Must-have iPhone Apps

Some friends recently got iPhones, so it got me thinking-what are my "must-have" apps? Well here they are (in no particular order.)

• Mint (free)-App for the website Mint.com, great for keeping up with your expenses, even connects with most banks and pulls down your transactions

• Meebo (free)-Website/app that allows you to instant message through most accounts (Gtalk, AOL, Facebook, etc.) and it even has push notifications.

• Remember the Milk ( (free,though requires pro account)-For all of you out there that like to keep organized with a to-do list, RTM is the way to go, but in order to use it, you do have to have the pro account. I've yet to find an app that matches the kind of features offered by RTM, so if you know of anything better, please recommend.

• Groupon (free)-If you not checking out Groupon in some capacity, you really should be. Groupon offers great deals around the area usually at really good prices. Perks of the app include notifications (if you want them) and being able to carry the groupon (coupon) on your phone without a paper copy needed. If you sign up, please use my referral url http://www.groupon.com/r/uu20028287

• Twitter (free)-I've tried many twitter apps out there and haven't found one that beats out the official twitter app, though if you use Hootsuite, their app is pretty good.

• MobileRSS (free)-I live by Google reader for my RSS feeds and the great thing about MobileRSS is that fact that it syncs with your google account. I believe there is also a $2.99 version of this app that gets rid of the ads, but to be honest, the ads don't really bother me.

• The Weather Channel (free)-My go-to when it comes to the weather, very similar to what you get from the desktop app.

• Google Voice (free)-Google voice has many great features and the app does most of them here, my favorite is that I can send text messages using it without ever spending a dime. Goodbye texting plans.

• Skype (free)-This one is especially useful if you have the 3GS or iPhone 4, allowing you to video chat. I use this to let my son talk to his grandparents.

• PingChat (free)-If you tend to send messages to other people with iPhones (and Androids, too, I think), then this free app makes it easy to send a message without racking up the charges of a text.

• Simplenote (free)-Forget the default Notes app that came with the phone, replace it with Simplenote. My favorite feature of this app is the fact that you can sync and access the notes online too (in case you want to type on a real keyboard)

• Dropbox (free)-If you've used dropbox, then you know what this is. 2gb of free space (with the ability to upgrade) that you can access from your phone or online anytime you want.

• Hipstamatic ($1.99)-If you are going to buy one photo app, I recommend this one. Creates some great effects and well worth the price. My only wish-that you could apply some of the effects after you've taken a photo.

• CameraBag ($1.99)-Another highly recommended app, this one does post-processing effects. My only recommendation is that you try to catch it on sale. (see AppShopper below)

• PS Express (free)-Some of the features that you would hope for from photoshop. Allows cropping, adjustment, and effects. Definitely a must to download.

• Shutterfly (free)-Shutterfly's website allows you to upload and store an unlimited amount of photos. Basically a great way to backup your photos. The app allows for upload and viewing of pictures, essentially making your phone into a digital wallet or photo album to show off.

• Words with friends (free or $2.99 w/o ads)-Play scrabble with your friends and strangers. I think that sums it up. If you have this one or get it, hit my up for my ID so that we can play.

• Angry birds (& seasons) ($.99 ea.)-If you don't want to get addicted or waste lots of time playing, do not download this game, but if you don't you'll be missing out on a great game. Essentially you're tossing birds at pigs and structures. Tons of fun.

• Plants vs. Zombies ($2.99)-Another highly addictive game. The idea-you use plants to prevent a zombie invasion of your home, way more fun than it sounds. Try to catch this one on sale if you can.

• IMDB (free)-The website in compact form. If you've never used the website you're missing out on a treasure of movie and TV information. IMDB allows you to look up any movie, show, or actor getting detailed information.

• Netflix (free)-Obviously only good if you have a Netflix account, but this app allows you to watch their content on the go (though I recommend being on wifi, as it really eats up data)

• Goodreads (free)-Do you read books? Goodreads can keep track of what you are reading, what you want to read, and what you have already read. Connect with friends and see their reviews of a book.

• Pandora (free)-Great for listening to music. The website squeezed into the iPhone. If you love website, then the app will be no different, except you can take it with you.

• Shazam (free)-Ever wondered what song or artist is currently playing? Well look no further. Start up Shazam and bang, after listening to a song for a few seconds it will provide you with the song and artist with fairly accurate results.

• Grocery gadget ($4.99)-This is the highest price app that I will recommend, but it has been great for our family. Essentially it's a grocery list, but it allows for syncing. So my wife can add something on her phone and it will appear on mine. I am open for other recommendations on this kind of app though.

• Cardstar or key ring (free)-Get rid of those annoying reward cards. If it has a bar code, then these apps can store them on the phone and even show a bar code for scanning on the screen. An absolute must-have for everyone.

• Amazon mobile (free)-Not only can you shop and compare prices on Amazon with this app, but you can also add to your want list. If you're not using Amazon's want list feature, you really should, it's great for keeping up with gift ideas for yourself and others.

• App shopper (free)-The great thing about this app is that you can monitor other apps in the app store and have it notify you if it has dropped in price. Great for getting those apps that aren't free.

• Google (free)-Basically Google search optimized for the iPhone and evens includes voice recognition for searching. Plus, the newest update added some features

• Google Authenticator (free)-If you are a Google user (gmail, docs, calendar, etc.) and want security, you really should have this app. I won't go into great detail, but essentially it helps generate one-time use and secure passwords for your Google accounts.

• Boxcar (free)-If you're like me, I like to know what email I have received without having to go into my inbox every time. Boxcar sends push notifications that tell you sender, subject, and a few lines from the email, allowing for a quick glance.

These last few aren't must-have, but may be useful.

• Sleep cycle ($.99)-This app monitors your sleep and wakes you up at the best time (when you're sleeping lightest) within a 30 minute window of your choosing.

• Miso (free)-Social app for recording what show and movies you are watching. GetGlue seems to be good for this also.

• Scramble (free)-Word game where you try to find as many words as you can. You can even challenge your friends.

• Frenzic ($.99)-Fast moving game, very fun.

• EpTracker ($.99)-Having trouble keeping track of what episode of a TV show you are on. This app helps keeps track but providing the episodes and summary along with a check box so that you can check off the ones you've watched.

• Firefox home (free)-Are you a Firefox user? This app syncs the tabs and bookmarks with your computer. The one downside-it doesn't have a built in browser.

• Read it later (free)-Just like the website, you can access those webpages that you've marked to be read later.

• iAssociate2 (free)-Fun little game where you try to figure out the words that are associated with one another.

• FreeAppADay (free)-Provides free a few apps each day that normally aren't free.

Well, that's my list. Please let me know your favorites and if you know any apps better than the ones that I'm currently using.

Long time no see...

