Running Rio

ski beech mtn pond skimming 3/15/09

2009-03-30T06:33:00.001-07:00

Sonny boy at :35 and 2:05

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-03-02T07:40:00.000-08:00

I finally got around to seeing Slumdog Millionaire yesterday. I have been reading reviews since last fall, but was afraid it would just be too depressing. And then the commercials kept saying, "Feel good movie of the year." It's not a feel good movie. It deals with the reality of how countless children around the world are living each day - in slums, on their own, trying to find some way to survive, hanging on to any amount of hope available.

This is one of the best movies I have seen in years. It truly deserved every Oscar it won last week. It is a movie that was perfectly made to reflect the global world in which we live today - one where poverty and violence is pervasive, but yet there is still this need for hope no matter how outlandish it may seem (like winning a game show). The movie does an excellent job of telling its story - it slides between the improbable game show, the disbelief and torture, and the story of this young man who never gives up (as represented beautifully in the childhood outhouse scene, incidentally, one of the funniest scenes I have witnessed in a while).

The actors are excellent. The children are so winning, and Dev Patel as adult Jamal is so powerful and understated. Yet, its the story and the city itself - representative of our world - that is truly the story. In the midst of hell and death, there is always hope.

My grade - A

Be careful with passwords...

2009-02-16T06:16:00.000-08:00

Sonny Boy, Princess, and I are all on Facebook. My mom (Goggy) is as well. The kids can be on Facebook as long as I am their friend. They are also friends with their Goggy and other assorted family friends. Sonny Boy has a habit of asking the computer to remember him and his password, even when he is at his Grandparents' home. Goggy has had a devil of a time trying to get the computer to remember her, and not Sonny Boy, when she logs on to Facebook. So - she decided she would just be Sonny Boy yesterday, and wrote on his status - "Sonny Boy is listening to the Jonas Brothers."

One of the best laughs I have had in a while....

Happy Chinese New Year!

2009-01-26T08:15:00.000-08:00

Princess dancing a traditional Chinese Folk Dance...

Dr. Joseph Lowery delivers Inauguration Benediction for Barack Obama

2009-01-21T07:53:00.001-08:00

one of the best prayers I have heard in a while...

President Barack Obama

2009-01-20T11:43:00.001-08:00

Welcome, Mr. President.

Lily Allen - The Fear (Clean Version)

2009-01-13T10:33:00.001-08:00

Princess as Personal Trainer

2009-01-09T08:34:00.001-08:00

Like most of us after the holidays, Hubby has a few extra pounds right now. It's not really that much, and thanks to his quite fortunate genetic make-up, any extra pounds always come off fairly easily. A few years ago he enjoyed holiday food so much that on Jan 3 he popped the button on three straight pair of pants as he was getting dressed for work. I laughed my head off and took to calling him Fat Boy for about a week. I would hear him rumbling around in the kitchen in the evenings, and say, "Hey, Fat Boy! Whatcha looking for in there?" Of course, the pants all fit fine after a few days of watching his diet and exercising a bit more, so the nickname was history, and I reverted back to the ol' standby, "Old Man."

I chose not to make any reference to the belly in recent days, but Princess has really noticed. She is not pleased at all with the way he looks. She has fussed at him about his diet, and then drawn up a rather extensive chart for an exercise regime. She has to initial when he has completed some activity. She even made him take a fast walk in a hail storm a couple days ago. Gillian - move over. This personal trainer looks like the toughest of them all!

(and yes, for all you men reading out there - I am well aware that Hubby could never, ever make a reference to my weight and hope to live. But as my mom always told me, life's not fair.)

JC Penney: Beware of the Doghouse

2009-01-05T08:11:00.001-08:00

good friends shared this with us at an anniversary party - too good not to share!

20 years ago

2008-12-31T05:26:00.000-08:00

December 31, 1988 - Hubby and I were married. Here we are - pre-kids, pre-wrinkles, and blinded by love...

2008 Faves

2008-12-29T07:36:00.000-08:00

Some of my favorite things from 2008-
*Tina Fey!
*BBC America original sci-fi programming
*David Tennant as Dr. Who
*Rachel Maddow
*Fringe (best new show on network TV)
*Olympics
*Jack Johnson (best CD of the year)
*Taylor Swift (why would Nashville execs think middle aged women wouldn't like this great, creative kid?)
*Iron Man
*Tropic Thunder (one of the funniest movies ever)
*Twilight - the movie
*Cloris Leachman (cool again and the only decent thing about a dismal DWTS season)

And there have been some irritants this year -
*Jonas Brothers (I know some critics say they are talented, but right now they just dress like poser alt artists, and why on earth did they attempt to remake Aha's perfection of Take on Me?)
*Breaking Dawn - the book (characters should evolve, but not change the essence of who they are - and just a weird story line)
*Katy Perry (overmerchandized, overplayed, and are all the bells and whistles to cover up a lack of talent?)
*Jennifer Aniston (yes, you are hot to be almost 40 - but please cover it up, shut up about the ex (we all know he was in the wrong), find a grown up to date, and be the powerful, talented grown up woman you should be instead of trying to act like you are half your age - too many women half your age look up to you and need to know you can be single and proud of who you are at age 38 without trying to act like you're in your 20s again) - yes, working with college aged women gets me fired up on this subject!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T07:22:00.000-08:00

The official family Christmas card photo...

I live with three piggies

2008-12-19T06:17:00.000-08:00

Yes, I live with three piggies. These people are eating me out of house and home. One would expect that from teenage Sonny Boy. Yet, tiny (but out of this world metabolism) little gymnast Princess out eats him most days. And how does a 54 year old man keep eating like he is half his age and not gain weight? It blows my mind.

Mom was down the other day and she is always kind enough to cook when she visits. Any cooking or cleaning is always greatly appreciated. She made a large pot of mashed potatoes, and full skillet of green beans, bread, and a huge crockpot of 10 chicken breasts with cream soup. Princess had 3rds that night. Sonny Boy and Hubby had huge heaping plates. Mom thought it would last for a couple days for leftovers - yeah, right. The last of it was in tupperware last night about 9:30 when I went to bed. I was in bed, sound machine going, lights out, thinking about my favorite tennis shot. Hubby comes in and says he just needs to get some socks. He leaves. He is back in a few minutes for something else, and then starts discussing what final present we should get Princess for Christmas. I also remind him he has less than 24 hours to give me a viable suggestion of what he wants or he has no say-so. He keeps talking, but at least the lights were out and he couldn't see that I was ignoring him, had my eyes closed, and was trying to sleep.

Our bedroom door was open, and the hall light was turned on. Then Sonny Boy is in the room, turning on the overhead light, and holding the tupperware with the last part of the leftover chicken. He asks if he can have it. "Go away, both of you!" I say. Then Hubby says, "No, that's my lunch for tomorrow." "But I'm starving and there is nothing to eat in this house!" (even though the pantry, cabinets, freezer and refrigerator are all full) They continue to stand beside my bed, lights on, pulling the tupperware between them and arguing over who can eat it. It's 10pm by now.

"Both of you go away now! I don't care what you eat - just turn out the light, close the door and let me go to sleep!!"

My life...

Mother Daughter Holiday Tea Party

2008-12-17T07:24:00.000-08:00

Princess and I decided about 10 days ago to host a Mother Daughter Holiday Tea Party. We both love tea and the goodies that come with it. We had a favorite place in Asheville for high tea that we miss quite a lot.

We invited a wide assortment of people - family, girl scout troop, various friends and neighbors. It was lots of fun planning and cooking, and we had the added bonus of getting the house clean before everyone arrived. Sonny Boy and Hubby had lots of cleaning to do, but we got rid of them for the actual party. I still have mini cranberry nut muffins and mini raisin scones left - the cucumber sandwiches and chocolate filled croissants were gone pretty quickly.

Might have to do this again next year...

Ridin' Dirty

2008-12-15T07:10:00.000-08:00

Here I am in front of my beloved Nissan - purchased right out of grad school and lovingly driven for 16 years. I've never had a ticket (knock on wood), but apparently my car has been attracting attention lately. Two weeks ago, I was two blocks from home, on my way to work. I stopped (or thought I did) at a stop sign, right in front of a police car. I wondered why he was there - thought he might be visiting someone in the home. He followed me after I turned left and then flashed his lights after a couple blocks. I couldn't imagine why. Then the nice young man proceeded to ask me if I knew what a Missouri stop was - I had no idea. I guess in a stick shift, one does start to roll through stop signs and not realize it. I only received a warning (with my clean record), but it took a couple hours for my heart rate to go down.

Then last night, I was heading back from a tennis match in a different part of town and saw two police cars stopped. After I drove by (definitely under the limit), one car turned and followed me a couple blocks. Then the lights flashed. I guess I am becoming so experienced at this that my heart was used to it and the beats didn't increase at all. Another nice young man - turned out one of my headlights was out. I had no idea, but thanked him and he sent me on my way.

Now Hubby hasn't been that helpful. I called him after the first incident, to let him know that the police were really watching in our neighborhood and to make sure he didn't speed or pause at stop signs. He asked if I'd been pulled, and when I muttered "yes," he started laughing. I hung up the cell immediately. And then last night I called and said I needed him to go immediately to the auto parts store and purchase a right headlamp. He asked why, and I told him, and he started laughing again. I won't print what I said, but I said it, and then hung up on him again.

Sonny Boy thinks my car looks like I'm a wild teenager and that's why they're pulling me. I just hope this is the end. Guess I should drive the hated minivan more often.

Alternate Life?

2008-12-11T06:45:00.000-08:00

Sonny Boy has really been on it lately. He feels he is not meant to be an average teenage boy living in the Southern flatlands. He is meant to live in the mountains with snow from October - May. He is in reality a cool snowboarding dude. Life is so unfair - if only his father and I would find jobs in some appropriate place, he could live the true snowboarding life. He could be the next Shaun White. He could have enough money that he could totally forget school, and then he could ship me off to Spain or Scotland so that I would totally stay out of his unruly hair. It's so unfair!

Life's not fair, I tell him. No need to mince words in the attempt to be a smothering mother. If my life had been different, I would be a globe traveling tennis commentator after a rather successful tennis career (consistent top 20 player), and Carlos Moya would be inviting me to come to Majorca with him.

