warm fuzzy blog

Top 10 Movies of 2011

2011-12-30T10:08:00.025-06:00

I made a list of my favorite movies from 2011! My criteria is pretty broad, and I tried to include movies from a wide range of genres. The movies all had to have one thing in common: rewatchability. There is a place for movies that no one would ever want to watch a second time despite their critical acclaim, but this list is not that place.

I'm sure I've made some glaring omissions, and there are many great movies that I simply did not see, but all in all I'm happy with my list. Here are my top ten of movies from 2011 (in no particular order). Happy movie watching!

50/50 (drama, comedy, bromance). You may remember me talking about this movie endlessly, saying things like, "Drop what you are doing, and go see this movie!" I stand by that statement. This movie stars Seth Rogan and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It's about a guy who gets diagnosed with a type of cancer that has a 50% survival rate, and how he and his best friend deal with that reality. Next to Bridesmaids, this is the funniest movie I've seen all year. That said, I also sobbed more during this film than in any movie since the Lion King (Mufasa dying hit my 12 year old self pretty hard). I saw it twice in the theater (high praise). Although I did not put these movies in any order, if I had to pick my #1, this would be it. Hands down. So, again I say: drop what you are doing, and go see this movie.

Friends with Benefits (romantic comedy). Yes, I will give you that this movie is a predictable romantic comedy, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. There is a comfort in the rom-com formula, and sometimes you want that comfort. This movie is the best out of the newly popular "friends with benefits fall in love" sub-genre of romantic comedies, and it's just generally the best romantic comedy I've seen in ages. Rom-coms have gotten lazy. Just because they have a predictable formula does not mean that things like on screen chemistry, good comedy, and a great "I love you moment" should be done half-assedly. And yet one need look no further than Something Borrowed or How Do You Know to see that this shoddy craftsmanship has become the norm. Not so with this movie. I laughed often, and I really wanted the two main characters to find each other. I was not disappointed.

Win Win (drama). Back when we were podcasting, my cohorts and I reviewed this movie here. I loved this movie, as has everyone I know that's seen it. The movie is about a down on his luck wrestling coach who finds himself looking after a down on his luck kid, who happens to be an amazing wrestler. They bond, and both their lives are better for it. While from that synopsis alone, you would have to drag me to see this movie, it was actually amazing. It manages to be heartwarming, but not cheesy in the slightest. It stars Paul Giamani as the lead. Listen to the podcast. See the movie. DO IT!

Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol (action): This is by far the best of all the Mission Impossible movies. Adjectives I would use to describe this movie include: funny, suspenseful, surprising, entertaining, cheese-free, and heart pounding. Some of you may remember my eye roll inducing attempt to rewatch MI:2, and I have to say I was a little leery of the 4th installment after that debacle, but this was amazingly entertaining. I can honestly say, I hope there is a 5th!

Super 8 (drama, suspense, monster, family friendly): This movie stars a bunch of kids, a monster, and Kyle Chandler. The kids in the film are amerature film-makers, something I can identify with as this was the number one hobby of my brother and his friends growing up, While the kids film a scene in their movie, a train crashes and a monster is released. The rest of the town is evacuated, and the kids (of course) are the only ones who know the about the monster, and they set out to find out what's going on. While the plot seems silly, the acting (superb) and visual effects , as well as directing, make the movie one of the best of the year. I actually think my ol' movie reviewing buddy Pete reviews the movie perfectly here.

Bridesmaids (comedy): I saw this movie twice in the theater, and happily would have paid to see it a third time. Although I've complained that raunchy humour has all but completely pushed good-clean comedy from the movie reels, that doesn't mean I can't enjoy it when done right. This movie did everything right: it was both ridiculously (and sometimes disgustingly) hilarious, but it also had heart, and the characters, while exaggerated, felt like real people. I could identify with the main character, as I imagine just about any woman whose best friend got married before her might. while I cringed at many of her choices I could also see some of that stuff happening to me, which made it all funnier. Additionally, it was nice to see a "chic-flic" with some ~~balls~~ ovaries, and refreshing to see a movie focused on a female lead (Kristen Wiig) who was not on a mission to find love.

Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen movie): I picked this movie mostly because the cinematography was gorgeous. No movie has ever made me want to go to Paris as badly as this one did, and I started planning a trip before the end credits rolled. The movie is basically about a writer who is on a trip to Paris with his horrible fiance & her parents. At midnight, Paris is somehow transformed to 1920's, and the writer is able to hob-knob with literary & musical greats, as well as influential artists, and in doing so he learns a thing or two. I have to admit, I love this time period, which may have a large part in why I loved this movie. It was magical, humourous, thought-considering, and all in all enjoyable. If you are going to watch a Woody Allen movie, watch this one.

Crazy Stupid Love (dramedy, romantic, bromance): I guess this movie is about family, friendship, and finding that special someone. Barf! No really, it's good. Cal's (Steve Carell) wife (Julianne Moore) asks him for a divorce at the start of the movie. Depressed, he starts hanging out in a bar where he meets the sexy Jacob (Ryan Gossling) who kind of takes him under his wing and helps him get his grove back. Meanwhile, Jacob meets Hannah (Emma Stone), and falls in love. So, the movie has elements of romance & family, and is both funny and dramatic, but in the end, I really classify this movie as a bromance between Cal and Jacob. Their relationship is what drives the movie, and their relationship is the one you are most invested in. I loved everything about this movie. EVERYTHING. I can't say one negative thing about it. Sexy people, love, romance, and a few laughs. Great movie.

