As I sit here, drinking coffee and putting off essays...

... I am brought to thinking about various points in movies that have emotional impact towards me, be it chills, smiles or choked up feelings.
Yes... this is an awful distraction, and in part I blame my old friend Jordan Kologe (http://akropolisnow.blogspot.com/) for inspiring me. However, his post was much deeper, and had to do with deep emotional takeover and the individuality vs universality of emotions...

...and I am just going to give a brief list of some favorite movie moments that are in my immediate memory (seeing as deeper thought would require more focus that I am obviously willing to shell out tonight.... yikes work ethic).

None the less, here are some moments in movies that make Mr. Jonathan Arkle happy that such an art form (yes art form) exists.

When Andy watches his fellow inmates enjoy cold beers on the roof after a long day of work - The Shawshank Redemption

The opening title card and subsequent introduction to the 'boat' "Serenity, specifically it's correlation with the soundtrack - Serenity

Frodo confides his fears to Gandalf in Moria, Gandalf speaks of "the time that is given to you" - The Fellowship of the Ring

"I'd buy the quick-stop and re open it myself!" Randals "moment". - Clerks II

"There is no one watching out for us, we are all alone" Miracles and signs speech - Signs

"My Gift is my song" introduction - Moulin Rouge (shut it...)

Maximus enters Elysium, now we are free - Gladiator

When Mel Gibson rides down a line of people, with a flag or with face paint and rallies a war cry - Every Gibson movie.. ever

and I am writing this on my "blogger dashboard widget", so unfortunately, I have a limited amount of space before I must finish off, and that limit ends roughly he

Talk to me Goose

So I watched Top Gun tonight for the first time in my life, and realise that I've been in the dark for years.
Amazing movie.

In other news, caught a pack rat in the barn the other night, it was epic.

Also, the new Star Trek makes me feel like I should have been a trekkie rather than liking star wars.... the way I see it, Star Wars now seems like "sci-fi for dummies" as those fans are the ones who cheer at sasquatches being handed crossbows (let the wookie win).
Whereas Star Trek is all quasi-science, with physics (sounding) statements and filled with "logic". Anyhow, I can understand why those people look down on star wars fans... at least at the moment, and especially in light of all the new Star wars movies.

But enough nerdery... 2 weeks left of school, 2 final papers left, and a few final exams. Bring it on. I'm ready for a break.

"Blog Entry Title"

I slacked.

So, I don't know if I mentioned this in the last blog, but recently I've become addicted to this new TV show "Supernatural". It's not exactly new, but it's new to me. It's like the xfiles meets buffy. Awesome, dark AND filmed in Vancouver! So win win win.

In other news, midterms have begun and those are going well. I've had two of my philosophies now, which I hope went well, I feel confident about them, but obviously I'll have to wait a few weeks for the results.

This blog is a bit of a cop-out as I don't have anything particularly newsworthy to write about, but I figured I might as well write something.
And to keep up with my "recent" revelations, blogs need pictures. Hold on, let me find something worthy...



This is appropriate for my "midterm" season I guess. I'm also teaching a lifeguarding course at the moment (Bronze star specifically). So, that, plus Gorman Bros., plus school equals coffee coffee coffee. On that note! Starbucks brought out this new instant coffee which is good, but not really worth the price. I think I'll still prefer a bulk Nescafe.

Haven't seen Ricky Gervais' "Invention of Lying" yet... hopefully sometime this weekend. Oh! And on the note of theatre/movies etc. We are one step closer to getting this 'home theatre" system. Yay

Have a good Thanksgiving to folk as well

Pictures make blogs more appealing.

Pictures make blogs more appealing. This is the conclusion I have come to.
Not because of any particular feedback, or even personal opinion, but just becuase I know that I find bright colours distracting and easily grab my attention. This I have in common with young children, and crows.
(Poisonous Crows).

