I sat packed in the front corner of a theater last night with no popcorn, no candy, no soda; surrounded by excited teenage males, eager to see boobs and blood. My neck was arched and my body contorted in positions I didn’t know were possible just to watch a distorted view of the new movie, 300. My eyes rolled around like a steer before the slaughter as I waited for the movie to start…but previews first. Whoop-dee-doo. They were so-so…well…the Spider Man III trailer did rock my world but still didn’t drive away my discomfort.

The screen goes black.

I shift uncomfortably and moan.

The the title splatters across the screen in large, bloody letters. The theater squeals with delight, yet I sigh in my irritation at not having arrived sooner. I’m going to have the movie spoiled by my discomfort, I thought. And then the movie started and my mind was sucked away to ancient Sparta.

The movie was stunning visually, the artistry of the cinematography was truly amazing even at my front-of-the-theater vantage point. During combat scenes (and there are a lot of them), the stop-and-go effects of thrusts, bashes, blood flow, and gore really added a lot to the movie. Having not read the 300 comic I’ve nothing to compare the movie to, however, the story seemed solid…primary vocals from the characters on screen were battle cries and very eloquent “bravery” speeches, however, the movie was heavily narrated giving the viewers the feel they were watching a story rather than just a movie. Very well done.

Effects were sweet, although I have some issues with the various views presented in the scene where Xerxes and Leonidas parley. From the beginning of that scene, we see that Xerxes towers comically huge over Leonidas, yet the camera views during their conversation changed that perception. Darby O’Gill and the Little People did a better job of this effect.

And that was my only real complaint.

So good was the movie that my discomfort and irritation at my position within the theater dissolved into nothingness. One thing was quite funny about that theater room, however. The movie showed plenty of breasts and a very brief, non-graphic sex scene…As I mentioned before, I was surrounded by teenagers. That became readily obvious any time a boob flashed on screen as a ripple of snickers and jibes swept across the room. That was more humorous that annoying…was I ever that way?

I will definitely be seeing this movie again. When next I see the movie, I’ll make sure to secure a better position within the theater so I can experience the full effect in all its glory. If you have a chance to see this movie in the theater…do so. You won’t be disappointed.

For a little background on the movie, here’s some info pulled from Wikipedia:

I want to read the Graphic Novel now. :) I sure hope the other comic book/hero movies coming out this year are as good! This month is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Then of course, Spider Man III and Transformers!

It wasn’t until a year later that I bought my first decent Juggling items… Dube was my juggling store of choice. Dube equipment is high quality with a decent amount of customization to allow you to get the look you want. The juggling equipment available at Dube ranges from beanbags to cigar boxes, from bowler hats to unicycles.

The only drawback to Dube is their site as it looks like it was constructed in the 90′s. It could definately use a revamp. But thats beside the point :)

To date I’ve purchased:

• 3 Silicon Juggling Balls
• 3 European Clubs
• 6 Phatboyz Clubs
• 3 Juggling Knives (w/ cases)
• 1 Set of Poi

I’m impressed with the quality and longevity of the above listed items. Its only now (after 5 years) that I will need to replace the decoration on my first set of Phatboyz clubs. w00t.

Joi Itio, “the money-and-idea guy behind internet companies PSINet, Digital Garage, Infoseek Japan, and social software like Moveable Type, Technorati, and Socialtext” is pleasantly addicted to WoW as I am. Here’s an excerpt from the 1up article:

These days Joi enjoys the social aspects of the game. And by “enjoys” I really mean, “is absolutely obsessed by”. “The game really starts at level 60,” he says. Taking care of a guild, administering to members’ needs, looking after newbs and pleasing the veterans is a delicate balancing act that challenges even a guy who is used to being the CEO of fast-growing companies. “Warcraft is like a really, really well-designed UI for real-time, ad-hoc group collaboration and management of tons of people. The tools are really interesting because they apply to stuff that we’ll be using in the real world.” Has he learned new lessons about leadership because of his involvement in WoW? “Definitely,” he says. Eric tells me Joi carries around copies of the game to hand out to people he meets in real life. Joi has become a real Warcraft evangelist.

Pretty nifty. Like it or not, MMORPGs (WoW in particular) are gaining ground in many walks of life. As game membership grows beyond its 5 million subscribers, the probability of getting into a conversation and relating with a fellow technophile (or anyone for that matter) increases. As I have stated in the past: gone is the time I log into IM to chat with friends. I log into WoW and they are there waiting. Over the past year and a half of membership in World of Warcraft community I have had discussions on get-togethers, code, received/given help on work-related topics, all forms of entertainment, web 2.0, blogging, etc. It is becoming a melting pot of information transfer for both professional and non-professional topics!

Is WoW the next Golf – a get-together of friends for the tossing around ideas and banter? Well, thats to be determined. Heh…I can’t turn down a chance for real-life interaction just yet, but meeting in game to talk about out of game stuff is easy and somewhat commonplace for me.

Update: It has been asked by a few people and I figure I’d clarify…Watering the Electric Chicken Cup ™ will void the 8 minute warranty.