X-Men: First Class (fantasy, action/adventure): I believe the word I used to describe how I felt during this movie was "rivited." I was. This movie was absolutely gorgeous to watch. I loved the sense of time created by the colors used in the film. The movie was also smart. It was not just another X-Men movie; it had much more depth and was much more interesting (as is often the case with orgin stories). The action scenes were both beautful and intense. I just loved this movie. My only complaint (and I have to say it) was January Jones' pathetic acting in the movie. Not since Andie McDowell in Four Weddings and a Funeral, has any one actor's performance done as much to ruin a movie. Ugh..she was dreadful, but if you can look past that, then you should be able to enjoy this movie.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts I&II (fantasy, action/adventure, family): I put both of these movies together because they are the same book, so really they are the same movie. I have long been disappointed with Harry Potter movies (the books are better), but I have a hard time finding fault with this one. It is truly Epic, with a capital E. I believe my tweet after seeing this movie was something like, "As I was leaving Harry Potter, I thought to myself, "If anyone ever tries to remake this movie franchise, I will cut them." And, that's how I feel, mostly due to this last movie. It was larger than life, and I love it.

Honorable Mentions: movies didn't quite make the list, but that I still recommend highly.

Drive - has a very low re-watchability, and it certainly is not for everyone, however I found it breathtaking. Caution: this movie has some incredibly violent scenes.
Adjustment Bureau - I need to see this again, and I'll hazard a guess that when I do, I will regret not putting it on my top ten list. It was really interesting and an enjoyable ride. Also: Matt Damon.
The Future - okay, so I haven't actually seen this, but it's by Miranda July, so I'm sure I'll love it. It's in my queue.

weekend of fun (sentimental blog post warning)

2011-09-19T17:55:00.004-05:00

Last weekend I was in Portland for my friend Heather's wedding. It was awesome, not only because I was happy for Heather (or because I was in Portland), but because I got to see many friends I had not seen for 4 or more years. That is too long to go between visits, but what I loved was how seamlessly we fell back into conversations. Although catching up was delightful, what was most wonderful was that it didn't fell like any time had passed since our last seeing each other. Now, of course I miss everyone anew. Not to get all sentimental, but I really am blessed to have found the friends I have through the years. I know that not everyone is this lucky. I can only hope we don't go 4 years in between visits again. Here are a few pictures from the weekend:

my lu lu

2011-08-31T21:02:00.000-05:00

I love this picture of Lucy.

i've said it before

2011-08-31T21:00:00.002-05:00

...and I'll say it again:

Grading papers blows!

It is, without a doubt, the worst part of my job. Kids threatening to light me on fire? Bring it. Papers needing to be graded? NO! Erg.

and we're back!

2011-08-29T19:53:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I had to hit the archives, but I've been working like crazy, and have not been able to make taking photos a priority. :( But! I'm going out of town to places pretty, so hopefully I will snap some delights. In the meantime, check out the serious back-log of photos.

the sky's the limit

2011-08-29T19:43:00.001-05:00

City Garden, St. Louis, MO

summer evening in the loop

2011-08-29T19:38:00.001-05:00

St. Louis, MO

Glacier Love

2011-08-29T19:33:00.000-05:00

Glacier NP

end of summer

2011-08-29T19:23:00.000-05:00

Near Billings, MT

hidden picture

2011-08-29T19:19:00.003-05:00

Missouri Botanical Garden (St. Louis)

take over

2011-08-29T19:14:00.001-05:00

Klondike SP

trouble

2011-08-29T19:11:00.001-05:00

tybee

2011-08-29T19:07:00.002-05:00

Although it seems so, I'm not actually obsessed with light houses.

no trespassing

2011-08-29T19:01:00.001-05:00

Outside Congaree NP

where has the week gone?!!?

2011-08-24T23:01:00.003-05:00

Sorry I'm behind on posting. Work & life have been crazy busy. I will make up for all my days with out pictures starting Friday. For those of you who actually care: sorry! :)

lighthouse 2

2011-08-20T17:12:00.000-05:00

lighthouse

2011-08-20T17:06:00.000-05:00

oops! I didn't post yesterday, so this is for Friday. :)

firewood

2011-08-18T18:43:00.002-05:00

This seems a bit cruel...

modesty

2011-08-18T18:39:00.002-05:00

Well, hello 26 foot tall statue of Marilyn Monroe in downtown Chicago. Psst...I think your drawers are showing! So, for this photo we are back in Chicago. My sister, mom and I stumbled upon this, and it is hilarious and random, but also a little awesome. I don't know that I would want to look at it everyday if this was my view from my cubical, but as a tourist, it was pretty funny, made all the more so when I went around to the back and saw the detail on her panties.

meep

2011-08-17T18:31:00.002-05:00

I thought I'd take a break from Chicago photos. I stumbled upon this little guy in St. Louis. I just imagine him as a little alien or robot peeking his head out to say "meep!"

blue chicago

2011-08-17T18:29:00.003-05:00

I took this while on the boat tour. I just love the hues of blue in it, and am happy that my flash didn't white everything out or that the lack of flash didn't blur it all. Again, the boat tour was awesome. I recommend it!

distorted

2011-08-16T22:19:00.003-05:00

Alright people, I see a few skylines in our future (or many photos of one skyline to be precise). This one is a bit of a cheat because it's not really another picture, but simply a section of an earlier picture (Chicago Raindrop). I just think it's cool that the buildings are distorted. I can't quite get enough of this sculpture. I wasn't sure what the big deal would be, but when I saw it I knew: it's just immensely cool.

the noble duke of chicago

2011-08-16T22:17:00.002-05:00

Do you remember that children's song, The Noble Duke of York? This photo get's that song stuck in my head.

