The Best of the Worst

Who is not addicted to Infomercials that are on during the middle of the night? They are completely awesome. Great acting, great products, cheap prices...what is not to love? This short video shows some of the best of the terrible predicaments that each one of us goes thru every day--spraying ketchup all over the place, showing too much cleavage, trouble getting your shoes on...the list goes on and on. Time for me to now go and buy some things off the television.

A Metrosexual and His Review of the Bachelor

Tonight marked the 44th edition of the Bachelor. I decided to sit down and give a review of this exciting event.

Right from the opening introduction, we are greeted to 37 shots of him shirtless (including breaking through the water in dramatic fashion) and 26 shots of him in his pilot's uniform. I can only imagine if a Computer programmer was the new bachelor...shots of him in flannel shirts, t-shirts and rugbys. So hott! We go on to continue to learn that he is a pilot. I thought that there might be a chance considering all of the shots of him in his pilot uniform and the constant showing of jets in the sky. In the first few minutes, we have been shown that he is a pilot, shirtless and a motorcycle rider. I fully expect to see him wielding an ax shortly as well as saving a puppy from a fire.



Notable Jake Quotes, with no Commentary needed:
"My office is at 37,000 feet."

"Flying is my art."

"Being an average pilot is not my goal."

"Would you give up flying for love? Love is more powerful than flying."

"I want inner beauty." Yeah, whatever.

"God, Family, Friends. In that order."
"I like to fly planes shirtless" (Ok, I made up that one)

Notable Jake Quotes with my own obligatory Commentary

"I can only hope that I will have a traditional marriage." So, does that mean is not going to be gay? Thanks for the clarification. I think we will see only women vying for his attention, no men on this Bachelor.

"I am going to walk away with a fiance. I can just feel it!" What does that feel like Jake?

"I am risking it all for love." What are you risking? Will you be beheaded if you don't find love? Will they castrate you Jake if you don't find love? "I have had a lot of first dates." No way Jake, a shirtless pilot can't get a second date? Shocking.

"I sure wish some ladies here would take off my shirt and feel my abs." Ok, I made up this quote.

Selection Process
As the show progresses, the show then decided it would be a good idea to give Jake some help. So, they sent him some help to decide who to pick. Could they have picked worst helpers EVER? So, who is going to help Jake?

• The girl who dumped Jake in the last season of the Bachelorette.
• The guy who Jake said was a lying scumbag in the last season of Bachelorette.

I seriously bet Jake wanted to beat the crap out of both of them...but he got stuck with them. I don't think he took their advice too seriously. Oh, did you know that Jake is a pilot? He also does not like to wear shirts.

The Contestants with my top 6 shown below, in order:

*Ali--Right from the start, this is the one that I am picking to be the final woman standing. Funny, sane and cute. Sign her up because she is going to go the distance.

*Tenley--All the previews of her show her wearing a bikini and being very bendy. She actually seems pretty sweet and Jake seems to dig her too.

*Corrie--Her first line to him was "What do you think about kissing me?" Jake had no clue how to respond to which she explained that she was joking, she is from Kissimee, Florida. Oh man. Kinda funny. She is a keeper.

*Rozlyn--She is trouble. She is pretty entertaining and she exclaimed to him, "Fasten your seatbelt, it is going to be a wild ride." Rowwr Roz! She looks like Scarlet Johansen, on a bad day.

*Elizabeth the brunette--OK, think of Megan Fox on a bad day. There you have Elizabeth. I think she just may be some trouble as well.

*Ashleigh--I think he likes her and you can sense it. She tripped into his arms and he seemed very pleased. I am not sure why he wants a clumsy girl though. Unless she planned it. And if she did, she is genius!

Crazy Favorite

*Michelle--"I am ready to become a wife." She informs us that she deserves him. I am not quite sure why she deserves him but she seemed pretty confident that she did so who am I to disagree? She also seems to be in constant melt down of seeing him talk to other women. She may implode in jealousy and rage. I would pay to see that. She spills out all of her thoughts of him...he is looking like a deer in the headlights. "I am being very honest." Honestly, get away Jake, this will NOT end well. But, I knew that he had to keep her. I have no doubt that the Bachelor producers demanded that Jake keep her. She is going to be awesome on this show!

The Middle Others (Potential but most likely not winners)

*Christina--She explains that she is 'A little bitchy.' Yep, give her a rose.

*Vienna--She informed us that she loves herself and she has a chihuahau and she proceeded to make out with her dog. She also enjoyed rubbing his abs during their initial meeting.

*Ashley--In a brilliant and dramatically strategic move, she came out in a skimpy stewardess outfit. Yep, Jake did not have a chance and she received a rose. The cameraman also seemed to enjoy focusing on her thighs as she sat next to Jake.

