Musical discussion...

Those times when my brother and I are riding in the same car, there is a constant power struggle over who controls the radio. My brother likes classic rock, mostly songs from the seventies and eighties. While I also enjoy this kind of music, it is not my favorite genre. What do I love? Alternative rock - the newer, the better. A few days ago, we were out shopping, and I put the radio on my favorite station - 105.5 The Vulcan. The new Breaking Benjamin song was on, so I cranked up the volume. The conversation that followed went something like this...

My Brother (listening to the song): "Is he saying Diarrhea Jane?"

Me (looking at him strangely): ". . ."

My Brother: "What?"

Me (laughing): "Nothing..."

~ ~ ~

He's not great with lyrics... : )

(The song was The Diary Of Jane - Breaking Benjamin)

Seraphim Falls

~ Movie Review ~

Seraphim Falls
I watched this movie without knowing anything about it. I didn't even know the basic plot, or which actors were in it. Even though I had no idea what to expect, it turned out to be a pretty good movie. The basic story was well thought out, and the acting was quite good. It is rated R, but the language was not too bad. It was mostly rated for blood/violence. There are a few "icky" parts, but I've seen much worse. One thing I really enjoyed, was spotting all the different actors in cameo appearances. I liked the ending, even though the movie started to get a little "artsy" at the end.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The film is set after the end of the American Civil War. Gideon (Pierce Brosnan) is hiding in the American Rockies, contemplating a fire. A shot pierces the silence and hits Gideon, who quickly runs away, followed by his pursuers. Soon the audience learn why: Gideon is a hunted man. Colonel Morsman Carver (Liam Neeson), a Confederate officer, has hired several mountain men to kill Gideon...

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

I give this movie 2 out of 5 stars. **

~*Quote of the day*~

Folks never understand the folks they hate.

James Russell Lowell


~*Word of the day*~

Itai! (Japanese)

Meaning: Ouch!

Currently Listening to... "Umbrella" - Rihanna

Hogzilla's big brother...

In Montgomery, Alabama...

Jamison Stone, an 11-year-old boy, used a pistol to kill a wild hog his father says weighed 1,051 pounds and measured 9' 4", from its snout to the base of its tail. If it's true, then it is bigger than the legendary Hogzilla, which was killed in south Georgia in 2004. Hogzilla was originally thought to weigh 1,000 pounds and measure 12 feet long.

Jamison was hunting with father Mike Stone and two guides in east Alabama on May 3rd when he bagged the Monster Pig. He said he shot the huge animal eight times with a .50-caliber revolver and chased it for three hours through hilly woods before finishing it off with a point-blank shot.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When I saw the picture on the news this morning, I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought it must be a prank, or something like that, but it's real! It reminded me of the movie "Princess Mononoke". I can't believe there was an animal like that here in Alabama. Personally, I wish they hadn't killed it. Think of how old it must have been! It would have been better if they could have captured it without harming it... but now they have enough sausage to last the rest of their lives!

If you give a Squirrel some toast...

...he'll eat it. : )

After the rage subsides...

Okay, so I've cooled down a little since my last post, and I've decided that my "scumbags" comment might have been a little too harsh. The Spurs did fight pretty hard too, but I still know the Suns should have won. I'm disappointed that things turned out this way, but there's always next year! The Phoenix Suns are a magnificent team, and I'll look forward to cheering them on again... next time.

Now I'm angry...

Noooooooooo!

The Suns lost... to the dirty, rotten, cheating scumbags known as the Spurs. Everyone knows that the Suns would have won, if not for some very dirty plays by the Spurs team. I hope this is a hollow victory for them, because they know they didn't deserve to win. This sucks, and now I'm going to have to cheer for the Utah Jazz. Why? Because the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I hope they crush the Spurs.

Crocs

~ * Product Review * ~

Crocs
I've wanted a pair of these shoes for a while now, and last week I finally got them. I'm so glad I did! They are the most comfortable shoes I've ever put on my feet... and that includes house shoes! They're cool, comfortable, easy to slip on, and I love the adjustable strap. There are so many styles and colors to choose from, and it took me a while to pick out the perfect pair. I went with the Cayman style, and I chose Cotton Candy Pink as the color. I wear them everywhere, and I'm thinking about getting another pair in a different color/style.

• the cayman is comfortable, cool, molds to your feet
• orthotic foot bed
• advanced toe-box ventilation system
• slip-resistant and non-marking soles
• anti-microbial and odor resistant; ergonomic italian styling
• wide, roomy foot bed made with croslite PCCR material; buoyant
• weighs only ounces

The only downside is this:
They should be available in half-sizes. They get small creases across the toes.

I give this product 5 out of 5 stars *****

It's the little things that get you...