The noble duke of York, he had ten thousand men.
He marched them up to the top of the hill and marched them down again.
And when you’re up you’re up.
And when you’re down you’re down.
And when you’re only half way up you’re neither up nor down.
He marched them to the left. He marched them to the right.
He marched them almost upside down, oh what a silly sight.

ominous

2011-08-15T20:05:00.007-05:00

The first word that came to my mind when I saw this photo was "ominous," While we had a lovely time at Navy Pier, the evening was not without dangers: we found ourselves on a party boat that played "Sweet Home Alabama" no fewer than 3 times (all to the excited "whoo!'s" of drunk girls), then had dinner wherein we were rained on and my "medium well" hamburger was raw at best (still alive at worst). These obstacles were not about to get out our way of our trip; however, we managed to escape with our good humor in tact. All in all it was wonderful trip; I had a great time with my mom and sister.

chicago raindrop

2011-08-15T19:57:00.007-05:00

Millennium Park is awesome and gorgeous. While we were there, we stumbled upon a group of about 200 people doing zumba (not pictured). It was amazingly awesome - and free! Chicago is cool. Crowded, but cool.

chairs about town

2011-08-10T21:50:00.001-05:00

My cat, Lucy, sitting anywhere but in one of the 300 chairs in this room.

In other news, I will be out of town this weekend, so while my posting will be suspended, hopefully I'll snap some cool photos. I'll post when I get back.

rainy day croquet

2011-08-10T21:03:00.009-05:00

Today I tried to take pictures of ordinary objects.

I though about cropping this a little differently, but kept going back and forth. I'm still not 100% sure I made the right choices, but I cropped it with a little more on the sides than I originally wanted because I've made the mistake in the past of cropping without taking into account the amount of space mats take up and have been screwed when going to frame something.

happy national s'more day!

2011-08-10T20:57:00.002-05:00

I did not mean to have two S'more related posts so close together, but it was brought to my attention that today is National S'more Day. How could I let that go with out a word?

yeah, i'll keep him

2011-08-09T21:20:00.001-05:00

This is photographic evidence of one of the rare instances in which Cooper is worn out.

summer morning on the farm

2011-08-08T19:33:00.003-05:00

sprouts of happiness

2011-08-07T18:10:00.004-05:00

While it's no Central Park, St. Louis' City Garden is a bright spot downtown, and a promise of how vibrant and inviting St. Louis could become if we commit to its development.

two guesses as to how i'm spending my saturday night...

2011-08-06T20:57:00.017-05:00

Laundry sucks. Here's why:

The one good thing that can be said for doing laundry might be the fact that while it's washing and drying, you don't have to actually do anything. But you do. You have to wait. You can't leave the house - it might burn down! (that happened to a friend of mine) Sure you can do other things around the house, but you are still at the machine's beck and call. You are its bitch.
The washer and dryer do not take the same amount of time. It just seems so inefficient. I could wash two loads in the time it takes to dry one, but then I'd have wet piles of laundry hanging around, so there's no point.
The dryer buzzes and you are elated, then you remember you still have to fold/hang the clothes and put them away. Or: dryer buzzes, no elation, decide you'll get laundry at the next commercial break, forget about it, later find all your dry clothes wrinkled and your wet clothes mildewy, curse yourself for not just pressing "pause" on your TiVo, decide to rewash everything because you don't own an iron. This process may or may not repeat.
The dryer is now empty, everything is clean, put away, and your bed sheets smell like linen breeze (or fragrance free in my case), and you think "This was worth it," and you change into your pajamas, dropping the clothes you were wearing into the f'ing laundry basket; it's a viscous cycle.

toaster oven s'more

2011-08-06T12:45:00.004-05:00

You all know how I feel about s'mores (I love them), but it's been too hot to even consider going camping around here, so I haven't had any all summer. Last night I decided to try to make a s'more in the toaster oven. While better than most people's attempts to make the treat, it still was not perfect, but it did satisfy my craving.

water plants

2011-08-06T10:52:00.007-05:00

Last night I went for a nighttime stroll around my neighborhood, and I stopped off at the farmer's market. I know they'd go out of business if it was vacant all the time (which would be bad), but it was really peaceful to be there alone at night.

I really like taking photos at night, but I don't really know how to do it well. They usually are out of focus, and lighting is problematic. I'm still learning how to use my camera, and I'm sure there are better settings I could use to get better shots, but I still need to figure that out. Any pointers?

the lucky duck

2011-08-05T16:33:00.002-05:00

if you take my cell phone, you will kill my child!

2011-08-05T09:32:00.010-05:00

Last night I had the opportunity to see an advanced screening of the movie 30 Minutes or Less. I get these passes occasionally through a pretty awesome website (gofobo); it's a great way to see movies for free if you are willing to put up with some inconveniences (like arriving at the movie nearly an hour early to ensure your seat). I am willing to put up with minor inconveniences because I love movies, and I am cheap.

Another inconvenience that free moviegoers sometimes have to endure is giving up their cell phones. The studio of the movie makes this decision, and it is a preventative measure against piracy attempts. When faced with this, you have three choices: you can either leave your phone in the car, check it (like a coat check for phones), or decide not to see the movie. Whenever this happens, people grumble. I can understand a little grumbling, especially if you are there alone and you have an hour's sit awaiting you before the movie, but what I can not understand is the sky is falling mentality that the world is going to end if you don't have your cell phone on you for 2 hours, it's absurd. But what I cannot stand for is people being rude about it and acting as though saying "no cell phones allowed" is somehow taking away one of their inalienable rights. Last time I checked, the Constitution didn't say anything about cell phones. Unfortunately rudeness abounds, and last night was no different.

