Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" is a hauntingly beautiful song that's been keeping me company for the past week or so. I love the meditative quality of the song and the lyrics about love lost, sin, redemption and pain. The song was featured in the final episode of "The O.C. Season One", the episode that made me cry. Speaking of The O.C., I just picked up the Season Three DVD set yesterday evening. Will be cooking my special spaghetti again tonight - then sit back to watch the series with my wife and kids.

The following are some testimonials that Adventure Boot Camp has received over the years. We hope that you can take a minute to take a look at them. We also hope that it serves as inspiration to begin a healthier lifestyle.

Thank you for your continued enthusiasm and humor throughout this camp. You made working out that early in the morning very comfortable yet very challenging at the same time. Everyday that I drove away I felt better and better, just 1 day closer to getting the body back that I once had. It also helped me tremendously with quitting smoking . I cannot wait to do this camp again and I am looking forward to giving it my all and going for 5 days a week this time. I have also encourages two of my girlfriends to join camps, although they don't live near RSM but they are very excited to start the Irvine and Aliso Viejo camps. Holly, Mission Viejo

Thank you again John, you are quite an inspiration J . ~Alison Oddo, smoke free 35 days and counting

This morning I felt I have accomplished so much!!! It felt fantastic to finish my first boot camp, and to see/feel how strong I feel! What a great experience. Rachael, thank you so much for inspiring us! You are fantastic and make everybody feel at ease, but at the same time challenge us. I am inspired… this will be my best year. I'm getting ready for Brazil Carnaval 2009!! I'll wear nothing but glitter! ~Patricia Miller, Viva Brazil!

I really enjoy your class and you are an inspiration. Thank you for being so upbeat and considerate of everyone's different physical levels, I have never felt so included in a class before. ~Leigh Ortiz

Thank you sooooooo much Rachael for an incredible experience in exercising. It was empowering and I look forward to coming back. ~Marie Penton

Thank you, Rachael! I never thought I would say this but look forward to getting up early to work out, I feel good throughout the whole day! ~Andrea

Thank you Rachael for your inspiration mentally and physically. I look forward to my transformation INSIDE and OUT. I'm so excited! ~ Suzanne

Hi Samantha, I just wanted to tell you how happy I am that I joined the RSM boot camp! It's an amazing experience and I can tell you, it beats the gym!! The instructor is great. ~ Anonymous

Hi Rachael! Just wanted to let you know that I am having a great time in your boot camp and am so glad you are teaching it! You make it so enjoyable and fun! THANK YOU! You almost make waking up at that ungodly hour bearable! ~Rachel Burch

This fitness and weight loss program is honestly the best gift I have given myself. It is motivating, stimulating and challenging…everything my old routine lacked. It jumpstarts my day and I have met a wonderful group of women from all walks of life. I receive dedicated personal instruction – I couldn’t ask for anything more in an exercise program. You need to do this for yourself.

Kristin Daniels

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I hope that you and John have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I know that I am very thankful for both of you and the passion that you both have for helping others to improve themselves.
I have benefited so much from your boot camps!! I look forward to starting again after the holidays!

Fondly,
Colleen Myers

“John is the Tony Robbins of Fitness; he believes in the impossible and strives for the best in himself and others! Through his many talents from Adventure Boot Camps to Lifestyle Coaching, John is truly a leader in the industry. You'll want to consult with John if you’re looking to achieve the highest in personal peak performance!” Tamilee Webb M.A. ‘Ms Buns of Steel”

I am currently enrolled in the June boot camp at Capo Beach for the second time. My training experience with Tonya Williams has been exceptional. She has a unique way of making sure that all levels are challenged and she has been diligent in making sure all of us are using the proper form, technique and focus - which gives us the best return for our workout. I have trained and run marathons for the past 15 years - but after working with Tonya these past four weeks, I am noticing my training runs (I do these in the evenings) have been easier and faster. My strength and endurance has also vastly improved over the past 4 weeks - thanks to Tonya's very challenging sessions.
I will be definitely signing up for a 3rd session in July!

Sincerely,
Debbie Y.

"I can’t tell you how boot camp has changed my life for the better. I can count a least nine things that have been improved because of boot camp. You have been really great in motivating me to a new fitness level. Thank you!"

