Merry Christmas (Eve)!

I wish I had used this as a Christmas card, to mail out to loved ones

weird Christmas facts

Stumbled upon these while searching for Christmas traditions... too good not to post:

Weird Christmas Facts:

• Based on a 1999 estimated population count of North America and Europe, on Christmas Eve of that year Santa Claus had to visit 42,466,666 homes in a 12-hour period — that’s 983 homes per second.
• Kris Kringel, a man in his 40s, lives in North Pole, Alaska, and delivers pizzas for a living. He drives a 1984 Ford Tempo.
• A traditional Christmas dinner in early England was the head of a pig prepared with mustard.
• 1 in 6 men would like to get rid of all the “gift-giving nonsense.”
• 1 in 3 men will wait until Christmas Eve to finish their shopping.
• 56 percent of Americans sing holiday carols to their pets.
• Christmas pudding should be stirred from east to west.
• Saint Nicholas of Myra, the original Santa Claus, was the patron saint of children, thieves and pawnbrokers.

And to think... all this time I've been stirring my Christmas pudding from west to east. So foolish!

from greatness to WHOA... WHAT?!?

And by that ("that"... as in: the title of this particular post) I'm referring to... Twitter.

I haven't always thought very highly of Twitter. Come to think of it... I used to think it was just about the most pointless, invasive, and downright stupid trend to hit the 'net. Quick nonsensical posts about what you're doing, limited to 140 characters? Count me out, cap'n. And yet here I am today, with well over 7,000 tweets under my belt. I don't particularly remember what nudged me towards ever signing up, but whatever that reason was... I am very thankful to have jumped on board the Twitter train.

Why, you ask?

Is it the fact that I can share my random thoughts, that I often think are hilarious... but only sometimes get a reaction? Or the contests and exclusive offers sent out to followers of various bands, companies, celebrities, etc? Or maybe even being extremely up-to-date with what is happening in the world, like when someone famous dies and every single person I follow has something to say about it?

Sure, every one of those reasons definitely factors into my enjoyment of having a Twitter account... but the reason my experience has suddenly gone from "greatness" to "WHOA... WHAT?!?" is simply this :

Jon Favreau responded to my tweet.

AND he re-posted two... count them, TWO, pictures that I sent to him that pertained to the movie Elf.

*for those in need of being informed : Favreau is the director of Elf, Iron Man 1 & 2, the upcoming Cowboys & Aliens, and much more. He also had roles in Elf, Iron Man 1 & 2, Swingers, Couple's Retreat,  I Love You Man, Deep Impact etc etc.

as Happy Hogan in Iron Man 2, carrying the briefcase suit o' armor

I sent him 2 pictures of some of the decorations we here @ LU's Student Activities made for our Elf-themed Christmas talent exhibition, and a cake one of my fellow staffers made of the narwhal from the movie, and he dug them enough to respond and re-post to his profile for all his thousands of followers to see. Thaaaaat is just plain cool. It definitely made the show we organized seem SO much more legit, in my eyes, knowing that the director himself was aware of what we were doing... and approved.

Yes, it's a bit trivial & ridiculous... but I'm a movie geek, and I was super amped to have even the smallest interaction with a director that I really admire.

I don't know how many of YOU are avid Twitter users... but feel free to share any crazy stories involving Twitter, whether it's like mine... or if it resulted in something happening outside of the internet, even!

Looking Back (At Christmas '09)

Here's a picture that basically defines my Christmas break last year...

footie pj's > snuggies

I'm eager to see what this season has in store... and yes, the footie pajamas still fit (PHEW!)

*ALSO: Christmas videos courtesy of LU Student Activities coming soon, inspired by Elf... and yes, I'm rocking the tights & the elfish get-up. Stay tuned.

random blurb time (11-16-10)

(been awhile since I've done one of these.... so here goes nothin!)

*Despite previously stated, I have aborted my No-Shave-November beard. I cannot reveal the reasoning just yet, but its worthwhile. Besides, I can grow it back in no time...

*Apple teased at an announcement yesterday, that would be unveiled today, that would supposedly be SO amazing... that we'd remember this day forever. It's rare, in my book, for Apple to overhype something that really isn't that big of a deal... and alas, that is the case today. The "big announcement" was the entire catalog of The Beatles hitting the iTunes store. Underwhelmed...

*Powerful message this past Sunday @ Brentwood, regarding how we react to "crazies" in our lives... especially those in our families. It sounds silly, but it was legitimately convicting.

*I caught the Harry Potter bug a couple movies ago, and Part 1 of the last book hits theaters this week. I love me a quality midnight premiere.. it reminds me of home. (also, I hear the teaser for the Green Lantern will be attached... I'm curious to see how it turns out)

*I just ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 'Nuff said.

*Watch this video. Animals are hilarious without even knowing it.



