Thursday, December 31, 2009
Karen's Top 10 Films of 2009
I don't appreciate the talking. The texting. The children at movies far above their maturity level. I'm not talking babies (who, in my experience, usually sleep through the whole thing) or tweens that are just a bit too young for that PG-13. I'm talking 2, 3, 4-year olds at some of the most violent and grown up films you can imagine. I am so grateful to have discovered the 21+ theater this year. It's really changed my movie-viewing life.
I've seen some fantastic films over the past twelve months. Twenty-five of the year's releases. That number is down from last year, and I haven't seen many of the films that have wandered onto the Top 10 Lists of critics that get paid to watch movies all day long. In fact, I consider myself fairly well-versed in movie buzz, and I haven't even heard of some of the movies the critics are calling the Year's Best.
But, who cares? I've seen movies that I liked. A lot. And I've got my own Top 10 List of movies normal people might actually watch and enjoy.
Of course, if anyone wanted to give me that golden pass to see all these awesome movies for free (I'd even pay for my own popcorn!), I'd gladly see all those small, unknown, and often amazing films that no one outside of the cast and crew have even heard of.
But, until that happens, this is just going to have to be good enough. Without further ado, here are my Top 10 Films of 2009:
10. Sherlock Holmes (Warner Bros.)
A perfect blend of humor, action, intrigue, thrills, and hot men. Far from the refined Holmes and pudgy Watson that so many past films have given us, Robert Downey, Jr and Jude Law give us a pair of flawed, but brilliant characters and shows just how co-dependent their relationship really is. The mystery is fun, too, and Rachel McAdams is beautiful as Irene Adler, the one thief Holmes can never quite bring himself to catch.9. Sunshine Cleaning (Overture Films)
A nice, small film about two sisters who start a crime scene cleanup business to try to improve their lives. Amy Adams is a driven single mother and older sister to Emily Blunt, an underachiever with a drug habit. Alan Arkin gives an outstanding performance as their widowed father, who is constantly moving from one bad deal to another, just trying to have something to leave behind to his girls when he is gone. It's humorous, but mostly dramatic, simple, but sweet.8. The Hangover (Warner Bros.)
I generally avoid R-rated comedies because I really don't like the raunchy humor that is typical of the genre. But Bradley Cooper is in it. And Ed Helms. And I just had to know what happened that night in Vegas. So I watched. And I laughed my butt off. Easily the best comedy I've seen in a long time. It's definitely not for everyone, but I can't remember the last movie that had me laughing in literally EVERY scene.7. The Soloist (DreamWorks)
For the second year in a row, Robert Downey, Jr has starred in two of my Top 10 movies. Why? Because the man is seriously talented and makes some seriously good movies. This one is the true story of LA Times columnist Steve Lopez and the schizophrenic, homeless violinist that makes a big impact on his own life. Filmed in some of the most beautiful and the most devastating parts of Los Angeles, this movie made me think just a bit differently about the way music can bring us together. And it made me want to do something good for someone.6. Watchmen (Warner Bros.)
If The Hangover isn't for everyone, Watchmen is for an even more exclusive group. Adapted from the graphic novel by Alan Moore, this is a very violent, yet visually stunning film about masked vigilantes trying to save the world from an unknown, but dangerous, enemy. An enemy that is coming after the costumed heroes, one by one. The cast (which includes Patrick Wilson, Jeffery Dean Morgan, Malin Ackerman and Jackie Earle Haley) is amazing, the effects are incredible, and the translation from page to screen is nearly perfect, at least to someone who only read the graphic novel once or twice and hasn't spent 25 years obsessing over it. Again, not for everyone, but definitely one of the best films I saw this year.5. District 9 (TriStar)
Yes, it's an alien movie. But it's so much more than that. It's about individuals. It's about how we treat each other. It's about equal rights and fairness and protection. And it's about love. I've never seen an alien movie where the aliens looked so real. And I've never seen actual apartheid footage used in a more jarring way. And I can't wait for the sequel.4. (500) Days of Summer (Fox Searchlight)
It's the story of boy meets girl. But it's not a love story. This is what we're told at the very beginning. And it's true. But it is one of the sweetest romantic comedies I've seen in a long time. The movie starts with the end of the relationship and jumps back and forth through the story of how Summer and Tom met, fell in love, broke up, and moved on. It's real, yet beautiful, and was released precisely when I needed it to be.3. Star Trek (Paramount)
It's not exactly a reset of the classic series. It's a continuation. Sort of. A Romulan Prince from the future travels back in time and changes the past for some of the beloved characters of the original series. I know it sounds kind of lame, but all you need to know is that it was directed by JJ Abrams. And he is awesome. Oh, yeah. And Chris Pine plays James Tiberius Kirk. That is all.2. The Blind Side (Warner Bros.)
An amazing (and mostly family-friendly) story about a wealthy family that opens their home and their hearts to a homeless teenager. Through their love and support, they guide him and open doors for him. It's the true story about Michael Oher, who, just this year, was drafted as Offensive Tackle to the Baltimore Ravens. Football is incidental to the movie, though. It's not about sports. It's about love and family, and reaching out to those in need.1. Up (Disney/Pixar)
It's my humble opinion that this is the best film Pixar has ever made. It's beautiful (ESPECIALLY in 3D). It has memorable characters. And it is a great story about three lost souls, emotionally abandoned in different ways, that find each other and provide things they didn't even realize they really needed. While I saw some great movies this year, no other film made me feel the full range of emotions as vividly as this one did. And if Up is not nominated for Best Picture, there is something very wrong with the Academy. Especially since there are now 10 slots instead of 5.Honorable Mentions: Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wolverine, The Fourth Kind.
Worst Films of 2009: Taken, Bride Wars.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Confession Wednesday: Resolutions
New Year's Resolutions.
