Same Blog, New Home

For the five of you who read this blog on any recurring basis, I wanted to let you know that I've shifted over to Wordpress. Blogger has some good stuff, but after working in Wordpress for some corporate blogging stuff, I think it offers a little better functionality. And it gives some synergy (even though I totally hate that word) with the url for my freelance writing site. Believe it or not, the "ink for hire" moniker was not available on blogger because some Venice Beach-based tattooing chick already had it registered. Go figure. So I've been doing this one under mattwilsonink on Blogger, which was an early name for my main site, but I scrapped it because I didn't want people to think it was "Matt Wilso Nink".


Anyway... I decided to make the jump, and you can access the new format at http://inkforhire.wordpress.com/. Thanks for reading!

Faith on Film: The Bucket List

Most would probably assume The Bucket List fits in the Faith on Film Festival because it’s got one of those Bible-thumpin’, televangelist-themed confronting your own mortality messages, where you could have the following conversation after watching it with someone you know:

“Jack Nicholson’s looking old.”
“He is old.”
“This wasn’t his best role.”
“Yeah, I liked him better as the Joker.”
“Heath Ledger was a better Joker though.”
“He was. But Jack’s a better actor overall. He was great as that Marvin guy in As Good As It Gets.”
“There were a lot of good people in that movie.”
“Yeah—Helen Hunt, Cuba Gooding Jr., Greg Kinnear. Even Skeet Ulrich.”
“It’s freaky how much he looks like Johnny Depp. Too bad Skeet can’t act as well as him.”
“Yes, it’s a shame. But Johnny Depp can’t act as well as Jack Nicholson either.”
“I don’t know, he’s a really talented actor.”
“Well let’s compare their bodies of work.”
“As long as we’re not comparing bodies—that would give me the willies. Let’s have at it.”
“Should we start with Depp’s role in 21 Jump Street or Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare.”
“OK, you win.”
“Speaking of Freddy’s dead, and given that we just saw a movie on making a list of stuff to do before you kick the bucket, and you mentioned Heath Ledger who left this earth way too soon, have you considered what might happen to you after you die?”
“I’ll be gone for good? Like Cuba Gooding Jr.’s career?
“Um, right… but where will you go?”
“Hopefully not to a place where I’ll be forced to watch Daddy Day Care or The Land Before Time XIII again and again for eternity. Because that would be hell.”

But I’m not going down that road here. Instead I’m focusing on what Morgan Freeman says: “Either get busy living or get busy dying.” Oh wait, wrong movie—that one involved digging tunnels and a self-righteous prison warden, though it certainly had its major share of faith-based elements too (maybe we’ll tackle that one eventually).

For those who haven’t seen The Bucket List, Jack and Morgan are two cancer-ward roommates who make a list of things to do before kicking the bucket. They were things like go sky-diving, travel the world, and for some strange reason, drive some old hot rods really fast on a race track, and then crash them (I’m thinking that would dislodge a catheter, but that part of the plot remained unexplored). What was so relevant here was that doing everything on their list wasn’t what brought them the fulfillment and closure they were seeking in life. It was the relationship stuff. For Morgan, it was re-building his marriage. For Jack, it was re-connecting with his long-estranged daughter.

With faith, like in real-life, it’s not a matter of “do.” It’s a matter of “is.” “To-be’s” are much more important than “to-do’s.” I’m a firm believer in the concept that to be connected with God, one must experience Him relationally. Checking things off a list to draw closer to Him just doesn’t do it. It’s rote. Sure, you can do things God-related that can reflect or express a relationship with Him: Jesus healed the sick, people give money, guys walk old ladies across the street, and missionaries travel overseas. But experiencing an act is very different from experiencing the “person” of God. You can do an act of service, read the bible, or say a prayer, but all of that has to be about Him rather than you, the action, or what you get out of it. It’s all about the source of your focus.

There’s a poignant scene where Morgan Freeman is in Hong Kong, and Jack sets up the opportunity for him to spend a night with the woman of Freeman’s dreams—one who is beautiful, intelligent and full of adventurous experiences, such as scaling Everest, the pinnacle feat of his Bucket List. It’s at that very moment that he realizes being with his wife is what brings him the most contentment. He abruptly stops his preoccupation with his list, the “to-do’s” that had wedged him even further away from her than he already had been, and he runs right back into her loving arms—the very place that provided exactly what he was seeking: peace and contentment. He stops “doing.” He “is” with her. He is hers.

It’s a tear-jerker (though I didn’t shed any—no really, I’m serious), but it also has its funny moments too, particularly when Sean Hayes is in a scene. Overall, though, it’s a great representation of faith on film. And it has a great theme song.

