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Django Unchained Review

May 20, 2013

Gritty, tense, and full of hard-knuckle action. Top-notch acting, especially by Christoph Waltz and DiCaprio. Characters fully develop and boast unique personas. Although historically inaccurate in several way, Unchained replaces these moments with comedy and over-exaggeration, and it works. Reminiscent of old spaghetti westerns. There are surprisingly many funny moments throughout, but things gets more serious towards the end. Seems Tarantino can do no wrong. Length is it’s main flaw. (A-)

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Cyrus Review

May 20, 2013

Moves very slow. Not Reilly & Hill’s best effort. Mostly unfunny, depends too much on melodrama. However, solid script & honest/relatable characters. (C+)

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Star Trek Into Darkness Review

May 17, 2013

Emotionally gripping and heart-pounding from start to finish. Surprisingly human. A complete success suppressed only by the similarities of its predecessor. (A-)

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This is 40 Review

May 12, 2013

Lighthearted, surprisingly human comedy, though only slightly funny. Story lacks depth. (C)

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Guilt Trip Review

May 12, 2013

Rare misfire for Seth Rogen. Unfunny & silly throughout. Poorly written script. Best for mother/son rental. (D+)

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The Great Gatsby Review

May 12, 2013

Good, not great. Slow & overly long. Shock ending & grand flair can’t make up for emotionally lacking story. (C+)

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My Boston Celtics (2007-2013)

May 4, 2013

I’m sitting in my house on a warm Spring night. My Boston Celtics headed by Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett just lost Game 6 and the Round 1 series to the New York Knicks. I can’t help but smile, and I’m a Celtics fan to the core. Why am I smiling? Because I’m proud of my team to the point of tears. These old and battered Celtics had just won two straight games in the series after being down 0-3. IT was 2-3 coming in and Boston was looking to tie it up at 3 a piece. After a miserable 3 quarters in beantown, New York had a 20-point lead, and the crowd was shocked at what looked to be a surefire loss. Not only that, there is speculation that 15-time All Star Kevin Garnett and future Hall of Famer Paul Pierce may not return next season. No one wants to see these guys go out getting beat to a pulp. So, it was about 5 minutes into the 4th quarter when all of the sudden the Celtics went on a 20-0 run, yes I said 20-0 run! It all happened so fast. The crowd was ecstatic and Boston cut it to 5 after being down 20 after the 3rd It looked like a historic comeback of miraculous proportions. With only a couple of minutes remaining, the Knicks hit a couple of big time shots to ensure a win. They now advance to the semifinals. Kevin Garnett, a future legend who led the Celtics to a 2008 NBA Championship, left the game with a few seconds remaining telling Coach Doc Rivers (Pegged by many as best coach in pro basketball) “I Love You” while Doc uttering the same to him. TD Garden rumbled as a huge applause erupted for Garnett. The fans knew this may be the last time they see him in green. Even with Boston losing in 6 games, I couldn’t be more proud to call myself a Boston Celtics fan. There just isn’t a team out there with as much heart, pride, and dedication than this late Boston team. Kevin Garnett has been the nucleus of the squad, cementing himself into the Hall of Fame with his extraordinary leadership, unrivaled intensity and phenomenal talent.

 

I actually grew up as a Chicago Bulls fan in the 1990′s. I was born in 1989, when Michael Jordan was emerging as a standout player. Since I’ve been in diapers, I pretty much watched Michael Jordan and the Bulls. I am truly blessed to have been able to watch the greatest player of all time in his hay day. He won 6 titles with the Bulls up to 1998. I played basketball myself, for various church squads and I was always inspired by Michael. He is still an inspiration to me to this day at age 23. I’ll never forget the days of shooting hoops in the front yard, watching Space Jam, and enjoying watching MJ win title after title. Those were the days of my youth! However, when Jordan retired, I stopped watching pro basketball. I guess the loss of MJ from the game got me down. I started watching again in 2007. I saw the news of Kevin Garnett joining the Boston Celtics to make the “Big 3″. I knew Garnett was a great player, but he never got to show championship potential in Minnesota because of the people around him. Needless to say, I chose the Celtics as my new team and never looked back. I pegged KG as my second favorite player of all time behind Michael Jordan. I loved the intensity of KG and couldn’t get enough of it. The guy trash talked for 2 straight hours, whether it was on the free throw line, walking to the bench, shooting a jumpshot, wherever! His sheer desire to win was unbelievable and I enjoyed watching him and the Celtics begin the Big 3 era.

 

In the 2007-2008 season, the Celtics, led by Paul Pierce, KG and Ray Allen, blew past everyone in the league to a 66-16 regular season record. They climbed their way all the way to the NBA Finals to take on the LA Lakers, beating them in 6 games to win the 2008 championship. After winning his first NBA title, Garnett screamed “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!” in an interview afterwards. This was one of the most influential and moving moments in NBA history, and for me, a new Celtics fan, a memory I’ll never forget.

