I want to win the lottery

So, coming to Phoenix for work, reminds me how much I have come to love to travel. Phoenix seems like a great city to explore, but all I got to see was the highway to and from the airport, the hotel, and California Pizza Kitchen. The atmosphere is so different here. Something about drivin through neighborhoods of lawns full of cactuses that just looks cool. I got to see the sunrise over the mountains this morning, which was an amazing site.

I feel fortunate that work sends me different places throughout the year, but I really wish I could travel with family and friends, as it would make the whole experience more enjoyable.

I know that I don't need to win the lottery to travel, but it sure would help. The tradeshow I was at, was at a very nice resort. I was also lucky that the show organizers upgraded me to a suite. So I hade a nice big room, access to the Regency Club, which had free food and drinks. These are not things that we would most likely be able to afford if we were to travel now.

Sounds like my plane is boarding.

Count Dracula reads my blog!

So everyonce in a while, I check in on Google Analytics. I am always interested to see where people that read my blog live. When I checked today I saw that someone from Romania has visited my blog.

I am fairly positive that it is Count Dracula.

It only makes sense.

Pirates and Ninjas

So I was listening to a podcast the other day, and they mentioned how the Internet (especially Facebook) to allow for a couple of things to really become popular.

Ninjas, Pirates, Zombies, Bacon, LOL Catz

This got me thinking, in 200 years, what will modern day profession will equate to their Ninjas and Pirates. (Of course, Zombies, Bacon, and LOL Catz will still be around, they are timeless)

Thinking it through, these two professions have very different traits, so when looking for the modern day equivalent you have to first understand what traits to look for.

Let's start with Ninjas. Ninjas are stealthy, they like to cut people with swords, you often don't know who they are, they potentially can be hired, and usually have a higher set of morals.

Potential Modern day Ninja Candidates:

Spy: Like Ninja, Spy is very general. It does not tie you down to one country. Spy could be someone in the CIA, KGB, or a double O. You often don't know who they are, and they have been known to use a sword.

Serial Killers: I know, the fist thing you think is you said higher set of morals. I argue this point with the fact that in 200 years, serial killers will be glamorized by Dexter. People will have forgotten the Ted Bundys and Jeffrey Dahmers and will be enamored by the killer you can take home to mom, Dexter Morgan. So along with that, you have a secret identity, and he knows his way around a knife.

Power Rangers: Don't laugh. They pretty much are modern day ninjas. Just crayola ninjas. In 200 years, time will again have washed away the campiness, an Power Rangers will be revered. Or they will be just as campy, which in turn will make it super cool.

Wild Card:
Teachers: In 200 years you will most likely take a pill when you hit 5, and instantly know everything. So teachers will become these mythical outlaw characters, that swoop in and teach you things, that you never thought you would know. Like long division, and the countries of the world. You will wake up the next day and think it was all a dream, until you find a paper on your desk, where you showed your work. The most mind blowing part will be paper.

Now on to Pirates. Pirates are lawless, dirty, willing to kill for a dirty glass of whiskey. They are loud, and if people don't know who you are, then you are not a good pirate.

Potential Modern Day Pirate Candidates

Republicans: There are many strong Republican personalities that are very polarizing, just like most pirates. You have your Rush Limbaugh's and Ann Coulters. Loud, brash, morally crooked. They often travel in groups, and as of late seem to like to launch attacks on unsuspecting people. They also now seem to carry loaded weapons into public places. All very Pirate like.

Terrorists: Nothing funny here about terrorism, just some very similar parallels. All lawless, willing to do underhanded things. They have secret hideouts, and are scattered all over the world. In 200 years, it is possible terrorist will be viewed as we view Pirates today.

80's/90's Movie Action Heroes: Your Steven Segals, Jean Claude VanDammes, Arnolds, Stalone's, and of course, Chuck Norris. Again as time moves on, reality an fiction tend to blur. The children of 2209 will sit down and watch Predator, Blood Sport, Under Siege, and Missing in Action, and see these men who lived outside of the law. Kicked Ass and took names.

Wild Card:
Pirates: The Pirates of today, could be the Pirates of tomorrow. While they are not as well known, there still are Pirates. From what I have heard, they make quite a good living for themselves. It is possible they are just waiting it out, to make a huge media blitz and rise into stardom. Or not.

Anyway, I would be happy to hear your thoughts.

Top 5 Movies that Make me Cry

So I should know better than to create this list. I caught the end of one of these movies today, and in those 5 minutes I got that lump in my throat. So in my commitment to creating top 5 lists, here we are.

Before I jump into it, I am a crier at movies. I mean I teared up during the first few minutes of Star Trek. I have learned how to hold the tears in, in most cases, but these five typically bring them out.

So in no particular order.

