Moneyball

A movie about baseball and about mathematical modeling and predictions, I am definitely in! If only it had been about my Dodgers . . . So finally, after months of attempts, my roommates and I got to go see Moneyball. We really have been trying to catch a showing since it came out and have been very unsuccessful. Finally it worked out, and even better--it was in the dollar theater (or should I say $1.75 theater). Overall, I must say that I enjoyed the movie and was glad that we had not given up in our efforts to see it and in the end it even had some great take-home messages and morals. there was a good mix of sports, drama, humor, and some suspense. They really held you on the edge of your seats for some of those baseball games. As you would expect with this cast, there was excellent acting. If I had to say that there was one thing that was not as appealing, I would have to say this: It was obvious that they were trying to also incorporate an artistic element to the film and only did a decent job, if not quite that. Some of the artistic moments were a little too drawn out for a baseball movie and sometimes it seems like they missed the mark. It was a good effort, and I applaud the attempt in this kind of movie, but it needed some small adjustments to really pull it off. The good thing is, the small short coming in the artistic department did not take away from the film as an overall. Definitely one I will add to my DVD collection!

Chris Botti in Boston

I know that the CD was released forever ago and I have probably owned it for almost a year now, but I do not promote this CD enough. It is amazing! It's funny because I have liked Chris Botti for a while now, but I did not realize this new CD had come out until someone was counseling with me over potential gifts for a mutual friend. I told her that i hadn't heard the CD yet and did not know what my recommendation would be. Boy would I take that back now. My recommendation is high, sky-high, no, it's space-high. Let's just say, I LOVE THIS CD! (As a side note, I have contemplated the use of some rating system and everything seemed cliche, so I am going with . . nothing. Maybe people will just have to actually read the posts.) Anyway, as I was saying, I LOVE THIS CD! Chris Botti is a jazz trumpet player. If you are into jazz or trumpet music, you are probably aware of him already because he is one of the best selling jazz/trumpet players of our day. If you are not into jazz or trumpet music, this is the conversion album and gentlemen, this is the music a girl expects to hear playing when she walks into that candlelight dinner. Granted, it's not going to fill your appetites for hard rock, but surely everyone needs a calming, soothing, and relaxing break. This is the CD for that. Nothing is better at helping me unwind. Also it has a great mix, some strictly jazz-like pieces, some songs with only Botti, and a phenomenal list of guest stars, including Sting, Josh Groban, Steven Tyler, Yo-Yo Ma, Katherine McPhee, and John Mayer. Such a list of guest stars really helps to make this a conversion album. So, if you are looking for a fantastic backdrop to that peaceful, relaxing evening, my I recommend looking no farther than Chris Botti's album, Chris Botti in Boston.

To help get you hooked:

Everybody's Critic

This will come as no surprise to those who know me, but I'm a critic.(Insert sarcastic gasp and exclamation, "No, not you!" from the audience.) I have an opinion about everything and I like to express it, which really is the problem. There have been far too many times that I should have kept my opinions to myself and lacked the self-discipline to do so. The solution: this blog. It's the new outlet for all of my critiques. So, be it a book I've read, a movie I've seen, or even my most recent meal at a restaurant, nothing escapes my critical eye. Of course I'm not a professional critic, (not that I would turn down money if someone offered it to me for my opinions-but then maybe that's why I am going to law school) but I do seem to have an opinion about everything that I generally find justified. Of course, you are welcome to disagree and share your thought in the comments. I most likely will not engage in warfare over the subject since we all have different tastes and preferences, but I will warn you I'm usually right. I know that may seem arrogant, but if it weren't so historically accurate, I probably wouldn't believe it as much as I do.