We just finished our Christmas Eve Chili and playing some Christmas Carols on our respective musical instruments. Chili has become a Christmas Eve trend at our house, and with David playing trombone now, we should make a tradition of music on Christmas Eve.
We also went to Mass tonight. I was astonished at the number of people at Mass...if that many people showed up every week, we'd have to build a gigantic church. While the Christmas Mass is always a great experience, it always makes me a little sad at the number of people who only show up at a church on Christmas and Easter. But, at least they were there tonight, and I pray that some of them who wouldn't normally attend, think about coming back next week.
Finally, I would like to wish all my family, friends and loyal readers a very Merry Christmas. I hope that you are with loved ones this holiday season. And, remember the real reason we celebrate. It has nothing to do with a tubby guy in a red suit and everything to do with a little baby, born over 2000 years ago in a manger in Bethlehem.
Merry Christmas and God Bless!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Reaction: Patriots vs. Broncos
Since it seems that any moron with a blog can get his opinion out there about how Tim Tebow fared today against the New England Patriots, I thought, "hey, I'm a moron with a blog, I can get my opinion out there." So here it goes.
Many "Tebow-haters" will claim that today's 41-23 loss at the hands of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots is proof that Tim Tebow will never be a big time NFL quarterback. Those who love Tim Tebow will point to the fact that he is looking more comfortable as a passer, and that he is really the best player on the Broncos offense.
At this point, I agree with those who love Tim Tebow. He is the best offensive player on a fairly weak offensive team. Willis McGahee, the team's best running back is always injured. The team's top 2 receivers would probably be the #2 or #3 receivers on other teams, and the Broncos do not have a tight end who can catch the ball with any regularity. So, considering all that, going 11-22 for 194 yards and rushing 12 times for 93 yards and 2 TDs is a pretty good game for Tim Tebow.
But it's not all roses. Tebow had a costly fumble in the 2nd quarter that led to a Patriots touchdown, and he took a couple of really bad sacks in the 2nd half. Considering, however, that Tebow now has 12 NFL starts, and is 8-4 in those 12 starts, I think he's got a bright future in this league.
Look, Tebow is the face of the franchise. Thus, he gets too much credit when the Broncos win and too much blame when the Broncos lose. I still don't know if he is the long term answer at Quarterback, but I think that he's done enough this season that the team can address other need areas in the offseason. If we're still not convinced that Tebow is the answer at QB after next season, they can draft a Quarterback.
At 8-6, the Broncos are still in 1st place in the AFC West. If they win their last 2 games, they will win the AFC West and host a playoff game. As such, they won't have a very high draft pick. Today's game against the Patriots showed me that the team is still very thin across the board, especially in the defensive secondary.
In my opinion, the teams needs are (in order of priority):
1 - Secondary - they gotta get younger and healthier in the secondary.
2 - Running Back - Coach John Fox wants a run heavy attack. They need to build depth at running back, because right now they are too dependent on Willis McGahee's health.
3 - Receiving - The team needs a pass catching tight end and more depth at Wide Receiver. Demaryius Thomas may be the #1 receiver, but he's been injury prone, so depth will help.
4 - Defensive Line - The Broncos are really strong on the outside of the D-line and at Linebacker, but they need more interior pressure. They really gotta find a big fat guy to plug the middle.
5 - Backup QB - I'm sold on Tim Tebow as the starting quarterback, but you gotta find someone who can fill in for him if he gets injured, and he needs to have a similar style to Tebow.
6 - Offensive Line - the unit is young and has been really healthy all season, but more depth is always good.
So there you go. Tim Tebow is not the main problem on this team, and I hope cooler heads will prevail after this loss and see that this is a young team that still has a lot of growing to do. Did Tebow have a great game today, no? But, he did show improvement as a passer today and was the best offensive weapon for the Broncos. As a Broncos fan, I'm encouraged, despite the loss.
Many "Tebow-haters" will claim that today's 41-23 loss at the hands of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots is proof that Tim Tebow will never be a big time NFL quarterback. Those who love Tim Tebow will point to the fact that he is looking more comfortable as a passer, and that he is really the best player on the Broncos offense.
At this point, I agree with those who love Tim Tebow. He is the best offensive player on a fairly weak offensive team. Willis McGahee, the team's best running back is always injured. The team's top 2 receivers would probably be the #2 or #3 receivers on other teams, and the Broncos do not have a tight end who can catch the ball with any regularity. So, considering all that, going 11-22 for 194 yards and rushing 12 times for 93 yards and 2 TDs is a pretty good game for Tim Tebow.
