My Experience With... The Original Star Wars Trilogy

Greetings, one and all!!!

So many people in the US are still standing in line to watch the all-new, bound-to-be-award-winning Star Wars Trek Wars Episode 7 movie.

Personally, I'm glad I'm not one of those people. I prefer waiting until the movie comes out on DVD or something.


Now, I originally had no interest in Star Wars Trek Wars, so I was not one of the many who watched the franchise when I was a kid. My mother ended up buying the VHS set for me recently, I guess as a "just 'cause" gift because I have been really showing my geek side lately. I figured "Hey, maybe I can fully relate to many more people if I watch this cultural masterpiece."

So I did. Overall, it was surprisingly good, in my opinion.

The first one would undoubtedly be my favorite. Despite its being based off the fourth book in the series, it held up very well as a movie. I didn't get such a set-in-stone "beginning, middle, and end" like I see in so many movies. You could tell that the story started in the middle of a set of events. The end didn't seem too finite, nor did it seem like the franchise was screaming, "You gotta pay another [insert local ticket price here] in order to see what happens neeext!"

*coughcoughtwighlightlordoftheringsharrypotterhungergamescoughcough*

Whoof! Pardon me. I must be getting that "winter cough."

Anyway, I'm not gonna waste time on the story itself, mostly because pretty much everybody has watched it already. I will say that one of my favorite scenes is when Darth Vader kills Obi-Wan Kenobe. Sounds weird, I know, but I would definitely say - even though the scene itself didn't make all that much sense -  it's a tug-at-the-heart moment, and the effect was pretty cool.

C'mon, you gotta admit, that's pretty sweet how they did that, especially for the time period.

And that brings me to the next aspect: the effects.

I like to watch a ton of old movies / tv shows, and this movie really does turn the tables as far as special effects go.

The second one would have to be my least favorite. I found it pretty boring (not unlike the Two Towers book that I have yet to finish), and really more of a bridge to the finale of the trilogy... which still didn't hold a candle to the first one! Yeah, the "I am your father," scene was pretty funny, the mask removal was creepy and hilarious, and the ultimate "end boss" character (the thing that looks like Skeletor, he-who-shall-not-be-named, and Nightmare from Kirby's Adventures got their DNAs blended) was really disappointing.

Oh, and of course, my fave characters are C3PO and R2D2. Their shenanigans are so cute and hilarious!

All-in-all, I don't mind the trilogy, glad I watched it, not so much in a hurry to watch it again.

Happy new Star Wars Day, and Merry Christmas to all!

Before I go, here's a funny Star Wars-themed sketch from Clinton Jackson:

What's your favorite Christmas tradition?

My Experience With... iPad Pro!

Oh, hey.

Um.... just push the play button below. It'll add dramatic effect.

Alright, for those of you who may not know, I fully enjoy technology, and I really love Apple products.

Even the Apple watch, as useless as it looks, is still a pretty sweet toy. Sure, it's not the most helpful gadget, but people used to fantasize about this kind of thing!!!!

I've played Blimey Cow and Say Goodnight Kevin on Best Buy's Apple TV. I've widened my eyes with the Photobooth app! (No, literally, I used a Fish Eye Lens filter.) I've found how ridiculously stellar the OS system is with graphics and sound. Dude, I've even almost composed Grammy-worthy pieces testing out the iPad family!

Sadly I own none of these. Yet. (Have you tried saving for one of those bad boys when you've got bills to pay? iPod.... or rent?)

But, anyway, I'm always looking at the beautiful new sleek models on Best Buy, reminiscing of those candy-coloured iMacs of the 00s, and wondering why in the hizzy they haven't made all their computers touch-screen yet. One day, lo and behold, I found out about the most amazing iPad model yet. And today I got to experience (easy, chica)... firsthand... (don't blow a gask-)

THE ALL-NEW IPAD PRO!!!!!!!!

And let me tell you, it truly is AMAZING!!!!!!!!! Firstly, the sound. Honest-to-goodness, the sound quality is better than some DESKTOPS. No speakers necessary! And it all sounds so crisp! Uhm.... cha! I'm impressed!

The graphics.... yes, yes, top-notch, HD, whaddaya expect?

But what I REALLY loved most of all was that stinkin' PEN!!! The sales rep who helped me out showed me the almost limitless bounds (oxymoronic, I know) of that piece of plastic! It makes realistic-looking marks, and responds to pressure!

Of course, I ended up drawing a Trogdor. Unfortunately, I have no photo available.

But can you imagine the power you have with that thing?! This could put some drawing pad brands out of business!

Now, as amazing as it sounds, there are a few drawbacks.

Ironically enough, the pen is the first one. Firstly, it's not compatible with any other member of the iPad family. Ugh! Secondly, that thing is pretty stinking huge, considering it's a "pencil." It resembles those novelty pencils you can get at a dollar store or arcade. That was a bit of a nitpick, especially since I hardly noticed after indulging in my skills of an artist, but hey, full-on review here.

The second thing I need to address is the size of the iPad Pro. Uhm.... I think it's bigger than the MacBooks. This is NOT something you would buy for convenience's sake. I don't think weight would be that much of an issue -- I never picked it up, but I would imagine it would weigh about 75% of the weight of an early laptop. Plus, this is not exactly what you could carry in a decent Coach bag.... unless they made some backpacks. Wait, do they? Anybody who knows, comment below!

