Bella's Take

Lessons from Paraguay

2011-08-22T17:37:00.001-04:00

(note: please excuse the rambling nature of this post. when examining feelings, I tend to go in a flowing manner)

Have I succeeded in getting myself out my rut??

Don't know. Juries still out.

Paraguay was amazing, but very different than what I expected. I went to build houses with Habitat for Humanity.

I expected bonding with the families I was working with, I expected bonding with my team members, I hoped for a new outlook on life.

And while some of that did happen, I don't feel like it impacted me as much as it should have. It was very hard for me to deal with at the time, especially given that I really didn't connect with anyone on my team, but now that I have a little distance, I'm ready to write about what I learned and what I took away from the experience.

* Food in Paraguay is not great.

* Throwing toilet paper in the toilet is a beautiful, beautiful thing

* You don't need to speak the same language to understand one another

* Uno (yes, the card game!) transcends all language barriers

* People show their gratitude in different ways

* Sometimes, it's not about me

I think the last one is the most important. I went into this expecting what this trip would do for ME. Yes, I knew I was ultimately going to help others, but I was really hoping that it would revive me and get me back on track.

Did that work? Yes and no. I'm still running, which I was worried about. I didn't know if I would be able to start again after a two-week break. But I've gone twice so far. I guess the true test will be if I can keep it up once school starts. One more day of vacation!

I feel a little bit happier in who I am. I didn't while I was there, because I didn't feel like I belonged with my group. They didn't understand me, I didn't get them. I didn't try hard enough, but I can't really force myself to form deep connections. That's not how I operate. Did I like my group? Sure, but that's about as far as it went. Will I keep in touch? Maybe a few, but that's about it.

I've really enjoyed being alone, and I'm content. I wasn't really before, and didn't do anything other than watch TV. Don't get me wrong, I've done plenty of that, but I've been doing other things - playing piano, going for walks and runs, and (GASP) cleaning and organizing, including some things I've been putting off for months.

But mostly, I've realized, it's not always about me. I'm a big believer in everything happens for a reason. So did I get what I wanted out this experience? Maybe not, but this trip wasn't about me. It was about experiencing a new culture, and making a difference in someone else's life. I think my priorities got a little skewed along the way, and when I look at it like that, I succeeded.

And even though I didn't connect with my team, I did connect with many local Paraguayan people, and we were able to communicate, despite my less-than-stellar Spanish skills.

I am proud of my work, and I can now say I have friends in Paraguay. Who could ask for more?

Climb Ev'ry Rut

2011-07-23T19:34:00.000-04:00

I've been in a rut.

I mean rut in every sense of the word. Personally, professionally, socially. For months now.

What does Bella in a rut look like?? It's not pretty. My place is a mess, projects get left undone, phone calls go unanswered, my anxiety gets high, and my motivation gets low. Basically I go to work, then go home, sit home alone, go to bed, and start the next day all over again. See? Rut.

But lately I've started, almost without specifically thinking about it, trying to climb out of my rut.

The first thing I did was sign up to go to Paraguay to build houses.

You heard me right, me: lazy, socially anxious, and with minimal home improvement skills. I mean, I had my windows replaced a month ago, and have yet to put up my new blinds! Now I am going with 16 strangers to build houses in a strange country?

But I am. And I'm excited. Terrified, but excited.

This came about quickly, as some of my decisions tend to. I actually love to travel, and had trip after trip lined up this summer, with each getting canceled or postponed (for one reason or the other) until I had no trips, and no one to travel with. So I said, "screw that" and signed up with Habitat for Humanity's Global Village Program. There were several trips that worked with my schedule.

Zambia was immediately dismissed when I saw they had bucket showers only. No thanks!

Fiji intrigued me, until I looked up flight prices. Ouch!

And India and China are places that I plan to visit someday, as a tourist. So I can wait to get there.

So that left Paraguay. I mean, who do you know who's ever been to Paraguay?? I can't think of anyone. I like going to different places that other people don't always get to see.

Of course, does signing up for this trip get immediately get me out of my rut? Nope. My doctor fear means I have yet to go to the clinic to see what I need to do before going, and I realize that this is incredibly stupid for several reasons, and will make it impossible to do what I should be doing ahead of time, like go on malaria meds or get the proper immunizations. But does it make a difference? Nope. I can't seem to bring myself to make the call. Rut.

So three weeks ago I made another decision. I started running. Now, I am not a runner. At all. I'm overweight, short, and hate all sports, even as a spectator.

But I've always been envious of runners. They always seem like it brings them such peace and happiness. When life gets crazy, they always have that comfort and stress-relief.

After about 10 of my friends starting running and I kept reading their posts on facebook about how they loved it, and watching some of them lose some weight, I decided to try my hand.

I started at a track doing a half mile. Three weeks later, I'm running a little over a mile straight on a beautiful path along the water. I even bought new running shoes!!

I'm not sure where this is going to take me, or how long I'll keep it up. All I know is that right now, I'm enjoying it. Yeah, it's hard and it sucks, but it's been worth it. I already feel accomplished and I just feel better about myself.

So, little by little, I'm climbing out of my rut. I think my upcoming trip will give me a new perspective on life and a new appreciation for what I have. And my new running skills will give me a new appreciation for myself, as well as self-confidence.

So while I'm not fully out of my rut, I'm climbing those walls little by little.

Tony Tony!

2009-06-07T21:39:00.002-04:00

I'm watching the Tony Awards now, and loving it! Check back later in the week for a running commentary (and perhaps some clips if I can find them).

But may I add, if Neil Patrick Harris doesn't sing, I will be very sad! :(

Solid Like Barack

2009-01-20T22:51:00.004-05:00

I should really be in bed right now, but I wanted to make sure that I got this done today, because it is a such a historic day.

Today was amazing for me. I am not a very political person, I fully admit it. But something about Barack Obama had me rooting for him from day 1. This is the first time that I actually voted for someone instead of against someone.

Yesterday I watched the concert for the inauguration celebration and spent most of the time in tears (yes, I cry very easily) because I was so moved by the concert and what people had to say.

I love that this election represents so much more than any other recent election. Watching this concert, it occurred to me that Obama really has become a symbol of unity. It's not just the African-American population, but everyone. From all walks of life. Somehow, his presidency has already become a symbol of unity and hope.

For the first time, I see people becoming passionate about the government and politics (myself included). So many people I know just didn't care before, and they do now. Even my students care, as much as they can. They studied him, they recognize him, they voted in our mock-election, and today they watched him make history. Some of them even paid attention!

It's going to be difficult to live up to everyone's expectations, but I somehow feel that he is up to the challenge.

Hail to the chief, indeed.

Resolved

2009-01-05T21:58:00.002-05:00

Every year around this time, everyone talks about New Years resolutions. I've never been much for resolutions. While I appreciate the sentiment, it's not really something I've ever been interested in doing. My philosophy is that if you want to change something about your life, change it. Don't wait for a new year. Start now. I admire those who make them and follow through, but it's not something I've ever done.

But today my yoga instructor said some great things (she usually does). She said to make tiny, small changes; not big, grand, lofty goals. Maybe spend one month on one tiny thing. When that's going well, add something else.

So this year? It's all about the tiny changes. For example: this week I am going to keep my kitchen clean for the whole week. That's it. That's my goal. No dishes left in the sink.

Also this week? I'm going to the gym tomorrow. That's my goal - to go to the gym tomorrow.

Next week? Who knows. I'll take it in baby steps.

Have a healthy and happy 2009.

Giving Thanks

2008-12-02T19:39:00.001-05:00

I'm generally a very reflective and introspective person. I've always got a lot going on inside my head, most of which I don't tend to share with other people.

(Hence, the anonymous blog.)

So naturally, I am always thinking about my life; what I've got and what I'm missing. Mostly what I've got, though. I try to stay positive.

But I don't always share these musings. So now, I present to you: The Second Annual List of Things to be Thankful for! It's only a little delayed from Thanksgiving.

First up, and most importantly, FAMILY.

Seriously, where would I be without these amazing people?? My two amazing nephews, and my beautiful niece. They are my everything, and I love them more than I can say. And I just have to point out that my niece called me by name this weekend! Two down, one to go!

But it's not just them, it's my siblings too. They are wonderful people who are always there for me. And I'm not just saying that because they actually read this blog (at least, I think they do!) My parents too, have been nothing but supportive and wonderful. I owe a lot to my upbringing by them.

Other things to be thankful for:

* the 2008 election - go Obama!
* my wonderful, amazing, one-of-a-kind class - the best class I've ever had, so I'm going to enjoy it!
* co-workers who keep me laughing day in and out (and students who keep me laughing as well)
* job security - in this market, it's nice to know that I will always have a job - and a good one at that!
* my health
* amazon.com, for being my main mode of holiday shopping this year and keeping me well clear of all malls
* Target, my other shopping haven (sadly, located in a mall, but at least I don't have to step foot in the rest of the mall to go there)
* reusable grocery bags - seriously, I've reduced my plastic usage by about 90% since I started using those, it's amazing!
* my new hot water pot, that allows me a mug of decaf green tea every morning (in my reusable mug, of course!)
* the hipness of being green - I love that people think it's cool to be environmentally friendly!
* books that hook me and enter me into another world
* this blog, which gives me a writing outlet, but also serves as an excellent procrastination tool for when I should be writing research papers *ahem*
* January 20th, when our new president takes office - oh wait, did I say that one already??
* my updated iPod touch, and the plethora of free apps available for my downloading pleasure - next up, iPhone!!
* technology, in general
* music that makes me happy - currently Ben Folds Five, Imogen Heap & Frou Frou, Feist, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Regina Spektor, and the Twilight soundtrack
* Radiohead, which gets its own category - I can't stop listening to it!

And the list goes on and on. And on and on, I'm sure, because I will writing this research paper for the next 10 days. So I will probably write tons more.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Off the Grid

2008-11-30T20:17:00.005-05:00

So, I've been a little off the grid for the past week. It's not unusual for me to cut myself off from the outside world for a day or two. I go to work, interact with people there, then go home and hole myself up in my safe little haven of my own condo. Sometimes I get phone calls, sometimes I refuse to answer.

It's just how I am. It's how I deal.

So, like I said, it's not unusual. For a day or two.

But recently I went off the grid for a whole WEEK! From Thursday to Thursday, there was no talking to me. Of course, I made my public appearances at work, and Thanksgiving and all of that, but the whole time I was just waiting until I could make my escape.

The reason?? Stephenie Meyers.

Oh yes, the author of the Twilight saga.

If you've been paying even the slightest bit of attention (or even if you haven't), you've heard of this phenomenon among teenage girls. It's now even a major motion picture! I had heard of the books, a lot of my friends had read them and loved them, so they were on my radar. Then the movie came out, and the books were everywhere! Out of curiosity, I picked up the first one, Twilight, at Target and bought it.

That night at 10:00, I figured I'd read for 30 minutes then go to bed.

30 minutes passed. Then an hour. Then two. Suddenly it was 1:00 in the morning, and I still didn't want to put the book down!!

