Silence by Bradley Hathaway
What’s happening here?
I was once so alive and now I’m so full of dread and almost dead
Show me your wounded head that is lead to communion with the father
But where did he go?
His presence seems farther and farther away each day
but I’m trying so hard to steer his way
Yet still lonely and confused on this cold hard ground I lay
Speak to me wise mouth and say,
“It’s all good kid
It’s nothing that you did
And though it feels like I’m not here with you right now just be still and silent and listen for that sound...
Shhh...
Did you hear it?
Listen again....
Did you hear it?
That silent voice that just spoke nothing?
That is me.
I’m listening to your plea with open ears
Counting all your tears flowing from your irritated eyes
Searching the skies looking for that hope that beyond there lies.
Oh you young worrisome sparrow, find rest
Lay your battered head upon my omnipresent breast and make it your nest
No strong cold wind could ever blow and carry you from this, your home
Look around, see the life shooting up from the ground
Spring colors springing fourth and celebration of your trusting
It’s a constant process this is
Growing you into the man you are to become
But when you sense the setting of the sun know it is only rising and has just begun
Now go fourth, sing songs of faith, and lift up others in the midst of this race
And if you can’t keep the pace or lose sight of my face
Know that I’m always near so you need not fear
But don’t worry about all that right now
Just sit here and enjoy the peace I offer in my silence
When I am silent I am listening, and not abandoning."
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
It can't be outdone. It can't be outmatched. It can't be outrun.
The new Linkin Park song is actually... decent. I gotta say, I did not see that one coming.
I am a long time fan. Slightly surprising I guess, given my tendancy to quickly disregard the more top forty type rock bands. But with Linkin Park, it's more sentimental. One of the first CDs I owned as a kid was "Meteora", and I remember putting that baby on repeat ALL day. I remember getting a hold of my sister's "Hybrid Theory" disc, and falling in love with those tracks too. Hey, don't hate. It's hard to unlike things you liked as a kid.
They used to be angry white boys that could kind-of scream and kind-of rap, but they weren't afraid to act like they were the best at both. Their lack of technical skills were more than compensated for by their catchy hooks. Mike and Chester were like my musical heroes (well, some things DO change). Still, their combination of easy-to-rap-along-with rap verses and slow easy-to-sing-along-with choruses made songs like "In The End" and "Numb" anthems for me. I never heard guitar solos in their songs, but it didn't matter because thats not what I was looking for. Not from them anyway.
Then "Minutes To Midnight" happened. Yikes. What happened there boys? A slow boring album with no real sadness to speak of. A pathetic attempt at a guitar solo. Not to mention random swearing in their music all of a sudden. "What I've Done" has never grown on me. In fact, from that whole album, I like 2 tracks. It was just a disaster, an over-calculated mess. No more anger? I can deal with that I guess. But no more passion? Come on guys.
But then I thought that maybe I was just growing up. Maybe if I'd heard these songs as a 12 year old I would like them. Maybe Linkin Park were never that great in the first place? I could never unlove songs I loved so much in the past, so I couldn't just forget their old stuff. But maybe their new material just didn't fall under that category, so I could just dislike it freely so to speak.
But then I heard "The Catalyst". And I really like it. Mike Shinoda's singing adds a lot. Dual vocalists doesn't have to mean that one raps and one sings. I like that. The techno undertones don't seem gimicky either. I like that. The piano bit with Chester singing "Lift me up. Let me go." is cool. I like that. I like the video too.
Who knows if the album is going to be good. It could end up being ultra lame and really crap and affirm my believe that I've just outgrown them. But I feel like it could turn out awesome. I think I'm gonna like it. I hope I'm not let down. Whatever the case, it feels good to like Linkin Park again.
I am a long time fan. Slightly surprising I guess, given my tendancy to quickly disregard the more top forty type rock bands. But with Linkin Park, it's more sentimental. One of the first CDs I owned as a kid was "Meteora", and I remember putting that baby on repeat ALL day. I remember getting a hold of my sister's "Hybrid Theory" disc, and falling in love with those tracks too. Hey, don't hate. It's hard to unlike things you liked as a kid.
They used to be angry white boys that could kind-of scream and kind-of rap, but they weren't afraid to act like they were the best at both. Their lack of technical skills were more than compensated for by their catchy hooks. Mike and Chester were like my musical heroes (well, some things DO change). Still, their combination of easy-to-rap-along-with rap verses and slow easy-to-sing-along-with choruses made songs like "In The End" and "Numb" anthems for me. I never heard guitar solos in their songs, but it didn't matter because thats not what I was looking for. Not from them anyway.
