This is an overdubb of Kung Pow: Enter the Fist for the weekly announcements at West Ridge (for the Deadly Viper, Character Assassins series - which was great). Too Funny! Here is the author’s post about it.
My son, Mike, is working on his own super hero team: Ace Avengers. First, he drew his own heroes (with a little help from dad). Next, we found this cool online tool: Hero Machine. So, he created more polished versions of his heroes. Here is a sample:
He wanted to make a video game based on this, but he doesn’t have that kinda training, yet. So, we tried using City of Heroes (Online RPG Game), but it was too intense for our laptops - a lot of its resources were PC based, rather than online. Instead, I picked up a How-to Draw Super Heroes book, so we are working on that now. He is posting his work here.
After reading The Road, I wad glad Sherman Alexie’s book was so funny! It’s a coming of age story of a teenage Indian. Tackling some very sad realities with such humor was refreshing.
In between comments, like “We Indians like to make up shit about lakes and such…”, are some deep ideas that I think we all wrestle with.
“Well, life is a constant struggle between being an individual and being a member of a community.”
“The quality of a man’s life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field of endeavor.” (Vince Lombardi)
“And I kept trying to find the little pieces of joy in my life. That’s the only way I managed to make it through…”
“[My daddy] may not have loved me perfectly, but he loved me as well as he could.”
“You can do it. Do you understand how amazing it is to hear that from an adult… from anybody? It’s one of the simplest sentences in the world, just four words, but they’re the four hugest words in the world when they’re put together.”
“I realized that, sure, I was a Spokane Indian. I belonged to that tribe. But I also belonged to the tribe of American immigrants. And the tribe of basketball players. And to the tribe of bookworms… cartoonists, chronic masturbators, teenage boys, small-town kids, Pacific Northwesterners, torilla chips-and-salsa lovers, poverty, funeral-goers, beloved sons, boys who really missed their best friends. It was a huge realization. And that’s when I knew I was going to be okay.”
There was also the basketball coach’s speech about facing their rivals. Reminded me of Jack Lengyel’s speech in We are Marshall. The one about being stronger of heart.
Wow, good stuff.
I picked some books this week. One was The Road - chosen because it is about a father and son: They are each other’s “world entire”. Well, I read it one sitting.
The setting is post-worldwide tragedy. They are all each other has. No plants, animals remain. They are stalked by cannibals as they move south. It is quite morbid, and as a father myself I couldn’t imagine being in THAT situation with just my boy - facing the questions they faced.
Still, it explored idealism or altruism. The idea of doing the right thing and making sacrifices - even when others OR EVERYONE ELSE seems not to - is a theme I wrestle with in real life. Not that I am perfect by any stretch, but I often feel the burn of seeing others benefit/excel in spite of cheating, bending the rules, hurting others, using people, etc. I guess I can relate to the prodigal son’s brother. (Luke 15 | Commentary)
Anyway, The Road is definitely more serious than my usual fare, but it was worth it - I couldn’t put it down. It is being adapted for a movie, due out Fall 2008.
Here is an extra funny post on www.trekmovie.com. You just have to take a look. Here is one, Love Boat meets Star Trek:
I just enjoyed Vantage Point, a movie about an assassination attempt told from eight points of view. It didn’t get great reviews, but it was still fun piecing together the puzzle! I won’t say anymore than that in case you plan to see it…
It reminded me of Dan Brown novels. My two favorites are Digital Fortress and Angels & Demons. I hope the former will be made into a movie! The later is already in the works…
I recently watched a DVD based on Lee Strobel’s The Case for Christ, A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus. Below is an excerpt. I’d like to read The Case for a Creator, A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God next. Here is a link about believing in the bible.
For those looking for some kind of “proof” of God this may help, but it still comes down to faith.
Hebrews 11:3 (New Life Version) Through faith we understand that the world was made by the Word of God. Things we see were made from what could not be seen.
John 20:29 (New Life Version) Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you believe. Those are happy who have never seen Me and yet believe!”
1 Corinthians 2:14 (New Life Version) But the person who is not a Christian does not understand these words from the Holy Spirit. He thinks they are foolish. He cannot understand them because he does not have the Holy Spirit to help him understand.
Mark 9:24 (New Life Version) “Lord, I have faith. Help my weak faith to be stronger!”
The Parable of the Sower | The Wise and Foolish Builders | By Faith…
I just finished reading Best Destiny, by Diane Carey. She is one of my favorite Star Trek authors. It is the story of James T. Kirk’s first adventure in space - as a sixteen year old, his coming of age story. It is told in tandem with a story at the close of Kirk’s career, alongside his long-time comrades and friends, Spock and McCoy.
The story opens with “Jimmy” Kirk, sixteen, leading a “gang” of friends on a run away adventure. He is routinely likened to a brat, thug, gangster, etc. - a teenager without direction, bucking the system. His father, George Kirk, his often off-planet serving in Starfleet Security. Jimmy is bitter about this; he thinks his father has abandoned his family for an easier, care-free life.
Through the events in the story, Jimmy Kirks realizes the worth in his father’s work and in Star Fleet as a whole. He sees how “crews” will live and die for each other, how they fight/explore/work for the greater good, and how they have all learned their place - their best destiny.
George Kirk enlists the help of his friend, the first Captain of the Starship Enterprise: Robert April. April helps George see Jimmy Kirk in a new light. At one point George sighs, “Jimmy is such a brat.” and April replies, “Ah, but he’s such a wonderful brat.” He further explains how the great ones are often unruly!
The parallel story has Jim Kirk second guessing his career, but his friends help him remember the lessons of that first adventure. The novel really captures the sense of camaraderie that has always attracted me to the world of Star Trek. Everyone has a place. Everyone does what he or she is gifted to do… and they do it in harmony with the rest of the crew. Everyone is encouraged to grow and learn. Everyone is a part of the team.
In the foreword, the authors ask the question, “What events in the life of Kirk gave him that extra pinch of determination and guile? What minor events and twists of fate resulted in Captain Kirk rather than Chief Surveyor Kirk, or Sixth Level Accountant Kirk, or Mr. J. T. Kirk, 101 No Particular Avenue? Best Destiny explores a pivetal moment in Kirk’s life.
It opens with these quotes:
What you from your fathers have inherited,
Earn it, in order to possess it. - Goethe
Commanding a starship is you first best destiny. Spock to Kirk, ST II: The Wrath of Khan
KIRK: My ship is gone. My career is ending. Maybe this is my best destiny. My full circle. This is where itbegan… maybe this is where it’s meant to end.
McCOY: Spit in the eye of “meant to”, Jim, you always have before… why not this time?
KIRK: Of all the decisions I’ve made in my career… how many have been wrong - and I’ll never know? Have I done more harm than good in my life?
SPOCK: It is a classic error of military history. Overestimate and be timid, underestimate and be destroyed. All leaders march that line… all captains sail it. I have been content these many years to march that line at James Kirk’s shoulder.
The new series at West Ridge Church: Looking at different things that attack us quickly in life, learning how to defend, combat and prepare ourselves for life’s toughest moments.
A Survivor parody my family and I created during the Christmas break…
 | Scott S on Two Great Shows That Taste Gre… |
 | geneforrester on That’s My King! Do You K… |
 | kengraphixguy on That’s My King! Do You K… |
| kengraphixguy on A Separate Peace |
| kengraphixguy on A Separate Peace |
Trek Tidbits Quote of the Day NY Giants