The Wonderful World of New

There are lots of things NEW for yours truly at this time. Lots.

So let's get right down to it:

- This is a NEW post! That, of course, is something that has not been seen since last Tuesday (and I am very sorry about that!). . . I've been hella busy (as always) but that is really no excuse. I've really just been lazy about blogging : ( Sorry

- I officially have a NEW job! This is not a replacement job though. No no. This is a secondary job (but it will actually act, at least monetarily, as the primary). An "on the side" job, if you will. That is, if "on the side" means literally "smothering into respiratory arrest". Does it? It might. . . Anyway, onto the new job. I was hired today at BJ'S RESTAURANT AND BREWERY as a Server Assistant, which is essentially a "glorified busser". We do everything that a Server can do except take orders and put them into a computer and give the check to the table. But we might. Essentially, each of us on will be assigned about six Servers and we stay in that section. We get drink refills. We ask"Is everything ok?". We help run food. We clean the table off and reset it for the next party. . . Whew. I'm back in the restaurant world! Oh, crap!!! Well, at least it will help the ol' bank account. I think I'm getting $8 an hour plus the tip-outs from those Servers we are assigned to. Sounds good to me!

- I have a NEW toy! This toy is. . . an IPOD!!! No joke. I was at work on Monday and Manny tells me that neither him nor Jenn are using his 30 GB Video IPOD. Do I want it? Do I want it?!?!?! Absofrickinlutely! He offered it to me for $100, which included headphones, a protective case, the USB cord, and an arm band for working out purposes (which I will probably be offering to Heather). What a deal! This here contraption retails for $250 plus the ol' tax and I am so very stoked with my new toy. I started syncing all my music to it and then started investigating Podcasts and I have already subscribed to two free Podcasts (Kevin Smith's SMODCAST and Pardon the Interruption!). . . I'm finally cool like everyone else!

- I have some new shoes! However, one of the pairs of shoes were free (yes, that's an excuse). My one pair of newer shoes are my new basketball shoes, which also happen to be the best-looking basketball shoe to come out in some time. These are the KG Bounce, the new Kevin Garnett shoe. This is what they look like (and the writing on the bottom of the shoe are all the names of people that KG loves or something - - boy has pull with Adidas!):


















I love them! I have already played in them once and they rock. Great buy! Now these free shoes. Yeah, well, these were offered out as a promotion until April 22 and I couldn't say no, even though I would never buy them to be begin with (they retail for $40). But they're free, and all I have to do is wear 'em to work! Sweet!

















- I have a NEW review that I have written. This one is for 300, a film that I found tremendously entertaining, no matter how inaccurate (or retarded, if you will) that it might have been. Who knows? But I liked it! So here (and this is what I will close with for tonight) is my review for 300:

(Still No Title - - I'm looking for something witty!!!)
By Justin Gott – Senior Writer

Frank Miller’s “Sin City” graphic novels were adapted into the obscure, sexy, and brilliantly dark film of the same name in 2005. 300, also based on the works of Miller, is a violent swords-and-sandals epic that acts as an entertaining tribute to the impressively built warriors of ancient Greece.

300 tells the gruesome tale of the Battle of Thermopylae. This 480 B.C. battle was fought between the menacing Persians and the freedom-loving, finely-toned Spartans led by their king, Leonidas (The Phantom of the Opera’s adequately-oiled Gerard Butler).

With 300, director Zach Snyder (of 2004’s Dawn of the Dead remake) has created a beautifully grotesque tribute to Miller’s material. He does so by featuring countless scenes and images pulled directly from the original sources that inspired this breathtaking film.

In the film, Leonidas leads his three hundred finest soldiers to meet the overwhelming throngs of invading Persians. Though severely undermanned, Leonidas is confident in his army’s superior fighting skills and rightfully so.

For example, when the heroic Spartans clash with the Persian warriors known as “Immortals,” they never back down, despite the intimidating nickname given to their fearsome opponents. Consequently, Leonidas and his men “put [the Immortals’] names to the test.”

As the Spartan narrator proudly claims, “We did what we were trained to do. What we were bred to do. What we were born to do.” These men are simply natural born killers.

The narrator (The Lord of the Rings’ David Wenham) also remarks that the Spartan army has “no place for softness or weakness.” The same can be said for 300’s audience, which is presented with battle sequences not for the squeamish.

Bloodbaths and massacres ensue. Legs are severed. Plasma spurts from former appendages now lying on the corpse-covered battlefield. Although the violence is at times overwhelmingly graphic (injuries include impalements, decapitations, and other involuntary amputations) there is something savagely poetic about 300.

The script is filled with militaristic clichés to pump up the troops (and presumably the audience) but the filmmakers never patronize the viewers. It is evident that Snyder and his crew had as much fun putting their vision together as the film’s main demographic will have viewing it.

300 was shot entirely with the use of a “green screen,” meaning that the actors were filmed on an empty stage and the stunning locales were added in digitally in post-production. The editing is seamless and the video game-like graphics neither distract from the action on the screen nor discredit the reality of the ongoing conflicts.

Despite what many critics are saying, this film is not making a political statement. Zach Snyder, who also co-wrote the screenplay, simply wanted to create a visually stunning account of the brave Spartans that stood strong in the face of adversity.

Through 300, Snyder has successfully constructed a downright entertaining (although not entirely accurate) history lesson of a time period that most assuredly fell on deaf ears when it was taught in history classes.

Ultimately, the stars of the film are both the impressive images and the “eight-packs” featured on every Spartan warrior. These blatantly cut soldiers march around clothed in nothing but crimson capes and leather briefs that only serve to exaggerate their defined pectorals and abs.

Not negative in any way, the atmosphere of the film is solidified by the exploitation of these well-built men of war. By this token, 300 serves not only as a spectacular piece of entertainment, but also as a motivational tool to begin doing sit-ups every morning!

(Grade: B+)

- And that's all for now. But I'll post again this weekend - - or tomorrow! There's an idea!

Have a nice sleep everyone! Talk at ya later!

Goodnight