Tolkienist Geek

I've Moved

2007-04-02T10:48:00.000-05:00

I'm now over here. Yeah, I know it's another Blogger account... so why the change? New username, new Blogger, new blog. I donno. I needed a fresh start, I guess.

Where to Eat?

2007-02-19T13:24:00.000-06:00

Where to eat out? If in doubt try the Wheel of Food. Just enter your ZIP code and spin!

Oh! So that's how Google does it!

2007-01-22T13:23:00.000-06:00

Ever wondered how Google search works? Nah, me neither. But if you want a serious explanation you can read it here. Yes, folks, trained pigeons, not duel core processors are the way of the future. Someone should tell Intel.

Oh another note, I know nobody reads my blog, but I apologize anyway for not updating in forever. So, I guess I would be apologizing to myself. Whatever.

Good Monsters

2006-09-19T21:21:00.000-05:00

Album: Good Monsters
Artist: Jars of Clay
Genre: Rock
Year: 2006

I've been kinda busy lately and haven't had the time or inclination to post much. I just wanted to pop in to tell everyone (all 3 of my semi-regular readers) about my new favorite album: Jars of Clay's "Good Monsters". It is a fabulous album. Highly reccomended.

What's up with the title? Well, according to the band it is an illustration of who we are as Christians and human beings. As men, we are fallen. We are evil. We're monsters, if you will. As Christians we try to act contrary to our sin natures. We are good monsters. As the song of the same title says: "Not all monsters are bad, but the ones who are good never do what they could..."

The lyrics on the album reflect wonderfully the sentements of the album. The lyrics are definately worth a read through even if you don't care for the music (which should have a broader appeal than some of their past albums.) I'll probably be posting some of those in the future with commentary.

Until then, enjoy this music of the song "Work".

Back to You-Know-What

2006-08-21T13:51:00.000-05:00

*sigh* I started school today. Another summer come and gone. Well, at least I feel like I accomplished more this summer than last.

The following unashamed rip-off song that I penned at the end of last summer pretty much sums-up my feelings on this subject.

I'll Go to School

Tune of "I'll Fly Away"

Some dark morning when the summer's over I'll go to school

To a place where homework never ends, I'll go to school

I'll go to school, oh phooey, I'll go to school

When summer dies and all the children cry, I'll go to school

When the shadows of the seasons lengthen, I'll go to school

Like a bird stuck in prison bars, I'll go to school

[Chorus]

Oh how sad and gloomy when we part, I'll go to school

Books and homework shackled to my back, I'll go to school

[Chorus]

Just a few more happy days and then, I'll go to school

To a land where the work will never end, I'll go to school

[Chorus]

There you have it. My short career in parody songwriting and my thoughts on the end of summer all in one song. Yeah, it's terrible. I kinda ran out of ideas towards the end there and the whole song is really repetitive. And school won't be that bad--it never is. I may post some of my serious work sometime though. Be assuaged; it isn't anything like this.

"Dead Man's Chest" Review

2006-07-17T11:06:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally got out to see the latest record-breaking blockbuster movie yesterday... and the day before… That’d be Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, in case you didn’t already know. It’s already broken the single day and three day grossing records and promises to set even more if that’s any indication.

I don’t generally go to sequel movies expecting a lot, but Curse of the Black Pearl was so good that I really hoped this one would be able to measure up. Fortunately, it proved to be a worthy sequel to its predecessor though it doesn’t surpass it.

The basic plot picks up where the last movie left off. Elizabeth and Will are kept from being married by both their arrests for their part in Jack’s escape at the end of the last movie. Meanwhile, Capt. Sparrow is pilfering and plundering his filthy black guts out when he learns that the dread Davy Jones is after his soul. Will is then offered freedom if he will go and “negotiate” with Jack to get his mysterious compass that doesn’t point north. So the plot ends up essentially like this. Jack wants Will’s soul to barter with Davy Jones. Will wants Jack’s compass so he and Elizabeth can be set free. Davy Jones wants Jack’s soul as payment for a past transaction. Norrington (the commodore guy from the first film) wants revenge on Sparrow. And Elizabeth just wants to be married. If this sounds confusing, it is. It makes for a well-written, complex story that is at times difficult to follow. It’s definitely one of those movies you have to see multiple times in order to catch everything in it.

So how does it compare to the first one? As far as humor goes, it’s almost as funny as the first one. The humor is less about dialogue and more about physical humor, though. Worry not, Sparrow is still hilarious in manner and speech, but his character is developed in other ways as well. The action sequences top the original, especially Jones’s large, tentacled sea monster the Kraken.

It’s a wild, crazy, convoluted movie and to top it all off it ends as a cliffhanger. Naturally, they had to set it up for Pirates 3 which we will only have to wait a year for, and good thing, too.

So if you saw the first movie and liked it… you’ve probably already seen this one already. If not, you’ll like Dead Man’s Chest as well. In fact, I’m gonna go out on a very sturdy limb and call it the best movie of the summer (and probably the year.)

