I loved Lucy

This one is just a nice pretty story. So, sit back and kick off those shoes. I am sorry I have been away for a while, but honestly, if I posted on a normal schedule, you would think I paid someone.

This all starts just last Monday. Gary (my roommate) was on his way to work and saw a little puppy on our front porch. He gave it a little food and went went to work. About 7 hours later he came home to find the same dog still there. I came home shortly after and saw it and didn't really know what to do.

My first move was to call my animal wrangler (my girlfriend Stephanie). She came right over. I am not usually someone to take in a stray dog but it was about 35 degrees out. This dog weighed about 6 pounds and was shivering. I told Steph I wanted to bring it inside but didn't know if it was a good idea. She said, "Wouldn't you rather have a stray dog in your basement than a dead dog on your porch?" Good point.

I went outside to get the dog and that wasn't really working. Lots of growling and teeth showing. Stephanie got a box and a blanket and the dog quickly ran for its shelter. After some coaxing, I picked up the box and took it into the basement.

We made a small area into a "cage". A high-top bar table flipped over on its side, some buckets and picture frames and then we lined everything with a recliner and a futon for support.

We put the dog inside its cage and it wouldn't come out of the box.

I give you little description because that is what we had. We couldn't really describe it much. I will tell you it was a girl. We didn't know until later because of all her matting. She weighed 6 or 7 pounds and had tight brown curls like a poodle, but we didn't think that's all she was. She had several different shades of brown and some gray. She was slow and a bit mean at first and now she was in our basement.

We got her to come out a bit but not much. Later that night I figured I should take her out and see if she would go to the bathroom. We didn't know if she was potty trained and thought she was just a puppy.

I "bravely" reached into her box to force her out. I was petrified that she would just bite me. But she seemed to trust me. I wore a heavy winter coat in fear that she had fleas plus she smelled like goat poo.

Once we got outside she became scared and shook as if she thought I was going to leave her out there. After a few minutes she went to the bathroom right away. She was very well potty trained.

I took her back into her bed and went to bed.

The next morning I played with her outside a bit and then put her back in her bed. I didn't want her to play in my house too much because of Stephanie's dog Maddox. If this dog had fleas or anything else, I didn't want to risk her hurting Maddox.

At work, Stephanie called her vet and made an appointment to get the dog a check-up just so we would be comfortable in keeping her.

I made posts on craigslist and called other posts to try and find her owners. Neither were successful. I also put a post in the newspaper the next day. It was sad to get all the calls and have to tell hopeful people that it wasn't their dog.

The vet told us that she was about 6 years old and a toy poodle. She hadn't been spayed yet, which needed to be done. Also, she had Periodontal Disease that was very far along. She would need some teeth extracted. He said that the surgeries would cost about $1100 - $1400. He also said that she had dislocating knee caps but that it was a common thing for those dogs. She may need work on those down the road.

Other than that she was healthy. So, now the problem was what to do with a dog that has such a high price tag. The doctor discussed my options which weren't great. I could find the owners, which wasn't likely that they would want her back with the way she looked. I could keep her but can't afford her surgeries. I could find another home for her but its a lot to ask someone to pay for that. Then there are rescues and the pound. The pound would probably euthanize her sooner than later and rescues aren't taking strays now. They are just rescuing from the pound.

Then he discussed me euthanizing her. He told me that he'd be willing to bet that her last 24 hours were the best she had ever had. What to do??

We kept calling, kept posting, kept looking. Then the good news started rolling in.

We were turned down by several rescue shelters but one wanted to help. They were called One of a Kind Pets. She said since she was so little they could fit her in. All we had to do was foster her for 3 weeks and then they would do all her surgeries and take her in. We loved the idea.

We prepared ourselves for the task and Gary and Steph were in on it. We made all our arrangements and things just sort of worked out. We didn't know what to do with her while we were home over the Christmas weekend. Steph's family has 3 dogs and a cat and I couldn't burden them with another. My parents have 2 psychotic cats that could use a trip to a psychologist. I knew that it wouldn't be a good idea to bring her there. I made some calls and my friend Nick and his fiancee Carrie offered their home for the weekend. People were trying to help any way they could. Everyone was looking for a home and spreading the word.

We gave her a bath and introduced her to Maddox. It took a little bit but they warmed up to each other. After she was cleaned up she was a new dog. She was so loving and playful. She fit right in.

We decided that we would have to name her if we were going to keep her for 3 weeks. Stephanie wanted to call her Lulu. I just couldn't walk her around calling, "come here, Lulu!". So I started calling her Lucy. And it stuck.

Now, you're thinking that this is months later. Nope. We are in about day 3. Things escalated quickly.

