By now you’re probably less than surprised that it has been more than a month since my last “Weekly-ish rant.” This is partially due to me being a slacker at times. The main reason, however, is when you have as little going on in your life as I seem to (or think I do) right now, you have to wait a while to save up information hahaha. Anyways, in all sincerity, once I pull my life back into the fast-lane again I will be sure to post more. This of course does not include “Special Edition”, random rants which will hit the presses as they hit my brain.
First things first – no, I still don’t have a job. I have been able to pick up some side work recently from Upstate Precision Lawn Care, LLC hahaha, which in all seriousness has been fun and a great help. I actually got a job Saturday, only to have it taken away 23 hours later by a former employee who just happened to call up the owner looking for work, at which point the owner gave my newly-acquired job to that guy. Boo. So it’s going to be really interesting to see where I actually land when I find a job, having applied at such a wide variety of places. Free time does, of course, have its advantages (though I’d say the ability to support one’s self financially trumps all of them). I’ve been able to catch up on some more movie watching, play my guitar A LOT (yea, there are actually a few songs I can play all the way through, from memory, and make them sound like they’re supposed to), and have entirely WAY too much time to think. I have been going to the gym on a regular basis now, supplementing that with a dose of Ab Ripper X and solid eating habits. Grace Church has continued to go well. The downtown location is now around a month from moving to the new campus. We’ve started a new series in Deuteronomy (a book I learned to love while in seminary), and I am now signed up to serve weekly on the greeting/info/hospitality team – PUMPED about that. The toughest aspect for me in life right now has nothing to do with worrying about surviving, as in how I will afford necessities. My struggle is in just wondering why I have had so many roadblocks in my pursuit of God’s will for my life. And, in addition to that aspect, it’s frustrating at times to watch others around you diving into and enjoying the careers that they’ve studied and worked towards, while you’re still stuck in “yea I’ll take any job the pays around $10 an hour cause I’m still a poor student” mode. I’m certainly not trying to complain here – I’m just being honest and transparent. This blog, regardless of whether anyone reads it, exists for me to have a writing outlet and to hash out whatever the heck is happening in my brain.
This week’s message at Grace really hit home with me in my current situation. Matt Williams taught out of Deuteronomy 7, in which God is reminding His people, through Moses, that the reason why Israel was chosen and would inherit Canaan was no consequence of their own actions. It was solely because of God’s love and mercy to them as a small, otherwise insignificant people. Matt then showed passages where the New Testament mirrors this concept. 1 Peter 2:9-10 details how Christians are the same as Israel. We were chosen by God, based on no merit of our own, and have now received mercy. According to Ephesians 1:4-6, (and this is one of my favorite phrases and passages in the Bible) to the praise of His glorious grace God chose us for adoption through His Son, that we should be a holy people just as Israel was to be a holy nation, a priesthood and example to their world. How does this apply to me right now? The point is – God moves first. Without Jesus, I’m a corrupt, backwards enemy of God who spat in God’s face and stamped his own ticket to hell. Good thing I’m not the one who had to initiate my salvation, huh? In the same way, God has to move and orchestrate my future. Sometimes it’s super difficult to restrain myself from trying to rip the starting whistle off God’s neck and commence the race myself. But that’s another point – you don’t begin the “Christian race” only after attaining a degree, a spouse, a mortgage, a (insert idolized possession). My responsibility lies in accepting those realities and living “to the praise of His glorious grace” under the circumstances He sees fit to put me in.
Categorical Rundown time (oh boy) – you’ll find the movie section fairly extensive.
Sports
The Pittsburgh Penguins are currently sitting at 2nd in the Eastern Conference and have locked in a spot in the playoffs. Sidney Crosby is tied for the lead in goals and is 3rd in points. Repeat? We’ll see.
The Boston Celtics have secured a spot in the playoffs, but have been a little inconsistent this season. They certainly have the talent and the experience to take the title, but some big obstacles stand in their way.
