Shibby Movie Reviews

I didn't have a good blog idea, so I figured I'd try my hand at movie reviews.

To get started, I watched the movie World War Z.
When I heard about this movie, from the name,
I wrongly pictured some advanced warfare movie. I guess that would be Star Wars,
or maybe Star Trek.
So, I guess not. LOL
NOT freakin zombies
Anyway, not a bad movie...
Slightly unbelievable, how in the heck could people be reduced to that?
Overall though, pretty good.

White House Down was next. 
An epic movie - a good comedy with some laughs that make you think a little bit.
Definitely a guy movie.

The Lone Ranger
A bit of a let down, in the comedy department.
With Pirates of the Carribean being released a few years ago, Johnny Depp's Mona
Lisa, I most definitely can see the audience using that as a diving point.
Thus, people thinking Johnny Depp to have an outstanding acting performance has occurred. 
'Twas ok.

Man of Steel
I know I'm pretty much expected to give an outstanding review on said film.
I've seen quite a few movies over the years, and
Man of Steel was most definitely one of the better movies I've seen out of the hundreds,
if not thousands, I've seen. 
'Twas VERY meaningful and
gave a great message.

Shibby
or "cool" to the uneducated.

4th of July

Thursday is July 4th. 

A lot of wild dudes and dudettes.
There's gonna be pressure to drink...
But DON'T DRIVE!

Plain and simple.
NOT worth it.

In fact, check out the newest campain from TxDot's Faces of Drunk Driving at www.facesofdrunkdriving.com.  Unfortunately you might notice a familiar face specifically at http://www.facesofdrunkdriving.com/stories?name=Travis. 

Never Say Never

I had LOADS of doctors tell Mom and Dad that I would NEVER again do certain things. It was a long journey, through years of rehab clinics, but I always kept my faith.

My parents were told on numerous occasions that I would never walk.  On my first break at home, mom told me, "If only you could go to the bathroom alone, this would be astoundingly easier." With a treadmill that had hand grips, I practiced and accomplished that goal. 'Twas very scary, because if I go to fall, I have a long way to go.  LONG.  By the way, I just walked into this room. 

At TLC in Galveston, I had a speech therapist tell Mom, "Travis will NEVER eat again unless there is new technology in the next ten years."  WOW.  I'm pretty sure I've been eating since about a month before coalescing on the Texas coast.  It was December 20, 2012, to be exact.  Currently it's just pureed foods, but I'm eating. 

Another thing the experts said that I would NEVER do again was see.  Really, WOW. 20/20 vision.
Anything else?

Oh yeah, I wasn't even supposed to survive the ambulance ride to the hospital.

I could have easily believed what these doctors and experts said.  Sure they were just going by what they saw - textbook wise I suppose I shouldn't be able to do any of these things.  Sometimes there is more to it.  That's why I've always kept my faith and determination.  I just might be a little stubborn, too. 

No pain, No gain. 

"Don't"

Graduation season is upon us, especially this weekend.  I'm sure there will be a few graduation parties.  These are a chance to unwind or to do whatever floats your boat.  To act a fool, if you will. 

Please don't drink and drive.  Not only are you putting your own life at risk but also everyone else on the road.  You don't want to die or kill someone or be severely injured (trust me).

So don't do it.  I'm not really saying don't drink.
But I am emphatically saying don't drive. 

Little Bro is Graduating

Tonight our family went to Cantina, a Mexican food restaurant in town, to celebrate my brother's upcoming graduation from Midway on Saturday.  I don't remember much from my days of storming those familiar halls of Midway High.  But I do remember plaguing my brother with foolish jokes!

That said, I'm kinda proud of the little guy (not so little now).  He's turned into a fantastic man (no thanks to me).  He's unprecedentedly smart, has a ridiculous wit, and yeah, I guess kinda cute.  LOL

I love you, Bro.  EVEN though you are still kinda annoying.  LOL

Speech Therapy

I must thank some very close family members greatly for being able to eat a little bit now. I've always absolutely loathed speech therapy. Instead I have concentrated on physical therapy.

I always thought to myself that the one thing that excluded me from everybody else on a journey like this was walking.  So I figured if I could master that everything else would come in time.   

My close family members got in contact with the inventor of DPNS.  This stands for Deep Pharyngeal Neuromuscular Stimulation. Google it if you wish. It's quite a process/procedure. We are so grateful that the creator of this would take the time to look at my records. She's truly an expert. 

Every single brain injury clinic gave me little hope that I'd ever eat again?
That's funny because I've been eating some pureed foods since December 20.

Completely baffles me.
Weird.

But thanks to some really close family members, the two speech therapists I'm working with presently at Hillcrest talk directly to the DPNS lady every fourteen days. How cool is that?  God really does work in mysterious ways as they say. I've been at four brain injury clinics across the state of Texas, but yet I end up in WACO with these two awesome therapists providing me with more hope and encouragement than I've had anywhere else.

Basically, DPNS uses lemon swabs to "retrain" my brain in the function of swallowing correctly.  I don't know the proper terminology.  It's not a quick or easy process.  But no pain, no gain.

So, July, that's the month I'm hoping I SHOULD be eating.
Wow! Lol.
Just some good old sarcasm, to start the week off right.   

Please continue to pray for my speech and swallowing. I appreciate it. 

Superman Has Something to Say

Having a brain injury is a very mesmerizing ordeal.  It completely conquers your entire life.  Please do not drink and drive.   Just call your mom or dad to pick you up.  Would they rather be picking out your coffin?  No.

One quick decision to drink and drive OR to ride with someone who has been drinking could very likely mean your death or quite possibly you could sustain devastating injuries.  No more video games.  No more hanging out with friends.  No more talking on the phone with anyone.  No more school football games.  You could be completely cut off from the rest of the world.  Sure you can recover, maybe better than before.  But it's a very long and arduous process with no guarantees. 

This may sound harsh but this is my current reality.  And it's all because I made the choice, after a night of partying, to ride with someone who had been drinking. 

Take it from me:  your entire life can alter from its present course to a drastic and highly difficult one.  Nothing will ever be the same.  NOTHING.  If you wish to play the odds that dramatically, then by all means knock yourself out although I truly hope you don't.