Some of us make them. Some of us don't.
How'd you do on your 2009 Resolutions? Or what's one you made and kept? Or which one do you make EVERY year and you just know that THIS is the year you will FINALLY do it?
I used to make lists of resolutions that I would call goals. Some years there were a lot of them. Other years, not so many. It became a tradition on New Year's Eve to read through my journal from the whole year and then write a bit of a summary of how I felt the year went, as well as a summation of which goals I had accomplished and which I hadn't. I spent a lot of time justifying that "I didn't really mean that" or "This was a lot more involved than I realized" or "Halfway is pretty good."
For 2009, I made just one goal: to be more honest.
Now, I never considered myself to be a LIAR, exactly. I mean, in my adult life I wasn't normally going around constructing big, elaborate stories about My Dad the Astronaut or anything.
But how do you respond when your friend is in LOVE with a skirt and she asks you how it looks.
("Tell me HONESTLY.")
And what do you say to your boss when you really want a day off work so you can go see a movie with your friend and her two daughters and you know work is going to be slow enough that you won't be missed, but you can't exactly SAY you're taking a mental health day to go to the movies.
(Come on. It was Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.)
Or how about when your boyfriend that you haven't talked to in over a week suddenly changes his Facebook status to "single" and you happen to see it and realize you've just been dumped in the middle of the workday after fourteen months, ten of which were blissful, and then someone comes up and asks how you're doing.
("F-f-f-f-fine.")
I realized, about a year ago, that I have a lot of moments where it's just easier to fib a little bit. No big deal, right? It's not like it hurts anyone. I mean, how often is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth REALLY necessary, anyway?
I made a decision. Even on the little things, I was always going to either be completely honest, or just not say anything at all.
I learned something fascinating. I used to tell a heck of a lot of little white lies. Things I didn't even realize. That can't be good, can it?
As I made this realization, I became more determined to tell the truth, no matter what.
-"Quite frankly, my friend, that skirt is cute, but I just don't think that color's right for you."
-"Boss Man, I just really need a day off. It's my time and you don't need to know how I'm using it."
-"I'm having a terrible now and I'm not going to be able to help you because I need to leave RIGHT NOW."
And you know what? Telling the truth works.
Weird, right?
As a woman, I've always heard that it's okay for us to fib a little to spare each other's feelings, or to suppress our own because no one REALLY means it when they ask "how are you".
That's a lie!
When someone asks your opinion, it's because they actually want to know.
(Usually. Not always.)
Most of the time, though, it's not in WHAT we say, but in HOW we say it. You can tell your friend that dress isn't flattering without telling her, "Your butt looks like two pigs fighting under a blanket."
It's good to be honest. It's LIBERATING to be honest.
Someone very close to me tends to come up with stories whenever she needs a day off work. She has a limited amount of personal time and has to be careful with how she uses it. So, instead of asking for a Friday off to have a three-day weekend with her husband, she'll come up with a story about needing to go up and see her mother-in-law, who suffered a bad fall and needs help around the house.
Her poor mother-in-law has been through a LOT. She's running out of possible ailments. Poor woman.
It's so much easier to say, "I've earned 8 hours off, and I'm taking them."
At least I won't have to try to remember how many times my mom has broken that ankle.
And now it's your turn. What are your thoughts on Resolutions? Do you make them? Do you keep them? Do you think they're pointless?
Grab the button up above and link up your Confession down below!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The 13th Hour
When Hollywood is discussing screenwriters for the film version of a book that hasn't yet been released, you know there's something special/fantastic/awesome about it.The 13th Hour, by Richard Doetsch, is a thriller in reverse. The book opens on Chapter 12, during Nick Quinn's interrogation. He is accused of murdering his wife, Julia. The police have the murder weapon and his fingerprints are all over it. Only, Nick didn't do it.
The interrogation stops when the detectives are told Nick's lawyer has arrived. But the gray-haired man that enters the room is not a lawyer. Instead, this stranger gives Nick a special watch, a talisman, that will allow him to travel back through the last twelve hours, one hour at a time, and try to both solve his wife's murder and stop it from happening.
I could NOT put this novel down. It's a fairly quick read, just 13 chapters of intense, fast-paced thrills. The story is exciting and one of the more original books I've read in recent months, or maybe even years. The writing does feel a little bit repetitive at times, almost like the author is just trying to increase his word count (à la NaNoWriMo), but the plot is so intriguing that I really didn't care. I just had to find out what was coming next. I can't even tell you how many times I let out breaths I didn't even know I was holding.
The 13th Hour is in bookstores today and comes with a contest! You can enter to win a backwards-running watch and a signed copy of the novel! But read the contest rules before you read the book, because it does require you to pay close attention as you follow the story.
So check it out and let me know what you think!
**The fact that I received a free Advance Reader Edition of The 13th Hour in no way influenced this review.**
Monday, December 28, 2009
The Best Christmas Gift
Season 5 of LOST to (nearly) complete the collection.
Glenn Beck's book Arguing With Idiots.
Michael Bublé and the 2nd Glee soundtrack.
Disney trading pins and a gift card.
An iPod Nano.
Yeah, I have finally joined the rest of the free world and am now the proud owner of a BEAUTIFUL bright pink iPod Nano. I seriously love it.
But the best gift I got this year is one that couldn't be wrapped in paper and displayed beneath the tree.
On the night before Christmas Eve, Katie and I decided to go to Disneyland one last time for 2009. Our passes are blocked out until January now and I really wanted to enjoy the festive decorations once more. We were surprised by how busy it wasn't that night and showed up around 8:30.
For a few months, my favorite Fantasy Land ride was closed off: The Storybook Land Ride. I love this little boat trip through the miniature world of some of the best fairytale characters: Alice in Wonderland, Aladdin and Jasmine, Pinocchio, Cinderella, Ariel. The ride was closed while they made "tiny" improvements, which always made me giggle since everything on the ride is miniaturized.
