2 Movie reviews for ya...

So this weekend was a different weekend in that I got to see not one, but two movies. I thought I would offer up a few thoughts on them for you as I often do....

The first movie I saw was Mamma Mia, the musical set to the music of ABBA. Now I have to admit, I do like musicals, but I was not looking forward to this one since I can't say that I am a fan of ABBA and my only impression of this musical was that it was the one that kept me from seeing Phantom in Toronto since it took over the Pantages theater there. Not to mention the fact that it was opening night for the Dark Knight. But like any good husband would do I yielded and we went to see her choice. All in all it was decent. I think it has a high enough cheese factor to become a late night cult classic that people sing along to (it was somewhere between Velveeta and Cheese Whiz-not sure which one yet). It is a little campy, but the story is decent-a young girl getting married sends invitations to her three possible fathers and they all show up. Needless to say the hilarity ensues from there. It is definitely not a kids movie by any means but would make for a decent date night for a couple. I'll have to admit I am glad I went to see it, but as far as I am concerned Pierce Brosnan lost his Bond card I'm afraid, I was fine until one part where he spontaneously bursts into song. Overall I give it a B-

Luckily, I took my normal Sunday afternoon nap time to catch a showing of the Dark Knight. I have really been looking forward to this one since I loved Batman Begins and think that Christopher Nolan has done a wonderful job of taking the Batman franchise and literally blowing it up into a mega-hit. I was not disappointed at all. Heath Ledger's Joker character is amazing as predicted and it is just a shame he won't be able to reprise the role should there be a third movie. I have been a fan of the Batman movies (even the somewhat cheesy previous four before BB) but this one is the best as far as I am concerned. I did not find myself once looking at my watch to see when the end was coming. The story is encompassing and very well presented. One word of advice, it is definitely not a kids movie. Even though Batman is a comic book character this is a very dark story and is definitely too much for anyone under the age of 13 in my opinion. In fact I am somewhat surprised that it didn't get an R rating. It is definitely worth seeing if you want a good action movie! Overall rating A+

Thoughts?

Bragging on a kid...

I love it when I get the chance to brag on a kid! This is one of my teens who at 16 already knows what he believes to be right in the political realm and is not afraid to stand up and talk about his beliefs. He also has a deep desire to grow spritually and dig as deep as he can in his walk with Christ. To say the least I am proud of him, and to make a long story short, he created quite the buzz last week at this town hall meeting with Senator McCain. Way to go Taylor!

Home owner update...

The AC is up and running and seems to work better than ever. Although it took three weeks to get it fixed the guys at Hughes Plumbing, Heating, and Electric did a phenomenal job. I guess I learned how AC is one of the pleasures that we take for granted too often since two of the three weeks were the hottest so far this summer.

On the financial note, God provided the funds as needed as I knew he would. The cost was just over our deductible so the insurance paid some and thanks to our "emergency fund" we learned about through Dave Ramsey we had just enough to cover the cost.

So here's to AC, planning ahead, and Lord willing no more repairs anytime soon-since we now have to rebuild our emergency fund.

Welcome to home ownership...

We could use your prayers today. To make a long story short part of our house flooded today via the toilet in the bathroom. We've had some hefty storms the last couple of days and not sure yet what happened, but the hose on the toilet tank began spraying water everywhere. Not normally an issue unless you catch it a couple of hours after it happened. Needless to say the water ran out of the bathroom into the vent in the hallway causing the HVAC tubing to collapse dumping water everywhere and beginning a nice waterfall into the basement-onto all of the boxes we haven't unpacked yet. The duct work (and maybe more will have to be replaced). It's frustrating and we'll have to file an insurance claim, but it is just stuff and we'll get through it. As for the finances of the situation-it'll be tough, but I serve a big God and I am trusting that He will work everything out. Thanks for praying! God is good! I'll keep you posted-thanks for praying!

We lost a good one today...

Hollywood lost a good one today in the form of Harvey Korman. He will be missed. I remember staying up on the weekends and watching many of these classic sketches with my family. Here is one of my favorites! RIP Mr. Korman, you will be missed

Working in a Methodist Church...

One perk of working in a methodist church...a beautiful pipe organ on Sunday morning playing the great hymns of the church.

One drawback of working in a methodist church...Having a beautiful pipe organ being played for hours by someone preparing for a weekend concert during office hours when your office is right down from the sanctuary.

It's beautiful, but I'm ready for a break. I can only turn my itunes up so loud.

Final idol rant...

Well it's over for another year. I'll have to admit, I was nervous that David A was going to win, but am pleased that David Cook won. I was a little off though on my vote prediction-12 million WOW! I think America spoke even though the judges favored Archuleta. I think I will definitely buy David Cook's album when it comes out. Does anyone know if the song he sang when he won was the traditional submit your own song? Just curious. I liked it, but it was a little hokey if you ask me. Congrats to both and to the top 10 as well who will wind up with deals or at least on a Wal-Mart past idol finalist CD (have you seen those?).