Then "Minutes To Midnight" happened. Yikes. What happened there boys? A slow boring album with no real sadness to speak of. A pathetic attempt at a guitar solo. Not to mention random swearing in their music all of a sudden. "What I've Done" has never grown on me. In fact, from that whole album, I like 2 tracks. It was just a disaster, an over-calculated mess. No more anger? I can deal with that I guess. But no more passion? Come on guys.
But then I thought that maybe I was just growing up. Maybe if I'd heard these songs as a 12 year old I would like them. Maybe Linkin Park were never that great in the first place? I could never unlove songs I loved so much in the past, so I couldn't just forget their old stuff. But maybe their new material just didn't fall under that category, so I could just dislike it freely so to speak.
But then I heard "The Catalyst". And I really like it. Mike Shinoda's singing adds a lot. Dual vocalists doesn't have to mean that one raps and one sings. I like that. The techno undertones don't seem gimicky either. I like that. The piano bit with Chester singing "Lift me up. Let me go." is cool. I like that. I like the video too.
Who knows if the album is going to be good. It could end up being ultra lame and really crap and affirm my believe that I've just outgrown them. But I feel like it could turn out awesome. I think I'm gonna like it. I hope I'm not let down. Whatever the case, it feels good to like Linkin Park again.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The three greatest match promos of all time
Nothing gets me more amped for a wrestling match (especially a main event) more than a well put together video package that precedes it. It sums up the storyline of both superstars leading up to the match, and paints a picture of the whole feud. In terms of TV Shows, it acts as the "Previously on..." before the episodes starts, so that you understand everything thats gone down.
The following 3 videos are my three absolute favourite. Even watching them now gets me excited to watch those matches again.
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The Rock vs Stone Cold (Wrestlemania X7)
This feud represents a past age in wrestling. Never will it be like this again, but while the Attitude Era lasted, there could have been no better frontmen for it than The Rock and Stone Cold. Stone Cold was just a bad-ass, the one who ushered in the Attitude Era, and had great in-ring story telling ability. The Rock was the best talker to ever hold a mic, had charisma to burn, and was the perfect foil to The Rattlesnake. Of their 3 WM clashes, this one is my favourite, and it also had the best promo for it. They somehow made listening to Limp Bizkit bearable.
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John Cena vs Randy Orton (Bragging Rights 2009)
Neither of these men are the most exciting to watch in the ring, but they had many great matches together. They had the same kind of chemistry in the ring that Rock and Stone Cold did, and sure, you could call them the Rock and Stone Cold of this generation. But that's a compliment. This video package does an awesome job of highlighting all their history, and with the added stipulation of John Cena leaving if he loses, it adds a lot of drama.
__________________________________
Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker (Wrestlemania XXVI)
Two of the greatest wrestlers to ever set foot in the ring, HBK and The Deadman proved time and time again over these years why they are on the top of the mountain. But against each other? It was a dream feud, and it delivered. How? By stealing the show two Wrestlemanias in a row. This video package is quite possibly the best ever created by WWE, and it's easily my favourite. Nice use of the Placebo song (Running Up That Hill, originally by Kate Bush).
The following 3 videos are my three absolute favourite. Even watching them now gets me excited to watch those matches again.
__________________________________
The Rock vs Stone Cold (Wrestlemania X7)
This feud represents a past age in wrestling. Never will it be like this again, but while the Attitude Era lasted, there could have been no better frontmen for it than The Rock and Stone Cold. Stone Cold was just a bad-ass, the one who ushered in the Attitude Era, and had great in-ring story telling ability. The Rock was the best talker to ever hold a mic, had charisma to burn, and was the perfect foil to The Rattlesnake. Of their 3 WM clashes, this one is my favourite, and it also had the best promo for it. They somehow made listening to Limp Bizkit bearable.
__________________________________
John Cena vs Randy Orton (Bragging Rights 2009)
Neither of these men are the most exciting to watch in the ring, but they had many great matches together. They had the same kind of chemistry in the ring that Rock and Stone Cold did, and sure, you could call them the Rock and Stone Cold of this generation. But that's a compliment. This video package does an awesome job of highlighting all their history, and with the added stipulation of John Cena leaving if he loses, it adds a lot of drama.
__________________________________
Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker (Wrestlemania XXVI)
Two of the greatest wrestlers to ever set foot in the ring, HBK and The Deadman proved time and time again over these years why they are on the top of the mountain. But against each other? It was a dream feud, and it delivered. How? By stealing the show two Wrestlemanias in a row. This video package is quite possibly the best ever created by WWE, and it's easily my favourite. Nice use of the Placebo song (Running Up That Hill, originally by Kate Bush).
