Felicity is done. Had my last blog actually worked, you would have read about all of the frustrations I had with the ending half of the final season. The writing just failed. Four years leading up to a final decision, and they turned the show into a choose-your-own-adventure. the first season was the best, and each season became exponentially worse until the final season lacked decent writing at all.
Other frustrations:
The last episode was simply a summary of the first four seasons.
Elena and Noel are both alive at the end, which doesn't make sense even after watching the deleted scenes.
Felicity chooses Ben.
And now, the show that defined the second 6 months of our marriage is done. What next?
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Movie Credits
Do I have a double standard about watching the movie credits at the theater? Many times, I will sit through all of the credits because, for some reason, that's what I feel I *should* do. However, whenever we go to movies with friends and they get up the second the credits begin, I find myself sitting in the theater watching the credits thinking, "Why is it important to me that I watch the credits?" For example, last night we went to see Batman Begins with some friends (This is by far the best Batman in the series). They all got up at the onset of the credits, and, despite needing to go to the bathroom since halfway through the movie, I made us sit there watching the credits. Since our friends were then forced to wait for us until we came out and then wait until we went to the bathroom, we left the credits about 2/3 the way through.
Then, while using the greatest invention ever, the urinal, I had an epiphany. I don't go out of my way (usually) to read the copyright pages of books. I skip through the credits of video games when I beat them (except for Mario Kart 64, in which I try to say the names before the next screen pops up). I don't sit through the movie credits when I rent the movie. So, why do I watch the credits in the theater?
Maybe I'm just trying to show people that I'm the type of person who sits through movie credits, but I guess I'm just the type of person that does something against the norm so as to be someone who does something against the norm.
Why do you sit through or leave the credits? Do you have a double standard about books, video games, and rented movies?
Then, while using the greatest invention ever, the urinal, I had an epiphany. I don't go out of my way (usually) to read the copyright pages of books. I skip through the credits of video games when I beat them (except for Mario Kart 64, in which I try to say the names before the next screen pops up). I don't sit through the movie credits when I rent the movie. So, why do I watch the credits in the theater?
Maybe I'm just trying to show people that I'm the type of person who sits through movie credits, but I guess I'm just the type of person that does something against the norm so as to be someone who does something against the norm.
Why do you sit through or leave the credits? Do you have a double standard about books, video games, and rented movies?
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Book Poll 2
Well, by the time Tim and Nicole responded to Book Poll, I had already started reading the one book they had not picked, Enter The Worship Circle. It is a great book about being a worshipper, not just worshipping. It is relevant to anyone at any place on a spiritual journey. It is also an interesting approach to giving a testimony, not just a personal history; this book is highly effective for both evangelism and discipleship. The short, diverse chapters also kept this videogame-addicted reader interested at all times. I can't think of anyone who wouldn't enjoy this on some level.
I'm interested in comments anyone else has on the book.
Also, I think my next book will be Hip Hop Generation; sorry, Nicole.
I'm interested in comments anyone else has on the book.
Also, I think my next book will be Hip Hop Generation; sorry, Nicole.
Sunday, June 05, 2005
Book Poll
I just beat Tiger Woods 2003 (pretty much). At my resume' in the game says I'm 100% done. So I told Katy I would read a book before I continue my video game addiction. I narrowed it down to 8 books; Katy helped narrow it down to 3. You can vote for which book I should read:
Top 3 books:
The Hip Hop Generation - Bakari Kitwana
Enter the Worship Circle - Ben Pasley
Religion and Culture - Michel Foucault
Runners Up:
Outlaw Culture - bell hooks
Gravity and Grace - Simone Weil
Dynamics of Faith - Paul Tillich
Abba's Child - Brennan Manning
Emerging Worship - Dan Kimball
I need your votes ASAP. I may just need to start reading as early as tomorrow night depending on how much video game withdrawl I can handle. Also, you may vote for one of the runner-ups; if there are enough votes for runners-up then it may be condisered.
