The time: Circa 1992
The place: Disneyland in Anaheim, CA
The reason: Fun with my parents and two of my sisters!
Whenever we went to Disneyland it seemed like my sisters and I, being the youngest, were always hanging out with our parents who didn't always want to go on the rides we wanted. And really, we just wanted to be able to go off on our own like our older brothers and sisters. It was an independence thing. This was the first time that we were able to go off by "ourselves," even though "ourselves" was just without our parents since all of our siblings were older and not on this vacation.
We soon learned that most of the rides weren't very good for a party of three. A party of four or two would work well, but with three, sometimes there was somebody who might ride by themselves. Well, we decided to take turns. We were optimists, so we always said, "Yay, I get to ride by myself this time!" Unless of course it was Pirates of the Caribbean (scary talking cross bone guy that has since been replaced by Jack Sparrow) or It's a Small World. Scary dolls. Also, I confess that I've always been freaked out by the Haunted Mansion. Actually, come to think of it, there are a number of rides that are somewhat disturbing in Disneyland.
Well, the time came for it to be my turn. We were in an extremely long line for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. There was a group of "cool" slightly older teens behind us in line. I always liked to look ahead at which cart I thought would be mine. The ride operator asked how many were in our group, and Banana and Cash were getting ready to get on the ride first. They got in the cart and were off! I went to get in my cart and behold! There was already some guy in the cart! His appearance was truly frightening. He looked like a nerdy Tony Hale with glasses and wearing a full on suit! He was sitting properly in the cart looking straight forward, and he had a briefcase in his lap! If you can call it a lap. I mean, those carts are really small, and he was kind of crammed in there.
I timidly got into the cart, casting a look at the cool teens in line behind me. My face probably said "help" because theirs looked worried for me. The cart started going. I contemplated what was in the briefcase? Was it a bomb? Or was he some kind of nerdy Disneyland accountant on his lunch or dinner break? Was there a gun in the briefcase? Was he a Disneyland investor? Why was he grinning and staring straight forward so creepily? The ride continued on. I realized how weird the Mr. Toad story was, and as we got run over by a train and delivered to hell, I only hoped that I would make it out alive and unscathed. But I died. And I am a ghost typing this.
I mean, I survived and nothing happened. He really just sat there with his briefcase, grinning the whole time, and I really had to just tell my sisters why I hadn't enjoyed the ride because they hadn't even seen him at all.
The moral of this story is: before going to Disneyland when you're a young teen, go forward in time and get a smart phone to take with you to Disneyland so you can sneakily take a picture of the creepy Mr. Toad's guy. That way you can better share the creepiness with everyone AND have a photo to upload to your blog for the story.
The End
Somewhat infrequent chronicles of every day life.
Monday, April 09, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
Ways in Which I Am Set
Lately I've been pondering a topic that has probably been on my mind from watching too many movies. Or maybe it's friends who have gotten married. Either way, I have heard some mention of people who are single for some time getting set in their ways. I am single and have been for some time, so I've been thinking about some of the ways in which I am set.
So here is a list. I'm sure it's a partial list:
1. I usually eat in the living room or at the bar. Tables are only for visitors or family, and that's only if it's like a real dinner and not just snacks. I'm sure I can change, but for now, I am set in this way.
2. I do laundry sometime between Friday night and Saturday night. Sometimes the clothes get put away, and sometimes they don't get put away until Monday.
3. I blow dry my hair at my vanity table. I also read scriptures then, so don't bug me. (In fact, it's best to not bug me in the morning.)
4. Speaking of blow drying my hair, I curse my electrical system every time I have to go flip the breaker when I'm doing so. It trips frequently. Grrrrr. It will probably always annoy me to some degree.
5. The toilet seat is never up, unless I am cleaning the bathroom. This will not change.
6. Speaking of toilets, the paper drapes over the roll. OVER.
7. I press snooze. Multiple times.
8. I get up at the last possible minute to get ready, so sometimes if things don't go smoothly (see #4), I'm late.
9. The silverware faces down. It really does. If it doesn't get clean, I can rewash it. I don't want to stab myself when reaching in. If they are facing up, I would definitely stab myself. Blood = gross. Also, are you touching the dinnerware when you get it out of the dishwasher? See #12 below.
10. There must always be cheese of some kind in the fridge.
11. Chips and food in general shall not be left open in the air. Buy the clips. Stale chips are terrible. Does it really hurt to close it up? There are critters all around us, and seriously, don't be so lazy.
