20 Days Til the Deuce Weekly Comes Back!!
Right now, I'm sitting in Panera Bread on a borrowed laptop, trying to stay connected to the internet here long enough to get this post. My computer is in the proverbial shop, and I am not sure when I'll get it back.... so if the postings look sparse, thats why!
The Oscars are coming soon! The nominations were announced early this morning, and to no one's surprise, Fudgepack Mountain is leading the list of nominees.
Here is a list of the main nominees
Picture:
“Brokeback Mountain”
“Capote”“
"Crash”
“Good Night, and Good Luck”
“Munich”
Actor
Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Capote”
Terrence Howard, “Hustle & Flow”
Heath Ledger, “Brokeback Mountain”
Joaquin Phoenix, “Walk the Line”
David Strathairn, “Good Night, and Good Luck.”
Actress
Judi Dench, “Mrs. Henderson Presents”
Felicity Huffman, “Transamerica”
Keira Knightley, “Pride & Prejudice”
Charlize Theron, “North Country”
Reese Witherspoon, “Walk the Line”
Supporting actor
George Clooney, “Syriana”
Matt Dillon, “Crash”
Paul Giamatti, “Cinderella Man”
Jake Gyllenhaal, “Brokeback Mountain”
William Hurt, “A History of Violence”
Supporting actress
Amy Adams, “Junebug”
Catherine Keener, “Capote”
Frances McDormand, “North Country”
Rachel Weisz, “The Constant Gardener”
Michelle Williams, “Brokeback Mountain”
Director
Ang Lee, “Brokeback Mountain”
Bennett Miller, “Capote”
Paul Haggis, “Crash”
George Clooney, “Good Night, and Good Luck”
Steven Spielberg, “Munich”
Animated feature film
“Howl’s Moving Castle”
“Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride”
“Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit”
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Friday, January 27, 2006
Deuce Weekly Introduction Correction...
The original plan was to begin posting Deuce Weekly newsletters in their original, uncut text next week. However, since February 20th, 2006, will be the fifth anniversary of the very first DW, I have decided to wait until February 20th of this year--a Monday--to begin posting them.
You'll be reading it five years to the day of when it was created. Each Monday, we'll put up the next one, where again, you'll be reading it five years to the day of when that issue came out. Kinda cool, huh?
So, as of Saturday, January 28th (tomorrow)... the Deuce Weekly Archives post in 23 days!
You'll be reading it five years to the day of when it was created. Each Monday, we'll put up the next one, where again, you'll be reading it five years to the day of when that issue came out. Kinda cool, huh?
So, as of Saturday, January 28th (tomorrow)... the Deuce Weekly Archives post in 23 days!
Thursday, January 26, 2006
The Deuce Weekly Introduction
Wow... can you believe its 2006? Its coming upon FIVE YEARS in February that the very first edition of The Deuce Weekly went out. It was a small publication, via email, really to just let all of the Friends of the Deuce know what was going on around the area, at Valleydale BAPTIST Church and other areas--including, of course, the Deuce.In the final edition of the Weekly, David Mark Osborne made the comment, which I'm quite proud of, that "only you [david dollar] could turn an apartment into a franchise", and truly, thats what it was.
But even deeper, The Deuce was a group of friends, Michael Nipp, Tom Johnson, Shawn Sharp and Yours Truly... and our immediate, yet extended family included Chris Fulaytar, Tommy McLeod, Leslie Cordell, Ty Coffey, Jill Berthon, Steph Nipp, Sarah Hasha, Daniel Powell and more......and of course, the Deuce became a bigger family later when Stephanie Campbell, Jenn Pritchett, Justin Glenn, Jason Demastus, Tim Wasyluka and tons more joined the ranks. Some of them disappeared, like Alex Milner, Erin Whiddon and The Mitch. Some of them got married (ie, Steph & Yours Truly, Jenn & Justin, Ashley & Mike, Tom & Jill...). The Deuce was born truly on June 10th, 2000, and shut its physical doors on March 3rd, 2004. But the Deuce will never die, as long as those who loved what it stood for will let it live.
We stood up to many people, fought many battles--with each other and for each other--saw each other through many tough times, cleaned up lots of crap from Malcolm the Freakin Lizard, and so much more...
The Deuce Weekly was born out of a simple need to let people know what was going on. It turned into a weekly tradition, filled with inside jokes, jabs at each other and media, smarmy remarks meant for people and situations, and had its share of controversy (anyone remember the Ryan Smith Saga? And the Anonymous Email from Mikey? What about the Top Ten From Satan? Yeah...)
Anyway, starting on Tuesday, January 31st, I'll put on the new site the very first Deuce Weekly written... and every few--or several, depending--days after that, I'll add a new one, in chronological order.
Read them... enjoy them... savor them... and remember it. I might add comments here and there, but know that the Weekly will be in its entirety, uncut. For the first one, I will even add the list of email address, to let you know who were the charter members.
You can visit this new blog with the Deuce Weeklys on them, or you can visit the Dave's Headlines Links to the right, which will mention when the next one has been added, or even scroll down to Dave's Recommended Blogs to see the link.
Either way, I hope you enjoy.
ps... I'm also going to be putting up Dave's Encouragement blogs, with over 100 of the previous encouragements written in the last five years. Look for it. =)
But even deeper, The Deuce was a group of friends, Michael Nipp, Tom Johnson, Shawn Sharp and Yours Truly... and our immediate, yet extended family included Chris Fulaytar, Tommy McLeod, Leslie Cordell, Ty Coffey, Jill Berthon, Steph Nipp, Sarah Hasha, Daniel Powell and more......and of course, the Deuce became a bigger family later when Stephanie Campbell, Jenn Pritchett, Justin Glenn, Jason Demastus, Tim Wasyluka and tons more joined the ranks. Some of them disappeared, like Alex Milner, Erin Whiddon and The Mitch. Some of them got married (ie, Steph & Yours Truly, Jenn & Justin, Ashley & Mike, Tom & Jill...). The Deuce was born truly on June 10th, 2000, and shut its physical doors on March 3rd, 2004. But the Deuce will never die, as long as those who loved what it stood for will let it live.
We stood up to many people, fought many battles--with each other and for each other--saw each other through many tough times, cleaned up lots of crap from Malcolm the Freakin Lizard, and so much more...
The Deuce Weekly was born out of a simple need to let people know what was going on. It turned into a weekly tradition, filled with inside jokes, jabs at each other and media, smarmy remarks meant for people and situations, and had its share of controversy (anyone remember the Ryan Smith Saga? And the Anonymous Email from Mikey? What about the Top Ten From Satan? Yeah...)
Anyway, starting on Tuesday, January 31st, I'll put on the new site the very first Deuce Weekly written... and every few--or several, depending--days after that, I'll add a new one, in chronological order.
Read them... enjoy them... savor them... and remember it. I might add comments here and there, but know that the Weekly will be in its entirety, uncut. For the first one, I will even add the list of email address, to let you know who were the charter members.
You can visit this new blog with the Deuce Weeklys on them, or you can visit the Dave's Headlines Links to the right, which will mention when the next one has been added, or even scroll down to Dave's Recommended Blogs to see the link.
Either way, I hope you enjoy.
ps... I'm also going to be putting up Dave's Encouragement blogs, with over 100 of the previous encouragements written in the last five years. Look for it. =)
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
"102 Minutes"... Dave's Book Review
Finished a book recently, so I wanted to share it with you fine people.
Anyway, the book is called "102 Minutes" and its by Jim Dwyer and Bill Flynn. The book is an account of what went on inside the World Trade Center towers at 846am, when Tower 1 was hit, and 1028, when both towers had fallen, and the 102 minutes in between.
It uses interviews of survivors and eye witnesses, taped recordings and transmissions and histories gathered to give dozens of stories in the book. You see the story of Frank di Martini and Pablo Ortiz, two engineers in the building that had many chances to get out, but chose to continue upward to help people find a way down. They perished in the tower. Richard Fern, who had every bit of luck--or God's help--getting down, as in finding the correct staircases right away, or getting the one elevator in the building that worked, right before it stopped working.
There is the story of Ed Beyua, who had a medical condition that kept him in a wheelchair on the 27th floor, and his friend Abe, who could have left at any time, but stayed with Ed because they knew that help would come... and it did only when firemen saw them... and a breakdown in communications led some to think that others had Ed and Abe taken care of. Both perished when the tower collapsed. Considering they were on the 27th floor, and even running down the stairs for you and I would take ten minutes, and they were 900 feet below where the plane had hit, that leads us to the most disturbing part of the book.
Because of the 1993 WTC bombing, there was much anamosity between the FDNY and the NYPD over who should do what, and who should get the glory for what. This broken relationship, which should have been repaired, only furthered to deteriorate. That explains why there were dozens of new high tech radio systems in the trunks of some police cars, unused, and why joint training sessions between the two departments when highly unattended. Thats also why the police didn't try to rescue people off of the roof during the brief momentary window they had, or why there were up to 200 firemen in the North Tower, many on one floor taking a breather, getting water, unloading gear, when it fell--even though they had a warning of a few minutes that it would almost certainly collapse. No communication.
