A summary of the superior nature of the new James Bond character.

I think the reason that this new Bond is so different and foreign to people is because series creators finally caught on to the whole, "we can start over and remake a series with planned progressive sequels" craze that has swept Hollywood, specifically concerning comic book style action heroes.

I think that the old Bonds were tall and dark haired without any sense of humanity in their being. This new Bond really does seem like the character he is summed up as by Vesper in Casino Royale, an orphan type who has been raise in a high class setting with a huge chip on his shoulder, and one who sees right and wrong very clearly.

The entire plot thus far of both of these series start-over movies is wrapped up in a simple and very emotional plot. Bond is originally a man who believes that good is good, bad is bad, and they are always black and white. He has no remorse when bad men die, and he really expresses a sense of justice being accomplished in the few glimpse we see into him. The reason he seems so cold-hearted seems obvious to me. Assuming that Vesper's assessment is somewhat correct, Bond has truly been raised as a product of the system. He has never had any family life, and everything he knows as truth is taught him by the system. This is the new starting point that this series has taken on.

From there it only makes sense that when someone dies, Bond is quick to put on a face that says he didn't care anyway, trying to convince himself to believe the same. But we see certain cases when this is just proven false. From the scene of sitting in the shower in Casino Royale and the scene in the burning room in Quantum (interestingly parallel experiences of comforting someone he loves in water and fire...), we know that Bond truly wants to protect those he values. The entire second movie, which is admittedly sparse in plot development in comparison to the first, is about Bond trying not to let his intense emotions of revenge and justice take hold of the situation. All in all, this new Bond is truly summed up by emotion. While the old Bonds had gadgets, girls, and wildly disfigured villains, this is a man in the real world, who actually carries a past with him into each movie. He's learning to care, and that right and wrong and good and evil are not as clear as he thought before becoming a double O.

This Bond is human.

So now your wondering what exactly this job is huh?

Your thinking, gee, that was great and spiritual and all, but what is this job, you didn't explain it at all!

Your probably yelling at your computer screen, at least in your mind.

Well just relax okay? I'm working on it...

The company I now work for....









I love messing with ya now that your hopes are up...


Okay, I work for a company that deals in ticket pre-sales, fan club maintenance, online merchandising, and marketing of USB live performance software among other things, working closely with major recording artists and some companies. Basically, I maintain online merch, work with customers, and help run work with the live performance USBs.

But on occasion, I get to travel!

This occasion has only happened once so far, but with future opportunity awaiting.

This one occasion took place last Thursday through Monday, with a backdrop of bright lights and dark shadows.

That is, Las Vegas.

It was a great trip, I got to fly, see the city, work hard, and see my awesome friend Lindsey Peonie. But let me sum it all up with the first days events.

I woke up in Austin at about 5:45 am, to get to the airport at a decent time. Although that is not a decent time. I got to the airport and took off at about 7:40, arrived in Phoenix, sat on the plane, then flew on to Las Vegas, arriving at something like 11 am there.

I was picked up by my co-worker Aaron, who I had never previously met, and we proceeded to the hotel. I threw my bags in his room, since I hadn't recieved one yet, and we proceeded to the hotel's casino floor to eat at one of 6 restaurants. After having a late breakfast, we went to his room, discussing work and waiting on my room reservations to come through.

I started to doze on his couch.

Therefore, I decided to check on my room. Via text and calls, Norman told me it should be ready. The intimidating line at the front desk had obviously been observed and calculated for, and it moved along with great ease. When I quickly reached the front, I was directed to one of the desks, at which the young lady informed me that the room was reserved but that the necessary credit card verification had not come through. I didn't want that hanging over my personal credit card, so I bowed out of the line and called Norman. He said he would notify me when it came through.

I sat.

For 45 minutes.

I finally just got in the line again. As it moved I figured I had like a 1 in 8 chance of getting the same girl again, which I actually hoped for because she somehow managed to come across sympathetically in a chaotic lobby of guests. Plus I think she was a manager or something. But my odds were with those of most of the casino gamblers surrounding the front desk area, and I drew another girl at the opposite end of the counter. I had the smart idea of calling Norman as I approached the desk, so I could talk to them at the same time. Possibly rude, remarkably efficient.

She said it still hadn't gone through, and he said they were working on it at the office. So I sat back down again. Half an hour later I decided to get back in the line. My odds of getting a repeat clerk had spiked up to 2 out of 8, which is easily rounded to 1 out of 4 with only the slightest math. But, as you better know if your going to Vegas, those are still bad odds. I got a young guy. I think this hotel is one of those places where they pay you extra to be really really nice, because they all seemed well composed. Maybe they were just used to it. Maybe the weak ones were just weeded out long ago. He went back to see if the fax had come through. I gave him about 5 minutes. He gave me a room key.

From there, I lugged my stuff back through the smoky casino to the elevators. I was still shocked they allow smoking inside such a fancy place. Sign of my age maybe. The first time I saw a guy smoking I thought, he's gonna get busted! Then I realized they were all doing it.