"Cars" Review

2006-06-11T15:42:00.000-05:00

As I’m something of a Pixar aficionado, I felt it was my duty to go out and see their latest picture “Cars” yesterday afternoon. I wasn’t a bit nervous that it was going to be a bad movie. I mean, hey, it’s Pixar, right? They’ve been animating for 20 years and making good movies for eleven (yes, Toy Story is eleven years old now.) But maybe I should have been a bit nervous because they were recently acquired by the evil empire: Disney. That fact, I think, is going to be the eventual demise of the animation studio, sooner or later. But it appears that this film was too far along for Disney to have messed it up.

Pixar has a sort of formula for making movies, I think. They simply find a different perspective on a relatively normal issue. For example, the movie Finding Nemo was essentially about child-parent relationships, but seen through the eyes of fish. This is a great formula not only because it has worked so well, but also because what it does for the audience. On one level, the older audience can identify with the personified characters’ very humanlike emotion and behavior whether they be toys, fish, monsters, bugs, or… superheroes. On another level, the unique approach to the situation allows for wonderful humor.

This film is no exception from that formula and that’s a good thing. Obviously, there are tons of car jokes (and lots of other hilarious pop-culture references.) As for the humanlike characters’ story? Cars focuses on a megalomaniac racecar named Lighting McQueen (which, indecently, I think is a very cheesy name.) Lighting is out to win the Piston Cup which is something like Nascar’s Nextel Cup. On his way to California for a final race, Lighting ends up stuck in a Podunk little town call Radiator Springs (reportedly the “cutest little town in Carburetor County.”) Through its inhabitants, Lightning learns the values of teamwork and selflessness.

One thing disappointed me about the film and that was its lack of restraint. No, it’s not nearly as bad as some of those ill-humored Dreamworks animated movies, but Pixar’s kicked it up a notch. There are a few wink-wink moments of bad humor to older audiences and even two utterances of bad language. I was quite shocked, not only because it’s a Pixar movie, but also because it’s “G” rated. I also could have done without some of the country-esque music.

That aside, Cars is very much worth seeing. I’m quite certain that it is either the best or second best summer movie of 2006 (which, come to think of it, isn’t saying all that much) and definitely the best family movie of this summer (which is saying even less.)

So… um… go see it if you want. It’s good. And be sure to stick around into the credits. It’s probably the most hilarious part.

The Problem with Math

2006-03-21T09:26:00.000-06:00

Okay, I generally despise fowarded emails, but this one--recently brought to my attention--is just too good so I've decided to share it with all of you. I can't believe that I'm making two math-related posts back-to-back like this, especially since I hate math more than I hate forwards. But as I said, this one is simply too good, although that's probably got a lot to do with the fact that I'm a homeschooler.

The Problem With Math

Last week I purchased a burger and fries at McDonalds for $3.58. The counter girl took my $4.00 and I pulled 8 cents from my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3 pennies. While looking at the screen on her register, I sensed her discomfort and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters, but she hailed the manager for help. While he tried to explain the transaction to her, she stood there and cried.

Why do I tell you this?

Because of the evolution in teaching math since the 1950s:

Teaching Math In 1950--A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?
Teaching Math In 1960--A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?
Teaching Math In 1970--A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?
Teaching Math In 1980--A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.
Teaching Math In 1990--A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers.)
Teaching Math In 2005--Un ranchero vende una carretera de madera para $100. El cuesto de laproduccion era $80. Cuantos tortillas se puede comprar

Now I've Seen Everything: Pi Day!

2006-03-14T17:22:00.000-06:00

For those of you who don't happen to be pi-obsessed math geeks or happen to be around pi-obsessed math geeks: this news flash is for you. It's Pi Day! Happy Pi Day!!! That's right, today March 14 (3/14 or 3.14) is Pi Day!

I have found some special treats for all you pi loving people (personally hate math.) Check out the following awesomely-pointless pi links:

Wikipedia Entry (more than you ever wanted to know about the history of Pi Day)
Pi to one million digits (really useful to memorize)
Pi Day merchandise (only in America...)
The Pi Song (very frightening... I'm warning you)

It also happens to be Einstein's birthday today, no joke!

Latest Creation...

2006-03-06T18:23:00.000-06:00

All ye worldviews-loving people should get a kick out of this. BEHOLD! My latest Flash creation! A prime example of my weird sense of humor. Actually, credit where credit is due: a friend of mine came up with it. Oh well, I thought of making a fake banner ad for it. As always, click for a larger view.

Jars Concert!

2006-03-01T20:14:00.000-06:00

As expected, the Jars of Clay concert was a blast! Of course I had to suffer through two other artists before they came on. Okay, I'm just joking, Derek Webb and Sara Groves weren't that bad. I like Webb's style quite a bit, actually. That's not surprising, though, as he was in Caedmon's Call for so long.

I guess there were only two real disappointments about the show. One, all my pictures turned out really crummy (I've posted some of the less crummy ones.) Two, they didn't play anything from my favorite album: If I Left the Zoo. Oh well, it was still awesome.