The book also goes into a brief history along the way, telling how the towers got built, and the edge-of-reproach way that the fire codes were skirted, making the first part of the building a monumental, almost indestructable section, while the top was flimsy, with sprayed on fireproofing material, and inconvenient--and it turned out deadly--exit and staircase system. But the people is what will get you. There is a list in the back of people, people accounted for in the book that perished somehow in the towers, or in Tower 7, the Marriott hotel in between 1 and 2. Everytime I read a new name, I would flip to the back to see if they made it. Sometimes they did... sometimes they didn't, and when they didn't, you would read on to determine how they died. Sometimes in the blaze. Sometimes from jumping. Sometimes you'd read their last phone call to their loved one.
Overall, the book is excellent and reads very easily. Highly recommended. Its due in paperback sometime this month (January) so look out for it, shell out the $15 and sit and read.
Anyway, the book is called "102 Minutes" and its by Jim Dwyer and Bill Flynn. The book is an account of what went on inside the World Trade Center towers at 846am, when Tower 1 was hit, and 1028, when both towers had fallen, and the 102 minutes in between.
It uses interviews of survivors and eye witnesses, taped recordings and transmissions and histories gathered to give dozens of stories in the book. You see the story of Frank di Martini and Pablo Ortiz, two engineers in the building that had many chances to get out, but chose to continue upward to help people find a way down. They perished in the tower. Richard Fern, who had every bit of luck--or God's help--getting down, as in finding the correct staircases right away, or getting the one elevator in the building that worked, right before it stopped working.
There is the story of Ed Beyua, who had a medical condition that kept him in a wheelchair on the 27th floor, and his friend Abe, who could have left at any time, but stayed with Ed because they knew that help would come... and it did only when firemen saw them... and a breakdown in communications led some to think that others had Ed and Abe taken care of. Both perished when the tower collapsed. Considering they were on the 27th floor, and even running down the stairs for you and I would take ten minutes, and they were 900 feet below where the plane had hit, that leads us to the most disturbing part of the book.
Because of the 1993 WTC bombing, there was much anamosity between the FDNY and the NYPD over who should do what, and who should get the glory for what. This broken relationship, which should have been repaired, only furthered to deteriorate. That explains why there were dozens of new high tech radio systems in the trunks of some police cars, unused, and why joint training sessions between the two departments when highly unattended. Thats also why the police didn't try to rescue people off of the roof during the brief momentary window they had, or why there were up to 200 firemen in the North Tower, many on one floor taking a breather, getting water, unloading gear, when it fell--even though they had a warning of a few minutes that it would almost certainly collapse. No communication.
The book also goes into a brief history along the way, telling how the towers got built, and the edge-of-reproach way that the fire codes were skirted, making the first part of the building a monumental, almost indestructable section, while the top was flimsy, with sprayed on fireproofing material, and inconvenient--and it turned out deadly--exit and staircase system. But the people is what will get you. There is a list in the back of people, people accounted for in the book that perished somehow in the towers, or in Tower 7, the Marriott hotel in between 1 and 2. Everytime I read a new name, I would flip to the back to see if they made it. Sometimes they did... sometimes they didn't, and when they didn't, you would read on to determine how they died. Sometimes in the blaze. Sometimes from jumping. Sometimes you'd read their last phone call to their loved one.
Overall, the book is excellent and reads very easily. Highly recommended. Its due in paperback sometime this month (January) so look out for it, shell out the $15 and sit and read.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Top Ten Coolest Things of 2005
#10. Jamie Foxx & Kanye West at the MTV VMAs.
Before the lyrics "I ain't saying she a golddigga... but she aint messin' with no broke (broke)" became part of everyday lingo, there was the beginning. And during the 2005 Video Music Awards on MTV in late summer, out of the stage rose Jamie Foxx and Kanye West. The beat kicked in, they began to sing, and to me, it goes down as one of the coolest live performances I've ever seen. They were both perfect on beat, their moves were solid and the song was gold. Or golddiggin, I should say. Yes, yes, Kanye West is an idiot. And Jamie Foxx made "Stealth". But this night, they were perfect for about four minutes.
#9. Tyler Campbell.
He's the Sexy Beast. The inventor of the Depth Chart, the reason that Jamie is so conflicted within herself, the self proclaimed Sexy Beast... I am proud to say I'm related to him, at least through legal marriage lines anyway. Tyler... you're one of the top ten coolest things about 2005.
#8. Times Square at Night.
I've seen it twice before this year, first in 1998, then in 2002, but this year, it just seemed special. Time Square in New York City at night is one of the coolest places that exists in the world. The lights, the people, the taxi cabs, the sounds, the restaurants, the crappy pizza from Sbarros, the theater neons... its worth a trip just to see it once. I look forward to my fourth visit soon enough.
#7. Re-reading Harry Potter.
I love to read. I just dont have time to. But for three weeks this summer, I made time. I read all five of the previous Harry Potter books back to back to back to back to back, then immediately picked up the sixth one, The Half Blood Prince, and read it in two days. This in addition to all my other duties--namely two jobs, a dinner theater and a wife to tend to. Catching things I didnt remember, it was a joy to see it all over again... though the letdown after the sixth one was harsh... when suddenly I realized, there was nothing else to read. I am going to try to make this an event that happens at least every two years, if not every year.
#6. Kelly Clarkson.
I love this chick. At first, it was kind of a guilty pleasure... I mean, you aren't supposed to like her, as a guy anyway, right? And "A Moment Like This" and even "Breakaway" didn't help me like her. But "Miss Independent" from a few years ago struck a chord with me... and the trifecta of "Since U Been Gone", "Because of You" and of course, "Behind These Hazel Eyes" (ranked at #25 for the year) made me just love the original American Idol ever so much. And it helps that she's incredibly cute in a non-buleumic-pencilthin sort of way.
#5. The Sports Guy
He writes on ESPN.com, and has just released a book that I'm reading called "Now I Can Die In Peace." His name is Bill Simmons, and he's a diehard Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots fan (yes, he's from Boston) and he's hilarious. Absolutely hilarious. Many sports writers are funny, but he loves to use pop culture references, including a whole obit for Pat Morita, who played Mr. Miyagi in the Karate Kid movies. Simmons holds several theories (The Ewing Theory--when a team loses its star player due to trade or retirement, then goes on to win a championship, ie, the Volunteers winning a National Championship after Peyton Manning leaves) and wrote out the Vengeance Scale... Alanis Morrissette's Jagged Little Pill would have ranked higher but the rumor is that "You Oughta Know" was written about Uncle Joey from Full House. Kills me.
#4. Our Sunday School Class
Steph and I were looking for a class to go to, and in January 2005, God gave us one. We were introduced to Tebe and Tiffiany, James & Jessica, Willis & Meredith, Brett & Lindsay and even more. We were all strangers pretty much to begin with, but a year later we all have solid friendships and relationships, bible studies, accountability and of course, double date partners. Love these guys. And they are cool.
#3. Lost
Oh mercy. Ne'r more have I been so riveted by a show as I have been with Lost. Never have I laid awake at night thinking about a show after I've watched it. The premise is simple... Oceanic Flight 815 goes down over a small island. Among the many characters is Jack, a doctor; Sawyer, a tough guy; Kate, a chick running from something; Charlie, the lead singer in the band Driveshaft--and a drug addict; John Locke, a strange guy who thinks of fate and destiny; Hurley, the big dude who says "dude" alot and has just had the best--and worst thing--happen to him; Jin & Sun, the Korean couple... and more. The island isnt what it seems, however, as they learn over Season One, and especially in Season Two. If you haven't watched this show, dont try it right now. You need to rent the dvds and catch up.
#2. Star Wars Celebration
For four days in April, myself, Mikey Nipp, Steph $, Steph R, Matt R, Tommy Mc and Ken Nipp immersed ourselves in all things Star Wars. That would be the National Star Wars convention in Indianapolis, Indiana's RCA Dome. There were costume contests, there were celebrities, there was lots of stuff to buy, there were shows, there was 10 minutes of sneak peek footage... I met Ray Park (Darth Maul) and the hot chick who plays Aayla Secura, and weird guy who played Kit Fisto and even more... spent way too much money. Even played in Attacktix tourney. It rocked. It was the 2nd most Cool Thing in 2005... right behind...
#1. The Coney Island Cyclone
Let me tell you the story... when I went to New York City in 2002, we did missions on the boardwalk of Coney Island. The coaster loomed in horizon of every thing we did, pretty much. I saw it. I wanted it. I wanted to ride it. We went to Astroland, the small amusement park that is adjacent to the Cyclone, and I had every intention to riding the coaster... and I ended up giving up the chance in order to ride some rides with a teenager we had met, in order to share Christ. Yes, it was worth it, but still... the coaster haunted me.
