Marvelous Monday Update 2/9/09

Movie Monday
HANGING UP: Starring Meg Ryan, Diane Keaton, Lisa Kudrow, and Walter Mathau.

Meg Ryan plays “Daddy's favorite daughter” who is over-extended in this comedy about loving, laughing, and learning to let go. Meg Ryan’s character, “Eve” is a party-planner, a streched-too-thin mother, wife, sister, and dutiful daughter. Eve's harried life has become even more complicated by her reliance on modern technology: cell phone, fax machine, lap top, and answering machine. Walter Matthau “Lou” is her ailing 79-year-old father, a grouch who is admitted into the hospital with memory loss. Eve tries to recruit help with her father from her two neglectful sisters: Georgia (Diane Keaton), a New York publishing tycoon who runs her own magazine, and baby sister Maddy (Lisa Kudrow), a self-involved soap opera actress. Hoping to please her father, Eve also tries to reach out to her mother (Cloris Leachman) who abandoned the family years earlier. Eve finally learns to let go and to "hang up" on the pressures, obligations, and responsibilities of being a do-it-all woman. This movie was Walter Matthau's last film before his death in 2000.

It’s a good movie and brought tears to my eyes because I could relate to the struggles of “doing it all” and dealing with family.


GONE BABY GONE: Starring Casey Affleck, Michelle Monahan, Ed Harris, and Morgan Freeman.

A 4-year old girl, Amanda, goes missing in Boston and the case attracts widespread media attention. Patrrick (Affleck) and Angie (Monaghan) are private investigators are hired by the child's Aunt Beatrice to find Amanda. Twists and turns involving drug dealing, stolen money, and making deals in order to get Amanda back ensue. The exchange at a nearby quarry is botched and Amanda is believed to have drowned. Captain Doyle (Freeman), whose own daughter was also killed years before, takes responsibility and goes into early retirement. Through a series of events, Patrick discovers the botched exchange was a forgery and visits Doyle for answers.

I had a hard time staying interested in the movie. I won't give away the ending, but I will say that an ethical dilemma occurred and makes you think, "What would I do?"


P.S. I LOVE YOU: Starring Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Jeffrey Dean Morgan (HOT!), Lisa Kudrow, Gina Gershon, Harry Connick Jr., and Kathy Bates.

Gerry (Butler) and Holly (Swank) Kennedy are a happily married couple until he dies of a brain tumor. Deeply distraught, Holly withdraws from her family and friends until they descend upon her on her 30th birthday. They are determined to force Holly to face the future. As they rally around Holly and help organize her apartment, a cake is delivered, and on it is a message from Gerry. It’s the first of several - all ending with the sign-off P.S. I Love You. He arranged to have these delivered to her after his death. As the seasons pass, each new message fills her with encouragement and sends her on a new adventure. Gerry's words guide Holly on a journey of recovery and rediscovery.

Filled with humor and sadness, I really enjoyed this movie!


HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU: Starring Jennifer Anniston, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Drew Barrymore, Ben Affleck, Kris Kristofferson.

A group of interconnected, 20- and 30-somethings navigate their various relationships from the shallow end of the dating pool through the deep, murky waters of married life, trying to read the signs of the opposite sex--and hoping to be the exceptions to the "no-exceptions"; rule. Gigi just wants a man who says he'll call--and does--while Alex advises her to stop sitting by the phone. Beth wonders if she should call it off after 7 years of committed singlehood with her boyfriend, Neil. He doesn't think there's anything wrong with their unmarried life. Janine's not sure if she can trust her husband, Ben, who can't quite trust himself around Anna. Anna can't decide between the sexy married guy, or her straightforward, no-sparks, no-drama standby (i.e. “nice guy”), Conor. He can't get over the fact that he can't have Anna. Then there’s Mary, who's found an entire network of loving, supportive men, just needs to find one who's straight.

Based on the book by the same title. This was a cute movie, and probably every woman can relate to “reading the signs” of human behavior. Most notably, if a guy is interested he will call. If not “He’s just not that into you” despite whatever he says to your face. I’ve discussed this with friends and have tried to impress upon this point. Even so, I’ve caught myself stumbling over this one from time to time. But for the most part, actions speak louder than words.


Night at the Theatre
On Friday night, I saw "Run For Your Wife" at the local community theatre. It was one of the better ones I've seen... very hilarious! A packed house, and the cast had the audience rolling in their seats.

A comedy about bigamy, a dull man, John Smith who is a taxi driver, turns out to have a two wives in two cities a short distance apart. Because of an accident too complicated to explain, his worlds collide, and the police are called in to investigate. The taxi driver tries to keep one wife from learning about the other. Whenever possible, the play makes fun of stereotypes (dumb cops, swishy gays and prefeminist women who think only of getting their man into bed). To complicate the plot, almost everyone is mistaken for someone else, one wife for a nun, the other for a transvestite. Much of the confusion derives from the cute terms of endearment characters use for their mates. John’s upstairs neighbor unwittingly becomes an accomplice in trying to hide the truth from the wives. In the end, of course, they both find out.


School
I received my first test back and scored.... 100%! On essay questions!! (Thanks to the bonus essay question). Not so sure I did as well on the second test, though. The instructor *did* clue us in on something: He will give us partial credit for answers slightly related to the question. Meaning if he asked about IT structure, he'd expect an answer along those lines and not what was at the circus performance we saw over the weekend. LOL!

