Ahh, it's officially Christmas. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to you and yours. I'm sitting here with writer's block, trying to decide whether I should
a) Finish Bringing Down the House
b) Watch Arrested Development
c) Go to Bed
Thoughts, anyone?
There will be a Christmas post tomorrow night, for sure, replete with photos and stories from Christmas 2008. Recognize.
www.twitter.com/philwrighthouse
philwrighthouse.blogspot.com
philattheolympics.blogspot.com (I don't update it anymore, but it's awesome just the same)
http://philwrighthouse.blogspot.com
www.givememyremote.com (search for "Philboy" to see all of my posts.)
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Instant Product Review
So, I'm working the overnight shift right now, even though I haven't seen a soul in hours and told myself I was going to read a lot but haven't.
Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich is the true(ish) story of the MIT 6, six students who, with the help of some older investors and predecessors, developed a way to win at Blackjack...guaranteed. I wish I could explain it, but it all has to do with the way cards are stacked together.
By the way, in another installment of "What Phil's Reading"
Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich is the true(ish) story of the MIT 6, six students who, with the help of some older investors and predecessors, developed a way to win at Blackjack...guaranteed. I wish I could explain it, but it all has to do with the way cards are stacked together.
They brought a team aspect to counting cards, something which had, before, been just something for gambling addicts who thought they could score really quickly.
I'm about halfway through the book right now. It eventually became the movie 21, but, from everything I've heard, due to it being untrue to the real story and being a crappy movie, it should be avoided at all costs.
Well, on to why I posted. I went to get a bottle of water and out of the machine came my regular bottle of Dasani...
...and also got a new beverage...Dasani Plus Refresh+Revive w/ Vitamin B13 + Vitamin B6 + Vitamin B12+ Chromium (which I didn't think was good for you, but whatever) Kiwi Strawberry flavor
So, I figured I would give you, my blogging audience, my first reaction to this new beverage.
Here we go.
Honestly, it's not bad. It's like a flat, watered down fruit punch, which is what a lot of these flavored waters taste like, other than Vitamin Water which is just pure awesome.
According to the back, this bottle has 25% of all of those vitamins for the rest of my day. Which means I just have to...well...eat normally, I guess. Then, Dasani does me the favor of comparing how much of everything is in their water as opposed to "Unfortified Water Beverages"
What, beverages like, oh, I don't know...DASANI? No crap water doesn't have anything in it. That's why I, acting as a hypothetical yuppie consumer, decided to buy this, since I'm just living too much of an on-the-go lifestyle to deal with hydration that isn't flavored and "fortified".
That's all for now. Only one half-hour left and then a few hours of sleep are up ahead.
www.twitter.com/philwrighthouse
philwrighthouse.blogspot.com
philattheolympics.blogspot.com (I don't update it anymore, but it's awesome just the same)
www.givememyremote.com (search for "Philboy" to see all of my posts.)
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Thoughts on...Hancock
So, today, I found myself, after a delicious Fazoli's lunch with KittyMarie, Husband and Fuller, with a dilemma. Do I feed my Madden addiction even more...
...or watch Hancock, which was coming on BTV, the local movie channel here at Purdue. I went with the latter because I didn't feel like getting my ass handed to me again until later tonight, after I got my studying done.
Hancock for those who don't know, is the story of...well...Hancock, played by Will Smith, who is a superhero who doesn't care about saving people. He's the only one of his kind and he therefore has become a misanthrope, hating humanity and not caring about the way he is perceived in the public. Enter Jason Bateman, who plays the PR expert who actually wants to save the world and sees Hancock as the perfect way to do that.
When it was coming out last summer I was really looking forward to this for a number of reasons...
1) Jason Bateman. I love the guy, anything he's in. Hell, I'm halfway tempted to watch Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium because he's in it.
2) Peter Berg. This guy has directed some killer movies. The Rundown. Friday Night Lights (He also came up with the kickass TV version) The Kingdom. And, one of the most underrated films ever Very Bad Things.
3) Will Smith. Yeah, I still like him. Sue me.
4) A different take on a superhero story. I'm such a movie geek and a comic book geek that when something new is proposed, I'm sure to at least give it a try.
But, alas, I was disappointed by the film, to say the least. It took a really weird shift halfway through and then never really followed through on it. It felt like maybe 20 minutes of the movie was missing somewhere and, while all of the questions were answered, I would have cared a whole lot more if the lost time had been in there somewhere.
I'll put the spoiler below if anyone cares Highlight it if you want to know.
Charlize Theron plays Bateman's wife. But, she is also a superhero who is fatefully matched with Hancock. They've been together for thousands of years.