Top 3 books:
The Hip Hop Generation - Bakari Kitwana
Enter the Worship Circle - Ben Pasley
Religion and Culture - Michel Foucault
Runners Up:
Outlaw Culture - bell hooks
Gravity and Grace - Simone Weil
Dynamics of Faith - Paul Tillich
Abba's Child - Brennan Manning
Emerging Worship - Dan Kimball
I need your votes ASAP. I may just need to start reading as early as tomorrow night depending on how much video game withdrawl I can handle. Also, you may vote for one of the runner-ups; if there are enough votes for runners-up then it may be condisered.
What the Bleep
I just finished watching “What the bleep do we know?” It was the first, or at least the most, philosophy I have encountered since graduation over a year ago. It was an incredibly intriguing movie, but I won’t stop to explain it all here. It’s website is http://www.whatthebleep.com
Top 5 random thoughts as a result of this movie:
5. It is hard for me to grasp an idea that the/a fundamental substance of all matter is ideas. And all this time I was trying to figure out the substance of ideas; I should have realized that ideas *are* the substance.
4. It is even harder for me to believe in quantum superposition. I just can’t understand how one particle could be at two places simultaneously. This would help with Zeno’s ancient problems with motion, but it seems to cause much larger problems than it’s worth.
3. Some arguments against a god in this movie are basic problems with religion, the institutionalization of people who believe in a god. The fact that major religions (usually Christianity) have been the cause of gender, racial, economic, and social problems (just to name a few) in the world does not negate the existence of a god. If a woman cheats on her husband, it does not negate the existence of the husband.
2. Some other arguments given were much better arguments given against the existence of a god. However, it seemed that most of the arguments were based on the assumption that all of reality is so interconnected that all that exists is part of the Unity (in one understanding or another). As a result, some scholars said that there is no god and some said that we/everything is god. For these same reasons, these scholars argued that there is no good or evil, at least as we understand it. However, there can still be good, evil, right, wrong even without a Divine Command theory (Thank God). Also, why must we believe that all is one? I sometimes toy with Kierkegaard’s idea that God does not exist, yet God is (if existence is based upon being in space and in time and God is “outside” space and “outside” of time, then God can “be” without God “existing”).
1. Dr. Emoto’s work sounds so incredible it is close to unbelievable. If ideas can actually change the structure of reality (a BIG idea in this movie), then having “faith to move mountains” or the movie’s example of walking on water seem so much more within the realm of reason. Two major downsides to this idea are: a) having faith to move mountains is minimized to a Peter Pan ideal that if you believe it, you can achieve it . . . on your own; 2) reality becomes way too much like the Matrix!
Honorable mention:
I. I need to maintain my non-strictly-theological intellectual functions.
II. I need to read more.
III. I need to pursue, in one form or another, my interest in science, primarily Physics.
Top 5 random thoughts as a result of this movie:
5. It is hard for me to grasp an idea that the/a fundamental substance of all matter is ideas. And all this time I was trying to figure out the substance of ideas; I should have realized that ideas *are* the substance.
4. It is even harder for me to believe in quantum superposition. I just can’t understand how one particle could be at two places simultaneously. This would help with Zeno’s ancient problems with motion, but it seems to cause much larger problems than it’s worth.
3. Some arguments against a god in this movie are basic problems with religion, the institutionalization of people who believe in a god. The fact that major religions (usually Christianity) have been the cause of gender, racial, economic, and social problems (just to name a few) in the world does not negate the existence of a god. If a woman cheats on her husband, it does not negate the existence of the husband.
2. Some other arguments given were much better arguments given against the existence of a god. However, it seemed that most of the arguments were based on the assumption that all of reality is so interconnected that all that exists is part of the Unity (in one understanding or another). As a result, some scholars said that there is no god and some said that we/everything is god. For these same reasons, these scholars argued that there is no good or evil, at least as we understand it. However, there can still be good, evil, right, wrong even without a Divine Command theory (Thank God). Also, why must we believe that all is one? I sometimes toy with Kierkegaard’s idea that God does not exist, yet God is (if existence is based upon being in space and in time and God is “outside” space and “outside” of time, then God can “be” without God “existing”).