I'm getting a bit nervous about the class project. Our team "leader" said last Monday night: "I don't mind be the leader and turning in the stuff, but I don't have a lot of time to do this. I work all day and I have three kids plus my wife is pregnant." Well now! The other two of us work all day also -AND- we have lives outside of work and school. *Humpf!*


Blogging
First, I'd like to thank my readers for all the comments. They really do encourage me. :)

Secondly, My-O-My am I so behind on my blog reading. My reader says I have 1000+ blog entries to catch up on. How does that happen so fast?? I'm plugging away at it, so bear with me.








Third, I'm never at a loss to what to blog about, but in case anyone else has this problem....







In The News
Have you heard of Fluffy? No? Fluffy is 24 feet long, weighs 300 pounds, and is 15 years old. Fluffy's waist is the size of a watermelon. You're probably thinking... What the heck? Fluffy is the world's largest exhibited snake.


Why am I edifying you with this snake? Because on the radio last week, the announcer said: "This is the largest snake since Rod Blagovich." LOL! For those not aware, Blago is our esteemed (NOT) govenor who was recently impeached unanimously by the Senate. It would've been unanimous with the House of Reps, too, except his sister-in-law voted to keep him.


Stitchy Stuff
Before I put my Christmas decorations away, I thought I'd take a pic of all the stitched ones I've made and that others have made:


For my birthday, Nancy sent me a gift certificate for Silkweavers. I bought a beautiful piece of fabric that arrived in the mail this past week:

Thank you Nancy! Now what should I stitch on it???
Believe it or not, I actually had some time for stitching this week. Not much, but some! Progress so far:

This is my version of Erynne's Love Bug chart. I think I'm going to make it into a floss tag.

Yum-Yums
It's been a while since I've shown my culinary skills, so here goes! I made Shrimp Creole with white rice. Easier than I thought it'd be and very healthy!

Marvelous Monday Update 6/30/08

Appreciation
I'd like to thank everyone who visits my blog and leaves comments. I appreciate each and every one! :) When I first started blogging, it was a way for me to journalize things that were going on in my life (The first to go is the mind, ya know!) as well as share the stitching I manage to get done. It seems in the few short years I've been blogging, I have a following! LOL, it always amazes me when my blog and I are discussed in R/L amongst stitchers. :) A special thanks for the enormous amount of comments on Mime and Pink Carnations. Wow!


Movie Monday
Freedom Writers
Starring Hilary Swank. Based on a true story, a young teacher (Swank) inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves, and pursue education beyond high school.

*** Excellent movie! I actually watched it twice and plan on buying it.


The Ninth Gate
Starring Johnny Depp. Based on the book The Club Dumas, Corso (Depp) is a questionably sleazy rare book dealer. He's hired by a mysterious patron who has just come into possession of one of the only three copies of The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows (a 17th century occult text said to give its owner unimaginable power). The man hires Corso to track down the other two copies and compare them to his, but complications - both natural and supernatural - arise at every turn.

*** Another excellent movie if you like suspense with supernatural themes.


Broken Bridges
Starring Toby Keith, Kelly Preston, Lindsey Haun, Burt Reynolds, Willie Nelson. A fading country music star (Keith) returns to his hometown, where he reunites with his childhood sweetheart and also meets his 16-year-old daughter (Haun) for the first time.

*** I liked this movie, too, even though there wasn't anything gripping in the movie. My goodness Haun can sing! When she sang at the end, it grabbed right onto my heart.


Shopping
Try as I might, I cannot leave JoAnn Fabrics without buying something. They had fabrics on sale for 30% off. Aren't these the cutest summer fabrics you ever saw? I thought they'd make nice pinkeep, fob, or flatfold backs so I bought 1/4 yd of each.

Thanks to some enabling from Shari, I'll be heading back for their July 4th sale! I want to make some of those floss tags everyone is talking about, and it seems the Notions Wall will be 50% off! There's also some linen in the clearance fabrics that I want to pick up and try to stitch on. And fabric quarters are 99c! I have two large bins of regular (non-stitching) fabrics and yet I *think* I need more. I'm terrible, aren't I?


Stitchy Stuff
I went to the Goodwill store on Sunday and found a suitable frame for Mime. I tossed the mat and saved the artwork (Who knows? Might come in handy). The frame is a bit scuffed up, so I am going to paint it a light peach color. I decided not to use mat board, but instead use 1/8" spacers that I'm picking up from a frame shop today. I've already got Mime laced up and ready to be "popped" into the frame once it's ready. I've PIF'd the chart to Izda in Puerto Rico. She's been *really* patient in waiting for me to finish Mime!


Freebie



Worlds Greatest Cross Stitcher
Book: Crafting Cross Stitch Cards by Sue Cook
For more details, see MyCraftivity.

Marvelous Monday Update 6/16/08

Movie Monday

Because I Said So
Stars: Diane Keaton, Mandy Moore, Lauren Graham & Piper Perabo. Daphne Wilder (Keaton) is a mother whose love knows no bounds or boundaries. As a single parent, she has raised three fantastic girls to become the kind of women any mom would die to have. The only problem is she drives her daughters crazy. In an effort to prevent her youngest, Milly (Moore), from making the same romantic mistakes she did, Daphne decides to set her up with the perfect man… through the use of a personal ad and doesn’t tell her daughter. She chooses a smart, sexy, rich, architect for Milly. While “interviewing” potential candidates, Johnny the lounge singer watches from afar. He suggests to Daphne that he could be a match, but was quickly shot down. He takes Milly’s business card and goes to meet Milly on his own. Daphne pushes, cajoles, suggests and nudges her way into Milly's smallest of decisions. Comic mayhem unfolds as the well-intended mom continues to do the wrong thing all in the name of love for her beloved daughter. Will it be the architect? Will it be the singer?

