Friday, November 23, 2012
When you try to blog but dont have time!
SO.... I was really looking forward to doing this whole 30 day blogging thing, but honestly, there is no way I am going to have time. Between my Junior year of college, working full time, and trying to maintain the slightest ounce of a social life, I barely have time for sleep, much less blogging. Sorry readers... Today was Black Friday at Bass Pro. Enough Said. Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
30 days Until 12/21/12
November 21, 2012
Here we are, finally at the countdown Ethan. Ha, Mayan apocalypse. You know better than to even believe that stuff, being the God-fearing Christian you are, you know that the Lord himself is the only one who can bring about the end of days. Right? Right. The Mayans were good, but surely not THAT good. Heck, like everyone else has said, they couldn't even predict the Spanish coming, though in your Latin Civilization classes you've learned many truths about that situation. Such a lucrative thought: suddenly one month from today all live on Earth will cease to exist? Crazy. I just worry too much. Always have. Remember when you first heard of the Mayan apocalypse? Wow, what a different life that was.
-Summer 2002. A much younger, yet awesome Ethan "Awesome Sauce" Gregory is living in a yellow two story house on North Lincoln street in East Prairie. I actually remember this night as though it was yesterday. It was early June, school was out and I was up way later than I should have been watching a movie with Mom and Austin in the living room (Unless I am mistaken the film was Rose Red, my favorite horror flick). After the movie had ended Mom and Austin were asleep, as usual, so I decided to hook up the Antenna (back in my day we didnt have cable) and watch TV. KFVS Heartland News at 10 was on and I remember the two stories they ran. Those two stories scared the ever loving bejesus out of me. One was that an asteroid had been found and could collide with Earth in 2019 (No word on that since) and as a side joke Mary Ann Maloney said something to the affect of "We'll have to survive 2012 first" then went on to explain, very minimally, what was happening in 2012. I was terrified. I remember I stayed up all the rest of the night terrified that the world was ending. I remember thinking that 10 years was a long way away. Yet, here we are, ten years later and still none the wiser. I remember, though embarrassed now, that this was right around the time I set up my yahoo email account (skipper63845) and at the time Yahoo had an option to "send your future self an email" I remember that I sent myself an email to be delivered on 12/22/2012 and ir simply says "If your reading this, it means you lived through yesterday. Congratulations. Hope your life is as great as I hope it to be" Haha. Oh young, naive Ethan... So much to learn. [This is all actually very true]
Back to the present, I sit here at midnight on the eve of our one month to live mark. I reflect back and think how comical the situation is. This time next month I'm sure I'll be laughing about this whole ordeal and trying to look into the next apocalypse scare... Or will I? What if we die... What IF everything they say will happen, actually does happen? Is there any way to escape? Hmm... As of tonight I can say with confidence that I will probably not be with my family on 12/21/2012 due to my working schedule, but I would like to be off work. I do not want to die in my Bass Pro Polo! If I was going to die, I would have so much to do. So many things to say, so many burnt bridges to mend. Friendships to rekindle, loves to love, and jokes to laugh at. On the plus side, I wouldn't have to worry about bills or Christmas gifts right? *Sigh* Oh well, we have to keep our heads high and not dread what we cannot predict. Whether I am ready for it or not, December 21, 2012 will come and pass, let's just hope Planet Earth can handle it.
Countdown: 30 Days
Here we are, finally at the countdown Ethan. Ha, Mayan apocalypse. You know better than to even believe that stuff, being the God-fearing Christian you are, you know that the Lord himself is the only one who can bring about the end of days. Right? Right. The Mayans were good, but surely not THAT good. Heck, like everyone else has said, they couldn't even predict the Spanish coming, though in your Latin Civilization classes you've learned many truths about that situation. Such a lucrative thought: suddenly one month from today all live on Earth will cease to exist? Crazy. I just worry too much. Always have. Remember when you first heard of the Mayan apocalypse? Wow, what a different life that was.
-Summer 2002. A much younger, yet awesome Ethan "Awesome Sauce" Gregory is living in a yellow two story house on North Lincoln street in East Prairie. I actually remember this night as though it was yesterday. It was early June, school was out and I was up way later than I should have been watching a movie with Mom and Austin in the living room (Unless I am mistaken the film was Rose Red, my favorite horror flick). After the movie had ended Mom and Austin were asleep, as usual, so I decided to hook up the Antenna (back in my day we didnt have cable) and watch TV. KFVS Heartland News at 10 was on and I remember the two stories they ran. Those two stories scared the ever loving bejesus out of me. One was that an asteroid had been found and could collide with Earth in 2019 (No word on that since) and as a side joke Mary Ann Maloney said something to the affect of "We'll have to survive 2012 first" then went on to explain, very minimally, what was happening in 2012. I was terrified. I remember I stayed up all the rest of the night terrified that the world was ending. I remember thinking that 10 years was a long way away. Yet, here we are, ten years later and still none the wiser. I remember, though embarrassed now, that this was right around the time I set up my yahoo email account (skipper63845) and at the time Yahoo had an option to "send your future self an email" I remember that I sent myself an email to be delivered on 12/22/2012 and ir simply says "If your reading this, it means you lived through yesterday. Congratulations. Hope your life is as great as I hope it to be" Haha. Oh young, naive Ethan... So much to learn. [This is all actually very true]
Back to the present, I sit here at midnight on the eve of our one month to live mark. I reflect back and think how comical the situation is. This time next month I'm sure I'll be laughing about this whole ordeal and trying to look into the next apocalypse scare... Or will I? What if we die... What IF everything they say will happen, actually does happen? Is there any way to escape? Hmm... As of tonight I can say with confidence that I will probably not be with my family on 12/21/2012 due to my working schedule, but I would like to be off work. I do not want to die in my Bass Pro Polo! If I was going to die, I would have so much to do. So many things to say, so many burnt bridges to mend. Friendships to rekindle, loves to love, and jokes to laugh at. On the plus side, I wouldn't have to worry about bills or Christmas gifts right? *Sigh* Oh well, we have to keep our heads high and not dread what we cannot predict. Whether I am ready for it or not, December 21, 2012 will come and pass, let's just hope Planet Earth can handle it.
