In or Out?

My hubby usually works as a waiter on weekends. While he works until midnight, I usually catch up on my girly shows or birth documentaries. Last Friday, however, I just sat and watched random clips of Man Stroke Woman, a British sketch comedy show, on YouTube. BBC comedies, like the original Office, are notoriously vulgar, so I wouldn't watch some of them. But most of them are hilarious! I laughed so hard, and when Fox came home (in his nice little waiter's uniform with a tucked in shirt), I showed him this one. Heehee...

Humans Vs. Aliens Movie Showdown!

Without planning to, I watched 3 humans vs. aliens movies in 24 hours. I can't remember the last time I've watched three movies in that amount of time, let alone 3 movies of the same genre. I think 2009 was a good year for alien-themed movies, which I really enjoy. So, here is my take:

Avatar:

This movie had beautiful music and special effects, but something about it just bugged me. I can't put my finger on what it was, though. The long length? Main character Sam Worthington's native Australian accent that kept popping up in his American one? The really annoying song as the credits rolled? I'm not sure--although I think it might have been the lame 3D glasses that didn't do much for the movie.

District 9:

Um, ew. Possibly one of the most disturbing movies I've ever seen. I really had no idea what it was about--segregation of aliens in South Africa and the abuse of a human who becomes part-alien. I love South Africa, so it was fun to hear the accents and the interspersed Dutch words. But, yeah, ew and yuck and violent and sad. No thanks.

Star Trek:

Ahh, my favorite! I don't think I've seen one Star Trek movie that I didn't love. Funny, fast-paced, not complicated. Just good entertainment with a good ending.


Okay, now as far as aliens go, I vote for the beautiful, unique ones in Avatar. I think I'm done with movies for now, though. Good thing Project Runway starts next week!

New Year, New Layout

Happy New Year! I am trying out a new layout for fun in this blog of randomness. What do you think?


Behold: Daruma-san!
Since our stay in Japan, the New Year always reminds me of Daruma-san. Daruma is the most popular good-luck symbol in Japan. He is based on the Bodhidarma, father of Zen Buddhism. In Japan, it is customary to buy or be given a Daruma doll at the start of the New Year. In fact, the dollar stores are packed with Daruma dolls around Christmastime. When you receive this eyeless, legless statue, you draw one eye in and then make a wish or a goal. If your wish or goal comes true throughout the next year, you draw in the other eye. That is momentous! At the end of the year, Daruma dolls are taken to the temples and burned in big bonfires.
We have a little children's book we got from Japan featuring Daruma-san. The story is sung, and so randomly, I will hear my little toddler sing "Daruma-san, Daruma-san". He recognizes the symbol, which is neat. Another New Year's tradition in Japan is to visit the temple. Thousands of people flock to their local temples during the New Year's holiday to honor their ancestors and pray for well-being for their families. They also do a deep-cleaning at the start of the year. On our street in Marugame, everyone in our neighborhood deep-cleaned their homes for a week. We know this, because all of the rugs and futons in town were hung to dry outside at once!
I am pretty sad that I didn't pick up the language while in Japan, but I think I really did gain a knowledge and appreciation of the yearly festivals and traditions. What a rich culture! I have been trying to think of ways to incorporate a New Year tradition in my own little family, other than the usual resolutions, which I don't make. Any ideas? (Please don't suggest deep cleaning!)

Easy (Digital) Money!

 


I'm not sure I've mentioned this before, but I love Swagbucks. Basically, you just sign up and go there to search whenever you need to "Google" something. They have a search bar, and you are awarded points according to whatever you searched for. For example, I once typed in "Obama Election" and got 5 points! On average, I get a point or two a day. However, your points do add up and then you redeem them for prizes. The site has a ton of prizes, but I am a big fan of the Amazon gift cards. You can get a $5 Amazon card with 45 points. I have gotten a few of these, and it really helps with birthday/Christmas!

So...click on the picture above to start getting some sort-of free rewards! And, oh yeah, I get points when you get points. And then you share with your friends and then you get points. And on and on...and everyone's happy.

P.S. Shameless plugs don't make me happy. They make me feel lame. But everyone is a winner here, right?

 

 



 

Zombieland!

Best ZomCom ever! I hope Zombie Comedy becomes an actual genre. I would be so happy.

Top 5 Reasons why I absolutely loved Zombieland:
1.) Only 87 minutes long. Every movie should be this long. Or short.
2.) Bill Murray plays an actor playing a zombie mistaken for an actual zombie. Yep.
3.) What's scarier than a zombie? A clown! What about a zombie clown?
4.) Tallahasee (Woody Harrelson's character) searches for a twinkie the entire movie. He finds a Hostess truck and to his dismay, the truck is full of Hostess Snowballs. Of those, he says he hates them. Not the flavor, the consistency. So general coconut hatred is reaffirmed!
5.) Despite the extreme gruesomeness and the whole escape-from-zombies plot, the true theme of this movie is finding joy in the little things, like the people in your life or a simple favorite snack. That message reverberates at the end, so you leave the movie feeling all warm and fuzzy.



"First girl I let in to my life, and she's tries to eat me" Columbus

I have been thinking lately of how my mom made me a Zombie Survival Kit for my birthday, which was so awesome. The zombie survival guides you see at the bookstore are actually bestsellers. So, thinking of zombies and hashing out what to do during a zombie apocalypse (is it just me and Fox that has this conversation on date night?) is actual very useful in preparing for any extreme emergency. Around the time I was thinking of this, I found my old quote book, where I had copied this:

"We're not just afraid of predators; we're transfixed by them, prone to weave stories and chatter endlessly about them, because fascination creates preparedness, and preparedness, survival. In a deeply tribal sense, we love our monsters". Edward Wilson, biologist.

So, sometimes it is good to draw out your zombie escape plan with your husband on an Olive Garden napkin.

Sugar-Free Candy Corn

What is this, candy? Coco thought. Hooray!


Wait a second...this isn't sweet...



Go back to where you came from!



(For some strange reason, I got on a huge crochet candy corn kick last week. They are cute and fun, but I have no idea what to do with them!)

Oh, Robin...

Hood, that is. The BBC television series. Why do I love you so?
Is it because your characters have the greatest onscreen chemistry of all-time?



or that your eery Sheriff of Nottingham wears sparkles and paints his toenails black?



or maybe because your show has a fabulous, amazing costume designer?


Well, BBC Robin Hood series, you are awesome, but you broke my heart in series 2. Seriously, even my cat cried.

I don't think I can see you anymore

(but I will watch fan videos on Youtube while dipping spoonfuls of peanut butter into melted chocolate chips).