So, in the middle of this comedic take on a superhero, all of a sudden, things take a really weird and serious turn.
I think the reason I and so many people didn't respond as well to the movie was that we were not expecting this twist and shift in tone. It was jarring. You couldn't respect the second half of the movie because you felt like you had been hit by a truck.
But, alas, on today's second viewing, I felt a whole lot better about the flick. Sure, I still wish the twist was developed a little bit more after it was dropped on us, but, honestly, the movie works.
So, what's the moral of the story? Watch Hancock again, if you have already. And if you haven't, check it out with this in mind: don't go in with anything in mind about what's going to happen. Just let it happen. I hope you'll be glad you did.
...or watch Hancock, which was coming on BTV, the local movie channel here at Purdue. I went with the latter because I didn't feel like getting my ass handed to me again until later tonight, after I got my studying done.
Hancock for those who don't know, is the story of...well...Hancock, played by Will Smith, who is a superhero who doesn't care about saving people. He's the only one of his kind and he therefore has become a misanthrope, hating humanity and not caring about the way he is perceived in the public. Enter Jason Bateman, who plays the PR expert who actually wants to save the world and sees Hancock as the perfect way to do that.
When it was coming out last summer I was really looking forward to this for a number of reasons...
1) Jason Bateman. I love the guy, anything he's in. Hell, I'm halfway tempted to watch Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium because he's in it.
2) Peter Berg. This guy has directed some killer movies. The Rundown. Friday Night Lights (He also came up with the kickass TV version) The Kingdom. And, one of the most underrated films ever Very Bad Things.
3) Will Smith. Yeah, I still like him. Sue me.
4) A different take on a superhero story. I'm such a movie geek and a comic book geek that when something new is proposed, I'm sure to at least give it a try.
But, alas, I was disappointed by the film, to say the least. It took a really weird shift halfway through and then never really followed through on it. It felt like maybe 20 minutes of the movie was missing somewhere and, while all of the questions were answered, I would have cared a whole lot more if the lost time had been in there somewhere.
I'll put the spoiler below if anyone cares Highlight it if you want to know.
Charlize Theron plays Bateman's wife. But, she is also a superhero who is fatefully matched with Hancock. They've been together for thousands of years.
So, in the middle of this comedic take on a superhero, all of a sudden, things take a really weird and serious turn.
I think the reason I and so many people didn't respond as well to the movie was that we were not expecting this twist and shift in tone. It was jarring. You couldn't respect the second half of the movie because you felt like you had been hit by a truck.
But, alas, on today's second viewing, I felt a whole lot better about the flick. Sure, I still wish the twist was developed a little bit more after it was dropped on us, but, honestly, the movie works.
So, what's the moral of the story? Watch Hancock again, if you have already. And if you haven't, check it out with this in mind: don't go in with anything in mind about what's going to happen. Just let it happen. I hope you'll be glad you did.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Work Live Blog
First of all, I'm blown away about the fact that three people read this blog. Thanks Kath, Kat (Yeah I know it's weird) and Mo(jito) for commenting and keep it up.
I'm at work right now, which is ever-so-exciting.
So, I'll be live blogging the experience until 7:00 til I sign off.
5:10- Watching HIMYM, "The Fight" I think that, if I was facing the prospect of going to jail, I would have the same reaction that Ted did. "I could get a lot of reading done. Maybe write some short stories. Work out A LOT!"
5:11- LAWYERED! Marshall gets his just desserts.
5:13- Harsh words from Doug. Ted's speech at Lilly's class is classic! I will be looking after Christmas for a sale at the wuss market.
5:15- http://www.cbs.com/thunder/player/thunder.php?pid=BPuicDuj8pb8VELFcRZAwsBym69MTlJW Here's the link to the episode, if you haven't
seen it yet. Couldn't embed it...sorry. Now, I'm starting "Little Minnesota"
5:19- Kath, I'm so glad I didn't look at the post about Barney's Christmas songs. Amazing!
5:20- Barney chair turn...in his own chair. I aspire to be him one day. If I see this damned ad for the Buttertons!
5:22- Something smells like pizza and it's really annoying.
5:25- I loved Barney leaning into the scene to stage whisper to Ted's sister.
5:29- Everyone has a friend like Lilly who can't keep a secret.
5:32- MEEET THE BUTTERTONS!
5:33- It's been snowing like something fierce out there all day. Horrible. Anyone have a job opening in a warmer climate that will accept me a semester early?
5:35- Robin's a panderer bear. She would make a good politician.
