yea idiocracy!!!

i am trying to compile a list of the best movies that add to the idiocracy of american culture. please help in this pile of crap that has contributed. i know there are some movies, i.e. saving silverman, that certain individuals, i.e. my wife, who consider to be total crap. i however LOVE saving silverman and i think this one movie tops my list of "greatest movies that yet contribute to the idiocracy of american culture." so whether you believe that it is a bad idea to make a movie like this or not, doesn't matter. what are the best movies, in your mind that are funny to you, that contribute to this list?

i'm ready glory hallelujah

so right, this week i leave for belgium. i am so excited to be going. one reason i am extremely excited is because my wife is able to join me. i have taken quite a few trips but the best one's and the one's i receive spiritual and marriage strengthening are the one's where liz gets to be by my side. peanut is not going with us because of the money factor. i personally don't see this trip a trip he would be able to handle anyway. i know liz will miss him, i will miss him too, but i have been away from dutch for extended periods of time before this trip so it's not a "first time away" feeling. besides, there is a bond a mother has with her child that no one could understand but a mother. the second reason i am excited is because of the location. when i ventured to brussels last feb. with jon v. and nathan there was an amazing impression the lord left on my heart for a specific move he wanted to do in europe as a whole. this move influences what i know is liz and my calling to ukraine. but the steps are in order and the way things will work is one step at a time. with that said this trip is furthering my understanding of the things god wants to do in europe and beyond. this trip is also viable to the strengthening of the vision god has placed inside my heart for discipleship. in some form, or capacity i will be an executor of an establishment thats primary focus will be bringing individuals from point 'a' to point 'b.' this is code for a maturation process in people. within the last few weeks i have dug up old dreams of kids and my calling with those young one's who have not yet reached adolescence. this is stirring in me once again and i know belgium plays a role in this. for now, however, live the life, get the education i need in counseling, and walk away with tools and resources that will enable to me to bare the load of fulfilling a calling i and others will be able to mark on my tombstone as revolutionary. all this is pending of course on the return of christ.

i need some peppermint tea NOW!!!!

this morning had to be the worst morning of my existence. nothing is worse than the feeling i had that woke me up around 615am. i will not go into detail, so if you are really curious as to my experience i will gladly tell you just not on this public forum. however, i will include the feelings i experienced...dizziness, extreme light headiness, and complete and utter out of control movements. that is all, i am at liberty to share, sparing my reputation as a clean, wholesome, and pure linguist and keeping my dignity. contact me through email or another form of communication if you want my dignity to be thrown out with yesterdays garbage.

with purity comes favor

i always have the greatest feeling when i leave my parents house after a night of food and fellowship. when i am able to have my wife and kid at the dinner table with my parents and sister, i can't help but gain a better grasp of the favor of the lord in my life. in life one can always say that "it's a certain way because of the people you know and the choices you have made," so by that logic, knowing my past and any proposed idea i had i am glad the doors to those opportunities where shut. i play the "what if" game in my life now but i would hate to play it and find out for real, when i consider where i could have ended up today. so many things would be gone, including but not limited to the cutest little boy in the world. this leads me to think that if anyone wants a seem less flow with just, and righteous consequence they should choose purity over selfishness every time. thats easy to say in principle, but put to the test one finds it difficult to get past the "heat of the moment" pleasure, which is only for a season. think back in life about all the golden opportunities. once, twice maybe more it may seem that a path to fulfillment and favor would have been yours for the taking. but i guarantee you this, the favor you so seek comes with a faith you are, in many cases, unwilling to give. "i want it now!" this is a desire we may all posses at times but only the immature and childish are fooled by the facade of treasure it brings. and this treasure, to the mature and righteous man or woman, is the trash they so easily dispose. increase the faith, increase the favor. its an equation that has baffled the ancient philosophers. faith comes by hearing the word and that word is meant to wash you clean. when i walk out of the door of my parents house, get into my car, and drive back home the favor of the lord is like a log on the fire of confidence in my life that i am walking in purity. i regret only this...that i haven't made these faithful decisions sooner.

