Tyler's Movie Review: The Reader

I don't cry during movies, but this one got me to come pretty damned close. It is one of the best movies I've seen so far this year. I recommend it to everyone.
The basic idea of the movie is how subsequent generations deal with understanding the Holocaust as the generation which experienced it starts to pass. The story is about a young boy who has an affair with an older woman. Years later, he discovers a horrible secret she's been hiding along with another embarrassing secret which she has kept hidden all her life.
It follows the two through their lives up to the very tragic end. The movie is based on the book by Bernhard Schlink. It is now on my list of many books I still want to read.

5/5 Stars.

Tyler J.

Tyler's Movie Review: Alive Day Memories

I have decided to carry over an old post topic from my old blog. That would be the movie reviews. I love movies of all kinds and think people only watch what is forced upon them. We need to be exposed to films of all kinds. This is the only one I could think suitable enough to base my first review.

Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq is an HBO film produced and hosted by James Gandolfini. If you don't know who James Gandolfini is, you should put on a pair of cement shoes and jump into the Hudson River. In the film, he interviews 10 soldiers and Marines who have been wounded in Iraq. They discuss their lives since the incident that occurred on what they refer to as their "Alive Day", the day they survived their attack in Iraq. It is one of the most heart-wrenching documentaries you will see based on the war. However, just like everything that people declare "too shocking", this film needs to be seen.

For the Veterans Day program at the school where I work, I plan to show a few of the highlighted stories from this movie. Many kids today simply get the mainstream media or video game version of what war is. I thank God that I was able to come back home from Iraq in one piece. I believe I have been given a great opportunity to spread the word and paint a realistic picture of that situation. It's not all flag waving, parades, and glory. It is real.

5/5 Stars.

Tyler J.

Good To Be Back Home

We made it back from our trip to Washington the night before last. It was so nice to sleep in our own bed, pet our own cat, and eat our own food. Yesterday, we bought a new memory foam mattress topper since the one at great grandma's was just too good to imagine living without one.

Last night, my mom arrived in town for her stay. I think we're going to go to the Louisburg Cider Mill for some shopping and then go see my brother in Olathe. We'll probably just hang out and watch some movies or something. I'll just be glad to see everyone.

Tyler J.

Kettle Falls, Washington Part II

Being up here is like being on a cruise without the sea-sickness and overpriced luxuries. We're sleeping on a bed that reminds me of spongecake. We've eaten pork loin, salmon, halibut, ribs, stir-fry, and huckleberry pancakes. The walks around the countryside have been like something out of a Louis L'Amour novel. Swimming in the Columbia River was, for lack of a better word, brisk. In some spots, it was like swimming in a warm bath. In others, the temperature could have killed you if you were in it for too long. It has been the most fun I've had in a long time. However, I do miss the comforts of my own home.

Tyler J.

Kettle Falls, Washington

It's been a log time since I have visited a place this amazing. All around us, there is nothing but a sea of evergreen trees covering a maze of mountains. We've been here for three days now, and I can already place this on my list of the greatest places to visit. We're staying at Natasha's great grandmother's house in the mountains. The bed we sleep on is the most comfortable king size bed I've ever seen. The bed sits four feet off the ground and it feels like you're lying on a piece of cake. It's hard to explain.

The animals up here are amazing. Yesterday, a massive white tail buck went running up the hill in front of us during our walk. Hummingbirds continuously buzz around our heads on the porch. I've still yet to see a bear or cougar, but they tell me they're all over the place up here. Hopefully, we will visit the Columbia River before the trip is done. I would just like to stick my feet in the water to see how cold it really is. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Tyler J.

Recent Happenings

Hot Dog Race!!! Mustard won.
Zack Greinke.

Greinke pitching while Scott Podsednik tried to steal second. He was thrown out.

Us at The K.

Me at The K.

We've really been putting the house together and I'm loving every minute of it. I finally finished the spare room and it is now void of Care Bears. The walls look fantastic along with everything I've hung on them. I will post pictures soon.

Last night, we attended our first Royals game of the season. They played the White Sox and Greinke pitched for his fourth loss of the season. He gave up a few runs, but only two of them were earned. The fielding by the Royals was absolutley terrible, but it was still a good time.

Today is Independence Day. We don't have any plans at the moment, but I'm thinking that will change shortly. I would like to at least get out of the house and blow something up with fireworks. We'll see.

Tyler J.

