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Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Random Announcements

Poll results:
My Lost poll got nowhere......four people voted that I should make a separate blog for my Lost stuff, but four other people voted that I should keep it all together.....if anyone who voted or hasn't voted cares to expound on his opinion on the subject, please leave a comment.

My "would you rather" poll had quite a large margin. NINE people voted that they would rather write a bestselling book, as opposed to three who wanted to be in a movie, three who wanted a record label cd, and two who wanted a successful theater career. Again, anyone wishing to expound on their vote, please leave comments!



101 business....I've decided to change my classic movies thing. I will still watch fifty classics, but alot of times I don't have much to say on a movie except that I like it....so I'll review it if I particularly like or dislike it, but if it's a moderate like, I probably won't go into it at all.


35~ done

Recommended Websites

Ok, I found some really cool websites just now, so...I'm starting another one of my list articles.


Entertainment:
Andy Hunter (one of my favorite musicians; he's a genius!)
Arwen-Undomiel (great LotR site)
Chad Vader (awesome parody by Blame Society Productions)
Lostpedia (WAYYYY better than normal wiki for Lost information)
Spareoom (great Narnia site)

Other:

Amazon (great deals on books)
Christianbook (when you can't find it on Amazon, you can find Christian stuff here)
LaughLab (fascinating look into the psychology of humor)
Monologue Archive (YES! ACTORS NEED THIS!)
Picnik (the best free photo editor I've found)
Zazzle (triciakeierleber) (our business, political, Christian, and many more products!)

Saturday, September 27, 2008

42nd Street


This is a FUN movie. Especially for types such as myself who enjoy a show ABOUT putting on a show. Such is the case with 42nd street. The movie stars Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Warner Baxter, and Ginger Rogers among others.

I suppose the story is predictable...a show being put on, rehearsals, lead lady breaks ankle and is replaced by a little-known who is loved by the audience, the show goes on. But I love the "corniness," of these old movies that I watch.

Busby Berkeley productions all have one thing in common: circles. There's always a big show-stopping number in which lots of ladies are in a spinning circle of some kind with at least one shot from the top of the circle. I find it fascinating.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Speak LIBERTY!

With the election near at hand, I would like to put forth a wonderful website that my Dad found today.

Speak Liberty

After signing up for an email, the website shifts to a page for viewing downloadable handouts.
Here's an example: Which is better? Democracy or Republic?
Also, What's the Difference Between Liberty and Freedom?

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Book Questionaire

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?
Breaking Dawn. I refuse to read it. (ask Princess Geo, she'll verify that fact)
If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?
Tough question...it'd have to be Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre) for an evening of discussion; Faramir for a swordfighting lesson, and Gandalf for the 4th of July
You are told you can't die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for a while, eventually you realize it's past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?
Federal Tax Handbook
Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you've read, when in fact you've been nowhere near it?
none that I can think of
As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you'd read, only to realize when you read a review about it/ go to re-read that you haven't? Which book?
Hmmm.......I can't think of any right this minute
You're interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisior to some VIP ( who's not a big reader). What's the first book you'd recommend and why: ( if you feel like you'd have to know the person, go ahead and personalize the VIP).
Chronicles of Narnia. If they like that, move on to Lord of the Rings
A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading and comprehension in a foreign language of your choice. What language do you go with?
ELVISH!!!!!!
A mischievious fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will re-read once a year for the rest of your life ( you could read other books as well). Which book would you pick?
Lord of the Rings, Jane Eyre, Chronicles of Narnia...I already have books I read at least once a year
I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What’s one bookish thing you ‘discovered’ from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)?
I saw a review of Trion Rising on a blog, and I loved it after I read it.
That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leatherbound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free.
My library will have a gothic Jane Eyre quality to it with stone walls and cadlesticks, but it will have comfortable couches that have room for sleeping as well as sitting. There'd be a special organization of my books in a sort of virtual way. Books that belong to more than one shelf (ie favorites, fantasy, classic) would be virtually represented then brought forth when called for. (from any of the shelves which it's represented) Also, my library would be connected to my best friends' libaries so that we can lend each other our books whenever we wanted to. In addition to having a portal for our books, there'd also be a portal for ourselves so that we could traverse each other's libaries to go discuss books together. Finally, the portal wouldn't stop at sending us between libaries; it could also scan a book then take us into the book to wherever we wanted in terms of plotline and place.

