Survivor Gabon: Week 12 - Finale

Congrats to Ty (my Dad) winning Survivor: Gabon! I taught him everything I know. Ha ha... Actually, here's a bit of trivia for you, my parents introduced me to Survivor after college when I started to watch Survivor: Vanuatu with them. So, you can blame them for all these emails!

So we return to camp with Kenny still fuming over the fact that Bob wouldn't give him the necklace even though he was going to take him out if he did. Yeah, sounds fair to me. Then Sugar makes a huge move by immediately going to Kenny, before the challenge, and talking to him as if he's the leader and Bob is the next to go, not Kenny. Kenny felt secure from that point and all was undone. The challenge was quite elaborate, as the next-to-last ones usually are. Although it didn't seem quite as tough to me. And once again Bob won it! It was a bit closer this time, but still, pretty amazing that he tied the record for the most consecutive wins.

You knew something was going to happen with Susie getting so much air time, but the producers fooled me when tribal council came around. I thought they really were going to vote Susie off because I think we saw more of Kenny's strategy on interviews than his real persona around camp. Don't get me wrong here, I was really glad to see him go! I'm all for strategic players to win the game, but when they are cocky and refer to themselves in the third person, I can't stand it. I thought he once again unraveled at tribal council by calling Bob again. He really didn't need to do that, plus Bob exposed his plan! He was really dead then. My hate almost dissolved as he graciously left the game and seemed like a good sport in his confessional. Then I turned again at the last tribal council and then turned again during the reunion (more on that later).

So then there was a final four that I would have never, ever predicted. And as Susie got more and more interview time, you knew something was going to happen. I thought this was a great challenge. I personally like to see them sweat it out, but I think they assumed Matty would win quickly. I thought Susie was brilliant for just stopping while the others panicked. She played it very, very well. We finally got to see more air time of her as they headed back to camp, and trust me, I'm glad they didn't focus on her the whole season. They showed Bob getting real upset, and I was just as annoyed as he was, and we only saw 5 minutes of it! I'm totally with Susie that it was a huge shock, but honestly, ease it down a bit.

Then Sugar once again throws her wits up in the air and sees where it lands and basically gives Bob a million dollars. Now, if I was her and I wanted to win a million dollars, it would be a predicament of who to vote for as well, so I thought her choice would've been noble if she hadn't told Bob about it. Basically blindsiding Matty. How relieved was Bob? He knew he had it, and how smart of him to go practice. So we had to say goodbye to Matty. His game this season was... interesting... I would like to say he made some power moves, but he really didn't. He did great of not getting voted out, but he lacked a solid friendship and alliance with anybody, except Susie (which we never really saw). But it looks like that if he had won that fire challenge, he would have won a million. Now that would have been something.

Which then led to the final tribal council where Bob pretty much dominated by answering straight and letting the other two girls bury themselves. I'm sorry Susie, just trying to prove something to your family isn't going to do it. Why didn't she mention turning the game on its heels by voting Marcus out? Winning two immunity challenges, especially the last one! I know I don't have any children, but I think there are better ways to prove to them that trying is valuable asset than going on Survivor. If I'm going on Survivor, I want to win a million dollars! If I wanted to prove to people that I can try or do something, I'm going to do a marathon or go on a diet. Not go across the world away from all my close ones!

And as far as Sugar goes... this is why I couldn't take her as a viable strong player. You can't make all those moves and then just not even try to get a million dollars. Her moves were totally to just do what Sugar wanted to do, not to win a game. As I mentioned earlier, she basically gave Bob a million dollars. The last two votes I was really gaining respect for her and then she flushed all down in the toilet. It boggles my mind that there's been 17 seasons of Survivor and people still blow it at these tribal councils. I'm sure it is really stressful, but I think the key is to just be upfront and honest about your game, whether you have been the nicest guy ever or malicious. Bob obviously has watched Survivor before and I loved is answer to Matty's question, "Why do these girls deserve a million dollars?" Bob: "They don't."

This was a relatively boring last council save Corinne's comments. I just don't understand when people consciously decide to be that mean. I think Corinne just loves to have attention on her and I think she was on the show to become a famous actress. Why else would you act like that? And the way she referred to "the edit" at the reunion show was just a gesture to all the producers out there in L.A.

I thought it was funny that nobody answered Randy the way he wanted to. Matty did not need to wear that tank-top. Kenny once again pouted way too much and was a drama king with his pacing. Marcus didn't look too smart with his boring questions. I completely forgot what Crystal asked. And Charlie is as nice as ever.

Which thankfully led to a victory by Bob! Such a deserved win. And Susie with three votes? Can you imagined if she had won? Bob probably could've been a bit more aggressive in his answers at the last tribal council and gotten one more vote or so, but thankfully he won. He did great at staying in the middle and playing hard when it counted. I think he made some wrong moves here and there, but he never lingered on them. You always like it when these type of people win Survivor. He played a pretty honest game and at the end, I think everybody still likes him, even Randy.

The reunion show really just kind of reflected the season. It was good, but not great. Way too much attention on Corinne for my taste. Randy came off a bit odd, but he does have a biting humor. I loved his response about cheating in school. I was really glad to see Kenny admit that he got way too cocky. This is where I forgave him once again. You could tell he was in a totally different mode out there, just like we are between our homes and work. He saw it as work, which he should have, but it actually seems that he's going to take away a life lesson from this game.

Oh, and Michelle is really one weird girl. Termites beware!

I have to admit, the past couple of episodes have been really good. They really saved this season. It didn't stay predictable and I guess that's what happens when an strong alliance of four gets broken up. Somebody won that totally deserved to win, and I'm usually always happy at that. But if you like this show as much as me, I'm really wanting to see something fresh this coming season in Brazil. This was the first time I really started to get bogged down by the cliches of the show. I mean, I know it's going to be there after 8 years of being on T.V., but I think that this season proved that by having too many contestants that are generally mean-natured doesn't necessarily mean a compelling season. Nastiness doesn't always collide with strategy. This season went a step back towards it's usual formula, so we'll see if Brazil has some new tricks up its sleeve.

What changes would you like to see? Do you think there are way too many hidden immunity idols? Should Exile Island be done away with?

Were you happy that Bob won? How would you rank the show?

As always, it's been fun and we'll gear up for next season! We can't let Ty enjoy that trophy too much!

Survivor Gabon: Week 11

This is a first... me writing the recap the day after the episode! I bet you are pretty excited.