Countdown: 30 Days
What would you do if you only had 30 days to live?
Being the nerdy History student that I am, I have spent a great
deal of time studying the Mayan prophecy pertaining to the “End of the World”
on December 21, 2012. I have also spent time researching various methods and
the calendars of other indigenous tribes around the world, their various
doomsday predictions, and the outcomes of such. I, personally, am not under the impression
that the world is going to be ending in 30 days, but we never know. Apparently
people really think the world is going to end, and I mean, some interesting
stuff WILL be happening! The purpose of this new blog is to be a fictitious
account of a life in which I really only had 30 days to live. It will have some
basis in real life, but for the most part will be recounted in fiction. I will
include information about myself, personal memories pertaining to friends and
situations, and stories that will relate to my daily struggle. I plan to cover
my “Five Stages of Death” and my various ways of carrying out my last wishes as my “life”
comes to an end. I have not had the time to use my writing skills for anything
lately, so I feel as though this could be a good idea. Please feel free to
chime in. I would love to see some friends talking about their last days so
maybe our lives could interact. Much like an online-blog based Sims game.
Comments, suggestions, and criticisms are welcome, but please remember that
nobody likes a grammar Nazi (I will be doing this on my downtime, which I have
very little of, and I doubt I proofread each and every day). Hope you all enjoy
reading. May you all have a very blessed remainder of your lives.
30 Days Until 12/21/2012
Thursday, July 5, 2012
My Top Five Favorite and Quotable Movie Quotes!
Hello Readers! Hope you are all staying warm during this nation wide heat wave! What better way to beat the heat than by staying inside and enjoying a great film? Today's blog post is about my Top Five Favorite Movie Quotes of All Time! This one has been my favorite so far, because it has allowed me to relive some of my favorite moments in cinematic history! Now, these aren't the ones I think are the funniest, or the ones I think are the most inspirational, but simply my top 5 favorites. I also give a little background and include links to view the exact quotes in their respective films! We all watch and enjoy movies and we all have our favorites! Please take the time to also watch each clip as you go along! Happy reading, watching, and listening!
1) The Cat in the Hat. The live action version with Mike Myers. I know this movie has been ridiculed and is often made out to be one of the worst Dr. Seuss movies ever made, but honestly it is one of my all time favorite movies. For years now I have been quoting this movie in everyday life, most common phrases being "Oh yeah!" and "The Kup-Kakinator" or the entire Infomercial scene... I even catch myself singing the FUN song when I am bored! Overall, a great movie full of some hilarious quotes. In fact, now that I'm writing this, I just put it in and am laughing like I'm seeing it for the first time. Honestly, one of my all time favorites! Listen to and Watch my favorite quotes from The Cat in the Hat here!
2) Star Wars. I know this is kind of cliche, because everyone quotes Star Wars, but I am always talking backwards like Yoda or something. On a daily basis I find myself humming the Imperial march whenever someone I do not like is walking towards me! And I ALWAYS find a reason to act like I have a light saber. Oh.. And I'm always "using the force" on something! Haha! Especially traffic lights... That's always my thing! One of my favorite quotes comes from Star Wars: “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Click here to view a clip with the Yoda quote!
3) Lord of the Rings. Anyone who has spent any amount of time with me knows that Gandalf is one of my favorite characters of all time. If ever someone is in my way, or trying to get around me, I always shout "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" Haha. Let's just say I liked Gandalf so much that he was my Halloween costume.. Complete with staff... With that being said, you can bet that there was A LOT of "you shall not pass" being said that night! Check out the scene, complete with quote here!
Me as Galdalf the Grey, Halloween 2011------>
4) The Simpsons Movie. A great movie modeled after my all time favorite TV show. I have grown up with the Simpsons and I remember the excitement I felt about watching them on the Silver Screen was so great that I could barely contain myself. I was way more excited for this than I ever was a Harry Potter movie! And that is saying something! I own all the Season Sets and even have Simpsons Puzzle balls, a Homer Simpson telephone, and a Simpsons remote control! I'm a big fan... Anyway. This movie, man, I can quote nearly the entire thing! I love the "Thank you Boob-Lady" part and honestly there isn't any point in naming all my favorite parts. The clip I have included in this is my favorite part of anything that has to do with the Simpsons: the climatic end of the film. Featuring my all-time favorite quote from Marge Simpson (the quite, polite, and All-American Matriarch of the clan). Although I absolutely hate and NEVER take the Lord's name in vain, Marge saying what she does honestly is probably one of the best lines in cinematic history. I did NOT see it coming! Please view clip at your discretion! Click here to see the dramatic climax to the movie! The Quote in question can be found at the 1:50 mark!
