Expanded Thoughts or: How I Learned To Stop Procrastinating And Love The Blog

I'm working on a couple of ideas for full-length posts, but until I stop and write them, you'll just have to deal with another stupendous edition of Expanded Thoughts, with MadChops! Shall we? (We shall.)

—This diet is doing good things. I'm eating healthier and smarter, I'm losing weight, and I'm feeling good. Wednesday marked 10 lbs. loss since my official start date (13.5-15.5 lbs. since the unofficial). Thanksgiving scares me though. So does the pizza party that's just been planned for the Friday after. This is where I up the exercise and control how much I eat.

—The Green Lantern trailer leaked. I'll link to it/embed it once there's a high quality version available sometime this weekend. I'm glad we're seeing it so early, because if this was closer to release, I'd be worried. CG is a blessing and a curse and you really see that here, particularly at the end. On the other side, Kilowog looked awesome. So did Abin Sur, Sinestro, and Hector Hammond. Still looking forward to this in big ways.

And here it is! I couldn't imbed it, so the link goes to Quicktime's site, which has several HD versions: http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/greenlantern/

—That wasn't the only trailer to come out this week. We finally got a look at Jon Favreau's secretive Cowboys and Aliens. In case those words don't get you excited, let me introduce a few more: James Bond. Han Solo. Olivia Wilde. Cowboys. Aliens. Favreau does amazing things with genres that could just as easily cheese out. But when you take the story seriously, like with Iron Man, you can get great results. Jon, I've added this to my anticipated movies.

—You probably thought that after Cowboys and Aliens, I was done with trailer talk. You were, as it turns out, totally wrong. Because you see, the red band trailer for David Gordon Green's Your Highness came out a day or so ago. In case you have no idea, it's about James Franco and Danny McBride in the middle ages. They may or may not be stoned. Also, supreme-crush Zooey Deschanel as Franco's wife-to-be and Natalie Portman as a badass not afraid to show off her ass. To me, it looks as funny and nonsensical as Pineapple Express, which I loved.



—I'm re-reading Jurassic Park. But this time it's with the critical, editorial eye I developed the last few years at UNCW. Don't get me wrong, I adore the book and love the story, but it would take months to cut out all the superfluous words, monologues, and get the dialogue into something that resembles the way people communicate with each other.  All the references to dinosaurs as lizards, too, and their flicking tongues (they're a type of reptile, but not the type you're familiar with). It's still a blast to read, flaws and all. If only I could watch Return of the Jedi and The Last Crusade with the same mentality.

—Glee is at its finest when it is dealing with the students. When they have the A storyline, the show kicks ass. See last week's episode. When the teachers have the A storyline, I get annoyed. See this week's episode. And I sure as hell can't understand why every single song on this episode had a teacher singing with the students. This is not a show about an eclectic group singing a musical. It's about a high school glee club. The adults should rarely, if ever, be singing with the kids in performances. The adult cast is full of great support characters, but their issues should not be the forefront unless it directly affects the glee club. Yeesh.

—Comic Book Movie News Time! Denis Leary is the latest edition to Marc Webb's Spider-Man movie, in the role of Gwen Stacy's father, Capt. Stacy. Tom Hardy has been cast in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises, but we don't have any idea as to who he'll play. Maybe Dr. Hugo Strange, maybe Croc. Maybe neither. There's also two female roles open: one to play a love interest, and the other a villain. Darron Aronofsky's The Wolverine will begin shooting in April of next year. I stand firm that I will not purchase another ticket for a FOX-produced comic book movie.

—I'm done saying anything after you sneeze. There's plenty of origins for "God bless you" after a sneeze and not a one makes any singular type of sense. Some think it originated during the plague and sneezing was a symptom. Could be people thought your soul was escaping and the devil might've found a way into you. Either way, it's old, archaic, and to me, foolishly outdated as a tradition. Sneezing is something our body does. It's extraordinary in its unextraordinarily commonness. So don't think me rude when I say nothing after you sneeze. Just think me crotchety and grumpy about traditions no one thinks to examine.

—I have to say it again: Community is one of the best comedies on TV right now. There's no excuse not to watch it. Old Chevy Chase as a racist? Yes please. Donald Glover on a regular basis? Heck yes. Alison Brie in the occasional cleavage revealing sweater? Say no more! It's also uproarious and well-written. But that's minor in comparison to Alison Brie's cleavage.

—Freddie Mercury was the last great front man. He may very well be the best. Do you think there's one better? Let me know, because I'd love to hear a case for someone else.

—Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 came out. I didn't see it at midnight. This breaks my heart in terrible ways. I'm hoping for a Sunday showing. But it may have to wait until after work Monday. I need some nerds up here.

Expanded Thoughts: The Regular New Edition

—I've always wanted to be in a female-fronted band. Recently, I've been listening to a ton of Stars, Rilo Kiley, Feist, Regina Spektor, No Doubt. The sung female voice holds something in me hostage. I can't explain it, I just know that it hits me in a different way than a male voice. But again, I couldn't tell you about the difference, just that it exists. It's rather abstract. Maybe you get it, without the proper words to explain it.

—The midterm election has come and gone. Republicans took the House and gained seats in the Senate. Prop. 19 was defeated, but so was Prop. 23. I hope things go the way they have in the past, especially during the Clinton administration: President Obama gets a second term, and we see the economy continue its climb. What will we see? A lot of bullshit political posturing. Republicans have made it known if they gained the House they'd investigate the Obama administration. For what, you ask? Whatever they can imagine. They'll work to repel health care reform, according to Rep. John Boehner, the soon-to-be Speaker of the House. I'm sure my parents will appreciate that since I'm scheduled to hop back on their health care come January thanks to the reforms. It'll be an interesting few years, that's for sure.

