What Sucked and What Rocks!

I know end of the year lists are completely overdone. There is a list for top movies, top musicians, best of 2010 fill in the blank. One would think compiling such a list is easy. Turns out you actually have to put thought into remembering a whole year. I do not know about you, but I forget where I put the remote within a minute.
Nevertheless, I went month by month, trying to recall the highlights and low points of my year.

Things that Sucked

Nicole’s brother dying in car accident

My uncle dying the next day in car accident

Helping move Nicole to North Dakota. Received my first experience driving a u haul van and trailer. I miss going to lunch with her and the kids on my day off

Helping Kristy move days later. This would be the actual packing and transport of materials, her moving was a good thing.

My buddy relapsing


Working the day of the Blizzard, preparing food for a party that would end up canceling and getting my car stuck and eventually towed. Yep hell of a day that one.

Kristy getting a kitten even though it is cute and fun to play with and Alesha getting another cat. I love animals, even the furry cute ones, but allergies are a bitch.

Two words: Student Loans

The Chadbag

The Vikings, more specifically the Cheddar Monkey formerly known as Favre, who shall now be known as Junk Texting Dirty Old Man.





Things that Rock!

Going Back to school. I enrolled in Ashford University’s online BA degree program. Presently Majoring in History. So yeah that kicks ass and I am enjoying it immensely.

My buddy getting back on the wagon.

Gaining new players for Sunday game days

Going to the art museum with Brayden.


Meeting Britta who has become one of my closest friends.


Meeting Bob who sends me some of the most twisted texts.

Renewing my friendship with Kristy

Renewing my friendship with Jennifer

Starting a new Army for Warhammer 40k even though the present edition of rules kind of blows. The Death Watch knows how to handle the Xeno's threat to the Imperium. Glory to the Emperor! <---- Total nerd lingo but more on that in a future post

Alesha and Nick moving to Waconia. We may have had our differences in our younger years, but my sister has kind of grown on me :) I am glad she is no longer an hour away.

My 6 year sobriety dinner with friends

Starting to write this blog as a means of self-expression and writing practice.

Nicole finding happiness in Devil’s Lake

Supporting and working for Leanne Kunze’s bid for election. Yep that is right, I supported a Democrat. Not because she is a distant cousin, but because she has some great ideas.

 The Face Book Posts of all my old friends from High School. We may not see each other much anymore, but know that I care for each and every one of you. We shared an experience that lasted years and is not easily forgotten.


Winning Fantasy Football league. I took 1st and 4th in the two leagues I care about and I am presently in the super bowl for 4 out of 8 of my ESPN free league teams. So yeah pretty good year of Fantasy Football for me.

If I had to pick the one thing I am most grateful for from 2010, It would have to be meeting Britta. The universe may have conspired to bring us together by chance, but by choice, we have become very good friends. Britta’s man Bob, is one of the funniest guys I have ever met and her son Jackson knows Iron Man is the awesomest.

To Whom it may Concern

This weeks installment is not a collection of random thoughts.

To whom it may concern,

You killed my uncle.

Whether through inattentive, careless driving or criminal negligence, you killed him. I did not rush to judgment the day of the accident or in the weeks and months that followed. That is until I received word on Christmas Day that the State Patrol determined you ran the red light and broadsided my uncle. The fact that the State Patrol is turning over their findings to the Carver County Attorney’s Office for possible criminal charges gave me very little solace. You killed my uncle. Blood cries out for blood.

Anger. Hatred. Disgust. These emotions came crashing down upon me like an avalanche. Perhaps I have been withholding the anger component of my grief inside. My sister said, “It changes nothing.” Maybe for her, but now, now I had someone to blame for taking Donnie away from this world. You killed my uncle. Blood cries out for blood.

My uncle Donald “Donnie” Moonen was an inspiration to me and others. He always had an encouraging  word to say and a funny story to tell. Uncle Donnie was not only a husband, father and grandfather; he was the Patriarch of the Moonen Clan. He served our nation’s military and locally as a volunteer firefighter. He volunteered his time for charity organizations. He taught my cousins and me how to play cribbage and poker. He made the best-grilled pork loin it has ever been my pleasure to enjoy. Rarely was he angry and even then, never more than a moment. He was a Paragon of what it means to be a loving and caring human being. In many ways, I wish I could be more like him. I wish I were going to see him this weekend at the Moonen Clan Christmas, but I am not, you killed him. Blood cries out for blood.

My Insomnia kicked into high gear and gave me plenty of time to think. I learned who you are, but I do not know much about you. Honestly, I am not sure I care. I really did not appreciate your social networking post expressing concern over totaling your truck. Fuck you; it is a replaceable material possession. You killed my uncle. Blood cries out for blood.

It was this morning, when I could take no more of the tumultuous emotions simmering within me, that I spoke once again with my best friend Kristy. She had already gotten me through the rough patch on Christmas day, but this morning was different. I do not know how she does it, but her words eased my anger. She quieted my mind in a way I did not think possible. It was then that I heard what my Moonen blood truly cries out for and perhaps it is Donnie’s final life lesson to me: Forgiveness.

You are someone’s brother, son, and grandson. For the remainder of your life you will have to live with the knowledge of what you have done. I do not envy you, for unless you are a sociopath, the guilt must be gnawing at your soul. And for that, not only do you have my forgiveness, but also my sympathy. You are young; I hope you learn from this experience how precious life truly is. If you go on to become half the man Uncle Donnie was you should consider yourself lucky.

Fellow traveler on the planet earth
Joshua “Foodie” Moonen
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It's About Time

The following list, in addition to the previous 28 i have already covered, represent movie characters that for one reason or another stick out in my mind. The original point of this exercise  was to quantify how we perceive movies, what genres appeal the most to us, and I think just to get a grasp of  how much movies make an impact upon us. We no longer sit around the hearth fire on cold wintry nights exchanging the stories of our ancestors.  Our shared cultural stories are in the mediums of movies and television. As Mr. Sneak Mike has asked, no animated characters are on the list as we were not allowed to include animated features for some reason. Looking upon this list it stands as a good basis for making a top movie list but that grows to become repetitive, though there certainly are movies that do not have characters represented here (Monty Python and the Holy Grail comes to mind). It is no surprise to me that Westerns are under represented as that is my least favorite genre. I guess the biggest curveball was the lack of martial arts characters as I thoroughly enjoy those films, but upon reconsideration I think I identify more with the actor as opposed to the character (Aka Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Chow Yun-Fat, Jackie Chan, etc.)

I challenge you dear reader to spend 20 minutes making a list of movie characters that come to mind. If anyone does send me a copy and I will post it up.  Or barring that if there are any stand out characters I have missed in your opinion let me know.

