This is the Summer for Movies
As I type this post, imagine me talking in nerdish giddy as to the amazing summer movie watching I have in store.
First off, Iron Man. Iron Man will be to Marvel what Batman Begins was for DC. I firmly state that Iron Man will be one of the highest quality (as terms of story and interest go) comic book movies to date. How do I know this?
- One, iron man is one of the most interesting character Marvel has presently.
- Two, Iron Man is being done in house by Marvel. They aren’t under contract from another production firm, the story isn’t being tweaked by various porducers, directors, what have you. The movie Iron Man is coming from the owners of Iron Man.
- Three, the cast really is amazing, Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, that one guy from Crash, and Jon Favrou is directing it (yes I know I butchered all those names back there and I don’t care).
- The previews are all awesome. I can’t wait.
And then as if my nerdy appetite wasn’t satisfied by one Marvel blockbuster this summer, the Incredible Hulk comes out in June. With Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, and Tim Roth as the Abomination. This movie will have everything the forst Hulk movie was missing: ACTION. I mean the point of the Hulk is to see him fight other ridiculously sized creatures. You don’t watch godzilla to see the lizard deal with daddy-issues (a slam on the first hulk movie, where the antagonist was Banner’s abusive father). Anyway, this too is another in house Marvel movie, with an outstanding cast.
Just throwing it out there if anyone wants to paint themselves Green and go see this movie on opening night, that’s where I’ll be!!
And it doesn’t stop there!! Wanted also comes out in June (although I seriously doubt it will be anything like the very graphic graphic novel that is its source material). As does Hellboy 2. Two other comic book movies. And let me not forget Batman the Dark Knight!! The second installment of the revamped Batman line-up will assuredly continue in the cinematic excellence set by its forerunner.
But I won’t stop at comic book movies, here are some others that I will more than likely be seeing: Get Smart, starring Steve Carrell, Tropic Thunder with Jack Black and Ben stiller, and M. Night Shamalyan’s (yeah I spelled his name wrong…) most recent work, The Happening starring Mark Wahlberg.
So yeah, I’m stoked for summer movies. My plan to reduce costs is to rock the drive-in theaters as much as possible. So if you are interested in an cinematic excellence this summer, let me know!!
Grace and peace
Where I’ll be This August
I just got the e-mail from Mission Year staff today!! Come August, I will be heading to Philadelphia for a year with Mission Year!!
Exciting Stuff!!
Grace and Peace!
A Momentary Reprise
I’ve been running with some of my roommates at the Gorge now that the weather has wonderfully decided to embrace Spring. We take about a four mile course by the river, around the Cascade Falls park, the Signal Tree (quite an Akron site if you have never seen it), and we backtrack to our car via a high-ridge trail that has a copious amount of stairs.
And as anyone could imagine or knows from personal experience, stairs are killer. There is a particular stretch that wipes the both of us out and once we reach the summit of our arduous stair trail, we walk for a little bit. It is a brief, but delightful reprise.
As is this post.
Academically, I am running laboriously at present. I have submitted my Seniors Honor Project, am currently finishing my last homework assignment (emphasis on “last” there), miraculously figured out my last computer code, and am arduously working on finishing up my thesis (presently I’m rocking like 90 pages, yeah). And after an analogously stair-like day yesterday, I welcome the brief reprise of an amazing afternoon, an engaging economist lecturer (George Akerlof, a Nobel-winning economist spoke at Akron today, he was quite enjoyable), and a few brief moments to finally update my blog (although I would assert that there are a fair many of you who read this whom have blogs yourself, but don’t update much at all…).
Yeah, so it’s good. Although I know there is still much work to be done, perseverance is that much easier when the end is in site. And it’s true running. And it’s true spiritually. My roommates and I often comment on Paul’s analogy of a runner and a race to our own spirits and how true they are as we run and as our bodies tire (is that the right spelling of tire??) and yet we endure and finish our run well.
And that idea of finishing well has been on my mind very often. Finishing school well. Finishing CF and Reach Akron well. And as I round this final bend, the end still distant, but within sight, I am encouraged to persevere in all areas, motivated of course by a light and momentary reprise.
Grace and peace
On Transition: Part II
In my studies of the Word and in my reflections on life, I have been learning and increasingly wholistic view of the Bible. That is to apply the truths about following God to the everyday elements of your life.
(Aside: I believe one such example of this to be a kosher diet, to the Jews in the OT (and the Messianics who practice this now) the strict dietary guidelines served to remind the people to live a life set apart. Their food and the act of eating transcended its physical meaning of just food and became a spiritual reminder. Yes, it was easy to fall in legalism, but if one stayed true in heart to the principles what an amazing reminder (we eat every day) of how to live, as a people set apart!)
So how does transition affect the spirit?
Let me tell you how Samuel transitioned.
