Winter Vacation!!

I am currently on vacation with my girlfriend, visiting her family. Her family lives in Illinois, some just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, and others about an hour southeast of Springfield. The downside to the trip thus far is, without a doubt, the cold. The first day here it was about 16 degrees but it's warmed up a bit lately to the 20s. On the other hand, I can deal with the cold for the food. So far on this trip we've eaten out almost every meal, at a different restaurant everytime. I swear I'm going to be 15 pounds heavier when I get home. I plan on writing a separate post for each of my favorite restaurants and meals once I arrive back home. For dinner tonight is probably the best food I've had in Illinois. I had it last time we came here, and cannot wait to have it again. The place is called Darcys Pub and the amazing meal is the horseshoe. I'm not sure exactly which one, but it is heaven on a platter. I'm tempted to open a restaurant in Vegas serving a variety of horseshoes because currently we have nothing of the like, and it would definitely be a hit. More to come on my many eating adventures. Stay posted and thanks for reading!

Angel's Next Move

The latest news from the winter meetings is sure to irk any Angels fan. Yesterday the Red Sox managed to sign the Angel's #1 target this off season, Carl Crawford. This was a huge blow to the Angels, not only because Crawford would have been the best possible addition for the Angels this offseason, but also because the Red Sox are a rival top competitor in the AL. So what's next for the Angels? They need to do their best to salvage what they can from this stumble, which would involve signing Adrian Beltre (3B) and Rafael Soriano (RP). The Angel's aren't denying they've talked with Cliff Lee's agent, and that would definitely be a good addition to their rotation, but it shouldn't be their top priority. They need a solid bat and defensive player at thirdbase, which Beltre would offer, and they could use some experience in the bullpen, which would best be offered by Soriano. The money it would take to nab Lee off the market is too steep for Angels when they have others needs to address.

Crawford to the Angels?!

The winter meetings are underway and there have already been some big moves. Arguably the biggest news so far is the huge contract Jayson Werth received from the Nationals; 7 years at $18 million/year ($126 million total). Some people say this hurts the Angel's chances of acquiring Carl Crawford, and they may be right. But regardless, the Angels are still going full speed ahead for Crawford, as they should. He would be a huge addition to their line-up. Sources said the Angels were also talking with Cliff Lee. Obviously Cliff Lee wouldn't hurt the Angels, but I believe Carl Crawford would be a better addition. Their starting rotation already has a solid base. Their main focus needs to be an extra bat, which Crawford would surely add. More to come as the winter meetings continue and everything plays out!

Finals Week!

Well it's finally here, finals week. It is a time of both joy and sorrow, of relief and agony. On one hand, it's the last week of the semester and after this week is over I'll have 5 weeks off to do whatever I want. However, it is also a stressful week because the tests which are including in this week account for large portions of my grade for each class. Countless hours of studying have gone down at my desk over the past week, and now when I have two finals tomorrow and my last one on Thursday, I can no longer find motivation to study any longer. That's mainly the reason I'm blogging at this moment...as well as constantly checking Facebook, Tumblr, Yahoo e-mail, and Twitter. While I should be studying I find myself unable to concentrate on the material any longer, and slowly I'm slipping off into the deep abyss of limbo. Which reminds me...I purchased the movie Inception last night on iTunes and watched it before I went to sleep (after my hours of studying). Probably not the best movie to watch while trying to go to sleep though. As I lay there in bed I was constantly wondering if I was already asleep and just dreaming, or still laying there in my bed trying to fall asleep but unable to because the constant thought of whether or not I was already asleep was penetrating my mind. Confusing I know, which surely explains why I had trouble getting to sleep! Unfortunately I think it's time to get back to studying (or at least attempting to) and cramming my mind with more and more information from my fountain of knowledge, a.k.a. my binder/notes.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

For the past several years it has become a Thanksgiving Day tradition to go see the new Harry Potter movie that has just come out, and this past Thanksgiving was no different. My family and I went to see this latest Harry Potter film the night of Thanksgiving, and it did not disappoint. I have read the entire series and watched every movie to date.

This movie was, in my opinion, the best Harry Potter film so far. The fact that they are splitting the last book into two movies allows them to get into more detail in the movie. In previous Harry Potter movies there have been many details (sometimes important events even) left out. The movie itself created a lot of suspense and even kept me guessing (it's been a while since I've read the book). It makes me want to go back and read the last book, or possibly the whole series over again.

Overall, this was an excellent movie and a must see for anyone who is into the series, or witchcraft movies in general. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is currently number 1 at the box office, and grossed just over $125 million dollars this past weekend (http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/boxoffice/).

As always, thanks for reading and stay tuned for more blogging!

Reviews, Rants, Raves, and Opinions!

The main reason I'm creating this blog is to have a place to voice my opinions about a vast array of different topics. Anything from video games to movies, from restaurants to social issues, and everything in the middle. Please feel free to leave your own comments and opinions regarding the subjects I post about, and responses to my posts. I'm open to debate and other's opinions. Happy holidays and I hope you enjoy reading my posts!