Monday, August 23, 2010
Few thoughts 7
This blog now has a Like button! At the bottom of each post. Yusss. So, yeah. Like something if you like it.
I was gonna add different stuff to click, like a "funny" button, or a "cool" one. But then I thought that they would be pretty pointless, and decided against them. Also, it seems you can click on "like" more than once, but please don't do that. It'll make me think there are more people reading this than there actually are.
__________________________________
Usually when I have a sore tooth I just chew with the other side of my mouth and it's fine. But today I was in the unfortunate situation of having both sides with sore teeth. I guess the average person would admit defeat and just eat things that you don't have to chew.
Not me. Nope. Mum made a mean dinner, so there was no way I was backing down. I chewed like a real man, switching back and forth between the sides of my mouth, and straight swallowed the bigger bits.
__________________________________
Just watched Shutter Island and it was pretty good; I don't why everyone was dissapointed with it. Maybe they thought that just because they predicted the twist that it made the movie obsolete. Like many great movies, it's not actually the plot that makes it awesome; it's the story-telling.
It's the visual and imagery. It's the music, both dramatic and subtle. It's the setting. The exaggerated horror-film-type camera shots. All coming together to create an amazingly chilling atmosphere that the more than capable actors fill perfectly.
Now Leo, it's time to leave Scorsese. No more of this Crowe/Scott and Depp/Burton type nonsense.
__________________________________
The most off-putting thing about doing Zumba-type workouts is how the people on the screen talk CONSTANTLY while doing it, and I'm panting right from the beginning. Like, screw you buddy. I'm ultra wasted and you're just singing along to the song that's playing.
__________________________________
The greatest scene from any comedy movie in the last 10 years in my opinion is the scene with the acoustic 'Sweet Child O Mine' rendition sung by Derek's family in Step Brothers. Derek's solo for the win.
I was gonna add different stuff to click, like a "funny" button, or a "cool" one. But then I thought that they would be pretty pointless, and decided against them. Also, it seems you can click on "like" more than once, but please don't do that. It'll make me think there are more people reading this than there actually are.
__________________________________
Usually when I have a sore tooth I just chew with the other side of my mouth and it's fine. But today I was in the unfortunate situation of having both sides with sore teeth. I guess the average person would admit defeat and just eat things that you don't have to chew.
Not me. Nope. Mum made a mean dinner, so there was no way I was backing down. I chewed like a real man, switching back and forth between the sides of my mouth, and straight swallowed the bigger bits.
__________________________________
Just watched Shutter Island and it was pretty good; I don't why everyone was dissapointed with it. Maybe they thought that just because they predicted the twist that it made the movie obsolete. Like many great movies, it's not actually the plot that makes it awesome; it's the story-telling.
It's the visual and imagery. It's the music, both dramatic and subtle. It's the setting. The exaggerated horror-film-type camera shots. All coming together to create an amazingly chilling atmosphere that the more than capable actors fill perfectly.
Now Leo, it's time to leave Scorsese. No more of this Crowe/Scott and Depp/Burton type nonsense.
__________________________________
The most off-putting thing about doing Zumba-type workouts is how the people on the screen talk CONSTANTLY while doing it, and I'm panting right from the beginning. Like, screw you buddy. I'm ultra wasted and you're just singing along to the song that's playing.
__________________________________
The greatest scene from any comedy movie in the last 10 years in my opinion is the scene with the acoustic 'Sweet Child O Mine' rendition sung by Derek's family in Step Brothers. Derek's solo for the win.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Be yourself. Whatever that means.
Most people can be categorized into two groups:
There are those who just follow the crowd, and do all they can to conform and be accepted by society as a whole. Then there are those who fight with all they have to go against the grain. Which of these two groups is more free?
If you think the second group, then I disagree with you. The first group isn't more free either; I believe both are living a lie.
People these days are so into being "different" that they are annoying me more than people who just follow the crowd in everything. Check this: If your whole personality is built on being different from what society would have you believe, doesn't that mean that you're following the crowd just as much? If you only do things because it'll piss off certain people, then not only are you just as devoid of identity, but it means that you're a douchebag.
I mean, think about it. We shouldn't be trying to be different. We should be ourselves, whatever others think. If we happen to do some things that are considered normal or mainstream, then so be it. And if we act in a certain way that may offend others, then so be it also. But it shouldn't be either or. Those who base their personalities on what mainstream society tells us are lost. But so are those who base their personalities on upsetting the mainstream society. Because both use mainstream society as a basis in the first place.
