Grizzlies, Tigers, and Movies: The Weekend Wrap-Up

Friday:

I got off work, picked up Bryan Newcomb, and we went to the Grizzlies game. I can deal with losing, because Dallas is a better team, it's the lack of effort that bothers me. They decide to play in the third quarter and cut the lead to 11. Bryan and I were tired by then. We were right to leave, because they lost by 15. I fear that the Grizzlies may be leaving soon. Memphis will never be a legitimate big city. I just think that we are destined to be the "Little Small-Market City That Couldn't". After that, I called it a night.

Saturday:

I went to Gateway Tire and got a new wheel for the Kia, then I went to Wal-Mart and got a new tire, new wheel covers, and I got my tires balance and rotated. When I got home, I broke my inside handle on my door. Irony, bitter irony. After that, I met up with Bryan and we saw Vantage Point. It was a cool film, but as the name implies, they show the same situation from several...wait for it...vantage points. Matthew Fox, Dennis Quaid, Sigourney Weaver, and Forest Whitaker gave solid performances. After that, we went to Spin Street. I bought a Green Lantern action figure. I bought John Stewart, the black Green Lanter. I have several different figures of him.

After that, we went over my boy Shomari's house and watched the Tigers lose to UT. Crap, Memphis!!! We were #1 and undefeated!! What are you doing?! We did not hustle, we did not rebound, and for crying out loud, somebody calm the freshman (Rose) down!! Everybody said we needed to lose one. I can admit that we have not played the best ball the last few weeks. Hopefully, we will bounce back from this. To the bandwagon fans out there, just shut up!!! People were talking about returning their shirts and all of this foolishness. If you try to return a shirt, you are super lame!!! I have supported the Tigers through horrible seasons where we didn't even make the postseason. Ironically, now that we are a national power, I don't really have the time or the money to make as many games as I would like. I am a second-generation alumni, and I will be a Tiger until they stick me in the ground!!! Even my mom, another alumni, watched the game, and she never does. She called me afterwards, I just said, "Mom, let me call you back, I may use some language that I shouldn't use around you". Needless to say, that was the end of Saturday.

Sunday:

I stayed in the house and chilled. I didn't watch the Oscars because my TV does not have an antenna (I use it primarily for DVD viewing), and I knew my brother would not care to watch the show. Shout out to Bryan who let me borrow an antenna that didn't let me get UHF. Hey, man, you tried. I really wanted Ruby Dee to get Best Supporting Actor. I also wanted Juno to get Best Picture. I went out to eat at My Favorite Place, a Mexican restaurant near my home. I also went to the movies and saw Be Kind Rewind. Michel Gondry directed this film about two guys (Mos Def and Jack Black ) who decide to make their own versions of films after Jack Black's character becomes magnetized and accidentally erases the entire catalog of the video store that Mos Def's character works at. The idea was better than the execution, but it had some heartwarming moments. I needed to see it to remind me to still do films for the love. I have been auditioning, but I have not been chosen to act in any films recently. I haven't done anything yet this year, and it's three months in. I am normally very busy. I will start writing to combat the monotony. Be easy, readers!!

Random Thoughts: The "Get it Off My Chest" Edition

1: One of my coworkers made this comment like, "How could David Hasselhoff go from Knight Rider to Baywatch"?! I looked at him like he stole the last piece of chicken at the family reunion. I let him know that first of all, Baywatch was translated into several languages and shown worldwide. Hasselhoff was a global pimp, in my eyes. Second of all, let's put Knight Rider in its proper place. I loved the show, and KITT ruled, but that was no Masterpiece Theater. That wasn't exactly a "fall from grace", maybe a stumble down a flight of stairs. Neither one of these shows are held in the same regard as the Royal Shakespeare Company or anything.

2: I have to get on my fellow Christians for a minute. What is up with pastors telling people not to cry at funerals?! I understand that the person is in a better place, but right then, I don't want to hear that!!! If my mom leaves this world before I do, NO ONE needs to tell me not to cry. That preacher, church member, whoever, might get hit in their mouth!!!! Lord forgive me, I know that's not Christian, but that ticks me off!!!

3: One more for the Christians. When you ask someone "How are you doing?", it is NOT a sin if they answer back "Okay" or "All right"!!! Christians get on my nerves with "Just okay"? or "Just all right"!!! Yes!!! That's not good or bad, it's medium, as in, in the middle!! Real talk, the next Christian to sweat me about this might get tackled!!!

