King James Dusting Off the Cavaliers

This last Thursday, LeBron James returned to his native soil to play against his former teammates. This may seem like just another trade in the NBA, but Cleveland's fans were the ones that supported him through high school and through the start of his professional career. James received many negative stigmas before and during this event, but anyone in his shoes would do whatever they can to be the best, he is LeBron James. Miami offered him the right price to create a powerhouse of the NBA and he took it. It is understandable to be upset about the trade, but LeBron is not to blame. He is only being the best at what he does scoring an amazing 38 points against Cleveland that night.

No Shave November

This November I did something I've never done before, or at least for an extensive period of time. shave.

No shave November is month long event in which, typically men, don't shave for Men's health. I didn't become aware of its actual meaning until later in the month, but after realizing I'm glad I did it. Mainly because my grandpa was diagonsis with prostate cancer last year. He is fine now, but now I have a higher risk of having prostate cancer, which is almost curiable as long as you catch it early, which their is no reason not too. Doing no shave November has helped me get the word out on Men's health like prostate cancer, my most important audience of course was my family. Sharing the knowledge of preventability and manageability to my younger cousins and brothers is a very important lesson to share. Now I know that they will favor screening instead of fear them, why? probably because it's in the family, but hopefully because of their own responsibility.

Air Borders

What border issue came to mind for Essay three, unfortunately too late, was air borders.

If you think about it, our airport security is our first line of defense from foreign threats. It prevents people from our terrorist watch list from flying into American and it gives heads up to other countries about the potential hazards involved with each person on the list.

Unfortunately, this list is not the best in terms of structure, organization, and emphasism. The list is so broaden to anyone with any terrorist connection, sometimes it just puts people because of a deal they did so long ago with the exchange of a sheep for cash or other resource. Bottom line is that this "list" is not the best it could be. It's funny how they check people from coming to the US, but not so much the packages, especially from countries like Yemen, which to most people is practically a terrorist safe heaven. fortunately, changes are being made to combat this growing problem and new procedures are being implemented to further our nation security. I wish I would have done more research and choose this topic for my research paper, but like I said, it was and idea that came too late.

Bittersweet

It's not a poem about home, but it's a sonnet I have written and thought I could share, being as I've only shared with just a selective few. I call it Bittersweet

Bittersweet

'Tis thy nature to be stun upon you,
As your presence puts a halt to the world;
Every man demanding to be your two;
And with my world, you seem to have made twirled.
Every moment is like sweet ecstasy,
Longing to be near you forevermore.
You are my flower and I your bee;
Sweet as honey, awfully hard to ignore,
And yet you are just my bitter addiction:
Raising my confidence leaving me blind,
Invoking my truth with your deception,
Corroding my deepest sound of mind.
Your presences won't be seen as obsolete,
But more a feeling, I find, bittersweet.

Guest speaker

This post is my impression about St. Edward's guest speaker PhD Oleg Larionov. He presented his work on, “Total Syntheses of Amphidinolide V and Coraxeniolides.”

In the presentation, Larionov discussed the series of steps taken in his research. Larionov began with recognizing the synthesis of Amphidinolide in marine plant life. The minuscule amount derived from nature provided reason in forming total synthesis of Amphidinolide. The process of total synthesis was completed in a series of systematic steps. The first step included “a sequence of ring-closing alkyne metathesis” binding with cycloalkyne and ethene to form the macrocyclic skeleton. In return, the vicinal exo-methylene branches were developed. The process was successful in total synthesis and had direct correlation with the “cytotoxic marine natural product amphidinolide V.” The works of Larionov provides further intuition for later projects involving ring-closing alkyne metathesis.

Listening to Larionov speak was somewhat a demo of what I know I’ll be able to understand either eight years from now, or potentially four years from now. The in-depth knowledge implemented, has me look forward toward my years in graduate school; knowing one day I’ll be able to speak fluid in scientific theology. This presentation has also showed me the amount of time and dedication that has to be put into a research project. Even though Larionov research turned out successful, I am sure there have been a lot of flaws along the way. I am also sure some researchers could not fix these flaws and are force to go back to the drawing board, but you know I think that’s what drives scientist and researchers. If I’ve learned anything from this presentation it is a researcher, in any field, has their own motivation to research and wants to educate others in their interest.