1. Dr. Emoto’s work sounds so incredible it is close to unbelievable. If ideas can actually change the structure of reality (a BIG idea in this movie), then having “faith to move mountains” or the movie’s example of walking on water seem so much more within the realm of reason. Two major downsides to this idea are: a) having faith to move mountains is minimized to a Peter Pan ideal that if you believe it, you can achieve it . . . on your own; 2) reality becomes way too much like the Matrix!
Honorable mention:
I. I need to maintain my non-strictly-theological intellectual functions.
II. I need to read more.
III. I need to pursue, in one form or another, my interest in science, primarily Physics.
Saturday, June 04, 2005
Birthday Bash
Birthday Summary of Events:
Sleep in.
Lunch at Noodles & Co. in Maple Grove.
Play on coolest playground ever at Elm Creek Park Reserve.
Visit Eastman Nature Center.
Drive I-94 to University Ave. to Snelling Ave. to For Pky. wondering the whole time where all the pet stores are at.
Find a small PetCo on Ford Pky.
Drive Ford Pky. to Hiawatha Ave. to Washington Ave. to 29th Ave. to 28th St. to ? to 24th St (turn around because not right street) to ? to Franklin Ave. to Cedar Ave. only to realize that the pet stores on Cedar Ave. must be on one of the other Cedar Ave. in the Cities.
Drive to Outback Steakhouse on Snelling Ave. and 36.
Eat first steak in a long time.
Drive to PetSMart on Stinson Ave. right before they close.
Drive to Walmart on Lexington Ave. to look at fish there.
Drive home.
Play Munchkin and lose.
Read next chapter in Prince Caspian.
Go to bed.
Sleep in.
Lunch at Noodles & Co. in Maple Grove.
Play on coolest playground ever at Elm Creek Park Reserve.
Visit Eastman Nature Center.
Drive I-94 to University Ave. to Snelling Ave. to For Pky. wondering the whole time where all the pet stores are at.
Find a small PetCo on Ford Pky.
Drive Ford Pky. to Hiawatha Ave. to Washington Ave. to 29th Ave. to 28th St. to ? to 24th St (turn around because not right street) to ? to Franklin Ave. to Cedar Ave. only to realize that the pet stores on Cedar Ave. must be on one of the other Cedar Ave. in the Cities.
Drive to Outback Steakhouse on Snelling Ave. and 36.
Eat first steak in a long time.
Drive to PetSMart on Stinson Ave. right before they close.
Drive to Walmart on Lexington Ave. to look at fish there.
Drive home.
Play Munchkin and lose.
Read next chapter in Prince Caspian.
Go to bed.
Thursday, June 02, 2005
Like Haley's Comet
I need to get back into the habit of blogging. If I don't just blog, then it will be harder to blog in the future.
Blogging is like calling/e-mailing people you haven't seen in a while. You feel like it is only worthwhile to write something if it is important, which may take a little while to happen. Then, there is the window of blogging opportunity when you have a few important things to share, but not too many. After that, you have too many things to say, so you either have to write multiple blogs or one huge blog. This results in putting off such a daunting task until you feel like you have enough time, which results in even more important things to say. finally, you just give up and stop writing all together.
Or, you decide to just start afresh, realize very few people care about each and every "important" thing going on in your life, and you just write something.
And here I am.
Blogging is like calling/e-mailing people you haven't seen in a while. You feel like it is only worthwhile to write something if it is important, which may take a little while to happen. Then, there is the window of blogging opportunity when you have a few important things to share, but not too many. After that, you have too many things to say, so you either have to write multiple blogs or one huge blog. This results in putting off such a daunting task until you feel like you have enough time, which results in even more important things to say. finally, you just give up and stop writing all together.
Or, you decide to just start afresh, realize very few people care about each and every "important" thing going on in your life, and you just write something.
And here I am.
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