TV Musings

Hello Blog-o-shpere,

I would like to talk about my favorite television shows of the season. This is a wierd topic given the fact that there is a writers strike on right now and that new episodes are slowly grinding to a stop. Here are my top five programs.

1. I cannot think of a television show that is so likeable that I can put it here on the top of this list. I guess that this is therefore a top four list, but I would like to retain the top spot for some future day when I find that special TV show that I can really connect with on a deep level.

2. 30 Rock -- The thing I like most about this show is that there lots of inside jokes that reward viewers. "Ed Garkle in accounting doesn't even need that wheelchair." Is a throw-away line to the un-schooled, but to the astute viewer it means that Floyd could have gotten the job. And, any program that can coin a phrase like, "I've got something on my mind grapes" really gets it.

3. Pushing Daisies -- This show is amazing. I think I need to move it to number one, but I am going to wait until I know that it will be around longer than one season. I've been burned before, I'm looking at you Studio 60.

The facts are these. The writing is tragic, comic, satirical, fairytale-esque, real and surreal all at once. The premise alone causes a double take. Ned can wake up the dead by touching them, if he touches them again they die (again), this time for good. If he doesn't "re-kill" them within 60 seconds someone else within close proximity dies. A Private Investigator learns of his ability and employs him to help him solve murders for reward money. One of the murders they solve involves Ned's childhood sweetheart. He wakes her and let's her live, much to the chagrin of the Funeral Home director, and they fall in love. Only there is one problem, they can never touch. Throw in the resurected dog Digby, the pining-for-Ned former horse jockey Olive Snook (played by Kristen Chenowith), and a Lemony Snicket-like narrator, you end up with an extremely odd but amazingly fun program.

4. The Office -- I love this show for Dwight Shrute. The episode in which he becomes concussed is, to me, among the funniest things to ever play on TV even eclipsing the Bibibabka episode of Perfect Strangers. I am not a huge fan of Ricky Gervias' "comedy of embarassment," thus the #4 ranking. But, I enjoy all of the ensemble characters. And, call me lame, but I absolutely love the Jim and Pam relationship. I especially like that the writers are alowing them to date this season. I would hope that the two of them will be a couple for the rest of the run of the show. It makes sence to let people who like each other fall in love and then stay together, I'm looking at you Dawson's Creek and Friends.


5. Heroes -- I like Hiro. I like Matt. I like Peter Petrelli's powers.



Least Favorite Show That I Watch All the Time Anyway. Grey's Anatomy -- I do not like Meredith or Izzy or George or Yang or Kirev (you know the group that the show is supposed to revolve around) I do like pretty much all of the secondary characters particularly Miranda and Lexi and Sloan. One of my favorite things about the show is that there is a doctor named Mark Sloan, which just so happens to be the name of Dick Van Dyke's character on Diagnosis Murder. Plagarism or coincidence, you decide.


Favorite Show That I Never Watch. Smallville -- Some day I will rent and watch each season in order, but that day is not now.


Old stand-bys that I often will tune into.

Letterman -- Love him and I firmly believe that Jay Leno is an unfunny hack comic, the fact that he gets better ratings tells me that this country's comedic tastes suck.


SNL -- Andy Sandburg's digital shorts make this show hillarious. Kristen Wiig is a standout as well. One question though, Keenan Thompson from All That and Keenan and Kell? Is this some kind of joke? I guess that was actually two questions, one that established who I was asking about and a second one to disparage him. I could have just as easily, actually more easily (judging by how long this is taking to explain) have said, I don't like Keenan.


Honorable Mention. Ghost Whisperer -- I am not sure why I like this show. But whenever Friday rolls around I get all perked up to see what kind of scarey fare will be laid out on the screen. The wierd thing is that I don't usually like this genre. I think that it might just be that the premise is so unrealistic in an, "I see dead people sort of way," that it has taken on some kitch value to me.
It's wierd to me that Jay Mohr (the baddie on Jerry McGwire, SNL alum, among other things) who used to be a really sarcastic comic, is now on the show and is sort of a love interest for the Jen Hewitt charachter who is happily married. AND, Cameron Manheim is kind of slumming on this show. Her considerable acting talents don't fit, in fact I am kind of convinced that she is a little embarassed. Yet, JLH commits totally to her character and the writers seem to really believe as well. I love it.


Other Honorable Mentions that I will not elaborate so much upon.

Lost -- I love Kate, Jack, Locke, the new Girl from season 3, Hugo, and the fact that they don't mind killing off main characters. Especially, ones who drink and drive.

24 -- Jack Bauer. I also like the duplisidous president from a two seasons ago. You know the one, he looks like Mike Huckabee. Yeah, that guy. What a jerk he was.

Favorite Recently Cancelled Shows.

Everwood -- Really great characters, great writing, great acting. This show knew how to recreate teenage angst unlike anything else on T.V. A quality production all the way around.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip -- I really liked this show for all the reasons that everyone else hated it.

Presidential Politics

I would like to take a moment to make my Presidential endorsements. I assume that this un-read blog will be just what is needed to sway the undecided voter into the camp of my preferred candidate.


