Here's What I Think...

Change of Address...Again.

2007-07-03T22:38:00.000-04:00

Please look around and read former posts on this blog. I still receive notifications if someone comments, so feel free.

If you're looking for new material, however, I've moved to WordPress.

http://michellecwheeler.wordpress.com

Hope to see you there!
Peace. Out.

Change of Address..

2007-03-09T11:39:00.000-05:00

Until further notice, I'll be posting all of my blogs on MySpace only rather than trying to keep up with both. Please check out my future posts at www.myspace.com/michellewheeler.

Peace. Out.

Jessica Alba Quote...

2007-02-23T15:38:00.000-05:00

I was reading a recent interview with Jessica Alba today and stumbled upon this quote...

Frustrated, Alba sought other outlets for her adolescent energies, and even became a born-again Christian for four years. But she backed away from religion, she says, "when older men would hit on me, and my youth pastor said it was because I was wearing provocative clothing, when I wasn't. It just made me feel like if I was in any way desirable to the opposite sex that it was my fault, and it made me ashamed of my body and being a woman." She also vehemently disagreed with the church's condemnations of premarital sex and homosexuality, and was bothered by the lack of strong female role models in the Bible. "I thought it was a nice guide," she says, "but it certainly wasn't how I was going to live my life."

I wonder a few things about her experience - how old was she when she became a Christian? What ideas did she have/does she still have about sin in general? What denomination she was part of. I don't expect to ever have answers to those questions, I just find I'm curious.

The bigger picture is what kind of teaching are adolescents receiving now about these issues. For American girls, that issue of not having many early-Church female role models would seem to be a big one. The issue of homosexuality is becoming a bigger one inside and outside the church. In so many ways, I'm thankful to be done with the youth group, but I still bear scars of growth and hurt from those days. It's such a tender age and so much damage can be done. I have friends who are in the midst of working with teenagers. I commend them for their patience and wish them wisdom and guidance in their leadership of this age group.

I have no idea what conclusions can be drawn from this quote or this post, it was just an interesting one to me, and (as the title of the post says), I'm just putting it out there. Comment at will.

Peace. Out.

White people are awesome...

2007-02-12T21:36:00.000-05:00

Some of you may have already heard about the U2'charist phenomenon. The church services featuring the music of U2 rather than traditional hymns and songs have made the news recently. I believe that spiritual encouragement can be found among secular works (hey, I spoke in Chapel using Harry Potter as my primary text and think Nick Lachey's "What's Left of Me" is the prayer of my heart!), so I don't really have a problem with the idea of using appropriate secular music within a church service. However, I fear having a themed service brings up a few issues: (1) the tendency to do something just to be "cool" with our Christianity, which I don't think should be a goal; (2) the problem of people not really tying it into a spiritual truth, but rather just zoning out and listening to cool music.

So, I don't know. What I do know, though, is that this news clip about one church participating in the U2'charist shows that white people have some pretty awesome dance moves. Especially the clergy.

Peace. Out.

***Check out my MySpace post of the same name for comments from those who read it over there: myspace.com/michellewheeler.

A glimmer of hope...

2007-01-07T17:03:00.000-05:00

I was having a conversation with a good friend the other day and he made the statement, "You know I'm not Pentecostal Holiness. I'm barely charismatic." And though he was joking in a way, it was also a serious statement. It's exactly that kind of statement that sums up how a lot of people around my age are feeling about charismatic denominations right now. Just kind of tired of it and fed up.

I certainly feel that way at times. I grew up in charismatic churches, mostly PH*, and have attended/worked at a PH college for almost ten years now. I've seen pretty much everything the PH denomination has to offer. I've had some amazing experiences and grown so much in my faith, but I've also become kind of cynical at times because of the downside that seems to be inherent in a charismatic denomination...hype, emotion for the sake of emotion, catch phrases and buzz words, and some teaching that is just not theologically sound. I've really been thinking lately that I might want to separate myself from charismatic denominations for a while and move to something more liturgical, more consistent.

Last night**, I had the opportunity to be part of a Pentecostal service that will go down in my personal history as one of the best experiences of my spiritual life. Understand, I'm using "Pentecostal" to describe the service, not the denomination of the audience in attendance. It was such an awesome and refreshing experience. Such a wonderful reminder that when a time of corporate worship comes out of an honest and sincere place, the Holy Spirit can move in a way that truly changes lives. It was something I really needed, I think, to renew my faith in the more charismatic facets of praise and worship (not the genre, the actions).

I so want to find a church body that is able to humbly embrace all sides of a life lived for Christ. There should be liturgical elements, ways to honor those who have gone on before us, a sacred approach to disciplines, a respect for and regular practice of communion. But also joyous and even boisterous praise and adoration of God, an allowance for the Holy Spirit to work through us in Pentecostal ways.

Does a church like this exist? Shouldn't it? Are there any of you who are feeling the same frustrations as me? If so, please share here.

Peace. Out.

* PH stands for Pentecostal Holiness. I'm not picking on the PH denomination in particular in this post. It's just what I've been part of for the majority of my life.

** Last night, I attended the Crabb Family concert in Warner Robins, GA.

Movie Update...

2007-01-02T17:35:00.000-05:00

Here's an update on the movies I watched over Christmas break along with my thoughts about each...

- The Holiday - so much better than I thought it would be! It's not going to win any awards or anything, but if you're looking for a feel good romantic comedy that's hilarious, heart-warming, and slightly related to Christmas - this is your movie!

- The Pursuit of Happyness - really good, but kind of a drag. Will Smith's performance is excellent, and the story has a nice ending, but it's one of those movies that's hard to watch. You do get the chance to look at Smith's adorable son, Jaden, for almost two hours, though! I felt like it was a little too long and dragged a bit in parts, but the last fourth or so is absolutely great.

- Good Night, and Good Luck (on DVD) - definitely worth the hype, but you may want to brush up on your American Communist history before watching it. The direction and camera angles are flawless for those of you who are interested in that kind of thing. And the integration of actual old footage is seamless and effective. This is not an action movie! It's one you really need to have time and freedom to sit down and watch and concentrate on the dialog. It's short, but packed with great one-liners and amazing actors.

- The Last Kiss (on DVD) - What a wonderful movie! It has a lot of bad language and a good bit of sex, but if you can get past that, it's great! It's sort of a commentary on relationships and quarter/mid-life crises about growing up and settling down. Zach Braff is wonderfully hilarious on Scrubs, but I love that he's doing these movies that give him the opportunity to really show his acting chops. And, of course, the movie has an awesome soundtrack! It also has one of the best endings I've ever seen in a movie.

- American Dreamz (on DVD) - Such a disappointment! I generally love Hugh Grant in any and everything, but even he couldn't save this horrible movie. There are some laughs and satire in there somewhere, but the movie fails miserably at conveying them.

What I really watched the most over the break was 24. We watched all of Season 1 and the first eight episodes of Season 2. It's so good and addictive! We had only ever watched the most recent season, Season 5, so it's cool to go to the beginning and get the back-story. If you aren't watching this show, you must! Except for Battlestar Galactica, it's probably the best show on TV right now.

Peace. Out.

Happy New Year!

2006-12-30T19:27:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas and that the New Year brings joy, peace, and great opportunities. Check out my MySpace blog for my resolutions (hint, hint: they're the same as every other year!).

Peace. Out.

Golden Globe Nominations...

2006-12-15T22:08:00.000-05:00

This year's Golden Globe nominations were announced today. Here are the categories I'm most interested in...

Best Picture, Drama: Babel, Bobby, The Departed, Little Children, The Queen

Best Actress, Drama: Penelope Cruz, Volver ; Judi Dench, Notes on a Scandal; Maggie Gyllenhaal, Sherrybaby; Helen Mirren, The Queen; Kate Winslet, Little Children

Best Actor, Drama: Leonardo DiCaprio, Blood Diamond; Leonardo DiCaprio, The Departed; Peter O'Toole, Venus; Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happyness; Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland

Best Picture, Musical or Comedy: Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, The Devil Wears Prada, Dreamgirls, Little Miss Sunshine, Thank You for Smoking

Best Actress, Musical or Comedy: Annette Bening, Running With Scissors; Toni Collette, Little Miss Sunshine; Beyonce Knowles, Dreamgirls; Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada; Renee Zellweger, Miss Potter

Best Actor, Musical or Comedy: Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan; Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest; Aaron Eckhart, Thank You for Smoking; Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kinky Boots; Will Ferrell, Stranger than Fiction

Best Supporting Actress: Adriana Barraza, Babel; Cate Blanchett, Notes on a Scandal; Emily Blunt, The Devil Wears Prada; Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls; Rinko Kikuchi, Babel

Best Supporting Actor: Ben Affleck, Hollywoodland; Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls; Jack Nicholson, The Departed; Brad Pitt, Babel; Mark Wahlberg, The Departed

Best Director: Clint Eastwood, Flags of Our Fathers; Clint Eastwood, Letters from Iwo Jima; Steven Frears, The Queen; Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Babel; Martin Scorsese, The Departed

It's too early yet to make predictions, but there will be plenty of commentary at a later date!

Peace. Out.

Best.Blog.Ever.

2006-12-04T20:35:00.000-05:00

I wish I was creative enough to have thought (and continue to think) of this. This guy uses index cards and mathematical symbols to explain the mysteries of life without using any actual math. It's brilliant and hilarious!

Peace. Out.

A Twist of Marley...

2006-11-29T12:07:00.000-05:00

If you haven't heard Twist of Marley, you must listen today! I'm a big Bob Marley fan anyway, but let's be honest...you can only listen to so much reggae. Smooth jazz on the other hand...I could listen to that for days! Twist of Marley combines both in one of the best albums I've ever experienced, regardless of genre.

From Verve Music's site:

The beauty of a Twist of Marley comes from Marley's infectious writings delivered by the incredible interpretation skills of guest artists Michael Brecker, Will Downing, Patti Austin, Maxi Priest, Marc Antoine, Gerald Albright, Rick Braun, and others. Smooth grooves, melodic instrumentals, and heartfelt vocals combine with the sounds of contemporary jazz, R&B, world, and pop to make Twist of Marley a record that is captivating from beginning to end.

Peace. Out.

The Nativity Story...

2006-11-27T13:42:00.000-05:00

I'm very excited to see this film, but was surprised that it bears the same director as Thirteen. USA Today has a great article about the movie, the director, and the fact that Mary-actress Keisha Castle Hughes recently announced her own pregnancy (she's 16).

Peace. Out.

Happy Birthday Vaughn...uh, Vartan!

2006-11-27T13:36:00.000-05:00

Yes, this was a totally lame excuse to post my favorite pic of Michael Vartan (so pretty...), but hey, can you blame me? I don't get to see the guy much anymore now that Alias is off the air!

Peace. Out.

You were always on my mind...

2006-11-26T17:54:00.000-05:00

Maybe I didn't treat you quite as good as I should have
Maybe I didn't love you quite as often as I could have
Little things I should have said and done
I just never took the time
You were always on my mind

I've often wondered about the woman on the receiving end of this famous Willie Nelson song. How must she have felt hearing this message? "I know I've been pretty absent and a terrible partner, but hey, I was thinking about you the whole time!" Would that have been good enough for her? I don't think it would be enough for me.

As I was drifting off to sleep the other night, I was talking to God as I often do. I realized with a start that I was quoting almost these exact lines to God. "God, I know I'm busy and stressed right now, but you're there in the back of my mind, I promise."

If that's not good enough for me, how can I expect it to be good enough for God? Sure, life gets busy and our relationship with Him may ebb and flow, but our actions should reflect His position in our minds and hearts. It's a challenge, but one I'm trying to work on day by day.

Peace. Out.

Order of the Phoenix...

2006-11-20T17:51:00.000-05:00

The new Harry Potter trailer is up on the Happy Feet website. I'm a little dubious after being so disappointed in the Goblet of Fire film. But it's not nearly dubious enough to keep me from seeing Order on opening weekend!

Peace. Out.

Interesting debate...

2006-11-20T15:36:00.000-05:00

There was an op-ed piece on USAToday.com today about the Christian Church's stance on homosexuality. The writer is a Baptist minister and has what some will consider to be a controversial view. The article itself is not that long, but what's really interesting are the comments afterward.

To be honest, the issue of homosexuality is one where I'm not really sure of my position. However, I'm very sure that the Church's outspokenness on the topic is turning millions of people (both those who are gay and those who aren't) away from the Gospel. This bothers me.

This might be too hot a topic to go into here on the blog, but if you know me in real life, find me and let's talk some time. If you don't, feel free to leave your honest opinion here and we'll dialogue.

Peace. Out.

Weighty decisions...

2006-11-11T20:27:00.000-05:00

I feel like most of the people I know are in the process of making some kind of huge decision. Where should I move? When should I move? Should I find a new job? What if I can't find a job period? Should I be doing something different altogether? These are all questions that can weigh so heavily on a mind.

One of my most recent big decisions was whether or not to keep watching Studio 60 on NBC. (Ha! Gotcha...and you were all ready for some serious we'll-all-get-through-this-together message!) This was the show that was really on the fence for me this season. I stuck with it, wanting it to be a hit and a new favorite. All of the ingredients were there. Great writing, fantastic editing, looooooong Steadi-cam shots. And yet...there was just no spark. Maybe it's too pretentious. I honestly don't know. But this week I made my decision. I put the nails in the coffin when I deleted my Season Pass and removed it from my list of TV Shows on Myspace.

What's really exciting, though, is that I did, after all, discover a new favorite this year. Paul and I have been watching earlier seasons of Battlestar Gallactica trying to get caught up for this one (the third). We've finished Season 1 and are about 1/3 of the way through Season 2. It is unbelievable. A show has not captured my attention like this since Alias (and more recently, Heroes), but I think BG surpasses even that. It's got the great writing, great acting, and great special effects that one would require in a sci-fi series. But it also goes deeper than that.

Now, I've never been a huge sci-fi fan, so this may be pretty standard stuff, but what I really love about BG is the questions it forces you to ask yourself about humanity and the existence of a soul, about faith and organized religion. Don't get me wrong, I love to veg out in front of the TV as much as the next person, but I also am loving watching a show that requires and encourages such deep thought.

If you're a fan too, let me know...we need to talk! However, please don't share any spoilers here. I'm trying so hard to stay away from them and be surprised!

Peace. Out.

Chaotic...

2006-11-10T12:53:00.000-05:00

So, if you read celebrity news at all, you probably already know that Britney and Kevin have decided to part ways. I had considered not mentioning at all (I'm trying to limit the celebraholism on the blog these days), but at the request of several readers, I'm weighing in. Here's what I think...