4: So, Blu-Ray won the DVD battle, huh? I'm glad I waited. I know this opinion might not sound popular, but I don't really care about HD and all this crap. I still watch movies at the discount theater (Shout out to Bartlett 10). I don't HAVE to have digital. The only reason I want a new DVD player is because my old one will not play all DVD-Rs or DVD+Rs, which are commonly used for burning. I am getting a digital TV soon because they are making me. I will probably buy a Blu-Ray when they make me. Give me cool special features, some deleted scenes our outtakes, and I'm good. Digital is cool, but I could really live without it.

5: Be easy, readers!!!

Holidays, Cool Purchases, and Auditions: The Weekend Wrap-Up

Friday:

I got off work, went home, chilled out. The end.

Saturday:

I got a haircut, went to Comics and Collectibles (http://www.memphiscomics.com/), went to Valvoline, and then to Peabody Place. A lot of stores are leaving that place. Sports Avenue is closing, so they are slashing prices. All Grizzlies jerseys are 75% off. I got a Mike Conley swingman jersey for $22.oo. He plays for the Memphis Grizzlies, in case you didn't know. Then, I saw Rambo. The script was horrible, but the carnage was awesome!!! Explosions, deaths, body parts being shot off, it was great!!! Then, I ate at Jillian's and got some ice cream from Maggie Moos. I then went to Cat's, a music store on Union Avenue. I talked music and politics with a guy behind the counter for a while.

After that, I saw a one-man play at the Hattiloo Theatre (http://www.hattilootheatre.org/). Darius Wallace, an actor/director based in Memphis, performed a one-act, one-man play about Fredrick Douglass. It was great!! He played Frederick Douglass, his grandmother, and other characters. I also ran into a friend of mine from college, Ebony. She was watching the play with her sorority sisters. Shout out to Alpha Kappa Alpha, also known as the AKAs.

I then went to Jordan's for some karaoke. I happened to be at a table full of females, but only one was straight. She was cool, though. She gave me a chocolate-covered fortune cookie. I was tired, so I called it a night.

Sunday:

I auditioned for Mark Jones' latest production at the Media Co-Op. I talked to Morgan Fix, who is one of the founders of the Media Co-Op and he informed me that they will not be closing. That was good news. Memphis needs the Co-Op. Shout out to Don Nelson, Jon Sparks (http://www.jonwsparks.blogspot.com/), and Jeff Falk, who also auditoned. I thought my audition was okay. It was a cold read, meaning that we didn't get the scripts ahead of time. Hopefully, I'll get a speaking part of some sort. After that, I went to the Malco Paradiso and saw Jumper. It was pretty good. Hayden Christiansen was decent, Rachel Bilson was decent (and cute), and Samuel Jackson was a bad mofo as usual. The movie focused on people who can teleport to different places (jumpers), and the people who track them down (paladins). The story seemed to be pretty thought out. I know that comics set in this universe are being published soon. I may have to purchase them.

After that, I went to Borders. I used my $15 off coupon to purchase Hard Boiled. This is a classic cop film that John Woo directed in China, before he came to America. It was on sale for $14.99. With my coupon, I didn't pay anything, not even tax. That was hella cool!!! Next, I went over my boy Shomari's house and watched a WWE pay-per-view.

After that, my boy Paul Briggs and I went to Karaoke Smackdown at the Vault on Highland. Shout out to the cute bartender, Amber, the KJ David H, Joe, Sean George, Curt, April Steele, and Phyllis. I performed "Roc Boys" from Jay-Z's latest album, "Nobody Knows" by Tony Rich, and then Phyllis and I dueted on Timbaland featuring Sebastian and Keri Hilson's "The Way I Are". I had to do a few moves during the instrumental break. My last song was "Fly Like an Eagle" by the Steve Miller Band. Good times.

Monday:

I stayed in the house, chilled out, and I FINALLY finished the 3-disc Special Edition of Hot Fuzz. Now I am watching the Sean Michaels retrospective DVD from the WWE. I only have 2 discs to go.

Hopefully, this week will go by fast. I am going to the Grizzlies game this Friday with my boy Bryan Newcomb. Plus, the Tigers play Tennessee on Saturday. Be easy, readers!!!!

Sickness, No Appetite, and Lots of TV:The Weekend Wrap-Up

Friday:

Left work early, sick. I think I pigged out too much on Super Bowl Sunday. Oreos, hot dogs, and most tasty foods are the bane of my existence. Got acquainted with the toilet bowl. Yes, I hurled, blew chunks, did the old technicolor yawn. Gross, I know. Of course, this is immediately accompanied by my brother's question: "Are you okay?" My only logical response: "I'm getting there." Needless to say, I fasted the rest of that day.

