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Reading

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One of my favorite pastimes is reading. I am always in the middle of a novel, reading a magazine, following blogs, etc…

I have been this way most of my life and cannot imagine a time when I did not want to read. In my opinion anything that involves written words and your eyes moving between them with your brain processing the meaning of those words counts as reading. Whether you are reading a classic novel, cheap romance book, or even a comic, it is still reading and a good way to work that particular part of your brain.

I tend to go from serious literature to mindless fun depending on my mood. What I am most amazed by is people who say they do not like to read. For some, the feeling is you must be reading what is considered by most to be a legitimate, well respected novel in order to be a true reader, but that is not the case. Perusing a blog post is reading and can be very enlightening. Even checking out the latest superhero comic count as reading and works parts of your brain that need to be exercised often.

I enjoy all forms of entertainment from movies and television to gaming and collecting sports cards. The one thing that keeps my mind going though is reading. Without reading I would not be able to expand my knowledge of the world around me which has been a goal of mine in adulthood.

Even if you do not consider yourself a reader and do not have the patience to dig into a big book, go ahead and grab your favorite magazine or read something online and realize you are more of a reader than you originally thought.

Ghostbusters Reboot

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As we all know, the ‘Ghostbusters’ reboot cast has been announced – Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wigg, and Melissa McCarthy, and I’d love to talk about that.

I personally love all these comedians, especially Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon which you can see every Saturday on SNL. I personally don’t understand all the “controversy” on an all-female cast. These are all amazing comedians, and a lot of people love them.

When it comes to a reboot, I would personally hate to see the same thing in just a modern setting. An all-female ‘Ghostbusters’ is an amazing and creative and – I feel, most importantly – a progressive idea. The same thing again in a modern setting is obviously a dull idea. I feel like that’s why ‘The Amazing Spider-man’ movies didn’t do very well. It was different, but it wasn’t really all that new. Reboots always need to have more than just a few new elements.

The first name I was most excited about was Leslie Jones. I love her sense of humor, she’s so funny and is my favorite person on SNL right now. I think a role in ‘Ghostbusters’ is perfect for her. I think she’s the most perfect pick out of the four. I think Kate McKinnon is also hilarious and deserves this role just like all the others. I can’t wait to see both of these actresses do an absolutely great job.

I feel like Kristen Wigg and Melissa McCarthy were obvious choices. They’re both absolutely wonderful actresses and two of the funniest comedians right now. From what I can remember, I think they work perfectly with each other, and I’m excited to see them in these roles. I hope all these actresses can work well together in the movie.

And that’s how I feel about the ‘Ghostbusters’ reboot! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

WWE Fastlane

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maxresdefaultLast Sunday was the final PPV before Wrestlemania, Fastlane. It was an overall good show and set the stage for the biggest wrestling event of the year quite well.

Some of the matches seemed a little thrown together at the last minute, but overall this show did its job and set the stage for what has the potential to be a great Wrestlemania.

You can still get the WWE Network for the rest of the month free so you can watch the replay so I will not go into great detail, but I will spoil a few key moments.

The confrontation between Sting and Triple H was fantastic. Both performers came off great and to see the two of them fight was awesome. The match between the two of them for Wrestlemania is official and I am beyond excited to see Sting at his first ever Wrestlemania.

There was a big swerve when The Undertaker’s (who has been gone since last year’s Wrestlemania) music hit and a coffin was wheeled out only to reveal Bray Wyatt in the casket. He gave a great promo and extended a challenge to The Undertaker for Wrestlemania. Great build up for what could be a very memorable match.

The biggest resolution of the night was Roman Reigns beating Daniel Bryan to face Brock Lesnar for the World Title at Wrestlemania. It was an excellent match with both performers coming off well. The WWE maintained the legacy of the Royal Rumble victor getting the title shot at the biggest show of the year and did so in a great way.

Overall, there were moments during the show that seemed a bit off, but it did a great job of positioning Wrestlemania to be a great show and give the fans a memorable night.

Positive Attitude

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I am trying a bit of an experiment. I am normally a pretty happy guy, but like most people I tend to focus more on the negative than the positive. Perfect example is I am thrilled to be employed, but not overly thrilled of what I do for a living. I have looked for jobs that I would be good for and more happy doing, but they are not too keen on hiring me just yet. I am not young and my options feel limited, but I know deep down there is something better out there for me that I can really enjoy and feel like I am doing positive/useful work.

I still have these moments of ‘I am stuck here’, ‘I am unqualified’, ‘I am going to die here’, etc… What I believe I need to do is have a better attitude towards my current job and at the same time realize there is something better out there for me…it is just taking me a while to find it.

I always here about how a good attitude can have positive effects on your life. Well, time to finally test that theory. I have been lucky to have an overall good life, but professionally I have never been 100% satisfied. I do believe strongly that there is a much more satisfying job out there for me. I just need to open my eyes and attitude for it to happen.

Okay, today is day one of a great, positive attitude. Lets see what good things I can make happen!