*Here's some awkward and/or random stuff I've witnessed on campus lately :

• a guy and a girl practicing self defense moves, while some girls were auditioning for our holiday campus talent show on crack (aka Christmas Coffeehouse)
• 2 guys having a dance-off in the parking lot, seemingly as a form of greeting
• while Inception was being shown @ the Vines Center, 2 guys in full body black-spandex costumes appeared & began dancing / posing for the crowd

**Until next time! Have a splendid Tuesday, rain or shine

No Shave November (aka Novembeard) - Day 10

(Nov 10, 2010 - 1400 hours: day 10 of NSN in effect)

*STATIC*
Reporting in from the front-lines in the war against shaving (for a month). All is well here at my stationed post in the approximate region of Liberty University. I can't give my exact coordinates, in case any opposing forces (equipped with razors/trimmers) intercept this transmission. I've managed to gain access to a camera and will now provide a visual from today's progress.

1417 hours, in proper flannel uniform garb

If you receive this transmission, I bid you great success & safety in your progress during these troubling times. If at all possible, provide any information about your progress & whereabouts. Over and out!
*STATIC*

what i've been up to (photo blog)

It's inevitable each year. The semester gets overloaded with work, assignments, events, etc etc... and the blog gets thrown on the back-burner. My apologies for sucking at being consistant! To kick-start my blogging back into gear, here's a photo blog post to chronicle some highlights of what I've been up to lately:

LU Homecoming Parade (with Student Activities)

After Edmund concert @ LBC during Fall Break

Muse concert in Charlottesville!

Cranking up the "handsome" with some youth group dudes

Full moon in the computer lab on campus. I look good.

Zombie group shot before roaming LU last night

Not-so-welcoming crowd on the bus

I just wanted to say "Hi"...

Great Scott! I love nostalgiac fun

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the movie, none other than Michael J. Fox himself jumped back into his old-school kicks and recreated the original teaser for Back to the Future (shot for shot) as a promo for the reunion appearance on the 2010 Spike TV Scream Awards show.

And here's the original:



I absolutely love stuff like this. I grew up watching these movies (after they were released... since I was born the year the first movie came out... 1985, that is). I can't wait to purchase the trilogy on Blu-Ray when it's released later this month! That's some heavy stuff, Doc....

photo time! (10-7-2010)

In case you missed the flood of images & updates this weekend via Facebook, I spent the majority of Saturday here in Lynchburg as Waldo. It was quite possibly the best idea I've had in awhile. The outfit was a no-brainer purchase when I found it at the local Halloween shop... and well... I'll shut face now. Enjoy the pictures!

Can ya find me? Click it to make it bigger, if needed...

Yep, I scored access to the Falwell's VIP skybox @ the stadium

Celebrating the team's victory

This is currently my desktop background

Spotted at Waffle House via security camera

transcend the punchline

If the subject comes up, I rarely shy away from pointing out the lack of quality in Christian "cinema"/direct-to-dvd movies. It's gotten so bad, for the most part, that it's not even necessary to watch any of the films in question to know that it's not a hit (and definitely a miss). I can't help but crack a smile and laugh at the mere thought of the Left Behind series of movies, amongst others. There's so much potential in this market, and yet nobody seems to quite get how to access that potential and fund/produce/release a legitimately good movie that can bridge the gap and actually make an impact. Recently, Liberty U brought in a Christian media expert to speak during one of our weekly convocation services. Dr. Phil Cooke had one quote that really stuck out to me, and I think he has a great point on the issue:


“If boycotts worked—what are missionaries doing? The fact is, we change a culture by engaging in a culture. What do missionaries do? They win their trust and they understand how they think. That’s the way we impact Hollywood. We’ve got to start by making better products."


Plenty of musical artists have transcended the market and begun actually making an impact, so why can't the same be said for Hollywood? I'm tired of lumping Christian movies in with all the awful products found in any Christian bookstore that crank up the cheese-factor with changing the titles of popular brands, video games or movies into corny Christian messages. It doesn't succeed in doing anything beyond making Christians into a huge joke. I'll leave you with some examples that speaks for themselves, in terms of what's wrong with Christian culture right now:

Agree/Disagree.... anything! I'd love to hear some feedback on this topic. And on that note.... I'm gonna pay attention in class now.

photographer (wannabe) extraordinaire!

This past week, I purchased a shiny new camera (Canon T1i) to assist me in my digital photography class (and because I've wanted this camera since last year)... and already I'm getting even more hooked on having a camera on me at all times. I'll share more pictures as they come, but I just wanted to share these 2 back-to-back pictures from yesterday afternoon.

YES! I caught a crazy praying-mantis on camera in mid-flight. I took a tonnnn of pictures of it as it explored our side-porch area, and luckily I got this shot during my hang-time with this lil guy (or girl? no clue)

(Video)- Ticklish Camel

I enjoy the little things in life... and sometimes the most simple things can make me hit the floor laughing. This would be one of those cases (see video):

random blurb time (9-10-10)

*I had a PB & J sandwich yesterday for lunch. Am I saying that as an embarrassing confession? Nay.... I am declaring that proudly. I would be double-proud if I had coupled that with some chocolate milk.

*Speaking of child-like things that I enjoy more now in my 20's than I did as a child.... I love NAPS. I need to love them alot less. I can hardly manage a shortened quality nap... always ends up being a several hour hibernation

*I'm ready for the Fall TV season to begin! Especially for Community and The Office

*The weather is b-e-a-utiful outside today! Sunny and 75 degrees right now. I'm a huge fan of days like this one.