The Late Passenger

by C.S. Lewis

The sky was low, the sounding rain was falling dense and dark,
And Noah's sons were standing at the window of the Ark.

The beasts were in, but Japheth said, 'I see one creature more
Belated and unmated there come knocking at the door.'

'Well let him knock,' said Ham, 'Or let him drown or learn to swim.
We're overcrowded as it is; we've got no room for him.'

'And yet it knocks, how terribly it knocks,' said Shem, 'Its feet
Are hard as horn-but oh the air that come from it is sweet.'

'Now hush,' said Ham, 'You'll waken Dad, and once he comes to see
What's at the door, it's sure to mean more work for you and me.'

Noah's voice came roaring from the darkness down below,
'Some animal is knocking. Take it in before we go.'

Ham shouted back, and savagely he nudged the other two,
'That's only Japheth knocking down a brad nail in his shoe.'

Said Noah, 'Boys, I hear a noise that's like a horse's hoof.'
Said Ham, 'Why, that's the dreadful rain that drums upon the roof.'

Noah tumbled up on deck and out he put his head;
His face went grey, his knees were loosed, he tore his beard and said,

'Look, look! It would not wait. It turns away. It takes its flight.
Fine work you've made of it, my sons, between you all to-night!

'Even if I could outrun it now, it would not turn again
-Not now. Our great discourtesy has earned its high disdain.

'Oh noble and unmated beast, my sons were all unkind;
In such a night what stable and what manger will you find?

'Oh golden hoofs, oh cataracts of mane, oh nostrils wide
With indignation! Oh neck wave-arched, the lovely pride!

'Oh long shall be the furrows ploughed across the hearts of men
Before it comes to stable and to manger once again.

'And dark and crooked all the ways in which our race shall walk,
And shrivelled all their manhood like a flower with broken stalk,

'And all the world, oh Ham, may curse the hour when you were born;
Because of you the Ark must sail without the Unicorn.'

Saturday, September 20, 2008

An EJC Productions Film....

A short film made from old footage depicting an epic battle of good versus.....well, good.

Fight for Honor


And, if you haven't already, don't forget to check out Encyclopedia Salesman and the Annoyed Director Montage. (The montage has bloopers from the other two films)

Friday, September 19, 2008

Blog Business

To anyone who happens to drop by my blog, please remember to vote on my polls!
I've recently started seriously considering separating my Lost thoughts into a separate blog, especially because we're going through the series again and there are (so far) 82 episodes of the show. So it's still under consideration, but please voice your opinion through the poll.
Also, if you haven't already, remember to vote on my Sarah Palin and Would you Rather polls.
Ah nuts.....I know I had something else to say in relation to blogs, but I can't remember......
OH YEAH.
If any of y'all care to check out my sister blog, I have many avatars up that encompass a variety of movies and some tv shows. Please request anything you would like to see that isn't there!
Cheers mates!
Lady Brainsample

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

LOST: Tabula Rasa


Kate-centered, yet a really good episode.
We looked into the meaning of the words "tabula rasa" and it's a philosophy of John Locke, the enlightenment philosopher. This philosophy states that we are a blank slate at birth and that we become what we are because of our experiences.



Number watch: the reward for turning in Kate was 23 thousand dollars.

Favorite moments of the episode:
*The irony of the group choosing Kate to hold the gun
*Sawyer: "Me? I'm in the wild!"
*Locke finding Vincent but letting Michael take him back to Walt
*Jack's speech about being able to start over on the Island (thus, Kate deciding to become a "blank slate" again)
*Ending montage with happy music! (then ruined by the foreboding shot of Locke....still don't understand that)

Featured character: Kate
I will say this for her. She has pluck walking all she did in Australia. But other than that, I will stop saying anything for fear of offending Kate fans....OH! Here's another compliment for her: the Patsy Cline songs that they use are always on her episodes. On this episode, it was Leavin' On Your Mind. I hadn't actually heard that one till then.

LOST: Pilot Parts 1 and 2



It's amazing how when watching the series again (for me, the third time) you can find so many details that you missed before. Knowing the characters beforehand, you can see so much better the foreshadowing of their backstories.
Another thing that the writers establish is that they are going to mess with you throughout the entire series. They will itch your brain, twist its thinking, then throw it out when they're done.
Here's my story on the first time watching the series.....
Mom and I got the first disc finally because she read a good review on it in World Magazine. I wanted to see it because of another good review and Dominic Monahan from LotR. So we started watching it a night that Dad went out to be a cop. We watched the whole disc....late into the night.... My description of us in two words would be culture shock. It was SO amazing, we were speechless.
Because we were done with the disc, we got mad, so we converted our netflix queues to each send Lost discs. We had the next two discs with us on our way to Florida. Mom and I watched them on her computer, and when Dad called, they had this conversation:

"Hello?"
"Hey! What are y'all doing?"
"Driving."
"Where are you?"
"I-10."
"What are you up to?"
"Nothing.
"Oh."
"Gotta go. Love you, bye."

