Golf is Back!

At least for a day, Golf is Back!!! The temperature here in Iowa topped 50 degrees today, and 1 golf course in town was open, so I began my 2009 golf season with 9 holes. The course was actually packed...apparently there are quite a few golf nuts like me out there. I'm not sure when I'll get to play again, hopefully sometime in the next 2 weeks, but at least I've gotten my fix to hold me over until I can begin playing more regularly.

I've been anxious for this since I started doing my "golf" exercise routine back in January (ok, I've been anxious since November). Anyway, I didn't play great, in fact, I would classify my play as bad. But, I hit a few good shots and had a great time. In fact, I can't wait to get out there again!

There was a time, not so long ago, when a bad round would wreck the rest of my day. Now I find I am able to find something to enjoy about each round, no matter the quality of my play (sometimes it's really difficult, I'll admit). I would have liked to play better, but I'm never going to be a pro, so why not have a good time?

Movie Review: The Librarian, Curse of the Judas Chalice

"The Librarian, Curse of the Judas Chalice", is the 3rd in the made for TV "Librarian" series. The movies originally played on TNT. If you aren't familiar with the premise, Noah Wyle stars as Flynn Carter, a genius with roughly 25 different PHD's who is also "The Librarian". The Librarian's job is to travel the world collecting dangerous artifacts to be stored at the Library. The Library is run by Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin.

TNT has latched onto a winner here. I've thoroughly enjoyed all 3 Librarian movies. In "Judas Chalice", Flynn has decided to take some vacation time. Through a set of circumstances, he ends up in New Orleans and meets a mysterious woman who quickly recruits him in a quest to find the Judas Chalice before some Russians do. The Judas Chalice is the cup made from the 30 pieces of silver Judas took to betray Christ, and it is said to bring dead vampires back to life (yes, far fetched, I know). Flynn has to find it and get it to the library before the Russians find it and resurrect Dracula. Fun stuff!

"Curse of the Judas Chalice" is the best of the 3 movies in my opinion. Noah Wyle has really evolved Flynn Carter. He's now more sure of himself, but is maintaining the same curiosity and know-it-allness that continues to make the character fun. Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin are good for some laughs along the way. Each Librarian movie has had a different "Librarian Girl"...hey, if there can be "Bond Girls", why not "Librarian Girls?" Stana Katic played the "Librarian Girl" in this movie, and she was a good addition to the movie.

Overall, this is a 4 star movie. It's not a super serious film...just a fun movie. If you haven't seen a librarian movie, start with the 1st one and work your way to this one. The first movie is "Quest for the Spear", then "Return to King Solomon's Mines", then "Curse of the Judas Chalice".

Don't say Enemy Combatant anymore

Today, the Obama administration ended the Bush administration policy of using the term "Enemy Combatant" to describe Gitmo Detainees.

Apparently, nothing else will change, just what we call the Gitmo Detainees. As the Center for Constitutional Rights put it, "This is really a case of old wine in new bottles." Which is technically correct, I guess. Still, I'm sure this was a really tough decision for Obama to make and I think it proves that he can make hard choices.

Yeah, now that we have a stimulus package that fixed our economy, they must be pretty bored. So, I guess they've decided to start tackling the other really hard issues of the day. Wait, you're saying it didn't fix our economy? Well, surely they have a plan in place to help things get better which is why they can focus on changing how they refer to Gitmo Detainees. Right? Well if the election taught us anything, we can "hope" that they have a plan in place to "change" things. And sometimes, all you need is hope.

Good work Obama administration. Just take these things 1 at a time. If you keep tackling these really big problems like you did today, eventually you'll get to the smaller, easier issues, such as the failing social security system, welfare reform and ending our dependence on foreign oil.

Music Review: Francesca Batistelli

"My Paper Heart" is the first CD by Christian Musician Francesca Batistelli. If you listen to Christian Radio at all, you've heard her 2 released songs, "Letting Go" and "Free to Be Me". Amanda and the kids starting listening to Christian radio several years ago, and I've gotten into it over the past year. These are 2 of my favorite songs on the radio, so I was thrilled when we got the CD as part of a promotion. I don't buy a lot of music, because I spend most of my free time watching movies, golfing or reading.

"Free to Be Me" and "Letting Go" are the first 2 songs on the CD, and there are 11 in total. Both of those songs have a great message of putting your trust in God. The rest of the CD is very well done. I really liked "Beautiful, Beautiful", "Behind the Scenes", and "Time in Between". All the music is fairly upbeat and it's very eclectic. The sound is hard to describe...it's sort of a cross between Shania Twain and Alanis Morrisette, with a little soul feel thrown in (I suck at comparing musicians, so you should check out http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ and listen to their samples).