Crazy Day

Yesterday, I was going to write, but I was incredibly busy working around the house. A couple of people died yesterday that really brought everyone down. Farrah Fawcett, the actress best know for her role in Charlie's Angels, died after her battle with breast cancer. Also, Michael Jackson died of a heart attack. This one is, by far, the most shocking. Earlier this week, Ed McMahon died. He was getting up there in age and there's a saying that goes when people die in three's. They say, "The elderly, the sick, and the sudden." This week, all three apply. Truly sad.

In cheerier news, the house is really coming together. I cleaned the garage and cleared out a lot of room in the other rooms. Natasha has been gone all week at a seminar in Dallas. She'll be back tonight, so I'm glad I was able to clear some room for her to park her car. I'll be happy to have her back home.

Tyler J.

Settling In

We have unpacked eveything except for the little stuff. The house is really coming together now and beginning to appear livable. We spent Monday night waiting out a massive tunderstorm to bid on a dining room table amidst a room full of absolute garbage in an auction house. This table was one of the few items worth placing a bid.

In addition, Phase I or Operation Care Bear is now complete. The spare room is covered in nicely handpainted Care Bears. Unfortunately, it takes away from the manly appeal that room should possess. I prepped the room for painting and now I only have to add a coat of primer and one coat of paint should do it.

Next week, when Tash is out of town, I'll hit that project really hard and should have it done in a day or two. After that, I'll be putting things on the wall and moving in what little furniture I want in there.

Well, I'm off to work.

Tyler J.

First Day of the Rest Of My Life

So, today we moved in, for the most part, to the house we bought. Originally, we were under the impression that the seller was going to leave the washer and dryer. However, when we did the walk through, the washer and dryer were gone and we didn't see it in the loan papers. Luckily, they were still in town and had to meet us at the title office to sign all of the paperwork. We asked them if they still had it and they did. They said they were going to ask $300 and we bought it immediately. Not without some hassle, of course. We had to go back to the title place to get our earnest deposit back. After we got the payment exchange squared away, we really kicked the moving operation into high gear. With the exception of my computer desk, recliner, and a few boxes, we moved everything out of the house within 3 hours. I was very proud. We then, bought some pizza to share with our moving team, which consisted of our buddy, Nick. Tash's grandparents left before we ordered the pizza. We'll make it up to them this weekend.

So, I am very excited to start organizing the house the way I see fit and preparing the spare room for the paint job. If I stay on track, I should have the room prepped and ready next week, and painted by the beginning of the next week. We'll se how it goes. I have a lot of other stuff to do before I can really get cracking on that project.

This has all gone so fast, I can hardly wrap my head around it all. I'm just starting to realize, "Oh God, I just bought a house." It's such a big step, but we've been waiting for it for five long years and we finally found a great one with some great neighbors. Finally, I think we've caught a break.

Tyler J.

Idle Tuesday

I'm back... for now. I've decided to defragment by blog and begin anew with a fresh look at life. I was going nowhere with my previous blog and have been far too busy and sidetracked to bother updating it. Right now, I'm posting to simply make aware my intentions to write a more concise, more organized, and more user freindly blog. I started my old one clear back in 2004. A lot of things written there do not apply anymore and were simply using up space and cramping my style. I'm thinking this renewal will allow me write more often and purge my brain.

For those who don't know, my wife and I just bought a house. After much stress and financial tension, we will be moving in this Friday. It is a cute little two bedroom/one bathroom house with a giant family room and recently remodeled kitchen. The only room that needs immediate attention is the spare room as the walls are littered with Care Bears. I plan on making it a more appealing room to us and our guests considering kids are not in our current agenda.

I am currently employed with a school district working as a life-skills para with kids who have severe mental and physical disabilities. It is the greatest job I could have ever imagined. I see things happen that few people get to see and it makes me feel like I have found a calling. It certainly beats some of the other jobs I have had up to this point in my life. As I get older, I realize more and more what is important and laugh at the person I used to be. Don't get me wrong, I am still that same person, but just a little more civilized.

I sometimes wonder if I wasted my life on things that would amount to nothing. I certainly wasted a lot of money that could have been otherwise spent wisely. Although, don't we all? I mean, we are a society driven by the competition for who has the most "stuff" and who is the most "successful." No one focuses on living anymore. People hardly take the time anymore to just stop what they're doing and go fishing or go for a walk with the one they love. No one is perfect, but we can all be better.

Tyler J.

"It's not the years in your life that matter. It's the life in your years." - Abraham Lincoln