giv'er time

i had a thought yesterday about the earth and those who inhabit the geographical areas with the most resources. i was able to put my thought together because of a fellow blogger in the san fran area. i don't know her, have never met her but i was doing research and found her blog to be interesting, its entitled, inspiring gifts that transform, and in it talked a little about an individual who is transforming philanthropy. the guy who she was talking about wasn't the draw but the words this lady wrote about how the worlds geographical areas of the greatest amount of resources are inhabited by the poorest individuals. that is so fascinating because it doesn't seem like it would be that way, with all the many who are the greediest people in the world. now, i imagine that those who want those resources get those resources without having to occupy the land. but to me it goes deeper than that. i think its amazing the most populated countries are also in the running for poorest too. except for one, the united states of america. it goes like this:

china - 1,313,973,713

india - 1,095,351,995

united states - 300,176,035

indonesia - 245,452,739

brazil - 188,078,227

pakistan - 165,803,560

that is amazing to me. this isn't one of those heavy blogs at all, but i am very curious as to how the united states has managed to maintain its populous and yet still remain wealthy, well if you discount the national debt, we are wealthy. i guess you can credit the fact that we are younger than 4 of those nations. that has always been my thinking...give america time, we will see what she will look like in a few more centuries.

is that it...nah

i wonder what the innate gene is that individuals get which enables them to enjoy risks. i am not a risk taker. i actually enjoy the comfort level way more than than turning the heat up. i guess this is the reason i do not play the economy game of stocks and bonds. for some reason its more than that though. i do not get motivated to be more or do something better. there is not one particular thing on this earth that could drive me to be a greater success. actually, i almost go the opposite way. i would rather not try, many times knowing that the risk is not even a risk at all, than get away from what i  know to be true in my immediate circumstance. what can i do to get comfortable? this reflection comes from my current situation, but primarily from what i can account for retrospectively over a lifetime. i am not sure at all what keeps me from desiring a great thing, or a great chance. the lord? maybe. its hard to say cause even though i have such a huge burden for a genuine culture to embrace discipleship, it is apparent, this burden is not great enough for me to stand in the midst of opposition. i am not wavering on what i know i am called to do. i am just disappointed at how long it is taking for it to happen. liz and i laid in bed talking this over, she really helped me. i was telling her how i don't carry a drive to accomplish the best or the greatest possible. for example, cause i feel this lacks illustration, david lancashire, the guy who i currently work for, is not comfortable with his current position. he has to be using his skills as an entrepreneur again and again. he sold his company that he started last summer and is now in the midst of doing more projects. it certainly isn't money that drives him, well, i can't say that for sure. david has a drive i admire and wish i had. he is just not satisfied. i use him as an example not for exposure to any flaws he has, cause you and i both have just as many, but to reveal a very great quality to admire about anyone. i know there are many, i know personally, who have this ability to be driven to success and i wonder what it is that allows them to be so great at it. i think about the reasons i don't, or am not motivated to go higher and be greater. one reason i know is one that many deal with and many can overcome, this is the resistance of being a failure. i suffer from it. no matter how many accomplishments one can point to my life and say, "look here, and look here, you have been motivated to take risk," it's all hindsight, isn't it? you tell me then that it would look the way it does now and i would have no problem with being driven to that level of success cause i would know the end product. but failure is a huge issue. another contributor to my lack of motivation to be a success is i wonder if people are thinking, "i could do it so much better than that." even when i was told that liz and i could do lifewalk i already made up my mind that no matter what i do there are gonna be so many who analyze and think, "wow, i would have done that way differently." i didn't want to, and still don't, be at odds with anyone, wanting everyone to be satisfied with whatever i put my hands to. i need counseling i know. but i am not gonna try and excuse myself. part of it is not my fault. but most if it is. i wish i had the guts sometimes to stand up to people i feel have wronged me and state my emotional condition. lord knows i could do it reasonably and righteously. but again, this is where i lack the drive to be something else. a people pleaser. and even when i would meet with josh or nathan my stance was, unconsciously, to come off stronger on certain issues. maybe i did that to make up for the softer, none driven, unmotivated personality that was my actual self, i don't know. but whatever the case, i am not satisfied, obviously, and wish i could hit that "jackpot button" that everyone keeps talking about, in my life, but fails to payout. 

look out below

sheesh...look at the markets. the dow, how about it dropping 3000 points in less than 2 weeks? i am on the outside looking in thinking 2 things:

1. is this a time for me to be excited, get educated, and look at buying stock in order to seek a long term payout? i am interested, i really am. but the whole idea of the stock market is similar to that of the roulette table. you find a company (number) you like put your money (chips) into it and let the market (wheel) play itself out, in a chance that you will gain more capital for something else. the key is, as in any gambling scenario, when do you stop? the thrill, i will admit, is a feeling that gives you an adrenaline rush you can't get from anything else. especially one who holds high convictions when it comes to drugs and alcohol. i can't say i am one of those thrill seekers, or daredevils. i am not the guy who goes to the top of the mountain, even though i am an ok skier. i don't seek a great, quick challenge. not because i don't want a challenge but because i prefer slower momentum, which inevitably will get me at the speed i am comfortable at going. i am thinking the stock market is not for me. but tomorrow who knows, the dow could jump right up to 10,000 points just as quickly as it dropped to below...well, 8300 right now. but it sounds and looks like so much fun, despite what the sources are saying.

