Epic: The Most Over Used Word

Today, there seems to be many things that are considered to be extraordinary. For instance, great movies with awesome cinematography or maybe a song that captivates the listeners heart. But are these things really considered to be "epic". First of all, what is epic? Epic is 1) a story or poem usually revolving around some sort of hero figure, such as Odysseus 2) heroic or majestic 3) something of unusual great size.
However, even with these definitions of what epic truly is, it still seems that every event or occurrence in ones life tends to be "epic". For example, "the road trip to Yosemite was so epic". "the meal that was prepared was epic". "the bike trick that the guy did was quite epic". A journey can be epic, but can a memorable road trip be considered epic? What would make a road trip so epic? were there dragons along the way? did anyone escape from utter destruction?
I believe the word epic is just another word for "cool". The Great Wall of China is an epic monument due to the incredible length. The 1969 space launch was epic because it was the first time America achieved a goal that changed how people viewed the world. When two men walked half across America to explore new lands while enduring harsh environment, that's an epic journey. Just saying something is epic doesn't make it epic. If everything was considered to be epic, then this blog is considered epic. Epic is one of those words that is never used properly in a sentence. It's not a matter of grammar correction, but of irrelevancy and rationality.
Epic is such a great word. Let's not spoil it by claiming everything to be epic. That road trip to Yosemite might have been an awesome experience, but probably not worthy of being epic. Unless a guy did a bike trick where the bike sprouted out wings and flames, which would make the guy fly, then it is not epic. Don't continue to make epic the most overused word, and please, do not even get me started with the word "grand".

The Fourth Kind

Not too long ago, a movie called the Fourth Kind, opened up in theaters nationwide. For those of you who have no idea what the Fourth Kind is about, it follows the real-life story of Dr. Abagail Tyler and her patients who seem to be experiencing what only can be described as alien abductions. Whether your a skeptic of alien life like myself, I guarantee that it drew in hundreds of believers and non-believers across the country. Like Paranormal Activity, Paramounts latest horror flick, the Fourth Kind is also made out to be expressed as a true story. Whether the story is true or not, it absolutely is convincing.
I know many people who believe in the existence of alien life on distant planets. They claim that UFO's are real and that the abduction stories are accurate. First of all, I'd like to mention that UFO's are indeed real, just not the way we imagined. The term Unidentified Flying Object first came about during WWI when soldiers had to be able to identify foreign air crafts flying over their base. Besides the UFO case, I am still not convinced that aliens exist. I'm not going to say that they absolutely do not exist, because I've never traveled the depths of the universe to know for sure. For me to say that aliens don't exist would be like saying God does not exist. I can't see God, but I know He is there. Just because I can't see aliens doesn't mean that they aren't there. For all we know, aliens could just be tiny blobs or specs of micro bacteria. Yes, life can live on unsupported planets, but not intelligent life like us. The Earth is resting in the most perfect spot in the solar system. We have the perfect atmosphere, perfect sun and moon distance, and the right chemistry. Remove any of those sources and we perish.
Let's go back to the discussion of alien UFO's. It seems that over 1,000 people worldwide have seen a UFO of some kind. Some UFO's seem to be triangle shapes, square shapes, sphere shapes, or shapes that can't even be described. With all these UFO sightings, the question then comes down to, why haven't I seen one? Maybe I have seen one. Perhaps what I thought was a commercial airliner could in fact have been an alien UFO. However, I don't think that's the case. Why haven't I been abducted by aliens? Then again, maybe I have but I just don't remember, because no one else seems to. However, again, that is not the case.
Besides me not believing in aliens, the Fourth Kind is having some issues with the experts who have analyzed this film. According to sources, Dr. Tyler was never heard of in Nome, Alaska. In fact, if anyone desires to research Dr, Tyler, there will be little to no information about her. The people of Nome, Alaska have never heard or seem to have experienced any type of alien activity before. Could Hollywood be making up another horror film to scare people even more?
Even though I do not believe that aliens exist or care if the movie is fictitious, the Fourth Kind was absolutely incredible and credible with sources. It was definitely one of the best movies that I have seen in a long time.