Needless to say, I am obsessed. I have now read all four books, and have even started to read the whole series all over again. (And it's not just because the main character happens to share my pseudonym. I had it first!)

When I'm not reading, I'm thinking about them. Seriously. Those books get in your head.

So yes, I am embracing my inner 14 year old girl, and I suggest you do the same.

Oh, and if you've read the books already, then I suggest you check out this. You'll be glad you did.

Hope

2008-11-13T19:35:00.005-05:00

It's been awhile, but a long time ago I wrote about my student Mark, and his love of The Kitten. Well, The Kitten had a good long run (seriously, about 18 months!), and is currently on the back burner. I have the feeling it will make the occasional comeback, but will never be the main attraction. His new love?

Obama.

Seriously.

We studied the election all October, learned about Obama and McCain, talked about the president, etc. Well, Mark took a liking to Obama immediately. I don't know if it was something he got from home, or something he developed at school, but he walked around the room every day muttering to himself about Obama and the president, and who knows what else.

He had been asking for the picture for a long time, and I told him that if Obama won the election he could have a copy.

Lucky for Mark (and me!), the picture is now his.

But, in all seriousness, I am ecstatic. Besides being from Chicago, there was always something that I really liked about Obama. I'm not one to talk about politics, read about politics, etc,. but I have to say that I followed this whole election from the early stages.

Watching Obama win felt amazing to me; it's really the first time I've ever been really invested in a candidate. I always vote, but rarely feel passionate about a particular person.

The election this year gave me hope. Hope for a brighter future. This campaign was based on hope instead of fear.

I'm glad that Obama will take the Oval Office, and I'm glad that he is there to provide hope for ALL people.

Even for stunted, growly-voiced, autistic teenagers who carry around laminated pictures of kittens.

Dr. Procrastinator: Or How I Learned to Stop Wasting Time and Start Loving the Research Article

2008-10-13T20:17:00.004-04:00

Aaannnd it's time for more procrastination.

Let's make a list of all things that I did today instead of doing my research articles. (although, I did get two done. Yes, that's right, I said two. Of the ten.)

1. Played piano
2. Blogged
3. Did the dishes
4. Read Television without Pity
5. Watched two episodes of Deadwood
6. Cross-stitched
7. Played many games of Spider Solitare
8. Fixed all the artists and albums in my iTunes that were inconsistent (Across the Universe vs. Across The Universe. Trust me, it's been driving me nuts for awhile)
9. While fixing my iTunes, discovered that some of my album covers didn't fill the whole screen. My OCD also compelled me to fix this
10. Read some of my book (Eldest, I just bought the third book of the cycle and wanted to read the whole thing before getting to Brisingr)
11. Checked facebook a few times
12. Posted on Teacher Chat
13. Listened to lots of music

Oh gee, look at the time! Chuck is on TV! Let the procrastination continue!

Procrastination

2008-10-13T09:10:00.004-04:00

Procrastination makes it happen
Procrastination, working together (dig it)

That's my own take on a Sesame Street ditty from my childhood.

It's also the theme of the week.

I have this big, HUGE research paper looming over my head for grad school. It's going to take my entire semester and will be a big, stressful pain in the butt.

Now, in order to accomplish this, I have to actually do some research. (Yeah, imagine that, research!) More specifically, read and report on ten research articles related to my topic. That's due a week from Wednesday. I've had a three day weekend with no big plans (just a haunted house last night), and next weekend I am visiting my sister and the lovable twins.

So really, I should just suck it up and get most of it done this weekend, right? Right???

Wrong!

Every time I see the screen of the article review template staring at me, I immediately want to do something else, anything else. I swear, I would rather unpack my boxes that have been sitting there for 3 months that I haven't even considered unpacking. I would rather go to the gym. I would rather wash my dishes, do the laundry, sort my stash of beads into colors, just about ANYTHING other than write this paper.

It's my curse. I cannot focus on a task until I am down to the wire. It's like some kind of calendar-controlled ADD. When I am close to a due date, I have no problems focusing. I can sit and bang out a 10 page paper the day before it's due. But if I sit down three days before, it's suddenly time to file my nails.

So basically this blog just serves as another form of procrastination. Thanks guys, for being an enabler.

OK, I'm going to organize the cleaning supplies under my sink.

TV Junkie

2008-10-11T21:21:00.005-04:00

In addition to being a techno junkie, I am also a TV junkie.

Yes, my secret is out.

Actually, it's not really a secret for anyone who knows me, but I don't think people know the full extent of my couch-potato-tude. At least I hope they don't.

So anyway, here's my take on the new TV to grace our airwaves and the ridiculously long list of things I'm currently watching. Think of it as a List, but for TV instead.

Feel free to skim it, as it's an embarrassingly long list.

Mondays:
Chuck: Best. Show. On. TV. (you expected me to say "Ever." didn't you? Well, sorry, that title belong to Veronica Mars.) But seriously, Chuck is great. A hot nerd who fights bad guys and fixes computers? Sign me up! I missed it desperately after the strike, but Chuck is back and better (and hotter) than ever!
Gossip Girl: A little bit of a guilty pleasure (trust me, I have guiltier ones!), this show is entertaining and mindless and makes me happy to have had the childhood I had.
How I Met Your Mother: I'm not really a sitcom person (except for The Office), but this show is amazing. Sadly, my Mondays are so packed that my DVR can't handle it, so this is one that I watch online.
Heroes: Big shocker, but I love this show! Sure, it's had its down moments, but I expect to to bounce back soon. Plus, it has Kristen Bell, so what else do I need?
The Hills: Umm . . . what? How did that show get there? I don't watch such drivel, I swear!! (scoffs at the notion of watching such staged drama)

Tuesdays:
Fringe: Not sure about this one yet. I love me some J.J. Abrams, but I'm not in love with this one yet. I have serious issues with the lead female, Anna Torv. I'll give it a few more weeks, then we'll see if I drop it or keep it.
90201: I tuned it out of curiosity, but I am done now. Consider it dropped.
Privileged: I fully expected to watch one episode and dump it, but (sadly) I just might be hooked on this. I love the main character, (played by) Joanna Garcia, and think it has some potential.
Eli Stone: This show had an eh beginning, but really hit its stride later on in the season. I can't wait for the premiere on Tuesday and expect great things!

Wednesdays:
America's Next Top Model: Wait, what? Another sub-par show to make my list? Who's sneaking this stuff in here anyway??
Pushing Daisies: To be honest, I don't love this show. I feel like I should. Lee Pace, Kristin Chenowith, silliness, brilliant sets and cinematography, etc. Yet, every week I debate dumping it. And every week I tell myself, "try one more week." It may be close to the time when I give up. I should love it though, right?
Project Runway: This one I feel no shame about. It's a great show, and with very talented people. I'm rooting for Leanne next week!

Thursdays:
Smallville: I don't know why I'm hanging in for this show. It hasn't been good in years. But after watching five season on Netflix (gotta love Netflix!), I couldn't very well give up on seasons 6 and 7. My only consolation is that this is probably the last season. Plus, Tom Welling is hot and Chloe rocks.
Ugly Betty: This is another one I consider dropping, but it's not as likely as me dropping Pushing Daisies. Seriously, Marc and Amanda rule, and I would miss those two.
The Office: Amazing. Seriously, I have nothing else to say.

Fridays:
Crusoe: It hasn't premiered yet, and the lack of promotions and press is troublesome (translation: this show is not long for this world and it hasn't started yet), but I will be tuning in. I have a love of Sean Bean, and will be tuning in (almost) solely for him.
The Ex List: It's only been two episodes, and I'm not sure about this one yet. It may not be long for my DVR.

Sundays:
The Simpsons: One of my all-time favorites shows (I mean, it's been on for almost 20 years!!), this show always has a special place in my heart.
Entourage: This season is shaping out to be much better than last season, which is good. Just give Vince a job, already.

Other Shows:
Lost: It starts in January, but with only two seasons left, I'm dying to see how all the mysteries unfold.
Flight of the Conchords: Even if it just has one more season, it will be worth it. This show is hilarious. Hilarious.
My Boys: Another sitcom I actually watch. It just got a fourth season (yay) and starts in the spring/summer. I suspect that I love it for its blatant love of Chicago, where I grew up.
Dollhouse: Not sure when it starts, but all I need to know is this: Joss Whedon. 'Nuff said.
So You Think You Can Dance: This was a new addition this summer, but I absolutely love it! Plus, it's on when nothing else is on TV, so it makes it perfect. I was rooting for Joshua the whole time, I'm happy he won it!

So yeah, after reading this, it's not hard to imagine why I have absolutely no life. What can I say? I spend my entire day being perky and social and teacher-ish, and when I get home I just want to crash and veg and not think. Movies and TV are my escape.

So enjoy the fall TV. If you're so inclined, let me know what you are currently watching!

Grocery Madness

2008-09-30T19:00:00.002-04:00

Today I was shopping at the grocery store, and I got blatantly checked out.

The funny thing is, I didn't have work today (Happy New Year to the Jewish folk out there!), so I was totally lazy and unshowered, and perhaps wearing the same t-shirt that I wore last night at yoga (perhaps, said t-shirt had been on since said yoga . . . I plead the fifth). So my dirty, unshowered, hair piled-up-on-the-top-of-my-head-to-(poorly)-disguise-the-dirtiness-of-my-hair-do self got checked out.

There's no accounting for taste.

Recognition

2008-09-19T19:26:00.006-04:00

I know, two posts in one day. Try not to get too excited.

So, as mentioned before, my year is going great. Almost too good to be true. I know that this cannot possibly last. There is a student who may be moving from middle school to high school next year that all the teachers regard with a shudder. You know, that kid. I will have a spot open next year, so I've already resigned myself to the fact that I'm going to get him.

I was mentioning this fact to one of my teacher friends, one who has been there waayy longer than my five years.

She looked at me and said, "you know what? If he came to your room, you'd have no problems with him. You would get him under control in no time."

This comment meant a lot to me. It's funny, I've had a few other kids that I dreaded getting because of behavior problems, and they turned out to be some of my favorites and rarely causing any trouble.

It's nice to get recognized for my efforts.

Not that I'm in any hurry to change my dream of a classroom. Let's save that particular challenge for next year, okay?

Kickin' Back

2008-09-19T19:26:00.002-04:00

Last week I had some visitors to my classroom to take a look at one of my students. They provide services to my student with visual impairments. After observing Morning Meeting, a toileting crisis, and a frantic trip to the nurses office to treat a possibly infectious skin disease, I came to talk to them, exhausted and running out of steam. It was 10:00 in the morning.

One of the visitors looked at me and said (with great enthusiasm and utter sincerity), "don't you just love your job?"

And it's true, I really do.

My class this year is amazing. Amazing. Out of my six students, I had two graduates last year. One of them I was heartbroken to see go (but I'm taking him out to lunch on Sunday, can't wait!). That left room for two new ones to come in. And they are fantastic.

I can hardly believe my luck this year; great staff, amazing kids, and for the first time ever, no behavior problems.

It's almost too good to be true. So for now, I'm just going to kick back and enjoy the ride.

Where the Heart Is

2008-09-07T20:26:00.003-04:00

Home.