Lastly, and most importantly... SO important that the store rep said it from the get-go... the blinking PRICE. Apple, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING??!!! Are you trying to market to business executives and departmental directors?! You made the closest thing to an All-in-One Touchscreen Desktop / Touchscreen Convertible Laptop and you price it as though it were a MacBook! No way! Honestly, I think it might've been like $1000 or something crazy like that for 128 GB of memory! Really?! At this moment, I could get that much memory on an iPad mini 4 for HALF the price!!!!!! I'll forego the pencil, which, by the way, is sold SEPARATELY. Again.... WHAT???!!!!! *frustrated grumbling, trying to find the right words to say despite a highly expanded vocabulary* ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!???!!!! It only works with an iPad Pro, so SELL it with the iPad Pro! Forgive me if I offend, but I think it's safe to say that Steve Jobs's coffin just jumped a couple of inches!!!! This isn't good marketing, you're just exploiting the Christmas Crowd!!! 

*sigh* I just KNOW that there's gonna be a slew of YouTube viral vids showing 5- to 10-year-old chilren receiving 2 iPad Pros and a Mac Pro for Christmas, along with the pen, and the little brats darlings will still be crying because of a lack of the Apple TV that they asked for as well.

The pricing aside.... waaaaaaaaaaaaay aside..... the device itself is really nice. It's not completely revolutionary, although that pen is pretty cool, though, but it still is probably a right step in the technological path. I hope that one day... one day... someone decides (s)he has about, oh, $2000 or so extra in cash (s)he wants to give as a gift to me, so I could buy it at its current price. That's about the only way I would buy this piece of machinery at this time.

What's the greatest piece of technology you've come across. And seriously, does Coach sell backpacks? I've never really checked.

My Experience With... Alice in Wonderland (Rachael Peatross edition)

Let me start off by saying that I am not an acclaimed / renowned critic or reviewer. However, I'm going to do a play review anyway.

So there. ^_^

Sometimes you don't need to look too far to get some good entertainment. Sometimes it's right around your neighborhood. For me, it was a small Christian school in North Carolina.


My friend Rachel is pretty good with drama (the theatrical kind, you internet smart alecks), and she's had her fair share of directing plays. She recently directed Alice in Wonderland, a version she wrote herself, combining elements of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Saw There. I was personally excited to see it, and went with some friends this past weekend. I was not disappointed in the least.


Firstly, I walked in, and the "stage" was more of the middle of the floor, with the chairs set  like it was the Globe Theatre. I personally like this kind of setting, as it connects the audience to the characters, and vise versa. Secondly, this was a play with most of the characters played by middle schoolers.

And.

They.

ROCKED IT.


I don't know what Rachel did with this bunch, but they were all really great in their roles, and their improv had me in stitches. I wish I could say something about every last one of these characters, but I'll put down which ones I remember the most.

Alice - The actress was pretty good in this role, as a young girl who pretty much was ready to roll with the punches that was Wonderland.

Mad Hatter - The only thing that stood out more than his great acting ability would probably be his height. His matter-of-factness about his madness made him a really memorable character.

March Hare - Okay, I will admit that she was my favorite character. She was just a bundle of energy, and I loved it! I can only imagine that she took her madness to the same extreme that a trombone player would take fortissimo.

Humpty Dumpty - Loved her air of arrogance throughout her performance! Nice change from cravat to scarf, by the way. :)

Reciter - I was floored by how well she had all of those lines memorized!

The Tweedles - Those two were amazingly hilarious... kinda had a Laurel/Hardy / Abbot/Costello thing going on.


Like I said, too many to actually write down here, but overall, this cast did an excellent job in their character roles.


The story itself contains its special mixtures of the original stories' structures, bits of comedy pertaining to contemporary life, dancing, puns, improv, even it's own sort of Pyramus and Thisbe! I would find this suitable for children at least 5 and above, making it a perfect family play.

Now, since last week was the *ahem* premiere of this play, I'm not sure that you will find a theatre near you that's hosting this play. You may need to contact Rachel herself about it. She'll talk to you about it further.


Well, hope you liked my first theatrical review! I hope to do more soon.


Now the question:

Have you seen a play written by a local? Have you written a play or your own version of a play? Please let me know your experience in the comments below! Ciao!

My Experience With... Signing an Autograph!

Wow! I hadn't even realized that I hadn't posted for the month of October! :( I try to crank out at least one or two per month.


Life can so get in the way of blogging if you let it... ;)


Anyway, I've mentioned (quite a few times) that I've been in the movie War Room, and I can be clearly seen. Here are the links, so I don't have to hyperlink them mid-sentence.

• War Room
• Meeting Pricilla Shirer

Since the movie came out, for almost a month people in my church have looked at me and either said, "Hey, I saw you in War Room!" or "Were you in that movie War, Room?" And of course, I said yes. It's still making my head spin that God gave me the opportunity to be on a feature film. Forever. That's the part that's really hard to grasp. Honest-to-goodness, I cannot thank God enough for the amazing experience.

That being said, I was in the library the other day, and a man who frequents it saw me at a computer. He asked me if I was in the movie. I told him yes. I'm pretty sure he was excited about it. He said he'd seen me several times before in the library, and just wanted to make sure it was the same woman. So yes, I did give out my first official autograph:

To my good friend, Stephen.
Jessie Berrie.

Y'know... I should've taken a picture of it. Oh, well. Just the thought of giving someone an autograph is cool in and of itself, let alone actually doing it. ^_^

Thanks, Stephen!

