Dark Knight Reaction

Well, last Saturday we saw the Dark Knight, and I've had a few days to think about it. I can safely say that the Dark Knight is simply just an awesome movie, maybe nearly flawless in my humble opinion. Performances across the board were amazing, the script was sooo good, the cinematography was great, the action sequences were cool, the editing was fantastic, and there were some themes that definitely enhanced this movie beyond it's genre I think.

If you haven't seen it yet, prepare yourself for something that is very dark, and brutal at times. Although, it was never over the top, and did not glorify the violence that takes place. It was brilliant in that way.

It's true what they say about Heath Ledger. He was absolutely amazing, and by that I mean that he was crazy, and did something with that character that I did not know could be done, let alone by him of all people.

But don't take my word for it.....GO see it
Overall rating: 9.5/10

Food, thrill rides, and movies

So I had to post this picture of me and Brian at Lagoon. The story is that we had to get on a ride that sat us with each other on one seat, one in front of the other. Of course, I had to get a picture. It was pretty funny.


THIS WEBSITE IS AMAZING. That's how I will preface this post. Restaurant.com is an amazing website that deserves to be looked at by all people. You can buy gift certificates for select restaurants for a fraction of their value. For example, Re and I bought a $25 Gift Certificate to a really good Indian restaurant for $6!!! The trick is that you have to spend $35 for the coupon to be valid, but even then it's still $16 for a $35 meal. Pretty awesome. If you do check this website out, don't just go to the website, go first to Google and search for "restaurant.com discount code". This will bring up a bunch of websites that have deals for Restaurant.com, and that's how we got ours for $6. It was originally $10, but we found a deal that knocked another 40% off the price. Awesome.

Lastly, a Dark Knight update. Did you expect anything less from me?
The Dark Knight is doing very well, and headed for a high 80s or low 90s score on Rotten Tomatoes, with ridiculously good praise from critics. Many have said that it is the best superhero movie ever made. You can count on a reaction after I see it on Saturday.

Thank you IRS/Office stories

Using the tax withholding calculator has given me a $68 increase in my paychecks for the rest of the year. Sweet.

Here's another great work story for you all-

So I mentioned in my previous post that my co-worker punches me and what not. He also kicked me the other day and left a scuff from his boot on my pants. Thank you Tide for creating that genius pen that got the scuff out. I've also been threatened with a letter opener. Despite the fact that all of this was done in jest, I still wasn't a big fan. So I kind of hinted today that I didn't appreciate it, and that led to an email from him saying something to the effect of:

"I'm so sorry for the physical and mental pain I have caused you. My intentions were never to alienate you as a friend and co-worker. You have made me feel terrible for the things I have done. This is just the way that my friends and I had fun growing up. Please do not hate me for who I am."

Needless to say, this had turned into an incredibly awkward situation. It is now resolved and I hope to forget about this ASAP. I have to say though that the speed in which this situation escalated to this email made me laugh. I couldn't believe he felt that bad about it. Oh well.

My second incredibly awkward office situation came when one of my co-workers took something that was said way out of context, and basically announced to everyone on our floor that I was applying to other companies. This was a flat out lie, and I was furious. So, my other co-worker went over to my boss and asked if he had heard anything, and ended up telling him the story. My boss then comes over and talks to me about it. I end up calling my co-worker into a room, and tell him exactly how I feel.

So in the space of about a week and a half I somehow managed to get myself into two very awkward situations with both of my immediate co-workers.

It's a good thing they don't know I have a blog. May the office stories live on.

Happy 4th of July all.

Random thoughts....

It's been awhile since we've posted, so I decided that I would just update you all on what's going on in my mind.

- The first reviews for the Dark Knight are starting to appear, and are all are glowing reviews of the film and the performances, especially of the late Heath Ledger. A couple of people have said that he deserves an Oscar, and we're only in June! I am so excited for this movie.

