Winter break...

This week is "Winter Break" for many schools in the area, and I am enjoying some catch-up time at home. It is already Saturday, however, and I am trying to figure out where the heck all my "break" went! Between the personal appointments (my hair was in sad shape, and the massage therapist nearly gave up on the stress knots in my upper back), car appointments (yes, I needed new brakes, but still!), papers to grade, personal business communications, and scheduled activities with friends, I don't feel like I really relaxed at all. Even when I sit down for some "me" time, my mind is racing with all of the the things still left on my to-do list that I need to finish before going back to school.

Why do I feel so compelled to be constantly productive and active? What happened to just being able to enjoy being a lazy sloth on vacation? When will I wake up and realize enough is enough?

I need to go finish my to-do list, so I don't really have time right now to think about this...maybe next weekend.

What the h$!!

I just read an online article about a scene in the new Hannah Montana movie (I'm too old to understand why HM is newsworthy in the first place, but that's a different story). Apparently, during a scene, Haley Cyrus and her father Billy Ray drove to a location and forgot to wear their seatbelts. Consumer Reports took umbrage to this scene because of the rise in teen motor vehicle fatalities.

To quote "It seems to us that Miley, her father, and Disney had a perfect opportunity to help influence teens and counteract – rather than encourage – this trend. "

This prompted an apology from Billy Ray and prompted me to wonder why he had to.

IT WAS A MOVIE, NOT A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT. CELEBRITIES WILL NOT SAVE THE WORLD.


I'm getting frustrated at the prevalence of frivolous celebrity news stories on-line, on the radio, in print, on TV news, etc.

I neither need nor want to know about Britney Spears' problems. Please stop telling me about them.

I don't give a rat's a$$ what Tom Cruise thinks about post-partum depression or medication (By the way, F@#* L. Ron Hubbard). If he really wants to preach, become a minister (or whatever they have) and get out of the entertainment business.

I don't care if Heath Ledger was a raging crack-head. He had the good taste to keep it out of the spotlight. Shouldn't entertainment news channels and magazines do the same?

I am not trying to disparage actors, singers or athletes (or anyone else that is considered a celebrity). I particularly appreciate the work that Brad Pitt has done in New Orleans and that he and Angelina Jolie have done in Africa. However, it seems that I can't go five minutes without hearing about some superstar train wreck.

Can I please see headlines about other topics?

Best Super Bowl commercial ever!

Best commercial EVER - love the oboe!!

- Christine

Movie Recommendatons

Hey Folks,

Here are a couple of movies that we've seen recently.  If you get the chance, check 'em out on DVD.     

                         

  Shoot 'Em Up

Clive Owen stars as a guy out to save an orphan from a hitman.  Owen's character is almost like a stand-up comic.  A typical scene begins with Owen asking  "You know what I really hate?" and ends with him killing it.  

The name pretty well sums it up.  If you're in the mood for mindless violence and really intricate gun fights, this movie is awesome.  Best line belongs to Paul Giamatti: "Guns don't kill people...but they sure help".

I Am Legend

-Will Smith is excellent in this movie.  I highly recommend it.  It contains the most touching death of a pet scene since Ol' Yeller.

Moral of the story:  Don't Cure Cancer!!!  If you do, the human race is doomed.  If someone else claims that they've found a cure, slap the s#!t out of them.

I'll post more reviews (and random comments) as I think of them.  

-Rob 

Super Tuesday

We're watching the Super Tuesday results on FOX and CNN - the fact that the polls just closed 30 seconds ago and that CNN is already predicting who will win each state is just a little disturbing. How about waiting for the actual numbers to come back? This "projected wins" system drives me crazy during every election - and if I recall correctly, it caused quite a problem during the 2000 election with Florida, etc. I know that Zogby and Rasmussen spend lots of time polling people, and are usually close as far as results, but I would just once like to see the finished results before being told who should win...or am I just being to old fashioned?

And yet, at 10:45 with 80% of the Republican vote in, and 36% going to Romney, they have not called it yet - he's ahead by more than 10 points.....hmmm.....

In follow-up from yesterday - LOVED the new pillows - slept like a baby...

And Rob has no comment at this time...he's reading, as usual.

Sweet dreams tonight!

Not only did the Giants win last night, so did I!  The 1st quarter score of 3-0 Giants scored me $50 - woo-hoo!   What a great way to start a Monday morning.

And what did I do with my windfall of moola?  Nothing very exciting, but something we definitely needed - I bought new pillows for Rob and I - we need better sleep.

Super Bowl musings...

Some random thoughts while watching the Super Bowl...)

1) Jordan Sparks did a good job with the anthem - normally, we cringe in pain when a "pop" star sings it, but her version was nice - go Jordan!

2) the commercials have been pretty good - so far our favorites include: breathing fire with Bud Lite, dancing lizards, Rocky budweiser horse, and Godfather/car in bed.

3) the game has been pretty slow...the score has been stagnant at 3/7 for 3 quarters now...someone won 2x in the school pool so far....

4) yeah - oboe in a football commercial - gotta love it! And he plays pretty well - Let there be more OBOE!!

5) Giants just scored in the 4th quarter- oooh, there may not be a perfect Patriots season...

6) wonder what happened to my Big Wheels - we would love to have a derby like they do on that commercial...ah, youth.

7) Hmmm...feeling tired - Rob has a "superbowl recovery" day off from work tomorrow - what!?! Not fair - I want a day, too...

8) Do you think FOX wants us to watch "House" and the "Sarah Conner Chronicles"? Every other commercial seems to be for one of the two...who writes the commercials? Are they affected by the writer's strike?

9) mmmm...chili and wings are good. So is chocolate cake.

10) Will Ferrell just did a commercial and had the best line of the night: "Bud Lite...suck it."

11) Patriots score - 14-10 Patriots with 2 minutes to go in the 4th quarter...we're not sure who to root for - torn between the perfect season bid and our home state of NY...okay, Rob just decided he's rooting for NY - correction - he is now rooting for the Victoria Secret model....typical.

12) agh!! sickened and repulsed by "Amp" commercial - do not ever show jumper cable dancing man again.

13) 1:43 left - there's still time!!

14) oooh....almost an interception by the Pats...and holy crap - Manning fought off a sack and threw a pass to Tyree - what a catch!!

15) 59 seconds to go...throw the ball!!!

16) woooooooooooo - touch down NY......this is crazy! Here come the longest 29 seconds ever...for both teams.

17) The Giants are not going to let them get close to the end zone....I predict that it is over for NE.

18) Giants win! - there are some very happy people who bet on them, I am sure - time for bed.