The glory days of animation...

I can still remember when cartoons entertained. When writers sculpted witty and original plots one frame at a time to create family friendly programs actually worth tuning in to. These were golden times. These were the days when cartoons like Dexter's Lab, Johnny Bravo, and Ren and Stimpy ruled air; and stations like Cartoon Network kept their worth in society. These days are gone. Seeking a chuckle or two, I sat and watched the modern day cartoon a few Sundays ago, but found myself fairly disappointed. I thought to myself, "Is this what it's come to?" I felt violated by the crudeness of the humor on what is supposed to be a children's television show. It was loud and obnoxious and something I probably wouldn't even have like as a boy. Then it dawned on me. "Maybe I'm just too old. I've probably just grown out of my favorite past-times". So I went to the world wide web in search of episodes of my old favorites. I was able to unearth old episodes of my cartoon of choice, Dexter's Laboratory. I was in stitches. The freshness of the humor really surprised me. It was incredible to see how the creators are able to use the idea of a boy genius to educate kids in science and language arts while simultaneously cracking them up. Today's animators need to re-watch these shows and take notes. And maybe once again they will be able to put some worth while toons back on the tube.

Turkey Trot

It was Thanksgiving morning and as I was turning to the parade on my TV I realized I agreed to run the turkey trot with my siblings. In past years I ran and enjoyed the turkey trot but since college life has been a bit more busy than high school I have not ran as much as usual. Plus the city of Austin or whoever came up with the turkey trot decided to make it a 5 mile run instead of a 5k (almost a 2 mile difference). I like the idea of the turkey trot more than I actually like it. Basically you are burning the massive amount of calories that you are going to eat up later in advance. If you have never been to the Thundercloud turkey trot it is a sight to see. No where else can you find a group of people dressed up as indians yelling and chasing a person dressed up in a turkey costume. About three miles into the race I was feeling very fatigued, I was seconds away from stopping when I saw a little girl skipping in front of me like it didn't even faze her. I had to keep going, I was not going to let a little girl embarrass me like that. After the 4 mile mark I started to notice dogs passing me and that was the point where I gave up, I had to stop running. All in all I had a great time with my siblings plus 18,000 of my fellow Austinites. Next year if you are in town for Thanksgiving I strongly encourage you to make your way to downtown Austin to participate in the turkey trot.

The Intimidator

All the hype, all the glory

to his kind it was the big event

all who fear him knows his story

the Intimidator came and went

to die by your name is just right

for all your fans to see

going up against you was such a fight

you will be forever remembered as #3

spectating will never be as fun

so many laps you led

your prodigy is not done

we will miss the black and red

Second Chances?

A couple of years ago there was a big debate on whether or not an NFL team should give Michael Vick a second chance at playing football. After watching Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles so far this year, it shows you that people headed down the wrong path can come back and be remarkable. As everyone knows Vick had the dog fighting accident, which is safe to say a terrible immoral thing to do. For whatever reason Vick was involving himself with these cruel activities but he paid his price, swallowed his pride, went to jail, and has come back a completely changed person. People forget that these professional athletes are still very young which most likely contributed to his poor decisions. Andy Reid, coach of the Eagles thought Vick deserved a second chance when no one thought he did. Vick has prevailed this year and is producing NFL MVP numbers. After tonight Vick and the Eagles are 8-4 and are at the top of the NFC East.