- Imagine this: a guy plays Dance Dance Revolution and goes to a bar to impress the ladies with his newly acquired dance moves. "Hey ladies, check this out...Oh yeah."

- I like Coldplay's new album, but to me it's just not as melodic as their previous albums. I do appreciate the musical experimentation and the new directions that they're going in, but I don't think they were able to marry their amazing ability to provide a musical hook with the reach of their musical ideas. Hopefully the next album will provide both of those elements.

- It's summer time again, and this always reminds me of something that I learned in Psychology, that heat provokes more anger in people. My co-worker has a window seat, and I can testify that this is true. Punches, and more of the sort have come more frequently now that it's Summer time. BTW, it always seems like you're freezing or burning in Utah.

- I laid out a three semester plan to go back and get my Master's for my boss this past week, and it was approved. I am so excited, and grateful. It's weird how things work out like this sometimes. You just have to know that God is helping and guiding through life. Our perceptions are so superficial sometimes. I was crushed when I was rejected from every school I applied to this year, but given our current situation I couldn't be happier. I truly am getting the best of both worlds - experience and education.

- Wall-E has a 9.2 out of 10 on IMDB, and a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. WOW. It is currently #6 on the list of the top 250 movies of all time on IMDB. I love Pixar. Call me weird, but I think they make the most clever movies.

- First the Supreme Court of California overturns a voter-approved ban on gay marriage, and then THE Supreme Court grants detained terrorists in Guantanamo Bay certain rights that allow them to appeal their imprisonment. What is happening to our country?

- One cool thing that I did last week was adjust my net pay by using the IRS' tax withholding calculator to see if I was paying too much in taxes. I'll see just how much that adjustment will be this Friday. My co-worker did this on my advice and got an increase of $180 in his last paycheck. Only thing is that we'll have to remember to do this again next January so we won't owe the government taxes in two years. If you want to check this out just google "IRS tax withholding calculator".

Scary

Wow. I would be running, but this person decided to take a picture. Luckily this tornado funnel cloud just touched down for a second, and then lifted off the ground back into the clouds.

"Team Building" at AMEX

Friday was our team building activity day which was quite fun actually. We started by getting lunch at a really good sandwich place and ate at the park. We followed that up with a trip to Boondocks which is a family fun center of sorts with Go Karts, Laser Tag, Mini-Golf, Bumper Boats, Video Games, and batting cages.

Here are a few of the highlights:

1. My manager's boss was on a business call off on a little grassy hill away from all the rides while we waited in line for the water boats, and my direct report boss had the brilliant idea to get one of the workers at Boondocks to go up to him and say something to the effect of "There have been some complaints that you have been recording videos of the children here at the park. Someone has also complained that you approached their child and were talking to them." So he got someone to do it while we all watched him get punk'd. It was hilarious.

2. Watching my bosses tie my co-worker's shoe to the railing without him knowing while we waited to go on the Go Karts.

3. Watching that same co-worker try to bunt in the fast-pitch batting cages because he wasn't having any success trying to hit the ball.

That's how we do "Team Building" at AMEX. It was more of a Go Kart competition than anything, mixed with the best ideas for punking.

Time to geek it up about the Hobbit again...

It turns out that I posted that Hobbit update a little too soon. Over the weekend Peter Jackson and Guillermo Del Toro held an online chat answering public submitted questions. Here are a few juicy details-

*Del Toro will help them write the script for both movies. Excellent. He wrote the script for Pan's Labyrinth by himself so that is a plus.

*They will basically take all the actors who had a part of LOTR if they are interested, and will only recast the roles if said actors/actresses are not interested. On that note there is a great debate going on right now about who should play Bilbo. My vote is for James McAvoy, and I've heard that he may be their top choice right now. Apparently they all magically said the someone's name at the same time according to Del Toro, so that sounds promising.

