This week's Chuck...

I have to admit, I had high hopes for this episode of Chuck. Really high hopes. It looked like a promising storyline, with Sarah's old friends and Morgan/Alex relationship problems, I thought it might have something to offer.

It was awful.

I'm serious, I could barely stand to finish watching it. The whole thing was based around the premise of Sarah's old team called "C.A.T.S." (can't you just see all the possible AWFUL jokes, euphemisms, etc that can come out of that?). One of the worst parts was when they were introduced (the team), and they all said, you guessed it, "Meeeyow!" in the a-typical "sexy tigress" sort of way. It escalated with the dozens upon dozens of "Kitty kitty" jokes, as well as plenty of lame lines like "the CATS are back". There was absolutely nothing redeeming about this script in the least bit. The traitor was predictable (there's no way the one who's originally blamed could be it, the returning cast member has to be innocent, that leaves one obvious person), the traps were unsurprising, the always-awful lines delivered by General Beckman, etc. I threaten again: I may seriously consider not watching this show again. I'm hoping something very very good will come out of the season finale, but I'm not crossing my fingers anymore.

As a side note, I was pleased with the backstory of Morgan finally saying "I Love You" to Alex in order to save their relationship. Everything about that was nice, and it was also different. Sure it was predictable, but you can get away with that in romance.

My final verdict is this: Chuck's first two seasons were the bomb. Serious awesomeness. Season three was very good in my opinion, but slightly more scattered than the first two. This new season is no longer about the intersect, and barely about the CIA. It is now a comedy/drama about Chuck and Sarah's relationship and relationships with others that happens to involve CIA missions and the occasional flash from Chuck when necessary. Downhill faster than Calvin and Hobbes talking Philosopy.

-Cody

I just

heard a song by a band called Switchfoot. After a show in Florida (i think?), Jon Foreman (the lead singer) went out to the parking lot and sang a few songs to a whoever wanted to listen. One of the songs he sang was called Against the Voices.

This song, when I heard it, was very touching to me. It talks all about how there are voices in your head, voices all around, that are trying to convince us to be someone else. They constantly beat at us, from when we wake up, to when we hit the road, everywhere.

He goes on to say that they're not singing, they're just talking, so let them keep talking to themselves.

The chorus is the most poignant part to me, though. He says "Everybody knows the hardest war to fight is the fight to be yourself when the world tries to turn you into someone else."

I would definitely recommend anyone who reads this goes and listens to the song. I'll even give you a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNQvbJN1jIs

I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it touches you the same way it touched me.

-Cody

"Guys..."

"Guys, we need a mission."

This was the line uttered by Sarah Walker in the latest episode of Chuck just before the opening credits began. It was at this point I became afraid that this episode could be one big filler-filled bag of cliches.

I am, however, glad to report that I was wrong. While the episode had its fair share of bad cliche moments and obnoxious predictability, it was quite pleasant and enjoyable to watch. There was an interesting back story about General Beckman, whom we haven't heard much about history-wise until now. There was the return of a previous character, whom had a large and quite interesting role in this episode.

I have to say, however, that there was one line that is absolutely inexcusable. While facing the possibility of a certain-death mission for Roan (which would involve seducing a female and double crossing her a second time in so many days), Chuck and Sarah protest. They say that it is impossible, and Chuck utters the horrid line, "seduction impossible". This cannot be excused. It is atrocious.

Aside from that (and the always obnoxious "it's a suicide mission" that turns out to be a piece of cake), this episode wasn't bad. There were a few touching moments between Ellie and her mom, Casey tried his hand at seducing a woman (and failed humorously, I might add), Chuck and Sarah talk over some serious relationship issues instead of some petty fight, and they set us up for some very interesting (potentially) plot developments with Sarah's family. I'm hoping now that the writers killed the Volkoff story quickly because it was dragging, and are now moving past that with some better plots and story arcs. Here's hopin'

-Cody

Christina Aguilera

I know everyone else is in a big uproar about this whole thing, so I decided to add my voice to the fray.

First off, she sang the song well, and accurately. She forgot a single line, but sang through it anyway DESPITE obviously knowing she messed up. So what's everyone making such a big deal out of? Like you haven't forgotten something before? There are actually people with the audacity to call her unpatriotic and disrespectful for "forgetting a song that I've known the words to since I was 5". and "She's so unpatriotic, she couldn't take the time to learn the words to a song".