5:37- Possible KILL SCREEN! I love the fact that the King of Kong has infiltrated society.
5:44- I love Christmas episodes to shows. There was nothing explicitly Christmas-ey...OMG! Marshall doing Karaoke to "Let's Go to the Mall" could be my favorite moment since Slapsgiving!
http://www.cbs.com/thunder/player/thunder.php?pid=4PjOSMoynbUHsdLLQUvB1Til_8CjQxr0 Here's the link to "Little Minnesota"
5:50- Now I'm catching up on two weeks of "The Office"
5:54- I just bought Arrested Development, all three seasons, for less than 30 bucks on Amazon. Yeah, impluse buying!
5:59- Michael Scott is a pitiful person. I just want to give him a hug.
6:02- It's official. I want a butter sculpture at my wedding...or really at any point in my life.
6:05- MMM Brownies!
6:18- MMM More brownies!
6:19- DONT CALL DAVID WALLACE! Nothing good ever comes from it!
6:20- Hershey's has been using that damn Kisses ad for years now. Seriously, spend some cash!
6:26- Adding Sugar to Diet Coke...genius!
6:28- And, as it should be, Jim wins in the end. Off to "Moroccan Christmas"
6:33- I thought for years that my favorite drink was a Screwdriver, but now I learned it's a Orange Vodjuiceka. You learn something new every day.
6:37- Intervention for Meredith. She should have been at this one.
6:44- Well, my replacement's here, so I'm off to grab some food and play some Madden. NIGHT, KIDS!
www.twitter.com/philwrighthouse
philwrighthouse.blogspot.com
philattheolympics.blogspot.com (I don't update it anymore, but it's awesome just the same)www.givememyremote.com (search for "Philboy" to see all of my posts.)
I'm at work right now, which is ever-so-exciting.
So, I'll be live blogging the experience until 7:00 til I sign off.
5:10- Watching HIMYM, "The Fight" I think that, if I was facing the prospect of going to jail, I would have the same reaction that Ted did. "I could get a lot of reading done. Maybe write some short stories. Work out A LOT!"
5:11- LAWYERED! Marshall gets his just desserts.
5:13- Harsh words from Doug. Ted's speech at Lilly's class is classic! I will be looking after Christmas for a sale at the wuss market.
5:15- http://www.cbs.com/thunder/player/thunder.php?pid=BPuicDuj8pb8VELFcRZAwsBym69MTlJW Here's the link to the episode, if you haven't
seen it yet. Couldn't embed it...sorry. Now, I'm starting "Little Minnesota"
5:19- Kath, I'm so glad I didn't look at the post about Barney's Christmas songs. Amazing!
5:20- Barney chair turn...in his own chair. I aspire to be him one day. If I see this damned ad for the Buttertons!
5:22- Something smells like pizza and it's really annoying.
5:25- I loved Barney leaning into the scene to stage whisper to Ted's sister.
5:29- Everyone has a friend like Lilly who can't keep a secret.
5:32- MEEET THE BUTTERTONS!
5:33- It's been snowing like something fierce out there all day. Horrible. Anyone have a job opening in a warmer climate that will accept me a semester early?
5:35- Robin's a panderer bear. She would make a good politician.
5:37- Possible KILL SCREEN! I love the fact that the King of Kong has infiltrated society.
5:44- I love Christmas episodes to shows. There was nothing explicitly Christmas-ey...OMG! Marshall doing Karaoke to "Let's Go to the Mall" could be my favorite moment since Slapsgiving!
http://www.cbs.com/thunder/player/thunder.php?pid=4PjOSMoynbUHsdLLQUvB1Til_8CjQxr0 Here's the link to "Little Minnesota"
5:50- Now I'm catching up on two weeks of "The Office"
5:54- I just bought Arrested Development, all three seasons, for less than 30 bucks on Amazon. Yeah, impluse buying!
5:59- Michael Scott is a pitiful person. I just want to give him a hug.
6:02- It's official. I want a butter sculpture at my wedding...or really at any point in my life.
6:05- MMM Brownies!
6:18- MMM More brownies!
6:19- DONT CALL DAVID WALLACE! Nothing good ever comes from it!
6:20- Hershey's has been using that damn Kisses ad for years now. Seriously, spend some cash!
6:26- Adding Sugar to Diet Coke...genius!
6:28- And, as it should be, Jim wins in the end. Off to "Moroccan Christmas"
6:33- I thought for years that my favorite drink was a Screwdriver, but now I learned it's a Orange Vodjuiceka. You learn something new every day.
6:37- Intervention for Meredith. She should have been at this one.