It's cool to be weird and yourself. It's not cool to be weird for the sake of being "that guy in the group who is so totally weird."
There are those who just follow the crowd, and do all they can to conform and be accepted by society as a whole. Then there are those who fight with all they have to go against the grain. Which of these two groups is more free?
If you think the second group, then I disagree with you. The first group isn't more free either; I believe both are living a lie.
People these days are so into being "different" that they are annoying me more than people who just follow the crowd in everything. Check this: If your whole personality is built on being different from what society would have you believe, doesn't that mean that you're following the crowd just as much? If you only do things because it'll piss off certain people, then not only are you just as devoid of identity, but it means that you're a douchebag.
I mean, think about it. We shouldn't be trying to be different. We should be ourselves, whatever others think. If we happen to do some things that are considered normal or mainstream, then so be it. And if we act in a certain way that may offend others, then so be it also. But it shouldn't be either or. Those who base their personalities on what mainstream society tells us are lost. But so are those who base their personalities on upsetting the mainstream society. Because both use mainstream society as a basis in the first place.
It's cool to be weird and yourself. It's not cool to be weird for the sake of being "that guy in the group who is so totally weird."
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Define: snerious
I just realized that I search up the definitions for the weirdest stuff:
(click on image to see full size)
'Phooey'? Was that for a blog post or something? I can't even remember. Was I that nervous that people would say: "Aha! He can't use 'phooey' properly! Shame!"
And 'duly noted'? Really? When did I desperately want to know the meaning of that one? I'm pretty sure I already knew how to use it, but why would I need an ultra specific
People, this is when trying to sound smart just goes too far. I actually am legit trying to find the meanings of smart sounding words and phrases, to write them in a blog that, let's be honest, only about 3 people read. I think I have a(nother) problem?
(click on image to see full size)
'Phooey'? Was that for a blog post or something? I can't even remember. Was I that nervous that people would say: "Aha! He can't use 'phooey' properly! Shame!"
And 'duly noted'? Really? When did I desperately want to know the meaning of that one? I'm pretty sure I already knew how to use it, but why would I need an ultra specific
People, this is when trying to sound smart just goes too far. I actually am legit trying to find the meanings of smart sounding words and phrases, to write them in a blog that, let's be honest, only about 3 people read. I think I have a(nother) problem?
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Image
I realize that life isn't all about image. I get that we should just be who we are, and be honest, instead of trying to conform to what others do. But I did get a strange feeling of left-out-ness when I turned up to youth on Tuesday night; everyone was wearing long pants, some form of longsleeved top, and closed shoes.
I was in a t-shirt, shorts, and jandals. And you know what the worst part was? The jandals didn't match; one was yellow and one was blue. It was in the back of my mind all night and no one even mentioned it. Hardout glad no one noticed. Unless I'm percieved as such a fob that people think this is the norm for me, and therefore no amusement would be had in pointing it out?
The latter would not surprise me.
I was in a t-shirt, shorts, and jandals. And you know what the worst part was? The jandals didn't match; one was yellow and one was blue. It was in the back of my mind all night and no one even mentioned it. Hardout glad no one noticed. Unless I'm percieved as such a fob that people think this is the norm for me, and therefore no amusement would be had in pointing it out?
The latter would not surprise me.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Oh the little things
It doesn't take the force of an avalanche to start an avalanche. It takes only for one factor to shift from normality; whether it be additional precipitation or a small rock fall, it doesn't take a huge amount of change to start what ends up being an unstoppable and destructive force.
Jesse stop trying to be a wise sage dude and get to the point.
Well, like I do a lot of the time, I was dwelling in my thoughts recently. While I think I'm a great guy and all (and lets all admit, I am a great guy), I have a great many flaws. Not just little flaws that can be characterised as quirks or whatever. I mean certain ways of thinking that I have adapted that aren't healthy. Thinking about all the bad habits or characteristics in my personality, I began to wonder where they came from. I couldn't pinpoint any specific dates in my life in which I started to act in any particular fashion, but I did deduce that they must have started with little things.
People say that after a little lie, it gets easier and easier to tell a big lie. Then next thing you know, you're lying by default. You're lying all the time because it's easier, and it's how your mind works now. You find yourself pulling yourself out of the ordinary just to tell the truth.
That's life. The littlest things that we don't even pay mind to are the things that we should be the most diligent about. That's not to say that we should ignore big issues that are in your face or anything. Sure, pay attention to them, deal with them, and make sure they don't overwhelm you.