But it's not all roses. Tebow had a costly fumble in the 2nd quarter that led to a Patriots touchdown, and he took a couple of really bad sacks in the 2nd half. Considering, however, that Tebow now has 12 NFL starts, and is 8-4 in those 12 starts, I think he's got a bright future in this league.
Look, Tebow is the face of the franchise. Thus, he gets too much credit when the Broncos win and too much blame when the Broncos lose. I still don't know if he is the long term answer at Quarterback, but I think that he's done enough this season that the team can address other need areas in the offseason. If we're still not convinced that Tebow is the answer at QB after next season, they can draft a Quarterback.
At 8-6, the Broncos are still in 1st place in the AFC West. If they win their last 2 games, they will win the AFC West and host a playoff game. As such, they won't have a very high draft pick. Today's game against the Patriots showed me that the team is still very thin across the board, especially in the defensive secondary.
In my opinion, the teams needs are (in order of priority):
1 - Secondary - they gotta get younger and healthier in the secondary.
2 - Running Back - Coach John Fox wants a run heavy attack. They need to build depth at running back, because right now they are too dependent on Willis McGahee's health.
3 - Receiving - The team needs a pass catching tight end and more depth at Wide Receiver. Demaryius Thomas may be the #1 receiver, but he's been injury prone, so depth will help.
4 - Defensive Line - The Broncos are really strong on the outside of the D-line and at Linebacker, but they need more interior pressure. They really gotta find a big fat guy to plug the middle.
5 - Backup QB - I'm sold on Tim Tebow as the starting quarterback, but you gotta find someone who can fill in for him if he gets injured, and he needs to have a similar style to Tebow.
6 - Offensive Line - the unit is young and has been really healthy all season, but more depth is always good.
So there you go. Tim Tebow is not the main problem on this team, and I hope cooler heads will prevail after this loss and see that this is a young team that still has a lot of growing to do. Did Tebow have a great game today, no? But, he did show improvement as a passer today and was the best offensive weapon for the Broncos. As a Broncos fan, I'm encouraged, despite the loss.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Questions We Don't have Answers To
There are many vexing questions out there. Here are just a few:
-How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop?
-If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?
-Why couldn't Bill Clinton ever tell the truth?
-What did we talk about before Tim Tebow?
-Who put the bop in the bop shoo bop shoo bop, who put the ram in the ram-a-lam-a-ding-dop?
That's all I got...as you can tell, I'm struggling for blog topics right now.
-How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop?
-If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?
-Why couldn't Bill Clinton ever tell the truth?
-What did we talk about before Tim Tebow?
-Who put the bop in the bop shoo bop shoo bop, who put the ram in the ram-a-lam-a-ding-dop?
That's all I got...as you can tell, I'm struggling for blog topics right now.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Top 5 Movies Starring Leading Actors Who are Otherwise Awful
Anybody who has read this blog knows that I have a few actors that drive me crazy. Chief among them is Nicholas Cage, who can make some of the best movies, but then makes a bunch of duds. And, generally, Cage is really bad except for a few specific roles. Other actors in this category include Brendan Frazier, Keanu Reeves and Mark Wahlberg. Nuke would put Ed Harris in this category too I think.
Since I do not have any Mark Wahlberg movies in this list, I suggest you go watch the SNL Skit: Mark Wahlberg Talks to Animals. I've seen it several times and it's always funny.
Brendan Frazier doesn't make the list below, and is frankly the worst actor of the bunch listed above. His only passable movies are The Mummy movies, and that's only because there is some really good CG monster action.
Anyway, here are the top 5 movies starring some of these otherwise awful actors:
5 - National Treasure 2: The first Nicholas Cage movie in this list. He doesn't carry the movie, but he doesn't ruin it either. Really, this movie is just a lot of fun and Cage doesn't wreck the funness.
4 - Constantine: This movie is so underrated. It's actually really good, and this movie has the best type of roll for Keanu Reeves...one where he is not required to talk to much and participates in a lot of cool action scenes.
3 - Sorcerer's Apprentice: Another Nicholas Cage movie. As with #5 on our list, Cage is not required to carry this movie, Jay Baruchel does that as the title character. But, Cage has his moments in this recent movie that was my favorite movie of last year.
2 - The Rock: This movie is why Nicholas Cage confounds me so much, and why he has been one of main subjects of another top 5 list already. In The Rock, I think Cage really carries the movie, and it's a really good movie. Of course, having Sean Connery never hurts, but I still think Cage carried it.
1 - The Matrix: The best possible role for Keanu Reeves. Spend the entire movie looking bewildered, not saying much, and participating in a lot of fight scenes. The first of the Matrix Trilogy is the best, in my opinion, and Keanu Reeves doesn't destroy this movie, in fact, he actually works well in the role of Neo.