In general, I am very much against divorce, particularly among Christians. This might be a controversial view, but I really believe that any two Christians should be able to make any marriage work. Yes, that's a theoretical statement. Outside of centering your relationship around God and His principles, however, I'm not sure I really even understand how any long-term relationships work. The feeling I get is that we are very selfish, self-centered, not-willing-to-compromise kind of people. (Is our culture actually training us to be that way? Hmm...thoughts for another day.) Yet long-term relationships (married or not) require us to be sacrificing, compromising, putting-another-before-ourselves kind of people. Do you see the problem, here?

As for celebrities, I honestly feel like their relationships are put under more pressure than the average person's. And sometimes it's just not going to work. Especially if they're not responsible to a higher power to stay committed and try to work things out.

So, having said all of that, I'm sorry to see yet another marriage fail, but I hope this works out for the best for everyone involved. We've all seen poor Britney Spears in the last three years since she's been with K-Fed. Bless her heart, but "chaotic" is a nice word to describe her transformation while she was with him. Hopefully, she'll now be able to move further in her career and with her family. And the same for Kevin.

Popozao. Out.

Heroes stuff...

2006-11-06T12:01:00.000-05:00

Okay, I promise this isn't turning into a Heroes-centric blog, I just keep finding cool stuff. Today I discovered Greg Beeman's blog. Beeman is the director/producer for the show and includes really cool stuff in his posts. Check it out.

I also found this interview with Adrian Pasdar who plays Nathan Petrelli. The interview gives some pretty cool info about tonight's ep and some stuff to look out for in the rest of the season.

Man, I love this show.

Peace. Out.

Distractions...

2006-11-02T15:58:00.000-05:00

Here are the things that are currently keeping me from catching up on the huge pile of Incident Reports on my desk...

* After reading this Zap2It article with Mindy Kaling, I'm so excited to watch NBC's The Office tonight! I already love each and every episode of this show, but Kaling's excitement is contagious. I also just went back and watched "Diversity Day" from the first season - it might be the funniest 22 minutes ever written for television.

* There are 397 people in the United States who share my name...I wonder if we could start an annual convention or something? There's only one of my sister though...how cool is that?? Find out how many there are of you here. This is pretty cool, but there are some disclaimers that it's based on the statistical analysis of how common names are, so it's possible you'll enter an unusual name and find zero results. It's still fun, though!

* TV Insider columns like Ask Ausiello and Ask Matt on TV Guide's website. I'm still trying to live a spoiler-free life (it's hard, y'all!), but these guys give me just enough to hold me over without really giving anything away.

Have a great rest of the week everyone!

Peace. Out.

Save the cheerleader. Save the world.

2006-11-01T10:26:00.000-05:00

I really can't say enough about the show Heroes. If you aren't watching yet, please start now! It's unbelievably good. You can catch up on past episode recaps at Television Without Pity.

I'm still thinking through this, but you can expect a post pretty soon about a few of the central themes of the show - identity and purpose. I just recently saw a print ad for the show featuring the tagline "Some people are meant for something more." Can't we all identify with that? Don't you want to be one of those "some"? Like I said, I'm still thinking through it, but it's very exciting to see foundational human struggles played out in such a unique and interesting way.

Start watching!!

Peace. Out.

Patriotic Religion?

2006-10-23T10:27:00.000-04:00

"Your honor, she's making fun of Christianity. It's unpatriotic and I fear it will hurt the troops."

This line from last week's Boston Legal (one of my favorite shows) says a lot in just a few words. I'm generally okay with staying out of the political arena and I really don't like when politics and religion mix. However, we are in that very situation in the United States right now, particularly the southeastern US. It's as if there are some who believe it's impossible to be a Christian and anti-Bush. Or Christian and against the war on...what was it, again? Or Christian and non-Republican.

So, I have a few questions about this whole deal, but they really all boil down to one main query. As Christians, do we have some sort of responsibility in the politics of our nation? I mean, is all of this real Christianity or just mixed up with specifically American ideals? What should our role as American Christians be? Should we be creating and signing petitions, lobbying for our own agendas, instructing parishioners from the pulpit on who the appropriate candidate for office is? I don't know. I look in the Bible and I don't see Jesus speaking out about any laws of his land. I don't see him instructing Christians to rise up against even outlandish legal processes like slavery. So, what can we - should we - take from that?

I really don't have the answers to these questions. I'm just asking them and trying to think through them and am curious as to what others may think. Perhaps you think Christians should be outspoken on political matters. If so, please share. I'm seriously interested in both sides here.

Peace. Out.

The Prestige...

2006-10-22T21:24:00.000-04:00

Paul and I saw the movie "The Prestige" this weekend and it is awesome! Directed by Chris Nolan, it's everything you'd expect from the guy who did "Batman Begins" and "Memento." It's a little dark, very interesting, and time twisty. If you plan to see it, make sure you start paying attention right at the beginning...you'll need all of that info later, trust me! The writing is good-but-not-great, but the structure and acting more than make up for anything that's lacking. If you're looking for something to hold you over until the holiday movie season really gets going, I highly recommend this one.

Peace. Out.

John West...

2006-10-17T23:30:00.000-04:00

If you're looking for some new groovy jazz-infused pop, look no further than John West. I've only heard what's on his MySpace page, but you can bet I'll be checking out the rest of his stuff asap.

Peace. Out.

On the road again...

2006-10-17T15:38:00.000-04:00

Paul is in Columbia this week and I'll be heading to Nashville tomorrow afternoon. These last few months have involved the most travel (together and separately) we've ever experienced! Some of it has been for fun, some for work, and some for family emergencies. Since the beginning of August, Paul has not spent a full week at home...crazy! I wonder if our lives will ever settle down. Are we the kind of people who, at some point, actually "settle down"? I really don't know. I enjoy the hustle and bustle and even the stress of travel. It's nice to be at home and nicer to be together, but I find I crave adventure. Not the Amazing Race kind of adventure necessarily, but I just need to be doing something. Which is really fun, but often exhausting.

So, all that to say, I'm headed out of town and really looking forward to it. I love Nashville and the friends that are there, so it should be a fun week. Hope yours is good as well!

Peace. Out.

PS - You can watch clips of the show I'll be working on in Nashville, The Logan Show. It's a late night comedy show geared towards teens and young adults. Kind of corny, but funny if you're in a certain kind of mood...which, on a rainy day, I find myself in that mood fairly often!

Movie trailers...

2006-10-16T10:24:00.000-04:00

Check out my MySpace profile page for the trailers to several movies I'm really looking forward to over the next few months.

Peace. Out.

Modern Times...

2006-10-09T17:59:00.000-04:00

If you haven't heard Bob Dylan's new album, Modern Times, I highly recommend it. It's heavily influenced by music of the 50's, the early era of rock and roll. A little ironic then that the album is called "Modern" Times? Maybe. But the appeal is really in the timelessness of it all. The album features classic Dylan - scratchy voice, good story-telling. But the age is there in the breaking of the notes. He still offers a great album, even after all these years. And there are times when his voice, the words, the music, come together to make something not just interesting, but truly beautiful. If you're not a Bob Dylan fan, I don't know if this album could win you over, but if you love him already, this is definitely one to add to the collection.

Peace. Out.

News clips that caught my attention today...

2006-10-09T17:35:00.000-04:00

* Google has bought YouTube for $1.6 billion. Why, oh why, didn't I buy Google stock a few years ago? Hindsight and all that...

* It's the time of year when people start debating Oscar buzz (more on this later), which makes it the perfect time for a new Christopher Guest film! Especially one entitled "For Your Consideration." Check out the trailer on, where else, YouTube!

* NBC has picked up "Heroes" for a full season. It really is one of the most compelling new shows of this season, so I'm glad we'll get to see it play out a little longer.

* Finally, the Inspiration Networks are featured in a USA Today article that is, for the most part, positive. The article discusses the merits of being "culturally relevant." It's still a heated debate in some churches, this idea of relevance, and you can see that in the Comments below the article.

Peace. Out.

TV Time Update...

2006-10-05T21:49:00.000-04:00

Here's what I think about the other shows I've watched this season...

Brothers & Sisters - I watched the premier episode and it was okay. It wasn't enough to really compel me and it's very serious and dramatic, so I'm cutting it. I've realized I have quite a few dramas on my plate this year, and I don't want to go overboard!

Heroes - Definitely one of the best shows on this year...so far. There's potential for greatness and for a trainwreck up ahead. Right now, I'm rooting for greatness. The acting is really good and it's a fascinating, sci-fi/fantasy premise. And not geeky. :) It's good and captivating.

Jericho - We watched most of the first episode and, while it was good, it wasn't great. Again, another drama, and I've already got enough of that.

My Name is Earl - I'm actually enjoying it this year. Not that I didn't before, but I could kind of take it or leave it. So far, it's made me laugh every episode...but that may just be it standing out among all the drama!

The Amazing Race - I've never watched a whole season of this show before, but I'm definitely sucked in. The competitions are awesome and you don't have to deal with too much of that pesky social interaction theory you have on Survivor!

Veronica Mars - I was worried after last season. It was so serious and so dark, with none of the petty cases that are so fun to watch Veronica solve. But this season seems to be trying to lighten up. The first episode was definitely good and set up a few mystery arcs for the season. We'll see how it goes. Also, I heart Logan.

I just have one more new show to check out, The Nine. I haven't watched it yet, but critics are saying it's the best new show on TV this season. I'm looking forward to it.

NCIS and House are still on notice for me. I'm not sure I can continue to be invested in these shows. I've loved them in the past, but they're losing their luster. However, I'm not a fairweather fan, so I'll stick with them for a few more weeks. Boston Legal has me back as a diehard fan.

Hope you're all enjoying your free time as much as I am!

Peace. Out.

80's Montage...

2006-10-05T11:44:00.000-04:00

I really want to make this 80's montage a reality! How fun would that be to watch??

Peace. Out.

McDreamy or McSmarmy?

2006-10-04T22:30:00.000-04:00

Is it just me or are Meredith and Derek's interactions on "Grey's Anatomy" just sort of icky at this point? Maybe it's the idea of their relationship being the last nail in the coffin of a dying marriage. Maybe it's the simpering tone of voice Derek's been using since the finale of last season. I don't know. But whatever it is, I don't like it.

Peace. Out.

Dusty and Marlaina...

2006-10-01T22:52:00.000-04:00

Please note the addition of Dusty and Marlaina Harper's website in the "For a Good Read..." section. They are friends who are currently enrolled in language school in Tanzania, Africa. The Harpers are studying for two years with hopes to become full time missionaries once their program is completed. Take a moment to read their updates and see how they are already making a difference in their village. Prayers and/or financial support are always great needs of full time missionaries. If you can contribute either, please do. Thanks!

Peace. Out.

When the Levees Broke...

2006-10-01T22:40:00.000-04:00

I just finished When the Levees Broke, Spike Lee's documentary on the after-effects of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast and particularly New Orleans. From a production standpoint, it is absolutely fantastic. The editing is superb, the colors for the interviews are brilliant (which provides a stark contrast to the images of the cities in the days after the Hurricane), and the images are shocking, yet sympathetic. It's a very emotional thing to watch, and very long (4 hours), but so worth it. The voice and culture of New Orleans shines through and it's truly sad to see the condition it's in now.

What's just as sad, if not more so, is to see how the aftermath was handled by every faction of state and federal government. The documentary is presented pretty fairly, but the opinions of the people featured are, understandably, biased. However, once you see what they were left with and left in, their stance seems almost mild. It shocked me to realize that after the tsunami of 2004, the US government was making food and water drops in Indonesia within 48 hours. It took almost 4 days to do the same for New Orleans. Unbelievable. I honestly think every American should watch this film. To remain ignorant about something on such a scale as this is nothing short of shirking our responsibility to our fellow Americans.

Peace. Out.

It's frustrating to...

2006-09-27T20:42:00.000-04:00

...have the same conversations about the same issues sometimes with the same people over and over.

...feel like I can't put my finger on it.

...be talked down to.

...see people focused on the symptoms rather than the disease.

...feel like you just aren't getting through.

...be stuck in a rut.

...be ready for a change with no possibility of one for a good long while.

...wonder if you're getting older, but not necessarily wiser.

Peace. Out.

TV Time...

2006-09-26T16:44:00.000-04:00

So far, here's what I think of what's on tv this season. Yes, I know it's a lot of TV, but that's the joy of the dual-tuner DVR! :)

New shows I love...
* Studio 60 (NBC, Mondays, 10 pm) - I love everything about this one! The writing is great, the acting and chemistry is superb, and even the direction is interesting (watch for those long steadi-cam shots...they're awesome!). I was most concerned about Matthew Perry looking and acting like Chandler Bing, but he's actually doing a great job creating a completely different character. If you can only check out one new show this year, make it this one!

* Shark (CBS, Thursdays, 10 pm) - I like the main character and the premise of the show (a burnt out defense attorney teaching district-attorneys-in-training how to win). The writing and acting is a little obvious, but I think it will get better.

New shows I'm unsure about...
* Justice (FOX, Wednesdays, 9 pm) - I'm sticking by this one for a few more episodes because I heart Victor Garber, but other than him, I'm not really sold on the show. It may be one that eventually falls by the wayside.

* Six Degrees (ABC, Thursdays, 10 pm) - The show with the sweetest time slot this year (right after Grey's Anatomy) is slow, but okay so far. JJ Abrams is the executive producer, and I'll always love him for Alias, so we'll see.

New shows I hate...
* Smith - (CBS, Tuesdays, 10 pm) - Couldn't even get past the second commercial break. Just completely uninteresting and non-compelling acting and writing.

New shows I plan to check out, but haven't yet...
* Brothers & Sisters, Heroes, Jericho, Supernatural

Returning shows I love...
* Prison Break (FOX, Mondays, 9 pm) - totally drew me back in!

* The Ellen DeGeneres Show (M-F, check your local listings) - I had deserted Ellen last year and forgot how funny she is! She's added lots of new hilarious segments, so if you have the chance, definitely watch!

* Grey's Anatomy (ABC, Thursdays, 9 pm) - The season premiere was great and it seems like future episodes will be as well. This was the one I was most looking forward to returning!

* The Office (NBC, Thursdays, 8:30 pm) - Wonderful season premiere, but Jim better be back in Scranton soon!

Returning shows I may be getting tired of...
* House, Boston Legal

Returning show that's on notice...
* NCIS (CBS, Tuesdays, 8 pm) - I wasn't crazy about the premiere, but this is usually one of my favorite shows. I want to see less Ziva and more Gibbs, then we'll talk.

Returning shows left to check out...
* My Name is Earl, Numb3rs, The Amazing Race, Veronica Mars

Peace. Out.