Paranormal Activity

Recently I saw one of the most talked about movies of this month, which is Paranormal Activity. I gotta say, it may not have lived up to its hype, but it certainly fulfilled its main purpose, which was to scare the hell out of everyone. I have seen so many horror movies before and nothing has ever scared me like this. After watching this movie, I felt like a kid again after watching the 6th Sense for the first time. With its documentary style of filming and spectacular special effects, this has to be the greatest horror movie to have come out since the Blair Witch Project. I recommend anyone who is interested in the paranormal to go see Paranormal Activity at least once. However, I say this because of experience, if anyone is super sensitive to idea of demons and intense horror, do not see this movie. I know many people who do not believe in demons, but I tell you, I believe in demons as much as I believe in gravity. I believe that demons are very real and they should never be messed with an any way possible. In the movie, the main character, Micah, bought a Ouija board to communicate with the spirit. Here's a fact, a Ouija board is basically an open doorway for demons to come through. It's an invitation that should never be sent out. I believe in demons because with every force there has to be an anti-force. For example, good and evil. God represents good while Satan is the anti-force working against good, so therefore Satan is evil. The anti-force of negative is positive, anti-force of dark is light, anti-force of cold is hot, and the anti-force of angels are demons. If you are a person who doesn't believe in demons, do not, I repeat, do not ever mock them. If you begin to mock demons, it's basically a challenge, which to them is an invitation for them to do what they do. If you've seen Paranormal Activity then you would agree with me that mocking demons will cause paranormal activity. Human demon possession is one of the most common traits of any demon. Demon possession has been going on ever since Jesus first walked the earth. Today, it's more common with people who have demonic looking figurings around the house, Ouija board use, EVP (Electron Voice Phenomena) use, psychics, use of witchcraft and wizardry, and non believers of Jesus Christ. Paranormal Activity's representation of a demon was dead on to what a real life demon is like. Yes, demons are out to deceive others and the more you test them the more they will show off their hellish powers. Demons are not created to kill, but only to torment the living. That means they will pound on walls, they will slam doors shut, they will try in any way possible to make connections with humans even if it means possession. Though the movie is fictional, demons are not. Do not go home after watching this movie and set up a camera in your room to catch a spirit. It may look like fun, but once you've opened that door, you will not like what you discover.

Tell The World, Why Don't You?

In today's world, it seems like we all have a lot to say, so why not say it online? In 2005, a popular website known as Myspace was born. It was a way to stay in touch with friends and family, kinda like what Verizon does for its customers. Then, in 2004, a college student friendly website was founded, which is known as Facebook. Like Myspace, in Facebook one can request friends, message other people, join groups, and write about their lives in their autobiography section. In 2006, another website was founded. This one goes by the name, Twitter. In the cyber world of Twitter, one can "Tweet" about daily life activities. However, what is it about these three popular websites that make people come back for more? Is it the personal freedom to be who you want? Is it the interaction with friends? Could it be the daily status updates? Yes, I believe that one of the perks to all these websites is the fact that people can tell others either about their day or what they are doing at the moment. If you lost your phone, go tell everyone that you lost your phone. If you're bored, scream it to the world that you are bored. If you're pissed off at your significant other, let everyone know that you are pissed off. And if you want to tell everyone that you love "him" or "her", let all the jealous single people know that you love "him" or "her". Go ahead! Tell the world all your emotions. In fact, don't just tell us how you are feeling, but, please, tell us when you are taking a dump. Please, tell us you just woke up from a long drunken night. Please, I beg you to tell the world that you just had sex with your partner, because nothing in the world would make my life so much better than to see and read about other peoples exciting and eventful lives. People write all that stuff because I guess they think people must care. Care? Sure. Yeah, I care. I care that you're in love. I care that you just went on an epic road trip. I even care that no one else cares. Now, I would really truly care if someone posted a giveaway for free concert tickets, maybe even a "don't go see this movie" status update. Now that's news. But hey, if you want to tell the world to comment your pics or that you're taking a shower, go ahead! Because that's the power of free speech. That's right! You are saved by the first Amendment, so go ahead! Tell the world, why don't you?