TIPS

There are so many things in this world that never get noticed. And I don’t mean people. I don’t mean those quiet, weird people that sniff or cough a lot and never wash their hands. I mean the books in high school libraries; I mean the stained white tee shirt in the lost and found. Things. Things no one wants or cares for or even acknowledges. I was at a coffee shop, drinking coffee - which was pissing me off in the first place, because it was just another reminder of the lack of originality in this world – when I noticed a tip jar. The loneliest thing in the whole place. Lonelier than the old man in the corner on his lap top, with no ring on his finger, and no hair on his head. Probably lonelier than me, even, which was saying a lot. Someone had taped an index card to the glass jar and written in a bold black marker, probably Sharpie, TIPS. At first, I thought, maybe, it was a donation jar for some kind of organization. Maybe… Totalitarianism in Perfect Synchronization? Or The Irate Persons of Syphilis? Or Typical Interest in Pirating your Salary? The last one seemed more likely. I’ve always been wary of giving my money away to organizations because I saw this documentary once about a Satanist cult that posed as an organization for sick puppies or kids or something. Not that it matters that it was a Satanist cult; it’s just the fact that you never know where your money is going. Your five dollars could have been intended for a dying cocker spaniel and instead it’s funding the construction of an Anton LaVey memorial.


And I must have sat there for three cups of coffee – because eventually everyone will tell time by how much they’ve consumed –before I realized it was a tip jar. I was an idiot for not realizing TIPS was literal, not some secret organization pining for my cash, but merely working individuals of the establishment pining for my cash. Which wasn’t any less worse, really.

Another good book to read: EAT, PRAY, LOVE

This book was all about making the reader want to do something in live, no matter how crazy the idea is. The book focuses on the author's trip around three different countries of the world after she discovers that her life is just miserable and chaotic. During her visit to all the countries she meets new people that helps her grow as a person and become someone better. In every place she visited she learned something new about her self. We as humans normally focus on doing everything in a certain way, or not eating certain things (because we can gain weight), we stress out about small things that really do not matter; this book shows us how we need to live life to its fullest, because we only live once, even when we feel that life is falling apart. During her year of traveling her main focus is to find peace in herself by praying, eating and loving. It is an awesome book and I would recommend it to anyone.

Santa Rita

If you’re fan of Mexican food and don’t intend on spending a lot of money Santa Rita Tex-Mex Cantina might just be the place for you. With two locations, one downtown and one in south Austin, it is hard to say that the restaurant is difficult to find. Glorified in the Austin Chronicle multiple times and even a mention every now and then in other media show that this Mexican food style restaurant isn’t quite a hidden gem. Although the prices are a little above that of an average Mexican restaurant, Santa Rita provides an atmosphere and customer service that is top notch in its part of its industry.

With great happy hour prices it is easy to see why margaritas are popular there but Santa Rita often receives praise for its beef and chicken fajitas. Another popular item is their enchiladas with several different fillings and sauces all around for $10. In a recent visit I decided to order an American Style meal and wasn’t quite satisfied which leads me to believe that if I’m eating at a Mexican Restaurant I should probably stick with Mexican food. When I visit the restaurant with friends or family I always recommend getting queso which is apparently made fresh daily. Walking into either restaurant the customer sees multi-diverse decorations as well as paintings that really give both locations color. The lights might be dim but the color of the walls alone brings the restaurants to life. Bright, fluorescent colors become inviting and the customer can’t help but develop a sense of comfort.

This restaurant is quite popular with the locals and its two locations allow customers to visit each of them and discover their different atmospheres. I would recommend this establishment to anyone who is looking for decent food at a decent price. Although it isn’t quite a fancy restaurant it is impressive when it comes to taking care of the customer. Let it also be known that Santa Rita thrives on its “regulars” and that the restaurants tend to do plenty of promotions to keep people coming back.

Pull the World

This is a poem I started from some of the exercises in class, I based it off of a rather frightening dream I had once.

I changed it around a bit to make it a statement about the violence happening on the Mex-Am border.