That's all the idol talk until next year! Thoughts?

Weekly Idol Rant...

So it comes down to the Davids as I had expected. My fear is that we will have another Taylor Hicks moment where the best singer does NOT win. Archuleta is going to draw alot of the teen/tween vote-especially now that he has shown some emotion even though David Cook is by far the best performer as far as that goes. My hopes are that Cook pulls it off as he has just the right edge of pop and rock and would fit exactly what idol is looking for in a star. The thing not to forget though is that NEITHER of them will leave without some type of record deal.

My pick-David Cook wins...barely (to quote Seacrest..."in the closest vote in Idol history, your winner is...we'll find out after this....your winner is-long boring pause-DAVID COOK!")

Thoughts?

FINALLY!!!

We are FINALLY in possession of the keys to our house. Nothing like waiting until day 29 of the 30 days after closing clause of the contract. Now the unpacking process begins....anyone want to do it for me?

Weekly Idol Rant...

Anyone else think Idol is just losing its flair? I was not that impressed last night and we are just a couple of weeks out from the finale. I just find myself wishing it would get to the end because it just seems to be the same. Same comments, same performances, same outcome.

With that said...Sayesha is starting to win me over. For the third week in a row I thought she had 2 great performances, but it is probably too little too late. Again Cook was awesome (but a little weaker this week), Archuleta was "boy," and Castro messed up. I hope they send Castro packing this week, but with his "looks" it will probably be Sayesha and heaven forbid David Cook. It all depends on who voted. If all the tweens blew up the phone lines and text messages who knows. I guess we'll know at 9 EST tonight.

McKee- OUT!

Weekly Idol Rant...

Finally we got rid of Brooke, the way things are going Sayesha will probably be next. I am pretty much running out of things to say since the competition is almost over, but I am still picking David Cook to win it. I again thought he nailed it the other night, and the other David ruined "America." I have decided that the reason I don't like Archuleta, but probably the reason he is going so far is that he is too "boy." What I mean by that is that is almost too Jonas Brothers, too poppy and just kind of show choirish...he puts me in the mind of Alfonso Ribiero's "Carlton" character from the Fresh Prince of Bell-Aire. He's just a dork I am afraid, but I guess he can sing. He may make it to the finals.

Thoughts?

Out of the mouths of babes...

Had a good laugh yesterday at lunch and learned a valuable lesson...never say anything to a 2 1/2 year old you don't want repeated. My newest niece Chloe was dedicated yesterday morning and so we all went out to eat as a family after the service. Paige (the 2 1/2 year old), wanted to know why Meg and I were still dressed in our church clothes since her mom and dad had already changed her clothes. She asked and Megan why and then said she should change her clothes and take a shower (since that's normal right?). I promptly chimed in jokingly that it would be good for Aunt Meg to take a shower since she smelled like "poo." I don't have kids so I didn't think anything of it.

Fast forward 15 minutes....Paige is tapping the waitress on the shoulder, and boldly proclaims, and I quote, "My Aunt Meg needs to take a shower because she smells like poo!" Needless to say my side hurts today from laughing so hard. Meg wasn't embarrassed and laughed too.

So I guess the moral is when trying to tease and have fun with your niece realize that everything said WILL be repeated in some way, shape, or form.

Weekly Idol Rant...part2

The bottom two should NOT have been the bottom two. I am convinced no more than ever that Idol has become a joke. I don't think that Carley or Sayesha had what it took to be the idol, but it is clear that something is up when the two worst performances are safe while two of the best are up for elimination and one of them went home. Oh well, I guess at this stage you can only have one winner, but still I think something is up as Carley Smithson should NOT have gone home. It will be interesting to see what happens next.

Thoughts?

Weekly Idol Rant...part1

Props to American Idol for featuring the music of Andrew Lloyd Weber. Those who know me know that I love the music from almost all of his musicals. So to hear it last night on Idol was awesome, although I was a little concerned how much they would "pop" it up and the only one to do that was David Archuleta. I like ya David, but you ruined "Think of Me" by making it pop-sure it could be a hit, but it just took away from the flair and mysteriousness of Phantom.

As it relates to the bottom three, I'm struggling with a guess as to the last of the three. For sure I expect to see Brooke and Jason there, but I am not really sure of the third. I think last night we saw for sure who the final four are. If I have to pick a third I am going to guess Carly since she has been there before and although it was still a PHENOMENAL performance, there were some parts that were a little rough.

Going back to Brooke, I am glad she pulled it back together and I am with Simon, I think she did a great job by stopping and starting again...I've been to concerts where that has happened and I think when an artist loses it, it shows their human side if they start again. However, she lost it and I think it killed what could have been a great performance.

David and Sayesha hit it out of the park last night and I think Sayesha takes the award for best performance of the night. I'll write more after the results, and it will be short unless some shocker happens-which could well happen since Idol is so "real."