NXT Takeover: Rival

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NXT-Logo

NXT Takeover: Rival was simply amazing. Yet again WWE’s version of a ‘d-league’ has outshone the main roster. I will not go into great detail nor give match results since I really feel you have to watch this show. If you are not a subscriber to the WWE Network you can get it for free this month only and at least watch this show to understand what I keep going on and on about.

A few highlights:

The show started with Hideo Itami vs. Tyler Breeze. Two great workers that fed off of each perfectly, put on a great match, and got the crown going.

Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks vs. Bayley vs. Becky Lynch in a four way for the NXT Women’s Championship…WOW! Amazingly good with some incredible spots.

Finn Balor vs. Adrian Neville was one of the best worked matches I have seen in a while. They paced the match perfectly and both came off great. Both men deserve to be on the main roster headlining PPV’s. This may be the match of the year in the WWE.

The main event was Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens for the NXT title. After Balor vs. Neville this main event had the potential to be forgotten, but both men put on an exciting and brutal match that will be remembered.

If you are a long time wrestling fan or just want to check it out, sign up for the WWE Network for the remainder of this month at no charge and give NXT a shot.

If this is the future of the WWE, then the future has never been brighter.

The Weather

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Just a short bit of random thoughts this morning…

I woke up today and noticed how weird the weather is here in Arizona, not that I was not already aware of that fact since I have lived here my entire life.

This time of year when you wake up it is still chilly enough to wear a sweater or jacket, but by lunch it is too warm. My car was frosted over when I woke up, but by this afternoon I am already feeling warm and need the air conditioner running in my car.

Now don’t get me wrong, I would rather have 80 degree weather than massive snow storms, etc… I would like to have a white Christmas at some point in my life though.  I just need to figure out where to move where I could get snow, but not too much…I have a feeling that place does not really exist except in my mind 🙂

 

NXT WWE

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Hey guys! Recently, I’ve really gotten into wrestling, and just as recently, the main roster has been a bit off, so I took more notice into NXT, where new wrestlers go to be exposed to WWE audiences and learn how to work in their environment and building up their characters. I’ve gotta say, it’s really amazing.

NXT is such a great place for these new wrestlers. The divas have a real place in NXT, they don’t just get two-five minute matches that are fillers, they get some legit matches there. The storyline for the divas is more intricate like the superstars’ are. That’s always upset me with the main roster. The divas work so hard to get where they are, but they still only get one match, and sometimes two. The NXT divas don’t have more matches each episode, but with how long they are I feel like the wrestling world might make some progress and we’ll get to see them all more often.

I have been absolutely loving Charlotte. She is such a great wrestler, and she has made her father, Ric Flair, so proud. Charlotte is amazing, and she was the first one to bring my attention to NXT’s divas division. She’s got great charisma, and she pulls off her gimmick really well, and her feud with Sasha Banks is fantastic, and I’m really hoping that the little fights between Bayley and Charlotte lead to them having a feud – and I would really love if this lead to Bayley maybe changing her gimmick a bit.

It’s hard for me to judge the other divas, I’ve always been focused on Charlotte, but I really feel like they’re all doing a great job with their given gimmicks. Bayley is the only one that comes off as a weaker competitor to me, but I do feel like she can get there.

 

Hideo Itami is a great athlete and wrestler. His gimmick is good and serious, he’s strong and fairly fast, but I will admit that he is stiff (this is what NXT is for though, to expand yourself, to grow, and to learn.) – but right now his twitter feud with Tyler Breeze is fantastic. Tyler picks on Hideo and Hideo comes back just as well, in my opinion.

 

I really respect Tyler Breeze during this whole twitter feud. He has not once made any sort of comment on Hideo’s race, unlike Curtis Axel, whose first comment on him was about his race.

 

Tyler Breeze has such a fun gimmick, it’s definitely good to start out with a character like this. I think he’s hilarious, and – in a goofy way – charming. He’s a great wrestler too, he does a great job staying in character.

 

Adrian Neville is honestly one of the best athletes I’ve seen, and it’s amazing that he can only get better. He is a high-flying wrestler, and he almost always executes every move amazingly. He can keep pace like crazy and every match is so cool and fantastic. His feud with Sami Zayn was absolutely amazing too. It honestly was one of the best I’ve seen. It had depth, and it definitely showed me that NXT is a truly amazing place to be if you’re a new wrestler.

 

Sami Zayn is just as amazing as Adrian Neville. During their feud, they complemented each other perfectly throughout the entirety of it. He has recently gotten a bit more wild, and I really like that. It’s character development, and I am really excited for his and Kevin Owen’s match on NXT Takeover. I know they’re going to put on an amazing match, and I am just so excited for it.

 

NXT is amazing, I know that if Triple H had full control over WWE, it would be amazing. NXT has been nothing but perfect. I definitely feel like everyone should pay attention to these guys, even the ones I haven’t mentioned.

NXT

NXT Takeover: Rival

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20140509_NXTakeoverLogo_Homepage

This Wednesday is the new NXT special Takeover: Rival. The buildup to this event over the past few weeks has been phenomenal.  NXT has really shown how to properly build up to special events week in and week out and alone makes the $9.99 a month for the WWE Network worthwhile.

