Westward ho!

Here we are at beautiful Sabino Canyon. It's about a 10 minute drive from our apartment. Emily took this picture while she was here a few weeks ago helping us with the cats. It's absolutely gorgeous here (mom would love it). Let's back up a little bit though. About a month ago on Pioneer Day, Vanessa and I, in the tradition of the pioneers, loaded up everything we owned into a 17 foot U-Haul and said goodbye to Athens, Georgia. We didn't want to drive anything bigger, so we sold or gave away lots of stuff to make it fit. I didn't think it was going to, but the elders in Athens had a different plan. Looking back, I still can't believe that they got it all in. We pulled our Camry behind us. Neither of us had ever driven anything this big (and I know it's really not that big) so we were a little nervous. We hit Atlanta about 10:30 on a Tuesday morning. Perfect timing. Just after the morning rush hour and just before the lunch rush. After Atlanta, I was feeling a lot more confident behind the wheel. I love the way that traffic just disappears after you leave a city. One minute you're surrounded by rows and rows of cars, the next there's no one in front you you. Alabama is pretty boring. I-20W wrapped around Birmingham so we didn't have to experience that. We drove through Tuscaloosa and saw the hotel we stayed in a few years ago when we went to the University of Alabama for the Southeastern Ecological and Evolution Convention. Fun times. After Tuscaloosa, I was in uncharted waters. I had driven across the country before, but never the southern route. If Alabama was boring, Mississippi was even worse. We stopped at a gas station about mid day for some fuel and food. One word: Rough. These people looked rough. The motel with the hourly rates and the gas station with the rap music blaring so loudly you could barely talk to the woman behind the counter and the Hardees where I couldn't even understand what the woman at the counter was saying her draw was so thick, rough. The only real city we drove through in Mississippi was Jackson. It must of looked a lot nicer back when Johnny Cash was singing about going there because it was nothing to write home about. Hot and muggy and really bad roads. Then we were crossing the mighty Mississippi. It's a pretty impressive river. Louisiana is also nothing to write home about. At least not the northern part we crossed through. We stopped for the night in Shreveport. It's a lot bigger city than I thought it would be, and we couldn't find a hotel vacancy anywhere. Well, at least not a hotel that Vanessa would stay in. Thanks to our Garmin gps device, we found a holiday inn express that had a few rooms. We ordered pizza and went to bed, thus ending day one.

Day two began about the same as day one. We got in the truck and headed west. After Shreveport, the scenery starts to change. Less forests and big trees, more fields and grasslands. It makes for a pretty boring drive. Texas was next. You always hear about how big Texas is, but you have no idea until you drive across it. It's just ridiculous. We drove through Dallas and Fort Worth, which is pretty much one huge city. Bad roads and lots of traffic is all I really remember. That and my constant prayers to help me keep the truck in my lane. After Dallas, there's nothing. And I mean it when I say nothing. Gigantic expanses of oil fields and ranches. I can't explain it, but even the sky looks bigger. We had planned to stay the night in Midland, home of the current president, but all of the hotels were booked. Not to mention they all looked crappy and the lobbies reeked of cigarette smoke. Now this was my birthday. July 25 in Midland Texas looking for a hotel. It was beginning to be the worst birthday ever. It was around 5pm so we decided to just head down the road. According to the map, there really wasn't anything between there and El Paso, about 300 miles away, so I figured worst case scenario I'd have to get some energy drinks and drive straight through to El Paso. Then we saw it. About 30 miles west of Midland was a little town called Monahans. It was the kind of town where the whole town was located around the interstate, and towering over everything was a brand new Best Western. I couldn't believe our luck. They had plenty of rooms available and it was a really nice place. Since the town was so small, we decided to walk around to see what they had to eat. We found this little barbecue place with the best brisket I've ever had and then we had desert at Dairy Queen. It ended up being one of the best birthdays ever.