I really just wanted to post something and couldn't think were to do it, then I remember my blog. So here comes a post to follow.

Barenaked and Lovin' It! Part 3.5

...each band member came around separately to talk with each of us. As they did, we took that opportunity to get our autographs. Unfortunately it wasn't until after Steve, Tyler, and Kevin had come and gone that we realized that we weren't taking any pictures. So we immediately got our camera out and got a picture of us with Ed and then of us with Jim (who by the way, is incredibly tall, if you look at the picture you'll see that he's leaning down to be closer to us.) We didn't end up saying much, but they were all incredibly nice. However, we did ask one specific question. We heard another person ask if they playing a particular song that night. Ed's reply was that it wasn't on the rotation but, he would see if he could do anything. So we then asked if they would be doing our favorite song, "Easy", and then said that it was in the line up. That made us happy. It was then time to usher the band backstage again so that they could get ready. So we were steered back up the main floor so we could go enjoy the concert.

The concert was just as great as expected. They played wonderfully. They had their impromptu rapping sessions a couple of times (incorporating Kentucky in there a few times). One of the highlights of the show was the song "Angry People". All the band members left their instruments to come to centerstage. As they sang on top of recorded backgrounds they performed a hilarious choreographed number that included fights (ala West Side Story) where they even broke a bottle on someone's head at the end of the song. As I've mentioned, they don't just put on a concert, they put on a show. Some other highlights included a few instances where they had to stop singing because they were cracking up about a few of things that were going on in the audience.

The absolute best thing of the concert though, came at almost the very end. Just like normal, the band left the stage, but true to form they still had two encores to do. Do you remember the song we asked if they were playing earlier? As the band is coming up on the stage and were getting to there instruments, Ed looks over at us and points right at us (and there's no mistaking that it was right at us) and they start to play the song. It was incredible. This is probably the best concert experience I will ever have. On a final note, do you remember the wrist band we purchase? Well at the end of the concert if you purchased one these, you can go to the merchandise stand and you get to take home a thumbdrive that contains an MP3 of that very concert you just watched. So now I can listen and relive that concert anytime that I want. How cool is that?Well that's the end of the story...for now. Please, if you ever get an opportunity to see them, please do so, you won't regret, I promise.

"Barenaked and Lovin' It" Part 3

I know that all three of you that read my blog have been waiting in antici.....pation. So without further ado...

As with just about any band, a new album release means a new concert tour and BNL is no different. Having joined the "Ladies Room", the official online fan site, I was given an advanced warning of their upcoming tour. Unfortunately this time they were not coming to Rupp Arena in Lexington, but they were still coming close enough, they were coming to the US Bank Arena in Cincinnati. The fan site allowed for presales to enrolled fans. So of course, I took advantage of this and when time arrived for the presale tickets to start selling, I patiently waited on the website while hitting "refresh" several times until I could actually buy tickets. I was apparently one of the first (if not the first) to purchase tickets, as I was able to score seats in the third row on the floor right there in front of the stage. I couldn't have been more ecstatic.

I counted the days until the concert, waiting and anticipating the day. In the meantime, I continued about my normal business of reading the blogs of the band members and checking out their website and myspace page, when one day they announced a contest. For every one of their concerts they were picking one fan to write a blog about the BNL concert experience. Without even so much as a thought, I entered the contest. Days, weeks, a month went by and the concert drew near.

Then out of the blue, I received an email. Who from?, you might ask. Much to my surprise it was from the BNL website. I had won! I was floored. I had never really expected to win, but there was the email sitting on my screen stating that I had won. Right now you're probably wondering what I got for being the winner. As would be expected I won two tickets, but not just any tickets, I won two front row tickets. But that's not all. I also won two passes to meet the band before the concert. Wow, I was going to meet Ed, Steve, Jim, Tyler, and Kevin, what could be better.

Well what could be better? As I found out, a couple of things actually. As I had mentioned I had already purchased tickets so Katie and I invited her brother and his wife. So when the day of the concert came we all drove up together to the concert. When we got there I decided to look at the merchandise that they had on sale. Katie and I each picked out a shirt, we purchased a wrist band (more about that in a bit) and we also purchased an LP of their album. No, I don't own a record player, but I thought the album was so cool that I had to get it anyway and I'm glad I did.

After this we went to find our seats, which were awesome, and then we went off to see what we needed to do to meet the band. We were told stand in a certain spot and then someone would come and get us shortly. Then the moment came...we were going downstairs to meet them. Katie and I were get more excited every second. They proceed to take us downstairs and then we get to the spot that they wanted us to be and we found out that they are about 10 or 12 people total that get to meet the band.

On a side note, with the exception of us and another couple, the rest of the people there to meet the band were volunteers. See BNL is an environmentally conscience band and so they asked for volunteers to help take donations and spread the word about the cause that they were supporting. In turn for doing that, the volunteers received a ticket and the chance to meet the band. On top of that the band also had an in-house recycling program and they used recycled bio-diesel to fuel all their buses.

Ok, back to the meet. As were waiting, we're told that we could take pictures and were allowed to have one item autographed. Now see this is why I was really glad that I purchase the LP? It was the perfect item to be autographed. We had also brought one of our own CDs so we also had that to be autographed.

It was time, the band was coming out...

Which Firefly Character Am I?

To be quite honest, I wasn't really all the surprised.

Your results:
You are Wash (Ship Pilot)

Wash (Ship Pilot) 80% Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command) 75% Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic) 65% Dr. Simon Tam (Ship Medic) 60% Malcolm Reynolds (Captain) 55% Jayne Cobb (Mercenary) 50% Inara Serra (Companion) 45% River (Stowaway) 35% Derrial Book (Shepherd) 30% Alliance 30% A Reaver (Cannibal) 10%

You are a pilot with a good if not silly sense of humor. You take pride in your collection of toys. You love your significant other.

Click here to take the Serenity Personality Quiz

Barenaked and Lovin' it! Part 2

As my enjoyment of the Barenaked Ladies kept growing (see Part 1), my anticipation for a new album grew more and more until the news finally broke, the “Ladies” had been in their studio working on a self produced album all summer and this new album was set to be released in September (2006). It was announced that this new album would be available in two versions: the standard album and the deluxe album. Titled “Barenaked Ladies Are Me”, the standard album would be available online and in stores and would have 12 songs on it. The deluxe version would be quite a bit more. It would contain 25 and was only available in a digital version, but if you preordered it, you would get an astounding 29 new and original songs. So without hesitation I rushed over to iTunes and preordered the deluxe album as quickly as I could.