So in 2005, when the group from Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) went, I was going to ride it. I even had secret plans to sneak away on one of our free nights and go by myself if I had too--fortunately, I didnt have to.
On the Thursday night of our trip, myself, Natalie Valentine, Paula Mackey, Josh & Brandon Blackburn and Annalynn Harrington took a trip to Coney Island, had dinner at Coney Island, walked the boardwalk and through Astroland a bit... and then we went to the coaster. And I rode it. First in the 2nd row, then in the first row, then in the back. And it was rickety... compared to this, the Georgia Cyclone is an air glider. When you ride it for $5, your second trip is $4, then your third is $2. I would have ridden it again and again... except I had loaned Natalie some money, so I was out. But it was so worth it. And that is why the Coney Island Cyclone goes down as the Coolest Thing in 2005.
Before the lyrics "I ain't saying she a golddigga... but she aint messin' with no broke (broke)" became part of everyday lingo, there was the beginning. And during the 2005 Video Music Awards on MTV in late summer, out of the stage rose Jamie Foxx and Kanye West. The beat kicked in, they began to sing, and to me, it goes down as one of the coolest live performances I've ever seen. They were both perfect on beat, their moves were solid and the song was gold. Or golddiggin, I should say. Yes, yes, Kanye West is an idiot. And Jamie Foxx made "Stealth". But this night, they were perfect for about four minutes.
#9. Tyler Campbell.
He's the Sexy Beast. The inventor of the Depth Chart, the reason that Jamie is so conflicted within herself, the self proclaimed Sexy Beast... I am proud to say I'm related to him, at least through legal marriage lines anyway. Tyler... you're one of the top ten coolest things about 2005.
#8. Times Square at Night.
I've seen it twice before this year, first in 1998, then in 2002, but this year, it just seemed special. Time Square in New York City at night is one of the coolest places that exists in the world. The lights, the people, the taxi cabs, the sounds, the restaurants, the crappy pizza from Sbarros, the theater neons... its worth a trip just to see it once. I look forward to my fourth visit soon enough.
#7. Re-reading Harry Potter.
I love to read. I just dont have time to. But for three weeks this summer, I made time. I read all five of the previous Harry Potter books back to back to back to back to back, then immediately picked up the sixth one, The Half Blood Prince, and read it in two days. This in addition to all my other duties--namely two jobs, a dinner theater and a wife to tend to. Catching things I didnt remember, it was a joy to see it all over again... though the letdown after the sixth one was harsh... when suddenly I realized, there was nothing else to read. I am going to try to make this an event that happens at least every two years, if not every year.
#6. Kelly Clarkson.
I love this chick. At first, it was kind of a guilty pleasure... I mean, you aren't supposed to like her, as a guy anyway, right? And "A Moment Like This" and even "Breakaway" didn't help me like her. But "Miss Independent" from a few years ago struck a chord with me... and the trifecta of "Since U Been Gone", "Because of You" and of course, "Behind These Hazel Eyes" (ranked at #25 for the year) made me just love the original American Idol ever so much. And it helps that she's incredibly cute in a non-buleumic-pencilthin sort of way.
#5. The Sports Guy
He writes on ESPN.com, and has just released a book that I'm reading called "Now I Can Die In Peace." His name is Bill Simmons, and he's a diehard Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots fan (yes, he's from Boston) and he's hilarious. Absolutely hilarious. Many sports writers are funny, but he loves to use pop culture references, including a whole obit for Pat Morita, who played Mr. Miyagi in the Karate Kid movies. Simmons holds several theories (The Ewing Theory--when a team loses its star player due to trade or retirement, then goes on to win a championship, ie, the Volunteers winning a National Championship after Peyton Manning leaves) and wrote out the Vengeance Scale... Alanis Morrissette's Jagged Little Pill would have ranked higher but the rumor is that "You Oughta Know" was written about Uncle Joey from Full House. Kills me.
#4. Our Sunday School Class
Steph and I were looking for a class to go to, and in January 2005, God gave us one. We were introduced to Tebe and Tiffiany, James & Jessica, Willis & Meredith, Brett & Lindsay and even more. We were all strangers pretty much to begin with, but a year later we all have solid friendships and relationships, bible studies, accountability and of course, double date partners. Love these guys. And they are cool.
#3. Lost
Oh mercy. Ne'r more have I been so riveted by a show as I have been with Lost. Never have I laid awake at night thinking about a show after I've watched it. The premise is simple... Oceanic Flight 815 goes down over a small island. Among the many characters is Jack, a doctor; Sawyer, a tough guy; Kate, a chick running from something; Charlie, the lead singer in the band Driveshaft--and a drug addict; John Locke, a strange guy who thinks of fate and destiny; Hurley, the big dude who says "dude" alot and has just had the best--and worst thing--happen to him; Jin & Sun, the Korean couple... and more. The island isnt what it seems, however, as they learn over Season One, and especially in Season Two. If you haven't watched this show, dont try it right now. You need to rent the dvds and catch up.
#2. Star Wars Celebration
For four days in April, myself, Mikey Nipp, Steph $, Steph R, Matt R, Tommy Mc and Ken Nipp immersed ourselves in all things Star Wars. That would be the National Star Wars convention in Indianapolis, Indiana's RCA Dome. There were costume contests, there were celebrities, there was lots of stuff to buy, there were shows, there was 10 minutes of sneak peek footage... I met Ray Park (Darth Maul) and the hot chick who plays Aayla Secura, and weird guy who played Kit Fisto and even more... spent way too much money. Even played in Attacktix tourney. It rocked. It was the 2nd most Cool Thing in 2005... right behind...
#1. The Coney Island Cyclone
Let me tell you the story... when I went to New York City in 2002, we did missions on the boardwalk of Coney Island. The coaster loomed in horizon of every thing we did, pretty much. I saw it. I wanted it. I wanted to ride it. We went to Astroland, the small amusement park that is adjacent to the Cyclone, and I had every intention to riding the coaster... and I ended up giving up the chance in order to ride some rides with a teenager we had met, in order to share Christ. Yes, it was worth it, but still... the coaster haunted me.
So in 2005, when the group from Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) went, I was going to ride it. I even had secret plans to sneak away on one of our free nights and go by myself if I had too--fortunately, I didnt have to.
On the Thursday night of our trip, myself, Natalie Valentine, Paula Mackey, Josh & Brandon Blackburn and Annalynn Harrington took a trip to Coney Island, had dinner at Coney Island, walked the boardwalk and through Astroland a bit... and then we went to the coaster. And I rode it. First in the 2nd row, then in the first row, then in the back. And it was rickety... compared to this, the Georgia Cyclone is an air glider. When you ride it for $5, your second trip is $4, then your third is $2. I would have ridden it again and again... except I had loaned Natalie some money, so I was out. But it was so worth it. And that is why the Coney Island Cyclone goes down as the Coolest Thing in 2005.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Top 100 Coolest Things About 2005
Okay, so I've thought about it for a few days, and come up with a list of 100 things that made 2005 the best year I've had since 2004. Now, in this list, I've excluded a few things--that being God & spiritual things (because God is always cool).... Stephanie and our marriage (because by default, that would supposed to be #1, right?)... and the Deuce guys, because its hard to rank one over the other, even though we really know who's the coolest out of Mikey, Ty, Tommy, Shawn, Tom, Drew and Wookiee. Now... what defines "cool"? Just something, someone, some place that makes you say "wow... thats really awesome." Maybe its somewhere you want to go again, someone you want to hang out with again, something you want to do again--that makes something cool.
#100. Ashley Judd. Yeah, she didnt really do anything this year, but she is always my Hollywood Goddess. I love Ashley Judd.
#99. "My Humps" by the Black Eyed Peas. Okay, so how can a song be so addicting, yet be the most annoying thing you've ever heard in your life? Fergie is a tramp, the dudes in the group are total goobers, yet its a song that you can't get out of your head--for good or for worse. You're thinking about it now, aren't you? Whatcha gonna do with all that junk...?
#98. "Pimp My Ride". What a silly show. Who needs a 35 inch television in your van? Who needs four PS2's in your trunk, with four subwoofers and an automatic juice bar? No one needs that crap. Its fun to watch it come together, then watch the kids go grapenuts over their new ride... the its fun to wonder how long it takes for their car to get jacked, and how much insurance goes up for them.
#97. Fish Out of Water from "Chicken Little". It was a funny movie overall, though not one of Disney's best (that would go to "The Incredibles"). However, Fish was one of the best characters I've seen in a long time. Very funny little guy.
#96. "All I Want For Christmas" by Mariah Carey. This song came out over 10 years ago, but still, Christmas after Christmas it is one of the most fun, upbeat holiday songs ever. Can't help but bop along and be happy when she sings.
