Posts Tagged ‘Movies’

Dec. 6 Vitamins

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

“Avast, ye scurvy dogs!” People say that only in pirate movies, but when I think of vitamins, I think of that phrase. As you may recall from playing Oregon Trail, scurvy was/is a real disease. Somewhere along the educational line, I learned that it came from a deficiency of Vitamin C. And there you have it: how my mind works. Vitamins, Oregon Trail, pirates.

But seriously – in addition to our access to a healthy diet, we can get extra vitamins cheaply, even in gummy form. (Or the perhaps too-yummy Flintstone variety, of which I ate an entire bottle as a child. Which Poison Control didn’t exactly recommend, but I’m still here.)

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Nov. 21 Humor

Monday, November 21st, 2011

Tonight I had the privilege of seeing an advance screening of the new Muppet movie. I am a big Muppet fan, and I love their brand of humor. It is just pure joy. I love how they appeal to kids and adults at the same time. This kind of humor is a guilt-free delight. (Note: Don’t watch the trailer before going! It steals some surprises. :) )

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Sept. 7 “Kung Fu” Moments

Wednesday, September 7th, 2011

This is the moment where Joanna is struck by mutual love of "Kung Fu"!

In the movie “Office Space,” there’s a great scene where Peter (Ron Livingston) has convinced Joanna (Jennifer Aniston) to have lunch with him. He starts talking about how he likes to watch “Kung Fu,” and Joanna suddenly gets this shocked look on her face and says, “I love ‘Kung Fu.’”

I love having those “Kung Fu” moments with people. It’s the stuff of first (and second and third) dates, new friends, and colleagues you didn’t know you had things in common with. I’ve enjoyed several of these moments with new friends recently. I’m glad new people keep coming into my life!

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Aug. 23 Rattlin’

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011

I picked one heck of a day to work from home. I was sitting at my kitchen table with my computer when I started to hear and feel the rumbling. Thoughts started racing through my mind:

Is that a train? No, I’ve never heard a train that loud… and the ground doesn’t shake like this when trains go by… The house is shaking! Are there high winds? No, I don’t see any wind outside. This must be an earthquake! Should I get in a doorway? I don’t really feel threatened… my teapot is rattling! I’d better make sure it doesn’t fall off the fridge.

Actual photo of earthquake's effects in my office. (photo by Amy)

“Experience earthquake” was not on my bucket list.

But yes, there was a 5.8 magnitude earthquake today. Fortunately, it was mild, as you can see by the photo of “damage” that occurred in my office (added at right).

For some reason – possibly because I have a catalog of songs/musicals in my head – I couldn’t get the minstrel song from “White Christmas” out of my head for the rest of the day. (“Mr. Bones feels rattlin’”)

Many who were in downtown D.C. at the time were relieved it was not a terrorist attack, which shows how relative these things can be. “Oh, it’s just an earthquake.”

These moments when we experience a little rattlin’ – and no major damage – tend to shock us back into appreciating our families, friends, homes and safety.

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Aug. 13 I Didn’t Spend Theater Money on That Movie

Saturday, August 13th, 2011

Like many Americans, I think, we are going to the movie theater less and less frequently. We wait until most movies come out on DVD or on TV to see them. Most movies aren’t really worth the trip and the $12 or so per person.

Every now and then, we watch something at home that makes us extra-thankful we didn’t pay big bucks to see it. The latest installment in this sad series is “The American.” I don’t think it would spoil the plot too much to tell you it mostly involves a silent George Clooney sitting at a work bench. When it ended, my husband said, “I wish they could unmake that movie.” I agreed: “I wish we could unwatch that movie.”

But hey, at least we were comfy on the couch.

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June 19 Imagination

Sunday, June 19th, 2011

I’ve mentioned my rediscovering of fiction, and lately I’ve been reading the Hunger Games trilogy. It amazes me how the author creates whole new worlds – complete with flora and fauna – not to mention characters I can care about. Without her imagination, there would be no story; without my imagination, the books would be doorstops.

Adults often lament losing their childhood imaginations – but just because we don’t play dress-up in our free time doesn’t mean our capacity for imagination goes away. I think that’s why these books have become so wildly popular, and fans of books are rarely satisfied with any movie version of their favorites. That’s how spectacular our imaginations are.

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June 12 Rest

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

Yesterday I watched an inordinate amount of television. But it was intentional – it was rest. After some busy weekends and weeks, I took the time to do nothing. And as Peter says in “Office Space,” “It was all I thought it could be.”

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June 11 History Lessons: Movies

Saturday, June 11th, 2011

the plotters of "Valkyrie"

I watched the movie “Valkyrie” today, and my history-buff husband said yes, this is historically accurate. It’s a well-done movie, and it is amazing to think that these events actually happened – a German plot to assassinate Hitler (as the movie says, one of many such plots) during World War II. In our entertainment generation, a historically accurate movie is hard to come by, and such a fantastic way to learn history.

Not too long ago, we watched the movie “Agora,” which I did not enjoy… but afterward, we looked up the history and discovered it, too, was pretty darn accurate. It made it much more interesting when I learned the events actually happened.

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June 6 My Husband

Monday, June 6th, 2011

I’ve mentioned my husband several times on this blog, but today he gets his very own post, as it is his birthday.

I’ve been thinking today about that verse that says God can do more than we can even ask or think. People used to refer me to that verse when I was single, before I met this man. And I am here to tell you I didn’t really believe it.

There’s a line in a song from “The Music Man” where Marian the librarian is describing about her ideal “white knight”: “And if occasionally he’d ponder what made Shakespeare and Beethoven great… him I could love ’til I die.” I used to sing that song and sigh (overly dramatic musical romance? Yes please!).

Yes, wouldn’t that be loverly (ok, getting carried away with musical references ;) ) – if I could meet a man who appreciated music and Shakespeare and had [insert list of other very important characteristics here].

Over the years, I kind of gave up on the Shakespeare and Beethoven thing, because let’s face it, there are far more important things. But something else started to happen: My list of other desired characteristics started to change. Some things I had thought I definitely wanted in a partner dropped off the list, and new ones emerged. This was just proof of God’s timing – I wasn’t ready to appreciate my husband’s unique combination of characteristics yet.

When he did come along, with him came that clarity that so many people had described to me – that this person was completely different from any I had met. His qualities were just right for me. The timing was just right.

And Shakespeare and Beethoven? He knows them better than I do. :)

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

“Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been granted in what He ordaineth?” — Joachim Neander

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May 1 New Hobbies

Sunday, May 1st, 2011

Golf scene in "I Love You, Man" (photo by Scott Garfield/Dream Works)

Yesterday I played golf for the first time. I was concerned that the men on the course – including my husband – would feel like Sidney in “I Love You, Man” when he says it’s his nightmare to play golf with women. (A clip is here, but please don’t watch if you’re offended by foul language.)

Thankfully, we went to a beginner-y course, and my time on the driving range and the minigolf hills paid off. It was fun! Great way to enjoy gorgeous spring weather, and I am proud I avoided the sand traps!

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