*** I really enjoyed the movie, and for once thanked my lucky stars that my mother isn’t that way. Although, she did make it known at the wedding reception I was single! Back to the movie… It’s definitely a chick flick, and had some funny parts.


Come Early Morning
Stars: Ashley Judd. Lucy (Judd) is a 30-something woman who keeps waking up with a stiff hangover and a guy she doesn't even want to look at. If coming to grips with why she keeps repeating this pattern isn't enough, Lucy also begins to realize that she needs to get in touch with her family past and, more importantly, with the person she has become.

*** This was an OK movie. The best part of it was her realization that she needed to come to grips with the past and to stop using it as a crutch for her behavior. She had a good thing going (in the movie) with Jeffrey Donovan and screwed it up. He's a cutie!


Hope Springs
Stars: Colin Firth, Heather Graham, Minnie Driver, Mary Steenburgen. British artist Colin Ware (Firth) discovers that his fiancee, Vera (Driver), the love of his life, is going to marry another man. Distraught and despondent, he gets on a plane for America and ends up in the tiny town of Hope in New England. At first, Colin is depressed, but he soon finds more than a shoulder to cry on when his innkeepers introduce him to Mandy (Graham), a beautiful nurse. All's going well and Colin has almost forgotten his old flame until Vera suddenly shows up with a surprise her own. Turns out she faked her wedding invitation in an effort to get him to wake up and marry her.

*** This, too, was an OK movie. I'm not a big fan of Firth's so maybe I'm biased. LOL Vera was a very manipulative character, and Mandy was too flighty for a nurse character.

Did everyone know that Blockbuster is offering non-new release rentals for 99cents? Maybe it's just my BB in an effort to keep up with competition since a new Family Video opened up and their rentals are WAY cheaper. I belong to the $9.99/yr BB club where I get a free rental each month and rent-one-get-one on Mon-Wed. So I got three movies for 99cents! Can't beat that.


Freecycle
I can hear it now... "Not the Freecycle speech again!" LOL Freecycle is great! First the good...

1. I received a small Toro battery-powered weedeater from a lady who bought a new one. She was really nice, and what a talker! It's kinda small, but it'll work until I can afford to buy a larger one. Snowblowers, hedge trimmers, lawnmowers... Can you say $$$?! I was so excited about the weedeater that I used it right away when I got it home. :)

2. I received a brand new 5-gallon bucket of paint from another lady. I had planned on painting the living room/dining room so this will come in handy! :)

Now the bad...

Some people are just plain rude. About 2 weeks ago, I offered a 5x13 piece of carpeting that was on my garage floor. Last week, a lady contacted me and said she wanted it so I sent her a pic just to make sure that she liked it. Toward the end of the week, she emailed me that she still wanted it. I emailed her back that I was busy with the wedding and I'd get back to her afterwards. Within a day, she sent me three other emails that said things like, "Do you still have the carpet or what?" And the scary one was: "I found your address on Freecycle and drove to your house to get the carpet, but didn't see it at the end of the driveway like you said. There was a blue one in the backyard but I wasn't sure if that was it." Now... First of all, my address is NOT listed anywhere on Freecycle. Secondly, it takes guts to go to someone's house UNINVITED. To walk around the property??? Lastly, I didn't tell her that the carpet was at the end of the driveway. I emailed her and told her it wasn't my house she was at and that she had me mixed up with someone else.

I just thought... W-O-W!


Stitchy Stuff
I've had a box of stash sitting by my computer since last year that needed to be scanned and put on my stash-for-sale blog. (There's also a link in my sidebar) I finally was able to get some of it added to my blog.

Over the past several days I've spent an enormous amount of time stitching and frogging... stitching and frogging... stitching and frogging on my June ornie for a SAL I'm involved with. Who sent the frogs???

No, Nancy... I wasn't frogging because I was drinking. LOL The problem was that I didn't thoroughly think through the lettering on the ornie when I charted a new set for over-one on aida. I'm working on A Christmas Wish for Health & Happiness by Blue Ribbon Designs. The design is really for linen/evenweave but I grabbed a piece of 18ct aida and started stitching before I realized there was over-one AND over-two stitches on it. Here's what it looks like after 16 hours (16 hours!!! LOL):




Skin's On Fire
What were 5 grown women thinking when they ventured out to sit poolside at a company function? Well, we were thinking it was going to rain and we wouldn't be out there long, that's what! Two of the women could be my mothers, btw! None of us were too smart on Friday.

Saturday was pretty rough for me. I felt ill and had tremendous pain shooting into my shins whenever I stood up, due to too much sun. My skin was on fire all day Saturday and into Sunday. With a big bottle of "Aftersun Aloe" next to me, I spent the bulk of the day on the sofa on Saturday. By the end of the day, the skin on my legs started feeling 'funny' so I got curious about what was in the Aloe. Looking at the label, the first ingredient was water. The second ingredient was ALCOHOL! No wonder my legs were feeling funny, I spent the day slathering alcohol all over them. Nowhere was aloe listed in the ingredients. I think it's a crock tha the name of the product even contains the word ALOE when it's clearly not.

I was finally able to put on shoes Sunday. Could you hear my Dad? "Did you learn anything?" I decline to answer that on the grounds it might incriminate me later. Trying to be helpful, he sent me home with two large containers of medicated heavy moisturizer that is supposed to be for his hands because they used to get so dried out while working. I've been using it, hoping that I don't peel too badly.

Today, Monday, the heat is gone but my shoulders and chest are still pretty tender. Comparing notes with my coworkers, I'd say I fared the worst. Lucky me! *This* is why I don't normally go out in the sun.


