What do you do with a new Magellan SporTrak Map GPS? No, you don't throw it at penguins ... jeeze ... you put it to good use. What qualifies as good use? GeoCaching.
GeoCaching is essentially an adventure game. Except with this, you have to be outside ... not sitting in front of your PS2 or your GameCube.
Get coordinates, find places you have never been before, visit the outdoors and explore the world ... all while trying to find a hidden box full of items of importance to other GeoCachers.
J. and A. have found two so far. We plan on finding all 78040 active caches in all 192 countries. No, I am serious, it will be spectacular. We've been hiking/adventuring ... this is just hiking with a goal. ;)
GeoCache Total: 2
Paycheck (that is one word) deals with some interesting topics: Prevision, predetermination, fate, memory manipulation, etc. etc. But even with all of the topic fodder this movie still lacks story.
The movie is about a reverse engineer that takes on high technology reverse engineering jobs and then, once complete, has his memory erased to the point where he started the job ... and then receives his paycheck. Ok, acceptable premise ... but still, the movie lacks STORY.
This is a movie where you can not (easily) invest any sort of attachment to any of the main characters and therefore, you feel as if you are just along for the ride.
Rent this one. It is entertaining.
And for those who have seen it ... OMG, ANOTHER CLUE!! I must be writing this entry ... because I need to get my paycheck ... which is in my car ... THAT'S IT ... my car! I need to drive to Maine ... THAT IS WHY I AM WRITING THIS.
Um, yeah.
Why is it that you can spend 355 days thinking about the perfect gift for a person and then, once you decide what you finally want to buy, go to buy it on Dec.23.**** ... IT NEVER SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA. I swear I am going to start buying Christmas gifts in July.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a great movie. The Fellowship of the Ring is my favorite of the three as it reigns more epic in tone ... however, this third installment keeps the grandeur of vastness intact .... more so then the second movie, The Two Towers.
Although, I still really don't understand where Legolas gets his 'boarding' ability which first appeard in The Two Towers and also is in The Return of The King. Do the elves have a halfpipe? Honestly ... LOOK AT ME ... I AM AN ELF THAT CAN SKATE. Right.
Oh, and Cate Blanchett and her 'I AM NO MAN' line. Is that how this scene happened in the book? If you don't know what I am talking about go see RotK ... the death of a 'main evil bad guy' just seemed to easy ... I don't believe that the scripting caught the essence of the book. Maybe I should read the book ... *sarcastic shrug*
Hmmm, one more pseudo-rant ... Strider was the best part about any of the three movies ... not Aragorn. Same actor? Yes. Same character? No.
Strider should reign.
Over the past two days, I was able to meet up with two good friends who live in Chicago. The three of us worked together at Voyager.net before Voyager was bought out by CoreComm.
Note: Anyone visiting Chicago MUST try the Cabbage Soup at Melrose. Don't worry ... I thought it sounded bad, too ... but it is actually damn good.
I decided to take in a Bulls game while I was in town. They played the Orlando Magic in a game that was pretty evenly matched ... at least until half time when it was 42- 42.
The Bulls won 102-88. My seat was seven rows off the floor ... excellent view.
I am looking at buying an 02 Avalanche. A 1/2 ton 4x4, V8, Z-71 off roading package, leather, sunroof and of course, black.
For those of you who thought I was looking at an 04 GTO ... I still am ... just not as seriously.
Avalanche Links:
Chevrolet
MotorTrend
Edmunds
The Detroit Red Wings are more then plagued by injuries ... they are just INJURED. 9 key Red Wings are hurt and unable to play leaving 8 spots open for their farm club, the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Gone from the Wings (9):
Chris Chelios (knee), Steve Thomas (knee), Ray Whitney (groin), Hasek (groin), Manny Legace (knee), Derian Hatcher (knee), Henrik Zetterberg (leg), Tomas Holmstrom and Darren McCarty (back).
Added to the Wings (8):
Darryl Bootland (recalled Nov. 7), Kevin Miller (Dec. 9), Mark Mowers (Nov. 19), Niklas Kronwall (Dec. 9), Jamie Rivers (Oct. 18), Curtis Joseph, Joey MacDonald, Jiri Hudler.
Fruitport Winter Drumline is now Fruitport Percussion. We had another rehearsal last night in preparation for our Dream Theater show ... things are going well.
For All Fruitport Percussionist:
The weekend schedule has been posted and all information updated at http://peregrin.us/fp/.
The Timeline movie is based on a book by author Michael Crichton. The book ... is wonderful. The movie does not do the book justice ... at all. Unlike the other major book-to-film adaptations of Congo, Sphere, Jurassic Park, and The Lost World, this movie fails miserably to truly capture an audience.
However, this movie does have two redeeming qualities.
One. French actor Lambert Wilson, the Merovingian in The Matrix Reloaded and the Matrix Revolutions, shines.
Two. Trebuchets. Need I say more?
A Cincinatti Ballet presentation of The Nutcracker at the Detroit Opera House.
Classic.
We were in the Trustees Circle (front balcony) just a bit off center to the right. The show was great and the seats were excellent.
The Nutcracker wasn't quite as fast paced as say ... a Griffins game ... but the show was fun to watch. And of course, the culture experience is noteworthy.
There is nothing that sparks good discussion and debate like religion and controversy. 'The Passion of The Christ', Mel Gibson's portrayal of the last days of Christ, is causing plenty.
Regardless of your religious affiliation ... or lack there of ... you should realize how important this film may be to our culture and our time.
There are two primary trailers out for this movie. One, you can get from 'The Passion of The Christ' website. The other, you can get here or here. I suggest the second of the two trailers.
CNN.com, Salon.com and Hollywood.com have covered the controversy this movie is causing even before being released this February 25, 2004 ... Ash Wednesday.
As of December 3, 2003, Mel Gibson is potentially reediting part of the movie and has pulled the movie from a Vatican-sponsored film festival. CNN has that article here.
What is going to happen? Who is the film going to offend? Who is going to rejoice on behalf of the film? Will the depiction of Jesus Christ be theologically accurate? Historically accurate? Will 'The Passion of The Christ' impact our culture dramatically?
Only time will tell.
I am also working with another winter drumline this season ... Bridgman High School's Winter Drumline. We won't have quite as many kids as the FWD does however, we will have enough to pull off a good show.
Our first rehearsal was last night and things went well. Josh Morgan (the other instructor) and I have high expectations for both groups.
Over the past two weeks I have added links to blogs of friends. Joy's blog 'Yorokobi Nikki', Brandon's blog '!nter-mind' and Damian's blog 'Writing on the Wall'.
Enjoy.
Fruitport Winter Drumline had their second rehearsal tonight (Monday). I am impressed ... I was able to begin teaching 4-mallet marimba technique tonight. This is going to be a great season ...
More information (for the students and for everyone else) coming soon ...