My dear friend Jordan, who moseys his way onto this blog every once and a while, wrote an entry in his own a few days ago mentioning that he was sitting on his porch, smoking his pipe. Now I wouldn't expect any less from him, and then the very next day (becuase it was still fresh in my mind) I saw a man smoking from a wooden pipe while driving through town. My grandfather used to smoke a pipe... gave it up for the sole reason that he kept misplacing the pipe itself, which irritated him. He is British and fantastic, so again, the pipe has a strong case going for it. (They also smell great).
I think this is just great... what doesn't seem to suit the "deep thinker" more than smoking tobacco in a pipe? Now... I think at my age it would look peculiar, so I will have to wait, but I look forward to the day when I seem wise enough to the layman to be able to pull off this fantastic pastime. I will appear to be a great philosopher, or a wise knowledgeable man.

Or a Hobbit... But lets assume not.

Arkham Asylum

Ahh!!

I've fallen out of the video game world, in such a sense that the last "console" that I owned was a Nintendo Gamecube back in 2003... in regards to video games, I would play the Nintendo legacy games such as Mario, and of course my favorite, Zelda.

As previously mentioned, I bought a PS3. Now granted, I bought it for the Bluray player, but I figured might as well get a game for it as well, so obviously I got the new Batman Game.

It is a freaking love letter to obsessive Batman fans like me, with so many little throw outs to the comics and obscure characters. But what really makes it complete for me, is that my favorite villain since I was little, Dr. Jonathan Crane, A.K.A. "Scarecrow' is done amazingly. A review on the internet said something along the lines of "The Scarecrow sequences don't scare you... they terrify you". An accurate statement, and as my dear friend Torrey said in a voice mail he left me earlier today "I got to the scarecrow part... scared the crap out of me".
Best part is.... there are more than just one nightmarish encounters with the dear doctor.

I am so happy about this reintroduction to video games, that I felt obliged to write a blog on it.

First day of school was officially today. I showed up yesterday to classes like a fool, and there were none. Oh well, both classes today were with the same prof, which hopefully will be good. He has a thick Italian accent and a sense of humour, so here's hoping for the best.
Also, 9 comes out today, AND "Welcome Home" by Coheed and Cambria (a favorite of mine) is indeed on the soundtrack (this is the song featured in the trailer).
So hopefully it has an iconic and key location in the movie.

Labour Day weekend

I got a ps3, it had a blu ray player, and it dropped $100 in the last 2 weeks, and I had a $100 gift certificate for the mall... $200 off what it was last month? not bad. That's my justification for those of you who may have been torturing yourself by wondering.

So, on Monday (Labour day) I'm hoping to wake up early and head back up to Whatshan Lake to do some more waterskiing. Long drive for a day of skiing but it will be worth it... I know it.
Unless this -4 weather comes... I don't believe it personally, but crazy to hear it predicted.

A good old friend of mine (a good friend who is not necessarily old, but he is an old friend who happens to be good as well, good in both senses, as a good friend and a good person, not to be confused with an old good friend, anyways)
This friend is a fantastic musician, and happens to be in a swell band! Which I just learned has brought out an EP available on iTunes, even in Canada.
The City Walls
I think they are just fantastic, so you should check them out as well. At least click the link so their Myspace page looks a bit busier?

School starts Tuesday, Philosophy again finally! Please be engaging professors.... please?

Hokay!

So! This is entirely going to music related

I'm lying!

Okay! So I bought the new Imogen Heap, and I really like it! If anyone reading this is an Imogen Heap fan, then get the cd so we can talk about it! I like the song "Aha!" alotttt. (so much in fact, that it deserves three t's).
Also, I bought the delux version off iTunes, so I got every track doubled with Instrumental only tracks!! Cool. Especially since I'm big on the whole "Songs minus lyrics" thing when I study. So double win ($12.99 too! 26 songs)

Also! I really like the new Weezer single! It's catchy, happy, and dancy. Double win!
http://www.weezer.com/
Stream it free HERE! For real.

Also, since I joined the Twitter cult... *Shudder*, I've been recieving the odd "tweet" *shudder* from Andrew W.K.
Of course, I think this guy is a legend, SO you can imagine my excitement when he wrote that this had surfaced...

http://www.coveringthemouse.com/2007/12/mickey-mouse-club-march-andrew-wk.html#links

ha!