- Jan T. of Irvine

Hi Christina –
I just wanted to say thank you for making Boot Camp so much fun…I believe it’s your warm, gentle and humorous spirit combined with your professionalism, knowledge and dedication that makes Adventure Boot Camp a continuing success!
Fondly, Xochill

I have somewhat of an unusual testimonial I thought I'd share with you. On Wednesday after our hike I had a dentist appointment to have a crown work up on a tooth that broke. My dentist is here in Yorba Linda, and her name is Caroline Dang.....she's a great dentist. She was drilling away on my tooth when the anesthetic started to wear off.....I motioned her, and she stopped and gave me another shot and continued. She still wasn't finished when I felt the pain coming back again.....she had to stop again and give me yet a third shot to numb me so she could finish. She couldn't understand why the medication was going through me so quickly because I had to have a crown once before and that didn't happen. I mentioned that I had just gone on a "climb up Mt. Everest" that morning and she said that was it.....my metabolism was running so high that the medication was running through my body faster than normal. She was impressed.....so was I!
I really enjoyed the hike....even though I am so badly out of shape, I just hung in there and made it to the top.....like everyone else.....and boy was that view gorgeous! I appreciate that you lag behind for us slower ones.....you make us feel so good about ourselves.....I can't wait for next Wednesday's hike!
Thank you John,
Barbara Taylor

I was completely bored with exercising. I have exercised my whole life and needed a change. It's great to be excited about my workout program again. I'm beginning by 3rd camp soon!
Pat Beckman, age 68

The Adventure Boot Camp is simply the best! I particularly like the variety of activities and the sense of fun that's built into the program. I really felt like I was getting the maximum benefit out of the program. I highly recommend the program to anyone wanting to improve their fitness and overall health. Linda Landers
I have to admit I was a little skeptical about something entitled "Boot Camp". I envisioned a lot of yelling and not the most nurturing environment. However, since day one of camp, I have been nothing but thrilled to wake up and hang out with my newly acquainted friends. After two camps, I have learned so many new exercises that have stirred muscles I didn't know I had! The biggest change for me has occurred in my arms, hips and abs. I feel so much leaner and firm. I'm into a size 4 and my energy level has seen a significant boost. So, whether it's interval training with weights or yoga and pilates, I look forward to every morning's new adventure. Lisa M.
Wow! What can I say about Boot Camp. I can say so much I don't know where to begin. I am 32 years old and have tried many different things to try and get myself into shape. Including working out with a personal trainer that cost me ALOT of money and just ended up hurting my knees. When I thought about doing Boot Camp the idea of getting up to workout at 5:30 in the morning freaked me out a little. Well, I am currently involved in my second camp. After the first 4 week camp I noticed a difference in my body composition that I never had prior. I have never really had a weight problem, yet was never really toned either. My legs and butt were on the flabby side, and as I get older I noticed it getting worse. Right now I feel so good in my clothes - I can't believe it. People have noticed a change in my body. My hips had started getting little fat pockets on the sides and those are GONE! I am amazed at the results of the training that John gives us. Getting up and working out at 5:30 has been easy to adjust to and believe it or not, I have lots of energy throughout the day. I Love Camp and John Ellis is one of the nicest guys I know. He is not your typical arrogant personal trainer type guy. He is awesome. He is so knowledgeable and so helpful in the morning to everyone in the camp. I can't say enough good things about him. I I love camp and I love what is happening to my body as a result of it!
Thank you John Ellis for the dedication to all of us! You are awesome!
Lisa Gray

In Febuary of this year, I started my first boot camp with John Ellis, I must say I was a bit unsure of my strength and abilities. Could I even keep up? Boot Camp? I've been there before! In 1988 I left the United States Marine Corps after serving eight years and being in the best shape of my life. Now, I'm a 47 year old female, 50 pounds overweight and in the worst shape of my life. I allowed allowed the corporate demons to suck up my soul for the past 12 years. I have tried every diet in the book from Weight Watchers, Fit For Life, drugs and personal training - unsuccessfully. Now it was time for a rebirth and I knew boot camp would do it. But could I handle it 22 years later when waking up at 0430 is a challenge in itself . Well John Ellis makes sure everyone at camp finds their personal success as he lifts our spirits and demands that each of us embrace our personal strength to the best of our abilities. As this was accomplished so was a gradual physical, emotional and mental transformation. Now while attending my third boot camp, I am stronger, healthier, with noticeable increased energy levels and have dropped one dress size. I have achieved my personal goals and much more . My weight, I no longer worry about because I feel too good to be preoccupied my with negative thoughts. This is truly a life changing experience and if your ready for the commitment, join the journey, come aboard. If not, stay home and sleep your way through life! I did it for 12 years. :-) !!
Sempre Fi
Pat Ortegel

