The Golden Compass

I've written before about Philip Pullman.  He is a good author, but I do not like his message in the least.  I've seen some reports that the Golden Compass movie isn't doing as well as filmmakers had hoped.  I'm not entirely disappointed.  I do not think that any kind of organized boycott would do any good.  Just look at all the negative publicity about the Creation Museum that has just increased the number of people who know about the museum and come visit!  However, I think that even with the reported dumbing down of the anti-Christian message people are avoiding the movie.

If you want to read a good column about the movie then click here.  I followed a link from another blog and wasn't sure what the column would contain.  I liked what I read though, and liked it even more as I continued to read.  It is more coherent than an argument that I could make, and I definitely agree with what is said.

Pullman is a hardcore atheist who is trying to indoctrinate children into his world view.  Reportedly he has admitted that yes, his books are basically about "killing god."  I was thinking about seeing the movie just to see how it had played out the plot.  I read all the way through the books and while you don't have to read something to critique it, it oftentimes really helps.  But now I'm not so sure.  If it isn't doing that well I don't want to help it to do better.  *shrugs*  I'll see.  I'll probably watch it on DVD when it comes out.

~Matt

PS Yes, I know I haven't written more about Chicago, I promise that it is coming.  However, today I'm quite busy working at church, then editing video, then going to a costume birthday party and taking as many pictures as I can.  Tuesday I'm not working except for a meeting, so I should have plenty of free time before Bible Study.

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"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

11:30

It is currently 23:30 Eastern and I just got a phone call on my house line.  Nobody calls me on that line, because I always give out my cell number.  A tired female asked, "is Barbie there?"  I wasn't sure that she had said that, so I asked her to repeat herself, and heard the same thing again.  She did apologize when I told her she had a wrong number, but I realized now that I could have had fun.

"No, this is Ken speaking.  She divorced me last year."

"Mattel factory outlet, I'm sorry we are all out of Holiday Shopping Barbie.  Please take a number and enjoys the wonder of supply and demand."

I suppose there are more, but I'm tired now and need to sleep.  As soon as I have spare time I'll be posting much more about my Chicago trip!

~Matt

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"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Trip to Chicago, pt 1

Here is the first of several blog entries from Chicago.  These were all written up before they were posted on-line, several on the bus as I rode to Chicago, then others in Chicago itself.  Enjoy:

Friday, December 7, 2007 [Pearl Harbor Day]
4th & Race St, Cincinnati, OH
Megabus, 09:00 departure

~15 chapters into "The Stand," very enjoyable book--a picture of who the survivors are is starting to emerge, and the final collapse of civilization is fast approaching.  I cannot believe that I left eh book at my sister's house.  I was reading it for just a bit and set it down before I picked up my backpack and luggage to leave the house.  With the exception of "Eyes of the Dragon," which is not typical Stephen King, this is the first King book I've read outside of the Dark Tower.  [another salt truck just drove by on Race, I saw one earlier on Fourth St. as I talked to my mom].  If the book continues to be as good as it has been I'll likely pick up more of his books in the future.

I'm sure I'll get into my new Jim Butcher book, "Captain's Fury," but even though it was the reason I went to Borders I'm no longer so excited to read it.  As I said, I'm really enjoying "The Stand."

The lights just went out as the driver started to pull away from the curb.  The overhead seat lights appear to work like those on planes, but will not activate at the moment.  Thankfully there is enough light outside to manage.

I hope I've packed warm enough.  I'll have long underwear if I need it, and my aunt said they've had snow and may be expecting more.  I have three pairs of gloves--one inner set and two different bigger ones that can go on top of the smaller pair.  I need to remember to tell Grandma that I would like another pair [she remembered and sent them home with my aunt who was just visiting her].  Oh, and I need to get her gift and mail it since I won't see her at Mom & Dad's when I go down for Christmas.

We're still in downtown--I guess when your vehicle is the size of a bus you can only make certain turns, or perhaps it always takes this long.  I avoid driving in downtown Cincinnati.

We're on North 75 and just passed Union Terminal [on the left].  I still want to take Amtrak out of there sometime, but I like the bus departure times better.  Perhaps I'll take the train to D. C. in a few years when I can afford several nights in a motel/hotel.           09:15

And now back to the present.  It is a pleasant 70.2 degrees in the house and a chilly 22.3 outside.  I'll type more later and include pictures where I have them.

~Matt

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"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Chicago here I come

I'm about to leave for Chicago in a few minutes (my bus leaves Cincinnati at 09:00) and so I was backing up the pictures on my camera so that I could clear the memory card.  On a whim I decided to check how many digital pictures I have.  Counting just the pictures that I've taken on the three digital cameras that I have owned over the last three and a half years I have over twelve thousand!  I don't know how that compares to others (I'm sure that Chris has many more), but the number was still surprising to me.

~Matt

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"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero