from it. Again, she looked at me like I was nuts and I just said that it was nice so we should enjoy the river. We came to the covered bridge and started to cross it while making small talk. She was wearing sunglasses, so when we reached he end of the bridge I asked her to take them off. Once again, I got crazy looks from her. Initially she said no, so I said, "Mar, can you please take off your sunglasses." By the time she had them off, I had dropped a couple of steps behind her and was on one knee.
She looked at me with total shock and said, "Really?!"
I said,"Yes, will you?"
She said, "Really?!"
I said, "Yes, really."
She said, "Really?!"
I said, "Yes, really. Will you?"
She said, "Of course."
She accepted the ring, which was unfortunately to small due to an error by the jeweler, and I got off my knee. As I mentioned, Marilyn was totally shocked, but in a good way. After we exchanged pleasantries with our friends, we headed back to my car, which had a suitcase in it. Mar was surprised to see it and commented that I must have been planning this for awhile. I explained to her how I got everything ready and we had reservations at the new Westin in Yorktown. We then went to our room to drop our stuff off. The room had a cold bottle of champagne and rose petals spread across the floor. After dropping off our stuff, we had dinner at Harry Caray's.
Well, that's the story. Sorry it took so long to get post up, but we have been very busy. (More details on the things that have been keeping us busy will be coming in the next few days) I could not have imagined a better day. Although there was some drama, it was everything that I wanted it to be. We have a lot of planning to do, but cannot wait for the big day.
Now that the ring was picked, I had to set up a time and place. Since we live in Naperville and have spent so much of our time here, I decided the Riverwalk would be the perfect place. Well, I went down and scoped out the scene and picked one of the covered bridges to serve as the location. With the place and date picked, I let a couple of people in on the secret so I could have someone in place to take a couple of pictures.
Considering the fact that our schedules are so similar and always seem to be jammed packed, I did not want to make the day appear to be out of the ordinary. Marilyn was under the impression that we would be going out to dinner with some of our friends and I did my best to make it appear like a normal day. After working the morning shift, we came home and got ready for to go out.
We parked a good distance away from the restaurant and she looked at me like I was crazy. I just told her it was a nice day, so lets walk. Well, she started walking towards the restaurant and I started walking away from it. Again, she looked at me like I was nuts and I just said that it was nice so we should enjoy the river. We came to the covered bridge and started to cross it while making small talk. She was wearing sunglasses, so when we reached he end of the bridge I asked her to take them off. Once again, I got crazy looks from her. Initially she said no, so I said, "Mar, can you please take off your sunglasses." By the time she had them off, I had dropped a couple of steps behind her and was on one knee.
She looked at me with total shock and said, "Really?!"
I said,"Yes, will you?"
She said, "Really?!"
I said, "Yes, really."
She said, "Really?!"
I said, "Yes, really. Will you?"
She said, "Of course."
She accepted the ring, which was unfortunately to small due to an error by the jeweler, and I got off my knee. As I mentioned, Marilyn was totally shocked, but in a good way. After we exchanged pleasantries with our friends, we headed back to my car, which had a suitcase in it. Mar was surprised to see it and commented that I must have been planning this for awhile. I explained to her how I got everything ready and we had reservations at the new Westin in Yorktown. We then went to our room to drop our stuff off. The room had a cold bottle of champagne and rose petals spread across the floor. After dropping off our stuff, we had dinner at Harry Caray's.
Well, that's the story. Sorry it took so long to get post up, but we have been very busy. (More details on the things that have been keeping us busy will be coming in the next few days) I could not have imagined a better day. Although there was some drama, it was everything that I wanted it to be. We have a lot of planning to do, but cannot wait for the big day.
Monday, June 30, 2008
June, We Hardly Knew Ye
I just wanted to make sure that I had a post in June, so here it is. There is much more to come. June was a very busy month for us, starting with a little something called engagement. (Which actually happened in May.)
Monday, May 26, 2008
Story Corps.
I wrote a recent post about my adoration for NPR. Every Friday, I look forward to one particular feature, the Story Corps segment. Story Corps is a project aimed at preserving the memories of everyday people for future generations. The stories are always riveting, and I have enjoyed every one of them. These stories are being compiled as part of a nationwide project that is partially funded by NPR and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
The premise of the project is very basic: two people that know each other record interviews that they conduct with each other. Each interview is very unique and personal. My personal favorite was between a young woman, Carly Dreher and her grandfather, Lyle Link. The man's wife had recently passed away, and the interview focused on their relationship and how they bucked the standard traditions of the times when they first got married. It was truly delightful to hear the love in his voice as he described their adventurous honeymoon.
