Wednesday, April 04, 2007
New Blog
Readers - I have a new blog address. If you want the new address please email me (if I haven't emailed you first)
Thursday, March 29, 2007
"Lost" no more
I am over "Lost". I have been saying that for the past few weeks but this time I mean it. Last night's episode just pushed me over the edge. It was an interesting episode but really didn't tell us anything further about The Others, the mysterious creatures/forces on the island, or what the heck is going on with Jack. And if the episodes don't deal with those main issues then I don't want to see them. Next week's episode looks like it has some promise - we see Kate with what's-her-face from the others so we know that Kate somehow escapes. And there's also a reference to Jack, implying that we'll learn a little more about his fate. But I don't care - I'm over it. From now on I will tivo Lost and only watch it in fast forward to read MSNBC the next day to see what's happened. This is my pledge. Of course I said the same thing last week . . .
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Movie Reviews
These past few days have been a movie marathon for me. I've seen 3 movies and here are my reviews:
1. The Descent
We rented this movie by accident. You are probably wondering how that could happen but it's rather easy to do with Comcast on Demand. This movie is a British horror film about a group of 6 girlfriends that go "caving" and end up getting lost deep inside the earth. They encounter these half man/half creature things so in addition to trying to find a way to the top, they also have to battle these creature-things. I thought a lot of the scare tactics in the movie were generic and predictable. Still scary, but predictable (don't we all know that if you peer very close to a supposedly dead person's face that their eyes are going to fly open and/or they will grab you?). If you read some of the "professional" reviews of this movie you will find that there is a theory that the creatures don't really exist but rather are the figment of one of the girl's imaginations and they represent the deterioration of the girls' friendships into fear & depair. I personally think that theory is scarier than if the creatures are real. I would give this movie a C+ (See my rating scale at the end of this post).
2. The Illusionist
I'm not going to go over the plot of this movie (check IMDB.com) since most of you have probably seen the previews. I had no desire to see this movie until it was recommended to me by a few different people. I like Edward Norton & Paul Giamatti as actors and they didn't let me down in this movie. I was also pleasantly surprised by Jessica Biel's performance. For some reason I don't really like her (but I've never really seen any of her work). However in this movie, I thought she did a good job. I guess I expected her to be nauseatingly feminine, or simpering, but she was a (relatively) strong female character. I liked this movie over all but it was missing something. I can't put my finger on it - I think maybe it was the lingering question about how much of Eisenheim's act was magic and how much was staged. At the end of the movie you get an idea as to how some of his acts were done - but there is still one big "trick" of his that I still can't quite figure out. So I guess what I'm saying is that the movie was slightly unsatisfying. But overall entertaining & intriguing. I would give it a B.
3. Casino Royale
I can't believe I waited so long to see this movie, and now that I have seen it I wish I saw it on the big screen. I loved Casino Royale and I think Daniel Craig makes an excellent James Bond. I think he was sauve but not overly macho, and he delivers those famous Bond one liners with perfection. I also applaud him for wearing those boy shorts - I wish more American men felt comfortable wearing them because they are HOT (on the right guy - I have no desire to see Will Ferrell sporting a pair). This movie was action packed and intense. You will find yourself almost out of breath after several scenes because you forget to breath. And the storyline is great - it keeps you guessing until the end. I am definitely looking forward to the next installment of James Bond starring Daniel Craig. I give Casino Royale an A-.
Amanda's rating system:
A+: Loved it, want to own it on DVD, will watch it several times over. This is reserved for brilliant films like Indochine, Gone With the Wind, and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
A: Loved it, will buy the DVD as soon as it comes out.
A-: Loved it, will buy the DVD as soon as it goes on sale (meaning $9.99 or less)
B: Liked it, would watch it again but only if it's on TV or someone gives me the DVD as a present.
C: Thought it was OK, entertaining but no need to see it again. Once is enough.
D: Not entertaining, boring or stupid. Would rather clean my bathroom than watch this movie again.
F: The movie was so bad I turned it off without seeing the end (or walked out of the movie theater). Several movies are this bad - but they do exist (i.e. Freddy Got Fingered).
1. The Descent
We rented this movie by accident. You are probably wondering how that could happen but it's rather easy to do with Comcast on Demand. This movie is a British horror film about a group of 6 girlfriends that go "caving" and end up getting lost deep inside the earth. They encounter these half man/half creature things so in addition to trying to find a way to the top, they also have to battle these creature-things. I thought a lot of the scare tactics in the movie were generic and predictable. Still scary, but predictable (don't we all know that if you peer very close to a supposedly dead person's face that their eyes are going to fly open and/or they will grab you?). If you read some of the "professional" reviews of this movie you will find that there is a theory that the creatures don't really exist but rather are the figment of one of the girl's imaginations and they represent the deterioration of the girls' friendships into fear & depair. I personally think that theory is scarier than if the creatures are real. I would give this movie a C+ (See my rating scale at the end of this post).