2. as an outsider i tend to enjoy, a little bit, not a lot, people suffering financially who know better. that may sound sick but let me put it in perspective. one morning, when i used to work at the chickfila in the irving mall, we had a store meeting at the chickfila unit on beltline next to the bally's fitness. it was on a sunday afternoon...yeah, yeah I know chickfila making me work on sunday ridiculous right? well people driving by saw the cars parked outside the unit thinking, "wow, chickfila must have did away with the policy they have been enforcing for over 20 years today, and opened on sunday." people would precede to drive thru the drive thru only to find out there is no one on the other side receiving there order. this ability to reject, for some strange reason, made me feel so good. i don't know why. but when those people who were so excited or maybe a little thrilled to sink their teeth into a warm crispy nugget were turned down because of a policy well established for 20 years, i got a little evil, mr. burns"ish," feeling enjoying their misery and dissatisfied opportunity. that is evil. my point is people who are living the lush, extravagant, lifestyle where they can wipe their butts with the money i would need to scrape together to fill my gas tank, in my opinion get the downfall they deserve. that is cruel for anyone i know, whether you make 200k or 2k a year. but what seems to be happening is that those who are losing so much are cringing at the close everyday of the markets, i have good sample research, granted its only 2 individuals. i hear the chatter non-stop, especially last week, "it dropped below 9500!" me on the other hand, i hear the reports that it is a dire situation for our economy, but for some reason "i choose not to care." i have never worried nor feared it before. why should anyone? the market stands to balance itself, right? either you take advantage and sell at a high opportunity like a few months ago or wait it out another 6-7 years, so they say.

me, i am convinced that the biggest drivers, or stressors of the market are greed, and fear. surprisingly enough, those are the two that drive one to take risks. my conclusion on getting stock...

i don't know yet 

done and gone

i did it, i cut this mop and i have to say despite how wonderful my stylist is, it is not her fault. i dislike it though. it clearly is different, well, it is to me anyway. i am used to flowing locks of 70's rock n roll rage, now...i am a more 50's pop culture icon. none the less, it feels different, which is always good. anyone who says they don't like change, watch out for them cause they are obviously not right in the head. why, you ask...cause that is just how life is, changing all the time. there is not one culture on this planet that stays constant. even the freaking universe is moving and changing. what makes that one individual think they are so special to escape change. maybe i am mad cause i can't avoid it...nah, thats not it. change is coming cause comfort is destructive. thats a quote you can quote me on. 

before:

after:

notice the change, and even the computer inputs it as bad change cause of the black and white effect. i am not used to it, thats the problem. i can deal with it. plus, i am one of those individuals who hates the "salon shampoo" cause they completely strip your hair of the rock n roll oils. the salon washes once, maybe twice, and my hair, when loads of shampoo are used will fluff up real big. i hate this look with a passion. again, let me re-iterate it is not jen's fault she is an amazing hair stylist who knows how to take the idea and put it on the head. i wouldn't go to her if i didn't appreciate her style. i have been going for a long time to her place, in fact, i was originally against the big money hair cut but she cuts me such an amazing deal that i couldn't refuse the offer. so if you see me and think to yourself, "what is he trying to accomplish with his life looking like that," believe me i am thinking the same thing. but, talk to me in a few weeks, my confidence and bank account will send a different message! 

what should i do

what's up america? i wanted to take this moment and announce that i have a hair appointment on wednesday morning. i am taking suggestions as to what my style should look like. the forum is totally open and i will not get my feelings hurt on any suggestions. this is a serious request and i realize that my friends are not all of the serious nature, however i would appreciate honest suggestions. in your comments i would appreciate a suggestion with a photo of the example if you can find one.