12. People should wash their hands. Frequently.
13. The entire bed is my sleeping area. I admit that it will be hard to adjust to having to share one.
Don't worry, there are also ways in which I am not set. The problem is that if someone else is set in these ways, they could possibly be annoyed with me. Ways in which I am not set:
1. So what's the big deal about squeezing the toothpaste from the end? I mean, really? I don't even think about the squeezing, and all of my toothpaste comes out nicely. What are we afraid of here? I guess I must not get it. Maybe I haven't been confronted with an annoying toothpaste-user? I mean, if someone doesn't put the cap on, well, see #11 above. I get that, but I don't get the squeezing thing. Maybe I just do it "right" but don't know it. It isn't even a cognizant choice for me.
2. I guess I really could live with an "under" toilet paper user, but whenever I put the roll on, I would put it in the over position. It is my preference. I guess I'm not so "set" in this.
3. I would be okay with someone else being in charge of the thermostat, unless of course my body started shutting down from the freeze.
4. I don't have to be in charge of the remote, as long as the person isn't a constant flipper, in which case I will accidentally lose the remote.
5. I can drive or I can not drive or I can sometimes drive. It's not a control thing for me.
So... I don't feel like thinking of any more. I guess I'm more set in my ways than I thought. Are you set in your ways? Are there ways in which you were set that you didn't realize until you got married? Do tell.
So here is a list. I'm sure it's a partial list:
1. I usually eat in the living room or at the bar. Tables are only for visitors or family, and that's only if it's like a real dinner and not just snacks. I'm sure I can change, but for now, I am set in this way.
2. I do laundry sometime between Friday night and Saturday night. Sometimes the clothes get put away, and sometimes they don't get put away until Monday.
3. I blow dry my hair at my vanity table. I also read scriptures then, so don't bug me. (In fact, it's best to not bug me in the morning.)
4. Speaking of blow drying my hair, I curse my electrical system every time I have to go flip the breaker when I'm doing so. It trips frequently. Grrrrr. It will probably always annoy me to some degree.
5. The toilet seat is never up, unless I am cleaning the bathroom. This will not change.
6. Speaking of toilets, the paper drapes over the roll. OVER.
7. I press snooze. Multiple times.
8. I get up at the last possible minute to get ready, so sometimes if things don't go smoothly (see #4), I'm late.
9. The silverware faces down. It really does. If it doesn't get clean, I can rewash it. I don't want to stab myself when reaching in. If they are facing up, I would definitely stab myself. Blood = gross. Also, are you touching the dinnerware when you get it out of the dishwasher? See #12 below.
10. There must always be cheese of some kind in the fridge.
11. Chips and food in general shall not be left open in the air. Buy the clips. Stale chips are terrible. Does it really hurt to close it up? There are critters all around us, and seriously, don't be so lazy.
12. People should wash their hands. Frequently.
13. The entire bed is my sleeping area. I admit that it will be hard to adjust to having to share one.
Don't worry, there are also ways in which I am not set. The problem is that if someone else is set in these ways, they could possibly be annoyed with me. Ways in which I am not set:
1. So what's the big deal about squeezing the toothpaste from the end? I mean, really? I don't even think about the squeezing, and all of my toothpaste comes out nicely. What are we afraid of here? I guess I must not get it. Maybe I haven't been confronted with an annoying toothpaste-user? I mean, if someone doesn't put the cap on, well, see #11 above. I get that, but I don't get the squeezing thing. Maybe I just do it "right" but don't know it. It isn't even a cognizant choice for me.
2. I guess I really could live with an "under" toilet paper user, but whenever I put the roll on, I would put it in the over position. It is my preference. I guess I'm not so "set" in this.
3. I would be okay with someone else being in charge of the thermostat, unless of course my body started shutting down from the freeze.
4. I don't have to be in charge of the remote, as long as the person isn't a constant flipper, in which case I will accidentally lose the remote.
5. I can drive or I can not drive or I can sometimes drive. It's not a control thing for me.
So... I don't feel like thinking of any more. I guess I'm more set in my ways than I thought. Are you set in your ways? Are there ways in which you were set that you didn't realize until you got married? Do tell.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Cardine's List of 100 Foods
I saw a list going around that was about 100 foods you should try before you die or something of that nature. I consider myself to be relatively well-versed in the food arena, so I checked it out. Well, there were a lot of beverages that I'm never going to try, since I don't drink alcohol or coffee, so instead I decided to create my own list, specialized to me. (Since this is my blog, I figure it can totally be all about me.) It contains some foods from the list I saw, but mostly they are foods that I either want to try or have tried and for some reason or another think YOU should try it, too. I now give you Cardine's List of 100 Foods to try before you die.
