Gilmore Girls...RIP

Well it has ended.

The show that united Buttercup and Jed all those years ago. Jed was "all in" the second EP when Lor ran down the stairs in her cut off jean shorts and cowboy boots....and who wouldn't be!

We have followed the "girls" through many adventures and broken relationships.

I found it fitting that it ended as it began with the 3 main characters in the diner and fade out.

The girls will be missed. We observed a window into their world and we left it, as most of us leave life, without a nice tidy bow around it. Will Luke and Lor make it? What will happen with Rory? Will Kirk be the new lead singer of Van Halen? All of these questions will go unanswered. And that is ok with me.

Good bye Stars Hollow......



sheriff

Comfortably Numb

I guess I didn't think Chase would do it... I really thought he would just keep letting his characters get away with their evil ways.

Sunday's episode proved me wrong... I am sick - Chase has spun everthing and everyone around on me... This is what you wanted to see!!! Right?!?!

Wow.

Yo

The End

Sometimes you just have to say goodbye... sometimes things change and parts of your life that were once so important - become expendable.

"Announcing the final season of Gilmore Girls is truly a sad moment for everyone at The CW and Warner Bros. Television. This series helped define a network and created a fantastic, storybook world featuring some of television's most memorable, lovable characters. We thank Amy Sherman-Palladino, Dan Palladino, Dave Rosenthal, the amazing cast led by Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel as well as the producers, writers and crew for giving us this delightful gem for the past seven years. We would also like to thank the critics and Gilmore fans for their passionate support and promise to give this series the send off it deserves."

- it was not the ending I wanted... but it is an ending.

Yo

p.s. There is a little pain... a sort of deep gouging that is going on inside me... but I guess it has been there all year. How sad.

Findlay Entertainment speaks!!

I know I have made this pitch before - but my little brother Caleb is kicking some podcast butt over at his website - Findlay Entertainment.

Take some time and read a few blogs - make a few comments - download a podcast if you can... subscribe here to have it download directly to your iTunes!!

Caleb recently got a job as the podcast producer of his church in Grimes - he will be doing recordings and putting them into podcast form - which will be up on their website!!

I'm not even doing that!! Way to go kid!

Yo

And I.... will always love you...

I can't believe it... I am a sucker. After 7 years of the girls... all of the drama of the past season - Amy leaving and all... I am really watching because I am a pure sucker for the gushy love that I want Lorelai and Luke to have.

Last night, my tiny dark-frozen heart skipped a few blips watching Lor sing away... to Luke... God help me... I am that guy.


Gilmore Girls - you are not what you once were... but we will always love you.

Yo

"Sheriff ain't shootin Blanks!"

Howdy ya'll,

Sheriff here to show the world that he has got a few more shots in the gun after all. Here are pics of baby kreinter in Buttercup's baby area. The pic below shows the head on the left, hand/thumb going towards the mouth and the feet to the right. Awwwww.....


Pic No. 2 shows the feet/heals on the left with the bottom on the right. (say cheese)

I know these pics don't compare to Kern's new pussy shots over at listen...listen.....but this is all I had access too.

Baby and mother are doing well and we are into our 14 week. More updates to come.

bunny out

He's the man!

I have always had an admiration for Roger Ebert - sure, I have disagreed with his reviews - struggled with his star scale... but I always loved reading his work and hearing what he had to say on several subjects.

Last year Ebert's doctors found cancer in his jaw and had to do some major work - surgeries... bleeding... more surgeries.... the man has been through quite a bit.

This coming weekend is his Overlooked Film Festival and he has been told not to attend for health reasons... and celebrity reasons. What I mean by that is Ebert does not have the look of a celebrity right now (he is sick) and his people recommended he wait until he looks like his old self again.

Ebert heard that advice and posted this on his site!

The man has spunk!!! I can't wait until he is well and posting again.

Atta boy Roger!!

Sopranos rocked on Sunday - this stuff is blowing my mind!!! Amazing Race was really good... yadda yadda.

I am really busy at work so the posts are not coming too often - I will try a little later this week.

Yo

Names and Faces

"Matty J" has joined the ever dying cast of sad bloggers on our little site here. Matt, being our resident chaotician and practicing revolutionist, will slowly be adding comments and dipping his well maligned toe into our collective filth laiden pool.