I'm in line relinquishing my cell phone, and the women in front of me becomes irate, yelling at the young phone check girl that, "It is absurd that you are taking people's cellphones when they have children at home with the babysitter. Something could happen!" To which I jumped in and said, "You know, there was a time when we didn't all have cell phones on us all the time." I'd like to think several people said, "YEAH! You tell her!," but really it was only one guy. She stormed off.

Look lady, you are seeing a movie for free. It is your choice to be here, and if you really don't want to turn over your cell phone, go buy a ticket to see one of the other 16 movies playing at this theater. Do not take out your crazy sense of phone entitlement on this poor 19 year old who is just doing her job.

Okay, so here's where all the parents chime in, "But what if there IS an emergency!?! This is crazy! I have to have my cell phone for my KIIIIIDS!" To that I say: hogwash!

It shouldn't surprise you that not so long ago people went places - out to dinner, to a movie, to a play - without cell phones even though they had kids! Egads! How reckless! So, what did people do in these olden times (10 years ago)? Well, they hired reliable and responsible babysitters, and they left the location and phone number to the place they were going, as well as 1 or 2 other emergency contact numbers with that babysitter. If there was an emergency (a REAL emergency), then the babysitter would call 911 and then get a hold of the parents. As hard as this may be to believe, businesses still have phone numbers, and babysitters can still call these numbers in an emergency. This is exactly what your parents did when you were a kid, and somehow you are still alive to disregard the tale.

Look, cellphones are great; I love mine, but the crazed dependence on them is getting out of hand. Everyone needs to chill out a little and learn to disconnect every once and a while. The world will not end, nothing will explode, and your heart will not stop when you hit the "power off" button on your phone. Try it; I dare you.

sunflower surprise

2011-08-03T23:13:00.004-05:00

Yesterday as I headed home from my downtown photo adventure, I was feeling somewhat defeated. Although I did take some pictures that ended up being not terrible (which I'll post at some point), I wasn't really happy with any of them; none of them were of something I loved. And then BAM! sunflowers. Seriously, I was taking a shortcut home, and what do I see but a gorgeous patch of sunflowers. A small patch in someone's yard, but sunflowers just the same. I love sunflowers! Naturally, I stopped the car and promptly trespassed to get some photos. I was really annoyed that sun was behind them, and vowed to go back at another time of day to have some better luck (which I still may do), but I actually kind of like this picture all the same.

missoula path, 2010

2011-08-03T22:25:00.007-05:00

This photo makes me happy, so you all get a bonus picture! Missoula Path, 2010

I was looking through old photos that I like to figure out what it was that liked about them, so as to capitalize on that, but I realize it may just be the subject material and not actually that there is anything special about them beyond that. Anyway, this photo is from a path that I spent a lot of time on when I lived (or now visit) Missoula. I would ride my bike on this path to reach tennis courts, or take it to reach the Mountain in the background so I could hike up to the M. So, I'm going to list some of the things I like about it, and I welcome you to tell me what you like about it and/or give me suggestions 0n how it could have been better.

What I like about it:
I tend to like paths, roads, train-tracks, etc, and they are prominent in many of my photos; this may stem from my love of travel, or I just like the lines, or both. Anyway, I like the path, and the idea of where it might lead. I also like the colors; the sky is a beautiful blue, and I love that the shades of green add dimension without being "showy." The benches, streetlamp, and the people on the path gives this place a sense of community and makes it feel alive. So Of course, I feel this way -in part- because of the memories affiliated with this photo; in other words, I'm biased.

Summer Bay Resort

2011-08-03T21:33:00.007-05:00

My friend Billy said, "Take pictures of what you love," Well, most of the pictures I've taken and loved have either been taken in the wild or in Missoula, MT (otherwise known as the place wherein my heart lives), but today I could get to neither of those places,so I tried to love downtown St. Louis during a heat-wave. I headed downtown to walk around, and I stumbled upon this:

This photo, admittedly, has problems. I'm not at all experienced at taking photos of urban landscapes, and hopefully I'll get better, but this was just too hilarious for me not to post. "Summer Bay Resort" in downtown St. Louis, um... what? Not surprisingly, it appears to be out of business.

30 day photography challenge

2011-08-03T12:10:00.012-05:00

I had the idea that I should post a photo everyday. I am not a professional photographer, but occasionally I do take some pretty cool photos. I definitely need to get better, so I thought this would be a good way to motivate myself to try to take one interesting photo a day.

I decided I needed a theme, and immediately the idea of "Place" popped into my head. I am generally drawn to photos that evoke feelings of time and place (great photos also hint at a deeper story that one has only glimpsed), so it seems natural that I should try to capture that with my own lens. Of course, when I say "place," that could mean a specific place, but it could also just mean a sense of place, so don't look for pictures of landmarks everyday (although there may be landmarks sometimes), and I can only hope that a few of my photos conjure up stories for people as they look at them; we'll see what success I have.

Constructive criticism of the photos is welcome as I am learning, but please keep in mind: I'm learning. I'm not proclaiming that I am a great photographer or that I am a better photographer than you or anyone else. I just like photos, and would like to better be able to express myself through photography in a way that ends up being pleasing to the eye.

I am not going to use PhotoShop or any other kind of photo-manipulation, aside from turning a photo black and white (I'd switch film, but we're in the digital age and I don't have film). Why no manipulations? Well, on Google+ I follow several photographers, and this has caused me to give quite a bit of thought to photo-manipulation lately. Is a photograph really a photograph once it has been manipulated with PhotoShop to get ride of "blemishes" in the landscape or to make colors more vibrant - or different all together? It's artistry, but is is photography? For me, it's no longer true photography. A photograph is a snapshot of time, place, emotions, etc, and as such is raw and truthful. Once manipulated, that truth is gone.