I have been away from a fitness lifestyle for years. I replaced fitness for watching my bottom lines grow. I saw John's ad and was compelled to act for two reasons: #1: it didn't sound like a sissy camp. #2: I had no time management rationalizations to use against exercising locally from 5:30-6:30am, a time slot previously reserved for snoring. What is the result? I have more energy and I am proud of myself for getting something started. I did not choose this program because of John's extensive crendentials. Now that I have done this for two weeks, I know that it is his expertise at working different muscle groups every day & incorporating different exercises that has made the workout difficult, and yet possible for me. The variety keeps it fresh and makes it a total body workout. I would highly recommend this program for anyone seeking to rekindle their love for a fitness lifestyle. Melinda, Coto de Caza

I arrived at boot camp overweight and out of shape - a true couch potato who loved food and hated exercise. But, I knew it was time for a change and John's boot camp sounded like just the cure. What I was really looking for was something to jump start me into better fitness and eating habits. What could be better than four weeks of intense fitness training with other women under the guidance of an experienced trainer? And the classes were great! The variety of activities and pace of the class made the hour fly by each day. Don't get me wrong, it was a lot of hard work. John pushed me harder than I would ever push myself working out alone. But he also allowed for the individual abilities of each participant. It didn't matter that I was the slowest or the weakest. What matters is that I worked at and improved at everything. And the results are impressive. During the four weeks, I lost eight pounds. I lost two inches each around my chest, waist, and hips. I also lost over one inch on each arm and leg. I improved my one mile run time by 10%. Plus, I have more energy than ever. Best of all, it has given me just the boost I was looking to attain. I'm now eating better, sleeping better, and exercising regularly. I have the hope and belief that I can continue my new fitness habits and my journey to a leaner and healthier me. And I'm looking forward to returning to future boot camps to challenge myself again.
Thanks John!
Diana, RSM

In the most James Bondian episode yet, Chuck gets to play super-spy under the tutelage of Agent Roan Montgomery (John Larroquette), an aging Lothario known for his awesome prowess in the Seduce and Destroy School of Intelligence.

Larroquette was quite good in this role, channeling Cary Grant and Sean Connery to create the perfect sex machine/spy. He almost made me forget about The John Larroquette Show entirely. (It had its good moments, true. And it also had Darryl 'Chill' Mitchell. But other than that, I remember nothing about it.)

Now that the faux-cipher has blowed up, Chuck and Company are on a quest to find the real cipher, Chuck's only chance at returning to normalcy. The good news is that the CIA has sprung for a legit base of operations in the back of the Orange Orange, which does not, as Casey insisted last week, contain either yogurt or fun, but rather tons of surveillance equipment and super-computers. A sexy Russian spy, Sasha Banacheck (Melinda Clarke), is currently in possession of the real cipher, although we have no idea how she got it or if she was working with Fulcrum to create the faux-cipher, and the team must recover it. The only way to do this is to seduce her and steal it from her, so Chuck et al have to go out to Palm Springs, rouse Montgomery from his drunken stupor and get him to train Chuck to be the bestest, sexiest, spyiest spy ever.

Montgomery, once he wakes up and quaffs two dirty martinis with three olives to get going, teaches Chuck how to entrance his victims with a kiss by having him practice on Sarah, resulting in one of the hottest "we probably shouldn't have" kisses so far on this show. Other lessons include using protection (i.e. guns) and how to drink a martini like you were born to do just that, proving that the art of the martini is the Othello of booze: a minute to learn, a lifetime to master.

As Chuck prepares to begin Mission Seduce Sasha, Montgomery fills him in on one final piece of information about his target: her nickname is "The Black Widow."

Mongtomery: Why do you think they call her The Black Widow?
Chuck: Because she's African-American and her husband died?
Montgomery: Because she kills her mates.

Thus, Chuck begins his potentially deadly dance of seduction with Montgomery and Sarah feeding him tips and information over an earpiece in order to get him into Sasha's bed. Chuck orders two dirty martinis with three olives, but Sasha refuses because she no longer drinks.

"How is he supposed to seduce her without alcohol?" --Montgomery

But after a discussion of the piano players at a casino in St. Tropez, Sasha begins to fall for Chuck, until a spilled martini shorts out his wire and he loses communication with Montgomery and Sarah as well as Sasha's attention. Thinking the mission has failed, Sarah and Casey run in to assist. Here Montgomery supplies the final prong in his four-pronged seduction plan: be a complete asshole. Chuck does, insinuating that if Sasha does not take him back to her room, she will regret not having the best lover of her life. This is enough for Sasha, who takes Chuck back to her room just as Sarah and Casey approach the elevator doors.