Wednesday I got a call from a lady named Julianna. She said that she would be interested in taking Lucy. I had been warned about this, though, so I just requested her to go through the rescue shelter. She agreed that if that would make me feel more comfortable to just do that.

I spoke with the shelter and they actually knew her. She is a police officer and so is her husband. They adopt dogs and foster them. They have 6 already but have the room and finances for more.

I called her back and said we should go ahead and hurry it along so she can get the dog. We decided to do it without the rescue shelter since we would have to wait. She actually requested to pay for the surgeries herself instead of burdening the shelter.

She wanted to pick up Lucy on Christmas Eve and we would keep her until then. Then I started sending pictures and they really fell in love. The date kept moving up until she wanted her Friday. We agreed and set up a time.

We all really started falling in love with Lucy. She was such a great dog. She was obedient and loving. She loved just laying on your lap and following you around. Needless to say, even though it was only 5 days after finding her, we knew it would be tough to give her up. We had just done so much preparing to keep her for a month and now it was going to end before it all even started.

Julianna came over and Lucy did not take to her well. She was here for about 45 minutes before Lucy really relaxed. Julianna was so caring and made me very comfortable. She has a huge fenced in yard and a 3500 Sq ft house. She has the money and care Lucy needed. On Friday, Julianna had already schedule her vet visit, her grooming and all her surgeries.

It was very sad and I was actually surprised how much I thought about it after but Julianna took Lucy home with her.

She has been texting me the last couple of days and said that Lucy slept all night cuddled with her other toy poodle.

I'm not sure why I wrote this whole thing, besides a bunch of people had been asking me what happened with her. But I guess I was just astounded at how much people seemed to care and worry about something or someone that they never even knew existed. It was great. And I thank everyone who helped or tried to.

I know Stephanie will say we will never do that again but her heart is too soft.
On to the next dog!

You can donate or volunteer at the link below.
One of a kind Pets

Happy Holidays!

What Music did you come from?

So, I was listening to a group called "Owl City" the other day (who is actually just one guy and some laptops), and it sort of stuck me as odd that I enjoy his music. He plays poppy, keyboard type stuff. It has clever lyrics but just doesn't seem like something I would be into. But I am. I love it.

I sort of wondered why I enjoy that stuff and it got the old brain a-turnin'. I listen to what is considered alternative music. That genre is used so loosely, though, its crazy. But I started related things that I like to each other and it so interesting to see how you got to where you are in your music tastes.

It all started with a man who will show more about me than I'd like. His name is Garth Brooks. I used to listen to his fiddlin' jams all the time while growing up. He was the man. I recall listening to 99.5 WGAR, just so I could call after his song and win free tickets. (To no avail). But he was great.

That flowed into a more pop-like experience for me and I began to listen to a little U2 (which I can't stand at all anymore). Once I ditched Bono, I searched for something better. Something with more heart and soul.

I discovered Classic Rock. This stayed with me the longest and will die with me. The Led Zeppelins, the Pink Floyds, the Claptons and Hendrix, and even a little Skynyrd. This was my culture. I learned about histories music rather than political events.

My appreciation for these artists turned me to blues music. Delta style blues is so rich and beautiful. The only good thing that ever came from slavery is the Delta Blues. They used all the emotion that they had left to create this music. Which has formed Rock today.

I took some time with Jazz and then I hit some newer stuff. But once I went to college, I was forced to listen to music I made fun of all my life. This alternative stuff. It was no Nirvana (who I've always had a special place in my heart for). The Brand New and Panic at the Disco and Mewithoutyou and all these artists I hated. They started to grow on me. I listen to them from time to time but what I really got out of it all was the Death Cab for Cutie and the Editors and Oceans (look them up!)

My tastes now bring me to Owl City. They are pretty good. But why do I like them? Well, they sound a lot like The Postal Service (not the real postal service, mom). And we all know that the Postal Service is just a side project of Death Cab. And this stuff all loops and connects with each other.

I find it crazy when I make a Pandora playlist and type in Owl City, that Death Cab plays and Something Corporate plays and Relient K plays and Jack's Mannequin (new something corporate) plays and it continues to touch on all of my alternative favorites.

I suppose the alternative terms isn't necessarily just a broad genre. Maybe all these artists are connected somehow.

I don't know. I just thought I'd share about how crazy it is that your music tastes evolve, not just because of what you like but by your surroundings and peers.

It's a beautiful thing.

So, I went from Garth Brooks to Owl City.
What music did you come from?

Bring Futbol (soccer) to the US....again

It has been so long. Too long. I apologize to all 4 of my followers. You are too good to me.