Happy Banned Book Week!

2006-09-25T10:41:00.001-04:00

This week honors those books who have been challenged or banned. It's such an interesting thing, banning books. Censorship, in general, is something I'm very much against. I love and value freedom of speech and understand that, along with that freedom, there are bound to be opinions I don't agree with. And I'm okay with that. So, celebrate this week by reading something someone thinks you shouldn't!

A few related sites...

Google's Banned Books
Most challenged books of the 21st century...so far!
Most challenged books of 2005

Peace. Out.

College students...

2006-09-20T21:32:00.000-04:00

I've either been a college student or working with them for the past nine years. But when my pastor asked me last night what I thought our church should be providing for that very group, I went blank. The question is particularly hard since we're not just talking about any college students. We're talking about students who are required to go to two church services a week, to take five Biblical Studies classes as part of their core curriculum, and who are challenged on a near-daily basis by peers and faculty alike to grow in their faith. What do these students need from a church on Sunday morning?

I don't know that we came to a solid conclusion last night, even after several hours of discussion. I know these students want real-ness, they want honesty (and not the syrupy sugar-coated kind), they want "relevance" (but I doubt even a few could define what exactly they mean by that). And they don't just want all of that from their church, they want it in every relationship in which they participate.

When people ask me what the point of church is, I usually have a stock answer - it's for regular fellowship with a body of believers, for accountability, for support, for teaching from a person or persons to whom you've submitted yourself, for community. But the college students around here already get all of that on an almost daily basis. So, we're back to the question...what do these students need from a church on Sunday morning? I honestly don't know the answer.

Any suggestions?

Peace. Out.

Searching...

2006-09-16T17:00:00.000-04:00

It's kind of funny that I'm reading the book, Searching for God Knows What, by Donald Miller, at this particular moment in my life. As previously stated on the blog, I went through quite an ordeal this summer, really struggling to maintain a stable, functional relationship with God. And while I feel like it's much better and on track, there's still a long way to go. I read a passage in Searching just yesterday, however, that really struck me.

Miller recounted the story of the time he denounced God's existence. What Miller later realized was that he didn't actually believe God did not exist. It was simply his way of letting go of the god of his youth. That god, the one who had simple answers for simple questions, and didn't like to be challenged, and had no room for mistakes...that god, indeed, no longer existed. With that god out of the way, Miller was able to seek and find the real God, who provided deep answers for difficult questions, who had a purpose for him.

I feel (hope?) like maybe that's what I've been experiencing. Perhaps this is a growing time for me to let go of my simple, small god, and honestly find the one true huge God of the universe. I hope so.

Not only am I still searching for some big answers (and, really...aren't we all?), I'm searching for some small ones too. Paul and I believe we will be moving next summer after I graduate, and it is a little scary to not have a definite plan in place. Since I'm the one who is not currently pursuing the dream, it's up to me to find a place for us where I can do that. Paul is being extremely gracious and supportive, but it's a lot of pressure! One of the places we're considering is Nashville, and we got to spend some time there earlier this week. I absolutely love that town and the whole vibe they've got there. It seems like a place we really would enjoy. But then I came home this weekend and spent time with my family and I have to wonder...how will I handle not seeing them so often? Will I be okay with missing cute things Gabe does? What will it be like when Paul and I have kids of our own? I know people move away from their family all the time, but is it the right decision for us?

So, I'm searching. Searching for answers. Searching for direction. In a way, it's frustrating and scary, this not knowing. But I'm trying to stay focused on the anticipation and excitement part of it. And I'm definitely trying to enjoy the things in the here and now, because time, my friends, is flying, and things will soon be very different.

Peace. Out.

Suri revealed...

2006-09-05T20:35:00.000-04:00

So, apparently no one is interested in a theological discussion this week! Maybe this will garner some interest. Yes, that is little Suri Cruise below. Whether she's actually Tom Cruise's biological child...well, we'll probably never know for sure. But either way, she sure is gorgeous!

Peace. Out.

A theological discussion...

2006-08-30T10:34:00.000-04:00

This is an argument that was presented in my Theology and Culture class last week:

1. God is all-powerful, so He has the power to stop evil.
2. God is all-good, so He has the wish to stop evil.
3. Yet, evil exists. So, either God has the power to stop evil and chooses not to (making Him not all-good), or He wants to stop evil, but doesn't possess the power to.

Discuss.

Catching up...

2006-08-30T10:17:00.000-04:00

Hello all of you in blogville. I've been sort of m.i.a. the last few weeks as this year got off to a great start. So, here I am, catching all of you up on what's been going on and what's on my mind...

* I'm excited about this year. The new students seem to be glad to be here and that always makes a big difference. In addition to continuing in my position as an RD, I'm also teaching a section of ET 101. I think it's going to be a fun class, and I'm looking forward to all the stuff we'll do this semester.

* The Oracle will be appearing on Faith Cafe in an episode that shoots next month. It's a very cool opportunity! The show shoots in Nashville, so we'll all be heading up there in just two weeks. I'm excited to spend some more time in Nashville. It's definitely one of the top places Paul and I are considering for our next move, so any time we can spend there is good, I think. Plus, I'll be meeting some TV people I haven't met before. The chance to network is always good!

* My classes at UGA are good so far. I have Statistics, which is totally uninteresting to me, but I'll suffer through it! And Theology and Culture which has proven to be really interesting. Right now we're reading a book called "Two Great Truths." It discusses the supposed contradictions between natural science and Christianity. Though the author claims to be a Christian, his views are sometimes in direct opposition to the Bible. I can't wait to get to the part in the book where the author deals with Jesus! More on this topic later.

* You may have noticed I'm not recapping Rock Star any more. I'm still watching, but I just ran out of time to type that much! I still like Dilana and Magni the best.

* I'm really excited about the new TV season starting up. Summer TV was really good with Monk, Psych, Project Runway, and Kyle XY to keep me busy, but Fall will always be TV kickoff time for me.

* I'm going to my first UGA game this weekend! It's opening day, so it should be a lot of fun!

I think that's it for now. If I haven't talked to you in a while, please catch me up on your life too!

Peace. Out.

K-Fed in da house...or something

2006-08-22T17:01:00.000-04:00

If you didn't catch Kevin Federline's debut as a rapper at the Teen Choice Awards earlier this week, you should definitely check it out. It's, um, interesting. Britney Spears introduces him in pretty much the same state as when she gave her Matt Lauer interview several weeks ago. She's dressed inappropriately and smacking her gum the whole time. But, at least her eyelashes stayed on this time!

It's a funny thing about K-Fed's set, though. I seem to remember another up-and-coming solo artist rising up from big stereo speakers for his debut performance. Hmmm...who could that have been? Oh. Riiiiight.

Peace. Out.

One for the books...

2006-08-12T23:40:00.000-04:00

So, today was new student move-in day at EC. It's always a stressful, but exciting time, involving very little sleep and a whole lot of caffeine and sugar! So far, things seem to be going well. I just had the first official meeting with all of the new students (where they forced me to harp on curfew, even though I tried to skim over it...what is this curfew stigma? Is it a control thing? A developmental thing? All of the above?) and they seem to be excited to be here. I have an awesome new group of RA's who are just as excited to have them, so I'm looking forward to a great year.

In preparation for the students' arrival, I had these wonderful RA's do a "Room Condition Checklist". This form gives us an idea of what shape the room is in and lets the student/parent see that we are aware of the problem and will be trying to fix it asap.

One of the things to do on the checklist is make sure that all of the furniture which is assigned to a room is actually in the room. Furniture includes beds, desks, bookshelves, desk chairs, dressers, wardrobes, night stands, and bed shelves.

On one of the forms, one of my diligent and conscientious RA's had carefully written, "One night stand needed." Love it!!

Peace. Out.

Rock Star Eliminations...

2006-08-12T10:57:00.000-04:00

Encores: (yes, that's an "s" on the end!)
Lukas and Magni - I still didn't really like Lukas, but you can tell he's trying to sing "properly" per Jason's requests. Magni rocks out with the band this time and it's still great.

Bottom Three:
Jill - Respect - Aretha Franklin
I hope this is her last performance, because I need a break from the screaming.

Josh - Shooting Star - Bad Company
His head is ultimately going to wobble right off his neck! His stage presence is just so awkward.

Ryan - Enjoy the Silence - Depeche Mode
This performance had a lot of potential, but I don't think Ryan made the most of it. Again, he's a good singer and all, just not really my thing.

Ryan is safe and Supernova makes the decision to kill two birds with one stone and eliminate both Jill and Josh on this round. Good decision, I think.

Until next time...

Peace. Out.

Rock Star - Week 6

2006-08-12T10:17:00.000-04:00

Here's what I thought about this week's show...

I was looking forward to the rockers performing their original songs this week, but alas, that was only a clinic. You can hear the songs and see some of their sessions at the Rock Star website.

Dilana - Won't Get Fooled Again - The Who
Gilby plays along and they work very well together. Dilana makes the most of that "dirty" quality in her voice and wows the crowd, Supernova, Dave, and me. Gilby says that after that performance, he has no doubt a woman can front their band.

Jill - Mother Mother - Tracy Bonham
Back to back with Dilana, it's really easy to see Jill's faults. She's a solid performer, but she just doesn't hold up. Tommy Lee thinks it's her best performance so far, but Jason says she lost the power of her voice in all the running around on stage. I really think this is her last week.

Ryan - Paint It Black - The Rolling Stones
I'm so distracted by the painted-on Robin (as in "Batman and...") mask around his eyes, that I can't even concentrate on this song! Dave says the entrance and the reveal prove Ryan's a contender, but Tommy's unsure. Gilby says his vocals are awesome. He's good, but just not my thing.

Storm - We Are the Champions - Queen
Just as a sidenote here, Storm's MySpace page lists her style as Rock and Christian Rap. Um, that's definitely not what she is, so I have to wonder if that's a joke? An oversight? Who knows? Anyway, I generally think no one should perform this song except Freddie Mercury, but Storm does well. Tommy says he hopes they haven't scared the rock out of her and she assures him she'll spank the crap out of him again. It cuts to her laughing really hard, and I think the television audience missed a joke.

Zayra - All the Young Dudes - David Bowie
Magni's backing her up on guitar and she's wearing this. Zayra says in a pre-interview that she only dresses to wow herself. I think she's just having fun with us at this point! Vocally, though, this is an extremely strong performance. I actually enjoyed it! Gilby says he enjoys the showmanship, but she was flat on that song. Who cares? Obviously the producers are just keeping her around for our viewing pleasure, so whatever. I think the band is getting close to having enough, though.

Josh - Interstate Love Song - STP
Tommy Lee surprises Josh and backs him up on drums. So, you know how Scott Weiland had that really interesting quality in his voice that basically gave STP their sound? Yeah, Josh doesn't have that. The band says they enjoyed it. As a sidenote here, Tommy Lee is so out of breath after playing this one song, I have to wonder if he can even handle a full-length show.

Magni - The Dolphin's Cry - Live
I had a really bad first impression of Magni, but in the last few weeks, he's really been impressing me. I literally got chills during this performance, so it's my pick this week for you to watch. It was amazing and very sweet to see his family there watching. Mad kudos from Supernova.

Patrice - Instant Karma - John Lennon
The pigtails have got to go, Patrice! This is a great arrangement and I still think she has a great voice, but she's just not on par with some of the others. Dave says it was an excellent song choice and she did a good job. And that's the thing. It was good. It was fine. It just wasn't great or memorable.

Lukas - Creep - Radiohead
I'm really not loving Lukas very much at this point, but Supernova loves it. Whatever.

Toby - Burning Down the House - The Talking Heads
Why was this song even an option for selection? What do they expect out of the person who chooses it? Anyway, the arrangement is awesome and gives the house band a chance to show off a bit. At the end, though, Toby pulls out a megaphone with Australian flags on the side. It's just too cheesy. Dave says Toby is better than that and doesn't need props at this point. Supernova's okay with it, though, and says it proves he can change it up a bit.

I think...
Encore - Magni
Bottom Three - Jill, Josh, Patrice
Going Home - Jill

Peace. Out.

MySpace, Facebook...BattleCry?

2006-08-08T16:01:00.000-04:00

So, I'm a confessed MySpace-aholic. I love staying connected to current friends, I love reconnecting with old friends, and I sometimes love making new friends. I would consider myself a smart user, not putting too much info out there and only accepting individuals I personally know as friends. There are a lot of parents out there, however, who are really worried about their kids being on MySpace or similar sites. In my opinion, these kids just need to be educated so they don't end up in trouble. But I understand the fear.

Could BattleCry.com be the answer? The site, powered by TBN, aims to unite teens and adults in the fight for a generation being demonized by the media. I have to say, the site looks really cool and the idea behind it is sound. But does it have to be so cheesy? I really don't want to be negative about something so positive, but calling your BattleCry friends your "TrenchMates" and calling your profile your "Battle Plan" just seems a little cheesy to me. Don't get me wrong, I really wish the people behind this site all the best and pray they are truly able to make a difference in this generation.

But all of this begs the question...can you talk about Christianity and be relevant? Can you talk about Jesus and be cool? Is that, or should that be, a goal?

I really am not sure about that last one. Our goal shouldn't be to water down the Gospel so that it appeals to everyone, but certainly there are ways of discussing it that open doors more readily than other ways, right?

These are simple questions, I think, but not easy ones. I'd love to hear your opinion.

Peace. Out.

Rock Star - Week 5 Eliminations

2006-08-03T14:56:00.000-04:00

I predicted the bottom three correctly! But before I get into that, at the opening of the show, Dave asks Dana if she indeed got the tattoo she mentioned on the previous episode. She says yes, and shows off a treble clef on her hip (pretty cool). She says she's going to get a bass clef for the other side. Dave suggests she puts it on the back side, the "low end, if you know what I'm saying." Um, no Dave, I don't know what you are saying, so stop talking. Geez, he is really testing my love!

So anyway, Ryan gets the encore and does a good job. It's a nice arrangement on the piano. I would've picked Storm, but I think they're consciously trying to pick a different person every week.

Jill is the first in the bottom three. She sings "Alone" by Heart and rocks it out. I wasn't sure if it would be enough to save her, but she ends up getting a standing ovation from Supernova! Gilby tells her they think she's made some "horrible creative choices" but she saved herself with the performance tonight. I think she's still on thin ice, though.

Patrice sings "Eternal Life" by Jeff Buckley. Her vocal chops cannot be denied and she really shows them off in this song. Though they still aren't blown away, Supernova decides to keep her around at least one more week.