I'm not saying there isn't a time and place for photo manipulation; there is, and those images can be breathtakingly beautiful (or just good fun if you want to make a photo look "retro" for a Facebook post), but they aren't really photographs anymore. Art, potentially, but not photography.

Anyway, those are just some thoughts that have been going through my head lately. You may agree or not, but right now it's my story and I'm sticking to it. Meanwhile, I'm off to take a photo.

beat the heat

2011-07-18T23:15:00.004-05:00

It's been so hot in St. Louis lately, so I thought Cooper could use some time at a lake. He loves to swim. I just wish the lakes around my house were as inviting to me as they are to my dog.

warm fuzzy shout-out

2011-07-18T01:54:00.004-05:00

Today I stumbled upon a kindred spirit at Warm Fuzzies.

my new obsession

2011-07-18T01:42:00.003-05:00

is this guy's photography blog, called Stuck in Customs. I can't get enough. Seriously. Check it out.

wesite plug

2011-01-08T10:35:00.001-06:00

check out my friend's blog. He has some cool artwork and stuff.

netflix instant!

2010-07-26T03:13:00.002-05:00

I lived in darkness, but now there is light.

Percy Jackson V Clash

2010-04-09T23:24:00.004-05:00

I saw both Percy Jackson and the Lightning Bolt Thief and Clash of the Titans, and I prefer the kids' movie. Although there were flaws with Percy Jackson, I was highly entertained throughout the movie and would happily watch it again. Clash left me totally underwhelmed, and I can't recommend anyone pay full price to see it.

The two movies are the same basic story of Perseus' heroic quest, and the movies both hit the highlights of the Greek myth. Percy Jackson, however, is set in modern times, and I guess this is one of the reasons why I like it more. I love the idea of the Greek Gods being real, but forgotten.

One big difference in the movies is that in Percy Jackson, Percy (Perseus) is said to be the son of Posiedon. Now, this makes for some pretty awesome abilities of Percy's, thereby giving us some pretty awesome fight scenes using water, but the problem is that according to Greek mythology Perseus is Zeus' son. I'm not sure why they made this switch, and I'm not sure I completely care. It just seems an unnecessary choice.

can it be done?

2010-01-24T12:31:00.003-06:00

My to-do list:

dishes
mop floors
laundry
grade tests
grade late binders
lesson plans
baby blanket
walk Cooper
work out
make dinner
pick up baby stuff from Beth
pick up dog stuff from Laura
buy pet shampoo
bathe Cooper
change cat litter

sherlock holmes

2009-12-31T01:31:00.002-06:00

I saw it. I liked it. I recommend it.

adventures in leash training

2009-12-29T23:37:00.005-06:00

So Cooper is a really well behaved dog. He knows several commands, such as "leave it, stay, come and off." He can also play fetch. What he cannot do is walk on a leash. This is problematic because he is extremely strong. So today we started leash training. I used the "180 technique."

The 180 Technique goes like this: you walk with your dog, if he pulls on the leash, you turn around an walk the other direction. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat...

It took us over an hour to go approximately 2 blocks, but he is improving. Sadly, whenever I praise him for doing a good job, he gets excited and starts to run, and in turn pulls on the leash (oy!). It was frustrating, but Cooper began to get the hang of it by the end of the walk. Tomorrow I'm going to play fetch with him prior to the walk, so he is already a little tuckered out when we start.

I got a dog!

2009-12-26T20:51:00.003-06:00

Today I adopted a dog. He is a lab/golden retriever mix, but is all black. He is 14 months old, and is already really well trained & a gentle, sweet dog. He and Lucy got along instantly(bonus!). :) YAY! His birthday is October 26, 2008, and I'm hoping his name will soon be Cooper (his previous owners called him "Man-doggie.")

movie recommendations

2009-12-21T01:26:00.003-06:00

I've rented a few good movies lately, and most of them have been pretty good. I recommend these:

The Nanny Diaries (this seems to be one of the few movies in which I don't hate Scarlett Johnasson's character/face)
Slumedog Millionaire - awesome
Sunshine Cleaning - funny and sweet
Star Trek

At the theater, I recommend:

Avatar - epic, and way way way better than I expected
Up in the Air - funny and interestibg. I loved it, and not just because it was shot in STL & my friend was in it for a split second.

heating pads are wonderful

2009-11-10T18:54:00.003-06:00

My back recently went out, and I attribute my ability to walk, bend, stretch, and lift entirely to the heating bad.

Need a heating pad on the go? I used Wal-green's heat pads and they worked wonders! They stayed warm long past the 8 hour mark.

score!

2009-11-10T18:52:00.001-06:00

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys was at my local used record store for only 15 buckaroos. Jealous? It's okay, you can admit to it.

best movies of summer 2009

2009-09-13T21:04:00.002-05:00

I do a movie podcast each week, and as a result, I see a lot of movies. It's awesome. This summer has been exceptionally great for movies. Below is a list (in no order) of 5 of the best movies I saw this season; there were many great movies, and there were probably other movies that would be on this list if only I'd seen them (it seems even 1 movie a week is not enough!).

Star Trek
Inglorious Bastards
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
The Hangover
Julie & Julia

Also of note...17 Again. It's better than you think it is. So is Bandslam.

also worthy of note

2009-09-13T21:03:00.001-05:00

advent - a good word, and not just for the holidays

social networking has rotted my brain

2009-09-13T20:54:00.003-05:00

Right now I am watching a fantastic movie. Correction: right now I have a fantastic movie playing while I hit "refresh" on my e-mail and facebook pages.