5) Shrek Series. Honestly, need I say more? One of the most successful film franchises ever and definitely a defining one for my generation. Of course it is going to have some awesome quotes in it. The best of the movies (2,1, and 4; in that order) have some quotes that leave me rolling with laughter. First off, the muffin man scene from Shrek 1 has to be one of my all time favorites. I remember that after this movie came out, my little brother Austin and I would spend hours reciting this scene alternating between who was Farquaad and who was Gingy! From Shrek 2 (My favorite CGI-Animated film of all time) the ending scene where Fairy Godmother sings "I Need a Hero" while Shrek and his gang stop Fiona from kissing Prince Charming is amazing! This scene also introduces my favorite Shrek character: Mongo. From his Godzilla roar to his "be good" as he falls (seemingly to his death) make his debut and like 10 minute appearance in the Shrek saga an amazing one! My last favorite quote from Shrek comes from Shrek: 4Ever After. Where the Chef Ogre makes his stance on his Chimichanga stand being involved in the ogre assault. Talk about funny! Click here for the Interrogating Gingy scene from Shrek! Click here for the Mongo scene from Shrek 2! Amazing piece of cinema! Click here for the Chimichanga stand quote! (I tried to make a picture with me having Shrek ears but it didn't work, oh well! Haha!
Hope you all have enjoyed yet another insight into my life! What are some of your favorite movie quotes? Let me know in the comments below or feel free to message me with you thoughts! Until next time readers, stay cool (literally)!
1) The Cat in the Hat. The live action version with Mike Myers. I know this movie has been ridiculed and is often made out to be one of the worst Dr. Seuss movies ever made, but honestly it is one of my all time favorite movies. For years now I have been quoting this movie in everyday life, most common phrases being "Oh yeah!" and "The Kup-Kakinator" or the entire Infomercial scene... I even catch myself singing the FUN song when I am bored! Overall, a great movie full of some hilarious quotes. In fact, now that I'm writing this, I just put it in and am laughing like I'm seeing it for the first time. Honestly, one of my all time favorites! Listen to and Watch my favorite quotes from The Cat in the Hat here! 2) Star Wars. I know this is kind of cliche, because everyone quotes Star Wars, but I am always talking backwards like Yoda or something. On a daily basis I find myself humming the Imperial march whenever someone I do not like is walking towards me! And I ALWAYS find a reason to act like I have a light saber. Oh.. And I'm always "using the force" on something! Haha! Especially traffic lights... That's always my thing! One of my favorite quotes comes from Star Wars: “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Click here to view a clip with the Yoda quote!
3) Lord of the Rings. Anyone who has spent any amount of time with me knows that Gandalf is one of my favorite characters of all time. If ever someone is in my way, or trying to get around me, I always shout "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" Haha. Let's just say I liked Gandalf so much that he was my Halloween costume.. Complete with staff... With that being said, you can bet that there was A LOT of "you shall not pass" being said that night! Check out the scene, complete with quote here!
Me as Galdalf the Grey, Halloween 2011------>
4) The Simpsons Movie. A great movie modeled after my all time favorite TV show. I have grown up with the Simpsons and I remember the excitement I felt about watching them on the Silver Screen was so great that I could barely contain myself. I was way more excited for this than I ever was a Harry Potter movie! And that is saying something! I own all the Season Sets and even have Simpsons Puzzle balls, a Homer Simpson telephone, and a Simpsons remote control! I'm a big fan... Anyway. This movie, man, I can quote nearly the entire thing! I love the "Thank you Boob-Lady" part and honestly there isn't any point in naming all my favorite parts. The clip I have included in this is my favorite part of anything that has to do with the Simpsons: the climatic end of the film. Featuring my all-time favorite quote from Marge Simpson (the quite, polite, and All-American Matriarch of the clan). Although I absolutely hate and NEVER take the Lord's name in vain, Marge saying what she does honestly is probably one of the best lines in cinematic history. I did NOT see it coming! Please view clip at your discretion! Click here to see the dramatic climax to the movie! The Quote in question can be found at the 1:50 mark!
5) Shrek Series. Honestly, need I say more? One of the most successful film franchises ever and definitely a defining one for my generation. Of course it is going to have some awesome quotes in it. The best of the movies (2,1, and 4; in that order) have some quotes that leave me rolling with laughter. First off, the muffin man scene from Shrek 1 has to be one of my all time favorites. I remember that after this movie came out, my little brother Austin and I would spend hours reciting this scene alternating between who was Farquaad and who was Gingy! From Shrek 2 (My favorite CGI-Animated film of all time) the ending scene where Fairy Godmother sings "I Need a Hero" while Shrek and his gang stop Fiona from kissing Prince Charming is amazing! This scene also introduces my favorite Shrek character: Mongo. From his Godzilla roar to his "be good" as he falls (seemingly to his death) make his debut and like 10 minute appearance in the Shrek saga an amazing one! My last favorite quote from Shrek comes from Shrek: 4Ever After. Where the Chef Ogre makes his stance on his Chimichanga stand being involved in the ogre assault. Talk about funny! Click here for the Interrogating Gingy scene from Shrek! Click here for the Mongo scene from Shrek 2! Amazing piece of cinema! Click here for the Chimichanga stand quote! (I tried to make a picture with me having Shrek ears but it didn't work, oh well! Haha!
Hope you all have enjoyed yet another insight into my life! What are some of your favorite movie quotes? Let me know in the comments below or feel free to message me with you thoughts! Until next time readers, stay cool (literally)!
Monday, June 25, 2012
Day One: My Tope 5 Favorite Excuses
In the life of Ethan "Awesome Sauce" Gregory, I hear a lot of excuses and I give a lot of excuses. I have honestly never put much thought into my five favorites, but let's see how far along I could get with this list! This could be one's I like to use, or one's I like to hear! Here we go!
