Me and Jason were looking at our movie and book lists today, and I did counted up my totals for this year and realized I’m both a reading whore and a movie whore. This year I’ve watched approximately 100 movies I had never seen before and read about 30 books. That’s a lot of freakin’ media. That’s about one new movie every three days and about one book every week and a half.

I wonder how many movies the average American watches in a year and how many books they read. That’d be interesting to see. I’m gonna go look it up.

Oh wow…this is nuts, check it out:

The NEA says that reading is in a big decline and in 2002 fewer than half of American adults reading literature and less than 16% of adults reading more than one book a month. But almost half of all adults watch an average of three hours of a TV a day. (http://www.nea.gov/pub/ReadingAtRisk.pdf) These kind of statistics are pretty depressing. Especially since that was three years ago and it’s only getting worse. Soon we’ll only have people who think that U, R, Y and 2 are words.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying don’t watch TV…I certainly watch my fair share. But reading is FUNdamental people. The chairman of the NEA, Dana Gioia said, “America can no longer take active and engaged literacy for granted. As more Americans lose this capability, our nation becomes less informed, active, and independent minded. These are not qualities that a free, innovative, or productive society can afford to lose.” I think I agree with her.

So go out there and help make our society better. Read a book!

I was wandering around the mall the other week looking for ideas for Christmas presents and went in Nordstrom. Have you ever been in this place? It’s like an Abercrombie for not-teenage girls. I walked in and immediately thought, “yeah, I am definitely not good enough to be in this store.” There’s a dress code for just being inside the store. No three piece suit or tuxedo, then get out. I think they follow the Globo Gym philosophy of “We’re better than you, and we know it!” There’s even a person who plays piano in the store, presumably so you don’t have to feel like you’re inside an average person’s mall. Because everyone knows malls are beastly, savage places only frequented by uncivilized hoodlums.

Here’s my Christmas present to you: Don’t bother ever going in Nordstrom. You’ll be the better for it. Plus, chances are you’re not going to be deemed good enough to go in anyway.

Bono and company were in Charlotte last night for a simply inspiring, heavenly, and perfect-in-every-facet concert. The concert opened with Bono coming on stage wearing an unprecedented three pairs of sunglasses! I couldn’t believe it; I was so overcome with joy that I fainted. I came to after what I can only imagine were the best renditions of the best songs ever written.

The show continued with a 45 minute lecture on how grateful we should be to have had Bono actually allow us to see him in person. Can you believe it!? He’s probably cooler than Jesus.

At this point in the show, I really had to go pee, so I went out to find the bathroom. Unfortunately, I got lost and it took me 40 minutes to find it and get back so I missed probably like the next six songs. I’m positive they were awe-inspiring though.

Oh! So get this. They were selling You Too Noise Canceling Headphones at the souvenir stand, so I totally picked up a pair. I tried them on when I got back to my seat and it was amazing, I couldn’t hear anything! While I sat thinking about how awesome these headphones were, I watched Bono talk to us some more.

My friend told me later that his favorite part of the show was when Bono helped us all reminisce the days of elementary school by counting in foreign languages. I so totally remember that lady who came around once a week for 15 minutes to teach us French. Thanks Bono!!

I finally took off my headphones in time to hear Bono’s closing address about how Africa needs to be saved. I can’t help but feel that North Carolina is now less impoverished because Bono graced our state with his presence. Long live Bono!!

All in all, I’d have to say that this was the most amazing show I have ever been to or will ever go to. Even though I didn’t actually get to hear any of the songs, I know they had to be really awesome. Plus, I got some freakin’ sweet noise canceling headphones. I can’t wait to see You Too again!

Remember last year when they found that asteroid that they thought might hit Earth in 2029? Well, it’s back, except this time it’s 2036.

The irony here is that the asteroid is named Apophis. Apophis is the Greek name for the Egyptian demon Apep, who was the deification of darkness and chaos. Darkness and chaos is exactly what will overtake the planet if Apophis does decide to hit Earth in 2036.

It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out though, given that it’s only 31 years from now and that’s basically the near future. They say we’ll have to have a decision about it by 2013. So if it’s a real threat and we have to take some kind of action to save the human race, it’ll certainly be an event without precedent.

But I’m sure that when the time comes, we can just put in a call to Bruce Willis and have him go save the world for us again. So we need not worry.

Scott Stapp apparently decided he wanted a good old fashioned Thanksgiving brawl with 311. He reportedly went up to the 311 guys and said, “311, I am ready to fight.” Here’s how I imagine the verbal exchange went:

Stapp: “You suck!”

311: “No we don’t. We come with the funky style that gets us known for the show.”

Stapp: “Are you ready? Are you ready for whats to come…Oh I said Are you ready?”

311: “Misdirected hostility, that’s what you got see.”

Stapp: “What’s this life for?”

311: “The fits come easily. So don’t you tread on me, cause I will knock you down.”

Stapp: “Come on, let’s go there.”

311: “Your rhymes have been outmoded!”

This is where I’m guessing the heretofore mentioned brawl ensued.

…and scene