This past week has been rather busy, full of both family gatherings and church events for Holy Week and Easter. It was a bit of a whirlwind, and while it was all good, it was a bit exhausting.
What I've been reading... I admit, I didn't read at all for pleasure this week, so I'm still on page 308 of Father Brown.
What I've been stitching... I did finish the tree and beams of light for the shepherd boy panel, so I just have the ground to do on this panel, and I should *hopefully* finish this week. Then it's on to the last Nativity panel - the camel.
Fumbling toward fitness I made it by Curves all 5 weekdays this past week, and I maintained my Duolingo and Lumosity streaks. Due to busy evenings, however, I only treadmilled twice last week, and the mileage isn't worth mentioning. Hopefully this week will be more productive on that front.
One Little Victory We saw Ready Player One over the weekend, the first movie we've seen in theatres in roughly 3 years. We really enjoyed it.
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Monday, April 02, 2018
Monday, June 01, 2009
It's that time again....
Hurricane season kicks off today. Whee. Such is life, though, living in Florida.
It's been nearly a month since I posted last - as I get older, I find time slips away from me more and more.
So, lucky readers, instead of a cohesive post,you get...the dreaded bullet list! (*cower*)
Saw the new Star Trek movie. It was enjoyable, more so than I was expecting. DD has now gone nuts over Spock. So I did what any responsible parent would - pointed her at the Star Trek original series playlist over on YouTube!
Also saw the new Pixar movie Up. I had high hopes, and Pixar came through once again. This was a cute, touching movie, and I admit I cried a bit at points. And Pixar's animation standards continue to be very high.
Am currently reading the latest Sharon Kay Penman book, The Devil's Brood. Historical fiction about Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their children. If you've ever seen the movie The Lion in Winter, you'll be familiar with the main characters, but don't be surprised if the characterizations don't completely match up with the movie. Penman does do her homework research-wise, though, and she's very solid. I highly recommend her if you like historical fiction.
DD is *ten* now. Where has the time gone?? She wanted to go to Margaritaville (the Jimmy Buffett-themed restaurant) for her birthday so we took her and her best friend out to Orlando. A good time was had by all.
Addendum (6/1, 18:40): Made homemade pulled pork from a Good Eats episode. Time-intensive but oh so worth it.
That's all for now!
It's been nearly a month since I posted last - as I get older, I find time slips away from me more and more.
So, lucky readers, instead of a cohesive post,you get...the dreaded bullet list! (*cower*)
That's all for now!
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Summer reading...
Sometimes it just take the right book to get a child really hooked on reading. For my stepson, it was Lloyd Alexander's _Prydain_ series.
For DD, it's _Encyclopedia Brown_. She had to read one Encyclopedia Brown book as part of her summer reading, and she picked up the first one late yesterday evening....
...and fell asleep reading the second one. On the way to daycare this morning she was telling me about some of the mysteries, and compared Brown to Cam Jansen, a more recent child detective. DD read many of the Cam Jansen books for school, and says she likes EB better because "he solves things by thinking about them". DH and I remember Brown fondly from our own childhood reading, so we're glad DD likes him too.
I've ordered her some more.
Speaking of books and favorite childhood series, we saw the latest Narnia movie, Prince Caspian, over the weekend. We very much enjoyed it. While it didn't follow the plot strictly speaking (some plot elements were rearranged from the book), I think it stayed pretty true to the flavor of the book. And like the first movie (and all the LotR movies) the scenery was breathtaking. Well worth a look.
Back to books...what are some of your favorite childhood series?
For DD, it's _Encyclopedia Brown_. She had to read one Encyclopedia Brown book as part of her summer reading, and she picked up the first one late yesterday evening....
...and fell asleep reading the second one. On the way to daycare this morning she was telling me about some of the mysteries, and compared Brown to Cam Jansen, a more recent child detective. DD read many of the Cam Jansen books for school, and says she likes EB better because "he solves things by thinking about them". DH and I remember Brown fondly from our own childhood reading, so we're glad DD likes him too.
I've ordered her some more.
Speaking of books and favorite childhood series, we saw the latest Narnia movie, Prince Caspian, over the weekend. We very much enjoyed it. While it didn't follow the plot strictly speaking (some plot elements were rearranged from the book), I think it stayed pretty true to the flavor of the book. And like the first movie (and all the LotR movies) the scenery was breathtaking. Well worth a look.
Back to books...what are some of your favorite childhood series?
Monday, March 13, 2006
Remembrance of things past...