My Experience With... KaboomTM Foam-TasticTM (Fresh Scent) Powered by OxiCleanTM

One thing I definitely do enjoy is a nice, clean house. I'm not the best at doing that, but I'd like to think that I am getting better. I actually do like cleaning my bathroom, though. Not saying I'd like cleaning anybody else's bathroom, mind you.

Anyway, I first heard of it through the good ol' fashioned commercial that seems almost unrealistic. I mean, c'mon, even the commercial says this is elapsed time!

I'd also heard of OxiClean^TM, and its amazing wonders. I'm not sure how it is as a product alone, but I definitely want to give this line a shot; this should give you a hint as to how well this went down.

I purchased it at a Food Lion, for about $3-$4. I do not remember the exact price. That night, I was way too tired to clean my bathroom, so I just did a couple of test spots.

Some caveats: 1) When they said this stuff has a fresh scent... IT HAS A FRESH SCENT. Please... please... be sure to have a well-ventilated area, as this albeit good-smelling fresh scent will clean out your olfactory senses for a good half hour. 2) When you spray this stuff, a bunch of it will clump right below the nozzle, but a good shake will get it off in a pinch. 3) You should probably wear gloves during this process... my hands are alright (for now), but I didn't have my head on straight, and it probably wasn't the smartest thing to use it bare-handed. 4) DO NOT APPLY THIS TO A WET SURFACE. I'll explain why in a moment.

The first thing I did, as I said, was spray a couple of test spots. Bam. I had a couple of blue spots on my tub. I looked down at the clumping cleanser, then looked up and... where on earth did the blue go? That stuff turned white so quickly it was scary! My tub isn't disgusting, but it wasn't sparkling, either! I wiped the white spots gently with a wet sponge, and poured some water on it. It was... decent. I was moderately satisficed. I have one of those bathtubs that looks like someone slapped it on top of whatever was originally there (hey, the house came with that, and I am NOT about to explore under there), so some of it was smooth, and some of it was textured. The smooth part came out pretty well, but the texture still had some dirt. I dismissed it as “I-was-too-tired-therefore-I-could-not-make-the-best-judgement.” Glad I did, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this blog post!

After work the next day, I decided to get into my “dirty work” clothes and tackle that bathroom. I cleaned the commode (I'll tell you about the product I used there another time.), then sprayed down the shower with the Kaboom^TM stuff. I know I sprayed a ton of stuff, because my nose started to scream at me – or at least proverbially so. I wanted to have my entire bathtub covered in blue, but it kept turning white so quickly I couldn't keep up! Not to mention, it looked as though someone MS Painted the whole thing with a large spray-paint feature! It was the most ridiculous spectacle of chase since “Kill Bad Graphics Ghost”!

… That is, if you don't hold the “TAB” key. Cheaters. ;-)

But I digress. In any case, I did do an attempt at making a Scottish flag with spray and good timing. It was very awkward.

I left it alone for a few minutes (mainly to regroup my sinuses), then wiped as much as I could down. I realized that I could see previously cleaned spots at that time, so I figured then that the stuff was definitely working. After wiping, I gave my bathtub... a shower. No, really, I hosed the thing down with my shower head. It turned out so nicely, even the textured part was noticeably cleaner! The spray also made it extremely easy to wipe off soap and hair product gunk, etc., off of the tub! The only thing left was a faint ring, but I think a few more, longer-setting uses will take care of that, easily.

The reason I say do not apply to a wet surface is this: OxiClean^TM works with... Oxygen... right? I think the oxygen is what causes the stuff to turn from blue to white. If you apply it to a wet surface, you're applying it to a lot of oxygen.

Next, I took care of the sink – er – basin. Whatever. It turned out even better than the tub! (It's very smooth.) Considering all the junk I do to groom myself there, I couldn't even recognize my own basin! It looked NEW! NEW, I TELL YA!!!! And yes, the strong fresh scent did fade into a gentle breeze after awhile. I went out, then came back in, and my bathroom was SPARKLING. I could not believe it.

My apologies to the Kaboom^TM people for referring to it as “the stuff” a lot in the blog... you guys have an AMAZING product in your inventory... you just have a long name, and I'm too lazy to type out the entire thing over and over in my blog!

Was I impressed or satisfied? There are no words to describe my exuberance about this stuff. Would I recommend this? Oh yeah, you bet your sweet bippy... whatever that is.

It's become my new favorite cleanser (I even wanted to try the cleaning eraser, but I didn't have anything left to clean! Maybe the floor...?), I don't need that hard-to-clean powder anymore – effective as that is – and I will forever have room in my budget for it.

How about you? What's YOUR favorite bathroom cleanser?

P.S.: The website is kaboomkaboom.com. Is that the coolest domain name or what?!

My Experience With... War Room (finally!)

*** See the 1st 4 "Kendrick Movie Blog Posts" disclaimers ***


Hey, everyone! I'm so sorry to have taken so long to write this, but... life. Adulthood. Work. Yada yada excuses excuses.


HERE WE GO!


The final, long-awaited chapter of my first Kendrick Brothers series!


What I'd like to do is kind of a dual-experience entry. I'll first describe being in it (something I didn't do much of in the Priscilla Shirer post), and then watching it. Sounds reasonable, chronologically, right?



I would say the first time I heard about this movie, it was under the working title, "Movie 5." Appropriate. And I learned from their website that they were looking for actors and crew members. I've enjoyed acting from the get-go, and to be working for and/or with the Kendrick Brothers?! Yeah, I was interested! So I applied. I was not called. Bummer.