*Downtown Lynchburg is hosting an outdoor festival 2nite to boost interest / business in the area. It's called Get!Downtown, and there's gonna be street performers, live music, vendors, a wall to decorate via graffiti/paint, and so much more. I'm genuinely looking forward to this... especially due to the the weather

*Going on my first trip as a Student Activities employee tomorrow! Tubing down the James River. Getting paid to relax while floating carelessly along with friends & other random students? Yes yes yes and YES

Just some of us crazy S.A. staffers at the recent Block Party event

*Another department on campus just got in some HD water-proof helmet cameras, and they're letting us borrow them for trips and whatever else we can come up with. Our staff going on the whitewater rafting trip gets the camera tomorrow, but hopefully I'll get to use that sucker in the near future. We tested it out in the office today, and it's an awesome little device.

*Hit 6,000 tweets today. Hooray for trivial accomplishments!

*God has been working overtime this semester. New place to live, amazing new friends to mix in with the usual crew, awesome job to keep me busy & responsible, and quality speakers thus far bringing the heat with challenging sermons/lessons. Hope the trend continues!

*NFL owners vs players over money, possibly leading to a strike? Soooomehow I could care less about guys who make millions of dollars for playing football, when they arent sitting on the bench... or getting into legal / tabloid trouble. Boo friggin hoo

That's all for today. Go embrace the rest of your Friday!

procrastination via photo shoot

I realized late last night that I had put off a minor photo shoot for my Digital Photography class 'til the night before it was due to be submitted. Whoooops... and yet! I thrive under pressure... and I'm rather pleased with the turn-out.

*side note: we drew pieces of paper out of a bucket, that determined the subject of this 25-shot photo shoot. my subject ended up being "book"

Here are my top 4 (edit: math isn't my friend... but don't worry, I can count past 3) favorites from knocking out this assignment last night on campus:

hooray for messing with perspective

I should've actually sent this text....

Ohhh the joys of Skype

Behold! Kyle will now call down a bolt of lightning to strike this here book

Looking forward to this next photo-shoot assignment, especially with more opportunities to amp up the creative-thinking. And on that note... time for theology class!

no high fives for YOU

I've noticed a growing trend lately (and was also reminded of this trend by one of my boss's tweets) . It's not something that should be embraced, nor is it a hype-train to be boarded proudly. In fact, this very act makes me want to avoid certain social behaviors that I typically am known for on a daily basis. SO what exactly am I referring to??

People not washing their hands after using the friggin bathroom!

I honestly don't understand it, in the least. Is it a case of being raised incorrectly? Or laziness blowing up into such a huge factor in life that washing one's hands is far too difficult & complicated? I mean SERIOUSLY! I'm not a germaphobe by any mans, nor do I carry around a bottle of sanitizer in case I suddenly have the itch to cleanse my hands every 2 minutes... but still... this is just too much.

Obviously I'm speaking from a guy's perspective here, since I haven't the slightest clue if this also carries over to being a common thing for women... so YES, I am ratting out a good chunk of my gender for this gag-nasty habit. Be afraid, ladies... be very afraid. And on that note, I leave you with this picture found via Google search!

carefree public embarrassment

i could preface this video with saying "man... why can't everyone be like THIS guy??"... but if that were the case, life would be a whole lot less interesting if everyone acted with this level of carefree abandon in public (because it would be considered normal)

random blurb time (8-22-10)

*August is almost over. What the heck??

*I need to start planning ahead for times like these past 2 weeks, where I'm slam-busy with packing & working & moving stuff back here to Lynchburg... I feel that I'm losing blog-followers with the big gaps in-between posts

*It's been a hectic week, in the best way! I started my new job as an event planner with Student Activities here @ Liberty University, and it's been fantastic so far. We worked 50+ hours this week with a total of 9 events during Freshman Orientation Week. I love this job already (seriously)

Majority of us LU S.A. staffers on the football field with Sparky the mascot

My desk (in the process of being personalized & decorated)

*Speaking of these events, we held 3 karaoke events in the campus dining hall. As you can imagine, the awkward freshman provided some golden moments as they fumbled over their choice songs. We even managed to get a guy & his mom to sing a duet ("Lean On Me")

*Moved into a new place closer to campus, and my 4 roommates are a quality bunch of dudes. Our backyard is Peaks View Park, so I have plenty of trails to ride my new bike on (even though it's a beach cruiser... don't hate, I love it)... AND direct access to some disc golf anytime I want. This year is going to be superb.

*Classes start this week... luckily my actual first day of class isn't until Tuesday. Phewww... plenty of time to get my parking pass & last book @ the bookstore. I may need to carry a Nerf sword with me to fight through the crowds tomorrow to get that final book for my Digital Illustration class

*The annual LU Block Party is this coming Saturday (the 28th), and one of my all-time favorite bands is headlining the event! Family Force 5, that is. Their live show is something to be seen & experienced, whether you dig their music or not

*I bought some Lego's the other day for the heck of it. Still just as fun as they were when I was a wee 'lil Jake. Believe it.