In my room I managed to pull a 45 minute nap that was so deep I forgot were I was and why. I almost forgot who I was. From there, we went to the Thomas Mack Center, the college stadium where the Bull Riding Championship we were recording was taking place. I would learn well the tricks of the trade for navagating hallways crowded with 1,000 cowboys.

After working from about 2:30 to 10:30, we were starved. We went to the Hard Rock Hotel and ate at a place that would have appeared as a high quality greasy spoon with low level class anywhere else. But in Vegas, it was simply clique'. Mr. Lucky made me a couple eggs benedict with Hollandaise sauce, and we chatted about Rick Ruben and the club next door that sounded like it was about to spill through the wall at any moment.

We finally went back to the car, at which point we decided to drive down the strip. It was a good compromise, since we were tired and full but I hadn't seen anything yet. We were stopped at a red light, going south just before reaching the Bellagio, of Ocean's 11 fame. I could practically see the movie starting before my eyes.

So we're stopped, chatting about something much less interesting that the rest of this story, when a Blazer wedges itself between the car to our left and us, plowing through and taking half of each car's front fender, all while aiming at the taxi in front of us. After hitting the three of us, the driver slowly meanders out into the perpendicular moving traffic, slowly waiting, then took a quick left when the traffic dissipated. He was soon followed by 4-5 cruisers and a few motorcycles too.

We sat in traffic for about 15 minutes. Then we pulled off on a side road. I saw the top of the Bellagio fountains going off in the distance over some buildings. For some reason, the cops take your license to run even where your a passanger in a vehicle that was not at fault in a hit and run. We sat out in the cold for an hour and a half. One of the cops was nice enough to tell us "Welcome to Vegas!" It was 1:30 am. That's 3:30 am in Austin, where I had gotten up that morning at 5:30.

Finally, the cops came back and told us the story. I guess there was a silver lining. The guy and some others had broken into homes, stolen guns, stolen vehicles (aka- the Blazer) and then caught the attention of a cop looking for him. He caused like 4 of 5 similar accidents to ours, then got himself cornered in a parking garage. Being a natural born genius, he jumped from the second floor, broke both legs, and was in the hospital. Lucky guy was in bed, but I'm sitting on the street by a bus stop. One of his friends was pulled over on the highway and arrested, and another was sleeping in one of the hotels, about to get a wake up call courtesy the Las Vegas PD.

I guess that made a 22 hour day kinda worth it.

Oh yeah, and the taxi driver found a strip from the side of the blazer wedged up under his car. Apparently their vehicles had become so intimate that his rear wheel well had peeled the side panel off the offending vehicle.

And they let him keep it.

Oh well, I had to buy my souviner.

So I haven't written in at least a week.

I feel like a rotten scoundrel.
My apologies.

Perhaps this will explain somewhat....

About two and a half weeks ago I received a phone call which I missed, as often happens in my case. Later that day, I missed another almost identical attempt at cellular communication.

The attempts were made by one Norman Furley, a man I have come to greatly admire in recent months. He has been speaking on a weekly basis to the youth at Grace where I orchestrate Sunday morning worship. I had come to greatly admire his speaking and the truth he brought to the student populace. I had interacted with Norman via phone before for youth group coordinating purposes, and assumed this was a similar call. But his short message sounded urgent. I called back, left a message, and started a game of phone tag.

When Norman called me back, some 8-12 hours after his original call to me, he asked me if I would consider staying in Texas longer than the remaining planned two month. He went on to say he has just started a new job and would love to hire me on to work with them there, and wanted me to come in and check it out. I agreed to at least look the place over.

Two days later I showed up early on a Friday, decked out to make a good impression. He showed me the whole place, running from here to there and filling me in on what each person or room was dedicated to, and what was cool or screwed up about each part of the job. He told me what he thought were good things and what he thought were back things. Then I responded.

I really loved the idea of the job, but I wasn't able to say I could commit to a longer stay. He said he was willing to hire me on temporarily for a month and a half, and to spend my weekend praying about it. Can't argue with that.

As I prayed over it, I saw a lot of opportunity there, a lot of fun things I would enjoy, and a good connection as well both Spiritually and for my resume. I couldn't find any reason to reject, but I prayed for a sign. On that Sunday, Norman spoke for the last time. The topic was on how what you do with your life affects who you are. He took this directly to speaking about the student's college and career plans for the future. He explained how he was designed by God to be a person who did all kinds of different things in his life. How he had never had a "real job." How 18 months ago he was working with wielders and this past week he was backstage of the Ellen show with Cher. He explained how God used him in so many different places, but he was never defined by what he was doing, but always by God and his glory and purpose in that place. He said that because he was God's he could take great risks and make huge leaps because he knew God was in control.

This was a sign. I have always said I was designed to do different things, only staying with things for a time. I thought I made it up though. I never heard anyone sympathize with this view, let alone proclaim it as God's design to use him personally for His glory!

Now I have a crazy awesome job, it keeps me really busy and I'm waiting to see what comes of it, hoping to utilize it in the way Norman explained it.