Dad wouldn't understand the obsession till he came in at the middle of the series and saw for himself how good it was.

Favorite moments of Pilot episodes:
*All of Charlie's close calls with death. That's foreshadowing right there.
*Eager Beaver Boone going for a pen
*All of Jack's contorted faces (thus giving leave for the fans to call him Jackface)
*Jin offering all the different fish to others
*Walt looking at what is to be revealed as Hurley's comic book
*Locke teaching Walt how to play backgammon (Mom still hasn't found her set yet....grr.)

STILL unanswered questions:Why did Rose say that the Monster sounded familiar?
Is it because the Monster would be related to her cancer or is it related to her living in the Bronx?

Featured characters:
Jack-I'm mellowing....I don't hate Jack as much as I used to. Yes, he's a jerk sometimes and he IS a doctor, but I'm mellowing....He is very amusing, and I loved his story of fear.
Kate-I still don't like her. It's fitting that she's an outlaw.
Charlie-dear, dear Charlie. I've met more Charlie fans than any other character. He also gets one of the most definitive lines of Lost ever: "Guys, where are we?"

Monday, September 15, 2008

LOST Writings

Well, when Dad suggested we start over watching Lost again, I was thrilled! I now get to go through the whole series with my thoughts. AND, once Season Four is out, I'll be able to give my revisited thoughts! (of the second half, at least)
So, here I wish to consolidate my Lost writings.

Season 1:
Pilot: Parts 1 and 2
Tabula Rasa

Season 4:
The Shape of Things to Come
Something Nice Back Home
Cabin Fever
There's No Place Like Home Part 1
There's No Place Like Home Parts 2 and 3

Season 5:
Because You Left
The Lie
Jughead
The Little Prince
This Place is Death
316
The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham
LaFleur
Namaste

Season 6:
The Finale (ie The Lameness of Lost)

Theories:
Alpert and Abaddon
Moving the Island

Random:
Countdown to Season 4
Welcoming a new Lostie/Thanks to other Losties
Analysis of Favorite Characters
An Important Message from Locke
Quotes: James "Sawyer" Ford
Discussion of "Wonderwall" as it pertains to Charlie and Desmond
10 Days Till Season Five with Promo Pics
Less Than 24 Hours to Season Five With Promo Pics
Lost: Reduced by the Reduced Shakespeare Company

Things have been Entirely Too Serious Around Here Lately.....

So, I'll go ahead with my review of Three Men in a Boat! This is an excellent book. Jerome K. Jerome writes somewhat in the style of Douglas Adams in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but instead of aliens and spaceships, you have three men on a boat going down the river in what seems to be the most horribly gone wrong holiday ever.
I was ready to read this book. Everyone in my family has read it, so they would talk about the different stories in it. Unfortunately, we didn't have a good copy. Mom had a copy, but it was so old and delicate, she wouldn't let me read it! But finally she found a new copy and I was free to read it as I wished.
What else can I say about this book? The stories are hilarious. I especially love the story of J. looking in a book and finding out he had EVERY malady known to man except housemaid's knee. That and the swans attacking Harris.
Final word: read this book. You will enjoy it immensely.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

We Survived!

For those of you frantically checking my blog every ten minutes to see if we're alive........I wish......for those of you checking the blog because you just happen to be here, we survived! I'm exhausted because I was up most of the night, but, miraculously, we have power AND internet while thousands of others don't. Now, the power did go down for a few hours this afternoon, but it is now back.