—How did the Republicans win? Turns out the Democrats didn't really believe in the things they accomplished. I mean, if they did, why weren't the immediate benefits of health care reform touted? How come the tax cuts of the stimulus package were hardly mentioned, if at all? Why wasn't this graph shown on major news networks, or in campaign commercials? Where was the backbone of the Democratic Party? Unfortunately, it was nonexistent. Maybe two years will shape them up.

—And for my final (maybe) political rant: Two parties does not work. It hasn't worked in decades. Every election cycle, the party talking points come out, and it's always the same. Real Libertarians need attention. So do Independents and members of the Green Party. Why these aren't considered serious in the political system drives me crazy. You get a better media narrative when it's the same two parties against each other, and I imagine it's easier for lobbyists to buy-off a politician when they have a big (D) or (R) next to their name. My pal David argues that the introduction of a third party means someone who didn't get a true majority of votes could be elected (that sure sounds like the 2000 election to me). But they would have a majority of the votes cast, and I'm OK with that. I guess now's as good a time as any for third parties to really get their names out there.

—Growing up frightens me, and everyone else, I think. All of a sudden, I'm going to be working 40 hours a week. I'll be paying off my student loans starting Dec. 4. Soon after, there'll be a car payment and insurance. Eventually, rent and utilities again. Then it's a house payment. An engagement ring, diapers, baby food, strollers, doctor's appointments, clothes, birthday parties, more insurance, another car, tuition, etc., etc. See how quickly it can spiral out of control? People I graduated high school with have kids. Several. Good friends have gotten or are getting married. Kids I went to middle school with, that I knew in 3rd grade have kids and a ring. That's what I see, and I don't know how to respond.

—I've had a surprisingly hard time getting into a couple of books. I won't reveal titles because I'm not trying to lose friends, but know that I'm as surprised as you would be if I were brave enough to say which books they are. Taking a break from them is about all I can do, and I hope in a few weeks I've got the urge to restart them. I don't think it's my attention span, or lack thereof. I wish it were that simple.

—The Walking Dead finally premiered on AMC, and what a show it was. It pulled in 8.3 million viewers. Wow. Want to read more of what I think of it? Of course you do! Well, head over to Among The Walking Dead! David, Chase, and myself will be doing write-ups, recaps, op-eds, massages, and conversating about the series after each episode airs. Make it your new home for The Walking Dead based opinions.

—Everything about Sony's reboot of the Spider-Man franchise has sounded like webbing to my ears. Wait, what? That analogy makes no sense. Can we move past it and pretend it didn't happen? Thanks. First bit of good news: they want to take the story to high school. Second bit of good news: Marc Webb of the amazing, spectacular, astonishing, friendly neighborhood (500) Days of Summer will direct it. Third bit: Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker and (spoiler alert!) Spider-Man. Fourth bit: Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy. AWESOME. But there's more, webheads! Rhys Ifans will play Dr. Curt Connors and the Lizard. It's about time we get to see him on the big screen. And just announced today: Martin Sheen as Uncle Ben! AND Sally Field as Aunt May. With such great casting, it's hard not to wonder who they'll get for Green Goblin or Harry or Kraven or Doc Ock, Mary Jane, Eddie Brock, J. Jonah Jameson, Betty, and on and on and on! They are doing it right, friends.

—Sorry to bring politics back up, but some news came out Thursday about former-President Bush, and I'm not sure which is worse. He admits in his memoirs that he did order waterboarding. Now, depending on your humanity, you see waterboarding as torture. In fact, the United States of America, back in the '40s, thought of waterboarding as torture when the Japanese used it against American troops. So adamant was the USA that it was torture that Japanese soldiers were tried for war crimes for waterboarding. Fast forward 60 years, and apparently we're a-OK with NOT prosecuting an admitted war criminal for war criming. Classy. But not as classy as this: Bush feels that Kanye West's outburst over the federal government's response to Katrina was the lowest point in his presidency. Not the murder of over 3,000 innocent civilians on 9/11, not allowing a city to drown, not lying constantly about Iraq, not torture, the worst deficit in history, or the collapse of the economy. None of that compared to Kanye's insinuation, if not blatant naming, that Bush was racist. Sometimes I'm not sure if George Walker Bush is a bumbling idiot, evil mastermind, or plainly tragic. I'm a very empathetic person, but the man makes it so hard.

—Not watching Community? Start! The show rocks. Definitely one of the best 3 comedies on TV.

—So, last week was kind of a scrimmage for my diet. During said scrimmage, I lost about 10 pounds. Then Halloween weekend happened. Yikes. I started it for reals on Monday, beginning at 212.5. I'm at 209 right now and was here yesterday, too. I'm adjusting what I eat/when I eat as I see different results. Big giant thanks to Bobby, Zac, Cindy, Beth, and Hope for good ideas on getting myself back into shape! You're all awesome.

—I'll be posting my weight every morning on Twitter if you want to keep tabs at home. I won't judge you for being a little creepy. Don't have Twitter? Check out the little Twitter box on the right-hand side of my blog!

—I got my hair trimmed on Thursday. On discussing blow-drying and its effect on my hair, my hairdresser said, "If I blow it, it'll get big, ya know?" Yes, yes I do.