IMMORTALS - A MOVIE REVIEW

So today I decided to catch a movie with my guy on a semi-lazy Sunday afternoon.  We went to see Immortals in 3D.  I’m not a big fan of the 3D but my guy is (jude shrugs).  If I’m honest my beef is the added expense and the possibility of me getting nauseous, (yep I said nauseous) from the visual motion.

My initial reason for wanting to catch this film was to see some buff 300-esque type men and maybe see something I haven’t seen before.  

This film about Theseus is a mortal man chosen by Zeus to lead the fight against the ruthless King Hyperion, who is on a rampage across Greece to obtain a weapon that can destroy humanity.  Semi interesting plot, good effects and hey it was good to see Stephen Dorff was working again, lol.  

I could especially enjoy Mickey Rourke in a juicy cut throat role such as this.  

Like a good friend told me:  not as good as 300 but not as bad as the remake of Clash of the Titans.

I gave it two stars.

A personal rant, important to me nonetheless

This Sunday I will attend a service to honor the memory of my brother Bobby.  My brother died an active alcoholic.  He never acknowledged he had a problem.  Ever.  He was self will run riot.  Four years before he died he lived with my sister who put him up for 8 years.  Unwilling to stop drinking and live a “normal life” my sister told him to leave.  He was not impaired physically or mentally only spiritually.

Doing things his own way (no one else’s) he pitched a tent in the woods of Washington State and lived a simple life until his alcoholism became very real in the form of throat cancer which took his life at the age at the young age of 49.  He waited too long to ask for help, by the time he made it to a doctor (again with the help of my sister) he survived less than six months despite surgery.  He didn’t have to die this way. 

I tried to tell him THERE IS A SOLUTION.  Once we get sober we want to tell others especially those we love.  There IS a solution, you don’t have to live this way anymore.  You don’t have to stay broken or feel damaged or self-medicate to numb yourself and stop your demons and booze from slowing killing you.

I was killing myself one drink at a time, until I found out there WAS a solution.  My brother had every chance that every alcoholic (who hears this message) has, they just have to be willing to stop doing things their own way.   Days before he died I remember my sponsor telling me “That Bobby dying may just be God’s plan for him.”  Was that true?  I don't know.

What I do know is: we all have a choice.  We can either accept God’s plan for us and trust that our heavenly father knows far better for us than we ever do.  Sometimes I struggle with that until I stop reflect and remember that my way was killing me one drink at a time.  I never want to go back there.  Nothing but self destruction and death was waiting for me.  I know God has a plan for me and I’m determined to stick around one day a time to see exactly what that is. 

Not my will, Lord but thy will be done.

Beautiful Boy - a DVD Review

So, last night with the boy over for dinner we watched the DVD “Beautiful Boy”.   Hearing about this movie I was intrigued.  It is the story of a family devasted by the death of their son after learning he was responsible for the slaying of dozens of college students during a murderous Columbine-esque rampage.  Often we see this same tale told but usually told from the victims families point of view and I had high hopes for this perspective.

As the story unfolds the mother played by Maria Bello (Jane Austen Book Club, A History of Violence) and father played by Michael Sheen (The Queen, 30 Rock) struggle to find the catalyst of their once quiet and sullen son into a monster that they cannot fathom.

The director/writer hints with small details the idiosyncrasies of each parent as factors that may have contributed to their child’s “poor character”.   The movie played out as many “parents that lose a child” films do (see: Rabbit Hole) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0935075/.

This was a slow moving film that despite its flaws I found interesting and watchable (2 ½ stars).

The Roller Derby Night - ho hum

http://www.longislandrollerrebels.com/

So Saturday night me and my boyfriend ventured to see a charity rollerderby event.  Standing in line were many different types of people great for people watching, that is until my boyfriend decided to cut the whole line instead of waiting in the cold.

The event was The Pink vs. Black All Female Roller Derby Charity Bout and Food Drive. And to be honest I was disappointed.

Reason one, too fucking cold in this place, I mean come it was a roller rink not an ice rink.  Reason two, limited seating.  We were sitting on metal bleachers for crissakes and it was damned uncomfortable.  Reason three the food sucked.  And reason four, and really the most important reason.  The whole experience felt neutered. 

