pointless(?) talent

I can imitate cartoon voices, and I'm a Wii bowling master. What are some random talents that you have, well-known or hidden?

Movie review : AVATAR

If you know me at all, you know I'm pretty big on movies & midnight showings... so of course I went to see Avatar's midnite showing. However, this viewing was different. This was in IMAX 3-D. And MANNN OH MAN was is it in IMAX 3-D.... wow. I haven't been that blown away by a movie since The Dark Knight (or that impressed with something I was uncertain about since the new Star Trek). I know, I know... that's a mighty big claim, and yes I'm still riding on the movie-experience high since I just saw it... but I don't think my opinion will differ tomorrow or a couple days from now. This was the most visually captivating movie I have ever seen.

I couldn't think of how to describe what James Cameron did to film this... so here's a blurb from Wikipedia:

"The film is being touted as a breakthrough in terms of filmmaking technology, for its development of 3D viewing and stereoscopic filmmaking with cameras that were specially designed for the film's production"

If you're in the 757, or anywhere that has a movie theater with an IMAX 3-D screen, and you're even remotely interested or curious in this movie... do NOT accept any substitutes. This movie was made to be seen in that format, and it is completely worth the extra money for the ticket.

And finally, yes... it is a familiar storyline, with elements that have been used & seen in movies past (think Ferngully meets Dances With Wolves, in the future)... but who cares? James Cameron does it justice, and it's such a beautifully put together piece of cinema. Sure it's got alot of sci-fi strangeness (if you're not really into that kinda stuff)... but it's also got action, great characters, a love story, light humor scattered throughout, and did I mention the special effects?? Yes yes yes... can't stress that element of it enough.

Okay, that is all. See this movie in IMAX 3-D, and plan on being transported elsewhere and becoming completely immersed in this crazy fantasy world. Good night! (or good morning)

amusement in 140 or less

here's a sampling of some tweets that i've found particularly amusing in recent times


*davebarnesmusic: Liberty, I've successfully warmed up via stretches, me me mees, and getting slapped in the face with a cold Alaskan salmon. It's go time.

*abbyruth129: there's creepy men in my house. i'm hiding in the bathroom...

*josh_spencer: Is it normal to hear a rogue velociraptor noise while listening to your iPod? I was unaware a Jurassic park was opening in Lynchburg

*ttim123: Awesome i get to go slipper shopping with my dad

*guitarjosh15: I realized this morning that I stand on top of the drain while showering, which makes me a prime target for drain snakes. Dang it.

*johncmayer: When someone tells me a story about their past, I like to imagine them reenacting it with a bad wig and period correct clothes

Christmas! (or something...)

Went to LU's Christmas Coffeehouse last night (basically a big exhibition of campus talent, held in the Vines Center)... and in-between 2 of the performances, the host introduced the crowd to some strange Christmas traditions from around the world. I was somewhat skeptical, so I googled one of them... and sure enough it was legit.

Now for your cultural/educational enjoyment : Tió de Nadal!

(via Wikipedia)

The Tió de Nadal (roughly "Christmas Log"), also known as "Tió" (trunk or log, a big piece of cut wood) or "Tronca" ("log") and popularly called "Caga tió" (pooping or defecating log in English), is a character in Catalan mythology relating to a Christmas tradition widespread in Catalonia.

Described as a hollow log of about thirty centimetres length. Recently, the tió has come to stand up on two or four little stick legs with a broad smiling face painted on the higher of the two ends, enhanced by a little red sock hat and often a three-dimensional nose.

Beginning with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8), one gives the tió a little bit to "eat" every night and usually covers him with a little blanket so that he will not be cold at night.

On Christmas day or, depending on the particular household, on Christmas Eve, one puts the tió partly into the fireplace and orders it to "poop" (the fire part of this tradition is no longer as widespread as it once was, since many modern homes do not have a fireplace). To make him "poop", one beats him with sticks, while singing various songs of Tió de Nadal.

The tió does not drop larger objects, as those are brought by the Three Wise Men. It does leave candies, nuts and torrons. Depending on the part of Catalonia, it may also give out dried figs. When nothing is left to "poop", it drops a salt herring, a head of garlic, an onion or "urinates". What comes out of the tió is a communal rather than individual gift, shared by everyone present.
































Here's a popular song of the "caga tió":

"caga tió,
caga torró,
avellanes i mató,
si no cagues bé
et daré un cop de bastó.
caga tió!"

which translates to

"poop log,
poop turrón,
hazelnuts and cottage cheese,
if you don't poop well,
I'll hit you with a stick,
poop log!"

raw talent at it's finest

pretty sure this baby should be a lead singer already. this is definitely the life... carefree & random

passionate much?

everybody has their something (or somethings) that they're passionate about

for me?

(1) i'm passionate about music. staying up to date on the latest news about my favorite bands, or up & coming new artists. going to concerts & getting hyped in that live music environment. getting the opportunity to meet bands face-to-face and interact with the members on a more personal level, sometimes fleeting but sometimes quality conversations & memories. also, it's a rare moment if i'm not singing along or full-on jamming out in the car while driving anywhere. it's no wonder my iTunes library has breached the 10,000 song mark... and will continue to grow

(2) i'm passionate about my friends & family. i've got alot to work on with the latter, but the former gets quite a bit of effort & attention on a daily basis. i love them all dearly... and i get a thrill out of making plans, getting people together, sharing moments & laughs together. that spills over into the amazing time over the past year & beyond of helping & seeing the college ministry @ LBC grow into something legitimate and worthwhile. i'm also passionate about the daily moments & joyful times making my long-distance relationship work like it has. Abby is a constant blessing & finds her own joy & amusement out of my quirks & randomness... and I can't be thankful enough for that haha. She's incredible, and I love the fact that we click so well together and that God provides us with the opportunities & means of making things work so wonderfully.