Anyway, if you like "Free to Be Me" or "Letting Go" or both, you'll probably like the entire CD.

Jackrabbit Update

The South Dakota State University Jackrabbits Women's Basketball team won the Summit League Conference Tournament yesterday, 79-69 over the Oakland Grizzlies. The Grizzlies were one of 2 teams to beat the Jacks this season, so I was nervous. However, after falling behind early, the Jackrabbits poured it on in the 2nd half to pull ahead and win. They finished the season with the 2nd best record in the county at 31-2. The only knock on them is the Summit League was fairly weak, outside of Oakland. But still, they won most games by 20+ points, so they not only beat the teams they should have, but they beat them handily.

Next up for the Jackrabbits, the NCAA tournament. Right now, they are projected to get a #6 seed, which is pretty good. This is the first year they are eligible for the tournament, so a #6 would be outstanding. I'm looking forward to the selection show on ESPN next Monday night.

Help Wanted: Leader for the Republicans

I've been reading a lot of columns and articles lately about the Republican party, and the defacto leader of the Republican Party, Rush Limbaugh. Most of the Conservative Intelligentsia is saying that having Rush as the unofficial leader of the party is a bad thing. I think it's a bad thing too, but not for the same reasons these guys do. The Conservative Intelligentsia don't like how Rush says things, they don't like how he acts, and they really don't like his dittohead listeners. Notice, I never said they disagree with him. They just wish Rush would deliver the message differently.

Look, Rush Limbaugh is who he is. I like Rush, and I listen to his show regularly. But, he SHOULD NOT be the leader of the Republican Party. He's a radio personality and a strong conservative voice. The fact that the Democrats and the Media are making Rush out to be the leader of the Republicans speaks volumes about the lack of elected leadership within the Republican Party.

Where is the elected leadership fighting against the ridiculous spending being pushed by the Obama administration? Where is the leadership in offering clear alternatives to what Obama and his liberal allies in Congress are pushing? Where is the voice articulating the Conservative position? It doesn't exist. There's no Ronald Reagan or Newt Gingrich out there. This party needs a leader now more than ever, and that leader shouldn't be Rush! But, some Republicans cling to him as a leader because they agree with most of what he says and they admire that he has the guts to say it.

I hear from all the certified smart guys in the Republican Party that the Republicans need to embrace a "big government" message, because that's what people want. These brainiacs say we need to figure out how to make government work for people. These people say the era of Reagan is over. And these guys get paid to say these moronic things!

The era of Reagan isn't over. The principles of limited government interference embraced by Reagan can be applied to today's problems. We just have to stop accepting the premise of the Democrats and the Media and start applying Reagan's philosophy to today's problems. I would love for an elected Republican to say the following (or something similar) the next time he/she is asked about nationalized health care:

I reject your premise that the government has to solve the health care problems in this country. I admit that the health care system needs fixing. It is hurting our companies and making life harder on everyone. However, this problem is too big to be solved by government alone. Government needs to help the private sector make this work.

To that end, government should eliminate roadblocks that prevent small and medium sized companies from joining together to buy group insurance policies. Government should provide corporate tax relief to any company that provides health insurance to its' employees. And finally, government should provide funding and incentives for hospitals to set up free clinics so that people can get basic care. To help these clinics, the government should provide funding to help hospitals construct and staff these clinics, and should provide student aid relief to doctors and nurses to work at these clinics for a specified amount of time.

As a conservative, I would have no problem with a statement like that. This plan would result in a fraction of the spending needed for a nationalized health care program. If an elected Republican said something like that on health care, or made similar statements when faced with more of today's issues, that person would easily become the new "unofficial" leader of the Republican party, and Rush would be back in his rightful place as talk radio icon and stalwart voice for conservative issues.

And while we're on it, when that person finally emerges, whoever they may be, we can't let the Democrats and the media destroy that person, like they tried to do with Bobby Jindahl and Sarah Palin.

Movie Review: Passion of the Christ

It's hard to call this a movie review, because this isn't going to be a typical movie review. I just finished watching "The Passion of the Christ". I wasn't going to blog about it until tomorrow, but I need to process what I just saw, and this seems like the best way to do it. This is the first time I've watched this film. I've put it off for a while, because I guess I just didn't want to deal with it. But, I decided that it's lent, so I needed to man-up, so to speak, and watch it.