Our trouble consists in our fallen trees. Our relatively big oak is half down. Grandpa has many hackberries that are down or almost down. Grandpa was actually up at four in the morning cutting tree branches to keep them from falling onto power lines.
I will return later for more updates.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Deep Breath Before the Plunge

Hurricanes are stressful.....that's all I can say.
Yesterday was a flurry of getting our outside ready for the wind. Being in the country, we have more stuff outside than suburb people. When I look outside, it seems surreal. Our swingset is swingless and roofless. Our porch is bare. Our picnic table that used to be on the porch is on the ground turned over.
When we were done with our area, we went over to Mimi and Grandpa's to help out over there. They have even more stuff than we do, so we spent quite a while getting stuff off their porch and out of their flowerbed and garden.
Until yesterday, reality hadn't hit me. But, being over at Mimi and Grandpa's doing all the work we can to prepare started to actually worry me. Unrelated winds to the storm seemed to forbode the presence of the hurricane. The wind chimes were going crazy.
Finally, we all just quit. Grandpa has so much stuff outside that you just have to pick and choose what needs to be put somewhere and what can stay. So Dad went out to be a cop last night and help with evacuating a children's home. The rest of us stayed at our house and watched Star Trek to take our mind off the hurricane.
It's so weird...whenever the movies are turned off around here and the news starts with more hurricane information everyone stops and stares. It's hard NOT to worry.
But, whatever happens, God is on our side. He is sovereign.
Romans 8:28 "For we know that all things work together for good for those who are called according to His purpose."

Completed Goals

98. Finish my Ideal Husband document~done

39. Update my resume~done. I've added all of my shows since my last update. One thing I'm not sure about is hair color....do I put my natural hair color or my dyed color? hmmm........

40. Ask Mimi to take a new headshot of me~We got a good one at the Lake, but I don't have it on my computer yet.

48. Watch all of Animaniacs in order~I LOVE this tv show. Yes, it's silly. Yes, it's "meant" for young children. BUT it is extremely intelligent and has so many references to pop culture, history, and all sorts of things like that. There's slapstick humor, but there's also humor for adults.
If I had to choose my favorite segment....I couldn't....but I have to say that Slappy the Squirrel and the Goodfeathers would be high on the list along with Minerva Mink. Good Idea, Bad Idea is a favorite....the list goes on and on.....

67. Play some competitive solitaire with Grandpa~We played some earlier today to pass the time. Waiting for this storm is excrutiating. We did have an odd string of games...I only went out twice out of seven games. Usually it'd be more even.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

9/11/01



In the craziness of Hurricane Ike plowing through, it's easy to forget the events of seven years ago. I was only eight when it happened, but I remember distinctly the events of the day. We were on vacation at the Lake when Dad called my mom and grandparents to tell them to turn on the tv. When I woke up (hours later, I was still a late sleeper back then) the tv was on, and nothing normal was happening. They kept showing the collapse. Every once in a while there would be a different vantage point, but it was the same thing. The Two Towers were destroyed. As an eight year old, I can't remember what went through my mind. I can't remember how I felt.
But, I know how I feel now. I feel PROUD to be an American. I deeply appreciate the sacrifice of firefighters in New York as well as anyone else who helped. I am deeply sorry for the families who lost loved ones.
So, in the business of preparing for a natural disaster, we should still remember. Remember the lives lost. Remember the sorrow. But we should also remember that God used that time. Because of the attack, we were alerted to Islamist extreme groups that may have killed MANY more people.
I will never forget what happened. And it is my prayer that we keep praying. Keep praying for our troops and our leaders that they would be wise in matters regarding our security.

In regards Ike---we are not evacuating. Our house is built on high ground. Worse case scenario is that we get either a tornado or flying debris. But, if our pets go, so do we. As my neighbors said: "We will suffer the same fate as our horses."

Please be in prayer for us, as well as everyone in the area of the Gulf Coast.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Another Questionaire

I AM … a Follower of Jesus Christ the Messiah, an actor, a reader, and a cat lover
I WANT … to volunteer at a Pregnancy Center and for the Republican Party
I HAVE … many, many books
I KEEP … being the woman in black
I WISH I COULD … see James and Jordy more often
I HATE … Socialist/Communist propaganda
I FEAR … Shelob and Obama
I HEAR … the water distiller running
I DON’T THINK … that the judging is fair in the Olympics
I REGRET … all the times I could have shared the gospel with someone and didn't
I LOVE … Jesus, my family, my best friends, my pets, and books
I CAN … bend my left thumb back to a gross amount
I DANCE … in pointe shoes (though not as often as I used to) also with my Daddy at weddings and stuff like that
I SING … to express my love to Jesus, in parts in musicals, and because I love it!
I HARDLY EVER … wear pink
I CRY WHEN I WATCH … Lotr, Narnia movies, Overboard, the episode of Lost when Charlie dies, and many more......
I KNOW THAT … Jesus is my Savior
I HATE THAT … Lost doesn't come back till 2009!!!!!!! COME ON DAMON AND CARLTON, WRITE FASTER!!!!!!!!!!!
I NEED … to read my Bible and pray more
I SHOULD … study for my PSAT
I BELIEVE … that Jesus is The Messiah! He was born, lived a perfect life, died on the cross, and rose the third day. He died because you and I deserve to die for our sins, and that if you will confess your sins and believe that He is your savior, you will be with Him when you die.