And in final un music related news.....
Wait... I think that's it...

hmm... oh! My struggle and debate about whether or not to get a ps3/360/wii goes on... should I get one? if so which one? I really want to play that new Batman: Arkham Asylum game.... if you havn't seen trailers for it, go watch now, and I guarantee you will agree it's the best batman thing since dark knight. Which isn't hard, granted... BUT, still amazing.

There, I took it off music topic, so I am certified liar.

...to rule them all

http://theradiocitylotrconcert.com/

Does this make me very nerdy? A little nerdy? or 110% sane for really wanting to go to this??

I've never been to New York, but I really want to go someday. Everyone I know who has ever been says it is just an amazing city. It really is the center of the world, and I would love to go see it in person. Also to see a Broadway show! Broadway, Lord of the Rings orchestra... yikes, I think my new york "tastes" are likely a bit expensive...

Sick at the moment, it's pretty lame. Stomach bug, hit me hard over the weekend and stopped me from being able to do the Apple Triathlon.... grr!!! BUT, nothing I can do about it now, I'll just train harder and do better next year than I could have this year! Yes. Thats the plan.

Also New York City... that's a "plan" as well.

"Precious..."

The Shocking Alternative

Spent last week up at a my uncles cabin on the perfect waterskiing lake, up near nakusp. It was fantastic, Waterskiied everyday, read, had amazing alone time. It was so relaxing and refreshing... the first real "break" I've had in... I don't know how long. Despite it raining at least once every day, pouring on some, it was the an amazing week.
Check out this water...



Started re-reading Mere-Christianity the other day, and when I got to this passage I remembered it immediately, and decided I needed to post it. Then, surprise surprise, I procrastinated. But at long last, here it is. I know it's long, but I think it's hilarious, poignant, and relevant. C.S. Lewis' style and Philosophical wit makes this book one of my favorites, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in Philisophical or Christian based reading.


"Then comes the real shock. Among these Jews there suddenly turns up a man who goes about talking as if He was God. He claims to forgive sings. He says He has always existed. He says He is coming to judge the world at the end of time. Now let us get this clear. Among Panthiests, like the Indians, anyone might say that he was a part of God, or one with God: There would be nothing very odd about it. But this man, since He was a Jew, could not mean that kind of God. God, in their language, meant the Being outside the world, who had made it and was infinitely different from anything else. And when you have grasped that, you will see that what this man said was, quite simply, the most shocking thing that has ever been uttered by human lips.
One part of the claim tends to slip past us unnoticed because we have heard it so often that we no longer see what it amounts to. I mean the claim to forgive sins: any sins. Now unless the speaker is God, this is really so preposterous as to be comic. We can all understand how a man forgives offences against himself. You treat on my toes and I forgive you, you steal my money and I forgive you. But what should we make of a man, himself unrobbed and untrodden on, who announces that he forgave you for treating on other men's toes and stealing other men's money? Asinine fatuity is the kindest description we should give of his conduct. Yet this is what Jesus did. He told people that their sins were forgiven, and never waited to consult all the other people who their sins had undoubtedly injured. He unhesitatingly behaved as if He was the party chiefly concerned, the person chiefly offended in all offences. This makes sense only if He really was the God whose laws are broken and whose love is wounded in every sin. In the mouth of any speaker who is not God, these words would imply what I can only regard as a silliness and conceit unrivalled by any other character in history.
Yet (and this is the strange, significant thing) even His enemies, when they read the Gospels, do not usually get the impression of silliness and conceit. Still less do unprejudiced readers. Christ sahys that He is 'humble and meek' and we believe Him; not noticing that, if He were merely a man, humility and meekness are the very last characteristics we would attribute to some of His sayings.
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on a level with a man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

C.S. Lewis
Mere-Christianity, pg 51-52


Good eh?

Current Events

So this has been my neighborhood in this past week

Those who read the blog are more than likely aware of the timeline of events, but as for description, a picture speaks a thousand words.



