My favorites

Magan asked me the other day about what my favorite songs were, and in coming up with them I thought of the songs that I do not like stopping in the middle. This led me to think of my favorite movies, which are all very hard for me to turn off or leave while it is on. And then to my books, to which there are too many to choose from, but these are the ones I love. Anyway…I guess this is just a random blog about me.

Songs
American Pie – How can you not like this song? My favorite line is “The players tried to take the field, the marching band refused to yield”…The day the music died.
Imagine – The first time I remember hearing this song was on a Quantum Leap episode where Sam leapt back in time to his home. He played this song for his sister. Sure, it’s got some hippy lyrics, but I can’t seem to turn it off.
Something to Believe In – I remember sitting by the radio and taping this song onto a cassette tape. This is still probably the most listened to song off of my CDs than any other. Singing about a friend of his that was in Vietnam, Bret sings “Their bullets took his best friend in Saigon, Our lawyers took his wife, his kids, no regrets…In a time I don’t remember, in a war he can’t forget”
In the Air Tonight – Perhaps it was growing up watching Miami Vice with my parents…this song just grabs me and makes me wait for the drums that rock through the end of the song.
Frankenstein – I must say that my Dad once made me sit in the car as this song finished, and since then I have made many others wait as this song was finished. No lyrics, just some hard rockin’ mixed with some futuristic beats.
Lose Yourself – yeah, yeah, this is the Eminem song for the movie “8 mile”. It is also an Academy Award winning song that really captures the whole movie. “knees weak, arms are heavy, Snap back to reality, oh there goes rabbit he, choked he so made but he, wont give up that easy…” He then spits out a strings of rhymes that are really amazing.
Dead or Alive – I wanted this cassette tape very bad when I was a kid, but my dad would not let me get it. It’s really somewhat of a toss up between this and “Blaze of Glory” which both make me think of Young Guns.
Pocket full of Kryptonite – Really fun song from the Spin Doctors. They lasted for about as long as they could play “Two Princes” and “Little Miss Can’t be Wrong”, but this was the song of the album. And still is a great song, although you have probably never heard it. Tells the untold story of Jimmy Olson and his love for Lois Lane. At one point Jimmy says to Lois “Com’n down here and stay with me tonight, I got a pocket full of Kryptonite”.

Movies
Say Anything – To know Lloyd Dobler is to love him, Diane Court is about to know Lloyd Dobler… This is the best John Cusack movie, and a classic from a heap of classic 80s high school love movies. There are two many good scenes from this movie, but the one everyone knows is the best…Lloyd Dobler holding the radio up playing “In your Eyes” as Diane listens in her room.
Karate Kid – This is the first movie that I remember ever renting after we purchased a VCR. It also has one of the best final scenes of all of the “Kid overcomes all, gets the girl, and beats up the bully” movies. “You’re the best Daniel” said by a young Elizabeth Shue starts the montage of fight scenes leading to the final match. “Sweep the leg”…”but I’ll be disqualified”…”No mercy” then Daniel is taken back with a hurt leg. Then Mr. Myagi does the loud clapping/high friction leg massage and like that “Daniel LaRusso is going to fight”…final match Johnny tears him up as he is cheered on “put him in a body bag, yeah”…then the final scene as the music increases, the crane kick (that boys will be imitating for years as they grow into men) takes Johnny right in the nose. Point Larusso. WIN DA DA DA…DA DA DA…DA DA…camera over to Mr. Myagi with a big smile and fade to black as the music takes over. By the way, My DVD no longer works very well because I have watched this final scene so many times.
8 Mile – This is basically Karate Kid in Detroit with rap battles. It is really the same type of movie which is probably why I like it. “Everybody from the 3-1-3, Put your hands in the air” if you follow me.
Kill Bill Volume 2 – The second volume in this set is clearly the best. The scene showing the training from Wei Pei is good ole fashioned kung fu classic, and the final scene with Uma and Bill has some of the best dialogue you can ever have. Tarantino’s writing style is over-the-top, but captivating.
Pulp Fiction – This hodge podge of scenes crossing through about 4 or 5 main characters is slightly confusing, but again, the writing and dialogue is captivating.
The Matrix – I saw this at the theater, and realized this was the movie that made other movies better. Keanu is just so much better when he is playing a more robotic character.
Better Off Dead – “I want my two dollars” I remember laughing with my Dad watching this movie, then buying it and realizing it is just as good today as it was then. The advice from Buger to Wayne Myers for skiing the K6 “Go that way real fast, if something gets in your way…turn”
Fellowship of the Ring – The first of the trilogy, and to me, the best. The scene where Gandalf the grey falls in the mines, and the scene where Aragorn kills the chief Uruk-Hai are really awesome scenes and the music just makes this movie great.
Top Gun – We are sending Maverick in on Alert 5…Need I say more.

Books
Hearts in Atlantis – I have read only a handful of books twice, but only one have I read twice and listened two twice. This is Stephen King at his best. 5 stories with characters interwoven together into a masterpiece.
The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass – This tells the tragic love story of the Gunslinger and Susan Delgado. Written around the same time as Hearts in Atlantis, I truly feel this is where SK was in the groove.
I am Legend – Recommended to me by a bookstore owner in Cullman, I read this and realized quickly that it was one of the best books that I will ever read. This is the book that opened my eyes to Richard Matheson and an earlier era of Sci-Fi writing that was really great.
The Help – This is a recent read, but one that I have recommended to pretty much everyone. The secret to the book is all in the pie.
The Martian Chronicles – This is my favorite of the Ray Bradbury stories. And for short stories, Ray is the best…hands down. This collection of old school sci-fi is great.
Enders Game – In the handful of books read twice, this is another. The best sci-fi story I have ever read. I can not remember who recommended this book, but I have since recommended it to many. And I am pretty sure, most agree with my assessment.
Kite Runner – Another recent read that captivated me. Such a different society where this takes place in Afghanistan, yet shows that evil is everywhere, and every once and awhile you get a chance to correct a past mistake.
To Kill a Mockingbird – Another twice read book, but this is just a classic. Required reading that makes you love required reading.
A day no pigs would die – Another required reading that turned out to be one of my favorites. One of those good “What do you do if you are 12 and now become the man of the house?” books. Makes me think of the old song “Patches”.
Dear John – This is easily my most favorite Nicholas Sparks book. The love story was great, as most of Nick’s books are, but the kicker of this book was the ending. Few books in my mind are ended as well as this one was, and that is why it has made my top list. If you watched the movie, I’m sorry…They butchered it.
The Lottery – This is not a novel, but a short story…and one I have read many times. I remember first reading this as a story in our 8th grade reading book. There are many times when a reader likes a story, but there are also times when the reader recognizes that without a doubt, this is amazing writing. The build-up to the lottery is wonderful, and the terror rises out of nowhere to grip you and hold on to you through the climax, even though you want to turn away…you can not.
The Long Walk – I first read this Richard Bachman classic in the 7th grade, then read it again in college. The latest hit by Suzanne Collins “The Hunger Games” is really good, but if you want a similar story with much better character development, Mr. King is at top form in this short novella.