*Ella--She let us know that she has already planned out her life with Jake and her boy. "I know what I want and he is coming home with me" I kept thinking she was going to end that sentence with 'even if it is in a bodybag." In a wonderfully terrible bit of interaction, She told him that he had something on his tie and when he looks down, she flicks his nose. Seriously. Can he not give her a rose right now? Nope, he kept her.

*Gia--She is a poor man's Thandie Newton. (I couldn't remember Thandie's name and I said she was in Mission Impossible 3...Brodi remembered who it was and basically said, you are an idiot, it was Mission Impossible 2. Brodi is a movie savant).

*Cathryn--Reasons to get kicked off the show: Wearing a pretend wedding ring...basically wearing a ballet tutu for the opening ceremony...and proclaiming that they were made for each other because they like planes. Alas, Jake disagrees with me and kept her.

Will be gone Soon

*Valishia--That name is awesome but the girl wasn't. Jake kept her. I think because she has a strange name. I can't think of any other reason.

*Jessie--In the most cringeworthy moments of the show, she dropped the line "Do you have a registry for these guns?" (as she squeezes his arms). For that reason alone, she should be immediately kicked off the show and forced to live the life of a loner in the backwoods of Louisiana.

Already Lost

Alexa--Wants to stradle a motorcycle. She then proceeded to tell us that she makes orgasmic sounds when she gets on the bike. Egads. She comes in wearing gloves and she says that he has to allow her to fly his plane and he can ride her harley. This was definitely a euphamism.

Emily--I knew that she was a goner. She got about 3 seconds of air time. Seriously, 3 seconds. Sorry Emily, thanks for playing.

Kirsten--"I will become a bitch if someone pisses me off." She sounds lovely. Too bad she aint staying.

Channy--"My name is Channy, I forgot to tell you that." "Jake, you can land your plane on my landing strip anytime" Seriously, best line ever! Jake got rid of her though.

Other Highlights

Jake letting us know that he is a pilot...Jake driving a motorcycle...a horrible 'impromptu' game of football...Jake acting like a pilot...lots of cleavage shots...Jake with his shirt off...Jake showering.

I am exhausted. This may be my last Bachelor moment. I don't think that I can take a seasons worth of this. Readers--keep me updated on who wins this thing, but I have already placed my bet on Ali.

A rearview mirror look back at 2009

I thought that I would give a quick recap of some of my favorites over 2009. It was a good year, but as Brodi says, ends of eras stink, so it is good to move on to 2010.

COOL THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR

Pakistan--It was very cool to travel and spend over a week in Pakistan with Brodi. We had a chance to eat some interesting things (sheep brain masala is not as good as it sounds), see some wild stuff (the Waga Border where Pakistan and India have a stand off nightly between their borders) and just have a great time.

Rocky Mountain National Park--We spent a lot of time hiking, boating and having a relaxing outdoorsy time. We hiked up to 12,000 feet which was awesome especially having it snow on us...in August.

Carter: This year he learned how to ride a bike as well as learning how to swim. He was pretty proud of himself. He is now in the 1st grade and his teacher says that he is a class clown, but he gets his homework done and he does what she wants him to do when she asks.

Beckham getting potty trained--Yay. Except when he decides that he doesn't care if he messes his pants. Boo. He is in pre-school now and he continues on the long Johnson tradition for boys in taking fooooorrrrreeeevvvveeeerrrr to speak. He is getting better though.

Brodi's Dad continues to beat back ugly Pancreatic cancer. He was diagnosed almost 2.5 years ago. Huge, major Surgery was 2 years ago. He is doing great right now and is back to work as a Pediatrician at his practice.

My first nephew is home from a mission. Little Peter came home from his mission from Spain. When he was a newborn, my sister and brother in law brought him to my Freshman basketball games. Crazy that he is that old...crazy that I am that old.

Brodi is writing up a storm--She has a NYC agent and a book out on submission with a second one getting close. In the next year or two, look for her name, because she is going to be big. Join the masses who religiously read her blog: Brodi blog


TELEVISION
1. Dexter: Seriously, no creepier yet thoroughly enjoyable show on TV. The ending was absolutely fabulous and equally disturbing.

2. Battlestar Galactica: This series is done. This was the last year. This show hit every issue imaginable (torture, discrimination, human emotions, etc.). I can't say enough about this show and I am sad that it is over.

3. Fringe: If you like creepiness, sci-fi-ness and great stories, then start watching this show. Every week seems to surpass the week before. You gotta love Anna Torv.

4. Burn Notice: Mindless entertaining fun about a former CIA operative that was 'burned' and is now fighting to regain his good name while also doing good things for people in need. Light entertainment but a lot of fun.