Fast forward some time (probably months), and my parents decided to visit Fire Church, which is where Dr. Michael Brown, a radio personality, attends and preaches. We all went, and there in the bulletin was an announcement that they were looking for extras for a few scenes. I've enjoyed acting since I was a kid, I've been in a student film, and to be an extra in a Kendrick Brothers's feature film without having to travel a million miles?! Yeah, I was interested! So I applied. I was contacted, and invited to the set. YES!!!!!!

When I got to the location, I was put into one room. About a thousand thoughts flooded through my mind. Will I be able to meet the stars? Will I be able to meet the Kendrick Brothers? Will I look like an idiot? What if I mess up? What if my parents don't see me? Is anybody else I know here? There were others before I met this awesome family that I talked to a lot. I talked to a bunch of other people, as well. After talking and calming myself down internally, We got called out to go into our first scene. What was really fun was that I got to be in a high-five line for Stephen Kendrick. What really made it fun was that I and two youths from the family I was talking about before were called to the front pew in the church scene.

Yikes.

Adrenaline level is over 9000. Whatever that means.

So now, there's no question as to whether or not I'll be seen. Now the biggest challenge was not looking directly into the humongous camera not too far from me.

The rest of the scenes went well, and I learned quite a bit about how much time was put into about 5 minutes of screen time. You can read the rest on the Priscilla Shirer blog. But I can honestly say that I left with an experience I would have otherwise thought impossible to live.

When I first learned that the movie would premiere in over a year.... I nearly fainted. No way did I want to wait that long. But I did wait. And I counted. Especially toward the last several weeks. My grandparents went to the opening night, but I ended up going the afternoon after with my parents (in my white dress and TKO).

It was a really, really good movie, in my opinion! It didn't quite point out the Gospel message as they did in their other four movies, but this one seemed more directed toward Christians (could SOMEbody please tell half of these professional movie critics??!!!) who are lukewarm in their faith. It certainly sniped me in the eyes.

The purpose of this movie seems perfectly clear: prayer is more than just a ritual. It's a way to speak with the Creator of the known (and unknown) universe.

Here's the thing, and I came to a re-realization from watching a Passion 2007(?) video: GOD KEEPS ALL OF EVERYTHING IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER. He can handle ANYTHING I can ask of Him. I need to talk to God more often, considering I don't have all of my act together! Not to mention, a God who is powerful enough to create all of this out of nothing AND keep it all together is powerful enough to drive the devil's forces out of your life, seeing as how he truly your biggest enemy. Don't believe me? Read the Bible. Not a "Bible" person? Then read The Screwtape Letters.

Seriously, in today's day and age, prayer may seem like "all we can do," but that's really minimizing the power in the act of prayer. Yeah, we can ask, but look at who we're asking! I'm speaking from experience, calling out, crying out, speaking out to God -- and actually listening to and acting upon His responses (they're not always audible, like in the Bible days) -- will do more in your life than just make you feel better. It will help you grow in God and make you want to do more for him.

NO, I DON'T MEAN IN A CULTIC, SHEEP-LIKE, KOOL-AID GUZZLING WAY.

Look, ever been in love? Ever really want to be somebody? Ever have an obsessive phase? No shame in admitting. Been there, done that. You want to do everything you can to be as close to that person/place/thing as possible. It happens. You spend time, energy and resources on those things, which is cool in moderation. What about with God? The media may portray Him to be an intolerant tyrant who is anti-fun and anti-liberty...

...but He's got some of the greatest liberties that can ever be offered. Don't believe me? Read for yourself.

T.J. Stallings made a comeback into the Kendrick Brothers' filmworks as Tony Jordan, a man who does whatever he can to make his way in the world and to make him happy, and Priscilla Shirer is introduced to the film world as Tony's wife Elizabeth, who is doing all she can to keep the family from falling apart, despite the fact that she is in a lukewarm state of Christianity.

As I mentioned before, the movie states the need of prayer and displays the power of prayer. It also has distinct elements that you can find in any movie. Comedy, drama, tug-at-your-heart moments, times that make you go "huh?" and a phenomenal finish.

Okay, a first grader could've written this better than I did just now, but I hate giving away most of the movie! You're just gonna have to watch it to find out what happens. And if you're watching and not a Christian... please keep an open mind. This is a film made by two Christians who made a movie to speak to Christians. Do not expect it to be the usual "summer blockbuster" or "Stephen Spielberg-esque" film that you would normally see in theatres.

Now, I've told you about being in War Room, and about the movie itself, now the fun part: seeing myself in the movie! I've seen myself in YouTube videos and in a student film, as I've said before. But seeing myself on the big screen... wow. It was AWESOME!!!! Even before I saw the film, my parents were telling me that friends of ours saw me in it, not to mention friends of mine telling me that they saw me. :) It was truly an honor (and it was rather surreal) to see myself as a part of a great project. I ended up seeing myself in three parts, but two of them were more "Where's Waldo?" incidences. I am clearly visible in the other part.

Again, you gotta watch the movie. I'm not totally giving away where I'm located.

Thanks again so much for reading this! I'm sorry that it took so long to get to this point, but let's just say that the past month-plus was crazy busy with the power of prayer to God at work. ;) Hopefully, I'll get back on working on these things more often.

Also, I know that there are a ton of links to different sites. None of them put me up to this. I am just a blogger.

And my apologies to Blimey Cow. They are an amazing group of people, and the picture (above) was the first thing that came to mind. You should totally watch them, if you don't already.

What is your favorite movie? Or at least top 5? Do you have a favorite Christian movie?