26. Inigo Montoya - Princess Bride
25. Princess Leia -  The Star Wars Trilogy
24. Batman- Batman Franchise
23. Wolverine- X-men Franchise
22. Luke Skywalker - The Trilogy
21. Mathilda- The Professional
20. Tony Stark/ Iron Man
19.Malcom Reynolds - Serenity
18.Peter Venkman- Ghostbusters
17. Patrick Bateman - American Psycho
16. Aragorn - Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
15. Forrest Gump - Forrest Gump
14. Yoda - The Trilogy
13. Ferris Bueller - Ferris Buellers's Day Off
12. Jason Bourne - Bourne Series
11. Roy Batty - Blade Runner
10. Maximus Decimus Meridius - Gladiator
9. Bobba Fett - The Trilogy
8. Vito Corelone - The God Father
7. Captain Jack Sparrow - Pirates of Caribbean Series
6. Ellen Ripley - Alien Series
5. Hannibal Lector - Silence of the Lambs
4. Han Solo - The Trilogy
3.75. The Joker - Dark Knight
3.5. The Dude - The Big Lebowski
3. Jake " The Muss" Heke - Once were Warriors
2. Tyler Durden - Fight Club
1. Darth Vader - The Trilogy


Horror:
Chucky
Freddy
Pin Head
Jason
Michael Meyers
Leather Face
Norman Bates
Jack Torrence (The Shining)
Jigsaw
Ash (Evil Dead I & II)

Action:
Rambo
Rocky
Clubber Lang (Rocky III)
Ivan Drago (Rocky IV)
John Mclane (Die Hard)
Hans Gruber (Die Hard)
Martin Riggs (Lethal Weapon)
Roger Murtaugh(Lethal Weapon)
Terminator
Axel Foley (Beverly Hills Cop)
Snake Plisken (Escape from New York)
Brain (Escape from New York)
Quint (Jaws)
Indiana Jones
The Jackal
Brian Mills (Taken)
William Wallace (Brave Heart)
Connor and Murphy McManus (The Boondock Saints)
Nathan Alger (Last Samurai)
Katsumoto (Last Samurai)

Fantasy/Sci-Fi:
Conan
Hal-9000
Wicked Witch of the West
Agent Smith (Matrix)
Neo (Matix)
Marty Mc Fly
Dr. Emmet
E.T.
Tron
Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Dune)
Paul Atreidies (Dune)
Blade
Dr. Ray Stantz
Dr. Egon Spengler
Winston Zeddmore (Ghost Busters)
Alex (Clockwork Orange)
Donnie Darko
John Preston (Equilibrium)
Edward Scissorhands
Gandalf
Gollum
The Goblin King (Labyrinth)
Sarah (Labyrinth)
Leeloo (Fifth Element)
Wesley (Princess Bride)
Eric Draven (The Crow)



Suspense/Drama:
Clarice Starling (Silence of the Lambs)
Scarlet O’Hara (Gone with the Wind)
R.P.McMurphy (One Flew over the cuckoo’s nest)
V (V For Vendetta)
Rick Blaine (Casablanca)
Juno MacGuff (Juno)
Red (Shawshank Redemption)
Travis Bickle (Taxi Driver)
The Narrator/Jack (Fight Club)
John Bender (The Breakfast Club)
Captain Heinrich (Das Boot)
 Parry (The Fisher King)
Leonard (Memento)
Truman Burbank (Truman Show)
Derek Vinyard (American History X)
Marion Silver (Requiem for a Dream)
Gunnery Sgt. Hartman (Full Metal Jacket)
Pvt. Pyle (Full Metal Jacket)


Comedy:
Martin Q. Blank (Grosse Point Blank)
Bill and Ted
Napoleon Dynamite
White Goodman (Dodgeball)
Derrik Zoolander (Zoolander)
Happy Gilmore
Zohan (You don’t mess with the Zohan)
Ace Venture
Ron Burgandy
Brick Tamland (Legend of Ron Burgandy)
Lt. Frank Dreben (The Naked Gun)
Walter and Donny (Big Lebowski)
JB and KG (Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny)
Rob Gordon (High Fidelity)
Barry (High Fidelity)
Josh Baskins (Big)
Jake and Elwood (Blues Brothers)
Ralphie (A Christmas Story)
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern (Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead)
H.I. McDunnough (Raising Arizona)
Max Fisher (Rushmore)
Steve Zissou (The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou)
Bob & Doug Mackenzie (Strange Brew)
Ty Webb (Caddyshack)
Carl Spackler (Caddyshack)
Dr. Strangelove

Crime:
Vincenzo Coccoti (True Romance)
Mr. Blond (Reservoir Dogs)
Marv (Sin City)
Miho (Sin City)
Kaiser Soze’ (Usual Suspects)
Mickey (Snatch)
Bullet Tooth Tony (Snatch)
Frank Booth (Blue Velvet)
Tony Montana
Michael Corleone
Jules Winfield (Pulp Fiction)
Seymore Parrish (One Hour Photo)
Vincent Vega (Pulp Fiction)

Martial Arts Mix:
The Bride (Kill Bill)
Ghost Dog
Wah Sing Ku (Lethal Weapon 4)

Western:
Butch and Sundance
Man with no name (Good, Bad, and the Ugly)
Lt. Dunbar (Dances with Wolves)

Askewniverse:
Randal Graves (Clerks I & II)
Jay and Silent Bob
Brodie (Mallrats)
Alyssa (Chasing Amy)
Zack & Miri (Zack & Mirri Make a Porno)
Sexy Stud (Clerks II)
Elias (Clerks II)
Dante Hicks (Clerks I & II)
Loki (Dogma)
Bartleby (Dogma)


The angels Loki and Bartleby are in probably one of my favorite scenes of all time:

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To Whom it May Concern: Thoughts and musings from the past week.

 It's time again for the weekly installment of random thoughts and ideas that struck me over the past week.


To Whom it May Concern: Dude, you spent an entire summer taking LSD every other day? That explains a lot.

To Whom it May Concern: Two wrongs may not make a right, but three lefts comes close.

To Whom it May Concern:I dislike the fact that when I go Xmas Shopping without a friend to keep me in line, I always buy myself something.

To Whom it May Concern: Red and white  may work on Santa, national flags and coke cans, but most certainly is not very flattering for you.

To Whom it May Concern:I wish making you feel better was as simple as saying "Stop Being Sick." Alas, I lack magical healing powers.

To Whom it May Concern:Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc. (after this, therefore because of this) Just because event B followed event A, does not mean that event A caused event B to occur.

To Whom it May Concern: Seriously you need to stop driving like a retard. I know it is snowing and the roads are not the best, but grow a pair and drive a bit faster than 7 m.p.h..

To Whom it May Concern:There is no reason to be ashamed of the fact your license is suspended. Sure you messed up and got caught. It happens. The real challenge is incorporating this experience into who you are as a human being so that similar events can be avoided.


To Whom it May Concern:Whoa. Whoa slow down. Did you just say crane? As in the Bird that has long legs and a pointy beak? Or Did you say Caine as in the Receiver of the Mark and the Bible's first murderer? Crane? And your telling me it's edible? No, It really doesn't matter where it came from, I'll pass. I like Crane as a type of Kung Fu, not as a variety of Bratwurst.

To Whom it May Concern:That is some cool mix. If your going to do it again, warn me, I'll get a video camera.