The stories themselves are very interesting, but this series also resonates with me from a historical standpoint. One of the most fascinating courses I took down at ISU was called archives and manuscripts. This course was based on the science of archiving, and the necessary steps it takes to do it correctly. Unfortunately, as we have become more dependent on technology, we have left the art of writing letters and keeping personal logs behind. Part of this is the convenience that computers offer to us. Hell, look at those of us have joined the blogosphere.
Anyways, what I am really interested in doing is starting a project similar to this amongst our friends. Most of us have known each other for the better part of the last fifteen years, and I think we owe it to ourselves and our future families to start recording some of our fondest memories while the remain fresh. I know this sounds like a screwball idea, but I have a feeling we will all learn a lot about ourselves, while visiting the events that have made us who we are today.
Since this is my idea, I will volunteer to be the facilitator of this little project. Depending on the amount of interest, I will go out and purchase a recording device that we can pass around to each other. Considering the fact that we have become spread out, and it is difficult to get us all in one place, I imagine that some packages will be sent around from time to time to help move the process along. Once the recordings have been made, I will put them in a digital format for safe keeping. Another idea could be writing the questions and answers down as the interviews take place. If you don't want to keep the hard copies, send them to me and I will archive them.
Once again, I know this sounds ambitious, but I really feel this is something we can all benefit from. Naturally, I think we should start with the people that are closet to us, such as a significant other. Please let me know what you think.
The premise of the project is very basic: two people that know each other record interviews that they conduct with each other. Each interview is very unique and personal. My personal favorite was between a young woman, Carly Dreher and her grandfather, Lyle Link. The man's wife had recently passed away, and the interview focused on their relationship and how they bucked the standard traditions of the times when they first got married. It was truly delightful to hear the love in his voice as he described their adventurous honeymoon.
The stories themselves are very interesting, but this series also resonates with me from a historical standpoint. One of the most fascinating courses I took down at ISU was called archives and manuscripts. This course was based on the science of archiving, and the necessary steps it takes to do it correctly. Unfortunately, as we have become more dependent on technology, we have left the art of writing letters and keeping personal logs behind. Part of this is the convenience that computers offer to us. Hell, look at those of us have joined the blogosphere.
Anyways, what I am really interested in doing is starting a project similar to this amongst our friends. Most of us have known each other for the better part of the last fifteen years, and I think we owe it to ourselves and our future families to start recording some of our fondest memories while the remain fresh. I know this sounds like a screwball idea, but I have a feeling we will all learn a lot about ourselves, while visiting the events that have made us who we are today.
Since this is my idea, I will volunteer to be the facilitator of this little project. Depending on the amount of interest, I will go out and purchase a recording device that we can pass around to each other. Considering the fact that we have become spread out, and it is difficult to get us all in one place, I imagine that some packages will be sent around from time to time to help move the process along. Once the recordings have been made, I will put them in a digital format for safe keeping. Another idea could be writing the questions and answers down as the interviews take place. If you don't want to keep the hard copies, send them to me and I will archive them.
Once again, I know this sounds ambitious, but I really feel this is something we can all benefit from. Naturally, I think we should start with the people that are closet to us, such as a significant other. Please let me know what you think.
The Most Important Moment of My Childhood
Sit back folks, this is going to take awhile. During my absence, a very important day passed. While to most people May 4th is the day before Cinco de Mayo, for me it signifies the most important event of my childhood, if not life. (I mean no disrespect to Marilyn by making that statement, and you will soon read why)
May 4, 1992 was the day that I nearly lost my brother Frank. On this date, sixteen years ago, my one and only brother was hit by a car after we had gotten off of our school bus. Frank was twelve and I was eleven. The impact form the collision sent him about forty feet. He had a compound fracture of his left leg and serious head trauma. After he landed on the pavement, I ran straight to him to see if he was okay. He was in a severe state of shock and could not communicate with me or anyone else. The spot of blood on his jeans marked the spot where he leg was fractured and he had a dazed look on his face. Needless to say, he was rushed to the hospital.
Keep in mind I was still a child, so looking back on things, I do not think I instantly understood the ramifications of the situation. Being naive, I fully expected things to go back to normal in a relatively short amount of time, but I was sorely mistaken. Frank was sent to Loyola Hospital, and the painful waiting game began. Due to brain swelling, he was place in a drug induced coma for ten days. Needless to say, those were the ten longest days of my life.