- "There must be a mistake at the bank" OR "I know I have money on that card, it must just be going bad". In the sad true world of retail, this is an excuse I hear more than I would like to. Let's all be honest here, I am sure most of us have had that completely embarrassing moment when we have gotten to the register's to check out, only to realize that we either have forgotten our money, or that we do not have enough. Yet, we still put ourselves through the ordeal of having to explain the situation to someone. These excuses are usually pretty funny when used on me at the registers at work, because I know from experience that more times than often, the bank is USUALLY right. There is generally not a mistake at the bank... If you just tried to spend $500 and you know you only have $450 in your account, your card will not go through. Similarly, if your card won't go through, it isn't the card's fault, again: you have NO money! Get out of the line people!
- "The computer wouldn't let me do it!" Maybe I like this one so much because I am a very computer literate person. Maybe I like this one because I like watching people make idiots of themselves. Either way, I like this one. Why? Well, (Old, virus ridden computers excluded) computers do not have minds of their own. Oftentimes, the problem is not with your machine, the problem is with your operator. Don't tell me you don't have something on your computer when you just don't know what it is. Or even worse, don't act like you are computer literate when you barely know how to turn the thing on. That fires me up. There is no shame in admitting that you do not know how to do something. Ask someone, in today's day and age, finding someone who is computer literate is not a hard task.
- "I couldn't get a hold of ____" OR"____ wouldn't answer the phone" OR "_____ they said he/she was out until next week" Bottom line? You didn't call. Face it. Admit it. You didn't call, you did not try to call, and you never had any intention of calling. Why do I know this? Because I knew you had no intention of doing so, so I took the liberty of calling them myself, and they answered on the first ring. Laziness. I have noticed a reoccurring theme in my generation: we are scared to talk to people. Even doing something as simple as ordering a pizza over the phone is seen as a daunting task to people my age. I do not understand this... The phone is not a weapon, if things get rough, you can always hang up! My friends always look at me in awe when I call a complete stranger and have no problem bombarding them with questions. I love people and it does not bother me to ask them questions that I need the answers to. I can proudly attribute this trait to my father. During my years of accompanying him on the truck, he would often hand me his phone and tell me to call someone and find out some information for him. I did not often times like it, but I know now that I have learned a valuable trait. Mist people wait for their parents to call someone for them or wont even go somewhere alone, because they do not want to have to be the talker, but the bottom line is we all have to grow up and take care of our own problems eventually.
- "I can't come into work/ go to class today because: _________" I did not fill in the blank here because honestly, I have heard and read them all. The only good excuses are sickness (legit sick), births, and death. Aside from that I do not care what your excuse is. Especially if you are suppose to be there and your absence is letting someone down. Primarily at work, you are getting paid to do said job, just get up there and do it. When it comes to college I am usually laughing at excuses. Professors DO NOT care about your excuses, if your there, good for you, if not, oh well. They get a paycheck no matter what. And honestly, you don't go to class, you are honestly just wasting your own money.
- "My parent's wont let me..." is another of my favorites. This is usually just an excuse to blame your parents for something that you don't want to do. Honestly, this excuse works for anyone under the age of oh I don't know 16? But I just LOVE it when people my age and older use that one. Look people, it's time to grow up. If you can't do anything for yourself, you just do not deserve your freedom. Go move back in with Mommy and Daddy if your that dependent. As previously stated in a blog, I have a HUGE problem with people who live off of their parents. Both financially and emotionally. Like all mammals, we are meant to be raised and pushed from the nest (then occasionally come visit, drop off the grandkids, and then pick a respectable home to drop your Mother in when she becomes too much to handle [Sorry Melissa, if your good, I'll letcha pick your own]). But if your "out on your own" you should not be letting your parents control your life. Unfortunately I see this ALL the time and it drives me up the wall. Sorry I'm not sorry if this makes someone mad. Grow up! This being said, of course there are exceptions to the rule. If your still in school, by all means life with your parents. I'm not saying there aren't reasonable excuses to use this excuse, but in all honesty: let's grow up here people.
I finally found one I like!
Good morning readers! As I promised, I have done much searching and have finally found a blog challenge that fit my criteria. Finding one that wasn't too girly, was not X-Rated, or one that had interesting topics has proved to be much more difficult than I intended! I probably will not be doing these in any particular order, nor will I be finishing this in a mere 30 days... I do have a life people! But, I hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I will writing it! Thanks!