But at the same time, watch yourself. Like, really watch yourself. I'm talking from personal experience. It's the little things. Sleeping in half an hour later than I should turned into not caring about missing first period at high school. Which turned into not caring if I turned up during interval. Which became me not minding if I missed the first week of uni lectures. Which made me question if I really should go into my physics lectures everyday, seeing as I already knew most of it already. Umm yeah; I failed that paper.
I know right. But that's just an example of something that really wasn't a huge problem turning into me having to work harder the next semester to make up for a failed STAGE ONE paper. Wow, as I'm writing this, I don't know whether or not I'm gonna post it, because it's embarrasing. But you're reading this sentence right now aren't you, so I guess I did.
It doesn't have to be about school. All around us, all the time, there are opportunities to just drop your guard and compromise. Even just a little. Letting out that four-lettered word in a soft mumble. Kissing that bodypart of your parnter that you shouldn't, even just for a moment. Having just that one bottle too many. Please reader, be careful. You know your boundaries in your heart. Don't change them just because it's slowly getting more and more difficult not to cross them. Be faithful in the small, be diligent in the seemingly pointless.
And yes, before you get on my case about being a hypocrite, this isn't how I live all the time. But it's how we all know in our hearts we should live. I'm speaking the truth, not the convenient.
However, there is good news. Just as bad things can start small, so do good things. People in succesful jobs, or who have great kids, or just seem like really great people with great influence are all enviable. But they did the little and mostly unseen things to get where they are. That's right I bolded the word unseen. That wasn't an accident. Starting good habits is about as difficult as starting bad habits is easy. (...does that make sense?) You know what I mean. But in the long run, it'll be way better.
So just as I implore to you that we should be diligent in stopping the big issues before they get big, we should equally live out the truth in whatever little form we can. Then it will grow. It's just like a great and mighty tree (this would sound so much cooler if I knew the name of a massive tree) that starts out as a seed. Things that hinder us start as little compromises that we think are unimportant. But things that change our lives in amazing ways also start out as little things that also seem unimportant. But be diligent. It all adds up, it all grows, and it's all noticed in the end. Trust me.
Any awesome quotes to end this? Come on, you know heaps of random quotes.
How about this:
1 Corinthians 15:58 - Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Jesse stop trying to be a wise sage dude and get to the point.
Well, like I do a lot of the time, I was dwelling in my thoughts recently. While I think I'm a great guy and all (and lets all admit, I am a great guy), I have a great many flaws. Not just little flaws that can be characterised as quirks or whatever. I mean certain ways of thinking that I have adapted that aren't healthy. Thinking about all the bad habits or characteristics in my personality, I began to wonder where they came from. I couldn't pinpoint any specific dates in my life in which I started to act in any particular fashion, but I did deduce that they must have started with little things.
People say that after a little lie, it gets easier and easier to tell a big lie. Then next thing you know, you're lying by default. You're lying all the time because it's easier, and it's how your mind works now. You find yourself pulling yourself out of the ordinary just to tell the truth.
That's life. The littlest things that we don't even pay mind to are the things that we should be the most diligent about. That's not to say that we should ignore big issues that are in your face or anything. Sure, pay attention to them, deal with them, and make sure they don't overwhelm you.
But at the same time, watch yourself. Like, really watch yourself. I'm talking from personal experience. It's the little things. Sleeping in half an hour later than I should turned into not caring about missing first period at high school. Which turned into not caring if I turned up during interval. Which became me not minding if I missed the first week of uni lectures. Which made me question if I really should go into my physics lectures everyday, seeing as I already knew most of it already. Umm yeah; I failed that paper.
I know right. But that's just an example of something that really wasn't a huge problem turning into me having to work harder the next semester to make up for a failed STAGE ONE paper. Wow, as I'm writing this, I don't know whether or not I'm gonna post it, because it's embarrasing. But you're reading this sentence right now aren't you, so I guess I did.
It doesn't have to be about school. All around us, all the time, there are opportunities to just drop your guard and compromise. Even just a little. Letting out that four-lettered word in a soft mumble. Kissing that bodypart of your parnter that you shouldn't, even just for a moment. Having just that one bottle too many. Please reader, be careful. You know your boundaries in your heart. Don't change them just because it's slowly getting more and more difficult not to cross them. Be faithful in the small, be diligent in the seemingly pointless.
And yes, before you get on my case about being a hypocrite, this isn't how I live all the time. But it's how we all know in our hearts we should live. I'm speaking the truth, not the convenient.
However, there is good news. Just as bad things can start small, so do good things. People in succesful jobs, or who have great kids, or just seem like really great people with great influence are all enviable. But they did the little and mostly unseen things to get where they are. That's right I bolded the word unseen. That wasn't an accident. Starting good habits is about as difficult as starting bad habits is easy. (...does that make sense?) You know what I mean. But in the long run, it'll be way better.