WHAT?

What's wrong with forgetting? She sang in front of millions upon millions of people. The single biggest televised event like, EVER. She has every right in the world to be nervous and forget things. It's completely unfair of people to accuse her so viciously and hatefully because of a simple mistake.
I went on stage one time to sing the song Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer. EVERYONE has heard that song and knows that song. EVERYONE knows the first verse to it. including me. and I forgot it. I went up to the mike and forgot what I was supposed to sing.

my point is, it's very very easy to forget a song you take for granted you know. It's also easy to just plain forget stuff. It frickin happens.


For fear of becoming another Chris Crocker, I won't plead for anyone to "Leave Christina Alone", but seriously? Just think about it slowly and rationally before you open your mouth and let something stupid spill out of it. The world will be a better place if you do.

Thank you

-Cody

Wikinut

A friend of mine recently referred me to a website called Wikinut. It is basically a website where they publish your writing online, and you get money based on advertisement, page views, etc. If you enjoy writing, it is definitely a place to go and share your writing. Also, if anyone happens to go to the site and join based on my recommendation here, I would appreciate it if you would follow me, or at least give my writings a read-through. Here's a link to my page:

http://www.wikinut.com/author~xhdli/Cody-M./

Thanks, and enjoy!

-Cody

So i just read back

and noticed that I was previously complaining about the frustration of Chuck always stuck unhappy, and then I blogged about my annoyance at the easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy happy solution to all of Chuck's problems.

Understand that I loved the heart wrenching episodes, I just wanted to muse about the constant repetition of unhappiness over and over and freaking over again in every movie, television show, etc you ever see. Everyone's unhappy for most of the time with only half of the people getting their happy endings (this doesn't count comedies or romance).

and my most recent blog was complaining about the show's lack of convincing and effective storyline.

Just wanted to make that distinction to everyone who reads this (which is a lot, I know.)

-Cody

Told You So

So guess what happened this week on Chuck?

-the tension built up in the past two episodes continued and will do so for the rest of the season until the pulsing season finale?

-a main character died?

-a cliffhanger of an ending leaving you anticipating the next week?

NO!

instead, the whole idea of the separation between Chuck and Sarah lasting for a very long time came to a very quick and happy ending, and any hope of a tense fingernail-biting finale leading to a climactic decision between right and wrong for Chuck/Chuck's mom/Sarah and the possibility of eliminating Volkoff came crashing down.

To summarize, Chuck and Morgan managed to sneak onto Volkoff's "floating fortress" of a boat (after luring him there in the first place by scaring him onto it) undetected, met up with Sarah and Chuck's mom (who were sneaking around the deck without Volkoff being suspicious at all), and decided to go hang out together and find Volkoff's secret computer network. Once they get past all the obstacles and into the computer room (there was a Deus ex machina in the form of Morgan developing talent as a yoga master out of nowhere to sneak past some lasers and comically and predictably having all his clothing cut off by them except for his underwear), Chuck sneakily plugs a flash drive into the main computer without his mom noticing and then takes it out without a further mention of it. They get almost all the way into the computer system, but don't have Volkoff's voice password. Can you guess what happens next?

Shocker! they're caught by Volkoff. Then a truly unexpected and yet predictable plot development in the form of Orion (Chuck's dead dad) being alive after all! He messages Frost (Chuck's Mom's nickname) and tells her to meet him at his old cabin.

Frost manages to grab a gun and allows Chuck, Sarah, and Morgan to escape. There is no further mention of these people. (But don't worry, they're not pulling off some predictable rescue that will leave you absolutely unsatisfied. I promise.)

So Volkoff goes off to kill Orion (because he's super jealous and digs Frost) and when he gets to the cabin, guess who's there?

did you guess it? IT'S CHUCK!!!! cause Orion is totally dead still. sorry.

and he ties up Volkoff and puts a gun to his face. "but wait, Chuck doesn't kill people!" Exactly.

So Volkoff gets loose and is about to shoot Chuck in the face. and he has one of his dudes smother John Casey with a pillow (he's in the hospital). And Chuck's mom is about to be shot. AND SUDDENLY CHUCK AND MORGAN ENACT THEIR TOTALLY UNEXPECTED BACKUP PLAN WHERE THEY RECORDED VOLKOFF'S VOICE AND USE IT TO UNLOCK THE NETWORK AND DOWNLOAD IT TO THE COMPUTER RIGHT BEHIND HIM IN ORION'S CABIN!!!!