I have been posting things on my facebook linking to the World Cup page. The link is a petition that people in the US can sign to help bring the world cup back to the United States.

Basically, FIFA is deciding who will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup. Next summer 2010 it will be in South Africa and 2014 will be in Brazil. The US has a bid for both 2018 and 2022. Along with Australia, Belgium-Netherlands, England, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Russia, and Spain-Portugal. Also, South Korea and Qatar have bids for 2022 only.

We are leading the way for the 2022 games. I'm guessing FIFA doesn't like to bring the World Cup here too much. They have only done it once. We are not a huge soccer country which makes sense that we shouldn't be aloud to host. But, the issue is a bit deeper than that.

First off, most likely the only reason we even have a chance is because of our American Football. What am I talking about? Well, soccer stadiums hold anywhere from 20,000 to maybe 50,000 fans. Some are much bigger. But soccer stadiums start small at 70,000. We can hold more people and we market well. The World Cup made more money in 1994 when the US hosted than any other World Cup. What's greater is that in 1994 they had 24 teams qualify. In 2008 they changed that to 32. That means that we even made more money than other World Cup tournaments with more games.

So, they are torn. We don't hold the same respect for the event but we make the most money for it. The reason that we need to have it here within the next 15 years is the MLS (major league soccer). Soccer in the US is at a crossroads. It has never been as successful as it is right now. It makes money and more money every year. More teams are added and more talented people are sought out.

I read a book called How Soccer Explains the World and it shows that more kids in the United States play soccer than baseball. Soccer is actually the number one sport played by US kids. No joke, people.

So, all this talk and no point...it's what I do. The MLS brought in David Beckham and Blanco and Juan Pablo Angel. They did this to raise the bar but more importantly, to sell tickets. It worked and it worked well. We've got people who are giving it a chance. And the world knows that if you just see a match, it will hook you. But the MLS is at that crossroads I mentioned earlier. They need something dramatic to happen or the jig is up.

They may lose all of these fans but with a couple simple events, they could change the face of soccer in the US.

First, We need to host a World Cup and soon. 2022 would be just fine. That's not too far away. If you don't think hosting will do anything for soccer in the US, ask your parents how big soccer was before 1994. (I'm assuming you're youngins like me reading). Soccer really didn't exist much beyond little kids playing. The World Cup in '94 stimulated our nation with soccer. We wanted more and we would get our wish. Hosting the World Cup will make more children want to play. Hosting will also surround us all with so much culture and excitement. Soccer or no, these other countries know how to party. Who doesn't like a good party.

Secondly, the USA needs, badly, to perform well in the next World Cup. We NEED to. If we don't, all we have worked for could be lost. We took an early exit after the first round last World Cup. We were ranked 6th going in an moved up to 5th at one time. That is a ranking of every country in the WORLD. We were that good. Or at least people thought we were. Then we played terrible on the world stage and it was a bunch of build-up for nothing.

We must perform well. The rest of the world thinks we're a joke and our whole country think soccer is a joke. That's deadly if we play bad. We just played very well in the Confederations Cup. We don't need to win the World Cup, just get deep into the tournament. Show everyone that we can be a soccer playing nation.

So, I'm done, I suppose. What you can do now is sign the petition. This shows FIFA that we as a country are serious about having it here. Also, if you sign, you put in your zip code and it votes for your closest big city to have games there. I live near Cleveland and Cleveland is still in the running for cities.

Click here to see if your city is still in the running.

Then VOTE HERE!!!

Long live soccer, everyone.

Awesome - Chuck P and his infinite wisdom

Today, kids, we will be discussing a man by the name of Chuck palahniuk (pal-a-nik). Sort of.

He is a writer. He is a good writer. He is over-rated and under-rated, depending on who you're speaking to. He is a cult writer. Well, what does he write? He wrote 'Fight Club'. Are we on the same page now?

Okay. He wrote the novel 'Fight Club' and 'Choke' (also a movie). He took a try at writing the script for 'Fight Club' but they went with someone else'. Like the movie? Holy snaps, try the book. You'll still be surprised in the end.

He has written a lot of great things. My favorite is 'Diary'. The only way to really describe how that book made me feel is this; I loved the book the entire way through, even though I was lost. I kept going, knowing that Chucky P wouldn't let me down. I finished the book and was awstruck. I thought it was a phenominal read. There is a blank page, then another page and I was floored. Never saw it coming. Fantastic.

Read it. Don't cheat. Read it. You will feel this way.

He also wrote a book called 'Survivor'. I loved this too. They attempted to make it into a movie but it had some themes about hijacking and it was right around 9-11. So it was nixed.