Samuel was born from a mother who was barren and desperately wanted a son. She so wanted a son that she pleaded with the Lord that she would dedicate the son to the service of the Lord (and never cut his hair, facial hair awareness campaign anyone??). God honored her request and Hannah (the mother) gave birth to Samuel.
Samuel essentially grew up in the temple with Eli and his crazy sons. Samuel was literally called by god into being a prophet. He matured and the Word says that his words never fell on deft ears (thus he was a proficient leader, speaker, prophet) and that he was respected by all the people. Samuel would lead in the ceremonies of the day as well as annointing Saul as king for the Israelites.
Then this interesting thing happens. Samuel retires. He’s old and his sons are ready to step up into the family business (being a prophet) and he delivers a farewell address to the Israelites. He exhorts them to follow God, warns them against turning away, demonstrates the Lord’s power, and then says this,
“As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. ” (I Samuel 12:23)
And when I studied Samuel, this was the verse that stuck with me. Why? Because I think I get Samuel. He grew up in the temple, I grew up in church. He served the Lord all the days of his life. I’ve been really active in a bunch of ministries while at college. He was a leader. I do a lot of leader things. So when Samuel says, that it would be a sin for him to fail to pray for the people he was a prophet to, I get it.
But I think that this is something we don’t get culturally. At all. I think that often we easily dismiss transition without responsibility. People lead things, then leave.
And I understand this. I’m not condemning this. I’m not under the impression that transition is bad or that people shouldn’t move from place to place. Rather, it is my speculation that there is a better way of transition than what the cultural norm is presently; that, like Samuel, one can leave a place, ministry, people, church, house, or family, while still serving and caring for them through prayer, letters, calls, etc.
Moreover (I’m growing increasingly fond of transitional words, while on the topic of transition!!) I believe that when it comes to the idea of church or community transitioning well can be an edifying experience. For example, I’m not upset by the fact that many pastors have transitioned into and out of the Chapel, however, how great would it be to hear how they are doing. To continue to rejoice with their successes, to continue to bemoan their woes, and encourage them through their hardships.
Transition opens the door for edification and mission if we do it well.
Grace and peace
Facial Hair Awareness Campaign: Folliculaphilia
In a recent episode of CBS’s How I Met Your Mother, Ted, the bachelor star of the show who is searching New York for the one he is to marry, has 10 sessions of tatoo removal surgery with the girl who played Elliot on Scrubs (I’m too lazy to look up her real name). He is initially shot down, but vows to successfully ask her out after session 10. Come session 8, desperation sets in and Ted asks his friend Barney, (played by Neil Patrick Harris) for assistance. Barney then asserts that the beautiful, young Dr. has the disability, folliculaphilia: (Go watch the video now!!!)
That’s right, the love of facial hair! And I’m glad. I’m glad TV shows are finally starting to see the light of the beauty of beards, and goatees; mustaches, and soulpatches.
Now truth be told, Barney makes up this disease in order to get Ted to grow a mustache, and Ted is again shot down by Elliot (who is actually named Stella in the episode, but will forever be elliot to me).
And yes, Stella does laugh at Ted’s mustache, but take heart. The journey for facial hair awareness is not an easy road. Some will mock your beard, your mustache might be ridiculed every day, but sport it well. Because somewhere out there is a woman, with folliculaphilia, just waiting for you and your soulpatch to come into her world.
Grace and peace
A Dull Blade
As I go through my drafts of posts I have promised you all (On Exasperation, On Transition II, and a new Facial Hair Awareness Campaign) and as I try to write something profound, I realized I couldn’t.
I was talking to my roommate Cool adam the other night and together we were having a pity party for our lame semesters. Generally I don’t condone pity parties as they are sad affairs, but every once in a while they actually help you kick back and relax a little. We were bemoaning the arduous amount of work we had to do (cool adam is an engineering major and I’m in applied math so…). I mentioned that one of the most unnerving things about grad school was that after spending an five to six hours on thesis or other math related things, my mind just felt dull.
Now at first this doesn’t seem too bad, but I enjoy being sharp. I enjoy quickly understanding what others are trying to convey. I like being able to interpret situations and social dynamics with ease. I like being able to generate witty comments or horrible puns as the conversation flows. And generally I do things like this well, but after a day in the grad department, my once sharp mind is dull.
I noticed this phenomenom on multiple occasions. A friend of mine continually called me to hang out but was actually cryptically implying that he wanted to talk about some serious life stuff. And I was oblivious. I just told him I didn’t have time and didn’t read into it until the connection was made a day later, that he wanted to do more than simply hang out.
A dull blade.
So if the posts are a little intermittent, it is because I’m trying to give them the time I feel they warrant. And thanfully abstract writing such as this is just the whetting stone I need to stay sharp.
Grace and peace