It opened in time for Christmas, but I had yet to ride and
We got in line and, almost immediately, a girl of about 8 stopped me, her eyes wide as she saw the pins on my pin trading lanyard.
"Wow! You have a lot!" she said.
"Do you trade pins?" I asked.
"No, we don't," she said. Then she turned to her mother. "Mom! Can they get in line with us?"
Katie and I smiled and I told her we were going to the end of the line, but that perhaps we would see her again.
And we did. As the line crossed back and forth, we kept spotting the family and chatting with them. And along the way, we learned they were visiting from Arizona for the week because Dad had passed away several months earlier and two of his favorite things were Christmas and Disneyland. What better way to remember him than to celebrate his favorite holiday at his favorite place?
We lost track of them eventually, but Katie and I just knew we had to invite them to our house for breakfast Christmas morning. She did a mental run through the contents of our refrigerator and pantry and we had plenty of food to throw together a nice meal. We agreed that if we saw them again, we would extend the invitation.
Skipping a few minor details, we ended up on the same boat and Katie immediately invited the mom, whose name is Kristine, for Christmas breakfast. She asked her oldest daughter if she was interested, and got a nod back. Katie and I were excited.
As soon as we got to the end and exited, we stopped and I gave Kristine my phone number. After a bit more chatting, Katie and I and Kristine and four of her daughters (2 sons and another daughter were elsewhere) made our way to the Haunted Mansion/Nightmare Before Christmas. The two youngest girls took to me and Katie in a way that shocked their mom. It was very sweet.
As we walked, one of the girls talked about her sister's boyfriend being away on a mission.
"Where's his mission?" I asked.
"Minneapolis."
"So, if he's on a mission...you wouldn't happen to be LDS, would you?"
Tiana, the oldest daughter and girlfriend of aforementioned missionary, said yes. I laughed and told them I was, too, and that I had also served a mission.
"MOM!" the younger daughter screamed. "MOM! They're members! They're LDS!"
That sealed the deal. We were friends for life.
We went on the Haunted Mansion ride, took the train back to the end of Main Street, and again expressed our hope that they would come to our house on Christmas morning. Kristine said she'd call and after about three dozen hugs from the youngest girls, we bid them good night and parted company.
Katie and I were so excited that night as we went back home and told David all about it. We were still excited the next morning, Christmas Eve, even though we hadn't heard from them yet and thought they might decide not to join us after all.
I finally left for my mom's house to spend Christmas Eve night with Marc and Kristi, The Nephew, Mom and her hubby. As I sat in bumper-to-bumper on the freeway, my phone rang. It was Kristine!
She apologized that they wouldn't be able to make it because she had spent most of the day feeling very sick, but she thanked us again. I asked if she needed anything and she said they didn't, but I insisted that she call me immediately if she needed us to help her.
About two hours later, just as we were sitting down to the beautiful turkey dinner my mom had prepared, my phone rang again. Tiana, the older daughter, had also fallen ill and really wanted a blessing. I assured her I'd get someone there as soon as possible, and called upon Katie to recruit her husband and brother-in-law.
When I got home that night, Katie bounced with excitement as she told me all about their visit with the family and that, even though they weren't coming over in the morning, we were going to make breakfast and take it to them.
Which is what we did. Along with a really cute gift Katie had found.
We spent a bit more time with the family, the girls thrilled to show us what Santa had brought, and saying our good byes. They were heading home the next day and we wouldn't get to see them again on this trip. But Kristine did insist that we come and see them on our next trip to Arizona.
I know I will.
This Christmas has been a little bit hard for me. The year really didn't end the way I hoped it would and I've spent a lot of time thinking about how happy I was last Christmas compared to this year.
I wanted the holiday to have some meaning, to be special. I thought of volunteering in a soup kitchen or something, but somehow time got away from me and I never made the calls to find out where to go or what to do.
That's why meeting this family was such a great gift. I know we did something to help them out, but, really, I felt like this was for me. I felt like my Heavenly Father was letting me know that he is mindful of me and he gave me the chance to see how blessed I am and how much I have been given.
This year may not have gone the way I wanted it to or hoped it would, but I know that He is watching out for me and that He knows what I need.
And that is the best Christmas gift I could have possibly been given.
But now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to download songs to that iPod...
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Karen's Blogs of 2009
I read a lot of great blogs and I wanted a way to share them with all of you.
It's been immensely gratifying to watch as you have visited and commented and even followed some of my favorites. It makes me feel like maybe I've done a pretty good thing here. And I thank you all for letting me know that the effort is worth it.
Because it's not easy. There are so many fantastic blogs out there. I haven't even gotten around to half of the ones I regularly read yet. There are weeks that I just KNOW who needs a shout out and other weeks when I have a really tough time narrowing it down.
But I enjoy it.
Which is why I do it.
(This is my world, after all. ☺)
But I would like to know your thoughts on this little weekly feature. So I'm putting up a poll on my sidebar, over there to the left. The poll will be up for the next week. I'd also love to hear your thoughts in the comments or send me a quick email. Anything you think that could make this better, I really want to hear about it!
Seeing as how this is the end of the year, and many of you have joined in along the way, I thought we'd do a recap of all of my Featured Bloggers from 2009. Stop by and visit some of the folks you've missed. Tell them hi, and follow along if you feel so inclined. Each of these blogs is unique and special in its own way and I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I do.