#95. "Mythbusters" on The Discovery Channel. Adam and Jamie are your hosts, and they use science to prove or disprove urban legends, different myths and general things you've heard all your life... for instance, that "Five Second Rule" when it comes to dropping food... I watched them disprove it last week. Geek stuff. Its awesome.
#94. Michael Chiklis as The Thing in "Fantastic Four". The movie was just eh. Sue Storm was miscast, Dr Doom was miscast and Reed Richards was sort of right... but no one I can think of could have played The Thing like Michael Chiklis (he's the dude in FX's The Shield). He didn't go for CGI, he wore a costume and everything--he was perfect. And very cool.
#93. Barnes & Noble. This year, it replaced Books a Million as my new favorite bookstore. I mean, my Books a Million membership expired, and I didnt care... but I renewed by Barnes and Noble card for two more years. At a higher price. Go B&N!!
#92. Watching a Movie Being Filmed. In NYC this summer, we stumbled upon B-actor Matthew Modine filming a scene on a street corner. While some of us sat and had dessert, we were able to see the set up of a fake phone booth, and finally the appearance of Matthew doing his thing. The movie is called "Kettle of Fish" and its a small independant film that is supposed to be released this year.
#91. "Be Cool". One of the funniest, sharpest movies I've ever seen is "Get Shorty", starring John Travolta, Danny Devito, Rene Russo and Gene Hackman. Well, years later, they make a sequel (in which only John Travolta and Danny Devito comes back). This time, its got Uma Thurman, Vince Vaughn and an absolutely hilarious Andre 3000 (from Outkast). And an even more hilarious The Rock. Its not as funny as Get Shorty, but its more silly... and its cool.
#90. Year End Lists. Are you addicted like me? I mean, give me any countdown for a year, and I'm there... "2005 Best Movies" or "2005 Best Books" or "2005 Worst Radish Recipes of Hackensack NJ"... I'll watch. I'll listen.
#89. "Trapped in the Closet" by R. Kelly. How stupid is this song? No riff, just him going on and on about some guy being trapped in the closet of the girl he's cheating on his wife with... and chapter by chapter, I'm hooked. Its cool.
#88. Those "Rollergirl" Commercials on A&E. Its this new show on A&E channel (I'm watching it now, as a matter of fact) featuring the Roller Derby, which I used to watch when I was a kid... except these commercials feature the cool, cool song "Ready to Rise" by Vaughan Penn. I only know these words: "Ready to rise... ready to ry-ey-ise.... get ready to rise... ready to ry-ey-ise" but I love it.
#87. College Football. 'Nuff said.
#86. The Fine Girls. Lori & Lindsay Fine... my how they've grown. Both college women now, both truly amazing women of God. Very, very cool.
#85. Lori Land. Another chick I got to know a little this year. She was supposed to come with us to NYC, but God didn't have it in the cards. Still, I enjoy her much.
#84. Fox News. They report. You decide.
#83. "Sorry Mom... and Dad". Its the funniest commercial this year. This guy comes into the bathroom and opens up the shower curtain... only to be shocked that its occupied... he says "Sorry Mom..." then as he walks away, he has a horrified look on his face and adds, "...and Dad." Yuck. Hilarious.
#82. Gwen Stefani. Yes, say it with me... she's bananas, bee ay in ay in ay ess... like "My Humps", a totally ridiculous, yet addicting, song. Even had a song called "cool" this year.
#81. Making fun of John Kerry. That says it all. I'll put him at number 81 before I put him at number 81. You decide, he'll agree.
#80. Garrett Cheney. Gave up tons of time to stage manage the dinner theater in July, and a good part of this year's high school drama team. Has a cool sister too, so that helps.
#79. The Drudge Report. Want to know whats going on? Don't read the New York Times, and be careful of CNN... go check out the Drudge Report. Top stuff, new stories, usually facts of the matters before the libs get a chance to spin it.
#78. Making Fun of Kanye West. "George Bush is against Black People". Sure Kanye. He created the weather machines to target the black poor people in New Orleans. Of course, it was a big mistake that now its being reported that more white people than black people died in New Orleans. Yeah, "Golddigger" was catchy. Kanye, just sing and shut up.
#77. "Red Eye". What looked to be a hokey movie about a bad guy on a plan turned out to be one of the coolest movies this year. Rachel McAdams plays a young woman who is flying home to see Dad... when she meets Jackson, a nice enough guy who turns out to be someone very very bad. Great suspense, both McAdams and Cillian Murphy (he was also Scarecrow in this year's Batman Begins) are fantastic, and a pretty good plot move the movie along... a much better plane flick than Panic Room 2.
#76. The Appt of John Roberts. This guy is good on so many levels... he's young, he's strong, he's a believer in God, and he's moderately conservative. And most of all, he's like a Boy Scout--as in, Democrats can't find much wrong with him, though they've tried. John Roberts, Supreme Court Chief Justice.
#75. Tim Harrington. Big Papa in NYC. He is the father of Annalynn, and the hubby of Geryl, and the family attends Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) and I have the honor of getting to know them in New York. He's an awesome guy, totally in love with Jesus (and the kids there totally loved their Coach Tim).
#74. Sean Hannity. The Hannitization of American continues... I was Hannitized this year, listening to him more and more during the day (usually after Rush) and getting stuff that the media won't tell you.
#73. Stephanie Walker. She's the meterologist for NBC 13, and yes, she's just as sweet as she seems, and yes, she's even cuter in person.
#72. W. I love our President. Does he make mistakes? Yes. Is he fallible? Yes. Has he stood by his convictions, not caring what the polls say, leading this country in a time of war? Yes. Yes. Yes.
#71. "Pledged" by Alexandra Robbins. Do you want to know what sorority life is really like? Alex Robbins went undercover at a sorority in a national big school, covering a year in the life of a few girls, documenting their parties, their lives and the life that is a Sorority Girl--including the snobbery, the hazing, the peer pressure and everything that goes with it. There is language to watch out for, but this is a fascinating book to read.
#70. Wendy Garner. She and NBC 13 partner Ken Lass, both loved in the community, weren't treated very well. So they walked. And now they are hosting the morning show on WDJC together... I love Wendy Garner. Big crush. I admit it. She thinks its cute.
#69. Ann Coulter. What a great spokesperson for the right wing. She says what she thinks, for better or for worse, and there it is. She thinks all democrats/liberals are pretty much morons, and actually said that we should kill all the opposing armies overseas and convert their leaders to Christianity. Ann Coulter rocks.
#68. "Batman Begins". The first movie, back in the late 80s, with Michael Keaton was good. But the problem was, it was all about The Joker, played by Jack Nicholson. This one, however, is all about Batman, played brilliantly by Christian Bale. Cillian Murphy is genius as The Scarecrow as well, much better than all of the other villians in the 2nd through 4th movies (put together).
#67. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. What a great show. Every week, something new, something fascinating, something thrilling. I think Warrick Brown (played by Gary Dourdan) is brilliant, though Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger, who is also in Erin Brockvich, which Tyler & I both found out this week) is great too. And of course, Gil Grissom is da man.
#66. "King Kong". Just saw this movie a few days ago... absolutely brilliant and genius. Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings director) has made another masterpiece, with great graphics and effects, a great story and a monkey you actually believe. And some of the dinosaur scenes are just amazing, especially the brontosaurus pile-up in the valley.
#65. Rick & Bubba. Every morning, if I'm up and moving, I listen and laugh. They kept me laughing all year, and Steph and I buy their new cd everytime they have a new one out. We subscribe to the "Extreme Club", which means we can listen to all shows in the last month, plus hear bits and see video that you can't hear in the morning. Good, funny stuff.
#64. Kara Graves. My little girl has all growed up and in college now. Sigh. Much like the Fine Girls. And very cool.
#63. The Rock. No, not the movie, the action star. I admit it, I have a man-crush on The Rock, in a non-Brokeback sort of way. He was hilarious in "Be Cool" (see #91) and was at his absolute cheesy best in "Doom", absolute crap except for The Rock. I even got his autobiography from eBay this year, which I'm pumped about reading.
#62. Mark & Cindy Warner. She's the logical, level headed one you havea crush on in a Kellie Martin from Life Goes On sort of way... he's the goofy, childish one you enjoy watching blow up movies with. I liken them to Steph & I. Love these guys.
#61. The Freedom of Iraq. Okay, so not only did they ratify a Constitution, they also had parliamentary elections and are now on the verge of taking over their own country and running it... all in three years. No thanks to Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer, Hillary Clinton and the like. No matter what the media tells you, freeing a nation is a good thing.
#60. "Cold Case". What a great show on Sunday nights. The premise is, that a group led by Lilly Rush takes on cases that have been sitting on shelves for years, sometimes decades. Mixed in with cool flashbacks and music from the era, its a great show that keeps you guessing... plus, its got an awesome theme song opening.
#59. "Scrubs". One of the funniest shows ever in the history of tv. Dr. Cox is probably my favorite character, but the whole cast--JD, Turk, Elliot, Carla--makes it worthwhile. The guy who plays the lead, JD, is Zach Braff, who starred in 2004's "Garden State" and also was the voice of the lead character in "Chicken Little".
