I stumbled across this yesterday and thought I’d share it with y’all. I’ll let it speak for itself.
Archive for November, 2005
I’ve been hearing this phrase more and more while trying to get the inside scoop on my favorite TV shows. This show has jumped the shark. That show has jumped the shark. For those who may not know, jumping the shark occurs when a show has seemed to reach its peak and there’s really nothing left to look forward to. All the fun, or all the drama, or all the whatever-it-is-that-makes-your-show-so-great seems to run outta gas. It originates from the time on “Happy Days” when someone (whom I don’t don’t know because, quite frankly I never watched the show ’cause it’s stupid), was water skiiing or something and literally jumped over a shark in the water. Supposedly, the show was never the same afterwards.
People usually start throwin’ the jump the shark card when the show does something to add a new element to it. Like when “Lost” introduced the Tailies in the second season or now that “Gilmore Girls” is giving Luke a long lost daughter. “Now they’ve jumped the shark!” all the stupid people cry. These are usually the same people by the way that try to convince you that they never liked New Kids on the Block or the Macarena. They’re full of crap!
Listen, just because there’s someone new on Wisteria Lane doesn’t mean they’re “all out of ideas” or they’re “hangin’ on for dear life”. It’s circular. They gotta keep it moving along and doing new things to keep it fresh. Otherwise, what’s the point?! They may as well just bang out a few measly episodes, throw ‘em in a DVD box set, and let you wear ‘em out like that old backup pair of underwear you only pull out on laundry day. See how quickly THAT jumps the shark!
Now that’s not to say that some show’s haven’t genuinely jumped the shark either. “ER” did. A long time ago even. Then it jumped back. And jumped again. And then back again. That show has had more lives than Marlena Brady. If you don’t like it, don’t watch it. I believe there’s a new episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on you might be interested in ‘cause THAT hasn’t jumped the shark or anything…
I guess my point is just that, aside from the fact that I think the phrase itself is stupid, things do certainly jump the shark but not really nearly as often as people want to think. A status like that should be reserved for worst of the worst – like the death penalty for tv shows. If we get carried away, it takes away from the meaning and the insult that’s intended.
Three words: Best movie ever.Man On Fire is about a man named John Creasy (Denzel Washington) who’s hired as a bodyguard of sorts to a young girl named Pita (Dakota Fanning) because children in Mexico are being kidnapped at an alarming rate. Long story short - Pita gets kidnapped, Creasy gets revenge.
Okay fine, so the story is nothing new (although it does get’cha right in the gut and does have a twist). Regardless, it isn’t the story that makes this truly great - it’s the way the story is told. Not only is the acting, all of it, fantastic (how can you go wrong with Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, and Christopher Walken?) the director, Tony Scott, creates an extraordinarily unique, gritty, fast-paced, visually stunning, modern masterpiece. From sadness to joy and pain to rage, Scott has you feeling every frame of this picture from the moment it begins all the way to the end credits. Every tiny detail is impeccable - even the soundtrack, and that is SO important. The soundtrack can make or break any movie and there have been others before that COULD have been perfect but the soundrack held them back. I digress.
Anyway, let me put it this way. I’ve always kinda felt that the best part of a movie is the trailer for it. The trailer’s always big and exciting and tailored specifically to show the best parts of the movie. The real thing is slowed down and stretched out and rarely as cool. This movie though is like a 2-hour long trailer. You’ll see…
In closing, I know that just by saying this I’m setting the bar so high for it that you probably won’t be able to help but feel disappointed when you do see it. I get that but, this is how I feel about it and, someone needs to say it.
Gobble gobbe gee and gobble gobble giggle. I wish turkey only cost a nickel… Happy Thanksgiving everybody!
Remember Sarah? Sarah Buchanan? Yeah her! She had a baby! Now I’m not gonna lie to ya, I don’t have a whole lotta details BUT, what I can tell you is this: Baby boy Buchanan arrived sometime Saturday November 19th. He probably weighs some pounds and likely has some dimensions. I also presume he has some sort of a name although I have not been able to verify that yet. More info to follow as it comes available.
Down here they call ‘em “vehicles” - pronounced “vee-hickles”. It doesn’t matter if it’s a car or a truck or anything in between. That being the case, we got ourselves a new vehicle!
First, we needed to get SOMETHING because the Alero was on it’s last leg. Then, with Kayla coming soon, we wanted to get an SUV so we’d have more space for all the extra “stuff” we’ll need to keep with us (you know, baby carriages, diapers, a hammer to beat myself on the head with). Finally, after lots of shopping around and feeling out different things, we found it.