“Pull the word, pull the world”
The Girl in White smiles and plays
The red follows closely behind;
Tied to her wrist, a forced friend

“Pull the world, pull the world”
The Girl in White has a cloud of hair
She lets little bugs bite
And little birds bathe

“Pull the world, pull the world”
Blue pours into her open skin;
Her happy mouth, her laughing sigh
Her red friend floats

“Pull the world, pull the world”
The Girl in White falls;
Feathers crust, cripple in cracking clay
Mud on knees, on chin, on pale neck

“Pull the world, pull the world”
The Red Balloon bursts;
Red rain drops, dotting crimson
The smell, the smell, the familiar smell

“Pull the world, pull the world”
The Girl in White cries creamy and thick
And her friend drowns in its redness
As the pool forms, hot, around her bare feet

Firelfies

In a cold dorm room, I focus on sounds.

Someone's laughing as another tells a story in the hallway; the pipes hiding in my walls, creating crowns around my head, gurgle and hiss as someone, somewhere, showers; keys are jangling as someone fusses to get into their room.

Amoungst it all, I hear my roommate's breathing and how it doesn't match with my own.

I inhale as she exhales.

I exhale as she inhales.

I hold my breath, my heart fights me with tiny, red fists of defiance, and then I exhale as my roommate does.

And, suddenly, our breathing pattern is synchronized. For several seconds we are living in exactly the same way.



Somewhere in the world, a wife and a husband breathe each other as they sleep. Their children breathe like their parents, swollen with the life they've been given, and safe in dreams of summer.

In the afternoon the children will run through amber fields, soft textures swiping over their smiles, and creating whispers hard to hear over their laughing and yelling. They will hide in weeds, not a worry in their heads about bugs, snakes, or any other small monsters that could threaten their good-time. They will go on playing, with stomachs they do not realize are empty.



In the evening, the children will catch fireflies. They'll put the bugs of light in a big mason jar and gaze with large eyes at the wonder they've captured. Their noses will touch and their fingers will stain the glass. They will feel like gods and guardians, watching over the world they've made a possibility. They'll giggle and tease as their parents drink wine under an oak tree. And when they ask for a sip their faces wil sour and their lips will frown, and they will vow never to drink again.



In high school, the children won't catch fireflies. They won't enjoy running barefoot as they used to. They will buy shoes. Shoes that commercials tell them to buy; shoes that their friends tell them to wear; shoes that they feel project a corrupted idea of who they are as a person to the world that exists outside of themselves. Their souls will feel like the fireflies, trapped in glass jars. Their faces will always be sour and so drinking adult beverages won't make any difference to them.

And their parents will ask about the fireflies, and wonder when time had caught up with them. They will remember high school and they will laugh. They will remember high school and they will still find themselves crying.

Saturday nights will be spent in an empty house, talking until the early morning, asking, "Remember when...?", and, "Do you still love me?"



The day will come when their children have children, and the wife will be happy and the husband will be worried. They will develop the prideful features of grandparents. They will have soft wrinkles, and careful hands. Their fireplace mantle will be cluttered with photographs of their children and their children's children. Picture frames that they had kept in a drawer, will see daylight. Photographs will find their home. Frames will find their meaning in life.



Their adult-children will drink coffee on the porch with their father late at night. And they will tell the stories of their grown-up life, and they will ask for guidance, and they will be granted forgiveness.



The grandchildren will have ball-playing-hands and bubble-gum breath. They will spend their days outside, running through the amber fields, re-tracing the steps their parents left behind long ago.

And in the evening, they will catch fireflies. They will be proud of their findings and thrust the jars into their grandparents' laps for recognition. And, sometimes, the little ones will feel guilty of their findings, and ask the grandfather to twist open the cap so the fireflies can be free once again.



The day will come when the grandparents die.



They will be in their bed on a warm summer night, with a window open, and pale curtains creating whispers as the wind tangles itself into them. Their room will be painted in blue as the full moon looks down upon a world it will never touch. They will sleep, unaware of their breathing in unison.



Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale...



Exhale.



And as their breath releases, fireflies would float from the caves of their mouths, slowly to the ceiling, and, free once again, out the window.

Until the day that Rainbows fly

Rainbows seem to disappear,

A soul is once more gone.