Also, might as well mention the NCAA March Madness has narrowed down the field to the Final Four. Duke will play West Virginia and Michigan State (looking to return to the Finals for a 2nd straight year) will meet Butler. Personally, this year’s tournament has meant little to me, other than keeping up with it as a general sports fan would. I will be cheering for Butler and against Duke, but don’t care too much.
TV
Both of my favorite shows are now in full swing. American Idol is now down to its top 10, all of whom have now earned the right to tour with Idol this summer. While I have enjoyed Ellen’s contribution to the show, this season has been a big letdown. I guess it’s not fair to assume each season is gonna keep getting better. Seasons 7 and 8 were SO good talent wise that this season seems pretty lackluster in comparison. I enjoy Big Mike, Crystal Bowersox, and Casey James. I also really liked Lacey Brown, and she certainly deserved to stay into the Top 10. Some other contestants have had their moments, but there’s definitely no stand-out performers like a David Cook or Adam Lambert. However, I will continue to watch because the basic elements which I have always enjoyed the show for remain.
LOST is now halfway through its final season. I’d have to say that up to this point I am fairly disappointed with the show, though after last week’s episode I have no doubt that the rest of the season will make up for it. The problem has been that the show is so reluctant to give answers that every character we have come to love is getting drowned out by short, inconclusive scenes. The only person on the island who REALLY knows what’s going on is MIB/Locke, so instead of having answers and plot points revealed or characters developed, we have filler and fluff. I do, however, thoroughly like what I’m seeing back in LA after the plain DOESN’T crash. Everyone seems to be working out their issues and it’s been great to watch that pan out.
Movies
So you MIGHT think, “Wow, this guy watches way too many flicks”, and that MIGHT be valid, but in my defense, it has been a month since my last post, so this really isn’t that much. Anyways, here it goes – brief synopsis/review.
– Philadelphia – a homosexual lawyer (Tom Hanks) is terminated from his job shortly after learning he has aids. He then hires another lawyer (Denzel Washington) to represent him in a case against his former company. Solid movie with a fantastic performance by Hanks. Tough subject matter, so I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it across the board. 6.5 outa 10
– The Usual Suspects – difficult to explain the plot here, but basically it’s about 5 common crooks pulling off a job. Stars Kevin Spacey and several other fairly well known actors. Pretty cool movie, but not my favorite. 6 outa 10
– The Hurt Locker – this year’s Best Picture winner tells the story of a bomb squad in the modern day war in Iraq. While the movie is definitely well made and has some pretty tense spots, there’s no way in the world it tops Avatar for overall movie achievement. Avatar was groundbreaking. This was just a decent drama/war picture. I’m only giving it a 5.5 outa 10
– The Matrix Revolutions – yea yea, I know – it’s a sequel and it’s old news. Well after the blunder that was The Matrix Reloaded, I put off watching the 3rd installment. It took months of unemployment plus a free download from Netflix to bring me to the point of watching this movie. After watching, I know why I avoided it for so long. Total waste of time – bad story/acting etc. Effects were fairly cool, but that was expected. 3 outa 10
– Shakespeare In Love – Romantic drama following the life of William Shakespeare. He is forced to quickly throw together a play (what would eventually be titled Romeo and Juliet), and the story focuses on how one girl affects the direction he takes his new work. I also avoided this movie for some time, angered that the Academy gave it Best Picture over Saving Private Ryan. I was surprisingly pleased with the movie, finding it original, well written, well acted, and easily keeping my attention. I would caution that there is SOME unnecessary sexual content, but overall it’s a really good movie. Better that Pvt Ryan? HECK no. 7 outa 10
– Alice in Wonderland – the newest collaboration between Johnny Depp and visionary director Tim Burton takes us back down the rabbit hole for a revamped version of the classic Disney tale. Coupled with beautiful scenery and great casting, the story kept me interested and left me satisfied. Not the best thing ever, but a solid film, for sure. 7 outa 10