I hate the freeway, especially at rush-hour... everyone drives like maniacs! Today we were driving down the freeway, and in the lane to the right, a ladder fell off a truck onto the road! Everyone started swerving to avoid it, and we barely got around it without getting hit. I've been in a car crash before (that was not my fault), and it is not fun. So I've become a very cautious driver, to avoid all the idiots on the road. I've seen people before who were eating, drinking, brushing their hair, and even applying mascara while driving. Not to mention all the people who drive while talking on cell phones... don't even get me started on that. No wonder so many people have "road rage".

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"I'm trying to cut down on my caffeine consumption

So when I get up I just have one cup of coffee.

And then I like to have another cup of coffee with my breakfast,

And on the way to work I like to get a cup of coffee

Like the kind of cup of coffee that you get with a donut,

'Cept I never get the donut, I just have the cup of coffee,

And when I get to work I like to have a cup of coffee

Because I like to have my coffee when I'm talking on the phone,

Except it usually goes cold, so I have to get another cup of coffee

And then I go to lunch and I have an espresso."

~

"And when I get back, it's not morning anymore

So I have a diet cola and another diet cola,

And by then I'm feelin' fine and I'm feelin' pretty sharp

And I'm feelin' pretty wired and I'm gettin' things done,

But right about 2:00 I get this little tiny migraine

And it starts behind my eyes and it moves to the back of my neck

And it moves to the bottom of my spine

But it doesn't get there until 5 or 6 o'clock

Which is the end of the day, so I'm fine,

So I'm FINE!, SO I'M -FINE-...

Except, when I have to work late,

When I have to work late, which I usually do..."

Addicted to Stress (Jimmy Infantino)

Daisy Tuesday

Yesterday we took our dog to the vet for her regular check-up. Poor little baby... she hates going to the vet. However, she was very good. She didn't even try to bite the guy who was holding her.

San Antonio at Phoenix: game 1

Ahhhhhh! The Suns lost!

Spurs 111
Suns 106

~ ~ ~

This game was crap! The Suns would have won, if not for some really bad calls, and the "accident" that happened. Stoudemire did not foul... he fell! Can't they tell the difference? Steve Nash... his poor nose! That must have hurt, and it kept him from playing the last part of the game because of all the blood. I hope his nose isn't broken...
The Suns will beat the Spurs next time.

Book-lover's link

I love this website. It has tons of books to choose from, and you can read them all on-line for free!
Here's just a few of the available authors:

Austen, Jane
Baum, L. Frank
Bronte, Charlotte
Burnett, Frances Hodgson
Carroll, Lewis
Dickens, Charles
Dickinson, Emily
Eliot, T. S.
Frost, Robert
Hawthorne, Nathaniel
Hugo, Victor
Irving, Washington
Kipling, Rudyard
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth
Melville, Herman
Stevenson, Robert Louis
Stoker, Bram
Swift, Jonathan
Thoreau, Henry David
Twain, Mark
Wells, H.G.
Wilde, Oscar
Yeats, William Butler


http://www.online-literature.com/

Welcome to The Literature Network!
We offer searchable online literature for the student, educator, or enthusiast. To find the work you're looking for start by looking through the author index. We currently have over 1900 full books and over 3000 short stories and poems by over 250 authors. Our quotations database has over 8500 quotes.

I wanna go... Take me, take me NOW...

Woe is me... Today is the last day of the Schaeffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil. I've never been, and I really, really wanted to go this year. What is it, you ask? If you're not from the south, you may not know about it, so I'll explain... The Crawfish Boil is a Birmingham tradition that's been going on for years. They have great bands, and great food. This year, the bands were as follows:

On Friday:

Operator
Cracker
Spin Doctors
Akon
Hinder
Cheap Trick

~ ~ ~

On Saturday (today):

Soul Asylum
Fuel
Papa Roach
Collective Soul
Barenaked Ladies

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Friday's lineup was good, but I'm dying to see today's show! I've asked everybody, but no one wants to go with me. Okay, so it might rain, and it's a pretty long drive from here --- who cares! It's worth it.

I need more friends with my kind of taste in music... I wish my brother was home, he's been there before, and he might actually go with me. I want to go! It's so unfair. I love music so much, but I've never been to a concert in my entire life! How depressing is that?