Actually, I'll sorta join in on the last one. I shall list the first 5 Kendrick Brothers' movies in order based on favorites! ...KB movies are my fave among the "Christian Film" genre, anyway.

1. Courageous - Excellent way to make 5 protagonists work in one movie, plus it's amazing in appearance and storyline!
2. Flywheel - This would probably be #1 if it didn't "look" like the first movie. Plus, it's hard to contend with a 5-protagonist plot. I would consider this to be the most Evangelical of all the films, with parts of the movie that can cut right to the heart.
3. War Room - Don't get me wrong, I love the movie, and I'm not downplaying it because I was in it and didn't want to show favoritism. For one thing, I think this movie could have still been Evangelical in nature, plus, Flywheel just had a stronger plot, in my opinion.
4. Facing the Giants - I was kind of underwhelmed by the movie itself, considering the amount of praise it got. To be fair, this was the second movie they made, and the first where production value went way up. It did drive home the point of the message across, but it does still kind of seem like a Christian version of "Remember the Titans." I like football, but I'm not very crazy about it.
5. Fireproof - Erm.... this was... eh. It wasn't the WORST movie I've ever seen, and I wouldn't mind recommending this to people with an interest in marriage, as it does teach about true love, but... looking at some of the other movies on this list, I think you can understand why I list this last.

Ciao!

My Experience with... TKO Women's Slimming Belt (Velcro)

I, like many people, have *ahem* abdomen issues. Plus, I'm one of the many women without a natural hourglass figure. My wise mother gave me the logical, better-in-the-long run advice: do crunches.

Yeah. While this is a great way to stay healthy and fit into clothes, it takes weeks to get flatter abs, so I can fit into my cutest blouses and dresses. In other words:

I considered getting an authentic corset, but I figured it was way too expensive. Then I saw the "Miss Belt" commercial, but I figured I could still do better, monetarily. So I went to Citi Trends and stumbled upon a $5 substitute: the TKO Women's Slimming belt. I saw a ton of them, but decided on the Velcro one, because I figured it would be the best way for me to keep my stomach sucked in.

The belt is surprisingly comfortable, and goes great under most clothing items. I wore it underneath a white zippered-up dress from Ross when I went to the movies with my parents. For the first time in a while, I fit into a size 14 dress, and looked stunning!

Also, this works pretty well while working out. Just one caveat: don't pull it too tightly. If you, do, it'll mess your insides up.

What are your favorite abs exercises?

My Experience with... Settlers of Catan

If you think earning points in soccer is nearly impossible, try earning points in the Settlers of Catan!

^_^

No, seriously, it's a game of challenge, skill, and having knowledge of where to put all of the land resources and town houses.

Let me start over. I played this over at a friend's house after a pool party. The original game set can have four players (or teams), but there is an expansion pack for up to 2 additional players (or teams). You set a border that contains docks, then set up the inside, which contains hexagonal puzzle pieces which contain scenes that contain one of the following elements: wool, wood, brick, and straw. There's also a "desert" hexagon that initially houses a knight, which can be used to rob people's elements. You trade in elements for special cards, which could contain points, or trade it in for houses, roads and other buildings. Different structures range from 0-2 points each. The goal is to win by earning 10 points total. I failed miserably at this game, but am willing to try again, now that I know how to strategize. It's a little bit of placement, a little bit of statistics, and a whole lotta luck (figure of speech, I myself do not believe in "luck").

Overall, it's a fun strategic game, and I encourage you to try it.

What's your favorite game?

My Experience with... Courageous

Wrote this one Friday, technically. Life keeps getting me behind. Good thing, however, that I discovered auto-schedule.

***Disclaimer... if you don't know by now, betta axe sum-bodday!***

<<Courageous DVD>>

Okay, I've been waiting all week for this one! Anybody will tell you that this is my all-time favorite Kendrick Brothers' movie, and probably my all-time favorite movie!

This movie follows not one but FIVE protagonists... and was filmed by not one but TWO cameras! Lol. Honestly, though, multiple cameras definitely help with film production.

It starts off with the ideal father figure, Nathan Hayes. He does something that many people do without thinking: he left the car vulnerable and unattended at the gas station for about 2 seconds. A thug (and the main antagonist) named T.J. jacks the car, ending up in a high-intensity chase ending in a crash into a tree. The truck's fine, but more importantly, Nathan's baby son is unharmed in the back seat.

The police arrive, and it turns out that they are Nathan's future co-workers. Two of them, Adam and Shane, discuss whether they would have held on to the wheel of the car as Nathan did.

This is jut the first part of several story arcs. Let me break it down for you:

- Adam: a man who, after a tragedy, decides he needs to be a better father to his teenage son.

- Nathan: as I said, the ideal father figure, goes the extra mile to protect his teenage daughter, while dealing with issues with his own father.

- Shane: a divorced dad who tries to keep himself happy

- Javier: a man who tries to provide for his poor family

- David: a man struggling with the concepts of being a dad

I would completely recommend this to any families, any friends, and especially males who wish to become fathers.

Okay, a few spoilers. You gotta watch this scene.

And now, the one-minute version of Courageous.

Thanks for reading up on this series! If you need catching up, here are my blog posts for Flywheel, Facing the Giants, and Fireproof!

What's your favorite film? What's the best time you've had with your dad?

Hasta la vista!