One night that sticks out in my mind in particular. Naturally, my parents had a much better understanding of the situation. As I was getting ready for bed, my dad came into my room and explained the gravity of the situation. The doctors had given my brother a very grave prognosis, if fact, they said he recovery was a highly unlikely. That night, I literally cried myself to sleep. To me, it was totlaly unfathomable that I would grow up without my brother. Fortunately, I never had to face this reality.
The accident occurred with one month left in school, and after being held out for about a week, I went back. This was both traumatic and a relief at the same time. The relief came in the form of some normalcy in my life, whatever that really means. However, the trauma came in the way that I was treated. My fellow students were instructed not to speak to me about the accident, for fear that it would set me off. This translated to constant questions about how he was doing, and isolation from the fear of setting me off, whatever that means. Looking back on it, I understand that my classmates meant well, and perhaps it was the adults who were trying to protect me, that really made the situation difficult. Things eventually started to feel comfortable and school was a welcome relief.
Well, eventually my brother woke up. I got the news at school, and that will always be a great memory for me. My dad came to school to tell me in person and that night, I got to go see Frank. The moment will be etched in my mind forever. He was connected to several tubes an wires, but there was no denying that glimmer in his eye. When I walked in, he demanded that I come by his side so he could see me. I nervously walked up to him to say hi, and he recognized me instantly. This is honestly one of the greatest moments in my life. My parents were beaming and I think that there was a relief to Frank as well. When he woke up, he did not know where he was or what had happened. The situation was explained and he instantly asked for my presence.
Now that I was there, I feel like it was something that made the situation easier for him. As I mentioned, he was connected to an innumerable amount of tubes and cords, and he was holding a blue ball. The ball was meant to be a stress reliever, and I'll be damed if he didn't stop squeezing it the whole time I was there. As a matter of fact, he threw it in my face when I wasn't looking to make sure I was paying attention. He caught my surprise and let out a belly laugh that truly showed me that Frank was back.
However, he was not completely out of the woods. We did not yet know the full extent of his injuries, and only after rehab and time would we fully understand. After spending another week at Loyola, he made the transfer to Marion Joy rehabilitation center to complete physical and occupational therapy. Even though he was closer to being home, he was still anxious to make it all the way back. Frank was making rapid progress and it appeared that he was going to make a full recovery. The cast on his left leg went halfway up his thigh, so he wasn't very mobile. While it was frustrating for him, he knew that it was temporary and didn't complain about it that much.
Well, after a couple of weeks at Marion Joy, he came home. As it turns out, he came home the day before my birthday, making it best gift that I have ever received. Once again, this is not a slight to the gifts I have received in the since then, but nothing will ever replace the fact that I got to have my only brother back to help me celebrate my birthday and his, which is four days after mine.
I hope this post does not appear to be self indulgent, but I wanted to share this experience with you guys since it is so important to me. This singular event has shaped my life more than any other experience. Whenever I feel down on myself or need something to remind me that things are not as bad as they could be, I look back on this fateful day. No book or movie will ever be able to motivate me as much as this real life experience. I understand that not everyone has such an event to look back on, but this explains my skepticism when it comes to people telling me that I need to read the Secret or the latest greatest fade, because to be honest, I do not see how they will be able to recreate this experience that I actually lived through.
This all being said, I would like to dedicate this entry to my one and only older brother, Frank. I love you very much and cannot imagine a better older brother. You have given me more than I could have ever imagined and continue to inspire me to this very day.
May 4, 1992 was the day that I nearly lost my brother Frank. On this date, sixteen years ago, my one and only brother was hit by a car after we had gotten off of our school bus. Frank was twelve and I was eleven. The impact form the collision sent him about forty feet. He had a compound fracture of his left leg and serious head trauma. After he landed on the pavement, I ran straight to him to see if he was okay. He was in a severe state of shock and could not communicate with me or anyone else. The spot of blood on his jeans marked the spot where he leg was fractured and he had a dazed look on his face. Needless to say, he was rushed to the hospital.
Keep in mind I was still a child, so looking back on things, I do not think I instantly understood the ramifications of the situation. Being naive, I fully expected things to go back to normal in a relatively short amount of time, but I was sorely mistaken. Frank was sent to Loyola Hospital, and the painful waiting game began. Due to brain swelling, he was place in a drug induced coma for ten days. Needless to say, those were the ten longest days of my life.