This weekend I watched an unusually high *three* movies. My first Blockbuster rental in, oh, years, and I checked out 5 (well, 8, but three of those were for DD and her bestest friend at Friday night's sleepover).
First up was Office Space, primarily because it seems to be in the cultural consciousness for my profession and I keep getting asked if I've seen it. So now I have. I mostly enjoyed it - it was amusing and I can certainly relate to the plight of a small cog in a big corporation. Much like Dilbert.
However, I absolutely loathed the soundtrack. I don't like rap, and I hate gangsta rap, and one of the most amusing scenes of the movie (wanton destruction of a recalcitrant printer) was overdubbed by this horrible gangsta rap that used the F-word or the N-word as Every. Other. Word. I ended up muting the movie during this scene. Anyway, now I can say "Yes, I have seen Office Space."
Next was a polar opposite, Thérèse, a beautiful movie about St. Thérèse of Lisieux. It was based on her autobiography, Story of a Soul, and traces her life from the death of her mother at a very young age until her death of tuberculosis at the age of 24. The musical score, written by a Carmelite nun, is very beautiful, and the movie is very inspiring. I was misty-eyed throughout much of the last half-hour. DD really enjoyed it too, although she fell asleep before Thérèse's illness and death. She asked the next day how old one had to be to "try out to be a nun". (One of the nuns at our parish, when asked, suggested she have a college degree.) I'm proud of her, although at 6 it's definitely way too early to indicate a religious vocation.
Then last night, we saw Pride and Prejudice, the 2005 version with Keira Knightley. I also really enjoyed this one. I'm not much given to sappy movies, but this was also a classic story, very beautifully done, and the characters were very real. Now, perhaps I'm a tad biased because I enjoyed reading Pride and Prejudice in high school, and could really identify with Elizabeth Bennet. But I think DH enjoyed the movie as well. Now I want to reread the book!
This is also the movie I've been thinking most about today. Not just the love story, but also about the vast difference in society between early 19th century and now. Some changes are good - I'm glad that I had more prospects for my life than just waiting around hoping to find a husband (although I did unexpectedly find myself a keeper at about the same age as our heroine). On the other hand, there is something to be said for the courtship procedures then, where a single kiss was a hard-won favor for a gentleman to gain. Quite a far cry from now, where it seems so many girls give up all their virtue cheaply, sometimes even to boys who are "just friends".
Hopefully, if DD wants to be a nun now, she'll hold her virtue more dear.
First up was Office Space, primarily because it seems to be in the cultural consciousness for my profession and I keep getting asked if I've seen it. So now I have. I mostly enjoyed it - it was amusing and I can certainly relate to the plight of a small cog in a big corporation. Much like Dilbert.
However, I absolutely loathed the soundtrack. I don't like rap, and I hate gangsta rap, and one of the most amusing scenes of the movie (wanton destruction of a recalcitrant printer) was overdubbed by this horrible gangsta rap that used the F-word or the N-word as Every. Other. Word. I ended up muting the movie during this scene. Anyway, now I can say "Yes, I have seen Office Space."
Next was a polar opposite, Thérèse, a beautiful movie about St. Thérèse of Lisieux. It was based on her autobiography, Story of a Soul, and traces her life from the death of her mother at a very young age until her death of tuberculosis at the age of 24. The musical score, written by a Carmelite nun, is very beautiful, and the movie is very inspiring. I was misty-eyed throughout much of the last half-hour. DD really enjoyed it too, although she fell asleep before Thérèse's illness and death. She asked the next day how old one had to be to "try out to be a nun". (One of the nuns at our parish, when asked, suggested she have a college degree.) I'm proud of her, although at 6 it's definitely way too early to indicate a religious vocation.
Then last night, we saw Pride and Prejudice, the 2005 version with Keira Knightley. I also really enjoyed this one. I'm not much given to sappy movies, but this was also a classic story, very beautifully done, and the characters were very real. Now, perhaps I'm a tad biased because I enjoyed reading Pride and Prejudice in high school, and could really identify with Elizabeth Bennet. But I think DH enjoyed the movie as well. Now I want to reread the book!
This is also the movie I've been thinking most about today. Not just the love story, but also about the vast difference in society between early 19th century and now. Some changes are good - I'm glad that I had more prospects for my life than just waiting around hoping to find a husband (although I did unexpectedly find myself a keeper at about the same age as our heroine). On the other hand, there is something to be said for the courtship procedures then, where a single kiss was a hard-won favor for a gentleman to gain. Quite a far cry from now, where it seems so many girls give up all their virtue cheaply, sometimes even to boys who are "just friends".