So, I really, really can't stand Kenny now. What a cry baby. He's a strong player, I can admit that, but you don't have to keep on referring to yourself as a mastermind. And how did he turn the fact that he betrayed everybody to, "Whoa is me, I exposed myself, so you should feel sorry for me because I messed up my game." I thought he really hurt himself in this episode. Yes, he is still in the game, but he got desperate and by doing so, he really exposed his position. The way he panicked proved to me that he isn't really a "mastermind."

Bob once again dominated in the challenges. I think this is great by the way. He always takes his time and he seems to win every one. Now, when Matty and Kenny are your only true competitors, it evens the odds some, but nobody would have predicted this. Now, finding a connection with the gorillas was a little strange. I thought they were going to this exotic location with waterfalls surrounding all the gorillas, instead they were next to them by a fence. Are you sure they didn't film that segment at the San Diego Zoo?

He was smart to take Ken & Crystal with him, but not smart to promise Ken the necklace, but then was smart to renegotiate the terms by, "If I think you are leaving I'll give it to you," and leaving Matty and Sugar at camp to bond, and then not to confuse things, let's just send Susie to exile island so at least you can justify her not saying anything at camp.

Matty then threw a pity party when everybody got back. I don't blame him too much, but he did sway a bit too much to make him an individual in the game. Thankfully hot-headed Crystal was there to save the day! Her rant pretty much changed the game. It finally caught up to her because Sugar finally felt convicted. And as we have learned in this season, when Sugar gets convicted about things, the game changes. I can't really dog her game play much anymore because she made one heck of a move. I think it's too bad that she has made most of the jury mad, so she still won't have a chance of winning, but she did good here, real good.

I know I'm going back and forth with the timeline of things, but this is how this episode was. So, Bob wins immunity, AGAIN, while Crystal and Susie decided to tour the African landscape blindfolded. I thought the openness of everybody talking about who they were going to vote for was pretty hilarious. It's as if they said, "I'm tired of having to get up and go into the woods to strategize." I'm going to come back to Kenny here and say that he got way too cocky and vulnerable by deciding to turn on Bob, and THEN LETTING EVERYBODY KNOW HIS PLAN.

So, Crystal got sent home. A great move by Sugar and soooo smart of Bob to not give away his necklace. Kenny can't get mad because he didn't get voted out, and Susie sat there wondering how in the world she is in the final 5. Crystal took the oust like a true Olympic champion (despite never winning a Survivor challenge, how ironic) and realizing she and Kenny became their own worst enemy.

So, the finale is Sunday and as of now, it looks like it will be a final three with nobody really promising one another that they will take each other to the final three. I think it really is a free for all on this one. How cool would it be to see a final three possibility with the final competitors minus Susie. I think she will somehow squeak in there because somebody would be dumb not to take her to the final, but we''ll see.

Maybe it's better that I don't write these right after the episode. I go on for way too long.

Who do you think will win? Who do you think should win? Was Sugar's move big enough to win her a million? Will Kenny become humble at all?

Until the finale!

Survivor Gabon: Week 10

Can you believe that this season is almost over? Thursday night's episode and then Sunday's finale, and that's it! So sad, or is it? Are you ready for a new start? Let's hope the cast is a bit better than this one this year. One thing I can guess is that they won't let them pick their own tribes this time :)

This episode comforted me in knowing that Bob's move last tribal council was better thought out. I thought it was good of him to call them out on making a mockery of Randy. Yes, yes, I know Randy probably had it coming, but I would've been mad if I were Bob too. It possibly cost him a vote if he makes the final three. I'm pretty sure the rant was sincere, but at least Corinne can come back now and vouch for Bob's strategy.

This "loved ones" reunion wasn't quite up to par either. I like it when they are involved in the challenge, it makes the stakes so much harder and usually all the competitors play full out. In fact, as I type this, I can't recall what the actual challenge was. I saw it this past weekend...am I getting old or was it that unmemorable? Of course you knew Bob's wife was going to pop out somewhere, but it was still sweet to see them reunite, as well as the others. Even as disconnected I am with this year's players, it got dusty. Of course this is coming from me, so that shouldn't be a big surprise.

By the way, what did you think of Matty's proposal? I know most would see it as sweet, but I wonder how she felt. In a way it felt a little too spontaneous, especially if even Matty described himself as uncommitted, but it just felt a bit strange to me for some reason. Maybe because it was the fact that he made her a necklace instead of a ring! Ha ha.

The immunity challenge was a good one as luck is pretty much the determination of who wins, and once again Bob the Skeleton proves that he is dominate in challenges. I think Survivor has done a great job of making challenges not so physical dominate so others have a chance, so it's a bit more unpredictable. But I do miss them as the days progress because I think the physical side of survival should still play a big part, and that goes missing some seasons.

Which now leads to Bob's plan which ALMOST worked. I thought it was pretty ingenious, what do you think? I don't think there was much more that Corinne and him could have done, except for what I suggested in the last email, go after Susie, Matty and Sugar. Kenny's cockiness finally bit him in the butt though. I don't blame Crystal for not going along totally because like her and Ken talked about, they were risking a lot by voting the way they were, but as the teaser suggests, Ken will really have a target on him now. I wonder how much of a riff it will create between the odd duo? Regardless, this may have played out better for Bob that Corinne got voted out. Ken is now the target, which will be followed by Crystal. And if that happens, your final four is Matty, Sugar, Susie and Bob. Matty might be Bob's competition, but I see most of the votes going Bob's way. Especially with all the fake, convincing fake idols. (I bet Ozzy is crying in shame).

So, as you can tell, I'm rooting for Bob as I'm sure most of you are. How about you? Despite what happens, will there be any drama to the next couple of episodes? Are proposals on Survivor growing weary? Or is Nathan just too cynical?

I'll try to write a review before Sunday, but don't hold it to me too much!

Survivor Gabon: Week 9

Does anybody want a cookie?

What an entertaining episode! This season really needed an episode like this one. Everything about it was really good... high tension, comedy, blindsides, strategy...

I'm going to go ahead and talk about Randy. I have always been so uneven about how I felt about him. He is a great character for this show, you can't deny that and he has really saved this season in a lot of ways. He is almost so miserable though, and so aware of it, you really lose the ability to hate to love him. That said, I kind of liked his strategy to go completely crazy on everybody. I think it mainly stems from the fact that I could never be that crass and rude, but there really was some intelligence behind what he was trying to do. Too bad for him it completely backfired in every sense of the word.

I always really enjoy the auction reward session. It is always a lot of fun to watch and there is still a lot of strategy that comes to play. You can tell the survivors really enjoy it, and the whole cookie scenario was just not hilarious, but ridiculous and unnecessary at the same time. Regardless of what point Sugar was trying to make, she should have taken the cookie! It's food that you aren't just going to get. Randy was being sarcastic with his motive, but who really cares? Although Randy would have probably still followed through of his plan of just being plain mean, Sugar really added a lot of fuel to the fire that didn't need to be there. But really, it couldn't have gone down more perfectly if you are a fan of Survivor at all.