5. Modern Family: A new show about a 3 families (the dad and his family, the son and his gay partner and the daughter and her family). A truly hilarious show with a good heart.

6. True Blood: Terrific and inappropriate about a small Louisiana town with a handful of vampires and crazy stuff. Not for the faint of heart but very good storytelling and very compelling.

7. Better off Ted: Just a nutso comedy about a company that does crazy research. Very funny and offbeat.

8. NBA Game Time: Yes, I know that it is not a typical show...but I love watching this show on NBAtv where they break down every single game that happened during the day. Better than Sportscenter because it only focuses on the NBA.

SLC RESTAURANTS

Indian: Himalayan Kitchen: I am a huge Indian food lover...and this is fabulous. It barely beats out Bombay House on Foothill and Ganesh in Fort Union.

Greek: Dasks. I like a lot of the small little greek restaurants. The Other Place downtown is also very tasty but stay with the greek...don't branch out to some of their other servings.

Italian: Setebellos. The pizza here is fabulous. Very, very good. Other nice italian places are Canellas, Cinnegrill (mainly for nostalgia purposes) and Gepettos (also for nostalgia purposes).

Thai: Pawitt's Royale Thai. This opened up in the past year and has tasty thai food. Well worth a visit to this Holladay restaurant. Thai Lotus downtown is enjoyable as is Thai Gardens in Midvale.

Hamburger: Fuddruckers. It is a chain, I know that...but I do enjoy these burgers more than Apollo, Red Robin and Training Table. I will say though that The Counter (down at the Gateway) was terrific but it is now out of business.

I am looking forward to 2010.

Dexter is coming back...soon

There is a show, Dexter, that we love. But, it is not an easy show. It is the show of a guy that works for the police in forensics. His job is to catch bad guys. His night job is to find the bad guys and kill them. Yeah, pretty dark premise. And a pretty fabulous show. Well, it is back for its 4th season on Showtime and here is the promo for it. Is it so wrong to actually like a serial killer? He is an extremely likeable guy on this show.

If you do not like blood, please do not watch this show. But I will say, it is horribly entertaining.

TV Action Shows and my growing up years

I thought that we could have some flashback Wednesdays as I relive some of my favorite tv shows growing up. I have three classics below and all bring back different kinds of memories.

Seriously, one of the all time great shows: Greatest American Hero. In fact, I could sing this song straight thru and sound beautiful while doing so. You will also notice the special effects are stupendous:




And then you have a show that I would watch with my best friend when I was 6 years old, Jonathan Blumhagen. The A Team was on every Friday night right after Dukes of Hazzard and right before Dallas. Man, this show could not be any cooler. There was 'Face' who the ladies loved...there was 'Hannibal' the leader...there was 'B.A. Barracus'--Mr. T with an attitude. They fought crime and nobody ever got hurt even with all of the crashes and gun shooting. The cool thing (or the scary thing depending on your perspective) is that they are making this into a movie. Yeah, I'll be there.



And then there was the cool show, 21 Jumpstreet. This was Johnny Depp's big break...and who could forget the beautiful Holly Robinson? They were undercover acting as High School kids (though I don't think any of them was under the age of 22 and none of them looked younger than 25). Yeah, this show rocked.

How many falls does it take to make a news anchor laugh?

We always enjoyed catching the evening news while living in DC. You had various stories about murders and mayhem, but the news area was huge because it covered NoVirginia, Maryland and Washington DC. The NBC affiliate was led by Jim Vance, who I believe has been at the station for over 30 years.

This video always cracks me up as the normally unflappable Vance absolutely loses it when watching a clip that they are playing. George Michael is the sports anchor who also can't stop laughing. Anyway, just thought it was funny:

Acting like a chicken

One of our all time favorite shows has been 'Arrested Development.' Not much to say about this clip except that as Michael says 'Have any of you ever even seen a chicken?'

Bachelor: Thru the eyes of manly man

I decided, along with Brodi, to check out the final Bachelor and blog a bit about it. We had seen about 3 minutes of the entire season and that was when we stopped for a sec in between going to another channel. We didn't know the players so I am blind to it all, so here is my rumblings in real time on the amazing events that transpired tonight. We turned out an hour late so I am jumping in without knowledge of what happened at the start.






I do know that he is deciding between Molly and Melissa and I am not sure which is which. I joined in on the episode with Molly, or is it Melissa, giving him a scrapbooking gift of their wonderful 3 weeks together. Really, a scrapbooking gift of their time together. Egads, how could she expect to win by giving him a book of pictures.