hold onto that ball romo

the cowboys are starting to worry me a little observing these last two games. last week was just embarrassing even though the redskins are, supposedly, a good team. they beat the eagles this weekend but the eagles suck anyway. thats right philly you suck. what's troubling me the most is romo and his performance during the middle section of the games. 2nd quarter and early third he seems to drop off a little. granted he had an impressive drive late in the 4th quarter despite the fumbles and surprise on-side kick. still the ben"gals" are a team we should have "made our woman." our defense held us in this game and kept it from being an embarrassment. oh how awful would that have been to wake up on monday with another loss to the ben"gals!" oh man that would been devastating. i am not sure how long our defense can hold, however, cause injury after injury will keep our core secondary out of the game. except for roy, you can keep him out of the game. until our run defense begins to suffer, which is looking like now. next week the cardinal from arizona. no worries here...hopefully! 

biden, palin, what debate?

after watching the vice presidential debate, and hearing the remarks of political experts the day after, it's safe to say that sen. joe biden, and gov. sarah palin are both debators. big shock huh? i was a little nervous for mrs. palin who is, in my opinion, an outsider, a woman, and kinda out of the immediate loop when it comes to capital hill politics. she, however, did very well for herself. i think that is what you can walk away from the broadcast, was her ability to raise the professional bar. did she improve mccain's chances? maybe, maybe not. but overall she did better than what people expected. biden did as was expected. i would imagine the vice presidential debates are a bit tougher than actual presidential debates because in a sense you are defending your stance and the stance of your superior, the possible future president. mrs. palin's performance i feel is more detrimental to mccain's chances. people are watching her far more closely than biden. the feeling i got before hand was that she would not be able to rebuttal the facts quick enough, there would be too much political information, and she would hound the mic with verbal fillers. both debater's , biden and palin, spouted fallacies. but palin stood her ground and appealed to her base very well. but there in lies the problem. this election has so much middle ground, so many who are riding between the candidates on many issues, and are not completely satisfied in narrowing down who is the lesser of the two evils or who is the greatest of the two frontrunners. i don't see how either of them, gained the middle american's vote. it is more important for the mccain/palin candidacy then it is for the obama/biden, because of the recent polls heralding obama with a slightly higher percentage than mccain at this stage. but who knows what could happen. i didn't like some of things that both of the debaters did. one was, on many occasions, they did not answer the questions posed and kept going back to what the previous remark was made by the opponent. i think actually that may fall on the moderator more than the candidates. so the moderator was not good at maintaining control of the debate. the moderator should hold the candidates answers to what the question is and if the answer strays from the question posed not allow a rebuttal from the opponent, and like a court of law ask that the previously viewed evidence to be thrown out. i know, i know thats a little to ridiculous but i wish the role of politician would be left at the limo door. and who in the world is going to be able to remember all of what obama voted for or against and what mccain voted for or against, not me. so all in all my deduction is that in about 2 weeks this debate will be forgotten, maybe even before next tuesdays debate.

 

none the less i stop down

from time to time, on tv, there is a movie that must be watched. not because it is substantially great or anything but because i just can't pass it up. for some reason it grabs me and it won't let go til the credits roll. i, as best i could, put together the top ten list of movies that are, in no particular order:

zach's top ten stop down movies on tv:

1) the truman show 

for some reason i stop down to watch this movie every time. tbs, tnt, you name the network i will watch it. i dislike the the commercial interruptions however. jim carrey is great, in my opinion, in this role. its one of those serious/comedic roles of his that doesn't go over board. you know those roles of robin williams where he takes that personality of his overboard. this character of robin williams, in every movie by the way, has ruined his acting ability for me.

2) kindergarten cop

i don't know why! i really don't. arnold is one of the worst actors in hollywood. for some strange reason this movie gets me. especially the kid who is obsessed with tumors, and the kid obsessed with the difference between boys and girls, and...well all the little kids are great. you may not like this movie but i stop down every time its on.

3) last of the mohicans

i don't care who you are and what you do this movie is for you. nothing is more interesting than the colonial/indian/revolutionary time period. i think daniel day lewis is one of the greatest actors to walk the planet 

4) home alone

both of 'em i don't care which one is on 1 or 2. i hate, i said i hate number 3. home alone 3 is no relative of 1 or 2. these movies are when culkin was sort of sane, i guess. but you can't top the one liners in these movies. 

"look whatcha did ya little jerk!" 

"kevin, i am going to feed you to my tarantula." 

"kevin, you're what the french call les incompetents." 

"i made my family disappear"

all great quotes and memorable lines for years to come. 

5) bottle rocket

i think this is an automatic stop down for all who claim to be texan. owen, luke and james caan make this movie what it is. my favorite scene is when bob's brother confronts mr. henry and his gang of "outlaws" at the country club. "how many bullets does this thing take?" "bob, put the gun down!" "why, dignan, i bought it!" great movie, go rent it of you have never seen it. it also has a scene in a local g.p. store right across from the brass bean.