I thought the immunity challenge was very interesting in setting up those blocks in the domino position. That had to be so challenging to line all of those up correctly but doing it in a fast manner. It kind of lost the drama because Randy wasn't in it, but it was still a good one. I was rooting for Corinne.

Then craziness ensued both back at camp and then tribal council. I still can't grasp why Bob made the move he did. I don't blame him at all with trying to make friends on the other side, but I don't know if Sugar is the one to do so. She hasn't really proven to be loyal to anybody, but I know Bob had to get in somehow, but I really didn't see the need to blindside and hurt a person in your alliance... in other words, a "friend" who sits on the jury. Now, he voted for Susie with Corinne and Randy, and according to the teaser, it seems like he is going to pass it off as an idol that Marcus gave him. I might be wrong there though. He said that he really didn't see how the idol was going to help him, but I really think it could have. It was that convincing! We'll see how his thinking pays off and it could prove to be a MAJOR move in the game, but I'm still baffled by it. Not so much turning against an ally, but really embarrassing him in the process. Just call it a hunch, but I think Randy would be one to hold grudges.

This tribal council had to go down as one of the most hilarious ones, by far. Randy had it coming, no doubt, but when Crystal yelled at the camera, I lost it (my parents and whitney can back this one up). That was soooo funny and I almost think that only Crystal could have pulled that off.

I know I'm forgetting some major things, but it's late and I need to call it a night. Either Corinne goes down in the next episode, or there will be a major shake up due to Bob's leading. If him and Corinne are smart, they could coax Sugar and Matty to come to their side. Sugar is 5th on the totem pole, if not Matty as well. But let's see if they are smart enough to make some moves on their own.

Did you enjoy the episode as much as me? Are you going to miss Randy? Can you fathom Bob's move?

Have a great Turkey day and go Cowboys and Sooners!

Survivor Gabon: Week 8

The tribes have merged which to me is always the official, "Game on!" Fang was of course shocked to see Marcus gone, which they should have been and it was quite funny to see Matty try to repress a smile. I know I keep saying this, but I've really liked the challenges this year. That 3-course slingshot golf course was pretty dang impressive. How long did that take to make and how much money did they spend on it? Well, it was well worth it to see Randy and Matty go nuts. Something tells me that feud isn't quite over yet, if Randy doesn't get voted out of the next tribal council. The reward was the thing we always come to except from Survivor except nobody got drunk this time. Bob's fake immunity idol actually looked really convincing and I think he could really fake out a lot of people with that thing. I kinda predict a big move because of that thing.

Which then led to the individual immunity challenge where Sugar and Susie were the front runners! They haven't shown it much, but it does seem like Susie is a incredible hard worker at camp. I'm glad that the spotlight shone on the fact that women can indeed start a fire without men and it was funny to see Matty and Randy cringe at that fact. This then led to the always fun "who is going to go" scramble. It's so funny to see people pretend that they aren't leaving the base camp to strategize, but what else are they doing? You know which people were voting for who, but once again it came to Sugar who has somehow managed to still not make an alliance, but will probably be in the top four due to the immunity idol. Did everybody forget that she had it? Are they even going to try to snuff it out?

So far, the way they are building the show this season, all signs are pointing to Kenny to win it. I will admit he is making some strong moves and obviously he is the leader of his alliance (is it funny to anyone else that the former Olympic champion and a videogamer are such strong friends? Only in Survivor...) The thing with Kenny is that I don't hate him nor love him. He's made the right moves at the right time, but I don't think he will be put up there in the all time greatest strategic Survivor players. Too many of his moves come out of malicious intent. Do you guys feel the same way?

So Charlie was blindsided, which was kinda sad because I liked Charlie. He brought a lot of niceness to a game that is filled with ill intent. I personally would have gone after the other three because they have been bigger threats to win challenges and I think Corinne and Randy strategize just as much as Charlie did. At least Marcus and him are buddies though!

So, who do you think has the best chance of winning right now? Will Bob, Corinne and Randy be able to survive against the other 5, and most importantly, do you think the other 5 will stick together? What do you think of Kenny?

Call me if you want to go sling-shot golfing anytime soon!

Survivor Gabon: Week 7

This is usually the episode where things get interesting for the whole game, but will it? I thought this was a great episode, but I'm a little afraid that it will the best one. Yes, it was a shock that Marcus was gone, and it provided GREAT drama, but now do we live in a world where the last contestants are going to be Kenny, Crystal, Matty, Sugar and Susie? Really? I don't blame the producers for mixing things up at all. It was needed, if not, it would have been a couple of episodes where Kota picked off the remanding players of Fong (is it Fang? Corrinne just confused me) until they got to a point where they would have to self destruct. So, will this unlikely 5 actually stick together...probably not. I don't see Sugar or Matty really staying true to Kenny & Crystal. And after this episode who knows what Susie will do, after all, she is gunning to be in that "top 3." Now as I type this, it may turn out to be interesting, but this is a game where very strong players have gotten voted out early and I just can't get excited about Kenny, Susie and Sugar duking it out in the end. I think it would be really interesting to see the tribes still stay divided. I don't think that will happen, but it would be interesting to see the jury getting to see different sides of tribal council.

Ok, let's go to the so called merge. I bet the producers were just itching to see what happened with that hidden immunity idol and they ended up throwing it away! I bet they really didn't plan on them doing it. It was a good move by Marcus, so I thought at the time... ha ha. I wonder if he will think about that one. I thought it was brilliant for Charlie to throw it out to everybody, and somebody had grabbed it, would it really "kick them out of Eden." Well, not really...you would be safe for at least one tribal council and from my dedicated watching to this show, I feel like memories are fleeting. This is a game where people seemed to forget that Marcus & G.C. raced for the individual immunity at the very beginning. Marcus & Randy pulled a fast one, and I can't believe Kenny or Matty didn't grab that thing.

The Survivor I loved came back in full force when the tribes returned to camp. I guess I gave Sugar way too much credit. She was duped by Kenny. The way things are going, Kenny might win this thing and I really can't see the "brilliance." Are you with me on this one? He's made some good moves, but they have seemed more out of desperation than strategy. Also, that really was crazy about the tie-in to Crystal and Marcus. I wonder if the producers knew about this one. Regardless, you knew it was going to play out in a big way.

I loved the idea of an individual immunity challenge for two different tribes. It couldn't have been scripted better to see Matty and Bob go head-to-head. What was with Matty's laughter? He might actually be going crazy.