Day three started about the same as day one and two. We loaded up the truck and headed west. Now if I didn't mention previously, driving through Texas is very impressive, and very boring. It's impressive for the sheer size and emptiness, but it's also boring for the same reasons. We continued west and eventually I20 ended and we got on I10W. This was exciting because this is the interstate that goes through Tucson. The next large city was El Paso. It's a huge city also. I guess I just always imagined El Paso to be this little frontier town with saloons and brothels and gunfights in the streets. I was really taken aback. I guess I watch too many westerns. It was cool though because El Paso borders New Mexico and Mexico. You could literally look to your left and see signs in Mexico. And as anyone who's ever driven long distances can tell you, you live state to state. That's another reason Texas really sucks. When you get to Alabama and the exit numbers start at 250, it okay, you can do it. Just 250 more miles and we'll start a new state. But when you get to Texas and the exit numbers start at 690, it's just down right depressing. So hitting New Mexico was awesome. It lifted my spirits and put me in a better attitude. We stopped at a rest area just as we got into New Mexico and there was a plaque dedicating that stretch of interstate to my hero, Jefferson Davis. I was shocked. It was all done by the daughters of the Confederacy. I was beginning to feel that maybe the west wasn't going to be so bad.

I got a call from the Bishop. He and the elders quorum president were trying to figure out where we were and when we would arrive. I told him we were just past El Paso and he said that El Paso is only 5 hours from Tucson. I was elated. We were finally going to get out of this awful truck. New Mexico was alright. Just desert, not much to say. Then we hit Arizona, and more desert. Lots of mountains from El Paso to Tucson though, it's very pretty. We drove down into the Tucson valley about 3:30pm, took the truck to U-Haul, dropped off the trailer, then went to our new apartment. The young men from the ward showed up at 6pm and had the whole thing unloaded by 6:15. It was really impressive, and they didn't break anything.

So that's how we got here. Not that exciting, but it was a lot of fun. I recommend that everyone drive cross country some day to see this beautiful country. The words of America The Beautiful come to mind: O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! It really is something to behold. And if you can't go cross country, at least drive through Texas. It puts things into perspective.

Dr. V

She finally did it. After five long years my wonder wife is now a pHd. I am so proud of her. We flew back to Georgia last week for the ceremony. It was almost like we never left. We came back yesterday with the cats. It just might be the most miserable day of my life. The drugs didn't really work and they meowed for about 12 hours straight. Luckily, planes have so many noises you really couldn't hear them. Vanessa's sister Emily came back with us to help us out with the cats. She is awesome. To volunteer for this is very generous. I'm so glad she's here.

This post is out of order. I will tell you all about the move out here next time.
'til then.......

It's Time For A Change

In case any of you haven't heard, we're moving to Tucson. It's a pretty stressful time for us right now. Vanessa defends her dissertation next week. I'm selling my truck next week. We have to reserve a moving truck and try to find a new car. I need to register for classes for the fall. Quentin is coming down next week, it's off to the great state of North Carolina after that, then off to the great white north, and finally to Arizona. Once we get there, we have to turn around and fly back to Atlanta for Vanessa's graduation. Then fly back to Tucson with the cats. Whew! At least we have a place to move into. It is an adventure though. This will hopefully be the cross country trip we have always wanted. I just didn't think it would be in a U-Haul.


I played a Nintendo Wii tonight for the first time. I have to have one. I have a birthday next month if anyone was wondering what I might like.

Random Thoughts: I miss my DVR. Icky Thump is a really good album. I think Cary Grant has passed Paul Newman as my favorite actor of all time. I can't wait to get out of Athens. I asked Vanessa if we could name our first son Jefferson Davis Harris, and she just laughed. Then when she saw that I was serious, she became worried. I'm upset that Ron Paul was not invited to the candidates forum sponsored by the Iowans for tax relief and Iowa christian alliance. I think I volunteered myself to work at the Fair Tax booth at the fourth of July celebration in Conyers. It seems like Scrubs is always on. But that's ok because I love it.

DON'T LOOK AT ME, I'M HIDDEOUS!

First of all, I just found out that Vanessa hates that picture that I put up, so maybe this one will make up for it. You see, she loves the cats way more than me.