Saturday July 18th, 2009

Gorman's home going up in flames.... Don't get me started about the engine parked at the bottom of the straight driveway.....
Press photo of me Sat. afternoon at Gorman Bros. - Morning. Across the lake swim, Afternoon "The Producers", later that afternoon fire fighting?, later that evening "The Producers", even later that evening, back at Gorman's fighting fire.
Loads burning in the upper log yard on Saturday night

Monday afternoon, spot fires and fire mopping up. Also, really cool helicopters flying everywhere, including this one! Kmax Helicopter. Exciting

Goodbye Champ

Champ "Chewbacca" Arkle
March 29th 1997- July 13th 2009

Chariots of Fire

While I sit here listening to miscellaneous movie theme songs, I feel as if I should be writing something of worth... unfortunately I cannot think of anything especially poignant to write about. This is unfortunate to me.

Shows have now started for The Producers, and they are off to an amazing start, big standing ovations (as opposed to the awkward one person stands, then others follow hesitantly), howls of laughter, dancing geriatrics in the audience and of course complaints and people walking out! Fantastic. I am quite happy to be able to say that I was in a show that some people found so offensive that they actually walked out! Ecstatic!


Another show tonight, and unlike last year I am not fresh on my Philosophical banter SO the backstage talk has been lacking the same luster. However, at the request of my fellow cast, I will be thinking of philosophical brain teasers and new thoughts to keep people entertained. Just need to pull out my old text books...

But until then, I leave you, dear reader, with this which made us laugh and laugh backstage last night.

I Hate Nature from Olde English Comedy on Vimeo.

Woah

Holy lack of updating batman...

This is short and sweet, but in yet another (likely ill fated) attempt to update the blog more frequently, I will write a few sentences.


For those who may not have known, I am in "The Producers" in the role of Carmen Ghia.   This play is my dream play, my favorite musical of all time and I was lucky enough to be cast as one of my favorite characters.  Definitely one of those "dream come true" situations that came alot quicker than I ever expected it to.  Huzzah!

Rehearsals for that are going really well, heading into "Hell Week" as it's called which is the last week of rehearsals before opening (July 9th).  Busy Busy Busy.

Also, Transformers 2 met my expectations, but at least the actions sequences were entertaining.  Biggest let down?  Scorpion Robot exists for 5 seconds before being taken out... dissapointing.

(Oh, also!  New Alexisonfire CD is the most pleasant suprise of the year for me so far, I am impressed, I really like it... Also, new August Burns Red CD comes out in a week so that's exciting as well, something to look forward to besides the play)

WHICH IF YOU CAN READ THIS AND LIVE WITHIN A 1-3 HOUR DRIVE FROM KELOWNA YOU SHOULD COME SEE THE SHOW!!

It's a musical about Nazi's...... does it get much better than that??

Still Cool

For those of you who didn't see it on facebook... I couldn't resist showing this off, I'm pretty excited about it.

http://www.appletriathlon.com/


haha I was suprised, noone got ahold of me to ask or anything, but I don't mind,

 pretty cool though eh??

I dreamed a dream.

I think these are some of my favorite things. The fact that there are people out there, like this, with dreams coming true. I don't know, just makes me feel good. I'm glad Paul Potts isn't a lone example from this show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY


Amazing choice of song as well, couldn't have chosen a more perfect selection for her. Amazing. Powerful.

The way she delivers the final lines of the song gives me chills.

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed
The dream I dreamed.

As I Lay Dying

So last night was the second time I got the honour to see As I Lay Dying live.

That band is absolutely amazing, I bought this DVD of them at the end, new 3 disk set with live shows, documentary etc. I promised Danny I'd wait to watch the documentary with him, but I couldn't resist the live shows. That was a mistake, now I want nothing more than to see them again! Oh well, hopefully I'll see them again.

Other than that, classes are done now, which is pretty sweet, except I still have some essays and term paper to be done, and the exam period is now, so it's not quite relaxation time. Problem is, the setting of having "no classes" doesn't make for very productive working attitudes. At least not for me. I'll have to get that bad habit under control.

Work today, 1-6, Good friday which means stat pay! Not bad for working on a day that you would have worked anyways except now it has a "holiday" pasted onto it. Not to say that this holiday isn't anything especially important.

