2012 My Year in Review

And so another year comes to an end.  Each year is 365 days long yet this year seemed that much longer.  Not so much because it was arduous but more so because it seemed to be jam packed full of experiences.

As I reflect on 2012 more than a few come to mind.

Starting the new year in a real relationship.  One full of honesty, and romance, and fun.

In January getting whisked away to the Poconos for my birthday.  What a surprise and pleasure it was.

In February sharing Valentine's Day with a man I grown more in love with each day.   

In March getting laid off from a job I worked for the past 8 years.  I hardly knew what I was going to do.  How I was going to handle things.  But because I trust God and work my program,  I held onto my faith with everything I had.

Instead I enjoy my time off.  Went biking everywhere.  Especially once May came around and my car decided to die.  Without having the means, I wrote it off and became carless.  Again I biked everywhere.  I spent more time with my mom and my son.  I went through all my belongings and pared down, donated clothes, books, etc.

I wound up filing bankruptcy and embracing a frugal way of life.  Remembering to stay grateful and with faith KNOW God had a plan for me and my future.  In May me and my man planted a garden, something I haven't done since I was a kid.  I absolutely loved getting into something like this.

In May me and my man went away on a trip that was planned pre-layoff.  We traveled to Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon & Arizona.  What a spectacular trip!  We went from the bright city lights of Las Vegas onto the rustic scenery of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River to the simplicity of Phoenix Arizona meeting up with old friends and a new addition to our clan.

In June I spent time at the beach with friends.   Also with my man and I finally overcame my fear of water.  This may sound trite to some reading this but for me this is huge.  Before this I would never go in the water alone.  I loved boogie boarding.  

Also in June, my man turned the big 6-0.   If  five years ago someone had told me I'd be dating an older man I'd have said they were crazy.  Its amazing what God had in store for me, once I got out of my own way and put away my preconceived notions about what would truly make me happy.  We also celebrated our first anniversary together.  One of what I hope to be many more to come!
 

In July after many months of watching my man always overwhelmed by fatigue he discovered the news that he had kidney cancer and would need to be operated on.  While we awaited the surgery, I received a call about a job.  After a phone interview and meet and greet interview and a drug test I passed with flying colors I became a part of the team @ ABI.  A job I love dearly.

The timing was perfect, I started the job 2 weeks after my man's surgery.  I gotta admit that I was scared.  Scared about starting a new job.  Scared at the possibility that his body was given more than it could handle.  Again I had to trust God.  And while some reading this may think that trusting God sounds like an inaction.........that would be wrong.  Trust is conscious action.  Each day my mind tries to let fears creep in and its God who I must remember has a plan I must trust in even when I don't FEEL like it.   

In the end, everything worked out better than I ever expected  That only comes from seeking God on a daily basis, and seeking to do the next right thing as best I can.  I am nothing if not grateful.  The holidays came around again, as they always do, and me and my man spent half the time with his family and half with mine.

I remembered last year how 'terrified' I was about change.  But God gets us through everything, but we must be willing to let go of our plans.  Its when I reflect upon past experiences its a great reminder of how great things work out when I stop making plans, and just let go let God. 

LINCOLN - a movie review

So on a Sunday afternoon I went to see "Lincoln" the bio-pic starring Daniel  Day Lewis, directed by Steven Spielberg.  

Now first of all Daniel Day Lewis doesn't make crap.  He's one of the few actors that carefully chooses his roles.  I can never imagine the day where he makes a rom-com  or a Disney voice-over movie.  It just isn't likely to happen anytime soon.

He's an artist in the truest sense of the word and his performance in Lincoln is another solid choice.  In a word his performance is brilliant.  Not a history buff in the slightest I was riveted to the screen.

This is a must see film.  Must see!

The Sessions - A Movie Review

Mark O’Brien is an accomplished man his late 30’s.  A Berkley Graduate, a writer and poet, and completely immobile from his neck down.   

With his faculties intact and a sharp offbeat sense of humor he sets out not only to write an article about sex amongst the physically challenged, but to finally experience it for himself.

Ben Lewin wrote and directed this film who was inspired as a person with his own  physical challenges, though his own limitations weren’t as severe as his protagonist in this film.

Starring John Hawkes, Helen Hunt and William H. Macy given a tough topic, this film manages to entertain, inspire and make me laugh out loud straight from the gut.  A must see for an Indie filmgoer or at the very least the film to mark down in your Netflix Queue.

Helen Hunt is fearless, daring and a shoe in for a nomination of either  a Golden Globe or Oscar variety.