Above is the image I propose he use for his "picture" - that thing that shows up when you post.

Below is the image I hold true that Nutflopper should be using...


But no one really listens to me.

Yo

The Sopranos - "Stage 5"

I can't stop thinking about Sunday's episode of Sopranos... the show is just amazing. In fact, as Cara and I go through Season 4 & 5 I am beginning to understand just how mind blowing the series is in it's scope and execution.

Of course I mean in relation to it's characters... not it's plot.


"Stage 5" focused on Christopher's film CLEAVER finally being finished and screened for Tony and the crew. This storyline created quite the reflection of audience desires for the series itself - visually giving us the blood and carnage that some viewers want out of the show.

Matt Zoller Seitz, a New York Film Critic, writes a weekly review for his blog The House Next Door - check it out - he does an amazing job looking at each episode and has a vast knowledge of seasons past. Oh - but it ain't spoiler free!!


To be respectful of some readers who do not have HBO (cough * SHERIFF * cough) I am keeping this post spoiler free... but to entice... a major character died this episode!

Is it Silvio in the picture above? Perhaps the person is being killed and the blood is spraying on Sil... perhaps this is Sil's cameo from CLEAVER... or maybe it is a dream.

You
Just
Don't
Know



Get HBO already!


I am loving every moment of the Final Season but I am also dreading the end. I am not worried about how it will end... just sad that this fantastic series will be disappearing. That will be the true crime.

Yo

Playing the "Victims"

I gotta throw in some social commentary that has nothing to do with a film or television show... so I apologize now.

Don Imus was fired yesterday for his negative comments about the Rutger's Womens basketball team (I don't know why he disliked them). Imus called the group "nappy headed hos!" And then he was fired.

Cara and I discussed this yesterday morning (when he had just lost his TV show) wondering how this situation became a racial question. I had never used the term "nappy" in a derogatory way towards African Americans and was surprised to hear that it was a racial slur.

Now I am not arguing that Imus' words are not negative or that he should not apologize for them - which he has done - what I am arguing is that he should not be persecuted to the extent to which he has.


Most of my concerns come from seeing Rev Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson stumble out of the background to grab some camera time to spout a little about racial discrimination. Both of these men should be ashamed of how they use their own race and racial dialogue to further deteriorate the relations between races. They champion a racial divide rather than unity!

Today on TODAY, Jason Whitlock, a columnist for the Kansas City Star, was on talking with Matt Lauer about the entire situation. His words rang true with my opinion. He spoke of the society of VICTIMS - and how Sharpton and Jackson are opportunist looking for some quick headlines.


I went to the Star and found an article he had recently written;

"Thank you, Don Imus. You’ve given us (black people) an excuse to avoid our real problem.

You’ve given Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson another opportunity to pretend that the old fight, which is now the safe and lucrative fight, is still the most important fight in our push for true economic and social equality.

You’ve given Vivian Stringer and Rutgers the chance to hold a nationally televised recruiting celebration expertly disguised as a news conference to respond to your poor attempt at humor.

Thank you, Don Imus. You extended Black History Month to April, and we can once again wallow in victimhood, protest like it’s 1965 and delude ourselves into believing that fixing your hatred is more necessary than eradicating our self-hatred.

The bigots win again."

Whitlock continues..

"Rather than confront this heinous enemy from within, we sit back and wait for someone like Imus to have a slip of the tongue and make the mistake of repeating the things we say about ourselves. It’s embarrassing. Dave Chappelle was offered $50 million to make racially insensitive jokes about black and white people on TV. He was hailed as a genius. Black comedians routinely crack jokes about white and black people, and we all laugh out loud."

Whitlock's argument is spot on and compelling - he points to the contradictions (Chapelle - the rap world) and also shows how this Imus situation is really a continuation of the failure to actually deal with racial and societal issues!

I hope you read it.

Anyway - we are off to the Kreitner's place this weekend - then we get to see Josh Radin in concert in Iowa City!!

Then... SOPRANOS!!!

Yo

An Easterish Tiki!

It has been since November that Tiki Bar TV has delivered a new episode. Long we have waited for the further adventures of Lala, Dr. Tiki, and Johnny-Johnny.