I guess the girl that just came on the show was the bachelorette from last year and she chose another guy over the current bachelor, Jason. She tells him--You still have a chance with me. I think he just about passed out. He looked completely dumbstruck. He then told her 'You are the best'...I guess he meant, you are almost the best but these two other girls are much better. She had a better chance at him if she wore either no clothes or very skimpy clothes. Alas, she came fully dressed and lost her chance at love with the love that she turned away on the last show.





An ad for 'Dancing with the Stars' comes on and it asks 'Are you ready?' I can honestly say, 'no I am not ready.'

Now we have different shots of Jason wandering around questioning how he loves two women (I bet the winner will feel fabulous knowing how much he loved the other woman as well). "I am now more confused than ever...how do I make the decision?" I say flip a coin or ask his kid who he wants. He then continues to wander around thinking about it.

Now we have random discussion from the two ladies about how much they love the man they met a month ago. Molly comments on how the relationship started off physical...but now it is so much more. Hey if you can't have a physical tv relationship, well, what can you have.

Emily comes and shows Jason wedding rings. I have a feeling that Jason is going to propose to her. I like Emily, the ring saleswoman. She seems smart. Jason exclaims that tomorrow that he is going to be the happiest guy in the world. No offense to him, but how would anyone even know that! I think he is a liar. I know of some pretty happy people in New Zealand and Buffalo.

We go on to find out that both women are unbelievable. Jason now gazes longingly at the diamond ring. He then decided he knew what he was going to do while gazing at the ring. The ring holds all of the answers.

Jason looks at the camera and cries. I cried with him. Such a tough decision to decide who to marry...I mean, he met this girl over a month ago. Tough decisions. We then get to see some shots of Jason being extra cute with his kid. He has yet to ask his kid who he should pick.

Wild dreams are about to come true. At least, that is what we are told...this time from Molly or was it Melissa.

The Big Unveil--WHO COMES OUT OF THE CAR--ooooohhhhhh, Molly gets out of the car which means she is the loser. I keep thinking, don't trip going down the walkway. That would suck. "I want to spend the rest of my life with him" Egads, sorry babe, that aint happening. Molly rocks and is very cute and gave up all of herself...and now Jason gets to reach inside her chest and pull out her beating heart and crush it with his bare hands. Well done Jason. "I have to let you go." Seriously Molly, yell at him...call him a turd. Kick him in the groin. Oh well. She is a better woman than I because I would haul off and kick him as hard as I could. She tells him, "I think you made a big mistake." You go girl! Good consolation from him though, "Just know that I loved you from the beginning...just know that." OK, thanks. I will take that to my grave you big turd.

Jason cries. Jason cries some more. I think Jason is still crying. OK, he's done now. Oh wait, no he is not. He is still crying. Leaning over the fence now crying. Quick cutaway to Molly who has tears in her eyes. Back to Jason who is partying now, oh wait, no, he is still crying. And he is still crying. Molly just called him a dummy. And back to Jason crying. Jason now contemplates being a polygamist.

Jason is done crying. Now, he appears to be happy. Melissa looks like she is going to puke or pass out. Jason now goes over the details of their long beautiful courtship. Melissa now has an aneurism of joy. He is proposing now! Who saw that coming? I sure didn't. Jason is now kinda crying, but this time its because he is happy. Brodi and I just shed a tear. It could not get any more perfect. Jason exclaims that he is the happiest man in the whole universe. Once again, I don't know how he would know that. Brodi then glumily admits, 'ok, that was kinda sweet.'

Holy crap, the after rose studio is empty! This is going to be dramatic. Uh oh, Jason looks very serious. Very serious. I think we will see tears. This is gonna be awesome! Jason is crying. Jason informs that he has "lived it." I can't argue with that. "We are not right for each other." Say whaaaaattttt? You were together for several weeks, how did this happen? He informs us that the chemistry went into the crapper. MOLLY. Molly fills his thoughts. To be honest, Molly is filling mine and Brodi's thoughts. Jason lost a piece of himself (I think in the ocean or on the countryside) the minute he let Molly go.

We now are hoping Molly found someone else. How awesome would it be if Molly and Deanna hooked up? We are now informed that Jason is a good guy. Jason has informed us that Melissa can take it out on him. Anyone have a butcher's knife? Or a chinese star? Melissa is going to go baaallllisssssttttiiiiccccc. Awkward pauses abound, though Melissa's choice of skimpy leather miniskirt is an interesting one. Jason exclaims how he wanted to give his life and everything else but now, no longer. Melissa looks like she is plotting his death. Jason tells her the line that is never used by someone breaking up someone else, "This isn't about you, its about me." Melissa is irritated. Jason is speechless. "I still have feelings for Molly." Melissa aint looking no pleased right now. And now the line of the night "You are such a bastard." Oh no, you did not just say that Melissa! You go girl. "I am so mad at you." Darn right Melissa.