This has become increasingly problematic. I used to be able to give a t.v. show or movie my complete, undivided attention; in fact, I used to demand that I do so. But since the advent of myspace, facebook, and wireless internet on my laptop, I find that I cannot tear myself from the computer. And I don't even particularly like the computer. What's worse is that I'm not doing anything productive. Nothing at all. I'm literally hitting refresh to see if someone has uploaded a new picture or taken the latest arrested development quiz. As a result, I miss out on good storytelling, waste my time, and generally feel "ugh" at the end of the night. It's a problem.
To combat this, I'm limiting my Internet usage. Beginning tomorrow, I'm allowing myself 1 hour internet (non-school related) time a day. I will allow social networking to cut into my enjoyment of television no more!

true story

2009-09-03T19:44:00.002-05:00

I have a kid in my class who looks exactly like The Greatest American Hero.

a pleasent suprise

2009-07-16T15:45:00.002-05:00

I have not had Hardee's (known as Carl's Jr in other parts of the country) in about 15 years, but yesterday I was out and about, and it was the nearest fast food joint around, so I got myself a burger and fries. It was delicious. It was also so big that I couldn't finish it. While I'm not a huge burger fan, I've got to tell you, I would eat this again. And again. If you are going to go fast-food for a burger, there can be no other option.

This blog brought to you by "Food Fridays, albeit a day early"

books: new low

2009-07-16T09:48:00.001-05:00

I can't even get through Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. It is boring. I've moved on to Persuasion, and already things are looking up.

This blog post brought to you by "Belated Wordy Wednesdays"

top 20 shows (of my time)

2009-07-14T08:14:00.010-05:00

It's hard to rank sitcoms and dramas together...the criteria for judging them is a bit different, so I made two top ten lists. They are not perfect, but here they are:

Top Ten Sitcoms:

10. Corner Gas
9. Ellen (also called These Friends of Mine)
8. Family Ties
7. The Office
6. Scrubs (season 1-4)
5.How I met Your Mother
4. The Simpsons
3. Sienfeld
2. The Golden Girls
1. Soap

** edited because I can't count, and had 12 sitcoms not 10. And because of the omission of the G-girls, which I thought I put in my list.
(removed: Sports Night, Two Guys and a Girl, and Malcolm in the Middle...that last one was particularly hard to remove from the list.)**

Top Ten Drama/Action

10.Lois & Clark: The Adventures of Superman
9. Veronica Mars (especially season 1, which is sheer perfection...television at its best)
8. Dexter
7. The Wire
6. Picket Fences
5. La Femme Nikita
4. The X-Files
3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
2. West Wing
1. Twin Peaks

This blog post brought to you by "T.V. Tuesdays"

excitment!

2009-07-14T08:12:00.003-05:00

I'm seeing Harry Potter tomorrow! I can not wait!

This blog post brought to you by, "I forgot to blog yesterday on Movie Mondays"

i guess this is why i get paid the big bucks. oh wait...

2009-07-10T12:07:00.004-05:00

planning is fun.
organizing is fun.
organizing my lesson plans for the entire year for two classes is a bit overwhelming.

I know I will be happy when it is all done, but man oh man! a lot must happen before that time comes.

This blogpost brought to you by "Fiesty Fridays"

Haiku

2009-07-09T08:05:00.002-05:00

Diet Cherry Coke
Refreshingly smooth you are
I can't get enough

This blogpost brought to you by "Thirsty Thursdays"

The power of construction paper

2009-07-09T07:59:00.005-05:00

Construction paper will trick almost any student into doing work. Only the most dedicated slacker can resist its call. I love construction paper.

books: high and low

2009-07-08T07:22:00.006-05:00

My favorite Jane Austin book to date: Pride and Prejudice

I just reread it for the 3rd or 4th time. Just as the first time I read it, too much did I care about the fate of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy to be tempted to do anything in my spare time but devour the book. I love this book and the Colin Firth BBC miniseries version of it. Both are sheer perfection.

My least favorite Jane Austin book to date: Mansfield Park

It's fine, but it doesn't captivate me the way some of her other stories do. The main character is meek and ultimately falls in love with her first cousin, which might be overlooked if she hadn't also been raised practically as the sister of this first cousin. That, however, I could get over if I felt a sense of true love between them, but I did not. Additionally, the other characters were not very likable either, and I found that I had no one to root for. That said, I found the book interesting enough to finish, but one I will likely never pick up again.

Confession: these are the only two Jane Austin books I've read. I just started Emma. I love the movie, so we'll see if I love the book. Already I enjoy it more than Mansfield Park.

This blog post brought to you by "Wordy Wednesdays"

website plug

2009-07-07T08:29:00.003-05:00

I really like the site Livestrong.com On it you can track all the foods you eat & exercise you do while it calculates your calories and all other nutritional information. If you become a paid member, they'll even make a nutritional label for you. I'm not a paid member, and the site still suits me fine, for I already know I'm made of sugar, spice, and everything nice.

new shows during rerun season

2009-07-07T07:44:00.008-05:00

Oh how I love you. You are the only thing keeping my Tivo alive in these horrid summer months. Here' s my take a on a couple of shows:

Mental - this show is about the patients and doctors in a psychiatric hospital. Basically, a cute eccentric doctor becomes head of this psychiatric hospital and shakes things up. He humanizes the patents where others tend to think of them as lab specimens. Of course not all the old doctors act like that, some of them are just stuck in their conventional ways. So far, I kind of like this show. With each episode we learn a little more about the doctor and his sister, who - suffering from a mental illness (schizophrenia?) - is living on the streets, but calls into her brother every so often. He is desperately trying to find her. Anyway, it's not the best, but it has potential. I think I would watch it even if there were something else on.
Stars: lots of people, but you know Annabella Sciora. The main guy is played by Chris Vance. (Airs Fridays at 9/8C)