Which then evolved into a HUGE power play by Crystal. She was smart not to let the personal side get into the game side. She jumped on Susie's inability to garner any position with somebody, and I was really surprised when Susie voted Marcus. I thought she would still revert into her comfort zone. Randy, Bob, Corrinne and Charlie will be mad as heck, but what will they really be able to do? I bet they really regret voted Dan out.

I liked Marcus a lot. A very good player left the game early. Some reviews hinted at him annoying people with wanting to take the lead too much, but I thought he did it gracefully. He responded to Susie as well as he could (even though he still had to lie) and he responded to Kenny's attack at tribal council with class. He just underestimated the loyalty Crystal had to Kenny and her desire to win the game, and he was just the product of bad Survivor luck, kinda like Jaquie. If this switch up hadn't happened, I would've swore that he was going to win the game, but I wonder how many Survivor contestants in the past think the same thing.

Regardless, there will be a new name on the Survivor trophy! Hopefully Kelly won't have too hard of a time giving it up :)

So, what do you think about the switch up? A good move for this season or a bad one? Who do you think will win now? Do you think Kenny, Crystal, Matty, Sugar and Susie will be smart enough to form an alliance?

Hoping for the next episodes to be as good as this one...

Survivor Gabon: Week 6

Well, I must be loosing my touch. Once again, I'm out of the game early. Early as in before the merge! I guess writing these updates aren't helping my luck too much.

I think that this is officially the worst Survivor season that I have watched so far. Whitney and I were talking a bit about it and we just don't have any connections to the players. There just isn't anybody I can really get behind. Is it that I just have been plagued by the Survivor cliches? I sure hope not... I mean, there really isn't a James or a Yao Man from this season. I guess Bob would be one, but he's really not given much screen time. By the way, Bob looks like a cartoon turned into a human person. And what was up with his little squeals of delight? Now, if you know me at all you know that I can't criticize somebody tearing up, but that was just weird, ha ha.

I've said it many time so far this season, it just stinks to see a team lose and lose and lose and lose and lose. This season has actually had some great challenges, but they fall by the wayside when one team is so weak. The reward challenge was a great set up, but was over just as quick as it started. I wonder if Crystal will ever get a second breath of fresh air. Her tribe chose Sugar over her to participate in that challenge... I like Crystal a lot, but she is a candid proof of how much this game can wear on somebody physically and mentally. She looked as if she could really control things, but all this loosing is really getting to her.

By the way, did Randy not get any letters from the reward challenge? Do people in real life dislike him as much I do? Ha ha. Randy has really proved to be a strong competitor in this game. I don't think he is nearly as nasty as his testimonials. I'm not saying that the sarcasm isn't there, but I think it's a lot of show. For him to ease into that alliance over Bob shows that he must have some redeeming qualities. I wonder if he'll stick with those 4 because if it doesn't benefit him, I could easily see him turning things upside down.

It was a good idea to do a double elimination and the log roll was a great competition to have. It was entertaining to see everybody participate and of course there were some surprises of who advanced. Kudos to Marcus for giving the necklace to Sugar. Very strategic without coming across as mean-spirited. He's a bright guy... you just wonder when that target will form on his back.

The good thing about this challenge is that it finally made Kota scramble, but the bad thing is that it may have taken two of the more entertaining players out of the game. I didn't hate Ace nor really, really like him, but he was pretty entertaining. I was just interested to see if he would do anything in the merge. Yes, Dan was a bit annoying, but how exciting would've Kota been without him? You could tell he was a really nice guy, but just wore the game a little too much on his sleeve. I think it was very smart for the tribe to split their votes. Now they know for sure that Sugar must have the necklace and if Dan had played it... great, Susie's gone! They lost somebody who could have helped in challenges, but honestly, how many were they going to lose against Fang, especially with Ace gone now.

I'm a little confused by Sugar's move to blind-side Ace. On one hand, she really didn't need Ace. All he constantly did was ask for her immunity necklace and she had to know that Matty wasn't necessarily really keen on her. How many scenes were there of those two strategizing? Not many... But on the other hand, Ace really was the only person she was connected to. I think she knew what she was doing and although Kenny's lies planted the seed, I don't think she believed him and decided to do it on her own. I'm not sure what she is going to do now. Nobody on Kota likes her and Kenny and Crystal will just like her for some votes, so she either goes far just because everybody knows she has the necklace, or she uses it wisely to form some alliance when the merge happens.

Any thoughts? Good move by Sugar? Does Randy have a chance to win this game? Will a merge ever happen?

Have a great week and be careful not to spill your rice!

Survivor Gabon: Week 5

Finally! A really good episode this season. It really needed an episode like this one. The strategy part of the game rose a bit and there was actual drama in the immunity challenge and tribal council.

I think it was a real good thing for Ace & Matty to form something. They both are in awful positions, and I don't know if much will change going into the merge. There was something about it though that you didn't quite believe. I almost predict something where Ace turns his back on Matty...Matty gets voted off...and while part of the jury he will glare menacingly at Ace until he is voted out. I think Matty has the most heart of a competitor that I have seen in a long time, but I just don't quite think that the brains are there.

I always like the reward challenge that they used where the contestants have to catch each other. It looks sooo exhausting and I can't imagine trying to do that with as little food Fang has had. You can tell that it didn't quite go as long as similar challenges have in the past. It was a true testament of how little food that Fang has.

What an amazing immunity challenge! Overall, I really don't like anybody on the Fang tribe, but I was rooting for them so much to win! How brilliant of Matty & Kenny to climb over those obstacles (I can't believe I used the word brilliant with these two). I'll get back to Kenny boy in a second. But alas, the team fell apart at the end. As said in the previous email, I hate it when there is a tribe that consistently looses, but at least they brought some drama back to the camp. I really didn't know what was going on for a while and why in the world Sugar would tell Kenny about the hidden immunity idol!

I'll break here to talk about Ken. You can tell he is a smart guy, but he is taken his "gamer" title far too seriously and there are times he just needs to sit back. Every time he needs to make a big decision, it's an awful one. That's my opinion at least.

There was a lot of drama at tribal council with everybody seeming to throw everybody under the bus, but they were really smart to get rid of Kelly. She kind of sealed her fate by what she said, if others had any doubt at all, but if they want to win any sort of challenge at all, she probably was the best one to go.

Like I said earlier, I really had fun with this one. It finally kind of felt like a Survivor episode and it had a great tease for the next episode. It's a smart move to make both tribes figure out who to vote out. Fang was probably going to have to vote somebody off anyway, and let Kota finally feel what's it like to scramble. And who has the immunity idol exactly? Ace or Sugar? So confusing.... which I really like.