Father's Day
This year, I came up with a brilliant idea for a Father's Day gift. A month ago, I asked my Dad to figure out what size tarps he needed and I would get them for him for Father's Day. Guess what? He got too busy in retired life and never got around to it, LOL. So he got a gift card to Menards instead. I told him he'd have to buy his own. ;-) More about my Dad HERE.


Freebie



A Christmas Wish of Health & Happiness
by Blue Ribbon Designs

Marvelous Monday Update 6/2/08

Where did May go??? Spring came and went, now Memorial Day, and the official start of summer! Time flies by so fast... unbelievable! What have I been up to?


Movie Monday
OK, so who went and saw Sex and the City? I was asked to a movie and dinner by J (the friend who has fixed my mower, tuned up my car, and got me the great deal on the snowblower). Originally, he wanted to go see the Indiana Jones movie. Jokingly, I asked if he was not a SATC kinda guy. So we ended up going to SATC! I think J was one of 4 men in the audience. What a trooper! My brother told him he could tell me he was going to get popcorn and just not come back. LOL (Thanks bro!) I'd never seen the tv show so I had no idea what it would be like. Wow, some steamy scenes!


Evening at the Theatre
*As said with a british accent* Saturday night, I went to see Nunsense at the local community theatre.

Nunsense begins when the Little Sisters of Hoboken discover that their cook, Sister Julia, Child of God, has accidentally poisoned 52 of the sisters, and they are in dire need of funds for the burials. The sisters decide that the best way to raise the money is to put on a variety show, so they take over the school auditorium, which is currently set up for the eighth grade production of “Grease.” Here we meet Reverend Mother Regina, a former circus performer; Sister Mary Hubert, the Mistress of Novices; a streetwise nun from Brooklyn named Sister Robert Anne; Sister Mary Leo, a novice who is a wannabe ballerina; and the delightfully wacky Sister Mary Amnesia, the nun wholost her memory when a crucifix fell on her head. Featuring star turns,tap and ballet dancing, an audience quiz, and comic surprises, this show has become an international phenomenon. With more than 5000 productions worldwide, it has been translated into 21 languages.

It was a great production. I actually knew 2 of the "nuns". I ran into two high school classmates, and the LNS owner at the show. :)


Stitchy Stuff
I'm rather excited about how much stitching I've been able to do. Maybe it just seems like a lot since I haven't done much due to school. I've worked on Victorian Pansies Needlebook, the companion piece to the scissor fob I did last year. I've also done some work on Mime, and I'm working on a flatfold for an online class I'll be teaching in July.


Wedding
NO! Not mine. My oldest brother is getting married this weekend. I was asked to be the wedding photographer, so I had to get my wedding gear in order -and- shop for something to wear to the wedding. I spent about 4 hours shopping on Saturday and came home with 3 nice dresses, a pair of shoes, and jewelry. I'm really not a clothes shopper and tend to buy a lot at once when I do. Much to my chagrin, I found out that night that I developed a Farmer Tan. Won't that look lovely with the sleeveless dresses I bought. Now to decide... which to wear!


Mulch, Mulch, and More Mulch
I am still working on putting mulch down around the bushes of my house. It's a 6-bags-at-a-time project because that's how many I can fit into the trunk of my car each time I go to buy some. Seeing as I had the farmer tan going on, I thought I'd try to even it out some while working in yard by wearing a bikini top yesterday. Not sure that was the brightless light bulb that came on because I now have a slight burn on my back. LOL Luckily it's not too bad.


Freebie




ABC Sampler
by From My Heart Designs

Movie Monday 3/31/08

21
Kevin Spacey, Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, Lawrence Fishburne. The true story of the brightest young minds in the country - and how they took Vegas for millions. Ben Campbell (Sturgess) is a shy, brilliant M.I.T. student who -- needing to pay school tuition -- finds the answers in the cards. He is recruited to join a group of the school's most gifted students that heads to Vegas every weekend armed with fake identities and the know-how to turn the odds at blackjack in their favor. With unorthodox math professor and stats genius Micky Rosa (Spacey) leading the way, they've cracked the code. By counting cards and employing an intricate system of signals, the team can beat the casinos big time. Seduced by the money, the Vegas lifestyle, and by his smart and sexy teammate, Jill Taylor (Bosworth), Ben begins to push the limits. Though counting cards isn't illegal, the stakes are high, and the challenge becomes not only keeping the numbers straight, but staying one step ahead of the casinos' menacing enforcer: Cole Williams (Fishburne).

I thought this was a good movie, although I figured out how the movie ended before it got there.


World Trade Center
Nicolas Cage, Michael Pena, Maggie Gyllenhaal. True story of Will Jimeno (Pena) and John McLoughlin (Cage), two Port Authority police officers who rushed into the burning World Trade Center on 9/11 to help rescue people, but became trapped themselves when the tower collapsed. A race against time ensued to free them before their air ran out.

Initially, I had difficulty when I started watching this movie. All those emotions from 9/11 surfaced back to the top. I could relate to some of the scenes that showed people in disbelief from all over the world. It all came back to me, like it was yesterday. It was an interesting movie, not as graphic as I thought it would be... which is a good thing, because I probably couldn’t have finished watching it.

Movie Monday 3/24/08

Michael Clayton
Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is an attorney and a "fixer". He's the guy his firm goes to when they need messes swept under the rug. When his firm hands him a $3-billion case, he turns into a whistleblower. The more he tries to undo the damage, the more he faces "corporate survival" vs. "human survival", which includes his own life. I was really disappointed in this movie. I thought it would have more substance and suspense than it did.