In the meantime, BNL released their first single from what was the soon-to-be released album. Through iTunes, you could purchase the new single and for the price of one song you received three songs from the album. From the moment I heard that first single, “Easy”, it became my favorite song. For those that know me well, this was a huge deal. I very rarely have one favorite anything, instead I usually have a few things that are at the top of my list, like a couple of favorite songs or a couple of favorite movies. But the moment I heard this song, I knew that it would be my number one favorite song, edging past all others that had previously been on my “favorite songs” list.

During the weeks that followed, I listened to the single patiently awaiting the whole album. Then September 12^th finally came. I woke up that morning turned on the computer and downloaded “Barenaked Ladies are Me” the Deluxe album while I was getting ready for work. And as soon as it was done downloading, I burned two CDs with the full album on it. That day at worked I must have listened to the whole album at least twice, if not more. And let me tell you, it was everything I had hoped for. Out of all 29 songs, there wasn’t a single one that I didn’t like. Each was as good as the last, and one of the most enjoyable parts of the album was the opportunity to hear Kevin Hearn and Jim Creegan each take the lead vocals on a song. Also, as usual, the diversity of their album was extensive, with no song sounding like a copy or rehash of another (like you might find on other albums). So after all this, I would like to say that if you haven’t listened to this album yet, I highly recommend that you do so as quickly as possible. Heck, I'll even let you borrow the album if that is what it will take for you to experience its wonderfulness.

But this story does not end here…Coming soon Barenaked and Lovin’ It Part 3

Barenaked and Lovin' it! Part 1

Let me start at the beginning. It 2004, a few friends had decided that they were going to go to the concert of a Canadian band by the name of the Barenaked Ladies (BNL for short) and they invited myself and my then girlfriend, now wife, to join them. I thought “Yeah, that would be fun.” I had heard some of their songs and enjoyed them so I figured if nothing else, I would enjoy those songs. Little did I know what was in store.

On March 5, 2004, BNL acquired two new fans for life. It was Lexington, KY and BNL was on their Play Everywhere for Everyone Tour. The concert was opened by Butterfly Boucher and Howie Day, both very talented and enjoyable. They were a great start to what was to come.

Being only a casual fan of their music, I had mostly only heard a few of their radio singles. So it was a great surprise when they started off with Maybe Katie (which happens to be my wife’s name) and continued through with every single song being a good one. And that was the start of the best concert I had ever been to (at least up until that point, to read about the best see part 2).

The rest of the concert was so full of energy I never wanted to sit down and as I recall, I never did. Their song “Shopping” pulled up that energy level even more as the “Ladies” performed a choreographed sequence using shopping carts and various other items to dance about the stage.

When I talk about BNL, I can’t leave out their amazing musical talent. So many artists nowadays are limited in their range and performance. Watching this concert however, proved to me that they were well above those other “artists”.

I’ll start with Ed, not only is he a talented singer and guitar player, he also plays the banjo (and quite well I might add). As I mentioned, he is a talented singer, but I would be stupid not to mention is gift of “speed singing” which can be witnessed in the song “One Week”.

Next up is Steve. Again another talented guitar player, but we can’t just say talented when it comes to his vocal abilities. His voice has such range and projection that can’t be matched but many, if any, of today’s singers. And Steve even picked up and played a flute for one song.

Kevin blew me away with his skill with the piano and synthesizers, but then he also pulled out an accordion at one point and even a mandolin playing these instruments with as much genius as his other instruments. But it didn’t stop there, Kevin even played guitar on a couple of the songs.

Then there is the gifted and talented percussion of Tyler. With the wonderful beats that he adds to the songs, he stills finds the ability to add even more to the great harmonies of BNL.

Lastly, but definitely not the least, is Jim bassist-extraordinaire. While many bands have a bass player that only play the electric bass pumping out rudimentary rhythms. Not Jim. He adds to each and every song with a bass line that compliments and fills it. And not only does he play the electric bass, but also an upright bass that he can play by both plucking and strumming.

Of course, I can’t go without talking about their phenomenal gift of improv. Steve and Ed play wonderfully off each other as they improv a rap or song about things, people, and places around them. During this particular concert they even rapped about Kentucky. On top of everything else they all harmonize with each other better than most bands out there. With all of these talents, it’s no wonder that they are the wonderful band that they are and why that night on March 5, 2004 BNL gained two new fans for life. Thanks BNL!

The Da Vinci Code

Most people now know, at least in part, what the story of The Da Vinci Code is all about. So I'm not going to delve into the story. Now before some big theology debate surfaces, The Da Vinci Code is a work of fiction, so I will review it as one.

The Da Vinci Code reeled in some big names for this movie, Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, and Sir Ian McKellan just to name a few. As with most movies based on books, the screenplay writer took some liberties and changed a few things here and there. None of these changes affect the story much, though. I must admit however that I am dumbfounded as to why they changed the ending just a bit. My only guess is so that they could give those that have read the book a bit of a surprise.

As with any movie that I go see, I go for the enjoyment of it and this movie delivers. There are several good characters, lots of thrills, and if you've never read the book, plenty of surprises. My only "disappointment" (for lack of a better word) was the feeling of nonstop action and urgency that I felt when I read the book. The whole time I was reading the book I just had to keep reading, just one more chapter. The movie missed some of that somehow.

All and all The Da Vinci Code is a wonderfully good time at the movies, so i suggest that you go out and see. And if you've never read the book, I definitely recommend that too along with any of the other books written by Dan Brown. They're all great.

The weekend and Da Vinci

This past weekend went well. I started off my weekend by teaching karate and helping administer a junior blackbelt test at our dojo for two of our younger students. It's always interesting to see how these kids have grown over the past few years, with each of them being quite different.

On Saturday, Katie and I woke up so that we could finish cleaning our house before her parents arrived. After they got here, the four of us and also Katie's brother and his wife all jumped in the car and headed to Lexington to go see a movie. Katie, her mom, and myself went to see "The Da Vinci Code" (see the next post for my thoughts on the movie) while Jarred, Kelly, and Ron went to see "Poseidon". We all enjoyed our movies. Afterwards we all headed over to Max & Erma's for dinner. As usual the food was enjoyable, especially the tortilla soup which I always enjoy. I didn't get to eat their fresh baked cookies this trip, but maybe next time. After we got home, we broke out the game "Scene it" and played it several times. I was on a roll in that game.

Sunday Katie, her mom, and myself went to Wal-mart to pick up a few things. Of course there is no such thing as "a few things" when you go shopping at Wal-mart. Once we got back and Jarred and Kelly got back from Church, we all rode to Berea to check out a crafts fair there. They had some interesting things, but nothing interesting enough for me to buy (though I did get to eat funnel cake, which is always good). It was fun nonetheless. After that we came back to our house. Unfortunately Ron had to leave (some of us still have to work ;) ), the rest of us decided to break out Yahtzee and play a few rounds. It was one of my worst games ever of Yahtzee. When dinner time rolled around, I started cooking enchiladas. Everyone seemed to enjoy them. After dinner, we switched gears and played "Phase 10". I think that game was the best I've ever done on it, I actually made it to the final phase with just about everyone else.