Thus, Dana is the one going home. She sings "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals (10 points if you knew who sang that before you read it!) and does a really good job. She still has that karaoke/Broadway element to her voice, but the improvement from a few weeks ago is undeniable. I really think she did the best that she could do. Unfortunately, her best wasn't good enough.

Some side notes about the show in general. I really dislike the director's style on this show, but I also hate the constant screaming of the crowd. Quiet them down already! No, not after a performance, but while Brooke is talking, geez, give it a break.

I also hate that they officially refer to Tommy Lee as "the Hatchet Man" since he's the one who announces who's going home. However, I love that he pulls his hoodie up before he makes the announcement...it has devil horns on top, and that's just funny!

Next week the rockers have to write a melody and lyrics to an existing Supernova track. This should be interesting!!

Peace. Out.

PS - Zayra is wearing a belt buckle that says "PIMP". I just thought you should know.

Harry Potter Casting...

2006-08-03T14:52:00.000-04:00

In a brilliant stroke of casting genius, Helena Bonham Carter will play Bellatrix Lestrange in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, due in 2007. Even though I was disappointed in the Goblet of Fire, I'm still so looking forward to the next chapter in this amazing series.

Peace. Out.

Rock Star - Week 5

2006-08-02T14:24:00.000-04:00

Hey, look at me, posting the day after the performances! Here's what I thought about last night...

Patrice - Higher Ground, Red Hot Chili Peppers' version - Tommy Lee plays along, but this is not the song I would have chosen for a drum highlight. Whatever. Patrice does okay, but she's not exciting and has poor interaction with the band onstage. Supernova says she was fine.

Josh - Santeria, Sublime - Absolute perfect song choice that makes the most of his voice. I don't know if he's trying to channel the spirit of the Rasta with that hat, but either way, Supernova loves it.

Dilana - Can't Get Enough, Bad Company - This is not my favorite vocal performance, but it's Dilana, and she rode a crowd member's shoulders back to the stage after rocking Supernova's platform! So, I still love her.

Toby - Pennyroyal Tea, Nirvana - Kind of a boring performance, actually. Vocally, good, but nothing special. Good props from Supernova.

Zayra - 867-5309 (Jenny), Tommy Tutone - Seriously, where does she shop? (Photo link coming ASAP!) At Edna Mode's boutique? Anyway, it's probably her best performance and Supernova asks for a few minutes to process what they've just seen. Gilby says vocals were off, but he wants to keep her around to see what she'll do next. Like I said, good TV. (BTW, here's the electric blue outfit from last week)

Magni - Clocks, Coldplay - If you're going to do Coldplay, I think you should just go ahead and try to sound as different from Chris Martin as possible, not do a karaoke version like this. Magni has a good voice, though, and there's definite potential there. Supernova absolutely loves it.

Jill - (Don't You) Forget About Me, Simple Minds - She's back to the screaming this week, and the band hates it. Dave makes his cruelest remark yet when he tells Jill that her performance would have been the moment people left to grab a drink or go to the bathroom. But it's kind of true. Tommy stops flirting long enough to rightly say that the great thing about this song is that low, sort of sexy register in which it was originally sung. And Jill disregarded that and screamed her way through it. She might be my pick to go home this week.

Ryan - Losing My Religion, REM - I think he oversang just as much as Jill did, yet the band loves it. For a much better song sung at the grand piano, please refer to MiG doing Baby I Love Your Way last year.

Lukas - Celebrity Skin, Hole - He's still wandering around the stage too much. Strategic walking, Lukas, strategic walking!! He turns his back to the audience for much of the song and Gilby calls him out on it. Dave says it's his least favorite performance so far, and it's mine as well.

Storm - Changes, David Bowie - What a great song. And this is my pick for your performance to watch. This is totally different from anything Storm has done and it really proves why she's in this competition. Major well-deserved props from Supernova.

Dana - Baba O'Riley, The Who - Man, the straight hair makes such a difference in her look! This is a good performance, but the "They're all wasted" at the end sort of blows it for me. Tommy says there's hope for her and I agree.

My picks for bottom three are Patrice, Jill, and Dana with Jill going home.

Peace. Out.

The Fogals are Finally Finished...

2006-07-31T20:15:00.000-04:00

At last, the Fogals have been eliminated on NBC's Treasure Hunters. This family was conniving and annoying from the beginning, and I'm happy to see them go. To give you an idea of why I feel this way, allow me to describe their last few moments. After failing to find the artifact in the ancient church where Ben Franklin once created secret codes as an American spy, Daughter Fogal (the most annoying Fogal of all) says she feels like it was a good time for them to be eliminated. Mama Fogal gets teary-eyed and emotional and says "And it happened in a church. Which is a cool thing, because that's my home. It just seems right." Well, it doesn't look that annoying here, but believe me...in the context of the show, it was awful! So, they're finally finished. And I'm still rooting for Ex-CIA.

Peace. Out.

Lady in the Water...

2006-07-31T14:34:00.000-04:00

Or the "watty" as my nephew Gabe would say. :)

I saw M. Night Shyamalan's latest offering over the weekend, and I'm very impressed. I would even say that, other than The Sixth Sense, this is my favorite M. Night film so far. Paul Giamatti and Bryce Dallas Howard are amazing. The supporting actors (including M. Night himself) do a great job at just that...supporting. The story is developed and discovered at just the right pace, and I was drawn in to the magic and mystery of the fairytale. I love that even the smallest character plays an important role in the overall story and that the question of purpose is answered for each.

From a more technical viewpoint, M. Night does an admirable job at setting up oddly disconcerting camera angles, that only enhance the feeling of uncertainty and confusion. The angles often seem to be from the perspective of someone else watching the events unfold, which fits with the overall action of the movie.

There will be some who feel that the movie is too slow or even too predictable (and it is certainly more predictable than some of M. Night's others), but I thought it was sweet and beautiful and definitely worth seeing.

Peace. Out.

Rock Star - Week 4 Eliminations

2006-07-31T14:23:00.000-04:00

Bottom three...

Patrice - My Iron Lung, Radiohead - An almost audible gasp was heard from the audience when Patrice announced her song choice, but she really pulled it off. She does have a great voice and kept Dave from getting bored on this one, so she's safe.

Zayra - Not an Addict, K's Choice - Great song and it suits Zayra's personality. No one (including the band) really likes her that much, but (as previously stated) she does make for good TV, so she's also safe (although I think her time is limited!).

Phil - Smoking Umbrellas, Failure - All the things I've previously said about Phil apply to this performance. The band questions his commitment and decides he's out. Apparently, Phil has even made some statements to news outlets insinuating he just wanted to be on the show to raise publicity for his own band, and he doesn't even like Supernova's music.

So, even though there are others who deserve to go home just as much, I think it was the right decision to get rid of Phil now. However, Zayra has previously made some harsh remarks to the band's faces, and Jill said she thinks "everything has been done" in rock music. They better watch out! Good TV only lasts so long before the band remembers what they're hear for!

Peace. Out.

Rock Star - Week 4

2006-07-31T13:52:00.000-04:00

Here's what I thought of last week's performances (and I think this catches me up, so I'll try to do better about posting closer to the actual show!)...

Lukas - Bittersweet Symphony, The Verve - I was completely distracted for the first 3/4 of this performance because he just held an electric guitar. Didn't hit a single note until almost the end. Weird. He is such a personality and has a really great voice, but I'm ready to see him be stretched a little more! His whole act is getting kind of old.

Zayra - Call Me, Blondie - Where do you even buy clothes like that? A superhero store?* I'm sorry, Zayra, but I just really don't like you. Don't like your voice, your look, your style, or your attitude. But, you do make for good TV. The band doesn't like this performance, but Jason Newsted would still make her his wife.

*I tried and tried to find a picture of this, but can't find anything that does it justice. So, try to imagine this - it's a skin-tight, electric blue, spandex catsuit, that has the side panels and back cut out of it. She's wearing white knee boots as well. Wha....???

Dana - About a Girl, Nirvana - Wow! She definitely wins for most improved. The straight hair does wonders for her and this stripped down acoustic performance tones down the Broadway in the mix. She gets major props from the band. Definitely watch this one!

Patrice - Remedy, The Black Crowes - Patrice is this year's Susie. She's a pretty powerhouse, but ultimately doesn't have what it takes to win. Dave says he's getting bored, and I kind of agree.

Toby - White Wedding, Billy Idol - Lots of energy and provides a great answer to last week's challenge from the band. IMHO, he's the best male voice in the competition, hands down.

Magni - Heroes, David Bowie - Such a wonderful song! This is the first time I've heard Magni sound like a professional singer. Vocally, this was definitely his best performance. The band is disappointed that he stayed so stationary for this song. But I kind of liked that. Diff'rent strokes, I guess...

Ryan - I Alone, Live - Definitely one of his best performances (Dave agrees) and the perfect song choice for his voice (Tommy).

Jill - Brown Sugar, The Rolling Stones - Gilby played with her on this one and tells her at the end that he was disappointed with all of the "grinding". He says she's better than that and doing that onstage is a female copout. Dave disagrees with Gilby and says, um, well, let's just say he liked it and not print the direct quote, shall we? I fall somewhere in between the two. Jill definitely gave a sexy performance, as befits the song, and her vocals were really good. I like and appreciate her so much more now than I did in the beginning, and that's gotta be saying something!

Phil - One Headlight, The Wallflowers - I really hate Phil onstage. I agree with Jason who said a few weeks ago that Phil's ok if you close your eyes while he performs. The band is divided on Phil's stage presence.

Dilana - Time After Time, Cindy Lauper - Wow! It's just her and an acoustic guitar and it is unbelievable! This girl can do no wrong! This performance is completely different from anything else she's done and she totally rocks it! Yes, I know I'm using a lot of exclamation points in this comment, but she deserves it! Watch, watch, watch!

Josh - No Rain, Blind Melon - Vocally, it's ok, just not my style. I'm not a big fan of the wandering around stage...I think it's better to walk strategically, and he definitely needs to work on that. I just don't really dig him at all. The band hates it as well.

Storm - Anything, Dramaram - Great song! I like Storm - she's gorgeous, has a big voice, great personality and stage presence - but I feel like she's sort of a wimpy Dilana. The band really loves her, though, and she's definitely dynamite onstage and spot-on vocally. It will be interesting if it comes down to those two!

Peace. Out.

Rock Star - Week 3 Eliminations...

2006-07-26T15:32:00.000-04:00

Bottom three...

Jenny - Vaseline, STP - She looks like a little girl playing dress up rockstar. I gotta give it to her for trying, but sweetie, this ain't your gig!

Dana - High Road Easy, Sass Jordan - She looks like she has no idea what to do onstage, but her chops are way above Jenny's. She probably just saved herself for this week, but she's going to have to do a lot more than that to stay in the competition for any length of time.

Josh - Heart Shaped Box, Nirvana - I'm really surprised he went with another Nirvana tune. This one is definitely a lot better, but he has no presence on stage.

Indeed, Jenny is the one to go home, but the other two could be right behind. Dana seems to really be trying to become the performer they want her to be (even seeking help from Dilana!), so it will be interesting to see if she's able to put the advice to any use. Josh is just too wimpy.

Until next time...

Peace. Out.

Rock Star - Week 3

2006-07-26T15:16:00.000-04:00

Here's what I thought about last week's performances...

Patrice - Helter Skelter, The Beatles - I think she has one of the best raw voices in the competition, but she had some issues with this song. Good opener, though.

Josh - Come As You Are, Nirvana - Maroon 5 should never cross with 90's grunge! I couldn't have imagined this song as boring, but it certainly is in this performance. One of the worst performances this show has ever seen.

Storm - Just What I Needed, The Cars - I don't really dig her facial expressions sometimes and the pole dance routine with the mic stand is sooo cliche! She has an amazing voice, there's just something that keeps me from really liking her.

Lukas - Let's Spend the Night Together, The Rolling Stones - He has such an awesome voice! He's really a true performer and it shows every time he's on stage. Dave says he comes off "arrogant...and that's awesome!"

Jill - All Right Now, Free - I like her so much more now than I did in the beginning of the competition. The mix of screaming and singing really works better for her than either/or and she does a great job.

Ryan - Fortunate Son, CCR - Well, he's no John Fogerty! I don't really enjoy his voice at all. The band asks if he's having any fun and Ryan sweetly smiles into the camera...cheap! CHEAP!

Phil - White Rabbit, Jefferson Airplane - Well, he's no Grace Slick! Jason Newsted joins Phil onstage to play bass, and the band enjoys the performance. I think they just liked having Jason up there, though. Phil starts this song with too much intensity (rather than slowly building) and ends up with nowhere to go.

Dana - It's My Life, Bon Jovi - You know it takes a lot for me to not enjoy a Bon Jovi song...and I didn't enjoy this one! She's just too Broadway (or Celine Dion, as Tommy Lee says!) for rock and roll.

Toby - Runaway Train, Soul Asylum - One of the best songs to come out of the 90's! Toby does a good job, but the band is disappointed and felt bored. I agree it wasn't the most energetic performance, but this guy can sing! You have to pay attention to that. And he's so pretty!

Magni - Plush, STP - First of all, he's wearing huge black Jackie O. sunglasses with "DOLCE" (as in "and Gabbana") written on the side in rhinestones. I'm already turned off! Vocally he's not bad, but I just cannot get into his whole vibe. But the band digs it.

Zayra - Everybody Hurts, REM - She's got the whole Sinead O'Conner thing working on this one, but I don't think that has anything to do with Supernova! The band loves it, but I think they're just infatuated!

Jenny - Drive, Incubus - Utterly forgettable except for the ginormous acoustic she's playing.

Dilana - Zombie, The Cranberries - I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I. LOVE. HER!! She's such a performer and is always in complete control of the atmosphere in the room. She's definitely the one to beat right now.

My prediction for the bottom three: Josh, Dana, Jenny, maybe Ryan. And Jenny or Dana will go home.

Peace. Out.

Gift horse and all that...

2006-07-26T10:11:00.000-04:00

What's up with Ken Jennings? The Jeopardy winner has posted a scathing critique of Jeopardy, the show that awarded him $2.5 million a while back. The blog post is getting a lot of media attention, and Jennings now says it was all in good fun.

I understand snark and sarcasm and appreciate it just as much as the next guy, but this seems a little over the top. I'm so curious to know what events led up to this post...but that's one of those things I'll probably never know. It'll be hard, but I guess I can live with that. :)

Peace. Out.

Never Alone...

2006-07-26T00:47:00.000-04:00

I wouldn't go so far as to say I've been having a crisis of faith, but something has been going on. For the majority of this summer, I've just been struggling with how I feel about God and my relationship with Him. That's a pretty personal thing to admit, but hey, we're all friends here, right?