Though the slap-rific ending does please - most of the ep is left with bunny-fisting to pull the laughs.

I chuckled... and sighed.

Meh.



Yo

Grinding Tarantino's House

When Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino announced they would be making a full length feature each and would put them together for a double bill night of B-grade horror schlock fun... I stood up - took notice - and begin to salivate. Rodriguez usually makes pretty good fare (Sin City and Spy Kids are brilliant - the rest borders on annoying) but Tarantino is a genius who's work always takes my movie experience to another world.

The double bill, an over three hour set that included fake trailers and ads for eating establishments, is called GRINDHOUSE with Rodriguez's PLANET TERROR kicking things off and Tarantino's DEATH PROOF following it - Jerry and I snuck off to see it on Saturday (Cara opted to stay away). The whole event was built as a time machine, sending the viewer back to the "grindhouse" days of cinema past. It was brilliant idea with some really fun trailers and novelty "feature presentation" spots litering and expounding on the crazy joy of the show.


PLANET TERROR did it's job and then some. Rodriguez dove into this John Carpenter copy cat mode and did some major homaging to ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK - THE THING - ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 - and more! The music was pure Carpenter... which led into the fun of the film. The story is pure crap (and is supposed to be) and the acting is spot on in total enjoyment of the gruesome - shocking - fun sequences that the film has.

PLANET TERROR nails the B-movie experience perfectly - while also reveling in having the cash to do stunts and set pieces that no B-movie could ever afford to do. The film has several special moments - one in particular is a missing reel that arrives just as the group is laying out their plans to deal with on coming zombies - the missing reel screen pops up - and then we find our group stuck in a blazing building with half of the heroes dead... my laughter filled the theater!

Look for some amazing cameos - Michael Bien - Jeff Fahey - Josh Brolin - the cop from FROM DUSK TIL DAWN and KILL BILL! The film just has a ball with it's characters - story -gore - violence... Rodgriguez nails it.


Tarantino does not.

Actually, this is tough to write - the first half of Tarantino's film is superior to PLANET TERROR is many ways (though the missing reel is not as funny). The dialogue snaps - the characters are great - Kurt Russell burns up his screen time making every moment amazing... The first half of the film just plain rocks!


The final sequence in the first half is a stunner! As a good horror/slasher film should do, I was fully invested in our doomed group of girls - and was fairly sickened as the madman snuffed them out. Tarantino's direction - the music - Russell's perfect eating of his taco supreme dinner... it all worked to perfection... and I was mouth agape at the final moments.

I can't say enough about Russell's impact on this section. His cool handling of Stuntman Mike pours through all of the scenes in the first half - and most in the second. It truly is not his fault things derailed... and boy... how did they derail.

The second half of the picture opens with 4 new girls and an extended sequence that has them all talking inside a vehicle and in a diner (mirroring the first half girl talking sequences). The film comes to a grinding halt with the actors (Rosario Dawson even looks lost here) never grabbing hold of the material in any way. Tarantino's dialogue falls completely flat and becomes what seems to be a joke of his own work. The actors fail - the director fails - things begin to fall apart.

Then Russell returns and my hopes begain build again... but Tarantino has completely mishandled his female characters and they infect the Russell scenes. Granted, I was not totally sold on the final end twist - or irony... but I do feel if Tarantino would have casted the movie as opposed to handing off to "would-be" actors, things would have turned out fine.


What saddens me is that the first part of DEATH PROOF is completely stunning. It is enthralling to watch Tarantino go to this new area... and I must say I was salivating at his work... but then the second half cut so deep into my excitement - that it leaves the whole experience as somewhat of a failure!!

I hate the idea that Rodriguez is the one I am leaning to for excited moments to explain to people about the experience... his film is simple - fun... but simple! Tarantino had me for 40 min... but completely failed me for 48 min more.

That tastes a little pungent... and man... those 48 min almost destory GRINDHOUSE. But screw that!!! It is a blast watching the trailers (THANKSGIVING is the funniest with MACHETE running a close second) and all of the spots... Tarantino... get your sh*t together man!!

Yo

"Under the Boardwalk..."