Didn't see that one coming.

and instead of turning around and destroying the computer behind him (you know, kick it? throw a chair at it? you're in a cabin for heaven's sake!), Volkoff stands there and is all like "wut?"

and John Casey was only pretending to be dead! woah!

and then Sarah somehow opens the blast door and rescues Frost spectacularly and easily. SHOCKER!!

But Volkoff recovers and is all "well i've got my men outside waiting! you'd need an army to get out alive!!!" and then Chuck is all "*opens the door and the CIA is standing outside* will this suffice?". Didn't see that coming, and ESPECIALLY didn't anticipate the "will this do?".

and then, at the end, Chuck finally gets to propose to Sarah and she accepts. (after she died her hair from black to blonde in the time it took to take a helicopter from the cabin to the hospital.)

and the preview for next week is basically "here's another lame filler episode before we do something exciting again. AND...it'll feature a prior character we want to bring back just for the heck of it".

Let me tell you folks, the writers pulled out all the stops and wrote a truly unique and non-repetitive-cliche episode this time. AND IT HAD A LAME HAPPY ENDING TO IT TOO.

I mean, wait until the season finale for the happy ending. that's how it should usually go. Not in the middle of a season like this. There is no thread of consistency over this season. It's all just a bunch of episodes with a few of them being tied together recently. The first few weren't like that at all. So what's next? Who knows. All I know is this: Chuck is not as good as it used to be, and I'm seriously considering not watching it anymore. It used to be way, WAY better than it was. Now they're just telling a story based on the characters and NOT relevant to the original storyline at all. Chuck's intersect is a useful asset now and again, but usually not major. There are just things about this season that just don't work. The writing is not as good as it used to be, the story isn't as exciting, the story doesn't always flow, and there are way too many cliches to tolerate at times.

My diagnosis is this: The writers need to come up with some new big development that will last at least two seasons (and be interesting), and make it somewhat unique too. Otherwise, this show will fizzle out soon. Soon.

My fingers are crossed, because I truly enjoyed all previous seasons of this show, and would like to see it continue. Here's hoping.

-Cody

Times change, don't they?

I'm sure you are all familiar with the song Living on a Prayer by Bon Jovi. Who isn't?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEvTOdqqVD4 (here's a link for you)

so what's this song about? two people who are young and in love, and in very difficult circumstances. Tommy lost his job, and Gina's working her tail off at the diner. They don't know how they're going to get through, but they know that all they need is each other's love to get through. As long as they have each other, they can live on nothing but a prayer to get them through.

So compare that (awesome) message with the one displayed in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyl24HRGgSU

It's the music video for No Surprises by Daughtry. a good song to be sure, but I don't like the video. In it, a young couple are in a very similar circumstance as in Living on a Prayer: the young man has no work and is looking for a job. The young lady works in a diner (where she gets fired). They have bills piling up, both looking for work, etc. But instead of saying "we'll get through because we have each other", the guy decides to leave. He leaves her. she goes chasing after him, but the video ends with them separated.

The frustrating thing is, there was no indication of any problems in their relationship (marriage?) aside from monetary issues. And they split over that. That is the absolute antithesis of what is being said in Prayer. instead of "we can make it, because we're all we need", it says "we can't stay together because it's just too hard". I guess I don't need to tell you which I prefer. The funny thing is, the song doesn't fit the music video at all. They don't say the same thing. I don't like it.

I suppose my biggest complaint here is this: Why are 98% of the songs on the radio about love, and why are over half of those about loss of love or break ups or mistrust or being hurt? Why do so many people sing about lost relationships and bad relationships? Isn't there a happier side of love to sing about? aren't there better things to sing about than just love?

I just get tired of the monotony of the subject matter, and also the lack of sincerity in music. How many pop/rock albums do you hear with beautiful love songs followed by venomous break up songs?

A perfect example of everything I'm talking about is the man whom I just posted: Daughtry. a perfect blend of relationship songs, not much creativity, all on top of talent. Yes, his songs are all very catchy and he has a great voice. But that's where it ends. Almost all of his songs that i've heard were in the key of Eb. Most use the same chord progressions, too. and they are all about relationships. The frustrating thing is, he has songs that aren't about that, and probably ones that aren't in the same key, too. BUT THOSE AREN'T EVER ON THE RADIO. The only ones you hear are the ones that are all about break ups and make ups. That's it. That's all there ever is. and i'm sick of hearing so many songs that are shallow about love.