Another fantasy bites the dust...

2008-12-05T06:44:00.000-08:00

Any follower of this blog knows that Princess and I are avid watchers of Dancing with the Stars. She and I recently ran across a workout DVD (only $9!) for DWTS. Professional dancers Maks, Kym, and Ashley lead the workouts and they focus on 4 dances. One of them is the Paso Doble.

I normally don't go straight to sleep when my head hits the pillow at night. To keep myself from thinking about work or housecleaning that needs to be done, I try to think of fun, relaxing or enjoyable things. Numerous nights I imagined Maks teaching me to dance the Paso Doble. I would always be in a beautiful black and red dress with a huge flowing skirt. I owned that dance.

Well, instead of this workout video bringing to life one small fantasy, it's destroyed it. I stink at the Paso Doble. Then I thought I can at least move my hips (unlike Shannon Elizabeth), so perhaps the Cha Cha was my dance. Well, my right hip hurt a fair bit the next day.

I am even all the more impressed with Cloris Leachman now.

Twilight - the Movie

2008-12-02T10:12:00.000-08:00

I haven't been sure what to make about the huge fuss over the new Twilight movie. I enjoyed the series (well, at least until the last book when the character development got really skewed), and I was looking forward to the movie. Wow - has it created a stir.

Let's get this out of the way first - Catherine Hardwicke took a rather thin (but interesting) story line with little action and gave it gravitas. And instead of some bubblegum kids to star, she found real actors. This director and the two leads made all the difference in the world. This could have been as painful as A Cinderella Story, but it definitely was not. The visuals, pacing, interaction of characters, and intensity was very well done. It was a fun and intense ride. One could connect with the characters (even the vampires - I particularly liked Rosalie!). Okay - maybe the highly sought teen boy demo can't connect - but Sonny Boy can just keep seeing all the Adam Sandler movies he wants.

For the next movie (yes, there will be one after the first two weeks' take), let's hope they get more money for the FX. That could have been improved. And I am all for the story line being ramped up a bit. Overall, definitely a movie worth seeing, even if you have not read the books. My grade - B.

I found Caramel Frosting!!!

2008-11-30T18:31:00.000-08:00

Anyone who has read my blog the past three years knows that I have been stunned that I could not find a tub of Caramel Frosting at any grocery store in Greensboro. I just gave up and depended upon Mom to bring a couple tubs from Ingles in Asheville when she came down to visit. Well, Sonny Boy and I were at SuperWalmart today (the economy sent me back to an old favorite in recent months). We were just walking through the aisles when he said, "Look mom!" And there it was - a tub of Caramel Frosting. At last....

Sarah Palin pardons a Thanksgiving turkey as others die around her. The Political Pop

2008-11-24T06:06:00.001-08:00

don't need to add any words...

Quantum of Solace

2008-11-17T08:31:00.000-08:00

Hubby and I made it to the movies Saturday afternoon. I read movie reviews all the time (and wish someone would pay me to see movies and critique them), but it is oh so rare that I can actually see most of the movies about which I read. Daniel Craig has been a fave since Layer Cake, and Casino Royale was a truly engaging movie, Bond movie or not.

Quantum of Solace picks up just a few minutes after the ending of CR, where Bond's true love has betrayed him and then died. Bond discovers the betrayal is not so cut and dry as he might hope. His pursuit of justice initially lines up with Britain's, but it soon diverges and he is at a loss to find allies. Bond is a complete ball of rage, driven by an obsession to uncover the truth about his love's death and the forces behind it. His fury propells his body to move faster than his mind and heart. Hubby said the movie had too much action and he would have liked more character development (yes, I am actually from Mars and he is from Venus). The action was the character development (unlike the vast majority of movies where action is there simply because it sells, regardless of any plot development at all).

The storyline did feel like a conclusion to CR, but I'm fine with that. I know more will come and we will see this interesting character and his world continue to evolve. It was a limited scope as a movie, but as part of a franchise, it was still a good, solid movie. The surrounding characters were interesting, especially as counterparts for Bond and his vengeance. And has anyone ever imagined M as standing for Mother? Judi Dench is always brilliant.

Couple things I wish they would change. The theme song was absolutely awful - and I am a huge Jack White fan and like Alicia Keys as well. I would never have imagined that collaboration would turn out so poorly. And can we please get rid of the opening credits with Bond superimposed over female bodies? I felt like Roger Moore was about to make a cameo. This Bond incarnation is not just about the women, and the opening credits need to move beyond that.

Overall, good movie. My grade B.

Old Fat Naked Women for Peace

2008-11-11T06:40:00.001-08:00

Sonny Boy celebrates...

2008-11-10T08:03:00.001-08:00

President-Elect Barack Obama in Chicago

2008-11-05T07:27:00.001-08:00

Scott Avett sings

2008-11-03T08:40:00.001-08:00

guess I am a Greensboro woman for the time being...

The Avett Brothers - Shame

2008-11-03T08:35:00.001-08:00

Hubby and I had a wonderful Halloween - spent the evening with 7000 screaming Avett Brothers fans - great concert. It's no wonder those guys are so fit - not sure when I have ever seen so much energy from a band. And Edgy Mama - I was thinking about you!

Halloween fun

2008-10-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

Here I am in my front yard prior to attending the church Fall Halloween festival. You betcha!

Grimsley - Page game

2008-10-20T11:17:00.000-07:00

Even though I still feel like a newbie to Gboro, I have heard of the intense Grimsley-Page high school rivalry. Hubby has taken Sonny Boy to the annual football games the past couple year. All four of us went Friday night in non-stop rain, wind, and greatly reduced temperatures from the day before. I was so grateful to the Booster moms who make sure they sell hot chocolate at those things.

The game was a bigger deal than I had envisioned. I know it's one of the biggest (if not the biggest) rivalries in the state. Even with the weather conditions, almost 5000 people were there. About a week before all parents had received a 3 page letter from the Principal detailing the events of Grimsley-Page week, and especially what was not tolerated. We also got the big automated call about the week. Friday morning (in the rain), Grimsley-Page alumni participated in the annual golf tournament. 280 participated and almost $30000 was raised, to be split between the two athletic departments. Wow. Scholarships were given as well.

I was an ice cube by the time I got home, even though I had dressed appropriately. Princess and I left a little early to go home and thaw out. Sonny Boy (who had insisted on only wearing his 2008 Grimsley-Page tshirt and a pair of shorts) came home a little after that. "I'm freezing!" He said. "Everyone thought I was an idiot!" I responded, "Well, do you think they were right?" (Before the game, I had tried my best to get him to at least wear a jacket - but you can't force a 14 year old who is bigger than you are to dress more appropriately). Sonny Boy just rolled his eyes and went straight to bed.

No one should be surprised that he was sneezing, coughing and congested over the weekend. And when he had to leave science class today to call a parent to pick him up because he now has a fever, his teacher said, "I'm not surprised. Saw you at that game Friday night."

Sure hope next year's game has better weather! And sure hope Sonny Boy might figure out that dressing appropriately for the weather might actually not be uncool.

Breaking Dawn - the review

2008-10-16T17:27:00.000-07:00

In the summer, I posted about Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series - a juvenile fiction about vampires that I (along with millions of teen girls and their moms) became a touched obsessed with. I anxiously awaited the final book of the series, Breaking Dawn. Alas, it did not live up to my expectations. I really liked the first three books, but as I hear Edgy Mama say - "She really needs an editor!" It's a shame when someone becomes a big success that editors aren't willing to pare down or help reshape a book that really needs it.

And it wasn't just the length - the storyline just got weird. Bella has made her choice between gorgeous vampire Edward and rebellious human/wolf Jacob. I was fine with that. Gotta move forward in life, right? Yet, once that decision was made, things just got weird. Edward lost his dangerous mojo and was simply a boring, smitten, emasculated vampire. Bella, only age 18, suddenly became a strong, independent, and quite mature grown woman. And who didn't want Jacob to get a real life? He deserved it. The characters I grew to know so well just weren't the same people. The storylines didn't make sense because they weren't really the same people. Consistency is a must! Innovation yes - but once a character is fleshed out, how can they suddenly be a very different person?

Nessie (if you read it, you'll find out who she is) was just weird. I must say that Meyer still paints vivid images (can't wait to see them translated onto the big screen with The Twilight Movie next month). And I enjoyed the exchange between Jacob and Rosemary. But the rest was disappointing. Sad way to end something so promising.

My grade - C-

Tropic Thunder

2008-10-14T17:16:00.001-07:00

I wish I could forget one of my most frightening Halloween memories. I was in college, and there were just no good parties to be found that night. One of my friends, Stephen, suggested to a group of us that we go see this new movie he'd heard was really good. "What's it called?" "Platoon." "What's it about?" "It's about the Vietnam War."

Okay, I thought. Always up for a good movie, and I did like history. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. For anyone who recalls this movie, it was the beginning of those violent, rated R, movies about guys bonding together under the worst conditions imaginable. I had nightmares for weeks.

I've been reading about Tropic Thunder for almost a year. A comedy about making a movie along the lines of Platoon? Ben Stiller at the helm? Robert Downey, Jr. playing an Aussie actor who goes through a procedure to become "black" for the role in this pretend movie? It was either going to be great, or completely awful. I was hoping for the former.

And that was what I got. I actually saw it twice. I laughed so hard I literally cried. The movie pokes fun at the most ridiculous aspects of the Hollywood movie industry, and yet still finds some humanity in the midst of insanity. Robert Downey, Jr. was beyond hysterical. He was the ultimate "Russell Crowe" method actor. The man can take a big risk and make it work. And as much as I loved the movie, the "previews" and "commercials" from the big name actors in the fake movie at the actual beginning of the movie were really the icing on the cake.

Not a movie for everyone - still lots of violence and certainly some crude humor. But I can say I found some redemption from that nightmarish Halloween over 20 years ago.

My grade - B+

Dancing with the Stars Again

2008-09-23T05:50:00.001-07:00

Princess and I sat down last night to watch the premiere of another season of DWTS. I wasn't that excited - they have moved from B list to D list stars, and I could not believe they had cute little pro Mark trying to teach Kim Kardasian (known for having a "reality" show on E! and a rather large backside). But Princess loves this show - so there we were.