I can directly trace this dilemma to the fact that I've been really slack about reading the Bible lately (something I'm attempting to rectify). Without that steady foundation, it's been easy for me to drift away from communion with God and veer into that dangerous doubtful territory.

I'm not saying it's not okay to question faith. In fact, I think it's probably healthy to do so. Who wants to live their life based on the assumptions of others? You need to know for yourself exactly what you believe and why you believe it. I've really been working on that these last few months. It's been quite a journey, but I can see the light ahead.

After several months of (at least partially self-induced) silence, I'm finally feeling the tug of the Holy Spirit on my heart. I know my relationship with God is not bound up in feelings and emotions, but it's been a test to not feel anything. Literally, nothing.

So, here I am, trying to get back to doing my part in this relationship, and trusting (and knowing) that God will do His.

Never Alone by Barlow Girl

I waited for you today, but you didn't show.
I needed You today. So where did You go?
You told me to call - said You'd be there
And though I haven't seen You, are You still there?

I cried out with no reply,
and I can't feel You by my side,
So, I'll hold tight to what I know - You're here,
And I'm never alone.

And though I cannot see You, and I can't explain why
Such a deep, deep reassurance You've placed in my life
We cannot separate, 'cause You're part of me
And though You're invisible, I'll trust the unseen.

I cried out with no reply,
and I can't feel You by my side,
So, I'll hold tight to what I know - You're here,
And I'm never alone.

Peace. Out.

Rock Star : Week 2 Eliminations

2006-07-14T00:09:00.000-04:00

The bottom three this week were Jill, Zayra, and Chris.

Jill performed "Bring Me to Life" by Evanescence, proving she actually can sing, not just scream. That's a really difficult song and she did an admirable job. Not great, but enough to save herself, I think.

Zayra chose a do-over and sang the same song as the night before. I still don't like her, but she did a lot better than the previous night. She's got this crazy robotic dance thing that, again, causes me to think she just won't work with Supernova (whatever they may turn out to be!).

Chris sand an acoustic version of "If You Could Only See" by Tonic. He did a great job and sounds a lot like the original guy. This is clearly his best performance so far.

I predicted Zayra's ignorance and oddity would get her eliminated, but it turns out being in the bottom three two weeks in a row is a worse offense. Chris is out and the competition continues next week!

Peace. Out.

Rock Star : Week 2

2006-07-13T23:35:00.000-04:00

Here's what I thought about the Rock Star performances this week...

Magni, "My Generation" (The Who) - He was definitely channeling JD in stage performance this week (I'll let you decide if that's a good or bad thing!). The vocals and energy were way better than last week, but he hasn't really won me over.

Jenny, "Tainted Love" (Soft Cell) - One of my pet peeves is people who set the mic stand too low so that they have to slouch to sing into it. And that's what Jenny does. It's just one more thing I didn't like about her performance. I don't like her voice at all.

Jill, "Violet" (Hole) - Why is she wearing a wedding dress? And why won't she stop screaming? Dave Navarro had one of his best comments when he said her "Courtney Love impersonation made [him] uncomfortable." She tried to defend her look saying it was all her interpretation and Dave came back with, "Well, I think if you check the album cover, you'll see Courtney Love in a white dress holding a bouquet of roses, so..." It was awesome! Gilby agreed there was too much screaming, but I have to say, she is an interesting performer.

Zayra, "You Really Got Me" (The Kinks) - I don't want to overstate my feelings here, but I really hate her. She's very Euro-style and I just can't see that fitting in with Tommy Lee, you know? At the end of her performance, Gilby noted, "You really have no idea what we're looking for in a singer. Do you even own a record by one of our bands?" To which Zayra responded, "Um, I've heard of your music, but I was in diapers back then." And the crowd went wild!!

Chris, "Take Me Out" (Franz Ferdinand) - He's still got the Jim Morrison curly hair from last week...maybe he thinks it's his lucky charm? He just has no stage presence and does not have the voice to make up for it. Dave says he looks like someone who won a charity contest to be there, that he lacks authenticity, and I agree.

Dilana, "Ring of Fire" (Johnny Cash) - OMG, I love her! You must go and watch her performance from this week. She is exactly like what June Carter Cash would be like today...if June was a vampire! I love it and so do they!

Josh, "Arms Wide Open" (Creed) - He honestly has even less stage presence than Chris. There is no movement save the unnecessary and inappropriate vocal runs. He has a nice voice, but does not put it to good use in this performance.

Phil, "If You Could Only See" (Tonic) - One of my all time favorite songs! I really want to show Phil some love for singing the Switchfoot song last week, but I just don't like him...the way he moves or sings. Jason agrees with me, but Tommy likes his "swagger." Jason says (in my favorite quote of the night), "Sometimes, I'd like to see you just plant your feet...and CRUSH IT!!!" This was accompanied by an acting out of the "crushing it". Love it!

Storm, "Surrender" (Cheaptrick) - Again, an awesome song! She has the opposite problem as Phil - her voice is almost too strong for this song. She has the most unrealized potential of anyone, I think. I look forward to seeing her develop as a performer.

Patrice, "Heart Shaped Box" (Nirvana) - She is really pretty and has a beautiful voice. I don't know that this was the best song choice for her, but she handled the complicated melody really well. Plus, she actually played the electric guitar! Really solid performance.

Lukas, "Don't Panic" (Coldplay) - I get that he is trying to show range, but this performance doesn't hit the high note that last week's did. It was cool to hear this song with a more raw edge. I think Lukas also has really great potential.

Ryan, "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (The Rolling Stones) - He doesn't really do anything for me, but he does have cool hair. Tommy says that when he thinks of The Rolling Stones, he thinks of Mick Jagger show-boating..."So show me some boat!" I can only imagine that means ramp it up a bit next time.

Dana, "Born to Be Wild" (Steppenwolf) - She'd be a great cruise performer, but rock is not her thing. Tommy says it's more like "Born to be Mild." And he's right!

Toby, "Somebody Told Me" (The Killers) - He totally rocked this way more than The Killers do! Yet he dialed it back in all the right places. You should catch his performance as well. He's truly one of the very few who looks (and acts...and sings) like he really belongs up on that stage. He's my early pick to win for sure.

Peace. Out.

Summer Movie Update...

2006-07-10T07:59:00.000-04:00

I've recently seen Superman Returns and Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and can highly recommend both.

Superman was excellent! The special effects were good, Brandon Routh bears a striking resemblance to Christopher Reeve (even his voice seems to sound familiar), and Kate Bosworth impressed me as Lois Lane (I wasn't sure about her in the role, but by the end of the film, she had won me over). The story picks up five years after Superman leaves Metropolis to search for the remains of his home planet, Krypton. Lois Lane has just won a Pulitzer prize for an editorial entitled "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman" and is engaged with a young son. Lex Luthor breaks out of prison just in time to pull one over on Superman and cause general mayhem. Kevin Spacey in this role is deliciously devilish. He's one of my favorite actors anyway, and he really steals every scene in which he appears.

Though I loved Batman Begins, I was really pleased to see the powers that be continue the story of Superman rather than go the prequel route. Many critics have complained that the story seems to start out too slow, only picking up speed about halfway in. I have to disagree. I think if we had been plunged back into this world, watching someone else as Superman, it would have been too traumatic. Instead, we are eased into it and have the opportunity to catch up with everyone before getting deep into the storyline. I already loved Brian Singer for his handling of the first two X-Men movies, and I'm so impressed with what he's done with Superman.

Pirates 2 is everything you think it will be. The first movie was a surprise to everyone, including me. It has become one of my go-to films and I was very excited to see the sequel. I had forgotten how much impact the score of this film really has, but it's almost a character in its own right here. The music is swashbuckling excitement itself! The villains, men enslaved on Davy Jones' ship who mutate into sea creatures the longer they're in service, are not quite as cool as those on Captain Barbossa's ship, and, to be honest, they're a little disturbing to watch. Bill Nighy is great as Davy Jones, but the tentacles around his head are just too distracting. Were it not for that, I think this film would be just as good as the first one. Johnny Depp is amazing as Jack Sparrow, and Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley are in fine form. But I know I won't be able to watch this one over and over like I can the first because of those villains. :: Shiver!!! ::

Second movies in a trilogy are usually the most frustrating to watch. They don't begin, they don't end. They're just the middle. Pirates 2 does a great job of continuing the story and setting up the third movie. Yes, it's frustrating, but the last few moments are very exciting. It certainly makes me anxious for the third film...which is just what a second film should do!

Peace. Out.

Speaking of Eliminations...

2006-07-06T23:00:00.000-04:00

In an effort to provide some continuity to my blog, I thought I'd let everyone know that Team Wild Hanlons was eliminated on this week's Treasure Hunters. They were one of my favorite teams, but certainly not favored to win. Their good luck could only hold out so long and this week's final challenge (deciphering Roman numeral rock formations to unlock a treasure chest) proved to be their breaking point. I will always love them for giving me some new catchphrases, though! Thanks, Wild Hanlons.

Peace. Out.

Rock Star Elimination Round...

2006-07-06T22:45:00.000-04:00

Bottom three:

Chris (no surprise there) who sang a Doors song and wallowed around on stage. His voice was definitely better on this one, but the antics seemed to confuse Jason Newsted. Even if he makes it past tonight, he'll have to really pull something awesome out next week to stick around any longer.

Phil (again, no big shock) who sand Switchfoot's Stars. When he announced what he was singing and who it was by, Tommy Lee said "Oh, I love that band!" And he said it like he meant it! Phil is just boring onstage. Jon Foreman always strikes that balance of making a great pop song sound and feel like an awesome rock song. Phil does not do that at all.

Finally, Matt. He sang Coldplay's Yellow last night and was asked to bring something a little more rocked out next time. So, tonight he chooses...Duran Duran. His version of Planet Earth is a little more rocking that what you'd expect from Duran Duran, but I don't know if Supernova is convinced. His voice just seems more suited to Rock Star : Keane than any band with Tommy Lee playing drums. He might be Chris' savior tonight!

And Supernova decides...

Indeed, Matt will go home tonight. He has a lot of potential in a different band, this is just not his bag.

Can't wait for next week!
Peace. Out.

PS - Dalina was called back up for an encore performance of Lithium and, yeah, she was just as scary this time around!!

Rock on, baby!

2006-07-06T22:22:00.000-04:00

Rock Star : Supernova is here! Tommy Lee (formerly of Motley Crue), Gilby Clarke (Guns'n'Roses), and Jason Newsted (Metallica) are looking for a frontperson for their new band, Supernova.

Wednesday was the performance show. Here's what I thought:

Storm, Pinball Wizard - Not necessarily one of my favorites, but she has potential. I liked her more in retrospect than I did at the time. And she definitely held her own singing one of the greatest rock songs ever!

Ryan, Iris - Weak. Just, weak.

Toby, Knockin' on Heaven's Door - Definitely one of the best performances of the night!! He's good looking without being too pretty and has a great voice. I can't wait to hear more!

Patrice, Somebody to Love - One of my all-time favorite songs! She did great vocally, but needs a little better stage presence. Anybody who can keep up with Grace Slick, though, is a winner in my book!

Magni, Satisfaction - No. He has this odd way of skip/stumbling around the stage that's very disconcerting. In someone with more talent, that might be endearing. Here it's just one more thing to dislike.

Zayra, Bring Me to Life - There's no way this girl can work with Supernova, even if Jason Newsted did propose to her right there on stage! :) The Latin accent comes through really strong and her voice is, um, unique. It could be produced really interestingly, I think, but it's not right for rock and roll.

Jenny, How You Remind Me - She held an electric guitar while she performed (note: yes, held, not played), which looked cool, but wasn't enough to cover up the out-of-tuneness in her performance. Way too sweet for Supernova.

Josh, She Talks to Angels - Kind of a weak beginning, but ended up being an amazing performance! He looks and sounds a little like Adam Levine from Maroon 5, but I think he really could add that soulful sound into whatever Tommy Lee's got cooking with Supernova.

Matt, Yellow - He definitely has a "right now" voice, fitting in with bands like The Killers, Keane, and Coldplay, but I don't think it's strong enough to pull off real rock.

Dilana, Lithium - Holy cow! I was literally a little frightened during this performance. And I mean that in the best possible way! She has the dirtiest voice I've ever heard. And if you don't know what I mean by dirty, I'm sorry. I know of no better word to describe it. It's so low and rumbling! Except for the aimless jumping around the stage (a little more polish on that will go a long way!) at the end, this was a flawless performance. Excellent song choice for her voice too!

Dana, I'm the Only One - Too sweet for rock.

Phil, Cult of Personality - Not nearly a strong enough voice to pull off this song. He'll be one of the first to go, I think.

Jill, Piece of My Heart - She yelled her way through this one. Her abs will keep her in the competition for a few weeks, but I don't think she's got the chops to make it in the long run.

Chris, Roxanne - Okay, so I'm a huge Sting freak. He has made or contributed to the making of some of the best music of the last 30 years. I rarely think there's any need for improvement on anything Sting touched. Chris, however, felt like this song needed to be made more relevant. Apparently relevant to him means to suck. Tremendously. He's my prediction for the one going home this week.

Lukas, Rebel Yell - One of the great songs to come out of the 80's. And Lukas (along with the amazing-as-ever House Band) successfully reworks it a bit to make it sound totally today. Though he seems like the cocky one of the bunch, he's also one of the most talented. If he could just ease up on that eye makeup a bit!!

Peace. Out.

My own Cannes Controversy...

2006-07-06T13:17:00.000-04:00

So, apparently, this guy feels like Murali K. Thalluri, maker of the film 2:37 is doing some underground, undercover promotion for his film on IMDb. He believes Thalluri is going by fake usernames to talk up the movie on the message boards. While that may be a little dishonest, I sympathize with the plight of the independent filmmaker and support doing whatever it takes to garner interest in your movie.

What I don't support is the user in question trying to pass my review of the film off as his own. This particular user had previously posted my review (with credit) on the 2:37 message boards on IMDb, which I love, but posting it elsewhere with no proper credit given really crosses the line.

Thanks to the anonymous blogger who alerted me to this issue. I gotta say, while I'm deeply offended and want credit for what I've written...I'm also a little excited to be in the midst of a controversy. It's so very Hollywood and only adds to my entire Cannes experience!

Peace. Out.

You decide...

2006-06-29T10:28:00.000-04:00

The science of Superman is either really cool or really dorky. I'll let you be the judge.

Team Wild Hanlon does it again...