One night that sticks out in my mind in particular. Naturally, my parents had a much better understanding of the situation. As I was getting ready for bed, my dad came into my room and explained the gravity of the situation. The doctors had given my brother a very grave prognosis, if fact, they said he recovery was a highly unlikely. That night, I literally cried myself to sleep. To me, it was totlaly unfathomable that I would grow up without my brother. Fortunately, I never had to face this reality.
The accident occurred with one month left in school, and after being held out for about a week, I went back. This was both traumatic and a relief at the same time. The relief came in the form of some normalcy in my life, whatever that really means. However, the trauma came in the way that I was treated. My fellow students were instructed not to speak to me about the accident, for fear that it would set me off. This translated to constant questions about how he was doing, and isolation from the fear of setting me off, whatever that means. Looking back on it, I understand that my classmates meant well, and perhaps it was the adults who were trying to protect me, that really made the situation difficult. Things eventually started to feel comfortable and school was a welcome relief.
Well, eventually my brother woke up. I got the news at school, and that will always be a great memory for me. My dad came to school to tell me in person and that night, I got to go see Frank. The moment will be etched in my mind forever. He was connected to several tubes an wires, but there was no denying that glimmer in his eye. When I walked in, he demanded that I come by his side so he could see me. I nervously walked up to him to say hi, and he recognized me instantly. This is honestly one of the greatest moments in my life. My parents were beaming and I think that there was a relief to Frank as well. When he woke up, he did not know where he was or what had happened. The situation was explained and he instantly asked for my presence.
Now that I was there, I feel like it was something that made the situation easier for him. As I mentioned, he was connected to an innumerable amount of tubes and cords, and he was holding a blue ball. The ball was meant to be a stress reliever, and I'll be damed if he didn't stop squeezing it the whole time I was there. As a matter of fact, he threw it in my face when I wasn't looking to make sure I was paying attention. He caught my surprise and let out a belly laugh that truly showed me that Frank was back.
However, he was not completely out of the woods. We did not yet know the full extent of his injuries, and only after rehab and time would we fully understand. After spending another week at Loyola, he made the transfer to Marion Joy rehabilitation center to complete physical and occupational therapy. Even though he was closer to being home, he was still anxious to make it all the way back. Frank was making rapid progress and it appeared that he was going to make a full recovery. The cast on his left leg went halfway up his thigh, so he wasn't very mobile. While it was frustrating for him, he knew that it was temporary and didn't complain about it that much.
Well, after a couple of weeks at Marion Joy, he came home. As it turns out, he came home the day before my birthday, making it best gift that I have ever received. Once again, this is not a slight to the gifts I have received in the since then, but nothing will ever replace the fact that I got to have my only brother back to help me celebrate my birthday and his, which is four days after mine.
I hope this post does not appear to be self indulgent, but I wanted to share this experience with you guys since it is so important to me. This singular event has shaped my life more than any other experience. Whenever I feel down on myself or need something to remind me that things are not as bad as they could be, I look back on this fateful day. No book or movie will ever be able to motivate me as much as this real life experience. I understand that not everyone has such an event to look back on, but this explains my skepticism when it comes to people telling me that I need to read the Secret or the latest greatest fade, because to be honest, I do not see how they will be able to recreate this experience that I actually lived through.
This all being said, I would like to dedicate this entry to my one and only older brother, Frank. I love you very much and cannot imagine a better older brother. You have given me more than I could have ever imagined and continue to inspire me to this very day.
Even Better, Has It Really Been Six Years?!
Traditionally, Mother's Day weekend symbolizes two things:
We were on our way back to my old place in Lisle when Frank called me to let us know that Danger was in the process of having the kittens. We headed straight to my brother's place and watched quietly as Danger did delivered her precious gifts. It was honestly, one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Danger knew exactly what to do. The information that had been infused in her by nature worked like magic as she instinctively took care of her new babies. As luck would have it, four of the five kittens stayed in the family, including Wrigley and Gracie. So, we would like to thank Frank and Danger for giving us two fo the best gifts we have ever received.
P.S.
A belated Happy Mother's Day our mothers and the seven expecting mothers that we currently know.
- A day to honor our mothers
- The celebration of Wrigley and Gracie's birthdays, which is officially May 12th
We were on our way back to my old place in Lisle when Frank called me to let us know that Danger was in the process of having the kittens. We headed straight to my brother's place and watched quietly as Danger did delivered her precious gifts. It was honestly, one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Danger knew exactly what to do. The information that had been infused in her by nature worked like magic as she instinctively took care of her new babies. As luck would have it, four of the five kittens stayed in the family, including Wrigley and Gracie. So, we would like to thank Frank and Danger for giving us two fo the best gifts we have ever received.