Highlight of the night - Misty May-Treanor (pictured) with my fave pro, Maks. I have loved watching Misty and partner Kerri play beach volleyball for years, and especially enjoyed the recent second gold medal. Always good to see a tough female jock out there on the dance floor.

Lowlight - Rocco Celebrity Chef who? Don't think I've seen this guy on food tv. Just confusing.

Something left unsaid - Kim Kardasian kept telling Mark in practice that she just was out of balance all the time and rather clumsy and she didn't know why. I am certain that most people watching immediately thought of her infamous derriere (which she enjoys talking about so much). Perhaps they just edited that part out?

Most disconcerting - Cloris Leachman is literally twice my age. She wore a sexy lowcut dress and flung her leg up on the judges' table, hoping for some points. Is it possible that her body is actually better than mine?

Two more nights of DWTS this week. We'll see if I can hold out this season or if Princess will be on her own.

WFMY 2 SUCKS!

2008-09-09T05:48:00.000-07:00

No question - WFMY 2 sucks. The US Open Men's Final was moved to Monday at 5pm due to Hurricane Hanna soaking NYC on Saturday, and thus delaying one of the men's semis. Roger Federer was going for his 5th straight Open title - a historic moment in Open era tennis. If he won, he would be just one behind Pete Sampras' 14 Slam titles. And facing him across the court, was the young Scotsman, Andy Murray, finally living into the potential he has shown the past couple years.

My two favorite men's tennis players, facing off on the sports' biggest stage.

But what was on our local affiliate? Andy Griffith reruns from 45 years ago (and I don't care that it was the one where Thelma Lou returned to visit), an hour of local news (because the network wasn't broadcasting theirs since a major sporting event was taking place), and then Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. WFMY 2 was kind enough to put the Final on the CBS HD channel - for those of us who don't care how much we already pay for cable and put out extra money for extra premiums, I am sure it was a joy to watch.

Plenty of people (like me) don't have HD. Local sports bars weren't even able to show the event (Hubby called and local sports bars were ticked off as well). Thank you CBS Sports for livestreaming it online. I could watch. Yes, the quality of a computer is lacking. Was the ball in or out? I have no idea. But at least I could see it in some form.

One of the comments on WFMY's website said she would be notifying the USTA. They do have a contract after all for their events to be shown on CBS - especially an event like a Slam Final - which is comparable to a playoff or the Superbowl. Sure hope they get fined.

Must say my family was great. Hubby kept trying nearby sports bars. Sonny Boy moved the comfy chair in front of the computer, and Princess offered to get me some chocolate. I am so glad they understood the importance of this event - even if a local channel doesn't have a clue.

The Family Name

2008-08-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

School started on Tuesday. Princess began Middle School and Sonny Boy began High School. It turns out that one of Princess' teachers, Ms. M, was Sonny Boy's student teacher last year. Ms. M knew Sonny Boy for the wild boy he is and didn't let him by with much. He just knew Princess would not like her.

The Middle School has the mascot of the Tigers. When a student behaves well, they get "pawed," which is a gift certificate for a free drink at a local gas station. This is the conversation that centered around that fact after the second day of school.

Princess: Mom, I got pawed today! It was my second one.
Mom: Honey, that's great! I am so proud of you.
Sonny: (tearing into the living room from another part of the house) What? You got pawed twice and it's only the second day of school? Who pawed you?!
Princess: (grinning a knowing grin) Ms. M.
Sonny: What!!! She NEVER pawed me last year. In fact, I only got pawed once the entire year. You better cut this out. You're ruining the family name!!

Ahhh, siblings....

Jack Johnson - If I Had Eyes

2008-08-15T20:58:00.001-07:00

in honor of the concert tomorrow night...

Breakdown - Jack Johnson

2008-08-15T20:52:00.001-07:00

another one...

Providing Public Entertainment

2008-08-07T17:54:00.000-07:00

One of my memories from childhood is Mom reminding members of the family not to provide free public entertainment. This was normally directed at Dad. He just couldn't help himself at times! It's a good thing he never cared what other people thought. And my own family these days certainly provides our share of entertainment for the masses.

I contributed to this early Wednesday morning. I was driving to meet KB, my carpooling buddy. I am so sick of the minutiae of the political campaigns that I have been listening to morning radio with crazy DJs. I turned on the local 98.7 Simon, just in time to hear that they were accepting callers to play Password for free Jack Johnson tickets. Jack Johnson! One of my absolute faves! I can't even remember the last time I saw a concert - they are pretty pricey these days.

So I picked up the cell, thankful that there was not much traffic (Dad - I am very sorry I used my phone while driving). I can't believe I got through, and then I actually got to play! I was just a teeny bit excited, and had to come from behind to tie with my competitor Emmett. But thanks to the generosity of 98.7 Simon DJs, they gave us both tickets so I am actually seeing Jack Johnson Tuesday night!!!!!! Wooooooohooooooooo!! (And just for the record - if someone is playing password and your teammate says "puppy," don't respond "animal shelter!")

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

2008-08-05T13:25:00.001-07:00

A few years ago one of the great movies of modern times came out - The Mummy. It had lots of action, humor, interesting characters and was a really fun ride. Not one scene or line was a throw away. They were all perfect. It was then I began my great love for Rachel Weisz. Brendan Frazier and John Hannah were great (as they normally are), but Rachel captured my heart as the kinda goofy, but adventure craving librarian who stole the hero's heart.

The Mummy II was pretty enjoyable. Not as good as the first, but I still enjoy watching it. All the main players were back (plus a 10 year old son). I was happy with a completion of the story.

So I was not thrilled last summer when I first read that a 3rd Mummy was being filmed. And then I found out that my beloved Rachel Weisz would not be in it. I vowed not to see it. And then what do I discover last spring? Maria Bello was taking the role over. Well, she is by no means anyone to sneeze at. Then I read that Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh were also starring. That settled it - Yeoh is one of my all time favorites. I love kick-butt women, and it's hard to beat Asian martial arts.

So I dragged my family to the theater this past Friday afternoon. The first 10 minutes were compelling as it told the story of the evil Chinese emperor and the beautiful witch who defied him. "This might be just fine," I thought. Then the next 20 minutes were bogged down with slow backstory about the O'Connell family (with the son now in his early 20s) in 1946. The movie sparkled with the action scenes, and Yeoh of course always lit the screen. She was definitely the best part of the movie. But the movie dragged. It was heavy, bogged down by relationships and conversation that never felt real or compelling. Bello's Evie was no longer the goofy adventurer - she was an overly serious, overly protective mom who was supposed to be superspy now. The O'Connell family didn't feel like a family. The relationships just didn't work and family dialogue was tedious. The strength of the original Mummy movies was snappy, quick, and fun action and dialogue. I think I only cracked a smile or laugh a couple times in the entire movie. If I want to be depressed this summer, I'll go see The Dark Knight. To be fair, I believe the actors did the best with what they were given. Perhaps a different screenwriter would have brought the lightness and fun back to this movie.

My grade would be lower except for one scene. When Brendan Frazier's Rick O'Connell is recovering from a stab wound, his shirt is off for a few minutes - a sight we did not witness in the first two movies. Not bad at all. Had to move the grade up slightly. My grade - C

Princess' Bday

2008-08-04T11:13:00.001-07:00

Today is Princess' 11th Bday. I'm at work, but Hubby is home with her and Sonny Boy. Princess and Hubby are making a birthday cake. They've only called twice to discuss what is a cake pan and what is a pie pan, and then to tell me that there was no oil in the house (when we have 2 large containers - one vegetable, the other olive). It will be interesting to see what the cake looks like when I get home tonight!

Princess' birthday is a little different for me each year than Sonny Boy's. I was not present (nor in pain), and it was 10 months later before I got to hold my little bundle of joy. So every year I give thanks and offer prayers for Princess' birth mommy, who loved her enough to make sure she was at a caring place where her new family could find her and adopt her. I hope somewhere in her heart, she knows that Princess has a very loving family who see her as one of the two best gifts ever given to Hubby and me.

Twilight Series

2008-07-29T11:43:00.001-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a real sucker for a good book series. This summer I found Stephenie Meyers' Twilight series. The first book (Twilight) begins with the story of Bella Swan, an average 17 year old girl who moves to small town Washington state to live with her dad. She goes from never being noticed by any boy before to being the talk of her new school. (Most girls can relate to this unexplainable phenomenon - why did no boys at my high school pay attention to me, but I had my pick of boys at summer camp? Same kid - just different perspective.)

So ordinary Bella finds herself with more attention than she wants, but she finds she does want the attention of Edward Cullen - the most unearthly beautiful 17 year old boy she has ever seen. He reacts strangely to her (to say the least), but the pull between them is unmistakeable.

The problem? Edward is a vampire, as is his beautiful family. Bella's blood sings to him, and he wants it more than anything - but not quite as much as he just wants Bella. Supernatural teen romance? You betcha. Lot of fun to read? Absolutely. Engaging characters and can't wait for the first movie out in December? Big uh-huh.

The final book of the series is Breaking Dawn. Barnes and Noble is welcoming the book as it should - I might be dressed in prom attire or maybe just simple black and red and show up for the midnight release of the book Friday night. If I'm really tired, I'll just head to B&N early Saturday morning. Need a fun and really engaging read? Run to your local bookstore and start poring through the series. (Did I mention that not only do teen girls have lots of blogs and websites about this, but also lots of middle-aged women as well? Stephenie Meyer knows what she's doing!)

Training Bra

2008-07-23T12:49:00.000-07:00

I will never forget when Princess was 3 years old. She and I went to Walmart to purchase her a very casual play outfit. I found a very cute skort and matching top. The whole thing was just $5. She needed something she could get dirty in, and she was so tiny it was not always easy to find clothes. I remember this outfit was a 2T. We arrived home and I put it on her. The top was a mid-riff. I was appalled. What business did a 2 or 3 year old have wearing a mid-riff??!! Since then I have been horrified at what styles are out there for little girls. High heels, more mid-riffs, slits, low cut tops, fake leather. Anything to make them look "sexy."