They started off with "They'll Know We are Christians by Our Love," which, I thought was an odd song to start with as it's the final track of Redemption Songs. When Dan (Dan Haseltine, the lead vocalist for those that don't know) came out I saw right away he'd grown a mustache. For some reason, that really bugged me... the whole night.

They mostly highlighted songs from Redemption Songs and their self-titled album, but they also threw in some from the Eleventh Hour and Who We are Instead.

They're quite a bit different in concert. I guess they'd get bored if they were precisely the same. It was really a great show. They're really good at getting audience participation.

The songs they played are (not in order, can't remember the order):

They'll Know We are Christians by Our Love
Show You Love
Like a Child
I Need You
God Will Lift Up Your Head
Hiding Place/Worlds Apart
Waiting for the World to Fall
All My Tears
It is Well
Nothin' but the Blood
Love Song for a Saviour
There is a River
Liquid
I'll Fly Away
Flood
God Be Merciful to Me

After the show they signed autographs. I got a poster and my favorite album signed. I think I may scan those in once I can get the scanner working. Of course none of the signatures are readable...

New Template/The Flame Goes Out

2006-02-26T19:02:00.000-06:00

Well I've been having too much fun editing the template and this is what I came up with! You like it? I'm planning to do a little more, I want to make myself a logo or something.

In other news, today was the last day of the Olympics. *feigns sorrow, or something like it* I honestly enjoyed them a bit more than I thought I would. Maybe it's because there's been a lack of snow around these parts and looking at it on TV helped? I . Nevertheless, I'm not really sorry to see the games go. Actually, I there was any more stupid figure skating on I think I'd throw the TV away.
The Closing Ceremony was weird as usual and the "entertainment" got distasteful at the end so I didn't watch after the torch went out, much. Well, next is the Red Games in 2008, followed by the Canuck Games in 2010.
One other bonus of the Olympics being over is that the Google logo will be returning to normal! I was tiring of the Olympic Doodles. Okay... I guess I am displaying my utter geekyness.

Now I've Seen Everything: Stranger than Curling

2006-02-24T15:41:00.000-06:00

Yeah, I know. It's kind of hard to believe, but I found a "sport" that is stranger than curling. Okay, so it's not really a sport and it certainly isn't in the Olympics (yet) but it's very... interesting. I actually happened to see it in a local grocery store ad. The article is online here.
So apparently there's a contest for the best grocery bagger nationwide. My, my! *shakes head* Only in America... Well now Dierbergs can boast that they've got the best bagger in the nation employed at their store... yay for them.

Anyway, I'm thinking of making this, "Now I've Seen Everything," a monthly "series." There are certainly enough weird stories out there.

More Fun with Flash...

2006-02-19T19:48:00.000-06:00

Well I've been Flashing (is that the correct term??) some more and I came up with this. I know some people really like Harry Potter, but this pretty much sums up my feeling on it, not to mention reaffirming my Tolkienist-ism (?) and my geekyness. So here's the flashy thing. The movie clips look bad because I had to compress. Oh well.

Robotics is taxing my sanity...

2006-02-18T21:35:00.000-06:00

Man, I've been here at robotics all day! Far too long... I'm really going insane here. Man, I'm gonna be loopy and tired on the one-hour drive home. We're really nearly finished here, but... ugh... I'm really tired.......... .......... .......... *snoozes on keyboard*

CPTD!!! And other stuff...

2006-02-18T00:33:00.000-06:00

This is just some thingy I came up with using Flash (click to see it larger.) Don't ask. It's an inside joke that may or may not amount to anything.
We're thinking of doing a podcast... yeah...

In other (more intresting) news Empire at War came out on Wednesday. No, I haven't got it yet. In fact, I haven't made up my mind to get it yet. I also have the Battle for Middle-earth 2 (which comes out March 2) to consider as well as Civ 4 and later this year Zelda.
They all look indispensible, of course, but my budget says otherwise.

My Bad

2006-02-15T11:12:00.000-06:00

Goodness, I'm an awful blogger. Man! It's been like, 9 months since I started this blog and I've probably looked at it a grand total of... 5 times? Maybe not even that much. Actually, I expected as much. I knew if I started a blog I'd never update it... I'm a pretty good judge of myself, eh?

Well I've got wonderful news for myself: my favorite band is coming to town, finally! I've got tickets and everything reserved so I'm good. Only 14 more days 'til the show!

Let's see... anything else I should mention before I leave my blog for another 9 months? Oh yeah, I'm on a FIRST Robotics Team and we've got our own blog. If you have no idea what I'm talking about go check out the blog... go check it out if you do know what it is. (We need hits people.)

The Beginning

2005-05-07T11:46:00.000-05:00

Hi... so... um this is my first post and I don't know what to say. I've been told I have very boring personality and maybe that's shining through right now... well maybe not shining. That wouldn't be good.
So... I'll post later when I actually have something to, like, say... write... whatever.