Unfortunately for Chuck, Sasha does not want to make passionate sex, but rather wants to kill him as she's figured out his game. Chuck is a lot better at stealing ciphers dangling on necklaces than he is at unhooking bras, though, and manages to escape Sasha's clutches with the cipher before she can stab him to death. In his stead, she captures Sarah and Casey, forcing Chuck to work with Montgomery to trap Sasha in yet another stand-off at the Buy More, which I now know is at 9000 Burbank Blvd.

In the B-story, Ellie wants Captain Awesome to try his hand at making their real relationship as romantic as Chuck and Sarah's fake one appears to be. Morgan, still in love with Sarah, tricks Awesome into substituting the original plan of rose petals, fireplace and romantic meal with cheesy 8th grade dance songs, Klondike bars and Sister Act. As thanks for his hard work seducing and destroying The Black Widow, Chuck convinces the CIA to set-up Ellie's perfect evening and help Awesome be as awesome as he thinks he is.

With that picture perfect evening going off without a hitch and the cipher being safely delivered to the hands of the CIA and NSA, Chuck believes he can once again have a chance at the kind of life he wants and he heads off to grab a date with Sarah only to find that his formerly dead, super-spy ex-roommate Bryce has returned from being deep undercover and is one again stealing his girl!

I will definitely take a Bryce Larkin vs. Chuck Bartowski arc for a few episodes until something inevitably goes wrong with the real cipher. Perhaps Chuck would have benefited from Mongtomery's advice back at the beginning:

"Lesson number one in being a spy: never fall in love."

The Husband:

I am currently going through the entire James Bond collection on an ultimate DVD set borrowed from work and watching most of these films for the first time ever. (Never having been raised on the series, I only saw bits and pieces of some of the Roger Moore ones at friends’ houses and during down days in middle school science class, finally watching the series in theatres starting with Brosnan’s Goldeneye. (So yes, that would mean I’d only seen five Bond films in their entirety.) Right now I am about 15 minutes into The Man with the Golden Gun, so I’m keeping at a pretty good pace so far.

I mention this because, yes, Chuck is a very Bondian show, and as aforementioned was especially so with this episode, and so with my official induction into being a Bond watcher, I’m getting a great deal of enjoyment out of the show in ways I never did last season. (Same with Venture Brothers.)

It’s like how, after having seen all of Futurama’s episodes about four times over, I started to watch Star Trek: TOS and realized I was still missing dozens of jokes thanks to my ignorance of all things Gene Roddenberry.

That said, Larroquette’s was a fairly poor imitation of Bondian swagger and psychology, even if he was playing a character that showed what would happen to 007 after all the cool spy stuff went away. David Niven’s portrayal in the apocryphal Bond spoof Casino Royale is definitely more how I would imagine a military man and spy past his prime. This was more if Dudley Moore’s Arthur were an agent.

(And no, I don’t think John Larroquette was ever, ever, suave.)

I’m glad to see more Josh Schwartz alumni show up on Chuck, and so with the appearance of Melinda Clarke this week and Rachel Bilson last season, I kind of want to see everybody from The O.C. show up at some point or another. (Except for you, Mischa Barton. You’re dead to me. And Adam Brody, since he already did Mr. & Mrs. Smith.) I’d love for Benjamin McKenzie to show up as an assassin (he was always a better actor than The O.C. allowed him to be) and maybe Peter Gallagher can make an appearance as Papa Bartowski. And though she was Pushing Daisies only last week, I would definitely like me some Autumn Reeser as a double-agent somewhere down the line. It’s too bad Olivia Wilde is a regular on House now, and that Samaire Armstrong is in rehab, because they’d be welcome here, too.

Question: Favourite Upcoming O.C Star Role?

Answers: Ben McKenzie - Johnny Got His Gun, Rachel Bilson - New York I Love You, Adam Brody - Jennifer's Body, Melinda Clarke - Chuck, Mischa Barton - Assasination Of A High School President.

Number of Votes: 12477

90210: Annie is still annoyingly cheerful and happy and I'm trying to figure out if people have not learned anything from the shows of the last years, such as The O.C. or One Tree Hill. 90210 feels very wooden and fake, everything seems to perfect. Where are the real dramas? Where are the strong characters that stand out?

At Home with the Braithwaites: I remember watching this show first eight years ago when the first season was on TV. It's all about the family Braithwaite and how Allison wins 38 million pounds in the lottery. Season 1 involves her starting her own charity and trying to conceal it from her family; Season 2 shows the entire family struggling with the new found wealth and Allison falling in love with her husbands brother; Season 3 has the lottery company claiming the money back after it was revealed that the ticket was illegally bought by the underage daughter and Season 4, well, let's not mention Season 4.. Of course this series would be nothing without it's characters. Most of them are unlikeable, but there's chemistry between them all and even more so, they're believable.