To Whom it May Concern:My Sponsor is one hell of a great guy.

To Whom it May Concern:Chocolate Mousse Cups do indeed kick ass!

To Whom it May Concern: Why are you even wasting your money? This is the third class in a row that we have been in together. At least you have somewhat figured out how to use spell check. Yay. Now if you could only do your work on time and actually have something substantive to add to the conversation.

To Whom it May Concern: Was that too Condescending?

To Whom it May Concern: Yes, I am a Star Wars loving, comic book reading, Dungeons and Dragons playing nerd. Yep, Star Trek too, DS9 was my fave. It says "Booger" in reference to the classic film "Revenge of the Nerds." Why 69? Other than the fact it's 69? I don't know, can I please just get my change now.

To Whom it May Concern: Turns out Harpies, Medusae, and Succubi really do exist.

To Whom it May Concern:Yay! White Christmas.

To Whom it May Concern:Stoopid Snow.

To Whom it May Concern: It takes some serious dedication to be snowmobiling out in this weather.

To Whom it May Concern: All "Smokey and the Bandit", redneck, or other jokes aside, truckers really do have one hell of a job.

That is it for this weeks installment some of  random musings of my mind. Still trying to put some what of an ordering into my full list of movie characters, and I am about to read Jenna Jameson's autobiography sometime in the next week and I'm sure I will have something to say about that.

Mix

Top Five Movie Characters

All right here is my Top Five Movie Characters, but first a recap:

26. Inigo Montoya - Princess Bride
25. Princess Leia - Star Wars Trilogy
24. Batman- Batman Franchise
23. Wolverine- X-men Franchise
22. Luke Skywalker - Star Wars Trilogy
21. Mathilda- The Professional
20. Tony Stark/ Iron Man
19.Malcom Reynolds - Serenity
18.Peter Venkman- Ghostbusters
17. Patrick Bateman - American Psycho
16. Aragorn - Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
15. Forrest Gump - Forrest Gump
14. Yoda - Star Wars Trilogy
13. Ferris Bueller - Ferris Buellers's Day Off
12. Jason Bourne - Bourne Series
11. Roy Batty - Blade Runner
10. Maximus Decimus Meridius - Gladiator
9. Bobba Fett - The Trilogy
8. Vito Corelone - The God Father
7. Captain Jack Sparrow - Pirates of Caribbean Series
6. Ellen Ripley - Alien Series

5. Hanibal Lector -  "I do wish we could chat longer, but I'm having an old friend for dinner."
Portrayed by Anthony Hopkins
Movies: Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, Red Dragon

A famed sociopath,  he's kept like a trophy by the prison that holds him. A viewer is certainly not expecting to see a well groomed, unimposing figure at the end of that dark corridor.  What Hopkins brings is that eerie stillness, that unnerving sense of cold calculation. This is because our view of him, other than through the glass, is shaped by stories of his notoriety. All his Lecter need do therefore, is wait for you to make a mistake - and he has a lot of patience. More pure animal than human, it's never demonstrated better than through the stories of his cannibalistic tendencies. In Lambs, Lecter's character is dependent on a good foil, and therefore owes a significant debt to the similarly well-written Clarice. What we benefit from as an audience then, is a beautifully balanced, carefully built relationship between the two, before the story kicks up a notch and the unthinkable happens...

Best Moment: Hannibal's Escape.

4. Han Solo - "Never tell me the odds."
Potrayed by Harrison Ford
Movies: The Star Wars Trilogy

Carpenters can make for great heroes, just ask Jesus. It proved to be true for  Lucas when he cast wanna-be actor turned set carpenter Harrison Ford as Star Wars' swaggering scoundrel, Han Solo. In any other hands, Solo could have been simply an arrogant jerk, but Ford brought so much charm and laconic cool  that real man Han steals the show - and the girl - from the movie's nominal hero, the boychild Luke Skywalker. How cool is Han Solo? He's the only non-Jedi in the series to ignite a lightsaber, and it doesn't look out of place in his hands. Now that's cool.

Best Moment: Han Shot First, Han Shot First, Han Shot First, Han Shot First, Han Shot First. (This is a crucial point in the Arc of Solo's Character. When we are first introduced to him, we learn he has no problem shooting the Bounty Hunters out too collect on him. Greedo is a two-bit punk bounty hunter wanna be who got blasted while he had his weapon pointed at Solo's Chest. Lucas's reworking of the scene is a complete disservice to the character.)

3.75. Joker - "Why So Serious?!?"  
Portrayed by Heath Ledger (Jack Nicholson)
Movies: Dark Knight (Batman)

"Some men just want to watch the world burn." Which is about as succinct a summary of Heath Ledger's Joker as you can get. There is no rhyme or reason - just an appetite for anarchy, chaos and destruction that marks him out as the most terrifying screen psycho in years. Jack Nicholson's Joker was, arguably, even more psychotic than Ledger's, but where he played the Clown Prince for laughs, Ledger's aim was to maniacally slip under your skin, and reveal his utter lack of empathy with those piercing, dead, cold eyes. Ledger's Joker is an unstoppable force of chaos, and a wonderful testament to the late actor's talent.

Best Moment: I really like the Opening scene, but I guess the thing I like most is that Ledger's Joker comes across as the kind of character that can beat a man to death with a 20 lb fresh fish in a moment of frenzy and become a methodical, calculating genius the next. Just as the character has been portrayed in the modern age comics.

3.5. The Dude - "Nice Marmot."
Portrayed by Jeff Bridges
Movie: The Big Lebowski

His Dudeness, Duder, El Duderino, if you're not into the whole brevity thing - Jeff Bridges has had a lot of great roles in his career, but does anyone  love any of his characters as much as The Dude? To have this guy at the center of a kidnapping/rug theft plot is so totally inspired, you almost can't fathom it upon first viewing - that is superb writing. Nihilists, Gold-diggers, Crazy Vets, bowling and a rug that really ties the room together, makes for one heck of a story. The Dude abides. Don't know about you, but I take comfort in that.

Best Moment: Purchasing discounted, past expiration date milk with a check for 83 cents.

3.0 Jake "The Muss" Heke - " I was right... too much weights, not enough speedwork. Useless prick."
Potrayed by Temuera Morrison
Movie: Once Were Warriors

Long before he became the face and voice of the Clone Army in Star Wars, Temuera Morrison's first big acting role was a film out of New Zealand, "Once Were Warriors", a poignant and disturbing look at a Maori family's fight against poverty, racism, alcoholism and domestic violence. It is only when his family and his life are in complete shambles that Jake even begins to think something is wrong with the way he lives life. As viewers, we can see his heartache for his family, the difficulty he has in sharing his feelings, and the utter despair he tries to hide near the end of the film as his wife finds the courage to leave him. There is not much sympathy to go around for a hard drinking, wife beating, bastard, yet "The Muss" manage to provoke at least a little, within this compelling story. When I first saw this film, it made an indelible impression on me.