Since I do not have any Mark Wahlberg movies in this list, I suggest you go watch the SNL Skit: Mark Wahlberg Talks to Animals. I've seen it several times and it's always funny.
Brendan Frazier doesn't make the list below, and is frankly the worst actor of the bunch listed above. His only passable movies are The Mummy movies, and that's only because there is some really good CG monster action.
Anyway, here are the top 5 movies starring some of these otherwise awful actors:
5 - National Treasure 2: The first Nicholas Cage movie in this list. He doesn't carry the movie, but he doesn't ruin it either. Really, this movie is just a lot of fun and Cage doesn't wreck the funness.
4 - Constantine: This movie is so underrated. It's actually really good, and this movie has the best type of roll for Keanu Reeves...one where he is not required to talk to much and participates in a lot of cool action scenes.
3 - Sorcerer's Apprentice: Another Nicholas Cage movie. As with #5 on our list, Cage is not required to carry this movie, Jay Baruchel does that as the title character. But, Cage has his moments in this recent movie that was my favorite movie of last year.
2 - The Rock: This movie is why Nicholas Cage confounds me so much, and why he has been one of main subjects of another top 5 list already. In The Rock, I think Cage really carries the movie, and it's a really good movie. Of course, having Sean Connery never hurts, but I still think Cage carried it.
1 - The Matrix: The best possible role for Keanu Reeves. Spend the entire movie looking bewildered, not saying much, and participating in a lot of fight scenes. The first of the Matrix Trilogy is the best, in my opinion, and Keanu Reeves doesn't destroy this movie, in fact, he actually works well in the role of Neo.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Golden!!!
I now have Gold Status on American Airlines (Yes, that's the airline that just filed for bankruptcy protection! Don't ruin this for me!). In fact, I just got my "Gold Card" in the mail. This little card entitles me to many perks, including bonus miles, so I will get richer in terms of miles...yes, the rich get richer. I wonder how liberals feel about airline mileage programs.
It's weird, but getting the gold card in the mail actually made me feel good! I didn't do anything to earn these miles. All of them were earned while flying for work. In fact, while I was earning these miles, I got to sit and watch movies, eat good food, and sleep. Essentially, I was a lazy bum and I got rewarded for it. Now I'm wondering what conservatives think about airline mileage programs.
All I know for sure is that I'm Gold for the next 14 months. I'll probably have a few more trips to Brazil in my future. I'm thinking Platinum comes after Gold, and I'm sure that will be even better.
It's weird, but getting the gold card in the mail actually made me feel good! I didn't do anything to earn these miles. All of them were earned while flying for work. In fact, while I was earning these miles, I got to sit and watch movies, eat good food, and sleep. Essentially, I was a lazy bum and I got rewarded for it. Now I'm wondering what conservatives think about airline mileage programs.
All I know for sure is that I'm Gold for the next 14 months. I'll probably have a few more trips to Brazil in my future. I'm thinking Platinum comes after Gold, and I'm sure that will be even better.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Top 5 Movie Themes
To be a great movie theme, you have to know the movie when you hear the song. There are lots of these great theme songs out there, but which are the top 5? Well, I have a top 5 of my own, and I bet some of these hit your top 5. Note that I've provided links to all my favorites. Also be aware that I didn't watch all of these to the end, but I went far enough in with each to be convinced I had the song.
5 - Indiana Jones Theme - You will see a "theme" of John Williams in this list. The man knows how to compose memorable, orchestral, theme songs. When the theme hit at "Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull", I got goose bumps. Sadly, the movie didn't live up to the theme song in that case.
4 - Jurassic Park Theme - John Williams again! What did I say...the man knows how to write movie theme songs. I liked the Jurassic Park theme song so much that I bought the piano sheet music to learn how to play it. Frankly, it sounds better with a whole orchestra, but it's still fun. The theme song was the only reason to watch Jurassic Park 2 and 3.
3 - Forrest Gump Feather Song - Another one that I've been working to learn on the piano for a long time. And, our first non John Williams song...this time it's Alan Silvestri. I just love this song...I especially love the piano music. And, it leads us into a fantastic movie.
2 - Rocky Theme Song - While there didn't need to be 6 movies (though I liked them all except #5), you automatically know it's Rocky when you hear this classic song by Bill Conti, with lyrics by Carol Connors and Ayn Robbins. You hear this song and you picture Rocky running up the steps to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
1 - Superman Theme Song - Though not my favorite super hero, this movie has the best opening theme of all time. Every time I hear it, I get goose bumps, and that's what good songs do. This is John Williams at his absolute best. When we get the Superman reboot in 2013, I really hope they don't reboot the opening theme. Best movie song EVER!!!!!!.
5 - Indiana Jones Theme - You will see a "theme" of John Williams in this list. The man knows how to compose memorable, orchestral, theme songs. When the theme hit at "Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull", I got goose bumps. Sadly, the movie didn't live up to the theme song in that case.
4 - Jurassic Park Theme - John Williams again! What did I say...the man knows how to write movie theme songs. I liked the Jurassic Park theme song so much that I bought the piano sheet music to learn how to play it. Frankly, it sounds better with a whole orchestra, but it's still fun. The theme song was the only reason to watch Jurassic Park 2 and 3.
3 - Forrest Gump Feather Song - Another one that I've been working to learn on the piano for a long time. And, our first non John Williams song...this time it's Alan Silvestri. I just love this song...I especially love the piano music. And, it leads us into a fantastic movie.
2 - Rocky Theme Song - While there didn't need to be 6 movies (though I liked them all except #5), you automatically know it's Rocky when you hear this classic song by Bill Conti, with lyrics by Carol Connors and Ayn Robbins. You hear this song and you picture Rocky running up the steps to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
1 - Superman Theme Song - Though not my favorite super hero, this movie has the best opening theme of all time. Every time I hear it, I get goose bumps, and that's what good songs do. This is John Williams at his absolute best. When we get the Superman reboot in 2013, I really hope they don't reboot the opening theme. Best movie song EVER!!!!!!.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
The Best Bowling Game of the Week
Today, in my Tuesday noon bowling league, I rolled games of 258-219, which are very good games for me. We only bowl 2 games. Up until I got my new bowling ball, I had gone a long time without a game in the 250s, but I've had 4 games of 256 or higher since I bought my ball. Note that I've only rolled about 30 games with the new ball.
But, that wasn't the best game of the day. A guy bowling on the pair of lanes next to my team rolled a 296 the first game. That's 11 in a row to start out, followed by 6 on the last ball. I still have never seen a 300 game...and I've been bowling regularly since I was 12. The 296 was great, but it wasn't the best game I've seen this week.
So you're probably thinking, what's the best game you've seen this week Jake? Well, I'll tell you...it's the 124 that my son, David, bowled in his junior league on Saturday. Up until David joined this league, he hadn't bowled 10 games in his whole life. But he's really taken to bowling, and he's really listened well to his old dad giving him advice (maybe too much advice), and even more importantly, he's listened to his coach at bowling league who does a great job.
Before Saturday, David had bowled a 99 and a 96, but other than that, most of his "high" games were in the 70s. David has made steady improvement all year, so I figured a 100 game was coming, but I didn't expect it so quickly, or so easily. He started off the game with a strike (a rarity), then he doubled (2 strikes in a row) in the 3rd and 4th frames, and he got a patch for that. Bowlers love their patches. He surpassed 100 in the 8th frame. And then, for good measure, he picked up a spare in the 10th frame and pushed his score over 120.
David was so proud of himself, and I was really, really proud of him. David isn't a big "sports" kid, but it looks like we've found one sport we both like and can do together. I just have to watch myself and make sure I don't become "that dad". You know, the dad who is overbearing and ruins the sport for his kid. I don't want to be that dad. I do want to be the dad who gets to watch his kid have fun and do well at something though...I like being that dad.
But, that wasn't the best game of the day. A guy bowling on the pair of lanes next to my team rolled a 296 the first game. That's 11 in a row to start out, followed by 6 on the last ball. I still have never seen a 300 game...and I've been bowling regularly since I was 12. The 296 was great, but it wasn't the best game I've seen this week.
So you're probably thinking, what's the best game you've seen this week Jake? Well, I'll tell you...it's the 124 that my son, David, bowled in his junior league on Saturday. Up until David joined this league, he hadn't bowled 10 games in his whole life. But he's really taken to bowling, and he's really listened well to his old dad giving him advice (maybe too much advice), and even more importantly, he's listened to his coach at bowling league who does a great job.
Before Saturday, David had bowled a 99 and a 96, but other than that, most of his "high" games were in the 70s. David has made steady improvement all year, so I figured a 100 game was coming, but I didn't expect it so quickly, or so easily. He started off the game with a strike (a rarity), then he doubled (2 strikes in a row) in the 3rd and 4th frames, and he got a patch for that. Bowlers love their patches. He surpassed 100 in the 8th frame. And then, for good measure, he picked up a spare in the 10th frame and pushed his score over 120.
David was so proud of himself, and I was really, really proud of him. David isn't a big "sports" kid, but it looks like we've found one sport we both like and can do together. I just have to watch myself and make sure I don't become "that dad". You know, the dad who is overbearing and ruins the sport for his kid. I don't want to be that dad. I do want to be the dad who gets to watch his kid have fun and do well at something though...I like being that dad.
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