One final christmas video

Like Jason Segel? Like Jack Black? Love duets? Than do I have a video for you! I hope you all get to spend time with those you love this holiday season :) I'll be down in southern Utah for the next 4 days with my family so I'm pretty sure I won't be able to write til probably the new year so have fun y'all! 

Snow Patrol - New York

Merry Christmas from The Killers (and Ben Folds)

The best way to spread christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear

If I had to pick my favorite holiday it would have to be christmas. Whether its the lights, the parties, bad christmas sweaters, the spirit of giving, and of course the celebration of the savior; I love it all! I still act like a kid when we put up christmas lights and go shopping for presents. I decided in the spirit of the season to share some of my favorite christmas videos I found on the inter webs. I hope you enjoy them!!

Thankful

Have you ever had the dream you had a different life where your family was wealthy and you could go anywhere you want? That maybe you wanted to look different, live in a different place, and have different circumstances? I would be lying if I haven't had these thoughts time to time especially when things are looking particularly down in life (a breakup, bad grade at school, terrible day at work). I wonder why me? why can't I catch a break. I've had these thoughts the last couple of weeks and have been reminded of how blessed I am through many experiences that can only be described as answers from my heavenly father.

I've been reminded that no matter how bad we may think we have it there's always someone who has it worse. There's always someone who doesn't have it as good as we have it. Joseph B. Wirthlin once said, "If we only look around us, there are a thousand reasons for us not to be happy, and it is simplicity itself to blame our unhappiness on the things we lack in life. It doesn’t take any talent at all to find them. The problem is, the more we focus on the things we don’t have, the more unhappy and more resentful we become.” It's a message that's made all the more timely now that the holiday season is upon us. I feel like it's important to reflect on what I've been truly blessed with and am thankful for. 

I'm thankful for....

1. My family-no matter what happens they are always there to love and help me and offer support no matter what.  My extended family as well. 

2. My job- I've spent a lot of my post high school life working at dead end jobs. I've been very fortunate to have gotten a job in the last year that I really enjoy (for the most part) and that actually provides a stepping stone into the line of work I've always dreamed of going in. My boss is one of the most helpful people i know and he's always willing to hear of my concerns and ideas. 

3. The gospel-without the gospel I don't think i would be here today. It has helped me find purpose and perspective in life and has helped me to be a better person day in and day out. I'm truly grateful for it and for Christ in my life. 

4. Education- I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to go to college and to gain a high level of education. To be able to expand my comprehension and world views. Without it I wouldn't have as clear of a understanding of the complexities of the world as I do now.

These are just a handful of things that I am thankful for in my life. I could continue to talk about my great friends and the great examples they are to me among other things. I am blessed beyond what I feel I'm deserving and whenever I feel otherwise all that I have to do is remember what I have. 

You do it too?

Gotta love SNL! I won't spoil this sketch for you, but its pretty great.  Make sure to spot the cameo by Coldplay at the end. 

Advice I'm taking to heart

Oh mario is there anything you don't know. 

My most anticipated game of the year.

  I don't play video games as much as I use to (don't kid yourself i still play quite a bit) chalk it up to growing older and being more fiscally responsible, but there are still some games that I find myself geeking out for and dare I say going to a midnight release (i know i know super nerd). One was Arkham City (which is awesome by the way) and the other is Uncharted 3. I remember playing the first uncharted nearly 4 years ago and I was floored by its visuals and excited action adventure gameplay/story. It felt like I was IN an Indiana Jones movie! (NOT THE LAST ONE THOUGH). My dad has even come up and asked me "what movie are you watching?" as I've been playing them from time to time. I still consider Uncharted 2 my second favorite game of all time. So with only two weeks til release my excitement has reached a fever pitch and I decided to share with you all why I love these games. feel free to make me feel like a nerd, but once you see these vids you'll realize you might kind of like (love) what you see.

                                    "Sic Parvis Magna” (Greatness from Small Beginnings)
                                                                    -Sir Francis Drake

                                                         Uncharted Launch Trailer  

                                    

Uncharted 2 launch trailer

Uncharted 3 launch trailer 

  

Oh and Indiana Jones himself (Harrison Ford) has played the third game 

himself and absolutely loved it! I put the original japanese commercial he was in as well as a longer video that shows he really played it. 

What I've been listening to lately

Enjoy! If the Bon Iver song doesn't make you tear up then you have no soul. 

My internal Struggle with Star Wars

Star Wars was a big part of my childhood. I'm sure this comes as no surprise to anyone who knows me. I remember obsessing over renting the movies at our local video store (remember video stores??) and watching them all in order again and again. I had hundreds of Star Wars toys growing up including my own lightsaber. I remember when I heard that special editions of the movies were going to be in theaters I begged my mom to take me and I went to every movie the week they opened.  I remember saving over 3 months of my allowance to buy the special editions when they came out on VHS. It was one of the happiest moments in my young life.  Freak even my friends and I ditched out on school to see one of the prequel movies opening day.

