30

It is the tail end of my 30th birthday. I freaked out about almost turning 30 last year, but over the past 365 days I've become okay with it. Today I enter a new decade. I just pray it is as blessed as the last 3. So far, so good...

Catching Up: Movies

Last 7 movies:
No Strings Attached
Salt
New York, I Love You
Love and Other Drugs
True Grit
Bright Star
A Star Is Born

Looking back on these movies, the main thing I wonder about is why the recent with sex-first relationships in movies? Seriously, it's disgusting. Second thing is I watched a little bit of the extras on Salt and the people interviewed kept talking about making Salt a vicious fighter and making her as tough as any man. But I kept wondering while watching the movie if any of it was at all realistic. I'm not a fighter, but I have hard time believing someone of Angelina Jolie's size and strength could beat up three (or more) people who are at least decently trained--no matter how awesome she is. But maybe I'm just ignorant.

word association:
No Strings Attached--seriously?
Salt--sequel-ready
New York, I Love You--next?
Love and Other Drugs--support
True Grit--revenge
Bright Star--nap
A Star Is Born--drugs

Books

The last 5 books I've read:
Bite Club by Rachel Caine
Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
The Shack by William P. Young
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
What Can't Wait by Ashley Hope Perez

It was book club night--always a good time. The Shack was the book for this month. We even managed to discuss it for awhile. I was surprised by this book. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. And it was a great conversation starter.

Celebrating Independence

Today I'm celebrating Independence Day by doing exactly what I want to do. Which today boils down to very little. I'm enjoying the freedom to watch a little TV, cook some lunch, wash clothes, organize some of my living space, and write to you. Without anyone limiting me. It is fabulous.

The United States isn't perfect. But it is a great place to live. Today I'm going to forget about state shutdowns and sports team lockouts and the stagnant economy. And I'm going to be thankful for the many people that have made and do make my country great.

Thank you to the men and women who dreamed up our country and fought to make it happen. And thanks for all the women and men who fight to keep it free, and work to make it prosperous.

Happy Fourth of July!

Cinderella

I was in a fairy tale mood this week, so I reread a book from a kid lit class I took in college: Ella Enchanted. Very satisfying retelling of the Cinderella tale. Smart girl; realistic growing of a relationship, and some fairy godmothers who aren't perfect.

And now I'm watching the classic: Walt Disney's Cinderella. It's funny the things you notice when you rewatch a movie from your childhood. Here's the line in Cinderella that stood out to me: "Leave the sewing to the women." I'm pretty sure the outcry at such a line would stop it from being included now, no matter how well it fits the song. Of course, the entire outline of this movie follows along those same lines. But you know what? I still like it. Whether it is the nostalgia or the happily ever after, I'm a fan.

upheaval

Literally. In Japan I mean. I can't even imagine going through what that country is going through. I know it has been more than a few days. I'm still thinking about it frequently. So I'm just going to take a minute for prayer again tonight:
Thank you, Lord, for my life and safety. Please help the people of Japan and the people of the world come together to get through this time of great struggle and pain. Help me help them in whatever way I can. Amen.

pity party

I was feeling a little blue recently (okay, last night) which made me wonder: what do most people do to cheer themselves up? Or do they wallow for awhile and it goes away? So, if anyone reads this, what do you do?

And for the record, if you need a pick me up, ask your FB friends to cheer you up. It works :)

bad poetry

I wrote a poem while walking to the train today, and I don't remember it completely, but here is the not-as-okay-as-the-original gist of it:

Ode to Indigo

Falling off the edge of the rainbow
Neither purple nor blue
Fading into black
Blending into white
It has a mood of its own.
Falling off the edge of the rainbow

Hello 2011

I'm starting off 2011 right. I think. With The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. So far, so fantastic. I spent most of December reading the Morganville Vampire series. Really good for what it was; the main characters were engaging and flawed but likable. And the action was unending and still managed to be believable and not get old. I also read The Freak Observer. Although it too is YA, it was a bit of a head spinner after reading the Morganville books. There was a lot of depth and psychology in it. Dense I would say; I will need to read it again to make a final judgment.

I'm also in the midst of both season 3 of Friday Night Lights and season 2 of Fringe. Great TV (on DVD)! And I'm excited for new TV to start airing this week.

I also watched The Town and Letters to Juliet this past week, which is more of an ending to 2010, but a worthwhile run up for 2011. The Town was well done, gritty. I enjoyed the accents. And Jeremy Renner's character...yikes. Letters to Juliet had a lot going for it...but the producers should have gone for a less cheesy ending. I still liked it, but a balcony scene wasn't actually necessary even though the name Juliet was in the title. (And I listened/watched to The Untouchables on TV this weekend. Chicago was scary.)

I also recently bought some tunes (Christmas shopping is dangerous!) and now can listen to some classic Nirvana, old Hawk Nelson, and new NeedtoBreath. And I thoroughly enjoyed a Christmas CD that I got as a gift last Christmas of Straight No Chaser. A Capella = awesome.

Also, as a final word on 2010, I just have to say that having an extended family all in one place is a truly awesome thing. My grandmother remarried this fall and decided to gather her family and reaffirm her vows over Christmas--and everyone made it. All of her children and their spouses, grandchildren and their spouses, and greatgrandchildren made it from all over the country. It was a special event to be a part of.