Fear and anger makes its place;

A nation is in shock.

Youth and dreams are taken;

From those who need them most.

Through the years they were cast out,

Made fun of and let down.

The fear of being who they were,

Drove them to the worst.

Six young angels now take their spot,

Amongst the sea of clouds.

But what will we a nation do

To change our nasty views?

Until the day that rainbows fly,

The angels will begin to sing.

Thats all she wrote!

The Baseball season for 2010 is in the books. The ending to this baseball year was truly a year for the underdogs. the underdogs had came out on top, the San Francisco Giants had won the World Series. they had defied all odds and beat them all, they are the best in the world! The Giants were not even predicted to be in the playoffs because they were down a few games to the first place San Diego Padres when the postseason was drawing near. yet, they went on a heat streak and took it all the way to the end. Give credit to the Texas Rangers as well because they too were the underdogs of the American League. Yet, they prevailed as well by knocking off the two top teams, Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees. However, its the Giants who are the World Series Champions.

Two Lovers

A war amongst nations has made its call;

A young sailor must go off to war.

Trumpets signal the assembly of men,

While two lovers stand still in loves embrace.

Fears of death and separation cloud the mind,

Only true loves kiss can bring them hope.

A final goodbye sends him off,

She is now alone amongst the sand.

As the ship sails away;
A diamond necklace can be found in her hand.

With this symbol of his love,

Distance and time cannot touch.

As the days go by,

The heart begins to break.

War is never fun,

And is always hard to take.

As the days go by,

The heart begins to break.

Distance and time is taking its toll;

The young maiden has almost given up hope.

But above a goddess weeps,

Tearful over this tragedy.

Promises of protection for her love,

Come to her in sweet melodies.

Up above the goddess speaks

"Don't be frightened you will see,

Love prevails over seas."

Ten years have passed since then,

And now she sees that it is true.

Across the emerald ocean,

Is where the ship is found,

Love knows no leaps or bounds.

Psycho: the original, better version

Halloween is just around the corner and that means it's time for scary movies. Many of the people our age who I have talked to have never seen Psycho, and the ones who said they have seen it, said they saw the version from 1998 starring Vince Vaughn( some didn't even know that the 1998 version is a remake). I am not a fan of remakes. I don't know of any remakes that I have liked more than the original , but then again I'm a little psycho myself when it comes to classic movies.

For the ones who have not seen the original version from 1960 here is what the movie is about. A woman named Marion Crane steals $40,000 from her boss so she and her lover Sam Loomis could get married. Sam, who is divorced, has to give his wife pretty much every penny he makes to his wife in alimony. She flees Nevada and head towards California where Sam is. Along the way she stops at Bates Motel for the night. The motel is run by a quiet, shy man named Norman. He tells Marion that he lives in the house behind the motel with his mother. It is obvious that he is dominated by his mother by the way he talks about his her. Marion is offered the room #1 just in case she needed anything, and also since there was no one else there. While taking a shower Marion is stabbed repeatedly by an old woman. Norman runs to Marion's room and finds her dead. As the film continues the truth behind Marion's death and the old motel unravels and like true Alfred Hitchcock fashion it leaves you with a surprising twist.

The director Alfred Hitchcock has been dubbed the "master of suspense" and he is known as one of the best directors of all time. He has directed some of the best films of all time.

I have not always been a fan of classic movies, but it was Psycho that started it all for me. I thought like most people, classic movies are boring and there is no way I can watch a movie in black and white. I had gave it a chance and I have been obsessed ever since. Once you have watched classic movies, you will never look at movies today the same way. In my opinion, classic movies are a 100% better than movies made today. You begin to realize what is considered a great movie and those that are just for entertaining purposes.

click on the link for the trailer!! www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG3-GlvKPcg

Happy 70K Jessica!!