#58. Michael Luna. I work with him at Starbucks. Theology student, married to a hot chick, strong Christian... all that makes him a very cool guy.
#57. Darth Tater. A Dark Side of the Force spin on the old Mr Potato Head. Mine looks cool.
#56. The Kelley Twins. Like The Fine Girls and Kara, I've watched these two grow up from their very young days to their current status as seniors in high school. Awkward kids to beautiful young women of God. Sigh. I'm getting old.
#55. Sarah Jacks. She comes into Starbucks alot, she's a junior at ASFA, and hopefully will be coming to Valleydale soon to try out the high school ministry. One of the sweetest spirits I've ever been around, plus a big sister that is absolutely wonderful--I hope you get to meet Sarah one day.
#54. Blogging. Livejournal and especially blogspot has been a year highlight in 2005. Through blogspot, I was able to everyone informed with what was going on on the trip in NYC, which I found out later, had a ton more people reading than I ever thought. Plus, here I get to talk to you fine people. And for Lindsay and Lori, it would be you Fine people.
#53. Troy swag. Stephanie bought me a Troy University long sleeve, and Mom in Law got me a Troy fleece pullover. My first real Troy Swag since I bought stuff in college.... I love swag.
#52. "How To Talk to a Liberal (if you must)" by Ann Coulter. She was back at #69, while her book is here. I got the trade paperback for Christmas, and in reading some of it, she doesnt lose anytime telling us how wrong the libs are on practically everything (of course, you knew that)
#51. Making Fun of Tom Cruise. He hopped on a couch, then jumped down shouting about how much he loved Katie Holmes, getting her pregnant and pulling her to the dark side (Scientology) after she grew up a baptist and swore she'd be a virgin until she got married. Then he got on the Today Show, made fun of psychiatry and people who do it, and told Matt Lauer he was "glib". Then he made War of the Worlds, which sucked. What a goob.
#50. The Incredibles on DVD. What a cool flick... everytime I watch it, I like it more and more... but the best thing about the dvd is the "cartoon" of Mr Incredible and Frozone from the 60s, with the actual Mr Incredible and Frozone giving commentary. Hilarious.
#49. Best Buy. Oh man, did I drop some money in this store this past year. I always searched for the Best Buy ads as soon as the Sunday paper became available to me, to see what was "2 for $20" or the list of special dvds that were $7.99 or something. Of course, I was proud of my restraint, but still...
#48. Desperate Housewives. Yes, I watch this show. Get over it.
#47. My Birthday Party. I turned 30 this year... so what did I want? Thats right, a superhero party. Stephanie got me a Fantastic Four cake, and all of my friends came over and we all played a big superhero card game (which I thought up, thank you very much) and then we had a rousing round of Dave Trivia. Still thinking about next year's extravaganza.
#46. "Night Court" on DVD. This is one of my favorite all time shows. It's a silly little sitcom from the 80s that had Harry Anderson (whom I've met... cool guy) as a judge of an overnight misdemeanor court, and of course, hilarity ensues. Steph bought me Season 1 on dvd. I'm pumped.
#45. My RCA Lyra. I entered the world of the technologically advanced by getting an mp3 player. It worked, for a while. Of course, it only held 800 songs, and I was hoping it would hold around 5,000, but 4 gigs will only get you so far. I'm now holding out for an iPod.
#44. "The Wedding Crashers". On second thought, don't see this movie. Its bad. Funny. But bad. I warned you.
#43. Brooke Smith. Yes, that Brooke, the one from the Bachelor Season Two. We became friends at NBC 13, and she's just as wonderful as she seems. We have lunch occasionally (which reminds me, I need to call her) and as a Christian, she's an awesome person to know. Cool, in fact.
#42. The A&E Channel. Its the channel that gave me Cold Case Files, City Confidential, American Justice, Rollergirls, Airline and a whole slew of programs that have taught me how not to commit a murder.
#41. Homestar Runner. Do you know about Strong Bad, The Cheat or Homestar? Click on it, I dare you
#40. Attacktix. Its this silly little game with Star Wars figures, but its so addicting. Girls, you wouldn't understand... it appeals to the inner competitive nature of guys, our natural nature to want to blow stuff up and cause destruction.
#39. Kendall. I think her last name was Phillips... anyway, you'll find me talking about her in my NYC blog. She was a Mississippi gal up there on missions, and she was one of our leaders in our basketball camps and such. Such a cool, cool gal.
#38. DC's Identity Crisis. Let me try to explain... DC is one of the biggest comic companies in the world, doing Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and a host of others. Well, in 2005, they had a series called Identity Crisis, in which one of their superhero's wives was raped and killed. And suddenly, in their investigation of 'whodunit', a host of secrets about Hawkman, Green Lantern, the Green Arrow and many other heroes came spilling out, making for a fantastic story that I'll never forget.
#37. Paula Mackey. She was like the big sis to me on our NYC trip... funny, goofy, always there when I needed a shoulder... to wipe sweat on, that is. We worked hard together, got to see Matthew Modine, hung out at Coney Island and more. Paula rocks.
#36. Survivor. Two editions so far this year, one in 2005 Spring, the other in 2005 Fall... and the show just keeps getting better and better every time around. In the Spring, we watched Fireman Tom outlast Katie, who somehow made it there despite not doing anything, and lanky Ian, who felt it was more important to be friends than to win a millions bucks (Ian, I'd take the million... I've got friends). In the Fall, it was fun to watch former NFL Quarterback Gary Hogeboom lank his way to the final five before taking the fall. Eventually, Danni Boatwright won, despite not being bigger around than my bottle of water sitting next to me. Of course, how could you not root for The Manimal?
#35. Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire. This is the first of several Harry Potter references on our top 100... I reread this book this summer,and forgot how good it was. Order of the Phoenix is still my favorite, the new book is great as well, but I wanted to make sure I was familiar with this one before the movie came out... and it was awesome. Very long, so kick back if you read it, but so much better than the movie, if only because it has so much more in it.
#34. Matt & Stephanie Rector. Our little girl Stephanie Nipp is all growed up this year, getting hitched to Matt Rector of Chattanooga Tennessee. Matt, who looks like actor Vincent D'Onofrio, is an odd bird to speak of, with a Simpsons obsession and a goofy laugh, while we love our Steph and all her quirks. It was tough to let her grow, but our baby had to find her way, eh? They make a great couple.
#33. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Funny how Hollywood can't bring itself to say "hey, this book is about Christian themes", even though the movie itself makes religious references. It was a great flick all over, with fantastic effects, great casting and a White Queen to die for. Tilda Swinson was great as the enemy, with her dreads all hanging down, while the battle scene at the end does rival Lord of the Rings.
#32. My Name is Earl. The funniest new show of the year, with Earl Hickey trying to make up for all the wrong he's done in the past. Gotta love Earl's porn 'stache too, plus his ex-wife Joy and her trailer trash life, The Crab Man who is Joy's new love, Randy who is Earl's overweight brother and more. Oh, and the mexican maid that Earl would date, but Randy called dibs. Such a funny show.
#31. Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. So, for the first time in 11 years, I became credit card free in 2005. It was such a great feeling, and I do give mucho credit to Dave Ramsey. A Christian, he uses practical and biblical methods for simply getting out of debt and living a debt free life. Steph & I have adopted his methods and are now inching closer to being debt free--then we'll get a house. =)
#30. The Astonishing X-Men. Fantastic comic book. Great series. When Colossus comes back, Wolverine's face--and Kitty's reaction--is simply priceless.
#29. "102 Minutes" by Jim Dwyer and Bill Flynn. Read the upcoming review on my site.
#28. Cold Case Files. DNA, blood, missing people and files going cold... hosted by Bill Kurtis, one of the coolest crime reality shows around. Oh, and dig on Bill's jacket.
#27. Dirty Jobs. Ever want to see a turkey droppings analyst? Or a cheese maker? A San Fran Chinatown garbage runner? Mike Rowe does the jobs you take for granted... and makes me laugh in the process. On Discovery channel.
#26. Kingdom Comics. The shop over on 31 by Pier One, down from Diplomat Deli. Stan Daniel runs the place, and never will you find a more friendly, more fun comic store. See Stan for all your comic needs, he'll take care of you, I promise.
#25. "Behind These Hazel Eyes" by Kelly Clarkson. Here I am, once again, I'm torn into pieces, I hear this song, I sing along, I know Kelly's the one, makes me smile deep inside, you might just hear my voice cry... Behind These Hazel Eyes
#24. Ginny Weasley. When she makes out with Harry Potter, I officially have a brand new favorite character in the series.
#23. City Confidential on A&E Channel. Its like your grandad telling you stories, only instead of tales of corn fields and how it used to be, Paul Winfield or Keith David tells of a small town, USA, its history, its population and... murder. Of course, I just found out he was gay... that kind of ruins it for me.
