Crisp

• My guitar sits alone in the corner, gathering dust, remembering chords and melodies. 
• A Word Document is open, blank, the thin black line blinking, waiting to be utilized. 
• Pandora has a nice mixture of inspiring music playing, something to get me going. 
• I watched three movies and read a chapter of my book before I sat down at the computer. 
• I've opened and closed Facebook more times than I can count. 
• Checked an empty Gmail inbox numerous times. 
• Second cup of coffee finished. 
• No text messages. 
• No notifications. 
• Not everyones a winner
• Not everyones a winner
• Not everyones a winner

Somewhere before the middle

We were supposed to create something. Whether it be a story, an empire, a child. Who knows. We may never.

In the last few years since the breakout, I've done my best to put all hope aside. I've given up on "finding" anything. All that is left is now. All that is left is me and what I make of my time.

I heard there was a cure. "Was" a cure. The Justice kidnapped whoever discovered this so-called "blessing" and will use it against us. I've seen what this disease can do to someone. To a child. It ain't pretty.

The bombs left a ringing in my ear. I hear it when I sleep, when I hunt, when I cry. I know it's only a matter of time before they find us. No, not the roamers, the crazies, the stalkers, the walkers, the dead, the corpses,  the lurkers...zombies.


Not them.

Spoilers...

I found this in my mailbox today...

Movie Review: Moneyball

We've all seen a lot of great baseball movies ranging from The Sandlot to The Natural. And we've all seen a lot of bad baseball movies like Mr. 3000 and The Benchwarmers. But I can almost guarantee that no one has seen a baseball movie quite like MoneyBall.

Brad Pitt plays Billy Beane, the General Manager for the Oakland Athletics who is struggling to win the last game of the season. In this case, the last game of the season was in the American League Division Series elimination game against the Evil Empire New York Yankees and their deep, deep pockets of money. An early statistic in the film stated the payroll difference of the two teams. New York Yankees- $114 odd million. Oakland A's- a smashing $39 million. quite a difference if you ask me.

After Billy Beane pleads his case to the owner of the A's that without more money they can't compete with wealthier teams because they can't buy all-stars, Beane attempts to make deals with other teams. On his travels to Cleveland he discovers Peter Brand, who is played by Jonah Hill(that guy from Superbad who drops the f-bomb every other line and has an extremely odd obsession with drawing dicks. But that has nothing to do with the movie), a Yale grad with a degree in Economics. Brand comes off as a very socially awkward guy who has never had a job before. ever. Beane is quickly impressed with Brand's knowledge and theories on baseball and after an unexpected late night call from Beane to Brand, Beane offers Brand a job as his assistant GM for the Oakland A's. Quite the promotion for a guy who has never had a job before.

The two then scheme together a plan to build a team based on how frequently the ball players can get on base, also known as their OBP or on base percentage. the old time scouts in the clubhouse disagree with the method the film then moves in to a fireball of obstacles and failures, disapprovals and disappointments. there is no love interest in the film except for the romance shared between Billy Beane and baseball.

Brad Pitt put on a stellar performance giving all of his emotions for the character Billy Beane and expressing his faith in the system Beane and Brand adopted called Moneyball. I was surprised at how well Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill worked together. The chemistry between them was remarkable, learning from one another about not just their theories of baseball but on life and how to do what you believe in no matter what the cost. it was almost like watching Robin Williams and Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting.

I can't forget to mention the great screenwriting and directing for this movie. Director Bennett Miller (who also directed Phillip Seymour Hoffman in Capote) brought the movie to life with different camera angles and close ups of Brad Pitts face and random photographs in the film. The film goes back and forth from past and present with Pitt's character and the way those scenes are delivered help for a very clear and understandable vision.

The film is based off the best selling book by Michael Lewis MoneyBall: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. Steve Zaillian (Schindlers List and Gangs of New York) and Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network - that one film about Facebook with Justin Timberlake in) co-wrote the story for the screen.

Overall I give the film an eight out of ten. I could have done without Brad Pitt looking like a Ken doll but his performance as Billy Beane may have been the best he's ever acted and I wouldn't be surprised if he's nominated for some big time (Oscar!!!) awards. I really enjoyed the film and I'm glad they didn't follow the traditional standards for a baseball movie and the acting in the film was spot on.

Talk Like A Pirate Parrrrty!!

In just a few weeks it will be Talk Like A Pirate Day in Saint Augustine, which means you can go to any bar to find horrible drunken pirate impressions, Johnny Depp look-a-likes and whole lot of rum. But for Tiger Lee of Pirate Fashion N’ Fotos, it’s about sharing the passion of the pirate lifestyle with others. A day to be enjoyed the right way…with rum, song, fighting, cursing n’ dancing in a weekend long immersive experience.

Talk Like A Pirate Day is internationally celebrated every September 19th. Started by two pirates, John “Ol’ Chumbucket” Baur and Mark “Cap’n Slappy” Summers in 1995. Since then Talk Like A Pirate Day has spread like wildfire across the country and
beyond. Tiger Lee has dedicated an entire weekend party to the cause.

“It’s celebrated in other places much more than it is in Florida because it takes place in the middle of hurricane season so no one wants to put on a festival when it could potentially be rained out. But I says, what’s a little water?” bellows Tiger. “Arrr, we be pirates, so damn the water n’ let’s have a party!”