Well, that was pretty much my weekend, so now I'm here back at work, counting the days until next weekend where I get three days off instead of two. Yay!

As promised I'm back with another post.

Over the weekend Katie and I went to visit my family for Mother's day. As usual it was a nice visit, but pretty uneventful. Part of my time there was spent helping my mom and dad switch internet providers and setting them up with msn messenger so that they can chat with me online from time to time.

Speaking of chatting, for any of you that know what Skype is, they just announce that you can use there service to call anywhere in the US for free. This is only guaranteed until the end of the year however, then they will decide if it is worth it to them to keep doing it. If you don't know what Skype is, you should check it out, especially if you have broadband internet.

Grades were posted today and just as I had hoped, I managed to get an A in both of my classes. I'm so glad that I was able to do as well as I had hoped. This means I'm still on my way to proving that I am a much better student now. Katie received a 99% in her master's class. I'm very proud, especially with all the work that she had to do on top of all her work that she has to do as a teacher.

Well, that's it for today, check back soon.

Where oh where could he be?

Okay, so it's been awhile since I've done any kind of updating on my blog. I apologize for that. It's been a little busy this past semester. I've been working my normal full time hours while taking two classes for my French major. Not that this is any real excuse. I honestly haven't done a whole lot online even when I've had the time, which I'm sure would have been more than enough time. Instead I've played games like sudoku. So let's see if I can do any better this time. No promises though.

So here's an update of what's been going on and what's in store.

Katie just finished up her second masters class and will be taking two more this summer. Hopefully these next two won't be quite as bad as this last one. I don't think that the class was hard, but there was an awful lot of tedious work that she had to do. It was an internet class that she had to meet online for once a week for about an hour. I believe that since the student doesn't actually have to go to class, the teachers think they need to make up for it with even more work.

Like I've said I'm taking two classes this semester and both have gone really well so far. I just finished one exam today and I still have one left tomorrow, but hopefully all will go well. I'm trying really hard to get an A in all of my French classes, yes I said "all". I wasn't the best student during my first bachelor's degree so now I have to prove that I am capable and willing to do better, so that way when I try for an assistantship for my masters degree I'll still have a chance. This is probably the first time in a long time that I've actually been excited about school. The last time was probably during my first year in college when I was a music major. I really enjoyed that major but I didn't find the degree all that feasible, all those classes and not much you can do with the degree. After that I switched to a Business major. I don't regret doing it because I wouldn't be where I am today, but this isn't what I really want, hence the new French major.

Katie and I are trying to save everything we can so we can pay to study abroad in Paris next summer. Of course saving is really hard to do when you have bills to pay, especially a house and everything that comes along with it. Right now if we travel to France next summer, I'll be able to graduate in the Spring of 2008. It seems like so far away, but I've got to keep on going.

Katie gets to start her summer vacation in a little over a week. She's really excited and I'm a little jealous in a way, wishing I could be off work with her for the next two and half months. We already have several things planned for this summer. We'll be having a big yard sale as part of our neighborhood's big yard sale. We're planning on checking out the Louisville Irish Fest in June, which should be fun. Also sometime in June we're going to check out Kentucky's first renaissance faire in Eminence, KY. Neither of us have ever been to one, but we thought it would be interesting. My work is paying for me to go to an AATF (American Association of Teachers of French) Conference in Milwaukee, WI in July and Katie is going to be joining me. I don't know if it will fun or boring, but if nothing else it should look great on my resume. Then we'll end our summer with our annual trip to the Karate Camp in Gatlinburg, TN.

Speaking of resume and school and everything else. I'm going to attempt to do a research project over the summer as another thing that I can add to my resume for graduate school. Once I'm done I'm hoping to take this research and present it somewhere, again so I can pad my resume. I may need your guys' help with this so please stay tuned for that one.

I almost forgot, Katie and I are going to try to take swing dance this summer too, but that will only be if Katie's class doesn't conflict. I've always wanted to learn swing dance and have even did the small lessons on campus once, but unfortunately I don't remember much, if any, of it.

I'm ready for the summer to begin, but at the same time I can't wait for the fall to be here because that will mean that I'm just a little closer to finishing my degree.

Well that's more than enough for today, but I promise to try to post more often, so please check back.

Yay! I can do math. (Wow I'm a nerd!)

You Passed 8th Grade Math

Congratulations, you got 10/10 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Math?

Confessions

Okay, I swiped this from a friends post, but I thought it was interesting. Please feel free to "borrow" it from me.

Fess up!
Mark your confessions:

[ ] I'm afraid of silence.

[ ] I Talk A LOT when I get really nervous.

[X] I am really ticklish.

[ ] I'm afraid of the dark.

[ ] I'm afraid of facing my back to open doors at night.

[ ] I can't sleep in a room if the door is open

[ ] I am homosexual.

[X] I believe in true love.

[ ] I've run away from home.

[ ] I listen to political music.

[X] I collect comic books. (Not as much I used to, but I haven't given up)
[ ] I shut others out when I'm sad.

[X] I've stayed out all night.

[ ] I open up to others easily.

[ ] I am keeping a secret from the world.

[X] I watch the news. (I can't stand it, it's so depressing. I either read the paper or the internet for news)
[ ] I own over 5 rap CDs

[X] I love Disney movies.

[X] I am a sucker for green eyes.

[X] I am a sucker for brown eyes

[X] I am a sucker for blue eyes

[ ] I don't kill bugs.

[X] I curse

[ ] I have "x"s in my screen name.

[X] I've slipped and fell in public

[ ] I've slipped out a "lol" in a real conversation.

[ ] I love Spam. (I can't bring myself to eat something that looks like that.)

[X] I bake well. (And I actually enjoy it)

[ ] I have worn pajamas to class.

[ ] I have owned something from Abercrombie.

[X] I want a better job.

[ ] Talked on a phone for 6+ hours.

[ ] I love Dr. Phil.

[X] I like/love someone.

[ ] I am guilty of TypiNg LikE thiS...

[X] I am self-conscious.

[X] I love to laugh.

[X] I have tried alcohol.

[ ] I drink alcohol on a regular basis.

[ ] I have tried a cigarette. (can't stand the things)

[ ]I have smoked a pack in one day

[] I loved Lord of the Flies

[ ] I have cough drops when I'm not sick.

[ ] I can't swallow pills

[] I have a lot of scars.

[X] can't sleep if there is a spider in the room. (Especially if it's a big one)

[X] I love chocolate. (I'm a sucker milk chocolate, but not much of a fan of Dark chocolate, and I don't like white chocolate at all)

[X] I bite my nails.