Thoughts?

Weekly Idol Rant...

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU AMERICA!!!! You stopped voting for Kristy Lee Cook and she went home! While she wasn't nearly as bad as Sanjaya she just wasn't good. Speaking of Cook's David Cook sealed the deal as far as I am concerned for my vote for this year's winner. I'm not even a Mariah Carey fan and I thought he did an awesome job hitting it out of the park Tuesday night.

I am really excited that the music next week will be Andrew Lloyd Weber if I heard things right. I cannot WAIT for those performances, but PLEASE do not ruin the songs from some of the most amazing musicals out there.

We're winding down, and idol will be over soon as well as the other good shows and then it will back into summer re-run limbo, but hey at least we're used to that now since we had the biggest part of this year's TV season interrupted by the strike.

That's all for now...thoughts?

Weekly Idol Rant...

WOW! Michael Johns goes home? I sort of agree with the audience booing after that one. While his performance of "Dream On" was forgettable as no one can do that song like Steven Tyler from Aerosmith I am not sure it was a valid enough reason to send him home. My fear is that "votefortheworst" has picked up another contestant like they did last year and are keeping them around while getting rid of the ones that are good enough to stay (a la Sanjaya last year). Stuff like that frustrates me, but since it is an America votes competition nothing can be done. I don't think Michael was strong enough to win the competition, but he wasn't that bad either.

On the flip side, Idol gives back was good again this year. The performances didn't wow me necessarily (and I was not impressed in the least bit at the leather-or rubber-pants that Fergie wore during her performance of Barracuda with Heart), but it is good to be reminded again that there are those in and out of the country that need help. So I guess as much as possible whether through Idol or your church do SOMETHING to make a difference in the world. Give some money if you can or give of your time to make a difference.

Well that's it for the week, thoughts?

As of today...

As of 12 noon today...WE ARE OFFICIALLY HOMEOWNERS!!! Now, if we can just get in the house. That should happen soon, but hey at least we are one step closer. Here is a couple of pictures for you to show of the place...

Megan is thrilled about the big kitchen...

This is the living room (formal), but the TV will be downstairs in my "man cave"

Thanks for all of your prayers, we have sure appreciated them! We'll keep you posted as time goes on!

Weekly Idol Rant...

So Ramiele went home last night. No big surprise for me. She just never really had a WOW performance. Don't get me wrong, she's decent, but not idol material as far as I am concerned. I also PRAY that they NEVER do Dolly Parton songs again. I was ready to change the channel after the first words of "Jolene" and who is surprised that Simon thought that singing "I will always love you" didn't live up to the original or the Whitney version.

I love idol, don't get me wrong, but I pray that it gets better soon. The season is winding down and I am getting a little weary of it. I'll keep watching though since it gives me something to blog about.

Thoughts?

Weekly Idol rant-delayed

Well I missed Idol this week because of the move, but I heard that Chekieze got sent home. I'll have to admit, that is a bit of a shocker to me, it must have been a really bad performance. Anyone know what happened? I guess just when you thought the show was somewhat predictable, something like this happens! I really thought he would make it to the top 5 or 6.

A quick update...

Well the house in Florida is completely empty save for a few small items we couldn't fit in our cars or the truck (we'll get them this weekend when we head back down) and the truck has been unloaded...how we fit everything into the garage of the house we are buying I have no idea. Now we continue the waiting process as we finalize all of the paperwork for the house we are buying. We should close sometime in the next two weeks and hopefully have possession shortly there after...I am really excited although I still almost want to puke every time I think about the size of the loan we are getting. It's nothing unreasonable for a house, but is still WAY more than we have every borrowed before.

Tomorrow we'll head back south for TNT@TNU on the the campus of Trevecca Nazarene and then back down to Pensacola for our final service at Ensley. Then we'll head BACK up here to officially start at Christ Church in Jackson on the 1st. I think I'll need a vacation before all this is over with...but since we're buying a house it will probably a while until we take a vacation again.

Still filling out lots of paperwork and transferring insurance and all of that. I think I'll have carpal tunnel or wrist problems before I am done signing my name on all of this paperwork.

On a funny note yesterday after we loaded everything into the garage in a grand total of 45 minutes (Thanks to everyone who helped unload), I asked Megan where the box of North Florida t-shirts were for TNT. She said "what box of shirts?" Thus began the search of climbing over everything to the back of the garage squeezing my fat behind into places thought unlikely and looking for a box of shirts needed for this weekend. After searching almost an hour in the back with no luck I was ready to give up until we looked at the front one last time and it was within reach without no issues whatsoever...oh the joys of stress, I don't think I ever do anything the easy way, but all is good and we got a great laugh out of it.

I am not sure how much access I'll have to the net in the next few weeks, but I'll try to drop in as much as possible and keep up with the regular posts as well. My new email is matt@jacksonchrist.org.

Thanks for all of your prayers!
-Matt