Monday, June 4, 2012
10 People I Would Meet
Happy Monday readers! Hope you all are having a wonderful first week of June! I've had a VERY busy week and am just not getting some free time for another blog post. Tonight's topic is: 10 People I Would Meet. Now these ten people can be living or dead. I chose this topic because I got the idea off another trending topic on Twitter the other night. You may be asking: where is #50ThingsILove? Well... That post is proving to be much more difficult than I anticipated! So, I have put it on the back burner for the time being. As I said, tonight's ten people can be living or dead and from all walks of life. I would like to point out that this is isn't full of celebrities. I have way too many influential celebrities and I plan on making that a post in and of itself. This list is solely people I want to meet and my reasons for wanting to meet them. Without further adieu, here we go:
1) Dr. Hawley Crippen. Many of you probably have absolutely no idea who this is. Well, crash course version: he was a doctor that supposedly killed his Broadway star wife. He was convicted and hanged back in 1910. His case was very unique because it was the first ever case to ever involve forensic evidence (although it has proved to be controversial) and also he was the first person to ever be captured via wireless communications (he was arrested while on board a ship crossing the Atlantic, coming to America). Although this seems boring, back a few years ago, the University of Michigan reviewed his case and all the scientific evidence that was given and declared the evidence incorrect. Dr. Crippen could have very well been an innocent man, and was hung for something he may not have done. By all accounts, Hawley Crippen was an amazing doctor and a great man. Why do I care? Well, I have done a lot of research on this topic and the story is truly fascinating. I was first drawn to this topic years ago in a book I read for school about Forensic Anthropology (long before CSI and Bones made it popular) and every since I have been very deeply interested in his story. There is a great PBS documentary out there about him and I will include a link to watch it here. Dr. Crippen and his story have also proved to be very influential to me, it was partially his story that drew me first to a career in Law and now to a career in Anthropology. It is truly amazing what science can do. It is a goal for me to one day visit his resting site in England to pay my respects. Regardless of whether he is guilty or not, I find this story to be great. I would love to meet him face to face and learn more about his story. Seeing as his story has played such an important role in my life, I have often expressed interest in someday naming my son Hawley in his memory. A little morbid, I know, but without the influence of this man's story, my life could be taking a very different approach now. This link will take you to the PBS documentary that I wrote about! Enjoy!
2) Gregory Maguire. As anyone who knows about my love of all things Oz will tell you, Gregory Maguire is probably my favorite author of all time. He currently is the "only name in Ozian Literature these days". I know what you may be thinking, my favorite author? What about... any other mainstream author out there? Or even Mr. L. Frank Baum himself, creator of the Land of Oz over 100 years ago? Well, to anyone who has sat down and had the pleasure of enjoying one of Maguire's novels, that would not be a question. Gregory Maguire is author of the popular Wicked Years Series, the most popular of which being Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which served as inspiration for the Tony Award winning and record smashing musical Wicked. Mr. Maguire's books are full of inspiring quotes and are a definite page turner. My whole life I have been obsessed with that land "over the rainbow", yet most books and novels in the Ozian Canon are geared towards children. Maguire saw that and completely turned the Oz we all know and love on its head and created a very complex society with more than just Munchkins and Witches. A land of political unrest, raging wars, and suppression of entire groups of people and creatures: this Oz is not one for the faint of heart. Best of all, Maguire and his characters are easy to relate to. Oz isn't the only feat that Maguire has tackled, he has also spun many fairy tales such as Snow White, Cinderella, and Rumpelstiltskin into complex and adult novels. In my opinion Gregory Maguire is the best author today and definitely deserves any and all accolades he has coming his way. I have read that nowadays he is a professor at a college on the East coast and I would find it probably the greatest honor in my life to meet my favorite author in the flesh. I can only imagine what conversations we could have. I would love to pick up the Oz Canon where he left off and continue to write myself.
3) Stan Lee. Of course Stan Lee had to make the list. In case any of you do not know (I honestly do not know how someone could NOT know), Stan Lee is the founder and creator of Marvel Comics. I am probably the biggest comic book and Marvel Universe fan you will ever meet. I can tell you about 90% of the characters, who they are, what they do, anything you want to know. This man is definitely an idol of mine. Also at age 89, he is STILL alive and kicking. Although is no longer writes, he remains very active within the Marvel Universe he created by overseeing all cinematic works on his characters. Anyone who has seen a Marvel movie can attest to the fact that they are amazing (except for that 2003 version of The Hulk, but that's a different story). Anyways, Stan lee definitely has it going on and I would love to pick his brain and hear some of his amazing stories.
4) Joseph Kennedy. Note that this says Joseph Kennedy and not John F. Kennedy. Joseph Kennedy was the father of JFK who had quite the story of his own. I am not going to bore anyone with the details of his life, but he is definitely an important person in American history. Without his influence, American politics would be nothing like they are today. He is also patriarch to probably the closest thing we have to a "Royal" family in America. That in itself would be reason enough to want to get to know him. Anyone with free time should definitely check out "The Kennedy's" Miniseries that was broadcast through the History Channel a few years ago. It definitely opened my eyes to some things. Great Era of American History.
5) Stephen Schwartz (Composer), Stephen Sondheim, Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rogers, or Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. These men are all excellent play writers, lyricists, directors, producers, composers and just about the best things to happen to the world of Theatre in its history without a doubt. Between the five of them they have been responsible for nearly every single play or musical I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Wicked, Phantom, West Side Story, Jesus Christ Superstar, Oklahoma, and and endless amount of others have all been created in some way thanks to these men. Although some are West End and some are Broadway, there is no doubt in my mind that if these 5 men were to have ever been in the same room, the world would have never been the same. Their creation would have been something of legend. I know many of you reading this are not fans of Theatre, but honestly: you do not know what you are missing.
6) Queen Elizabeth II. This one should be a no brainer, who DOESN'T want to meet the Queen of England? Coming from a kid who will have his name in lights and a crowd surrounding him one day, knowing the Queen would probably be a good resource! Haha! In all seriousness, although the Royal family may not have any reigning power these days, their influence is immense. I remember a few years ago when the President presented the Queen with a Gold-Plated Nintendo Wii for her birthday. Honestly, who does that? I deserve a Gold Wii... Crazy! And again, at the ripe old age of 86, she still finds time to do her work and still wear those crazy hats on her head. That will definitely be what I remember this queen for. She has been through a lot in her life time, wars, struggles, and great successes, yet she still represents her people well. This is why she has made the list. Click here to check out that Gold-Plated Wii the Queen received!