It's the little things in life that make me happy.

As I was driving on some back road to my new condo (it's been three months but it still feels like new), I passed a certain street and I all of the sudden I knew I was entering home.

It was the first time that I really thought of my neighborhood, the entire area, as home, and it made me smile.

It's the little things.

:-)

(Oh yeah, and I am no longer going to comment on when I post and how often and how long it's been. I'm just going to post when I feel like it.)

Back in Action

2008-05-27T20:53:00.004-04:00

I'm back!

It's been a really long time since I last wrote. Almost six months, actually. So much has happened.

The last six months have been the most exciting, scary, busy, stressful, draining, exhilarating, surprising six months I can remember.

A lot of stuff has happened.

This is the semester that I have been dreading for about a year and a half. I knew I was going to be taking two classes at once and looking for a condo all at the same time, along with the busiest, most frustrating time at work. And all with two graduates in my classroom, which adds a whole extra layer of stress and a whole lot more of my time.

So basically for the last six months I kind of dropped off the face of the earth. I didn't really get to see anyone that often, and when I did I was stressed and grumpy.

But I have partially emerged from my cave (partially, I'm not entirely done yet) and feel like a new person, with a new condo.

That's right, I have a condo.

I own my own condo.

Crazy, huh?

It's wonderful. Not the best or fanciest condo, but it's all mine. It has two bedrooms, washer and dryer, front porch, big kitchen, three blocks from the water. And it's MINE. No roommate, no one else's mess, just mine. I can't wait.

I don't live there yet, I've been spending a while fixing it up. And slowly but surely, it's been changing from a dirty, creepy old-lady condo to my very own fresher, younger, slightly cooler condo.

GONE is the seagull wallpaper and seashell shower curtain!

GONE is the quilted star wallpaper!

GONE are the bland, boring walls!

GONE is the Jesus night light (she seriously left it for me because she thought I might want it!)

GONE is the entirely blue bedroom!

And soon, the ugly blue carpet will be GONE as well!

Also, the ancient, possessed fridge? Not long for this world!

So I have been doing a lot of painting and home improvements and will hopefully be moving in the next few weeks. Now that the craziness is almost past, hopefully I'll be able to write more.

There's still a lot I want to say, so check back throughout the summer and I'll have some more postings.

In the meantime, it feels great to be back! :)

Quadruple Feature: Day 2

2007-12-30T23:15:00.000-05:00

So today I finished my movie-thon with The Kite Runner and Atonement. It was a bit heavy for a Sunday afternoon, but I am a champion movie-viewer and managed it with ease!

The Kite Runner was very good. Not great, but very good. I was really impressed with the children of the film and felt they gave a very strong performance. Marc Forster handled the kite scenes exceptionally well and really managed to capture the excitement. I thought Amir's father, played by Homayoun Ershadi was very convincing. Some critics had problems with the older Amir, and how he was kind of wimpy. Well, that was his whole character, he is a wimpy guy. That is kind of what the whole movie is about. Even when trying to stand up for something, he still, in a way, wimps out and gets the crap kicked out of him. But it's very genuinely and likeably played by Khalid Abdalla. It wasn't as good of the book, of course, but was a good little film.

Atonement was a beautiful movie. Joe Wright directed this, who I totally forgot until this morning, directed 2005's Pride and Prejudice. That movie is one of my absolute favorites, and perfect from opening shot to right before the end. Yes, I do hate the ending and how they don't kiss in the big dramatic ending. I'm all for surprising the audience and leaving them hanging, but that was a little ridiculous. The score is one of my favorites as well.

So, realizing that this morning, I had somewhat higher expectations than previously. The movie was equally as beautiful and haunting as P&P. Keira Knightly and James McAvoy (who I've been keeping my eye on for a few years) are brilliant together. I absolutely love the locations and cinematography.

All in all, my favorite movie of the last two days was Juno. It was just so different and unique, and I loved it. I admit, I downloaded Anyone Else But You from the soundtrack, as sung by Michael Cera and Ellen Page. What a great ending, and what a perfect song. I've had it in my head all day. My favorite line is "and I'm in love with how you feel."

Quadruple Feature

2007-12-29T23:34:00.000-05:00

'Tis the season to watch movies!

I'm seriously catching up on some movies right now. I went to see Sweeney Todd opening night, and it was fantastic! Tim Burton really did the musical justice and I loved. I did not, however, love Helena Bonham Carter's singing, but congrats to her and Timmy for having a new baby!

I loved that Sondheim was really involved in the movie and supported it the whole way through. I really do love Stephen Sondheim, he is my absolute favorite musical composer. I really do think that it is very unique and unlike any other musical movie done.

Today I pulled a double feature, as I do from time to time. It's not like the movie theater companies need that extra $7 (matinée price, that is). I saw two very different movies, Juno and National Treasure 2. I've had Juno on my List for a while, ever since the trailer premiered on apple over the summer. I was psyched when it started to get so much press, and now all the Golden Globe nods. It was definitely well-written, wonderfully acted, and beautifully shot. The performances were flawless. It was good to see Michael Cera and Jason Bateman sharing a big screen together, even if the didn't really have any scenes together. Ellen Page is really going to blow up, and rightly so.

National Treasure was good fun. I like that kind of stuff, treasure hunts, clues, spies, thieves, etc. It's not going to win any awards, sure, but it's fun to watch, especially on the big screen.

Tomorrow I am going to try to catch another one. I going to see The Kite Runner and Atonement. I am excited for both. I think Marc Forster is a really talented director, and I love the last few movies he's done. I own both Finding Neverland and Stranger Than Fiction. He's definitely heading to the list of favorite directors. Tomorrow may seal the deal. I'm a little bummed the movie isn't getting that much publicity. At first I thought that maybe it was a bad movie, but it's getting decent reviews. Not great, but decent.

Atonement looks excellent. I'm intrigued by the trailers, and really want to find out what happens. It was on the The List anyway, but with all the Golden Globe nods, it became a must-see.

And for those who are wondering, picking a double feature is (for me) a delicate process. It starts with me wanting to see two or more movies. They can only be so-so, because I'm only paying for one, but one has to be one I really want to see. I am a little OCD (sometimes more than a little, I admit), so I turn this into a whole big process.

First, I look at theaters to see where the movies I want are playing. If there are a few that seem likely, I begin by writing all the start times and approximate end times. I do this for each movie I want to see. Once that's done, I compare end times to start times and decide if there is any window that works for me. 15 to 20 minutes is ideal, enough for a bathroom break. I just sit all the way through the credits, go to the bathroom, and then head to the next theater.

If one theater doesn't work, I might try another and go through the whole process again.

Some theaters are immediately discounted for layout purposes, you might have to go through a new entrance and get a new ticket ripped. That doesn't work out too well. I may run into that problem tomorrow, but the other side of the theater only has two screens, so chances are that I will be fine.

I know, I know, I am crazy and over-think things too much. But honestly, it gives me joy to go through the process.

Wish me luck tomorrow!

How Alex and bean sprouts saved Christmas

2007-12-29T22:55:00.000-05:00

This is a (lengthy) story about how a grocery store clerk named Alex and some bean sprouts saved Christmas! Or, rather, he saved a dinner that my sister and I made around Christmastime.

OK, so he didn't save it at all. But he did improve it slightly.

I spent the week at my sister Betsy's house (apologies for the pseudonyms, sibs, I'm not terribly original and I don't want to use real names) for Christmas. She's the one with the adorable twins. My other sister Maggie came from out of state to visit, and I also got to spend some time with my brother, sister-in-law, and equally adorable nephew.

My parents? Decided to spend Christmas across the country. Literally, almost about as far away as you can get. But that's a whole other story . . .

Anyway, so since my Betsy was putting us up and making an amazing Christmas meal (all with 7 month old twins!), Maggie and I decided to make dinner for her and her husband. Now, neither Maggie nor I are any good at cooking. I make exactly three meals that I will allow other people to consume other than myself. So I pulled out one of them (Thai lettuce wraps - delicious) and Maggie and I went to the grocery store to do some shopping.

It was a few days before Christmas, so the grocery store was naturally quite crowded. Now, Maggie and I are totally out of our element, and in an unfamiliar grocery store at that. At my normal grocery store, I know where every item is, and I can proceed in a methodical fashion. I generally start with produce, and work my way over, missing no necessary aisle and rarely backtracking. The whole process, from cart-grabbing to checking out usually takes about 10-20 minutes.

This was nothing like that.

We spend about a good 20 minutes in produce alone, wandering around, searching carefully (and blindly missing what was before our very eyes) and haphazardly crossing things off the list. We spent a good 10 minutes looking for ginger root. We also could not find the bean sprouts.

Maggie pulled aside an Oh-So-Friendly Sales Clerk who, as it turns out, works in the deli, not produce. He very nicely showed us to the ginger, but did not know where to find the bean sprouts. So we searched a little longer, and had just about given up, when this Oh-So-Friendly Sales Clerk (also known as Alex) found us again, and showed us where the bean sprouts SHOULD be located. Alas, they were not there, so we resigned ourselves to a bean-sprout-less meal.

I think that may be the first time I have ever used the term bean-sprout-less. I'm not certain if I'm feeling the hyphens though. Bean sprout-less? Bean sproutless? Beansproutless? Um, yeah, I think I'll stick with my original plan. Bean-sprout-less it is.

But I digress . . . anyway, we made our way through the aisles erratically, jumping around (even returning to produce on more than one occasion). I believe we were at the baking aisle, when our good friend Alex came to find us! He found the bean sprouts! Right this way! We returned to produce (and not for the last time) and he told us how he had gone into the back to get them, then wandered through the store to find us! Hurray! Christmas was saved!!

Well, not really, but we were still really happy. Or, I was. Maggie was a little hesitant to eat bean sprouts, but I didn't hear any complaints when they turned out delicious!

This story is getting a little lengthy. Indulge me.

So, we checked out, with Maggie cracking hilarious jokes about the diapers we were buying and my nighttime incontinence (the saleswoman didn't find it funny either, don't worry) and I decided to share a little of the Christmas spirit with my good friend Alex.

So we approached customer service, and I told a manager about how nice Alex was and how he went out of his way to help my sister and me. I figure that would be the end of it. Oh no, it wasn't! The manager asked me to hang on, please. He got on the phone and over the PA system to announce that Alex from deli had just gotten a compliment from a customer. He then went on to say how they should all strive to provide this level of customer service. By now I am bright red and people are staring at me. But OH NO, he continues! He then goes, and thank you, MA'AM, for coming up to us and letting us know. Happy holidays!

OK, really, ma'am? I'm 26 and look like I'm 18. No really, I get asked what school I go to. My reply is usually "I teach school, and I'm getting my master's degree." It's not a sore subject, I swear. We're not in the South, you can call me Miss or something.

Well, anyway, I hope my friend Alex got a bonus or something. And I hope all of you found your bean sprouts this holiday season!

Oh yeah, and the dinner? Thai lettuce wraps? They were a huge success. I owe it all to the bean sprouts.

Odds and Ends

2007-12-18T21:17:00.000-05:00

I haven't written much lately because, quite frankly, I don't have much to say.

