Hermeneutics and Heresies

When I was a wee little lad of sixteen I actually ended up having an argument with my Grandmother about the personified Wisdom of Proverbs 8. It seemed to me that it was impossible for that passage to have referred to Christ for several reasons.

1) Christ was not yet incarnated, hence, how could Solomon be talking about Jesus?
2) The text only said Wisdom, and not anything else, so of course it couldn't be talking about Jesus!
3) Darn it, I was determined to show off my newly acquired hermeneutical snobbery after a good dose of Walt Russell.

Thank God that didn't last very long (I still need to tell my Grandmother that I agree with her now)! The second Person of the Trinity always existed and will always exist answering the first point. 2) Of course Solomon couldn't have mentioned Jesus, He was not yet incarnate! But it just goes to show that the doctrine of the Trinity is not a newly created "christian' idea, it is deeply rooted in the Old Testament and finds its clearest expression in the New. God is three Persons of one essence. 3) I am still at a loss as to how I should practice hermeneutics...and poor Mr. Russell who has to have me as a student! I should pull out "Playing with Fire" again! =D

Lord Jesus have mercy on us who unwittingly commit heresy! Guide us into all truth - your Truth. Amen.

Happy Hermeneutics!

In Which Tigger Goes to the Movies...

So I just got finished watching "The Brothers Bloom" and I must say, I haven't been that thoroughly entertained, bamboozled, made-to-think-I-knew-exactly-what-was-going-to-happen-and-then-having-the-rug-pulled-out-from-under-my-feet from a movie since "The Prestige".

One. Heck. Of. A. Movie.

The execution is not quite as clean as "The Prestige" and the tone is much different. It's a much more learned film and by that I mean that it has many many literary references and many many more layers, but as a consequence it does feel very muddy. I went in expecting something like "Ocean's 11" and I got blown out of the water. I had as much fun on this ride as I did in "Ocean's" but it was also as gripping as "the Prestige" and quirky and myth like as "Big Fish".

It's quirky, hilarious, fun, but also at the end it leaves you with this Agggghhhh feeling like a "What just happened!" Ahhhh!!!

There are so many good lines from the script. And so many unanswered questions.

The story is about two brothers: Stephen and Bloom. Bloom's real name isn't really Bloom, but his first name is so ridiculously embarrassing that he just goes by Bloom. The two of them grew up together bouncing from foster home to foster home and eventually became con men and have been at it for 25 years. (I tell the synopsis horribly, but you'll forgive me, this is Tigger's first review). Stephen writes the story's and Bloom acts them out conning their "marks" out of their money. But after so many years of it all, Bloom becomes disillusioned and quits. Stephen of course convinces him to do one last con and that begins the most fascinating series of situations I've seen in a very long while.

I haven't felt this excited about talking about a film with friends since "Big Fish" at Emmaus Forum!

There are references to Ulysses, The Odyssey, Hermann Melville, and a whole host of other fun stuff. The film wrestles a lot with the stories we tell to others and ourselves (myths I think is the word - maybe? [I say that intending the meanings a Torreyite might attach to that word]) and the line between reality and fiction.

For now, I feel like I need to process it a lot more before I can make a call on whether it is a Good film (Yes, that is a capital "G") but for now I think I can say it is a good film. ("Big Fish", by the way, was a good film, but it was not a Good film)

I was definitely surprised.

"That was the best card trick I've ever seen!"

Anywhoo, go watch it y'all it's worth it - plus, Adrien Brody's in it, and you can't go wrong with that!

If anyone watches it or has watched it, I'd love to discuss!

A-

P.S. I also watched Howl's Moving Castle, Gladiator, The Proposal, and The Blind Side within the past 48 hours...yeah, I went a little crazy =P

Don't worry I won't subject you to my reviews on those films, but I do have to say that I really really really liked Howl's moving Castle and would like to discuss that as well =]

The Marshmallow Test

A wonderfully hilarious illustration.

It's a famous psychology test...