So, did you like this episode like I did? Is Crystal too emotional and a disappointment in the challenges? What do you think about Randy? Do you love to hate him, or just hate him?

Survivor: Week 4

The thing that I hate most about Survivor is the episode we now get at least once in a season, the obligatory, "I miss home and I want to leave the game. It's tougher than I thought it was." It just puts a downer on the episode. You knew this was going to happen sooner than later with G.C., I'm just glad that their tribe had the right mind to vote him out. They were giving him a lot of air time, which usually signals a quick departure (Anthony from Fiji Islands comes to mind). This kind of makes me worry about Ace a bit. He was about as productive as Kelly on those challenges. I'm sorry Jan about your quick departure. Usually everybody usually seems to have at least one going into the merge. You can blame Kelly for picking the names, ha ha.

I thought the challenges were really good this episode. You have to give credit to the producers for really utilizing the hills of the Gabon terrain. I really liked the immunity challenge. I don't like Randy, but he is really stepping up on these challenges. His call out to Ace to freeze was pretty classic and smart. We'll see what he does in the immunity challenges. The reward challenge was a really good one, although I was a little surprised that Kota pulled out with Charlie striking out more than Babe Ruth (did you enjoy my sports knowledge being thrown in there?)

Dan really should record himself and hear himself speak. His little ra ra speech wasn't really fooling anybody and Susie better speak up before a leopard mistakes her for a dead carcass. Also, I decided to never get on Crystal's bad side and that I don't care how cool that elephant looked, I wouldn't have paddled close to it. Did you see that elephant's evil eye? (What great alliteration!)

Beside the little drama of finding Sugar's hidden immunity idol (does anybody else think that she looks like the girl from Can't Hardly Wait and Six Feet Under?), it was a so so episode, but this season is getting all the uninteresting people out early, so hopefully it'll get really good when the merge happens.

That's all for me, and be careful for those pineapples and shields in this world, they really can hurt your head!

Survivor Gabon: Weeks 1 -3

Hey guys: If you know me at all, you know that I love Survivor. A while back, my friend Kelly & I started to make predictions each season and now we have reigned in our families and friends. At the end of each season, the winner gets a trophy (with a look very suitable for the show). Each week I write a summary of the episode and email the updated list. If you were at all interested in the show, I thought you might be interested in reading this. As always, let me know what you think!

Finally, I caught up! I bet you were probably wondering where I have been... or maybe not. I don't think there is any possible way to write about each episode. Well, there would, but I know the likelihood of you all reading it completely would be very slim. So, my overall reaction...

I'm a little underwhelmed by this season. You can definitely tell it won't be like last season, really what could live up to that one? The Gabon landscape is proving to be kinda dulling. The cast really has nowhere to wander and without a huge body of water, it really makes a difference. Besides the occasional shots where they go to a gorilla or something like that, I don't think there are a lot of tell tale signs that they are in Africa. All that said, it looks AMAZING
in HD! It really brings a lot to the show that was already excelling in its cinematography.

I just really don't like the cast that much this year. The good thing is that it seems like most of the useless people have left first (except for this past episode, more on that later). You can
tell that it will get a little bit more interesting later on the show with some of the strong personalities that exist, but nothing bugs me more than people who seem clueless about the game of Survivor. Most of the older "red" tribe pretty much fits that category. You think
by now that people would catch on to the fact that you need to make a 4 person alliance right away, like Marcus, Charlie, Jacquie and Corinne did.

I've never like it when one tribe seems significantly stronger than the other. The producers saw this early on, but even with the mix up, it seems like it's going to stay the same way. I really blame this on Ken when he chose Kelly because "he felt sorry for her" (let's cry for the cheerleader who all of a sudden doesn't have a football player by her side) and because "she's hot." Thanks Ken for ruining the next couple of episodes before the merge. You know
it's bad when the tease for next week is "GC goes missing!"

Another thing is the leadership issue. I could rant on this one for a while too, but I'll restrain myself. I understand why nobody wanted to step up, but I was really disappointed in Dan, Matty or Crystal for not stepping up. You have to be willing to change your game plan in Survivor, and if you don't, you won't win.

Everybody kind of saw Gillian's departure coming quick, and Paloma and Michelle seemed to be the same person with their wining, except with different skin tones, but I really felt bad for Jacquie. It always seems like a really good player (and person) gets booted
early. I thought they were stupid to keep Kelly and I think that will come back to haunt them. Jacquie would have been really loyal to the group (until the merge probably). I know I'm complaining a bit because my pick got voted off, but with the loss from both the Cowboys and Sooners, it seemed a little bit fitting.

I was thrilled to get Jacquie because I thought she would take it all the way, but since that's not happening... who do I think will? I think Corinne. She was so smart to pull Bob in as a fifth, and will now be the fourth because of the swap. I really have no doubt that we'll see those four in the merge or even at the end. Corinne seemed to pride herself on being pretty ruthless, so I think she has the possibility to really shake things up towards the end of the game.

And before I leave, two more thoughts on the contestants. Matty seems like an awesome guy, but one of the most air-headed ones I have seen. He has the ability to have people follow him and he doesn't realize it. He could've saved Jacquie with a little bit more talking. Instead he let Ken make the decision, so sad...

I also hate Randy. I bet most of you do also. He complains solely to complain. It's not even a hate/love thing that you can have with some players like Jonny Fairplay, where it's at least entertaining. I don't think he adds anything to the show. I think he complains to the camera more than he does in person and he really has no strategy.

Ok, so about that novel thing.... ha ha.

I would LOVE to hear your thoughts. Besides Whitney, I haven't really heard what other think. Am I the only one who thinks it's a little dull so far? Who do you love/hate?

The Express

It’s hard for me to approach inspirational sports movies sometimes. Not that they aren’t good or entertaining… it’s just that they can be very predictable and formulaic. It’s hard for me to get excited about seeing something in which I don’t think I’ll see anything new. That said, the formulas that are used are good ones. Like many of its predecessors, The Express does not fail the motto, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I left the theater inspired, entertained and a little misty-eyed… just like the last time I saw a “based on a true story” sports film.

The Express tells the story of Ernie Davis (Rob Brown), the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy, the most prestigious honor given to a collegiate football player. Don’t worry; this doesn’t give anything away, for it’s the slogan for most of the marketing. The film is not so much about how Ernie Davis gets to this accomplishment, but in the relationship between him and the Syracuse head coach, Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid). Through their championship run together, they help one another understand that football can be an ultimate goal for more than just prestige and success.