I don't think I have ever enjoyed watching a game of Monopoly being played on screen... holy God did they nail the Free Parking conversation... and Janice's story about the goo-ma being shot through her bee hive!!! That killed me!!!

The Sopranos returned last night and we had our first viewing in our home... with our TV...


YUMMY!!!

The episode was brilliant! We finally got to see the newspaper hit the driveway - Tim Van Patten did an astounding job of directing (some of the lake scenes were amongst the most beautiful of the series) - and the episode just killed me with hysterics!

Bobby's final two scenes were strong and emotional - they really nailed a moment for his character (especially with his daughter running into his arms - hair ablaze like the kid he just murdered). Then "Magic Moment" comes on... and I realize my favorite television show is back... easing out a final few magical moments.


Entourage also came back last night - quality was still strong (more than a few great laughs from Johnny-Drama and Turtle) and I was happy to see Carla Gugino joining the cast. I loved her from the Spy Kids movies (and her few scenes in Sin City!) and I hope she sticks around for a while.

After the show I downloaded some Entourage tunes - enjoyed those on the way in today!!

The weekend was great - Easter - the Masters (way to go Zach!!!!) - GRINDHOUSE (pretty damn good until the last half of Tarantino's... it is his first failure) - and the return of Super Soprano Sundays... got me a weeks worth of cavatelli to eat!


Yo

Prepare for Six in seven

Folks - it is upon us... The Sopranos returns Sunday for the second part of season 6 (which should be season 7... who is doing this at HBO?!?!) and once again expectations are high and most of us will be disappointed.

I will be thrilled with what I get - knowing that later I can watch the show and find all of the goodies and quality on DVD.

Anyway, here is a great catch up piece that is on YouTube - 7 minutes to catch everyone up... it is pretty funny too!



Gotta start cooking up some pasta - YO!!!

Georgia... oooohhhh Georgia!!

Cara and I were lucky enough to take a short vacation this past week - we headed off to Atlanta, Georgia, to meet her parents. There we would spend a few short days playing golf, touring the state, and walking the Augusta holes!!

Here are some pics


This is Stone Mountain outside of Athens - Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Jefferson Davis are carved into the side of this mountain of a rock. The image took decades to finish.


Cara and her mother Cherie stroll up the mountain.


It might be shocking now, since it is only 28 degrees out, but it was a mighty hot day there on that rock! Here we are at the top - you could see for miles (though it was a little overcast).


This painted dog was one of many on the University of Georgia campus - I am standing with Bob, Cara's dad. And no - I did not mount the dog... though it had been discussed.


The Masters - Augusta... We woke up early Tuesday morning (about 4 am in Iowa) and found our way down to the course. It - is - astounding!!


This is the clubhouse - look at that Georgia white!!!


What's wrong with my red hat!??! Kiss my @ss!!


Vijay tees off!


Sergio eyes it up.


Cara ogles Mike Weir.


Tiger is chillin.


The day was gorgeous and not too hot (the sun finally calmed around 2 - my burning flesh could relax)!


We wrapped up the day taking some pics by the clubhouse - I am sure Cherie could tell you what tree that is... but I have no idea!


Now it's time to settle in and watch some golf - I have the Masters recording at home... can't wait til the weekend when we can watch it in HD!!!

Yo

I hung my head...

Hi gang - I am back from Augusta and will post some images later tonight or tomorrow. For right now, we need to talk about The Shield.

Kern has mentioned his passion for the show and I have written some longer pieces about several seasons - last night, I watched the season 6 opener and was again thrilled to be in Vic Mackey's world.

The Shield has always gotten the frantic psychotic realm of LA down - consistently provided stories that shocked and thrilled viewers... but sometimes it's characters bordered on ridiculous (Aceveda - your tyrst with the prostitute was odd).

Last season brought in Mr. Best Actor Forrest Whitaker to up the acting quality (actually raising the bar from Glenn Close!) and the series saw a huge leap in dramatic impact with Lem's conflicted storyline. The Shield reveled in it's character's struggle to maintain good and to hold on to their souls while trying to do good while being bad. Vic's strain to save Lem and keep the Barn from going under is noble... but his actions are anything but.