1. A veggie burger with bacon or just a BLT (Come to think of it, I could probably do a list of 100 ways to eat a hamburger.)
2. Baked Alaska
3. Escargot
4. Lobster, especially the tail
5. Crab legs, dipped in drawn butter
6. Raw fish
7. Sushi hand roll
8. Yakiniku
9. Kimchi
10. Dumplings - as many kinds as you can, such as gyoza, buuz, pelmeni, chicken and dumplings, wontons, empanadas (because they are all awesome)
11. A corn dog. Seriously.
12. Ironport
13. Lychee fruit
14. Fried pickles
15. Hush puppies
16. Polenta
17. Spaghetti with meatballs
18. Eggs Benedict
19. Lox and bagels
20. Lamb coconut korma with naan
21. Thai curry (You should try as many different kinds of these as you can because they are delicious.)
22. Funnel cake (Just once, though. Not that great.)
23. Eclairs
24. Creme brulee
25. Chicken fried steak or chicken fried chicken
26. Mincemeat pie
27. Pumpkin pie
28. Figgy pudding/Christmas pudding
29. Stollen/fruitcake
30. Caviar
31. Oysters on the half shell
32. Pickled pigs feet
33. Homemade ice cream
34. Gelato
35. Jell-O
36. Real Belgian Truffles
37. Bougatsa or tyropita
38. Baklava
39. Borscht
40. Cheese fondue
41. Guinea pig
42. Fresh Mexican churros (seriously, fresh from the cart or shack, fresh from the fryer - it makes a difference)
43. Ceviche (mystery fish is the best)
44. Eel
45. Frog legs
46. Gumbo
47. Goat cheese
48. Cactus fruit
49. Spaetzle
50. Peking duck
51. Grits or Ugali
52. Calamari
53. Gyros
54. Mussels
55. Okra (even though it's yucky)
56. Po-boys
57. Shrimp cocktail
58. Souvlaki
59. Trifle
60. Falafal
61. Couscous
62. Hummus
63. Schnitzel
64. Chile relleno
65. Shawarma
66. Barbecued ribs
67. Belgian Waffles
68. Frites with Andalouse sauce
69. Swedish pancakes/crepes
70. Clam chowder
71. Dulce de leche
72. Catfish
73. Fried green tomatoes
74. Platanos
75. Gazpacho
76. Pig that has been roasted in the ground
77. Squash soup
78. Kabobs
79. Menudo
80. Posole
81. Pumpkin seeds
82. Squid on a stick
83. Rueben sandwich
84. Corned beef and cabbage
85. Cheesecake
86. A traditional pasty
87. Fish 'n' chips
88. Scones, a.k.a. Navajo fry bread
89. Yorkshire pudding
90. Crawfish
91. Flan
92. A hobo dinner
92. Dutch oven potatoes (with onions and bacon, and I'm talking about cast iron dutch oven cooked in the ground or with charcoal on top)
93. Buffalo wings
94. Meatloaf
95. Bratwurst
96. Alligator or crocodile
97. Guaraná/Jarritos/Inca Kola
98. Alpaca
99. Tamales
100. Cow tongue
I know I missed some stuff. Ah well. Tell me what you think I'm missing!
1. A veggie burger with bacon or just a BLT (Come to think of it, I could probably do a list of 100 ways to eat a hamburger.)
2. Baked Alaska
3. Escargot
4. Lobster, especially the tail
5. Crab legs, dipped in drawn butter
6. Raw fish
7. Sushi hand roll
8. Yakiniku
9. Kimchi
10. Dumplings - as many kinds as you can, such as gyoza, buuz, pelmeni, chicken and dumplings, wontons, empanadas (because they are all awesome)