Best Moment: It is actually hard to find a best moment for the character, because unlike other characters on this list, conflict does not move the story forward, the violence is the story. I think the two best scenes that give a sense of the character are: When Jake beats the punk up in the pub and when Jake brings home a nice seafood dinner for the family, Both demonstrate the polar opposite sides of his nature.

2. Tyler Durden - "You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your fucking khakis. You're the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world."
 Portrayed by Brad Pitt
Movie: Fight Club

Tyler Durden is not a nice man. He will piss in your soup, sleep with your girl, make soap out of your fat, bombs out of your soap, and beat you to a pulp. It is hard not to rate him my favorite movie character of all time.  Durden, as created by Brad Pitt, encapsulates that  saying about Bond, "men want to be him, women want to bed him" more perfectly than perhaps even Bond. He's effortlessly stylish, unshakably cool, and dangerously charismatic. He is a rock star god, a natural-born leader, a trend-setter. He is unrestrained id, he is a monster, he is the very image of modern man (or at least how modern man would like to see himself). He looks like what you want to be, he fucks like you want to fuck, and he is an utterly indelible creation.

Best Moment: Project Mayhem. or arguably the first night of fight club speech.

1. Darth Vader- "The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am."
Portrayed by David Prowse / James Earl Jones (voice)
Movie: Star Wars Trilogy

Really, was this any surprise? To hell with the Emperor - he was not even around all that much. Darth Vader is, to every child of Star Wars, the supreme badass in the galaxy. He is everything that scares you as a child, cutting a huge, imposing figure, wearing malevolent black, and breathing through some kind of ominous respirator. The masterstroke behind Vader's design is that mask. The cold, expressionless cover is difficult to read, and makes for a much scarier experience than a human face can give. Having the bass tones of James Earl Jones doesn't hurt either. The very definition of simple and effective, there is unlikely to be a character that is so instantly recognizable as evil anytime soon. That at the end of his story arc he is redeemed is merely icing on the cake.

Best Moment: His Entrance. or The Big Reveal. or Force choking every one that disappoints him. or the Darth Vader Double take. or the moment he saves his son from certain doom. or. . . well you get the picture.

There you have it my top 26, OK it is actually 28, but come on it isn't easy to rank all the movie characters I like. I think I will yet do an addendum of the entire list I made, in somewhat of an order.

Mix.

Insomia = More Movie Characters

Since I am up I may as well finish some more of my favorite Movie Characters.

Recap:
26. Inigo Montoya - Princess Bride
25. Princess Leia - Star Wars Trilogy
24. Batman- Batman Franchise
23. Wolverine- X-men Franchise
22. Luke Skywalker - Star Wars Trilogy
21. Mathilda- The Professional
20. Tony Stark/ Iron Man
19.Malcom Reynolds - Serenity
18.Peter Venkman- Ghostbusters
17. Patrick Bateman - American Psycho
16. Aragorn - Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
15. Forrest Gump - Forrest Gump
14. Yoda - Star Wars Trilogy
13. Ferris Bueller - Ferris Buellers's Day Off
12. Jason Bourne - Bourne Series
11. Roy Batty - Blade Runner

10.  Maximus Decimus Meridius -  "My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next."
Portrayed by Russel Crowe
Movie: Gladiator

Signaling a return to The old Style Hollywood Epics, Maximus is about as traditional a tragic hero as you'll find. With everything taken from him by corrupt man-child Emperor Commodus, all he has to fight for is justice, and before he dies, justice is what he shall restore and receive.

Best Moment - The Fight with Titus of Gaul.

9. Bobba Fett - "He is no good to me dead"
Portrayed by Jeremy Bulloch
Movie: Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi

That such a minor Character is this high on the list is a testament to the impression the most bad ass bounty hunter in the galaxy made on me as a youngling. Fett took no shit from Vader, he wears Mandalorian Battle Armor, His back pack has jets, and he outwitted Solo. Perhaps not the broadest, nor best defined character, but certainly one of the coolest.








Best Moment: Tracking Solo & Crew to Bespin

8. Vito Corelone - "I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse"
Portrayed by Marlon Brando
Movie:  The Godfather

Although he's the title character, it's often a surprise for newcomers to The Godfather to find that Don Vito isn't the primary focus of the film. It's an ensemble piece, and it's his youngest son Michael who's focal point of the story. Still, Vito is the one who everybody loves most, as the family man so honourable and dedicated that somehow nobody cares that he's the head of a massive criminal empire. 

Best Moment: Advising Micheal how his enemies will maneuver around him.

7. Captain Jack Sparrow -  "I think we've all arrived at a very special place. Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically."
Portrayed by Johnny Depp
Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean series

If you had told Johnny Depp, that a movie based on a Disney theme park ride would provide him with his most unforgettable character, he'd probably have told you to eff off.  The dandy, dishevelled, permanently addled Sparrow was already there on the page, but it was Depp's genius in adding a dash of  Keith Richards, that brought Cap'n Jack to life. The disappointing part of the sequels was sidelining and failing to develop Sparrow in favor of the bland Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley characters.

Best Moment:  His drunken, bewildered outrage at discovering that Keira Knightley's Elizabeth Swann has burned all the rum.

6. Ellen Ripley - "Get away from her, you bitch!"
Portrayed by Sigourney Weaver
Movie: Alien Series

Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley is the heroine of Alien - and though Sigourney Weaver, then an unknown, does a sterling job there, Ripley is  still essentially a horror film stereotype: show us your underwear, scream a lot, run about a bit, barely survive. It's in Aliens, directed by James Cameron, that Ripley blossoms. Initially a nervous wreck, her life torn apart by her experence on the Nostromo, Ripley is reborn as a warrior when her maternal instinct kicks in and prompts her to go through hell to save surrogate daugher, Newt.

Best Moment: The alien Queen is about to kill Newt when the docking bay doors open and Ripley appears in an Exo-Suit with a look of determination on her face. 

To Whom It May Concern. Random Thoughts and other musings from the past week.

Before I jump into the collected thoughts from the past week, I would like to share a disturbing Dream I that woke me up on Saturday Morning. What I remember of the Dream is as follows: Me and some Friends enter a building. Turns out it is a tavern. It is not any bar I recognize yet feels extremely comfortable. I shamble up to the bar and order 2 beers, the first one is gone in seconds. I look around and realize the patrons are all people I know. Every one is having a great time that gets even better when a Wet T-shirt Contest spontaneously breaks out. Then my good friends Kristy and Kelli notice me drinking and begin walking my way, with a look on their faces that tells me I'm in trouble. Then I wake up, and it's the Biggest Blizzard of the Twenty First Century.For the most part most people wouldn't mind a dream in which partying and good times were had. Me, I took it as a sign of ill omen.

Turns out I may have been right, It was an extremely rough weekend for me. The Drinking Beast seriously rattled his cage. But with the assistance of good friends, some meditation, and some reading of the Big Book all is well. Definitely need to make more meetings. This time of year is always difficult for me.

But enough of that mix. On to the collected ramblings of the last week.