Laws of Attraction
Pierce Bronsan and Julianne Moore. This romantic comdey is a battle of wits and will. Both are top-notch NY divorce attorneys with celebrity clients. During the nasty divorce, Audrey (Moore) and Daniel (Bronson) set out on a trip to Ireland in order to make their cases, and end up married. To spare their professional reputations, they try to fool people in NY that they're in love. Interspersed throughout the movie is Audrey's mother, who is obsessed with looking young and continually is telling her how to get a man. I'm a fan of both these actors, and the ending of this movie is surprising. This is a good "chick flick" movie.

Movie Monday 2/25/08

Fool's Gold
Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey

Ben "Finn" Finnegan (McConaughey) is a good-natured, surf bum-turned-treasure hunter who is obsessed with finding the legendary 18th century Queen's Dowry. In his quest, Finn has sunk everything he has, including his marriage to Tess (Hudson). Just as Tess has begun to rebuild her life, working aboard a mega-yacht owned by billionaire Nigel Honeycutt, Finn discovers a vital clue to the treasure's whereabouts. Certain that his luck will change, Finn maneuvers himself aboard Nigel's yacht and, using his good-natured charm, convinces the tycoon and his Blackberry-wielding, celebutante daughter, Gemma, to join him in the pursuit of the treasure. Against Tess' better judgment, the search rekindles her love... of discovery. But they are not the only ones after the treasure. Finn's mentor-turned-nemesis Moe Fitch has also set out to claim the prize. In the end of course, Finn gets the gold.

I have to agree with the critics on this one: D+ grade. It wasn't that good.

Movie Monday 2/18/08

The Ultimate Gift

Based on the best-selling book "The Ultimate Gift" by Jim Stovall, the story sends trust fund baby Jason Stevens (played by Drew Fuller) on an improbable journey of discovery, having to answer the ultimate question: "What is the relationship between wealth and happiness?" Jason had a very simple relationship with his impossibly wealthy Grandfather, Howard "Red" Stevens (played by James Garner). He hated him. No heart-to-heart talks, no warm fuzzies, just cold hard cash. So of course he figured that when Red died, the whole "reading of the will" thing would be another simple cash transaction, that his Grandfather's money would allow him to continue living in the lifestyle to which he had become accustomed. But what Red left him was anything but simple. Red instead devised a plan for Jason to experience a crash course on life. Twelve tasks, which Red calls "gifts," each challenging Jason in an improbable way, the accumulation of which would change him forever.

At one point everything is taken from him and he lives as a homeless man. At another time he visits a developing country where even old library books are a treasure. Along the way, the movie spins a side story that was not in the novel, adding a romantic interest, Alexia (Ali Hillis), and her daughter Emily, an outspoken mysterious girl (Abigail Breslin) who, unbeknowst to Jason, is dying from cancer. As Jason works through these twelve gifts in twelve months, he comes to see Red Stevens as more than a dead billionaire. At the end of the film when he chooses to use his entire inheritance to build a hospital for cancer patients and their families, it turns out he has more than exceeded expectations, and his departed grandfather has one final gift: making him a billionaire.

The 12 Gifts:
* The Gift of Work
* The Gift of Problems
* The Gift of Friends
* The Gift of Giving
* The Gift of Gratitude
* The Gift of Family
* The Gift of Learning
* The Gift of Money
* The Gift of Laughter
* The Gift of a Day
* The Gift of Dreams
* The Gift of Love

EXCELLENT MOVIE!



Catch & Release

Romantic comedy. Grey (Jennifer Garner) was a beautiful woman who found the man of her dreams in Grady Douglas, and was looking forward to spending the rest of her life with him until he suddenly died only a few days before they were to be married. With her wedding turned into an impromptu funeral, Grey is emotionally devastated but has to deal with the practicalities of her new life alone, including moving out of the house she shared with Grady. Short on cash and in need of emotional support, Grey moves in with two longtime friends, sloppy but philosophical Sam (Kevin Smith) and well-meaning but tightly wound Dennis (Sam Jaeger). Grey also finds herself often chatting with Fritz who lives in LA but stays in the house with everyone (Timothy Olyphant – cute!). He’s another of Grady's best friends, though she's always regarded him as a sleaze ball. As time passes, Grey discovers that Grady had a secret life he never shared with her -- including a young son from a previous relationship -- and as she tries to come to terms with the past of her former fiancé, she struggles to put her new life on track, and finds herself reevaluating her long-held feelings about Fritz, even though he’s a womanizer, and doesn’t strike you as the type to settle down. Through DNA testing, it’s determined the little boy isn’t Grady’s but because he wanted the boy to be taken care of, Grey demands Grady’s mother use the estate money to do that very thing. Dennis is crushed when he professes his love for Grey and she doesn’t feel the same. In another scene he questions her judgment in getting involved with Fritz. Fritz overhears Grey’s comments (trying to spare Dennis’ feelings) that “It means nothing.” and he promptly moves back to LA. At the end of the movie, Grey goes to LA to see Fritz. It’s one of those awkward moments where she questions if she did the right thing, and he shuts her up by kissing her and asking “What took you so long?” Awww.

DEFINITELY A CHICK FLICK - AND I LIKED IT!

Monday Update 1/21/08

Movie Monday
On Saturday, T and I went to see "The Bucket List" with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. It was a good flick.