So just as I implore to you that we should be diligent in stopping the big issues before they get big, we should equally live out the truth in whatever little form we can. Then it will grow. It's just like a great and mighty tree (this would sound so much cooler if I knew the name of a massive tree) that starts out as a seed. Things that hinder us start as little compromises that we think are unimportant. But things that change our lives in amazing ways also start out as little things that also seem unimportant. But be diligent. It all adds up, it all grows, and it's all noticed in the end. Trust me.
Any awesome quotes to end this? Come on, you know heaps of random quotes.
How about this:
1 Corinthians 15:58 - Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Interesting insight
Once upon a time in a place overrun with monkeys, a man appeared and announced to the villagers that he would buy monkeys for $10 each. The villagers, seeing that there were many monkeys around, went out to the forest, and started catching them.
The man bought thousands at $10 and as supply started to diminish, they became harder to catch, so the villagers stopped their effort. The man then announced that he would now pay $20 for each one.
This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching monkeys again. But soon the supply diminished even further and they were ever harder to catch, so people started going back to their farms and forgot about monkey catching.
The man increased his price to $25 each and the supply of monkeys became so sparse that it was an effort to even see a monkey, much less catch one.
The man now announced that he would buy monkeys for $50! However, since he had to go to the city on some business, his assistant would now buy on his behalf.
While the man was away the assistant told the villagers. 'Look at all these monkeys in the big cage that the man has bought. I will sell them to you at $35 each and when the man returns from the city, you can sell them to him for $50 each.'
The villagers rounded up all their savings and bought all the monkeys. They never saw the man nor his assistant again and once again there were monkeys everywhere.
Now you know how the stock market works.
The man bought thousands at $10 and as supply started to diminish, they became harder to catch, so the villagers stopped their effort. The man then announced that he would now pay $20 for each one.
This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching monkeys again. But soon the supply diminished even further and they were ever harder to catch, so people started going back to their farms and forgot about monkey catching.
The man increased his price to $25 each and the supply of monkeys became so sparse that it was an effort to even see a monkey, much less catch one.
The man now announced that he would buy monkeys for $50! However, since he had to go to the city on some business, his assistant would now buy on his behalf.
While the man was away the assistant told the villagers. 'Look at all these monkeys in the big cage that the man has bought. I will sell them to you at $35 each and when the man returns from the city, you can sell them to him for $50 each.'
The villagers rounded up all their savings and bought all the monkeys. They never saw the man nor his assistant again and once again there were monkeys everywhere.
Now you know how the stock market works.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Myth of the Sequel
After a discussion with a friend recently about how sequels are never quite as good as the originals, I started to see if I could think of movies that are (in my opinion) actually better than the first ones. Not sure how much I could come up with up, but I'll think of them as I type.
Oh, and I havn't included sequels like LOTR: Two Towers, because all 3 films are really just one book, and therefore not an actual sequel that was written after the first was released, but rather the next part of the same story that was all written at once.
And I havn't included sequels like Godfather: Part 2 because, well, I havn't seen it yet. I lost music street cred, now movie stret cred too. Sigh.
And I also ommited sequels like Matrix Reloaded because it sucked.
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Honourable Mentions:
Toy Story 2
Spider-Man 2
X2
Evil Dead 2
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Kill Bill: Volume 2
While I said before that I wouldn't include Lord of the Rings because it was all one story, I'm including the second Kill Bill even though it could be considered in the same category. However, the two movies are just so different that it's like they were written by two different people. Actually, no, they are both stylized and slightly self-indulged in that charming Tarantino way, so only he could have written either.
However, the second wins for me. Tarantino writes my favourite kind of dialogue. It's like he told the actors to start the scene, and then he went for a cigarette break and forgot to yell cut, so the scenes just go on. And on. It's awesome. The conversation at end before the Five Point Palm Exploding Heart is a great example of this. Dear Tarantino: more Pulp Fiction and less Death Proof please.
The Bourne Supremacy
Disclaimer: Havn't read the books.
This was a case of "more of the same, just bigger and better." What made the original film awesome was that some dude who had no idea who he was just beating up people who were chasing him, running from them while simulteniously trying to find out who he was. And with Supremacy, we get more. Only the running is faster, the shooting is better, the fight sequences better directed, the car chases more exciting, and Matt Damon makes you feel empathy for a character who shows no emotion most of the time. That's what you call acting. Oh, and they make shaky cam awesome instead of annoying like it usually is.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Because Arnie became the good guy! Good twist at the beginning of the movie to differentiate it from the original. Not to mention that even 20 years after it was released, dreaming of the T-1000 chasing me still really freaks me out. I'm scared of slugs, snails, and killer terminators solidifying infront of me turning his arm into a sword. Awesome action set pieces, special effects that don't even seem that dated for the age it was released, all set to a simple premise: one killer machine is trying to kill John Connor, and the other killer machine is trying to protect John Connor. Yes please.