#22. "As Good As I Once Was" by Toby Keith. Turning 30 this year, I adopted this song as my anthem. I ain't as good as I once was... thats just the cold hard truth. But I still throw a few back, talk a little smack, when I'm feelin' bulletproof. So don't double dog dare me now... or I'll have to call your bluff. My body says "you can't do this boy" but my pride says "oh yes you can".
#21. Natalie Valentine. My NYC Homegirl, my date to Nathan's Famous and my roller coaster queen on the Boardwalk. Love this girl. You would too.
#20. The Soup. Hosted by Joel McHale, its a weekly comedic review of talk shows, reality show clips and much much more. "This week, Marilyn Manson released his new cologne," says Joel McHale with his goofy grin. "Ah... so thats what irrelevency smells like." On E! during the week.
#19. The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe. The movie was at #33... this one is the book. CS Lewis knew how to spin a story, and remarkably, it leaves stuff open for intrepretation. however, whats not open for intrepretation is the question that the media is asking... "is this story really about God?" Duh.
#18. The ESPN Zone Cafe. Right off of Times Square, one of the best places to enjoy a meal (they have $35 dollar appetizers...) but the best? They have screens in the bathroom stalls. You can watch tv and... have a few moments of privacy. They are over the urinals. Josh Blackburn said "Heck, I dont even have to [go to the bathroom] but I'm going anyway, just to watch TV".
#17. Rush Limbaugh. America's anchorman, the all knowing all seeing Maha Rushi. You know what you hear in the media? Find out the truth from Rush. He'll take care of you.
#16. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The circle is complete... and a saga that no one under 21 or so will truly understand--as in, we know what its like to have the anticipation of the new movie... the new movie being Empire Strikes Back, then Return of the Jedi, then wait 15 years for the Phantom.
#15. The DFC. Congrats to Matt Latta for winning a fine season of the Deuce Football Championships, the 6th installment. VII will be even better when I win the whole thing.
#14. WalkAbout Dinner Theater. It was called Baggage, The Boogeyman and Big Big Bibles. The final WalkAbout theater with me in the lead, for the Valleydale Middle School group. Great performances, including what will do down as one of the Top Ten WalkAbout skits ever, that being the hilarious Mutiny in the Vineyard, starring Tyler Bolton, Josh Blackburn, Joey Thomason and Austin Guthrie.
#13. Carnagie Deli Cheesecake. The world famous Carnagie Deli in NYC has some of the biggest and best cheese cake I've ever had a pleasure to eat. The sandwich was ginormous, first of all, and the cake was--no kidding--about six inches high. I couldn't finish it.
#12. Martyrs & Thieves. Jamie, Kourtney, Megan, Nathan, Garrett, Betsy, Anna, Amanda and Kayla. You guys are awesome, and I'm honored that you'd be a part of the drama team. Wait til we really get going.
#11. Kidstuf. Valleydale Church's (an sbc fellowship)own children's theater, where parents and kids learn together. No kid under 7 knows my real name... I'm Tyler to all of them. And you know what? I'm okay with that.
Disclaimer... there are lots of links here to different webpages. I haven't explored all of the pages on each link, so if you see something questionable, let me know, and I'll take care of it.
The Top 100 Coolest Things of 2005#100. Ashley Judd. Yeah, she didnt really do anything this year, but she is always my Hollywood Goddess. I love Ashley Judd.
#99. "My Humps" by the Black Eyed Peas. Okay, so how can a song be so addicting, yet be the most annoying thing you've ever heard in your life? Fergie is a tramp, the dudes in the group are total goobers, yet its a song that you can't get out of your head--for good or for worse. You're thinking about it now, aren't you? Whatcha gonna do with all that junk...?
#98. "Pimp My Ride". What a silly show. Who needs a 35 inch television in your van? Who needs four PS2's in your trunk, with four subwoofers and an automatic juice bar? No one needs that crap. Its fun to watch it come together, then watch the kids go grapenuts over their new ride... the its fun to wonder how long it takes for their car to get jacked, and how much insurance goes up for them.
#97. Fish Out of Water from "Chicken Little". It was a funny movie overall, though not one of Disney's best (that would go to "The Incredibles"). However, Fish was one of the best characters I've seen in a long time. Very funny little guy.
#96. "All I Want For Christmas" by Mariah Carey. This song came out over 10 years ago, but still, Christmas after Christmas it is one of the most fun, upbeat holiday songs ever. Can't help but bop along and be happy when she sings.
#95. "Mythbusters" on The Discovery Channel. Adam and Jamie are your hosts, and they use science to prove or disprove urban legends, different myths and general things you've heard all your life... for instance, that "Five Second Rule" when it comes to dropping food... I watched them disprove it last week. Geek stuff. Its awesome.
#94. Michael Chiklis as The Thing in "Fantastic Four". The movie was just eh. Sue Storm was miscast, Dr Doom was miscast and Reed Richards was sort of right... but no one I can think of could have played The Thing like Michael Chiklis (he's the dude in FX's The Shield). He didn't go for CGI, he wore a costume and everything--he was perfect. And very cool.
#93. Barnes & Noble. This year, it replaced Books a Million as my new favorite bookstore. I mean, my Books a Million membership expired, and I didnt care... but I renewed by Barnes and Noble card for two more years. At a higher price. Go B&N!!
#92. Watching a Movie Being Filmed. In NYC this summer, we stumbled upon B-actor Matthew Modine filming a scene on a street corner. While some of us sat and had dessert, we were able to see the set up of a fake phone booth, and finally the appearance of Matthew doing his thing. The movie is called "Kettle of Fish" and its a small independant film that is supposed to be released this year.
#91. "Be Cool". One of the funniest, sharpest movies I've ever seen is "Get Shorty", starring John Travolta, Danny Devito, Rene Russo and Gene Hackman. Well, years later, they make a sequel (in which only John Travolta and Danny Devito comes back). This time, its got Uma Thurman, Vince Vaughn and an absolutely hilarious Andre 3000 (from Outkast). And an even more hilarious The Rock. Its not as funny as Get Shorty, but its more silly... and its cool.
#90. Year End Lists. Are you addicted like me? I mean, give me any countdown for a year, and I'm there... "2005 Best Movies" or "2005 Best Books" or "2005 Worst Radish Recipes of Hackensack NJ"... I'll watch. I'll listen.
#89. "Trapped in the Closet" by R. Kelly. How stupid is this song? No riff, just him going on and on about some guy being trapped in the closet of the girl he's cheating on his wife with... and chapter by chapter, I'm hooked. Its cool.
#88. Those "Rollergirl" Commercials on A&E. Its this new show on A&E channel (I'm watching it now, as a matter of fact) featuring the Roller Derby, which I used to watch when I was a kid... except these commercials feature the cool, cool song "Ready to Rise" by Vaughan Penn. I only know these words: "Ready to rise... ready to ry-ey-ise.... get ready to rise... ready to ry-ey-ise" but I love it.
#87. College Football. 'Nuff said.
#86. The Fine Girls. Lori & Lindsay Fine... my how they've grown. Both college women now, both truly amazing women of God. Very, very cool.
#85. Lori Land. Another chick I got to know a little this year. She was supposed to come with us to NYC, but God didn't have it in the cards. Still, I enjoy her much.
#84. Fox News. They report. You decide.
#83. "Sorry Mom... and Dad". Its the funniest commercial this year. This guy comes into the bathroom and opens up the shower curtain... only to be shocked that its occupied... he says "Sorry Mom..." then as he walks away, he has a horrified look on his face and adds, "...and Dad." Yuck. Hilarious.
#82. Gwen Stefani. Yes, say it with me... she's bananas, bee ay in ay in ay ess... like "My Humps", a totally ridiculous, yet addicting, song. Even had a song called "cool" this year.
#81. Making fun of John Kerry. That says it all. I'll put him at number 81 before I put him at number 81. You decide, he'll agree.
#80. Garrett Cheney. Gave up tons of time to stage manage the dinner theater in July, and a good part of this year's high school drama team. Has a cool sister too, so that helps.
#79. The Drudge Report. Want to know whats going on? Don't read the New York Times, and be careful of CNN... go check out the Drudge Report. Top stuff, new stories, usually facts of the matters before the libs get a chance to spin it.
#78. Making Fun of Kanye West. "George Bush is against Black People". Sure Kanye. He created the weather machines to target the black poor people in New Orleans. Of course, it was a big mistake that now its being reported that more white people than black people died in New Orleans. Yeah, "Golddigger" was catchy. Kanye, just sing and shut up.
#77. "Red Eye". What looked to be a hokey movie about a bad guy on a plan turned out to be one of the coolest movies this year. Rachel McAdams plays a young woman who is flying home to see Dad... when she meets Jackson, a nice enough guy who turns out to be someone very very bad. Great suspense, both McAdams and Cillian Murphy (he was also Scarecrow in this year's Batman Begins) are fantastic, and a pretty good plot move the movie along... a much better plane flick than Panic Room 2.