Two elderly men, auto mechanic Carter Chambers (Freeman) and hospital-corporation head Edward Cole (Nicholson), discover they are both terminally ill with cancer. Sharing a hospital room, they become friends and decide to fulfill their personal desires through "The Bucket List" before they "kick the bucket". Bankrolled by the wealthy Cole, they sky dive, race each other in classic cars, and take Cole's private jet around the world. They see the Egyptian pyramids, the North Pole, and laugh until they cry. In the end, Chambers dies on the operating table and Cole, inspired by his friend, goes to make up with his daughter realizing life is too short. The last shot shows the continuation of the first. It shows Cole's assistant (Sean Hayes from Will & Grace) climbing the mountain and visiting Chambers' grave and placing Cole's ashes in the small tomb along with Chambers'.


Car Woes (again)
Anyone who's been following my blog for a while knows the trouble I have with my car in the winter. If I don't start it AT LEAST once a day, the darn thing goes dead. I've replaced the battery 3 times, and have had it in the shop where I was told they can't figure out what's wrong... and they don't want to just start replacing parts in an effort to get lucky. Plus, it ONLY happens during the winter. So anyway, since we took T's car on Saturday to the movies, my car sat in the garage all weekend. It didn't occur to me to start it until last night. Guess what? It wouldn't start. So in sub zero temps, out comes the battery charger and away we go! I'm just glad I thought about it last night instead of this morning right before work...


School
I've been playing catch-up in B-Law II since classes started last week. On the first night of class, the instructor lectured on two chapters we hadn't even read. So, I've spent every night reading each of those chapters plus the two chapters that will be discussed this week. Plus, at the end of each chapter are cases that we need to be prepared to discuss in class. Last night, I spent at least 3.5 hours on one chapter plus cases. Three chapters down, one to go!


Go Away!
*grumble* I woke up this morning with a killer migraine. I stumbled to the bathroom and took a couple of Tylenol (mistake-didn't help), called the secretary at work to let her know I'd be in late, then went back to bed. When it was clear the Tylenol wasn't working, I took Excedrin Migraine and started to get ready for work. By the time I left the house, the headache was tolerable... only felt like my eye wanted to pop out of it's socket. My guess is that it was caused by the stress of trying to get all my homework done for this week. *sigh*

Monday Update 1/7/08

What do I have to say on this first official Monday of the year?

Crisis of the Day
The safety pin that's holding my slacks up is getting on my nerves. For the umpteenth time this morning, it has popped open and I spend a minute or so re-fastening it so that my pants stay up where they belong. The weight I lost over the summer has made a lot of my pants hang down where they don't belong. I suppose if I wanted to be a member of the 'hood, that'd be OK, but I prefer the crotch of my pants to be up where it belongs. LOL I guess I should invest in larger safety pins.... or new slacks.


Movie Monday
I saw "P.S. I Love You" over the weekend. Film critics don't give it high ratings, but I really liked the movie. Before seeing it, I thought it would be a tear-jerker movie. It's actually very funny, with a couple of heart-tugging moments. More about the movie:

A sweet, smart Manhattanite (Hilary Swank) loses her husband (Gerard Butler) to cancer. The movie starts out with a long couples argument about everything: apartments, careers, money, starting a family... between a spirited Irishman Gerry (who rarely "plans" anything) and his real-estate wife Holly (who is all about working a "plan")... and afterwards they have great make-up sex, with Butler doing an hilarious striptease in boxers and suspenders.

From there, the movie jumps ahead to Gerry's funeral, where we find out he died from a brain tumor. Holly goes into mourning, holing up in her messy apartment, watching old movies. Before his death, Gerry wrote Holly a series of letters that she received over several months (almost a year) to help her cope and move forward. He even planned a vacation for her to Ireland.

Holly's new life includes potential romance with Irish singer William (Jeffrey Dean Morgan – Who is VERY HOT, HOT, HOT!). Then there’s bartender Daniel (Harry Connick Jr.), a semi-love interest who claims not to have a filter, blurting out anything that pops in his head -- no matter how insensitive or rude. The film focuses on Holly's immediate loss, but it also introduces Holly's emotional damage from her father's abandonment, as well as her friend Denise's (Lisa Kudrow) pursuit for the perfect man.

If you want a moving story about love and grief, this movie didn't go down that road. It's a romantic comedy featuring hard-bodied leads in their skivvies and naked butt shots, as well as humorous one-liners.


Getting into a Routine
It's that time of year again... Time for the GET FIT CHALLENGE sponsored by the local hospital and health clubs. For the past three years, my firm has sponsored a team and this year is no exception. I go into for initial health screening this week. To get into the groove, I started using my exercise tapes (The Firm series) last week. Yesterday morning I walked 3.5 miles. Anyone ever use Carmen Electra Striptease Aerobic DVD's?


Wacky Weather
Who'da thunk that during the first week of January, we would hit record high temps? Yesterday and today, temps got up to 60. I think the last record high was back in 1949 @ 49F. There is a tornado watch in effect for all of northern Illinois until 9pm. Tornado in January?!?

Monday Update 6/11/07

Movie Monday
The Doors, with Val Kilmer, Meg Ryan, & Billy Idol. To be quite honest, it was one of the weirdest movies I've seen in a long time. I didn't know much about Jim Morrison or The Doors prior to this movie. If this movie is factual, I have no respect for him as a person or artist. His character in the movie strikes me as a little boy in a man's body, a lost soul. With the lifestyle he lived, it's no wonder he died at 27.

Gardening
One would think that 3 bags of mulch would go a bit farther than it did. On Friday, I put down the mulch the landlord left for me. I was hoping I'd have enough to put under my bench, but alas... No such luck! On Sunday, I finished planting the rest of the Lilies-of-the Valley. I am so glad that job is done! My pole beans are sprouting. Much to my dismay the bugs are already eating the tender leaves. Yikes!! I need to figure out how to save them.

Fitness
On Friday, I went for a good long walk with Celeste. On her 4" legs, she kept up pretty good during our 45 minute speed walk. She was thirsty when we got home!