He is a fantastical writer who will put you in a world that didn't exist before you started reading. He will give you crazy twists that you will never see coming. He will throw a lot of sexual themes at you. But they often show characters perpetual flaws.

My favorite part about his writing is the way he sells it. For example, the main character in 'Survivor' is very knowledgeable in cleaning stains. He just is. But palahniuk will describe how to get this stain out of this fabric and that stain out of that fabric. He sells every little word and all the while, I search wikipedia for the truth on how much he actually knows. I am always fooled. You just believe that it is truth, whether it is or not.

He is a great author and I hope to turn a few of you on to him. If you've already read him, try some more. Some of my favorites are Diary, Survivor, Lullaby, Invisible Monsters, and check out Stranger than Fiction, Haunted and Rant. He's got a few more too. He's just plain good.

Here are his books.

The downside is that, lately, he can come off as overdone. This is just a personal feeling in some of his recent books. It sometimes seems like he is throwing a different character in the same worlds and twisting up the end to keep the readers on their toes. I am going to bypass this as just me not completely enjoying his recent books and give the next one a fresh try.

He just released 'Pygmy' which has some pretty good reviews. I will be reading that soon. That has a much more 'Fight Club' feel as it touches a lot of terrorism.

Yes! Check it out. Let me know what you have read and how you feel about him!

Awesome - baked goods and how awesome they are

oh ya, and....how I know a girl who bakes them the awesome-est!

So, this is a tribute post. A tribute to my oldest reader. The only reader who stayed with me through the many different blogs, even though they each only lasted a few posts. I know nothing about this topic but I took it upon myself to do a little research. Here you are Kelly.

I shoot weddings for a living. Sorta not awesome. But, I will use something that I see much of to help me with this topic; Wedding Cakes!

Who doesn't like a bagel. With some schmear (for my Jewish readers (I don't know what this means but I read it on a site)). Who doesn't indulge in the occasion donut or 8? Who doesn't love cake and well, sugar?

I do! Sorta. I can't eat a whole bunch of it. I do love the tastes though. "Why not?" ask the concerned readers. Not diabetic, just got achy, child-like teeth. Ask Nick Marfart.

Moving on.

Seeing all these cakes at weddings really get you thinking about the time and energy that goes into making one of these mammoth sugar stacks. I wonder why they don't just lay actual flowers on it? Why do they construct them? Why do they build these statues and creations when they could just buy a figurine at the store?

Well, I have seen these enormous cakes up close. They really are a thing to stare at. It all breaks down to this science of baked goods turned into a very delicate art. It really is. It is someones blood sweat and tears poured into that cakes (Um, I really hope not literally). But it is a crafted piece of art.

Don't believe me? Take a peak at this

Unbelievable. Its something often left unappreciated. You see it on TV now and maybe at the occasional wedding. But beyond that it is happening more and more. I am seeing bigger, better cakes at weddings. They are not necessarily taller but more detailed. Beautiful creatures that I dream of swimming through...at least until I inhale some cake and drown.

Cakes can be hilarious too. Feast your peepers on this!

So, go to the mom and pop place in your neighborhood and buy the bagels. Buy the pastries and cakes they are selling. Quit with the Giant Eagle quick cakes. I will say no bad about DQ ice cream cakes. I mean come on. Satan invented that, right? If someone can make me that I will marry you. Or at least befriend you for several months. (I have commitment issues).

Okay. wrap up. Cakes are awesome. Baked goods in general, straight up art. Enjoy them. Appreciate them. Quit eating so fast. I mean, would it really hurt for you to put the fork down for a second and appreciate your purchase. Hang it on the wall and don't mind the flies.

What's your favorite baked good?
Make something and send me a picture.

Baked goods. They really are flippin' awesome. Enjoy!

Here is Kelly's site, again. Check it out!

Here is the cake blog, again.

Awesome - To Antivirus or not Antivirus

Hey folks. I want to reiterate one very important fact. I know nothing other than what I read and hear and learn. Do not take my information as fact because it is often not. Do your own little research if I intrigue you. I'm just trying to help. With that being said.....

Let's get it all out in the open. I DO NOT use an antivirus. I don't use anything to keep my computer from anything. I pay bills on here and don't fear anyone hacking into my wireless router. I am a fearless surfer.

But maybe I should. I too get the lagging PC. I get pop-ups from time to time. I once caught a literal bug. I was editing a huge project (Dave Conley's) and literal bugs came onto my desktop and ate away my wallpaper until there was nothing. That does happen. And I format. I format a lot! I back-up all my info all the time and formatting is a snap. It helps my PC run super quick. I love it. It can be a pain but it is helpful.

