Archive for January, 2009

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High Hopes

January 20th, 2009

Today was a huge day. For everyone. Whether you loved or hated Bush, whether you voted Hillary, Obama, or McCain, whether you live in Ghana or Germany; today affects everyone. Today was a day that I will never forget. Today was a day that inspired me. Even though I was in class today, we watched the Inauguration.

I was honestly moved. Never have I been this excited for the future and all of the possibilities that lie ahead. This was the first election I had ever voted in, due to the fact that I am only recently legal, and I really felt like I was part of something personal and bigger than myself. Bigger than all of us. Obama’s speech was beautiful. It made me feel like I have endless opportunities open to me now.

Politics only really caught my interest once I entered college. These past couple of years I have been absolutely infuriated about the environment, the economy, foreign support, government scandals, and anything else you could think to name. Sometimes I felt so small and helpless with the way things were going. However, this morning, once he was sworn in, I felt like I had real power. After all, I love America and it is a country full of great people, but sometimes I lost faith. It took five dollar a gallon gas in some places to convince people to drive more fuel efficient cars. I had to pay over $500 this year for my college textbooks.The cost of tuition goes up every year. I worry about the education my younger sister is getting in public school. I worry about how I will pay for school. I worry about species like the polar bear and the panda. I worry about the immensely fast industrialization rates of China and India related to pollution and the environment. I worry about corporate leaders and how they will spend their budget or treat their employees. I worry. A lot.

But this morning, I felt lighter. I felt like change was coming, for the better. I know just as much as anyone that change will not come overnight. It will most often be slow and challenging, but I’m more ready than I’ve ever been. Obama is a man that I would choose as an ambassador to foreign countries. I would choose him to lead our military. I would choose him to handle the financial crisis in our economy. So, I guess that means I would choose him for president.

Now, I feel like I can dream bigger. I can join the Peace Corps. I can help rehabilitate orangutans in Borneo. I can dream of being an animal cruelty investigator or studying abroad. I can dream of being a writer. Not only can I dream it, but I feel like these dreams are actually tangible. I’m excited for what is to come. Prospects of solar, wind, and wave energy keep me up late at night. The melting of the ice caps appear in my sleep. I’m ready to experience the same feelings of accomplishment that I felt this morning and on election night. I can’t wait to see the progress in our country and around the world. I can’t wait to be a part of it.

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Posted in Inspiration

Review: Trust the Man

January 20th, 2009

Like most movies, you don’t leave the theater astonished with an urge to see it again or change the world. That is why Trust the Man is great. It’s entertaining. It’s funny. It’s light.

I didn’t actually see it in theaters, but if anything, that made me like it more. I saw it in a Super 8 Motel in the middle of Lindsay, California on a free HBO channel. I actually only saw the last half, but I later rented it so I could see the whole thing. So, in my opinion this is a great dvd movie that you can watch with friends while sprawled out on various couches or recliners.

Julianne Moore and David Duchovny play a struggling married couple. Moore is a stage actress and Duchovny is a sex addict, naturally. You also have Billy Crudup and Maggie Gyllenhaal playing a couple who have dated for the past seven years. She wants kids and he bases every decision off of his extreme fear of dying. How are they related? Crudup and Duchovny are besties and Moore and Crudup are brother and sister. The movie has some deep themes and conflicts, but they are all done with a comic touch. I really felt like I could actually like these characters. I wanted the best for them.

Ultimately, it’s a good slice of life, romantic laugh through the big city. Watch it on a night when nothing is going on or throw it in the dvd player on a Saturday afternoon. Either way, its a nice movie that will get you to smile. Plus, you’ll get to see that NBC executive from Seinfeld that joined Green Peace after his Elaine obsession. Not to mention, Eva Mendes.

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Review: Taken

January 19th, 2009

Alright. This is an action movie. For action purists.It’s not a conventional formula for a can of whoop ass type movie, but keep an open mind. Liam Neeson kicks major ass!

Forget about Jason Bourne of The Bourne Series, Jason Statham of The Transporter Series, Sam Jackosn of Pulp Fiction, Denzel of Training Day, and Bruce Willis of the Die Hard Series. Taken takes the cake. In fact, after watching this you won’t even remember who said “Yippee ki yay mitherfucker.”

Basically, Liam Neeson plays an ex CIA guy who allows his teenage daughter to go to Paris. And, she gets taken, kidnapped. So, the movie follows him on his journey to get his daughter back, at any cost. If you thought that Jack Bauer pulled some crazy ass stunts in 24, then think again. He wants to rebuild his relationship with his daughter, so he will do anything to get her back. Neeson has the voice, the moves, and the charm. You’ve got fight scenes, chases, torture; it’s all there. The acting is great. The story is intriguing. The style is awesome. Not to mention, it is intense. Excite the hell out of you. So, I definitely recommend this. Look for it in theaters.

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Review: Smiley Face

January 19th, 2009

This had to be one of the best movies that I had never heard of before seeing it. This is not due to the fact that the whole movie chronicles a young woman on her stoned misadventures through the state of California. It was funny. Plain and simple. It kept me laughing.

Anna Farris plays an aspiring actress who, during a morning smoking ritual, mistakenly eats her roommate’s pot cupcakes when the munchies attack. By the way, Hyde from That 70’s Show plays her roommate. I didn’t recognize him for the first half of the movie. After the feast, some paranoia inspired decisions lead to a crazy day of adventure and hilarity. There were some other famous faces that also made an appearance in the movie. Adam Brody, From The OC plays her dealer. John Krasinski, better known as Jim from The Office, plays a slightly nerdy guy who is slightly interested in Anna Farris. Harold of Harold and Kumar, Carrot Top, Danny Trejo, Jane Lynch, and that hippy counselor from Freaks and Geeks also manage to show up at some point in the movie. Still though, Anna Farris is the star of the show.

She either delved deeply into the research and study of the stoner’s psyche in a grueling and backbreaking attempt to portray the perfect pothead, or she simply woke up one morning and lived like it was any other day. Either way, improvised or heavily scripted, she did a fantastic job of making me laugh. I would say that if you liked Pineapple Express, especially James Franco, then you definitely need to check out Anna Farris in Smiley Face.

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First time

January 15th, 2009

I have owned one, single pair of boxer briefs. Otherwise, I’ve been a boxer guy since sixth grade or so. The one pair that I do own came to me as a Christmas present. They were and are still the tops. Tops drop even.

So, today was the fist time that I actually went out and bought a pack of them. Like an economy, value, pack of five, five varying shades of blue, pack of boxer briefs. I’ve never been happier. The only reason I even made the switch from briefs to boxers was because of entering junior high. For the past eight years after that, Ive been a slave to tiny shorts that you wear under regular sized shorts. It’s not that boxers aren’t great. There’s freedom. There’s pros and cons.

Boxers are life after college. The feeling of freedom is still there, but you’re skeptical of what may come. Briefs are life before college. You’ve got security, borrowed income, closeness; but you start to feel a little smothered, a little suffocated. So, naturally, boxer briefs are college. There’s freedom and security. The borrowed income may be gone, but hopefully tuition is being paid. You may be away from family, but you can always come home for the weekends. It’s that perfect middle ground. Also, boxers give you chicken legs. They flare out. Briefs are too form fitting. So, I am Matt, I am in college, and as of today, I wear boxer briefs.

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Posted in First Times