7) Roger Ebert. The acclaimed movie critic. The first person to win the Pulitzer Prize for movie reviewing. He has been knowing for his reviews since the 1960s. He is revered world-wide for his opinions. It is him that movie directors aim to please. That is a pretty huge deal! This man has probably seen just about every movie I can think of. In fact, he gets paid to watch movies, how cool is that? As a film history buff myself, I find myself reading his notes a lot of times when doing personal research. In 2002 Ebert was diagnosed with crippling Thyroid cancer which has left his speech riddled. He has yet to stop writing though. I remember when I saw his interview on Oprah a few years ago and I found it to be truly inspiring. Never give up on your dreams! Click this link to see the 60 Minutes interview with Roger Ebert. Truly Inspiring! Just another reason to hate cancer, what a horrible thing to happen to a person!
8) Yuri Gargarin. The first man to ever venture into the great unknown. The first man to enter Space. Although today this is not a big deal at all, I can only imagine what this man experienced when he orbited the Earth for the first time back in 1961. Little was known about space, what was there, what wasn't there. not only did he survive his trip, he came back to Earth and continued to work with the Russian Space Agency to develop technology to better suit Space travel. Although this signified a huge leap for Russia in the Space Race, we bested them by landing on the mood a decade later. Take that Russia! Honestly though, this man could not have been calm during his trip and I bet he had some amazing stories. Although he dies in 1968, I would have loved to meet him (although learning Russian for a single conversation may have proved difficult). He was truly a trailblazer. I first learned of Mr. Gargarin and his story when I had the great pleasure of attending Space Camp many years ago. It was a once in a lifetime experience and I have carried the knowledge I learned that week with me my entire life. I wish I could go again now that I am older and could better understand it all.
9) Amerigo Vespucci. This man was the true discoverer of America. Screw off Christopher Columbus. This man had it going on. Not only did he discover the American continents before Columbus, he was the first to propose and prove, that America was NOT the West Indies and that this New World was, in fact, new and not just a newly discovered part of the Asian continent. I don't know why I want to meet him, I just know that he deserves some credit and a high five from Ethan "Awesome Sauce" Gregory may be the best that I can do. Although, explaining the concept of a high five to a fifteenth century Italian explorer may be more trouble than its worth. At any rate, there you have it folks, Amerigo Vespucci.
10) Pope John Paul II. Finally we have made it to number ten. As many of you know, I am not of the Catholic faith and frankly am very confused with Catholicism. I have done studies and taken a class on the subject and I do find the mysterious allure of the Catholic religion to be very interesting and I am drawn to it. The single most mysterious position to have in the world in the one of the Pope. Honestly, what does any of us know about the Pope? Very little. What does he do? How do his schedules look? What's with the ring? And the hat for that mater. Does he really get to talk to God? What secrets of the world does he possess? Why can't we know the secrets of if the Pope and what goes on in Vatican City? Honestly, these questions have puzzled me for years. If I could do anything in the world it was be to shadow the Pope for a few days. Sure he prays and stuff, but I want to know of his personal life. Such a great honor that would be. I could probably write a book about the Pope and one day I would love to meet the Pope. But that doesn't answer why I have selected John Paul II. Of all the Pope in history, he seems to have been the coolest. The most down to Earth and popular among the people. And I hear he was a Madonna fan, good to know right? Who doesn't love to rock out to the Big Mo? Haha! His charity record is extremely impressive and from what I have read, he had the most interesting life story. Its a good feeling to know that a man so close to God can still be keeping it real here on Earth. Even though he passed on a few years ago, I would have loved to meet him back in the day. I bet he had some stories to tell. And who knows, maybe he would have let he wear the hat and take the Popemobile for a loop!
Well, there you have my top ten. Although my list was a whole bunch longer I had to narrow it down so this post wasn't forever and three days long. I feel like there are a few more who just missed the cut and should be recognized in a short paragraph though. People who barely missed the list include:
11) Pope Gregory XIII. The man responsible for enacting the Gregorian Calendar. The 12 month, 365 day calendar that we have been using for four hundred years. It seems to be working out much better than any other method. Changing the calendar is a pretty big deal, can you inagine having that kind of power? I sure cant. Also, the man shares my name! I am sure the family name was influenced by a Pope Gregory at some point in history and if it was this one, I would definitely be honored to share!
12) Ub Iwerks. The true creator of Mickey Mouse. He is the one that gave the idea to Walt Disney, who never credited him for the creation. For all of you who consider yourself Disney fans, you should definitely check out the documentary The Hand Behind The Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story, your mind will be blown, no doubt. I would love to have had a conversation with this man, again, it would have been amazing. He seriously deserves a handshake (and a check from Walt Disney)! Click here for information about the documentary I mentioned!
13) Steven Spielberg. One of the greatest movie directors of all time. End of story. What an honor it would be to meet this man. Hands down, no information needed. He has definitely secured himself a place on the shelves of history!
By no means is this list in ANY particular order, nor is it a complete list of everyone I would like to meet throughout history. These are people who I have found to be of particular interest and that I would find it to be a great pleasure to meet. At any rate, to have any of these names in my personal Rolodex would be a great accomplishment for any small town guy with big dreams like me!
Hope you guys enjoyed another insight into the mind of Ethan "Awesome Sauce" Gregory! I look forward to your responses and thoughts on the subjects I have posted! As always, Happy Readings and thanks for taking the time to read it guys!
