Dome Pondering

What is it about?   An entry-level finance manager uncovers a great problem during an economic downturn that will affect the company, the finance world, and their individual lives forever.  Who is in it?   Zachary Quinto - Peter sullivan Stanley Tucci - Eric Dale Kevin Spacey - Sam Rogers Paul Bettany - Will Emerson

306. What celebrities do you admire?  Why? I would have to say a guy like Derek Jeter. Besides being a great athlete and of course the captain of my beloved New York Yankees, he is also a mega-star in the always controversial-hungry New York media,  that has stayed away from negativity, continues to carry himself with professionalism and always says the right thing.  Another celebrity I admire would have to be Tim Tebow. Yes, that Tim Tebow. Whatever your opinion is of his ability on the football field, you have to admit and admire Tebow's ability to handle the pressure, superstardom, and personal attacks he receives on a daily basis. He takes it on the chin in stride, and continues to push forward in his faith. I'm a big fan of that.   307. What is the number one motivator in your life right now? To get better, and to improve myself where I can break internal barriers, and achieve external goals.

I always cringe when I hear hip-hop today. I don't like it's feel, I dislike the sounds, and I absolutely hate the lyrics. I long for the days when rap actual meant something. You know, when it actually had a certain flavor to it. That grungy, nasty, reckless beat that made you nod your head with purpose. That attitude it possessed and held deep within its sound that emitted its creativity and innovation. The lyrical flow that had the ability to make you feel, to make you want, to get you motivated, to make you sorrow, or to make you strive, ultimately making you relate. I miss hip-hop when it had a message, a purpose, a direction - whether you agreed with the message of the artist or not. I miss hip-hop when it had a soul. 

Last night was the 1,000th episode of Monday Night Raw . The weekly wrestling program is the only television show in history to ever reach the 1,000 plateau, and is also the longest running weekly episodic television program (channeling my inner Michael Cole) in history. Despite the always fearful-of-admitting-to-watching-wrestling society we live in, the feat is unprecedented. It becomes especially remarkable once you take into account the facts of producing shows year-round, and of course, for the betterment of the last eleven years, doing it live. Despite the skeptics, Raw deserves all of the praise from the entertainment world for it's feat as it continues to do so with mass appeal and top-5 ratings each week.

What is it about?   Based off of the TV show, two young-looking and underachieving cops are sent back to High School to blend in, infiltrate the drug scheme, and to bring down the suppliers of a synthetic drug ring.  Who is in it?   Jonah Hill - Schmidt Channing Tatum - Jenko

TNA Impact Wrestling at MCU Park in Brooklyn, NY (1 Hour before Bell Time) Pro Wrestling and Baseball combined, what could be better?  

What is it about?   A hippy, idealist brother unintentionally changes and reveals the truths in the lives of his sisters when he barges into each of their lives.  Who is in it?   Paul Rudd - Ned Rochlin Zooey Deschanel - Natalie Rochlin Emily Mortimer - Liz Rochlin Elizabeth Banks - Miranda Rochlin

I'm not sure what else can be said, what else can be pushed, what else can be rallied for, or what else can be uttered to ease the qualm following the mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado. Yet, even though many words have been spoken, and sometimes shouted, it seems like we've been down this road before - unfortunately. We shout. We aggressively make our points. And we all look to make a change. Somehow, these situations still occur and we are left wondering, why? How?  In response to the early morning horrific theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado, I won't delve into the usual topics that always seem to come to the forefront following such catastrophes, because I can't.  Like many of the discussions we've seen throughout the media, I refuse to make this racial - because it isn't. I refuse to make this to be a double standard of urban-areas vs. the rest of America - because it isn't. I refuse to turn this into a political cornerstone - because it isn

290. What is the most enjoyable thing your family has done together in the last three years? I think the most enjoyable thing my family has done together in the last three years was celebrating at my wedding. I don’t have a typical family as many of my relatives are spread out all over the world (Canada, UK, United States, Barbados, Bermuda, St. Vincent, Paraguay, etc…). Most of my life, it has been my parents, a few relatives that live nearby, and many close friends. My wedding had exactly that. 291. How many hours of television do you watch in a week?  A month?  A year? I’m not a big fan of television shows as I rarely follow a specific show these days. It used to be Friday night Lights , but these days its pretty much reruns of Big Bang Theory or Cops (my guilty pleasure). Most of my TV time is made up of pro wrestling and sports. Obviously my hours will vary per sports season, but I will go with about 13 hours per week, 40 hours per month, and about 500 hours per year.

Linsanity and all that it was in this city was downright amazing. It captured this city's attention coming off the high of another Giants Super Bowl, and carried us into into Spring Training. I loved Linsanity. In fact yours truly even got wrapped in it as well ( All-Lin On Jeremy Linsanity ) ( All-Lin On Jeremy Linsanity Part II ) ( Pondering Picture #18 ). It is definitely a time that all Knicks fans will never forget as it provided us an infusion of hope during a time when things looked very bleak.  However, with the recent developments of the "poison pill" offer sheet from the Houston Rockets to Jeremy Lin of three years, twenty-five million dollars, I realized it was time for me to  separate  Jeremy Lin the player from Linsanity.

So I finally did it. I finally wrote the note that only took me several months to do. For those of you who have no idea what I am referring to, I refer you to I am My Brother's Keeper (Part I) . After months of either weighing what I was going to write or simply delaying the actual writing of the letter because of a slight nervousness amd fear of rejection, today, yours truly pulled a Nike. I just did it. While flipping between watching a Knicks Summer-league game and New York Red Bulls game, I suddenly and simply felt the urge to finally get this done.  The tag team partner who suddenly saw me put pen to paper, reacted justly to the whimsical and random nature of my decision, "Ok, well alright! You're crazy."