Perhaps I should use an antivirus. But they are so expensive! I had Norton on my desktop and Mcafee on my laptop. If I have to choose, I liked Norton better. Seemed to run in the background where as Mcafee just pops up all the time. This is just a personal preference. I also used to use Spy Sweeper which was a phenomenal product a few years back. I have not updated it since but I loved it when I had it. It clears away all the spyware and junk that is downloaded.

What is the best? I don't know. What is new and fresh? I have no clue. Why am I writing this? Well, the Akron Beacon Journal has been doing a story on antivirus' and they were working with a company called Vexira. They are local to Ohio. They work in most of the school systems so I assume its quality. They basically offered all ABJ readers a free one years subscription. I just wanted to pass it along. I haven't had an antivirus in years so I am going to give this one a whirl. It expires on June 28, 2010.

Let me know what you think.
Here is the link again. It's a free Antivirus software. Hope it helps!

Awenone - USA should get participation trophy

If you haven't read/heard/seen/been told, the USA lost (in style) to Brazil.

USA 2 - 3 Brazil

This score may seem like a Brazilian shellacking, but it is just the opposite. USA granted themselves a demanding lead going into the half. They pulled off a goal in the 10th minute as well as one in the 27th (give or take) minute. They lead 2 - 0 coming out of the locker rooms. Brazil came out realizing that they were Brazil (freakin Brazil) and then shaped up quickly. They scored within 2 minutes. Scored again several minutes later and then their final goal came at about the 82nd minute. They played possession from there and didn't give us much chance for any offense.

It was a phenomenal loss. A great loss. One I would not want to have any other way. A win would have been nice. But the loss is satisfactory. This shows our talent. Our skill.

Is it enough to win the glory of being a world champion. No. At least, not yet!
With some work and conditioning in the next year, we may be ready to play this Brazil team for the whole 90 instead of just our 45 we played yesterday.

We proved to the soccer world that we aren't just little USA. We can be dominant and we can upset. We took advantage of a situation that was not deserved in getting us to the second round. We played amazing and we really showed that we may have a place in soccer after all.

I'm not saying we're bringing home the cup, but keep a close eye on this US soccer team. There will be a bunch of games from now until next year. We may not be the best, but we will make waves. I can promise you of that.

Awesome - Top 13 movies that will (safely) blow your mind...

I have been given some pressure to do this blog. I am not the best movie blogger. I write, I watch, I enjoy but I may not always be able to tell you why something is great.

These movies are best described as thrillers or dramas, but with a twist. That when you head says, "No...no. That can't be...what the..." Boom. Explosion in your mind.
These are the movies that you watch a hundred times and everytime you dream about having your "insert film name here" virginity back. These are all movies that I wish I could see for the first time again. I envy you first time viewers of any of these films!

This type of film impresses me more than anything.I have tried countless times to tackle the twist ending in my own writing. What I come up with is, 'Blah, blah, blah. Here is my movie...the end...but wait. He was actually dead.' Not so good, right. The twist has to be expected and known but without the viewer knowing that they know. Confused? Good, these movies will do much worse.

SPOILER ALERT: This is going to be an awesomely enjoyable blog and I will not spoil any of these films for you, I promise. I will just intrigue you to see them if you haven't.

13. American History X - We start here. A great movie. Why 13? Well, it won't blow your mind as much as the rest. It will help you fall in love with Edward Norton (there will be a Norton/Pitt trend you will see). This movie gets down to the nitty gritty. It tackles very touchy race issues. And if you hear anyone ever say "bite the curb" just close your eyes.

12. Magnolia - This movies will confuse you and bring you in. With a ridiculous cast including Tom Cruise, Julianne Moore and William H. Macy, it is bound to leave you entertained. Then mix in a little Paul Thomas Anderson (director) and your bound to be educated as well as perplexed. There are several storylines (understatement) and more bible references than an Ernest Angely concert. If you have 3 hours to waste, give it a try.

11. A Beautiful Mind - Some of you may think I'm getting a bit soft. But this is a great movie with a slight twist in the end that will shake you to the very core. The setting sells you on everything and you really enjoy the entire story. Russell Crowe plays a scholar that deals with his life and the nightmares that come with it. If you think its too light, watch it again but know that it is based on a true story. Freaky, right!?

10. 12 Monkeys - Hey Brad Pitt! More importantly Bruce Willis. This movie makes you ask question after question. Bruce Willis is basically a convict in the future. They send him all around in time to stop a plague. He deals with being thrown into the past and tries to piece the puzzle together before its too late.