But I found out two exciting things today, so I'll quickly share them and get back to work.

Peter Jackson will be doing The Hobbit in two installations. He and New Line finally worked out a deal. They even settled the law suit! From what I hear, the first one is a 2010 release, which will be The Hobbit story, and the second one will come out in 2011 and will be based on Tolkien's appendices, notes, and other things. It should be interesting. I'm too lazy to post a link, but it's pretty easily found online.

The Dark Knight trailer came out, and looks fantastic. Check that out here.

Also, Sweeney Todd comes out Friday. With four Golden Globe nominations, I think it'll be a hit. The only issue is that the snob in me is a little upset that Sweeney Todd will be such a household name. There goes my elitist musical appreciation and love of Sondheim. (Yeah, I know, I'm being ridiculous).

I don't even know if this post makes sense, because I am tired and stressed and over-worked right now. Eh, I'm publishing anyway.

So yay for Jackson, Batman, and Sondheim. Go see Sweeney Todd!!

December Movies

2007-12-04T20:16:00.000-05:00

Holiday movie season is full throttle!!!

To recap November, I did pretty well for myself. I purchased Gilmore Girls season 7 and Hairspray (I passed on Waitress, but will buy it eventually). I saw August Rush in the theaters and generally really liked it, although I acknowledge the unbelievability and it's teetering on the edge of cloying sweetness.

I wholeheartedly look forward to this December and all the movie goodies it brings! (quickly searches on various movie data-bases to recheck facts and avoid false premiere dates . . . not that I've ever done that . . . )

December 2 - Tin Man (3-part mini-series on Sci-Fi; wow that's a lot of hyphens!!) - I watched part 1 on Sunday, and while it was interesting and intriguing, I am not 100% hooked. I like the premise and I love the look of it, but some of the "effects" and fight sequences were a little hokey, and the dialogue was less than stellar. I'll watch the next two parts, as all the good TV is going off the air shortly . . . stupid ANTPT!!

December 4 - Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End - I liked this much better than the second one, but I think I am going to wait until the price goes down (I know, all this "waiting" is unlike me, I normally buy DVDs compulsively, but I am trying to be more frugal as I am trying to save to buy a condo in the spring . . . more about that later).

December 5 - Juno - I really hope I get to see this before it leaves the theaters, it looks amazing. I love Ellen Paige's dry delivery style in the previews and Michael Cera can do no wrong (especially 'cause he was on an episode of Veronica Mars!).

December 7 - The Golden Compass - At last!!! I am going on Friday and I can't wait! Even as the lukewarm reviews trickle in, I refuse to let them hinder my excitement. BUT, if I hear one more person try to dissuade me from going because Philip Pullman is an atheist and in the movie two kids kill God, I swear I cannot be held accountable for my actions. To set the record straight, yes, the books may be somewhat atheistic in nature, but who cares? I get emails telling me to boycott the movie, and that makes me angry. God forbid anyone publish a view different than your own. Oh yeah, and nobody kills God. Read the books and find out for yourself instead of passing around small-minded emails. Oh, and as a side-note, how does an atheist kill God anyway? I thought God didn't exist?

Forgive my little rant . . . it's just something that keeps coming up and making me angry. Back to our regularly scheduled program . . .

December 7 - Atonement - It could be good, or spectacularly bad. I would try to see this in the theaters, but realistically I don't think I will be able to make it, since there are SO many good movies coming out.

December 11 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix DVD - Can't wait! This will be a day-of purchase!

December 11 - The Bourne Supremacy DVD - Again, I will probably show great restraint and not purchase this one . . . although seeing it next to Harry Potter will be tough . . . I just have to think of my condo . . .

December 14 - The Kite Runner - It keeps getting pushed back, and now it's only a limited release, with no nationwide release planned yet? That's a little troublesome. But, currently, Marc Forster is on my list (a good list, I really like him as a director). I've recently come to be interested in specific directors, and he is definitely one to pay attention to, I think.

December 18 - The Simpsons Movie DVD - Oh hell yeah, that's a keeper!

December 18 - Stardust DVD - Yup, there will be no restraint on this day, condo be damned!

December 21 - SWEENEY TODD!! - It gets all caps and exclamation points. I'm that excited. Opening night, here I come!! And this made me even more excited.

December 21 - National Secrets: Book of Treasures - My coworker can't wait to see this, I might wait until January, possibly even for DVD. I'm gonna miss me some Sean Bean.

Happy movie watching!

Thankful

2007-11-25T18:11:00.000-05:00

I have a lot to be thankful for, so here's a quick list before I jet off to see August Rush (can't wait!):

- my family (more specifically, my siblings, parents, niece, and nephews)
- the fact that I don't have twins - after spending four days with them, I am wiped! Yet somehow, my sister raises them beautifully and without complaint
- my job
- my students
- my two paraprofessionals (assistants), who are amazing people and great paras
- Boston Market (seriously, I go there once a week!)
- Netflix - it seriously rocks

I'm sure I'll add some more later, there is so much to be thankful for in this life. I hope everyone had a healthy and happy Thanksgiving!

Fool-Proof Cooking

2007-11-16T21:25:00.000-05:00

The following is a recipe for turkey, dictated to me by one of my students. This is exactly how he described how to cook a turkey.

Needless to say, I typed it up and had him give it to several teachers he knows as a Thanksgiving treat. I also sent a copy home with his mother, and asked her to save me a seat at their Thanksgiving table. This was just to good to pass up.

(comments in italics are added by me)

So enjoy Turkey a la Rickie!

How to Make a Turkey:
A Thanksgiving Recipe

1. Bring water to a boil in a pie pot. Not just any pot, a pie pot. So head out to your favorite cookware store, and be sure to specify a pie pot. (Don't mind the confused stares, they just don't know what they're talking about.)

2. Add salt to the water. Now most people add salt before the water boils, but in this recipe, add it after the boil. It may make the difference between a poor turkey and a great turkey!

3. Boil the turkey for 2 minutes. Forget this 4 hours crap, now you can do it in only two minutes!!

4. Poke the turkey at 9:00. Perhaps the most crucial step, this must be done at exactly 9:00. Don't mess this one up!

5. Add the stuffing. Mix the stuffing around with apples. In this special recipe, you can stuff the turkey after it's cooked!

6. When the smoke detector goes off, the turkey is ready! No more thermometers, sticking it with forks, or anything! Just walk away, and the smoke detector will tell you it's ready! It couldn't be easier!

Enjoy this delicious recipe! Happy Thanksgiving!

November Movies

2007-11-10T14:46:00.001-05:00

The Hollywood Holiday movie season has officially begun. This is the time of the year when they start to release the big movies for the holiday season. This is also around the time when the summer blockbusters come out on DVD. As a result, Bella becomes just a little bit poorer. Although, now that I do some fact-checking before releasing The List to the public, I see now that many movies have been pushed back, including The Kite Runner (love Marc Forster, can't wait for this one) and Charlie Bartlett (all the way back to February, no less). So perhaps I won't be quite as poor as I originally thought. Although the DVD list is still a little disheartening.

November 13 - Gilmore Girls Season 7 DVD - This is the final DVD in the collection. It makes me sad that the show ended the way they did, with the producers getting screwed over and leaving. Season 7 started a little shaky, but ended on a high note and went out with a bang. I miss this show, even though I think it's time had come. I will relive the glory through all seven season, which I will own soon!

November 13 - Ocean's 13 DVD - I may wait to purchase this until the price goes down, but it is still worth a note. It was much better than the mush of Ocean's 12.

November 20 - Hairspray DVD - I loved this movie! As a huge musical afficianado, I either love or hate the movie versions. This one was almost perfect. I've been waiting for the DVD for months, so I'm pretty psyched.

November 21 - August Rush - This is a movie that kept getting pushed back, and I'm thrilled that it is finally coming. I'm a sucker for movies all about the power of music (Mr. Holland's Opus being the supreme example) and the cast is phenomenal. This is a must-see for me.

November 21 - Enchanted - I may or may not see this in the theaters, depends on if anyone wants to go with me. It's definitely a cool concept.

November 27 - Waitress DVD - I loved this movie. Nathan Fillion is my hero, even if he plays a nerdy doctor here. Keri Russell is beautiful and charming in this. It's not for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. It's Keri's big month, with the Waitress DVD and August Rush all coming out. Good for her.

I did pretty well for myself in October. I saw Dan in Real Life and Across the Universe in the theaters, as well as Nightmare Before Christmas in 3-D. I also purchased the final season of Veronica Mars and cried as I watched potentially the last new Veronica Mars material ever to be written in the season 4 pitch. I haven't bought Spider-Man 3 yet, but that will come.

Hopefully now I've broken my writing drought and will have time to write more frequently.

I wanted to write

2007-11-06T21:01:00.000-05:00

There have been so many things I’ve wanted to write, so many things I’ve wanted to share. I saw a lot of good movies, read a LOT of books, and wanted to share so much.

But there’s never enough time. I plan things in my head, what will I write in my blog? I’ll start it like this, with this sentence. I’ll conclude with this. I’ll add this funny anecdote.

But there’s never enough time.

And now here I am, staring at a blank screen, with nothing to say.

I wanted to write about books, how I have been a reading spree. I can’t even keep them updated in my side list. I read all His Dark Materials (yay Golden Compass!) again, a whole bunch of Lemony Snicket (I’m at The End), and a bunch of other good things.

I wanted to write about friends, how I feel like I have made a few new ones this year, and I feel like I’m in a good place right now.

I wanted to write about movies, and how Dan in Real Life is my new Little Miss Sunshine.

I wanted to write about T.V., and how much I love Chuck and miss Veronica. And how Joss Whedon has a NEW SHOW coming out (whoo hoo!). And about this crazy strike that's happening.

But most especially, I wanted to write about my family. It's been on my mind a lot lately. I even started several drafts.

I started to write about what my family means to me. I started to write about my brother’s gig, and how proud I am of him. I started to write about my niece and nephews and how they are getting so big and old and getting to be real people. I started to write about my siblings, and how they doing all these amazing things; running marathons, raising kids. But it all sounded so fake and phony, and didn’t express the wonderfulness of my family, and how proud I am to be one of them.

I wanted to write so much.

So this is what I came up with.

Maybe next time I won't wait so long to write.

Golden Promises

2007-10-13T03:31:00.000-04:00

It's very late here, but IGN has a three minute trailer for the Golden Compass that just came out.

Let me just say, thank goodness that some fantasy books made into movies actually look decent!

I'm in the midst of rereading The Golden Compass- what a great book.

Anyway, check out the trailer, it looks fantastic!!

Techno Junkie (Part Deaux)

2007-10-07T18:53:00.000-04:00

Yeah, my technology obsession continues today . . .

In the last two weeks I have purchased a new cell phone and a new iPod.

But it's not just any iPod, it's an iPod touch! It is so amazingly cool, it's sick. If you've seen the iPhone, it's pretty much the same thing. And before anyone says, "well why didn't you just get the phone instead?" let me say that I didn't want to switch services or pay for the internet and all that extra stuff. Plus, who wants to consolidate electronic gadgets when you can have more?? I like my extensive collection of chargers, so complex that I have to label them just to keep them straight, thank you very much!