(3) i'm passionate about my opportunity to invest in the lives of the youth back home @ LBC. do i always succeed? heck no, i'm human and i screw up too... sometimes forgetting the fact that people look up to me... or hold me to a certain standard of behavior & living. but nonetheless, i absolutely love my time spent with that whole group... old & new faces alike. God is working in huge ways in that ministry. i can't stress it enough how blessed those students are to have the leadership they do in Ben, John Paul, Christina, and all the volunteers & teachers. one of my top reasons to be excited about going home is the fact that i'll get to spend time with as many of the students & leaders as possible.

(4) i'm passionate about the little things in my life that i enjoy when free time is available. whether it's reading comic books, watching tv shows like The Office or Heroes, playing ultimate frisbee, etc.... i'd be miserable without stuff like that. it may sound corny or semi-ridiculous, but I'm very thankful to God that he created a world where each individual person can thrive & be passionate about the little things in life that get them excited or help them relax & forget about the day-to-day stress.

so now... more importantly... what are YOU passionate about?

concert excellence : 12-5-09

Who: Switchfoot, Cartel, Paper Tongues
Where: The National in Richmond, VA
Post-Show Thoughts?: Incredible. Simply incredible. I've followed Cartel ever since their first EP, and have seen them 12 times now. Basically everytime they've come to VA. This concert was also my 4th time seeing Switchfoot.... and they are one of, if not the, best live band I've been fortunate enough to see. I definitely recommend picking up music from both bands, and not passing up the opportunity to see either bands play.

and now..... pictures!

(top pic: Cartel on stage; pics 2-4 : Switchfoot performing; pic 5: myself with Joseph & Will from Cartel; bottom pic: Josh Haynes & myself with Jon Foreman from Switchfoot!)

two-thousand & ten!

A new year means new outstandingly excellent stuff to look forward to. Here's some of the things I've made note of, or heard about, coming in 2010.

Add anything I may be missing, or express any excitement about something you like on the list. Also, this is only the first draft.... version 2.0 when more stuff is announced.



Events/Concerts/TV Premieres/Etc.

• Passion 2010 conference in Atlanta! (Jan 2nd - 5th)


• NBC's season 3 premiere of Chuck! (Jan 10th)


• Four Year Strong @ the Canal Club (Jan 16th)


• FOX's season 8 premiere of 24! (Jan 17th & 18th)


• Super Bowl XLIV on CBS... but mainly the commercials (Feb 7th)


• Jack's Mannequin @ the Norva (Mar 5th)


• John Mayer in Charlottesville, VA (Mar 16th)


• The Bamboozle 2010 feat. Paramore & Weezer, with a ton more to be announced soon (May 1st & 2nd)

Movies

• Edge Of Darkness (Jan 29th) - Mel Gibson returns to acting!


• Alice in Wonderland (Mar 5th) - you know, the Johnny Depp/Mad Hatter one. oh yeah, and Tim Burton's directing.


• How To Train Your Dragon (Mar 26th) - possibly the next big animated movie. preview looks fun


• Clash Of The Titans (Mar 26th) - this just looks epic. and Liam Neeson is playing Zeus. I'm in.


• Date Night (April 9th) - Steve Carell/Tina Fey in this action rom-com


• MacGruber (April 16th) - SNL's parody of MacGyver... going to the big screen


• Iron Man 2 (May 7th) - nuff said.


• Shrek Forever After (May 21st) - Paul McCartney is the voice of Rumpelstilskin. HA!


• The A-Team (June 11th) - Mr. T better make a cameo appearance... or I will demand a refund


• Toy Story 3 (June 18th) - I think I'll go see this dressed as one of the lil Martians


• Grown-Ups (June 25th) - Adam Sandler, Kevin James, David Spade, Chris Rock, and Rob Schneider. Please let this be hilariously worthwhile...
  

Music

• Blink 182 (sometime in 2010) - supposed to record the new song "Up All Night" in January, then go from there with the full album


• Switchfoot (sometime in 2010) - Vice Verses is the 2nd of 4 albums the band has been working on. Hello Hurricane was the first, released last month.


• Incubus (sometime in 2010) - album title TBA


• Dave Barnes (Jan 2010) - album title TBA


• Angels & Airwaves (Feb 14, 2010) - Love


• My Chemical Romance (Spring 2010) - album title TBA


• Family Force 5 (Summer 2010) - album title TBA

magnificent moonbow

(via Wikipedia) - "A moonbow (also known as a lunar rainbow, lunar bow or white rainbow) is a rainbow produced by light reflected off the surface of the moon rather than from direct sunlight. Moonbows are relatively faint, due to the smaller amount of light reflected from the surface of the Moon"

Apparently this sucker is visible all over VA tonight.... the sky is so bright right now. It's pretty mesmerizing. I've seen this once before, this past summer while in the 757... roaming Yorktown Beach.

Here's a picture of it from 2nite, in case you can't see it... or have never seen one before


(courtesy of mister zak reynolds)

looks? yep, they can deceive.

This video is very deceiving....

... sure, it's so harmless & cute and all now... but just wait. they all have THIS inside of them.



















Trust me, my cat is thrice as evil as that... some of you have experienced the terror. I apologize for any lasting trauma or psychological damage, if so.