i just finished watching the bourne movies. because i wanted to wait to see them after i read the books.
huge, major, colossal disappointment.
there is no similarity in the plots. all that is the same is his name. jason bourne. everything else was changed.
in the books, all three of them, he is chasing and being chased by a european assassin named carlos. it's the entire reason that his identity as jason bourne was created...yet there's no mention of carlos in the movies.
his girlfriend (i mean WIFE!) was not killed, and is the person that helps him learn about his identity in every book.
and his contact at the CIA who helps him get from place to place, and tips him off about people discovering where he is....also killed in the movie, but not in the book. conklin.
and, oh yeah, jason bourne is supposed to be 50. although i'm not really complaining about that as much as pointing it out. matt damon is neat.
i could go on and on.
if i was robert ludlum, i would be pissed. the bourne ultimatum movie is the only one that felt as interesting as the books. the first two...i felt like nothing even happened. there was no action.
i'll have to wait a year to watch them again and see if i like them then. when the books are not fresh in my memory.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
red, white, and green.
i just got back from mexico.
a warning…this is going to be a very long post.i went to visit my friend jared who lives there:
with my friends ashley and jonathan:
i hadn’t seen any of them in a YEAR. not cool.
i’ll start by sharing the most shocking part of my visit. the one cultural norm i cannot ever embrace.
they don’t serve chips and salsa in mexican restaurants.
i know, it’s hard to accept, but it’s true. in my uninformed, slightly biased, but perfectly accurate opinion…i think texans came up with it. they must have known instinctively that something was missing in the mexican food dining experience. or maybe they got tired of staring at the bowls of salsa on the table that just sat there mocking them with their deliciousness.
i experienced so many things! i LOVED being in another culture, and i’m glad i was with someone who lives there. it was better than just being a tourist. i’m going to put some of my 360 pictures on facebook, and that will have some more of the details. we saw a castle, and the national cathedral, the national palace, some beautiful Mexican art, ate a lot of good food…seriously. the whole trip was amazing.
and OH YEAH…i climbed a pyramid. this one.
for real. it happened.
i almost didn’t make it to the top. i felt like I was going to faint. so i was going to stop with about a third of the stairs left, and i decided…i have to push through this. if i don’t, i’ll regret it forever. and if i faint, i faint on top of a pyramid. everything is better on top of a pyramid. so I can live with that. you know, hopefully.
anyway, the pics on facebook will show a lot.
so here, i want to comment on the cultural differences that i found fascinating. it’s so cool to be in another country. i felt this small amount of discomfort the whole time because i don’t know the language, and i didn’t know how things were supposed to be done…all the things that go along with visiting another country. but i loved that feeling. so i’ve divided the things i observed into three categories…1) parts of mexican culture i wish america would adopt, 2) parts of mexican culture that i could adjust to and feel comfortable with eventually if i lived there a long time…but i’d probably always think “this is mexican” not “this is normal”, and 3) parts of mexican culture that are psycho, no offense
1) parts of mexican culture i wish america would adopt
- limes. they put lime on everything. it sits on the tables where salt and pepper usually goes. got some enchiladas? add some lime. want a quesadilla? add some lime. enjoying some lime jello? sprinkle some lime on top. (actually that one only applies to jonathan…)
- art. there is art EVERYWHERE! like these paintings and mosaics on the sides of some buildings…
they are not afraid to use color. everything is so colorful. i just love that there is art everywhere. even when you’re just riding the metro, there is art on the wall.
- taxis without front seats. maybe you think this should go in part three. but you’re wrong. not all taxis are like this, but there are some. so jared had to sit on my feet a lot. it felt so wild and crazy.
- the little buses! they were my favorite form of transportation, i think because they felt so foreign. half the people sat down, and half the people stood up holding on to these bars. i bet someone tried to drive these in america, but then some pansy fell down and broke his fingernail, and sued them. let’s give it another try.
- tacos al pastor. america….oh, america. you don’t even know what you’re missing. so content with your tamales and chalupas… at least we have our chips and salsa.
- no shorts. i don’t care if other people wear shorts, but i personally hate them. i never wear shorts. i’m always in favor of other people changing to be more like me, so you should all stop wearing shorts.
- the free dog policy. it’s an actual policy. (it’s not actually a policy). i probably wouldn’t have paid much attention to this without jonathan, but the dogs did seem unusually happy. they were able to roam about freely. their options weren’t limited to being on a leash or in a yard, or being put to sleep in the pound. they walked around with the people. jared says they also like to chase people, but i seriously doubt that. i never saw it with my own eyes. therefore…not true.