Quality of a Friend

Recently, I was thinking to myself, what makes a friend a good friend? What kind of criteria does one need to have in order to be considered a good friend? To me, there are three types of friends: Acquaintance, friend, and best friend forever. There are some people who I would never be able to depend on for anything, like taking care of a pet, paying back money, and helping with school projects. There are some I would feel some remorse if anything horrendous happened to them. Then, there are some friends that I would lay my life down for them to live. Many of us have had friends since being a little kid. As time goes on, we either stay friends with that person or we go separate ways to never see each other again.
So what makes an acquaintance? An acquaintance is usually someone we meet in school or a workplace. It's someone we talk to but never spend time with. Sometimes our Best Friends can drop back to the feeling of an acquaintance. When a good friend leaves our lives, it's hard to stay in touch with them, so it feels like you hardly know them anymore. Also, an acquaintance is sometimes a person we can hardly trust, especially when it comes to favors. I wouldn't recommend loaning an acquaintance money or borrow an item, because chances are they either won't pay you back or return the item. An acquaintance is there usually just to keep one's sanity level normal.
A friend is someone who you like to do stuff with. It's a person you can relate to in some ways and can talk about common interests. A friend is one to be there when you are in need for something. You may not be able to always hang out with your friend, but you know with or without the person, you can talk to him/her at anytime with no hesitation.
A Best Friend Forever (BFF) is the top of the friend pyramid. Once you reach that point of the friend pyramid, there is no way of ever going back down to the previous levels of friendship. Some people will say you're BFF's because it feels right to say, but that doesn't always mean that you are. Nothing in the world can separate a BFF, not a relationship, not a fight, not long distance. If your so called BFF loses touch with you because he/she is in a relationship, was in a fight, or living long distance, then you can cross BFF off your list. A BFF is basically another part of your family, like a brother or sister. They are the one's you can talk to about anything. They are the one's that are always responsible, reliable, and trustworthy of one's own property, emotions, and activities. If you can put your life into the hands of a person, then that is considered to be the best quality of a friend.

The Holy Grail Analogy

So, I was thinking the other day -yes i was thinking- that a lot of people I know are in relationships at the moment. Many of my friends are in relationships, their friends are in a relationship, and even their pets are in relationships. I guess you can call that puppy love (rim shot). Seriously though, no not really, but if you think about it, doesn't seem like almost everyone is in a relationship. Adults are dating, teenagers are dating, even little kids who watch Barney and Power Rangers are dating. By the way, Power Rangers was never the same after the 90s. I'm a single guy and I'm wondering, did I miss some kind of dating convention? There's always that one girl that guys want to ask out, but she is always taken. You then think to yourself, what the heck is going on here? That's when I came up with a special analogy to help out guys like that. Because everyone is so in love right now, you're left standing all alone in your tiny corner of lameness. To them, they found that Golden Ticket within the Wonka Bar. Yeah, the ticket was hard to find, but it wasn't impossible, so it would eventually be found. On the other hand, you -the one sitting alone in the corner- must wait for that special girl to come along. While you are waiting, people around you are moving in with each other, they're already talking about marriage, and babies are popping out like pills. However, when that girl comes along your path, it will be like discovering the Holy Grail -hence the title of this blog. Since the Medeival times, kings and knights called Ni have been searching for the Holy Grail. Indiana Jones once found the Grail, but then lost it in a endless pit because the attractive blonde girl was greedy, so it was never found again. Trying to find the Holy Grail has been the greatest conquest for any adventurer. Once we find that Holy Grail, we will be so filled with excitement, joy, happiness, and accomplishment that we won't know what to do with it afterward. You found the Holy Grail because you were patient and didn't go for the first cup that you saw, which we have seen first hand what happens when you choose the wrong cup. Yeah, you become the Crypt Keeper. Guys, don't worry if other people are kissing, hugging, holding hands, making out, moving in with each other, having sex, or anything else society inflicts upon young teens. Those people have the Golden Ticket, which means it can go wrong at anytime and the Oompa Loompa's will come out to sing a creepy farewell song to them. Once you find that Holy Grail, you will be filled with the knowledge and wisdom to have an eternal life a.k.a. eternal love. Aren't analogies awesome?