My cousin Melody was on a derby team about a year or so ago and intently I read her blogs.  Each one abit of insight into a sport that I’d only ever seen as clips in films.  Where we went the arena that the skaters used was cut down to a tiny section so all of the interaction was extremely limited.  Sort of like watching girls jump rope inside a cubicle.  Blah, so not what I was hoping for.

They did have quite the electric mix of rebellious and athletic women I was hoping to see.  But now I want to see the REAL experience and I’ll have to look for where to find it.

Well it seems as if the holidays are just around the corner and with it holiday eating.

So like everyone else this time of year watching my weight is important.  I don’t think I’m alone in admitting this fact.  Today I found a useful tool, a website.  I thought I’d share it.  http://caloriecount.about.com/

This site allows you to find the items you are eating and search for their calorie content and nutritional value.   It also, with one click, enters each item it into a daily LOG that stores and adds all of yr daily items.  It also shows you where you need to improve your eating habits.  Here's hoping.

Gotta gotta gotta

So like most women I have body issues.  With weight, with eating yada, yada.  Eating is essential for life but like anything that arouses my senses sometimes the overindulgence will occur. And not only occur but make you put on 8 lbs since the 4^th of July.  (insert big sigh here).  At 5’ 1” it feels like 28 lbs. 

I’ve been on both sides of the fence weight-wise.  At the age of 12, I was grossly underweight weighing only 40 lbs.  I had no clue I was so emaciated.  At 18 I was 95 lbs.  A better weight, but my ribs always showed when I wore a bikini.  My highest weight (not pregnant) I am loathe to admit was 155 lbs.  When I saw a photo of myself looking like that, I ran to Weight Watchers and swore I’d never let myself get that big again.

Still it isn’t easy.  Like anything worthwhile, trying to maintain a decent weight, and being fit takes work.  Well, imagine that.  I’m a lazy person when it comes to this stuff.  But not totally without motivation to take action.  Lately my motivation is how I will appear to my man and how I will look in my clothes.

After a painful episode with my back that lasted about six weeks, but seemingly forever, lets me know I need to work to change this or prepare myself for more pain.  No thanks, its time to work.

Exercise is just part of this equation.  The other part is watching what I eat.  Not starving myself, just cutting out the junk AND maybe not eating so much bread related items.  That part ain’t easy.  It seems everytime I turn around there’s another birthday in my office.  And with the birthdays come free food.  Or junkfood I should say.  Dunkin Donuts, munchkins, bagel (of course) fruit platters and other baked good both homemade and Costco derived.

It’s a pretty hard temptation to turn down on the mornings its there.  Today I just went with a bagel and some grapes. 

The Kissing Poll Results Are In!

I tend to think of kissing someone, on the lips, as a pretty personal event.  Something I choose to keep as a monogamous event solely for my man.

There is such a sense of magic that occurs within a kiss.  The pressure of the lip lock itself.  Inhaling the scent of your partner, as mouths slightly open breaths exchanged, and the sucking of the lips that can bring one another into a state of euphoria.   All in one kiss.

Sometime last week I got into a conversation with my man about kissing.  The etiquette really.  I’m always fascinated by the choices and actions of others, whether or not they coincide or diverge from my own, and not just about kissing.  But this got me to wondering what those nearest to me, or at least those in my cell phone, consider the etiquette for this subject.

So I posed the question to some 40 or so friends:  Regarding their beliefs on lip-on-lip kissing.  Is this something solely reserved between you and your significant other?  Or do you kiss everyone on the lips?  (And if so why?)

The results were pretty surprising.  Out of 40 solicited only 25 responded.  Many people were in agreeance that lip-on-lip activity is restricted for their partners only.  Some said only family members.  Mom and son, that kind of thing. 

A few commented that previously they would kiss many on the lips but changed their habits as to limit the exchange of germs (shudder).

So if you’re a person that offers a cheek when greeting others, more than likely you’re in the majority.  You’re saving your lips for that one special person. 

Out of those 25 only (3) “kissed freely”.  As one of the respondents commented “God gave me lips and I’m gonna use them!”