11. A corn dog. Seriously.
12. Ironport
13. Lychee fruit
14. Fried pickles
15. Hush puppies
16. Polenta
17. Spaghetti with meatballs
18. Eggs Benedict
19. Lox and bagels
20. Lamb coconut korma with naan
21. Thai curry (You should try as many different kinds of these as you can because they are delicious.)
22. Funnel cake (Just once, though. Not that great.)
23. Eclairs
24. Creme brulee
25. Chicken fried steak or chicken fried chicken
26. Mincemeat pie
27. Pumpkin pie
28. Figgy pudding/Christmas pudding
29. Stollen/fruitcake
30. Caviar
31. Oysters on the half shell
32. Pickled pigs feet
33. Homemade ice cream
34. Gelato
35. Jell-O
36. Real Belgian Truffles
37. Bougatsa or tyropita
38. Baklava
39. Borscht
40. Cheese fondue
41. Guinea pig
42. Fresh Mexican churros (seriously, fresh from the cart or shack, fresh from the fryer - it makes a difference)
43. Ceviche (mystery fish is the best)
44. Eel
45. Frog legs
46. Gumbo
47. Goat cheese
48. Cactus fruit
49. Spaetzle
50. Peking duck
51. Grits or Ugali
52. Calamari
53. Gyros
54. Mussels
55. Okra (even though it's yucky)
56. Po-boys
57. Shrimp cocktail
58. Souvlaki
59. Trifle
60. Falafal
61. Couscous
62. Hummus
63. Schnitzel
64. Chile relleno
65. Shawarma
66. Barbecued ribs
67. Belgian Waffles
68. Frites with Andalouse sauce
69. Swedish pancakes/crepes
70. Clam chowder
71. Dulce de leche
72. Catfish
73. Fried green tomatoes
74. Platanos
75. Gazpacho
76. Pig that has been roasted in the ground
77. Squash soup
78. Kabobs
79. Menudo
80. Posole
81. Pumpkin seeds
82. Squid on a stick
83. Rueben sandwich
84. Corned beef and cabbage
85. Cheesecake
86. A traditional pasty
87. Fish 'n' chips
88. Scones, a.k.a. Navajo fry bread
89. Yorkshire pudding
90. Crawfish
91. Flan
92. A hobo dinner
92. Dutch oven potatoes (with onions and bacon, and I'm talking about cast iron dutch oven cooked in the ground or with charcoal on top)
93. Buffalo wings
94. Meatloaf
95. Bratwurst
96. Alligator or crocodile
97. Guaraná/Jarritos/Inca Kola
98. Alpaca
99. Tamales
100. Cow tongue
I know I missed some stuff. Ah well. Tell me what you think I'm missing!
Sunday, January 01, 2012
The 2011 Movie Post
Happy New Year! It’s time for your favorite post of the year! I guess that’s too bad, since you’ll have nothing to look forward to for the rest of the year.
Previous movie posts: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, and 2005.
I saw 22 movies this year. I hope you enjoy my movie list!
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 – Sweet relief. The Harry Potter series is over, and I loved it. I am glad that I was able to conclude this series in 2D because it is so much more enjoyable for me to see a 2D movie than a 3D movie. I enjoyed the characters, the action, and I especially appreciated how well Snape’s memories played out on screen. They ended this series well, and I think the entire saga was completed very well and individually in each movie. I can watch the whole series over and over, which is great and unfortunate since eight movies take SO LONG to watch.
2. The Help – I was finally able to watch this movie without distraction, and I really enjoyed it. I especially liked the Minny and Celia storyline of this movie. I thought all the actors did a great job. I also liked that I was able to talk to my parents about the movie since they saw it, as well. And then my dad shared a story about being in Meridian during that time period and giving a guy a ride home. When he dropped off the man, a cop stopped my dad to tell him that they didn’t do things like that in Meridian. So, basically, I liked that the movie addressed real issues in our not-too-distant past in some areas of the country and did it in an entertaining way.
3. Hugo – I would have liked this movie better had I been able to see it in 2D. I kept getting distracted and annoyed by aspects of the 3D. However, I loved the storyline, and I appreciate how true to the book they produced this movie. The actors played well, and I liked the scenery and sets. I also enjoyed the mini movies within this movie. I think I could watch this movie over and over again.
4. Jane Eyre – This is probably my favorite Jane Eyre thus produced. I liked the script adaptation, and I liked the actors. After seeing this version, I ended up watching pretty much every other version. That being said, I don’t think it’s necessary to keep producing the same movie over and over again. BUT, I am glad that the only one ever made was not the Timothy Dalton version. Man. Wow. That one was rough to watch at some points.
4 and a half. 17 Miracles - I write this post using internet sites with all the movie release dates of the year. The problem is that 17 Miracles wasn't on it, probably because it never made it to wide release, and I finished this post without including this movie. This is where it probably would have gone for me. I unfortunately forgot tissues and cried during a good portion of the movie. Clearly it's a niche movie, but for me, it was great.
5. Source Code – For some reason I didn’t even really know about this movie at all when it came out. I watched it on DVD and really enjoyed it. It reminded me of a mix between Groundhog Day and Inception or Gattaca or something. And it was like a chick flick for guys, hereafter referred to as a “dude flick,” which means that the movie is a love story about a guy who loves a girl, only guys wouldn’t consider it a chick flick because there’s action and other stuff "for guys." Anyway, the point being is that it was good, and you should see it. Why haven’t you seen it?