– Valentine’s Day – I should 1st clarify that I went to this movie out of desire to hang with some friends from out of town. I had considered seeing it earlier, but after poor reviews I had decided otherwise. That being said, I did see the movie and am afraid to report that the reviews were correct. While there are plenty of good actors and even some funny lines, the movie is cluttered with so many characters weaving in and out of each other’s subplots that the viewer is left disconnected from anyone. On top of that, the movie dragged on for a full 2 hours – far too much for this type of film. 4.5 outa 10
– Schindler’s List – a classic, critically praised film that I can’t believe I hadn’t seen yet. I want to say up front that this movie is intense. The subject matter is harsh but real, and director Steven Spielberg leaves little to be imagined (thus, be cautioned about some graphic content). Set in the holocaust, a German man uses his factory to harbor Jews from a worse fate. This movie is not for everyone. I must say that it is unlike any other move I’ve ever seen. Shot almost entirely in black and white, it feels almost like a historical documentary, though it has a plot and storyline which would appeal to the average viewer. While I wouldn’t consider this move to be in my own personal favorites list, to give it low marks would be denying how good it really is (for what it is). 9 outa 10
– District 9 – a very unique film set in the future when an alien craft floats idly over a European city, causing the humans to isolate the area. It is then inhabited by the aliens and used to do research. The movie feels like a documentary at times, but transitions to a sci-fi action flick. Pretty cool movie, definitely recommended if you like that kinda thing. 7 outa 10
– The Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day – the long-awaited follow-up to the cult classic, Boondock Saints 2 had some big shoes to fill. I regret to inform you that, in my opinion, it absolutely sucked. The good: decent actions scenes and a decent story. The bad: in short, the movie tried so hard to duplicate the raw humor of the 1st film that it went way over the top. The acting was some of the worst I can recall. 3.5 outa 10
– Finding Neverland – I had sort of seen this movie years ago, but remembered nothing about it so I gave it another go. It tells the real-life story of J.M. Barry (Johnny Depp) and the events that inspired his greatest work, Peter Pan. Kate Winslet co-stars as the widowed mother of four young boys who take quite a liking to Mr. Barry. With outstanding performances by the lead roles (and really everyone else involved), the movie has a great feel about it, almost as if it were made 25 years ago. Definitely a movie worth watching and is for any age. 8 outa 10
– Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – another movie I had seen but remembered nothing about, this film follows a down-and-out man (Jim Carrey) who recently ended a relationship with his girlfriend (Kate Winslet). After learning that she had a procedure done to erase him from her mind, he opts for the same procedure. This movie is very cool and very unique. Great performances by Carrey and Winslet keep the viewer laughing but simultaneously caught in the dramatic web of a relationship within a mind that is disappearing right in front of us. 7 outa 10
– Band of Brothers – while technically not a movie, it still lands itself in this category. Originally a mini-series aired on HBO, BOB tells the story of Easy Company, a group of volunteer soldiers who have joined the newly formed airborne division of the US Military. Set in World War 2, these men parachute into Normandy, France on D-Day. The 5-disc series chronicles their journey across Europe as they bond in their fight for freedom. First of all, the series is helmed by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks who are no strangers to WW2 history and film-making, so this automatically makes the series something to consider. At first you may find it hard to connect with the characters, as there are a lot of the in the company, but as the show moves on and highlights the different men, you’ll begin to recognize faces. Overall I thought the series was fantastic, doing a great job at portraying the war and the lives of those involved. Everything was top-notch – from the acting to the story, even special effects, sound, and score. I won’t give this a rating like the typical movie, but BOB is DEFINITELY NOT a series to miss out on.
That’s all I got for now. Like I said before, I’d love to blog more. Writing is a blast, SO hopefully more eventful circumstances and topics present themselves. Until then, God Bless, Peace ->
The Weezer Rant 