Jason is crying again. Shocking. Again. So, how awesome would it be for Molly to just say 'Uh, no thanks but best to you.' Molly is coming out for a talk without Jason. Now we get a video montage of Molly and Jason. And she re-lives being let go. And we see Jason cry in the video. Now Molly goes on and admits that she still really digs Jason. And here comes Jason, looking as metrosexy as ever.

Jason is nervous. Molly is now grilling Jason. Jason has no good answers. Host steps in and saves Jason. Jason exclaims, 'My head and my gut have not let go." Molly looks as confused as anyone that I has ever seen. She is lost. Jason is making his play and I don't think Molly has a clue what is going on. Jason asks her for another shot. Molly laughs and looks around like she is expecting a candid camera. "I am still in love with Molly." Molly hasn't spoken in about 5 minutes. Awkward pause as Molly still has not a clue what to say.

Molly decides that she is no longer a mute, "We still have a lot to talk about...my feelings have never gone away...ya know, I think we could see where things go." Molly is now giggly. Molly is making her move on Jason now...hand rests on his knee. She is excited. They kiss. I think she has forgiven Jason. They kiss again. The host informs us that we were all part of a 'historic event.' Yes, he is absolutely correct. Historic is the word that I would use.



I am not ashamed that tears flowed freely as I saw true love rear its beautiful head. Jason seems like quite a catch...not good with decisions and a cryer. How can anyone beat that? I don't know about you, but I can't wait for Bachelor 18 or whatever number they are on now. It is going to be even more historic-er.

A dose of Joss

If, after reading thru this blog, you still don't know that we are Joss Whedon fans, well, you need to read this blog a bit more carefully. We are big fans of the man.

We became big fans of his with his star making writing of the show 'Buffy.' If you haven't seen that show, then you missed out. It was a fabulous show. Witty, funny, thrilling and just terrific. He followed that up with another well written show, 'Angel.'









His genius continued with the absolutely sensational 'Firefly' television show about a ragtag group of space cowboys. It was on FOX and it did not last long but it led to the movie 'Serenity' which, if you haven't seen it, is one heckuva movie.







Well, he is back and his new show 'Dollhouse' premiers on Friday night. We have the Tivo fired up and ready to go. It stars Eliza Dushku (of Buffy and Angel fame...as well as the best friend on the movie Bring it On...as well as being a top 10 babe) and the premise is rather different and we are curious how it all turns out. Anyway, whatever happens with Dollhouse, the plot should be entertaining and the writing will be very good.

Super Commercials for a Super Bowl

The Super Bowl has come and gone but the commercials will stick around forever. Here are my three favorites from this year:

I hate talking little baby commercials. They are almost ALWAYS creepy but somehow ETrade has managed to put together some of these commercials that are rather funny. This one just cracks me up, especially the line "I can't flex my golden pipes?" and then when he busts out singing again at the end of the commercial still makes me laugh even after multiple viewings.


OK, I think that Alec Baldwin is hillarious on '30 Rock' and he comes thru in this commercial. "What are you going to do? Turn off your computer and tv?"


This one also got a laugh out of me, especially the line from the lady in the backseat of the car with the pig, "How do you think we're doing?"


MacGruber 'commercials' have been on Saturday Night Live all year long but this is the one that also appeared during the Super Bowl. Extra note--the other guy in the commercial is McGyver:


To be honest, I was not too impressed with most of the commercials this year but it still got a few chuckles out of me.

Only three easy payments of $29.95 if you order in the next 20 minutes

I have a love hate relationship with those stinkin' infomercials. They are all completely ridiculous but the minute they come on to the television, I become like a freakin' zombie. I sit back and I just watch and watch. With that said, we don't buy anything. Except for once. Yes, I bought something off of an infomercial. How bad is that? I bought the Miracle Blade Knives. And fwiw, we are still using those knives and they are still sharp and terrific. Now, I just have to figure out which of these following products are too good to pass up.

This looks soooo comfortable. When they came up with the name for this product, I imagine 5 guys sitting around in a boardroom, smoking cigars and trying to decide what to call it. 'So, how about Tiddy Bear?' Laughs all around. 'No way, that would never fly, well, wait, yeah, lets go for it.' Now, I have very little to add to this that won't get me in trouble. Meet the Tiddy Bear.



Yes, you too can own a commerative plate of Obama being named president. You can sit around a table with your all white friends and have a toast to this commerative plate. I love the kids around the coffee table staring at the Obama plate. You know that President Obama probably thinks its creepy as well. The saddest thing about it? They limit it to only 2 orders per caller. WHAAATTTTTT? I can't order 20 of those frakkin' awesome plates?