Desperate Housewives: The show's got a very different atmosphere and at the moment I am not too sure I will continue watching it. I dislike all the characters and there seems to be far too much going on with new characters and explanations of the past to concentrate on what made this series great - the friendships between the main characters.

Dexter: Many people have recommended Dexter to me and how it's the next best thing to sliced bread and after reading it's got Angel's Darla in a major role I knew I had to watch it. I didn't like the first episode. I really disliked the second episode and tried my best to watch beyond episode four, but I don't like it. I don't like the characters, the story, the camera work, nothing. Now many people would just move on and say the show is rubbish, who cares, but it is very unusual for me to not like something recommended to me by so many people with similar tastes. If you happen to come across this and like Dexter, please tell me why you like it.

Respectable: It's another UK show of which only one season was made. It's all about a brothel with some strange working girls. All the characters are great in their own way from Hayley to Maureen, Yelena and Michael and it's a shame this didn't carry on.

Sanctuary: It seems very much like Torchwood and whilst I like Torchwood I am not too sure this works. Robin Dunne is annoying and doesn't have half as much charisma as he needs and I liked Amanda Tapping much more in the few bits of Stargate I watched over the years. But, it appears that this is a show with a few previous Stargate characters which makes it good for the fans. I suppose it's the same reason I liked some episodes of Heroes as it had Kristen Bell and David Anders. However, there is something intriguing about the show, the characters or rather the creatures seem interesting and I want to know how everything happened and what it all means.

True Blood: I'm not too convinced I like the latest episode of True Blood. Just like many before it's dragged along far too much, however the last scene more than made up for it. Wow, I did not see this coming. And it makes me wonder who the serial killer is, especially after Bill said a vampire would never leave the blood behind. And what does the bar owner have to hide?

All in all it kind of feels like TV has become so serious lately, all the new Sci-Fi shows are so grown up and gritty. What happened to shows like Buffy? So many shows are related to terrorism or messed up characters or they just look extremely dull all in grey and brown tones preferably with a lot of rain. I wish there was more humour or snark on TV these days.

Only three more months until Dollhouse!

Some more posts regarding TV shows I watch can be found here, here and here.

5 -   Meredith Grey

Típico caso de consultório de psicologia, o problema todo é a mãe. Por sorte ela está sempre com a Christina, tornando-a suportável.

4 -    Ally Mcbeal/ Kitty Walker(Ally McBeal/ Brothers & Sisters)

Calista Flockhart é uma boa atriz, Ally e B&S são ótimas séries, mas as personagens dela...

Ally estava sempre infeliz porque não conseguia um homem com quem casar, ter 10 filhos, engordar(não que isso fosse possível) e lá vai pão duro(gíria utilizada constantemente pelo meu avô). Kitty, tem problemas em aceitar a vida que seu amoroso pai levava as escondidas, tem sempre algum probleminha estressante seja no trabalho, seja com a mãe,seja com outros, um dramalhão só. Mas e a Sarah Walker? Desde o início da série está mergulhada em problemas, mesmo assim é uma excelente personagem, então qual o problema?Se alguém descobrir, avise-me.

3 - Ryan Atwood e Taylor Townsend ( The OC )

Lembrar da quarta temporada é sempre triste, o que dizer dos dois? Ele:abandonado pelo pai, esquecido pela mãe, um irmão bandido, namorada suicida yada, yada ,yada.

Ela:Garota sem amigos, pai ausente, mãe ditadora que não demonstra afeição...

2 - Clark Kent( Smallville)-  Fazem 3 ou 4 temporadas que parei de assistir, mas posso dizer que todo o draminha mexicano em cima do cara foram bastante decisivos para a minha decisão em parar. Principalmente o lenga-lenga com a Lana.

1 - Serena Van der Woodsen (Gossip Girl)-  

As únicas coisas interessantes nessa série são as pessoas bonitas e as roupas caras, mas acaba por conectar-se com meu lado fútil e graças à isso continuo assistindo a esta perda de tempo.Serena não possui nenhum motivo para sofrer mas sempre fala como se aquele fosse seu último suspiro.  Além do fato de estar sempre se torturando por alguma inutilidade.

Não curtiu? Faça o seu top 5 e comente aqui.

"Chuck Versus The Seduction"

October 6th, 2008

As mentioned last week for the show's second season premiere, Chuck is just "on" right now. If there is anything that gave the show some problems in the first season, it was managing to handle all of the different elements of the series: the numerous settings (Buy More, Home, Missions), the various supporting characters, and worse of all the weekly storylines and the recurring plots, both romantic and unromantic.