Walter Goggins stunned me last night - when the crew learns of Kavanaugh's lies about Lem having a second deal (the reason Shane killed him), Vic and Ronnie react with frustration accordingly... but Shane... poor Shane... the guilt... the utter tradgedy that is his life now....

It was a major moment for the actor - the character - and the show!!

What a start... it is going to be one helluva ending.

Masters pics and stories soon - YO!

I don't have a green jacket

Mickelson - Singh - Woods..... Findlay!

Howdy folks,

Cara and I head out on our trip tonight - we will be driving down to Kansas City to stay at her sister's (Tricia and fiance Graham). Then tomorrow morning bright and early we fly out to Atlanta.

The whole reason we are going is that Cara's father (Bob) won tickets to the practice round of the Masters.

That is golf to those who are not with the sport scene (as someone who is constantly catching up with Cara on the sport scene - don't be ashamed).

Tuesday we will be walking the course at Augusta and seeing the greats play the game. It is going to take all of my energy not to scream for Tiger when we walks up to tee off. He always looks so cute in his Nike garb...

ahem.

Anyway, we will be shooting several rounds of golf on various days (18 holes worth on Monday!) and it will be time for Jed to shine!! I have bought new shoes - my clubs are worn in... and I am primed to make my break in the sport.

It's my time baby!!!

Or not.

Pics will follow next week - adieu to those stuck in Iowa... suckers.

Yo

Badda... Badda... *sniff*

Ya know - I do tend to watch movies over and over. Good movies... bad movies... some times I watch a film that I cherished and watched ten times over when I was young... and see the quality has dropped... others, just reaffirm the greatness.

So Cara and I started watching Sopranos from the beginning (she had not seen them all) in preparation for the upcoming Final Episodes... and I realized - this show is simply amazing.

Last year I watched the series again with Devin (though I missed most of Seasons 4 & 5) so it has not been that long since I viewed these... I am just amazed that I can continually be surprised - excited - humored - blown away... by this show.

The direction is always spotless... the writing rarely falters... often, we look to the plotting for problems... but after watching these from back to back... with less expectation... I see the patience and passion the show has.

It just continues to stun.

So here comes April 8th - the final 9 episodes. With the finale last Season I felt I wanted the series to end... after watching again... I am truly going to miss the show.

The Sopranos is and always will be one of the greatest TV series ever created. Period.

Yo

Fo' Sale

What up Damfinoblog!
We're building a new home in Dallas Center and need to sell our first house. So, if you know anyone looking please keep us in mind. You can view all the details at fsbo.com with the listing #93889. Our ideal buyer would be someone wanting to downgrade from a single-wide or mom's basement.
Keep it real.

Urnotme

Mr. Spendy

*note, I wanted to post this last week but have not had any time... end note*

Once upon a time there was a boy... and he was awfully spendy. Mr. Spendy didn't actually make very much money - and what he did have he wasted on booze and flowers for his girlie - but he had an innate desire to "own" the finer things in life.

He was pretty naughty in November and bought an Audi A4. Many have seen Mr. Spendy's beloved A4 - but he thought he had better add some images for the others. Pics below;


ooooh!


yum


My daily view.


Hee-hee!!

But even more so, Mr. Spendy felt an empty place where a certain item's love should live. Mr. Spendy needed something more... he needed an HD TV.

Last weekend marked the breaking point for Mr. Spendy and his girl - they had gotten some funds back from the Government and Mr. Spendy had some plans on how they should spend them... of course his girl had quite a different idea... but they met half way.

American held a nice deal of 2 years no interest - this allowed Mr. Spendy to pay off small amounts monthly and take the large sum from the Gov. and invest it away - this made the girl very happy. Mr. Spendy had found his way to buy his TV.

Sony - Mr. Spendy loves the brand - LCD - Mr. Spendy found this type of TV to offer the best image quality - Bravia XBR - the Sony model that just sort of screamed "TAKE ME HOME!!!" to Mr. Spendy.


Girlie and Lilly are excited.


Mr. Spendy - obviously happy.


Even the batteries say Sony!


46 inches of drooley!!!


This is the first thing we watched - over the air first!!


The picture does not do it justice... it - looks - good!

Mr. Spendy is thrilled... he can sleep soundly... until the next toy is in his sights.

Yo