Now to the main course. Do you ever find yourself really enjoying movies or music that you would never tell anyone you like? Sure you have. These are the movies that come on when you're flipping through the channels and you stop, look around to make sure no one is there, and then shamefully enjoy for the next two hours. The only person I know who will come right out and say that he loves it is my father. He is the only man I know who will publically admit (and be proud of it) that he owns French Kiss and I.Q. I mean, I know Meg Ryann is hot and all, but come on. This man's courage has inspired me to share with you the films that only my wife knows I like. Pure Country. It has some of the worst acting I've ever seen but damn I love this movie. My all time favorite secret obsession, Working Girl. I will drop everything I am doing if that movie is on. Then there are some movies that you can't watch with anyone for a different reason. The unstoppable sobbing. I'll admit it, I cry at some movies. I'm actually a very emotional film watcher. The scene at the end of the first Godfather when Michael Corleone is participating in his nephews religous ceremony and he is saying how he renounces satan, but at the same time you see the hits that he had ordered. A tear comes to my eye. When Gandolf shows up with the first ray of sunlight, a tear comes to my eye. Great moments in movies can do this, but I am talking about the ugly cry. You know what I'm talking about. The two movies that I will absolutely not watch with anyone around are first, Steel Magnolias. I love this movie, but when Sally Fields is at her daughters funeral and she says that she should have gone first. I lose it. The worst though, is Terms of Endearment. Don't even get me started. When Deborah Winger dies and Shirley MacLaine stands up and says, "I didn't think it would be this hard." Well, you know.

I cannot believe I just said all of that. If you haven't seen any of the movies I just mentioned, you have got to see them. But make sure no one is around.

VANESSA'S BIRTHDAY

So today is Vanessa's birthday. As per her wishes, she got a small radio for the bathroom so that she can listen to her NPR in the mornings. She also got a rolling pin. Then for dinner, she was treated to the local Chick-fil-A. This is my wife. This is all she wanted from me for her birthday. And I know from past experiences, that when she says that that is all she wants, that is all she wants. Oh well. We are going to Charleston for a nice three day weekend in a few days, so maybe she will actually splurge a little.

I was reading Josh's 400th post today and he said he likes my blog. So I decided that I would post something. I don't do this very often because I can never think of anything to write about. My life is pretty boring. I get up at 5.00am. Go to work at seven. Get on the stage around nine. Go home around 5 or 6 or 7, and watch something. Maybe I need a new hobby. I love playing disc golf, but can only play every now and then due to the nearest course being an hour away. I watch alot of movies. Speaking of which, I watched Blazing Saddles today. I had never seen it before. That is probably one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. Stupidest, but funniest.

NPR has been great lately. I really love the pledge drives. This is what the woman said this morning, (and I'm paraphrasing) "How often do you hear someone say that they heard a great story on public radio? Without you're donations, those great, interesting stories won't be around." Are you kidding me? I like NPR, but I have to admit, it's rarely that interesting. I don't even know what it is that I like about it. Maybe it's the monotonous drone of the people or the sad wailing of the saxophone between stories. I just don't know.

Anyway, I'm ranting. George A. Romero's new zombie movie came out today on DVD. I'm really excited about it. I just haven't seen any really good movies in a while. Why don't they make good movies anymore. I don't even want to go to the theater anymore. What is happening to me. Maybe something good will come out closer to the end of the year. If anyone has seen anything good lately let me know. I'm going crazy here.

I heard Quentin has a new friend who is a girl. Or should I say GIRLFRIEND. OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I want to meet her, see if she is good enough for him.

Happy Father's Day

First of all, I want to say how grateful I am to have such a wonderful father. And on that note, I heard that Michael Jackson was acquitted this week. Good for him. All I've heard this week is people complaining that he should have been convicted and this and that. Well, you know what, shut up already. I don't know what Michael Jackson does in his free time and neither do most people. Did he really molest all of those children? I don't know. If he did I think it's horrible and disgusting but I don't know. I'm not going to sit here and wish horrible things on a man just because he is the person the media decided to put a negative spin on the month. He might have done it. It seems unlikely that so many people have accused him just to take advantage of a strange person who the American public are already against. But from what little coverage I saw of the trial, (I tried not to watch any) it didn't seem like the prosecution had much hard evidence. And that is what you need in the country. The jury has to be convinced beyond a resonable doubt and i guess the prosecution just couldn't get the job done. So good for Michael Jackson, he beat the system, and everyone needs to get over it because that is how our system works. If you don't like it, take a bigger part in your government and try to change it. But don't sit around and complain because everyone hates a whiner. If he is guilty, he will be judged by a much higher government than the California legal system. And that's all I've got to say about that.