-That's all for today, time to go slave over some more piles of laundry. Thanks for stickin' with me thru the frequent periods of non-blogging!

really brave or extremely idiotic

I'm all for taking the occasional risk and experiencing something thrilling (ex. the Intimidator 305 coaster @ King's Dominion... people nearly black out on that ride)... but there's just some things I will NEVER do



Such a captivating video, but still.... c'mon! That's just nuts. I love my life, and God gave us the common sense & knowledge that are to be utilized in decision-making. Sitting on a floating board, with aquatic death-bringers & their rows of teeth swimming beneath me? No thanks.

Guest Blogger: Austin Evans!

So I got a message via facebook last night from one of my most treasured & glorious friends, Mr. Austin "ACE" Evans, and he asked if I could share this post of his somehow..... and what better way to do it, then as a guest-blogger entry! Austin is currently in Nashville, living the dream and working towards bigger & better things as a song-writer and all-around creative mastermind. Basically he rules. Anyways, here are his thoughts via blog post:

Ok so the pastor at Brentwood Baptist tonight was reading this Bible passage that told this story: There was a rich farmer and a poor farmer. The rich farmer had a ton of sheep. Rams, ewes, you name it, this farmer was loaded. (I am obviously paraphrasing the Bible here, call it the ACE translation). The poor farmer however, could only afford one little baby sheep. And he loved that sheep. It ate from his table, it drank from his cup, it slept with him...basically it was a pet. The Bible says he "loved it like a daughter." So one day a visitor comes to the farm and its customary to feed them. Well back in the day you didn't go to the grocery store and buy a Tombstone Pizza, you slaughtered one of your animals and prepared a feast. Well the rich farmer looks out on his flock and decides he doesn't want to sacrifice any of his sheep, so he straight up takes the poor farmer's sheep and uses that. Well King David hears about this and it says "anger burned in his heart" and he said "As sure as the LORD lives, this man should be sentenced to death for his lack of compassion." Now, David didn't kill him, but its pretty obvious that this was a serious crime.

This is where I admittedly tuned out the pastor for a minute to kind of take my own line of thinking. God prodded me with this thought and I really wanted to share it: So the sheep itself didn't have any special value. It wasn't a rare sheep, or a big sheep it was just a plain ole sheep. The reason the rich farmer's crime was so heinous was because the poor farmer LOVED the sheep. The sheep was loved by someone, which made it very special. How much more does God love us than that farmer loved his sheep? And beyond that, this guy was just a farmer... we're talking about an all-knowing, all-present Creator of the Universe that loves us! I mean, if nothing else we have EXTREME value if for no other reason than that there is an ever present Lord who loves us and desires a relationship with us. So next time you're feeling down, or that you don't have value, or that God can't use you, or that you've wasting your time, or that you just broke up with someone and they were a huge part of who you were, or you just got into a relationship and they are becoming a huge part of who you are, or your parents weren't the best and you're wondering how you're ever going to be capable of having a family, or maybe you did something really stupid and you're wondering if you're worth saving...GOD LOVES YOU AND YOU HAVE MORE VALUE THAN YOU CAN FATHOM. 

Summer, what happened??

I feel wrong for saying this... but I'm ready for summer to be over. Don't get me wrong, I love not having to wake up for class... worry about papers & projects... or stressing over finances with books & supplies... and I absolutely love all the time spent with friends/family that I don't get to see when the semester is in full swing...

BUT! The weather this summer? Completely ridiculous. I'm shocked that I didn't get sick from the back & forth changes between enjoyable and totally miserable. I would be the happiest person ever if the weather would just stay between 70-75 degrees, and NO HUMIDITY. I despise humidity. I feel like a freak when the heat/humidity combo causes me to sweat by simply just walking around outside. In my mind, I shouldn't be sweating unless I'm doing something strenuous or extreme. I love being comfortable outside (not too cold, not too hot)... to the point of wearing a t-shirt & shorts during the daytime, and maybe a hoodie at night if I feel like it.

Phew... okay now that all of that is outta the way... I had a fantastic summer!

• midnight movies (for the most part...*ahem* The Last Airbender... BLAH)
• concerts & live shows
• road trips (especially to PA!)
• all things LSM (work, events, trips, etc)
• ultimate frisbee & disc golf
• theme park enjoyment (Busch & Kings Dominion)
• sleeping in on Friday/Saturday mornings

Etcetera! It's been a jam-packed season that definitely flew by at hyper speed. Hope yours has been just as enjoyable, if not moreso!

Comic Geeks.... ASSEMBLE!

As I expected, today was a great day to be a comic geek. Especially for fans of comic book movies. Not only did the Avengers teaser site go online, but the cast of the movie was brought together on stage @ Comic-Con 2010 in San Diego 2nite! 'Nuff said.. now look at these pictures!

The teaser logo for the movie! Comic accurate (as it needed to be), and I love it!