And the truly awful thing? Low cost clothing for little girls always tended along the Britney Spears line. It was very difficult to find appropriate clothing on a budget. There were and are age appropriate clothes - but always in higher end stores. If someone had the money, they could dress their little girl like a little girl and not mini-Britney Spears. Sexist and classist.

In recent weeks, I realized Princess was ready for her first training bra. Since we just needed the beginning basics, I didn't want to spend much money. So we went to Walmart. (I am very glad they are around in this economy - please understand Restless.) We were looking for the smallest beginning bra. And did you know that one can easily find a 30A training bra with padding and underwire? Black, red, hot pink - you name it. We managed to find a cute little white one that was appropriate, and then some sports ones - but no little girl in a training bra needs push up padding with underwire in sexy colors!! It's no wonder that girls have so many problems with self-image. Before they even know what sexy is, their clothing choices are supposed to be that. And if one is on a limited income, it's even more prominent.

Wish I could design an appropriate girl line for a discount store and get rid of all the inappropriate stuff.

Mamma Mia!

2008-07-20T15:25:00.001-07:00

Friday was the day. I finally got to see Mamma Mia! For years I have wanted to see the stage version. Who doesn't love ABBA? And the songs always remind me of my childhood in the '70s. I'm not really a big fan of the modern musical (Howard Keel and Jane Powell were stars of the last musicals I enjoyed), but centered around ABBA songs - it just had to be good.

The story is fairly basic - a 20 year old woman is ready to marry on her Greek Island home. Her mom, Donna, (Meryl Streep) has never revealed her father. Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) finds Donna's diary and realizes there were three distinct possibilities. Unknown to her mother, Sophie invites all three men (Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgard) to her wedding, hoping the truth will be revealed.

I believe I have not been a big fan of the modern musical because they take themselves so seriously. They are trying to come off like a serious and artistic movie with songs written to tell an exact and specific story. Dance steps are choreographed to the hilt, and it is just way overdone. Shouldn't a musical just be fun? Shouldn't the songs just be catchy ones to sing instead of melodramatic or greatly verbose ones? The songs here are obviously some of the best from pop culture history. One who have to be a dead piece of wood not to sing along (and I certainly did - admittedly, not very loudly). The setting was perfect. The Meditteranean and the Greek island were a visual feast. I was transported back to the couple days I had on Crete almost ten years ago. And then the movie did something really right - it casted stars who are true actors and can sing okay (not great, but good enough). Having really gifted actors makes all the difference in the world. Streep could not have been any cuter or appealing - it makes me feel better about heading into my middle age years. Brosnan and Firth - can't even say any more than that. And Julie Walters and Christine Baranski are always magnificent. I had only seen Seyfriend in Mean Girls. She has a sparkling voice that was perfect for this young, hopeful woman with such a generous heart.

Some of the most fun I've had in a while. And after the gore and angst of some recent movies, everyone needs some fun. Life should have some fun, some gifted and good looking middle-aged actors, and always some ABBA. My grade - A

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

2008-07-16T15:25:00.001-07:00

I have for many years been a proponent of absence making the heart grow fonder. Familiarity breeds contempt. Too much of a good thing... You get the idea.

During the summer months, Hubby and I both are at home (since we both work an academic year). However, this summer I have been diligently working on a chapter for a book that is due in a few days. I was honored to be asked to write this chapter and have tried to put my best effort into it. Not an easy task with all the family around.

I had a deadline this afternoon of getting the chapter to my two readers before I send it off to the editor in a few days. And you know what babies men can be when it comes to illness or getting older? I wasted some valuable days last week trying to calm Hubby's fears over his first colonoscopy. For goodness' sake, Katie Couric did it on national tv! So this afternoon I am working hard on the laptop, trying to get the chapter completed. And how many times can Hubby (and kids) interrupt me? The final time Hubby interrupted me was this -

Hubby: "Look at my bicep. I have a bug bite on it." (as he models bicep)

Rio: "That's nice." (while continuing to type)

Hubby: "I think it's deformed my muscle. Look."

Rio: "Looks fine to me. Just a bite on the bicep." (as I glance momentarily at it)

Hubby: "But look at the other bicep! It looks kinda weird too! Do you think something is wrong with my muscle?"

Rio: (through gritted teeth) "Your muscles are fine. They are just old. Please go away and leave me alone."

Colin Firth and Mama Mia!

2008-07-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

Just 7 days left until my man Colin is in the big screen adaption of Mamma Mia! Check out this link from the Fug Girls with a pic of Colin and his beautiful wife. The Fug Girls' comments say it all...

Hubby has done it again...

2008-07-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

We were in the midst of a major thunderstorm last night when Hubby started to drive Sonny Boy to Scouts. Hubby pulled my 91 Nissan Sentra (5 speed stick) out of the driveway and parked it on the street so that he could then take the van. The Nissan is my baby - it gets great gas mileage and it was the first car I bought on my own - just a year out of grad school.

As Hubby and Sonny Boy were driving away from the house in the driving rain, this conversation apparently took place.

Sonny Boy - "Dad, Mom's car is going down the road."

Hubby - "Well, I guess Mom is going somewhere."

Sonny Boy - "I really don't think Mom would drive 2 miles an hour and sideways in the street."

Hubby will never know how lucky he was that the Nissan simply backed into the grassy area beside a neighbor's house and not into a telephone pole or another car. It's my guess that not placing the stick shift in reverse and pulling up the emergency break is not a good idea even in the flatlands. It should go without saying that he has lost driving privileges to my car for the foreseeable future.

Summer Movies

2008-07-08T15:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have not blogged in a while. I don't work during June and July, except for being a homemaker and referee between my children (which is much more time consuming than heading to my "job" each day and actually having time to blog). I have been fortunate enough to see some movies this summer and here are my reviews -

Iron Man - hands down, the best movie I've seen this summer. I was never a comic book geek, so I didn't know anything about Iron Man. Apparently he was a genius weapon's designer who was also a rich playboy. After being captured by a terrorist group, he creates the Iron Man suit to escape to freedom. Upon reaching home, he reevaluates who he is and what he does. His one true friend is his assistant, Pepper. Robert Downey, Jr. is absolutely perfect as Iron Man. It was so nice to see a fully grown man, dealing with mature issues as a superhero (as opposed to some geeky teenager that is moping around after his lady love). Gwenyth Paltrow can never do wrong and is spot on as Pepper. She very subtlely delivers the best line in the movie about taking out the garbage.

Iron Man was fun, engaging, interesting, and I can't wait for the next one. My grade - A

Wanted - I have been anxiously awaiting this movie for two reasons - Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy. They are far and away two of the most gifted actors out there. And who doesn't want to see Angie kick butt in the cool way only she can do? The movie begins with a wimpy office drone, played perfectly by James McAvoy. His voice over and humor are one of the best things about the movie. Angie is part of an assasins group that is given hits from some kind of mystical loom (yeah, I thought that was kind of weird too - I'm all about the mystical stuff, but weavers as the world's best assasins?)

The action was great - could not have been better. Angie and Jamie offer their usual top caliber performance. Yet, I found myself wishing for more when the movie ended. The movie dealt slightly with the morality of listening to a loom that tells you who to kill before they commit atrocious acts. But there was more to be explored here among the gunfire - why should we trust this information? Who is really playing God when it comes to life and death? What kind of person does it entail to blindly follow orders?

The movie left me wanting something a little deeper instead of the tough gloss. My grade - B-

Hancock - I'm not sure I would have seen this particular one if Sonny Boy had not needed someone to drive him there. Yes, Will Smith is beyond cool, and the premise seemed interesting - a very faulty, drunken mess of a superhero. The first half of the movie dealt with this quite well. It was entertaining. Hancock meets a PR guy who wants to change the world for the better (Jason Bateman), and he helps Hancock redo his image.

Then the second half of the movie starts, and one wonders how someone thought to place the two parts together. It goes from an interesting superhero study with some good action and laughs to a melodramatic, soul-mate, mushy thing. One scene particularly overdoes it with feeling another's pain. It was fine to explore who Hancock really was, but the movie would have been far better served if Charlize Theron's character had maintained the ticked-off, cocky, kick-butt attitude she displays when interacting with Hancock one-on-one. There were better, and more consistent, avenues to be explored there.

The camera angles literally gave me a headache. A large portion of the movie was devoted to very up close shots of parts of the face - Theron's eyes filling the entire screen, Smith's lips and nose, Bateman's forehead. I kept wanting to back up so I could see the entire face. I have no idea if the director thought this was a symbolic way to show that we only see part of others - but it was way overused and I hope never to have to see movie filmed in that way again.

However, Smith, Theron, and Bateman were all quite good. The music was killer. My grade - B-

Graduation Day!

2008-06-11T14:30:00.000-07:00

Big day today in the Rio household. Sonny Boy finished 8th grade (they didn't really graduate - just had an awards ceremony), and Princess actually graduated from 5th grade. I officially have a high schooler and middle schooler now. How on earth am I not connected with an elementary school now?

Both the kids finished the year by making AB honor roll one quarter this year. Didn't expect Sonny Boy to get any awards today (very large class), but he did get excellence awards in Life Skills (yes, it is a easy as it sounds) and Phys Ed. I will also say that he did get one of the Achieving Excellence Awards (which is a most improved version) from his homeroom teacher. Not bad.

Princess' graduation was fun. She wore a beautiful spring dress, and they had a very talented graduation speaker even. It turned out that she was the only student in the school to receive the President's Physical Fitness Award - not an easy task. The PE teacher kept telling us how very impressed he was with her. Even Sonny Boy seemed a little impressed and actually congratulated his little sister.

Perhaps I'm not raising great scholars, but they sure are athletic. And I am quite proud of them!

Best Ab workout

2008-06-08T17:45:00.001-07:00

My abs are killing me today. Bottom is a little achy too, but I think that is probably bruised. I have not been tubing in 16 years, but yesterday I went with Sonny Boy and his best Friend from Ashvegas down the Oconaluftee in Cherokee. Water was icy (it is the mountains after all), but when one has record setting heat, icy water feels good. Proud to say I did not get sunburned thanks to the 45, but apparently my body is not used to leaning back in an inner tube for 1 and 1/2 hours and propelling my arms backwards for much of that time. And my bottom is not used to hitting unseen rocks constantly. Now that I think about it, my bottom might be a tad bigger than it was 16 years ago. Oh well - fun time had by all!