6:44- Well, my replacement's here, so I'm off to grab some food and play some Madden. NIGHT, KIDS!
www.twitter.com/philwrighthouse
philwrighthouse.blogspot.com
philattheolympics.blogspot.com (I don't update it anymore, but it's awesome just the same)www.givememyremote.com (search for "Philboy" to see all of my posts.)
Friday, December 12, 2008
It's Over!
So, I'm done with the semester, and I finally get a bit of a chance to blog for all one of you who read this.
This semester has been an interesting one. It's been really busy at times with a lot of crap, good and bad, thrown in the mix. I'm glad to be over, but, as my final semester nears, I'm really starting to worry about the job market.
But, we shall see.
Here's a mass update on how you can keep track with minor updates in my life.
1. Twitter. I've become an addict and find that it's the easiest way to keep people up to date on my life. You can check me out at www.twitter.com/philwrighthouse. I update it often. From my phone, from my Firefox Extension...definitely post all of my musings and goings on. Also, if you are the Facecreeping type, my Twitter posts, known as tweets, become my Facebook status, so YOU CANNOT ESCAPE!
2. Facebook. Facebook me if you haven't.
3. AIM. philboy37. Yeah, I'm always online.
4. GMMR. I haven't really talked much about my job over at Give Me My Remote (www.givememyremote.com) blogging about Dexter every week. But as the finale occurs this Sunday, I'll start just blogging about anything TV related that occurs in my head until something regular comes along.
5. This blog! I know I say this all the time, but I really want to get into a regular routine with this. Hopefully I'll find a good balance.
With that, I'll let you go. Here's a great video from Straight No Chaser, a great a capella group out of IU who became an internet sensation with this video and subsequently got back together and recorded a Christmas album!
Here's all the links, one more time, just to keep them together.
www.twitter.com/philwrighthouse
philwrighthouse.blogspot.com
philattheolympics.blogspot.com (I don't update it anymore, but it's awesome just the same)
www.givememyremote.com (search for "Philboy" to see all of my posts.)
See you next time, kids!
This semester has been an interesting one. It's been really busy at times with a lot of crap, good and bad, thrown in the mix. I'm glad to be over, but, as my final semester nears, I'm really starting to worry about the job market.
But, we shall see.
Here's a mass update on how you can keep track with minor updates in my life.
1. Twitter. I've become an addict and find that it's the easiest way to keep people up to date on my life. You can check me out at www.twitter.com/philwrighthouse. I update it often. From my phone, from my Firefox Extension...definitely post all of my musings and goings on. Also, if you are the Facecreeping type, my Twitter posts, known as tweets, become my Facebook status, so YOU CANNOT ESCAPE!
2. Facebook. Facebook me if you haven't.
3. AIM. philboy37. Yeah, I'm always online.
4. GMMR. I haven't really talked much about my job over at Give Me My Remote (www.givememyremote.com) blogging about Dexter every week. But as the finale occurs this Sunday, I'll start just blogging about anything TV related that occurs in my head until something regular comes along.
5. This blog! I know I say this all the time, but I really want to get into a regular routine with this. Hopefully I'll find a good balance.
With that, I'll let you go. Here's a great video from Straight No Chaser, a great a capella group out of IU who became an internet sensation with this video and subsequently got back together and recorded a Christmas album!
Here's all the links, one more time, just to keep them together.
www.twitter.com/philwrighthouse
philwrighthouse.blogspot.com
philattheolympics.blogspot.com (I don't update it anymore, but it's awesome just the same)
www.givememyremote.com (search for "Philboy" to see all of my posts.)
See you next time, kids!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Music Live Blog
So, tonight I'm working on my Dexter review for www.givememyremote.com and trying to finish up an Italian Film paper. So, I've decided, to keep track of the random music/stand-up my iPod plays this evening. I hope it's in any way interesting, as it's just a random idea I'm trying out.
11:30- Jimmy Buffet, "We Are the People Our Parents Warned Us About"
11:33- Stephen Lynch, "What if That Guy from Smashing Pumpkins Lost His Car Keys?"