[X] I play computer games when I'm bored.

[X] Gotten lost in the city.

[ ]Thought of suicide before.

[X] Seen a shooting star...

[ ] Had a menage a trois.

[ ] Gone out in public in my pajamas.

[ ]Have kissed a stranger.

[ ]Have kissed someone really strange....

[X] Hugged a stranger.

[ ] Been in a bloody fist fight with someone of a different sex

[ ] Been in a fist fight.

[ ] Been arrested.

[X] Laughed and had some type of beverage come out of my nose.

[ ] Pushed all the buttons on an elevator.

[ ] Made out in an elevator.

[ ] Swore at Liberace.

[ ]Kicked a guy where it hurts on purpose

[ ] Been skydiving. (I'd love to try it just once though)

[ ] Been bungee jumping.

[X] gotten stiches. (A long, long time ago)
[ ] Drank a whole gallon of milk in one hour.

[ ] Bitten someone

[ ] Been to Niagara Falls.

[ ] Gotten the chicken pox. (Never had them and boy am I going to be in trouble when I do)
[ ] Crashed into a car.

[ ] been to Japan. (I'd like to though)

[X] Ridden in a taxi.

[ ] Shoplifted.

[ ] Been fired.

[X] Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back.

[ ] Stole something from your job.

[ ] Gone on a blind date.

[ ] Had a crush on a teacher/coach --

[ ] Celebrated Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

[ ] Been to Europe. (Again, I'd like to)
[ ] Slept with a co-worker, and/or employee. --

[ ] Been married. (Currently am)

[ ] Gotten divorced.

[X] Saw someone/something dying. (Unfortunately, my dog)
[ ] have a list of people you want to kill.

[ ] Driven over 400 miles in one day

[ ] Been to Canada.

[X] Been on a Plane.

[X] Seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

[ ] Thrown up in a bar.

[X] Eaten sushi.

[ ] Been skiing.

[X] Been ice skating

[ ] Cried in public.

[ ] Walked purposely into traffic with your eyes closed. (Why would anyone do this?)

[X] Liked someone even though you knew you shouldn't have.

[X] Thought of someone almost 24/7

[ ] Hated the world

Pass this on with your own confessions.

MLK Weekend

This past weekend was great. One of the nicest perks of working for the university is all the holidays off, including Martin Luther King Jr's Day and because of that I had a three day weekend.

The weekend started out good, we slept in (some later than others). Later in the afternoon we went to Lexington mainly to spend the gift cards that I received from my mother-in-law. She picked a great place to get the cards from...Best Buy. Best Buy is one of my favorites stores, especially when they run a sale on DVD's. This weekend was no different, they had certain TV DVD box sets at buy one get one free. Music to my ears. I walked out of there with 4 movies and 2 box sets. We decided to use a gift card to Rafferty's that we received for Christmas. However, we were extremely disappointed with their food. Let's just say we won't be going back there on our own. We also visited a few other stores including Target where I purchased a nice blazer for relatively cheap.

Sunday marked the big football game between The Pittsburgh Steelers and The Indianapolis Colts. In first half, the Steelers dominated, but late in the second half the Colts started to catch up. After a very nerve-racking finish, the Steelers pulled off the win. Go Steelers! After the game we hung out with Jarred and Kelly and watched a couple of movies.

Monday was another day of relaxing, we watched some more movies, then later in the day, went to the mall to do a little more shopping with the gift cards that we had. Katie walked out of there with 3 shirts, a blazer, a purse, and a pair of shoes. I purchased a pair of jeans and a pair of shoes. We finished off the night watching another movie.

Over the course of the weekend we watched six movies which included Sky High, Mr & Mrs Smith, Fever Pitch, Saw, Into the Blue, and 40-year old Virgin.

All and all it was a really good weekend. I got to spend plenty of alone time with my wife while also getting out a bit.

Work

As I've mentioned previously, my work life feels like it should belong to the movie Office Space. Here's a couple of examples: If you've never seen the office that I work in, it's very small. The three of us that work in this office can literally talk to each without ever leaving our desks. So then why, does my boss insist on sending my numerous (and I mean numerous) emails about things he could easily just tell me about? But that's not all. No, I then have to send him an email back just to let him know that I've recieved the email. Another thing is the fact that when he does send me an email, about half the time he then comes out of his office to tell me about the email he had just sent me. And finally (at least for this post), when mass emails are sent out across campus and one of them might pertain to me, he then sends me a copy of that email with the added line "Did you see this?" or something like that. Now this would be fine if it wasn't for the fact that this was a mass email, meaning that everyone received it.
Okay I've complained enough for today, but I'm sure that this won't be the last one.

Le week-end!

Right now I'm sitting here at work counting down the minutes until my weekend officially begins. The work week feels like it is getting longer and longer as I seem to relive scenes from the movie Office Space (more on that some other time). But hey, at least it affords me the time to continue with my classes and to surf the 'net.

Last weekend was of course, Thanksgiving. Katie and I traveled most of it. On Tuesday we went to Somerset to see our good friend Scott in a stage adaption of A Christmas Story. As usual we enjoyed Scott performance. From there we went to my parents and stayed there Wednesday and part of Thursday. Thursday my family had Thanksgiving at my aunt's house. After dinner, Katie and drove back home to prepare for shopping on Friday.

Friday started early as Katie and I got up at 3:30 in the morning to go to the Black Friday sales with Jarred and Kelly. Now shopping is always hectic on this day, but it can be fun and if you plans things out, you can get the majority of your shopping down and do it cheaper than you would have otherwise. We ended up going to Wal-mart, JC Pennys, Goody's, Sears, Office Max, Hastings, and Lowe's.

After shopping, we went home, packed up, and headed to Brandenburg for Thanksgiving with Katie's family. That night some us went to go see Rent in the theatre, and let me tell you, it was great. It is now probably one of my top ten movies. They did a wonderful job with it. Now of course, I was already a fan of the stage version, but that doesn't matter, the movie was excellent. Remember though, if you don't like musicals, you won't like this movie, but I think everyone else should give it a chance.

Saturday we went to Katie's grandparent's house for another Thanksgiving dinner. Much to our surprise, our dog, Quinn, actually played very well with one of the other dogs that was there. Maybe there's hope for her yet. After we ate and visited for a while we then drove back home. That night we were invited to go see Harry Potter with some friends. We had already seen it, but we wanted to see it again, plus it gave us a chance to see some friends we don't get to see very often. It was really nice to see them again. Unfortunately life gets in the way and you don't get to see your friends as often as you like.

Finally, on Sunday we went to Lexington to do some more Christmas shopping. Now we're almost done, just a few people left to shop for and we already have ideas of what to get them.

Well that was our weekend. Nothing incredibly exciting, but it was very busy none the less.