*I was a bit hasty in projecting a 2010 and 2011 release. They divulged in the chat that they will release the first film in 2011, and the second in 2012. Along the way they will focus and complete the scripts this year, start pre-production and finish casting next year, and film during all of 2010, doing both films back-to-back.

*Alan Lee and John Howe are confirmed to be working on the film again. They were the two principal conceptual artists that worked on LOTR, so this is a big plus.

If you want to read the full chat transcript here's the link-

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2008/05/24/28882-hobbit-chat-peppered-with-big-news-and-little-details/

The Hobbit - 2010 and 2011

I don't do many movie posts, but since I love the Lord of the Rings movies, and have been waiting patiently for news concerning the Hobbit I have to post the latest goods on this subject. Guillermo Del Toro is slated to direct, and if you don't recognize the name he has done such movies as Pan's Labyrinth and Hellboy. If you've seen Heavenly Creatures by Peter Jackson you can understand why they want Del Toro to direct. They both have a talent for showing how people separate themselves from reality by delving into fantasy. They also emphasize the use of models, and makeup, and costumes over CGI, which is one of my favorite things about these two directors. Del Toro also has a passion for the subject material and will see that the movies get the proper treatment. They plan to make two - one in 2010 dealing exclusively with the Hobbit, and one in 2011 that deals with the period of time between the Hobbit and LOTR. Fortunately for all of us Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis are said to be coming back, as well as Howard Shore for the music. Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Phillipa Boyens will also be writing the script as well as filling the role of producers. This feels like the right time to say - Oh baby.

Noelle's New Passion

Noelle has discovered the greatness of music. She dances and sings along whenever she hears something that she likes. Her new favorite song is "I Feel It All" by Feist. It is featured in our selection of music on the blog. When you hear it, picture Noelle dancing along. It is pretty cute!

Pete's Pictures

First Barbie!!

Chucky Cheese Birthday Party

Noelle at Chucky Cheese for her 2nd birthday!

Elmo Chair

Grandpa got an Elmo chair for Noelle on her birthday. She loved it so much that we started posing her for her picture. She was getting such a kick out of making us laugh that and she began posing herself.

Office stories Part 2.......

So, we have a co-worker in our forecasting department who has a way with words. He likes to speak his mind. Here are a few samples:

1. Background: My co-worker goes to work out every day at the gym, and loves to invite us to come along. Quote: "Pete you should really come work out with me. That way your wife would want to touch you more often."

2. Background: A young girl brings a card around for all of us to sign. It's for our boss' secretary because it's National Admin Day.
Quote: "Kelly, is that you or the card that smells?..(He then realizes what he has just said and the next two words come stumbling out)..Not bad"
This poor girl stands there stunned, and doesn't say a word. He tried to explain later that he smelled something pleasant, and basically wanted to ask her if she was wearing perfume. Later, with her sitting just over one aisle from us, he explained that he gets nervous when he's talking to cute girls. We told him to just keep on digging that pit he's in.

3. Background: We are sitting in a meeting with our new boss getting to know each other a little bit, and informing him of what we do(if you'll remember back to my previous post, my first boss got the boot shortly after I was hired on). Our new boss informs us that we'll be moving down to the second floor which has a nicer bathroom.
Quote: "I don't like the automatic toilets down there because they flush before I can turn around and admire my business."

There are too many for me to remember at this point...I'm sure there will be another post in the future with more famous quotes from our good friend in the forecasting department.

Parenting as a Jack-in-the-Box milkshake

Sometimes I think that raising children is like a milkshake from Jack-in-the-Box. Let's go specifically with the Oreo milkshake. You have to suck on that straw until you almost have an aneurysm to get a small taste of that ridiculously thick milkshake. But oh how rich that one little taste is. Then after you've had 15 or 20 little tastes you're so satisfied that you can't finish the whole shake. I love those moments as a parent where you just think that there's nothing better than that little baby. Playing hide-n-seek, or watching them get the biggest kick out of the smallest things, like a Barbie Dream House commercial is good stuff. Granted, there are moments when a big piece of Oreo gets stuck in the straw and blocks the flow of joy, but those moments always pass and the reward is that much bigger when they do.