1. Island of the Blue Dolphins.

This makes the list as it is the first movie I remember crying during. I watched it in 2nd grade. This movie is chalk full of sad moments. Kids get left behind, brother dies, dog dies. All tear jerking moments. I often project myself into the movies that I am watching. Being a kid, watching a movie with kids, made it easy to put myself into their shoes. Which makes it all the more emotional. Even sadder note, this is based on a true story, the main character lives alone for 18 years, finally gets rescued and then dies 7 weeks later of dysentery.

2. Empire of the Sun.

One of my favorite movies. I also remember watching this movie as a young kid. Again I was able to relate to Christian Bale's character. I was able to think about how i would feel if I was in similar situations. Now that I have a son of my own, when I watch the movie I relate with how the parents must feel, not knowing where their son is, or if he is still alive. This movie contains many tear jerker moments. We start off with Jim, getting separated from his parents on a crowded street, this is both a child's and a parent's nightmare. Then there is a scene where Jim tries to remember what his parents look like, and he can't remember. I hope to never have that moment. The other moments that stick out are the scene where Jim and the Japanese boy are together, and the Japanese boy is going to cut open a melon with a sword. A character that Jim had clung to mistook this for the Japanese boy attacking Jim, and shoots him. Then the scene at the end of the movie, where Jim's parents are at the orphanage and Jim and his mother find each other. A happy moment, but I cry like a school girl.




3. Grave of the Fireflies

If it wasn't for a movie class I took in college, I most likely would never have come across this movie. The story is about two children, a brother and a sister in Japan during WWII. Their father is in the Japanese Navy. During a fire bombing of their city their home is destroyed and their mother dies. The movie chronicles the two of them trying to survive on their own. This movie will rip your heart out over and over again. It is a cartoon, which allows for some haunting imagery. Eventually the two of them end up living in a cave. Their is a scene with the sister is so hungry and delirious that she makes food out of sand. It's a movie that shows how war impacts everyone involved, not just the soldiers but families at home as well. This is a hard movie to watch, but it is one I highly recommend.

4. Field of Dreams

This movie is on the list for one scene, when he asks his dad if he can have a catch. For Christs sake, I am tearing up just writing this. It get's me every time.




5. AI: Artificial Intelligence

So this movie is the reason for this list. I haven't found many people that like this movie like I do. To me it is a great story, it came from the minds of two filmmakers I enjoy, with Kubrick spending many years working on the film and Spielberg directing it. This film again has many moments that make me well up, from when David is being taken to be decommissioned and his "mother" can't go through with it so she leaves him in the woods, the scene where Teddy and David get separated, and the final sequence, where David get's to spend one last day with his mother. It's this perfect blend of happiness and overwhelming sadness.

So there you are. Five movies you can use to mock me mercilessly for ever.

Honorable Mention
The Notebook
Armageddon
Where the Red Fern Grows
Gladiator
Braveheart

Busses and Baptists

So the doorbell rang today. Opening the door is often like opening a present. Sometimes it is something awesome, like a Kitana Blade, then sometimes it is not awesome, like a DVD box set of One Tree Hill.

Today when I opened the door I thought I was getting One Tree Hill, but I ended up with a Kitana.

At the door were two girls, I am going to assume around 12, holding pamphlets, long hair, glasses, and in skirts. So I assumed they were gypsies, I was close, Baptist.

Here is a recap of the conversation.

Me: Hello

Religious Girl: Hello, do you have any children that would like to ride our bus?

Me: (Confused look on my face) Uhhh, Is the bus here?

Religious Girl: (Laughing) No, it's not.

Me: Well...Where does the bus go?

Religious Girl: Oh... It goes to the Greater Point Baptist Church, do you have a child that might be interested. August is Ice Cream month.

Me: I have Trevor here (I point in at Trevor) but I don't really think he would be interested (At this point I considered bringing Trevor over, to discuss Jesus with them, I thought it would be funny to see him berate them for not believing in Dinosaurs, I decided that is not what Jesus would do, so I sparred them)

Religious Girl: Could I tell you a little more about it.

Me: Sure!

Religious Girl: Well in August we are going to have a thirty foot Banana Split, give away Culvers Gift cards, and make the world's largest milk shake.

Me: I don't really think we would be interested. (At this point, I am on the verge of laughter)

Religious Girl: Here is some info if you change your mind.

Me: Thanks!

First off, I feel bad that someone is making these girls go door to door on a Saturday morning to pimp out their church. Second her pitch was horrible. She literally said, "Do you have any children that would like to ride our bus?", no info on what the bus was, who they were, where the bus went. All I knew was they had a bus, that would come at sometime, and take my kid someplace.

Then all she talked about was Ice Cream. I mean it did have garner some interest from Trevor afterwards, but you've really got to tell me more about what is going on.

Though on the info they gave me, it has a prayer it says is guaranteed to get you into heaven. So I will probably hang onto it just in case.