Another day

Here I am yet again sitting at my desk at work. I'm doing everything I can to stay awake. The building is scorching and it isn't helping me any. Right now I should really be working on a newsletter for work. I've been "working" on this project for over two months now and I've gotten very little accomplished. I don't know why I haven't finished it yet, I think part of it is subconsciously I'm making my self work on everything except it. I can do the work. I had to pass a course in desktop publishing for my degree, but that was a little different. No one, besides my teacher, was going to see it, but now this is going to be sent out to hundreds of people.

Back when I was told that I was going to have to do this newsletter, I was under the impression that all I would be doing was setting it up and making it look pretty. You know, the technical side of it, while my coworker provided the content. But no, the project was instead tossed wholly onto me. I have to do it all. I've never the creative type. In English class, I was that guy that could tell you all the grammar rules, but when it came to writing a poem, I was screwed.

So here I am, finding more ways to procrastinate until I come to that point where I have no choice but to get it finished.

Bureaucracy

Why is that all major businesses and institutions never listen to their "customers"? I realize that rules are in place in order to help things run smoother, but sometimes you have to go around the rules. Now this isn't one of those rants "against the man", just those employees that don't use their power for good. I worked and lived long enough to no that if someone really wants to do something, they can do it (as long it's not illegal or completely killing the bottom line). All it takes is a little work or initiative.

So what I am talking about? Well, it comes down to the fact that I now have an undeserved "F" on my college transcript and they won't do anything about it, because they say that it is too late. Bullshit! You may ask how can it really be an "undeserved F". Well it all started a couple years ago. I was working on getting a certificate in Japanese. I only had one class left to take. I signed up and went to the very first class where they then told me that they class had been canceled because there were not enough students. Fine, whatever. But then they tell me if we want, we can travel to Berea to take the class since the same instructor was teaching it. Besides the travel, the class was now at a different time, so I therefore couldn't take it. Basically when the class was cancelled, I was disenrolled from the class, but later on Eastern then reenrolled me without my knowledge. I guess they "assumed" that we would just go to this new class. Not until much later did I realize that I had been signed up for the class. I was given an "incomplete" in the class and that later turned into an "F", even though I never signed up for the class. Unfortunately I didn't notice all of this until it was too late. And now they tell me since I've already received a degree, they "cannot" change the grade. Which I know is bullshit, if they really wanted to they could fix it.

I wouldn't be quite so pissed off except I am now pursuing a degree in another foreign language (French) and that grade will reflect poorly on me for the rest of my academic career. I can only hope that when I explain the reasoning later, they will believe me.

Sorry for the rant, but I had to get this off my chest. Thank you for listening.

Bonjour!

Okay, okay. I know it's been a little while since my last real post, so I thought that I give a brief update as to what has been happening in my life.

First off, I've obviously gotten married since my last real post. It was very beautiful and my bride Katie was even more beautiful. Everything went really smooth minus a few small gliches that morning, but they weren't anything that we couldn't take care of.

Next, we went on our honeymoon to Jamaica. The resort we stayed out was great (it was Sandal's resort), though on route to resort I realized just how impoverished Jamaica really is. While we were on our honeymoon we got to drink and eat as much as we wanted. It was wonderful. We also made it a point to participate in a program that let you "swim with the dolphins". We were able to hold and touch and even received a kiss from it. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience and well worth the money spent.

Since coming back our focus has been on us, our friends and family, our dog Quinn, and our house. I've worked diligently on various aspects of our house, especially the yard. We've come to realize just how bad of a job the builders did on it. So far I've found wood, bottles, siding and several boulders that were preventing any grass from growing in the spots they were buried. I've made incredible progress but I still have a lot a work to go before we can get our yard the way we want it.

I don't know if Katie wants me mentioning this one or not, but she also started Weight Watcher's after we got back from our honeymoon. She done such a wonderful job so far and I'm incredibly proud of her. I know there is no way I could have the will power and determination that she has had so far. She's now lost over 15 pounds and I have no doubt that she will make her goal weight.

Most recently school is back in session. Katie's teaching (and taking a master's class) and I'm also back in class. I'm taking my second French class. See, I've decided to get a degree in French. I really enjoy foreign languages (having already taking some Spanish and Japanese in the past) so I thought it would be great to get a degree in a language. My other deciding factor for earning another degree is my job. Now don't get me wrong the job's not terrible, I just can't sit behind a desk for the rest of life. I used to think that I would like this, but it's not at all fulfilling. Unlike teaching karate, which at times can be very fulfilling to me. So I've decided that I'm going back to school to get a degree in French so that I can hopefully one day teach it at the college level. So here I am adding to my cumulative time here at EKU and adding to my status as an Eternal Colonel.

So that's where I am. Mostly going to work, class, and karate while trying to make as much time as I can for my beautiful and loving wife Katie.

P.S. To see pictures from my life including the wedding, the house, and even my dog, check out http://mcclain.myphotoalbum.com

Tag you're it!

10 years ago: (1995) I was attending Southwestern High School, hanging out in the band room most of the time with dreams of one day being a musician in a Jazz Band

5 years ago:(2000) I was living with Scott and an ex going to EKU (working towards my degree in Business) and working at Kroger.

yesterday: Went to work as usually, had French class during my lunch, then went straight to karate after work to teach my two classes then I spent the evening digging in my yard and then watching TV until my wife came home.

5 snacks I enjoy: Wise Cheese doodles, Yellow corn tortilla chips with melted cheddar cheese, Beef Jerky, cookies, and just about anything chocolate

5 songs I know all the words to: 1985 by Bowling for Soup, Jack and Diane by John Melloncamp, Good Thing by Reel Big Fish, I'm a Believer by the Monkees/Smashmouth, and How Bizarre by OMC

5 things I would do with 100 million dollars: Build my dream house, set up a home theatre (including all the DVD's I ever wanted), give portions of it to mine and Katie's family and friends, travel, and invest for retirement

5 places I would run away to: well I've seen this interpreted two ways. If you mean a getaway, I would say France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and anywhere else in Europe. If you mean for refuge, I would say don't know. Probably to hang out with my best friend Scott, to a movie theatre, just outside somewhere, or maybe the karate dojo.

5 things I would never wear: Pantyhose (tights don't count, and don't ask if you don't already know), high heels, speedos, thong underwear, or just about anything else that women have to wear.

5 TV shows that I love: #1 is Family Guy, Smallville, Charmed, Scrubs, and Roswell.

5 bad habits: Leaving my clothes beside the bed, leaving dishes in the sink, hitting the snooze button, indecisive, and being picky in what I eat

5 biggest joys: My wife, my friends, my family, movies, and my dog.