I have loved this series my entire life..which is why it pains me to say that I'm trying my best to get over Star Wars. Yes, I'm moving on and you can chalk it up to every cliche in the book. It's not you its me, I met someone new, I'm looking for more in my life. Why after over 20 years of loving Star Wars am I now deciding it's time to move on? It is none other than George Lucas. I truly feel he gone off the deep end when it comes to changing these movies. I was too young to really notice any of the changes he made in the special editions and I'd even say I thought they were really cool! I even liked the prequel movies (I'll still defend Episode 3 to this day). As I get older however, I realize just how not good they are. I can still watch the original movies and get joy out of them. I don't feel the same way about the new movies now that I see what they really are...effects heavy shells of what the first movies were. The original movies had characters you cared about and could easily relate to. In the new movies I couldn't relate to any of the characters (anyone who can relate to jar jar binks, I'm sorry there's no hope for you). The dialog is so bad I can't decide if I want to cringe or laugh out loud.

Anyway back from my tangent...when i bought the dvds of Star Wars I noticed more of the random changes Lucas made to the original movies. Like at the end of Return of the Jedi where he replaced the original Anakin Skywalker with Hayden Christensen from the new movies. Um...why? There's no reason. He didn't replace the original Obi-wan with Ewan Mcgregor. I don't understand...plus all the extra effects he puts in just don't add anything and instead really stand out like a sore thumb in the original trilogy.


Well..he's at it again with the Blu-ray release. Here's a few of the main changes.

I read a great review of the new blu-ray release of the Star Wars movies on www.bluray.com that I think hit the issue with Lucas right on the nose.

I have a theory about George Lucas, and it

 has to do with third-world cult-of personality dictators.

Hear me out. Why is it that dictators always wear the most

ridiculous outfits? In his green jumpsuit, Kim Jong-il looks

 like an elevator repairman. General Idi Amin Dada wore

a kilt and pretended he was Scottish. Colonel Gaddafi is a

 veritable anti-fashion show of sartorial blunders. Why?

Because there's no one to tell them, "No. You look like

 an idiot. Put some real clothes on." I never thought I'd

 quote a Kanye West lyric in a review, but "No one man

should have all that power." And I think that's what's

happened with George Lucas. He has too much power.

He can toy around with his creation as much as he'd like,

 and there's no one to tell him, "No, George, stop. You're

only making it worse." You've probably already heard that

 all six films are now in the process of being retooled for

3D theatrical re-releases. Sigh. What's ironic and

self-condemning is that, in 1988, Lucas once issued a

statement to the assembled U.S. Congress, asserting

that, "People who alter or destroy works of art and our

cultural heritage for profit or as an exercise of power

are barbarians." I'll let that one speak for itself.

This is exactly how I feel. Lucas has become so powerful that he has yes men who tell him every idea he has is a good one. "Sure George Jar Jar Binks sounds like a classic idea! Your a genius!" "Yes George lets make yoda fight in a giant lightsaber battle." "Yes George lets make the ewokes blink! your a cinematic genius." No one who works under him has the courage to say, "George what are you doing? Leave your movies alone! Don't you have better things to do?" I feel like if I shell out more money to Lucas all he will do is keep updating these movies for the worse. I'd prove that I don't care what he puts in his movies cause I'll still buy them and support him. Not anymore, I'm taking a stand.

I can't make your heart feel something it won't

One of my favorite songs right now and probably one of the best covers I've heard 

A collection of my favorite movie scenes

Say what you will about me but I love a terrible movie. Call it what you will...a way to make me feel better about myself, I enjoy hurting myself emotionally and make myself sick physically from such awful masterpieces, but I can't help but enjoy them more than any real normal person should. Maybe i need a therapist? Oh well..Netflix happens to have one of the best collections of terrible movies including Mystery Science Theater movies!!! Here are some of my favorite clips and maybe some of you will find some method to my madness.

Nora The Piano Cat: The Sequel - Better than the original!

I love this cat

We would make the best band ever

Star Wars according to a 3 year old.

The Best Cat Video You'll See Online This Week

After the Storm

It's the start of a new stage in my life.
Starting school at a full fledged university tomorrow. Couple that up with a new job, new responsibilities, and a new schedule and it seems like theres a lot of daunting change thats coming at every angle. I have only about two years of credits to take in school to complete my bachelors plus I have a new job I'm still getting familiar with at KSL. If I looked back at where I was a year or so ago it would definitely be a eye opening experience. A lot has changed and so have I, yet I can tell I still have a long ways to go.