Blog Announcement

As some of you know, recently I have taken up photo editing as a hobby. Because I wish to do more with it than just a blog post every once in a while, I've started my graphics/photography blog! I don't have much up there right now, but it will grow. As I said on the blog, please feel free to make requests! If I can, I will accomodate you.
Thanks!
*Lady Brainsample*

Saturday, September 6, 2008

I am a Conspiracy Theorist

This came up at the end of watching Raider of the Lost Ark. You probably know the scene-the ark is wheeled into an Area 51 type warehouse with hundreds and hundreds of crates full of supposed secret stuff. So, I looked up Area 51 and it IS an actual place shrouded in secrecy. With clicking around, I got myself to the list of conspiracy theories page on Wikipedia.
There were more than a few that I believed...

First, the electronic banking theory.
This is a theory that's a branch of the New World Order conspiracy theories. This theory states that for centuries, a secret society has been planning domination of the world in six easy steps to be taken. (The first two steps have already come true.)
1. Precious metal currency turned into paper currency (this began with the use of tickets from the Renaissance)
2. Beginning of virtual money. (Credit cards.)
3. Overuse of electronic and Internet economy
4. Worldwide bank in the hands of a few people
5. Worldwide identity card
6. World-wide blackout

Second, the Clinton Body Count.
This is a list of 50-60 Clinton associates who died under mysterious circumstances. Clinton may have been secretly and quietly bumping off anyone who stood in his career's way.

Third, water floridation.
Floride is often added to drinking water supposedly for the benefits for teeth, such as reducing tooth decay. BUT there are studies that suggest it may be harmful, especially for children. This theory states that those responsible know the ill-effects and keep doing it in order to dumb down the generation or to support drug companies who benefit from people being sick.

Fourth, global warming.
This one actually isn't just a theory...this one is a solid fact. Global warming is a scheme used for political sway.

I've tried and tried, but I can't find the source of this classic quote:
"Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me."


I'll leave it at that.

Quotes: Glenn Beck

Since this week is turning out to be political week on Cease Repining, here are some quotes from one of my favorite political commentators.

"I am a conservative, but I am not a zombie."

"Good for you, you have a heart, you can be a liberal. Now, couple your heart with your brain and you can be a conservative."

"Political correctness doesn't change us, it shuts us up."

"Political correctness is going to be the death of us." -Glenn Beck

Friday, September 5, 2008

Labor of Love

As some of you may have already seen on Tricia's blog, we have our business up and running!
Please visit us at our blog and at our Zazzle page! We will be selling through both the store and the blog, so check both. And for those who wish for products other than political shirts, we will be adding more designs soon. For those wondering about the name, we got it from 1 Thessalonians 1:3b, "Constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father."


P.S. This completes #31 on my list. Yay!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Raiders of the Lost Ark/100th Post!


This is a great movie. I'm currently watching it, and I love it.

First, I love Harrison Ford. Ever since the beginning of my geekdom (first time seeing Star Wars) I've loved him. Secondly, this is a classic adventure movie. It starts off with a bang and keeps it up the whole movie with intrigue, adventure, and action. John Williams composed an excellent score for it, even though Marion's Theme sounds an awful lot like Leia's Theme. Oh well. Composers can plagarize themselves. That's called style.
One con to this movie is the inaccuracy. It speaks of the Ark of the Covenant striking down mountains and things in the Bible, but the Bible tells of no such event. The Bible does mention an instance of a man dying because of touching the ark, but nowhere does is tell of the quite interesting things claimed by the movie.
I love the character of Indiana Jones. He's a hero, but he's a human hero. When he's punched, he'll react in pain unlike the cheap hollywood perfect men. I don't know why, but that's always made Indy more lovable in my eyes. I also love the teamwork of Indy and Marion, especially during the Cairo scene. Yelling "Duck!" is always fun.
Favorite quotes: "I hate snakes, Jock. I HATE 'EM!" -Indy
"Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes." -Indy
Classic movies reviewed: 5/50
In other news, this is my 100th post! Huzzah!