Tiger Lee has decided to throw the hottest party ever, it’s going to be filled with some sexy -and some not so sexy- pirates.

Friday, September 16, kicks off the first day of Tiger Lee’s Talk Like A Pirate Weekend. The day begins with the pirate invading, I mean touring the Spanish Colonial Quarter. Then onto the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, the fortress design to keep pirates away. Finishing the day with, you guessed it, the Brethren Pub Crawl, which will feature some public dueling with swords, pistols and maybe even some long knives. And if you know anything about pirates then you know these duels are intended to leave only one man standing.

Saturday, September 17, begins the day with Benerson Little, Pirate Expert and Former Navy Seal Officer lecturing about the Myth vs Reality of how Pirate Boarded Ships. A tour of the St Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum follows.

The highlight of the weekend is Fifth Annual Hot Pirate Babe Calendar Release Party. The famous Naked Cowboy from Time Square, the most photographed man in the world, will be making a special appearance as a Pirate. There going to be an unlimited amount of mouth watering food and rum drinks. And don’t forget the pirate-themed hip-hop
group Captain Dan and the Scurvy Crew, as well as fire performers, and beautiful belly dancers.

“Everyone has to come well-dressed in pirate garb; then get instructed on how to interact as a pirate with classes such as: ‘Talk Like a Pirate’, ‘Dance like a Pirate’ and ‘How to Flog’,” said Tiger. “The night finishes off with getting the new 2012 Hot Pirate Babe Calendar autographed by all the attending models. You can even have your photo taken with your favorite model.”

The party goes from 5-10pm on Saturday, at the St. Augustine Beach Ocean Pier Pavilion.

The name “Hot Pirate Babe Calendar” does not lie, it is literally a calendar filled with lusty run bottle wenches, cutlass wielding mermaids and sexy vixen with flintlocks. The eagerly awaited calendar is going into it’s Sixth year and has been described as
the “Victoria’s Secret of Piracy.” Tiger dresses, designs, photographs and edits the calendar himself and even uses his shop Pirates Fashions and Fotos as his studio.

“The men love the calendar for the lusty weapon wielding pirate pin-ups and the women love it for the new fashion ideas showcased” said Tiger.

The weekend closes on Sunday with a half day Boarding Actions Seminar where attendees learn hands on pirate style sword fighting from instructors from the Historic Navel Combat Association Instructors.

If you should find yourself in need of authentic and appropriate pirate attire or “garb”, head on over to Tiger Lee’s Pirates Fashions and Fotos shop located at 26 Cuna Street where he designs and produces his own pirate clothing to give the attire a more accurate look and feel.

Tiger is making this year’s Talk Like A Pirate Day into one giant party weekend, you’ll be turncoat swabby to miss it. “Pirates don’t stay in the box- expect a unique blend of history n’ modern fun” said Lee. “ Instead of watering it down to accommodate the masses, I’m going to make it the most unique experience around ,so true pirate loving
souls will remember it forever, Yarrr!”

Movie Review: Contagion

what would you do if we were all exposed to a deadly virus we know nothing about. call your loved ones, go to vegas, riot the streets? the virus thriller "Contagion" opens in theaters this friday and follows the rapid progress of a lethal airborne virus that kills within days and the people effected by the disease.



The film is filled with big name actors like Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law and Marion Cotillard.

The film starts with Beth Emhoff, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, later to be known as patient zero. her story starts on Day 2 and her symptoms have begun. over the next few days we see fatalities from this virus and the worldwide medical community racing to find a cure and where the virus came from.

Kate Winslet plays Dr. Erin Mears, an up all night- must and will figure this out kind of doctor. She delivers the most horrifying line of the film saying "we touch our hands to our face 2-3,000 times a day." when we aren't doing that we are shaking hands, opening doors, pushing buttons on ATM's. She makes it very clear that this virus will spread easily and quickly.

Soderbergh intertwines the characters story lines so we can truly see the big picture of the virus and how it is effecting everyone. Matt Damon who plays Gwyneth's husband and throughout the majority of the film is as cool as a cucumber. keeps calm and doesn't shed a tear for the majority of the film. Jude Law plays an online journalist who digs deep to find the truth behind the virus and questions the ethics behind some of the government leaders and scientists.

Marion Cotillard has little screen time and her characters story is almost forgotten though she holds great responsibility trying to find the origin of the virus.

But its not just the big names in the film that are important. John Hawkes plays a janitor at CDC and his character shows that the little guys are just as important is the big guys. Bryan Cranston plays Fishbunres boss at CDC and Jennifer Ehle steals the show as Dr. Ally Hextall, the scientist racing to find a vaccine. there is a scene with her father who has been infected that shows the realism of the film.

the strengths of the film is the focus on small and terrifying transfers of viruses we seem to overlook in everyday life. in almost ever scene something so simple as eating nuts at a bar or giving the waitress your credit card is highlighted to show just how easy and plausible a virus can spread. Director Steven Soderbergh does a beautiful job follow hands and what our hands touch from city to city, country to country.

"Contagion" is an idea that a fast acting and deadly virus is possible and the chaos that surrounds it is chilling. this is a scary movie. not a "pop out at you" scary but a "this could really happen" scary