So my new iPod has wireless internet. I don't pay for internet, it just picks it up when it can! It's so hot. I was at class last week (grad school) and while waiting the teacher to come, I was browsing on Television Without Pity (best. site. ever.) and listening to a relaxing playlist. Yeah, it's that cool. I have three complaints, two of which will probably be resolved in a few weeks.
1. There's no hard case for it yet. I had to buy these weird colored socks to protect it. But I want something hard, and something I can clip to my belt for when I walk around.
2. There are no games. I loved the solitare on the old iPod, even the ghetto black and white version I had.
3. The battery life seems frighteningly short. I guess I've been mostly playing on the internet (cause I can!) and watching movies (cause I can!), and that wastes more battery power. I'm a little nervous about traveling with it though. (this is the one that I just have to deal with. Oh well.)

Anyway, I am ridiculously excited about my new gadget.

But even more recently, I got a new phone. I did not intend for this to happen. I knew I was due for a new phone soon (in November, I figured). But I was at the mall (ugh) recently to go out to dinner with a friend (ugh to mall, cause I hate malls, not to my friend) and the Verizon store happens to be right by the mall exit. Now, the store also just so happened to be completely empty. How often does that happen? And being the courteous gal that I am, I would never want to bother any of those nice Verizon sales people with such a dumb question when they were busy. But a store that's totally empty?

Well, not exactly empty. There were four (yes, four) sales people, looking extremely bored. And because I am such a nice gal, I thought I should give them something to do. To relieve their boredom, of course.*

So I mosied on in, and noted the expressions of relief of the salespeople to see someone to actually wait upon* and asked them, oh so nicely, when my contract was up. You see, this way I could know the exact day I could purchase a new cell phone. I was told the date (early January) and then clarified (since he was sitting there, so bored and all*) that I could get a new phone on that date in November.

The sales person, so eager for a customer*, then said NO, in fact I could get a phone that very day if I cared to.

What?!? But I thought Verizon allowed you to upgrade your phone two months before the end of your two-year contract. "This policy has changed," the oh-so-eager* salesman told me. "We now allow it up to four months ahead of time. You were eligible for an upgrade in September."

Well, I was just appalled. One month late? I am usually right on top of this stuff! I got my iPod touch on the very day it came out!

Then the four salespeople were eagerly attempting to show me all of the new phones, to stave off their boredom* but I just browsed a little and went home to do some research. Everyone was all psyched on the RAZR when it came out, and it turned out to be a piece of crap after a couple of months. I don't want that to happen to me!

So the very next day (not an exaggeration!) I went back to the (slightly more busy) Verizon store and purchased a bright orange enV. So far, I love it!

I love the keypad, and how it flips open. The actual phone part (the front) has an automatic key lock that kicks in after 7 seconds (but you can change that) so it won't press buttons in your pocket. The keyboard is awesome, and great for people who love to text (me) or email (not me, too expensive for a phone!) The camera has 2.0 megapixels, much better than the 1.4 on my old phone. Perfect for taking pictures of my adorable niece and nephews and showing them to everyone, as I tend to do. You can even open and close the camera lens, so it doesn't get scratched! Oh, and did I mention that it's orange? How cool is that?

But best of all, the reception is 10x better than my last three phones. I used to have the old-school Star-Tac (my first one!) and had no problem with reception in my apartment. The last three phones have had awful reception in my place. I had to stand by the window for every conversation. I hate standing still when I talk on the phone. I like to be doing something, like driving or pacing or doing random things.

But today I was talking to my mom, and I could wander around the apartment! It was great! I watered the plants, washed some dishes, and paced to my heart's content!

Yay for technology!

*parts of this story may be slightly exaggerated

October Movies

2007-10-07T18:21:00.000-04:00

I didn't really get around to any of my September movies, but I decided to save Jane Austen's Book Club for Netflix. Lust, Caution isn't playing anywhere near me at this time. I don't know if it ever will, considering its NC-17 rating. I'll keep holding out though! I plan to see Across the Universe today. I love the Beatles (even went to Liverpool to see where they got their start!) so that should be fun.

But here is my list of movies for October. It's slightly more promising than September was. But of course, the real thrills start in November for the holiday rush.

October 5 - The Seeker: The Dark is Rising - I keep going back and forth on this one. On the one hand, it's Susan Cooper, how could I skip it? On the other hand, it in no way resembles Susan Cooper, so why should I bother? The dilemma rages. I'll let you know when I decide.

October 13 - Legally Blond the Musical - This is not really a movie, per se, but I'm placing it in here anyway. MTV is showing the musical Legally Blond on TV. Such a thing is rarely done! But since I am a Broadway whore, sign me up! My DVR is all ready to go! I have not seen this on Broadway and probably won't . . . UNLESS the rumors are true and the lovely Kristen Bell will take the place of Laura Bell Bundy as Elle Woods. In which case, I will be there!

October 19 - August Rush - I am fairly excited for this. I am a sucker for emotional family dramas, and a sucker for movies about the power of music and people who are passionate about it. I'll be there in the theater, without a doubt.

October 19 - Reservation Road - This is one of those that I look at and go, huh? I must have put it on there for a reason, but I definitely have to go back and check it out . . . (surreptitiously clicks over to apple movie trailers). Hmm . . . without even watching the trailer I see that it's Focus Features (my fave), and stars Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Ruffalo. Good enough for me! But this does look like an interesting movie. Oh yeah, and the trailer includes a Damien Rice song. Yeah, that's a keeper!

October 23 - VERONICA MARS SEASON 3 DVD! - If you've read any of this blog, then you'll know my obsession with this show, and all things Veronica Mars. Especially Kristen Bell. Just watch it.

October 30 - Spider-Man 3 DVD - I didn't love this movie, not gonna lie, but my OCD compels me to buy it to complete the trilogy. Yeah, I know, I have issues. You don't even wanna know . . .

Anyway, I have more to say, so this will probably be a multi-post day. But I'll leave you with these fun pictures from Liverpool, home of The Beatles. I was really there. That's Strawberry Field at the bottom, in case you can't read the writing.

No Place Like London

2007-10-04T18:45:00.000-04:00

The Sweeney Todd trailer is out!!

When I say I have been obsessively checking for this trailer, I don't think you can really know to what extent I have been checking. I looked . . . oh, about twice a day, every day, for the last three weeks. Before that it was a couple times a week.

Anyway, I am very excited about this movie because it combines some of my absolute favorite things into one film. It has Stephen Sondheim, Tim Burton, Alan Rickman, and Johnny Depp. Throw some Kristen Bell into the mix, and we'd have ourselves a REAL winner.

I'm still withholding judgment on the singing. Rumor has it they cut Green Finch and Linnet Bird and Ah, Miss (my two faves), so we'll have to see about that.

Anyway, check it out!

Fall Premieres

2007-09-22T19:21:00.000-04:00

The time has come, folks! Fall premiere time! I have a slew of new shows that I will be watching, unfortunately. One would think, at 26, I would have better things to do with my time. Sadly, the answer is that I do not.

Truly.

So anyway, here are my picks for fall TV (in premiere order).

Gossip Girl – I may or may not have watched this show, but the fact that the lovely Kristen Bell (formerly of Veronica Mars fame) does the voice-overs made it a must-see. The pilot was promising, but I have the feeling that, like all guilty pleasures, the novelty will fade and plotlines will stale. The same happened to me with Grey’s Anatomy and The O.C.

Heroes – If you haven’t heard of this show, crawl out from under your rock. There’s a reason everyone’s talking about it. Bring on season 2!

Chuck – I literally changed my mind about this show today, when I found out that one of the main writers from Veronica Mars, Phil Klemmer, is writing for this. It looks promising, but that was the final reason to switch over to Team Chuck.

Reaper – The commercials don’t look great, but everyone is saying this show is great. I’ll bite. They have me curious.

The Office – Season 3, whoo hoo!

Smallville – I am in the midst of the season 6 DVD, but I’ll tape the episodes (since my DVR will be very busy on Thursday!) and go back and watch season 7 once I’m caught up.

Ugly Betty – This is a great little gem of a show. I love that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. And congrats to America Ferrera for her Emmy!

My Name is Earl – The last of the Thursday conundrum, it just proves my love for Jason Lee every week.

Aliens in America – I’m not really a sitcom person, but I’ll give this one a shot.

Pushing Daisies – My number one pick of the new shows, I think it’ll be the new Heroes! Plus I love Lee Pace, Kristin Chenoweth, and Ellen Green!

Scrubs – I got me some Guy Love!

In case you haven’t noticed, the one show I will be missing terribly is Veronica Mars. Please, please, go watch it. Rent it, buy it, download it, whatever, just watch this wonderful show. Season 3 comes out October 23!

Success!

2007-09-19T22:28:00.000-04:00

Today was the type of day that makes me love what I do.

I have one student, Rickie, who has a history of behavior problems. Pretty severe problems. He's broken people's bones, smashed TVs and computers, and wreaked all sorts of havoc. This was all years and years ago, but he still has his moments. I've had him in my classroom for over three years, and he is exiting my school this year.

One of the things I've been working on for the last three years is to deal with his frustration and difficulties in a healthier way, and I've been teaching him strategies to calm himself when he feels like he is out of control. I've been trying to get him to tell me when he is upset by using his words, and asking for a walk and a drink of water. Those are all things that really work, but we have always had to initiate them, he won't do it himself.

So this morning, he was asking to talk to me. I actually couldn't talk at that moment, so I brushed him off twice, but did finally come over to him. He looked at me so seriously and said, "Bella Mundi (he calls me by first and last name), I need to take a walk." I could tell right away that he was doing something extraordinary, so I let him go. When he got back, I took him aside and we had a chat. Turns out he was upset over something that happened on the bus, and he initiated a walk and a talk with me to calm himself down!! YES! Three years of work, and he FINALLY did it!

I felt like a million bucks, and told him how proud and happy I was. He grinned at me, his bad mood suddenly gone, and said, "Nini will be proud?"

"Yes, Nini will be so proud."

Nini is his dead grandmother. He still talks about her.

Of course I called his mother today, and left her a message about how proud I am of him and his progress.

But that wasn't the only good thing. My student Caleb has been having a very hard time participating in any group activities. He sits on the floor and won't budge. This has been going on since about April. My staff and I have been trying and trying to find ways to get him motivated. Finally, I think we hit on a series of things that are improving the participation trend.

And today, he did every single activity on the schedule! I can't even tell you the last time that happened! So his mother also got a phone call today, and she was thrilled.

We also completed a never-before done reading comprehension activity that they did very well on, tried to do some relaxation (also new), and had a very successful outing to the bowling alley. Every ball ended up in the lane, and the kids were moving faster than usual and recognizing when it was their turn.

All in all, a pretty damn good day.

Traveling

2007-09-10T22:08:00.000-04:00

I posted last month about The List and how I added The Time Traveler's Wife to my list of movies.

Well after seeing that it was going to be made into a movie, I wanted to read it again. I read books over and over (and sometimes even over and over), but this was one I had only read once. It still made it to my list of favorite books, though.