It’s hard not to be cynical about this film because it’s very entertaining with messages and lessons that are hard to find in your normal day T.V. programming. Yet, I was yearning for a bit more realism from the themes of racism and the sheer pressure that lied on Davis’ shoulders. The dialogue was just a little too crisp at times where everybody seemed to talk in heavy allegories versus real-world conversation. Although there are a lot of the same sport movie clichés (the teammate that changes his ways, the wise-cracking buddy, over-the-top slow motion hits), the movie never crosses the line and its heart makes you overlook these components.

It’s a good thing that the two main actors don’t mind doing all the heavy lifting, because most of the supporting roles are pushed into the background. Rob Brown does a great job of carrying the movie, no pun intended. This relatively unknown face makes you root for him because he is just a good guy with the right intentions, not so much because he is trying to overcome great odds. As a big sports fan, it was refreshing to see portrayals of athletes in a time where games meant more than just a paycheck. Dennis Quaid’s gruffness and scowl gets a little old at times, but he is proving more and more that he can be a marquee name.

The Express is rated PG for some language at times, football violence and a scene that might raise curiosity from younger viewers. It has a little bit more of a rawness to it being under the Universal banner instead of the Disney one we have become accustomed to, but this one is still great for any family to go to. If you are moved at all by this type of movie, you’ll love it. It didn’t really bring anything new to the table, but most audiences won’t even notice. How can you argue against an inspirational film, especially one that happens to release during a low point in our nation’s economy? Even the cynics of cynics can’t argue against that. I give The Express 3.5 out of 5 cheap shots.

Fall is here!

It has felt so wonderful here in Dallas the past couple of days!  There always comes that time in August where you don't know if you can take anymore of the heat.  We were very fortunate to not get hit by Hurricane Ike, but it did bring on weather whose high has been 80 degrees and a low of 55 in the morning.

This kind of climate change undoubtedly causes me to have to roll down my windows and play the best songs I can, as loud as I can, on my car speakers.  It also can't help make me feel anxious for more fall events: football, Halloween, camp fires, fleece sweatshirts...

Whitney and I concluded it's the best time of year and we are so excited that it's going to be so nice outside for our engagement photos tomorrow!

What's your favorite season and why?

Burn After Reading

Matt was kind enough to invite me once again to The Mungle Show to talk about the Coen Brothers film, Burn After Reading.

All you have to do is CLICK HERE to listen.

Let me know what you think!

How I Met Your Mother

I just finished the second season of How I Met Your Mother, and like any good show should make you, I can't wait to catch up with the third.  I understand that it's not the best T.V. show ever made, nor would I ever boast that it is, but I think the genius behind is that it doesn't try to accomplish this feat.  It embraces the T.V. sitcom with open arms, but transcends the genre with an indie type style of editing and writing, while not trying to overdue it.

A lot of it is due to the fact that these characters are around my age and dealing with situations that I can relate to.  It also doesn't hurt that some of the characters very much remind me of some of my friends.  I love the fact that it can be completely goofy (the Robin Sparkles music video, slap bets) but really touching as well.  Don't laugh too hard at me, but at moments it really can make it dusty in the room, and not many other sitcoms can do that (only Friends comes to mind).

Do you watch the show?  Why or why not?  Do you relate to it like I do?

Pineapple Express - Review

Ok, let’s go ahead and get this out of the way… This movie’s main two characters are potheads and there are a lot of pot references. Based on that statement alone should be an indication if this movie will appeal to you or not. With that out of the way, the big question for me was, “Will I laugh because I don’t have a clue about the world of marijuana?” The answer was a resounding yes. Once again a Judd Apatow-produced film shines in its actors’ comedic timing, sharp dialogue and scenarios that make you shake your head while holding back a grin.

In Pineapple Express, the only thing that Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) has going in his mid 20-year-old life is his job serving subpoenas, his high school girlfriend and his pot, which he is more than comfortable with. Suddenly, he has to take on more responsibility then he’s ever faced when accidentally witnessing a murder by the hands of an infamous drug lord (Gary Cole) and a crooked cop (Rosie Perez). Not really knowing what to do, Dale quickly enlists his harmless drug dealer (James Franco) to help him get of the mess. Their “business” relationship is suddenly thrown into a world of violence, crime bosses and friendship that is a little much for the combination of grass and stupidity that is flowing in their system.

This movie has the slapstick of a Dumb and Dumber, but brings the ridiculous, yet real dialogue that you come to expect form the world of Judd Apatow. I wonder how many of the lines actually came from the script as every exchange from Seth Rogen and James Franco feel authentic, improvised and hilarious. It’s not so much what they say, but how they react that brings a real world connection to the audience. Yet, there are fight scenes, car chases and big explosions that will satisfy any summer blockbuster fan.

Seth Rogen proves that Knocked Up was not a fluke as he takes on the leading-man role with ease and I think James Franco has missed his calling as a comedic actor. A lot of laughs also come from Danny McBride (Hot Rod), who feels like an improvisational genius, and Craig Robinson, who many people would recognize as Darryl from the T.V. show The Office. Unfortunately, like most off-the-cuff comedies, the plot starts to slow down the comedic pacing. By the last 30 minutes, the movie turns into a wall of exuberant gunshots, explosions and blood, and I just wanted to return to the situational comedy.

Pineapple Express shies away from a lot of sexual jokes, but has pervasive strong language. Take that element away and the violence would still earn it a R-rating, so hopefully by now you should know that younger viewers shouldn’t see this. If you can handle a film like this, you’ll laugh and have a great time. If not, you won’t find much redemptive quality in it. I know it sounds ridiculous, but there is a lot of brains behind this pothead comedy and I wonder if the genius could ever go in a cleaner direction. Regardless, I had a lot of fun and give Pineapple Express 3.75 out of 5 red slurpees.

The Evolution of Batman

Last weekend I went and saw The Dark Knight with Whitney and her niece and nephew, Tommy & Maddie, and I was blown away by it.  Yes, it had a couple of flaws here and there, but I hadn't been that engrossed in a film in a long time.  For one of the first times, it was a superhero movie that didn't feel like a superhero movie.  What I mean by that is that the story is structured in such a way that it's not the citizens of Gotham you are watching running away from the Joker, it's citizens of the U.S. running away from the Joker.  As you've probably heard, this a dark movie, which I think makes it a bit more relatable to its themes... hence people enjoying it so much.

It just made me think about how far Batman has come.  I never read the comics, but as a kid I loved the old T.V. show and movie with Adam West.  It was so cartoon-like and cheesy with its over-the-top Bangs and Booms, but this was something that was on prime time T.V.!  Can you imagine it being on prime time T.V. today?