5 favorite toys: ipod, my Mcfarlane Toys action figures, my comic books (I know that they're not quite toys, but I like them), my DVD player, and DDR for Playstation

4 people I'm tagging: Well since only 3 people that I know of visit my blog and they've already done this, I'll include anyone else that wants to do this.

Okay... if you got tagged. Just do what I did. Copy down the questions and plop them into your blog and answer them then leave a comment on my blog telling were it is at. Or if you don't want to do that or don't have a blog - write the questions and your answers in a comment for this post.

Better late than never

I realized that I never got a chance to talk about my bachelor party. It's been over a month now (it was May 6-9), but I still need to tell you about it.

First I need to thank my best friend/best man Scott for pulling it all together. He put alot of hard work into it and it paid off.

Scott, myself, Jason, Eric, Brian, and Jarred (my future brother-in-law) went down to Pigeon Forge Tennessee for a long weekend. We left Friday morning and didn't come back until Monday afternoon. Scott booked a great chalet for us for the weekend. It had a pool table, foosball, air hockey, and a hot tub, it was great. Scott also rented a minivan for the weekend, that way we could all ride comfortably down together. Man, that was a nice van.

As we drove down, we met my friend Eric in Mt Vernon. He wasn't going to be able to stay the whole weekend so he drove his own car down. After some bad navigating (which was partially my fault, sorry guys, and partially the chalet's fault) we finally made it. We spent all of Friday afternoon and evening in the chalet, just shooting pool, playing games, and hanging out.

Saturday was our "day out on the town". We left that morning and went down into Pigeon. First stop, miniature golf. It was very fun, even though I sucked. Throughout the rest of the day, we played laser tag twice, rode go-carts twice, and played another round of miniature golf. Three words: fun, fun, fun! From there Eric unfortunately had to depart. That night we had dinner at Damon's, everything there was good, except when Brian realized that he had sat in barbeque sauce, yuck. However, that incident caused the service to be a little better. After Damon's we made one more stop before going to the chalet, China Bazaar. I love that store. Anybody that likes martial arts or swords, or weapons, will just love this place. It has hundreds of knives and swords, Asian weapons, air guns etc. I had to get a sword to commemorate the weekend. Several of the other boys purchased air guns. We then went back to the chalet to hang out and play more games.

Sunday was our day to relax. We stayed in most of the day and hung out playing more games. We hit a few snags with lunch and dinner, but we coped and managed. It was nice just to relax for most of the day.

Finally Monday came and it was time to start heading home. I hated that the weekend had to end, but at the same time I was ready to get back to Katie.

I want to put out a great big thanks to all my friends that came to celebrate with me, and especially Scott for being there and organizing this shindig.

Star Wars on the Brain

With only days left til the final Star Wars, I came across this personality test and thought I would try. You can do the same if you like.

Wow. Two in a row. I must really be Brian, I guess I better change my name.


Brian.. yes i know theres a typo...


Which Family Guy Character Are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Who are you?

I've always wondered who I really am...


Which Family Guy character are you?

Sharing is Good

I just had to share these with everyone.

This first video (click here) is one that I think most of us have related to at some point in our lives (especially if you're reading this blog)

This video (click here) ushers us into the 21st century by updating a classic and making it relevant for today's world.

Enjoy!

To the Movies

During Katie's spring break we were able to find the time to go to a few movies, including Ice Princess, Man of the House and Guess Who. This past weekend we finally made it to see Sin City, which is a movie I've been anticipating for several months now. My plan is to try to review these four movies as soon as can, so check back soon.

On the other side of things, life in our new home is going great. It feels like such an accomplishment to own your home. There is plenty of work that we want to get done eventually, but all of that is kind of fun because most of that work will make our home even more ours. Our goal is to get our yard all cleaned up and pretty, but it all takes work.

I hope everyone was able to enjoy the beautiful weather that we had this past weekend. It was so gorgeous. Katie and I did a little yard work and then washed our cars.

On a side note, if you haven't heard, Congress is trying to extend daylight savings time. They want it to start in early March and end in late November. Their belief is that this will decrease energy use (approximately 10,000 less barrels a day of oil, out of the 20 million that we currently use). Though I won't mind the extra daylight savings time (honestly I think we should just get rid of it completely) I think that this is just a temporary solution for a long-term problem.

But anyway, here's to the Spring and Summer ahead of us!

Why?

Why must the networks cancel a show before it really has a chance? How can they expect to barely promote a show, put it in the worst timeslot, and not air it regularly and still expect it to pull great numbers? They've done this to many shows, but today I'm talking about Point Pleasant on Fox. Point Pleasant was a very original show with inventive writing that left you wanting more. But because some executive at Fox didn't seem to like, the rest of us will never know what was to come. I've seen this too many times. A great new show starts, but they put it opposite a show like Friends and expect it to win and when it doesn't, they toss it and try something else. Well I'm sick of it. This is the second show this season that I've supported, just to see it yanked without so much as a word to it's fans.

Maybe the lesson I need to take from this is to stop watching the good original shows, they'll just be replaced by some reality show. Don't get me wrong though, one of my favorite shows is Amazing Race, but we need more than reality, I turn to the TV to talk me away from reality, but it's getting harder and harder to escape it everyday.

Homeowner

Well Katie and I are now officially homeowners. All the papers are signed and we're set to go. It hasn't really hit me yet, but I know it will as soon as we get our stuff in there. I couldn't be more excited though, I'm so excited that I wish I could actually move in this weekend, but since we weren't planning on being able to move in this weekend, we just not ready. There are boxes to pack and just everything has to be ready, but by next weekend, we'll definitely be ready.

Also, hopefully in the near future after we get everything unpacked and situated, Katie and I plan on having a house-warming get-together thing with all our friends and we hope everyone can join us on this wonderful occasion.

February

Well I officially made it well over a month without a post. There is no real reason for this. I haven't been too busy at work and it's not for a lack of news. I guess I felt that the couple people who actually read my blog already know the news that I would post, but in case I've missed someone, here's what's going on.

First the smaller news. I now teach Karate twice a week instead of the one day I was teaching previously. While I love to teach karate and I now get compensation for teaching, it's hard to have another obligation added to my weekday list. On the plus side for the students, they will now have consistent teaching between classes. In the past two different people taught the two classes, so different things were taught different ways. So hopefully this will be good for our students.

Katie and I started shopping for a house a little over a month ago. We fell in love with this one home, but the home was just out of our budget and the current owner wouldn't lower the price any. So we kept looking around, but we found that we were comparing all houses to that original one. So we stepped back, talked to other people, and looked for ways to afford the house that we wanted. Thanks to a fellow teacher that Katie works with, it was recommended that we try a different financing option. We were told to try the Kentucky Housing Authority. They give lower interest rates to those that make under a certain amount and are state employees (like teachers). This change in financing was exactly what we needed, it brought our payment down alot and we were able to afford our home.