So I reread the book in a weekend and was just as blown away as the very first time.

The story, by Audrey Niffenegger, revolves around Henry and Clare, a couple. Henry, for no explicable reason, travels through time. He could be sitting down, drinking a cup of coffee, crossing the street, working, and all the sudden disappears and wakes up in a new time, totally naked, with no idea where or when he is.

The only thing that remains constant in his crazy, mixed-up life, is his wife Clare. As he's married to her, her often time-travels into a younger Clare's backyard, and gets to know the girl he will eventually marry.

With a plot like that, you would think the story would be convoluted and confusing. It definitely gets intertwined, but is never confusing. It is clearly dated, and even tells the character's ages to help keep the facts straight. I laugh when I see headings such as, Henry is 33 and 7, because Henry also visits his younger self, acts as a mentor to the younger Henry, teaching him about how to survive in such a crazy life.

But the story, really belongs to Clare, the girl who can never follow. It's about waiting for him, worrying about him, making sense of their life together, and loving him.

The story is really well-written, with engaging characters and a plot that never grows dull. It moves between the two characters, and switches between the vantage points. It is interesting, because Niffenegger will write one scene twice - with Clare's perspective when she was a little girl, and again when Henry is older and time-travels to that moment.

I read this entire 500+ page book in one weekend. Of course, I was doing quite a bit of traveling myself then (the regular kind, fortunately) and had some free time, but it is still gripping.

Now, if only the movie will measure up. I'm withholding judgment until I learn more about it . . .

Truly a Mystery

2007-09-10T21:51:00.000-04:00

It's such a cliche, but the lunches at my school are truly awful.

Truly.

It's gotten so that one of my students Rickie (who is very intuitive, surprisingly) recognizes that certain meals should not be served, and avoids them merely because we cringe each time they pop up on the menu. He even repeats some of our phrases, which is very amusing to me. He'll say things like, "looks like a cereal day" or my personal favorite, "nutrition no-no."

Some examples:
mozzarella sticks as a meal - not only that, but it's served for both breakfast and lunch - who does that?
"beef nuggets" - aka, leftover hamburgers punched into a new shape and re-served with dipping sauce
bacon, egg, and cheese pizza (what?!?!)
an "omelet" - microwaved egg with a slab of cheese thrown on top
bagel pizza - just cause it's on a bagel doesn't mean it's breakfast!
chicken rings - okay, chicken should not be in a ring - that is just plain unnatural
and many others that are really just too disturbing to think about prior to bed.

So the meal choices are a point of mocking with myself and my two paraprofessionals (teacher aides) and we go through the lunch menu at morning meeting to see what is being served. It is often accompanied by sarcastic remarks. Occasionally we have even decided to forgo lunch entirely and will order pizza instead of forcing our students to eat the truly horrendous things they serve at my school. And there's the very common, "I think today will be a cereal day" when presented with the breakfast menu, which is far worse then the lunch menu (see above).

But our sarcastic remarks often go above the head of my very literal autistic students, and are mostly for our own amusement. Of course, my very intuitive one, Rickie, picks up on this.

So last week, he was asking me what we were going to do in gym class. Since I don't teach gym (thankfully), I didn't know.

"I don't know, Rickie. It's a mystery."

He thought about this for a minute, and came back with, "just like lunch!"

Yes, just like it.

September Movies

2007-09-09T21:02:00.000-04:00

So it's September 9 already, and I haven't posted my September movies. Shame on me!

So here are the movies I'm looking forward to in the month of September. The List continues!

September 21 - The Jane Austen Book Club - I'm not sure about this one, but I love me some Jane Austen! I may give it a try on Netflix.

September 28 - Across the Universe - This movie looks really amazing! I'm not gonna lie, it could go very wrong in their, there's a lot of potential for screw-up, but I still think it looks very interesting and innovative. I'm definitely going to check this one out in the theaters.

September 28 - Lust, Caution - This movie looks really cool. I love me some Ang Lee, so I'm excited for this one. Sense and Sensibility is one of my all-time favorites. I'm a little disturbed about the NC-17 rating, because I don't like blood and gore or senseless violence (unless it's part of some social commentary), but we'll see how it goes. Combine Ang Lee with Focus Features, and I really don't think it can miss.

That's about it for September, nothing too exciting. I guess it's good, my wallet will thank me this month.

Awakening

2007-09-04T19:35:00.000-04:00

I am a musical theater junkie.

If I had my way, all my money would go to technology and theater. Who needs food? (OK, that's a lie, I love food!) I have an extensive collection of musical theater CDs, and an impressive array of playbills and stagebills. When I get the chance to go to New York City to see a show, I go. I don't care how expensive it is (it's now about $120 a pop!), I go because I love it.

Some time in the recent past, I had the opportunity to see Spring Awakening. I watched the performance at the Tony's (a sacred night, one of my favorite nights of the whole year!) and was totally blown away.

The show is unlike anything I have ever seen. It takes place in 1891 in a small town in Germany, and is about a bunch of repressed teenagers longing for some form of self-expression. It doesn't have much in the way of plot, but is more thematic in its ideas of rebellion and the torment and anguish of growing up.

So in this show, where the characters are in the 1800's, they express their feelings through inner monologues, when they whip out microphones and start singing in modern idioms and rock and roll music.

The energy and choreography is frenetic, and a lot it involved jumping up and down and leaping around. It's way better than it sounds, I promise!

So I bought the soundtrack over the weekend, and the show has been really in my head. My personal favorites are Mama Who Bore Me, The B***** of Living, The Word of Your Body, Totally F*****, and Those You've Known.

The show is poignant and beautifully directed, choreographed, and lit, with gorgeous melodies and driving rock beats. Some of the lyrics are a little hokey or downright odd, but somehow it works and the cast really sells it. It's truly one of the most unique things I've seen in a while. Definitely check it out, I'm sure it will be touring soon. The soundtrack is amazing as well.

I got a chance to meet the cast (yes, I am a stage-door stalker!) and they were so nice their fans. They are all very young, so I assume that the whole process is pretty new to them, but they all came out and signed playbills and talked to everyone. I was particularly impressed with Jonathan Groff, the show's lead Melchior. He was really nice and talked to me and made eye contact and shook everyone's hand. I'm not gonna lie, I was crushing a little bit!

Just a side note, the show is very mature and contains mature themes, swearing, and nudity. Be wary of who goes to see it.

Check out this clip from their performance at the Tony's. Then go see it if you can.

Oh yeah, I'm going to NYC again next week to see Grease! Yay for Max and Laura!

It is a kitten!

2007-08-30T21:30:00.000-04:00

There are some things that you can't know about teaching before you begin. Especially special education.

For example, who would have ever thought that this

would be motivating?

But this picture, this scrap, this remnant, is the most motivational thing in my classroom right now.

Who knew?

This shell belongs to Mark, one of my students.

I try to describe him, but there are no words. He is 17, tiny (about 4'10), walks with a hunched back due to his Scoliosis, and has this indescribable voice. If anyone has ever read A Prayer for Owen Meany, they talk about his voice and how strange and unique it is. The author even puts everything Owen says in all caps to get the audience to understand his odd voice.

Well that is Mark. It is low and raspy, and he yells and grunts a lot. He is definitely the bright spot in the classroom, and I can usually count on him to make me laugh when I am having a hard day. Of course sometimes he is the cause of the hard day, but that's another story entirely.

But luckily, he is easily motivated. His most prized possession is a wooden nutcracker named Mrs. H.

Seriously, you cannot make this stuff up.

Mrs. H used to accompany him everywhere, until his previous teacher finally wised up and banned Mrs. H from school. Turns out a large wooden nutcracker is excellent for hitting people with. Who knew?

So since Mrs. H herself couldn't come, he settled for a picture of her. This picture went everywhere with him. We laminated it, but it would inevitably fall to shreds, as Mark abuses his pictures horribly.

Trust me, you don't want to know.

We still have about 15 copies of the Mrs. H pictures laminated in a desk somewhere, because he keeps destroying them. It's nice to have a stockpile on hand.

Mrs. H worked for a long time, but then he became fascinated by another picture. I can't even remember what it was, but he stared at it and took it, and was obsessed with it, so we copied it and laminated it, and a new era was born, and his behavior improved remarkably. Since then we've gone through dozens of pictures: lawnmowers, radio station logos (honestly), book covers, microphones, pictures of staff or students, and possibly the strangest of all: the kitten picture.

The kitten picture (known in our room as The Kitten) is taken from a simple book using basic sight words that I print off the internet. I believe the sight word for that week was "it."

So the book is a boy asking what is in a present ("is it a ball?") and ends up with "it is a kitten!" When he first read this, Mark let out the loudest gasp of surprise and excitement that we all looked at him, even the students.

For the next two days, he returned to the book every chance he got and read the same page over and over again. "IT IS A KITTEN" he kept saying. So of course we laminated the picture and he carried it around.

Mark loves this kitten. If he is having a hard time, he knows he will temporarily lose possession of The Kitten. His response to this is to cry, yell, and carry on like we took away his best friend. He knows we'll give it back (we always do), but he cannot bear to be parted from this half-sheet of ripped, crumpled, and drawn on laminated page. But if ever we needed him to follow directions, we would merely say, "Mark, do I need to take The Kitten?"

"NO, DON'T TAKE THE KITTEN. NOOOOOOO!"

(He's very dramatic)

That was in July.

He came back from the three week hiatus with The Kitten still in his possession, albeit in a somewhat diminished form. He still loves it with all his heart though.

I think its time for a new Kitten.

Attend the Tale . . .

2007-08-28T19:52:00.000-04:00

Certain items on The List are more highly anticipated than others.

Some movies receive all caps, possibly exclamation points. It's not that common. I'm picky, what can I say? (Even rarer still is caps and bolded. Currently, only the Veronica M ars season 3 DVD release gets that distinction)

Only two movies have all caps. One is Fanboys (a place for Star Wars and Veronica Mars nerds all in one movie!), and the other is Sweeney Todd.

I love musical theater, LOVE Stephen Sondheim (the composer), and love Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. So really, it basically can't lose.

Well, I don't know about that, (depends on the singing), but I am very curious to see the very first trailer. I did come across some really cool pictures though.

There was also an article stating that the studio is concerned about the amount of blood and gore. Umm . . . does anyone there know the plot? It's about a crazy man who slits peoples' throats to bake them into meat pies. What were they expecting?

Anyway, I'm still pretty psyched about the movie. I just hope they can pull off the singing, it's a very operatic score.

Check out the article and the pictures yourself! I can't wait to see the trailer, I'm hoping it'll make it's debut soon.

Welcome Back, Apple

2007-08-27T22:28:00.000-04:00

I have two wonderful teaching assistants (or paraprofessionals, if you will) in my classroom. We make each other laugh, even when times are crazy and we all want to cry. We have a very popular expression, "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Now, this is a very common saying. But it takes on a whole new meaning when you teach special ed.