(pun intended... but not meaning to make light of it...)
Have a good friday everyone.

Oh, quick PS. I got accepted into UBC-O, which is pretty sweet. Scholarship too! Lets just hope it leads somewhere.

The Bear and the Scorpion

Triceratuffts of hair

Today the BBC had an article saying that it has been recent evidence to indicate that Dinosaurs may have, in fact, been fuzzy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7950871.stm

If this is indeed the case... I'm trying to figure out whether this makes them more intimidating or kind of lame... Giant lizards was one thing.. but then a massive bear with a beak and horns? Not bad.

This imagery intrigued me, and a quick google search led me to this, for your enjoyment.

http://www.postersforhumans.com/images/products/large_96_JTIU01full.jpg

But I do wonder what would be the case if scientists were to find that Dinosaurs were not in fact scaley, but rather colourful and furry, we've already had the "Feathers" discovery ruin the Velociraptors of my childhood, whats next? I can't wait for new findings to show that T-rex had a tuft of hair on it's tail, like a lion... or poodle.

Ridiculous, they are ruining dinosaurs haha, Jurrasic Park 4 will just end up looking like Grizzly Man.
(ooh... not cool)

The Essence of Being Human

"Part of the reason why so many come out in this particular kind of way that we have found so astonishing is that in our African worldview, there is a thing called ubuntu. A person is called ubuntu, and ubuntu is the essence of being human.  Ubuntu is compassion, ubuntu is hospitality, ubuntu is warmth, ubuntu is sharing, ubuntu is caring.
  And because of our sense that I am because you are, because we say a person is a person through other persons, my humanity is caught up in your humanity.  If I want to enhance my humanity, it is by the process of enhancing yours.  If I de-humanize you, whether I like it or not, inexorably my humanity is diminished.
  And so, in part, it is a form of self-interest, this thing of not wanting to revenge, because revenge, anger, bitterness - all of these are corrosive of ubuntu, of the harmony that is for the summum bonum, the great good. And so, in a sense, I am not paying back to you, I do not settle scores with you, because the anger is dissipated, and you become a better person, and in that process, I become a better person too."
-Desmond Tutu.



Ubuntu.

Playing Operation

I think it's funny observing this particular phenomenon. Lets say there are three, (or more) people in a room, and one asks another a question. This second person does not know the answer the question, or at least they don't know specifically, so they will ask the third person. The third person will know the answer, and will, quite audibly, answer to person number two. Number two will then continue on to give number three's answer to the original person asking. Thus, in a sense, receiving the credit for the original answer. But what I find funny is that the original person would have heard number three's answer, thus making number two's repeating, comical to me.

I find the floor of the change-room at the pool to be disgusting. Even if it's been mopped... there is still some OCD reasoning or SOMETHING to me that makes it seem gross. So, what makes matters worse, is when I have to get changed in bare feet. I feel like putting on my pants is like a game of "Operation" where I can't touch the sides or else the insides of my pants will be gross with whatever collection was on the wet change-room floor.
(Of course, when my foot does inevitably touch the back of my jeans or something, I subsequently feel like my whole leg is now dirty, and will be dirty even going to bed. Obviously I think the wet hairy change-room floor is gross.)

My Ipod went through the washing machine yesterday, which was a bummer for sure. I'm currently waiting a few days while it is in a ziplock bag with dry rice, and some silicone packets from my new work boots box. Hoping that this might dry it out enough to perhaps give it a shot of electricity later, maybe bringing it back to life...
we'll see...

Reading break just finished today, and it was much too short unfortunately... and I am pining for summertime becuase this winter has has an inadequate amount of snow to gain my love. Also in current events, the Oscars are today, and I'm sure Heath will win the award for best supporting, not becuase of his performance so much as the fact that the other nominees are jokes. Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder? Really? For anyone who saw Tropic Thunder... although funny, a movie with a fat suit Tom Cruise dirty dancing is not "Oscar Worthy" and it feels like pity nominations to fill in the other nomination spaces.

I havn't blogged in a while, I'm rusty. It will get better.