Life in the city

Kind of going along with the post about my job at American Express, I wanted to post something that highlights some of the fun moments we've had here in Salt Lake. For me it's been great because I've never really lived in a city before. I've always lived in small rural towns, such as Laie, Rexburg, and Logan, with the lone exception being La Canada for about 8 months. Granted, Salt Lake is not a big city, but it's the biggest I've ever lived in. With that, it's very evident that life in the city is much different than life in suburbs and rural areas. Here are a few examples:

1. The Karate Guys: There are two guys that do karate in front of our apartment complex every once in a while. It's not a violent type of karate either, it's more of a meditative sytle of karate mixed with spasmatic outbursts of attacks/defense. It's like they think they're in slow motion getting ready to fight the oncoming imaginary attackers, and suddenly the action whips back into full speed. John Woo would be proud.

2. Halloween: We are on our way down to the Mall, and the elevator door opens and immediately I get an eye full of a young college age kid dressed in nothing but tighty whities, suspenders, and a fireman's hat. It's amazing I haven't erased this from my memory.

3. We are walking down the hall to our room, and yet another young college age kid is standing out in the hallway with his door wide open screaming that there's a cockroach in his closet. He then convinces some poor stranger to go in his room and kill the cockroach. I was just happy that someone else got talked into doing it, and not me. Awkward.

4. One morning I just happened to be looking out our patio doors when I saw two guys very carefully exchange a couple of concealed items, and then quickly walk away from the situation. I couldn't help but think that I had just witnessed a drug deal in broad daylight go down in front of my apartment.

BARACK

Pete and I just finished watching Hannity and Colmes. Wow, how frightening that Barack, the leading candidate for President is a supporter of such an evil man. Is Reverend Wright delusional? I can't believe some of the things he was saying about the goverment's conspiracy to wipe out the African American's with the Aids virus in the 80's. This guy actually thinks 9/11 was the act of the United States Government. He claims that greedy white American's are wrongfully debilitating the African American race. His preaching of black American's as victims is only perpetuating the vicious cycle. How can the the black culture overcome their economic difficulties by taking the victim's standpoint? Obviously Reverend Wright has a few screws loose. It's funny that although the Reverend has been Barack's spiritual advisor and Preacher for 20 years Barack claims he never knew Wright's personal stand and never heard any of these offensive sermons. He is flat out lying to protect his candidacy. God save America if this man is elected President! It will truly be the beginning of the end. I guess this is great for the Republicans. The race is so close that even if Barack loses a few votes, Hillary will win the Primary and McCain will have a better chance of beating her than he would have Obama. I certainly hope that at least educated Americans will be alarmed by Baracks relationship with this man he claims is like an uncle.
Regan

I attached the crazy video of excerpts from his speeches

Stranger in a strange land

So, this is my first time working in a business setting, and I have to say that for an introverted feeling type (although the MBTI I took here says I'm an INTP), it's very different. This is a setting where I am constantly surrounded by extroverted thinking types. That puts me in a lot of awkward situations, on top of all those situations that come with working in an office to begin with (If you've ever seen The Office, or work in an office environment you know what I'm talking about). I've been working here for two months now, and here are a few highlights:

1. First day of work at a huge company. The worst part about this is trying to remember the names of all the people.

2. We've got this one guy here that is a no-holds barred kind. He was once told that his filter is not inside his head, but outside. Meaning, that when he says something he doesn't think first, and but always feels sorry for having said it afterwards. This is a very true description of him. He sings Broadway tunes wherever he goes, yells out random things at large meetings, and tells stories with an unmistakable falsetto voice.

