Photos: Bookshelves

I'm looking for furniture for my apartment. And I really like bookcases. Would anyone like to build something creative for me, on the cheap? Here's some interesting ones (I didn't save the urls where I found these, sorry):

Microsoft Courier

This is a cool gadget in the line of the iPad.

Blogging From Kenya: Shaun Groves

I've been enjoying reading Shaun Groves' blog lately. He's been posting from his trip to Kenya.

Shaun, known for the music he writes and performs, has been a full time ambassador for Compassion. So far he has led several trips with for Compassion; leading teams comprised of bloggers.

I have two goals with my blog.

#1 Entertain myself.

#2 Go on a trip with Shaun.

Check out Shaun's blog here: http://shaungroves.com/.

Academy Awards 2010

Okay, here are my predictions for this year. Generally I just care about the major categories, but I've gone ahead and made predictions for each award.

Best Picture

Avatar

The Blind Side

District 9

An Education

The Hurt Locker

Inglourious Basterds

Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire

A Serious Man

Up

Up in the Air.

I actually saw everyone of these films. All were really good.

My favorite: Inglourious Basterds

My prediction: The Hurt Locker

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)

George Clooney (Up in the Air)

Colin Firth (A Single Man)

Morgan Freeman (Invictus)

Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker)

I only saw Up in the Air, Invictus and The Hurt Locker. I've heard alot about Jeff Bridges' role and that he's the front runner. The Academy seems to like giving actors their due. Recently I scrolled through Bridges' IMBD page - he is due.

My favorite: George Clooney

My prediction: Jeff Bridges

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)

Helen Mirren (The Last Station)

Carey Mulligan (An Education)

Gabourey Sidibe (Precious)

Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia)

I saw each of these films except The Last Station. This is a tough category, much more than the men. Bullock had a strong role, Mulligan was really good, and Sidibe broke my heart. But Streep became Julia Childs.

My favorite: Meryl Streep

My prediction: Meryl Streep

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Matt Damon (Invictus)

Woody Harrelson (The Messenger)

Christopher Plummer (The Last Station)

Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones)

Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)

I only saw Invictus, The Lovely Bones and Inglourious Basterds. Stanley Tucci had an amazing performance and I've heard Woody Harrelson is great in The Messenger, but Christoph Waltz was ridiculous.

My favorite: Christoph Waltz

My prediction: Christoph Waltz

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Penelope Cruz (Nine)

Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air)

Maggie Gyllenhaal (Crazy Heart)

Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air)

Mo'Nique (Precious)

Again, the ladies had some strong roles this year. Definitely the year for the ladies. I didn't see Crazy Heart but I did see the other four performances. Farmiga and Kendrick were great but would split their votes. Cruz is smoking in Nine. However, I'd have to say that Mo'Nique takes this statue. She stirs up both holy anger and breaks your heart.

My favorite: Mo'Nique

My prediction: Mo'Nique

Animated Feature Film

Coraline

Fantastic Mr. Fox

The Princess and the Frog

The Secret of Kells

Up

I only saw Up, so...

My favorite: Up

My prediction: Up

Art Direction

Avatar

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Nine

Sherlock Holmes

The Young Victoria

I only saw Avatar, Nine and Sherlock Holmes.

My favorite: Nine

My prediction: Avatar

Cinematography

Avatar

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The Hurt Locker

Inglourious Basterds

The White Ribbon (Das Weisse Band)

I saw all except The White Rabbit.

My favorite: Avatar

My prediction: Avatar

Costume Design

Bright Star

Coco Before Chanel

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Nine

The Young Victoria

I only saw Nine, so...

My favorite: Nine

My prediction: Nine

Directing

James Cameron (Avatar)

Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)

Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds)

Lee Daniels (Precious)

Jason Reitman (Up in the Air)

I saw all of these. Taking into account that the Oscars like breaking social barriers and no woman has ever won this award and Daniels is the first African American to be nominated - this becomes a difficult category.

My favorite: Quentin Tarantino

My prediction: James Cameron

Documentary Feature

Burma VJ

The Cove

Food, Inc

The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers

Which Way Home

I didn't see any of these, so this is just a guess.

