Trek Yourself

These things are pretty funny!
Trek Yourself

Ramblings of the Day 4/17/2009

- Woke up today not feeling good….first time for that in a long time. I decided to use one of my coveted sick days and stay at home in bed. Well, after sleeping for most of the day, I woke up late in the day feeling a lot better. I guess I must have eaten something bad last night or something. Seeing how I was feeling much better, I grabbed something light to eat and then I made my way to a late screening of ‘Crank: High Voltage” or as most people will call it, “Crank 2″.

Overall it was an ok movie. I think it suffers from the same problem that the “Saw” movies have faced. The first “Saw” was crazy. It was different. It had an ending that completely shocked you. As soon as “Saw 2″ came out though, everyone had such high standards for it and it just didn’t deliver. You went into “Saw 2″ expecting a twist somewhere. It wasn’t a surprise like the first one. The first “Crank” was this way. It was a different movie going experience than what people were used to. I for one loved how crazy it was. Now with “Crank 2″, I went in expecting it to be crazy and completely off the wall. I wanted to watch it and be completely into it the same way I was with the first one, but I wasn’t. Instead of being in shock like I was during the first one, I just kind of sat there not feeling anything. I wanted to be excited during the movie, but because I knew it was going to be crazy and they were going to go above and beyond to try and shock me, I wasn’t. I guess overall, its not a bad movie but its also not something I will make an effort to watch again. I’ll just stick with the first “Crank”.

- Over the last 4 weeks or so, I’ve managed to watch all 3 seasons and the all of the current season 4 episodes of “How I Met Your Mother”. Wow, it is such a funny show. I’m actually amazed I like it. I haven’t really been able to watch a sitcom in years probably since Seinfeld. (BTW, I loathed “Friends”) I guess I’ve just outgrown studio audiences and stage sets. That or I’m just spoiled with so many great comedies like The Office or Arrested Development that film in a completely different way. Anyways, HIMYM has a new fan now. As soon as I watched 1 disc of season 1 from Netflix, I immediately fell in love with the characters and the overall story. I like that it has a story that is gradually going somewhere. I love how I can relate to the group of friends and the main character. I can see my friends and myself in their group of friends. It sounds odd I know, but I do. Maybe, its just because I’m in the same age bracket as the characters. Whatever the reason, I really like the show and I really hope it does get renewed for a fifth season. I was so happy that Target ran a sale right as I was getting into the show. I was able to buy each of the first three seasons for $12.99 each. A steal in my opinion!

- I was able to watch some Charlie Chaplin films on TCM yesterday. It was Charlie’s 120th birthday and they ran an all day marathon of his work. I actually had never watched a Chaplin film until yesterday. He’s obviously a noticeable icon of movie history but still I had never seen any of his work. I must say, I am quite amazed at how much I didn’t know about him. I always though he was just a Three Stooges type of actor, but he was so much more. After I watched a few of his films and read up a little more on him, I went to Blockbuster and rented “Chaplin” with Robert Downey Jr.. I’m still amazed at how much more there was to Chaplin than just “The Little Tramp”.

I was quite happy to have my own little personal Nashville Film Fest on my projector screen that was mostly free. I was really excited about going to see some films at this years Nashville Film Fest(going on now), but when I saw that tickets were $11 a person per movie, I said forget that! I’m not paying $11 to see an indy film. The Belcourt Theatre doesn’t charge that much for indy films. $11 is just absolutely ridiculous in my opinion. I guess if you’re one of those people in town that thinks your taste in movies is better than everyone else than I guess you should have no problem paying that price.

I’m pretty wide open about my taste in movies. I have no problem with watching an indy movie that hardly anyone will see and then going to see a current blockbuster movie. It always surprises me though that we still have critics that write and think the way they do. I’m also surprised that people still read their reviews. I just don’t think film critics have any knowledge about what most people like. Granted its their opinion, I’ll give them that. I’ll never forget walking out of a press screening of “300″ though and hearing some of the Nashville film critics just say terrible things about it. I really wanted to turn around and tell these guys to get off their high horse. Obviously they had not seen the same movie that I or most everyone else saw. I guess if Zach Snyder had managed to make “300″ more like “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” then maybe these critics would have changed their minds. I’m not trying to say that I’m right and they’re wrong, but I get really frustrated at film critics. Not all of the Nashville critics are bad. Some of them are cool to talk to about movies. Then there are some who must think that they’re writing for the New York Times and they treat you like you are some sort of peasant. I really want to tell the ones that act that way, “You realize you live in Nashville and not New York or L.A., right?” There are the few that I do enjoy reading and I do value their thoughts, but some of those others I feel for. I respect their opinions but they must think they live and think at a higher level than most of us other normal movie folk.

- I haven’t really blogged about my trip to Cabo San Lucas. I’ve told my friends about it but I haven’t had the chance to blog about it. Overall, it was AMAZING! I’m so lucky my dad asked me to go with him. I’m also very grateful to Nestle Professional for paying for it all. They really know how to treat their customers!

I know it might look like a cheesy touristy kind of video, but here it is anyways….My slideshow to Cabo.

- I’m going to have to get a second job at some point. It sucks. I’ve got to come up with some extra cash to start saving. This whole wonderful economy is just reeking havoc on just about everyone’s billfold. Companies are raising their prices. Credit Cards are raising their rates. Yet, their customers can’t pay for it all. I’m still amazed at the amount of business we still do at my current job. Our prices are SO ridiculously high and yet people still fork it over. Anyways, if you have an opening somewhere and you want to give me a heads up, feel free to let me know! I’ve got certified references, that will tell you how awesome I am!

- I’m finally starting to see more of my friends (and even my sister!) join Twitter. Now if I can only get them all to start posting frequently. It’s such an addicting service. I think I use Twitter more than Facebook and definitely more than MySpace. I think I’ve logged into MySpace once in the past month and half. Its just kind of become a dirty trailer park whereas Facebook is like a clean neighborhood. I really don’t know what to compare Twitter to. Its fast, simple, and easy to use. I think the only thing you have to learn about Twitter is how to do @replies. I think overall, a monkey could learn to use twitter. Don’t be surprised if anyday now, a zoo does train a monkey to do it. Twitter has an interesting effect on you. You start meeting people that you don’t know in your normal everyday life, but you start learning stuff about them. Pretty soon, you start to feel like you know these other twitterers. I can name you things that I randomly remember from other twitter users that I’ve never even met outside of Twitter. Its a weird feeling to have. Surely, I’m not the only person to do this. If you get a chance, join up!

Be sure to follow me at twitter.com/billyhammock

That’s enough for tonight. I can’t believe I’m actually off all weekend. I am going to soak it all in!