The SITS Girls
I'm Living Proof That God Has a Sense of Humor
Namaste By Day
Pulsipher Predilections
Funky Bag Freak--Blog is no longer available
Stuff I Think About
My Real Life Was Backordered
Akilah Sakai Out Loud
Handbags and Handguns
Barack Obama's Teleprompter's Blog
Welcome to the Nuthouse
My Net Finds
Kelli Moss
Securityville
Psalm 104:24
The Clark Family--Recently went private
Healing Touch
Just Lisa, No Filler
I Heart My Shoes
A Walk in My Shoes
Chalk it Up
Creatively Fit
Seattle Daily Photo
Welcoming Spirit
On the Path
What God Has Joined Together
Torii's Storiis
Steph in the City
SWANEESINGER
NaNoWriMo
Nathan Bransford
Clever Girl Goes Blog
Big Teeth and Clouds
Cheap Therapy
Wandering the World
Stories from Apartment Managers
The Asphalt Blogger
So there you go. Thirty-seven weeks. Thirty-eight Blogs of the Week. It's been a good year.
Enjoy the catching up and make sure to vote!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Santa
I've heard all sorts of arguments for and against Santa Claus.
People that don't teach their kids about him give reasons such as not wanting to lie to their children and not wanting them to grow up thinking Christmas is about commercialism and material possessions.
Those that teach their children to believe say they want their kids to believe in the magic of the season and that Santa teaches us about the spirit of giving.
There's no right answer. To each his own.
I once had a babysitter that told my mom she didn't want to lie to her kids about Santa Claus, so she told them that Jesus brings the presents.
Huh?
My dad once complained to my mom that Santa was getting the credit for giving the presents he had earned the money to buy. My mom laughed at him for being jealous of a fictional character.
I said yesterday that we are a Santa family. I was 9 when I finally talked to my mom about my realization that she was the one lovingly wrapping gifts in special Santa paper, instead of some tiny little elf living on the top of the world. I asked her about it, told her I knew the truth, and went on my merry way. Christmas wasn't ruined for me. I wasn't traumatized about it.
One day I believed in Santa. The next day, I didn't.
For years I've wondered why kids seem to react so differently to the truth. I think it's all about how parents handle it.
I have known people that go to great lengths to keep their children believing long after the natural process of growing up has told them it doesn't make sense. I knew someone that sneaked into her son's room dressed in a Santa suit, just so he could get a glimpse. I've known people that have obtained bells and climbed on the roof and gone to all sorts of tricks to convince 9- and 10-year olds that Santa really does exist.
Personally, I think that's unnecessary. My mom didn't do any of that. She had the special wrapping paper and we left out milk and cookies (and a carrot for Rudolph) that were usually gone in the morning. We visited Santa and told him what three things we wanted for Christmas. We read "The Night Before Christmas" every Christmas Eve AFTER my mom told us the Nativity Story.
But when we started to get wise to the realities of the holiday, my mom let it be. All she told me was that I better not tell my younger brother. And I didn't. Believing in Santa was fun and harmless and I wanted him to experience that as long as he wanted.
There's no right answer for anyone. Every family is different. I turned out just fine and I love Christmas more for the giving than for the receiving nowadays. It's true. I wouldn't care if I didn't get a single present for Christmas.
(No, Marc, you don't need to take that gift back to the store!)
I'm sure there's nothing wrong with not believing in Santa either.
I will say, though, that I've noticed a deeper cynicism and a greater wish for Christmas to hurry up and pass among those that never believed. I don't know why it is. And I have no scientific evidence that it's true. I just see it with my friends.
And if that's the case, I'd rather lie to my kids for 6 or 7 Christmases than let them spend a lifetime wishing the season would hurry up and end.
However you celebrate, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Confession Wednesday: The Christmas That I Realized I'm Spoiled
Did you mix up names in the family gift exchange and buy a present for the wrong relative?
Well, now's the time to confess!
It's Confession Wednesday again, and this week we're talking about Christmas Confessions. It can be ANYTHING under the sun. You know you've got a confession in there somewhere...Let's hear it.
It was Christmas of 1983. At least, I'm pretty sure. I was 6, anyway.
I really wanted a bike for Christmas. Desperately. A big girl bike. A two-wheeler.
My mom took Marc and me to see Santa.
Yes, we are a Santa family. I know everyone has different feelings about the jolly old elf, but we believe. It's all in good fun.
(It's silly, but that was one of the very few things that made me feel a little bit okay about Philip breaking up with me. He was adamant that his future kids weren't going to believe in Santa and I was determined that mine would.)
While we believed in Santa and we believed that he could make our Christmas dreams come true, my mom laid down one ground rule. We were only allowed to ask for a maximum of three things.
(I'm sure it was so that
(Even though we usually did.)
I was so excited to see Santa Claus that year. There were a lot of things I wanted, but I very obediently whittled my list down to just three things. I can't remember now what I asked for, but I know that I did NOT ask for a bicycle.
In all my anticipation, I totally forgot.
And I didn't realize it right away, either. It took a day or two before it clicked that I had not asked Santa for a bike.
Because I had already seen Santa and asked for my three things, and because it was so close to Christmas by this point, I didn't get to write him and ask for the bike either. I was just plain out of luck.
For two or three weeks before Christmas, I drove my mother crazy with all the talk about how I had forgotten. I couldn't believe it. It was the one thing I wanted more than anything. I didn't even know how to ride a bike yet. But Amanda up the street had one, and so did Christine. I wanted to ride bikes with them in the cul-de-sac. And I had missed my chance.
Christmas morning came and, true to tradition, Marc and I went and gathered the stockings and then wandered into our parents' bedroom, jumping on the bed to wake them up. We opened the goodies in our stockings and then managed to convince our parents to get out of bed.
I knew there would be no bicycle in the living room, and when I saw the dozens of brightly wrapped packages, it took less than a second to see the He-Man bike with the training wheels Santa had delivered to my little brother. And it took even less time to process that there wasn't one for me.