Psst: Bonus! If you've read the Fireproof post, you will notice that I had a Say MovieNight Kevin video up. Now, a bunch of us viewers have requested that he review Courageous. He hasn't, mostly because it's such a good movie, and there doesn't seem like a lot of things that can be nitpicked apart. However, I think he should be bugged and overloaded with comments saying that he should review it regardless of the quality (or if I were Oprah, irregardless, etc. etc.). I want you to a) tell your friends about this blog, I'd love it if more people read it, and b) go to Kevin McCreary's social media pages and comment the mess out of them, saying you want a Courageous review. Lol.

Again, he did not put me up to this, I'm just a cray-cray lay-day.

P's.

My Experience With... Fireproof

*** Same Deal ***

Okay, techinically, I wrote this on Thursday. Thankfully, I can fake the date. So we'll pretend that I actually stuck to the schedule. 'Kay? 'Kay.

I found this movie to be probably the most somber out of these five movies. Also, I will admit, my least favorite by default.

This movie had some strange twists and turns. Without offering much explanation, it tells of a man named Caleb Holt, who leads a double life of sorts. In his line of work (firefighting), he's a huge hero. As a husband, he is... lacking. At best.

The marriage between Caleb and his wife is very rocky. From the start of the movie, they constantly bicker, and neither seems to have love in his heart for the other. To top things off, the wife has a seemingly attractive doctor at the hospital where she works flirting with her, while the husband flirts with internet porn.

Caleb gets some mentoring from one of his co-workers, and a 40-day love challenge from his father, which turns the marriage arround.

No spoilers. Nope. Nada.

Unless you wanna watch the 60-second rendition.

Lol, good summary, right?

Now, I have done 4 movie reviews by this point (I'll add more variety soon, I promise!), but I'm not a very good movie reviewer. Buuuut, I do know of a review for Fireproof that I highly respect. For further spoilage, take a look at this.

***Disclaimer #2: Kevin McCreary did not put me up to this. Just sharing. Special thanks to him being totally cool with it.***

Hope you're enjoying this series! Glad you're taking the time to read it. If you want to see the others, take a look at Flywheel and Facing the Giants!

Au revoir!

What's the most challenging obstacle life has tossed you? (Oooh, a tough one this time!)

My Experience With... Facing the Giants

***Disclaimer: Same as the Flywheel post.***

Okay, part 2!

I must have been either in late high school or early college when I first heard of this. This movie swept the Church nation like madness. I will admit, I was not eager to watch this at first. No, I've been saved for a long time (certainly by that point), but a) I didn't know anything about the Kendrick Brothers, and b) I was not much of a football person at that point. I'm not now, but I won't object to watching a game. I was more into "Remember the Titans," which was more than enough "football media" for me at that point.

A few years later, I decided I'd give it a shot. I'd been playing in my college's marching band for quite some time, and my football tolerance had gone way up.

Boy did I regret not watching it at my church.

First of all, production quality had gone WAY up since Flywheel. Secondly, I ended up loving it WAY better than "Remember the Titans." Sorry, God-fueled revival trumps ethnic reconciliation for me. :)

(Forgive me, I haven't seen this movie in a while. I needed a refresher, so I read an IMDB summary. My memory did kick in.)

This one is about a high school football coach named Grant Taylor who's on the edge of being a total failure. His team is BEYOND lousy, he is close to being fired, his personal life is nearly in shambles, and he and his wife are unable to have a child. Through the help of a man of God, Grant finds the Lord and dedicates the team to him. The man, himself, prays over the whole school, which starts a new revival among the student body. (Boy, good thing this is a Christian School, eh?)

By the end of the movie, things do turn out alright. As usual, I won't spoil too much, so here are two of my favorite scenes.

What really got my goat was how so many people bashed how "predictable" this movie was.

...

*coughcoughDISNEYANDNICHOLASSPARKSMOVIEScoughcough*

Seriously. Watch it. If not for the cinematic excellence, watch it as a refreshing, heartwarming movie.

Until tomorrow, peace.

What's your favorite sport or sport-related movie?

My Experience With... Flywheel

***Disclaimer: I am not sponsored by the Kendrick Brothers or their affiliates. I am just a crazy person who likes to write.***


Hey, everyone! It's been awhile. I've basically been... working. It's hard to work and blog at the same time. At least at my job. Lol.


Okay, for those of you who may remember my Priscilla Shirer post, you may recall that this was from the Kendrick Brothers movie "War Room." And guess what? It's coming out this Friday! So I decided that in the days leading up to the premiere on Friday, I'll write about the other four Kendrick Brothers' movies.


Here we go! Movie numbah one!

I managed to get this from my library, and firstly... *snickers* I'm sorry, I cannot get over that moustache / beard combo! After seeing him clean-shaven in 3 other films, it was a MAJOR shock for me to see this! Okay, I know he's got the combo in the new movie, but it's grey! It seems to look better. Sorry, Alex Kendrick, you look like a 1930s silent film villain in this shot.

Anyway, I borrowed the Director's Cut DVD, and saw the intro to the film, where Alex explained that it was their first movie, they didn't have much of a budget, the equipment was okay, he was surprised that it was even finished, let alone a major success, yada yada yada. I found myself talking to the TV saying, "Dude, it's your first movie, no need to apologize!"

Then I saw what he meant. Boy, technically sepaking, it started out rooooouuugh....

Don't get me wrong, I didn't watch it to tear it apart. My name is not Doug. I was looking at it through a TV studio student's eyes. Thankfully, the story soon overpowered the other elements of the movie.