2006-06-28T10:38:00.000-04:00

So, this week's episode of Treasure Hunters had the contestants following in the wake of Lewis and Clark. The challenges were more physical than intellectual. Team Wild Hanlon (see previous post for more info) was not quite as quotable this time around, but they did pull through after taking 11 hours to complete a task that took the Air Force team about an hour. After emerging from the interminable task, the team thanked each other, thanked God, and thanked Texas for supporting them! Oh, and did I mention that instead of going straight to the next task (an elimination one, at that!), they decided to stop off for some burgers and fries. Yet somehow, they were not the last team and they'll return next week! I love them! :)

Team Fogal Family - the pastor, his wife, and their daughter - are proving to be the dirtiest players of the bunch. They have so far cheated, lied, and misdirected the other teams in order to gain an advantage. Then, when they ended up at the finish line ahead of the other teams, they thanked God for getting them through. Yeah, God and bad sportsmanship. I'm all for competition, and I'm not saying I wouldn't make it difficult for the other teams (i.e. if I uncovered something important buried underground, I would definitely shovel over it after I got what I needed. I wouldn't leave it out in the open, making it easy for the other teams to piggy back off of what I already accomplished.), but it seems like there should be a little more honesty and integrity on this team in particular. What's really bad is that the other teams are starting to realize how the Fogals operate and they're starting to band together against them. Is it wrong that I'm kind of excited to see how all of this plays out?

Peace. Out.

Distractions...

2006-06-28T10:31:00.000-04:00

If you're feeling positively giddy over The Office season finale, then this Jim and Pam shipper video is for you! Spoiler Warning: It does give away what happened in the finale, so if you're waiting for...something...be warned. And, I'll go ahead and attach a Cheesy Warning as well. It's a video montage set to Nick Lachey's latest single, "What's Left of Me." If you have an aversion to sappy clips and former boy-banders, this video is definitely not for you!

For something more lighthearted, check out one interpretation of The Evolution of Dance. The comedian performing is awesome and I guarantee it will make you smile. Maybe tap your foot. Maybe even audibly chuckle. Enjoy!

Peace. Out.

Trailer Park...

2006-06-28T10:24:00.000-04:00

Some upcoming movies...

Spiderman 3 - I've never read comics, so I don't know if what's been going on in the Spidey cinematic world follows happened on the Spidey pages. But I've really enjoyed the movies. This one looks particularly intriguing.

Snakes on a Plane - The little movie that could! For months, there has been a huge amount of online discussion and grassroots promotion for this Samuel L. Jackson movie. The title says it all! I'm a big Samuel L. fan, though, so I'll definitely be seeing this one. I mean, if there's anyone who can deal with snakes on a plane, it's him, right?

The Last Kiss - The writers from "Million Dollar Baby" and "Crash" decided to remake "Garden State." They even got Zach Braff and everything! Seriously, this movie looks interesting, but I fear Zach Braff is acting himself into a corner with his choices. He's a funny guy and seems to be a pretty good actor. I would hate to see him relegated to quarter-life crisis movies for the next ten years. Then what? The mid-life crisis movies?

Peace. Out.

Women of Faith...

2006-06-27T16:42:00.000-04:00

So, this past weekend, I attended the Women of Faith (WOF) conference in Atlanta (Thanks, Bird, for the invite!!). The funny thing was there wasn't a whole lot of talk about faith. It was mostly a pep rally for women a little older than me who, frankly, don't get the opportunity to be pepped up very often. I mean, sure, they cheer on their husbands or kids or bosses, but they don't really get the chance to cheer for themselves. That is what WOF was all about. 20,000 women packed into Phillips Arena (where they made all the bathrooms in the arena women's bathrooms...LOL!), having fun and laughing themselves silly. Honestly, you put 20,000 women who mostly have to take life very seriously and be responsible at all times together, and they will laugh at anything.

I can't remember all of the details right now, but one of the women spoke about the fact that you may not always understand why things happen in life. This is something Bird and I had just been talking about the night before. You can drive yourself crazy asking Why me, Why not me, Why her, Why now? The fact of the matter is we cannot comprehend the mind of God. People don't like to talk about that in the modern day. They'd rather be the friend of God or intimate with God. And I'm not saying you can't (or shouldn't) be those things. But there's a dimension of mystery to the ways of God. We need to be okay with that. That is what faith is all about. And though she didn't launch into a speech on faith, it was a nice reminder (and challenge) to simply trust and have faith that, in the end, all things really do work together for the good of those who love God.

Peace. Out.

Oh, this is good...

2006-06-27T10:30:00.000-04:00

Who could you beat in a Google fight smackdown?

Team Wild Hanlons...

2006-06-21T16:01:00.000-04:00

Please watch NBC's new show, Treasure Hunters. The show is great on its own (like a combination of Survivor and The Amazing Race...with a little National Treasure thrown in for good measure), but it's also worth watching just for these guys. Oh, they are so quotable! If you didn't catch the premiere this past Sunday night, you're not that far behind (and you know they'll give you a "Previously, on Treasure Hunters..." before the next episode!). Its regular night and time will be Mondays at 9 pm. With Prison Break done for the season, what else are you going to watch at that time? Tune in for the Wild Hanlons, but stay for the competition. So far, I'm rooting for Ex-CIA to take it all!

And, just in case you were wondering, the answer is yes. These are the most links in any one post ever.

Peace. Out.

Inspired...

2006-06-21T15:44:00.000-04:00

I've mentioned to a few people that I think I got inspired while in Cannes. I say "think" because I've had movie-making on the brain ever since, but no real concrete ideas. I'm one of those people who definitely does better on a project when I have clear direction. When someone says "just do whatever you want" or "you can choose any topic", it freaks me out and my mind goes blank. You can imagine the stress I'm feeling over my looming thesis!

Well, the inspiration has finally crystalized and I have a project I'm excited about. I'm hesitant to say too much about it for a few reasons. (1) You never can be too cautious...who knows if Jerry Bruckheimer or Harvey Weinstein is secretly reading my blog, just waiting for that great American story to pop out so they can snatch it out of my grasp! And (2) it's so, so, SO early in the development that I'm not even sure if it will actually happen. Wait, I don't want to be that pessimistic. It will happen, I just have no idea what kind of time frame we're talking about. I don't want to set myself up for failure by over-hyping it or talking about it too much, but I'm so excited and wired about it, I just had to share.

So, hopefully this time next year I'll be making the film festival rounds looking for distribution. Hey, a girl can dream, right? Cross your fingers! :)

Peace. Out.

The full quote...

2006-06-16T10:06:00.000-04:00

I noted on my Cannes blog the "words to live by" I had stumbled upon. Here's the full quote from Johnny Cash, included in the liner notes of his 2000 album, Solitary Man. Those last two sentences are the ones I love so much...

"The Master of Life's been good to me. He gives me good health now and helps me to continue doing what I love. He has given me strength to face past illnesses, and victory in the face of defeat. He has given me life and joy where others saw oblivion. He has given new purposes to live for. New services to render and old wounds to heal. Life and love go on. Let the music play."

Peace. Out.

Through Painted Deserts...

2006-06-15T11:33:00.000-04:00

While in France, I read Donald Miller's book Through Painted Deserts. I know people go on and on about Blue Like Jazz, but TPD is the one that really spoke to me. I think the circumstances in which you read a book (or watch a movie or hear a song or experience any kind of artistic expression) have a lot to do with how you receive it. This book is about striking out on an unknown road, not sure what will happen along the way. It's a lot of introspection. A lot of quiet. A lot of staring up at the stars and just thinking about...stuff.

Though I didn't have the chance to stop and think about stuff a lot, I was in an unfamiliar place, away from all of my family and belongings. I connected with this book in a way I haven't done in a long time. Surrounded by the glitz and glamour of the South of France and the Cannes Film Festival, it was an amazing experience to sit back in the mornings and wonder what makes people really happy. To try to wrap my head around the answers to the why questions rather than the how questions (i.e. Not "how do I break into the movie business" but "why do I want to?" Not "how do I go about getting more money" but "why do I want more money?"). It was the perfect book for me at that time. And I highly recommend it.

Peace. Out.

I'm baaaaack!!

2006-06-12T10:15:00.000-04:00

I have returned from my trip to Cannes and am almost over the jetlag. It's always easier for me coming back than going. The trip was amazing and thanks to all of you who kept up with my Cannes blog while I was gone.

I'm getting settled back home and taking it easy this week. For those of you in the FS area, give me a call! I've missed my American friends! :)

Peace. Out.

I'm gone...

2006-05-10T09:18:00.000-04:00

I will be in France until June 10. I'll still be blogging, but on a separate blog. Check out all my adventures and keep in touch!!

4 days...

2006-05-06T17:19:00.000-04:00

I'll be leaving for France in 4 days. That is unbelievable! :) I'm very excited, but still unsure about being away from Paul for that long. I'm sure I'll have a great time, but it is definitely bittersweet to think about it.

I've set up a different blog to document my experiences while I'm there. Check it out if you want to hear all about the festival or see pictures of Cannes and the surrounding areas.

I'll be returning to the States on June 10. Please send me emails or keep in touch through MySpace as I'm sure I'll be missing home!

Until later...Peace. Out.

Do you see the resemblance?

2006-04-28T09:56:00.000-04:00

This is one I've never heard before, but the Celebrity-Face-Recognition software says my face is a 75% match to Naomi Watts. Interesting. The site is free and entertaining. Who do you look like?

Cannes selections announced...

2006-04-20T21:53:00.000-04:00

The movies to be presented at the Cannes Film Festival were announced today. I've got a lot of work to do trying to decide which ones I want to see! Obviously, the big ones - The DaVinci Code and X-Men 3 - but there are some others I'm already interested in. Namely Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette and Southland Tales by Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko). Also, Volver, Fast Food Nation, Babel, Shortbus, and Boffo (I didn't forget the link...I just couldn't find one!). I still haven't decided if I'm ready to see a 9/11 movie, so United 93 is up in the air for me. The others I'll have to research. Of course, I'll see as many as I can, but I'd like to go with some sort of plan and work from there!

Complete List...
CANNES 2006: OFFICIAL SELECTION
OPENER "The Da Vinci Code," U.S., Ron Howard (non-competing)
CLOSER "Transylvania," France, (non-competing)

IN COMPETITION
"The Weakest Is Always Right," Belgium-France, Lucas Belvaux
"Summer Palace," China-France, Lou Ye
"Lights at the Edge of the City," Finland, Aki Kaurismaki
"Flandres," France, Bruno Dumont
"Selon Charlie," France, Nicole Garcia
"Quand j'etais chanteur," France, Xavier Giannoli
"Days of Glory," France, Algeria, Rachid Bouchareb
"The Wind That Shakes the Barley," Ireland-U.K., Ken Loach
"The Cayman," Italy-France, Nanni Moretti
"The Family Friend," Italy, Paolo Sorrentino
"Pan's Labyrinth," Mexico-Spain-U.S., Guillermo del Toro
"Youth on the March," Portugal, Pedro Costa
"Volver," Spain, Pedro Almodovar
"Climates," Turkey, Nuri Bilge Ceylan
"Red Road," U.K.-Denmark, Andrea Arnold
"Fast Food Nation," U.K.-U.S, Richard Linklater
"Marie-Antoinette," U.S., Sofia Coppola
"Southland Tales," U.S., Richard Kelly
"Babel," U.S.-Morocco, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

OUT OF COMPETITION GALA SCREENINGS
"United 93," U.S.-U.K., Paul Greengrass
"X-Men: The Last Stand," U.S., Brett Ratner
"Over the Hedge," U.S., Tim Johnson, Karey Kirkpatrick

MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS
"Election 2," Hong Kong, Johnnie To
"Silk," Taiwan, Su Chao-pin
"Shortbus," U.S., John Cameron Mitchell

SPECIAL SCREENINGS
"Zidane, un portrait du 21e siecle,
" France, Phillipe Parreno, Douglas Gordon
"These Girls," France, Tahani Rached
"Avida," France, Benoit Delepine
"Ici Najac, a vous la terre," France, Jean-Henri Meunier
"Bamako," France-Mauritania, Abderrahmane Sissako
"Volevo Solo Vivere," Italy, Mimmo Calopresti
"Boffo: Tinseltown's Bombs and Blockbusters," U.S., Bill Couturie
"An Inconvenient Truth," U.S., Davis Guggenheim

UN CERTAIN REGARD
"Cronica de una fuga," Argentina, Israel, Adrian Caetano
"Ten Canoes," Australia, Rolf de Heer
"Surburban Mayhem," Australia, Paul Goldman
"Luxury Car," China, Wang Chao
"La tourneuse de pages," France, Denis Dercourt
"La Californie," France, Jacques Fieschi
"Meurtrieres," France, Patrick Grandperret
"Paris, je t'aime," France, 24 directors (opener)
"Bled Number One," France-Algeria, Rabah Ameur-Zaimeche
"977," France-Russia, Nikolay Khomeriki
"Re-cycle," Hong Kong, Oxide Pang, Danny Pang
"Taxidermia," Hungary, Gyorgy Palfi
"Serambi," Indonesia, Garin Nugroho
"The Wedding Director," Italy-France, Marco Bellocchio
"You Am I," Lithuania, Kristijonas Vildziunas
"El violin," Mexico, Francisco Vargas
"Uro," Norway, Stefan Faldbakken
"Hamaca Paraguaya," Paraguay, Paz Encina
"Z odzysku," Poland, Slawomir Fabicki
"Cum Mi-am Petrecut Sfarsiful Lumii," Romania, Catalin Mitulescu
"The Unforgiven," South Korea, Yoon Jong-bin
"Salvador Puig Antich," Spain, Manuel Huerga
"Bihisht Faqat Baroi Murdagon," Tajikistan, Djamshed Usmonov
"A Scanner Darkly," U.S., Richard Linklater

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION JURY
Wong Kar Wai, Hong Kong director (president)
Monica Bellucci, Italian actress
Helena Bonham-Carter, English actress
Lucrecia Martel, Argentinean director
Zhang Ziyi, Chinese actress
Samuel L. Jackson, American actor
Patrice Leconte, French director
Tim Roth, English actor
Elia Suleiman, Palestinian director

CINEFOUNDATION AND SHORT FILMS JURY
Andrei Konchalovsky, Russian director (president)
Sandrine Bonnaire, French actress
Daniel Bruhl, German actor
Souleymane Cisse, Malian director
Zbigniew Preisner, Polish composer

COMPETITION SHORTS
"Primera Nieve," Pablo Aguero
"Banquise," Claude Barras, Cedric Louis
"Poyr," Belma Bas
"Ongeriewe," Robin Kleinsmidt
"Conte de Quartier," Florence Miailhe
"Film Noir," Parker Osbert
"Sniffer," Bobbie Peers
"Sexy Thing," Denie Pente-cost
"Nature's Way," Jane Shearer
"O Monstro," Eduardo Valente

OUT OF COMPETITION SHORTS
"The Water Diary," Jane Campion
"Les signes," Eugene Green
"Stanley's Girlfriend," Monte Hellman
"Sida," Gaspard Noe
"Un lever de Rideau," Francois Ozon

Chuck Norris Facts

2006-04-12T10:34:00.000-04:00

http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com/

If you need a good laugh today, check this out!!