L to R : Robert Downey Jr (Tony Stark/Iron Man), Clark Gregg (S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Coulson), Scarlett Johannson (Black Widow), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton/Hawkeye), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk), Joss Whedon (director of "The Avengers"), and Kevin Feige (producer / President of Marvel Studios)

twitter highlights (7-22-10)

i find daily inspiration / amusement / informative joy via random tweets from the numerous people i follow. here's some recent highlights:

@prodigaljohn In God’s hands your mistakes aren't open cuts, they are healed scars that tell stories of hope other people need to hear

@CobraCommander Oh good. There's a new 5 Hour Energy spokesman. My People To Kill google doc was getting sparse.

@XIANITY MOVIES: 'Deception' in which the devil plants in sleeping preachers' minds the idea that health & wealth is the gospel.

@DarthVader *Sure* Obi Wan hid my son from me on my home planet of Tatooine. Next you'll be telling me I had twins.

@jimgoad We all bleed the same color. Then again, you'd have to stab everyone to verify that.

@davebarnesmusic One Ring to Rule the Mall

@ConanOBrien I found a huge design flaw in my new iPhone. People get angry when I talk on it during a funeral.


any highlights from those that YOU follow (if you're on Twitter)??

best. costumes. ever.

is it wrong that i want to begin setting aside money to purchase one of these for my very own?

random blurb time (7-12-10)

*I finally returned to Kings Dominion this past weekend, after 15+ years. The last time I was there, I was too short (and too scared) to ride any of the coasters. I rode all of them but 2 on Saturday (the lines were either unruly, or I was exhausted). I can finally say I've been on Volcano, and almost blacked out on the Intimidator 305 coaster. Pretty sure we all started to get tunnel vision while flying around the first massive turn... I-N-T-E-N-S-E

*Spain won the World Cup yesterday. WOO HOO! I would've preferred Brazil in the final match, so I'm glad the Netherlands lost due to the fact that they knocked my fave team out of the quarterfinals.

*The quality of movies this summer has been very hit-or-miss. I'm glad that the last 3 movies I saw were all enjoyable (Knight and Day, Despicable Me, and Predators)

*Summer is definitely reaching that point where work, plans, events, and everything in-between is starting to stack up. Not that I'm complaining, I'm just saying... PHEW, I love it all... but it definitely makes me thankful for the down-time when I can embrace a nap

*I glanced @ my Brazil jersey last night, and was suddenly reminded of the unopened soda can of Brazil's very own Guarana Antarctica. If you've had the privilege of trying it, you know how unique and faaaantastic it is. I'm seriously on the hunt now to find some, after hearing/reading rumors that it can be found in select stores/restaurants here in the States.

*I've come to the final decision that Sonic food makes me feel gross. Same goes for McDonald's, Taco Bell, and almost every other fast food joint that I eat at throughout the month. Ideally, I would cut all of those out of my dining habits... and sneak Wawa in every now and then to indulge, because Wawa's never done me wrong like the others have.

*Google "Paul the octopus" and read any of the articles that come up about his prophetic World Cup predictions. Bizarre & amusing stuff from those crazy superstitious Germans.

*Even though I remembered that yesterday (7-11-10) was National Free Slurpee Day @ 7-11, I still forgot to go and get one when I was out & about driving in the vicinity of numerous 7-11's


I could probably keep going and going, but I'll cut this post off there. Until next time!

The Last Airbender (belated review)

Review: Go see Toy Story 3 instead, whether you've seen it already or not. You'll feel much better about yourself, and the money you spent, and about cinema in general. Pixar never fails. Shyamalan does. This movie looks great, but has no heart... no beneficial substance to it... and the pacing / story-telling is just plain amateur. I should've gone with my gut-instinct and backed out of my plans to see the midnight release last week. Oh well, I'll be more prepared *if* there's a next time for Mr. Shyamalan's declining career as a director.

Shorter review: Don't see it. I'd rather bang my head against a wall covered in sandpaper for 2 hours than watch this again.

Breakin It Down (elderly-style)

Fact: I hope I have this much energy when I'm old

n-o-n-s-t-o-p

Apologies for being blog-absent so much lately. Pre-camp preparation, World Cup games, time spent with m'lady, and then camp itself have kept me raaaaather busy.

• This year's edition of camp was chock full of ups & downs. Back-to-back medical issues/injuries, property theft, sweltering heat, and more weren't enough to squash the excitement of 18 students giving their lives to Christ during our time @ Wake Forest! God is in control. 'Nuff said.
  
• I currently have a crucial sun-burn. Aloe is my new best friend, for the time being.
  
• I'm pretty sure I spent more time in Wal-Mart and Lowe's 2 weeks ago than I have in most of my adult life. Tons of supplies/materials needed for LSM summer camp... phew!
  
• Watched a bunch of the 2010 World Cup matches. Lunch & Free-time @ camp were prime time for staying up to date. USA had a good run... but Ghana took them down. Sticking with my #1 choice : Brazil!
  
• Currently watching the Brazil (or Brasil) vs Chile game @ the student center. Brazil is up 3-0! Faaaantastic
  
• I now own a vuvuzela. If you don't know, Google it.
  