I did my best to hide my disappointment. I had it coming, after all. How could Santa know to bring me something I hadn't asked for?
My dad ordered me to go to the garage and get a giant garbage bag for the wrapping paper that would soon be shredded as it was torn from boxes.
I folded my arms and said no.
Yeah. I was a total brat that morning. And, even at the age of 6, I knew how ridiculous I was acting.
My dad told me again and again I refused.
My dad told me if I didn't go out and get a garbage bag, I wouldn't get to open any presents.
Reluctantly, I opened the door to the garage.
(Which happened to be right next to the front door, and both doors happened to be in the very room we were already in. I didn't even have to go anywhere.)
I opened the door and stared.
I couldn't believe it. I didn't really know what to do, so I grabbed a plastic bag and closed the door.
"What's out there?" my dad asked.
"A Strawberry Shortcake bike," I said.
I was dumbfounded and confused. Why would Santa bring me a bike? I hadn't asked for it. How could he have known? And why would I get one now when I had been a brat all morning. I definitely didn't deserve it.
My parents got a good laugh about my reaction and told me to go out there and check it out, which, of course, I did.
I was excited and grateful and couldn't wait to learn how to ride it.
But deep down, I knew I didn't deserve it.
And I think that was the first time I questioned Santa Claus.
Now it's your turn! You know the deal. Grab the button up above and link up your Christmas Confession down below!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Favorite Holiday Movies
Christmas With the Kranks
I know it's cheesy and a lot of people didn't like this movie adapted from John Grisham's Skipping Christmas, but I think the story is a lot of fun. Facing their first Christmas as Empty Nesters, Luther and Nora Krank decide to skip the card-sending, the parties, the decorating, the entire Christmas season and go on a cruise instead. Their plans go awry when their only daughter decides to come home for Christmas after all.Elf
What's not to love about Will Ferrell with a sugar addiction?The Santa Clause
I've probably seen this at least a dozen times, but suddenly, this year, I got all emotional over the Wienie Whistle.The Holiday
Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz switch houses over Christmas, hoping to escape the men in their unhappy love lives. Jude Law is looking particularly hot in this movie (though not in any of the pictures I could find...) which is part of the reason I love it. Plus it's just a great story for anyone who's feeling a little lonely around this time of year.Love Actually
If you haven't seen this, well, you need to. It's got an awesome cast, a killer soundtrack, and with, like, ten intermingled story lines, there is something everyone can relate to.So there you go. These are the Christmas movies I'm watching this year. They've helped me get a little more into the holiday spirit. Even if I would still rather be spending it in Hawaii...
Don't forget tomorrow's Confession Wednesday topic: "The Christmas that I..."
Monday, December 21, 2009
Not me! Monday: Be Bash
Friday night I was NOT super jazzed to go to my first Hollywood Party!
I was NOT thrilled when I saw the photos of the venue at MyHouse Hollywood.
I did NOT feel all cool and important to be going somewhere that required my name be on the Guest List as part of the group from Bionic Products.
I was NOT super excited to find out that a couple of Important People wanted to talk to li'l old ME about things I could be doing for them with MY humble little blog.
I was NOT a little overwhelmed when I walked into this place, and I certainly did NOT feel like a fish out of water. I am comfortable in any and all social situations 100% of the time. I would never feel awkward at a fancy nightclub in Hollywood full of beautiful and ridiculously skinny people. Not me!
(Images courtesy of MyHouse Hollywood.)I did NOT follow my group around, waiting for someone to talk to me. I always start conversations easily, after all!
I did NOT end up spending the majority of the evening hanging out with a couple of people from the group, standing in the smoking area and chatting about things like Star Trek and Harry Potter and...Jacob vs. Edward... I wouldn't do that because I was at a CLUB and at CLUBS you DANCE. So, naturally, I would be dancing all night to the super loud live music and NOT sitting around flying my geek flag surrounded by clouds of cigarette smoke. Not me!
I was NOT a little bit thrilled to meet Kevin Sorbo and I did NOT laugh a little later when I realized he was NOT the most famous person we met at the party. Not me!
I did NOT leave the party a good hour or two early, because I was NOT completely exhausted from being at my day job super early. I wouldn't leave early because I have all the energy in the world and can party ALL NIGHT LONG!
I did NOT decide that I really did have a great time, and we did NOT make some really good contacts for Bionic Products. And I am NOT looking forward to going back next year!
**Many thanks to the folks at Be Design for inviting us to the Bash!
**If you'd like to join in the Not me! Monday fun, stroll on over to MckMama's blog and check it out!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Karen's Blog of the Week: The Asphalt Blogger
This has been kind of a long week, but a good one. I got some things done, have almost finished my Christmas shopping and survived to the end of the semester. I'm officially off work for two full weeks.
And I plan to do as little as possible over the next two weeks.
It's going to be awesome.
Anyways, it's time for a new Blog of the Week. And this week's selection is: The Asphalt Blogger!
Seth is the mastermind behind this blog. He writes about a variety of topics, from issues in the trucking industry (and I've never really talked about my own issues there...) and the environment to books and movies to his life. Even though we disagree, politically, on a whole lot of things, I still enjoy reading his thoughts on what's happening in the world.
Plus, lately, Seth seems like he could use a bit of cheering up.
(This has absolutely NOTHING to do with the fact I could win an iPod Shuffle if I send him 10 new followers.)
(Really. Nothing to do with that. Even if I am practically the last person in America not to own something made by Apple.)
So go say hello to Seth. Let's brighten his day. Apparently there are parts of this country where it's SNOWING.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Have a Little Faith
(Image courtesy of www.wnd.com)It's usually by total coincidence. I think it's called synchronicity.
This week has been like that for me.
It all started when I watched the Community not-so Christmas episode.
(If you haven't seen it, you really need to. It's the best episode so far.)