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
I can't say for sure that I enjoy this more than A New Hope, but it's clear that this movie is the one that actually set up the Star Wars universe, and began to establish the world around the main characters. The original could easily have been a stand alone picture, but with Empire, George Lucas actually makes us believe that there a whole living universe around them, with unlimited story potential. With Empire, Star Wars ceased to be a movie and turned into a franchise.
And how about that reveal at the end. Everyone under the sun knows the line, but I was lucky enough to watch this movie without knowing the twist. It was awesome. This was the beginning of the part-2-ends-in-a-twist-so-you-gotta-watch-part-3-era that we are a part of. If you havn't seen it, see it.
The Dark Knight
With Batman Begins, it was important to establish the character. Why would a billionaire dress up as a bat to fight crime (illegally, funnily enough)? So we got a dark, brooding film. We journeyed into the depths of Bruce's soul, and saw why he made his decisions.
With The Dark Knight however, the shackles of origin explanations were broken. Now it was a war of two armies, each army only consisting of one man: Batman and Joker. Without the restraint and slow pace that defined the original (but still very enjoyable) film, TDK was a film that was fastpaced yet methodical in it's approach. It juggled the themes of escalation, anarchy, good and evil, and did so with such breathtaking ease that 2 and a half hours just seemed too short. Not to mention the action setpieces (the plane plucking up Batman from the building, the truck flip, the hospital explosion).
It surpassed what anyone thought could be possible for a comic book film. Chris Nolan was already the real deal before this (watch Memento), this was just more proof.
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Also, I lied. I wasn't talking to a friend about this. Really I just started thinking about it in bed last night. But the "I was talking to a friend" thing really seems a more blog-like way to start a blog post doesn't it.
Oh, and I havn't included sequels like LOTR: Two Towers, because all 3 films are really just one book, and therefore not an actual sequel that was written after the first was released, but rather the next part of the same story that was all written at once.
And I havn't included sequels like Godfather: Part 2 because, well, I havn't seen it yet. I lost music street cred, now movie stret cred too. Sigh.
And I also ommited sequels like Matrix Reloaded because it sucked.
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Honourable Mentions:
Toy Story 2
Spider-Man 2
X2
Evil Dead 2
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Kill Bill: Volume 2
While I said before that I wouldn't include Lord of the Rings because it was all one story, I'm including the second Kill Bill even though it could be considered in the same category. However, the two movies are just so different that it's like they were written by two different people. Actually, no, they are both stylized and slightly self-indulged in that charming Tarantino way, so only he could have written either.
However, the second wins for me. Tarantino writes my favourite kind of dialogue. It's like he told the actors to start the scene, and then he went for a cigarette break and forgot to yell cut, so the scenes just go on. And on. It's awesome. The conversation at end before the Five Point Palm Exploding Heart is a great example of this. Dear Tarantino: more Pulp Fiction and less Death Proof please.
The Bourne Supremacy
Disclaimer: Havn't read the books.
This was a case of "more of the same, just bigger and better." What made the original film awesome was that some dude who had no idea who he was just beating up people who were chasing him, running from them while simulteniously trying to find out who he was. And with Supremacy, we get more. Only the running is faster, the shooting is better, the fight sequences better directed, the car chases more exciting, and Matt Damon makes you feel empathy for a character who shows no emotion most of the time. That's what you call acting. Oh, and they make shaky cam awesome instead of annoying like it usually is.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Because Arnie became the good guy! Good twist at the beginning of the movie to differentiate it from the original. Not to mention that even 20 years after it was released, dreaming of the T-1000 chasing me still really freaks me out. I'm scared of slugs, snails, and killer terminators solidifying infront of me turning his arm into a sword. Awesome action set pieces, special effects that don't even seem that dated for the age it was released, all set to a simple premise: one killer machine is trying to kill John Connor, and the other killer machine is trying to protect John Connor. Yes please.
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
I can't say for sure that I enjoy this more than A New Hope, but it's clear that this movie is the one that actually set up the Star Wars universe, and began to establish the world around the main characters. The original could easily have been a stand alone picture, but with Empire, George Lucas actually makes us believe that there a whole living universe around them, with unlimited story potential. With Empire, Star Wars ceased to be a movie and turned into a franchise.
