Thursday, March 04, 2004
Time for my blog entry of the month...? Hopefully not, but here we go:
Most recent movie purchased: Battle Royale II -- I found a VCD for under $10. As an action movie, it was pretty decent. However, it seemed like there was more of an emphasis on the violence this time around. A lot of the character development was thrown out the window. About half of the characters died without a single line. As for a lot of the rest, the first time they would say a word is during their extended death speech. I was still trying to figure out who they were supposed to be. For this reason, I would have to say that the first Battle Royale was still a whole lot better.
Most recent movie seen in the theater: The Passion of the Christ -- I saw it last Saturday. It was hard to take and very emotionally draining, but I'm glad and thankful that I watched the movie. It is such a great reminder of His love for me. Usually, when I watch a movie, I pretty much decide right then whether I would buy the DVD when/if it comes out. However, with The Passion, I'm still somewhat undecided. I'm leaning towards buying it, but if I do, I know that I can't/shouldn't watch it like all the other movies I've bought. If I do, I'll end up watching it over and over, fast forwarding it, rewinding it, repeating interesting scenes, analyzing how they filmed it, etc. Do that too much, and it'll lose its meaning for me. I am watching the movie again tomorrow night, though. The other youth leaders and I are taking the high school group to see the movie (with permission slips, of course.) We've been going over a study during the past few weeks based on the movie. A lot of the kids are bringing their friends, and after the movie, we're meeting back at church for some worship, Q&A, debriefing, etc.
Currently Reading: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card -- "Andrew 'Ender' Wiggin thinks he is playing computer simulated war games at the Battle School; he is, in fact, engaged in something far more desparate. Ender is the result of decades of genetic experimentation, Earth's attempt to make the military genius that the planet needs in its all-out war with an alien enemy. Is Ender the general Earth needs? The only way to find out is to throw the child into ever harsher training, to chip away and find the diamond inside, or destroy him utterly. Ender Wiggin is six years old when it begins. He will grow up fast."
King mentioned that he was reading this book a few weeks back. Last Thursday, I was at the public library waiting to turn in my passport application. I got there at least half an hour before the passport office opened, and there were already thirty people in line ahead of me. Anyway, while waiting I picked up a copy of the book and started reading. I was so interested in the story that I went to the bookstore afterwards to buy my own copy. So, what did I need a passport for? Well...
Upcoming plans: I'm going on a medical missions trip to the Philippines this April. We're leaving for two weeks on April 18th, and we'll be going to one of the rural provinces to distribute medicine and other supplies, provide other aid, and most importantly, share to love of Jesus Christ to the people there. I can't wait. Afterwards, I'm also staying behind until the 13th of May to spend some time with my brother, his group Devotion, and my cousins and other relatives. I haven't been back to the Philippines since I was eleven.
It's so amazing, though, how God's been laying things out for the past month or two. I expected to just find another tech job and start working again. But nope, I've been doing more multimedia stuff and ever recently. I had to be "official" videographer, photographer, Powerpoint person for this all-day couple's seminar last Saturday. Then I'll be videotaping and possibly doing photo montages for two weddings early next month. This is great. Besides the mission trip to the Philippines, I might end up teaching computer classes or something for a Christian school in Saipan later this year. (FYI: Saipan is a small island in the Pacific Ocean near Guam. By small, I mean so small that the speed limit is only 45 mph. Drive any faster, and you'll hit the water. ^_^) Whether this is a short-term thing or something more permanent, I'm not too sure yet. At any rate, all this is pretty overwhelming, but in a good way.
Most recent movie purchased: Battle Royale II -- I found a VCD for under $10. As an action movie, it was pretty decent. However, it seemed like there was more of an emphasis on the violence this time around. A lot of the character development was thrown out the window. About half of the characters died without a single line. As for a lot of the rest, the first time they would say a word is during their extended death speech. I was still trying to figure out who they were supposed to be. For this reason, I would have to say that the first Battle Royale was still a whole lot better.
Most recent movie seen in the theater: The Passion of the Christ -- I saw it last Saturday. It was hard to take and very emotionally draining, but I'm glad and thankful that I watched the movie. It is such a great reminder of His love for me. Usually, when I watch a movie, I pretty much decide right then whether I would buy the DVD when/if it comes out. However, with The Passion, I'm still somewhat undecided. I'm leaning towards buying it, but if I do, I know that I can't/shouldn't watch it like all the other movies I've bought. If I do, I'll end up watching it over and over, fast forwarding it, rewinding it, repeating interesting scenes, analyzing how they filmed it, etc. Do that too much, and it'll lose its meaning for me. I am watching the movie again tomorrow night, though. The other youth leaders and I are taking the high school group to see the movie (with permission slips, of course.) We've been going over a study during the past few weeks based on the movie. A lot of the kids are bringing their friends, and after the movie, we're meeting back at church for some worship, Q&A, debriefing, etc.
Currently Reading: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card -- "Andrew 'Ender' Wiggin thinks he is playing computer simulated war games at the Battle School; he is, in fact, engaged in something far more desparate. Ender is the result of decades of genetic experimentation, Earth's attempt to make the military genius that the planet needs in its all-out war with an alien enemy. Is Ender the general Earth needs? The only way to find out is to throw the child into ever harsher training, to chip away and find the diamond inside, or destroy him utterly. Ender Wiggin is six years old when it begins. He will grow up fast."
King mentioned that he was reading this book a few weeks back. Last Thursday, I was at the public library waiting to turn in my passport application. I got there at least half an hour before the passport office opened, and there were already thirty people in line ahead of me. Anyway, while waiting I picked up a copy of the book and started reading. I was so interested in the story that I went to the bookstore afterwards to buy my own copy. So, what did I need a passport for? Well...
Upcoming plans: I'm going on a medical missions trip to the Philippines this April. We're leaving for two weeks on April 18th, and we'll be going to one of the rural provinces to distribute medicine and other supplies, provide other aid, and most importantly, share to love of Jesus Christ to the people there. I can't wait. Afterwards, I'm also staying behind until the 13th of May to spend some time with my brother, his group Devotion, and my cousins and other relatives. I haven't been back to the Philippines since I was eleven.
It's so amazing, though, how God's been laying things out for the past month or two. I expected to just find another tech job and start working again. But nope, I've been doing more multimedia stuff and ever recently. I had to be "official" videographer, photographer, Powerpoint person for this all-day couple's seminar last Saturday. Then I'll be videotaping and possibly doing photo montages for two weddings early next month. This is great. Besides the mission trip to the Philippines, I might end up teaching computer classes or something for a Christian school in Saipan later this year. (FYI: Saipan is a small island in the Pacific Ocean near Guam. By small, I mean so small that the speed limit is only 45 mph. Drive any faster, and you'll hit the water. ^_^) Whether this is a short-term thing or something more permanent, I'm not too sure yet. At any rate, all this is pretty overwhelming, but in a good way.