6. Kung Fu Panda 2 – I really hate that I am enjoying animated sequels so much. I am so used to sequels automatically being garbage that it’s strange for me to really enjoy sequels as much as I do. I blame Disney’s rapid-production, straight-to-DVD history for my opinions. Anyway, this movie was so humorous to me, and I really enjoyed the storyline and jokes.
7. Cars 2 – I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed this movie so much if I hadn’t been watching the James Bond series. There were a lot of implied jokes in the movie that came directly from James Bond movies, and they made me giggle, especially the fact that one of the spy’s names was Holly Shiftwell. That still amuses me to no end.
8. X-Men: First Class – This movie was almost back up to par of the enjoyability of the first two X-Men movies. The storyline was good and compelling. I liked that Kevin Bacon was an antagonist of the movie, and I thought that the character development was remarkably good for having so many characters. This movie was entertaining.
9. Midnight in Paris – I liked the music in this movie a lot. I feel like it was another “dude flick,” and I enjoyed the historical and cultural references in the movie. The message of the movie was good, too, and I really liked seeing the various perspectives shown. I also liked that having been to Paris, I was able to recognize various places shown in the movie.
10. Super 8 – For me this movie really did feel like a throwback to the 80s teen sci-fi flicks. It reminded me of E.T., Stand By Me, Red Dawn, and even The Lost Boys. It was a bit cheesy, but so were those films. It made me laugh, and it was a great nostalgia movie. I liked that it captured a bit of my childhood movie-viewing experiences.
I also enjoyed the following movies:
Winnie the Pooh – Remember how I don’t love the The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh? Well, this movie was actually pretty good. I liked that the antagonist wasn’t really an antagonist. This is one of the truest and best children’s movies that I’ve ever seen.
Captain America – The First Avenger – You know, the premise of this movie is really kind of dumb, but I thought that the movie was well made and entertaining! I am impressed that the movie makers were able to pull it off as well as they did.
Thor – I saw this in a theater that was playing it in about 5 theaters, and we just happened to find the perfect showing in 2D! Score! I enjoyed this movie. It was pretty fun, even though it probably won’t ever be considered “quality".
The Adjustment Bureau – Another dude flick. I walked into the theater knowing that it was really a chick flick, but there was a whole row of guys I knew there without their wives or girlfriends. I’m glad that our society has progressed far enough that guys can go see a movie about love without feeling the need to be heckled about it and actually truly enjoy it. Even if they don’t realize it. I liked the movie.
Mars Needs Moms – I thought this was a cute movie. The animation slightly bothered me for some reason, but the story was endearing. I can see why some people might not like it (it’s kind of weird), but I thought it was cute and nice.
Rango – I am surprised this movie got as good of reviews that it did. Not that it was bad, but I think it was a quirky movie with a storyline that wasn’t really anything special. I guess there are more quirky people in the world than I thought.
Rio – This movie provides enough laughs for you if you’re in a laughing mood.
Limitless – This movie was a little trippy like how “Memento” is a little bit trippy. I would have liked it better, but I felt like I needed to shower after watching it, as the protagonist was despicable. Still, though, it was intriguing.
These movies were alright:
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – Okay. Uh huh. It was alright. Still like the first movie best.
Green Lantern – It was. It just was.
I didn’t like the following movie:
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 – I hate to say it, but I’m not even looking forward to Part 2 because Part 1 was just so boring and kind of insufferable. And gross.
Movies I wanted to see from 2010 and saw, as well as the ones you suggested in last year’s comments:
Unstoppable – Actually pretty good. I like movies that are based on a true story that are pretty good.
The Social Network – Interesting. I kind of like that I watched a movie based on really recent history, like within the last decade.
MegaMind – This movie made me laugh a lot. I really enjoyed it.
The King's Speech – The acting was superb. I enjoyed this movie.
True Grit – Yeah. I really liked this movie. It would have made the top 10 last year, had I seen it in the year.
Tron: Legacy – This movie was pretty entertaining and good. And I enjoyed the music and the special effects.
Ramona and Beezus – I thought it was fun. I can recommend it if you’re interested in that kind of movie.
Secretariat – I probably wouldn’t see this movie repetitively, but I enjoyed the movie. It was good.
Movies I didn’t necessarily want to see from 2010 but saw anyway:
The Tourist – I felt like this movie was attempting to be a Hitchcock film and that Angelina Jolie was attempting to be Audrey Hepburn, but neither happened successfully. The movie was okay, though.
127 Hours – I actually did want to see this, but it just wasn’t on last year’s list. I liked it, even though I totally couldn’t watch the bloody part of the movie.