I am ancient

2008-05-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

Sonny Boy had his last choral concert last night at the middle school. (That, in and of itself, is quite an entertaining story.) On the way home, we were discussing "the one hot girl in the school who is really nice." I finally figured out who she was last night.

"You know honey, you can always talk to me about any girl."

Big time eye roll.

"I'm serious. That's what moms are for."

Even bigger eye roll. "I'll talk to Dad. Not you!"

"Honey, it's great you want to talk with dad, but if you ever need a female perspective, remember that I work with teenage girls. And I was a teenage girl one time."

"Mom - that was last century!"

Technically, he's right.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

2008-05-27T07:05:00.000-07:00

I was a teenager when the first Indiana Jones movie came out. I was working at summer camp, and one of my fellow counselors spent the whole summer wearing an Indy fedora and carrying around a fake whip. We were all a bit obsessed. I loved all three of the movies, so I have anxiously been waiting for the latest installment. In recent weeks, Hubby and I have shared the original trilogy with Princess and Sonny Boy since this was all new to them.

I was not disappointed Sunday afternoon when we saw the movie. I know everyone keeps talking about how old Harrison Ford is (I think he's 65), but that man can still kick butt. Shia Lebouf is always fantastic - a very gifted young actor (so hard to believe he got his start on a Nick kids' show). Cate Blanchett - never wrong. And it was so great to see Karen Allen again. And it was really great to see Ford and Allen looking age appropriate - not like a weird Martian with elongated eyes (that was another character in the movie).

The movie was just all out fun. The storyline was interesting; not as compelling as the first or third movie - but still entertaining. I liked the conspiracy mythology thrown in. The action was great. Do you remember how Indy liked to climb in and out of vehicles while socking the bad guys? Look for one scene with this which also involves a motorcycle. One of my favorites in the movie. One thing I enjoyed as well was that the characters were growing up and dealing with life. Life goes on and people have to live it - one way or the other. It was nice seeing old friends live their lives, battle the bad guys, and have a great adventure while doing it.

My grade - B

Sonny Boy was right

2008-05-19T06:21:00.000-07:00

On a fairly regular basis, Sonny Boy greets me at the end of the day with, "You won't believe what ridiculous thing they made us to at school today!" It is usually just normal school stuff, but Friday was different.

"Well, you know we have those stupid EOGs next week (for the uninitiated - End of Grade tests that the state (read - bunch of older white male lawyers) makes the schools give out to see if children should pass or not - because they seem to think that qualified, hard-working and underpaid teachers don't seem to know if a child should pass a grade or not; and also - why not make a little 3rd (or 5th or 8th) grader freak out and be unable to sleep because of sitting for 2 hours a day filling in circles on a scan card?)?
So - today, we had a pep rally for the EOGs. We all went to the football stadium and they tried to get us to chant "EOG!" and do the wave with EOG. Then they gave us all these tshirts that said "Rock the Test," and the teachers were laying on the field spelling out "Rock the Test" and then they tried to get us to chant "Rock the Test." But we all thought it was pretty stupid and just a few nerds were the only ones who did the chants a little bit."

After I stopped laughing, I responded, "You're right. That was ridiculous."

Mother's Day Poem

2008-05-12T08:33:00.000-07:00

Here is the poem Sonny Boy wrote for me for Mother's Day. I have kept the spelling as is, and "pom" stands for pomengranate.

She is like the fruit, wonderful pom
but I just like to call her mom.
Sometimes she can be a bit of a hastle
but she is as great as a wonderful castle.
She is one of the greatest people alive
if she died I would stick my head in a beehive.
I love my mom and that's all I have to say
except Happy Mother's Day!

In Memory of Dr. James E. Hull

2008-05-09T07:39:00.000-07:00

Here is an article from the Gboro newspaper. It's about a very influential man in my life - one of my college professors, Dr. Jim Hull. Dr. Hull was a religion professor for many years at Greensboro College. As a religion major there from 1985-89, I came to know him well. I thought I would go on and get a Ph.d. and teach religion at a college somewhere. He kept saying, "Lassie, perhaps God wants you to go in the ministry." He continually introduced me to women who were ministers (my first encounter with clergywomen, because there just were not that many). He helped me explore Divinity School options (which I would go to regardless of an academic or ministerial life). Dr. Hull was a very strong support - always listening to any problems I had and encouraging me that God had great plans for me. He is certainly one of the major reasons I am in my chosen profession.

Dr. Hull also performed the marriage ceremony for Hubby and me 19 1/2 years ago. He will always be fondly remembered as a very important person for me personally. I hope that in all my years of working with college students, I might can attempt to be the same kind of person he was for me and for so many countless others over the years.

Princess to the Rescue

2008-05-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

I had what I believe was a combination cold/allergy episode a few days ago. My voice was fairly scratchy on Wednesday, and then by Thursday morning I was teaching my class in a very loud whisper. After that, the voice was almost completely gone. It's been over three years since I last lost my voice. Never fun. I had a co-worker call Hubby to tell him not to call - I couldn't talk at all. (I thought I would act preemptively, since Hubby loves to call and just say hi.) A couple hours after that I was sitting in my office (all by my lonesome) when the phone rang. Princess was home from school. She didn't know my voice was gone, but I was hoping I could croak out a loud whisper, "Voice! Lost!"

I answered and attempted the two words. She kept asking "what?" and I kept trying to no avail. I then tried, "Call Daddy." She heard daddy (being the Daddy's girl she is, I should not be surprised) and hung up the phone.

Within two minutes my cell rang again, and it was Hubby. I answered the phone and said nothing - he knew I couldn't talk. He said, "Princess called and said that you were really upset. That you'd lost something. What's wrong."

"LOST! VOICE!"

Hubby had a good laugh and hung up.

I hate Guitar Hero III

2008-05-04T18:48:00.001-07:00

Sonny Boy is pretty good with money. He knows how to save for things he wants and how to find good deals. This is a feat most adults have not accomplished, so I'm quite proud of him. Today, he accomplished his goal of acquiring a used PS2 version of Guitar Hero III. For those without a teen, it is a video game where you hold a plastic guitar and follow the "chords"/color-coded keys while strumming a white switch at the same time when the screen indicates that color. It also tells you the duration to hold the color coded key.

GHIII has a number of songs from the hair bands of the '80s - my kind of music. When Sonny Boy's buddy, TC, was here today, I even bragged that I could "kick his behind" in GH. (Yes, I really did say that, and I was pleased that I substituted *&#! with behind - my competitive spirit is a bit much at times).

Turns out if you don't do the chords exactly right, the convicts at the concert start booing you. And if you miss enough notes in a row, they riot and your song is over. This has happened through five songs now - 4 '80s hair band rockers and The Killers' When You Were Young. I could understand why guitarists smash their guitars during a concert.

Plus the fact that my tendonitis (which so far is surviving a new tennis season) is now hurting once again. Guess I need to go get some gin soaked raisins and get my "behind" to bed.

Should I be irritated?

2008-05-01T11:02:00.001-07:00

I hit the hay pretty quickly after Dancing with the Stars ends on Monday nights. The other night I was so fortunate to have a dream connected with DWTS. I was on my third season as a contestant (not a professional). The audience just loved me and kept voting for me. It was so much fun. Of course, in reality Jason Taylor (pictured), NFL star, really is on the show this season. In my dream world, he and I met while on the show and one evening we were on a hot date together. It was one of the best dreams I have had in many months. The date was going great, and I wondered what would happen.

What did happen is that my husband started snoring and woke me up from this delicious dream. I shoved him and told him to roll over, but it was too late and the dream had faded into the night. I was irritated at that man in bed beside me, and I was still irritated the next morning when I woke up. Not his fault, but still....

Colin Firth on The Daily Show

2008-04-29T12:22:00.000-07:00

Two of my faves - Colin Firth and Jon Stewart - had a very interesting discussion on The Daily Show the other night. Please check out this video - I can't even infer the topic, but believe me, you will be quite surprised.

Bad Mood

2008-04-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

What does it mean when someone is in a bad mood for two weeks straight? And even the return of Moonlight, Robin Hood, and the presence of a homemade carrot cake doesn't quite get rid of the bad mood monster?

DWTS update

2008-04-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

DWTS did better on Monday night. Jason Taylor was in a sleeveless shirt, and Kristi and Mark finally received a 30. My faves Tuesday night (most certainly not Ashlee Simpson - her song writers do decent pop, but her voice - even if live - really grates on me) - the little kids who are competing. They had 13 and unders Tuesday. One of the 13 year old boys said he was dancing to show that he could dance as the old people. His partner turned to him, disbelieving, and said, "You called them old!" He shrugged his shoulders and replied, "But they are!"

Half the professional dancers on DWTS are half my age - and just a few years older than the 13 year old boy. Ahhhh, the perspective of youth....

Someone please tell me when I am too old to drive...

2008-04-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do on Saturday mornings is to head to Greensboro's downtown farmer's market. I love to buy locally and fresh. I usually see some people I know. It's really a pleasant experience and a stress reliever.

This past Saturday I pulled off Yanceyville (a four lane road) onto the street for the market and then took an immediate left into the parking lot. A car was in front of me. I assumed the older woman driver was waiting on a parking space. The minutes began to tick by and cars began to pile up behind me - about 10 at my last count. Yanceyville Street was enduring a good little traffic jam. The woman was stopped right in the middle, so I could not drive around her. I didn't blow my horn, because she was an older woman and I didn't want to be rude. Then I saw a passenger from a few cars back knock on the woman's door, obviously pointing out the serious traffic problem she was causing. I saw a couple empty spaces off to the right, and when the woman still didn't move, I assumed she was waiting for someone. Then a parked car to the left of the lot left, and I pulled in. One less car, I thought, for the big traffic jam.