Then came Tim Burton's adaptations which brought a lot of new elements to not just the superhero genre, but to films with its cinematography and look.  I thought it was funny when I was talking to Tommy about it because he said that when he watched it he thought it was, "Boring and the special effects weren't that good."  That made me laugh... think about the type of movies this younger generation is watching and compare it to "special effect" movies of my generation... Yeah a huge gap.

After Burton departed, we then were introduced to Batman Forever and Batman & Robin which were more about which celebrity was in it versus a good story.  It was funny how the cartoon feel of the old series came around full circle, but this time the public didn't react too well.

Now we have the genius of Christopher Nolan who has brought a more realistic Batman to the screen with Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, who dumped the spectacle side of the previous movies for a more sinister take.

I know you are probably wondering why I went through all of that, but I think the life of these films really correlate to how America was reacting to certain issues at that specific time.  You can't deny a certain hippie feel to the Batman series of old and now to this apprehensive, post 9/11 attitude Americans are embracing.

I enjoyed The Dark Knight  because it made me think, but I'm also always for a good "popcorn" film.  Do you think that everybody has flocked to this film because it's just good, or do you think that America is more ready for this type of dark film?  I think we are at a certain point with both our government and entertainment that we are tired of being spoon fed and people telling us what is good or not.  We were supposed to like Batman & Robin because it had George Clooney in a nipple suit, but now we like The Dark Knight because it has a story that makes us question our own heroic/villainous nature.

I know I'm probably reading too much into this, but I'm interested to see where both America and the movies go in the coming years.  Will we relapse again in a comfortable state like we did after Batman Forever?  There have been some really big films to come out that have had independent like themes to them and I hope that trend continues, but I'm fearful that like anything, America's taste will change in one way or another, and we'll come full circle once again to the "Holy flippin' dolphins, Batman!"

Thoughts?

I'm back!

Yeah, I know that's it has been a while.  But I think I have a great excuse... If you didn't know, I'm now engaged to Whitney!  This past month and a half has been nuts with planning for me.  Whether it was getting the ring, going on vacation (which included talking to her parents), and planning the whole proposal, it's been a little crazy, but in a very fun way.  Oh yeah, her birthday was June 28th too, ha ha.

Whitney has started a blog and it has the whole story about everything, so go over and visit,

Being Nathan and Whitney at this very moment!

The next couple of posts will be some catch up stuff, but I think it still will be enjoyable to read...

It's still a work in progress, but I revamped my website some and have some new Videos on there and a better organized Movie Reviews section.

So check it out and CLICK HERE!

Paradise, The Finals & American Gangster

The weekend has been a lot of fun, but way too fast.  I'm not too worried about it, because my vacation is coming up soon!  Me & Whitney are going to go to Memphis, TN, for a CBF conference and then to Nashville to hang out with some extended family.  We'll also get to see my sis and brother-in-law in Little Rock.  A long road trip, friends & family, relaxation, what else can you ask for?

It's half-time right now in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.  It's the classic match-up between the Celtics and the Lakers.  It's been over 21 years since they last met and Game 1 was really entertaining.  I'm hoping this second one turns out the same.  If you know me at all, I hate the Lakers, so I hope the Celtics win.  Regardless, it's a great match-up... one of the best offensive teams versus one of the best defensive teams.

You probably don't care about that... so I'll tell you about American Gangster.  Me & Whitney went up to Paradise, TX, to visit Claire and David.  It's always a blast to see them and  going way out in the country forces you to not do anything, which is always great for you.  We ate at some great hole-in-the wall places and we got to lounge around on Saturday and watch the movie.  It was a real interesting movie, especially for a "gangster" film.  Don't go into expecting a lot of action, it's more just a narrative story-line, but an interesting one.  I feel like it could've been a lot shorter than it was, but if you are interested in a dark true story about one of the most mellow drug lords in the 70's, you should check it out.

Nathan on The Mungle Show!

Matt was kind enough to bring me on his show today to talk about You Don't Mess with the Zohan.  I was really excited because I've never done a phone interview before!

To listen to it, click on the link below:

The Mungle Show - 6/6/08

Matt also talked about the new Jack Black animated film, Kung Fu Panda.  You can read both of our reviews by visiting:

The Mungles on Movies

You Don't Mess with the Zohan

I'm all for a good stupid comedy. I believe whole heartily in the importance of some films allowing you to stop thinking and to just sit back and laugh. You Don't Mess with the Zohan decides to take this route, but also tries to infuse some intelligence in its writing by interweaving some political debate. Usually one would not expect this from an Adam Sandler vehicle, but don't hold your breath. 'Zohan's' jokes and gags get to the point of being so juvenile and have so little thought behind them that when it does try to incorporate its solution to the world's problems, it doesn't have a leg to stand on.

Zohan (Adam Sandler) is Israel's number one answer when it comes to taking down any threat. His unexplained superhuman ability to eliminate any terrorist is adored by his nation but is not enough to stop him from going into hiding to pursue his life's dream; hairstyling. As Zohan tries to reinvent himself in a struggling salon in New York City, word of mouth quickly spreads about his unorthodox method of cutting hair, especially amongst the ladies. As fellow Arabs try to sniff out his true identity, Zohan is forced to defend the destruction of the salon from an overzealous mall tycoon without others discovering his renegade past.

This is one of the first films I have seen that explores the Arab-American community from their perspective, but it really just comes off as crass when Sandler, Rob Schneider and John Turturro are lamenting about the hate-driven feud between the Israelites and the Palestinians. I'm not questioning their Jewish faith at all, but can you really be taken seriously when you bring up such issues in the dialogue and then have an action sequence where the bad guys get hosed down by large amounts of humus? You can certainly blend comedy with hard-hitting issues, but this film treats its topic with severe disrespect.

I cringe when I see Sandler in these types of roles. He has so much potential and has shown it in other films (Punch-Drunk Love, Spanglish). I believe when he is lackadaisical in roles like this one, he's still good. I just know he could bring some originality to the table, but he lets this movie unfold into adolescent antics. Cameos in comedies always bring a real world familiarity to a nonsensical plot, but instead of a throw away laugh, the celebrity appearances in this film are either not funny or just don't make any sense.

This is one of the most sexually charged PG-13 rated movies I've seen in a long time. All the bare backsides and sexual innuendo are meant solely for laughs, but the scenes just makes you cringe with embarrassment for all the wrong reasons. There is also some language and comic-like violence, but it's the sexual vulgarity that would make me uncomfortable taking any teenager too. Writers Sandler, Robert Smigel (Triumph the Insult Comic Dog) and Judd Apatow (Knocked Up) are to blame for this mess of a script. If you didn't know that Hollywood comedic talents in their 40's were behind this project, you would have thought this came out of the boy's bathroom stall from your local high school. I give 'Zohan' 1 out of 5 Mariah Carey T-shirts.

