I Give You My Thoughts So You May Get More From Life at 8:56 PM

Ah, intentions. I've intended to post pretty much every week since the last time I did so (in June). You can see how far that's gotten me. But all that aside, I wanted to get on here and give an update of sorts to those of you who remain in the wasteland that this blog has become.
Our newest addition, Ronin, is doing really well. We've been lucky with babies so far. Luke was really mellow as a baby, and Ronin is the same way. The difference is that Ronin is a lot more actively happy. Every time he sees someone, he gets a big grin on his face. It's hilarious. He almost never cries, and he sleeps through most of the night, waking up only once to eat. So things are great on that front.

Luke is still a mess. There is no mistaking him for anything but a two-year-old, but I must say that his two-year-oldness has gotten a lot better over the last couple of months. Whereas he used to throw himself on the ground and have a fit when we asked him to do something (go to bed, take a bath, etc.), now he just says, "no". That is, of course, unless we're in public. If we're out, he feels it necessary to make a scene. But such is life, right?

I won't bore you with work stories, because it bores me just to type them. It's enough to say that work is keeping me way more busy than I'd like. My next trip is to Bloomington next week. Good times.

Mainly, I wanted to get on here and throw a couple of things your way that are worth checking out. Let's start with TV, and we'll go from there.

Dexter: I saw that this show got an Emmy nomination, and while I usually don't put much stock in those, this one deserves it. It's about a serial killer who is also a blood spatter expert for the police. I thought the premise was intriguing, but had the potential to be hokey. Luckily, they managed to pull it off. The series is excellent, the storylines are great, the acting (with one or two exceptions) is superb, and it's definitely worth checking out.

The Wire: I know you've heard it before, and I'm telling you again. This show is amazing. I watched all four seasons last year, and it was riveting the entire time. I know you've grown weary of the Law and Order-type procedural drama, and I promise this doesn't even come close to fitting that mold. It's so realistic it feels like a documentary at times. Take it from a guy who watches a lot of TV. This is a show you need to watch if you like good television.

The Harry Potter Series: This is directed at Zimm. Read these books. Seriously. I know you may have forgotten that novels can be enjoyable by this point, but I will lend you all the books in the series. You'll finish them in less than a month. Also, to anyone else who hasn't read them, or who makes fun of people who read kids' books, I'm not wrong about this. These books are stupendous.

Crackdown: If you have an XBOX 360, play this game. You won't regret it. Also, Zimm, get a 360. Also, Johnny, get a 360 when you return to your native land. I have missed shooting you all in the face, and the face-shooting must shortly resume.

Black Snake Moan: Great movie. Samuel L. Jackson as an old blues man. Do you really need to know anything else? Okay, the movie opens with a Black Keys song. That should tell you enough about the soundtrack. Also, if you watch this and Alpha Dog, you will agree with me that Justin Timberlake has a future as an actor.

300: This one isn't for everyone, and you probably know if it's for you by watching the trailer, meaning you probably don't need my recommendation, but still. This movie rules and it's on DVD, so I figured I'd say something.

This Link: Here's what happens when you microwave things. Do I need to say more? (Watch the eggs.)

And there is your random list of cool things. Check them out. Also, you have my standing recommendation to start watching mixed martial arts, if you have not already done so. I spend a lot of my time watching, writing, and podcasting about the sport, and it's tremendously enjoyable. I'm thinking about putting together a list of fights that people should check out if they're curious about the sport but haven't seen anything. I'll post that here if I do it. And until next time, enjoy your song of the day.

Song of the Day: "Future Baby Mama", by Prince. This song isn't even that great, but I thought you should know that Prince has a song called "Future Baby Mama", and that only Prince could make a ballad out of a song with that title. I'm just sayin'.