Health
Imagine how pleased I was when I drove 45 minutes to the "big city" only to find that there were no orders for my repeat lab work. The nurse was helpful and called the other lab thinking maybe my doctor's office sent the orders there instead of the clinic lab. Meanwhile, I called my doctor's office asking where my orders were. We found out that indeed they were at the other lab and would be faxed over immediately. Once I pee'd in a cup, I was free to go. LOL

Car
Spent 2+ hours "doing" my car. Changed the oil, and detailed the inside. Looks pretty spiffy!

Stitchy Stuff
I have a finish! Woo Hoo! I finished the needlebook for the class I'm teaching. Despite the fact that I omitted a step when I was putting it together, I managed to work around it and the needlebook turned out beautiful! At least I think so.

I used a freebie chart called "J is for Japanese Embroidery" by Brooke Nolan. I stitched it on 28ct waterlily linen with DMC threads and Rainbow Gallery Treasure Braid. I omitted the "J" and added two additional floating balls. In the center of each ball, I added a Mill Hill Bead.


I'm still working on the cardinal for the retreat. I've managed to stitch a bit on it almost every night this past week. I'd say I'm 2/3 done.

Monday Update 5/4/07

Movie Monday
Eye of the Beholder, with Ashley Judd & Ewan McGregor. Suspenseful movie, but very odd and the ending just kinda cut you off. More about this movie HERE.

Wacky Weather
We’ve had some wacky weather here in Illinois. On Friday, there were favorable conditions for tornadoes just a little to the northwest. Ominous storm clouds hovered overhead all weekend, dumping torrential rains in some areas and sprinkles in others. Luckily, both cities I was in over the weekend just got intermittent sprinkle showers, mixed with sun. It was actually raining while the sun was out. Today, it’s cloudy and looks like rain again. This is more like spring weather, not summer weather!

40-Miles of Garage Sales
A garage saler’s dream! Imagine driving along a 40-mile stretch of highway and coming upon sale after sale. Yes, it’s true... This event has been held annually, but this is the first time I’d ever ventured out to partake in the festivities. S and I set out on our adventure at 10am on Saturday. The skies looked like they would let loose and rain down on us at any time. Most of the morning, we were sprinkled on with light rain. Not enough to get us really wet, but an annoyance nonetheless. We forged ahead anyway. By 4pm, we’d only gotten about ½ way through the 40-miles and both of us were tired. We probably spent $10 between the both of us and that included food.

How about this tin? I got this Whitman’s tin for 50cents. It's about 8x10 in size. I'm thinking I could do something stitchy with it.


I also found two cross stitch kits, one for 10cents and another for 75cents (This one had MH beads and treasures in it!)


S's big “find” was a Spiderman shirt with the webbing for his son, who loves Spiderman. More about this sale HERE.

Stitchy Update
I was actually able to get some stitching in! I'm *this* close to finishing "J for Japanese Stitching" by Brooke Nolan. I changed the design and put two additional floating balls and omitted the J. I also stitched some on the Cardinal for the retreat. I'm hoping I can get it done! Will they kick me out of class if I'm not prepared?

And The Rest of The Story...
Sunday started at my house, where S cooked us breakfast and then put the A/C unit into my bedroom window. Later, we hung out at his house. He did "man things" such as worked on a motorcycle and changed oil in his truck. While changing the oil, he dozed off laying under the truck waiting for the oil to change. He claims he wasn't... LOL, if he wasn't sleeping why was it SOOOO quiet for 15 minutes before I went to check on him? I sat in the garage stitching on the aforementioned. I also did his laundry. Sounds so domestic, doesn't it? Around 6pm, we met his mother and stepfather at the park, had a quick bite to eat, and took a walk along the river. It was a bit chilly seeing as it was quite overcast, but it was a nice walk nonetheless.

Tuesday Update 4/24/07

Movie Monday
Missing in America
I thought this was an excellent movie with a sad ending. I actually got teary-eyed! Danny Glover plays a Vietnam veteran named Jake who lives in exile in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. His only contact with civilization is through the owner of a small store, who periodically supplies his provisions. He helps other lonely veterans that live in the forest giving them part of his supplies and receiving wood in return. He’s visited by a former private of his platoon who has lung cancer and is asked to raise his Vietnamese daughter. After Jake says no, the private leaves his daughter and vanishes. After spending time with the girl, his behavior and attitude changes for the better, until a tragedy happens.


School
I submitted my power point presentation for my meteorology class a week early so I could benefit from the instructors comments, and make changes before the actual due date. Students were given this opportunity only if they submitted it by the 15th. I should know in the next week or so what I got for a grade. I was THRILLED to find out that I got 100% on my quiz last week. My last quiz is next week. I’m holding steady at 91% for the class. *crossing my fingers* On Thursday, I go to pick up my cap and gown. Woo Hoo!


Stitching
I really haven’t done much stitching lately. I finished stitching the name tag for a retreat I’m going to in June. I still need to make it into a little purse. Dual purpose! I figure I can put my ID, room key and a little money in there, rather than carry around my purse.


Get Fit Celebration Dinner
As you may know, the Get Fit Challenge ended last week. Our team captain invited the entire team to her house for a celebration dinner. She proudly told us that we were the first dinner guests they’ve had other than family, since moving to their home 3 years ago, and was very excited to have us. Dinner was excellent!! I took S as my dinner guest, as well as his 2yr old son. Being from a large family and having lots of grandkids, my team captain was prepared for “little ones” with the entire basement made into a kid-friendly area complete with toys, videos, etc. For the celebration, we each brought a dish to pass. I made Taco Dip from a recipe I found online. It was very healthy and tasty!