I saw Batman Begins this week. I know that a lot of you out there aren't excited about this movie because Joel Schumaker had ruined the good name of Batman for a lot of people. But let me put it to you this way: Christopher Nolan, director. One of the smartest up and coming directors. This man is spectacular with character development the likes we haven't seen since John Ford. Christian Bale as the title character. My personal favorite actor is the past few years (i mean that by who I am into now, not all time favorite who will always be Paul Newman). Tom Wilkinson, Ken Watanabe, and Liam Neeson as the villians. Michael Caine as Alfred. I'll say it again, Michael Caine as Alfred. Gary Oldman as Lt. Gordon.
I first learned who would be making this film about a year and a half ago, and as soon as I learned, I just knew that it would be fantastic. The writer is the guy who wrote the Blade movies, and I know that those movies are crap, but this is a guy who loves comic books and you can tell how hard he worked to get the movie right where all the others went wrong. It follows the comic beautifully of how Batman becomes Batman. I know it is a comic book movie, but it is the greatest comic book movie ever made. That is a fact. I know some of you will laugh when I say this, but this film deserves some Oscar nods. I don't think it will be nominated for picture because the snobs in the academy will only nominate dramas and movies with mentally retarded characters, but Bales deserves at least a nomination, as does special effects, sound, and cinematography. Go ahead and laugh that I'm talking about a comic book movie getting Oscar nominations, but when you see it, you'll understand.
A few months ago, Josh had a thing on his site where you could list your opinions on several different topics such as, Best Simpsons Episode, Best Adam Sandler Movie, and Best Ben Stiller movie. He had one titled Best Batman. I told everyone then that even though I hadn't seen it yet, I just knew that Christian Bale as Batman would be the best. Guess what? I was right.

Movie recommendation: Duh!!!
CD recommentation: "Get Behind Me Satan" by the White Stripes. They have taken their raw garage rock/blues sound and added a little country to it. It's mesmerizing. I guess that the work Jack White did with Loretta Lynn on her album (5 stars by Rolling Stone) last year has rubbed off on him.

10 THINGS TO DO IN ATHENS WHEN YOU'RE BORED

The answer is nothing. If you're married and don't drink, this town kind of sucks. This a town that bosts tee shirts which read, "Athens, A drinking town with a football problem." Don't even get me started on football season. I guess being from ACC country I just don't get the attraction to college football. But anyway, I've only got two more years. Then we're off to who knows where. At least it won't be Georgia. In other news, after almost three years of hard work with no recognition, I have decided to leave the giant corporation that is Lowes Home Improvement. I am moving on to a smaller operation called Dalton Carpet One. I'm very excited for a few reasons. First, it 9-6 Monday through Friday. Second, I'll be working in the warehouse so I won't have to deal with too many ignorant customers. Now that I will have the weekends off, hopefully my brothers can take time out of their busy schedules to come and visit.

My mother and law, Melinda, and her husband moved to Atlanta last summer so it's great that Vanessa has family near by. So for the next couple of weeks while the in-laws are gone somewhere, I don't know where, we get to keep one of her cats. That's right, I now have three cats in my apartment. It's not all bad though, the new cat won't come out from under the bed so I forget she's here most of the time.

I was reading in Newsweek the other day about the new pope, Benedict XVI. He seems like a pretty stand up guy except for one thing, Hitlers Youth. Now I'm sure that as a young teenager in Germany, it could be easy to get cought up in the politics of your homeland and doing what you think is right, but come on, Hitlers Youth.