As I get older, the thoughts of childhood memories become fonder and fonder especially as the distance between that time and the present grows. As an adult, you watch the current generation doing certain things, and despite not exactly being in agreement with their ways, it takes you back to a certain time when you were in their position and how you enjoyed those crucial years for any individual. With summer in mid-swing, recently, I've become jealous of many youth because of what I remembered participating in as a child. Because of this, the following Pondering 10 will list my favorite things I miss as a kid:

The Gym is one of my favorite places to people-watch. It is filled with all types of people from all types of backgrounds which truly makes it fascinating. In a place where self-improvement is the main goal, the gym has a weird and uncanny ability to reveal the true colors of a person. Over the years, as a regular gym-goer, I have seen my share of interesting people, and like other favorite people-watching locations, such as the airport and the mall, it makes the experience very interesting. And most of the time, these interesting people are highly annoying. With that said, the following Pondering 10 is a list of the most annoying people you will find in any gym in America.

After the Major League Baseball All-Star Game took center stage in the sports world (not that there is much else to compete with), the complaints and criticisms about and toward the mid-summer classic have been constant and plenty. The always controversial all-star snubs, World Series home-field advantage being on the line, who the starting pitcher should be, and what should be included in the game, are the arguments and debates we've seen and heard.  And honestly, every angle and argument is understandable.  No matter what is done, implemented, subtracted, or dissected, the MLB All-Star game can never please everyone. Never. With so many elements and parties to please - fans, players, managers, organizations, MLB, writers, the hosting city, and of course, television - every situation will appease a few, and cause a discontent with the rest.  Therefore, with that said, instead of issuing the usual pessimistic and complaining writing about what's wrong with the All-

What is it about? Two brothers torn by family issues and trained by their once alcoholic father enter a mixed-martial-arts tournament for personal reasons and  a payoff that will solve the conflicts and baggage in their lives. Who is in it?  Joel Edgerton - Brendan Conlon Tom Hardy - Tommy Conlon Nick Nolte - Paddy Conlon

I've been saying it for the last two months - TNA Impact Wrestling is the best overall wrestling product in the business right now. No debate. No doubt.  Week after week,  Impact has delivered the goods, and after last night's Destination X pay-per-view, it seems the product just took another step. A step towards it's future.  Heading into the Destination X, the company continued it's new creative direction (Did I mention how awesome it has been?) in a renewed focus on the X-Division and creating new stars of their own while keeping the shows fresh with concepts such as Open Fight Night and of course a favorite of mine, GutCheck .

As the sport of mixed-martial arts has grown over the past decade, the growing perception is that MMA has managed to connect with today's generation in a way that boxing and pro wrestling could no longer do. MMA has managed to find a blend of appealing to fans while keeping the integrity of the sport solely as sport and competition-driven. And for the most part, MMA has done exactly that, specifically the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The UFC has made a conscious effort to keep their product pure and focused on competition and the art form, and letting the product sell itself without any gimmicks or fluff.  And they have done that for the majority of their existence. However, heading into UFC 148, the event carried a different overtone which caused such unique interest and hype around the anticipated event.

274. When you meet someone for the very first time what do you want them to think about you? That this person is really genuine. It is something I look for when I first meet someone, so I expect the same from myself. People that try too hard, are being something they are not, that attempt to put on a show, or are completely shut off socially, can create a first impression that can give a perception different from the real person. I’d like to bypass all of the fluff. 275. Who would you like to forgive? Everyone that has ever wronged me. I recently heard the following quote in church: “holding a grudge against someone is like drinking poison and hoping it hurts the other person”.

What it is it about?   Matt King, a trustee who holds the fate of vital land in Hawaii, attempts to re-connect with his daughters and make sense of the last few years of his life after his wife is seriously injured in a boating accident.  Who is in it?  George Clooney - Matt King Shailene Woodley - Alexandra King Amara Miller - Scottie King

What is it about?   After being convicted for a bank robbery he did not do and losing everything after playing it safe, Henry decides to rob the same bank he was already convicted of and take some risks in life.  Who is in it?   Keanu Reeves - Henry Torne Vera Farmiga - Julie Ivanova James Caan - Max  Saltzman

So here we go again. Another summer, another NBA superstar looking to "entitle" his way to the team and situation that he wants.  In most cases, you really can't fault Dwight Howard for wanting his ideal playing situation. After all, don't we all? Who wouldn't want to pick the circumstances of their employment? However, with the recent flip flopping that Dwight has done since last summer, he has essentially re-written the book for worst possible scenario to leave a team.  Yes, LeBron, your year has gotten that much better - you my friend, are off the hook.

Every sport allows an athlete to exhibit a certain flair and personality that ultimately brings another quality of interest and entertainment to the game. From quirky shots to weird mannerisms, there are a ton of different stylized actions that makes sports, sports. We love these personalized traits, we mimic them in our backyards, and we wish to hopefully have someone do the same to our own one day. In baseball, the stance and swing is the epitome of this. Despite the object of swinging a bat and connecting with a ball occurring many times a game - and by thousands of players over the history of the game - every individual has had their unique stance, and more specifically, a unique swing. Over the years I have seen my share of swings and have developed some favorites (even though some were mechanically incorrect). The following Pondering 10 will take a look at my All-Time Favorite Baseball Swings. 

What's it about?  Dave Lizewski, a high school outcast and an avid comic book fan, decides to do something different, something of greater good, and become a super hero, despite not being equipped or trained to do so.  Who is in it?  Aaron Johnson - Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass Christopher Mintz-Plasse - Chris D'Amico/Red Mist Chloe Grace-Moretz - Mindy Macready/Hit-Girl Mark Strong - Frank D'Amico Nicholas Cage - Damon Macready/ Big Daddy