Festival Sudamerica

The summer events season draws to a close with it the opportunities to use my equipment. We've worked at a lot of great events this year, everything from church dances to large outdoor festivals - most of the time doing two events in one day. This was one of my favorite events because I got out ALL of my equipment.

We provided sound for a Rock Band (Groupo Dosis) to dancers, to soloists and spent the entire day in the shade with some outstanding empanadas. It was a ridiculous amount of work but fun none the less. I'm lucky to have some great friends and family who back me up with some extra equipment and help me run these shows - thanks folks - especially my wife Hannah.

Jeep Brothers

We may not be a company of WWII army infantry but we do have a definate bond through a common thread: Jeeps. Out of four brothers in my family, three of us coincidentally own white Jeep Wranglers, two of which are the same model year, all three YJ class.

My brother Rob (center) has the most elaborate Jeep. A true rock crawler, his '95 Renegade package has been stripped down and replaced with a Spyder roll cage and armor, Atlas dual control differential, adjustable spring over shocks, 35" BFG's, a winch and the nicest tire carrier I've seen.

Kenneth (left) owns a 4.0L straight six with a four inch lift and 33" inch BFG's. I sport the most conservative Jeep, matting a 5 speed manual to the 4 cylinder engine and simple two inch shackle lift with 31" Goodyear Wranglers (mud tire.)

It has been years in the making getting all three of the Jeeps on the road at the same time, and it seemed that if there was ever a good excuse to take a photograph, this was it. Now we just need to buy Kenny an orange polo shirt.

The New Job

I have been fortunate enough to earn a new position at work. I am now the General Manager of the Centerville Domino's Pizza. It's rather humbling to be given the position since I was in the running with at least two other candidates, each of whom were well qualified. I feel honored to be chosen to run the store. I foresee a lot of long hours for a while, but I think they will be rewarding.

Hannah and Emma have been very supportive and even though they endure my long hours away they are rather excited for me. I hope that some extra income will help relieve some of the stress on Hannah and give her a better chance at kicking her illness. I am lucky to have great family who are willing to temporarily adopt Emma on days when both mom and dad are working. Thanks so much to everyone who helps us keep plugging along and to each of you who read this blog (for whatever demented reason) for being a loyal follower.

I hope to see you in the store or on the driving route - often! BTW, family will no longer receive discounts. They will now receive double charges. I have profit expectations to meet! :-)

My Faith In Humanity

In the mail yesterday we received a pink envelope. It seemed innocuous but hid a secret. A secret sender. Upon hearing that we had fallen victim to the theft of Emma's car seats an anonymous benefactor went out of their way to send us a sympathetic card and gift.

I am clueless as to whom our mysterious gifter might be, they state only that they love our family and adore Hannah (who doesn't ;-D) and that they hope their contribution helps relieve the sting of the situation.

Forgive me as I get a little misty eyed and offer a sincere Thank You.

STOP THIEF!

I've been robed. Literally. Some devious individuals have absconded with my daughters car seats - both of them. Has my sense of security been shattered? No. Do I feel violated? No. Am I angry? Positively. I am however glad that more did not happen - and that's perhaps the most perplexing part of this entire saga - nothing else was taken. My CD's were still on my dashboard, other belongings that were lying about the yard were not touched but someone decided that they needed - not just a car seat - but two. I might have gleaned some solace from the event had I the belief that some child was being better protected in their ill gotten child safety restraint, but that bit of cheer is quickly snuffed out by the greed of taking both seats.

Now someone else has saved themselves a couple hundred dollars on safety restraints (which, by the way, qualified families can receive at no cost from several outlets) and I now struggle to balance the checkbook against the new seats and all the other things that money was dedicated for (new brakes, oil changes, pre-school tuition etc.)

Dark Knight Lights Up Screen

5/5 Stars

Overstatement is haunting me constantly. How do I make it clear how incredible this movie is while not making out it to be another "Ben-Hur?" I don't know if it's possible because this movie amazed me from the word go.

The 800 pound elephant in the room is Heath Ledger. I was sure that critics who were calling for a posthumous Oscar nomination were perhaps seeing his performance through rose colored glasses. I affirm that Ledger deserves each and every accolade he gets for his portrayal of the dementedly jolly villan. A tour de force performance to be sure, Heath Ledger dazzles as he unfolds the depths of the character and each revelation is as remarkable to watch as the previous one.

It is fabulous to see the streets of Chicago used so much in this movie. I have always believed that if New York is Metropolis then Gotham is Chicago. While Gotham is only somewhat based on the windy city, I still think it benefits the movie to have this relationship. Not only do I feel that the city's layout, skyline and architecture are a credit to any film, but one of my biggest complaints of Batman movies past is the lack of connection to a real place and people. By grounding the franchise in a recognizable city Batman becomes a superhero that might actually exist. Batman is someone who deals with politics, terrorists and angry masses as well as evil masterminds.

The supporting cast is remarkably strong. There are lots of secondary roles, some bigger than others, but each essential to the film and it's fascinating to see them weave between each other to create a deep and intrinsic plot. Old favorites do not disapoint: Cane, Freeman are a joy to watch, and it is remarkable to see other characters develop into the icons of the novels and films we know so well.

Oh, by the way, Christan Bale is phenomenal too. He has a hard job playing against a talented cast, but he does it so well - and perhaps the best compliment I can pay him is to say that I didn't notice him particularly. He is the anchor of the franchise who executed his role splendidly. He lets us see Batman in his environment, gives every other role in the movie a foil to play off of and still gets all the dazzling stunts and gadgets.

Is the movie too long? Perhaps, but it's worth every moment. Are there too many threads in the plot, maybe, but not only do they pay off in the end, but I would hate to see these stories stolen from a great film and stretched into a weak sequel - void of a joker - or requiring a replacement. This movie has it's flaws as most movies do. If you don't enjoy Super Hero movies to start with, of course you would have to love it more than I to get the same rating.