Somewhere just outside Giddings Texas on this chilly night after owning my car for 2 years and 10 months my car clicked 70k on the odometer. For most people this is a non event, showing that the car is more worthless than it wasat 69,999 miles. But I don't feel this way. I feel I have formed a relationship with my car over the last 70k miles. In almost 3 years I have driven across the U.S. an average of 22 times, but the car has never left the state of texas. I love to drive, its my favorite thing to do, Im a petrol head. I always try to do something special when my car clicks past these milestones. For 25k I Flew through a tollbooth doing 90 mph, for 40k the car conqured the hurricane Ike ravaged beach of galveston, and on 60k the car went on a 1300 mile expedition of south texas. Tonight I missed the oppurtunity to do somthing special so ill write a review of the past 70k with Jessica.

Jessica is a black 08' Honda Accord with a V6. Its not the fastest thing in the world but it's a frigg'n tank! it hit a curb going 70 mph, its flooded.. Twice, and has been stuck in sand,dirt,mud. You name it, its probably driven on it. The car is a witness or has played a key role in almost all of my stories past the age of sixteen. One of the main reasons i put so many miles on my car was because during the summer I lived 30 miles from school where I had cross country practice everyday. The drive was my favorite part of practice. I would be Going about 100 mph and arrive barely in time and smoke literally pouring from my brakes! Jessica isn't that fast but she'll do 125 mph no sweat, and she'll bend through corners if you really manhandle her. Yeah she's not perfect, the breaks last about as long as a snow cone in the middle of june, and the road noise is a little bad, but I love this car its takin me on so many interesting trips.

One night my friends and I decided to do a little drive around town that lasted a little over 400 miles. we left my house and drove east till we were almost to Louisiana then headed south to the coast and discovered a truly spectacular road that was straight as an arrow through the south costal plains. It was about 2 a.m. when we were going flat out.. 125 mph. everyone was half awake trying to sleep before we hit the halfway point on the coast. so I decided to make sure that they where alert by suddenly rolling all the windows down at the same time. I learned that air traveling at these speeds will glue your hair all the way back. To make our halfway spot we needed to turn off the road and hit the beach. I was stunned when I parked my car right on the beach sharing a parking spot with only the tide. The stars are brilliant when your in the middle of nowhere on the beach. I've made that trip a million times now and made several improvements on how Jessica handles costal road trips. 1. Rubber Floor mats for obvious reasons. and 2. Jon Willhites Costal bon fire/camping kit. which consists of 2 recycling bins full of wood, 3 cans of diesel, shovel, tow strap, grill, cooler, and rifle. all of which fits snugly in the trunk.

This car was made to be a family sedan and commuter sedan for the man who works in town and lives in the suburbs. I drove it to the beach almost every weekend full of kids and equipment. and when I wasn't going to the beach I was out exploring somewhere else. I have loved the past 70k miles and plan on driving Jessica till she dies. 75k is coming up and thats kinda a big deal. where do you think jessica should go for her 75k?

Laval's Pizza

I was really thinking hard about what to write about in my first post ever, when it came to me. I looked down toward my chest and saw that I was wearing one of my old, tattered, uniform-required shirts from the pizza joint I used to work at, Laval's Pizza in Alameda, California. A pizza joint that I would call my own for almost three years of my life.
I started working there when a frirend of a friend let me know of the current state of hiring Laval's was in. I jumped all over it. This was a place that I had known since my early childhood. It was a place where my elementary school would always call for "Pizza Parties". It was the location of countless post-season Little League trophy ceremonies. It was a place that has always provided me with unconditional comfort one greasy slice at a time. Laval's just has such an inviting vibe about it. The walls are covered with autographed, sports parapernalia and it seems and it seems that every corner of this place is occupied with your favorite childhood arcade games. As a young child this place was a utopia, but when I finally got behind the scenes, I was acquainted with the real Laval's.
When I started working there as a young, naive, 15 year old kid, I was in for a suprise. My jolly, braces filled personality was immediately met with the intimidating stares of real working men and women. While working on a minimum wage clock I slowly met and befriended a gaggle of different and distinct personalities. There were drop-outs, run-aways, drug-abusers and other lost souls each with their own personal niche or quark. I've seen writers, mechanics, musicians, comedians, athletes, prom queens and immigrants all walk through those doors. These people sculted me and became my friends. I was able to see the real world through the stories and experiences of coming and going employees. We all had one thing in common: we all played a part in the creation of exquisite pizza.
This place has really meant a lot to me over the years;l not only the pure taste of the freshest ingredients cooked atop a bed of home made dough, sause, and cheese, but the emotions and memories evoked in every bite. I recommend to anyone passing through, visiting on vacation, or even starting a new life in the Bay Area, to try my Pizza. You won't be sorry.