All the matches on the show have great potential, but there are 2 that really stand out:

1) Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens for the NXT Championship – The build up to this match has been excellent. It started a couple of months back when Zayn won the belt and Owens came to congratulate him and then suddenly turned on Sami and attacked him.  The weeks following have featured great confrontations, excellent promos, and a fun contract signing that makes this match must see. This has been an excellent example of how to properly build up a feud that the fans will care about.

2) Finn Balor vs. Adrian Neville for an NXT Championship shot – Oh boy…beyond a doubt two of the best wrestlers and greatest athletes not only on NXT, but also all of the WWE. The potential for this match to become the best match of the year is high. This has ‘must-see’ written all over it.

Overall, this show has a good shot of being one of the best of the year and next week I will give my review of it.

In the past year NXT has not disappointed and I really hope they don’t start anytime soon.

Health progress

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I finally got myself back to my pre-holiday weight. I spent most of January hovering between 197 and 200 lbs., but as of last Friday I finally got back down to 192 which puts me 7 pounds away from my goal weight.

Exercise has been sporadic lately, but I am still keeping fairly active and looking to get right back on the exercise track this weekend. The exercise is key for me to get to a point where I am not embarrassed to be shirtless on the beach or  poolside since I am still a bit ‘doughy’.

Weight loss can be a struggle at times, but seeing the results makes things a little bit easier for me. As long as I eat healthy, try to be as active as possible, and keep up a positive attitude I will succeed at this by not only losing that last 7 lbs., but keeping it off as well.

Anything I can do to extend my life as long as possible is worth the struggle.

Thor: The Dark World

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Hey guys! This is my review of Thor: The Dark World, which is an overall great movie and never gets boring.

Malekith was wonderful, and Christopher Eccleston played it amazingly. The only thing I had seen him in was Doctor Who, and I couldn’t recognize him as Malekith. I was absolutely amazed with Malekith and the Dark Elves overall. The Dark Elves have a creepy manikin-like doll-ness to them, and it makes them unsettling in somehow a pleasant way. I thought they were great, and they could keep incorporating them into stories since there are also Light Elves.

Idris Elba is such a wonderful actor, and Heimdall was executed perfectly. I’m very glad he was the one who was cast in this role, and I’m even happier we saw more of him. Heimdall is an amazing supporting character and is one of those characters that just sort of makes the movie.

Lady Sif is even better in this movie, her armor looks practical, and we definitely get to see more of her being able to completely destroy in battle. We see hints that she loves Thor, but it never takes over her character or reflects negatively upon her. Sif and Thor’s banter was really great too, and I want to see more of that.

Thor is, as usual, a great character. There’s sort of a sadder vibe to him in this movie, considering he’s still getting over not being able to get to Jane, and then later in the movie having to deal with his mother’s death. All sequels get darker, but I feel like Thor’s character had a more noticeable change.

I really enjoy that they had Jane be possessed by the Aether, it gave something more to her character, but I really do feel like her character is written like too much of a love interest. I do like her character and she is Thor’s love interest, but I definitely feel like she comes off more cliche than all of the other Marvel female characters. You can’t have every character be the same, of course, but there is something off with Jane for me. I may just be the only one, but I feel like she could have been different.

Loki in this movie was even more interesting and deep than the last two. He seems less ruthless – even if he is still very demeaning – and when Odin says he will never see his mother again, there is true pain on his face. Loki is not a loving person, he is not affectionate or caring, but he loves Frigga – he loves his mother (and considering his final scene as Odin, most likely he does still cares for Thor). He will always say she isn’t his mother, but she only isn’t his birth mother. She immediately loved Loki, and took him as their son right away – there was no doubt that he was now a part of her family, whether or not he was destined to be king.

Frigga’s first moment in the movie was her being loving. She cared for both of her sons, no matter what they did, and that’s truly what Frigga is. I wish we had gotten to see more of her, considering how fantastic she is. She’s one of the best movie mothers I’ve seen, and I wish they hadn’t killed her off.

Frigga’s death is very beautiful though, and her dying so honorably – protecting her family – made it more meaningful. She wasn’t just stabbed while she just watched- she actually fought back, and we honestly don’t see that a lot. I don’t feel like she died in a cliche way. It’s an obvious trope, that the mother dies to bring emotion and character development to the main character/s, but it was such a strong and powerful scene, not focusing on how Thor, Loki, and Odin were handling it and/or crying, but instead it focused on the fact that she was gone, and going to Valhalla. (Norse mythology/Asgard’s heaven, and in some tellings, it’s mostly where their warriors went which makes Frigga’s death even more meaningful)

The design for the movie is stunning, and the details on everything is amazing. Even the chains Loki had were very detailed, and the main reason why I cried during Frigga’s death scene was because of the absolutely beautiful CGI. It was one of the most beautiful scenes I’ve ever seen, honestly.

I absolutely love this movie, and I cannot wait for the next one.

Thor