Since then, we've put our offer in for the home, she accepted, we've waited for our financing to get approved and we've waited for everything else in between. Originally when this process was started, the closing on our home was not suppose to be until March 22nd, our finance company did even better and we're actually closing tomorrow, almost a full two weeks ahead of schedule. So tomorrow we close, next week we'll move boxes and little things, and then Saturday March 19th, we completely move (so if anybody wants to help...) Katie and I are very excited and can't wait.

Besides buying a house, we've inherited a cat with it. The owner of the house (and cat) is moving into an apartment and doesn't want to do that to the cat. She wants the cat to be able to stay where she is familiar with things. So starting next week, we will own a cat named Stormy.

Well other than all the little things that Katie and I are getting done for the wedding, that is bulk of everything that has been going on over the past month. I'll try to stay a little more consistent with my blog for those two or three that actually read, so do check back.

Speechless

For this I have no words...click here.

What's that sticky stuff.

I think the title speaks for itself. Go here and read this. If nothing else, I think it will make you chuckle.

The End.

You watch a show for several years, watching each character develop and grow. These characters become part of your life and sometimes even feel real, almost like a family member you watch from the distance or through home videos. When that show comes to an end, you ask yourself "What's next?" or "Now what?".

Even though it is just a show (and you know it) you can't but feel a loss when it comes to an end. Am I the only one that feels this way or are there others out there just like me?

In a way, I've been avoiding watching the final episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, knowing that it was going to end. But I finally had to do so, so yesterday I finished the series. After watching all the seasons (7 seasons and about 151 episodes), it was hard to see it end.

So I say goodbye to all the great characters of Buffy; Buffy, Willow, Xander, Anya, Dawn, Giles, and Spike, it's been great. Sure I can go back anytime and watch the series again (I own all 7 seasons on DVD) but it's just not the same as the first time I got to watch each of those episodes.
I know that it is just a show, but it was great show. I encourage each and every one of you to give it a chance (if you haven't already). It started out a mediocre show and turned itself into a masterpiece. How many shows can incorporate action, drama, comedy, sci-fi, horror, and just about everything into a show. Not many. But show after show BtVS did just that, you never knew what kind of show you in for.

It will be sorely missed, but hopefully it will live on as others discover and enjoy the show that is ...Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Missing

Missing: One blogger who thinks that someone out in cyberspace might actually read this.

Sorry folks, I haven't quite been keeping up with my blog of late. One of co-workers has moved to another job today, as a result I've had and will have a little more work to do. Though I admit that this is no excuse for neglecting my blog. I will try to do better and I apologize to my three readers out there.

Quizzes

I figured I would jump on the bandwagon. Here are my scores from the various quizzes.

The Terminal

What would you do if were stuck in a country that is not your own, you're not allowed outside of the airport, and you can't return to your own country? Viktor Navorski is about to find out. Viktor, played by Tom Hanks, comes to America (New York) and while he is in flight, his country, Krakozhia, is taken over by rebels and is no longer recognized as a country. According to regulations, since he doesn't have a country, he is not allowed onto American soil and his passport is not valid to get him back to Krakozhia. Viktor is forced to live within the terminal.

Tom Hanks does a superb job playing this unfortunate foreigner stuck with no where to go. Let’s not forget about the secondary characters, they are also very interesting. There's a Hispanic man that gets Viktor to help him with girl. The girl, by the way, is an officer that happens to also be a Trekkie. Spielberg has done it again; he's presented us with another unique movie, with a wonderful story, and a number of wonderful characters. He's presented us with a story that runs the gamut of emotions. You laugh, you feel sadness, you feel wonder, and you feel excitement.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and I believe that any fan of Tom Hanks will also. Hanks has once again shown us the actor that he is. I'm going to give this movie a 9.5 out of 10. The Terminal is wonderful and it has appeal for everyone. Watch it for yourself and enjoy!

Google

As you look around my blog, you'll notice a few additions. I have added google to my site. My reason for this is two-fold. One, it allows the visitor to search my site for particular topics. For instance, since I do alot of movie reviews, you can search my blog for a certain title instead of searching through the archives. Secondly, if my site is used for searching the web and/or the advertisements are clicked on, I supposedly earn money, but we will see. If this ends up being less helpful and more of an annoyance, than I will get rid of it. Let me know what you think about this.

Shaun of the Dead

With all the zombie movies out there (see my review on 28 Days Later) what more can be done to expand this subgenre? I'll tell you, turn it into a romantic-comedy horror movie. Now you're probably asking "What the @$!!? How can they possibly combine a romantic comedy with a zombie movie?" Believe it or not, they did it, and with great results.

Shaun of the Dead comes to us from our movie brethren in the UK. The story starts out with Shaun, played by Simon Pegg, who spends most of his time at the local pub. He lives with best friend and is a manager for a store. His girlfriend Liz breaks up with him because the only place he takes her is to the pub. As the movie progresses, Shaun and the others realize that everyone in turning into zombies. Shaun decides he has to save his family and friends from the danger and the fun begins.

Shaun of the Dead shows us what a movie can do if it just thinks outside the box. Who would have ever thought that a romantic comedy about zombies would work? Well, it does, more than you could ever guess. This movie has sidesplitting laughs, it has emotional moments, and it even has a few scares.

Shaun of the Dead is a great movie, so great in fact that I'm going to give it a 9.5 out of 10. With some many elements, you just can't go wrong. I believe that just about everyone will get something out of this movie. So don't wait, go out and find Shaun of the Dead and watch it, and as always...Enjoy!

Reviews

While I tend to use my blog for the purpose of movie reviews, I also want it to be a forum. This forum is for everyone to share their opinions, especially on movies. If you've seen any of the movies that I've reviewed, please let me know what you think of it. Even if you watch a movie a month after I've posted my review, go ahead and comment on it, it's never too late. My voice doesn't have to be the only one heard.

Hero

Hero (also known as Ying xiong) stars Jet Li as the character referred to as Nameless. The story is set in China several hundred years ago before China was unified. Nameless is awarded by the emperor for killing some of the emperor's enemies. Most of the movie shows the audience how each of the fights occurred between Nameless and the enemies.

Hero is a visually stunning film and while the story isn't a real complex one, it is still intriguing. The fight sequences are also beautiful by design and can be appreciated by most people and especially by anyone that is interested in the martial arts. Some of Hero's fight scenes are similar to those in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but even though there are some fantastical elements to the fights, Hero is a little more grounded than Crouching Tiger.

If you enjoyed Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, then chances are that you will enjoy Hero. I enjoyed the beauty of the movie very much, but the story felt a little lacking, so I'm going to give it a 7.5 out of 10. Hero won critical praise and for good reason. Check it out for yourself and enjoy!