Recomend some Music

Since I have received some good recomendations on movies, I thought I would seek some help for taking care of my ITunes gift card. Leave me one song choice to download.

Thanks

Recommend a Movie

HELP!! I have a good amount in gift cards burning a hole in my pocket. Please recommend a movie for me to purchase at Best Buy. I have a fairly eclectic movie selection already so I am ready for any and all suggestions. These are the movies I received for Christmas this year.

Rififi
Raging Bull
Double Indemnity
The Killing
The Darjeeling Limited

Here are some more helping hints.

If you have peiced together the name of this blog, and my screen name, you may have realized I am a fan of Wes Anderson, I have seen, and aside from Bottle Rocket, own all of his movies. Something from the next Wes Anderson, or from one of his inspirations might be a good choice.

I am a sucker for epics. Braveheart, Bridge on the River Kwai, Appocalypse Now, Lawrence of Arabia. I enjoy them all. I am willing to sit through an epic.

Something from Japan. I already have Seven Samuarai in my basket at BestBuy.com. I love it. I also really enjoyed the Hidden Fortress. I also thought Battle Royale was great. Two different movies, but came from, the same place. Hey, I even like Lost in Translation.

I have also gotten into Noir films, since I saw Brick.

I love a good heist movie.

Any 80's movie that has a Unicorn in it.

It may even lead to you getting a shout out on this very blog.

So comment away, let me know what to buy.

Christmas Spirit

They say that Christmas is the season of giving. Which is why I decided to stand up on a soap box for this blog and tell everyone to try and support those less fortunate during this holiday season.

(Stands on Soap Box)

This morning on my day off, I went over to our companies Airplane Hangar, loaded up my car with groceries and toys, and made deliveries to those in my area that need some help this Christmas. My company is heavily involved in Operation Bootstrap, that around this time of year, collects basic food items, food for a Christmas meal, and gifts for the kids and has them delivered. Between today and tomorrow over 200 families in the area will receive what they need to have a good Christmas.

Three of the last four years I have helped. Typically I work in the hangar and load cars with the boxes of food to be delivered. This year, since I had the day off today, I decided to bundle up Sophia, and with a friend of mine, make deliveries. With just a donation of my time, I helped make someones Christmas a happy time of year. At one of the houses there was a boy, maybe 3. When we brought the gifts in (they come in black garbage bags so the kids don't see it is toys) he asked his dad why we were bringing in garbage. He will wake up Christmas morning, and have items under the tree to open. He will be excited to see what Santa brought, and his parents will know that while times may be tough for them. There truly are "Santa's" that are helping keep that youthful excitement alive, while they use what money they have to pay the bills, and put food on the table. They won't have to try and explain why Santa didn't come this year.

I encourage those of you that I know, and those of you that have somehow stumbled across my little blog, to if possible take some time to help others. It may be to late to help out this year, but keep your eye open for ways to give back. Maybe it is some change to the Salvation Army, a gift for Toys to Tots, or a gift off of a giving tree.

I delivered items to houses I drive by everyday. You never know who needs a helping hand. You never know when you may need a hand yourself.

From a couple dollars to a couple of hours, please do what you can this Christmas, and the Christmas's to come, to keep the Christmas spirit alive.

(steps off of soap box)

Thanks

An Open Letter to ABC

Dear ABC,

Let me start off by saying that I am a big fan of your network. You hooked me with TGIF when I was a kid, and since then I always gravitate towards your shows. Which is why it pains me to write you this letter.

In a world of CSI's, NCIS's, Criminal Mind's, and Law and Order's how can you cancel a series like Pushing Daisies.

To start off Pushing Daisies resides in a world, that seems to be pulled from a child's imagination. One in which a Pie Shop is in the shape of a Pie, and a pie maker can bring people back from the dead with the touch of a finger. A world where you never know when someone will break into song or end up dead.

You have a show in which a viewer can become invested in if they want, waiting to find out if Ned and Chuck will ever be able to touch again. Or if you would prefer you can drift in and out, and enjoy each shows encapsulated plot.

The casting and cameos are terrific and the plots are always slightly out of the realm of realism without being unbelievable.

I wanted to follow the stories of the inhabitants of the Pie Hole for years to come. Unfortunately I only have three more episodes left to enjoy. You didn't even give the creators of the show the courtesy of informing them in time so they would be able to tie up loose ends. From what I hear, the show ends in a cliffhanger. One that you seem okay to let hang forever.

Next year, if you come out with some reality show, or a standard crime drama, you will have moved one step closer to losing me forever.

I hope that in the future you allow shows that buck the mainstream trend the ability to grow.

Disapointedly Yours,
Eric Powers

PS: To the creators of Pushing Daisies, I have heard that you are looking at completing the story with either a comic book or potential movie. Please do so. All to often I have been left at the end of a TV season looking forward to what the next season will bring. Only to have it canceled and be left wondering forever. I hope that you can wrap up the story you started. Oh, and I am sorry that ABC canceled your show.

Carol of the Belles

Tonight the cub scout pack went to Whispering Pines, an elderly care facility for caroling. Not everyone came, and we were not the best singers, but we got through the carol book, and it seemed that everyone had a good time.

I admit that I missed singing Christmas songs, and look forward to it next year.

Who throws a Shoe?

My Grandfather

December 7th 1941 Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese. This is a story that most of you already know. A story that most don't know involves my Grandfather. My Grandfather was not at Pearl Harbor this day, he was a Marine that was stationed in China. On December 7th 1941 he was taken by the Japanese as a prisoner of war. He remained in Japanese prision camps until September of 1945, after the dropping of the Atomic Bombs ended the war with Japan.

I unfortunately was never able to meet my Grandfather, he passed away when my mom was only 9. It was only a couple of years ago that I learned about his experiences in the war. The North China Marines have a yearly reunion. In some research my father was doing, he stunbled upon the group, and has been actively involved with them ever since. He helped host the reunion in Appleton a couple of years ago. He also has put together a website, that expalins what these brave Marines went through.

This group of men didn't raise a flag or storm a beach, they just tried to survive. If you have a moment visit the website and read about their story.

A Walk Down Memory Lane

For some reason little things have been spurring memories. I ate Burger King fries the other night and it reminded me of when I was in High School and Jeremy Hanson and Mark Resch went from Burger King to Burger King in Wausau the day they launched their new french fries, and gave out free fries that day. We hit up most of the Burger Kings twice. I also think that might have been the day, when we almost got in a fight from an old lady from Oregon. That is a story for another time though.

The biggest spurring of memories was when I got to spend some time chatting with Gary Clark tonight. I saw Mr. Clark at a Cub Scout/Boy Scout Leadership meeting. I got to catch him up with what I was up to, and discuss scouting activities.

While I had only one class with Mr. Clark, he was one of my favorite people from High School. Mr. Clark directed me in 3 plays and 1 musical. Some of my favorite moments in High School were late nights or weekends in the auditorium making sets, or running lines. He was always good for a story, from his days in the Air Force to the time Jimi Hendrix said good night to him as he left a concert. I can't believe that he left a Hendrix concert early, but since it lead to an amazing story I can forgive it. He is the only teacher I know that had been suspended (it was for showing the unedited version of Excalibur) and one of the only teachers that treated me more like an equal than a student.

I am happy that fate has allowed us to stumble back together after almost 10 years.