I have shown this video in the past...but the Hawaiin chair is about as good as it gets. I love them at the office using this chair like it is all totally normal. Nothing says professional in an office environment than doing the hula in a chair. "Yes, Steve, wait, let me turn up my Hawaiin chair to the fasting moving position...ok, that feels good, my abs are totally feeling it. Anyway, the reason that I brought you into my office is, well, you are fired. Thanks for working for us. Wow, Steve, my abs are really getting a great workout. Anyway, have your desk cleaned out by noon."





Who wouldn't buy this? You listen to this guy and I am ready to buy whatever this guy sells. He brings the energy, the smooth-ness and the 'you are an idiot if you don't buy this' attitude. Fabulous.



These are just some of the classics. I will have to post another day on some of the infomercials on ab workouts and other fitness ones. Just remember, if you wake up at 2am, there is most likely several fabulous infomercials on the tube. Sit back, enjoy and have your credit card ready.

Best of 2008: Movies and Television and other cool things

So, here is my annual list of the best television and the best movies of 2008 as well as some other happenings from the past year:

Television
My television list looks very similar to last year though two shows broke onto the list and one show (Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia) fell off the list due. Its Always Sunny is still very funny but the characters are so morally corupt that it is hard to like them at all. With that said, I am not going to recommend any of those shows because they may be a little risque or they just be a bit over the top, but here are my favorites from the tv world this past year.

1. BattleStar Galactica: OK, I won't talk about it anymore on this site but it is still frakkin' awesome.
2. Dexter: Great storytelling and it takes a lot that this show makes you really like the main character who just so happens to be a serial killer. Each episode is interesting, scary and highly entertaining.





3. 30 Rock: Week in and week out, the funniest show in television. The characters are absurd and always funny and always absurd and always funny.
4. Burn Notice: Set in beautiful Miami about a former CIA agent who was 'released' from the CIA and he spends his days and nights helping others and trying to figure out why he was 'burned' by his agency.






5. True Blood: if you can get thru the naughty scenes (too many), the story is actually pretty cool about vampires trying to fit in or not fit in with the human population.
6. The Office: Often uneven but still a lot of fun.








Movies
1. Dark Knight: It is hard to get cooler than this movie. You had a great performance by Heath Ledger as the Joker...the storyline was dark and brutal and terrific.
2. Tropic Thunder: Over the top and often offensive, it was also terribly funny. Definately not a movie that I will recommend to others but a movie that I would happily watch again and again.






3. Dr. Horribles Sing Along Blog: Not a full length movie as it sits at around 45 minutes but it has laugh out loud moments and it is written by Joss Whedon (Buffy and Serenity fame) which would make it worth a viewing for that reason alone.
4. Iron Man: another comic book movie (which once again shows my obsession with anything comic book related) which did not feel like a comic book movie. How can you not love


Other cool things from the past year:

• Carter taking tennis lessons and starting kindergarten
  
• Beckham continuing his craziness.
• Obama winning the presidency...whether you are a democrat or a repub, it is pretty cool.
• Utah Utes going to the Sugar Bowl.
• Brodi's dad Dennis kicking cancer's arse.
• Cool trip to South Carolina and Georgia
  

Battlestar and Science Fiction Geekdom

Brodi had a post the other day on her blog about science fiction movies. I am not a sci-fi geek. Brodi, on the other hand, is. Have a Stars Wars question? She is the gal. Want to know something about Aliens? Yeah, go to her...you get that kind of knowledge with hundreds of viewings, I think.

With that said, there have been several sci-fi shows/movies that I have loved. Serenity, a Joss Whedon production (based on a short lived tv show, Firefly, from around 2002), was a genius movie. Truly terrific....how can you beat a cowboy western science fiction movie? Trust me, you can't. The first Matrix? Wonderfully entertaining. But there are many sci-fi shows that I could never get in to such as 'Star Trek' and the 13 off-shoots of the original Star Trek.







But a few years ago, a little remake came to the television, Battlestar Galactica. Yes, that cheesy early 80s television show. Well, times have changed and it is not your mother's Battlestar any more. Brodi and I decided to give this show a chance during its first season and it is spectacular. It is rough and tumble, it is dark, it has great actors and actresses. It is probably the finest show on television. Well, the show ends its run this Spring, finishing off 5 full seasons. Starting in January, it has 10 episodes to go and it is finished. One of the main characters, James Callins who plays Balthar, summed up the finale of these shows and whether or not expectations would be too high on these final episodes with this line: "Honestly you can't be disappointed," he said. "I think if Adolf Hitler were back, he'd be crying in his handkerchief." Probably not the best analogy...but it sounds like expectations have been raised. But hey, if Adolf Hitler liked it...yeah, still probably not the best analogy.