• Looking forward to this weekend's festivities. Extreme Where's Waldo (custom game via my good friend Gordon) followed by a bonfire with the same crew on Saturday, then church & July 4th excellence on Sunday

There you have it. My busy schedule in a blog-nutshell. What have YOU been up to lately?

BUSY week (understatement)

I just realized just how much was going on this week, world-wide...

• I'm currently streaming World Cup games via ESPN's web site, which are going on until July 11th
  
• The 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo is underway this week (the conference where all the new video games, systems, and whatnot are announced and previewed)
  
• I've got friends at the 2010 Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando, FL
  
• Game 6 of the NBA Finals is 2nite (with Game 7 being on Thursday, if LA wins this one)
  
• Toy Story 3 hits theaters on Friday
  

Phewwww... I feel somewhat overwhelmed just thinking about all of this. What are you following/watching/attending this week? Did I miss anything?

random blurb time (6-8-10)

*Tonight, I will be experiencing Conan O'Brien's live tour in D.C. (aka the "Legally Prohibited From Being Funny On Television Tour"). I am rather ecstatic to see him live, as well as his cohort Andy Richter and the band from his old show

• Fun fact : almost every night of the tour has included some surprise guests (ex. Jim Carrey, Pearl Jam, Tina Fey, Eli Manning, Stephen Colbert, etc etc)... so my mind is racing at the possibilities of who may show up 2nite. I really hope this isn't one of the few shows that doesn't have a surprise celebrity appearance

 the official tour poster

*I won tickets to yet another concert this past weekend. I took my long-time cohort Chris Dorner to see one of our new fave bands Passion Pit at the Norva. It still baffles me how my uncanny luck continues with concerts, movies, etc

*As of yesterday, I have indulged in 4 Chick-Fil-A spicy chicken sandwiches. I must say... the pepper-jack cheese addition is the way to go. However, I'm not too sure about following it up with a milkshake... like I usually do after having the regular chicken sandwich combo

*Has anyone ever been skydiving? My fantastical girlfriend Abby mentioned recently that she would love to do it sometime. I'm on-the-fence about the idea... I'll do some crazy stuff, but I'm not a dedicated fan of heights... so I'm boldly undecided

*I'm already missing all my TV shows... I don't want fall to be here yet, but I will be glad to have all my shows back to watch each week

*This Friday is the Tropical-Tiki-Luau-A-Palooza Fest @ the LSM Student Center. I'm eager to see how it turns out. This has the potential to become a recurring annual event. Which remind me... I need to go find some tropical apparel... ASAP! Stay tuned for possible pictures from the event, if they are deemed worthy

*The classic group game known simply as Silent Football is back in full force, as of this past weekend. If you're in-the-know... then you know what this means. If you don't, then... well... it does no justice typing out what this game entails. You just need to experience it. Regardless, being in a room with 15+ people holding back tears from laughing so hard is just downright great fun

*Watch this video

(video) - this guy just plain WINS

I applaud this elaborate & fantastic proposal... that's how it's done.

Movie Concept Art! Cap & Thor!!

Concept art has been leaked/released of what the movie versions of Thor & Captain America will look like... and I am impressed with what I'm seeing! These two heroes don't exactly have an easy look that could translate very well to live-action, and yet... I think Marvel Studios definitely pulled it off. Since these are concept art images, they may not be the final looks.... but I highly doubt much would change when the first official images of Hemsworth & Evans in costume are released. Also, Thor will have his helmet... so don't fret (in case that worried you).

So... what do YOU think of these images? Do you think Marvel nailed it?

thats a mouthful

Tropical-Tiki-Luau-A-Palooza-Fest

Say..... what??? Try saying THAT out loud 10 times fast. (Okay, I tried... and it honestly wasn't that hard... anyways)

That name was my contribution to the brain-storm sesh over staff lunch, as we figured out a pre-summer-camp event @ the LSM student center. Amping up the commonly-used Hawaiian/tropical theme idea and going crazy with it, if you will. We're talkin' free smoothies, tropical-style food @ our indoor snack bar, a sand-volleyball tournament, and so much more. I'm pretty amped on it.

I'm even MORE amped about having my Tiki man character on the promotional material, and on the event t-shirt! Here he is on the little promo cards that the youth will be passing out at school to their friends/classmates.

I love that the church's graphics lady kept the black & white sketch version for this! He'll be more colorful on the t-shirt, but I just dig how this turned out. Be on the lookout for the t-shirt, once the boxes arrive here... primed and ready for June 11th. I'll post a pic of it once I get my hands on one.

(video) - unreal parkour

In case you're completely in-the-dark about this ridiculously sweet hobby of extreme physical feats... just watch this video and you'll suddenly be in-the-know about parkour

I wish I had the time/ability to train my face off and be able to do stuff like that.... just wow

geeking out

Have you ever geeked out over something? (ex. waited in a line for several hours... possibly overnight; pre-ordered something the very second it was made available; gushed about how much you love something and discussed it in detail with like-minded fans; etc etc)

Naturally, the long-awaited series finale of Lost made me think of this. It's all I've heard about for the last week... and last night / this morning I've seen or heard countless references to it. I never got into the show... BUT I can completely sympathize and relate to how these people feel about their favorite show. I've also seen the fan-base of Glee grow bigger & bigger... to the point where devoted fans of the show are now referring to themselves as "Gleeks"... and of course the millions of fans of Marvel/DC comics, Star Wars, Star Trek, and Harry Potter know how to truly geek out on their favorite books & movies... especially in custom-made costumes.