I watched a movie the other night called The Motorcycle Diaries. It was a South American movie about some guy named Ernesto Guevera. So he and a friend take off on a trip around the continent on a motorcycle just to see the countries they have heard of but never seen. Along this journey, Ernesto and friend (I can't remember his name) see the troubles and segretation being brought upon the indeginous peoples. The movie did not go into his freedom fighting days and his work in Cuba and such, but it has a short epilogue which tells of his time in Cuba and it makes a point to say how he was assasinated in Bolivia with the help of the CIA. It was a very enlightening film, but I wonder just how bias it is being made is South America. Since it's really the first I've learned about Che, I just don't know. One sidenote though, the people is the movie were always drinking something called matte, at least I think that's how you spell it. I knew what it was because Quentin brought some back from Argentina.

Don't forget, Mother's Day is Sunday, May 8, and Quentin turns 24 on Thursday, May 5. If either one of you read this, I'm sorry, but your present is going to be late.

Movie Recommendation: The Last Waltz - Starring The Band. Their 1976 farewell concert filmed by Martin Scorcesse with interviews and tons of guests including: Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Muddy Waters, and Joni Mitchell just to name a few. If you like rock and roll, you will love this.

New and Improved

So, here we are again. I thought I would take the summer off, and when I came back to my blog duties, I decided I needed a change. I was getting tired of the movie forum. Don't get me wrong, I will still be discussing my favorite obsession, but I just felt like I couldn't talk about anything else. I felt like it was a movie blog and I couldn't deviate from said course. So now I present to you Epileptic Monkeys. Those two words have made me laugh for so many years now. I can remember being a freshman in high school with my friends Jonathan Phillips and Andy Shinick talking about our band, The Epileptic Monkeys. To this day, Jon and I still talk about our band and this glorious title. And now that I am learning to play the guitar, I'm sure the dream will become a reality.

Well, lets catch up. In short, I turned 25, went to Canada for the fourth of July and Vanessa's grandmother's 80th birthday, spent a week in Marco Island, FL just before the onslaught of hurricanes, and had an operation because of a hernia. I just can't decide which part was the most fun. I got to see my niece a few months ago, that's always a delight. I finally got to meet the psycho cat named after one of the greatest video games of all time. And as for movies, I don't even want to think about how many I've seen in the past few months. Especially what with the hernia and having to lay around for a few weeks, I think I watched anything that came on HBO. Vanessa always makes fun of me, saying that I will watch anything, and it's true. I'll watch anything once. And once I've started it, I have the hardest time turning away from it until it's done. It doesn't matter how bad it is, I'll watch it. For example, I sat through What A Girl Wants a few weeks ago. This teenage comedy is about a young American girl who learns that her real father is an important barrister in London, and part of the Royal Family. So the girl goes to visit him, him not knowing anything about having a daughter, and she turns his high style fancy life upside down with her wild American ways. They of course get along great, everything is going good, then he turns on her because his political career is going down the drain, she goes back home to the good ole USofA, he follows, they make up, and then he rekindles his romace with her mother. Why did I just tell you all of this? To prove a point, I'll watch anything. It's really sad. And by the way, that movie is about the worst movie I've ever seen. Horrible acting (even from Colin Firth whose usually pretty good), horrible story, horrible ending.

On the other end of the spectrum is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Probably the greatest movie of the year in my mind. Outstanding performances from a great cast which include: Jim Carey, Kate Winslet, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, and Kirsten Dunst. Short synopsis, the main character has a procedure done to erase all memories of a former love from his mind. Most of the movie takes place in his dreams starting with the most recent memories of her and going backward. In the most recent ones they fight alot and generally aren't happy with each other, hence the term, former love. But as the memories go back, he begins reliving the good times, and he realizes he doesn't want them gone, so he begins trying to hide in the deepest recesses of his brain to save the memories of her. The film is written by Charlie Kaufman who is the greatest screenplay genius in a long while. It's only his third film, and the other two, Being John Malchovich and Adaptation, are just as brilliant. What I love about him is his originality and his sheer imagination.

Thats all I've got for now. I'll try to keep the posts a little more current. My apologies to all my fans. Until next time, how 'bout them Sox.

Movie Recommendation: Second Hand Lions - starring two greats, Robert Duvall and Michael Caine. Oh yeah, and that annoying kid who sees dead people.