If you are clueless as to what this movie's about, it's about a man named Jay Austin who is a crooked used car salesman / lot owner (I know, redundant), but finds Christ in the midst of all that's going around him. From overhearing his son talk about how dishonest he is to his wife's loving nudges, he starts to feel his soul tear away. At one point, he seems to do a complete 180, which perplexes his only 2 employees. When Jay decides to make his life right with the Lord, he dedicates the whole lot to Him, and lots of crazy things happen.

At this point, I'm just gonna drop you off. I don't want to give away everything, and it's not even the whole story!

I will however, spoil just a bit for you. Jay decides to pay back what he's ripped off to his customers, and while some take it likely, there's this one elderly Black woman who practically beats Jay down with her own paycheck! In a loving, nuturing, grandmotherly kind of way. Oh yeah. You know what I'm talking about. I nearly fell over laughing at that part, and I had to pause and replay that scene!

As for the Christianity values, they are through the roof. There is no sugarcoated "inspirational" stuff in this picture. That's something I admire about all of these films. Some people might say that it's a little too unbelievable. I'd rather believe that there is Someone I cannot see who guides and controls situations from really bad to really good in an instant than to think that by some lucky 1/ chance that "a happy ending happened." Even if it is in a movie.

Flywheel provides amazing family fun, and wholesome entertainment, and honestly, it's a great way to learn about God's providence, even in the hardest of times. There were even moments that got me teared up!

Yes, yes, a thousand time yes, I would recommend this movie.

Thank you for reading this entry. I will try to come in tomorrow with Facing the Giants. I'm hoping this series turns out really well! I'm also looking forward to War Room coming out!

What's your favorite Christian film?

My Experience With... The Lego Movie

Now this is the first time I've posted a movie review. I wish I'd done this last year, when it came out.

On Sunday, I watched this at a friend's... house? Well, she's house-sitting for missionaries, and so, it's kind of her house. For now. Anyway, she invited a bunch of people, including yours truly, for post-church lunch, chatting, and The Lego Movie. Needless to say, I was quite excited. I had not watched it as of that point, and I had just talked about it with some co-workers a couple of days earlier. Not to mention, "Everything is Awesome" came up on my "Movie Time" (movie, tv, theatre soundtrack) Pandora station.... and it's been stuck in my head ever since.

Alright, then, on to the movie. IT WAS AMAZING. I kid you not, I figured that a movie based on a toy franchise loved by generations would be completely botched up. Nope. It was a refreshingly cool movie that was uplifting, and pretty much free of completely unnecessary gags! Even the protagonist, Emmet, a completely average Joe in every sense of the word, running out of the house without his "clothes" on and the ever-popular sitcom (in the Lego universe of Bricksburg), "Where Are My Pa[aaaaa]nts?" were still funny!

Basically, watching this video will give you an all-star cornucopia of both the Celebrity and Lego Celebrity realms!

In the Real World Celebrity realm you've got:

• Will Arnett
• Elizabeth Banks
• Alison Brie
• Charlie Day
• Keith Ferguson
• Will Ferrell
• Morgan Freeman (WHAAAT?)
• Jonah Hill
• Key (as in "& Peele")
• Shaq (not kidding you. Again, WHAAAT?)
• Channing Tatum
• SO MANY MORE!

In the Lego Realm... whoof... Okay, forget it, too many characters and realms, just watch the movie, and be amazed at the number of appearances that are made.

The movie itself starts with this weird, Sci-Fi Lord of the Rings-type scene of the main antagonist, Lord Business, settling some score with Morgan Freeman's kinda hippy Gandalf-type character. (Forgive my descriptions, they were the first things that came to mind.) Hippy Gandalf-type, whose name is Vitruvius, by the way, prophesies in rhyme about some chosen one ("The Special") who will stop Lord Business' no-gooding.

Cut SpongeBob-style (8 1/2 years later) to Emmet, a regular guy who wants to be cool, popular, and special. He follows instructions for everything. No, really, everything. How to start the day, how to go to work, he even misses the "getting dressed" step. Well, either he missed it, or he followed the directions so closely, he forgot to use common sense for a nanosecond. His instruction books pretty much tell him how to completely live his life. You can see that he's even influenced by what he's told to do if you take a close look at his posters, and his choice in television show(s). I will say, lego jumping jacks... hysterical. :)

It's kind of surreal, though, when you think about it. Kinda ridiculous for a block-man to be told how to live life by a bunch of block-shaped "books." Then again, are you reading this on your phone, tablet, laptop or electronic device? Is your next site Social Site, Buzzfeed, or Pinterest? I thought as much.

(I'm guilty, too! I just cut off my Facebook account, and it hurts so good! #FacebookFree, anyone? No?)

Emmet's failing search to become popular leads him to lose one of his instruction books, which in turn, has him distracted to the point where his adventure ultimately begins. He meets a young Lego-lady named "Wild Style," Vitruvius, Unikitty (my favorite character), and Batman. Oh yeah. Batman. It's really great, too, how they turned such a popular character-turned-meme into an integral part of the movie!

The movie takes a lot of twists and turns, and it makes a very touching ending. I won't give any more away, I don't want to ruin it for those of you who haven't seen it yet! (Hey, I told another co-worker about it today, and she hasn't seen it yet.) I will leave you with the fact that it is, well, an awesome movie! Lol. I would highly recommend it.


Peace out.

Everything is awesome
Everything is cool when you're part of a team
Everything is awesome when we're living our dream

So............... what insanely annoying song that you ended up liking has gotten stuck in your head, lately?