It’s a 2004 Nissan Xterra. Slightly used, sure, but it is SHARP lookin’! It’s a real nice blue with gray trim and gray interior. Power this and power that. It’s extremely clean and there’s plenty of room for the baby and even Phoenix ’cause he LOVES going or rides in the car - er, excuse me - vehicle.
Now, Jeremy and Charli, and Sheri and I need to start a gang kinda like a biker gang but with Xterras instead. We can call ourselves the “Bad Ass West End Xterra People” and cruise around Short Pump whistling at all the 12-year-olds goin’ to the movies! Trouble yeah! Heh heh!
Man oh man! We went to Washington, D.C. today. I had never been there before so Sheri, along with those crazy Bumgarners we all know and love so much, decided to make a day of it. Good times were had and, let me tell ya, comedic disaster ensued.
First, Jeremy and Charli were supposed to pick us up at 8a - which they did. The only problem with that was that someone, and by someone I mean Sheri (LUUUV YOOOU!), turned the alarm off. So, we didn’t wake up until Charli was ringin’ the door bell. “GOSH!” But, Sheri and I rushed to get ready and not long after, we were off.
Finally we make it to D.C.. We park the hot new-to-them Bumgarner family XTerra and hop on the Metro, no big deal, but by this point some of us had to pee so we decided to get off at the next station and take care of business - again, no big deal. But then, when we were trying to get back ON the Metro, Charli and Jeremy didn’t make it before the doors shut and I gotta tell ya, them doors mean business. For serious, Jeremy almost lost his hand. But the best part was the look on Charli’s face when the train was leaving the station, complete with two and a half Sorens on board but no Bumgarners. Oh fear not though. We managed to catch back up with each other at the next stop and all became right with the world again - for the time being at least.
We move on to the Smithsonian. We went to the Air and Space Museum and looked at all the airplanes and their history. We learned about space and space travel and found out that we weigh about 9000 lbs. on Mars. Okay fine, so 9000 lbs. might be exaggerating. And come to think of it, Mars might not be right either but you get the point.
At the Museum of Natural History, we got to see all the different animals throughout, you know, history - skeletons, replicas, bugs that made Charli wanna yak. Plus Charli got to look at all the precious gems. Who’d have thought? Charli and gems?! Oh and Jeremy and Sheri are now experts on plate tectonics so if you have any questions, you know where to go!
Then we got to see the growth of the nation in the Museum of American History. Charli admired the ultra-conservative evening gowns and other attire from the former First Ladies. Jeremy and I perused the trials and tribulations our nation has faced over the last couple hundred years or so. Sheri took advantange of a cozy little bench over by the Berln Wall and fall thereof section.
Once we had the museums down we proceeded to the monuments and memorials part of town - you know the ones: The Washington Monument; The World War II Memorial; The Lincoln Memorial; and the Vietman Memorial. In that order too and we got lots of good pictures that you can’t see ’cause I don’t really have a great way to present them to you right now - ANYWAY…
It had gotten dark. We were all very tired. The baby mama didn’t wanna give birth to the fetus just yet so we decided to find our way home. Yeah, that was easier said than done. The nearest Metro stop was SOO far away. To make matters worse, we didn’t even know EXACTLY where it was either. Just that it was waaay over there somewhere. It was so far away that we stopped at a Starbucks wannabe and took a coffee break. It was a good thing we did too because the Starbucks wannabe girl was able to tell us where the Metro station was from there - and at no additional charge too!
So we finally found the Metro and made our way back to the car. Of course, then we were starving so we decided to go to Macaroni Grille for dinner. THAT turned out to be a great idea! No, seriously, it did! Apparently there had been some sort of a “mishap” in the back and it took longer than it was supposed to for us to get our orders. I honestly can’t say that I noticed but, the manager came out and said he was gonna take care of our checks because of it so…WOO-HOO!
And that was our day! Good times! Good company! We’re gonna be so sore in the mornin’!
Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to my baby mama…happy birthday to you!
I’ve decided that I’m in love with the new Ford Fusion. I’ve been seein’ pictures of it for weeks now which, fine, got my attention. But then, without warning, I saw one for real, on the highway. Oh my God! It is one of the sharpest cars I’ve seen in a long time. I haven’t been THIS impressed since the ‘04 Maxima was introduced! So, if anyone is lookin’ for ideas for things to get me for Christmas…
I really don’t wanna dwell on this too much because I might start to cry but I do at least need to mention it. But rather than go on and on about it here, I’ll let my boy Bill “The Sports Guy” Simmons field this one on “Page 2″. He’s got a certain way with the words, you know?.