Worth Witnessing: A Turkey's Plea

Shameless plug time… here’s the latest RevolutionEyes offering. We spent a couple of hours on the farm of David Louden in Dawsonville making this Thanksgiving video, which BTW, is available to the consuming public at Sermon Spice.

We had a great time shooting the turkey (with a video camera, obviously, no weapons were involved) named Sandwich, and meeting the other animals on his farm—my two boys accompanied us and had a blast. David’s family was very accommodating (if you’re ever in the market for custom furniture, check him out), and we actually learned some turkey facts: their heads are like mood rings. If they’re content, it turns a bluish color. If they’re upset, it turns red. Yes, Sandwich’s head is read in all of the video—I don’t think he appreciated me trying to round him into the camera’s view multiple times that afternoon.

Anyway, do his kind a favor and go easy on the turkey for your November feast.

Making a Mid-Season Splash

Another ugly win, but a win none-the-less. Run Ricky Run was back with a 100-yard game, Ted Ginn had an incredible TD catch and 100-yard kick off return (though it was negated for a holding call), and Sparano's coaching skills continue to shine like a seasoned vet.

Being a Dolfan, it's always been tough. With the exception of the past four years, the Dolphins have won fewer than eight games only three times since I've been alive (one of those years was the strike-shortened season where they went 7-2). That means they've always been in contention. The only downside to that is that it means you never get a high draft pick--but that never mattered. At least not until Dave Wanstache starting picking people, which is where the four years of frustration first took root and left us in misery last year. Given that, with a new GM, coach, QB and a ton of other question marks, at the half-way point of this season, I never expected:

1) To have this many Dolphin-related posts. Five wins, one game above .500. Who would've thunk? Not this Dolfan, I can tell you that much.

2) Chad Pennington would be an MVP candidate. He's not putting up spectacular stats, but he's consistently putting up good numbers and manages the game like a coach on the field. He's got to be the best off-season signing in the league.

3) To hear serious playoff talk. They've got a pretty soft schedule remaining. It's possible they could win 10 games. No, really. I'm serious.

4) To see a college formation succeed so well in the pros--with the Dolphins working it to perfection thanks to one new wrinkle after another. Cam Cam was supposed to be an offensive creative genius. Sparano's contribution have made Cam Cam just look plain offensive.

5) Nearly everything would go right this year. Last year, the 'Phins lost six games by three points or less--because of poor coaching and so many intangibles. This year, it's been the other way around. In fact, they could easily be 7-3 had it not been for last season-like flukes not going their way against the Nasty Jets and the Texans.

Half-way there to redemption. We'll see if Parcells & Co. can avoid the annual December swoon and finish it out in style.

O My

The Maverick went down without much of a fight. History has been made. It really is quite an accomplishment, given our nation’s past. Many have predicted Obama's policy-making will turn our country in a Socialist nation. Let's just hope we don't go so far as to become the U.S.S.A.

Yeah... But...

In any season where you weren't following a 1-15 disaster, you'd probably look at a win like this and say, "Eh... it wasn't pretty, but at least we got the win. I hope we play better next time." But this is the Dolphins we're talking about, so we should be ecstatic, right? Well... with a fan base and a media market where high expectations border on ludicrousness (heck, after the Dolphins had won two games there was a plethora of buzz about making the playoffs), it's still one of those "yeah... but" scenarios, because yeah, this was supposed to be a rebuilding year... but they are starting to look like a legitimate contender.

So, the general tone here will be one of optimism with a good dose over-zealous criticism, because the thinking here with these five thoughts is screw what happened last season... we should win the Super Bowl this year:

1) Yeah, the Dolphin D amazingly held the Broncos to team-record 14 yards rushing... but, gave up more than 300 yards in the air.

2) Yeah, they gave up more than 300 yards in the air... but, the 'Phin D picked off three Jay Cutler passes and ran one back for TD.

3) Yeah, Ronnie and Ricky had another sub-par day... but Ronnie had one long run of 30+ yards and scored a TD on the ground.

4) Yeah, Chad Pennington had a lower completion percentage, an interception and no TD passes... but he threw for 280 yards and controlled the clock with more than a 13-minute advantage over the Bronco offense.

5) Yeah, Ted Ginn went back to looking like a 4th round draft pick... but he did have a 41-yard kick return and the undrafted Greg Camarillo continues playing like an All-Pro receiver.

Yeah, I had doubts about this game, and this season... but I've been pleasantly surprised.