With "Chuck Versus the Seduction" it becomes clear that the premiere was no fluke: flawlessly introducing a case that dredges up Chuck and Sarah's relationship as well as the continued growth of Chuck as an actual agent as opposed to just an asset. Even though the show goes so far as to throw around the L-word as it relates to our central relationship, it still feels like a show that is letting things move organically. When a show can trot out John Larroquette and Melinda Clarke in the same episode and still not feel like it's trying to hard, you have a show that is playing with the right themes at the right time.

In other words, the show is more or less seducing the audience in the same nature as the four-prong attack: as long as it doesn't become a bastard, the show is on a very strong trajectory.

Roan Montgomery (Larroquette) is a spy of a different era, one that we haven't yet seen in the show's trajectory: he isn't a super spy with technology or strength, but with the power of seduction (an art lost on Casey, who as we know isn't exactly about getting people to like him). So when he is the prime source of information on the doings of Sasha Banacheck (Melinda Clarke), the Black Widow, it's time for the show to investigate two things: whether or not Chuck is capable of seduction (and being a spy) at all, and whether or not Sarah is seduced enough to consider having a relationship with him.

The former issue is perhaps less important in a broader series context on the surface, but it's actually even more valuable to the future episodes. The early episodes, outside of the pilot, had Chuck in too much of an inactive role. He was bumbling to the point of no longer being endearing, and it kind of dragged down the show when it was all "Place Chuck in danger, have Sarah and Casey save him, rinse and repeat." Zachary Levi was still very engaging, but the show didn't know how to get Chuck out of that position.

This episode, and last week's, have done a lot to identify how best to use this character. Chuck demonstrates here that his skills, whether it's last week's Call of Duty setup decision or this week's prowess throwing caution to the wind with his seduction, and takedown, of Sasha. It's still not really spy potential, but he's coming more into himself as to his role in this threesome of sorts.

And a lot of this does has to do with his relationship with Sarah, something that the show is smart to address head-on so early in the season. It is clear that Sarah does like Chuck, and that Chuck does love Sarah, so pussyfooting around it doesn't seem like an ideal way for the show to spend time. Instead, what we see here is their relationship coming front and center in an effort to bring out the best in both characters. The seduction lessons give the show a good excuse to have them make out for a while, and no one can deny that Levi and Strahovski have a good deal of chemistry.

What both of these things did, though, was make this individual mission feel like an integral part of the show's larger trajectory, along with it being mighty entertaining in its own right. Clarke, even with an accent, was as much of a seductress as ever, and Larroquette was great as the Martini-drinking/stewardess bedding Bond type. The story was just a lot of fun to watch, especially when it came to the variety of zingers and one-liners thrown around (For example, I loved Rone drinking the martini in the truck, and his various reactions to the conversation, in particular him mourning Gus). Or the various dialogue pieces between Chuck and Sasha, especially Clarke's line of "Make Mad Passionate Sex to Me." It's just a lot of fun, along with advancing important storylines.

The more impressive thing is that this was possible even with two separate supporting subplots, with Awesome getting romance advice from Morgan, and Lester taking over the Assistant Managership at the Buy More. I love that even these storylines ended up being part of the main one: funny in their own right, that the former ended up being Chuck's favour from the CIA, and the latter being the excuse for having the banner conveniently in place for the big finale, really helps to present a cohesive episode as opposed to A/B/C plot structure.

The big finale, of course, is what sets things up for the future, and was the one moment that felt completely predictable. As soon as it was clear that Chuck was about to make a grand romantic gesture, you had to know that there was going to be someone in his way: that it was Bryce only made sense, as the show went too far to give hope to Chuck and Sarah's relationship. But this is a different scenario to our last experience with Bryce: Chuck is in a better place, Sarah is in a difference place, and I greatly look forward to next week's episode as a result.

Cultural Observations

• Alan Sepinwall has a nice long article posted earlier this month about how this episode is all an homage to a classic Peter O'Toole film, "My Favorite Year" - you can check it out here. Sounds like something I would put on my Netflix if I, you know, had Netflix.
• Good to see that Chuck and Co. have some new digs that are a little bit more secretive than Casey's apartment or the audio-visual room in the Buy More.
• Maybe the worst/best joke of the episode was Chuck's explanation of why Sasha was called the Black Widow: "Her husband was African American and he died?"
• Morgan's "I'm huge in Japan" shirt was a neat little touch, as was all of the little quirks for the Buy More staff - we don't see Morgan and Anna out of uniform much if ever, so it's good to see them humanizing the new Credits-folk.

