Still crying a little bit...

I don't cry very often, but I have been known to tear up in certain movies. However, there is one medium of entertainment that I would never expect to cry. That medium: Comic Books. I have cried in a couple of them this past week.

The two comic books: All-Star Superman and Daytripper.

All-star Superman starts out with astronauts who are sent to the sun to study it, when one of the crew members happens to be a deadly creature. The astronauts are headed right into the sun when Superman flies to the sun and brings back to Earth. However, Superman flies so close to the sun that he soaks up too much radiation. Superman learns that he is going to die soon. The series had 12 issues that were released over a couple of years time. Each story deals with Superman trying to get his affairs in order while still trying to save the world. I have read a ton of Superman comics throughout my life, and this series is by far the best of the best. I finished the series just a couple of days ago, and I still can't stop thinking about it and how awesome and tragic it is at the same time. You can actually buy the full series together from Amazon.

Daytripper is a series that had 10 issues to it. It has kind of an intresting theme. Each issue follows a Brazilian man who in each issue dies at a different age. The series really makes you see all of the beautiful things in life and why you should live each day like it is your last. Each issue is written in a way where the narrator of the story is reading an obituary. It's really awesome. However, if you want to read Daytripper, I have to warn you in advance, the language is pretty strong. Here is a cover.

Anyway, I just thought that I would share those books since they really impacted me in  a way that I never thought was possible coming from a comic book.

Curious George and the adventure of Political Correctness...

Ever since I was a little, little kid, my favorite book was Curious George, the original that started the whole line of stories, tv shows, movies, and toys. I always thought that book was great.

However, I started reading it today and holy cow, I hope that P.C. gurus and Animal Activists stay away from the book.

Why?

I'll tell you why...

It is about a man setting up a trap, catches the monkey, puts him in a burlap sack, takes him back to the city, where monkeys do not belong, and then when all is said and done, the man in the yellow hat puts the poor, kidnapped, confused little monkey in the ZOO. The final page is of George in the zoo with other animals with balloons, something that the zookeepers try and keep out of animal pens.

Also from the book is the man in the yellow hat teaching Curious George how to smoke a pipe.  Don't believe me?

You can see the burlap sack on the floor.

I still really love the book, but man, people who are too politically correct would have a three day book burning party if they ever get their hands on a copy.

Anywho, that is my personal point of view. What do the rest of you think?

$15.50....

There are many things that you can buy with $15.50. Things like two huge bags of M&Ms, a dvd movie, (three if you look in the $5 bin). You can buy 15 burgers from your favorite drive-thru on their dollar menu, a good book or two,one round of golf on a public course, a t-shirt, a new out-door basketball, a gym membership for one month, pictures printed out along with decorating a room, (especially if you to to Ikea), a few baby clothes, a great set of crayons with a few great coloring books, a board game or card game, take the family out for some ice cream cones, scrapbook paper and decors, a digital watch, a new tie, new slippers, many useful household items like a pan to cook some bacon, which is well below $15.50.

So why in the hell would Nate spend $15.50 on two large sodas and a box of popcorn at the movies last night?

Answer: Because he is a sucker.

I hate the Carmike theaters. At least the Megaplex theaters bundle and give better prices. Go there instead.

Ugly Sweater...

We have a new tradition in the Unck family. Before Thanksgiving, we draw names of someone in the family and go out and buy them a really ugly sweater that the other person has to wear throughout the day. rs.

Here also are my sisters and their husbands and my parents with the ugly sweaters:

                                                      Christine and Dave

                                                        Gina and Beau

                                                    Dad, Elliot and Mom.

                 And here we have Baby Elliot laughing at all of us in our ugly sweaters.


So that is it for this blog. I hope everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Maybe all of you should do ugly sweaters too. It was a ton of fun.

The Nerd...

As most of you may know, I love to perform in live theater. I am on a comedy improv troupe called The Jesters Royale, (www.jestersimprov.com) and I have been in a few musicals and straight plays. I auditioned for a play called "The Nerd" at the Empress Theatre in Magna, Utah, and I ended up getting the leading role. I am pretty excited about it.

The play is about an architect who had previously gone to the Vietnam War. After only two hours on the job, he is shot and his life is saved, but he never actually meets his rescuer, until now. In a letter written to Rick, the rescuer, Willum, the architect, says that if he ever needs anything at all or if he happens to be in town, to look him up.  Rick does, and he turns out to be an incredibly annoying nerd that drives the usually nice, sweet Willum to near violence and frustration.

The script is hilarious. I am really excited to be a part of it and hope that when the show opens in January, I can see all of you there. It's going to be great.

If I Won the Texas Lottery, What Would I Do?...

In preparation for this blog, I went to http://www.txlottery.org/  and found that the big lottery, the Texas Powerball, is currently at $64 Million dollars. So, really, what would I do with $64 Million Dollars?

First, I would buy a house. Not really a big house or a house in a fancy area. Just a house that would be big enough for our family to live comfortably, but not arrogantly. I know people, but that is another entry for another time.

I would buy a couple of nice cars in the same fashion as the home. I have always wanted my own brand new Mini Cooper. I know what you are thinking, kind of a lame car. But, I first saw them at the International Auto Show in Detroit when I was on my LDS mission there. They had a really awesome set up. The cars weren't actually released on the road until three years later and after "The Italian Job" did a great job on advertising for them. I would also probably end up with a mini-van because, hey, who doesn't love rollin' in a mini-van?

Some money would be put towards investments and savings, of course. Our clothing, food, and other necessities would be taken care of.

$640,000 dollars of it would need to go towards tithing, even though since it is lottery money, it would be considered "dirty money", but I am sure the Lord could use the money just the same. Think of it as "repentance money", dirty money that is used to build something clean. Malachi would be proud.

I would use some to travel the world with my family. I have always wanted to see the Great Pyramids, Big Ben, the Taj Mahal, and of course, Pop's Diner on Route 66 in Oklahoma. http://www.pops66.com/

I would use some money to get season tickets to the Utah Jazz, BYU and Utah football, and to the Utah Symphony.

Last, I would probably use it to buy and produce board games. I love board games. I collect them. We have quite a few, and learning how to play them all has given me some ideas on what would go into making some really great games. That too, is another entry for another time.

Anywho, that is what I would do with the money. Hopefully I would still have some left over. I don't get how pro athletes with that much money after two seasons can spend it in a heartbeat. I guess if you don't want and expect to splurge with it, getting what you need and taking care of the rest, the money can last a lifetime...I would hope.