To Whom it may Concern: I think the title of your documentary is a bit off. "Turtles Gone Wild" or "When Reptiles get Frisky" maybe more appropriate. If I really wanted to watch animal sex that much, I'd surf the Internetz. Please consider renaming your film to warn others. Thank you.

To Whom it may Concern: I could stand here and stare at that all day. To bad I have to work and junk. Note to self: Win the Lottery.

To Whom it may Concern: Dude, I'm pretty sure society frowns on Arson.

To Whom it may Concern: Cute Puppy. I miss you.

To Whom it may Concern: Seriously?!?  WTF!?! Are you Kidding me? (this one occurred quite frequently over the weekend)

To Whom it may Concern: Please be Ok, Please be Ok, Please be Ok, Please be Ok, Please be Ok, Please be Ok. (ad infinitum)

To Whom it may Concern: I have some of the coolest Cousins to ever walk the earth.

To Whom it may Concern: But I thought. . . . . What? . . . Um Ok. . . . I guess. . . . Whatever Dude.

To Whom it May Concern:

To Whom it may Concern:  In the words of Homer, "Those guys were the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked." (Way to put on a classic show Vikings)

To Whom it may Concern: You need to grow up and stop acting like a child who cannot accept responsibility for his own actions. Had your chance. I believe your exact words to me were "Never again, I cannot take her childish, disrespectful behavior anymore" Wow, Irony. Furthermore, ah forget it, Do not need to push you any more over the edge, unless of course it is full on into the Abyss where the Elder Evils of Legend await you.

To Whom it may Concern: Shopping with 4 year olds is fun. Everything is the coolest down every aisle of the toy section.

To Whom it may Concern: Thanks for putting up with me and my idiosyncrasies. Dinner, as well as the  conversation that followed,  was excellent.

To Whom it may Concern: This very well could be the coolest Hour of the year.

To Whom it may Concern: Thor is a kick ass name for your kid, But perhaps a better name for a rottweiler.


That about does it for this weeks edition of thoughts and musings. Still working on the remaining top ten movie characters, as well as the addendum that I realized i am going to have to do. Mix It.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Chills, Thrills, and bone crunching Spills. Five bucks is a fair price for a seat cuz you only need the EDGE!

As I sit here waiting to hear from my friend as to whether or not I get to leave the house, I figured I would continue my Blogging Efforts.

The First issue I have is: Who the Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo is Justin Bieber? I mean seriously? I start seeing His name on the Internets not that long ago, mostly in negative connotations and the other day I see an entire Bieber toyline. I know like Jay and Silent Bob, that I may not have my finger on the pulse of pop culture, but apparently I totally missed the boat on this one. I am glad Britta found my utter lack of knowledge funny, when I questioned her about the smiling twink on the toy boxes.

Second Issue: Ooops! The big Inflatable Garbage bag collapsed. Sorry to all those fine folks in Motor City Kitty Land, who now are forced to watch the Queens play the G-Men.

Now back to our regular scheduled anthology that is :

Foodie's Favorite Movie Characters

Recap:
26. Inigo Montoya - Princess Bride (Britta, I still need to Borrow you this movie)
25. Princess Leia - Star Wars Trilogy
24. Batman- Batman Franchise (would be higher except for the two lame movies made in his name)
23. Wolverine- X-men Franchise
22. Luke Skywalker - Star Wars Trilogy
21. Mathilda- The Professional
20. Tony Stark/ Iron Man - (Sorry Jackson he may be the awesomest, but he only cracked my top twenty.)
19.Malcom Reynolds - Serenity (Check out the television series Firefly and this movie)
18.Peter Venkman- Ghostbusters
17. Patrick Bateman - American Psycho
16. Aragorn - Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

15. Forrest Gump- "Owww! Something Bit me!"
Portrayed by Tom Hanks
Movie: Forrest Gump

Yep, despite the fact that I find the movie heavy handed and a bit silly, the character of Forrest remains a standout performance by arguably one of the greatest actors of all time Tom Hanks. The genius of Hank's Oscar-winning performance was to show that Gump was more than an idiot, and was instead blessed with a heart so big it made up for deficiencies in other areas.

Best moment: Gump and Bubba meeting Lt. Dan for the first time.

14. Yoda- "Judge me by my Size do you? And well you should not for the Force is my ally."
Portrayed by Frank Oz
Movie: Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi.

The quizzical, quirky speech patterns of Yoda is one of the most easily identifiable cultural memes. It is a stroke of genius to introduce the Jedi master, a two-foot high alien with what appears to be mild dementia, well before revealing his identity. He quickly goes from being cute, to an integral part of the story.
Though most may not know it, if you have ever seen Sesame Street or The Muppet Show, you have seen other magical work by Frank Oz.

Best Moment: Either lifting the Ship out of the swamp or the moment when he revels himself to Luke and Yoda seems to grow in Stature.

13. Ferris Bueller- "If you're not over here in fifteen minutes, you can find a new best friend."
Portrayed by Matthew Broderick.
Movie: Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Probably  the least angry voice of teen rebellion you will ever come across, Ferris has no great obstacles in life (he's from a wealthy family, and his biggest gripe is that he was given a birthday computer instead of a car), but his quest is universal - to have a good time, and to do it now while he's young. Broderick's challenge is to keep what could be a malcontent brat likeable, and he achieves this in spades.

Best Moment: Chi- Town Parade.

12. Jason Bourne -"I can tell you the license plate numbers of all six cars outside. I can tell you that our waitress is left-handed and the guy sitting up at the counter weighs two hundred fifteen pounds and knows how to handle himself. I know the best place to look for a gun is the cab of the gray truck outside, and at this altitude, I can run flat out for a half mile before my hands start shaking. Now why would I know that? How can I know that and not know who I am?"
Portrayed By Matt Damon
Movie: The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum

Bourne, the amnesiac assassin, made being a spy cool again, combining seriously impressive ass-kicking with a compelling quest for redemption and knowledge. Plus He makes Bond look like a serious chadbag, which is why they tried to reboot the 007 franchise.

Best Moment: There are a lot of frenetic fight or harrowing chase scenes, but my fav is the chase scene in Ultimatum when Bourne drops 4 minions without missing a beat.

11. Roy Batty- "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain. Time... to die." 
Portrayed by Rutger Hauer
Movie: Blade Runner

You might be scratching your head, but trust me this character and the movie will get you questioning what it means to be human. In some ways, Nexus generation replicant Roy Batty, one of the most advanced "machines" ever built, is very lucky - he manages to quite literally meet his maker, and question the issue of his mortality. Sadly he's also been used as a slave and soldier. Despite being advanced in almost every other capacity, he has only the collected wisdom of his four years of "life" but he seems to understand humanity better than those who are actually human.. Roy finds peace, and his final scenes in Blade Runner are among the best sci-fi you'll see.

Best Moment: Rescuing Deckard, the man (?) assigned to "retire" him.

It has been one of those days. . .

