Seven Months Later

Here's a list of BEST MOVIES I made a while back and just rediscovered:

My Top 50 Movies (Subject to Change if people remind me of great movies I left off, or if I look at the list again and decide differently, which I've already done a dozen times today)

1 - Good Will Hunting
2 - Braveheart
3 - Shawshank Redemption
4 - Life is Beautiful
5 - LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring
6 - Dead Poets Society
7 - Saving Private Ryan
8 - Schindler's List
9 - Philadelphia
10 - Field of Dreams
11 - High Fidelity
12 - Cold Mountain
13 - American Beauty
14 - Batman Begins
15 - 300
16 - Magnolia
17 - Rocky IV
18 - The Village
19 - Forrest Gump
20 - The Rainmaker
21 - 12 Angry Men
22 - Toy Story
23 - About a Boy
24 - As Good as it Gets
25 - Hoosiers
26 - Contact
27 - Vertigo
28 - Unbreakable
29 - Robin Hood
30 - You've Got Mail
31 - A River Runs Through It
32 - Amelie
33 - Singing in the Rain
34 - The Talented Mr. Ripley
35 - Kung Fu Hustle
36 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
37 - When Harry Met Sally
38 - Love Actually
39 - Se7en
40 - Castaway
41 - A Few Good Men
42 - Psycho
43 - Grizzly Man
44 - X2
45 - To Kill a Mocking Bird
46 - Moulin Rouge
47 - Tombstone
48 - Almost Famous
49 - The Recruit
50 - Finding Nemo

The Beloved Matriarch

Cleolyn Weston

September 23, 1913 - February 13, 2009

My great grandma passed away last night. She was 95.
I'm glad she got to meet Jack. She was the reason for his middle name.

5 Generations

Inauguration Day

Inauguration Blogging -thoughts as this great day in American History progresses:

8:30am - I overheard a group of old white guys the Blue Bottle today.

• Guy 1: Be sure not to turn on your TV today.
  
• Guy 2: Yeah. The media has to care about this, it's PC.
  
• Guy 1: It's just hard to believe. I'm not watching a thing today.
  

• I really wanted to turn around and just ask what their problem was, was it that he was a Democrat, or black, or just someone different than themselves? I really regret not turning around and engaging them. I'm sure I would have just been shrugged off.
  

11:20 - It's phenomenal how many people are there. Estimates at 2mill. Wish I could be there. Looking forward to seeing the pictures of those I know who are.

11:30 - It's amazing how many living ex presidents and Vice Presidents are still alive. And there today.

11:48 - I know there has been a lot of controversy around Rick Warren, and think what you want, but its always awkward for me when someone prayers in a large group setting. It ends up being more closed-eyed sermon that personal or corporate worship with God.

11:50 - He just said the Obama girl's names with such a flair that they seemed like exotic dishes.

11:53 - Glad to see they brought Aretha Franklin in to sing, rather than Beyonce or Rhianna. Unfortunately, they gift-wrapped her head with a new-car bow.

11:58 - Alright, we've got a new VP. The first of two former President's (Cheney) of the day is out of the way. "Next please."

12:00 - Love that Yo-Yo Ma is playing. With Itzhak Pearlman. And 'Simple Gifts' is a beautiful song. One of my favorites. Oh! And a John Williams arrangement at that - it's a trifecta. I'll buy this when it inevitably shows up in iTunes later today. I love this...chills.

Sidenote: Yo-Yo can definitely relate/fit into the Obama theme of being a multinational kid. Something most drastically undervalue in Obama as President.

12:05 - Wonder if any other President has ever botched the swearing in like Obama just did. Must be pretty nerve wracking to shake him like that.

12:07 - Love the cannons firing off. And with the immediate playing of 'Hail to the Chief.' Time for the address now. Expectations are soaring.

12:08 - ' We have challenges. They will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear." Indeed.

12:11 - He is sooooo BA. He builds up, he inspires, but he is realistic, sober; he is hard, he is determined. And he can give a speech like no other we have seen in this generation.

12:14 - This idea of 'remaking America' is so good and so profound. And I'm sure it scares the bejeezus out of the old guard. But I am all in.

12:16 - Love that Malia Obama isn't listening - she is taking pictures and playing with camera.

12:17 - What is W thinking right now? Does he buy this? Does he think 'why didn't' I think of that?" or is he thinking 'This guy has no idea what he's gotten himself into.'

12:19 - Love seeing the old civil rights activists there today. I can't even imagine what this day means to them.

12:22 - The call to personal action and personal responsibility is the strongest, most important part of Barack Obama's Presidency. If only we all respond, then we can begin to see change that lasts, change that is positive, change that fulfills the coming of the Good News.

12:25 - 'America...in this winter of our hardship...with open and virtue. let us once more brave the icy currents.' This really is the stuff of legends, what a brilliant brilliant speech! It brings chills and tears - it brings hope. And I, for one, embrace it.

12:30 - The poet should come earlier. This is anti-climactic. I'm ready for commentary from Brian Williams, et al. Anyway, a poet who uses the word 'edifices' should be shot. That word shouldn't exist.

12:37 - Again, the bendiction gets the same note as the prayer from earlier. Though, I love this guys voice. Old, grizzled, jazzy. But he ended with the funny color/rhyme thing. A moment of levity that is appreciated. "Let the yellow, mellow. Let the red man, get ahead man."

12:42 - It's very strange to hear patriotic music outside of the context of 4th of July. I've always been adverse to it (mostly because of being force-fed Sousa in band). But, here it makes sense and I sort of appreciate it.

12:53 - Fascinating: G.W. is the first President who won't get lifetime Secret Service protection. He gets just 10 years. He'll have to get his own security detail after that. Very interesting.



I look forward to watching the Parade and further commentary. I really want to see pictures and videos from people who were there. This really is an historic day. Disregard your own doubts, fears, your own political leanings and recognize that, regardless of what this President does, this is an historic day in our nations history. Do not take light what change has happened in the last fifty years. We aren't perfect, we haven't arrived - the Kingdom has not been established. But it is a day worthy of attention, a time worthy of recognition. A remarkable day.

End of 2008

Some of the best songs from 2008:

Learning How to Die - Jon Foreman

Skinny Love - Bon Iver

Furr - Blitzen Trapper

Glass of Water - Coldplay

In Love With a Girl - Gavin DeGraw

You Are the Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne

Let's Dance to Joy Division - The Wombats

House of God, Forever - Jon Foreman

Swimming Pools - Thao

Nine in the Afternoon - Panic at the Disco

Goodnight - ZOX

Death Will Never Conquer - Coldplay

Music - iTunes widgets