I finished the last episode of "The O.C. Season Two" yesterday evening. Marissa shot Trey to prevent him from killing Ryan. What a cliffhanger! Of course, that means I'll be picking up the next two seasons on DVD soon. With that, my Hari Raya holidays came to an end. I spent five whole days with the zany folks in Orange County, California and now I'm dreading to get back to my boring life. Only thing is, my life is anything but boring. Heck, I'd gladly trade the cataclysmic events today for good, old dependable "boring". You see, I handed in my resignation today. Actually, I handed in my resignation more than a month ago. My bosses were under some illusion that I'll probably retract my resignation letter before the end of October. The last thing they were expecting was my announcement that I have to move on by 15 October. I apologized and even offered to help out (without pay) for whatever handover of duties necessary the next two weeks. That didn't help. My bosses flew into a blind rage and what followed were threats, attacks on my character, accusations, finger-pointing, etc. That went on and on for about an hour. I still don't see why they took the news so badly and why something as simple as a resignation (plus: I've given them ample time to be prepared for my eventual departure) had to be taken so "personally". Long story short, it was as ugly an exit as you could imagine. I returned the office keys and the notebook, thanked them for the opportunities given me over the past several months, apologized again and offered them a handshake. The bosses shook my hand and wished me all the best for my future. I'll be helping out until the end of next week, at least - on freelance basis. In other words, it's the last day of my official employment with them. The future? Of course I'm looking forward to the future. I'm hoping and praying that it'll be a good one once I move out from my present job, my present home, etc. and start my new job in the new/old place back in the city.

I came home and reread the classic "Welcome Back Frank" graphic novel by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. This book came out in the early years of this decade and it cemented the success of the "Marvel Knights" imprint. Actually it wasn't the first attempt by the folks behind "Marvel Knights" to resurrect the vigilante, Frank Castle. They tried to do it by making him some sort of Avenging Angel answering to some higher calling in Heaven. That, needless to say, was a failed attempt. Joe Quesada and gang got wise and decided to hire the Ennis-Dillon team, fresh off their successful "Preacher" run, to breathe new life into the over-exposed vigilante. And what a blast it was to relive this story.

The first thing that needs to be said about WBF is that it is a lot of fun! Now, that is ironic seeing that the main character is really an unrepentant vigilante who guns down criminals without a second thought. Having said this, I must admit that WBF, while infectiously fun (and funny), is not exactly the best version of The Punisher. The best version came much later after Ennis wrote him in the MAX series. However, this earlier version by Ennis came with an energy, a creativity (gosh, this guy came up with the most "creative" ways to off the villains) and a shipload of fun. Granted, Ennis took it a little too far later on in the follow up MK series that read more like a monthly Looney Tunes comic but here in the original WBF mini, it was just what the doctor ordered. Fans were not picky. The Punisher was a character that died of overexposure in the 1990s (along with Sabretooth, Ghost Rider and Venom). They didn't know what to do with him. Ennis simply went back to basics and made him a mean sunovabitch who offed criminals for the pure heck of it. At this point, Ennis' mandate was to simply write the book as a cool action movie ala' Death Wish, Dirty Harry, John Woo's The Killer, etc. and it worked. Fans flocked to the book in droves and it succeeded beyond Marvel's wildest dreams. The success of this book (along with Kevin Smith's "Daredevil" - also for the MK imprint) propelled Joe Quesada from MK Editor to Marvel's Editor-In-Chief. It was the early 2000s and nobody thought too much about anything. This was pre-911 (in fact, the WTC Twin Towers featured prominently in the early pages of this book - somewhat like they were greeting the return of this "terrorist" to NYC with the "Welcome Back Frank" line). Another reason this worked was because of the artistic genius of Steve Dillon. He's not the most dynamic penciller ever but the guy can sure lay out a scene clearly. For my money, Dillon is still the best storyteller in the business. Everything is crystal clear. If not for the sheer pleasure of Ennis' text, the book will work even without words. Dillon (ably assisted by Jimmy Palmiotti on inks) is just that damn good!

Rereading the book now, I laugh at old lines. I smile at The Russian killed by "fat bomb" (Mr Bumpo). I still love Detective Soap, Joan the Mouse and Spacker Dave. I'll still say that this original book is so much better than the Thomas Jane movie that was loosely based on it. But in our post-911, post-MAX world, the thing comes off as a little empty. Kinda like the action movie on paper that it was meant to be all along. But the mood that I'm in right now, I guess it served its purpose. It's entertainment. It's visceral, mean and funny. What more can you ask for? I'll leave the existential meditations, the grim introspections and political commentaries for when I'm in a better mood.

