Next Stop: Ireland

I really didn't think there would be any international travel for us this year, but a trip to Ireland has fallen into our laps. Sweet! Another country gets scratched off the list, and we fly to Dublin the first week of March. We considered being there for St. Patrick's Day, but everything is twice as expensive that week, so we'll just be there for the build up.
Lori and I have both passed the half-way mark in the PhilosophersNotes 50 Day Challenge and I am blown away by it. I thought it would be cool and interesting but reading the big ideas from some great works every weekday has been phenomenal. I'm getting more out of this than any class I've ever taken. Can't recommend PhilosophersNotes enough. Check it out.
The 40 day Oneness Experiment wrapped up last week and it was quite profound. Each day had a different practice and meditation and I had some very cool moments of synchronicity, awareness and communion, especially during the last two weeks. It going on at the same time as the PhilosophersNotes made both events very special.
For something completely different; check out http://thisiswhyyourefat.com/ for some hilarious/delicious/disgusting food porn.
Still making my way through all the DVD screeners I got thanks to awards season, and we finally saw "Precious" this weekend. Wow! It is not getting the attention and awards it deserves. A very powerful film, though not great for Valentines Day. I'd love to see the day when half of the people who saw "Avatar" (which I liked too) saw "Precious."

Rock of Ages - RULES!

"Rock of Ages", like... totally ROCKS. That didn't come as a surprise, but what did was that it was so much fun. The 80's LA metal scene inspired hit musical is a hilarious, raunchy, sexy, silly, karaoke-fest full of arena rock and strippers. I did not expect the R-rated comedy routine that this play is. It was especially delightful because some foolish parents had their 6 and 4 year-olds sitting in the second row, just inches from many lap dances over the course of the play. Fun stuff.
Constantine Maroulis of American Idol fame is the lead and does a fantastic job - as does every single performer in this metallic tour de force. Just some of the music featured includes Journey, Whitesnake, Poison, Twisted Sister, Bon Jovi, Quiet Riot, Styx, Night Ranger, Pat Benatar plus the original track Beaver Hunt and more.
I knew I was going to eat it up from the moment I was inside the theater and was handed a fake lighter to illuminate for the ballads. The set design that replicated the Sunset Strip was amazing, and the opening taped VO featuring David Coverdale of Whitesnake (shit, I just saw Whitensake this summer!) giving the audience warnings about not being douche bags with their cell phones told me this was home.
I would see this again in a heartbeat and I'm thrilled by the rumors of it being turned into a movie. My favorite quote comes from The New Yorker, "Is there a Tony Award for Bad-assery?"



Woo hoo!! Less than 24 hours to LOST!!!