Movies I still want to see from 2011:
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules – I hear they’re doing yet another one, so I’m actually pretty skeptical about this one.
Moneyball
Footloose – Maybe. I mean, could it really be better than the 80s one?
Like Crazy
Tower Heist – Maybe.
Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Cowboys & Aliens
The Tree of Life - Maybe.
Is there something you saw that I should totally see? Thanks for reading. Don't forget to opine in the comments.
Previous movie posts: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, and 2005.
I saw 22 movies this year. I hope you enjoy my movie list!
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 – Sweet relief. The Harry Potter series is over, and I loved it. I am glad that I was able to conclude this series in 2D because it is so much more enjoyable for me to see a 2D movie than a 3D movie. I enjoyed the characters, the action, and I especially appreciated how well Snape’s memories played out on screen. They ended this series well, and I think the entire saga was completed very well and individually in each movie. I can watch the whole series over and over, which is great and unfortunate since eight movies take SO LONG to watch.
2. The Help – I was finally able to watch this movie without distraction, and I really enjoyed it. I especially liked the Minny and Celia storyline of this movie. I thought all the actors did a great job. I also liked that I was able to talk to my parents about the movie since they saw it, as well. And then my dad shared a story about being in Meridian during that time period and giving a guy a ride home. When he dropped off the man, a cop stopped my dad to tell him that they didn’t do things like that in Meridian. So, basically, I liked that the movie addressed real issues in our not-too-distant past in some areas of the country and did it in an entertaining way.
3. Hugo – I would have liked this movie better had I been able to see it in 2D. I kept getting distracted and annoyed by aspects of the 3D. However, I loved the storyline, and I appreciate how true to the book they produced this movie. The actors played well, and I liked the scenery and sets. I also enjoyed the mini movies within this movie. I think I could watch this movie over and over again.
4. Jane Eyre – This is probably my favorite Jane Eyre thus produced. I liked the script adaptation, and I liked the actors. After seeing this version, I ended up watching pretty much every other version. That being said, I don’t think it’s necessary to keep producing the same movie over and over again. BUT, I am glad that the only one ever made was not the Timothy Dalton version. Man. Wow. That one was rough to watch at some points.
4 and a half. 17 Miracles - I write this post using internet sites with all the movie release dates of the year. The problem is that 17 Miracles wasn't on it, probably because it never made it to wide release, and I finished this post without including this movie. This is where it probably would have gone for me. I unfortunately forgot tissues and cried during a good portion of the movie. Clearly it's a niche movie, but for me, it was great.
5. Source Code – For some reason I didn’t even really know about this movie at all when it came out. I watched it on DVD and really enjoyed it. It reminded me of a mix between Groundhog Day and Inception or Gattaca or something. And it was like a chick flick for guys, hereafter referred to as a “dude flick,” which means that the movie is a love story about a guy who loves a girl, only guys wouldn’t consider it a chick flick because there’s action and other stuff "for guys." Anyway, the point being is that it was good, and you should see it. Why haven’t you seen it?
6. Kung Fu Panda 2 – I really hate that I am enjoying animated sequels so much. I am so used to sequels automatically being garbage that it’s strange for me to really enjoy sequels as much as I do. I blame Disney’s rapid-production, straight-to-DVD history for my opinions. Anyway, this movie was so humorous to me, and I really enjoyed the storyline and jokes.
7. Cars 2 – I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed this movie so much if I hadn’t been watching the James Bond series. There were a lot of implied jokes in the movie that came directly from James Bond movies, and they made me giggle, especially the fact that one of the spy’s names was Holly Shiftwell. That still amuses me to no end.
8. X-Men: First Class – This movie was almost back up to par of the enjoyability of the first two X-Men movies. The storyline was good and compelling. I liked that Kevin Bacon was an antagonist of the movie, and I thought that the character development was remarkably good for having so many characters. This movie was entertaining.
9. Midnight in Paris – I liked the music in this movie a lot. I feel like it was another “dude flick,” and I enjoyed the historical and cultural references in the movie. The message of the movie was good, too, and I really liked seeing the various perspectives shown. I also liked that having been to Paris, I was able to recognize various places shown in the movie.
10. Super 8 – For me this movie really did feel like a throwback to the 80s teen sci-fi flicks. It reminded me of E.T., Stand By Me, Red Dawn, and even The Lost Boys. It was a bit cheesy, but so were those films. It made me laugh, and it was a great nostalgia movie. I liked that it captured a bit of my childhood movie-viewing experiences.