If Only I Could Vote

Only a few more years.....gotta keep telling myself that. This election is getting exciting. I love Sarah Palin! On all of the litmus test issues, she scores with flying colors. Plus, we now have the "politically correct" advantage of having a woman on the ticket. Beat that Biden.

Here's my blow by blow:
1. Palin is a member of the NRA

2. Palin supports a ban on abortion and advocates teaching creationism along with evolution

3. Palin is a Christian.

4. Liberal media: "Palin doesn't have enough experience." Pah! She's run a state for almost two years, Obama's run.......nothing. He was a senator. So don't go pointing fingers at us!

5. Liberal media: "What about Palin firing an official who refused to fire her sister's ex-husband??" Did anyone tell you that her sister's ex-husband was abusive! He was abusive, AND shot a stun gun at their child! Did any of those liberal tabloids tell you that??

6. Liberal media: "What about her husbands DUI?" People that was over twenty years ago...I like what Glenn Beck said: "The DUI arrest, by the way, happened at the same time that Barry Obama, otherwise known as Barack Obama, was snorting cocaine. I just wanted to point that out."

7. Liberal media: "She has a down-syndrome baby...how can she possibly manage her responsibilities as a mother AND vice president?" I'd like to ask what happened to the idea of the super-mom? Are you saying she has (to quote Glenn Beck) "To be barefoot at home with the kids?"

8. Liberal media: "What about her daughter's pregnancy?" If it were up to Obama, that baby would be killed. He's the one who said if the same thing happened to his daughters, "I don't want them punished with a baby." Palin's daughter is doing the responsible thing by keeping the baby.

I hope you see why I'm excited about Sarah Palin and I hope y'all are excited too.
To close, here is something I've posted before by Glenn Beck. I am PROUD to be an conservative! I will not apologize for my beliefs.

"A conservative believes that our inalienable rights do not include housing, healthcare or Hummers.
A conservative believes that our inalienable rights DO include the pursuit of happiness. That means it is guaranteed to no one.
A conservative believes that those who pursue happiness and find it have a right to not be penalized for that success.
A conservative believes that there are no protections against the hardship and heartache of failure. We believe that the right to fail is just as important as the chance to succeed and that those who do fail learn essential lessons that will help them the next time around.
A conservative believes in personal responsibility and accepts the consequences for his or her words and actions.
A conservative believes that real compassion can't be found in any government program.
A conservative believes that each of us has a duty to take care of our neighbors. It was private individuals, companies and congregations that sent water, blankets and supplies to New Orleans far before the government ever set foot there.
A conservative believes that family is the cornerstone of our society and that people have a right to manage their family any way they see fit, so long as it's not criminal. We are far more attuned to our family's needs than some faceless, soulless government program.
A conservative believes that people have a right to worship the God of their understanding. We also believe that people do not have the right to jam their version of God (or no God) down anybody else's throat.
A conservative believes that people go to the movies to be entertained and to church to be preached to, not the other way around.
A conservative believes that debt creates unhealthy relationships. Everyone, from the government on down, should live within their means and strive for financial independence.
A conservative believes that a child's education is the responsibility of the parents, not the government.
A conservative believes that every human being has a right to life, from conception to death.
A conservative believes in the smallest government you can get without anarchy. We know our history: The larger a government gets, the harder it will fall." -Glenn Beck

The Thomas Crown Affair

This was an interesting movie. It wasn't all that complex story-wise, but it had a great filmmaking style. The director used alot of split screens from the opening credits onward that I thought was really cool. Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway were the principal actors in the cast, and they did a good job. I was more impressed with Faye Dunaway, probably because I had seen her be a completely different character in Chinatown.
The movie starts with a bank robbery being set up. It goes without a hitch, and successful businessman Thomas Crown laughs maniacally at his success. Vicki is hired as an investigator in the case, but she soon develops feelings for Thomas Crown. She is then torn between bringing him to justice and running away with him.
I will say this: if you watch this movie, skip the chess scene. It goes on and on and on and it is really really boring and dull.
Other than that, 2.9 stars out of 5.