So today was the students' first day back at school. I got there crazy early (like I always do, because that's what I am, crazy) with treats for my staff. I put my phone on vibrate, like I always do. At 7:50 my cell phone started to go off. I smiled, thinking that here it was was on the first day and one of my paraprofessionals was already calling in saying they were going to be late.

But no, my phone flashed a very different number. Umm . . . "hello?"
.
.
.
Yes, indeed, it was the mother of one of my students calling me.

Now, I have a very good relationship with all of my parents. I talk to them frequently, write notes about their day every day (yup, each one gets a note every day), call about both good and bad things, and talk to them probably more than most teachers do. When you have 6 students, it's not hard to develop a relationship with parents. Plus my sparking personality wins them over every time, and we get along great.

Nevertheless I was still surprised to see the mother of Cassie calling me. She's never called my cell phone during school(ish) hours. (one might be wondering why she has the number at all . . . that's another story!). Most school business is done on the school phone line. So she started with asking about my vacation, all those pleasantries. I was a little bewildered, but we made some chit chat, and then she told me why she called.

Cassie broke her arm.

Friday.

Still doesn't have a cast on it.

Really? No cast yet? So Cassie would not be in school, they don't know how it happened, and she was going to get a cast on that day.

But wait, it doesn't end there. Oh no! So I naturally called the house (from the school phone, where such conversations should take place!) after school and couldn't reach anyone.

And then at 7:45 pm, while I was eating dinner, my phone rang again. It was Cassie's mom. Again. Somehow, it was decided she would go to the doctors at 12 noon, without an appointment to get a cast on her arm that she broke 2 days ago (she has a splint on now, which she apparently removes). Naturally, the doctor could not fit her in, but she now has an appointment for 2:00 tomorrow.

When Cassie got on the phone to say hello, her voice had reached a pitch that was wholly inaudible to anyone except dogs (never a good sign).

So Cassie will be in school, with a broken arm in a splint that she takes off.

Fantastic.

Welcome back to school!

Techno Junkie

2007-08-23T18:34:00.000-04:00

I have a confession to make . . .

I am a techno-junkie.

Not a crazy one (I can't afford it!), but definitely up there. I see some new-fangled technological device and I instantly want one. It doesn't even have to be new fangled. Once the idea gets in my head, I think about it constantly until I buy it. And then I love it forever.

Some of my technological devices that I own are iPods (yes, 2! a Shuffle for the gym, and 20 gig for everything else), Nintendo DS, portable DVD player, DVD-R player, flat screen tv, wifi, DVR (like generic TiVo), laptop, mini digital camera, cell phone (but who doesn't these days?), and I'm sure there are others that I can't think of right now.

Today, I am the proud owner of my latest example of techo-whoredom: a GPS.

But not just any GPS: it's the Garmin Nuvi 360. Oh yeah, baby! It comes with all these cool features that I will never, ever use! It has restaurant reviews and foreign language translator. Maybe I'll use that feature when I bring it to Finland in a couple of years (2009 baby!) and navigate through the streets of Helsinki with my fancy Europe package.

Yeah, it works in Europe too.

I can also talk on the phone through it.

Now, I know some people will scoff at me for calling myself a techno-junkie because they've had all these devices for years, and better models too. But for what I make, I do buy an awful lot of stuff.

And it's not just that. It's the unreasonable amount of excitement I feel when I get these devices. And it doesn't fade! I still marvel at the cool click wheel of my (very outdated) iPod and feel cool walking around the streets of (insert name of city here) with my white headphones. I laugh at everyone rifling through dumb airplane magazines and craning their necks for a look at what's on my cool DVD player, or what level of Mario Cart I got to on my Nintendo. I love being able to go out whenever I want, and watch all my favorite shows commercial-free! (Seriously, DVR is the best invention ever!)

So yeah, technology rocks. Alright, gotta go play with my GPS!

The List

2007-08-22T21:05:00.000-04:00

I just added a new movie to The List.

The List, mentioned several times, is now getting its own post. Not to mention Capital Letter Status. Maybe one day I will even publish it on the blog.

You should all be so lucky.

The list started in September 2004, as a way to remember when DVDs came out for me to purchase (I'm a day-of purchaser). It quickly evolved into an ever-changing list of movies and DVDs that appeal to me for whatever reason. It changes constantly, due to my evolving interest in the movies, changes in dates, or projects that are dropped.

Currently the list spans 6 years, from its start in 2004 and ends in 2010 with the release of The Silver Chair. It contains 176 entries (yes, I just counted) but some are duplicates (i.e., the theatrical release and subsequent DVD release). It is organized according to month and the dates of each release that month that I am interested in.

Anyway, I just added The Time Traveler's Wife to The List. I loved this book (it's all there in the profile, folks!), and would be very curious to see how they would handle a film for it. Look for it sometime in 2008 (no specific month or date yet, but I'll keep you posted if you want to know!)

Gotta get to bed soon. I'm a woman of leisure no longer.

'Night!

Blunt Object Delight

2007-08-22T19:13:00.000-04:00

So today it was back to the old grindstone. I talked about my last day of freedom, but now it's teachin' time!

I'm not gonna lie, it feels great to be back! We started off with a big assembly with everyone in my . . . conglomerate. Without going into too much details, we have a bunch of partner schools, and twice a year we all get together - at the beginning and at the end. This year we have a new leader, a type of superintendent, if you will. He seems like a decent guy, much better than our previous "leader." For one, he has a personality.

That always helps.

Anyway, so the breakfast/assembly was as long-winded as usual. I got recognized as being a tenured teacher, that was pretty exciting! It doesn't really change anything with me, just basically says that they like me and will keep me as long as I want to work there. It feels good though, like a pat on the back and a "good job, Bella!" I thought I was going to get the Blunt Object Award for being tenured, though. I guess I'll get that next year, for my five year recognition.

What's that, you say? Blunt Object Award? That doesn't sound too appealing! Well, the Blunt Object Award is my (increasingly popular) title for something far less cool-sounding: a glass apple. I call it by its other name because every year they hand out these dumb glass apples for every five years you devote to the school. I will get my first one next year. If I stay another five, I will add a second Blunt Object to my collection. This will then increase every five years. At 30, they give you something in a bag. I don't know what's in the bag though. So I get at 30 years, I'll have 5 Blunt Objects and a Bag.

The reason I refer to it as a Blunt Object is that it is IDEAL for special ed kids - such as the ones I work with - for throwing, banging, and hitting. I'm sure they could even get more creative than that. And it would hurt. A lot. So no one who actually works in my school would EVER display it on their desks, for fear of seeing it hurtling towards their face merely because it's Wednesday. Or raining. Or clothes are itching. Or they don't understand. Or myriad of reasons.

Needless to say, the Blunt Object Award is somewhat of a joke in my school. Alas, 'twas not my time this year. But next year, I will have a Blunt Object to call my very own. Perhaps, in 26 years, I'll even be eligible for a Bag. I can hardly wait!

Veronica Mars is my Hero!

2007-08-21T18:23:00.000-04:00

Saw this post yesterday . . . Kristen Bell is joining the cast of Heroes as a recurring character! She is playing a character named Elle for a run of 13 episodes . . . I can't wait! I love when two of my favorite things come together.

I saw this yesterday and totally geeked out, but I forgot that I now have an anonymous forum where I can totally geek out and it's OK.

Also, Ausiello ran an interview with the intrepid girl detective today, check it out!

The Last Day of Freedom

2007-08-21T11:49:00.000-04:00

There's something about the start of a new school year that is so wonderful.

Tomorrow I go back to work. I have to say, I've really enjoyed my time off, but I'm definitely ready to do something productive and feel like a human being with a mission. Even though I worked summer school and had all the same students, there's nothing quite like the start of a new year.

I haven't talked about teaching yet, mostly because I was on vacation when I started this blog, but it will pop up. It's a big part of who I am, and a big part of my life.

I teach high school students on the autism spectrum. I have a self-contained classroom with six students, and two paraprofessionals. They are pretty much as special as special ed gets. I don't say that to be mean. I love my students and love my job, and everything I say is with the utmost respect and caring for them. But they are pretty much a step away from a residential program, due to their lack of functioning in communication, social situations, self-care, and sometimes behavior. I basically have a class of really big two year olds.

So today is my last day of freedom. For most people that would involve doing something fun or crazy. I however, plan the spend the day sitting around watching Doctor Who and doing some needlepoint. At one point I will take a shower and go to the gym, but that's not for hours.

I like sitting around. Some people call it laziness. I call it centering myself. I like the calm before the storm. I like being alone and enjoying the peace and quiet before getting back to the loudness and craziness of work. I like movies and TV where people make sense, because most of my day is spent trying to figure out what makes these kids with autism tick, and why they do the things they do.

So today, on my last day, I plan to watch the Doctor, eat some good food, and "center myself." Tomorrow is back to coworkers, classroom set-ups, bulletin boards, and planning for the year. I look forward to set of new possibilities and a renewed sense of why I do what I do. I look forward to a fresh start.

And I look forward to sharing it here. I love my job, I love my kids, and I can't wait to share how wonderful they are and how they amaze me each and every day.

Maybe today is my last day of freedom, or maybe my freedom starts tomorrow. Either way, I can't wait to find out.

The Age of Fantasy

2007-08-20T19:22:00.000-04:00

As a lover of young adult fantasy, one of my favorite series for a while has been Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. Now is the age of fantasy, and some of my favorite childhood books are becoming films. It's an exciting time to be a fantasy lover. With the popularity of Harry Potter and the success of Lord of the Rings, the fantasy era is a full swing.

Movies have been made with a very degree of success. Lord of the Rings far surpassed any expectations and will endure for all time, I think. Some other favorites of mine did not fare as well. Eragon was a disaster, and The Seeker promises to be dreadful, as I've already expounded upon prolifically in a previous post.

So you can understand my caution when I saw that Phillip Pullman's book(s) made it the big screen. The trailers look good, but I've been fooled before.

But today my faith is restored. The website is very promising, with a note from the director Chris Weitz that clearly states his love and devotion for the book, as well as his collaboration with Phillip Pullman to create a story that he is happy with.

But what really got me was the Comic Con preview. It reassured me that the movie will indeed be faithful to the book and will include several things that I thought would be far too complicated for how the film industry perceives its audience (have you ever noticed that most films assume we are dumb or aren't going to get it? Drives me nuts!).

So check the website, poke around, and then go see this movie in December. Oh wait, check the website, poke around, BUY the book (cause you will want to read it again!), and then go see the movie in December.

In fact, buy the whole trilogy. You can buy the boxed set at amazon.

Oh yeah, and if you happen to meet me, say hi to my daemon Ichanus. He's an ocelot.

Princess Bride Revisited

2007-08-16T12:28:00.000-04:00

"Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles..." It's possible for another film to have that kind of story. OK, maybe without the giants. Will a pirate do instead?

Due to the overwhelming amount of good cinema out there, and two weeks with nothing to do, I have watched the contents of my wallet disappear to the the film industry.

That's right, I saw another movie. And once again, the trailers were excellent. I won't bore (the hypothetical) you with details, but the trailers were for The Spiderwick Chronicles, Across the Universe, The Golden Compass, and August Rush (again). Man, that Freddy Highmore is everywhere! And again, all those movie are already on my must-see list.