Hopefully, if DD wants to be a nun now, she'll hold her virtue more dear.
Monday, December 12, 2005
Inklings...
Yesterday in the car, I saw a magnetic One Ring on the back of another vehicle.
Or so I thought - as I got closer, I realized it was a magnetic "Livestrong" bracelet. But I swear it looked like the One Ring from 20 feet away.. does that make me a LotR geek?
Speaking of Tolkien and friends, the whole family saw the new Narnia movie yesterday afternoon. It was very well done, in my opinion, and true to the book. I think C.S.Lewis would have been pleased, and since his stepson Douglas Gresham was involved, I'm sure that helps matters. I really liked that the movie opened with The Blitz, lending historical context to why the Pevensies were at the country manor in the first place. When I first read the Chronicles of Narnia, back in elementary school, I didn't know about The Blitz and that many parents sent their children away from the cities for safety. I also liked all the little touches - the good-natured banter between Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, the White Witch's outfits (especially her icicle crown), and so on. I won't want to spoil too much, though! On the whole, it came across as very believable and very real. So much so that I was immediately discomfited by DsD and her friend commenting that Tumnus was 'cute' - they meant the actor, of course, but I'd already thought of him *as* a faun by then.
Definitely one to get when it comes out on DVD! This blows the 70's animated version I have out of the water, that's for certain. And DD wanted to read the books first thing when we got home. My set is getting kind of ratty - maybe Santa will gift her with a brand new set for Christmas.
Or so I thought - as I got closer, I realized it was a magnetic "Livestrong" bracelet. But I swear it looked like the One Ring from 20 feet away.. does that make me a LotR geek?
Speaking of Tolkien and friends, the whole family saw the new Narnia movie yesterday afternoon. It was very well done, in my opinion, and true to the book. I think C.S.Lewis would have been pleased, and since his stepson Douglas Gresham was involved, I'm sure that helps matters. I really liked that the movie opened with The Blitz, lending historical context to why the Pevensies were at the country manor in the first place. When I first read the Chronicles of Narnia, back in elementary school, I didn't know about The Blitz and that many parents sent their children away from the cities for safety. I also liked all the little touches - the good-natured banter between Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, the White Witch's outfits (especially her icicle crown), and so on. I won't want to spoil too much, though! On the whole, it came across as very believable and very real. So much so that I was immediately discomfited by DsD and her friend commenting that Tumnus was 'cute' - they meant the actor, of course, but I'd already thought of him *as* a faun by then.
Definitely one to get when it comes out on DVD! This blows the 70's animated version I have out of the water, that's for certain. And DD wanted to read the books first thing when we got home. My set is getting kind of ratty - maybe Santa will gift her with a brand new set for Christmas.
Friday, December 17, 2004
Quest for the Lord of the Rings
The Foibled Ship of The Rings
As I've mentioned previously, I was very much looking to the extended edition of Return of the King. DH had ordered it online along with some textbooks for his next theology course, and since Barnes&Noble can't ship before it's released, it shipped on the 14th.
So I was very excited when the UPS tracking report on the 16th said "Out For Delivery". And last night I waited excitedly for my DVD to arrive. And waited.
And waited. At 9pm I figured with all the holiday shipping that the truck was running late. It was 11pm before I reconciled myself to the disappointing reality that My DVD Was Not Coming. It had gone off to the peculiar limbo of lost socks where the transmogrification to wire hangers occurs.
The Two Tortures
Today I monitored the UPS tracking info, hoping that somehow my DVD would emerge from the Land of the Lost and once again present itself to mortal eyes. And around 1pm it did...it somehow had not quite made it on yesterday's truck. Or today's - it was found after the truck left, and so was not scheduled to be delivered until Monday. Oh, the agony...
Well, I know where the UPS distribution office around here is. And I knew that my DVD was in that office. And that I only work about 6 miles away from it. So I called UPS, hoping that I'd be able to arrange to pick it up today instead of agonizing over its fate all weekend. UPS said they would contact the local office (since the local number wasn't published) and they would call me back within the hour. Which came and went, and by 5pm I still had not heard from the local office.
Return of the DVD
I decided to drive down there in hopes that I'd be able to recover my shiny circular preciousssss. As I was driving there, I got a call from the local place, and they said they had found my package! Such joy!