6) anchorman

this movie was built on the "one-liners." this movie is full of great scenes with any one liners such as:

brian: i think i was in love once

ron: what was her name?

brian: i don't remember

ron: that is not a good start but keep going

"there was a time before cable when everyone believed everything they heard on tv"

7) austin powers 

international man of mystery and the spy who shagged me are the best ones. the third one boasts greatness but alas i wasn't as intrigued by the genius of the third time around. again, this movie carries so many one liners you can't contain yourself. i think the snl talent goes on to stardom because of one liners. there is no big surprise there.

8) braveheart

its long, i have seen it hundreds of time, but still when it appears in the guide i can't look away. it warrants my attention every time. the fighting, the love, the redemption, the politics, and the betrayal, its like the bible in a movie, which is not a bad idea by the way. mel has his issues, and say what you want about him; he is a tremendous entertainer.

9) the edge

this is one of sir anthony hopkins' best, especially because it is one of those outdoorsy survival movies. he plays this billionaire who goes with his young hot wife to a photo shoot in alaska's backyard. his plane goes down and he is left to remember all the things he read about in a survival book he got fatefully a few weeks earlier.  

10) waterworld

i know, i know, most herald this flick as good as watching leaves blow in the wind. for some strange reason i am intrigued by the idea of the movie and not necessarily the acting. if you can watch this movie with the mindset of the polar ice caps actually melting and covering the earth over you will see it differently, i think. 

all these movies intrigue me and they are not the best on my list but rather the ones i stop down to watch anytime they are on, especially if there is nothing else on. but don't think i have excluded better movies. i just had these on the top of my mind in the last few hours.

what's your hso?

i have a hot sports opinion about the national basketball league. i am welcome to corrections but when did the league become so concerned about the players demands. i realize the talent creates the revenue, but was it, again correct me if i am wrong, this way in the older days of the league? when did owners start worrying about their talent and catering to their every want like most of todays parents do to their pre-adolescent children. i can't stand to hear the reports of players threatening to leave a team based on the coach and going to the owner giving him the ultimatum saying him or me. this is ridiculous to me. it hits close to home cause of the cuban avery situation. but man it sounds to me like cuban is sacrificing integrity to make his dollar. i believe this is across the league not just in dallas. i am not criticizing what any individual has done but rather what cuban has done based upon media reports. but what do you expect from this guy anyway...yeah thought so. i think catering to the players is sick. although it is easier to get rid of a coach than it is 2 or 3 sorry characters, but exceptional basketball players. thats my conclusion. 

i am not a them

in my recent post i entitled it we now see its end because the rant was based on my disgust with how issues of my conviction do not get addressed as i would hope they would. i can imagine generation after generation, really there is only two generations since the ruling, that would hope that roe vs. wade is overturned. who on earth is suggesting that murder, rape, and stealing become legal too? no one here i assume. i was simply trying to think like the one who would be deciphering or weighing the pressing issues of politics in my community. allow me to be a little apologetic, from time to time, for the "them" group concerning issues that people in this circle get all up in arms about.

anyways, i am getting sidetracked already, the intent of the title was to suggest based on a whole number of issues that i am sick of voting just to throw the responsibility on someone else. maybe i didn't communicate effectively, but abortion was not my title, the bailout and government spending was not my title. my title was revealing my lack of responsibility taken in voting. does that make sense. sheesh, god forbid i carry a different view than the conservative, white, american church. i am wanting a different approach. not keeping it legal, but going about it differently. i am not convinced government has everyone's best interest at heart, even mccain.

am i different person, am i inhumane? no! this society carries with them everywhere they go an us versus them mentality. if it isn't what you believe to the "t" then they are insane for suggesting it. but i don't need to defend my convictions to anyone, even though i already have. you people know i hate confrontation.

in unrelated news. i finally got a bike and went riding for the first time this morning. it was freaking cold. i anticipated it being cold a little bit so i put on sporting pants but i still wore a short sleeve shirt. man was i freezing. rode around for about 20-30 min. i wanted to take it slow cause i haven't riden, roden, been on, thats it, been on a bike in while. i felt good after though. hopefully i can get this routine i am working on set up and in place. 6:30am on monday, tuesday, friday. i have been running 2 miles for a while but the bike workout is different for some reason, especially if your a guy. the guy who sold it to me looked as though he hadn't ridden a bike in a while. he claims, however, that he goes on several "tours" with his church group. wish i had a pic.