Shirley, a God-fearing Christian, invites her tutoring group to a Christmas party. To her dismay, she soon learns that this little community includes a Jehovah's Witness, a Jewish girl, a "Buddhist"--
(His "Buddhist" beliefs are called into question when he starts talking about sweat lodges and psychotropic drugs.)
--a Muslim, an atheist and an agnostic. Of course, hilarity ensues as Shirley tries to share Christmas with her friends and is met with rejection. Then she goes on to learn a big lesson about tolerance and acceptance and embracing our differences.
The other day, one of the instructors at the college where I work handed me a book to read. We had previously talked a bit about our mutual admiration of Mitch Albom and she had just received a copy of his newest non-fiction, Have a Little Faith. It's the story of an old Jewish Rabbi and a middle-aged Christian Pastor and the way their different faiths influenced their very different lives and how it helped them to help others. To me, the biggest lesson to be learned from these two men is that our differences don't have to divide us. They can bring us together because we are all capable of being good people, even if we don't believe the same things.
A day or two ago, my blog friend Pam wrote about the Great Debate: Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays. She talked about how it used to be a huge and supposedly offensive deal to wish a Merry Christmas to someone who didn't celebrate. Now it a huge and apparently offensive deal NOT to say it to those who do. But no one makes a big deal over Hanukkah or Ramadan or Kwanzaa.
(Usually. There are always exceptions.)
And then I got to thinking.
I have NEVER in my life (to my recollection, anyway) been wished a Happy Hanukkah or a Happy Kwanzaa or a Happy Pretty-Much-Any-Other-Winter-Holiday.
(Except Festivus. I do have friends that NEVER miss Festivus.)
(It's for the rest of us!)
Would I be offended if someone wished me a Happy Kwanzaa?
Absolutely not! I think it would be awesome.
I would respond with something like, "Thank you very much. Happy Kwanzaa back. Now can you tell me more about it because I really don't know what it's all about."
And then I got to thinking a little bit more.
Why don't I know more about Kwanzaa? Why is it the only thing I know about Hanukkah is that it involves a menorah and a story about the Maccabees and people get all excited about latkes.
I consider myself a fairly well-rounded person. I know a little bit about a lot of different things. I know the basic concepts of most of the major world religions and I usually know which religious holidays belong to which faiths.
But I want to know more. I want to learn about the traditions behind these thousands-of-years old religious rites and what they mean to the people who practice them.
I really believe that learning more about each other is what will ultimately help us get along, even if we don't all believe the same thing.
If we knew, understood, and respected what others believed, we wouldn't have to worry about offending with a Merry Christmas greeting. Instead, we could smile when they respond with a Happy Hanukkah!
I thoroughly enjoyed Have a Little Faith. I personally believe very differently than the two men at its center, but I found their stories fascinating, inspiring, and beautiful. I want to be a better person now for having learned about them.
And I think that's ultimately what this time of year is all about.
A Christmas Dinner I Wish I Could Forget
Recipes are the theme for today, but I don't really have any to share since I'm at work and they're at home.
But I do have a food-related story for you anyway.
It was the Christmas of 1993.
My mom's brother in Virginia called to invite us to meet them in Las Vegas. He and his wife were celebrating 20 years or so of marriage and wanted to renew their vows in the Romance Capitol of...well, anyway, they decided to renew their vows in a small ceremony at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino on the Strip.
My mom really didn't want to go. We didn't have extra money for stuff like a Vegas hotel room during the holidays. My other uncle couldn't afford it either. But, my grandparents begged my mom to make the trip, so off we went.
We stayed in a room next door to Grandma and Grandpa at the Comfort Inn while the renewlyweds and my cousins stayed in a fancy room at the Excalibur.
(And by "fancy" I mean "there was enough room to walk around both beds." There was also a couch.)
The service was on Christmas Eve in a chapel big enough to hold 200+ guests. There were 13 of us when Uncle #2 and his wife and two kids finally showed up, late.)
After vows were renewed, we had a fancy Prime Rib dinner in some restaurant in the hotel.
(And by "fancy" I mean "none of us ended up getting food poisoning.")
That was Christmas Eve.
We roamed the streets of Vegas for a couple of hours before finally trudging off to our hotel.
(Which was not a great place to be staying. But, it could have been worse.)
Christmas morning found us back in the "fancy" room at the Excalibur. I remember gathering for a family photo. I honestly couldn't tell you if gifts were exchanged or not. I know my mom was smart and left most of our stuff at home so that we wouldn't have to lug around a bunch of things we couldn't use until we were back in our own house anyway.
And then it was time for Christmas dinner.
Since my aunt and uncle had planned the trip, we had
Not so much, no.
There we were. Christmas day. No reservations anywhere. A party of 13.
Our group wandered down the road to Caesar's Palace, because my aunt just LOVES Caesar's Palace, and they have a mall. Which must have lots of great options, right?
Well, they do. I'm not sure what they had back in 1992, but today they've got Spago, some Italian place, a steakhouse or two and even a Cheesecake Factory.
We waited in the hotel lobby while my uncles took off to see what they could find. I sat and listened to my 14-year-old cousin talk about alcoholic binges while my mom tried to avoid conversation with my aunts by pretending to be deeply interested in her shoelace. I think my brother fell asleep.
The Uncles returned and announced they had found a great place to dine. A place that had seats available and could take us right away.
And that's how we ended up eating Christmas dinner at a Mexican takeout restaurant in a mall food court in the middle of Las Vegas.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Confession Wednesday: Regifting!
You're running late to that Christmas party and completely forgot to pick up your Secret Santa gift for the coworker you barely know but whose name you drew.
Or you get something you're not that excited about but you just know your sister is going to LOVE.
Regifting isn't a bad thing. Even Miss Manners said so.