And how about that reveal at the end. Everyone under the sun knows the line, but I was lucky enough to watch this movie without knowing the twist. It was awesome. This was the beginning of the part-2-ends-in-a-twist-so-you-gotta-watch-part-3-era that we are a part of. If you havn't seen it, see it.
The Dark Knight
With Batman Begins, it was important to establish the character. Why would a billionaire dress up as a bat to fight crime (illegally, funnily enough)? So we got a dark, brooding film. We journeyed into the depths of Bruce's soul, and saw why he made his decisions.
With The Dark Knight however, the shackles of origin explanations were broken. Now it was a war of two armies, each army only consisting of one man: Batman and Joker. Without the restraint and slow pace that defined the original (but still very enjoyable) film, TDK was a film that was fastpaced yet methodical in it's approach. It juggled the themes of escalation, anarchy, good and evil, and did so with such breathtaking ease that 2 and a half hours just seemed too short. Not to mention the action setpieces (the plane plucking up Batman from the building, the truck flip, the hospital explosion).
It surpassed what anyone thought could be possible for a comic book film. Chris Nolan was already the real deal before this (watch Memento), this was just more proof.
__________________________________
Also, I lied. I wasn't talking to a friend about this. Really I just started thinking about it in bed last night. But the "I was talking to a friend" thing really seems a more blog-like way to start a blog post doesn't it.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Bye bye street cred
I have been listening to way more Taylor Swift than the socially accepted amount. While I'm not exactly sure what the acceptable quota is, I do know that I've had her Fearless album on repeat for a few hours now (not to mention the amount of times I've listened to 'Mine' the past couple of days), so I think it's safe to conclude that it's over the maximum amount of acceptable swifting.
Swifting? Wow my condition is worse than I thought. It's just that her songs are so singalongable right.
Fricken heck Jesse. Now I gotta go get down on some Mew or Bradley Hathaway or Janelle Monae to try get some of my indie credibility back. I just hope it's not too late, I may have lost it permanently. Hopefully next time you see me I won't be humming 'Fifteen'.
Swifting? Wow my condition is worse than I thought. It's just that her songs are so singalongable right.
Fricken heck Jesse. Now I gotta go get down on some Mew or Bradley Hathaway or Janelle Monae to try get some of my indie credibility back. I just hope it's not too late, I may have lost it permanently. Hopefully next time you see me I won't be humming 'Fifteen'.
Monday, August 9, 2010
See me now, just look around: I'm beamin'.
Without really realizing it or doing it intentionally, I randomly stopped posting on my blog for about a week. Which isn't a big deal I guess; I mean, c'mon, it's just one week right. But considering I was doing 2 posts a day before, it is strange. Maybe I should space them out, and save thoughts so that I wouldn't go for so long without posting. My readers (ha...) will be happier that way.
But don't worry reader (reader that was probably directed to this blog because I hounded you to read this), I am back, and the urge to type my thoughts is still here.
So chin up. Fret not. Dry those tears. Pick yourself up. Stop worrying. Turn that frown upside down. The world is right again.
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Actually, no, the world isn't all right. What's up with all my teams losing, all the time, in everything? Springboks got owned 3 times in a row by the only teams in international rugby worth beating. Then both Roosters and Storm suffered losses in the same week. On top of that, New Directions didn't even place at regionals.
Wait... Hmm, now that I've typed it out, it doesn't actually seem like a lot. Really, that was only 4 teams. That's not too bad I guess. I'm still happy that Man U beat Chelsea. Plus Counties Makukau are top of NPC table (sorry, ITM Cup). Not to mention my man Dolph Ziggler finally tasted singles gold.
Nevermind.
But don't worry reader (reader that was probably directed to this blog because I hounded you to read this), I am back, and the urge to type my thoughts is still here.
So chin up. Fret not. Dry those tears. Pick yourself up. Stop worrying. Turn that frown upside down. The world is right again.
__________________________________
Actually, no, the world isn't all right. What's up with all my teams losing, all the time, in everything? Springboks got owned 3 times in a row by the only teams in international rugby worth beating. Then both Roosters and Storm suffered losses in the same week. On top of that, New Directions didn't even place at regionals.
Wait... Hmm, now that I've typed it out, it doesn't actually seem like a lot. Really, that was only 4 teams. That's not too bad I guess. I'm still happy that Man U beat Chelsea. Plus Counties Makukau are top of NPC table (sorry, ITM Cup). Not to mention my man Dolph Ziggler finally tasted singles gold.
Nevermind.
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