Ahead of their time

When I was growing up, the Brady Bunch was the coolest show on tv (at least for a 6-year old). I loved to think my family was the Brady Bunch, with our 3 boys and our 3 girls. Who doesn't love the Brady Bunch?

What you may have forgotten was...not only were they all very talented actors and actresses but they were musical geniuses. Add their singing to go along with the spot on choreography and you have an instant classic on your hands. If you are toe tappin' by the end of these numbers, then you must not have a musical bone in your body.



I got this next number from List of the Day. This song includes great lines such as "Phones never rang till I met you"..."Wise men never knew"..."Clowns never laughed before"..."Ponies never ran before" till I met you.

If you love the tv show 'The Office'

For those that do not know who Ricky Gervais is, he is the creator and star of the original 'The Office.' The original british version of the Office came out in 2001. It lasted just a couple of years and ended because Gervais did not want his show to overstay its welcome. It actually won a Golden Globe as the best comedy even though it was a british show.

Gervais then presented the idea to 'americanize' it and now you have the american office. This clip is at their office Halloween party where they collect small donations for a charity. Gervais is the boss David Brent (Steve Carrell plays this character in the american one) and he wants to show the office his awesome dance moves. Suffice it to say, they are not terribly impressed and awkwardness ensues. If you haven't watched the original Office, rent it. It is more awkward and a little more naughty than the american one but it is fabulous.

Spongebob and the Classics

Spongebob rocks. Seriously. This is one of the few shows that I can watch with my boys and actually probably have a better time watching it than they do. Well, if animation cartoons is not for you, the actors behind the voices of the different characters in Spongebob's world have used their voices for several movie classics. You soon realize that these classics become not so classic with different voices that make up the Spongebob universe.

The secret to AMAZING abs has been uncovered

So, if you are ever up in the middle of the night just hanging out, infomercials are a great chance to find the latest and greatest products. I have found it. For years, I have been interested in finding a product that is fun and gives me great abs. It would be nice if I found something that I could use at the office, not work hard at it at all, yet still have Chuck Norris abs. The Hawaiian chair is the solution.




You can tell just by watching that clip at how easy it is to move your bottom in circles yet still type on the computer and take notes. Awesome. Now, I will just scrounge up the $350 in quarters that are lost somewhere in our seat cushions to buy one.

Best of 2007: Television

Here is our best of the best from television:

1. Battlestar Galactica: No show is willing to tackle as difficult of storylines (war, suicide bombing, strained family relationships, etc.) and mix it in with fabulous visuals and terrific actors. Its dark, brutal and terribly entertaining. This is not your fathers’ Battlestar and you will be happy to take a peek and catch the best show on television.

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2. 2. 30 Rock: I will say that I was not initially convinced. I was initially drawn to Aaron Sorkin’s other SNL behind the scenes show ‘Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.’ That lasted about 1 week. 30 Rock ended up being light years funnier, better characters, more interesting and without a doubt, one of the funniest shows on television in a long time. Tina Fey is fabulous and Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan round out a terrific cast. Seriously, very, very funny stuff.

3. 3. Dexter: This is not network television and it should not be. Though, the rumor is, that it will be on CBS this Spring in an edited format. The story focuses on a guy that is a forensics expert for the Miami Police Department. He also happens to be a serial killer. But don’t worry, he only kills people that are really, really bad. That makes it OK doesn’t it? It is extremely dark and it keeps you on your toes. It is also a show that you can’t take your eyes off. Michael C. Hall is absolutely terrific in this show.

4. 4. Veronica Mars: We always get looks when we tell others how good this show is. But there is a reason that it is on every critics Top 10 list every single year. It is well written and its lead actress, Kristen Bell, is entirely watchable (she is now on the show ‘Heroes.’). There is a reason that Joss Whedon (writer of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series, Angel the series, Firefly, etc.) has said “Best. Show. Ever. Seriously, I've never gotten more wrapped up in a show I wasn't making, and maybe even more than those. (...) These guys know what they're doing on a level that intimidates me. It's the Harry Potter of shows.” The sad thing is—this show was cancelled this past year and it ends its brilliant 3-year run.

5. 5. The Office: This show keeps plugging along and is hillarious. Brodi and I were huge fans of the original British version. We both dreaded an american remake because we couldn’t imagine them being able to pull it off. Well, they did. Though it has a similar theme with similar characters, both shows are rather different with different humor and a different emphasis. The american version is a worthy companion to its british counterpart.