Now, I'll admit that when I decided to make this a confession theme, I was certain that the perfect story would come to mind. There's one in there somewhere. I know it. But, for some reason, I can't seem to remember. I don't even remember if I was the culprit or the receiver. So...oh well. Maybe I'll tell that story next year.
Instead, I'll just tell you about something that happened last year.
It's a tradition, actually, that goes back long before my time. In Job's Daughters, we have our individual chapters, which we call Bethels, and then we have associations, which are collections of bethels in a particular region.
(For you Mormon folk, it would be the equivalent of Wards and Stakes.)
The Association meetings are just for the adults, but it's where we plan big group activities and fun stuff for the girls.
Except, in December, it's really all about fun.
That's when we have the Brown Reindeer Gift Exchange.
Yes, it's like a White Elephant Gift Exchange.
But, awhile back, someone wanted to make the title a bit more Christmas-y. And, since a particularly hideous brown reindeer kept finding it's way back to the exchange every year, the tradition became known as Brown Reindeer.
(I could be making some of that up. I'm not sure. That's just what I've pieced together from my three years of participation.)
There are some truly awful gifts that keep showing up. For some reason, their new owners just seem so willing to part with them, although they usually end up a little more decorated than the year before.
One of these is a large plastic cow. We call her Bessie.
I got
Bessie started off as this brown plastic cow. Now she has eye shadow, a tattoo or two, a pierced ear, a cowbell, a backpack and a braided tail.
I was beyond thrilled to take her back the next year.
And then last year, Brown Reindeer fell on my mom's birthday, so she decided not to go.
"If I get that cow, I'm giving it to you!" I declared.
"Oh no you're not!" my mom replied.
To make things fair, all participants draw numbers and go in order.
To make things interesting, you get the opportunity to "steal" a gift from another person. Each gift can be stolen a maximum of three times before it's off the table. That way, the game doesn't go on all night long.
And to keep things fair, whoever goes first also gets to go last, since they were the only person to choose a gift completely blind.
Last year, the person that went first got the cow. I was overjoyed because I'm not this person's biggest fan, and I thought it was hilarious that he was stuck with that thing.
Until the end when someone reminded him that he got to switch with someone. He traded me the cow for my coffee cup and used up Starbucks gift card.
(I'm assuming it was used up. It had scratches on it. And the visual of him trying to use that thing was even funnier than the thought of him lugging the stupid cow out to his car.)
I took the cow home. I found a big box for it. I wrapped it up and put it under my mom's Christmas tree.
She was clueless as we opened gifts. Even when she saw the gigantic box, it didn't occur to her until she pulled back a cardboard flap and saw the familiar red plastic bag that has concealed Bessie for years.
Unfortunately, I don't have a picture. Why? I really don't know.
So, instead, I drew a picture of her.
I used Paint and it's terrible. Don't judge my lack of artistic skills.
Just know that this rendering is not far from what the real thing looks like.
Do you have a regifting confession? Grab the button above, link up down below and tell us all about it!Next week's Confession Wednesday theme: "The Christmas that I...."
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
30 Points of View
There's so much out there in blogland. So many awesome/inspiring/witty/intelligent/creative writers spending minutes/hours/days crafting fantastic posts on every topic under the sun. I love this crazy world of connecting with someone on the other side of the country and sharing a common love for television or baseball or politics.
One thing that makes blogging so much fun is that the possibilities are endless. There are no set schedules or designated topics. We can do whatever we want.
But sometimes, I really enjoy reading a variety of posts about the same thing. It's why I enjoy the occasional meme. It's why I created Confession Wednesdays and why I do Group Blog Thursday. It's fun to get different perspectives on the same subject. Sometimes there are similar posts with similar opinions. Other times, people interpret the topic in completely different ways and write completely different types of posts.
I love that.
Which is why I love 30 Points of View.
What? You haven't heard of it?
30POV is this awesome blog that gives 30-something writers the chance to contribute their own point of view to a monthly topic.
Thirty days. Thirty bloggers. Thirty points of view.
This month's theme is Season Finale. And this would be a good day to check it out. Since someone you know and love just happens to be today's contributor...
Just sayin'.
And if you do stop by, be sure to leave a comment. I know my first post kind of sucks, but I'd really like to be a regular contributor, and if I can drive traffic their way, they may forgive my less-than-stellar debut.
Maybe.
Anyway, y'all rock!
And don't forget tomorrow's Confession Wednesday theme: Regifting Confessions!
Monday, December 14, 2009
O Christmas Tree
(Image borrowed from www.theage.com.)Smith & Brown Christmas Tree Farm was just about the coolest place on Earth when I was a kid.
Every year, well before Thanksgiving, my family would bundle up in our California warmest--
(You know. Jeans instead of shorts and sneakers instead of sandals. Some years we even had to go all crazy and wear sweatshirts.)
--and pile into the car to head up Central Ave. in Chino to select that Family Christmas Tree.
My brother, Marc, and I would run up and down rows and rows of trees. Some were even taller than Dad, while others were too small and would maybe be ready next year.
I remember the excitement as we found The Tree, only to discover that the tag had already been torn as some other family had laid claim to it before we could get there. We'd continue the search, finding another that was Absolutely Perfect...until Mom discovered the big hole on the side. Which would lead to the debate over whether that part could be hidden against the Living Room wall.
Some years, finding the right tree was quick and easy. Other times, it could take an hour or more. It was a big lot.
We'd finally make our selection, tear off the tag and then, together, march to the check stand to pay for our prize. But we didn't get to take it home yet. We'd wait. Just a couple of weeks. So that it would be the freshest tree possible.