9. 25th Hour - Here comes Edward Norton, again. He is being brought up on drug charges and tries to deal with all his life's issues in the 24 hours before he is sentenced. This movie is straight up good. You enjoy it, it happens. You say, "What a great Spike Lee joint". Then the end comes and you can't believe your eyes. You loved the movie. Then a twist. Then boom a twisty twist. You don't know what to think.

8. Se7en or Seven - Ouch. Just ouch. A couple rules...Don't watch this with the lights off, don't watch by yourself, and don't try any of this at home. Not a horror movie, but a thriller. A perverse, dirty thriller. I don't want to give to much away with this. If you haven't heard of it then you may not even know what the title means. Its a great film. Just check it out. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman really do a great job. You will love it, just try not to laugh when you here someone say, "What's in the box?"

7. Memento - This is one of those movies you had to see growing up. Not that you had to be little but when I was in school everyone knew this movie. Guy Pearce play a man who can't remember anything short term. He forgets what was just told to him in a couple minutes. He uses notebooks and tattoos to help him find the man that killed his wife. Ya, good right? Well, the movie plays out a little different and the end will leave you speechless. Really good Christopher Nolan movie. He went on to write/direct The Dark Knight and The Prestige.

6. Fight Club - This is a classic. If you're male, you've seen it. Great movie. And I don't typically do this guys, but even better book. (I'm sorry!) Brad Pitt play one if his most memorable roles alongside Edward Norton. Norton is a depressed insomniac whose condo blows up. He moves in with Pitt whose much more loose. Antics happen! Oh yea, and they form a fight club. Much like a knitting club but...well, you get it. The end is phenomenal. It's something that was told to you a million times but you just wouldn't listen. Damn, me!

5. Donnie Darko - This is great. Young Jake Gyllenhaal puts on a spectacle. Full with a rabbit mask and Patrick Swayze. This movie will get your marbles working. The story is far from done once you've seen the movie. GO to their website, its fascinating. The movie is based on scientific theories. Just makes you think.

4. Mulholland Dr. - Why don't you explain it to me? If you can watch this under 10 times and tell me what has happened, you win. Its complicated. Doesn't mean it doesn't deserve the 1,000 viewings I have given it. And I still had no idea until I spoke in depth with a professor at my school about it. Its great. Watch it once. If you hate it, then move on. If not, then give it more of you. Its a great film that turns itself into a masterful puzzle. You may need some help but there is no shame in that.

3. The Usual Suspects - This is a standard. You've seen it, right? No? The whole movie is based on Kevin Spacey. He tells the story of what has happened. It all starts with these 5 random criminals in a police lineup. His story has some twists and turns and he's quite the character himself. Watch this and you may understand some one-liners in a whole bunch of other films. This is a film standard...period. Its flawless.

2. Life of David Gale - This one is almost indefinable to me. Everyone might fight me on this choice but I didn't see then end coming. If you did then you're a way better man then I. Another Kevin Spacey movie. He's on death row and wants a reporter to tell his story. Enter Kate Winslet. She listens to his tale as well as investigates much for herself. The clock is ticking and Spacey will soon be put to death. The movie deals with the right to kill a human and really takes you on a ride. The movie ends and you will be so pleased how good of a movie it was. You will expect credits to roll, but they won't. One more scene and ka-plow! Mind blown to smithereens.

1. Irreversible - Not for the weak stomached. This movie follows a couple and how they're lives spin out of control (technically). It's tough to really define it. They story is told quite uncommonly and there are 2 VERY gruesome scenes. Momma, don't you dare watch this movie. Its gotta be one of the best. Will it blow your mind in the last 10 minutes? No, but that's only because it will blow your mind in the first 3 minutes...your mind will grow back and it will get blown to pieces about 40 minutes in. It will grow back once more before getting melted by amazingness. It will not grow back again. We gotta be logical. And for my own little twist...its a french film...I know i know, subtitles. I didn't want you to know that up front. Try is out. Read a movie. The words will give your stomach a break from the images. Want to read some awesome facts? Click here, you will be shocked!

Bonus Movie: Okie Noodling - a documentary full of awesomeness. Nothing twisty about this. Just trashy hillbilly's catching 300 pound catfish with their bare fingers. Ya, freakin amazing. Watch this. Funny to laugh at crazy people and sweet to see how they do it. And there is apparently an Okie Noodling II.

So, there is my list. Tear it up, people. Watch some and let me know. What's your list? Top 13 or 10 or 5? What's your number one?

SPOILER ALERT: This video is funny!

Awesome - Team USA, an unlikely winner

This is a soccer post so I may have to give out some information. I will try to explain as I write.

The United States are playing in a tournament called the Confederations Cup. It is being held in South Africa, where the world cup will be next summer.