The Imaginary Invalid

Although forced to watch this play for my rhetoric class, I found the whole experience rather enjoyable to say the least. The play caught my attention from the start, and kept it the entire time. From start to finish the humor kept me interested. I had never been to a play before in my entire life, I was not looking forward to the event, and was expecting the least fun I could ever have out of it. To my surprise, it was very fun to watch. The actors, both the student actors and the professional actors fit their characters flawlessly and knew exactly how to play each of their parts to the fullest, getting the humorous effects that were written down to a tee. My favorite part, at the end, came out of nowhere, the last thing i expected from a school play, was when the two actors who were in love were just completely going at it while right in front of the father. Absolutely hilarious. This play gave me the best first impression I could ever get. The story in my eyes, was perfectly told, but thats just my opinion. I was laughing throughout the play, and would see it again in my spare time.

Buffalo Exchange

Buffalo Exchange is a second-hand clothing store which caters to both buyers and sellers of clothing. One could easily spend an entire day swimming through the stores numerous racks of fine garments, shoes and accessories. Located on The Drag in Austin, Buffalo Exchange is a staple for many eclectic and "indie" fashion enthusiasts . On the seller side Buffalo Exchange offers a unique way to turn old clothes into cash, while also making room in their closets. The eclectic feel goes far beyond the clothes, as one can find a numerous array of different visitors to the store. From conservative and preppy to grungy 90's chic, all types of people as well as styles can be found at this store. It's not unlikely that you will run into long lines be it from the many buyers or the many people eager to sell. Another interesting attribute is the music bulletin located prominently at the front of the store. This billboard displays the various shows that are upcoming in town in which it's located. This gives visitors something to look at while not browsing the sea of pre-worn goods. Of all of the thrift stores, Buffalo Exchange offers the widest variety and definite best experience while also being one of the most well known. So if ever in process of cleaning out your closet, one should give Buffalo Exchange a try.

The Snack Bar

The Snack Bar is a restaurant located on South Congress where one can grab a bite to eat, whether in the mood for a snack or a full-fledged meal. The Snack Bar caters to many different tastes as well as appetites. If you aren't necessarily in the mood for a large entree, you can opt to get a small snack like a banana split, or some doughnuts. If you're not in the mood for anything sweet in particular, you can go for a bagel and cream cheese, or a plate of cheese fries. They also offer a wide range of all-day brunch menu items. If you're more of a breakfast/lunch person, as am I, this is definitely the menu for you! The Brunch menu consists of many items such as my personal favorite Belgian waffles coated in apple-raisin chutney and powdered sugar served with a side of thick cut bacon. They also offer a variety of salads, and burgers, typical of a classic American diner. The food is just the tip of the iceburg, as one can feast on the decor and ambiance of the restaurant alone. Even the bathrooms are interesting with a "water-closet" European inspired bathroom setup where the men and women's are connected by a shared sink. It is indicative of the comfortable and laid-back feel of the restaurant. They also have a large projector screen in the lounge area where patrons can sit back and watch a classic 60's era film whilst waiting to be seated. In all, The Snack Bar exemplifies the qualities of a well-rounded restaurant, with different menu choices to please seemingly all tastes. I challenge anyone to walk into The Snack Bar and leave unsatisfied.