After Thanksgiving, sometimes the first week of December, Dad would take us kids to pick up the tree while Mom stayed home to pull out the ornaments and the dozens of boxes of decorations she had managed to accumulate. We'd get to the lot, follow a chainsaw wielding high school kid to the tree that always seemed bigger/smaller/fatter/like it had fewer needles than we remembered. But we didn't care. The kid with the chainsaw would cut the trunk and Marc and I always shouted "Timber!" just before it toppled to the dusty earth.
We spent the rest of the day watching Mom and Dad argue over whether it was straight enough and then the proper balance of lights and then Mom would fiddle with all the ornaments Marc and I had hung with such care.
(Apparently, 5 baubles on one branch was just too much.)
The Smith & Brown Christmas Tree Farm was sold some years back. The five acres or so of beautiful evergreens is now a shopping center and an apartment building.
And now my mom has an artificial tree.
The times are a-changin'.
Which of your old Christmas traditions has faded away over time?
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Karen's Blog of the Week: Stories from Apartment Managers
I just looked out the window to discover that the sky is blue. We've had, like, three consecutive days of rain here in Southern California, so I'd almost forgotten what blue sky looks like.
In case you're wondering, yes, we did have the parade yesterday. And yes, it did rain the entire time. And I sat in the truck while I made another mom ride in the back with the girls.
And it might not have mattered because I seem to have woken this morning with the sniffles and scratchy throat anyway. Go figure.
Anyways, I hope y'all are having a great weekend and that the weather hasn't treated you too badly in your little corner of the world!
But now, it's time to get down to business. The business of this week's Blog of the Week: Stories from Apartment Managers!
Despite reading dozens of blogs on a daily basis, I rarely get to feature the blog of someone I know. This is partly because a couple of them are private, and mostly because most of them rarely get updated. And, of course, in order to be picked as my Blog of the Week, my one basic criterion is that you have to post at least once a week or so.
That being said, Stories from Apartment Managers is written by someone I know. Someone who's hoping to stay relatively anonymous because she is still a current Apartment Manager and, well, she'd sort of like to avoid retaliation if any of her tenants were to happen across the blog and discover her identity and be offended. Or worse.
You can imagine the kinds of stories an Apartment Manager might have. Especially those of you who do now or have ever lived in an apartment. I'm guessing most (hopefully all) of you haven't been guilty of the kinds of things she writes about, but you've definitely had neighbors that were!
I actually just found out about this blog fairly recently and I sat and read, like, eight or ten posts in a row because I just couldn't believe some of the stuff that happens in her complex. From the frisky old couple, to the reason why I will never use a stationary bike in the workout room of an apartment building, there are some CUH-RAZY tales of her experiences managing apartments over the last three years. It's some seriously awesome reading!
Plus, she's currently having a giveaway! If you enter by December 18, you could win a $50 Target Gift Card!
So go check out Stories from Apartment Managers and say hello. This is one of my newest must-reads and I think it'll be one of yours, too!
And then have a Happy Sunday!
Friday, December 11, 2009
What Do You Mean, You're Busy? You're Single!
Lest you think I've spent the week cavorting and indulging in the types of activities typical of a single girl living in Southern California (or anywhere else) that doesn't end up back at her house at night, I'll just dispel those rumors right now.
(The only men that have been involved in my week have been of the married and/or related-to-me variety.)
Tomorrow is supposed to be the annual Chino Christmas Parade. Weather permitting.
My girls are in the parade. Which means I'm in the parade.
And I'm perfectly okay with that. I mean, it starts ridiculously early, but whatever. The girls want to participate and we've done it for years and I'm willing to make the sacrifice for them. I love the organization and I want to support them however I can.
But it would be nice if the weather bumped the parade to next Saturday.
Although, there is a bit of prep involved in transforming a flat-bed trailer into a Winter Wonderland suitable for tweens and teens to sit on while crawling along the city streets.
Some of that prep has to be done the night before, and some of it can't be done until the morning of because everything could fly right out the back of the trailer when we're transporting it to the staging area.
One of the parents apparently doesn't quite understand that concept. Yesterday, she told me the girls were getting ready to set up the "float" so that it would be ready for Saturday. I tried to explain why they shouldn't do that. You know. Cuz it might rain and stuff. And when I told her the parade might be moved to next Saturday, she was upset. Because, of course, I should be able to control the weather, right? I mean, I obviously wasn't paying attention the day they taught that in my meteorology class back at Weber State. My bad.
This parent got frustrated and said, "I can't handle all this last minute stuff. I'm working 6 days a week right now. And I've got my husband's office Christmas party. And [this kid is doing this and that kid is doing that]. I'm busy. You're going to have to do it all."
Woah.
Remember that time when I told you I hadn't been home since MONDAY?
I've noticed an assumption among some of my friends and colleagues that, because I don't have a spouse or children, I am obviously not doing anything.
Free as a bird.
O how I wish!
When I do nothing but get up in the morning, work all day and come straight home, I am out of the house for twelve hours.
TWELVE.
Granted, it's my fault for living so far from work.
But, still. Twelve hours that I'm not at home. And that's when I don't have anything going on after work.
I'm the adult leader in Job's Daughters.
I'm in the Relief Society Presidency at church. Yeah, okay, so I'm the secretary, but still. It means meetings and stuff.
I've been staying at my mom's one night a week to take care of my grandmother while my mom has been taking a class.
I'm working with Bionic Products and that's starting to pick up a bit.
I'm in three different book clubs, one as an advisor, and that means I'm supposed to be reading or something.
And, oh yeah. I'm trying to finish my novel.
I'm thinking if I had a husband and kids, I'd have to give up sleep altogether. At this point, that only happens about once or twice a week anyway, so I suppose it wouldn't be hard to cut that out of my schedule.
Seriously. What's my problem? That mom was right. I have all the time in the world. I guess I just need to be a little more committed.
Although I really probably just need to be committed.
So...What misconceptions do people have about your life?
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