A penny for my thoughts...

I am overwhelmed with posting ideas. I need to update everyone on recent events, give opinions on certain items, and maybe even review a movie. Because of such a bottleneck of ideas, and the lack of posting on a regular basis, I'm going to just stick a bunch of things together. The end result will be a hodgepodge post. Let the potpourri of topics begin.

Trip to Indy
Family Time - We had a family picture taken for the first time in several years. All in all it was good, and made the momma happy. As a rule of thumb in the Johnson clan, when the mom's happy, everyone's happy. I was also able to spend time with my brother, parents, and sister. Everyone got a piece...and all were satisfied.

The Brickyard - As always, my family and I attend the Brickyard 400. Sadly, this year was a little different than most due to some terrible tire issues. Goodyear did not do their homework, and brought a tire that simply tore up and was gone after 5-10 laps. The result was NASCAR throwing competitions yellows (cautions) every 11 laps. It was needed for safety purposes. During the short green flag runs, the racing was extremely good (likely due to keeping the field bunched up, and the frequency of adjustments to the cars). I still had a good time with it.


Friends - I was able to meet up with a couple of friends. Basically, two of the three that I try to meet up with whenever I return to town. Everyone seems well, and it was a good time to hang out. Also, babies can be cute...when they're not yours.

Hot Temperatures - Denver is in the midst of a record heat streak. 20 days (and counting) of days with a high over 90 degrees. Several days have hit 100+. And there is no cool down in site. The temps through the weekend are supposed to be near 100 again. It's bloody hot...but its a dry heat.

Energy/Oil Prices - There has been a lot of propaganda flying about trying to blame a specific political party with the price of high gas prices. A lot from Republicans blaming the current Democratic congress. While this Congress hasn't done much in general, they also aren't responsible for the rising price of gas. A poor economy (falling value of the dollar) and war in the middle east are very major contributing factors, the likes of which blame cannot be placed on a single entity. Interestingly, gas prices have done nothing but rise while Bush has been in office (even with a Republican Congress for 6 of those years), yet it is somehow the current Congress' fault. Then there is the propaganda that offshore drilling will lower prices now. I'm under the impression that it will take several years to get production from offshore oil facilities to the level needed to significantly change oil prices. Regardless, gas is expensive, likely wont' fall, and is probably the fault of all parties involved (Rep, Dems, and the Pres). Quit finger pointing, and tell me how you plan to fix the issue (short term and long term). Note: Suspending the gas tax sounds kind of dumb when our deficit is at its largest...and growing.

A Good Book - I really enjoying reading. I note this because I go through novels very quickly. Any time I'm about to finish a book, I make sure to pick up a new one, so I'm never without reading material. Many of the books I read are entertaining, but don't really leave a lasting impression. Occasionally, I read one that would make a good movie. Rarely, do I find a book that keeps me dwelling on it. I'm reading one now (almost finished...Blasphemy by Douglas Preston) that might stick around for a bit. You might hear more later. The moral of the story is I enjoy reading a good novel.

The Move - I know I already posted about my move, but I just wanted to update you that things are working out well. I like the house and believe this should work out for the next couple of years.

A Scooter - I've been contemplating getting a scooter. Something in the variety of a 100cc scooter. They get 70-100 mpg, and for my trip in to work (about 7 miles, 15 min.) the speed limit never exceeds 35 mph. Add it all up, and it means a scooter would be an ideal way to get to and from work on decent weather days. It's very tempting and I've checked craigslist regularly to see what's out there.


Movies
I know it's been awhile since I've done a serious movie review. In fact, it looks like you have to go back to May 20. I've seen several films since then (numerous DVDs and a few in theaters). Let me give you a brief look at my most recent theater viewings. I'll probably do a summer movie wrap-up at the end of August (if I remember).

Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D - I saw this one on Tuesday night with the Young'un and the Brit. It was a surprisingly enjoyable film. Very much family friendly, but a fun ride. The 3D element was well used, and pretty neat. Not sure if this is the future of film making, but it was cool. 4 out of 5 for entertainment.


The Dark Knight - Brilliant. Awesome. Excellent. And a myriad of other words that have the same meaning. I have nothing but positives for this movie. From start to finish, it just builds on itself. Phenomenal acting, great story, and superb action. Best Batman movie, and best superhero movie made to date. If you haven't seen it, you should. In fact, tonight should be my second viewing (I have several friends who haven't seen it...and tonight they will). 5 out of 5 stars.


Well, I know this was long, but hopefully you now know what I've been doing. You are now caught up on all things Kyle. I hope you enjoyed the ride. Now that the bottleneck is cleared, future posts will be more focused on a single topic.

I leave you with words of wisdom form Mr. T...."I pity the fool."