What does this have to do with how successful a person becomes in life? (hint: there is a correlation)

Classic Amateur Filmaking

I think I've already posted these before...oh well.

In my humble opinion, these videos are comedy classics. =]

Enjoy!

Why Asian Guys can't get Girls.

Christina and Adriana have never gotten back to me on this question...

Disclaimer: There is some mild language in these videos. =P

Culinary Hilarity

I found this blog to be very attractively formatted, excellently designed, engagingly introduced, and empty. =D

Which, if you get the joke, is (IMHO) a very funny one.

That's the first blog joke I've ever seen. =]

A Sad Story

=[

The other day, I had finished watching a lot of tv and movies...

then I went outside.

And the first words that popped out of my mouth?

WHOA!!! The grass is in HD!!!

>_<

Let us hope this event does not occur again....ever. ;P

In Which I Recant...

I have deactivated my Facebook account until further notice. That is, until I learn how to properly control my time and use it rightly. =P

Sorry about our Scrabble game Mr. Leigh, I bow to your superior word skills. =D

First Day of Facebooking

Oh deary.

I'm going to need some help with accountability...

I'm definitely going to have to set some time limits

And I'm definitely enjoying using my new computer. =]

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1583526943&ref=name

Entertainment

Genius is always fun to watch.

Glenn Gould is hilarious...so is his collie. Wait for the part when he stands up! =]

Cyrano de Bergerac...

Was a drama queen. A very good one at that. But reading that last scene is always good cartharsis, even if it is a bit embarassing. It's funny too! =]

Life imitates art and Art imitates life. That's the way things work.

Of course, watching this also helps:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQFs33fWzxo

(Watch at your own risk, this is PG ish for some language and relationship humor)

And this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrnK-qPARYI&feature=related

=] =] =]

These two are my favorite shorts, besides Pixar.

Ahhh, isn't it great being a hormonal teenager? ;)

"A Symphony of Crisps"

So I was strolling through Vons and all of a sudden the PA comes on:

"Hello Customers, thank you for shopping at Vons! To show our appreciation, the first three customers to come to the bakery will be given a free loaf of French Bread."

And seeing as I was already at the bakery, I got a free loaf. =]

Mmmmmmhmmmmm it was freshly baked and still warm, it was gloriously empty of all nutrition and I was hungry. =]

I guess some things in life are free. =]

Now if only this happened more frequently....

Consolations for the Emails...

Okay, here it is:

Our version of the Jersey boys:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU2LnsYVaS8

=] (There is a button that allows you to watch it in high quality, if you're willing to wait)

After your done watching (and laughing) you can search for the Tony Awards version on which we based it. =]

Let me know what you think and Enjoy!

P.S. I shall be gone for a week, so this will have to cover for all my computer interactions. =\

Videos

While we're waiting for Joycelyn to upload the videos from the Loma Linda Chinese Church's first annual Youth-ical (to raise money for earthquake relief in China). Here's a funny video of my friends (who I performed with this year) doing song and dance for a fundraiser last year. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QUWTPnWMdw

Car Craze

Unlike most boys, I never really liked cars. They were simply pieces of metal and plastic which happened to transport people around from place to place. Most boys have dreamed of the bright red convertible sports car since the day they learned to make the "vroom vroom" sound of an engine. In short, I had thought myself immune to this epidemic of car craze.

But not anymore. That's it, I've gone over the top! I'm quite smitten. =]

Isn't it adorable? It isn't as amazing in pictures as in real life. They've just recently become available on the U.S. market. On the way to class today I passed by a smartcar and oooggled for a good 5 mins. It's like a little puppy on four wheels!

I don't think I'll be getting it for Christmas anytime soon though. =]

My mom thinks I'm weird. =] (For good reason!)

(Silly) Adventures while Jet-lagged

Here is an odd/silly/ridiculous series of videos that we created while certifiably insane (which is the norm). Please forgive any offense we may unfortunately cause. =] That being said, enjoy!

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRmk8IOnDik
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I7XZbpnVJI
Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lzw2uggH8s
P.S. I'm really not like this at all...most of the time!