2) parts of mexican culture that i could adjust to and feel comfortable with eventually if i lived there a long time…but i’d probably always think “this is mexican” not “this is normal”
- the air kiss greeting. ummm…americans don’t touch each other. so that’s why i’d have to adjust to it. but it seems nice.
- alternate forms of transportation. that’s not uniquely mexican, but it was new to me. and i liked it. i hate, hate, hate, driving. seriously. i had fun riding the metro, and the taxis, and buses. a lot of walking too, which does the body good.
- lunch at 4, and dinner at 9. what? it really happens.
3) parts of mexican culture that are psycho, no offense
- no traffic rules after 10:30. i would surely die.
- people shouting “guero!” (not sure if that’s how it’s spelled) when white people walk by. if i ever yelled “black guy! a black guy is coming!” here i would get shot in the face. no trial. no chance to explain why. just a bullet in the face. sorry if that’s too graphic. but that was weird to me.
and a million other things i can’t think of right now. it’s so much to process…
the best part was seeing my friends. living alone, not having someone to talk to every day, hating my job, not knowing what my future looks like…these things and other normal life frustrations weigh on me. just sitting in a room with them watching seinfeld lifted my spirit. until i had to leave. but it was a really good trip.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
90 years old, remember.
my grandma just called me to ask if i need spending money for my trip to mexico. which is 34 hours away now. oh yes, i'm counting the hours.
her thoughts on my upcoming trip:
"Well, we think it's just such a good thing you're doing, going down there, to help the people know the Lord better...and in such a poor place...I don't know what those people are like...do you have protection?...well, we'll say a prayer for you and the people. Are you having some kind of revival?"
i love that a trip to mexico automatically becomes a mission trip.
i'm not going on a mission trip.
i'm going on vacation.
her thoughts on my upcoming trip:
"Well, we think it's just such a good thing you're doing, going down there, to help the people know the Lord better...and in such a poor place...I don't know what those people are like...do you have protection?...well, we'll say a prayer for you and the people. Are you having some kind of revival?"
i love that a trip to mexico automatically becomes a mission trip.
i'm not going on a mission trip.
i'm going on vacation.
i like jews.
i've been watching last comic standing this season. it's really hilarious, and i've discovered i'm a big fan of comedy. laughing is such a good thing. and they view society in such a unique way.
i should be a comedian.
not so much because i'm funny, though. which i guess is the main ingredient.
it's just that i notice a lot of funny things in life, and i want to tell people about them, but i'm such a bad story teller. i don't know how to conclude or summarize. so it's just kind of awkward. but comedians don't have to conclude or summarize. when they're done with the jokes, they abruptly end the night by saying something like "thanks! i had fun! have a good night!" and that's it.
also, they go from topic to topic with no clear transition. that's another problem of mine. my train of thought is crystal clear in my own mind, but other people sometimes have trouble getting on board. (that's a pun!) but comedians don't have to stick with the same subject for more than 10 seconds. nobody minds if they talk about traffic and then chocolate cake right afterwards.
i have a few favorites. i think my main favorite (which i guess is technically my favorite, and i don't know what to call everyone else) is a british guy named paul foot. youtube him. i love british humor. anyway, there are these jewish twins that are also really funny. here's one of their jokes:
twin 1: we like to play a game called "notice the differences", because people think we're the same, but we're not.
twin 2: ok, let's play. i'll start....i like blue.
twin 1: i like red.
twin 2: i like vanilla
twin 1: i like chocolate
twin 2: i like dogs
twin 1: i do drugs.
ok, that's all! have a good weekend! i'm going to mexico!
i should be a comedian.
not so much because i'm funny, though. which i guess is the main ingredient.
it's just that i notice a lot of funny things in life, and i want to tell people about them, but i'm such a bad story teller. i don't know how to conclude or summarize. so it's just kind of awkward. but comedians don't have to conclude or summarize. when they're done with the jokes, they abruptly end the night by saying something like "thanks! i had fun! have a good night!" and that's it.
also, they go from topic to topic with no clear transition. that's another problem of mine. my train of thought is crystal clear in my own mind, but other people sometimes have trouble getting on board. (that's a pun!) but comedians don't have to stick with the same subject for more than 10 seconds. nobody minds if they talk about traffic and then chocolate cake right afterwards.
i have a few favorites. i think my main favorite (which i guess is technically my favorite, and i don't know what to call everyone else) is a british guy named paul foot. youtube him. i love british humor. anyway, there are these jewish twins that are also really funny. here's one of their jokes:
twin 1: we like to play a game called "notice the differences", because people think we're the same, but we're not.
twin 2: ok, let's play. i'll start....i like blue.