Republican Primary: I have to endorse Mitt Romney. This guy, although not shown in the mainstream media as such, is a fantastic leader. He is, really, what the country needs. His management style, honed in big business, avoids groupthink by welcoming, even encouraging, disenting opinion. He is the ultimate "turn around" business man. He also has experience governing a fairly populous state. As Governor of Massachusettes he had to work with a liberal congress and was fairly successful in accomplishing things. Is his record perfect? No. But, in the world of politics where compromise is absolutely necessary in order to accomplish anything, Romney has shown that he can. Accomplish things, that is. His speach on religion (Dec. 6, 2007) was spot on, and he really aught to have a chance at the nomination.

That said, Mike Huckabee's slick one-liners will eventully turn out to be fluff and he will be exposed as a flash in the pan and will peter out by February. He's embarassing. Chuck Norse? Really? America, come on. This race should belong to Romney or Gulianni.

Which brings me to my next point.

Democratic Primary: Barack Obama has my support. In a race between any Republican candidate, other than Romney, and Barack Obama, I vote Obama. I love his presence, intelligence, and aura. I can't say I have studied him as much as the Republican candidates, but from what I have seen I absolutely respect him.

That said, if Hillary Clinton becomes the democratic nominee, I will vote Republican. I cannot abide Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton for more than two decades. These folks are too devisive. We need our next president to be a unitor. I see Obama and Romney as this type of candidate. Presidents that we could be proud of regardless of whether we completely agree with all of their stances. All other candidates embarass me.

A Post To Myself

Hi Everyone (me),

It sure looks as if this blog thing of mine will not be very popular. Especially considering that I am the only person that has looked at it so far. My wife hasn't even ventured to look at it. In fact, the only comment thus far is mine. I made it look like someone else posted it, but it was me. Also, I have not cared to write as often as I thought I might. They say that writers write, and anyone that wants to be a writer should spend time writing. I once thought I might just be a writer. Turns out I am not. A writer, that is. That is okay. This blog is mine and I can do what ever I want with it, so I will post innane ramblings every three weeks and there is nothing that you (the non-existant reader) can do about it.

Hopefully, I will someday figure out how to post audio files on here so that I can post soundy stuff. I have always dreamed of cutting an album of original music, so I have a bunch of original music needing to be heard--and snapped to. If I ever figure it out I will post some here. My biggest musical influences (at least for my writing) are Milli Vanilli, Hammer, Quiet Riot, C&C Music Factory, Salt-n-Peppa, Schubert, Bell, Biv, Devoe (separately), Guar, Tammy Wynette, Foo Fighters, Whoopi Goldberg (on the nun movie), Alan Thicke, Justin (Guarini not Timberlake), Andy Williams, Dr. Dre (Yo MTV Raps, not Chronic), John Williams, Creed (the office, not the 90's), Ashlee Simpson, Mandy Moore, Christina Yothers, Cap'n Crunch, Tony the Tiger, the "Chocolate Rain" guy, Tevin Campbell (before his voice changed), Margot Kidder, Quincy (Little Einsteins, not Jones), The Cardigans, The Sweater Vests, The Windbreakers (jackets, not farts), The Long-Sleaved Shirts, The Undershirts, and The Skins.

I don't know that I have ever made such a comprehensive list of my musical influences before. Whether it is the heavy metal of Quiet Riot or the sing-song speech of Margot Kidder (can you read my mind, in deed), each of these acts/persons have made a difference in my own musical ability. For example, the resonance that I have tried to create in my singing is fueled by Tony the Tiger's, "They're Great!" slogan, the heavy dance beat comes from C&C, and the explicit contents of my lyrics come directly from Cap'n Crunch.

Praise Music!

Family Photo

Here is a family photo at the time of Kitty's birth. Buffy (Mommy), Kitty (infant), Ike (boy), Rick (Wilson Culpepper), Mimi (girl).

General Conference

The 177th Semi-annual conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was held over the weekend. It was an excellent conference. The addresses that stuck out to me were President Eyring (newly sustained to the first presidency)'s Priesthood Meeting address, Spencer Condie's talk in the opening session, Elder's Ballard, Holland, Hales, Nelson stuck out for various reasons.

I also was very touched by Elder Wirthlin's address. About midway through the talk he began to shake. He was obviously not well. after a few seconds Elder Russ Nelson came and helped him stand until he could finish the talk. I am told that Nelson served as a counselor in a Stake Presidency with Wirthlin. Wirthlin's talk was about selfless service, I saw a lot of application in the sweetness that Elder Nelson showed holding him up. By the time the talk was over Elder Wirthlin was almost completely spent. I hope he's okay.

While I'm At It

I thought I might show off our other two kids. Ike and Mimi (names have been changed).

Video Related to Kitty's Birth

Video footage from the hospital the day after Kitty was born. Unedited, and therefore boring, but historical, I suppose.

Baby Cake

On August 25, 2007 we welcomed our third child, we'll call her Kitty (names have been changed). She was 8 lbs 8 oz, and 20.5 inches long. That's her on the left. Enjoy.

Why The Shop?

I titled this blog The Shop after my dad's shop in our back yard in Schmelta, Schmutah. It was really an uber-shed. He would go there and spend hours working on pet projects. He used it as a sort of fortress of solitude. I spent my last real quality time with Dad in that shop. We thumbed through a tools catalogue he had gotten in the mail. He looked at each item and said, "need it," or "got it." I love that shop.