Weekending On the Coast

Well, it's the weekend and that's a great time to take in a movie. Maggy and I went to D'Iberville yesterday to the Grand to see Invincible. We both wholeheartedly recommend this as great family entertainment and inspiration! This movie stars Mark Wahlberg, Greg Kinnear, and Elizabeth Banks. It is an account of the true story of Vince Papale, a 30 year old substitute teacher, part time bartender who finds his way onto the desperate and losing Philadelphia Eagles in 1976. He still holds the record as the oldest rookie in the NFL! He played for three seasons for the Eagles before a shoulder injury ended his career in 1979. Now I have to be honest, I'm not a sports fan. If I didn't admit that, several of my friends would point that out in the comments! However, this is not so much a sports story as it is a tribute to the vitality and success that come when we give our hearts to a great task. I know, it sounds schmaltzy, but I promise it doesn't come across that way in the movie. I found the movie entertaining and inspirational, and I would also mention it has a fantastic soundtrack. Maggy's sensitive ears didn't detect any profanity, at least none that we could remember. Mark Wahlberg does an excellent job portraying Papale. He's come a long way since his Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch days. According to the Wikipedia, the new HBO series Entourage, is loosely based on Wahlberg's experiences in Hollywood. I don't have HBO, so I can't personally attest to that! Greg Kinnear once again proves his versatility as a character actor. At first I wasn't sure he was going to be able to pull off being a football coach. I remember him from his Talk Soup days and as Jack Nicholson's homosexual neighbor in the outstanding movie, As Good As It Gets. Of course he's played many roles since then. So take a break from your busy schedule and enjoy this movie - but do it quick. It had a great start at the box office, but competition is tough. Maggy and I were the only ones in the theater - a private showing! This one probably won't be at the movies much longer. Below: Real Life Papale and Wahlberg. What else is happening? We picked up Jeff and Shari today off of the Holiday cruise ship. Is that the one that was a FEMA rental parked in Pascagoula? I think so. They had a great time and encouraged us to take a cruise sometime. We'll see. (That's man-code for "I don't think so.") We are having the parents of our church teenagers over tonight to talk about some Fall plans. So we're busy getting ready for that. Mobile is now home to the tallest tower on the Gulf Coast, except for buildings in Houston. I hope there will be some video placed online of the spire being put into place. The Pope made the Muslims mad. I'm sorry, but I do not think this is very hard to do. The ones we see on television are always yelling and looking angry. I'm ignorant of their culture I guess. I often wonder why they don't just go back to work or home and love their families? Instead they scream and shout and carry flags in the street. Do they not have anything to do? I know, that's insensitive and not very politically correct. But it's the weekend edition of Out Here Hope Remains and we're all just relaxing around the keyboard. I'm sure there are many more Middle Eastern folks who are trying to raise their families, earn a living, and keep from being killed by extremists... we just don't see them on television. That sounds like a good project for Katie Couric in her new role. Can they do that 'slimming' thing on Al Jazeera? Nevermind. Spinach is making people sick. E-coli is very serious business and one person has already died, 94 others seriously ill. That is really bad. Don't worry about me, though. Any ingestion of spinache on my part is totally accidental. Never liked it. Mike King wants to prepare some dish with spincahe in it for me. Now I have a reason to say no. Just Say No! (Thanks, Nancy.) No More Talking On the Cell Phone ... in California. Everywhere I go people are cutting in front of me, making illegal turns, stopping when they should go and going when they should stop. And all the while one hand is holding that little communications device closely to their ear. I seem to be the only person who can talk and drive at the same time. Just ask the woman who honked her horn at me this morning on the interstate. I interpreted it as a honk of appreciation for my driving skills. Gas is going down. I bought gas for $2.47 a few days ago. I saw it in Mobile for 2.43 this morning. What are you paying for gas where you live? Another Columbine-type shooting planned, but foiled. This time in Green Bay, Wisconsin. This one included the use of NAPALM. How do high school kids get napalm? Adolesence is a time of anxiety all alone, but add into the mix the fear for their very lives and things are getting scary for teenagers in the United States. Wisconsin has had it's share of creepy teenagers in the news lately. Well, dear readers, it's that time again. Thanks for wasting a few minutes with me. If someone asks if they can use your office to film part of a movie, Just Say No! Gallatin, TN Mayor Don Wright decided to say 'Yes!' To his surprise the title of the movie was 'Thong Girl 3' about a superheroine who flies over Nashville in a thong saving country singers who are in danger of turning into rappers. I think that's one movie Maggy and I will decide NOT to review! Have a great Sunday. Let's all learn to relax and smile more. God has been good to us!