I then strolled through the market, and while standing at the freshly picked strawberries, an older lady came up to me and said, "You took my place." I was confused, and said, "Excuse me?" "You know what I'm talking about! Out in the parking lot! I'd been waiting for that space!!" A couple people were looking at us. "Mam, you had been waiting for about 10 minutes and had ignored a couple empty spaces, so I thought you didn't want to park - that you were waiting for someone. There was a big traffic jam." "You did not think that! You know exactly what was going on!" "Mam, I assure you that is not the case. I'm sorry for any inconvience I caused you." As she walked past me she hissed very loudly, "A*#+hole!!!"

I was rather stunned, to say the least. No one has ever called me that before (at least to my face), and I honestly thought I was doing the right thing. Mom reminded me that young people who are mean usually turn out to be old people who are mean. Be that as it may, someone just please tell me when I am too old to drive.

Dancing with the Stars

2008-04-15T06:46:00.000-07:00

A new season of Dancing with the Stars is well under way. Every Monday night finds Princess and me sitting on the couch, phone in hand, and glued to the tv. The Tuesday night results show just finds me, because it airs after Princess' bedtime (much to her chagrin). Good season so far. Go Kristi Yamaguchi! Of course, my fave has yet ever to win. I've probably doomed her by my support.

I do have a bone to pick with Latin night last night. Tom Bergeron (one of the hosts) always talks it up about how little clothing is used. That is true for the most part. Even the men show their freshly waxed and spray tanned chests. Then why on earth was Jason Taylor - undoubtedly the best looking male star ever to appear on this show - wearing what appeared to be a v-neck sweater last night? So sexist. I called my mom immediately after the show to express my outrage. Her response? "I know! And those pants sure could have been tighter, too!"

Apple is not too far from the tree.

Preaching and Springsteen

2008-04-11T07:47:00.000-07:00

I've not really ever been a Bruce Springsteen fan. I don't have the total dislike that one of my Ashvegas buddies has, but his music hasn't really been my thing. But check out this article about a local Gboro church with a sermon series centering on the music of Springsteen. It is always good to find new and creative ways to bring the message of love and hope alive in today's world.

Nepal Today

2008-04-10T09:20:00.000-07:00

Big news in Nepal today. An historic election is taking place and it will be quite interesting to see where Nepal heads in the next year. I work with dozens of young women from Nepal (some of them are incredibly impressive and one I think should be the future Prime Minister), so my interest in that country is more prominent than it was a year ago. Its sister country Tibet has certainly been in the news much more, but this is also a crucial time for this tiny Himalayan country. I pray things will go well and peacefully.

A Champion is Crowned

2008-04-08T11:24:00.000-07:00

If you recall, I was woefully ignorant of College Men's Hoops this year, and chose to spend my madness in March with the Fug Girls. The Champion was crowned yesterday - the person who dresses the fugliest of all. Check out this link for a sappy tournament retro look.

A Very Special Kind of Prayer

2008-04-04T13:27:00.000-07:00

This post is for my family (nuclear, origin, and extended) who mostly seem fairly interested in bodily functions.

In preparing to teach my World Religions class, I ran across this segment on the topic of Judaism. Jews are expected to give thanks continually, and there are blessings for many of the everyday actions of life, like taking a drink of water. Below is the blessing to be recited after using the toilet:

Blessed art thou, our God, Ruler of the Universe, who hast formed (human) beings in wisdom, and created in them a system of ducts and tubes. It is well known before they glorious throne that if but one of these be opened, or if one of those be closed, it would be impossible to exist in thy presence. Blessed art thou, O God, who healest all creatures and doest wonders.

Hot for Teacher

2008-04-03T07:34:00.000-07:00

Sonny Boy and I had dinner together last night, and this is the conversation we had:

Sonny Boy: The really hot student teacher is back in Language Arts. She'll be there the rest of the year!

Mom: Really?

SB: Yeah! I kept raising my hand and participating a whole lot in class.

Mom: More than you normally you do?

SB: Oh yeah! Everyone was kinda laughing at me because they know I don't usually do that. And she even knows my name 'cause I was doing so good in class. She said she really likes to read and asked if I liked to read. And I said yeah I really like to read, even though everyone knows I can't stand it.

Mom: Yes, I know dear. You have told me that enough to fill a book by Tolstoy.

SB: So she asked me what my favorite book was and I told her To Kill a Mockingbird. She didn't know I had to read it for class last year.

Mom: Or that I had to explain much of it to you?

SB: (continuing to ignore me and grinning rather widely) She was real impressed that was my favorite book. I told her I really liked non-fiction, real type stories.

Mom: Why didn't you choose a different book that you've read?

SB: I know that would be the most impressive one!

Mom: Well, honey if this is what it takes to get you to put forth your best effort in school...

SB: Man, I wish all my teachers were so hot. I'd make straight As.

The Wave RipStick

2008-04-01T07:03:00.001-07:00

Sonny Boy is pretty good about saving money. He likes to save birthday and Christmas money and any money earned (like from lawnmowing). Usually he has some big ticket item in mind for purchase. He bought a snowboard last year. And on Sunday he bought a Wave Ripstick. What's that? you may ask. (at least, that's what I asked) Skateboards are so passe. They just aren't that cool and exciting anymore. But ripsticks - it's like surfing or snowboarding on pavement. They only have two wheels plus a rotating center base. Any new thing that might encourage us to make our annual trip to Urgent Care.

Torchwood

2008-03-31T08:12:00.001-07:00

I've always loved sci-fi shows - anything that's a little different, with lots of great action, some camp, and interesting stories. BBC America has one of the best ones out there right now - Torchwood. It's a spin-off of the newly revamped Dr. Who (quite good itself). Captain Jack Harkness (center) is the leader of a current day team based in Cardiff, Wales that monitors a time riff and fights aliens. Good stuff! You see, everything changes in the early 21st century, and the Torchwood team is there to do what they can to save the world. Captain Jack is a mysterious, charming man from some other time (and maybe another planet). He leads former cop Gwen (the heart of the team), tech expert Toshiko, doctor Owen, and everything guy Ianto.

Torchwood comes on 9pm Saturdays, with the former week's episode at 8pm. Check out the site and let me know what you think!

Winning Dirty

2008-03-26T06:37:00.000-07:00

For many years I have been impressed with Brad Gilbert's ideas on winning tennis dirty. It doesn't mean unfairly - it just means you do whatever it takes (within the rules). This is especially effective when one's mental prowess and tennis IQ are limited by lack of physical attributes. It's my mantra.

I played the other night for the first time in 3 months. With my spring league, there are 2 doubles courts and 1 singles. I gladly took the singles because I didn't want to have to keep apologizing to my partner for incredibly poor and rusty play. And rusty it was. A few shots pleased me - but I mainly just tried to keep the ball in play. It was nighttime, and I started using the lob a whole lot, hoping that my opponent would lose the ball in the lights (and she did a few times). Dirty.

After the match (which I did win!), I was talking with some of my teammates and a couple young guys who are pros. We discussed strategy and interacting with your opponent. I commented, "If I think she's not calling the lines that accurately, I always ask her what she does for a living during changeover, and then I volunteer that I'm a minister. People hate to lie to a minister." One of the pros responded, "Man - that is a great strategy! I'm gonna start doing that." One of my teammates then said, "But she really is a minister."

Kinda fun to see the looks on the guys' faces. But they did agree that saying you're a minister (whether it's true or not) is a pretty good way to win dirty.

Obama in Greensboro

2008-03-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning I woke up to hear that Obama was coming this Wednesday to the Greensboro Coliseum, just a mile and a half from my house. Tickets were available at the Dem HQ. I knew the Coliseum holds over 20,000 and I was tied up in the morning (looking after a couple extra kids and trying to get Sonny Boy and Hubby out of the house for their camping/snowboarding trip). So soon after lunch I headed to the HQ, only to see a big sign by the road saying, "No more tickets."

Just a few hours and all gone? Turns out it will be in the smaller auditorium with only 2000 seats. Countless people in Greensboro wasted a drive out to the HQ, and were left disappointed.

Since NC will actually count in a primary this year, I am hopeful he will be back and in a larger venue.

What is Black Liberation Theology?

2008-03-20T06:58:00.001-07:00

I haven't had the surprise and fear many white Americans have felt from the sermons by Barack Obama's minister. I also realize I have academic training that prepares me to hear a message coming out of liberation theology, particularly black liberation theology. I was going to give some basics explaining this theology, but I found a lecture online from a local professor that explains it far better than I could. It doesn't take long to read - I hope you'll make the time to learn about something so important and crucial.

And I'd like to say another word about not agreeing with someone you love. My brother and I don't discuss politics on a deep level - we need to stick to television reruns. I love him - he will always be my family. But I know he would not understand why Sonny Boy and I stood in the wind and rain for an hour and a half last night protesting the war in Iraq. And that's fine. My brother is a good person and I respect him even if we don't agree on politics.

And as a minister, I would also like to say that I would be fearful if I had a parishioner who totally agreed with everything I ever said in a sermon. I hope my sermons will provoke thought and faith development - but we are all unique people and need to think for ourselves. A minister is a spiritual advisor, not a cult leader who insists on complete uniformity.

5th Anniversary of War in Iraq

2008-03-19T06:34:00.001-07:00

Today is the 5th anniversary of the war in Iraq. My thoughts and prayers go out to all who have been impacted by this war - the 4000 US soldiers who have died, the thousands of others who have come home with serious physical and mental disabilities, the tens of thousands of Iraqis who have lost their lives, the Iraqis living with violence and fear each day, and all the many loved ones who are affected by loss and pain.

Alternative March Madness

2008-03-17T07:32:00.001-07:00

I don't know what has happened to me. I used to be so obsessed with Men's Division I College Hoops. When we were forced to move down to the NC flatlands almost three years ago, one of the positives was being in the heart of ACC territory. I once even told someone (not really joking) that College bball was one of the glues of my marriage. I was even at Duke for the backtoback championships in '91,'92. I do a tourney bracket every year, and the last time Duke won, I only missed calling 8 games. What has happened to me?

I don't know. I do know I have watched the least amount of Div I ball that I have watched in probably 25 years. I just don't care. I mean - yeah, I hope the ACC does well in the tourney. And VT really should have gotten in (at least, that's what Hubby says - I don't have enough info to know for myself). But I didn't even watch tv last night to see my man - Jay Bilas - give his predictions for the field. No bracket this year - I have no clue what's going on.