My Experience With... Using Coffee Grounds as a Scrub

Hey, guys!

Not much visual going on here, but I wanted to tell you that I sorta re-stumbled upon an awesome exfoliator: coffee grounds!

This is no stranger to naturals and beauty blog hunters out there on this great big internet many of us call a second home, but I decided to re-try this for myself. I first found out about it when I saw Michelle Phan use it as a cellulite scrub. I tried it... didn't like the greasy oily feeling; I ditched it.

Fast forward to last Friday. I decided on a whim to scrub my arms and hands with leftover coffee grounds.


MY SKIN HAD NEVER FELT SO SOFT AND NON-GREASY.


It worked really well, and my arms felt tingly, in a good way. I told two my co-workers about it, even mentioning the Michelle Phan video. One of my co-workers and I even discussed possible ways the scrub could be used!


In closing, use coffee as a beautifier. In any way possible. There are several websites out there with instructions!


Peace!


How do you use coffee???

My Experience With... Meeting Priscilla Shirer

Okay, some of you may be going, “Who?” Please, just bear with me. This was an exciting time. And for those of you who know who Beth Moore is, you probably know who Priscilla Shirer is, too. And those of you who actually know and love Priscilla Shirer, you may be screaming right now.

Priscilla Shirer is one of my favorite Women's Bible Study leaders. I've used her One in a Million and Gideon studies, and she's AMAZING. It's right on my level, and she gets to the point. When I first learned that she's the daughter of preacher Dr. Tony Evans, I kinda did a double-take. Nothing against Dr. Evans, and all, but.... she's so sedate! If you don't know who Dr. Evans preaches, here's a sample:

And now, Priscilla Shirer.

You see how I made the comparison, right?

Now, this is where the cool part comes in. For those of you who know what War Room is, she's the lead female in the movie. For the rest of you... have you heard of Facing the Giants or Courageous? The people who made those movies have made their fifth movie, War Room. And I can hardly wait to see it. Here's the official trailer:

I learned that they needed extras in that move, and lo and behold, it's right smack dab near where I live! Coincidence? Some might say. I call it providence!

By the way.... if you've never been in a movie... it is not all glitz and glamour at all.... and it is DEFINITELY not theatre! I would say the hardest part for me was when they said in the first scene they shot, “DON'T LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE CAMERA!” Crud. There's a humongous camera about ten feet away from me, with nothing to visually obstruct it. Yes, I'm in the movie, just hold your horses.

I saw Priscilla Shirer's hairstyle in the first scene... IT WAS SO GORGEOUS! That plus the fact that she was in the same room as I was made my adrenaline rush crazier than Fury 325 and the Intimidator combined! It was all a dream... a long, two-day dream, but hey, at least it wasn't a nightmare!!!

On the second (and last) day of shooting, I said goodbye to the people I'd connected with, and went outside... I'd noticed that I'd gotten a voicemail. At that time, I was job hunting, and it was a notification from a temp agency for a possible assignment. It didn't happen, by the way.

In any case, about 10 yards from me, there was Priscilla Shirer! She was just sitting by herself, talking on her cell phone! I felt like I was in a book, the scenario was just too perfect! I'm using a lot of exclamation points here!!! I waited until she ended her call (no, I'm not a stalker), then shyly walked up to her. I'd already taken a picture with T.C. Stallings, the star of the movie (AMAZING athlete, by the way), so I'd figured, why not seize the moment with the lead female / author of cool Bible Study workbooks? I shyly walked up to her, working over the conversation in my mind.

“Um, hello?”

Yes. That was the opening line I chose.

I ended up fumbling through my sentences, telling her I liked her Bible studies, and then telling her about the fact that I had a call for a possible job opportunity. She was very pleasant to talk to, and I'm not exactly sure what she said, but it was encouraging and sincere.

Then, the blurt happened.

“You wanna take a selfie?”

. . .

Okay. Speech... never my thing. Not talking to people personally. Despite the fact that I am slightly extroverted. I'm either awkwardly reserved, or awkwardly bold. Unless I know you very well. Even still. This was only last year, and I'm in my 20s. You'd think I'd have this one-on-one socializng thing pegged! Why are sentences in this paragraph so short?

You have no idea how happy I was when she agreed to it! Well, what did I expect, she was totally cool!

I looked at the picture on my phone, and my eyes widened. If I didn't know any better, I could've sworn we were somehow related! Priscilla Shirer, if you're reading this, please don't get offended by that remark, it was seriously the first thing that came to my mind. My mother said that we actually did look almost related, so I'm glad I wasn't the only person who thought that.

Anyway, that's how I met Priscilla Shirer. Boy, I can imagine the conversation she had with her family and Beth Moore after that little incident....

Awkward....

Oh, and I did take a picture with the Kendrick brothers. They're really swell people, you know?

This is definitely not my only “I-met-someone-famous” scenario. There will be more... in due time.

What's your awkward meeting-someone-famous story? Even if he/she/it/they is/are only obscurely famous? Who would you like to meet? What would you do if you got a chance to spend time with them?

You know what, I'd like to answer one of these questions, myself, since it looks like such fun!

Q: What would you do if you got a chance to spend time with [someone famous]?

A: I'd do a duet with Josh Groban, a song with Rhett & Link, and sing “I 2 I” with Bruno Mars. There, I said it. Oh, and have a jam session and arcade hangout with Stevie Brock. You have NO idea the crush I had on him way back when.

Oh, alright. Here's the video I'm in... It's really easy to spot me. Just don't blink. :-)