#76. The Appt of John Roberts. This guy is good on so many levels... he's young, he's strong, he's a believer in God, and he's moderately conservative. And most of all, he's like a Boy Scout--as in, Democrats can't find much wrong with him, though they've tried. John Roberts, Supreme Court Chief Justice.
#75. Tim Harrington. Big Papa in NYC. He is the father of Annalynn, and the hubby of Geryl, and the family attends Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) and I have the honor of getting to know them in New York. He's an awesome guy, totally in love with Jesus (and the kids there totally loved their Coach Tim).
#74. Sean Hannity. The Hannitization of American continues... I was Hannitized this year, listening to him more and more during the day (usually after Rush) and getting stuff that the media won't tell you.
#73. Stephanie Walker. She's the meterologist for NBC 13, and yes, she's just as sweet as she seems, and yes, she's even cuter in person.
#72. W. I love our President. Does he make mistakes? Yes. Is he fallible? Yes. Has he stood by his convictions, not caring what the polls say, leading this country in a time of war? Yes. Yes. Yes.
#71. "Pledged" by Alexandra Robbins. Do you want to know what sorority life is really like? Alex Robbins went undercover at a sorority in a national big school, covering a year in the life of a few girls, documenting their parties, their lives and the life that is a Sorority Girl--including the snobbery, the hazing, the peer pressure and everything that goes with it. There is language to watch out for, but this is a fascinating book to read.
#70. Wendy Garner. She and NBC 13 partner Ken Lass, both loved in the community, weren't treated very well. So they walked. And now they are hosting the morning show on WDJC together... I love Wendy Garner. Big crush. I admit it. She thinks its cute.
#69. Ann Coulter. What a great spokesperson for the right wing. She says what she thinks, for better or for worse, and there it is. She thinks all democrats/liberals are pretty much morons, and actually said that we should kill all the opposing armies overseas and convert their leaders to Christianity. Ann Coulter rocks.
#68. "Batman Begins". The first movie, back in the late 80s, with Michael Keaton was good. But the problem was, it was all about The Joker, played by Jack Nicholson. This one, however, is all about Batman, played brilliantly by Christian Bale. Cillian Murphy is genius as The Scarecrow as well, much better than all of the other villians in the 2nd through 4th movies (put together).
#67. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. What a great show. Every week, something new, something fascinating, something thrilling. I think Warrick Brown (played by Gary Dourdan) is brilliant, though Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger, who is also in Erin Brockvich, which Tyler & I both found out this week) is great too. And of course, Gil Grissom is da man.
#66. "King Kong". Just saw this movie a few days ago... absolutely brilliant and genius. Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings director) has made another masterpiece, with great graphics and effects, a great story and a monkey you actually believe. And some of the dinosaur scenes are just amazing, especially the brontosaurus pile-up in the valley.
#65. Rick & Bubba. Every morning, if I'm up and moving, I listen and laugh. They kept me laughing all year, and Steph and I buy their new cd everytime they have a new one out. We subscribe to the "Extreme Club", which means we can listen to all shows in the last month, plus hear bits and see video that you can't hear in the morning. Good, funny stuff.
#64. Kara Graves. My little girl has all growed up and in college now. Sigh. Much like the Fine Girls. And very cool.
#63. The Rock. No, not the movie, the action star. I admit it, I have a man-crush on The Rock, in a non-Brokeback sort of way. He was hilarious in "Be Cool" (see #91) and was at his absolute cheesy best in "Doom", absolute crap except for The Rock. I even got his autobiography from eBay this year, which I'm pumped about reading.
#62. Mark & Cindy Warner. She's the logical, level headed one you havea crush on in a Kellie Martin from Life Goes On sort of way... he's the goofy, childish one you enjoy watching blow up movies with. I liken them to Steph & I. Love these guys.
#61. The Freedom of Iraq. Okay, so not only did they ratify a Constitution, they also had parliamentary elections and are now on the verge of taking over their own country and running it... all in three years. No thanks to Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer, Hillary Clinton and the like. No matter what the media tells you, freeing a nation is a good thing.
#60. "Cold Case". What a great show on Sunday nights. The premise is, that a group led by Lilly Rush takes on cases that have been sitting on shelves for years, sometimes decades. Mixed in with cool flashbacks and music from the era, its a great show that keeps you guessing... plus, its got an awesome theme song opening.
#59. "Scrubs". One of the funniest shows ever in the history of tv. Dr. Cox is probably my favorite character, but the whole cast--JD, Turk, Elliot, Carla--makes it worthwhile. The guy who plays the lead, JD, is Zach Braff, who starred in 2004's "Garden State" and also was the voice of the lead character in "Chicken Little".
#58. Michael Luna. I work with him at Starbucks. Theology student, married to a hot chick, strong Christian... all that makes him a very cool guy.
#57. Darth Tater. A Dark Side of the Force spin on the old Mr Potato Head. Mine looks cool.
#56. The Kelley Twins. Like The Fine Girls and Kara, I've watched these two grow up from their very young days to their current status as seniors in high school. Awkward kids to beautiful young women of God. Sigh. I'm getting old.
#55. Sarah Jacks. She comes into Starbucks alot, she's a junior at ASFA, and hopefully will be coming to Valleydale soon to try out the high school ministry. One of the sweetest spirits I've ever been around, plus a big sister that is absolutely wonderful--I hope you get to meet Sarah one day.
#54. Blogging. Livejournal and especially blogspot has been a year highlight in 2005. Through blogspot, I was able to everyone informed with what was going on on the trip in NYC, which I found out later, had a ton more people reading than I ever thought. Plus, here I get to talk to you fine people. And for Lindsay and Lori, it would be you Fine people.
#53. Troy swag. Stephanie bought me a Troy University long sleeve, and Mom in Law got me a Troy fleece pullover. My first real Troy Swag since I bought stuff in college.... I love swag.
#52. "How To Talk to a Liberal (if you must)" by Ann Coulter. She was back at #69, while her book is here. I got the trade paperback for Christmas, and in reading some of it, she doesnt lose anytime telling us how wrong the libs are on practically everything (of course, you knew that)
#51. Making Fun of Tom Cruise. He hopped on a couch, then jumped down shouting about how much he loved Katie Holmes, getting her pregnant and pulling her to the dark side (Scientology) after she grew up a baptist and swore she'd be a virgin until she got married. Then he got on the Today Show, made fun of psychiatry and people who do it, and told Matt Lauer he was "glib". Then he made War of the Worlds, which sucked. What a goob.
#50. The Incredibles on DVD. What a cool flick... everytime I watch it, I like it more and more... but the best thing about the dvd is the "cartoon" of Mr Incredible and Frozone from the 60s, with the actual Mr Incredible and Frozone giving commentary. Hilarious.
#49. Best Buy. Oh man, did I drop some money in this store this past year. I always searched for the Best Buy ads as soon as the Sunday paper became available to me, to see what was "2 for $20" or the list of special dvds that were $7.99 or something. Of course, I was proud of my restraint, but still...
#48. Desperate Housewives. Yes, I watch this show. Get over it.
#47. My Birthday Party. I turned 30 this year... so what did I want? Thats right, a superhero party. Stephanie got me a Fantastic Four cake, and all of my friends came over and we all played a big superhero card game (which I thought up, thank you very much) and then we had a rousing round of Dave Trivia. Still thinking about next year's extravaganza.
#46. "Night Court" on DVD. This is one of my favorite all time shows. It's a silly little sitcom from the 80s that had Harry Anderson (whom I've met... cool guy) as a judge of an overnight misdemeanor court, and of course, hilarity ensues. Steph bought me Season 1 on dvd. I'm pumped.
#45. My RCA Lyra. I entered the world of the technologically advanced by getting an mp3 player. It worked, for a while. Of course, it only held 800 songs, and I was hoping it would hold around 5,000, but 4 gigs will only get you so far. I'm now holding out for an iPod.
#44. "The Wedding Crashers". On second thought, don't see this movie. Its bad. Funny. But bad. I warned you.
#43. Brooke Smith. Yes, that Brooke, the one from the Bachelor Season Two. We became friends at NBC 13, and she's just as wonderful as she seems. We have lunch occasionally (which reminds me, I need to call her) and as a Christian, she's an awesome person to know. Cool, in fact.
#42. The A&E Channel. Its the channel that gave me Cold Case Files, City Confidential, American Justice, Rollergirls, Airline and a whole slew of programs that have taught me how not to commit a murder.
#41. Homestar Runner. Do you know about Strong Bad, The Cheat or Homestar? Click on it, I dare you
#40. Attacktix. Its this silly little game with Star Wars figures, but its so addicting. Girls, you wouldn't understand... it appeals to the inner competitive nature of guys, our natural nature to want to blow stuff up and cause destruction.