ARGO - A MOVIE REVIEW

And so late on a Saturday afternoon me and my beau went to the movies.  Our movie selection was “Argo” starring (and directed) by Ben Affleck.  I knew nothing of what this film was about except it had Ben Affleck and got a 95% positive rating via Rotten Tomatoes.com.

The movie is based on the true story of how a CIA agent, played by Affleck, travels to Iran to extract 6 Americans who work at the American Embassy in Iran.  When the Embassy is stormed by revolutionaries 6 manage to escape and are hiding out in a Canadian Embassy.  This story takes place at the end of the Carter administration, chronicling their suspenseful plan to flee Iran and home to safety.

This was definitely a film worth paying to see.  It isn’t too serious or cheesy or contrived.  Its jussssssst right.  Getting out to the movies was a good step towards feeling “normal” again.

P.S.  Its playing in Rockville Centre which has its own power so everything there is still functioning.

V.S. Fire Dept Haunted Firehouse

And so another October is here and with it looking for things to do to make the most of the short-lived Halloween season.  

Tonight me and my man ventured off to check out the local haunted house @ the Valley Stream Fire Department.

http://www.nassaufdrant.com/forum/valley-stream-haunted-firehouse-13667.html



Okay, on the plus side its $10 for adults $5 for the kiddies.  And if you don't want to deliberately be scared, like the kids under 12 yrs old behind us, you simply ask and they give you a flash light which lets the ghouls know NOT to get you.  Also on the plus side is we went before 8 p.m. and the wait was under a half hour.

On the minus side, it was pretty tame, especially compared to the place we went place year, Schmitt's Farm, out in Melville.  Of course I screamed and was scared abit and held onto my man's hand for dear life, that's just me.  And the "scare" was actually pretty exhiliarating, which is a new thing for me.

I wish I could just say "be afraid, be very afraid" but that would only apply to being afraid of disappointment.

I'd heard good things about this haunted house and I was disappointed, I was hoping it was kick ass and it wasn't.  Then again, if you don't feel like driving far and saving some dough, then this is a decent option, especially if you are just taking little kiddies.

 

Broadways Finest - A Movie Review

So I decided to venture to obsure indie laden Malverne Theatre for a film called Broadway’s Finest.  After seeing the trailer I decided it was worth a look.

 

Pretty much unknown actors portray the characters here.   After an exceptional impromptu workshop performance as detectives, three out of work actor buddies decide that writing their own play may be the easiest way to find work.  Only soon they find themselves not only immersed in their roles, but taking the law into their own hands.  Check the trailer out on Facebook.

There’s a halfway decent, storyline and halfway decent perforamances, that made this Sunday filmgoer a-okay with watching this little film.  I give it two stars.

The Museum of Sex - a museum review

Okay so also on this Labor Day weekend I visited another  place in the city that I’ve walked by a million times known as The Museum of Sex,  located at 233 5th Avenue · New York, New York 10016.   Hours: Sunday - Thursday: 10am-8pm · Friday - Saturday: 10am-9pm

http://museum.museumofsex.com/

I took my man with me, of course how appropriate, but forgetting the coupon for the museum discount, oh well.

Walking into the shop, er museum you are assaulted with many books, novelties and condoms galore.  Towards the back you buy tickets $17 and change to enter the actual displays.

Not for the prudish!  Many exhibits were video in nature and very explicit (oh my LOL).  I was like a kid in a candy store ; )

 Nothing I hadn’t seen before except some vintage items and a section on animal and insect sexual behavior.  Again, nothing I hadn’t seen though I did learn abit about ducks engaging in necrophilia, who knew?

Again if you’re in the city and looking for something to do that’s non committal and relatively cheap, you might want to wander inside.

Obscura Antiques & Oddities - a bizzarre store review

So also this Labor Day weekend while in NYC I went to a few other places I’ve been meaning to visit. 

One of them being Obscura Antiques & Oddities 

http://www.obscuraantiques.com   of the “reality” t.v. show Oddities from the Sci-Fi channel.

Now few things in the actual store resembled the t.v. show.   

Yes, it was in NYC and yes both places sell bizarre shit, like antique "rectal dialators and antique helmet for being shot out of a cannon.  But other than that it doesn't bear much resemblance to everything else in the show, none of the staff, etc.  From what I understand the original location was on the Tenth Street and if you’ve ever watched the show it’s a long narrow venue whereas the store where we were in today was one square room.

The staff was pretty accommodating and even helped us out by snapping our picture, though we must have appeared to be a couple of dorky tourists (guilty).  They did give us a free postcard (see pic in upper left hand corner).

It’s a cute place to visit in the city (that’s free) just to check out something abit more bizarre than normal.