So now all is right with the world. And I can look forward to an "extremely extended edition" sometime over the holidays!
As I've mentioned previously, I was very much looking to the extended edition of Return of the King. DH had ordered it online along with some textbooks for his next theology course, and since Barnes&Noble can't ship before it's released, it shipped on the 14th.
So I was very excited when the UPS tracking report on the 16th said "Out For Delivery". And last night I waited excitedly for my DVD to arrive. And waited.
And waited. At 9pm I figured with all the holiday shipping that the truck was running late. It was 11pm before I reconciled myself to the disappointing reality that My DVD Was Not Coming. It had gone off to the peculiar limbo of lost socks where the transmogrification to wire hangers occurs.
The Two Tortures
Today I monitored the UPS tracking info, hoping that somehow my DVD would emerge from the Land of the Lost and once again present itself to mortal eyes. And around 1pm it did...it somehow had not quite made it on yesterday's truck. Or today's - it was found after the truck left, and so was not scheduled to be delivered until Monday. Oh, the agony...
Well, I know where the UPS distribution office around here is. And I knew that my DVD was in that office. And that I only work about 6 miles away from it. So I called UPS, hoping that I'd be able to arrange to pick it up today instead of agonizing over its fate all weekend. UPS said they would contact the local office (since the local number wasn't published) and they would call me back within the hour. Which came and went, and by 5pm I still had not heard from the local office.
Return of the DVD
I decided to drive down there in hopes that I'd be able to recover my shiny circular preciousssss. As I was driving there, I got a call from the local place, and they said they had found my package! Such joy!
So now all is right with the world. And I can look forward to an "extremely extended edition" sometime over the holidays!
Monday, November 15, 2004
An Incredible weekend...
This weekend my family and I went to see The Incredibles, the latest offering from Pixar. So far, I have liked all of Pixar's offerings, and I am always astounded and pleased with advances in computer animation.
The Incredibles follows the story of a pair of superheroes, forced to go underground in a sort of witness protection program by a spate of lawsuits against superheroes in general. The superheroes, a married couple, have lived their lives in forced anonymity while raising a trio of children, two of whom also have superpowers that they are forced to hide. When one of the parents receives an offer that will enable him to exercise his superheroism on the side of good, all heck breaks loose.
It would be cliché, but very true, to say that The Incredibles is, simply, incredible. It was a very well-done, action-packed, enjoyable family film. Attending from my party were two thirtysomethings (DH and I), two older teens (DsD and her BF), and a kindergartner (DD), and all of us quite enjoyed it.
If you haven't seen it yet...do so. You won't regret it.
So anyway, that was the high point of my weekend. I also got a fair bit of stitching in, and might even finish Futurecast this week! After that, I'll be working on Last Supper, which I hope to finish by Easter. Apt, no? I might fit in a few small pieces to get in the occasional quick fix - we'll see.
It's been almost two weeks since I last did weekly goals:
Last two weeks:
Curves 3x - done for both weeks
Clean out purse - ...not yet...
Website updates - done!
Balance checkbook - done!
This week:
Curves 3x
Clean out purse
Finish Futurecast
Start going through and weeding out clothes
My stepson's currently-vacant bedroom has become a holding area for donation items, including clothing and other items. Hopefully over Thanksgiving or such we'll get that catalogued and out the door!
The Incredibles follows the story of a pair of superheroes, forced to go underground in a sort of witness protection program by a spate of lawsuits against superheroes in general. The superheroes, a married couple, have lived their lives in forced anonymity while raising a trio of children, two of whom also have superpowers that they are forced to hide. When one of the parents receives an offer that will enable him to exercise his superheroism on the side of good, all heck breaks loose.
It would be cliché, but very true, to say that The Incredibles is, simply, incredible. It was a very well-done, action-packed, enjoyable family film. Attending from my party were two thirtysomethings (DH and I), two older teens (DsD and her BF), and a kindergartner (DD), and all of us quite enjoyed it.
If you haven't seen it yet...do so. You won't regret it.
So anyway, that was the high point of my weekend. I also got a fair bit of stitching in, and might even finish Futurecast this week! After that, I'll be working on Last Supper, which I hope to finish by Easter. Apt, no? I might fit in a few small pieces to get in the occasional quick fix - we'll see.
It's been almost two weeks since I last did weekly goals:
Last two weeks:
This week:
My stepson's currently-vacant bedroom has become a holding area for donation items, including clothing and other items. Hopefully over Thanksgiving or such we'll get that catalogued and out the door!
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