1) Dr. Hawley Crippen. Many of you probably have absolutely no idea who this is. Well, crash course version: he was a doctor that supposedly killed his Broadway star wife. He was convicted and hanged back in 1910. His case was very unique because it was the first ever case to ever involve forensic evidence (although it has proved to be controversial) and also he was the first person to ever be captured via wireless communications (he was arrested while on board a ship crossing the Atlantic, coming to America). Although this seems boring, back a few years ago, the University of Michigan reviewed his case and all the scientific evidence that was given and declared the evidence incorrect. Dr. Crippen could have very well been an innocent man, and was hung for something he may not have done. By all accounts, Hawley Crippen was an amazing doctor and a great man. Why do I care? Well, I have done a lot of research on this topic and the story is truly fascinating. I was first drawn to this topic years ago in a book I read for school about Forensic Anthropology (long before CSI and Bones made it popular) and every since I have been very deeply interested in his story. There is a great PBS documentary out there about him and I will include a link to watch it here. Dr. Crippen and his story have also proved to be very influential to me, it was partially his story that drew me first to a career in Law and now to a career in Anthropology. It is truly amazing what science can do. It is a goal for me to one day visit his resting site in England to pay my respects. Regardless of whether he is guilty or not, I find this story to be great. I would love to meet him face to face and learn more about his story. Seeing as his story has played such an important role in my life, I have often expressed interest in someday naming my son Hawley in his memory. A little morbid, I know, but without the influence of this man's story, my life could be taking a very different approach now. This link will take you to the PBS documentary that I wrote about! Enjoy!
2) Gregory Maguire. As anyone who knows about my love of all things Oz will tell you, Gregory Maguire is probably my favorite author of all time. He currently is the "only name in Ozian Literature these days". I know what you may be thinking, my favorite author? What about... any other mainstream author out there? Or even Mr. L. Frank Baum himself, creator of the Land of Oz over 100 years ago? Well, to anyone who has sat down and had the pleasure of enjoying one of Maguire's novels, that would not be a question. Gregory Maguire is author of the popular Wicked Years Series, the most popular of which being Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which served as inspiration for the Tony Award winning and record smashing musical Wicked. Mr. Maguire's books are full of inspiring quotes and are a definite page turner. My whole life I have been obsessed with that land "over the rainbow", yet most books and novels in the Ozian Canon are geared towards children. Maguire saw that and completely turned the Oz we all know and love on its head and created a very complex society with more than just Munchkins and Witches. A land of political unrest, raging wars, and suppression of entire groups of people and creatures: this Oz is not one for the faint of heart. Best of all, Maguire and his characters are easy to relate to. Oz isn't the only feat that Maguire has tackled, he has also spun many fairy tales such as Snow White, Cinderella, and Rumpelstiltskin into complex and adult novels. In my opinion Gregory Maguire is the best author today and definitely deserves any and all accolades he has coming his way. I have read that nowadays he is a professor at a college on the East coast and I would find it probably the greatest honor in my life to meet my favorite author in the flesh. I can only imagine what conversations we could have. I would love to pick up the Oz Canon where he left off and continue to write myself.
3) Stan Lee. Of course Stan Lee had to make the list. In case any of you do not know (I honestly do not know how someone could NOT know), Stan Lee is the founder and creator of Marvel Comics. I am probably the biggest comic book and Marvel Universe fan you will ever meet. I can tell you about 90% of the characters, who they are, what they do, anything you want to know. This man is definitely an idol of mine. Also at age 89, he is STILL alive and kicking. Although is no longer writes, he remains very active within the Marvel Universe he created by overseeing all cinematic works on his characters. Anyone who has seen a Marvel movie can attest to the fact that they are amazing (except for that 2003 version of The Hulk, but that's a different story). Anyways, Stan lee definitely has it going on and I would love to pick his brain and hear some of his amazing stories.
4) Joseph Kennedy. Note that this says Joseph Kennedy and not John F. Kennedy. Joseph Kennedy was the father of JFK who had quite the story of his own. I am not going to bore anyone with the details of his life, but he is definitely an important person in American history. Without his influence, American politics would be nothing like they are today. He is also patriarch to probably the closest thing we have to a "Royal" family in America. That in itself would be reason enough to want to get to know him. Anyone with free time should definitely check out "The Kennedy's" Miniseries that was broadcast through the History Channel a few years ago. It definitely opened my eyes to some things. Great Era of American History.
5) Stephen Schwartz (Composer), Stephen Sondheim, Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rogers, or Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. These men are all excellent play writers, lyricists, directors, producers, composers and just about the best things to happen to the world of Theatre in its history without a doubt. Between the five of them they have been responsible for nearly every single play or musical I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Wicked, Phantom, West Side Story, Jesus Christ Superstar, Oklahoma, and and endless amount of others have all been created in some way thanks to these men. Although some are West End and some are Broadway, there is no doubt in my mind that if these 5 men were to have ever been in the same room, the world would have never been the same. Their creation would have been something of legend. I know many of you reading this are not fans of Theatre, but honestly: you do not know what you are missing.
6) Queen Elizabeth II. This one should be a no brainer, who DOESN'T want to meet the Queen of England? Coming from a kid who will have his name in lights and a crowd surrounding him one day, knowing the Queen would probably be a good resource! Haha! In all seriousness, although the Royal family may not have any reigning power these days, their influence is immense. I remember a few years ago when the President presented the Queen with a Gold-Plated Nintendo Wii for her birthday. Honestly, who does that? I deserve a Gold Wii... Crazy! And again, at the ripe old age of 86, she still finds time to do her work and still wear those crazy hats on her head. That will definitely be what I remember this queen for. She has been through a lot in her life time, wars, struggles, and great successes, yet she still represents her people well. This is why she has made the list. Click here to check out that Gold-Plated Wii the Queen received!