But - there is another March Madness for which I am well informed to participate. The Fug Girls are doing Fug Madness - four brackets of the fugliest dressed celebrities and pseudo-celebrities that you can hope to find. Their brackets are already up (play in game is Tues), and I am ready to roll. I think I will be quite successful in my predictions in this particular madness.

14 Years Ago

2008-03-13T10:40:00.000-07:00

14 years ago I was in Mission Hospital in Asheville. I had been there since about 2am, when we thought Sonny Boy would be arriving in the next few hours. His beautiful round head, broad shoulders, and fat little baby body ensured that he did not actually arrive until the evening of the 13th. It was a Sunday - why am I always working on Sundays?

Hubby and I called my parents when we went to the hospital. They wanted to be there when their first grandchild arrived. My younger brother Jerry was supposed to take Granny to church that morning, and we would call when Caleb finally arrived on the scene.

For many hours, contractions kept coming about every 5 minutes. I was so into natural childbirth because I thought it was the best for my baby. If I ever did it again, I'd think - who cares! give me some drugs! - but that was then. So, Hubby and I kept walking around while I kept having contractions. We walked several times out to the lobby where my parents patiently waited. About mid-morning, I noticed Jerry and Granny had arrived. I turned to Mom, "I thought they were going to church." I then paused to have a contraction.

Neither Granny nor Jerry spoke to me, but Granny walked to Mom and said, "Jackie, give Amy some lipstick! I think it'd make her feel better."

What a nice memory.

Learned something new

2008-03-10T14:22:00.000-07:00

The time change always just kills me in the Springtime. I really like my sleep. I don't sleep well most the time. Every single extra hour is of great importance. So, I really hate having to "spring forward" and lose an hour of sleep.

I did make the executive decision that we would skip Sunday School this past Sunday morning. Sonny Boy was very happy, and I'm not sure Princess noticed. All four of us filed into the usual pew, with me in between Hubby and Princess. There wasn't much room on the pew that day, so I was pretty close to Hubby. I really could not keep my eyes open. I leaned against him so I wouldn't fall forward as I kept dozing off. I know he thought I just wanted to be close to him (and he can keep thinking that). After a fairly long prayer, I just kept my eyes closed. I was in church, after all. Wouldn't people just think I was still praying, really communing with God? I would open my eyes on occasion throughout the service so I wouldn't get in too deep a sleep. I think no one noticed.

Except Princess. Towards the end of the service, she poked my arm pretty hard during a short doze. I opened my eyes quickly and she smirked at me. Takes one to know one.

Are you smarter than an 8th grader?

2008-03-10T08:51:00.000-07:00

I apparently am not.

Last night I was walking up the stairs while Sonny Boy was walking down them. We decided to play chicken, and after a minute or so of dodging each other to get by and laughing, I said, "You may be taller than I am now, but I still weigh more!"

He responded, "Mom, that's nothing to brag about."

I let him by and popped him on the behind as he went down the stairs.

My Days

2008-03-07T12:26:00.001-08:00

I'm a mean, lean demerit machine...

Birthday Presents

2008-03-02T10:13:00.000-08:00

My birthday presents were -

*money from my parents, which went for some new clothing (see recent post on shopping in Portland, OR) and a rice steamer
*flowers and hubcaps from Hubby
*nice water bottle and 2 cans tennis balls from Sonny Boy
*dark chocolate from Princess

Yes, I did type hubcaps. And honestly, that was what I requested. I've been driving around for a couple years with only 2 hubcaps, and felt that didn't really fit my image.

Best Birthday Card

2008-02-28T07:50:00.000-08:00

Today is my bday, and the best card I received read as follows,

"I thought about running away and joining the circus....and then I realized that would be redundant."

Class of 2012?!

2008-02-27T08:41:00.000-08:00

I was at Sonny Boy's school yet again last night to receive all the information about registering for high school. When I was in 8th grade, we signed up for the 9th grade classes and then let each year take care of itself. Now apparently, an 8th grader has to figure out the whole 4 years with just a little bit of wiggle room for electives. Nothing like pigeon-holing a 13 year old kid for the rest of his life.

The hs principal began his talk by saying "Welcome to the Class of 2012!" Everyone cheered, while I just sat there, rather stunned. 2012? 4 years until my baby graduates from hs? 4 years until I start paying for college? This can't be real.

Then I remembered Sonny Boy's latest scheme - take a year after hs to work at a ski resort and snowboard and then go to college. The idea very suddenly gained some respect from me last night.

Never ask a man

2008-02-22T09:10:00.001-08:00

There were several people at my recent conference whom I have seen at other conferences. One is a woman I like a lot, Bets, who is always a great person to take shopping. She always looks wonderful, and we do have similar tastes. She has about 10 years on me, and I appreciate her judgment in shopping. She found a Nordstram Rack that we invaded on Sunday afternoon. We had two others with us - a Catholic nun who normally wears black and decided to go across the street to the bookstore, and then a long-term friend of mine who is a guy. He was wandering around various stores on the street.

Bets and I went to various spots at NR, and I tried on 25 articles on clothing. One pale pink sweater was a definite. I had a multi-colored jacket which had a great styling and fitted me very well. I was uncertain about the color, however. I started looking for Bets to ask her opinion. I didn't see her anywhere, but as I descended the escalator I spotted T at the bottom. He looked up and waved and then waited for me. I quickly thought through the helpfulness of asking his opinion on the jacket. Now T does fine fashion wise when he keeps it simple, like jeans or khakis and a sweater. Yet, if he gets fancy - combining a jacket with a button down and tie - it can be pretty obvious that the man is straight.

So, I thought - I'll ask him about this jacket. If he really likes it, then I probably shouldn't get it. So, I held it up and asked his opinion. He said he liked the sweater. I responded, "You have seen me in very similar items for almost 10 year! I'm asking about the jacket." He fingered the sleeve and then said he liked it. He then warmed up in his expressions - he really, really liked it. I told him I was going to look around some more and thought I probably needed to put that thing back. I then saw Bets and she immediately confirmed that it was hideous.

Later, T tried to defend himself as being afraid to give me an honest answer (typical guy). But I know the real truth - the man has no fashion taste at all. Of course, I should know better than to ask him. What was I thinking?

Portland - the Place for Books

2008-02-22T09:03:00.000-08:00

I spent most my time in Portland attending a conference. However, there was some time to ride the MAX lightrail and do a little shopping. One of the best places we went was Powell's Bookstore. Powell's is the largest bookstore in the world. It is independently owned and has new and used titles. If you spend more than $50, they will ship your purchase wherever you want. And of course, you can go on their website to make a purchase as well. I only saw a small part of the store due to time constraints. It was probably a good thing. Otherwise, I would have been severely lost and missed my dinner at Jake's (which is also definitely a place to go when in Portland).

My favorite things at Powell's? The notes pads that had reasons listed under different headings of "How to make me happy today," "Why we should have sex," "Things that get on my nerves," and "My mood today is..." I thought about purchasing any number of those note pads, but then I figured, if my husband can't read my mind after almost 20 years, why should I help him out with a note? He needs to keep up his mindreading skills. Can't make it too easy for him.

Loretta Lynn-Portland Oregon

2008-02-21T11:52:00.001-08:00

Just got back from a conference in Portland, Oregon and this song kept going through my head...

Awesome Voicemail Greeting

2008-02-14T08:38:00.000-08:00

13 year old Sonny Boy's most recent voicemail greeting on his cell phone -

"Hey, you've reached Caleb. I'm not here and that really sucks for you because you miss out on my awesomeness. You still get to hear my awesome message. Leave a message and you can talk to my awesome self later."

Special Puberty Moment

2008-02-13T09:17:00.001-08:00

Sonny Boy has spent the last couple weeks loudly complaining about the fuzz on his upper lip. Yes, it was starting to look something like a mustache - but it wasn't really that bad. Now, I know every boy is supposed to be given his first shaving lesson from dear old dad, but when the opportunity arises...

He kept complaining the other night when his Goggy (my Mom) was in town. So Goggy and I took him into the bathroom, pulled out my lavendar scented shave cream, and taught him how to shave his 'tache. He was pleased afterwards. Of course, one day he will realize that was not a cool moment and probably complain about the strong-willed women in his life.

Goggy and I had a pretty good laugh afterwards.

Juno

2008-02-11T07:58:00.000-08:00

I am so glad the movie Juno has stayed on long enough for me to get to see it. It's shameful how many movies I have wanted to see that leave the theaters before I can get there. Of course, the movies I prefer are not all those ridiculous rom-coms starring Kate Hudson, but smaller, independent films (and if they are British - all the better!). Last summer I started reading about Juno. It stars four of my fave actors - Ellen Page (one of the very few decent things about X3), Jennifer Garner (forever wonderful Sydney Bristow to me, and even sparkling as Electra), Jason Bateman and Michael Cera (who played father and son in the absolute gem Arrested Development for way too short a time on the small screen).

So I have been waiting to find time to get to the theater, and so thankful for all the awards and noms the movie is getting. And yes, it was well worth the wait. The story isn't really realistic (but hey - we all know Mr. Darcy doesn't exist, either), but that's beside the point. It's the characters and how they engage each other in the storyline that is so real. The acting is just superb, and there are plenty of laughs to be had. It is great to see a strong young woman in a lead role, especially since she is not perfect and finds herself in a difficult situation. It's even better to see parents who can support without being totally bananas, and even better yet to see a sweet, nerdy guy as the one a girl can't do without. Such a nice alternative from usual teen portrayals in the movies.

Yet, my heart is with the adoptive mother of the teenagers' unplanned baby. Jennifer Garner is always so compelling and real, but especially as the yuppie mom wanting to be a mother more than anything. In the midst of a world where fairy tales don't happen and love is by no means always easy, she provides the hope and foundation a child always needs. Wow.

Go see the movie. One of the best out there.

Ash Wednesday

2008-02-06T09:33:00.000-08:00

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent (the 40 days before Easter, minus Sundays which are mini-Easters). One of the ways to prepare for the celebration of Easter is to take on something extra (like volunteer work or daily devotions) or to give up something. I have given up meat, soft drinks, various food items, tv, and even gossip. This is the fourth time I am attempting to give up chocolate. I know that the third time is a charm, but I'm hoping it's four for me. We'll see how it goes, or how crazy my blog get.

