Life with a DVR

Well I finally caved and got a DVR (or tivo to some) and I must admit, it is really helping me keep up with movies like I never thought possible. I am really enjoying catching up with my favorite shows on the weekend, when I have some time to kill rather than having to restructure my life around a TV show (which is something that rarely happens). I especially like taping "Lost" and "The Office", so that I actually can keep up with the seasons, rather than wait until they are released on DVD. Fast-forwarding commercials is a wonderful time-saver as well. Alone with my upgrade to a DVR, I decided to cut down my Netflix plan, and get a few movie channels and have been busy taping some old and newer movies that I never got around to watching. My wife and I watched some of the new movie Guess Who last night and thought it was a lot of fun. I also taped the movie to the right. Yes, one of the hits that Sly Stallone made in his prime: RAMBO 2! It wasn't too bad considering it was made in the 80s. I thought Stallone did a great job acting and it definitely inspired patriotism. Of course, compared to newer shows like 24, the violence and action leave quite a bit to be desired, but it was classic 80s material and for the times, I believe it was well-made and well-acted. The closing song was totally 80s as well so it should be seen for old-times sake if nothing else. Recommended if you can put your desire for realism on the back-burner and enjoy some kick-butt action.

Our little dependent

Well after thinking about it for a while, my wife and I decided to add a member to our family. Meet Daisy - our new cat. We have never owned a pet together, and look forward to many years with our new dependent - if we can convince her that we are really nice people! Evidently, from what I know, Daisy has had some rough experiences dealing with people. She is not agressive at all, yet at the smallest thing - like walking down the stairs she will run and hide in one of her favorite spots - under our couch. We love Daisy and continue to buy her new toys and try to coax her out from under the couch, yet she remains untrusting and shy with us. However, we aren't giving up. Chrystal especially is growing to love her more and more each day and is convinced that in time she will warm up enough to us that she won't run and hide when we come looking for her. All this care we are putting into our new pet has really given me a taste (and I really do mean a very, very small tiny taste ) of perhaps what God feels when people run, hide or hate Him even though He continues to pursue us and love us. I realize I will never fully comprehend what God feels, but having someone or something that you care about and want to spoil yet that refuses to trust you or stop hiding from you has given me a little bit more of a picture. I am sure if Chrystal and I have children someday, we will even have more of a picture of that. Since many kids are notorious for taking all they can from their parents and never returning anything or showing gratefulness - yet that is how we all acted before God called us to repent and be saved. God's patience, mercy and enduring love are truly amazing to people such as us.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. - Lamenations 3:22-23 ESV

But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:16 NLT

The Best Hamburger

OK, now for a change of topic. Who do you believe makes the best hamburger out there? This is a very important topic because when you hunger for a mouth-watering juicy hamburger, you can't go just anywhere. You must pick the place of all places. I have been to several different hamburger places among them being:

1. McDonald's (of course)
2. Fudruckers
3. Red Robin
4. Five Guys
5. Burger King
6. Wendy's

Those are the main places where I live. Also among those places number 2 and 3 are kind of a higher class dining experience than the rest of them. How about for taste? What place has the best tasting burger? I think I'm going to probably lean toward Fudruckers (#2) on this one. Yes, I do love the 5 Guys burgers but they aren't really that gourmet. They are delicious no doubt, but they lack the weight and juiciness you would get at Fudruckers. So all those out there in Bloggerville, what do you think? Out of those 6 options which in your opinion is the best tasting burger?

The Illusionist movie review

One of the best new releases I have seen in a long time! I can highly recommend this new movie that is based on a true story of a magician in the 1800s (I believe). This movie is thought provoking, interesting and romantic all rolled into one. I haven't seen too many movies with Edward Norton (Fight Club) that I really liked, but this is definitely one of them. Basically the story revolves around a very well-known (in his day) magician who loves someone that the evil ruler also is interested in. That's all I say for now, but if you are looking for a great, adventure/drama that is based on a true story, I think you should definitely rent this one. There is one objectionable scene but it is very easy to skip and to tell when it is coming. However, there is no bad language that I recall and the storyline is superb! Two thumbs up for an intriguing story with solid acting, a great script and a well-done ending!

Scent of a Woman review

Wow, this must be some sort of record for me to be updating the blog this much, but I just finished watching The Scent of a Woman and thought I would record some thoughts about it. Very well-made well-acted movie about a boy who befriends a retired Air Force Colonel and learns about life with him. I won't give too much away but it is a fascinating story if you can excuse Al Pacino's dirty mouth once-in-a-while. I thought this movie really showed the value of standing by someone and standing by values. Although it is interesting in this movie, the main character (Chris O'Donnell) is faced with the dilemma of snitching on some of his classmates. The movie makes a big deal out of the character he has to not snitch on his friends who destroyed property of one of the head teachers, but I was kind of puzzled at how highly that was played up. The boys in question obviously destroyed private property, and yet the main character didn't want to tell on them because he had so much character. There is a time when character is allowing people to suffer the consequences for their actions so that they will grow wiser. That doesn't seem to have registered with the writer of this movie. However, that being said, if you can excuse the fact that the older Al Pacino has several parts where his language and conversation are pretty obscene, this movie is worth the time to watch. 1.75 thumbs!

The Joys of Reformatting

Well it's that time again - time to reinstall my OS on my laptop yet again. I was hoping I could hold off on it, but for some strange reason, my laptop has ceased to work reliably. Sometimes it boots up fine, but other times it loads the wallpaper and nothing else. I even changed my nature wallpaper to a plain blue background and those icons still refuse to show! After talking about it with my good friend Matt, I have decided to take the plunge and start clean. I'm hoping that this will give me a 10 out of 10 reliability everytime I hit the power button. Sometimes it is good to have a clean start. I believe that is why we are instructed to renew our minds as well according to Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. NJKV

or as The Message puts it:

Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

We all get bogged down by what people are eating, drinking, what cool movie they are watching or what successful people are wearing. However, to really make a difference in the world, we can't merely be a conformist to the world's system. We have to dare to be different and ask our Maker to change us into the person He wants us to be. Following our culture is easy. Daring to live a life that is different, and responding to difficulties with joy causes others to realize you are relying on Someone other than yourself. Only Christ can truly transform you, deliver you from sin, and enable you to have a personal relationship with the Author of Life - Jesus Christ.

Cool Hand Luke Review

Although I like Newman's Own salad dressings and enjoyed watching The Sting and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, this movie was disappointing. It is basically a story of some guy that won't conform to prison rules and ends up paying the price. He becomes a hero to those in prison who believe the guy is one-of-a-kind and Luke (Paul Newman), becomes a sort of role model to all those in prison with hopes to escape. The acting is very well-done I will say that, but overall I found the movie kind of depressing. I originally rented this movie knowing that it was one of the top 100 movies made according to AFI's top movies, but I guess that had my hopes up a little too high. I also watched Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire, and guess what? Despite all reviews to the contrary, I found it to be boring and strange as well. I could also add Citizen Kane to that list. After watching all of these movies, I just wonder why people rate these movies so high? They aren't exactly movies that leave a great impression on me after watching them, but I'm not your average movie reviewer. That's what makes my blog my own!
Anyway I give this movie 2.5 stars out of 5. Not the worse movie I've seen, but certainly not the best. Until next time!