Star Wars Action Figures

www.starwarswikia.com

I was talking with my cousin Matt today, over social media, and he reminded me that it has been awhile since I last wrote about Star Wars. In fact my last posting regarding Star Wars was made on the 19th of August 2014. (The topic, which you can find here, pertained to a rumor of a Blu-Ray release of the original unaltered trilogy. Still waiting.)

One of my favorite aspects of Star Wars is the action figures. I always felt that Star Wars had the coolest toys, vehicles, and play sets ever made. With Episode 7 less than 4 months away, it was announced that the new action figure/toy line will be revealed on the 2nd of September. I'm really curious on what the new line of action figures will look like. I for one will be picking up at least a Han Solo. Maybe a few more...

The End of WireTap

www.thepublicradio.org

Earlier this week, it was announced that WireTap, the first real podcast I listened to on a regular basis and my favorite, would be ending after 11 seasons. WireTap was a show that explored a wide array of philosophical and silly topics. It also integrated a flair of old school radio drama with absolutely crazy phone conversations between Jonathan and a friend or family member. And finally WireTap showed me how you could tell a truly inspiring audio story. There were many times that this show would simply leave me speechless at the end.

In fact every week, I looked forward to the WireTap download to see what the latest episode had in store for me. I knew that 85% of the time I was in store for a truly enjoyable 30 minute listening experience. I am really going to miss WireTap, but I admire how the show's producer Jonathan Goldstein is ending it. With the audience wanting more. He posted on the shows official website a video goodbye, along with a message. I've included the link here for you to read the message, and below is the goodbye video.

A Side Note on Dreams

Have you ever experienced a dream that you "know" you are dreaming, your aware of it. But yet you follow where the dream takes you? You begin to believe that the dream is real. I had one of those this past weekend, which for me can be a little unusually. Unusually in the fact that majority of the time, I do not remember my dreams.

This dream I remember. It wasn't anything scandalous, but it did get me thinking. I dreamt that technology ruined my imagination. I was standing on a non-descriptive block and I was trying to imagine something in my head, and I couldn't do it. I kept grabbing my phone and iPad to Google what I was trying to imagine, and it wasn't working. I kept trying and trying and trying, and nothing happened. Finally I woke up.

I think this was my subconscious way of telling me I spend too much time on these devices. I am guilty of being glued to social media, texting frequently, and grabbing for these devices if I'm bored. It's almost like a reflex muscle. But knowing myself, I know I can't give up cold turkey. So I'm going to try an experiment. I'm going to have specific times of the day where I "allow" myself to go onto social media. If it's not that time, I won't go on. I hoping to ease myself off of relying on it so much. I have this practice of staying off social media on weekends. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I do not. However when I succeed, I feel myself more motivated to work on my creative projects, such as my podcast.

So this is my goal.

Suggestions For Reading: 'Go Set a Watchman'

My Copy of 'Go Set a Watchman'

When it was announced in February 2015 that a new Harper Lee book was to be released, I like many other avid readers was ecstatic. 'To Kill a Mockingbird' is one of those rare books that lives up to its height with memorable characters, an ending with a twist, and perhaps most importantly a lesson in morality.  But this was to be no ordinary book Lee was releasing. In fact, what made this announcement even more exciting was her new book, 'To Set a Watchmen' was a semi-sequel to 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. Quite naturally my excitement and anticipation only grew. 

Now the announcement is not without controversy, which I won't get into here. I'm sure you've read about it. If not, a quick Google search will be able to provide you with amble information on the matter. No what I mainly wish to focus on is the book itself. I just finished reading it about a week ago. I'm sure that I am in the minority, but I enjoyed the book very much. But there were a few approaches I took while reading this book that I suggest you take, which I hope will allow you to enjoy 'Go Set a Watchmen' like I did.

1)  Even though the characters in both books are "the same". Don't view them as the same. I read a little bit of the history of both books, 'Go Set a Watchman' was actually written BEFORE 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. So even though Watchman is a sequel, don't view it as one. View it as its own book, that just happens to have characters that share the same names.

2) If you view Watchman as a direct sequel, be prepared for continuity issues that are pretty big. It is mentioned in Watchman that Atticus was able to get an African American man was accused of raping a white girl acquitted. Obviously if you read Mockingbird, you know that this doesn't happen. Additionally, Boo Radley or the Radley family aren't mentioned once in Watchman. But if you just view it as it's own piece of fiction, you will experience no continuity issues whatsoever.

Remember these too pieces I believe assited me in enjoyng this book very. I hope it helps you as well.

Seeing Paul McCartney For the 4th Time

Sir Paul McCartney opening up with
Magical Mystery Tour

On Friday July 31st, 2015, I was privileged to see the one and only Sir Paul McCartney live in concert for the 4th time.

As always, Sir Paul delivered an exceptional concert experience that only he could. 40,000 plus sung together as one for Hey Jude, had their faces melted by Live and Let Die, and danced the "happy dance" to Can't Buy Me Love.

Later this week, I plan on writing a more detailed posting about the experience, but for now, here is the set list:

July 31st, 2015- Lollapalooza, Grant Park
Magical Mystery Tour
Save Us
Got to Get You into My Life
Let Me Roll It
Paperback Writer
My Valentine
Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five
Maybe I'm Amazed
I've Just Seen a Face
We Can Work It Out
And I Love Her
Blackbird
Here Today
Queenie Eye
Lady Madonna
Eleanor Rigby
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
Something
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Band on the Run
Back in the U.S.S.R.
Let It Be
Live and Let Die
Hey Jude

Encore 1
Hi, Hi, Hi
Can't Buy Me Love
Get Back (Featuring Brittany Howard from Alabama Shakes)
Helter Skelter
Golden Slumbers
Carry That Weight
The End