2012

Earth is home to millions of species, including humans, animals, and plant life. It is the only planet that is perfect distance from the sun. One move backward and earth freezes. One move forward and the earth burns. It is the only planet capable of harvesting life as we know it. However, for every living organism, it must come to an end at some point. That includes the earth. Many people have different beliefs on how the world will perish. From nuclear explosions, to an asteroid blowing up the earth, these beliefs come from the idea that the world will come to an end on December 21, 2012. It is the most researched and thought about topic today. With the thought of Global Warming and conflict between countries, I suppose it can cause worry within people. But is the worry beginning to look like panic? From the moment the earth was created, disasters occurred. From the moment humans were brought into the planet war and conflict arose. There is no difference today than there was a thousand years ago. Bad things happen all the time. There's no way of stopping anything. We can't just assume that just because a couple planes crashed into buildings that it's a sign of worldly destruction. I am still trying to figure out how the Mayan calendar relates to humanity.Well, according to the Mayans, the year 2012 is only the end of what they call a Baktun cycle. A Baktun cycle is consisted of 144,000 days. After the many Baktuns are over, it will reset and start at a higher point. Today, the last Baktun translates to 13, which then is converted to December 21, 2012 or December 23, 2012. Isn't that pretty crazy?! We don't even know the exact end of the Baktun cycle, so if the world doesn't end on December 21, just give it two more days. First of all, there is no evidence that the Mayans predicted the end of the world in 2012. These are people who believed that there were five suns and four of the five suns were destroyed, so they had to sacrifice human lives to please the sun god. If anyone has ever seen Apocalypto, then you know exactly what I'm talking about. I'm sure many of us have heard of the famous prophet, Nostradamus. Later in his life, Nostradamus wrote a book and began to give prophecies that would occur in the future. The problem with his book was that Nostradamus used only pictures and symbolism to tell his predictions. He predicts wars, famine, disasters, terrorism, anti-Christs, and every other pessimistic event that could occur. Talk about a true Debbie Downer. Those prophecies are just as vague as reading a fortune strip on a fortune cookie. Here's an example of a Nostradamus prophecy; Mabus then will soon die, there will come Of people and beasts a horrible rout: Then suddenly one will see vengeance,
Hundred, hand, thirst, hunger when the comet will run. What the heck does all the mumbo jumbo mean? Let me tell you. According to "scientists", the word Mabus somehow translates to George W. Bush, our former U.S President. So how do we get George W. Bush from Mabus? First, let's look at the first two letters, m & a. If you flip over the "m", it becomes a "W" and if you flip the "a" over it then becomes a "g". But how do we get Bush from --bus? Just add an "h". Now that we got that nonsense cleared up, what does the prophecy mean. It simply means that Mabus (Bush) will be assassinated by angry, vengeful people and a comet will foretell his death. I'm sure a lot of people wanted George W. Bush out of the way, but sorry Nostradamus, he's still alive and well. Nostradamus gave no specific date to when the earth will end. In fact, the 2012 apocalypse theory was solely based off a science fiction author's theory of how the world could come to an end. Then, there's the famous Bible Code book. According to Michael Drosnin, author of the book, so already you know it's fake, he decodes the ancient Torah to predict the future of the world. The book decodes events like George Bush assassination, stock market re-crashing, world war III, and the famous 9/11. The funny thing about this book is that it came out after 9/11, so how can something be true if it already occurred? Of course, none of these things ever happened, except 9/11. Sure, the economy sucks, but the stock market hasn't crashed. George W. Bush is still alive and WWIII is probably going to eventually happen anyway in the future. We know the Bible is full of symbolism and metaphors, but I don't think God is the Riddler. He's not wearing a green hat and green spandex with question marks on it. Already, 2012 has made it huge in the media. The History channel always has a TV special about 2012 and end of the world theories. Also, in November of 2009, a movie titled 2012, starring John Cusack, will be released into theaters. I agree that it will be an entertaining movie, but I do believe that it will cause some panic for people. According to the Christian belief, no one can absolutely foretell when the earth will come to an end. It will happen on a day that no one expects, like a "thief in the night". Right now, the world is living like it should, but as the day comes closer to December 21, 2012, it can possible lose all sanity. I can't even imagine how people will act on December 20, the day before. However, everyone thought that the world was going to end in 2000. People thought a comet was going to hit us or all computer networks would shut down causing nuclear weapons to launch off without reason, but nothing happened. Aww, how disappointing. There are people that believe December 21, 2012 will be like any other day and we'll go to sleep, wake up the next day and laugh at ourselves. I don't believe in the 2012 theory, but it certainly gets me thinking. I think this is just another way to cause panic and to make a Hollywood film. Perhaps after December 21, 2012, people will come together to solve the problems of the earth. The world can end at any time. It can end today. It can end tomorrow. It can end the next day. It can even end right now. The question is, will you be ready?