3. I am a part of a team that includes four people. About two weeks ago our boss asked for five minutes in what's called a "Huddle Room", which is basically a meeting room. She preceeded to tell us that she was leaving the company on the 14th of this month. There we sat for about 20 mintues as our boss cried, trying to think of something to say that would be appropriate for the situation. This all comes after hearing our Director of Finance chew our boss out earlier in the day for a mistake she made on a report that went straight to the top of the company. Which leads to my next entry....

4. Our boss tells us that she needs our resumes because our Director has requested to assess our background and potential development within the company. Then by chance my co-worker asks our Director why he needs that, and the reply is that he never asked for it, which then leads him to believe that our boss is trying to steal us away from the company when she finds a new job somewhere else. So we decide behind our boss' back that we're not going to send her our resumes, hoping it doesn't turn into anything between us, or between her and our Director. Which leads to my entry....

5. Our boss calls us in the "Huddle Room" a couple days after the resume incident, and tells us that she has been asked to leave the company that afternoon, a week before she was supposed to leave. So, we're all shocked and we have to once again go through the whole "try and find something appropriate to say" ordeal in that ridiculously quiet and claustrophobic "Huddle Room". Which leads to my next entry...

6. Our Director quickly throws a pizza party togethor for her farewell. Our entire team (about 8 people)sits in a meeting room with some Pizza Hut in front of us wondering how in the world it came to this. My boss has been axed, and now we're eating Pizza Hut to say goodbye to her. It is such a weird paradox of circumstances to be saying goodbye to someone by eating pizza. You'll never see such passivity during a meal as when someone is being booted from your company. I think there was a pizza and a half worth of leftovers.

Anyways, that's how it goes here at American Express.

Google Gadgets

I found a really cool website that's part of Google that supports a bunch of stuff for blogs and what not. Here is the URL:

http://www.google.com/ig/directory?synd=open&cat=all

Here's a sample:

Regan's Favorite Song

Hey out of the selection of songs that we have on the blog "Rebellion Lies" by Arcade fire is my favorite. Just scroll down and click on it. You have to check it out!

Our ex-Vice President, Dan Quayle

Dan Quayle quotes are like food for me. I get a craving to read some of his crazy comments and attempts at intellectuality every once in a while. Here are some of my favorites:

1. The Holocaust was an obscene period in our nation's history. I mean in this century's history. But we all lived in this century. I didn't live in this century.

2. Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child.

3. We don't want to go back to tomorrow, we want to go forward.

4. We have a firm commitment to NATO, we are a *part* of NATO. We have a firm commitment to Europe. We are a *part* of Europe.

5. What a waste it is to lose one's mind. Or not to have a mind is being very wasteful. How true that is.

6. One word sums up probably the responsibility of any vice president, and that one word is 'to be prepared'.

7. I have made good judgements in the past. I have made good judgements in the future.

8. I love California, I practically grew up in Phoenix.

9. I want to be Robin to Bush's Batman.

10. I was recently on a tour of Latin America, and the only regret I have was that I didn't study Latin harder in school so I could converse with those people.

10. It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.

11. It's wonderful to be here in the great state of Chicago.

12. Votes are like trees, if you are trying to build a forest. If you have more trees than you have forests, then at that point the pollsters will probably say you will win.


How that man became Vice President, I'll never know.

Myers-Briggs Mania!

My team at work has decided that everyone of us should take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test. So, this afternoon I got to take a different version of the test which was 144 questions as opposed to the 70 question version which is in the Please Understand Me book. It was very cool, and many of the questions were very thought provoking. Next Thursday someone from our Development office is going to come in and talk to us about the results and what not, so that should be really interesting. I think I might try and predict what everyone one is just for the heck of it.