Love is not something you trade quickly and easily for something else. Love is not sex. Love is not shallow. But so often, this message is the one conveyed through all the media around us. I hope we can all learn to turn off the radio and the television and turn on good books, songs, or people.

I challenge everyone to evaluate the influences in their lives and decide if they're worth keeping. Do they help you grow and love people more, or do they bring you down and encourage angry feelings and distrust?

grah

So I've been reading lately about this trend in television shows that basically involves the main character never ever ever being happy (for very long). I must say, it is incredibly frustrating. I currently follow NBC's Chuck (fantastic show, btw), as well as the BBC long time running sci fi show, Doctor Who.

I am currently most frustrated at Chuck. For the first 2 or so seasons, he was chasing and longing after this girl, Sarah. He was madly in love with her, and she loved him too. Despite that, they could never get together for whatever reason that the writers decided would get in the way. After many seasons of this, they finally revealed their love to each other and got together. It was a very satisfying moment in the show for me.

But, naturally, this couldn't last. Ironically, the many episodes where they were a happy couple together were the least exciting and tense of the series as a whole. It's like television needs the emotional tension of two people in love tragically torn apart in order to keep going. Last monday, Chuck was finally going to propose to Sarah. Right as he asked the question, he was cut off by the CIA arresting Sarah to set up a false cover (long story). She now is far away from him, and emotionally separate as well, and all signs point to it being a long term sort of thing. Except the trailer for next week implied a climax to the current arc, but it's not a season finale so it could go on for longer. We'll just have to wait and see.

I will commend the writers, however, on a truly and magnificently heart-wrenching two episodes coming back from the Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year's break.

The other television show I mentioned was Doctor Who. This is the most maddening of all. All through the first season, the Doctor was traveling with a partner named Rose. The two of them developed a strong relationship, and you could see they meant a lot to each other. But then the Doctor has to go and get himself killed and regenerate. He's the same person, but everything is different about him (body, personality, appearance, everything). She has to relearn who he is and develops a whole new relationship with him. She eventually falls in love with him all over again, and he with her. Then the inevitable happens: she gets trapped in a parallel dimension that he can never visit and she can never return from.

The moment when she gets stuck on the other side of the wall, when she is crying and screaming to go back to him and he is just staring blankly at the wall, is horribly heart-wrenching. it's awful. it's beautifully done. but i hate it.

and then he goes and burns up an entire star so he has enough energy to communicate with her in the parallel world. He appears as a hologram and they talk for a few minutes, and RIGHT AS HE IS ABOUT TO TELL HER HE LOVES HER, he loses power and vanishes. it is horrible.

and then he goes on to mope about her for the entire next season, to the frustration and pain of the girl he is now traveling with, Martha. She loves him but he can only think about Rose and eventually she leaves because it's too hard to be with him and love him while he doesn't see her the same.

and then he meets a new partner, Donna. They aren't in love or anything, just good friends. And they're going to travel together for the forseeable future. see where this is going? She eventually has to (for reasons that would take forever to explain) have her memory erased and be left at home. She can't ever remember him or her brain will explode. He's left alone again.

I am beginning to wonder why this keeps happening. These are just two examples of television shows where the main character can't ever be happy. Can anybody explain this phenomenon to me? Sure it generates drama and more emotion in the show, but I don't like the constant feeling of sadness and loss when I watch a show. Sometimes I want to come away from it just feeling good. Not many tv shows supply that anymore.

why?

How do you do it?

Okay, this week (month) my problem is time management skills. I don't know how people do it. I have too much to do and not enough time to do it.
I am literally involved in at least a dozen different things. A short list:

-Jazz band, where we have three competitions coming up in the next month and a half. This takes two nights a week for rehearsal, as well as twice a week early morning rehearsal.

-Show Choir, one night a week rehearsal, once during school, and one early morning rehearsal a week.

-University of Iowa Honor Choir, which is next weekend. I literally spend most of my seminar (study hall) time rehearsing for this. as well as some after school time.

-concert band and concert choir, which I should practice for outside of school so I can perform my best.