I also enjoyed the following movies:
Winnie the Pooh – Remember how I don’t love the The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh? Well, this movie was actually pretty good. I liked that the antagonist wasn’t really an antagonist. This is one of the truest and best children’s movies that I’ve ever seen.
Captain America – The First Avenger – You know, the premise of this movie is really kind of dumb, but I thought that the movie was well made and entertaining! I am impressed that the movie makers were able to pull it off as well as they did.
Thor – I saw this in a theater that was playing it in about 5 theaters, and we just happened to find the perfect showing in 2D! Score! I enjoyed this movie. It was pretty fun, even though it probably won’t ever be considered “quality".
The Adjustment Bureau – Another dude flick. I walked into the theater knowing that it was really a chick flick, but there was a whole row of guys I knew there without their wives or girlfriends. I’m glad that our society has progressed far enough that guys can go see a movie about love without feeling the need to be heckled about it and actually truly enjoy it. Even if they don’t realize it. I liked the movie.
Mars Needs Moms – I thought this was a cute movie. The animation slightly bothered me for some reason, but the story was endearing. I can see why some people might not like it (it’s kind of weird), but I thought it was cute and nice.
Rango – I am surprised this movie got as good of reviews that it did. Not that it was bad, but I think it was a quirky movie with a storyline that wasn’t really anything special. I guess there are more quirky people in the world than I thought.
Rio – This movie provides enough laughs for you if you’re in a laughing mood.
Limitless – This movie was a little trippy like how “Memento” is a little bit trippy. I would have liked it better, but I felt like I needed to shower after watching it, as the protagonist was despicable. Still, though, it was intriguing.
These movies were alright:
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – Okay. Uh huh. It was alright. Still like the first movie best.
Green Lantern – It was. It just was.
I didn’t like the following movie:
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 – I hate to say it, but I’m not even looking forward to Part 2 because Part 1 was just so boring and kind of insufferable. And gross.
Movies I wanted to see from 2010 and saw, as well as the ones you suggested in last year’s comments:
Unstoppable – Actually pretty good. I like movies that are based on a true story that are pretty good.
The Social Network – Interesting. I kind of like that I watched a movie based on really recent history, like within the last decade.
MegaMind – This movie made me laugh a lot. I really enjoyed it.
The King's Speech – The acting was superb. I enjoyed this movie.
True Grit – Yeah. I really liked this movie. It would have made the top 10 last year, had I seen it in the year.
Tron: Legacy – This movie was pretty entertaining and good. And I enjoyed the music and the special effects.
Ramona and Beezus – I thought it was fun. I can recommend it if you’re interested in that kind of movie.
Secretariat – I probably wouldn’t see this movie repetitively, but I enjoyed the movie. It was good.
Movies I didn’t necessarily want to see from 2010 but saw anyway:
The Tourist – I felt like this movie was attempting to be a Hitchcock film and that Angelina Jolie was attempting to be Audrey Hepburn, but neither happened successfully. The movie was okay, though.
127 Hours – I actually did want to see this, but it just wasn’t on last year’s list. I liked it, even though I totally couldn’t watch the bloody part of the movie.
Movies I still want to see from 2011:
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules – I hear they’re doing yet another one, so I’m actually pretty skeptical about this one.
Moneyball
Footloose – Maybe. I mean, could it really be better than the 80s one?
Like Crazy
Tower Heist – Maybe.
Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Cowboys & Aliens
The Tree of Life - Maybe.
Is there something you saw that I should totally see? Thanks for reading. Don't forget to opine in the comments.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Some Favorite Christmas Stuff
1. I think poinsettias, fake or real, are really pretty. This year my tree has a bunch of fake poinsettias as ornaments. I have some more for my stairway banister, but I haven't put them up yet. I'm looking forward to it. I'm also looking for some stockings to hang with the poinsettias, but I haven't found any that I love yet. I might have to make some.
2. I love Christmas bells. I love playing the bells and the chimes, and I like how pretty bells look. I really wanted to find some cute (not cheap-looking) bells to put on my tree, but I couldn't find any I loved. But, I did find a bell, similar to the one that my mom and dad have that I put on my tree. It makes me happy to be able to ring the bell when I walk by the tree.
3. I am really into Christmas music this year. A few of my favorite Christmas songs are O Holy Night, Stars Were Gleaming, O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles), and Baby, It's Cold Outside. The links are to videos, but they are songs I like. If you get the giggles to videos as often as I do, you may need to not watch the videos but listen instead. Do you have favorite Christmas songs?