Garden State

Along with Despicable Me, the movie Garden State is a definite permanent my Top Ten Movies list. Garden State is written and directed by Zach Braff. The main characters in the movie are played by Zach Braff as Andrew Largeman -- an overly medicated, depressed, emotionless aspiring actor -- and Natalie Portman as Sam -- an eccentric young woman who knowingly and compulsively lies without understanding what makes her do it.

The plot revolves around Andrew Largeman and his return to his hometown in New Jersey for his mother's funeral. When he was a young boy, Largeman accidentally pushed his mother over a dishwasher door leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. Since that incident, he has been heavily medicated with antidepressants leaving him completely void of feeling any significant emotions or shedding a single tear. Upon returning home, Largeman meets Sam, a talkative and eccentric local who is always lying. Sam's light heartedness and sense of humor often contrasts with Andrew's numb state of being.

This movie is a favorite of mine for two main reasons. The first being the awesome soundtrack which Zach Braff composed him self. This soundtrack features songs by Thievery Corporation, The Shins (on my Top Ten List for bands), Simon & Garfunkel (also on that list), Zero 7, and many others. The carefully chosen songs compliment the film in every way possible. The second reason is for the cinematography of the whole film. Something about the way this movie was filmed makes every single scene, no matter how simply, look beautiful. This combined with the music in the film carry the story line throughout the whole movie, without ever overcrowding the script.

Despicable Me

Despicable Me is an animated, cartoon movie that combines adventure with humor to create a movie that is enjoyable for people of all ages. After my first viewing of this movie, I immediately knew it was going to be one of my long time favorites. I saw this movie probably far too many times this summer with people my age and some of the kids I babysat. It is directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud. Renaud has also worked on Ice Age, Robots, Horton Hears a Who!, and many others (some of which are also on my Top Ten Movies list). So, I may be somewhat of a kiddie, animated movie buff; but so what, I still think this movie is great for any person, no matter what age. It is written by Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul. The cast for the film is composed of many gifted and well known actors. The main characters are voiced by Steve Carell (Gru), Jason Segel (Vector - Gru's arch rival), Russell Brand (Dr. Nefario - Gru's slightly senile scientific assistant and good friend), Julie Andrews (Gru's mother), and Will Arnett (Mr. Perkins - Vector's father and the president of the Bank of Evil).

The main story line is built around three orphan sisters and their adoption by Gru. Gru is yesterday's number one supervillian. The oldest of the three is name Margo. She is ultra protective of her sisters and ,for the majority of the film, very untrusting of Gru. The middle aged sister is named Edith. Edith is somewhat of a tomboy and trouble maker. Rather than being wary and untrusting of Gru and his invetions, she is in awe of them. The youngest, and personally my favorite, is named Agnes. She is obsessed with unicorns and is probably the most adorable little girl you will ever see on tv. Unlike both of her sisters, she loves Gru with all of her heart right from the start. Initially, Gru adopted the girls solely so he could steal a shrink ray from his rival, Vector, but as time goes on, Gru's hardened outer layers soften, and he comes to love the girls in return.

My favorite aspect of this movie is how it takes the viewer through a full cycle of emotions. At the beginning of the film, one feels sadness and a little bit of pity for the three orphans who are stuck in Miss Hattie's Home for Girls. Miss Hattie, the head honcho of the orphanage, basically uses the girls for child labor. Once Vector is introduced as a customer buying cookies from the girls, the mood picks up and quite a bit of humor comes about. The humor continues to build and is carried by Gru's population of little, yellow minions that speak their own language. Throughout the whole film, one sees a bond of love and care forming between the three girls and Gru giving most viewers a warm and fuzzy feeling. That warm and fuzzy internal feeling peaks in one of the final scenes where on sees Gru reading the girls a bedtime story that he wrote (this is so special because when the girls were first adopted, he refused to read them a bedtime story) and finally kisses them, and all of his little minions, goodnight.

For anyone that hasn't scene this movie, I HIGHLY suggest you do so this weekend. :)