First, we'll get the formality out of the way. "The Passion of the Christ" is a 5 star movie. "The Passion of the Christ" is one of the most moving films I've ever seen. Mel Gibson's vision of The Passion is very violent and graphic. I'm not sure if it was this severe, or if it was even worse than depicted. What I do know is this depiction really struck a nerve with me.

I will admit that I cried several times during the movie. First, during the scourging. I kept imagining that every strike was one of my sins. Recently, I had a revelation while praying the rosary and meditating on the scourging. I realized that every time I sin, it's like I'm one of the Roman soldiers striking Jesus. Not the most profound revelation, but it really stuck with me, and then seeing that in the film really hit home.

I really struggled with the carrying of the cross scenes as well. I literally found myself talking to the TV, saying "stop hitting him!" I rarely talk to movies...not never, but rarely.

The other scenes that were most difficult for me were those involving Mary. I can't imagine what Mary must have gone through seeing Jesus suffer like that. Now, I have a better understanding of why, as Catholics, we hold Mary up as an example for all of us. All she ever did was say yes to God, and it was never easy for her. Was it easy for her to say yes as a teenage girl when God asked her to bear His son? Was it easy for her to watch that son suffer as Jesus did? Did she question her faith, or was she unwavering? I don't know the answers, what I do know is I've questioned God plenty of times in MUCH easier circumstances than Mary faced.

The ending of the movie was more than I ever could have expected. I wasn't sure how Mel Gibson was going to end it, but it was perfect, and uplifting. If you haven't seen "The Passion of the Christ" and you are a Christian (or even if you aren't), you should watch it. Be prepared, because you will cry, you will cringe, but I think you will also find it powerful and uplifting.

There were other scenes in the movie that I haven't talked about that were very stirring as well. The Garden of Gethsemane and the betrayal of Judas to start. I've always wondered what kind of torment Judas went through. Mel Gibson takes a pretty good crack at that. I also thought the movie did a good job depicting Peter's denial of Jesus. I've always taken comfort in Peter. Peter screwed up repeatedly, but yet, ended up doing great things in Jesus' name. I like to hope that there's a little bit of Peter in all of us.

Sorry if all that didn't make any sense. My mind is still racing a bit. I may have more to say tomorrow, or I may be done. I'm just not sure yet.

March Madness!!!

I've never been one to buy into March Madness. It's probably because I went to South Dakota State University (SDSU). Up until 5 years ago, the Jackrabbits of SDSU were a Division II school. Five years ago, they made the jump to Division I, but weren't eligible for the postseason, because of the mandatory transition period. This is the first year the men's and women's basketball teams are eligible for the NCAA tournament. They are members of the Summit League, which has an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament for the Conference Tourney Champ.

The Summit League Conference Tourney started yesterday in Sioux Falls, SD. So, it's almost a home game for both teams. The Women's Team was up first. The Women's team is outstanding this year. They were 28-2 going into the game and ranked 14th in the nation...not bad for a team from little SDSU. In fact, they've garnered some national attention this year, with their top player, Jennifer Warkenthien, being spotlighted in USA Today, and potentially getting All American consideration. So, the Jackrabbit Women are expected to win the Conference Tournament, and get the automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. Even if they don't win, they "should" get an at large berth. Yesterday was a good start, as they won 77-49 to advance to the Conference Semifinals on Monday. Hopefully they'll continue to win out and get the automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Winning the Summit League Tournament will mean a higher seed and an easier 1st and 2nd round opponent, so these games mean something.

The Jackrabbit Men's team is a different story. They were 13-19 going into yesterday's game, and were the No. 7 seed in the 8 team tournament. They've struggled in their transition to Division I. They were a top notch Division II program, making the Sweet 16 or Elite 8 nearly every year. But, they've had a difficult time managing the 5 year transition period. This season, they have shown signs of turning things around. They've won more games, and they've played a lot of close games. They could easily have been 17-15 had a few games gone differently in the final seconds. Yesterday, they were matched against 3 time league champ Oral Roberts. Again, they played them close, and managed to get it to Overtime. In OT, the Jacks took an early lead, and managed to hold on for a 3 point victory and a berth in the conference semifinals. An unexpected win to be sure! The Jackrabbits are still a long shot to win 2 more games and get the automatic berth into the NCAA tournament, but they have an opportunity, which is all a fan can ask.

Yesterday was a good day to be a Jackrabbit! I have indeed caught March Madness, at least for 1 weekend.