Author: Wick

I don’t often go to the movie theater. Mainly because of the cost, and then the cost of a babysitter. So when I go, I tell myself the movie either:

1. Must have INCREDIBLE special effects.

2. Be a VERY important movie. (Based on a great literary work of some sort, or sequel of another important movie)

3. Be a movie that my wife wants to go to.

If it doesn’t mean at least one of these criteria, I don’t go.

I’m a youth pastor. Hanging out with teens is a part of my job. So I thought about possibly going to see Transformers with some of them next week. But I want to be careful what I seem to support. I hopped on “Focus on the Family’s” movie review site (which is overly conservative usually, so if they like something I know it’s safe)

Here are a few of their final thoughts:

“The film’s emotional moments felt forced, and its themes of sacrifice insincere. While some films use CGI to set up a story, Transformers reverses the process: It uses a half-hearted story as an excuse to string together some cool special effects….But a much bigger issue than the film’s cinematic failure, for our purposes, is it’s level of crassness and sexual content….

Film critic Marshall Fine put it this way: “This is what we’ve come to: movies based on cartoons that were marketing tools for toys.” He also noted, “It’s hard to exaggerate what a depressing mess of a film this misbegotten monstrosity is. More depressing still, it will attract lemming-like multitudes to multiplexes this weekend, further convincing [director Michael] Bay of his own genius.” “

I’ve not gone to see it…based on this review, I’m considering seeing it in theater still simply for the fact that besides the special effects, there doesn’t seem like any reason to see the movie; and special effects are always best on a big screen….not a dvd at home. If you saw it…what did you think?

So a few random updates for Redwings fans who don’t read Detroit online news sources:

1. Chris Chelios will not be offered anymore contracted years with the Wings. After 10 years with Detroit, at the age of 47, Chelios says he still doesn’t plan on retiring. He’ll address media later this week, but will probably try and offer himself to some other NHL team. Wow. As it stands, he’s the second oldest NHL player ever, behind Gordie Howe who retired at age 52. Five more years, Cheli. Congrats on an incredible decade of hockey, and God be with you and your health/joy of the game wherever you end up this season. You will be in the hall of fame, for sure.

2. Steve Yzerman will be inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame, on November 9th, 2009 in Toronto. Kudos to Yzerman. I agree with the article linked above, that there was definitely an “Yzerman Era” for the Redwings. I’d even go so far as to link it to generational talk, such as “Baby Boomers”, “Generation X-ers”, etc. I am a part of the “Generation Yzerman”.

3. Brett Lebda is still signed on with the Wings for another couple years. You may wonder, “why do I care about Lebda?”. My only response is…keep watching the Redwings. 🙂

4. It sounds like they’re making retaining Marian Hossa a top priority, possibly even offering him a 10 year, $40 Million deal. Also in that article, they need to decide whether to keep Ty Conklin or Jimmy Howard as backup goalie. Ty Conklin becomes a free agent in July, but Howard isn’t allowed to stay in the minor league beyond this past year…having spent his allotted time there.

So yeah….keep watching this site for details, as many things HAVE to be decided in the next couple weeks. 🙂

At one point in college (circa 2002), while I was still trying to woo my future wife, I was searching for a spontaneous “thing” for us to do together. I hopped online, and began searching possibilities in the Chicago area. I decided heck, I’m trying to be romantic….why not just google “most romantic, restaurant, chicago” and see what happens?

So I did.

The result? I took Sarah to a random “fondue restaurant” in the Lincoln Park area named “Geja’s Cafe” We’d both heard of fondue before. It was that thing where you dip various foods in some melted cheese, and then after dinner you dip other random things in chocolate. It’s fun to do, but a mess to clean up/prepare for. So I was looking forward to this. She was surprised, as we walked down the stairs to enter this dimly lit, seemingly packed against fire-code, but still ridiculously great atmosphered restaurant with flaminco guitars playing and candles lit. BINGO. This was it.

The menu was/is pretty expensive. But when you’re in college, wooing the woman you want to convince to spend forever with you….no price is too high. We ordered an all inclusive dinner for two (appetizers, salads, dinner, dessert, drinks), and began to enjoy the cheese fondue as it came. Finally, dinner time arrived.

As our waiter brought a giant tray of RAW meat to our table, we became a bit confused. (it was our first fondue experience) We didn’t know you actually cook the meat piece by piece in flavored oil. But the dinner was amazing. Bite sized pieces of awesome quality steak, chicken, and seafood; with a TON of options for sauce dipping. You savor every piece, and have plenty of time for conversation. The chocolate fondue for dessert was every bit as good as the rest.

So why post a blog about this now, that seems to be an advertisement for the place? If you live near Chicago, and have the ability to go out without children – you NEED to eat here. Seriously. Best meal ever. And June 28th-July 4th they are celebrating 44 years, by giving you 44% off your food bill!!

So if you can go…go. But if not, at least now you know a place to take someone you’re wooing in the Chicago area. (a place in the Chicago area, not the person you’re wooing from the Chicago area, as if you have mutiple people you’re wooing in different areas.)