The Philanthropist - this show is about this rich dude who had a bit of a breakdown in the first episode after witnessing a horrible flood in Nigeria wherein he and a little boy (and surely many other people) almost died. He now tries to do good works. I assume (if other episodes are like the first) that he often faces challenges to be overcome, and he does so in a mildly amusing and heartfelt manner. Oh, and he had a son who died, so that adds to the drama. I've only seen the first episode, and although it stars James Purfoy (Marc Anotny from Rome) , Michael K Williams (Omar from the Wire) , my attention could not adequately be held, and I started doing laundry and cleaning the kitchen while it was on. Not a good sign as I can sit through most shows, and I am loath to ever do laundry.
Also stars: Neve Campbell and Jesse L. Green (Airs Wednesdays at 10/9C)

This blog post brought to you by "TV Tuesdays"

cutest new feature ever!

2009-07-06T09:49:00.002-05:00

I added a new feature: the Daily Puppy. Check it out, it will make you go, "awwww! that is so cute!" And then you will explode because brains are not meant to process so much cuteness.

movies: high and low

2009-07-06T08:38:00.009-05:00

My favorite Clive Owen movie to date is "Shoot 'Em Up"
My least favorite Clive Owen movie to date is "Closer."This blog post has been brought to you by "Movie Mondays"

salsa

2009-07-06T08:25:00.008-05:00

I love salsa. I love both chunky salsa and salsa that is less chunky. Salsa is good.

A few weeks ago, I visited my friend Frog (not to be confused with my other friends froggy or fishfrog) and she made salsa right in front of my eyes! It was wonderful and delicious! This is a fresh chunky salsa, with not much of a tomato base (in case that is what you prefer). It was a hit, and between Frog, Mr. Frog, Tadpole and me, the whole batch was gone by the end of the night.

Super simple, here's how you make it:

Cut up peppers (red, green, orange, yellow, whatever)
Cut up tomatoes
Cut up a jalapeno pepper (use as much as desired)
Cut up onion (I used green onions, Frog did not use any)
Chop up cilantro
Squeeze a lime's worth of lime juice into the bowl
Mix it all up with a tablespoon or two of sugar

Best if left to sit over night, but can be served right away.

You may have noticed that beyond the sugar and lime, I don't give any hard and fast rules over the amount of each ingredient. Sorry, folks, it's an eyeball it kind of thing. Don't let that scare you. Let that free you!

Hint: to make it less runny (from the juices), you can strain the salsa - or at least the tomatoes - before putting in the lime juice.

oh the irony...

2009-03-13T16:56:00.002-05:00

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia
is the fear of long words

soap survey

2009-03-11T19:32:00.002-05:00

soap opera fans, check out this survey. Data is being collected to study soap opera viewing habits.

one of the few short stories i love

2009-02-26T17:58:00.001-06:00

John Cheever's Enormous Radio

staying toasty warm while eating my words

2009-02-25T21:44:00.003-06:00

I recently gave panda a lot of trouble for ordering Snuggies: then blankets with sleeves off the t.v. I hereby rescind my previous statements against Snuggies. I was blinded. I was mistaken. I was a fool.

Snuggies are the best things ever. Everyone should have one!

i heart scott jagow

2009-02-24T22:24:00.005-06:00

If you listen to NPR in the morning, you've no doubt heard the host of Marketplace, Scott Jagow. If you don't know of him, you should. I love him. He did something no one has been able to do, make me pay attention to economics. I actually looked forward to hearing him each day on my way into work. Sadly, he is no longer the host, but he does have a blog on the Marketplace site (see his link under "fellow passengers on the blogwagon") and a weekly podcast. I would recommend the podcast so you can so your ears can be delighted by the sound of his voice.

i could take it no more

2009-02-15T00:07:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I heard "Running Down a dream" by Tom Petty on my "oldies" station. I could idly stand by no more.

For years, this station has been an "oldies" station, with music primarily from the 50's and 60's. Now, when I turn to ###.#, I hear the same stuff I hear on all the other stations in [city name]. There is nothing that sets you apart, and you have left void a niche that you alone have filled in the [city name] area. As someone who loves oldies, this is severely disappointing, and I think that the change in your music selection is a mistake that will cost you listeners. I hope you will reconsider the change you've made and go back to doing what you do best: playing great songs from the 50's and 60's.

pickles. really?

2009-02-14T23:42:00.000-06:00

how this singelton is spending her valentine's day

2009-02-14T16:18:00.004-06:00

1. clean my cat's cat cove
2. lunch with a friend
3. plan my spring break trip (yay!)
4. pay bills
5. rethink my spring break trip and come up with an itinerary that fits my tiny budget
6. go grocery shopping
7. see if Dexter season 3 is out and purchase it with gift card
8. purchase Supernatural season 3
9. clean my apartment
10. make dinner and watch Supernatural

Happy Valentine's Day!

has boredom hit an all new level?

2009-01-20T22:26:00.002-06:00

Sunday I was watching a show I'd seen a million times on T.V., and I found myself getting bored. Yes, bored while watching T.V. (crazy talk). But what's more is that I decided what would make me no longer bored was to go to the gym. Yes, the gym seemed like a fun alternative to T.V. I scarcely believe it myself!

kansas's wayward son?

