I Want To Do This

My cousin Matt posted this a few days ago on Google+. It makes me want to buy boxes of Lego Bricks, and try to re-create my favorite album covers.

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The Finale of How I Met Your Mother *Spoilers Withing

The series finale of How I Met Your Mother caused quite a bit of controversy when it aired a few weeks back. The controversy came about at the end of the episode where lead character Ted resumed a romantic relationship with Robin. The woman whom he chased for the entire length of the series, and who you knew since the pilot episode was not the mother of his children.

Many fans where upset about this for a number of reasons. I will not discuss all of the reasons here, because the Internet is a crazy place, suffice it to say, the general outrage comes from what many people feel is a step back for the Ted character. I know I'm in the minority, but I really enjoyed the ending. Let's face it, the Ted/Robin relationship is the relationship that was the crutch of the show. It's also the relationship that had the most emotional weight. So the fact that we the viewer got closure on this relationship was nice.

Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the mother, who was brilliantly played by Cristin Milioti. I would of loved to of seen more of her, but again this wasn't the relationship that viewers were emotionally invested in. However the aspect of How I Met Your Mother that I respect the most is that the creators had their ending in mind since the beginning of the show. Knowing that it would be unpopular (the mother dies), they stuck to their guns, and told the story that they wanted to tell. In this age of the Internet, if your show isn't named Breaking Bad, fans don't necessarily allow storytellers to tell their stories with out criticizing them to high heaven.

For me the legacy of How I Met Your Mother is that of a very good sitcom, that showed love how it really is. Completely irrational, all over the place, and sometimes changing. This show wasn't your typical romcom. And that is what makes it so refreshing.

The End of an Era

WWE.com

 

Last night at WrestleMania XXX the unthinkable happened. The Undertaker and his mythical winning streak at WrestleMania came to an end by the beast incarnate Brock Lesnar. Being a lifelong Undertaker fan, I was completely devastated by this loss. For so long, The Undertake has been built up as the deadman. The man who feels no pain. The man from the dark side. The one babyface that was truly unstoppable. But last night's loss reminder us that just like the man, the character is not invincible.

I am not sad anymore over the Undertaker's loss. It was a great story told. And that's the best part. For so long the Undertaker was the beast of the WWE. All who challenged him were defeated. As a fan, we just always assumed the Undertaker would be there. Well there is a new beast patrolling the WWE landscape, and that is Brock Lesnar. I am anxious to see which hero will challenge Lesnar next, and try to avenge the Undertaker's defeat. What will be the new stories told?

Watching WrestleMania XXX live was beyond amazing. Witnessing 75,000 people hushed with Lesnar's victory might be one of the greatest WrestleMania moments ever. It was absolutely amazing. But what made WrestleMania XXX so special were the stories told. I've always maintained that at its core, professional wrestling is nothing more than opera.

Performed in front of millions on a weekly basis, the WWE tells stories that take the viewer on a roller coaster of emotions. They surprise you. They anger you. They ultimately give you hope. And that's exactly what happened last night. From the end of the streak, to John Cena facing his demons, to the underdog Daniel Bryan emerging victorious, it was a night to remember. 

WrestleMania XXX will go down as one of the greatest WrestleManias ever. Thank you WWE for the wild ride, and the stories told. And thank you to the Undertaker. The greatest wrestler of all time! If last night was truly his last match, he has given us a legacy that will never be duplicated.

A New Dwarf Planet = Cool Art

NPR had an article posted today entitled: "New Dwarf Planet Found At The Solar System's Outer Limits". As the title suggests, the article discusses how there may be additionally dwarf planets located at the very edge of the solar system. This discovery is fascinating enough, but that wasn't what grabbed my attention. It was the image that was posted with the article that has blown me away. I've posted it below:

Scott S. Sheppard/Carnegie Institution for Science

 

The utter simplicity of the image grabs me. When I first saw the image, and before I read the headline, I thought the article was about art. This serves as a nice reminder for me that the Universe is very much alive, and full of beauty, always waiting to be discovered.

WWE Network: The Future of TV?

So my curiosity got the better of me, and I bought a six month subscription to the WWE network. After the first week or so, all of the bugs were fixed, and the network really came alive. So far it has lived up to its potential, and I've been absolutely glued to it.

It got me thinking. This is the future of TV. For $10 a month, I have full access to the PPV library of WWE, WCW, and ECW. (Every single PPV.) Original programming such as "The Legends of Wrestling" roundtable discussion show, WWE "Countdown", and the most controversial, in the cable companies opinion, live PPVs.

This is the first true step in OnDemand programming. The viewer is no longer shackled by cable companies, and their different pay scales. If you're a wrestling fan, this is the absolute best way to watch professional wresting, and even learn about the business. It will not hurt your pocket book like cable bills are beginning to. The WWE Network is a wrestling fan's dream come true.

 If I were companies like Disney, Warner Brothers, or any other entertainment company, I would be watching this very carefully. Instead of paying cable companies to deliver your product, why not deliver it yourself, and keep most of the subscription fees? Imagine a "Marvel" channel, or "DC" channel. The potential is limitless, and in my opinion is taking television in a new and exciting direction.

Some Great New Music

Thus far 2014 is shaping into a pretty fantastic year for new music. I've recently discovered two new artists, that I cannot get enough of.

St. Vincent
St. Vincent is a former guitarist of Sufjan Stevens, who has gone solo. She recently released her third solo album entitled St. Vincent. It is beyond amazing. She has this great vibe to her music, and is one hell of a guitar player. After listening to this album, I felt like I had just found a new favorite band. And the best part, is I have.



Stark Sands and Punch Brothers
This is a track off of the Inside Llewyn Davis movie, which was released late 2013.  The musicianship on this song is out of this world. I love the fact that this is a quiet song, but grabs your attention, and does not let go until the song is over. I'm currently on the look out for new music from Stark Sands.

New York City... You're Pretty Awesome!

The view from my hotel room

So this past weekend, I journeyed for the first time ever to New York City for a college radio conference. I thought that I would be prepared for New York, because I've lived in Chicago my entire life. How didn't could New York City be from Chicago?

Lots as I learned. I think what blew me away the most was the speed that New York moves at. Everyone is moving at high speed all of the time. Add to that the vast amounts of people everywhere, and you get a city that lives up to its reputation of a "City That Never Sleeps".


Although, there were portions of NYC that were quite calm. The upper west side where, Strawberry Fields is very much like Lincoln Park in Chicago. I found Central Park to be very peaceful. Additionally, Greenwich Village is an amazing area. It's like a combination of Hyde Park, Oak Park, and the Gold Coast all in one. If you are ever there, visit Bleecker Street Records. It's the best record story I've ever been in, in my entire life.

I am so grateful for my experience in New York City, and I look forward to visiting it again in the near future. But it also made me appreciate Chicago, just a little bit more.