-St. Ambrose University honor band, which is in one month. I landed first part on trombone, and I need to practice a LOT to perform as best as I possibly can for that concert.

and this is all on top of my family, girlfriend, school, and church demands that I am not necessarily meeting. Long story short, I'm full.
Why is it that we can't fit in everything we want to do? If we really, really love doing stuff, why can't it be easier to work in?
I declare that it is NOT FAIR.
Yes, I realize that I sound like a whiny teenager right now. Sorry for that. I'm just really frustrated realizing that I can't do everything I want. I love music, I love performing, I love my family, I love my girlfriend, I love my church. Why can't I balance all of the things I want to do?

I suppose it's God's way of requiring us to prioritize and decide what is most important to us. We have to be willing to let go of some things if we can't handle everything.
But I can't stand letting people down. If people are asking it of me, I want to do it for them.
So how can I manage to make everyone happy, and not explode at the same time?

I suppose that's my problem, I want to make everyone happy, and I also want to do too much. I need to learn to pass up on things that I can't handle, and also to accept the fact that I can't make everyone happy.
This is really, really hard to do. I think the only way I'm going to get through this next month is with a lot of assistance from God. Pray for me, if you're so inclined. I'm going to need the extra help. :)

God Bless You All.

Cody

Honestly

I had the opportunity today to perform in my local district honor band. It was an intense audition process for me, and I was very blessed to make it in. The concert was today, and it went truly spectacular. The music was amazing, the execution was beautiful, and I could feel the music running through my veins.

The music was so beautiful, I felt it move my very soul. The tubas with their rumbling pedal tones, harmonizing spectacularly with the brassy french horns and baritones. The woodwinds with their orchestra-esque trills and fast moving melodies. The trumpets with their prominent, bright, and incredible tones. The percussion with their rhythms that make your body dance whether you choose to or not. The concert was truly amazing.

I can't possibly conceive of music like that, of a concert like that, of such soul-touching brilliance, and NOT believe in God. Only He could inspire someone to write music like that, and only someone with a divine, all seeing hand could have inspired men to create such means of making music as that.

May you all have the opportunity to experience what I experienced tonight.

God Bless.

-Cody

if you want

to stop violence and gun crimes, then cut it off at its source instead of needless bickering about gun laws.

Stop producing and showing violent television shows, movies, video games, etc. THAT is where people get the ideas they get. Stop with 24, with Jack Bauer using extreme torture methods to get what he wants. No more vigilantes taking the law into their own hands and killing dozens of people because the government won't do it for them. No more violence. THEN people will stop having violent impulses, and there will be less killing.

Mama always told me that "you are what you eat". The same is true in this case. If you spend your time consuming violent media, it's what fills your mind. It affects you. Negatively.

Face it: violent media spawns violent crimes in the real world.

This week...

I spoke this past wednesday with my Branch President at church about my mission, which I will be serving after my 19th birthday (in August) (For those of you unaware, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints).

Anyway, we spoke about what I need to do to prepare. It feels a long way away from now, but I know that nine months will pass in no time. In light of this revelation, I have decided I need to spend everyday bringing myself closer to God, and preparing myself for my mission. Today, the fact that I am very unready was made very apparent to me. One part of a missionary's life involves getting up early every morning. I set an alarm for 8:30 (which is NOT early by any means), and I didn't get up until after 10. Then, I went to exercise (another thing missionaries do, but they also need to already be in good shape for all the walking and bike riding they'll be doing). After about 10 minutes of exercising, I was sore and exhausted. There are so many more things I need to do to get myself prepared, and these are just the simple, physical aspects of a mission.

A long story short, I realized today that I really need to work a lot to get to a place where I can feel ready for a mission. If you're reading this and happen to be religious, pray for me so that I can be successful in my daily strive for mission-readiness. This is going to take every bit of dedication and strength I have to accomplish, and I cherish the opportunity.

Anyway, have a great day.

-Cody

One small thing...

Real quickly, I want to share a song with everyone (everyone that reads this, that is...).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmkNDnJtw4M&feature=related

it's called Life Must Go On, by Alter Bridge.

I just want to share that song, because it has such an amazing feel to it, and it's inspiring in a lot of ways. If you so desire, listen to it and enjoy.

"Cause the sun always sets, and the moon always falls. It feels like the end, just pay no mind at all. Keep rolling, life must go on."