My prediction: Food, Inc

Documentary Short

China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province

The Last Campaign of Governor Boooth Gardner

The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant

Music by Prudence

Rabbit a la Berlin

I didn't see any of these, so this is just a guess.

My Prediction: The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant

Film Editing

Avatar

District 9

The Hurt Locker

Inglourious Basterds

Precious

I have a feeling Avatar will clean up in the technical categories.

My prediction: Avatar

Foreign Language Film

Ajami

The Milk of Sorrow (La Teta Asustada)

A Prophet (Un Prophete)

The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)

The White Ribbon (Das Weisse Band)

Has anyone seen any of these films? I haven't. So I'm just guessing here.

My prediction: The White Ribbon

Makeup

Il Divo

Star Trek

The Young Victoria

Yay! A reason for Star Trek to win an award.

My prediction: Star Trek

Music (Original Score)

Avatar

Fantastic Mr. Fox

The Hurt Locker

Sherlock Holmes

Up

Can't honestly say that I remember any of these.

My prediction: Avatar

Music (Original Song)

"Almost There" (The Princess and the Frog)

"Down in New Orleans" (The Princess and the Frog)

"Loin de Paname" (Paris 36)

"Take It All" (Nine)

"The Weary Kind" (Crazy Heart)

I only saw Nine. And that movie was stuck in my head for weeks, and not just all the pretty women in it.

My prediction: "Take It All" (Nine)

Short Film (Animated)

French Roast

Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty

The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)

Logorama

A Matter of Loaf and Death

I have only seen Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty, so that'll be my pick.

My prediction: Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty

Short Film (Live Action)

The Door

Instead of Abracadabra

Kavi

Miracle Fish

The New Tenants

I have no clue. But abracadabra is fun to say, so...

My prediction: Instead of Abracadabra

Sound Editing

Avatar

The Hurt Locker

Inglourious Basterds

Star Trek

Up

My Prediction: Avatar

Sound Mixing

Avatar

The Hurt Locker

Inglourious Basterds

Star Trek

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

My Prediction: Avatar

Visual Effects

Avatar

District 9

Star Trek

My prediction: Avatar

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

District 9

An Education

In the Loop

Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire

Up in the Air

My favorite: Up in the Air

My prediction: Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire

Writing (Original Screenplay)

The Hurt Locker

Inglourious Basterds

The Messenger

A Serious Man

Up

My favorite: Inglourious Basterds

My prediction: Inglourious Basterds

What about you?

2 Vampires, ah ah ah

This is the the vampire movie I want to see; watching The Count beat the crap out of that sappy flash in the pan.
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Photo: Great Advertising

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Video: This To Shall Pass (OK GO)

Great Video. I always love these kind of chain reaction contraptions.

Self Doubt

I preached this past weekend.
I knew the text really well. Really well. I did the study work. Probably too much studying.
But I never felt comfortable with the message. I didn't have any real creativity when framing the message. I didn't have any really strong personal stories, which I love sharing in sermons. I didn't have a great closing line, which I like to have. And worst of all I tried something I normally wouldn't.
It was also my first time preaching in front of this crowd. Which only enhanced my yo-yo like self-esteem. Standing on a stage or in the center of a crowd rattles my nerves, even on a normal day; all those eyes staring at me, judging me, criticizing me.
The end result?
Actually I got some great responses from people.
God can do wonders with our crap. (Suddenly I'm thinking about Ezekiel 4).

Nevertheless, what I the image I had in my head was nowhere close to what I saw on Sunday morning. And I'm my own worst critic, especially when I know I can do better.

So all day Sunday I was feeling really down; like a complete failure.
Even some afternoon frisbee golf or an afternoon nap couldn't pull me out of short depression.
Thankfully I got to hang out with the high school students Sunday evening. That's where I feel comfortable in life.

Lessons learned.
Next time I'll "dominate" the sermon.

Photos: Realistic Paintings

Check out the following pieces of artwork, they're amazing. There is 15 images from 4 different artist. I've included their links in case you want to see some more of their work.

Glennray Tutor
Sarah Graham

Charles Bell

Doug Bloodworth

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Photos: Pencil Drawing

Check out these drawings by an artist named Paul Lung. These are some amazingly realistic pictures created with a 0.5mm techincal pencil. Some of these works can take up to 60 hours to complete.

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