Saturday:

Still sick. Missed the February birthday celebration for my family. My big bro brought me some food back. He rules for doing that. Watched Hot Fuzz. There's a boatload of commentaries and special documentaries on the 3-disc edition.

Sunday:

Still sick. Hung out with my bro and his friends and watched the grammies. Glad to see Amy Winehouse win most of her categories. They even gave one of her producers (Mark Ronson) Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. On number of hits alone, it should've went to Timbaland. They gave Album of the Year to Herbie Hancock's tribute album for Joni Mitchell, River. My bro and his friends were shocked, but I wasn't. There are a lot of older people that vote for the Grammys. Herbie Hancock + Joni Mitchell=2 sacred cow. Wineshouse was robbed, though. Kanye gave a good performance.

Monday:

I'm back at work. I am not 100%. Trying to suck it up. Pray for the sick man, people. Be easy, readers!!!

Tricks, Karaoke, and The Evil Mannings: The Thursday and Weekend Wrap-Up

Thursday:

The locally produced film Tricks was shown in Memphis. Tricks is a film about prostitutes. Leave me alone, I didn't write it. It was directed by DeAara Lewis (The Forgotten Ones) and she also has a major role in it. My good buddy Rod Pitts (director, What Goes Around) was the Director of Photography. DeAara's sister, Deneka, who's also a singer, also played in the film. The film has some suggestive moments, but it also has heart. I think the characters are humanized to the point to where you sumpathize with them, even if you do not condone their actions. I went to the 7 PM showing. Oh, yeah, I play Chester, a customer who has an amusing exchange when he requests a particular dance from an older prostitute named Jean. I enjoyed watching the film, and I enjoyed acting in the film. Shout out to April Hale, Christian B. of the group Free Sol, Jon Sparks (http://www.jonwsparks.blogspot.com/), and other cast members that showed up, like Keenon Nikita. I finally gave him his birthday present, Fallout Boy's latest CD. Shout out to Rodney Lomax and my old friend Paul Briggs who saw the film. After the 7 pM showing, I went to the Applebees near Studio on the Square. It was Paul's birthday, so I paid for his meal. I also got him a gift:A graphic novel reprinting Golden Age issues of Brave and the Bold. It mainly focused on Green Arrow and Martian Manhunter. I knew he'd dig it. I was told that the 9:30 PM showing was successful as well. You should buy this when it comes to DVD.

Friday:

I got off work, went to Jordan's Catfish and More and sang some karaoke. Shout out to David H, Joe, and Phyllis.

Saturday:

I got my hair cut, went to Comics and Collectibles (shout out Ron, Donnie, and Sean), and then I went to Borders. I had a coupon for 40% off DVD boxed sets. I decided to buy the complete
Flash series. It's kinda cheesy, and it ran for one year, but I liked it. Plus, the actor famous for playing Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) played a recurring villain, the Trickster. Mark Hamill rules!! Afterwards, I went home and chilled out until around 7 PM. I went to Jordan's again. It was cool.

Sunday:

I went over my boy Shomari's mom's house and watched the Super Bowl. I just want to say that Family Dollar had hot dogs, but no hot dog buns (my assigned food for the party). Family Dollar....what the hell?! Could you be any more ass backwards?! Thank goodness for Walgreens. They're crazy enought to carry hot dogs AND hot dog buns. Shout out to Terra Hollis, Shomari, Denna Greer, Paul "P-Dub" West, "Angry" Nick Jones, Courtney Wright, Terrance, and the rest of the crew. I had to root for the Patriots. The Giants' quarterback, Eli Manning, played for Ole Miss. I hate Ole Miss for a plethora of reasons. Unfortunately, Eli pulled it out. I am convinced that Archie Manning made a deal with Satan several years ago. You have three sons, and two of them lead their team to Super Bowls in consecutive years? Peyton Manning (a stinking Vol) last year, Eli Manning (a dirty Reb) this year? The Patriots would have had the first undefeated season since the Miami Dolphins in 1972. So near, yet so far. Two consecutive years I have rooted against a Manning , and been wrong. I may have to rethink my plans if a Manning makes it to the Super Bowl next year. I was angry and left Shomari's house as soon as it was over. It was a good game, though. The Mannings are devilspawn!!!

I have an audition this week on Saturday. Keenon Nikita (Dog Day Entertainment), Rod Pitts (Pittstop Productions), and DeAara Lewis (Drama Queen Productions) are working on a trilogy of horror films and will have auditions somewhere on the U of M campus. I'll have more details as the week progresses. Be easy, readers!!