Certainly has been one of those days. Strange Dreams. Blizzard. Shovel. Blizzard. Work. More Blizzard. Stuck Car. Rescue. Further Blizzard. But instead of writing about any of that I dug into my files and pulled up a list I worked on for Film Studies and have expanded it.. Any time I get into a discussion about movies, It is fair to say I have an excellent background in certain genres while lacking in others. This is especially evident when looking at my top 26 favorite Movie Characters of all time.Why 26 you might say, you try making a list of over a hundred characters and see if you can narrow it down to a handy 20 or 25.

So without much further ado I present:

Foodie's Favorite Movie Characters.
26. Inigo Montoya -"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
Portrayed By Mandy Patinkin
Movie: Princess Bride

From the moment Inigo tells Wesley that he is only waiting around to kill him, we learn that Inigo is frankly honest. When Inigo allows Wesley a moments rest before dueling we learn Inigo is honorable and has a sense of fairness. Not exactly your typical assassin. Inigo is a savvy character built on the archetypal image of the early swashbuckling films.

Best Moment: Toss up between "There is something you should know" and Final showdown with the man with 6 fingers on his right hand.

25. Leia - "You came in that thing?Your braver than I thought."
Portrayed by Carrie Fisher
Movie: Star Wars Trilogy

Princess Leia Organa is not a damsel in distress - Leia is opinionated, gutsy and  defiant in the face of authority . I think most importantly Leia was never about being mere eye candy in the series: even in the slave girl outfit she kicks ass, and by the end of Jedi, she's the one wearing the pants in her relationship with scoundrel Han Solo.

Best Moment: Strangling the crap out of Jabba with the very chain the fat slug is using to hold her captive.

24. Batman- "I am Batman"
Portrayed By: Christian Bale
Movie: Batman Begins, Dark Knight, etc.

Batman is the quintessential study in two things: Movie franchises (including how to ruin them and reboot them) and The Comic Book Movie Genre. Fans of the comic book can endlessly debate over which actors portrayal of the Dark Knight is the greatest. It is obviously Bale. With Keaton in second. Adam West in third. Kilmer and Clooney are also rans. But I digress. Batman as a character represents what a person so narrowly focused on his own version of justice can become. What is more and I think part of the appeal, is that Bruce Wayne is not super powered. Batman has wonderful gadgets, a brilliant mind, and near Bruce Lee like martial arts skills, but it is his underlying tortured humanity that drives him to fight crime.
Best Moment: When Joel Shulmachers Career was wrecked for that uber piece of crap he made called "Batman and Robin"

23. Wolverine- "You picked the wrong house, Bub"
 Portrayed By Hugh Jackman
Movie:X-men Franchise

Snikt! Wolverine is the best there is at what he does.Played by Hugh Jackman, who is a foot taller and much more handsome than his comic book counterpart, I was at first worried by his casting as this favorite amongst mutants. At the time he was a virtual unknown. I am glad I was mistaken.  Hugh Jackman simply owns the role.

Best Moment: When the kid gloves finally come off in X-2 as he enters a berserker rage defending the children from Stryker's jack-boot troops.

22. Luke Skywalker- (In the most whiny voice you can imagine) "But I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!"

Portrayed by Mark Hamill
Movie: Star Wars Trilogy

Mark Hamill gets a bad rap, partly as his is the only career that didn't get a bump from being in the trilogy.  When we first meet Luke Skywalker, he is a whiny little bitch, but as the series progresses and Luke flirts with the Dark Side, Hamill - face and soul ravaged by a car crash - has just the right amount of gravitas to make the arc believable.

Best Moment: Not even a difficult choice. When Luke finds out who his father really is.

21. Mathilda- "Is life always this hard, or is it just when your a kid."
 Portrayed by Natalie Portman.
Movie: The Professional

A lot of people might scratch their head at this one, but Mathilda is the coolest kid in movie history - fact. Mathilda is 12 years-old when a corrupt cops kills her family, forcing her to seek shelter with hit man neighbor Leon. But, for most of the movie, this frightened little kid acts like someone twice her age. Sassy and hyper-confident, Mathilda served notice of an astounding new talent in Portman who was 13 when she made the film I believe. .

Best Moment: Trembling with fear and uncorked rage, a kid again, as she fails to kill the man who slew her family, in a police station's men's room.

20. Tony Stark/Iron Man -"Let's face it,this is not the worst thing you've caught me doing."
Portrayed by Robert Downey Jr.
Movie: Iron Man

That Stark is one of the newest characters on this list is testament to the performance of Robert Downey Jr., who followed the Johnny Depp/Jack Sparrow model by investing Stark -  a Bruce Wayne billionaire playboy wannabe - with flair and off-beat humor, turning him into one of the "most awesomest" (as told to me by Jackson) super heroes.

Best Moment: Fragging Terrorists in Iron Man Armor Mark I

19. Malcom Reynolds- "If you don't hear from me in a half hour, you take the ship and you come rescue me."
Portrayed by Nathan Fillion.
Movie: Serenity

Poor box-office aside, there's no taking away from the fact that Mal is one of the best characters in recent sci-fi. It is largely thanks to Fillion's solid grasp of the role, playing the ship's captain as an imperfect, head strong, leader who is frequently bested in verbal sparring by his shipmates, but who is unquestionably the top dog among them.

Best Moment: Mal taking the time to chat and flirt with Inara, the woman that confounds him, even as the Alliance Operative springs his trap. 

18. Peter Venkman - "Back off man! I'm a scientist."
Portrayed by Bill Murray.
Movie: Ghostbusters

Venkman is the ultimate anti-hero: cynical, sarcastic, secretly sweet-natured. From his relentless and charming attempts to hit on Sigourney Weaver's Dana to his aversion to anything resembling work, Venkman is the template for virtually every character Vince Vaughn has ever played. Plus he is a scientist, I mean come on man.

Best Moment: Three words "I've been slimed"

17. Patrick Bateman-  "There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman; some kind of abstraction. But there is no real me: only an entity, something illusory. And though I can hide my cold gaze, and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours and maybe you can even sense our lifestyles are probably comparable... I simply am not there.
Portrayed by Christian Bale
Movie: American Psycho

The funny thing about Patrick Bateman is, deranged killer or no, he's a repugnant human being. So disgusting he can't even stomach himself, Patrick is actually the regression into a fantasy world of murder and Huey Lewis & The News by the even less interesting Marcus Halberstram. Of course, this requires a hell of a lot from the actor, and much kudoes to Bale for his commitment to the role: there's not many who could keep us fascinated by such a horrible creation.

Best Moment: I am going to have to go either with the bedroom scene where Bateman's vanity is on full display or dropping the chainsaw down the stairwell. Plus I will never think the same way about Huey Lewis and the News.

16. Aragorn- "I give Hope to men. I keep none for myself."
Portrayed by Viggo Mortensen
Movie: Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Aragorn undergoes considerable development across the Rings trilogy, but it's in Return Of The King that Aragorn must confront his destiny, and ergo that's when the character has most to do. Mortensen owns the part by this stage, and reliably provides great work in a monumental role that requires as much quiet expression from his eyes as it does from being able to swing a sword. The inner turmoil of the character regarding his "destiny" as the leader of the race of men in middle earth weighs heavily upon his shoulders. This turmoil is exasperated by the fact that fulfilling his destiny may take him away from the one thing in the world he truly cares about the lovely Princess Arwen.