P.S.
A belated Happy Mother's Day our mothers and the seven expecting mothers that we currently know.
Has It Really Been Two Years?
Well, one of the big events that occurred during my absence was Murphy's 2nd birthday. Neither of us can believe that he has been in our lives for two years! The infamous date is April 22nd, which also happens to be Earth Day. I have to admit, we don't know his actually date of birth since he was a stray, but the vet and Mar decided on the 22nd and I agreed. Even though he has tried to leave us twice and is a constant cause of stress, I love the little guy. Our little cats mean the world to us and I cannot imagine what our lives would be like without them. So, without further ado, happy birthday Murphy.
Return of the King
The nineteen years was well worth the wait, at least in my humble opinion. We went and saw Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull last Thursday and it was quite a thrill. I have been hotly anticipating the release of this flick, and Marilyn suggested that we see it on opening night. This was a total surprise to me, but whatever Baby wants, Baby gets. Anyway, the movie was a blast. It was not the best Indy movie, but I don't think it was the worst. Seeing Harrison Ford don the fedora and crack the whip made me feel like a kid again. Speaking of kids, I had an interesting conversation about this movie with some of my ninos.
One day, we were talking about summer plans and the kids asked me what movie I was looking forward to the most. Without blinking, I said Indy. They all seemed surprised that I was not looking the new Batman movie more than Indy, and I explained to them how I remember seeing Temple of Doom in th movie theater. This was apparently a big kick for them because they did started laughing right away, but I told them I was serious. That conversation made me realize how much that character brings me back to my youth, which I really enjoyed.
The bottom line is, go see the movie if you are an Indy fan. It was great fun, and Harrison clearly had a blast playing the role again. Shia Lebeof did a great job as his sidekick, and of course I loved seeing Karen Allen reprise her role as Marion Ravenwood. Some of the plot is a little wacky, but then again, we are talking about Indiana Jones. So, if you go see the movie, kick back and enjoy the ride. Three and a half stars.
One day, we were talking about summer plans and the kids asked me what movie I was looking forward to the most. Without blinking, I said Indy. They all seemed surprised that I was not looking the new Batman movie more than Indy, and I explained to them how I remember seeing Temple of Doom in th movie theater. This was apparently a big kick for them because they did started laughing right away, but I told them I was serious. That conversation made me realize how much that character brings me back to my youth, which I really enjoyed.
The bottom line is, go see the movie if you are an Indy fan. It was great fun, and Harrison clearly had a blast playing the role again. Shia Lebeof did a great job as his sidekick, and of course I loved seeing Karen Allen reprise her role as Marion Ravenwood. Some of the plot is a little wacky, but then again, we are talking about Indiana Jones. So, if you go see the movie, kick back and enjoy the ride. Three and a half stars.
Has It Really Been A Month?
I know I have been gone for a while, but here are some grumblings from the past month.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
The Secret of Alchemy
For the last year or so, my mother has been trying to get me to The Secret, which I have steadfastly refused to do. I am not very big on inspirational fare and do not quite buy into the idea of authors repacking philosophical ideas in the name of profit. A couple of weeks back, we had a lengthy conversation about why people read these types of books, and my position weakened a bit. This is not to say that I will pick up The Secret tomorrow, but I figured that there must be something to the genre if it is so successful. Well, last week I was browsing a bookshelf in my classroom and came across such a book titled The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. After reading the jacket, I decided to give it a whirl to see if I would be “inspired.”
Thursday, April 17, 2008
NPR
Over the last few months it has become official: I am a National Public Radio junky. My local affiliate is Chicago Public Radio station WBEZ, which is 91.5 on the FM dial. I used to split my time between WXRT and WBBM during my morning commute, but I found those outlets to be lacking something that I couldn't put my finger on. That something is substance and diverse topics that NPR covers on a daily basis. Morning Edition is what I listen to on my way to work and All Things Considered informs me on the way home. These are both excellent news programs that take journalism back to it core, offering an unfiltered look into the world that surrounds us. One thing that I really appreciate about NPR's approach is it's penchant for covering international stories. All to often, I find that our traditional news outlets ignore the world around us, and NPR does a great job at keeping it's listeners aware of what is happening on all seven continents (yes, there are even stories about how the Greenhouse Effect is impacting Antarctica).