I was looking forward to maybe 2 more championships in the Big 3 era, but the Celtics fell short for various reasons. In 2008-2009, Garnett was injured in the playoffs, and Boston lost to the Magic in the conference semifinals. In 2009-2010, Boston beat up and coming star Lebron James and the Cavs for the second straight time in the playoffs, and even went on the NBA Finals, but an injured Kendrick Perkins did them in, losing the series 4-2 to the LA Lakers. The 2010-2011 season proved to be tough, with the emergence of the Miami Heat Big 3. Boston lost to Miami in the Eastern Conference semifinals.  As age became an issue, the 2011-2012 season approached. Many thought this would be the the last stand for KG, Pierce and Allen. The Celtics met the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, putting on a heck of a show, nearly beating the Heat in 7 games. This was a frustrating one for me, because of how close we came to winning. Boston lost in Game 7, and Miami won by the skin of their teeth. That brings us to 2013, in which, as you know, Boston lost in the first round, but things surely would have been different if Rajon Rondo was not injured back in January. HE was sorely missed. There are many questions entering the 2013-2014 season. I hope we can get Pierce and Garnett to give it one last shot, with a healthy Rondo, along with Green and Bass returning. I like our chances and would love to see my favorite player (KG) have one last shot at the ultimate prize.

I’m left with fond memories of these Celtics, that’s for sure. I’ve been a huge basketball fan since I was a child, and I play basketball, so it hits home for me. I watched them on TV in my home, literally right where I am sitting this very moment, win the 2008 NBA championship.  I fondly remember watching a 2009 Celtics playoff game in a Savannah, GA hotel when on vacation. While at a family party on Sports Center I watched as the Celtics were declared the favorites for the back to back title repeat after a hot 9-1 start to the season. I remember all of the St. Patty’s Day games where players wore the Green and Gold jerseys. I remember watching Doc Rivers and the team practice on a special TV program while I was in New York City in 2010. All of these memories take me back to the good old days of the Big 3 era in Boston. My team was on top of the world. We were a playoff lock (still are). We were always a threat to win a title, every year. Unfortunately, injuries plagued us and we could never get the 3 titles we thought we would.

My memories will remain. Rajon Rondo’s emergence is upon us. I am looking forward to a new era, which includes up and comer Jeff Green. However, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are the heart and soul of these Boston Celtics. Doc Rivers has cemented himself as the best coach in the NBA these past few years. If the Celtics rebuild, it all vanishes and starts fresh. Regardless, I will always be a Boston Celtics fan. I cannot wait to share these stories with my children in the future. I bleed green.

Check out the video from 2008, where Kevin Garnett achieves his dreams. One of the most touching and inspiring moments in sports history:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyjOy7fRzs0

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College Essay: My Christian Views and Why I Think We Exist

April 4, 2013

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            Religion is one of the most important aspects of society and the world.  I am a Christian. I believe there is one true God, who sent his one and only son to die for our sins. I believe this gave every human an opportunity to submit to the Lord, live for him and have eternal life after death. I don’t believe in denominations or “groups” as much as I believe in a relationship with Christ. As you can probably tell, religion and spirituality play a huge role in my life. This does not mean I am perfect, it just means I am a sinner saved by grace.

I am a part of a local church plant in Jacksonville called “The Point” and we have grown tremendously over the last few months. We just had our first ever Easter service. I am on the media team and I attend church every Sunday morning, as well as small group and college groups weekly. So, in reality, I attend a church-oriented service three times a week. I could not be happier, as I used to not be excited about church in the past. It plays a big role in my life along with religion itself. I am very involved not only in the media, but in the church body as well. I am often called upon to pray for various things by church members and family members both at home and at church. I was raised in church as well, but some of my beliefs and views have changed over time. For example, I have strayed from a few traditional beliefs such as Bible translation (From KJV to NKJV, ESV, etc) and the importance of pews, or lack thereof. These aren’t huge issues but I have changed my perspective on things like that over the years. Another part of my belief system that has changed is the fact that I think Christians should be more outward and express their faith more openly in order to reach lost people. When I was in a traditional church as a teenager, I thought being comfortable and letting other people do most of the work was the way it should be. I have deviated from that and am now more proactive in my faith. All in all, my beliefs have changed mainly due to having a broader perspective and a more open mind.

In closing, I would like to explain why I think we are here on Earth. I believe in the Bible as God’s ultimate and inerrant word. This means I believe every word in it is true. I believe in the one true God and that the Earth was created by Him. I do not think the world just popped up or developed over time. After watching a “Creation vs Evolution” movie by Ben Stein, many scientists are clueless as to how the Earth came to be. Just looking around at the mountains, fields, rivers, and oceans, it is clear to me God exists and he created these works of wonder. It’s awe-inspiring in my opinion. I also think God does certain things to discipline believers, not “punish”. For example, I wrecked my dirt bike in 2003 and severely broke my right arm. I had to have two surgeries and two casts. That day I was being very disrespectful to my parents and authority. I was a believer at the time but doubtfully “saved”. I think God did that to wake me up and I gave my life to Christ a year later. Overall, I think we are all here on Earth to serve a purpose and that is to choose good over evil, to choose right over wrong, and to trust God and live solely for him, the one who marvelously created us. I don’t deserve anything. My house, my car, my friends, my family…all of this was given to me by God who in some way thought I was worthy of it, but truthfully I am not. We all deserve Hell. I just thank my savior for taking the punishment that I should have received and giving me on opportunity to spend eternity with him in heaven.

