15. Thank You For Smoking
14. Inside Man
13. The Prestige
12. Jackass 2
11. The Last Kiss
10. The Descent
09. Superman Returns
08. V For Vendetta
07. Lucky Number Slevin
06. Apocalypto
05. Borat
04. The Departed
03. The Science Of Sleep
02. Little Miss Sunshine
01. Brick
Granted this is Memphis and there are several movies that I have been unable to see because they haven't released here or they were only here for one week. Once I have seen those movies I will update my list.
Those movies are:
Children of Men
Half Nelson
Pan's Labyrinth
The Good Shepherd
Sherrybaby
The Groomsmen
Little Children
Hope u enjoyed the top ten movies as much as I did!
Happy New Year.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Best TV Shows 2006
1. Battlestar Galactica- Consistently the best show on tv. The emotion and intensity is enough, but the show also manages to weave current affairs and politics into a futuristic space show.
2. Greys Anatomy- This is a must see appointment every week. A show written for women, but still finds a way to draw in the male crowd. I also love that spoilers for this show are either hard to find or great big red herrings.
3. Veronica Mars- Veronica grew up this year and moved on the solve college cases. The second season finale back in May was a bit overwritten otherwise Ms. Mars might be at the top of this list.
4. The Shield- The most intense, gritty show on tv. Forrest Whitaker even brought it up a level. I just wish we had more episodes each year to enjoy.
5. Lost- Those of you that know me already know that if I could put this show at number one I would in a heart beat. The second half of season 2 was amazing, but the first six episdofes of season 3 have been missing something. (like more original cast members) I love Ben and Juliet, but I need my losties fix too.
6. How I Met Your Mother- This show is the next Friends...minus one thing. The viewers! Why CBS is not giving the post superbowl slot to this super show is beyond me.
7. Medium- The writing on this show is so original. Too bad NBC is already treating the award winning ensemble like a step child (just like it does Scrubs).
8. The Office- I'm a late-comer to The Office. That doesn't make it any less brilliant. Jim is one of the best characters on tv and this show hits so close to, er, work.
9. Dexter- A sympathetic serial killer is the lead of this show. Believe it or not, it works. Dexter will be back for a second season. I suggest you make a call to your local Showtime provider.
10. Boston Legal- This year of Boston Legal has already given me a lifetime of saying to use with friends and family. Thank you Denny Crane.
Biggest Disappointments
1. The Sopranos- New episodes are so few and far between that I can't even remember the last time there was a good season.
2. The O.C.- I actually quit watching this show after last season. The Johnny, Marissa, Ryan triangle was too much. It actually made me miss the days of Oliver. I hear this season has been better, but I'm not falling for it. Too little too late.
3. 24- I know most people would disagree with me. But this show has fallen so far from its perfect first three seasons. Really, I will say it again, the show is called 24, not CTU, CTU L.A., or Jack and friends.
2. Greys Anatomy- This is a must see appointment every week. A show written for women, but still finds a way to draw in the male crowd. I also love that spoilers for this show are either hard to find or great big red herrings.
3. Veronica Mars- Veronica grew up this year and moved on the solve college cases. The second season finale back in May was a bit overwritten otherwise Ms. Mars might be at the top of this list.
4. The Shield- The most intense, gritty show on tv. Forrest Whitaker even brought it up a level. I just wish we had more episodes each year to enjoy.
5. Lost- Those of you that know me already know that if I could put this show at number one I would in a heart beat. The second half of season 2 was amazing, but the first six episdofes of season 3 have been missing something. (like more original cast members) I love Ben and Juliet, but I need my losties fix too.
6. How I Met Your Mother- This show is the next Friends...minus one thing. The viewers! Why CBS is not giving the post superbowl slot to this super show is beyond me.
7. Medium- The writing on this show is so original. Too bad NBC is already treating the award winning ensemble like a step child (just like it does Scrubs).
8. The Office- I'm a late-comer to The Office. That doesn't make it any less brilliant. Jim is one of the best characters on tv and this show hits so close to, er, work.
9. Dexter- A sympathetic serial killer is the lead of this show. Believe it or not, it works. Dexter will be back for a second season. I suggest you make a call to your local Showtime provider.
10. Boston Legal- This year of Boston Legal has already given me a lifetime of saying to use with friends and family. Thank you Denny Crane.
Biggest Disappointments
1. The Sopranos- New episodes are so few and far between that I can't even remember the last time there was a good season.
2. The O.C.- I actually quit watching this show after last season. The Johnny, Marissa, Ryan triangle was too much. It actually made me miss the days of Oliver. I hear this season has been better, but I'm not falling for it. Too little too late.