I'm proud to say I've been geeking out on comic-related things for the majority of my life. While TV shows come and go, movie trilogies end and are shelved until possibly getting the "remake" treatment, and music icons fizzle out and retire... everything in the comic book world just keeps on going. The biggest & most popular characters will inevitably be around forever, and will continue to be immortalized in comic books & movies & TV shows & commercials & toys & clothing. It's comforting to know I'll never have to say goodbye to Spider-man, Batman, or Wolverine. Sure... there will often be less-than-quality depictions of my favorite superheroes... but there's always excessive opportunities beyond the crappy stuff to redeem that particular character's credibility in the mind's of the fans worldwide. I love waiting in line for a midnight movie premiere, and getting into the theater early with friends and just feeling the excitement grow & grow until the clock strikes 12:01am.

What do YOU love, to the point of geeking out over it?

*In other news, you can geek out over the upcoming release of the mighty Chick-Fil-A's new Spicy Chicken sandwich by reserving a FREE sandwich for yourself @ www.getspicychicken.com. Apparently it's their first new sandwich in over 15 years? I vaguely remembering someone telling me that, but I couldn't find any facts along those lines via a quick Google search.

(video) - Luckiest Penguin EVER

I linked to this over on my Facebook, but I know there's plenty of people who didn't catch this when it was freshly posted.

That's neck-and-neck with this video for Best Youtube Nature Video of All Time (if that's not an award already, it should be)

AND so it begins

And by "it", I mean "SUMMER 2010".... ohhhhh yes

Day 2 on the job here @ Liberty Baptist (summer intern w/ the student ministry!) and it's already been a fantastic week. Lots of big things in store for the coming months... especially with this brand spankin' new student center officially open for use.

This place blew my mind the second I walked in the doors! It's absolutely unreal... and to see how amped the youth are to utilize this place to bring their friends, and to impact this peninsula for God's glory.... it's just amazing. Friday night is gonna be ridiculous... the grand opening + After Edmund in concert to officially kick-off the building being open.

Anyways, I've got my starter bulk o' countdowns for the near future. The rest of May until mid-August is lookin' SO good!

*3 days til the LSM Grand Opening event

*21 days til I experience Conan O'Brien liiiive in D.C.

*35 days til summer camp @ Wake Forest

*80 days til my 1 year anniversary w/ Abby!

*84 days til the Something Corporate reunion tour concert in D.C.

*90 days til myself & @kdoyon begin our jobs with LU Student Activities!

(and muuuuch more scattered all throughout)

Welp, that's all for now... back to the drawing board for some secretive event-planning here @ LSM

random blurb time (5-13-10)

*the semester is over! finished my first year @ LU as a transfer-senior. time truly flew by

*2 back-to-back all-nighters during finals this past week = REALLY screwed up sleep schedule. i'm not a fan of this nocturnal business... unless I take up fighting crime while I'm wide awake @ 3am

•  side-note: if I never drink another Starbucks energy drink, I think I'll be completely okay

*my beloved Flip Video camera was recently stolen, so any new videos will be delayed until I'm able to buy a new one. it's an unfortunate set-back, but hey... it's just a material possession that can be easily replaced

*the more that I play first-person shooters & multi-player strategy games... the more I realize that I'm just not cut out to be an up-to-date video-game nerd. however, just gimme a Super Nintendo or an N64 and I will absolutely dominate

*the new LSM (Liberty Student Ministry) student center opened for the youth this past Wednesday night @ Liberty Baptist, and I've heard nothing but crazy-enthusiasm for how awesome it is. God is doing HUGE things in that ministry, and I can't wait to be a part of that this summer

*speaking of which, I start working with LSM this coming Monday! Sunday, unofficially, with it being the first Sunday in the new student center. it's going to be incredible.

*experienced Iron Man 2 twice so far, and aiming for one more viewing in IMAX once I get home

*what TV shows have YOU been watching this season? have they been up-to-par with what you expect from them? I've been watching The Office, 24, Chuck, Smallville, and Community... and I would dare say it's been a great season of TV. quite a few season finales coming up soon, too

*the drop in temperature lately has been a welcome change. i love wearing hoodies. that is all.

**I still have a significant amount of packing to do before I load up and head home tomorrow... so on that note, back to the boxes & plastic bins I go!

Hmm... real or fake?

I stumbled upon this video in my daily internet browsing... and I must say, I am very intrigued. The subject of this video isn't something I can just accept on face value. I need proof, or at least the critical feedback of others... maybe even some scientific facts thrown into the mix.

But first.. you need to watch this! Then lemme know what you think. Real or FAKE?