Classic movies reviewed: 4/50

Around the World in 80 Days

To clarify, this is NOT the version with Jackie Chan. This is the version with Pierce Brosnan as Phileus Fogg. Technically it's not even a movie; it's a tv miniseries. That's probably why it was so good. First announcement: I have not yet read the book. Yes, yes, you may now recover. I have the book at home and intend to read it, but I went into the movie with no idea what it was about other than the title.
I really enjoyed this movie. The acting was excellent and had many famous people appearing. Eric Idle was Passapartout, Fogg's servant, and he was hilarious. As usual. Other people appearing included Christopher Lee, Peter Ustinov, and Roddy McDowell.
My favorite part would have to be when Fogg meets up with "James Jesse."
I love how in the movie Fogg just kept going. No matter what. No matter how late, how messed up, how crazy things got, he just kept going. He was going to go around the world in eighty days and nothing was going to stop him.
Final warning, you cannot watch this movie all at once unless you have four and a half hours to spare.

Classic movies reviewed: 3/50

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

The Book Thief

First, to get this out of the way, this is a serious book with a serious ending. So serious I decided I was going to read Three Men in a Boat next to make up for the seriousness. It took me a little bit to get into this book. I had to read a little, ignore it for a couple weeks, then get it out for vacation before I got into it. Once I did, I was immersed. Markus Zusak tells the story from the point of view of Death. I know it sounds scary, but think of the Meet Joe Black version of Death. He's not a man with a scathe or a pitchfork.

The title character is Liesel Meminger, a girl living in WWII Germany placed into foster care because of her mother's poverty. She is called the book thief because although she couldn't read, she compulsively stole a book while on the way to her foster parents the Hubermans. She is treated well by her new family and gains a best friend in the form of Rudy Steiner.
The rest of the story, I don't want to reveal, but I will say that the ending is sad, but realistic. Historical novels don't usually impress me all that much, but this one did.
One thing of interest: because of this book, I know the insulting term of calling someone a pig in German in both the male and female forms. I don't know whether that's a good thing or a bad thing....
Another thing I kept thinking was that if the author intended to show that there were many innocent German people, he succeeded. But, what people need to know is this: that there are innocent people being oppressed in China, North Korea, and any of those other Communist or Socialist countries. When the liberal media and brainwashed citizens called for no war in Vietnam, they sentenced those people to lives of misery and death. The reason many WWII-oppressed European countries are free today is that we went in and sacrificed our lives to free them. Why? Because our country was built from a desire for freedom. But, freedom can only be maintained with armed citizens. (some of y'all can guess where I'm going) Hitler's way of enslaving the people was FIRST BY GUN CONTROL! Unarmed citizens have no way of stopping a tyrannical government.
Well....now I realize I turned a book review into a political rant, and I shall now step down off of my soapbox. Thank you for listening.
To close: don't read this book if you're looking for fluff. But if you're looking for a good story with great characters but a realistically sad ending, this is your book.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Walk the Line

First thing I will say about this movie: the acting is amazing. Having seen Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon in completely different roles and voices, I was blown away. Witherspoon in my mind went from the head in the clouds English girl Cecily from the Importance of Being Earnest to the sassafrass country gal June Carter. Phoenix went from Merill Hess and Lucius Hunt (from Signs and the Village) to the Man in Black himself, Johnny Cash. His voice...oh my gosh....when he sang Walk the Line and Ring of Fire shivers went up my spine, he sounded so much like Cash.

I loved this movie, but I wonder how much of it is completely true to Johnny Cash's life. Mom said someone told her they made him out worse than he actually was. To rectify the situation, I have on order a copy of Cash: the Autobiography. When I read it, I'll be sure to give my thoughts on it.


To close, here's a quote from Sam Philips in the movie.

"Bring... bring it home? All right, let's bring it home. If you was hit by a truck and you was lying out there in that gutter dying, and you had one time to sing one song. Huh? One song that people would remember before you're dirt. One song that would let God know how you felt about your time here on Earth. One song that would sum you up. You tellin' me that's the song you'd sing? That same Jimmy Davis tune we hear on the radio all day, about your peace within, and how it's real, and how you're gonna shout it? Or... would you sing somethin' different. Somethin' real. Somethin' you felt. Cause I'm telling you right now, that's the kind of song that truly saves people."

Monday, September 1, 2008

First Post of September!

Wow...August was a post filled month.
Well, I'm here to let you know that our trip is going well. I haven't tried to slalom yet cause the water has been choppy, but it should calm tomorrow.

In other news, my friend Paul just wrote a great post on the Gospel message in his blog. I suggest y'all all check it out.