3. 24- I know most people would disagree with me. But this show has fallen so far from its perfect first three seasons. Really, I will say it again, the show is called 24, not CTU, CTU L.A., or Jack and friends.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Is It Really?
Can it be that Christmas is just a few days away? I mean, my Christmas shopping is done, my gifts are wrapped, my tree is lit and yet it seems like Christmas is a long ways away. Maybe it's different if you have kids. I know when I was a child Christmas was all that I could talk about; Santa and his great journey to Snakey Lake Drive to deliver presents to the Carwile household. Where is that magic now? I miss feeling like every breath was one second closer to the best time of the year.
Is it possible to have that again? I don't know that it is.
It's like watching a magican performing a trick, but knowing how the whole thing works. It just isn't as special. You can't help but think, it's so simple, how could I have ever felt that THIS was ever something so amazing.
I want that feeling back. Maybe I need to create an annual holiday tradition with friends. You know, a party or dinner that would bring everyone together for a special evening. But would that make me feel any more celebratory towards the holidays? Or would it just feel like another burden to cross off the list before the end of the year.
I am not trying to be a humbug. Honestly. I am trying to do the exact opposite. Recapture that zest. Do you have any ideas? Let me hear them. I would love your comments.
THE BRIGHT SIDE
This has been a terrible year. Back surgery. Money problems. The passing of both grandparents. A good friend who discovered she has leukemia (her second non-curable disease). Yet all of the bad things that have happened have brought some good. I am so excited about seeing my family. I have been pretty open with them in the past, telling them that I really couldn't care less about being with them around the holidays. Shame on me. I now see the value in spending as much time with them as possible. They are all I have and they would be there with me no matter what. So, through all of the bad news I have gained some real perspective this year. And for that I am so grateful.
And in case I don't get to write again before Christmas. Please have a very Merry Christmas!!!
Is it possible to have that again? I don't know that it is.
It's like watching a magican performing a trick, but knowing how the whole thing works. It just isn't as special. You can't help but think, it's so simple, how could I have ever felt that THIS was ever something so amazing.
I want that feeling back. Maybe I need to create an annual holiday tradition with friends. You know, a party or dinner that would bring everyone together for a special evening. But would that make me feel any more celebratory towards the holidays? Or would it just feel like another burden to cross off the list before the end of the year.
I am not trying to be a humbug. Honestly. I am trying to do the exact opposite. Recapture that zest. Do you have any ideas? Let me hear them. I would love your comments.
THE BRIGHT SIDE
This has been a terrible year. Back surgery. Money problems. The passing of both grandparents. A good friend who discovered she has leukemia (her second non-curable disease). Yet all of the bad things that have happened have brought some good. I am so excited about seeing my family. I have been pretty open with them in the past, telling them that I really couldn't care less about being with them around the holidays. Shame on me. I now see the value in spending as much time with them as possible. They are all I have and they would be there with me no matter what. So, through all of the bad news I have gained some real perspective this year. And for that I am so grateful.
And in case I don't get to write again before Christmas. Please have a very Merry Christmas!!!
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Best Albums of 2006
20. Eyes Open by Snow Patrol
19. Ben Kweller by Ben Kweller
18. Return To Cookie Mountain by TV on the Radio
17. First Impressions of Earth by The Strokes
16. Magic Potion by The Black Keys
15. The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me by Brand New
14. Boys and Girls in America by The Hold Steady
13. Robbers and Cowards by Cold War Kids
12. Dog Problems by The Format
11. Rise and Fall of Butch Walker... by Butch Walker and the Let's Go Out Tonites
10. 10,000 Days by Tool
09. Happy Hollow by Cursive
08. Welcome To The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance
07. Whatever People Say I Am, I'm Not by Actic Monkeys
06. I'm Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass by Yo La Tengo
05. The Crane Wife by The Decemberists
04. Black Holes and Revelations by Muse
03. Broken Boy Soliders by The Raconteurs
02. St. Elsewhere by Gnarls Barkley
01. NightCrawler by Pete Yorn
19. Ben Kweller by Ben Kweller
18. Return To Cookie Mountain by TV on the Radio
17. First Impressions of Earth by The Strokes
16. Magic Potion by The Black Keys
15. The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me by Brand New
14. Boys and Girls in America by The Hold Steady
13. Robbers and Cowards by Cold War Kids
12. Dog Problems by The Format
11. Rise and Fall of Butch Walker... by Butch Walker and the Let's Go Out Tonites
10. 10,000 Days by Tool
09. Happy Hollow by Cursive
08. Welcome To The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance
07. Whatever People Say I Am, I'm Not by Actic Monkeys
06. I'm Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass by Yo La Tengo
05. The Crane Wife by The Decemberists
04. Black Holes and Revelations by Muse
03. Broken Boy Soliders by The Raconteurs
02. St. Elsewhere by Gnarls Barkley
01. NightCrawler by Pete Yorn
Monday, December 18, 2006
A Weird Fetish
People are in to all kinds of weird things. The waiting list in Florida to see an execution is over 500 people long. I could never watch something like that. Hell I have a hard enough time watching people brush their teeth on tv. The squishy sounds and the foamy mouths make me gag. I can't imagine watching another human being die right in front of me, especially by choice.