Ok that is enough for now. I just realized it is nearly 9 and I haven't eaten for many, many hours.

The Use of the Mix.

If you have spent anytime around me in the last few years, you may have noticed my use of the word "mix."

A typical example would be if I asked you as a greeting "What is the mix?"

Often the first look I get is one of puzzlement. Then after a short explanation the conversation continues. Instead of saying "Hi, how are you, how have you been?" and then making further polite conversational inquiries as to well being and activities, it is a simple phrase which asks all the questions.

Think of "mix" as a catch all. As mix is defined officially : to create or form by combining ingredients. "What is the mix?" encompasses how are you, how have you been, do anything fun recently, what is on your mind, what do you think about the weather, do you have any plans, how was that thing you did, etc. etc. Basically a short succinct way to ask someone if there is anything they would like to talk about and if not we can progress from there.

Mix has also found its way into other uses such as:

Did you get that mix I sent you?

What's the mix with that guys hair?

Didn't you do that mix before and regretted it later?

Those mixers are total chadbags.

What kind of mix you got there?

I read that mix and thought those Wracks were awesome.

Want to play a game of mix?

The "mix" is very much based on the context and general direction of conversation.

Thank you Nick Fenske for adding this wonderfully useful bit of lingo to my lexicon of verbiage.

Sharing is Good

This is a direct cut and paste from my school discussions today.


The textbook mentions two methods which have greatly influenced how I perceive myself, the reflected appraisals of others and social comparisons (Hybels & Weaver, 2007, p. 32-34). As a child, I was the quiet, nerdy, fat kid. The children around me often reinforced these qualities. I often considered myself an outsider to a large degree. These feelings of inadequacy and exclusion stayed with me for a number of years and even now, I have a hard time removing the shackles of this old self-concept.

During my late teens and twenties, my self-perception remained unchanged for the most part and perhaps even worsened as the downward spiral of alcohol abuse consumed my life. I was aware of my problem but felt isolated and unsure of how to effect change in my life. Perhaps the most important moment of my life came after my one and only D.U.I. While in the detox facility, I was required to attend a group meeting. Therein the counselor asked the group if anyone had a drinking problem. I was the only one who raised a hand. At that point, I looked sheepishly around the room and said, “I am in pajamas and bootie slippers, sitting around a room in detox, with a bunch of strangers during Valentine’s weekend. I have a problem.”

Beginning with that moment, my life and perhaps more importantly the way I perceived myself changed. I no longer use alcohol as a way to escape myself. If I encounter difficulties in life, and we all do, I find other ways to cope and adapt. The people in my life, some of whom knew me in my drinking days, play an important role in shaping the way I perceive myself every day. Dealing with alcoholism is not a war to be fought and won, it is a battle waged every day. Without the support and reflected appraisals of my friends and family, I would have lost long ago.

In line with my early adolescent feelings of isolation, I put very little emphasis on social comparisons, though I am acutely aware of them. As noted in the texts, the average American will receive 40 – 50 million commercial messages as to what the “ideal you” should be (Hybels & Weaver, 2007, p. 34). I am not the car I drive, nor is my worth as a human being a derivative of how much money I make or what clothes I wear. My physical appearance is not a measure of my worth. Could I stand to lose some weight and quit smoking to further improve my health? Sure I could, but life is a process of change, sometimes steady, sometimes instantaneous. I will change at my own pace, not one dictated to me by "social standing" and the plurality of the moment.



Reference
Hybels, S. & and Weaver, R.L., (2007). Communicating effectively (8th Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

To Whom it May Concern and other random thoughts from the past week.

I am generally never more than three feet away from a writing utensil and paper. When I wish to remember something important, funny, or otherwise of interest to me I will jot it down. More often then not, such notes remain forgotten in pants pockets and are promptly washed in the laundry. Here are a few random thoughts collected from the last week or so.


To Whom it may concern: Your cover of the classic Prince song "When Dove's Cry" was good. In no way is it superior to the original, but good in it's own way. Speeding up the tempo worked out pretty well for you. Your work was far superior to the cover version of Kenny Login's "Danger Zone" which I heard on the same radio station 15 minutes later.


To Whom it may concern: Regardless of North Korea's actions in the coming months, China ends up winning. If China can get the DPRK to back down and resume diplomatic talks they appear to be the peace maker. If either of the Korean countries escalates the confrontation to the point of the resumption of a shooting war, China can sit back and allow the rest of the world to invest blood and treasure in the resulting conflict. Sometimes I think China lets North Korea off the leash, just to see how the world will react.


To Whom it may concern: Nice yellow thong. Crap did I just say that out loud?


To Whom it may concern: When pans come out of the oven they are generally quite hot. Do not touch them with your bare hand. (One would think I would know this by now.)


To Whom it may concern: Putting aside for the moment your questionable business practices, possible tax evasion, and general unethical behavior, I must say you are quite possibly insane. Your attitude and actions towards the one you purport to care about boggle my mind. Furthermore, the fact you own multiple guns and appear to not be playing with a full deck causes me to lose sleep. 


To Whom it may concern: Star Wars kicks ass!


To Whom it may concern: I miss my uncle Donnie.


To Whom it may concern: What was the name of that guy who stared in  ______? (This one happens frequently)


To Whom it may concern:  "The Corporation" is now available for watching instantly on Netflix.Sweet! (seriously check out this movie)

To Whom it may concern: Congratulations. You are now officially the least favorite waitress I have ever worked with. That is quite an accomplishment considering I have worked with hundreds. Oh wait, there was that one from the early days of Nancy's Landing, so your second from the bottom.


To Whom it may concern: Minotaurs are bad ass.

To Whom it may concern: To bad the Vikings cannot play the Bills for the rest of the season.


To Whom it may concern: Tom Brady,you seriously need a haircut, or at the very least get that shaggy mop on your melon trimmed up a little. It does not make you look like a rock star, it makes you look like a chadbag.

To Whom it may concern: "Venus" by Bananarama  really sucks to have stuck in your head.

To Whom it may concern: 
Looking darkly upon Hector, swift-footed Achilles answered: 'I cannot forgive you.
As there are no trustworthy oaths between men and lions, there can be no love between you and me. 
One or the other must fall before then, to glut with his blood Ares, the God who fights under the shield's guard. Remember every valor of yours, for now the need comes hardest upon you to be a spearman and a bold warrior. 
There shall be no escape for you. 
You will pay in a lump for all those sorrows of my companions you killed in your spear's fury. 
(From the Iliad by Homer, not exactly sure why I was thinking of this particular passage)

Almost Jets/Pats Time!

After reading some online news reports and getting ready to watch some football,I find myself wondering how difficult it would be to learn to speak Mandarin Chinese?