 

Movie Review: Iron Man 2

Another long-awaited movie has arrived, and it's already making big money overseas (it was released internationally on April 28th)... yes indeeeeed, RDJ / Favreau and friends are back. Of course, I went to see the midnight premiere last night... and was pleasantly surprised to see so many people come out, in a typically quiet college town (after midnight... haha)

Anyways! What did I think of the movie?

As expected, I loved it. It was yet again a truly unique comic book movie experience... with a top-notch cast, witty dialogue, and fantastic action sequences & special effects. I was a bit thrown off by how dialogue-heavy this sequel was, but that's not to say it was bland or boring... it was just more than I expected. Luckily there was enough character development and explosive fight scenes to balance everything out, and I thought the overall pacing of the movie was realistic & entertaining. Tony Stark is a truly troubled individual, physically/psychologically... and I love how Robert Downey Jr. has brought that to the screen in both movies, so far. I'm really eager to see how he interacts with Captain America (Chris Evans) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth), with Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury most likely trying to (frustratingly) direct these 3 super-powered icons in The Avengers movie in 2012. As far as the supporting cast: Paltrow was great once more as Tony's right-hand lady, Scarlett Johannson was a quality addition... especially when thrown into the action, Mickey Rourke / Sam Rockwell were excellent villains... although somewhat underused, and Favreau pulled double-duty again as director/actor... playing Stark's chauffeur Happy Hogan in some quality moments of the film.

For the comic-geek viewing audience : I really enjoyed the extended presence of SHIELD and Jackson's Nick Fury, and the scattered Marvel-universe references & "easter eggs" (intentionally placed and/or hidden stuff that you'd easily overlook unless you knew it was there). Look closely at all the monitors/maps/news footage during the scene towards the end when Stark meets with Fury. And OF COURSE stick around after the credits for an extremely cool reference to.... something. I won't spoil it here.

Overall: I gave the first Iron Man a solid 10/10, and I give Iron Man 2 a worthy 8.8/10

As Seen on TV - a tribute to doing it wrong

Compilation of all those exaggerated "doing-it-wrong" moments seen in cheesy (usually late-night) infomercials

random blurb time (4-30-10)

*it's officially "get my concert fix" week

• Sunday night I went to a free Four Year Strong concert @ Penn State (to close out a weekend spent with Abby!)
• last night I went to see Paramore and Relient K in Charlottesville
• aaannnd tomorrow night I'll be in the 757 @ my favorite concert venue (the Norva) to see Angels & Airwaves

*I should have kept a tally of all the miles I docked on the car thus far this week. I made it from PA back to Lynchburg in a record 5 hours and 15 minutes (possibly less).... without stopping once! my bladder-control is straight up ninja

*purchased my ticket for the midnite premiere of Iron Man 2 next week. let the summer movie season BEGIN! (also snuck a peek at the post-credits scene in the movie via Youtube.... I approve!)

*I want one of these!

 best potential side-kick.... ever?

*experienced some incredible jelly beans over the weekend. Buttered Popcorn, Strawberry Cheesecake, and Grape soda. mmmmm-licious

*the anticipation is building daily for the semester to be over, summer to begin, and my internship w/ LSM to kick into gear.... I can't wait!

*watch this - http://wimp.com/thoseninjas/ ... 'nuff said

*recently made aware of a new social-networking site on the scene (Empire Avenue). it combines your overall web-presence via Twitter/Facebook/Blogging and allows people to invest in "stocks" of you as an individual. Steven Sherman got me hooked. Access is gained by applying for a spot, or getting an invite-key from a current user (p.s. - I have 3 extra invite keys if you want one! lemme know)

*I refuse to try that new KFC Double Down "sandwich"

I'm a fan of an un-clogged heart... and being alive.

..... aaaaand on that note, it's time to wind down towards slumber

first-time experience

While visiting Abby this weekend in PA, we went to a carnival near the Penn State football stadium. Amidst all the rides, carnival games, and food vendors... there was one thing that stuck out like it never has before.

the FERRIS WHEEL

Was there something different about it compared to other ferris wheels? Did it look all shiny and neat? Was it faster than normal? Exactly why did this ferris wheel stick out to me?

Plain and simple.... I suddenly realized that I'd NEVER been on one before! It wasn't a case of fear, or dis-interest in riding one in the first place... I guess I just never thought about it until right then & there while roaming the carnival grounds with Abby. Without further delay, we snagged some ride-tickets and got on board. It also helped that we got there as the carnival was winding down.... so there wasn't a line! I'm a fan of sweet rides with no lines.

Side note: I also experienced the un-healthy glory of fried oreos for the first time on that same night. WOW... they were almost too amazing

Anywho, is there anything that comes to mind for YOU that falls under the category of something you've never experienced/eaten/watched.... for no other reason other than you've just never really thought about it? Post your responses in the replies!

new header!

just a quick post to point out the new header i made today while bored in class.... lemme know what you think!

*(i might try a couple more out in the days to come.... but then again, i might NOT)

now it's time to go snag this week's batch o' comics, and then head to class. God bless and have a fantastic day, rain or shine!