MOHs, space kids & bloody mayhem

I just wanted to catch you up on some of the films that I've seen in the past couple of days.

Whitney & I had a great time catching up with our friends Ben & Becca.  After a fun meal at the Cheesecake Factory (get something other than a hamburger, it was good but I've had so much better stuff there) we went and saw Made of Honor.  I thought it was ok (2.5 out of 5).  I think Ben felt the same way as I did, but Becca & Whitney had a lot of fun with it and was able to embrace some of its cheesy moments.  It was actually a bit crowded in the theater, so I had to sit down right by this random guy.  He moved one seat down and the girls thought it was because I smelled.  I thought it was because he freaked out when I accidently put my hand on his knee instead of Whitney's (just kidding). 

Many of you know that I write for The Mungleshow, and one of the writers is Leslie, so I thought you would be interested in what she had to say about Made of Honor.

After a fun and relaxing dinner with Jennifer, we popped in Martian Child with John Cusack Sunday night.  This too was just an ok movie for me.  It wasn't bad at all but it just wasn't that interesting to me.  I didn't think the kid was the greatest of actors and John Cusack had to carry pretty much the whole movie.  It's meant for the family and for kids, but I can see kids just getting absolutely bored by this one.

I decided to erase any kind of innocence I may have received from Martian Child by watching the fourth installment of Rambo with Jonathan Monday night.  Now, I've never seen the other three, so I don't know how to compare this one to the others, but it was perhaps the bloodiest movie I've seen in a long time.  Did it keep me from channeling my masculine inner-self?  Of course not!  It was very over-the-top and really campy at points, but it was quite entertaining.  I can't see many girls enjoying this one, unless you just enjoy seeing a 60-year old man on HGH hand-making machetes and taking out a 100-man army single handily.  But we had a lot of fun with it.

Be on the look out for my review of the new Adam Sandler comedy "Don't Mess with the Zohan" on Friday.  I'll keep you posted.

Whitney's new car

After a grueling day, Whitney drove back to her apartment last night in a new Nissan Rogue!

It's a really great car and perfect for when you are looking for something in between a car and a really big SUV.  It really fits her perfectly and she was nice enough to let me drive it some last night.  I sometimes forget what it's like to drive a car and not notice gears shifting when you accelerate.  You really have to be careful not to go too fast in it.

I unfortunately couldn't be with her as she went through the process of trading in her Chevy Trailblazer.  I've never had to deal with a dealership, and after the long day she had, I don't want to anytime soon.  She beat the system without too many scars and hopefully I can learn from her tough negotiating skills when it comes time that I need a new gas guzzler.

Do you have any bad or good experiences buying a car?

A rat on a leash?

So, I'm driving back to work after eating lunch and I almost swerved completely off the road.  As I curved around the windy road I approached what seemed  to be a lonely jogger.  All of a sudden I had a rush of concern for her as I saw that a rat was chasing her!  At further notice, I realized that this rat indeed was a small chihuahua with a thin leash wrapped around its pencil-thin neck.  I know these dogs are known for being small, but this one must have been a puppy, as small as it was.  I think the worst thing was that this jogger was going at a pretty strong pace and I was pretty sure that she would end up dragging the dog behind her and not know it as it slowly died from exhaustion.  I'm not sure why I was so horrified by this sight.  I guess it was because of all the awful scenarios of what could happen to this little dog that popped into my brain.  A strong gust of wind takes it into the gutter... she accidently squishes it with her shoe, thinking it was just a bug...  Feel free to add your own!

Win or go home...

I was watching the Spurs/Lakers game tonight and highly enjoyed it.  Although the Spurs got robbed in the end, it made for good drama.  I consider myself a Mavs fan, but I hardly ever watch the NBA until the playoffs come.  The players highly step up their play and I think I've always watched it due to nothing being on in the summer.  I think that's why I have always enjoyed sports in general.  Football will always be king, but sports provides a never-ending human drama all year long.  I wish I could go back to the days where sports were much more pure.  Now everything has so much to do with dollar signs.  People complain about the modern athlete, but sometimes I don't blame the athletes for seeking out the huge contracts if they are being offered to them.  I go back and forth between what really hurts professional sports, the owners or the fans.  The fans create the demand, and as long as we are willing to pay the price of half our pay check to go to a game, it's going to be there.  I totally see the argument over which is better, college vs. pro, but there's the aspect of seeing the best of the best that I always enjoy.  I hate that sporting events are so expensive these days and that less privileged people are forced to watch a big game from their couch, but as a fan, how do you stop it?  If you have any ideas, I'm curious, and I'll be thinking about it as I wear my Tony Romo jersey to work tomorrow.

Memorial Day Weekend!

This has been more than a wonderful weekend. Whitney had to be on call Saturday night, so we really couldn't plan on going out of town somewhere, but I think it's been a great thing to force us to just relax some. Especially because there will be a lot of events and trips this summer.

We've spent some good quality time with friends relaxing more than just doing something specific. Like any relaxing weekend it's been full of movies. To prepare for the big movie that opened this weekend, we watched Raiders of the Lost Ark with Beau & Stacy (Whit's cousin and his wife). I hadn't seen it in a long time, so it was good to kinda go back to my childhood a little bit. I'm a little surprised that I didn't have bad dreams with some of the scenes of that thing.

Sunday night we went with our friend Jennifer to see What Happens In Vegas at the Studio Movie Grill. If you haven't been to one of these theaters, you need to go. There's just something magical about watching a movie while eating a great pizza. I'll be honest, I was a bit skeptical going into this one, and it actually ended up not being too bad. Yes, it's incredibly predictable and cliched, but it made you laugh because it gave just as much of a voice to the guy as the girl. If you liked How to Lose a Guy in Two Days, you should really enjoy this one.

Again we met up with Beau & Stacey to go see Indiana Jones 4 today. I had already heard/seen a lot of reviews, and they hadn't been too terribly great, but it was really enjoyable. There are definitely some strange elements that keep it from being a great movie, but it's a great summer blockbuster. I was going to see it regardless, so I'm glad that I left happy and entertained.

Unlike after most weekends, I'm actually not dreading having to go back to work. I'm feeling really refreshed, plus it is a lot easier when you see a 4 day work week ahead.

So basically, I'm totally fine if we have more Memorial Day weekends throughout the year (maybe a little cooler though....)

It begins...

So, here is the first one! This blog will not just be what is going on in my life, but maybe what I think about certain issues, movies, t.v. shows, or just maybe some really random thoughts. I hope you enjoy it and that I can entice you enough to come back and visit!