#39. Kendall. I think her last name was Phillips... anyway, you'll find me talking about her in my NYC blog. She was a Mississippi gal up there on missions, and she was one of our leaders in our basketball camps and such. Such a cool, cool gal.
#38. DC's Identity Crisis. Let me try to explain... DC is one of the biggest comic companies in the world, doing Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and a host of others. Well, in 2005, they had a series called Identity Crisis, in which one of their superhero's wives was raped and killed. And suddenly, in their investigation of 'whodunit', a host of secrets about Hawkman, Green Lantern, the Green Arrow and many other heroes came spilling out, making for a fantastic story that I'll never forget.
#37. Paula Mackey. She was like the big sis to me on our NYC trip... funny, goofy, always there when I needed a shoulder... to wipe sweat on, that is. We worked hard together, got to see Matthew Modine, hung out at Coney Island and more. Paula rocks.
#36. Survivor. Two editions so far this year, one in 2005 Spring, the other in 2005 Fall... and the show just keeps getting better and better every time around. In the Spring, we watched Fireman Tom outlast Katie, who somehow made it there despite not doing anything, and lanky Ian, who felt it was more important to be friends than to win a millions bucks (Ian, I'd take the million... I've got friends). In the Fall, it was fun to watch former NFL Quarterback Gary Hogeboom lank his way to the final five before taking the fall. Eventually, Danni Boatwright won, despite not being bigger around than my bottle of water sitting next to me. Of course, how could you not root for The Manimal?
#35. Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire. This is the first of several Harry Potter references on our top 100... I reread this book this summer,and forgot how good it was. Order of the Phoenix is still my favorite, the new book is great as well, but I wanted to make sure I was familiar with this one before the movie came out... and it was awesome. Very long, so kick back if you read it, but so much better than the movie, if only because it has so much more in it.
#34. Matt & Stephanie Rector. Our little girl Stephanie Nipp is all growed up this year, getting hitched to Matt Rector of Chattanooga Tennessee. Matt, who looks like actor Vincent D'Onofrio, is an odd bird to speak of, with a Simpsons obsession and a goofy laugh, while we love our Steph and all her quirks. It was tough to let her grow, but our baby had to find her way, eh? They make a great couple.
#33. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Funny how Hollywood can't bring itself to say "hey, this book is about Christian themes", even though the movie itself makes religious references. It was a great flick all over, with fantastic effects, great casting and a White Queen to die for. Tilda Swinson was great as the enemy, with her dreads all hanging down, while the battle scene at the end does rival Lord of the Rings.
#32. My Name is Earl. The funniest new show of the year, with Earl Hickey trying to make up for all the wrong he's done in the past. Gotta love Earl's porn 'stache too, plus his ex-wife Joy and her trailer trash life, The Crab Man who is Joy's new love, Randy who is Earl's overweight brother and more. Oh, and the mexican maid that Earl would date, but Randy called dibs. Such a funny show.
#31. Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. So, for the first time in 11 years, I became credit card free in 2005. It was such a great feeling, and I do give mucho credit to Dave Ramsey. A Christian, he uses practical and biblical methods for simply getting out of debt and living a debt free life. Steph & I have adopted his methods and are now inching closer to being debt free--then we'll get a house. =)
#30. The Astonishing X-Men. Fantastic comic book. Great series. When Colossus comes back, Wolverine's face--and Kitty's reaction--is simply priceless.
#29. "102 Minutes" by Jim Dwyer and Bill Flynn. Read the upcoming review on my site.
#28. Cold Case Files. DNA, blood, missing people and files going cold... hosted by Bill Kurtis, one of the coolest crime reality shows around. Oh, and dig on Bill's jacket.
#27. Dirty Jobs. Ever want to see a turkey droppings analyst? Or a cheese maker? A San Fran Chinatown garbage runner? Mike Rowe does the jobs you take for granted... and makes me laugh in the process. On Discovery channel.
#26. Kingdom Comics. The shop over on 31 by Pier One, down from Diplomat Deli. Stan Daniel runs the place, and never will you find a more friendly, more fun comic store. See Stan for all your comic needs, he'll take care of you, I promise.
#25. "Behind These Hazel Eyes" by Kelly Clarkson. Here I am, once again, I'm torn into pieces, I hear this song, I sing along, I know Kelly's the one, makes me smile deep inside, you might just hear my voice cry... Behind These Hazel Eyes
#24. Ginny Weasley. When she makes out with Harry Potter, I officially have a brand new favorite character in the series.
#23. City Confidential on A&E Channel. Its like your grandad telling you stories, only instead of tales of corn fields and how it used to be, Paul Winfield or Keith David tells of a small town, USA, its history, its population and... murder. Of course, I just found out he was gay... that kind of ruins it for me.
#22. "As Good As I Once Was" by Toby Keith. Turning 30 this year, I adopted this song as my anthem. I ain't as good as I once was... thats just the cold hard truth. But I still throw a few back, talk a little smack, when I'm feelin' bulletproof. So don't double dog dare me now... or I'll have to call your bluff. My body says "you can't do this boy" but my pride says "oh yes you can".
#21. Natalie Valentine. My NYC Homegirl, my date to Nathan's Famous and my roller coaster queen on the Boardwalk. Love this girl. You would too.
#20. The Soup. Hosted by Joel McHale, its a weekly comedic review of talk shows, reality show clips and much much more. "This week, Marilyn Manson released his new cologne," says Joel McHale with his goofy grin. "Ah... so thats what irrelevency smells like." On E! during the week.
#19. The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe. The movie was at #33... this one is the book. CS Lewis knew how to spin a story, and remarkably, it leaves stuff open for intrepretation. however, whats not open for intrepretation is the question that the media is asking... "is this story really about God?" Duh.
#18. The ESPN Zone Cafe. Right off of Times Square, one of the best places to enjoy a meal (they have $35 dollar appetizers...) but the best? They have screens in the bathroom stalls. You can watch tv and... have a few moments of privacy. They are over the urinals. Josh Blackburn said "Heck, I dont even have to [go to the bathroom] but I'm going anyway, just to watch TV".
#17. Rush Limbaugh. America's anchorman, the all knowing all seeing Maha Rushi. You know what you hear in the media? Find out the truth from Rush. He'll take care of you.
#16. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The circle is complete... and a saga that no one under 21 or so will truly understand--as in, we know what its like to have the anticipation of the new movie... the new movie being Empire Strikes Back, then Return of the Jedi, then wait 15 years for the Phantom.
#15. The DFC. Congrats to Matt Latta for winning a fine season of the Deuce Football Championships, the 6th installment. VII will be even better when I win the whole thing.
#14. WalkAbout Dinner Theater. It was called Baggage, The Boogeyman and Big Big Bibles. The final WalkAbout theater with me in the lead, for the Valleydale Middle School group. Great performances, including what will do down as one of the Top Ten WalkAbout skits ever, that being the hilarious Mutiny in the Vineyard, starring Tyler Bolton, Josh Blackburn, Joey Thomason and Austin Guthrie.
#13. Carnagie Deli Cheesecake. The world famous Carnagie Deli in NYC has some of the biggest and best cheese cake I've ever had a pleasure to eat. The sandwich was ginormous, first of all, and the cake was--no kidding--about six inches high. I couldn't finish it.
#12. Martyrs & Thieves. Jamie, Kourtney, Megan, Nathan, Garrett, Betsy, Anna, Amanda and Kayla. You guys are awesome, and I'm honored that you'd be a part of the drama team. Wait til we really get going.
#11. Kidstuf. Valleydale Church's (an sbc fellowship)own children's theater, where parents and kids learn together. No kid under 7 knows my real name... I'm Tyler to all of them. And you know what? I'm okay with that.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Starbucks Forever
Sitting here watching the game with Texas taking on USC, I'm totally rooting for Texas to win. USC is just too cocky, and it showed the first half.
I worked almost 13 hours today--after my eight hour shift, I agreed to help out when one girl came in sick, almost puking (I sent her home and stayed until after 8). Anyway, in case you need an update, or want one, I'm "paneling" for Starbucks...
...essentially, that means I'm going through an interview process with the Powers That Be at Starbucks Corporate to find out if I'm manager material. I'll immediately be an assistant manager, then a manager of a new store opening up... and my hope is, when Birmingham becomes its own region (right now its part of the Atlanta Region) I want to move into the promotions and relations side of it.
And I dont even like coffee.
I worked almost 13 hours today--after my eight hour shift, I agreed to help out when one girl came in sick, almost puking (I sent her home and stayed until after 8). Anyway, in case you need an update, or want one, I'm "paneling" for Starbucks...
...essentially, that means I'm going through an interview process with the Powers That Be at Starbucks Corporate to find out if I'm manager material. I'll immediately be an assistant manager, then a manager of a new store opening up... and my hope is, when Birmingham becomes its own region (right now its part of the Atlanta Region) I want to move into the promotions and relations side of it.
And I dont even like coffee.
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