I had a home teaching companion who told me something once that has resonated with me for so long. He said that "were all governed by our fears." The more I think about it the more I think it's true. How we act, what we say, our insecurities are all governed by what we fear. They keep us from doing things like telling a cute girl you like how you feel, trying something new, fulfilling your lifelong dreams. I think it might be impossible to overcome all of my lifelong fears but i do hope to be able to say I did my best to fulfill my own personal dreams and desires. As I do so I feel like I'm paving my own road doing things nobody in my family has done before. Looking back at what I've done before and after my mission I can say I've done more than I could possibly think was possible. I have a great job, a really close family, a stronger testimony of gods love, and I've achieved some of my own bucket list goals. I feel like i should almost anticipating trials, self doubt/fear will overtake me along the way. I hopefully will be ready to face these storms with a great attitude and maintain my dedication to myself and God.


"And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears.
And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears.
Get over your hill and see what you find there,
With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair."-Mumford and Sons

Life Lessons

Who knew lifes lessons were all found in this amazing tv show. All of the episodes are on Netflix so do yourself favor and prepare to be educated! (the sound and picture are a little off sync but I hope you still enjoy it).

Childhood memories ruined Part 6: Insert Clever One Liner

Wow it feels like it's been forever since I've actually brought back this little blog post. Did you miss it? (probably not). I figured I would dedicate this to two of the things I'm more shameful of liking as a child. Two movies based on video games I loved as a child. Looking back now I wonder why I liked these movies. Cheesy dialog, nonsensical plots, terrible acting and sfx. The list goes on and on and on. Maybe I spent my entire childhood watching them in denial. 

Steve Carrell is so demanding!

Steve Carell's Movie Poster Contract from Steve Carell

Having a rough week? This should get you through it

I have a weird affinity for 80's movies. I also grew up watching and basically loving every Arnold movie (i could even be quoted as saying he was the best actor in the world.) Obviously that statement is a little over the top but hey i was like 12 years old! So i found these videos on YouTube. They are opera versions of some of Arnolds movies. (FYI there is a little language in the terminator video so just a warning). Enjoy!

I guess you could call this THE LIST

Thrice

Ever since going to the Warped Tour back in high school I've always been a really big fan of music and specifically concerts. I LOVE concerts. Some of my friends have asked me how many concerts I've been to and I've had a hard time putting together a list...until now. These are all the bands that I've seen live (some at the same concert). 

Rise Against

Head and the heart

• New Found Glory
• Arcade Fire
• Local Natives
• Sondre Lerche
• Thrice
• Thursday
• 311
• The Fray
• Relient K
• Jacks Mannequin
• Something Corporate
• Saosin
• Mest 
• Dynamite Boy
• Allister
• The Early November
• Alkaline Trio
• Death Cab For Cutie
• Peter Frampton
• Styx
• Reo speedwagon
• Creed 
• Our lady peace
• Fun
• Relient k 
• Paramore
• Jimmy eat world 
• Blink 182 
• Green day
• Brand new
• Offspring
• Airborne toxic event
• Mxpx
• AFI
• Acceptance
• Anberlin
• Armor for sleep
• Rise against
• Avenged sevenfold
• Allred
• Alien ant farm
• Fall out boy
• Starting line
• Transiberian orchestra
• The eagles
• BTO
• Audio karate
• Ace enders 
• Cute is what we aim for
• Mae
• Matchbook romance
• Secondhand serenade
• We shot the moon
• Parachute
• Australian pink floyd
• Def leppard
• Poison
• Cheap trick
• Fourteen days from forever
• Red jumpsuit aparatus
• NOFX
• Midtown
• Dear and the headlights
• Yellowcard
• 12 stones
• Unwritten law
• Tsunami bomb
• Billy idol 
• Reel big fish
• Fictionist
• Small town sinners
• No use for a name
• Face to face
• 38 special
• Melissa ethridge
• Ben folds 
• Windsor dirve
• Mae
• She & him
• U2
• Iron & wine
• Head and the heart
• Kishi Bashi
• Cary Brothers
• Joshua Radin
• Ace Enders
• Senses Fail
• The Transplants

And here is what i call my "Bucket List" of bands I want to see in concert before I die (don't make fun of me I still like country).

• Mumford and Sons
• Coldplay
• Foo Fighters
• Dashboard Confessional
• Minus the Bear
• Tim Mcgraw
• Taking Back Sunday
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• AC/DC
• Taylor Swift
• Paul McCartney (or Ringo either former beatle is acceptable)
• Fleet Foxes
• Rush

Some of these are pretty easy to accomplish, some are gonna be pricey, but I'll tell you what I'm sure they'll be worth it

*Update my friend Jordan kindly reminded me about Garth Brookes so he is now on the bucketlist. Garth get out of retirement! I'll buy you a coke!!!