Something for everyone...

2006-04-11T19:09:00.000-04:00

Here are the things that captured my attention today...

* Alice in Chains is planning to tour this summer with a new lead singer (original singer Layne Staley died a few years ago). Knowing this, I'm disappointed that's it's not Rock Star: Alice in Chains!

* Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard (two people who fall into the category of "I love them, but I'm not sure why") are engaged and expecting a baby. Congrats on both accounts.

* On a sadder note, Britney Spears is apparently no longer sexy. I feel bad for the girl, but she had to see this coming, you know? I mean, really...ditch K-Fed, start wearing clothes that fit now (not the ones that fit two years ago), and record some new music. She could totally be a hot mom, she's just got to try a little.

* The History Channel is doing a series this week entitled "10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America". I'm not a huge history buff, but this sounds really interesting. I bet there not the 10 days you'd expect.

* American Idol contestants will be performing songs by Queen tonight. That has got to be the most ridiculous category for songs ever! I love me some Queen, but unless you're MiG Ayesa or Freddie Mercury himself, you just shouldn't be singing those songs. It should be really interesting, though, and I'm really hoping someone chooses to sing "Fat-Bottomed Girls", because that song makes me laugh. Every time. (...and speaking of MiG - if you want to hear him at his best, listen to his "Baby I Love Your Way" from Week 6 Performances.

Seacrest. Out.

Welcome to the world...

2006-04-10T12:16:00.000-04:00

...Moses Martin! That's the name People.com is reporting as the one selected for Gwyneth Paltrow's new bundle of joy!

Celebrity Baby Report...

2006-04-10T08:47:00.000-04:00

Entertainment Tonight is reporting that Gwyneth Paltrow gave birth to a son over the weekend. Of course, the name has not yet been announced, but after "Apple", the celebrity-watching world is waiting with baited breath. I'm predicting it to be a little more simple and old-fashioned than Apple. Probably something in honor of her father (Bruce William Paltrow). Rumors have said Chris Martin likes the name Capone and Gwyneth likes the name Mortimer (after her god-father Steven Spielberg, whom she calls "Uncle Morty"). I guess we'll have to wait and see!

I predict that the little TomKat will join us before Easter. Rumors say it's a boy, which shoots my first-choice name (Love) out of the water. If it is, indeed, a boy, I feel sure he'll be Thomas Cruise Mapother V (since Dad is IV). Although, they might surprise us. I don't think the name will be too "out there", though. After all, their names are "Tom" and "Katie" for heaven's sake!

Brangelina has a little longer to wait on their little one. I originally predicted the week after Easter, but that may be too early. S/he'll definitely be here before I leave for France on May 10, but I can't say exactly when. (Okay, that was a ridiculous sentence I just wrote. Just so you all know, I get it. I know I'm not a psychic and that I have absolutely nothing to do with these matters. It's all in good fun!) As far as names go, this one is a little harder for me. You've got Brad, who is the All-American farm boy and Angelina, who is much more exotic and has named her other children Maddox and Zahara (both very cool names, IMHO). I think it will be a combination of both. Probably something really cool for the first name and then something more traditional for the middle name. Maybe named after Dad.

In all seriousness, I do wish all of these couples the utmost happiness and joy in welcoming their new child into the world. Having a baby is a very special thing (or so I've heard!) and I hope they are all healthy and happy. And may the paparazzi be kind and respectful during this time. I know that's a big wish, but I really do mean it.

Peace. Out.

That's...interesting

2006-04-06T22:26:00.000-04:00

Paul and I just watched the Scrubs episode from last week (aired March 28, 2006). Sorry to spoil it if you haven't seen it, but it's the one where Carla and Turk find out they're having a baby (!!!). At the end of the episode, Carla gets to announce to the whole gang that they're expecting. In true Scrubs (and almost every other show on TV right now) fashion, a song plays over a montage at the end. Paul noticed the lyrics sounded spiritual, so we wound (or whatever you do to DVR recordings...scooted? ran?) it back to have another listen. We heard these lyrics...

All of the words in all of my life that could never explain and never describe
All of my love, which is nothing to hide so I lift up my hands and I worship

By Your grace You let me come talk to You
It's not that I'm worthy
I thank you Jesus
For the love that You have shown

It was so interesting because it was a praise and worship song played at a joyous occasion. Almost appropriate that way. It was nice...they didn't bleep out "Jesus" or anything, but it was just so unexpected. I think I'm okay with it, but it really took me off guard. Particularly on a show where there are no Christian characters. Maybe Mandy Moore is witnessing to Zach Braff! :)

Seriously, this is just what I'm interested in doing research on. How do people negotiate spiritual meanings in their lives? How does mass media help them do that? I'm interested in other opinions...whether you're a Christian or not, I'd like to hear what you think about all of this.

So, bring it on.

To keep you busy today...

2006-04-03T09:31:00.000-04:00

Here are some links I've recently noticed...

* Dwight Schrute's "Schrute-Space". This is one of my most favorite things I've found on the Internet. Ever.

* The More You Know... If you watched "The Office" last week, you saw a few of these awesome ads about dating someone you work with. NBC has put a whole bunch more online for your viewing pleasure.

* The Movie Timeline. Pretty cool idea. If you only had movies as evidence for the history of the world, what would it look like?

And finally, a bit of celebrity news. I've not been happy with Teri Hatcher trying to link herself with The Clooney these past few weeks. Now, it looks like she's moved on.

Peace. Out.

Watch it...

2006-03-30T17:58:00.000-05:00

NOW.

For those who think music is dead...

2006-03-29T14:52:00.000-05:00

Let me assure you, it's not! Paul and I saw Mute Math and The Working Title last night at the 40 Watt in Athens. It's my favorite kind of place to see bands like this that are relatively new, but still put on a great show. You can get right up front and rock out in the crowd.

The Working Title opened and really blew me away. I had been told previously that they were really good and sounded a lot like one of my favorite bands, Lovedrug. I have to say...I almost think The Working Title does Lovedrug better than Lovedrug does! The singers have that same kind of raspy, "dirty" voice that sounds high and low all at the same time. They both regularly flip into their falsetto without sounding wimpy, and both play guitar and keyboard. The Working Title just seemed to have a little more polish to their sound. I was extremely impressed.

Then came Mute Math. I had been hearing their name for over a year now, but hadn't really had any exposure to them personally. All I can say is I have been missing out! It's hard to describe their sound. They themselves say they "blame it on the last 40 years of music." It's true. There's a lot of 80's influence (particularly from Sting) and a good bit of electronica. Yet it's still unique. The album is consistent and beautiful, but doesn't compare to the live show. Mute Math is one of the most energetic bands I've ever seen (Blindside being the most energetic!) and yet the drummer was so tight, he sounded like a drum machine.

I realize I'm gushing at this point, so I'll wrap it up soon. Just trust me, if you're looking for some great new music, you need to hear these bands! You can listen to both on MySpace. Enjoy!!

Fashion Blog...

2006-03-25T18:32:00.000-05:00

I've recently discovered a new fashion blog. It's from a girl (presumably) who calls herself the Style Savant. She has really great tips and thoughts on what's new in the top Spring lines. There are also some really great links to other fashion sites. Check it out!

So, it's been a while...

2006-03-24T09:19:00.000-05:00

I've been busy with school lately, so it's been a while since I posted anything of real substance. Well, maybe I shouldn't say it that way, but I trust you know what I mean. It's been mostly fluff for a while now. Well, if you're tired of that, you're in for a treat today!

I have a class this semester called Media Culture and Diversity. We are focusing on representations of race and gender in the media. The first half of the class dealt with race and we're now in the process of moving into gender. I could talk a lot about the race stuff (how there's not much biologically that separates the races and the whole concept of race is socially constructed), but the gender stuff has really gotten to me, so I'll focus on that for now.

The first day after Spring Break, we talked in general about gender. We talked about how there are, obviously, some significant biological differences between males and females. However, the concept of gender (i.e. masculine and feminine) is socially constructed. In other words, there is nothing essentially masculine or feminine about a baby when it is born. Based on whether the baby is born male or female, however, the parents and friends of that child immediately start to teach him or her what it means to be masculine if he's a boy or feminine if she's a girl (they paint his room blue, they give her a doll to play with, they give him sports equipment and her an easy bake oven, etc). These ideas of what masculine and feminine are have been constructed by society and our culture. It's a complete nurture over nature argument.

This has been a really challenging thing for me to think about. I think I've decided it's both. There are some things that are essential, that are innate, to being masculine or feminine. And then, of course, there are those socially constructed roles (or even stereotypes) that are forced upon all of us based on our being male or female.

I've been trying to think about what the Bible says about masculinity and femininity. I have yet to do a real study on it (so suggestions are welcome!), but I think even there we see representations that both essential things and socially constructed things play into it. Some of the roles laid out in the Bible were cultural things for that location and time period. For example, women were not educated, so it made sense they would not be allowed to speak in church services. However, there are some things that I believe God laid out because of those innate masculine and feminine traits. That the man is to be the spiritual head of the household, that the woman should be the nurturer of the family, etc. I think God, as our Creator, knows that there are some things men are made for and some things women are made for. Knowing that, He outlined roles for us that complement those things.

And maybe that's what we see in society as well. It's not that a woman can't be a construction worker if she wants. Or that a man can't be a daycare worker. It's that, in general (and I know that's a scary word to use), there are things that men are better at than women and vice versa. I think that comes from the things inside us that make us masculine or feminine.

All of this makes me wonder how I will (or should) be with my children someday. If I have a boy, should I buy "boy things" for him, trucks and transformers and dinosaurs, oh my! If I have a little girl, should I put her in princess dresses and give her baby dolls to play with? I don't know. I've heard that children show their masculine and feminine tendencies pretty early in life, so I guess I'll have to play it by ear. I don't want to force a role onto my child that they'll feel they have to break out of later.

You can probably tell I'm still processing all of this stuff, but I was ready to throw it out there. What do you think?

Why I do what I do...

2006-03-09T18:29:00.000-05:00

Last night after Chapel, I went to Wendy's with a few EC students. We talked about a variety of things, but ended up discussing the "crazy Christian lady" that was on ABC's WifeSwap a few weeks ago. I shared how we had watched the clip of her after she came back home. She was going nuts! Slamming things down, screaming at her family and the crew (I believe the direct quote was: "Get the hell out of my house, in Jesus' name!!"), and generally throwing a complete fit. My class, surprisingly enough, wasn't talking about the religious side of it (which could be interesting in itself), but the gender side of it. What if a man had been acting in the same way? Would the producers have still shown it, knowing he would be perceived as violent, aggressive, hateful? With a woman, she was just written off as "that crazy woman".

So, I'm talking about this with the students and I see a light go off above their heads. They've honestly never considered gender roles on television and how things like that could change the audience's viewing experience.

I'm sharing, they're learning! They're thinking critically! This is why I do what I do...it's why I wanted to be an RD (to pass on some of this supposed wisdom and life experience to those who'll come after me) and why I'm pursuing a Master's in Mass Media Studies (to be an advocate for Media Literacy and critical thinking). It made my day!

Et tu, TiVo?

2006-03-06T12:48:00.000-05:00

So, I started watching the Oscars on delay last night (as I watch almost everything!), and was really enjoying fast forwarding through all of the commercials and the speeches that didn't interest me. It was great right up until the Best Actress category was about to be announced. Jamie Foxx was reading through the list of nominees and the show cut back to the TiVo menu...meaning it was at the end of what it had recorded. For those of you who may not yet understand what I'm trying to say, I'll spell it out for you...after being geared up for this ceremony for weeks now, I didn't even get to see the following categories announced: Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture...you know, the big ones! :) I was pretty disappointed, but hopped online to find out the rest of the winners. So, having said that, here's what I think about the rest of the show...

Jon Stewart - He did such an awesome job hosting! He was still very much himself and had some great material. My favorite lines were...

* During the welcome: "Ladies, gentlemen...Felicity" (referring to her Transamerica role)
* "Good Night and Good Luck is not only the name of his film, it's also the way Mr. Clooney ends his dates."
* Coming back from break to the audience: "And that's why I think Scientology is right, not only for this town, but for all of America!!!...Oh, we're back!"
* "For those keeping score at home, that's Martin Scorsese, zero Oscars, 3-6 Mafia, one."

The Show - I know Oscar has been trying for a few years now to relate to a younger audience and pull in more viewers. I don't know what the ratings were, but I enjoyed the production as a whole more last night than I have in a while. The stage looked gorgeous, the graphics were awesome, the nominee intros were creative, and the montages were entertaining. The only thing I didn't like was that the orchestra played music for the entire length of each Thank You speech. It was so distracting! I know they're trying to keep these speeches short, but geez...that was excruciating!

The Winners - First, here's a list...
*Best Actor - Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote
*Best Actress - Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line
*Best Supporting Actor - George Clooney, Syriana
*Best Supporting Actress - Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardener
*Best Director - Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain
*Best Picture - Crash

So, I was 4 for 6 on my predictions. Not too bad, I guess. I don't know what the statistic is on this, but this is the first time in a long time (if not ever) that every one of the Big Six winners were from different movies. In a way, that's frustrating because it makes it harder to predict winners, but ultimately I think it's a really good thing. It means the Academy didn't just pick a favorite picture and vote for it for everything, they actually gave awards to the most deserving people/films.

Congratulations to all the winners (because I know so many of them read this blog!) and thanks for a great year of movies.

Oscar Fashion..

2006-03-06T11:18:00.000-05:00

For reasons beyond my control, I sped through the pre-Oscar stuff, so I don't have nearly as much here as I had for the Golden Globes. However, here's what I think about the fashion I did see...

Rachel Weisz - In a simple, billowing, black gown, she looked comfortable, but a little drab. I can't imagine having to walk a Red Carpet while seven months pregnant, but that's no excuse to be boring! Remember Catherine Zeta-Jones when she won for Chicago?

Amy Adams - This relative unknown who was nominated for her role in Junebug (and also portrayed Jim's ex-girlfriend on The Office!) looked stunning. Her hair and makeup was perfect, and the chocolate hue of her dress accented her coloring. The dress itself was a bit on the ornate side, but Adams carried it off well.