We also just had dinner with my parents and an Emeritus member of the First Quorom of the Seventy, who was my parents' Stake President way back in the days in North Carolina. The restaurant we ate at was a Chinese restaurant in the middle of Bountiful that supposedly has been named one of the 10 best Chinese restaurants in the US by USA Today. It was pretty darn good. It was also really interesting to hear this member of the Seventy talk about politics, as he was well versed in the current events, and quite opinionated as well. He's definitely a Conservative, and would have definitely voted for Romney, but will now vote for McCain.

Anyways, I think we're going to go swimming at the Marriott now where my parents are staying.

Happy Friday!

Oscars!!!

So, this Sunday we get the Oscars!! Since I'm obsessed with movies I'm having an urge to make predictions for the upcoming Oscars. Here they are:

Best Picture: No Country For Old Men
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood)
Best Actress: Julie Christie (Away From Her)
Best Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett (I'm Not There)
Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men)
Best Editing: The Bourne Ultimatum
Best Cinematography: No Country For Old Men
Best Director: The Coen Brothers (No Country For Old Men)
Best Original Screenplay: Juno
Best Adapted Screenplay: There Will Be Blood

This was pretty hard actually. I would not be surprised if There Will Be Blood or Juno won Best Picture, but I just think No Country is too good to be looked over.

I'll take a McCain, with some fries (hopefully fresh)

So, I was thinking that McCain, who will inevitably recieve the Republican nomination, is kind of like taking a road trip and coming to that time of day when you need food, but you're in the middle of nowhere and all there is to eat is McDonald's. Upon the realization of this truth, you cringe, and hope for the best, which typically consists of a decent chicken product (in my case since I refuse to eat hamburgers from McDonald's), and some good fries. McCain represents our best option by attrition of the more conservative and electable candidates. In truth, this post is for those who say they will vote for Obama instead of McCain for whatever reason you see logical. I can't imagine the executive and legislative branches of government controlled solely by Democrats at this crucial time in our history, and from what I hear this is what will happen if Obama is elected. Universal Health Care, tax increases, Illegal Immigration, and who knows what in Iraq as soon as they pull all the troops out, not to mention our Homeland Security just to name a few. For those of you struggling to come to terms with McCain's record, and ideology, here is a link to a Wall Streeet Journal article that demystifies many of McCain's stands on issues, and why he is worthy of our vote. So, read on, and hopefully you'll get that decent McCain sandwich you were hoping for, and we can all hope for some good fries (ie, Romney as VP or something else in his administration).

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120310968910072193.html?mod=opinion_journal_political_diary

The US recognizes Kosovo

This is an interesting little newsbit about Kosovo, and what they represent. As you may know the US just recognized Kosovo and their declared independence from Serbia. However, it's important to consider the consequences of such an action, considering Russia's stand on this issue. This article points out the implications of such a move, and the relations we've had with Kosovo in the past. Pretty interesting stuff.

http://landofdafree.blogspot.com/2008/02/welcome-to-kosovo-first-jihadist-state.html

Bill and Hillary - aka the "Axis of Evil"

Here is an excerpt from an article in the Wall Street Journal that digs up the past a little bit....

On Aug. 7, 1999, the one-year anniversary of the U.S. African embassy bombings that killed 257 people and injured 5,000, President Bill Clinton reaffirmed his commitment to the victims of terrorism, vowing that he "will not rest until justice is done." Four days later, while Congress was on summer recess, the White House quietly issued a press release announcing that the president was granting clemency to 16 imprisoned members of FALN.

The article goes on to posit that Pres. Clinton did this to pander to the Hispanic vote that would be vital to the election of Hillary as Senator of New York, a campaign she had been putting togethor as they prepared to transition to the post-Presidency life.
Find the rest of this article at Real Clear Politics from an article that was published to their home page called "The Clintons' Terror Pardons".

Amsterdam Concert

Ahhh, such good times. There's nothing like playing a live show. Getting a free trip to Europe on top of that was the deal of a lifetime.

At last, the digital representation of our life

We've finally joined the rest of the world and started a blog. We'll post lots of stuff in the coming days so stay tuned!