Now I'm sad... : (


History:
The Schaeffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil is a Birmingham tradition that like a child, started small then kept growing and growing. Eighteen years ago, Aaron and Phyllis Beam entertained friends with 50 pounds of hot boiled crawfish in their backyard, an annual ritual that dates back to Aaron's days at LSU. After a few years, things got out of hand
Because the Beams threw such a good party, they discovered people were getting invitations "for friends" and selling them. So, Aaron decided he could charge admission and give the profits to charity. The event moved from the Beam's backyard to Sloss Furnace, next to the Birmingham Race Course, and then to Southside. Although people enjoyed the event the proceeds were not great.
While Aaron was looking for corporate dollars to cover expenses, Dr. Jack Schaeffer was looking for a sponsorship opportunity for his Birmingham-based company Schaeffer Eye Center. The two visionaries partnered to turn the event into a free street festival in Birmingham 's Lakeview area. The benefiting charity, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, was chosen because both men served on its board of trustees. The corporate VIP area was born when Dr. Schaeffer suggested corporate sponsors could "buy" restaurants for the day to use as hospitality areas. The first official Schaeffer Eye Center / Beam's Crawfish Boil raised $15,000. As the event grew a few things changed, but for the better…
In 1995, the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center is added as a beneficiary, and a $2 donation is requested at the gate.
In 1997, Crawfish Chef Barry Gerald prepared 15,000 pounds of Crawfish for the 45,000 festival goers.
In 1998, the Crawfish Crawl 5k drew 300 runners and more media attention for the event. The children's area expanded and Cajun artist George Rodrigue painted the first of three "Blue Dog" posters for the event.
In 1999, the festival site moved to Pepper Place with an indoor warehouse for the VIP area. The event raised $100,000 for charity.
In 2000, the Schaeffer Eye Center/Beam Crawfish Boil moved to the Birmingham 's Railroad district at 1st Avenue South & 1th Street. This provided a new home for the Boil's future.
In 2002, Camp Smile-A-Mile and the Tanner Center for Multiple Sclerosis were the recipient charities.
In 2003, the event expanded to two-days with 17 musical acts. Benefiting charities included Camp Smile-A-Mile, the Tanner Center for Multiple Sclerosis and the Birmingham Junior League.
In 2004, the two day event brought acts like Sister Hazel, Cowboy Mouth and Collective Soul to Birmingham. Record crowds ensured that the Schaeffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil will remain a cornerstone event in Birmingham.
2005 continued the two day event format and brought a record number of people out to enjoy bands like the Wallflowers, Drivin' and Cryin', Tonic and Hootie & the Blowfish.

Night at the Museum

~ Movie Review ~

Night at the Museum
I watched this movie last week, and I forgot to review it until now. Let me start by saying that although Ben Stiller is not my favorite actor, I do like him in some movies. A lot of the time his acting is a little "over the top" for me, but this role fit him like a glove. It's a comedy (of course), and it's a good family movie. It has a great cast, including:

Ben Stiller

Robin Williams

Owen Wilson

Dick Van Dyke

Mickey Rooney

Bill Cobbs

I really enjoyed the performance of the three old security guards, and I loved Owen Wilson as the cowboy! It was fun and entertaining, which is pretty much what you look for in a family film.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Good-hearted dreamer Larry Daley, despite being perpetually down on his luck, thinks he's destined for something big. But even he could never have imagined how big, when he accepts what appears to be a menial job as a graveyard-shift security guard at a museum of natural history. During Larry's watch, extraordinary things begin to occur: Mayans, Roman Gladiators, and cowboys emerge from their diorama to wage epic battles; in his quest for fire, a Neanderthal burns down his own display; Attila the Hun pillages his neighboring exhibits, and a T-Rex reminds everyone why he's history's fiercest predator. Amidst the chaos, the only person Larry can turn to for advice is a wax figure of President Teddy Roosevelt , who helps our hero harness the bedlam, stop a nefarious plot, and save the museum.
(From Yahoo! Movies)

I give this movie 3 and a half out of 5 stars. ***'

~*Quote of the day*~

The nearer the dawn the darker the night.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


~*Words of the day*~

Ame ga futteimasu (Japanese)

Meaning: It's raining.

Currently Listening to... "Possession" - Sarah McLachlan

Anything worth doing...

" If you have a strong enough why, you can bear almost any how."

I wake up; it's a bad dream...

I always have strange dreams, and a lot of them are really cool. Sort of like watching a full length movie in my head. Most of them are nightmares, but sometimes even the nightmares are pretty cool... or interesting, at the very least. A few days ago, I woke up from a particularly good one...

I was some sort of government agent, and I was undercover as a photographer in a huge mansion. A lot of people had disappeared from there, and I was trying to figure out why. It turned out that the owner of the mansion was doing genetic experiments on people in a laboratory in the basement. Just as I had figured all this out, the bad guy discovered that I was a spy. So he released one of his "experiments" to hunt me down and kill me. The "thing" was sort of a cross between a traditional werewolf, and the wolf man. The rest of the dream was pretty much just me trying to escape the mansion and the monster. I woke up before it ended (like I usually do), but I'm fairly sure I got away.

It was kind of like a supernatural James Bond movie: starring me.