It's easy to get lost in California when you have the zany cast of "The O.C." for company. I picked up the first two seasons on DVD and watched it throughout the Hari Raya Aidilfitri holiday-week. When you break it down to its essentials, "The O.C." is really a show about the dysfunctional relationships of the rich-and-beautiful in Orange County, California. Not much of a draw when you think about it. Add in teenage-angst, unflinching portrayals of sexuality, great music, pop-culture references and compelling characters; and the result is a show that I just invested 50+ hours on. I average 8-10 episodes a day and I'm still asking for more at the end of the day.

At the heart of the story is how a troubled kid from Chino was adopted into the home of the Cohens in California. To the rest of us, it's the ultimate wish-fulfilment. Of course, the kid's situation was made far more complicated when he started a relationship with the teenage girl next door and got himself entangled with the endless drama involved in the larger community of the O.C. (parties, incest, dysfunctional family relationships, etc.) Granted, Season Two isn't as compelling as Season One. Even the characters were complaining that "last year was better"! Therefore, it's no big surprise that the series took a downturn in Season Three and ended in Season Four. Some rabid fans called for a return of the show but the demand just wasn't enough - or possibly, there just wasn't any more ideas or drama to keep it going. That said, it is still a hypnotically good series - especially Season One. The episodes penned by Josh Schwartz and Allan Heinberg were especially good. Schwartz was the creator and therefore understood the core essentials of how to make it work. Heinberg had an especially good handle on how the teenagers spoke and wrote them with a special sensitivity and tenderness. An additional appeal of the show (to fellow geeks) is the tribute to pop-culture and comics. Everything from Playstation games, Rachel Bilson dressing up as Wonder Woman, the upside-down Spidey kiss,  and how "Brian Bendis is the greatest writer ever" is in the series. Every episode come with gems like that for folks like me to "geek-out"! Even my wife got into the act by reading Allan Heinberg's run on "Young Avengers"!

São dias como esse que me fazem odiar o Universo!
Acordei com uma dor de cabeça terrivel,uma fome que não conseguia ser controlada,e com muita raiva,pois lembrei que havia esquecido meu Nike na lavanderia na parte "não coberta". HAHA
É nessas horas que entra minhas temporadas de The OC, juro que é como uma terapia!

Noticias como essa me agradam muito tbm!  =]

SILVERSTEIN POST NEW DEMO: "BROKEN STARS"

 Silverstein have posted a new demo titled "Broken Stars" as they continue to write for their next full-length.

The band, who last released Arrivals & Departures in 2007 via Victory, will leave for a co-headlining tour with Chiodos a week from today.

Episode Trailer:

Episode description - Spoiler's ahead:

Emmy Award winner John Larroquette guest-stars as the legendary debonair spy Roan Montgomery and Melinda Clarke guest-stars as a sultry but dangerous female spy known as the Black Widow. Chuck must go undercover to retrieve the Cipher from the Black Widow. But in order to get close to his target, Chuck must learn the art of seduction from the suave and sophisticated Roan. Unfortunately for Chuck, Sarah and Casey, Roan is no longer the world’s greatest spy. Meanwhile, Morgan offers Captain Awesome some advice for a romantic night with Ellie, and Lester struggles to gain respect at Buy More as the new assistant manager. Jeff Krinsky, Julia Ling and Mark Christopher Lawrence also star.

Episode Stills:
Thanks to Melinda Clarke France, I have 6 promotional pictures from 'Chuck' Season 2 Episode 2: "Chuck Vs. The Seduction" which Melinda Clarke will be guest-starring in. I'm so excited for her role. If anyone is interested in 'Chuck', check out Chuck Online, my other website ;)

“I play Phoebe, who is the Goddess of the Oracle at Delphi, in ‘Valentine,’” Reeser said. “She helps everybody pinpoint who their soul mates are, so the rest of the gods can all go out and bring them together. She’s like a flower child, and she loves the idea of being in love. She thinks it looks wonderful.”

Well, except when it’s unrequited or ignored. In “Possessions,” her character Jessica’s true love is the ex-girlfriend of the lead character, Orlando (played by Trent Ford), whose body is slowly becoming possessed by a voice in his head named Jean-Luc.

Full Article here / Image Source

Source's: CelebrityGossip / Amira

Willa Holland is going to be the newest addition to the stunning cast of Gossip Girl. 

Click HERE to read full article

Okay, maybe not. The OC's Benjamin Mackenzie was dressed as an LAPD cop while filming a pilot episode for a new police drama called LAPD.