2009-01-19T20:44:00.001-06:00

awesome song.

not an oldie.

excite.com can kiss my a**

2009-01-19T14:48:00.003-06:00

I've had an excite e-mail account for 8 years, and now - POOF! it's gone. They have deactivated my account. Fortunately, it was not my primary account anymore, but I still used it for one-line sites and other information. And now, with out any warning, all of that is gone. Motherf*ckers!

i object!

2009-01-19T12:31:00.001-06:00

U2's With or Without You may be a goodie, but it is most definitely not an "oldie!" They played this on my oldies station yesterday. "Oldies" means songs from the 50's and 60's, not any song that is old!

thumbs up!

2009-01-09T22:29:00.002-06:00

My principal popped in my room today to observed for about 15 minutes. When he left he gave me a thumbs up, and said "great lesson." That was validating.

I've also been thinking lately that the "thumbs up" sign is underused. Everyone loves a good thumbs up and an Agent Cooper "Aces!" to go along with it. Get on the bandwagon, people! When properly used, I guarantee a thumbs up will make someone's day.

ms. meanie, reporting for duty...

2009-01-09T22:19:00.006-06:00

This morning one of my new kids referred to me as a "Nazi" to another teacher. It's bizarre.* He's never even been in trouble with me (in fact, no one has this semester), and I haven't raised my voice in class once. Okay, so sure, I made three kids cry last semester, but not because I was mean; it was because I told them I believed in them. Does that sound like a Nazi to you?

Admittedly, I've laid down the law and am much more stern this semester, but still I find myself shocked by the fact that all my kids appear to be afraid of me. Afraid. Of me! I don't get it...but I kind of like it.

* And also a bit ironic as I had just given a lecture on hate speech and made clear, in no uncertain terms, that hate speech of any kind would be met with the highest consequences.

i look around and all i see are aliens!

2009-01-08T23:46:00.001-06:00

School started up this week, and there are so many new faces in my class. They are weird alien children who I do not yet know. It's like the first day all over again! Oh, I miss my disruptive students of yesteryear...

back to the grind

2009-01-04T21:37:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow I head back to work after my nice (but not long enough) break. About half of my kids left me at semester, so I'll have a bunch of new names to learn.

Also, twice today I've gotten the hiccups. I never get the hiccups!

the problem, as i see it

2009-01-01T13:55:00.002-06:00

The problem with eating Fritos with one's chilli is that then there is a bag of Fritos in the house.

happy new year!

2009-01-01T10:08:00.003-06:00

I hope every one has a wonderful 2009. :)

note to self...

2008-12-31T13:56:00.000-06:00

put in contacts prior to cutting up chilli peppers and onions.

a joke from my brother

2008-12-31T01:06:00.001-06:00

A magician was driving down the street, and then he turned into a driveway.

this i know for sure...

2008-12-30T14:06:00.001-06:00

If someone is watching a t.v. show on the "play all" option, there is no need for a "previously on.." Who do they have designing these things, anyway?

why do i let this happen?

2008-12-30T12:00:00.004-06:00

I stayed up until 5 in the morning last night watching Dexter. I'm ruined for the day! Ruined. Ugh. Damn you, C. Michael Hall, for being so irresistible!

it's awesome

2008-12-30T11:55:00.001-06:00

I got a hula-hoop for Christmas from my future bro-in-law. Hula-hoop? Yeah, that's right. Adult sized. My socks are officially rocked off.

starting the day off right

2008-12-30T11:51:00.003-06:00

I've decided to start drinking V8 juice. I hate it. I love tomatoes, but I've always hated tomato soup and V8, but it is so darn good for you! Last night I went to the store and I bought spicy V8; it does add some kick to it and so far I've managed to get down a glass with my morning vitamins. V8 will not best me! I will drink the whole bottle!

In related news: I have accepted that cranberry juice is not something I can introduce into my diet. Kidney's be damned.

keep those cookies moist!

2008-12-23T12:03:00.002-06:00

Just a reminder to put a piece of bread in with your chocolate chip cookies so they stay nice and moist!

christmas is almost here!

2008-12-22T22:45:00.003-06:00

People who buy ornaments for full price are suckers. I say this as someone who's been a sucker all of her adult life. Today, however, that has changed. Today, I went to K-mart to pick up some wrapping paper, and I noticed that all the Christmas stuff was on clearance. In and of itself this is not exciting, but couple that with the fact that my Christmas tree was sitting at my apartment with only a handful of hand-crafted sculpie ornaments, and you have reason to jump for joy. So now my tree, although still without adequate lighting, is very merry with all its ornaments and even has an Angel sitting atop and a tree skirt dressing the bottom. Horray!

my computer is kaput

2008-12-15T11:26:00.002-06:00

Here Lies George, the computer. He was a good laptop.

snow day!

2008-12-15T11:22:00.002-06:00

I added a link to my friend Pete's website on the side bar. He does website design and he is also the author of Stuporheroes, for those of you who remember reading that. On his site, you can read the Stuporhero archives as well as reach his movie podcast, R-rated popcorn.

a list of things

2008-10-25T16:47:00.003-05:00

A list of things that I own that are breaking down at a rate faster than my ability to replace them:

my computer
my car
my phone
my crockpot
my hairdryer

Fan-flipin'-tastic.

fall tv, how I miss you...

2008-09-27T11:03:00.004-05:00

Shows I would watch if I got any channels:

How I Met Your Mother
Grey's Anatomy
Heroes
Ugly Betty
the Office
My name is Earl
Pushing Daisies

There are probably others, but for the first time in my life I don't know what the new shows are. I ususally have spreadsheets and highlighted schedules. This year I have nothing. I have no television, and am therefore denied access to the world! This sucks. I need a better antenna or cable or something. I can't live like this! I'm not an animal!!!