The Funniest

2008-02-04T06:03:00.001-08:00

New quote from Sonny Boy:

"The funniest thing I ever heard was when I said..."

No self-confidence issues there...

3 Strikes?

2008-01-31T11:00:00.000-08:00

Do you think if you spill food or drink on yourself three different times during the day (or morning, really) you should be able to leave work and go home?

I feel like the only thing I have accomplished today is giving the high school girls I teach something to laugh about. I couldn't write on the board (how hard can it be to write "work"), couldn't come up with words ("Now what is that word that means something like assimilate?"), and spilled diet coke down my sweater. At least they enjoyed class...

Sweet Smell of Defeat

2008-01-30T05:36:00.000-08:00

Loyal readers know I have been fascinated by Sonny Boy's wrestling this season - a sport beyond my comprehension. I missed his tournament last Saturday (Hubby was there), but here is a synopsis of a phone conversation:

Mom - How did this first match go, honey?
Sonny Boy - I lost.
M - Well I'm sure you did your best. You seem okay about it.
SB - I didn't get pinned until the last few seconds. I was wrestling a girl. (pause) She's hot.
M - Oh?
SB - Yeah - all the other guys on my team want to wrestle her too, but she's not in their weight class.
M- Well, I'm glad you got to wrestle her sweetie. Hope your other matches go better.

Tendonitis Cure?

2008-01-28T06:19:00.000-08:00

I have been dealing with tendonitis in my right hand for a full year now. I have tried all sorts of things - my chiro does laser treatment, a tennis elbow thingy when playing and using the computer or doing some housework, really cutting down processed foods (love my Wheat Thins), and just not using my hand. I had blamed tennis for the bulk of the problem, but I have not played in over a month now and am still having issues.

So last week a co-worker said I should eat 9 golden raisins, soaked in gin, each day. Well, I figured, it couldn't hurt. I have been doing this for a week, in addition to all my other little tricks. Any opinions on this?

Heath Ledger

2008-01-23T07:53:00.000-08:00

I have always been a sci-fi/fantasy fan. (probably started with Star Wars when I was 10 years old). 10 years ago a fantasy show called Roar lasted about 6 episodes. I loved the show, but was probably the only person in the country who was watching it. It was written and produced by Shaun Cassidy (yes, the former love of my life when a pre-teen). It centered around a Celtic prince in Roman ruled Britain. The prince had such an incredible presence. I found out he was played by a young Aussie, Heath Ledger. When I discovered he was only 18 years old, I was stunned. So much talent for one so young.

He came into the mainstream not much later with 10 Things I Hate About You, one of the few teen movies out there that is a real gem. But I think most of us will always value his work in Brokeback Mountain the most.

Ledger was found dead in his apartment in NYC yesterday. The cause of death is unknown as of yet, but there is speculation it was an accidental overdose of sleeping pills. He leaves an ex-fiance, the talented actress Michelle Williams, and a 2 year old daughter. He was only 28 years old. It's such a tragic story - to leave family and loved ones so unexpectedly, and for all us not to be able to enjoy his gifts in the coming years. My heart goes out to his loved ones.

Morning Talk

2008-01-16T06:51:00.000-08:00

Listening to the local pop radio station this morning (can't do NPR every morning), I heard this interesting tidbit. Apparently, a woman called the police because she couldn't get her husband to stop talking. Hmmmm......

Atonement - the Movie

2008-01-14T07:00:00.001-08:00

A few years ago, my Asheville book group read Ian McEwan's Atonement at the suggestion of Edgy Mama. I only read it that one time, but it is one of those stories that I just couldn't forget. I was curious how it would be adapted to the big screen, and recently was able to see for myself how this was done.

The story is about a writer's search for atonement after a fiction she creates in 1935 as a 13 year old girl. This fiction destroys lives around her. Does she have the courage to atone for this terrible thing she has done? Will others be able to overcome the harm done to them by her actions?

The movie itself is beautifully and wonderfully done. The acting is superb. I have been a huge Keira Knightly fan for years. I wrote off James McAvoy as that deer type creature in Chronicles of Narnia -boy was I wrong. He brought me to tears several times in the movie. And the different incarnations of Briony (the 13 year old at the beginning of the movie) - each of the actresses were brilliant. Her self-righteous attitude and rigidity were matched in the posture and facial expressions of the actresses. The score matched the acting (with staccato typing throughout) in a perfect manner. Much has been written about the large war scene on the French shores. The intermixing of the story from small British countryside to a large scale international scene was quite moving.

This movie deserved the Best Picture Golden Globe in won last night. It is an interesting and thought-provoking story. The characters feel so real and immediate. It is a story that stays with someone. I was so uncertain this story could be brought to the big screen in a manner consistent with this wonderful book, but it was done. Definitely one of the best pictures (if not the best) of the year. My grade - A

Vote 2008

2008-01-09T11:07:00.001-08:00

I don't know how many people I have spoken with today who sat and watched NH primary results last night. We all agree that it felt like Nov 4. In my 20 years of voting, this has certainly been the most interesting election on both sides of the aisle. I still have a wait before NC's primary, but it's never too late to settle on a candidate. I find the internet questionaires quite interesting. If you are having difficulty making a decision, this site will ask 25 questions and let you know how you match with all the major candidates. Interestingly enough, my preferences thus far were the same as the results on the website. Good to know I'm not too ill-informed!

The New American Gladiators

2008-01-07T06:31:00.000-08:00

Just a little over a month ago, I recounted my love for the classic American gladiators from the early '90s. Due to the writers' strike, reality tv is more and more of a reality, but I was pleased when NBC premiered the new American Gladiators last night. Kids and I had been anxiously waiting.

I was thrilled when I saw that Laila Ali was one of the hosts. She is so way cool. But then there is Hulk Hogan as the other host. He is just so way annoying. He particularly annoyed me when announcing the first men's event. The women had already completed an event, so he introduces the men while saying, "And NOW we are ready to get serious!" Because of course in his mind the women's events aren't as serious as the men's'? Don't know if Laila heard that, but I bet she could kick his overtanned and bleached hide in a heartbeat.

Overall, I enjoyed the competition. My fave new gladiator is Crush (see picture). It is nice to see women on tv who actually are a normal size (most the female gladiators weigh around 150), and then to have such great muscles. The male gladiators were just a little scary (6'9 and 290 pounds? - who wouldn't be scared?).

The events were fun, the competitors sassy and energetic, and everyone seemed to be having a great time. Every Monday at 8pm I have something to keep me entertained. We'll see how it goes...

2007 Multimedia Faves

2007-12-31T09:33:00.000-08:00

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - just a wonderful ending for one of the best series ever written - definitely the best on this list

2. Children of Men - I read the book years ago and still can have nightmares about it. I was unsure how the movie would compare - some marked differences, but held true to the theme and very good in its own right. Clive Owen was superb and the world created was so real and so frightening.

3. Waitress - truly wonderful little independent movie with tons of laughs (and Andy Griffith!)

4. Transformers - a big budget popcorn movie that did not disappoint - loads of fun!

5. Confessions of a Memory Eater by Pagan Kennedy - not written in 2007, but when I read it. The novel has so much to say about truth, relationships, memory and reality - keeps one thinking long after the book is put back on the shelf.

6. On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan - short novel about a young couple's wedding night in the early '60s - quite thought provoking.

7. Smile by Lily Allen - I know Amy Winehouse gets all the press, but this was definitely the best song of the year (and especially by a young Brit woman).

9. Robin Hood on BBC America - I keep watching and watching the reruns - wonderful adaptation of an old (and sometimes tired) story. Jonas Armstrong and Lucy Griffiths have great chemistry and breath life into the main characters; interesting stories, dialogue and fun.

10. Moonlight - CBS (new shows whenever the writer's strike is over); modern day vamp in LA with sexy Australian in the lead alongside spunky young Brit (how can others do American accents so well, and we stink - with the exception of Gwyneth Paltrow and Renee Zellwegger?)

11. 30 Rock and The Office - the two best sitcoms on tv, hands down

12. Gilmore Girls - the final two seasons were not the best, but they sent them off well, and for that - I will always be grateful

Ginger Bread House Redemption!

2007-12-23T16:23:00.000-08:00

Each year, it is part of my family's tradition to make a ginger bread house. And since I am insane, I choose to do this completely from scratch. I blame that book, Anne of Green Gables and a Christmas Treasury, which first led me to believe I could be just like Anne and make this easily and even have it look like her beloved farmhouse. Yeah, right.

This blog has chronicled past failures. And since Christmas is about grace and redemption, we have succeeded this year in the best Rio ginger bread house ever! Note Princess in the cutting and baking aspect. And then here is the final product. I keep looking at the house on its high perch (far away from cats and dogs), admiring such a thing of beauty. Ahhhh......

Breaking the Christmas Code

2007-12-21T07:37:00.000-08:00

One of my childhood Christmas memories is the way my Mom would label Christmas gifts. Presents would be wrapped under a tree with a series of odd letters on them. For instance, a package of purple socks might have been wrapped for me with the label "BDOFCIPAIKIYFCT." These letters would stand for "Because Donny Osmond's favorite color is purple and I know it's your favorite color too." That way Mom knew the present was for me and not for my brother - even though Jerry and I had no clue whatsoever. Pretty good.

I have continued the tradition with my own twist. I usually put one word that reminds me of that particular child. One present under our tree is labeled "TIGHT" because Sonny Boy's wrestling uniform is tight. Another is labeled "RED" because Princess' Chinese name before she came home with us meant red, hot, popular. (Yes, we did choose a different Chinese name, because who wants a teenage daughter one day whose name means red, hot and popular?)

Princess started getting into making and wrapping presents last year. She decided to try her own codes. Well, this year she has trumped both Mom and me. She has been taking Chinese language all semester and her labels are written in Chinese characters. I only hope the package that smells like chocolate is for me.

Time for Doggie Elves now too

2007-12-12T16:14:00.000-08:00

Check out our elf doggies!

thanks Office Max

2007-12-12T10:47:00.000-08:00

Office Max has a wonderful dancing elf program, with elves that look amazingly like my family. Check it out!