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Time Management

March 8, 2013

Time Management

Time is arguably one of the most important aspects of life. There so many things to do in life. Whether it’s a job, a hobby, or a relationship, these things require our time. However, many of us have more free time than others. Some people are jobless, so imagine how much time they have on their hands. How we utilize our time is important, especially as Christians.

For me personally, I have a full work schedule, along with being a full-time college student. Add the fact that I am on the church media team. As you can probably guess, most of my time is dedicated to work, school, and church. This is totally true. Sometimes it feels as if there aren’t enough hours in the day. This is a great thing because it’s a sign that I’m staying busy doing productive things. With this being said, there are still many occasions I find myself with free time. Since I’m a selfish human being, I tend to squeeze in my hobbies. You wouldn’t believe how many times I decided to pick up that PS3 controller instead of reading Andy Stanley’s new book, or how often I pop in a Netflix movie instead of finishing that homework assignment. There are even times I choose to play around on my iPhone at night instead of praying. When these types of things happen, it creates a disconnect from God and also sets us up for failure and disappointment.

Time spent in God’s word is never wasted time.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with having hobbies. We all have them. For me, it’s basketball, hiking, hanging out with friends, watching the Boston Celtics, and general entertainment. What’s important is that we do these things in moderation (Yes, like drinking). We should always make time for God and the things that make HIM happy, not just the things that make US happy. It feels a lot better to be in His will than out of it, believe me. Aside from that, in general, how we use our time is critical. Just think about this for a second. That concert you went to where your favorite band played, is over and gone forever. That time last week where you made a 100 on that exam, it’s gone. That time when your friend gave his life to Jesus, it’s gone. All of our favorite moments in life disappear in time. Even though these memories last forever, they are gone. You can never experience those things again (Well, some of them). What about the things we waste our time on? Things like Social Media, TV shows, movies, texting, video games, reading pointless magazines, even sleep. These things, whether we would like to admit it or not, probably take up nearly all of our free time. Some of this time could be devoted to reading God’s word, reading a book that would be beneficial to your spiritual walk or even something related to your job or college major. This time could be devoted to serving others, whether it’s the homeless or just a friend in need.

With so many entertaining television shows available, we could spend weeks, even months on end watching them. This consumes much more time than we think. For example, I recently watched a TV series that averages 9 hours per season (4 Seasons). That’s a total of 36 hours. Many shows have more than 4 seasons, too.

It’s important that we find that perfect balance in life. This moment, you reading this blog post, will be gone in minutes, or even seconds. You’ll never read this blog post again for the first time. Isn’t it crazy just how precious time really is? We only have 80 years, give or take, here on Earth to make the most of. That’s given we die of old age. Time is one of life’s most treasured commodities. We all have memories we hold close to our hearts, such as our salvation experience, a first love, favorite pets, moments in stories from movies, books, or games, old friendships, and so on.

Related Verses:

Ephesians 5:15-17

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Psalm 90:12

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Matthew 6:33

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Colossians 4:5

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.

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Learning to Live Without

February 18, 2013

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The Christmas season has passed. Time for a new year, new opportunities, and for some, time to turn over a new leaf. Some will start a new workout routine, while some will set new career goals. For me, it’s something crucial to my lifestyle. It’s finances. I am dead set on “Learning to live without.”

I made a couple of big purchases over the Christmas season. I bought an iPad and another electronic device that ran me about $300. In all, I spent almost $1,000, on two toys for myself. Two things I definitely did not need. After a couple of weeks, I realized I simply did not need these two things. I returned them both and spent all of the money on my college tuition for Spring. Sure, I’d love to have kept these two toys for myself, but something just hit me. Someone I know very well has always said to me”I learn to live without” and I always laughed, thinking it was just silly. I was ignorant. Now, I’m not laughing, I’m sitting here thinking of how right they are.

There are people all over the world who would love to have a drop of water or a loaf of bread. I’m sitting here with a great job, loving family and friends, steady job, a car and a home…and I still want more. Sometimes we have to just stop and look in the mirror and say “I can live without (Fill in the blank)” If we did this more, I strongly believe we can actually learn to live without things we don’t need, which in turn translates into a higher quality of living.

When it comes down to it, all of us have what we need, but as selfish, greedy human beings, we naturally crave more. It’s up to us to make decisions that will have a positive effect on us as people. Instead of buying that iPad, pay for your college tuition. Instead of financing a new car, learn to live with your clunker. Instead of purchasing $50 worth of Starbucks coffee every week, put more money in the church offering. It’s all about our hearts. It’s about discipline and obedience. It’s up to us. In what ways can you learn to live without?

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