twin 1: i like red.
twin 2: i like vanilla
twin 1: i like chocolate
twin 2: i like dogs
twin 1: i do drugs.
ok, that's all! have a good weekend! i'm going to mexico!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
click here.
i just watched atonement.
it's not the best, or the worst.
and that's my review.
except for this one thought. there's one character in the movie who has a special theme of music that plays when she walks around wreaking havoc. it's the sound of a typewriter!
i think it's really creative. they turned the sound of someone typing on a typewriter... into music.
there's some cool cinematography too. i love me some cinematography.
it's not the best, or the worst.
and that's my review.
except for this one thought. there's one character in the movie who has a special theme of music that plays when she walks around wreaking havoc. it's the sound of a typewriter!
i think it's really creative. they turned the sound of someone typing on a typewriter... into music.
there's some cool cinematography too. i love me some cinematography.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
SCL
a quote from a new "stuff christians like" post about how to look generous at church...
Want to look like you have a giver's heart? Wait until church to put your tithe together. And don't just write a check. There's no sizzle in a check, no pizzazz so to speak. Use cash. Take out your tithe envelope and then one by one, add dollar bills. Have you ever tried to cram $50 in dollar bills into a church envelope? You look like Diddy. Make it rain. Make it rain.
that is quality.
he also wrote a love letter to "the blob." that big thing you jump on in a lake. and it is so funny i can't quote it. you just have to go read the whole thing. http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/
just do it.
and he wrote a serious one about dealing with the past, which i really related to. i loathe the past. but his thoughts were great. sometimes we look at the past and downplay it so we don't have to hurt, and other times we relive something in our minds over and over again. brutal. but he had some good thoughts. good word, jon. good word.
Want to look like you have a giver's heart? Wait until church to put your tithe together. And don't just write a check. There's no sizzle in a check, no pizzazz so to speak. Use cash. Take out your tithe envelope and then one by one, add dollar bills. Have you ever tried to cram $50 in dollar bills into a church envelope? You look like Diddy. Make it rain. Make it rain.
that is quality.
he also wrote a love letter to "the blob." that big thing you jump on in a lake. and it is so funny i can't quote it. you just have to go read the whole thing. http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/
just do it.
and he wrote a serious one about dealing with the past, which i really related to. i loathe the past. but his thoughts were great. sometimes we look at the past and downplay it so we don't have to hurt, and other times we relive something in our minds over and over again. brutal. but he had some good thoughts. good word, jon. good word.
it still hurts.
so the other night i had one of my weirdo dreams.
i dreamed that i was at a belmont basketball game. they were playing georgia. just...georgia. and i was sitting with my friends, and my mom showed up in a rocking chair, and sat directly in front of me, just watching us. not the game. and then belmont lost the game, 65 to 64. thats one point.
i can't believe the duke incident is haunting my dreams 3 months later. so close!
anyway. sometimes i can tell where my dreams come from. this one obviously came from the fact that my mom just found me on facebook. and right before i went to sleep, i glanced at one of my belmont basketball shirts that just came out of the laundry. just a tiny glance, and an entire dream formed. i love my mind.
i would also like to take a moment to remind the world (see: the 5 or 6 people that read this blog) that i go to the best church in the world. just in case you forgot.
i'm going to MEXICO on saturday. like, THE mexico. and i need a ride at 5:30am. on a saturday. the day after independence day. and nobody that i know really well in nashville could take me. some were out of town. some are cranky in the morning. so i e-mailed my neighborhood group leader, and three people...two of them don't even KNOW ME...said they could take me.
how about that.
i dreamed that i was at a belmont basketball game. they were playing georgia. just...georgia. and i was sitting with my friends, and my mom showed up in a rocking chair, and sat directly in front of me, just watching us. not the game. and then belmont lost the game, 65 to 64. thats one point.
i can't believe the duke incident is haunting my dreams 3 months later. so close!
anyway. sometimes i can tell where my dreams come from. this one obviously came from the fact that my mom just found me on facebook. and right before i went to sleep, i glanced at one of my belmont basketball shirts that just came out of the laundry. just a tiny glance, and an entire dream formed. i love my mind.
i would also like to take a moment to remind the world (see: the 5 or 6 people that read this blog) that i go to the best church in the world. just in case you forgot.
i'm going to MEXICO on saturday. like, THE mexico. and i need a ride at 5:30am. on a saturday. the day after independence day. and nobody that i know really well in nashville could take me. some were out of town. some are cranky in the morning. so i e-mailed my neighborhood group leader, and three people...two of them don't even KNOW ME...said they could take me.
how about that.
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