11:34- Purdue Varsity Glee Club, "Purdue Hymn"
11:36- Christopher Titus, "Normal vs. Screwed Up"
11:37- Jimmy Buffet, "One Particular Harbor"
11:43- The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, "I'm Not that Smart (Reprise)"
11:44- Patton Oswalt, "Your Moment of Irony"
11:45- Eels, "I Need Some Sleep"
11:48- Patton Oswalt, "A Man Shaves His Balls"
11:49- Moulin Rouge, "Spectacular Spectacular"
11:52- Franz Ferdinand, "Take Me Out"
11:55- Lee Ann Womack, "The Weight"
12:01- Rent, "Today 4 U"
12:04- Bowling for Soup, "A-Hole"
12:08- Eric Bibb, "I'll Never Lose You"
Pausing, Taking a Bathroom Break
Finished Dexter Review
Starting Italian Paper
12:13- Patty Griffin, "Long Ride Home"
12:16- Jon McLaughlin, "So Close"
12:21- Rockapella, "Keep on Smilin'"
12:23- Barenaked Ladies, "Get in Line"
12:27- Bowling for Soup, "On and On"
12:30- Montgomery Gentry, "Some People Change"
12:33- The Wedding Singer (Musical), "A Note from Linda"
12:35- Hairspray (Film), "The Nicest Kids in Town"
12:38- Lou Reed, "Satellite of Love"
12:42- Hanson, "Yearbook"
12:47- Barenaked Ladies, "Wind it Up"
12:52- Taylor Swift, "Teardrops on My Guitar"
12:55- Elton John, "Salvation"
12:59- Hammell on Trial, "Coulter's Snatch"
1:02- The Wedding Singer (Musical), "Not That Kind of Thing"
1:05- Hammell on Trial, "Worry Wart"
1:07- Patton Oswalt, "Wackity Schmackity Doo!"
1:10- Avril Lavigne, "Things I'll Never Say"
1:13- Ben Folds, "Hiroshima (B B B Benny Hits His Head)"
Bathroom Break
1:22- Moulin Rouge, "Sparkling Diamonds"
1:24- Taylor Swift, "Tied Together With a Smile"
1:28- Christopher Titus, "Insanity Genetic"
1:37- Stephen Lynch, "Albino"
1:39- The 25th Putnam County Spelling Bee, "Prayer of the Comfort Counselor"
1:41- Jimmy Buffet, "Margaritaville"
Paper Done!
11:30- Jimmy Buffet, "We Are the People Our Parents Warned Us About"
11:33- Stephen Lynch, "What if That Guy from Smashing Pumpkins Lost His Car Keys?"
11:34- Purdue Varsity Glee Club, "Purdue Hymn"
11:36- Christopher Titus, "Normal vs. Screwed Up"
11:37- Jimmy Buffet, "One Particular Harbor"
11:43- The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, "I'm Not that Smart (Reprise)"
11:44- Patton Oswalt, "Your Moment of Irony"
11:45- Eels, "I Need Some Sleep"
11:48- Patton Oswalt, "A Man Shaves His Balls"
11:49- Moulin Rouge, "Spectacular Spectacular"
11:52- Franz Ferdinand, "Take Me Out"
11:55- Lee Ann Womack, "The Weight"
12:01- Rent, "Today 4 U"
12:04- Bowling for Soup, "A-Hole"
12:08- Eric Bibb, "I'll Never Lose You"
Pausing, Taking a Bathroom Break
Finished Dexter Review
Starting Italian Paper
12:13- Patty Griffin, "Long Ride Home"
12:16- Jon McLaughlin, "So Close"
12:21- Rockapella, "Keep on Smilin'"
12:23- Barenaked Ladies, "Get in Line"
12:27- Bowling for Soup, "On and On"
12:30- Montgomery Gentry, "Some People Change"
12:33- The Wedding Singer (Musical), "A Note from Linda"
12:35- Hairspray (Film), "The Nicest Kids in Town"
12:38- Lou Reed, "Satellite of Love"
12:42- Hanson, "Yearbook"
12:47- Barenaked Ladies, "Wind it Up"
12:52- Taylor Swift, "Teardrops on My Guitar"
12:55- Elton John, "Salvation"
12:59- Hammell on Trial, "Coulter's Snatch"
1:02- The Wedding Singer (Musical), "Not That Kind of Thing"
1:05- Hammell on Trial, "Worry Wart"
1:07- Patton Oswalt, "Wackity Schmackity Doo!"
1:10- Avril Lavigne, "Things I'll Never Say"
1:13- Ben Folds, "Hiroshima (B B B Benny Hits His Head)"
Bathroom Break
1:22- Moulin Rouge, "Sparkling Diamonds"
1:24- Taylor Swift, "Tied Together With a Smile"
1:28- Christopher Titus, "Insanity Genetic"
1:37- Stephen Lynch, "Albino"
1:39- The 25th Putnam County Spelling Bee, "Prayer of the Comfort Counselor"
1:41- Jimmy Buffet, "Margaritaville"
Paper Done!
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