2. The Illusionist
I'm not going to go over the plot of this movie (check IMDB.com) since most of you have probably seen the previews. I had no desire to see this movie until it was recommended to me by a few different people. I like Edward Norton & Paul Giamatti as actors and they didn't let me down in this movie. I was also pleasantly surprised by Jessica Biel's performance. For some reason I don't really like her (but I've never really seen any of her work). However in this movie, I thought she did a good job. I guess I expected her to be nauseatingly feminine, or simpering, but she was a (relatively) strong female character. I liked this movie over all but it was missing something. I can't put my finger on it - I think maybe it was the lingering question about how much of Eisenheim's act was magic and how much was staged. At the end of the movie you get an idea as to how some of his acts were done - but there is still one big "trick" of his that I still can't quite figure out. So I guess what I'm saying is that the movie was slightly unsatisfying. But overall entertaining & intriguing. I would give it a B.
3. Casino Royale
I can't believe I waited so long to see this movie, and now that I have seen it I wish I saw it on the big screen. I loved Casino Royale and I think Daniel Craig makes an excellent James Bond. I think he was sauve but not overly macho, and he delivers those famous Bond one liners with perfection. I also applaud him for wearing those boy shorts - I wish more American men felt comfortable wearing them because they are HOT (on the right guy - I have no desire to see Will Ferrell sporting a pair). This movie was action packed and intense. You will find yourself almost out of breath after several scenes because you forget to breath. And the storyline is great - it keeps you guessing until the end. I am definitely looking forward to the next installment of James Bond starring Daniel Craig. I give Casino Royale an A-.
Amanda's rating system:
A+: Loved it, want to own it on DVD, will watch it several times over. This is reserved for brilliant films like Indochine, Gone With the Wind, and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
A: Loved it, will buy the DVD as soon as it comes out.
A-: Loved it, will buy the DVD as soon as it goes on sale (meaning $9.99 or less)
B: Liked it, would watch it again but only if it's on TV or someone gives me the DVD as a present.
C: Thought it was OK, entertaining but no need to see it again. Once is enough.
D: Not entertaining, boring or stupid. Would rather clean my bathroom than watch this movie again.
F: The movie was so bad I turned it off without seeing the end (or walked out of the movie theater). Several movies are this bad - but they do exist (i.e. Freddy Got Fingered).
An Irish Breakfast! What is that anyways?
This past weekend I had my first "Irish Breakfast". Previously, I had thought that "Irish Breakfast" was a discrete way of saying "Guiness":) But it's actually more than that. An Irish Breakfast contains:
Baked Beans
Bangers (aka Sausage)
A grilled tomato
Toast
Black & White pudding (which is not really pudding at all but a cross between hash and stuffing, it's actually delicious)
and Irish Bacon (I don't know which part of the pig this is from but I didn't really like it.)
It sounds like a disgusting mix but it's actually quite good, especially when paired with a Guiness. Hmmm . . . on second thought maybe it's the Guiness that makes the breakfast taste good!
At any rate I think this is one St. Patrick's Day tradition I would like to perpetuate. Any day with a Guiness before noon is a good day:)
Baked Beans
Bangers (aka Sausage)
A grilled tomato
Toast
Black & White pudding (which is not really pudding at all but a cross between hash and stuffing, it's actually delicious)
and Irish Bacon (I don't know which part of the pig this is from but I didn't really like it.)
It sounds like a disgusting mix but it's actually quite good, especially when paired with a Guiness. Hmmm . . . on second thought maybe it's the Guiness that makes the breakfast taste good!
At any rate I think this is one St. Patrick's Day tradition I would like to perpetuate. Any day with a Guiness before noon is a good day:)
Friday, February 16, 2007
Mid-Winter Depression: A Poem
It's cold outside
When the wind hits your face you get tear-eyed
Too cold to walk the dog
Definitely too cold to jog
The plants are dead and brown
The whole world seems to slow down
I feel listless and blue
When is Spring coming? I wish I knew
Then I could count down the days
To grilling out and laying out (to soak up the sun's rays)
Winter go away!
Take your cold temps and skies of gray.
I hope I remember this feeling,
this summer when it's humid and hot
So when I start to wish the days were cooler
I'll think about this poem and be thankful that it's not.
When the wind hits your face you get tear-eyed
Too cold to walk the dog
Definitely too cold to jog
The plants are dead and brown
The whole world seems to slow down
I feel listless and blue
When is Spring coming? I wish I knew
Then I could count down the days
To grilling out and laying out (to soak up the sun's rays)
Winter go away!
Take your cold temps and skies of gray.
I hope I remember this feeling,
this summer when it's humid and hot
So when I start to wish the days were cooler
I'll think about this poem and be thankful that it's not.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
A Prayer for My Wedding Day (and a Promise to My Bridesmaids)
Dear Lord,
Please help me to keep my sanity on my wedding day and not to lose it like the girl in this video did.