Naomi Watts - The cut and color of this dress were very pretty (asymetrical flesh colored), but the detail on the front made her look like she was molting! Come on, Naomi, you can do better than that!

Keira Knightley - Absolutely one of the best of the night! Knightley is quickly becoming a Red Carpet favorite and for good reason. This deep burgundy, hour glass shaped dress was gorgeous on its own, but Knightley really pulled the look together. She does a wonderful job of choosing really sophisticated gowns, but keeping them youthful (thus the funky jewelry and sweet ponytail).

Michelle Williams - I feel like Michelle Williams doesn't really have a look of her own, and thus relies on other people to dress her. This awards season, she has really been pulling out the old-glamour stuff, which is nice, but sometimes feels too old on her (she should talk to Keira Knightley about fixing that!). The dress she wore last night had a nice cut and the neckline was gorgeous, but the color (a deep mustard yellow) was unflattering and sort of caught me off guard.

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith - Always well dressed and coordinated, the Smiths did not disappoint! Will was in a dark navy pinstripe that provided a centered foundation for the electric blue dress Jada was wearing. They looked so classy and gorgeous individually and as a couple.

Jessica Alba - My favorite look of the night! As they said on one of the pre-shows, she actually looked like an Oscar! A perfect tan, gorgeous gold Versace gown with sparkly elegant details, and great hair. She really looked absolutely perfect for the occasion, for her age, and for her personal style.

Sandra Bullock - Not one of my favorites. I think she looked nice, but her hair was a little too messy for my taste, and I felt like the design of her dress made it look like her body shaper was peeking over the top. Everyone went on and on about the pockets, but Sarah Jessica Parker did this a while back and I think she pulled it off a little better.

Nicole Kidman - My second favorite look of the night! She was absolutely glowing with long, straight hair to match her long, straight dress. Her coloring, style...everything was perfect!

Felicity Huffman - I didn't love this one. The hair was too matronly and the dress would have looked better if it were full length rather than shorter in front.

Reese Witherspoon - I ultimately liked her dress better as the night went on, but I didn't love it in the beginning. It was a little too princess-on-the-top-of-the-cake for me. The cut was pretty and flattering, but the silver details just didn't do it for me.

Jennifer Aniston - Between Jen's look and Nicole Kidman's, it was Eat Your Heart Out Exes! night at the Oscars! Jen looked beautiful and elegant as always.

Charlize Theron - Loved the color of the dress, but the dress itself was really over the top. Her 60's era hair was beautiful, but the dress was just too much!

Meryl Streep - Usually one of the worst dressed, Meryl looked great in a form-fitting burgundy gown. It was very flattering and perfectly age-appropriate.

All in all, the fashion was really good. I love that celebrities are still embracing the glamour and sophistication of Old Hollywood. It's the Academy Awards, for Heaven's sake! Take this time to look gorgeous, you know? There were some mis-steps, of course, but for the most part everyone looked great!

Oscar Predictions...

2006-03-02T19:31:00.000-05:00

Here's what I think will, won't, and might happen Sunday night (at 8 pm on ABC!!)...

BEST ACTOR
Will win: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote
Won't win: Joaquin Phoenix, Walk the Line
Might win: Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain

I think PSH has this one locked up, but I wouldn't necessarily take Heath out of the running yet. If Walk the Line had come out last year (the year of the biography!), Joaquin may have had a shot. This year, no chance.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Will win: Paul Giamatti, Cinderella Man
Won't win: Jake Gyllenhaal, Brokeback Mountain
Might win: The Clooney, Syriana

I think Best Supporting Actor is the category to watch this year. It really is the most wide-open of all. Everyone nominated genuinely deserves to be there. I think Paul Giamatti will take it for his body of work, but The Clooney may just get it instead. He is, after all, Hollywood royalty and has done a total about-face (Facts of Life, anyone?).

BEST ACTRESS
Will win: Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line
Won't win: Keira Knightley, Pride and Prejudice
Might win: Felicity Huffman, Transamerica

From the time I saw Walk the Line, I felt like this was Reese's year. This really was the role of a lifetime for her, and I think the Academy may respect her having such an amazing career at such a young age. Keira should be happy to be nominated and choose a gorgeous dress to show off on the Red Carpet (yes, I capitalized it...you gotta problem with that?). Felicity has been slowly gathering steam for her role as a man going through the process of becoming a woman, but I don't think she can edge out Reese.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Will win: Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardener
Won't win: Michelle Williams, Brokeback Mountain
Might win: Catherine Keener, Capote

As Rachel has pretty much swept the awards in this category up to now, I think she'll take home the Oscar as well. This nomination should be a key turning point in Michelle Williams' career. She has overcome her Dawson days with grace and maturity. I think the Academy will continue to look favorably on her work. Catherine Keener is a respected actress and Capote has been getting a lot more press lately because of Philip Seymour Hoffman's recognition.

BEST DIRECTOR
Will win: Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain
Won't win: Steven Spielberg
Might win: The Clooney, Good Night and Good Luck

Brokeback Mountain has lost some of its momentum in the last few weeks, but everyone is still talking about what a beautiful movie it was and how great Ang Lee is (especially after that Big Green debacle). Steven, we're really, really, really, really ready for that new Indiana Jones movie, okay? Stop with these other projects and make that top priority...before Harrison Ford pierces his other ear. The Clooney is the dark horse on this one. He attacked several deep political issues this year and may just be rewarded for one. I think he ultimately has a better shot at Best Supporting Actor, though.

BEST PICTURE
Will win: Brokeback Mountain
Won't win: Munich
Might win: Crash

Everyone has said Brokeback Mountain is a lock in this category, and I think it will ultimately be rewarded as a whole film (rather than on an individual actor basis). However, since Crash won the SAG for best cast, its odds are also pretty good. Munich? No. Indy, Steven, we want our Indy!!

I'll be back next week for an update on winners and losers and the most important...FASHION!

Freedomland...

2006-03-02T18:52:00.000-05:00

A few nights ago, I went to see Freedomland with Samuel L. Jackson and Julianne Moore. I had read in the reviews that the script was a bit weak at times, but that the performances were pretty good, so I was looking forward to seeing it.

Samuel L. Jackson is one of my favorite actors and he does a fabulous job in this film. However, I'm getting the feeling that Sam is being typecast a little too much lately. (I was justified in this opinion when I saw Frangela's Black History Month Awards on Best Week Ever last week...they wondered, as I had, why white women can't seem to hold onto their children and why Sam has to step in and help them all the time!) That doesn't change the fact that he plays his role very well, though. His relationship with his son is particularly poignant and, at the end, briefly offers a glimpse into the depths of his character.

I always feel like I love Julianne Moore as an actress, but as I was watching this movie, I honestly couldn't remember a single other role I had actually seen her in (since then, I've IMDB'd her and realize I've seen her in The Shipping News, Magnolia, Evolution, and several others). She is generally well received as an actress and I always like her in interviews, but I don't know why I couldn't place her in that moment. Perhaps some would say her portrayal of the character was so riveting and believable that I couldn't separate her from it. Maybe that's partly true. Unfortunately, though, I think it was more that her performance was so distracting that I couldn't imagine liking her as an actress in any other movie. I know that sounds harsh, but it's true! In the first half of the film, she was the very definition of an over-actress. Towards the end, her performance got better (or maybe I was just used to it by then) and I ended the movie liking her character and her interaction with Samuel L. Jackson's character.

The star of this movie was Edie Falco. She has only a supporting role, but in a moment of complete silence, she communicates more than either of the two leads do in the entire film. She is brilliantly sympathetic, yet willing to do whatever it takes to find the missing child.

Overall, the movie was good. It's a very heavy movie that takes a little while to process, but it was definitely worth watching.

On my mind...

2006-02-28T18:44:00.000-05:00

Nothing major to post today, but I feel like I need to be true to Blogger, my first love, even in the midst of my growing MySpace addiction (did you know you can search by school and look up all your old classmates?!). So, here are the things that have been floating around my brain lately. Feel free to comment on these or post the random thing you've been stuck on lately!

* RIP Don Knotts and The Juliana Theory. Obviously, those are two different kinds of deaths. Don Knotts passed last Friday due to natural causes. He was many things to many people, but he will always be Barney Fife to me! I love those old episodes where he was so young (as was little Ronnie Howard) and had that high-pitched voice. Nip it!! The Juliana Theory decided to disband so they can find "real jobs". This is so sad as I think they were one of the best acts on the rock'n'roll scene. You can check out their other reasons for breaking up on their website.

* I am going to have to decide on a thesis soon. It will determine what classes I take for my electives in the Fall and how I spend my time next Spring. There are so many things I've found myself interested in these past two semesters; it's hard to nail down just one thing to focus on. I'm really interested in the Millennial Generation, in how Christians use the mass media, and how celebrity/pop culture affects our everyday lives. Does anyone see a way to put those together in a new and unique way??? Seriously, I have no idea what to work on. I'm writing a paper this semester on how modern TV shows are setting their plot lines up to have viewers vote against the marital relationship and for an extra-marital one (i.e. Friends, Grey's Anatomy...those are the two shows I'll be focusing on!). That may be the beginning of a thesis. We'll see! I'm open to suggestions!

* Cannes! I'm fixated on what I'm going to wear while there. I know that's a really shallow thing to think about, but it keeps me from dwelling on the fact that I'll be spending a month in a foreign country without my husband!

* 24 and Grey's Anatomy continue to totally rock my face off each week.

* Spring Break is only 10 days away...Hallelujah! I love my job and even living in Franklin Springs, but I need a break once in a while! I'll be working in Nashville this weekend (yay!) and then in NC for Spring Break. Hopefully I'll come back nice and refreshed and ready to finish this year in top form. While in NC, I plan to see a childhood friend who now sings lead in a Neil Diamond cover band. I am so excited about this, it's really ridiculous!

Peace. Out.

Up for a move, anyone?

2006-02-22T13:45:00.000-05:00

Apparently, there's an organization called Christian Exodus that is trying to convince Christians to move to Greenville, SC. The purpose of the moving is to influence a small, but important state's government on behalf of the conservative, Republican agenda. There's lots of info on their website and also in a USAToday article I just read earlier today.

It seems about 20 people have already made the move and the main guy is hoping that by 2014 there will be enough Christians in the area to really make a difference in the State elections.

There are so many things I'd like to say about this, but for now I'll focus on my discomfort with the use of the word "exodus". Exodus means a mass departure. CE is asking people for a mass arrival. I'm sorry, I know that's the least of the issues with this organization, but that really bothers me.

I also just don't understand the purpose of an organization like this. I completely support wanting to rally Christians together and even encouraging them to act more like a unified body so as to make a real difference in our country and world. But this has the ring of cult-ness to it. The whole thing, to be honest, just makes me feel a bit...icky.

What do you think?

Honestly...

2006-02-19T15:07:00.000-05:00

THE cutest baby ever! My nephew, Gabe...

Spread the word!!

2006-02-14T22:35:00.000-05:00

Randy and Mackenzie Chester, aka 4 and 20 Blackbirds, will be performing at the Ekklesia Centre in Royston, GA, next Thursday, February 23. Doors open at 7 pm and music starts around 7:30. This is a CD release party for Randy and Mackenzie, so come out and support some amazing music!!

Peace. Out.

I think I Cannes!

2006-02-14T22:24:00.000-05:00

Some of you knew that I had applied for a study abroad program through UGA for this summer. The program takes place in Cannes, France, during the Cannes Film Festival. I just found out this week that I've been accepted! I will be in Cannes for most of May through the first week of June...four weeks in all. Hopefully Paul can be with me for at least part of that time!

While in Cannes, I'll be taking two classes, watching TONS of movies, and hopefully getting into a party or two! :) Luckily, I'll have Internet access, so I can give you all updates on upcoming movies and, of course, celebrity sightings!

I'm so excited about this opportunity and can't wait to get there!

Catching up...

2006-02-11T14:07:00.000-05:00

Mel had a great idea a few days ago. A nice little catching up post. So, here's what I'm doing lately, and I'd love to hear from you too!

What I'm...

READING:
Everything Bad Is Good For You: How Today's Pop Culture is Actually Making Us Smarter - It's a really interesting book on how the tv shows, films, video games, etc., of today are requiring us to use our brains in a more critical way than we've had to do before.

Exodus - Yes, the book of the Bible. I just finished Genesis and will be starting Exodus later today. It was so interesting to read at the end of Genesis where the whole Israelites in Egypt thing started when Joseph brought his family (remember his dad was Jacob or Israel) in during the famine. After that things sort of went down hill! I love Exodus though because it's such a wonderful story of God's *enduring* faithfulness through all of our obstinance and disobedience!

WATCHING:
Grey's Anatomy - I'm drawn in to this show more than I have been to a show since Alias started in 2001. The only thing I don't like, though, (and this is sort of a pattern on tv and in movies now) is the love triangle between Meredith, McDreamy, and Addison. Meredith and McDreamy had a passionate relationship in the first season, right up until the moment McDreamy revealed he was technically still married, but separated. This season, his wife, Addison is on the scene and trying to repair their marriage. He has committed to do the same, but still throws longing looks Meredith's way. Now, what bothers me about this whole situation is that the audience has now been set up to root *against* the married couple. You want their marriage to fail so that McDreamy and Meredith can be a couple again. The same thing was going on on the show House and on Alias in the third season. Other than the, um, morally ambiguous nature of the show, though, GA has awesome characters and very interesting plotlines.

Project Runway - The best reality show out there! It keeps the focus on the competition and those contestants have to work HARD to keep their place! Go Daniel and Chloe!!

My Name Is Earl - Bird and I joke that when we first saw Earl, we thought it was a reality show! It's hilarious, though, especially for people who grew up in small Southern towns.

LISTENING TO:
Sugarland, Twice the Speed of Life - Great country music! I loved Jennifer Nettles as a solo artist and she has really found her niche to break into the mainstream!

O.A.R. - kind of like a Dave Matthews Band for the new millennium. Good stuff!

Johnny Cash, 16 Greatest Hits - Love him or hate him, you can't deny the man's gift of storytelling!

Kelly Clarkson, Breakaway - Sorry, Paul McCartney, but she really did deserve that Pop Album of the Year Grammy! One of the most consistent albums I've heard in a while.

So, what's going on with you?

Oscar nominations...

2006-01-31T09:37:00.000-05:00

The list of Oscar nominees was announced this morning. Brokeback Mountain leads the pack with 8 nominations. The nominees are about what was expected. I didn't expect to see Keira Knightley nominated for Pride and Prejudice, but that was one of very few surprises. Though Brokeback Mountain has lost a little steam through the awards season, I still think it will take home at least a few Oscars. We'll see March 5!