I was reading an article in Rolling Stone last night about Colorado's state laws in regards to children serving adult sentences. It was extemely sad. Colorado has children as young as 12 serving life in prison without parole. One teenage kid was a life long victim of abuse and molestation. He finally put a fire poker upside his mom's head. He will never see the outside of a prison cell again. He was immediately sentenced to a maximum security adult prison where he was locked up with other murderers and child rapists.
The reason Colorado is so strict is because of two very conservative Christian organizations in the state. The two joined forces in some state elections a few years back and had their gigantic congregations only vote for certain "tough on crime" candidates. One of the ogranizations was the New Life Christian Church which was founded by Ted Haggard. Haggard is an ultra conservative, hate-fire-brimstone kind of guy. He just resigned from his position earlier this year b/c he was caught bangin' some guy in a seedy hotel. His "no-forgiveness" attitude sealed the deal for so many youngsters in prison.
In the last decade Colorado's prison population has gone up over 500 percent.
Okay, enough soap box. Just wanted to vent.
I was reading an article in Rolling Stone last night about Colorado's state laws in regards to children serving adult sentences. It was extemely sad. Colorado has children as young as 12 serving life in prison without parole. One teenage kid was a life long victim of abuse and molestation. He finally put a fire poker upside his mom's head. He will never see the outside of a prison cell again. He was immediately sentenced to a maximum security adult prison where he was locked up with other murderers and child rapists.
The reason Colorado is so strict is because of two very conservative Christian organizations in the state. The two joined forces in some state elections a few years back and had their gigantic congregations only vote for certain "tough on crime" candidates. One of the ogranizations was the New Life Christian Church which was founded by Ted Haggard. Haggard is an ultra conservative, hate-fire-brimstone kind of guy. He just resigned from his position earlier this year b/c he was caught bangin' some guy in a seedy hotel. His "no-forgiveness" attitude sealed the deal for so many youngsters in prison.
In the last decade Colorado's prison population has gone up over 500 percent.
Okay, enough soap box. Just wanted to vent.
Opening Lines of Books
Johanna gave me a gift a year or so ago. It's called "The Writer's Block." It is a small, thick, square, block of writing starters and ideas to get the pen moving on the paper.
One of the suggested exercises is to identify some of your favorite opening lines of books. And then you are told to write 5 of your own.
Well after giving this much thought I decided to share my favorites list with you. Here are my favorite opening lines:
1. Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
-Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
2. It was a wrong number that started it, the telephone ringing three times in the dead of night, and the voice on the other end asking for someone he was not.
-City of Glass by Paul Auster
3. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.
-A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
4. Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
5. This is my favorite book in all the world, though I have never read it.
-The Princess Bride by William Golding
Some of my favorite more modern ones are:
1. I sat across the table from the man who had battered and tortured and brutalized me nearly thirty years ago.
Sleepers by Lorenzo Carcaterra
2. There's a guy like me in every state and federal prison in America, I guess - I'm the guy who can get it for you.
-Rita Hayworht and the Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King.
3. My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973.
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
4. When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home.
-The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
5. Until I began to build and launch rockets, I didn’t know that my hometown was at war with itself over its children and that my parents were lock in a kind of bloodless combat over how my brother and I would try to live our lives.
-Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam
One of the suggested exercises is to identify some of your favorite opening lines of books. And then you are told to write 5 of your own.
Well after giving this much thought I decided to share my favorites list with you. Here are my favorite opening lines:
1. Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
-Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
2. It was a wrong number that started it, the telephone ringing three times in the dead of night, and the voice on the other end asking for someone he was not.
-City of Glass by Paul Auster
3. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.
-A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
4. Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
5. This is my favorite book in all the world, though I have never read it.
-The Princess Bride by William Golding
Some of my favorite more modern ones are:
1. I sat across the table from the man who had battered and tortured and brutalized me nearly thirty years ago.
Sleepers by Lorenzo Carcaterra
2. There's a guy like me in every state and federal prison in America, I guess - I'm the guy who can get it for you.
-Rita Hayworht and the Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King.
3. My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973.
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
4. When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home.
-The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
5. Until I began to build and launch rockets, I didn’t know that my hometown was at war with itself over its children and that my parents were lock in a kind of bloodless combat over how my brother and I would try to live our lives.
-Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam
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