4. Christmas treats are so, so tasty. There's something about Christmas that just makes me fat thinking about it. I love sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, those peanut butter cookies with Hershey's kisses in them, almond rocha, peanut brittle, homemade caramels (which are the only kind of caramels I really like), those Lindt truffles, fruit pies, and oranges. They're so tasty. So, so tasty.
5. Christmas lights are beautiful. I've noticed that Christmas lights participation has waned a lot in the past few years in my community, but I really appreciate people who put up lights. I hope that you put up some lights somewhere, even if you're like me and you actually just decorate the inside of your house with lights so the blinds have to be open for anyone to see the lights. But seriously. Christmas lights are beautiful.
6. Snow. I love snow. It is one of the most beautiful things that nature provides. Sure, it's pretty cold and can sometimes be treacherous or deadly, but I love to look at the beautiful drifts of snow, the icicles as they hang from rooftops, and the way that they can transform even a chain-link fence into a breathtaking marvel. Snow is beautiful.
7. There is a somber and peaceful feeling about Christmas. This feeling might come from over-consumption of all the Christmas treats that causes me to feel like hibernating until the spring, but I really think part of it comes from people's hearts and minds changing and contemplating different aspects of their lives this year. Sometimes this time of year causes serious introspection, some sad and some good. Sometimes it causes people to look beyond themselves to others and seek to help those they don't know or those they do know very well. Either way, I feel like a lot of people are their better selves around this time of year. I've been a little cranky this year, but I have appreciated the infusion of good feelings this year, as well. I've noticed other people giving of themselves to help others, and that's inspiring. I also appreciate that people are so busy during this time of year doing Christmas activities that they have less time to worry about other people's faults and things that aren't important. I think busyness goes a long way to helping people find peace because I think that we as a people create our own distress most of the time.
So, I hope that during this time of year, however you celebrate, you can look around yourself at the little things that are beautiful, peaceful, and happy. I hope that you can find a way to give to the world in some small way by just doing something good for someone else. I hope that you can look at your own life and see the beauty that is already there.
2. I love Christmas bells. I love playing the bells and the chimes, and I like how pretty bells look. I really wanted to find some cute (not cheap-looking) bells to put on my tree, but I couldn't find any I loved. But, I did find a bell, similar to the one that my mom and dad have that I put on my tree. It makes me happy to be able to ring the bell when I walk by the tree.
3. I am really into Christmas music this year. A few of my favorite Christmas songs are O Holy Night, Stars Were Gleaming, O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles), and Baby, It's Cold Outside. The links are to videos, but they are songs I like. If you get the giggles to videos as often as I do, you may need to not watch the videos but listen instead. Do you have favorite Christmas songs?
4. Christmas treats are so, so tasty. There's something about Christmas that just makes me fat thinking about it. I love sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, those peanut butter cookies with Hershey's kisses in them, almond rocha, peanut brittle, homemade caramels (which are the only kind of caramels I really like), those Lindt truffles, fruit pies, and oranges. They're so tasty. So, so tasty.
5. Christmas lights are beautiful. I've noticed that Christmas lights participation has waned a lot in the past few years in my community, but I really appreciate people who put up lights. I hope that you put up some lights somewhere, even if you're like me and you actually just decorate the inside of your house with lights so the blinds have to be open for anyone to see the lights. But seriously. Christmas lights are beautiful.
6. Snow. I love snow. It is one of the most beautiful things that nature provides. Sure, it's pretty cold and can sometimes be treacherous or deadly, but I love to look at the beautiful drifts of snow, the icicles as they hang from rooftops, and the way that they can transform even a chain-link fence into a breathtaking marvel. Snow is beautiful.
7. There is a somber and peaceful feeling about Christmas. This feeling might come from over-consumption of all the Christmas treats that causes me to feel like hibernating until the spring, but I really think part of it comes from people's hearts and minds changing and contemplating different aspects of their lives this year. Sometimes this time of year causes serious introspection, some sad and some good. Sometimes it causes people to look beyond themselves to others and seek to help those they don't know or those they do know very well. Either way, I feel like a lot of people are their better selves around this time of year. I've been a little cranky this year, but I have appreciated the infusion of good feelings this year, as well. I've noticed other people giving of themselves to help others, and that's inspiring. I also appreciate that people are so busy during this time of year doing Christmas activities that they have less time to worry about other people's faults and things that aren't important. I think busyness goes a long way to helping people find peace because I think that we as a people create our own distress most of the time.
So, I hope that during this time of year, however you celebrate, you can look around yourself at the little things that are beautiful, peaceful, and happy. I hope that you can find a way to give to the world in some small way by just doing something good for someone else. I hope that you can look at your own life and see the beauty that is already there.
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