THE BEST MOVIE ON THE PLANET!!

In my opinion anyway... I have just finished watching the Shawshank Redemption for about the hundredth time in my life and it still is as entertaining as it was when I first watched it. Aside from the fact that it holds the number one spot on the Top 200 best movies at IMDB, it is a movie that everyone should see at least once. The storyline alone holds merit for allowing this movie to be called the best. However, the sensational acting of everyone throws this movie way over the top. The collaboration of some of todays best actors, including Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, brings forth a movie that really has a taste of what everyone should find interesting. I'll try to stay out of the plot in case there is someone who hasn't seen it, but this movie is a must see for dramatic junkies and suspense seekers alike. The sheer depth of the story will leave you breathless and begging for an encore as soon as it ends. It may sound like I'm overplaying this movie a tad bit too much but for the lack of a larger vocabulary, I keep a mindset of what I'm trying to portray. Guaranteed a good time with this movie and it is definitely something that is enjoyable, at least slightly, to everyone.

All the Hype...

There's been a lot of hype about the new game, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. It is supposed to be the most complex and photo realistic game ever, for the xbox 360. According to all the reviews and play testers it is absolutely gonna raise the bar on video games from here out. I had to have one for myself. So I attended the Midnight Party at gamestop the night it came out and waited in line to get my new console. My friends, Brandon, Thomas Temple, Thomas Willard and I pulled up to the Cookeville gamestop at about 10:30. Already there was a huge crowd gathered to play the game and the majority were huddled around 4 42" lcd televisions. They were running a mini-tournament of sorts and allowed the players to play in 2 minute intervals before they had to relinquish the consoles to other fans. I had no intention of signing up to play I was just worried when I would get my game and be able to go home and try it out myself. I pushed my way through the crowd and into the store to get my ticket to wait in line. "Make sure to hold onto this or you lose your console." were the words that stuck in the back of my mind. I kept checking my wallet repeatedly to make sure I hadn't lost the receipt. I didn't really want to watch the game being played as it would only make me more anxious. So I went back to my car where we huddled around listening to a mixed playlist of Lynard Skynard, Led Zeppelin, Soundgarden, and Def Lepard. We finally noticed the large group of people starting to make a single line which we took as a good sign to make our way to the store front. Seemed like it took forever for me to find my spot in line, 72, and even longer to get my game but it all payed off when I picked it up off the counter. We were all tired but we stayed awake contemplating how awesome the game would be. By the time we got back to Crossville everyone was teetering in and out of consciousness so we decided to split and drop everyone off at the house. Thomas Temple decided to stay the night and spent 15 minutes hooking up his xbox to start the game. I was busy making my bed. I walked into my bedroom as he put the finishing touches on the machine and fell onto my bed to watch. I passed out. I woke up the next morning 30 minutes late so I hurried to get ready for school. I returned home later that evening and held the controller in my hand. I stuck the game in and played until I went to bed. Definitely worth the wait.

Cumberland Ridge

I've recently been hired on as a caregiver for an assisted living facility in Crossville Tennessee. The name of the facility and Cumberland Ridge Assisted living and my job requires me to take on quite a bit of responsibility. I'm responsible for the residents pills, I give hand them out at the times stated by their doctors. There is a lot of medicine to deal with and it can get a bit overwhelming. Though most of the medicine they get may not be dentramental to their health, there is a few that could really hurt them if given at the wrong time or in too much quantities. I am also required to serve the residents meals, clean their rooms, and other things you hear of housekeepers doing. But at the end of the day all the hard work pays off, not just because of the money but because all the socializing and interesting things you learn from them. Many of the older residents have a lot of awesome stories to tell and some even have journals and heirlooms that date back hundreds of years ago. I can say I've had a few interesting jobs in my life, I once worked at a tv station, I worked for the Cumberland County Fire Department, and I've worked nearly all my life with my father in some form of a rock quarry. However, this job really seems like one that is gonna be one of the best experiences of my life. Sometimes even my coworkers have interesting stories of their own. :)

We're the Best

I attended an Engineering Meeting the other day with Doctor Allen Atkins as the primary speaker. It was one of the most enjoyable presentations I have ever listened to. Doctor Atkins is a TTU alumni who graduated and moved on to receive his Masters and PhD in electrical engineering. He is known as the father of stealth technology and is now the Vice President of Boeing Company. Doctor Atkins has worked on many projects including some he could not mention. Things such as the F-117 stealth bomber and the jet fighter that can stop in a vertical position in the air are attributed to this man. His story is awe aspiring and really is something that makes one wonder what will happen when they get out into the real world. To know that the education we can get here at TTU could possibly lead us down similar extraordinary paths is something to think about. He also stressed how much he believed the education we get at this college is arguably some of the best in the country or the entire world. Just look at all the world renowned professors and other staff members that work at Tennessee Tech. Students are supposed to be inspired by those who teach them, and here that fact is recognized. Thanks Tennessee Tech.