Thank you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10VmJ-8XGA4
(the video is about 6 minutes long if you choose to watch)
The promise to my bridesmaids is that I PROMISE I will not lose it like the girl in the video did. I believe I am incapable of reaching those high-pitched screeches and I hope I am mature enough to never take my hair that seriously.
The word is out now that this video is a hoax BUT the sad thing is that it could easily be true. If you've seen any kind of Bridezilla show you know that girls can go psycho at any time up to and including their wedding day.
Please help me to keep my sanity on my wedding day and not to lose it like the girl in this video did.
Thank you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10VmJ-8XGA4
(the video is about 6 minutes long if you choose to watch)
The promise to my bridesmaids is that I PROMISE I will not lose it like the girl in the video did. I believe I am incapable of reaching those high-pitched screeches and I hope I am mature enough to never take my hair that seriously.
The word is out now that this video is a hoax BUT the sad thing is that it could easily be true. If you've seen any kind of Bridezilla show you know that girls can go psycho at any time up to and including their wedding day.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
My Next Career
If I change careers again my next career will be Bathroom Designer. I have posted on this topic before but it's so important that I think it warrants another post. My complaint is this: (most)Women's restrooms are obviously designed and built by men. I say this because there are several common problems in most women's restrooms.
1. The latch does not work. Either because it's broken but usually because the two parts to the latch do not match. You go to slide the lock to the left and it misses fitting into the slot by centimeters. This happens even in brand new bathrooms (go see the bathrooms on the 6th floor of the GSU Law Building which were built this past summer). I think if a woman was building the bathroom she would check to see that the two parts to the latch actually fit together.
2. There are huge gaps between the door or the sides of the stall. These huge gaps allow other women, waiting to use the restroom, a clear view to your restroom experience. Again, I would think if a woman was building the restroom she would take a look to see how much privacy is given by the bathroom stall setup.
2a. This is number 2a. because it is a sub-problem of item 2. In the (brand new) bathrooms on the 6th floor of the GSU Law building the stalls are not lined up against one wall. Instead they are in a sort of circle around the room. And the gaps between the walls of the stall and the walls of the room are rather large. So when you're in a certain stall you can stare straight ahead into the stall that is perpendicular to your current stall. Not only can you see into the other stall, but the person in the other stall can look you straight in the eye.
3. This problem is unique to single bathrooms (meaning there are no stalls, just one toilet in the room). Your only protection to the outside is one door. I don't like it when the one and only toilet in the room faces the door because if the lock breaks or somehow someone opens the door on you they get a clear and straight view to the balancing act you are currently conducting over the toilet! I would rather have the toilet be perpendicular to the door and risk getting slammed in the knees if the door opens then have to face that door constantly worrying everytime someone tries the knob.
Am I the only person with this crazy phobia about public restrooms?
1. The latch does not work. Either because it's broken but usually because the two parts to the latch do not match. You go to slide the lock to the left and it misses fitting into the slot by centimeters. This happens even in brand new bathrooms (go see the bathrooms on the 6th floor of the GSU Law Building which were built this past summer). I think if a woman was building the bathroom she would check to see that the two parts to the latch actually fit together.
2. There are huge gaps between the door or the sides of the stall. These huge gaps allow other women, waiting to use the restroom, a clear view to your restroom experience. Again, I would think if a woman was building the restroom she would take a look to see how much privacy is given by the bathroom stall setup.
2a. This is number 2a. because it is a sub-problem of item 2. In the (brand new) bathrooms on the 6th floor of the GSU Law building the stalls are not lined up against one wall. Instead they are in a sort of circle around the room. And the gaps between the walls of the stall and the walls of the room are rather large. So when you're in a certain stall you can stare straight ahead into the stall that is perpendicular to your current stall. Not only can you see into the other stall, but the person in the other stall can look you straight in the eye.
3. This problem is unique to single bathrooms (meaning there are no stalls, just one toilet in the room). Your only protection to the outside is one door. I don't like it when the one and only toilet in the room faces the door because if the lock breaks or somehow someone opens the door on you they get a clear and straight view to the balancing act you are currently conducting over the toilet! I would rather have the toilet be perpendicular to the door and risk getting slammed in the knees if the door opens then have to face that door constantly worrying everytime someone tries the knob.
Am I the only person with this crazy phobia about public restrooms?
Thursday, January 18, 2007
European Vacation
So we have finally booked our honeymoon - we're taking a Mediterrenean Cruise (sp?) in July of '07. My question to my fans :) is:
What should we bring on our vacation?
Here's what I have so far:
Guidebook
A (non-baseball) hat for me
Camera
Passports
Converter for electrical outlets
A daypak
Sunglasses
Bathing suit
What else???
What should we bring on our vacation?
Here's what I have so far:
Guidebook
A (non-baseball) hat for me
Camera
Passports
Converter for electrical outlets
A daypak
Sunglasses
Bathing suit
What else???
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