TACO DIP

2 (16 oz) cans vegetarian refried beans
1 (16 oz) container sour cream
1 (1.25 oz) package taco seasoning mix
¾ - 1 c. salsa
1/2 head iceberg lettuce - rinsed, dried, and chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3/4 c. chopped black olives
8 oz. shredded Cheddar cheese

Place the beans in the bottom of one 9x13 inch clear glass dish. In a medium bowl combine the sour cream with the taco seasoning. Spread mixture over the beans. Spread the salsa over the top of the sour cream. Top the sour cream with a layer of lettuce, tomatoes, onions and olives. Sprinkle cheese over the top and serve.

Notes: I did change the recipe some. I didn’t really measure out the salsa. I just used a tablespoon and dropped in over the sour cream mix. Then I evenly spread it out. I used only one large tomato, a small can (4 oz. I think) of sliced black olives, and maybe 4 oz. of cheese. I sprinkled it on til it looked good. LOL


Women of Excellence Dinner
Tonight, I’m attending a charity dinner that benefits the domestic violence program for my county. It’s the major fundraiser for the program. Each year, my firm purchases tickets for the women in my office who would like to attend. The evening is filled with entertainment, an awards ceremony that honors women who make a difference in our community, and a delicious meal. Before dinner, there’s also a social hour as well as a champagne sponsor reception. It should be an enjoyable evening!

Monday Update 3/19/07

Movie Monday

Over the weekend, I watched The Departed starring Leonardo Dicaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, and Mark Wahlberg. Both the mob and the police have moles on the "other" side, yet neither knows who they are. The suspense comes in when each side suspects, and gets closer and closer to figuring out who the mole is. Very good movie, but has lots of violence so it wouldn't be a good "family" movie. Surprising ending.


Monday Madness

1. How many times do you wake up during the night? The number of times I wake up depends on what kind of stress I’m under, how much liquid I drank right before bed (LOL), or whether I’m sick. Usually, though, the answer would be none.

2. On an average, how many hours of sleep do you try to get? I’m worthless if I don’t get at least 8 hours of sleep.

3. What day of the week do you do your "major" housecleaning? I don’t have a specific day. I do a little each day, or whenever I have time. Housecleaning is not at the top of my list of things “to do”.

4. How often do you move your furniture to clean behind it? Maybe once a year, if that.

5. Do you do your dishes by hand or do you own a dishwasher? By hand. I don’t have the room for a dishwasher, otherwise I’d have one.


Stitchy Stuff

I didn’t get a chance to stitch at all last week. *sigh* I finally shipped Freedom to the father of the soldier killed in the Iraq War. Much to my surprise, the young clerk is a stitcher, as well as her mother. She complimented me on Freedom and said it was "gorgeous". She also said that if I entered it in the county fair, I'd definitely win. I hope they packaged it well enough so that the glass in the frame doesn't get broken.


Weekend Happenings

I had a date on Saturday with S. We had lunch, went bowling, then to Barnes & Noble, dinner, then a DVD (The Departed) at my house. I actually beat him one game of bowling (by two points!) It was a nice time.

On Sunday, I spent the day doing homework for my meteorology class. The entire class didn't do so well on the latest quiz, so the instructor is allowing us to re-take it this week. I attribute it to having Spring Break the week before.

I also managed to do some laundry, and clean the house a bit more. Exciting stuff, eh?

Movies & Mutterings 12/4/06

Movies:
13 Going on 30 with Jennifer Garner. A silly romantic comedy. It was OK, not something I'd run out and buy or rent again.

An Unfinished Life with Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, Morgan Freeman & Josh Lucas. Great movie. I watched it twice.


Unconscious Mutterings
I say ... and you think ... ?

Hello :: goodbye
Flinstone :: Fred
Corn :: yellow
Interview :: job
Deviant :: weird
Concept :: idea
Bridge :: covered
Karen :: schoolmate
Encounter :: tryst
Biological :: father

More Mutterings

Mutterings, Movies & Madness 11/20/06

Unconscious Mutterings

I say ... and you think ... ?

Teacher :: School
Fifty :: Dollars
Crossword :: Puzzle
Stuffed :: Turkey
Family :: Friends
Purr :: Kitty
Toad :: Warts
Cocktail :: Fruit
Insecurity :: Bad
Magical :: Happy

More Mutterings



Movies Watched

The Grapes of Wrath with Henry Fonda -- Young, young Henry Fonda. I remember him as being OLD. Needless to say this movie is very old, and it's black & white. It's nowhere near as good as the book. If I hadn't read the book first, I'd have had a hard time following the movie.

Hotel Rwanda with Don Cheadle & Nick Nolte -- So, so movie. It's based on a true story and was nominated for a Golden Globe in 2005.

Undertow with Josh Lucas and Dermot Mulroeny -- Kinda of a strange movie. It's suppose to be a thriller, but I didn't think it was all that thrilling. Rage, envy, greed, and secrets of a lower class family in Georgia weave the plot.

The Edge with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin -- Great movie! Human fear, survival, treachery, betrayal and murder rear up throughout the movie as the characters are forced to survive in the wilderness.



Monday Madness

1. In order to protect my computer from viruses, I use AVG.
2. I also use SPYWARE BLASTER for protection from spyware.
3. I don't spend nearly enough time CLEANING.
4. The first person I usually talk to in the morning is BEN.
5. It takes me about AN HOUR to get ready in the morning.
6. I keep all my appointments in/on DAY PLANNER.
7. It takes me about 15 MINUTES to fall asleep at night.

More Madness