7) Roger Ebert. The acclaimed movie critic. The first person to win the Pulitzer Prize for movie reviewing. He has been knowing for his reviews since the 1960s. He is revered world-wide for his opinions. It is him that movie directors aim to please. That is a pretty huge deal! This man has probably seen just about every movie I can think of. In fact, he gets paid to watch movies, how cool is that? As a film history buff myself, I find myself reading his notes a lot of times when doing personal research. In 2002 Ebert was diagnosed with crippling Thyroid cancer which has left his speech riddled. He has yet to stop writing though. I remember when I saw his interview on Oprah a few years ago and I found it to be truly inspiring. Never give up on your dreams! Click this link to see the 60 Minutes interview with Roger Ebert. Truly Inspiring! Just another reason to hate cancer, what a horrible thing to happen to a person!
8) Yuri Gargarin. The first man to ever venture into the great unknown. The first man to enter Space. Although today this is not a big deal at all, I can only imagine what this man experienced when he orbited the Earth for the first time back in 1961. Little was known about space, what was there, what wasn't there. not only did he survive his trip, he came back to Earth and continued to work with the Russian Space Agency to develop technology to better suit Space travel. Although this signified a huge leap for Russia in the Space Race, we bested them by landing on the mood a decade later. Take that Russia! Honestly though, this man could not have been calm during his trip and I bet he had some amazing stories. Although he dies in 1968, I would have loved to meet him (although learning Russian for a single conversation may have proved difficult). He was truly a trailblazer. I first learned of Mr. Gargarin and his story when I had the great pleasure of attending Space Camp many years ago. It was a once in a lifetime experience and I have carried the knowledge I learned that week with me my entire life. I wish I could go again now that I am older and could better understand it all.
9) Amerigo Vespucci. This man was the true discoverer of America. Screw off Christopher Columbus. This man had it going on. Not only did he discover the American continents before Columbus, he was the first to propose and prove, that America was NOT the West Indies and that this New World was, in fact, new and not just a newly discovered part of the Asian continent. I don't know why I want to meet him, I just know that he deserves some credit and a high five from Ethan "Awesome Sauce" Gregory may be the best that I can do. Although, explaining the concept of a high five to a fifteenth century Italian explorer may be more trouble than its worth. At any rate, there you have it folks, Amerigo Vespucci.
10) Pope John Paul II. Finally we have made it to number ten. As many of you know, I am not of the Catholic faith and frankly am very confused with Catholicism. I have done studies and taken a class on the subject and I do find the mysterious allure of the Catholic religion to be very interesting and I am drawn to it. The single most mysterious position to have in the world in the one of the Pope. Honestly, what does any of us know about the Pope? Very little. What does he do? How do his schedules look? What's with the ring? And the hat for that mater. Does he really get to talk to God? What secrets of the world does he possess? Why can't we know the secrets of if the Pope and what goes on in Vatican City? Honestly, these questions have puzzled me for years. If I could do anything in the world it was be to shadow the Pope for a few days. Sure he prays and stuff, but I want to know of his personal life. Such a great honor that would be. I could probably write a book about the Pope and one day I would love to meet the Pope. But that doesn't answer why I have selected John Paul II. Of all the Pope in history, he seems to have been the coolest. The most down to Earth and popular among the people. And I hear he was a Madonna fan, good to know right? Who doesn't love to rock out to the Big Mo? Haha! His charity record is extremely impressive and from what I have read, he had the most interesting life story. Its a good feeling to know that a man so close to God can still be keeping it real here on Earth. Even though he passed on a few years ago, I would have loved to meet him back in the day. I bet he had some stories to tell. And who knows, maybe he would have let he wear the hat and take the Popemobile for a loop!
Well, there you have my top ten. Although my list was a whole bunch longer I had to narrow it down so this post wasn't forever and three days long. I feel like there are a few more who just missed the cut and should be recognized in a short paragraph though. People who barely missed the list include:
11) Pope Gregory XIII. The man responsible for enacting the Gregorian Calendar. The 12 month, 365 day calendar that we have been using for four hundred years. It seems to be working out much better than any other method. Changing the calendar is a pretty big deal, can you inagine having that kind of power? I sure cant. Also, the man shares my name! I am sure the family name was influenced by a Pope Gregory at some point in history and if it was this one, I would definitely be honored to share!
12) Ub Iwerks. The true creator of Mickey Mouse. He is the one that gave the idea to Walt Disney, who never credited him for the creation. For all of you who consider yourself Disney fans, you should definitely check out the documentary The Hand Behind The Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story, your mind will be blown, no doubt. I would love to have had a conversation with this man, again, it would have been amazing. He seriously deserves a handshake (and a check from Walt Disney)! Click here for information about the documentary I mentioned!
13) Steven Spielberg. One of the greatest movie directors of all time. End of story. What an honor it would be to meet this man. Hands down, no information needed. He has definitely secured himself a place on the shelves of history!
By no means is this list in ANY particular order, nor is it a complete list of everyone I would like to meet throughout history. These are people who I have found to be of particular interest and that I would find it to be a great pleasure to meet. At any rate, to have any of these names in my personal Rolodex would be a great accomplishment for any small town guy with big dreams like me!
Hope you guys enjoyed another insight into the mind of Ethan "Awesome Sauce" Gregory! I look forward to your responses and thoughts on the subjects I have posted! As always, Happy Readings and thanks for taking the time to read it guys!
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