There are 8 teams that participate. There are 6 FIFA Confederation Championships (CAF, CONMEBOL, UEFA, AFC, OFC, CONCACAF). The USA is part of CONCACAF (the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football). So, the winners of these championships are in the tournament. And the other 2 teams are the winners from the last World Cup (Italy) and the host country (South Africa). I won't deal with the history of all of this. Are we still following along?

The tournament is broken up into 2 groups (A and B). We were group B, which means nothing. Along with us was Brazil, Italy and Egypt. We lost to Brazil and Italy, bad. We looked awful. The system works on a point scale. A win=3 points, tie=1, and loss=0.

The finals matches were Brazil v Italy and US v Egypt. We basically had to beat Egypt by 3 goals (shouldn't happen) and Brazil would have to beat Italy by 3 goals (super improbable). The odds were unlikely, but that is what happened.

US 3 - 0 Egypt
Brazil 3 - 0 Italy

Crazy. US, Italy and Egypt all tied on points (3). So there are tie breakers. They break down the goals scored to the ones scored on you and subtract the 2 numbers, which gave Egypt -3 and The US and Italy -2. So, the next tie breaker was who scored the most goals between Italy and US. Italy scored 3 and the US scored 4.

Like I said....Unlikely, Improbable and quite a miracle.

Now Wednesday, we played the number 1 team in the world, Spain.

The sport world knew that we would lose but it would give us a good look at the talent we will see next summer. If you have a newspaper or google news, you may already know.

We simply shocked the world. Not only beat Spain but shut them out with a clean sheet.

US 2 - 0 Spain

Phenomenal. If you bet on this US team then you are a wealthy man. I was so proud of that team. And now we move to the finals.

The other game is tonight, to decide who we play in the finals.

Brazil v South Africa
Thursday (tonight) 8:30 Eastern
ESPN2

Then the finals will be Sunday at 2:00pm on ESPN2

Be sure to watch. US v SA would be a great game but it will most likely be US v BRA. That will be epic. It's like the revolutionary war all over again. Still underdogs. Still kickin balls! (sorry)

Watch....comment....enjoy your countries success!

Awesome - LeBraq or SheBron

I don't care what the celebrity mix of this name will be. It is gonna be awesome.

The Cavs acquired Shaquille O'Neal in a trade to the Suns. Ya, read it twice. They gave up Big Ben Wallace (sad to see him go) and Sasha Pavlovic (he's been slipping). They also gave up a draft pick and $500,000.

I'd say we made out. He should bring a little something to Cleveland. He helped Kobe get a ring....3 of them.

I am happy for this because the alternative was Yao Ming who just found out that his foot is not healing. They said there is no timetable and he truly may never be back if it doesnt heal.

Now we just have to tighten our belts on some other players (like Verajao). And hopefully we will be contenders again. LeBron needs some help. Mo helped a lot. Delonte gave his time and Z was really big. But just not enough.

I loved last years team but it all boiled down to LeBron vs Orlando and he couldn't win it. He needs help.

And just maybe the Shaq Attack is the answer.

Awenone - Donte Stallworth sentenced...

Wow. Um. Wow.

I say "Awenone" because there are no winners here. Let's explain, for those of you who don't know.

I am going to let you all in on where I'm from, since I know I have so many international readers. Donte Stallworth is a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns. Now I use the term wide receiver loosely because he caught like 2 balls last year, never played and this man who was supposed to stretch the field and give us passing depth, never ran a route longer then 15 yards. But I digress.

In march, he was in Florida, had a few drinks and hit a man in his car. The man died. Stallworth cooperated with everything. The man (Reyes I think was his last name), ran across the street trying to catch a bus. He was not in a cross walk. He was a father, brother, husband, etc.

So, everything happened and Stallworth, obviously, was sorry. He struck a deal with the courts. The minimum jail time was 4 years, maximum 15.

He got 30 days. 24, to be exact. They expect him to be out sooner for good behavior. He has to pay out a few thousand to the county, less to the city and some $500 in court costs. He also had to give money to MADD and some other charities.

Once he's out, he will have 2 years of "community control" and 8 years probation. He will not have a monitoring device, must serve 1,000 hours of community service and loses his driver's license for life.

This was because he has no previous record, cooperated fully and showed he was sorry.
He also gave an undisclosed amount of money to the family so they can not take him to court for wrongful death.

So, who wins? No one? Everyone? I don't know. Stallworth is lucky that he can continue his NFL career, although he will likely be suspended for some games. But he does have that little things in the back of his mind saying, "you killed someone". The family lost their provider. But they now have so much money they don't need to work. The community must stave off thoughts and reports that they gave him special treatment. But they now have money and someone for community service who will make their on-ramps look pretty.