Those of us that are looking for entertainment on the weekend should check out Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me! This is an impromptu news quiz show that features comedians and actors as they play games that are about the news of the past week (big ups to Brian for turning me onto this program). All of these programs can be downloaded as daily podcasts if you want to listen to them on your own time, which I highly recommend.
Those of us that are looking for entertainment on the weekend should check out Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me! This is an impromptu news quiz show that features comedians and actors as they play games that are about the news of the past week (big ups to Brian for turning me onto this program). All of these programs can be downloaded as daily podcasts if you want to listen to them on your own time, which I highly recommend.
Wuther or Not
I loved, loved, loved, loved this book. If you cannot tell by the title, I am speaking of Wuthering Heights, the classic novel by Emily Bronte. As most of us know, I support students at a local high school, and in order to do my job to the fullest, I need to make sure that I know the material they are studying. Well, several of them were reading the Heights, as I affectionately call it, and I decided to pick it up in order to know what they were talking about when they asked me questions. I will wholly admit that about fifty pages into the book, I hated it. Well, I'm glad I stuck with it, because as the story progressed, the words jumped off the pages.
This novel is pitched as a story about jilted love, but I would not necessarily agree. In my opinion, love is not about hate and anger, which is bountiful amongst the lively characters that inhabit this story. It centers around two families, the Lintons and the Earnshaws, who are tangled in a wicked web of deceit and drama as different members compete to bring misery upon each other. Our "hero" is Heathcliff, a member of the Earnshaws, who lives quit possibly, the most miserable existence in the history of literature. Heathcliff is a completely loathsome individual that is hell bent on ruining the lives of the people who have crossed him, no matter what their relation. His dastardly actions are what drives the novel as his actions are narrated by his lifetime servant Nelly Dean. As Ms. Dean describes the conflict between the families, the reader cannot help but wonder what will happen next as characters parish and Heathcliff strives to feel wanted.
Perhaps what I appreciated the most about this novel is the fact that it challenged me to fight through something that I initially despised. I am by no means trying to put myself on a pedestal, but this was a definite challenge for me, and I was richly rewarded. Bronte was a master of the written word and while she can be long winded at times, her handle on the English language makes every sentence seem smooth as silk. This is not only a novel but it is truly a piece of literature. Everyone should read this book if they want a challenge that will reward them for their effort with a timeless story.
This novel is pitched as a story about jilted love, but I would not necessarily agree. In my opinion, love is not about hate and anger, which is bountiful amongst the lively characters that inhabit this story. It centers around two families, the Lintons and the Earnshaws, who are tangled in a wicked web of deceit and drama as different members compete to bring misery upon each other. Our "hero" is Heathcliff, a member of the Earnshaws, who lives quit possibly, the most miserable existence in the history of literature. Heathcliff is a completely loathsome individual that is hell bent on ruining the lives of the people who have crossed him, no matter what their relation. His dastardly actions are what drives the novel as his actions are narrated by his lifetime servant Nelly Dean. As Ms. Dean describes the conflict between the families, the reader cannot help but wonder what will happen next as characters parish and Heathcliff strives to feel wanted.
Perhaps what I appreciated the most about this novel is the fact that it challenged me to fight through something that I initially despised. I am by no means trying to put myself on a pedestal, but this was a definite challenge for me, and I was richly rewarded. Bronte was a master of the written word and while she can be long winded at times, her handle on the English language makes every sentence seem smooth as silk. This is not only a novel but it is truly a piece of literature. Everyone should read this book if they want a challenge that will reward them for their effort with a timeless story.
An Ode To The Troughs
Those of us gentlemen that have been to Wrigley Field know the dirty secret of the men's bathroom, they contain troughs instead of urinals. While some guys love the trough, I don't care from them. Nonetheless, the trough is one of those "experiences" that everyone comes to know after visiting the Shrine. A little while back, our "friend" Andrew, and I only use the term friend because I cannot thing of something more appropriate shared this video with me (WARNING: PLEASE DO NOT VIEW IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH, THIS IS GROSS):
While the thought of doing this turns my stomach, it is one of the funniest things I have ever seen. I understand that this will probably only appeal to us gentlemen that have experienced the troughs, so I apologize to those of us find who no entertainment in this video. You can simply blame Andrew.
While the thought of doing this turns my stomach, it is one of the funniest things I have ever seen. I understand that this will probably only appeal to us gentlemen that have experienced the troughs, so I apologize to those of us find who no entertainment in this video. You can simply blame Andrew.
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My Simpsonization
Here is what I would look like in Springfield