I Don't Have to Walk to School Barefoot in the Snow; Uphill both ways like my Uncle, I Use the Internetz!

The last few days have been loaded with nervous worry for me. Let me preface that statement by explaining the situation.

In late January 2010, I enrolled in online classes at Ashford University. I have one class every five weeks.  It is an entire college level course crammed into a five-week period. If I manage my time effectively, it is not a problem to keep up with the schoolwork necessary to succeed. As it is an entirely online learning experience, where students and professors interact in a virtual world primarily through the written word, I get annoyed by some of my fellow students’ inability to use basic spell checking features, but that is an entire post on its own. So far, through nine classes I am enjoying myself immensely. I would have to say that ENG 225 film studies have so far been my favorite course taken. With every new class I spend time looking over the schedule to see what discussions, tests, and writing assignments I must complete and by when and then plan accordingly. Every course has one hundred points you can receive, making every assignment valuable in terms of earning a good grade. Each class has a final term paper that is usually worth between 20 and 25 points making it the single largest source of points.

The crux of my worry was this: For PHI 103 Informal Logic, I switched the focus of my paper with very little time to spare.  In logic class, we learned the basic layout and styles of argument. Particular attention was spent on the fallacies that infect arguments. Examples of these fallacies would include Ad Hominem, which is a personal attack on the person making an argument rather than the argument itself. Post Hoc, which is the flawed logic of because B followed A, A must have caused B. The list of fallacies goes on and on, but the most important lesson was not to be able to identify them by type with 100% accuracy, but just to be aware of their presence and recognize them as fallacies. I digress.

The focus of the Argumentative term paper was to pick a topic of controversy and write three pages in support of your position. Following the thesis in support of the topic, I was to follow up writing 2-3 pages in direct opposition to my earlier thesis. This anti-thesis was then to be followed up by a further 2-3 pages in defense of the original thesis taking into account all the criticisms of Part II.

The list of topics to choose from was rather limited, though I could have selected anything with the approval of the professor. The list included the following topics:

Should abortions be legal?

Are Affirmative Action laws fair?

Should America have stronger Gun Control laws?

Should assisted suicide be legal?

Should the death penalty be abolished?

Should homosexuals be allowed to legally marry?

Should animals be used in medical research?

Is global warming a genuine threat to the planet earth?

Should human cloning be legal?

Should embryonic stem cell research be federally funded?

These are the exact sort of ethical dilemmas that I avoided writing about in ethics class precisely because many students usually write about one of these. I wrote my ethics paper on immigration. So for Logic class I figured I would just go with one of the preapproved topics and took the first one in the list: Abortion. (cue the ominous music)

I diligently began my research in week 2, using the online library available to me from the university. I could see and understand the argument from the two sides available. In week 4, I had a basic outline and the majority of the research completed. On day 1 of week 5, I discovered I was screwed. I could not write the argument in opposition to my thesis. The words would not flow out of my mind. The thoughts were there, but the desire was lacking. I could not bring myself to write those words against legalized abortion.

After a day of internal mental debate, I made the exciting choice of starting at square one. On day 3 of week 5 I began researching and writing a paper on the use of animals in medical research. I had already completed some research on the subject for my prior ethics class so I had a base to work with which helped. Worked on that paper pretty much every moment I could for three days, and turned it in five hours before the final due date.

Then I waited for the feedback and grade.

And waited some more.

It has been my experience that the term paper grading had a turnaround time of 3 days. By today (six days after class ended) I was thinking, “Great, it is so bad as to be taking extra long to comment and annotate.” Nope it was another A.

There is one important lesson I learned from this experience. Anxiety and worry can cloud ones judgment.  In the end, such emotions are a waste of energy. Better to be patient and accept the uncertainty of the future knowing your doing the best one can. Corny I know, but true none the less. 

I am working on a couple of ideas for this blogging project to make it interesting for me. Stay tuned for a review of The Clone Wars Season 2 and The Origins and Use of the Mix.

Echo Outpost Episode I

The primary impetus for engaging in this blogging project is the extra credit points it earns me for Communications 200: Interpersonal Communication. That being said, it also provides me with the opportunity to sharpen my writing skills. Between the compliments I received at Moonen Family Thanksgiving this year and the urging of my friend Jen, who says I should try to write every day, so here it goes. As with any new venture, this one will be a definite work in progress.

Truthfully, I really have had difficulty figuring out what to write about. Do I force others to endure reading about the mundane trivialities that infect each of our lives? Do I write snarky comments about celebrities or politicians? Then I thought just write what comes to mind, even if it is inane, pointless drivel. So without further ado my first official post:

It goes without saying that I am a Star Wars geek. I have been since I was a child. “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) is one of my earliest childhood memories. I vividly recall pestering my mom to take me to see “Return of the Jedi” (1983) while we were in Litchfield visiting relatives. I have collected the action figures, read the comic books, played the video games, and beaten down challengers at Star Wars trivia. More importantly, Star Wars has taught others and me several important life lessons.

10. Always Let the Wookie Win. Why? Because Wookiees pull people's arms out of their sockets when they lose. Knowing your opponent is key to defeating him and conceding a small battle does not mean you forfeit the war.

9. "It's a trap!" Rest assured, the battle station you are attacking is fully operational. Do not assume your enemies are chadbag idiots, no matter how many Bothans died to bring you the information.

8. If you want a job done right, it is sometimes necessary to call in Bad Ass Bounty Hunters. Even the most powerful Sith Lord cannot do everything. There is little shame in finding the most capable allies. And none at all in admitting that you need help.

7. Wretched hives of scum and villainy often have the best entertainment. Twilek dancing girls, music, and tasty beverages, what more does one need?

6. Even if you are the galaxy's most powerful army, never underestimate guerrillas defending their home turf. One word: Ewoks

5. Never abandon your friends. The best we can hope for in life are good, honest friends. True Friends stick by you and will not judge you. Therefore, the next time you are debating leaving Jedi training to rescue your friends from Cloud City, even though it is most certainly a trap, just remember whom it was that shot down Darth Vader during the Death Star attack. You owe them.


4. Do or do not. There is no try.
A classic bit of Yoda’s wisdom. Anything worth doing is worth doing right.

3. Anger, Fear, and Aggression lead to the Dark Side.
A recurring theme of the saga. These attributes along with Pride, Jealousy and Hate account for more than just Fallen Jedi or Sith Oppressors; they are the emotions that isolate us from one another.

2. All things are true ... from a particular point of view. This is what Obi-Wan says to Luke when asked why he did not reveal the truth about Lord Vader. The truth is a delicate and malleable thing: Are the Rebels freedom fighters or terrorists? When Anakin succumbed to the Dark Side was his true self destroyed?

1. The worst enemy you will ever face is the one you bring with you. In episode V “The Empire Strikes Back” when Luke approaches the Dark side Tainted tree cave on Dagobah, he asks Yoda “what’s inside?” Yoda tells him “only what you bring with you.” Meaning that Luke will have to face what he fears most in his own mind. Evil does not come from some external trickster — it is a reflection of our own unsavory natures.