6. 6. Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia: This is on FX. It is about 3 guys and a woman that own a bar together. They are all inappropriate and it is uproariously funny. Whether it is about religion, race relations, family interaction or just sheer stupidity. Very funny stuff.

Other shows not on the list but are worth a viewing: Weeds (on Showtime), Amazing Race, House and the Closer (TNT).

Flashback Sunday: on Monday

Sam usually does the blog- but yesterday he was so busy putting down the wood floor in our kitchen that he didn't get a chance. So I'm trying out this newfandangled technology.

First I would just like to say (and all you parents of toddlers should be able to empathize) that Yo Gabba Gabba is the scariest show on television. It's on Nickelodeon each morning at 9:30, and if there's ever been a show that evidences someone's brain on drugs, this is it. I'll be cleaning the house (yeah, right) and the tv is on in the background, and suddenly I get this strange feeling- like I've just entered the twilight zone or I've been teleported to a really bad episode of Star Trek. My first thought is always that aliens have invaded. The eeriness of the show catches me off guard- every day! Beckham (our 20-month old) by this time is usually standing an inch from the television screen, with swirling spirals in his eyes (think hypnotized WB cartoon character). If I catch it in time, I run to tackle him, shielding his eyes as we topple to the floor and yank the plug out of the wall. But once in a while, I'm too late. And before I know it, we are both sitting within an inch of the screen, and a couple of days have gone by. And we haven't eaten.

Good idea for a date night: Tivo the opening of Yo Gabba Gabba and watch it over and over. To be used only under adult supervision!



Secondly: meet Dave, our contractor extraordinaire. When I was uploading our latest batch of family pictures, I came across this gem. Apparently when I'm not home, he takes pictures of himself with our camera. So I told him he was going to be banished to our blog for the infraction.

Dave is the best craftsman around. But I'm afraid he gives me too much credit as to my handiness. He comes to me each time he encounters a problem. He hasn't noticed, but I've been recycling the same three questions each time we talk. They are: 1) What's a -------? 2) Is that bad? 3) Can we do anything about it?

Example:
Dave: We have a problem. The cabinets have a toe-kick.
Brodi: What's a toe-kick? (At this point I zone out because I know the answer will sound very foreign)
Dave: It's a blah blah blah. And it means we won't have a vent.
Brodi: Is that bad?
Dave: Well, vents provide heat and air conditioning.
Brodi: So that's bad?
Dave: If you want heat, yeah.
Brodi: Is there anything we can do about it?
Dave: Well I guess we could blah blah blah blah blah.
Brodi: Great. Let's do it. Glad I could help.

Although lately I think my stupidity is beginning to sink in. He asked me for some duct tape, and when I paused to think about where it would be, he told me it's like masking tape, only it's silver and wider. Kay, Dave, I know what duct tape is! But I can see how he would assume.

Carter cute comment: We have half our wood floor in, and this morning we awoke to find Carter, sitting serenely in the middle of the floor, just staring. We don't know how long he had been there. When he saw us, he said, "Dad, this is so cool."

And as for a flashback:
On our family vacation to Jackson Hole this summer, Beckham was a little out of sorts. He would wake up at all hours of the night, and scream to be let out of his crib. Early one morning, we gave in and took him out of bed. Sam went to make him a bottle, and when he came back, he found Beckham flat on his tummy, face down, his Bootie (read blanket) wrapped around his head, completely asleep. Sure, give him a comfy crib with, heaven forbid, a mattress, and he cries abuse. A hard dirty floor, however? He's gone.

Two very entertaining shows

We have been very entertained over the past couple of weeks by a television show and a movie. Though there are other tv shows that have gotten the hype over the past year (the Office, Lost, 24, etc.), I have to say, '30 Rock' may just be the best of the bunch. It is very quick and very funny and at times, quite a bit offbeat. Though I don't know if I will ever find a show to replace 'Arrested Development' or 'Buffy', '30 Rock' is a must watch show.

The Alec Baldwin character is terrific...Tina Fey has a way of getting the best out of the other characters and Tracy Jordan is a scream. Anyway, if you haven't had a chance to watch it, check it out on Thursday nights.









Now that is not all. This past weekend, Brodi and I headed down to the Broadway theaters and watched King of Kong: A fistful of Quarters. It is a documentary about the Donkey Kong arcade game and the guy (Billy Mitchell, a mullet haired guy that is considered by many to be the best arcade game player ever) that has been the world record holder for 25 years and a guy (Steve Wiebe, a nice 30 year old guy with a wife and kids that teaches in high school) that is challenging his records. Seriously, it is more intense and funnier than most of what you are seeing in the movies today. By the end of the movie, Brodi and I were both yelling at the movie, cheering and cursing at the movie. It is a great time.