Where do I stand? Let me think. I don't really know. I can't imagine what it would feel like to lose my father. But I also don't know if putting someone away for 4 years would solve anything. What helps death? Money? That's what we always seem to give when someone dies. I know it doesn't fix things, but it makes life after a little bit easier.

The whole thing was an accident, let's not forget. He loses his license for life. So he can't do it again. Peiople strike deals all the time. Is this any different?

More important than anything...If he gets out and comes back to the Browns, is he going to do anything? Maybe its the city of Cleveland he should be appologizing to? Maybe I'm just selfish.

Awesome - TomsShoes

Okay, now we got our first awesome. You've all seen that commercial for the mobile phone where the guy talks about needing great service. Its ATT or something. Well, he says he's the lead shoegiver for Toms Shoes......check it out.

Toms Shoes dot com

This is fantastic. Basically, the company was started to make a business and help the world. It was started by Blake Mycoskie whose name is NOT Tom. Sorry.

He was in Argentina and made friends. Saw they didn't have shoes. Did Not Like That! So, he tried to help.

The whole idea is called, "One for One". Basically, you go to their site, buy a pair of shoes (don't look at the price, just buy them), and they in turn give a pair of shoes to a child in need.

As of now, they have given 140,000 pairs of shoes to kids in need. They plan to give away another 300,000 shoes in 2009. You can be a part of that.

Let's break down the buying. The shoes start at about $46 I think and go up. They get pricey. But they are pretty cool shoes. They are basic slip-ons for the most part. I don't know jack about style but I am planning on rocking the ones with the anchor print.

But they are cool shoes for a cool cause. So, you're rockin your new kicks. Now they don't just send boxes over to Africa. No. They have a nice big staff of volunteers and vagabonds take them all over. They go into villages and give children these shoes. They put them on their feet.

I read that these kids have problems with disease. They walk on contaminated soil and it gets into their system through the sores on their feet. Its all good. I promise.

Buy some shoes. Be the talk of the town. Everyone will say, "wow, those shoes are the cats pajamas." And all the while you'll know that you've given a pair to a child who would have never had shoes. They even use recycled materials on a lot of shoes. Some shoes are vegan friendly.

Whatever the case, they've got you covered. So buy yourself a pair. Splurge. We all need shoes! Some people more than others.

Toms Shoes

Aweful - Tagged, you're it...

Ever been tagged? It sucks. In every aspect of the word. You could be tagged in a game. Or tagged, like being spray painted?? That would be not nice. But as of 2006 (I believe) there is a new version of being tagged. It is a social network online.

WARNING! Do not go here, people. I'm sure you can figure out the web address on your own, but it is not a wise place to go. What's the issue?

Well, they have become one of the fastest growing social networks ever. You join, your friends join and you all chat and know each other. Fun! But this is fast growing for a reason.

One you sign up (DON'T!) it will tell you that you MUST sign in to your email account to get a contact listing. This seems harmless, but once you sign in, it gets that listing and sends an email out to everyone in your contacts....then everyone you have ever received an email from....then everyone you have ever sent an email to.

Not fun. I have a guy I work with who was tagged a while ago. He signed up. If you knew this guy, you would say, 'ya, he'd totally fall for that'. And he did. Do you see the scam? The emails keep floating around. They say something like, 'you just got tagged'. And then go on to tell you that the sender of the email really wants you to join this network and that if you say no he will be offended.

Tricky little site. Its a scam. Does it hurt you? No. But imagine if you have a business and you have sent this lame, childlike email to all your clients. And they open it and send it to theirs. They may not be too happy with you.

Don't sign up. Don't send it. If you ever receive an email from someone like this, tell them. Make them cancel their account and change their email password. Viva la revolution. Stop the tag.

If I get one of these emails from someone I know, I will know one of 2 things...Either they don't read my blog, or they are a turd face.

Happy internetting!

Welcome

Hi all and welcome to my new blog, "Interesting Things by Brandan". I think the name pretty much explains the whole thing but just in case you don't get it...

I will be writing about interesting things. This could be anything. Things on the internet, in the news, in my life. Whatever.

I will try to post as often as possible but if you've ever read a blog of mine, its pretty short lived. My blogs have caveman lifespans. I'm gonna give this one my all, or some of my all.

Let me know what you think about the posts. I typically stop writing because no one is reading. Its a good reason to quit.

Give me topics to write about or things to look into. Otherwise I will just keep rambling about whatever.

Just a word of warning, I tend to embellish...or lie. Embellish is a better word. So, don't take this as your daily news. I will kick off with honesty.

Enjoy...and if you like it, spread it around.