In case you were wondering, my must-see list includes movies that I am interested in seeing, but changes as I read things or see trailers. It might even just mean that I will wait and rent it on DVD. It also includes DVD release dates that I want to buy. The list started in the 2004, and right now goes until 2010 with the release of The Silver Chair. Yes, I am crazy. The first step is admitting it.

So, Stardust. I was very surprised by the movie! Knowing nothing about, only seeing posters and trailers, I was a little skeptical. It was on my mental list of movies to read about before making a decision. So I did. I read a few reviews, including the one on IGN, and that pretty much sold me.

But I still didn't really know what to expect. What I found was the joy of making a clever, funny, tongue-in-cheek film. People have been comparing it to The Princess Bride (one of my long-time favorites), and they are absolutely justified in doing so. I have seen a lot of movies, and a lot of fantasy movies, and none of them have approached the caliber of Princess Bride. But Stardust does indeed approach that caliber.

Ian McKellan narrates us to the town of Wall (yes, really), a small English town near a large stone wall. It's not just a clever name. There is one way to get over the wall (really? No one can climb it?), and that is through a gap in wall that is guarded by an old man (David Kelly, last seen as Grandpa Joe). Tristan, our story's hero, is trying to win the love of a selfish girl, who makes him go through the gap to retrieve a fallen star. She promises to marry him if he can get the star.

But the star is a hot commodity, and not a star, but Claire Danes. Michelle Pfeiffer, a witch, is also trying to get the star. Also trying to get there are a slew of princes who most amusingly attempt to kill each other, only to be reincarnated as a pack of ghosts. They kind of remind me of the crotchety old men who make fun of everyone in the Muppets. I love those guys!

The cast is very good and include Robert DeNiro as a pirate with a secret. Ricky Gervais makes a cameo and acts just like Ricky Gervais always acts. Hey, it works! I really enjoyed Charlie Cox as the hero Tristan. I really bought his transformation throughout the movie and I predict good things for him. Michelle Pfeiffer was great as the witch as well. The only person I didn't completely believe was Claire Danes. I normally like her and think she's very talented, but she just didn't win me over in this film. I did like that she was able to portray the naivety of the star, without beating it into the ground. I also really liked the development of the relationship between her and Tristan.

Even the glaring discrepancies are amusing and can be written off as something intentional. For example, they show multiple scenes aboard a pirate ship and show how the characters radically improve in dancing and fighting and change hairstyles and clothes and such, and then you find out they were only there for a few days. It could have even been a funny joke if played off right, but it's just a minor annoyance that you hope was intended.

All in all, great movie. Funny, original, and plenty of swashbuckling fun.

Becoming Bella

2007-08-15T15:10:00.000-04:00

There is something inherently lonely about a Wednesday matinee.

I don't usually have occasion to go to one, seeing as I am often working on Wednesday afternoons, but since I am on vacation (yay for being a teacher!) I went to go see Becoming Jane this afternoon.

The theater was full of geriatrics and single people, such as myself. I have never seen so many people go to the movies alone as I saw today. I go by myself all the time, but I am usually the only one, or one of a few people. It was a little sad to see all these people watch what is, essentially, a love story all alone.

Especially the older people. I felt sad for them somehow, probably because I saw myself in 50 years, attending Wednesday matinees all by myself.

Anyway, the movie was pretty good. It did drag in parts, but on the whole it was enjoyable.

Let's start with the trailers. The trailers were excellent!! All the trailers I saw are on my must-see list. It opened with Lust, Caution (I LOVE Ang Lee, so I'm excited for that) and moved to August Rush. Freddie Highmore is destined for great things, because he's already so talented. Both look amazing. I'm obsessed with Focus Features, their movies are always so unique and thought-provoking. I'm sure Lust, Caution will be the same. Next they showed the trailer for The Kite Runner. I hadn't seen it yet, so that was exciting for me. The book was amazing, and the trailer looks good as well. Next was the Jane Austen Book Club. That has potential, but is not yet a must-see for me. Perhaps I will pick up the book before attending the theater.

So the movie. Like I said, it was pretty enjoyable. I just love Jane Austen. There's something about the time period that just fascinates me. The tall hats, sideburns, and tails on the men. The strong women who defy the expectations of the society. The dancing, which was the most sensual they could be in public. All of it, it's something that just really keeps me watching. And the language. The way they talk reminds me a little bit of updated Shakespeare (I'm in the middle of Kenneth's Branagh's Hamlet, so I have Shakespeare on the brain).

Anne Hathaway is passable as Jane, but I didn't love her. I liked her, but didn't love her. James McAvoy, however, is totally disarming and charming as Tom LeFroy. The two have good chemistry together, and I have a feeling this movie will catapult McAvoy in the film world. I've always liked him and thought he was a great actor, but I think this will really bring him to bigger and better things.

The film doesn't seem to be at all accurate. A quick check of Wikipedia suggests that she merely flirted with LeFroy, and doesn't mention the other two men in the movie who proposed to her. But it is nevertheless entertaining. This will most likely join the ranks of my DVD collection upon arrival.

Ferry Godmother

2007-08-11T22:36:00.001-04:00

It was quite a weekend for me. First I took a ferry (which is always an experience in itself!) to a wedding. The wedding was gorgeous, right on the water with this incredible view. Beauty in nature always makes me so incredibly happy and alive. The couple was so happy and so in love, and it was really great to see.

The cycle of life continued the next day, with the baptism of my niece and nephew, Kally and Jack. They are the beautiful son and daughter (twins!) of my sister Betsy. I got to be the godmother of my niece Kally, who is a namesake of mine (btw, all names are changed, it's the only way I am comfortable writing about my life).

Being a Godmother is a little bit frightening. I know (in this family at least) it is not so much about religious guidance as just being there for the family and being an important part of her (and Jack's) life, but it is a little daunting. Not nearly as daunting as being a mother, but being an aunt and Godmother carries some weight as well.

I think the whole religious implication of baptism is interesting. I get the whole "welcoming the child into a life of faith" thing, but the whole freedom from sin thing gets me. I mean, they are three months old! How can they sin? They can't even control their limbs yet!

But I do like the fact that you are welcoming a new life into the world and celebrating that. My other nephew, Ethan, will not be baptized. But I was talking to my brother Bill about this, and they feel the need to do something to recognize his entrance into the world and celebrate it. Ethan is six months old now, and just the most precious boy you will ever meet. (He was rockin' a cool mohawk this weekend, it was great!). But Bill is thinking of having a naming ceremony for him, which I think would be great. These kids are here and ready to start living and making a difference in the world. Let's celebrate that!

So anyway, here's to a weekend of celebrating new life and love. Cheers!

TV Bereavement

2007-08-09T15:20:00.000-04:00

As the new season of television approaches, I start to get excited over the new shows that will be premiering, as well as old shows that will be continuing (in particular; Heroes, Lost, The Office).

This season, I will also be mourning the loss of two most beloved shows; one that died poignantly and with dignity (before the imminent crash and burn of TV shows that have lost their original appeal), and one that died far too soon and left a wake of angry fans.

I am talking about Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars. Had I started my blog earlier, you would no doubt know about my three-year obsession with Veronica Mars. It began when I watched the pilot, and I never missed a single episode since. Most of you will go, "huh? What show? Never heard of it!" Sadly, that is why it has joined the ranks of shows canceled before their days despite critical acclaim and obsessed fans (such as myself). Such wonderful shows include (but are not limited too), My So-Called Life, Freaks and Geeks, Cupid, Wonderfalls, and other shows. Luckily Veronica Mars was able to squeak past renewal for two years straight, allowing for three seasons of high-quality TV, but their luck ran out.

For those of you who have not seen it, do so. Rent it, buy it, borrow it, whatever. Just watch it. It appeals to anyone, any gender (trust me on this one). And keep your fingers crossed for a movie. Rob Thomas (no, not that one! the other one!) has said that Veronica will live on in comic books, and (gasp!) potentially a movie.

Gilmore Girls will also be sadly missed, although I believe that it ended at the right time. The last episodes were a great closure for the people of Stars Hollow.

On a positive note, there are some great shows to look forward to! And today I just discovered that one of my favorite actresses Kristin Chenoweth (of Broadway and West Wing fame) is part of the cast of my favorite pick for new fall shows, Pushing Daisies. I'm not sure how that fact escaped me before this, but I'm happy to find that out today. It also escaped my attention that Ellen Greene (another Broadway veteran) will be in the cast. Apparently I'm getting soft in my TV scoop. I may have to do some more research.

Thus, the cycle of life and television begins again this fall.

RIP Veronica Mars 9/22/04 - 5/22/07

August Movies

2007-08-08T11:13:00.000-04:00

Each month I am going to do a preview of the new movies and DVDs coming out that I'm excited about. I'll be posting as I watch each of them as well.

The month of August has quite a long list. One of the longest ever. Anyway, here's what's coming out in August:

August 3 - Bourne Ultimatum - I haven't seen this yet, I was out of town this weekend. I plan to see it either this week or next at the latest. I don't want to get too far behind, because that might cause me to not see some of the movies I want to see this August.

August 10 - Stardust - I don't much about this one. All I know is that it is fantasy, but that's usually good enough for me. I'll probably wait for the reviews, and then decide if I want to see it or if I will wait to Netflix it.
August 10 - Becoming Jane - I am very excited for this one! I love Jane Austen books, and thus far the film industry has done a remarkable job translating her books into movies. Emma was just alright, but everything else I've seen in the last decade has been very good. Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice are on my all-time favorite movie list! But I love me some Ang Lee and Kate Winslet anyway, so it wasn't hard for S&S.
August 10 (popular day!) - Rocket Science - I just saw the trailer for this one. It really looks great, right up my alley! I just hope I can see it during it's brief stint in the theater.

August 14 - Hamlet on DVD - FINALLY! I absolutely love this movie, and have been known to sit through the entire thing when it played on HBO (of course, that was before DVR, so I didn't really have a choice). I'm so happy that it's finally coming to DVD. I will be there the day of the release to take it home.

August 17 - High School Musical 2 (on the Disney Channel) - OK, yeah, I'm a little embarrassed about that one. I admit it, I loved the first one and own the DVD. That one will be a long-term fixture on my DVR, until the DVD comes out. I hope it's as good as the first, although with Kenny Ortega still at the helm, I'm hopeful.

August 21 - Serenity DVD, Collector's Edition - So yeah, I'm often a sucker for special features on DVDs, and when it's a movie I'm passionate about (like Lord of the Rings) I buy multiple copies of a DVD to get the most features. Well, this will be the only other movie I buy multiple copies of, other than LOTR. Anyway, Serenity is spawned from the genius mind of Joss Whedon (of Buffy fame) and the TV show Firefly that nobody watched. Serenity is a brilliant movie if you've watched the TV show. So go watch Firefly, then Serenity. It's amazing. In this modern age of technology, you can add it to your Netflix or Blockbuster queue. Seriously, you'll be hooked by episode 2.

August 24 - The Nanny Diaries - This one I'm a little dubious about. I really enjoyed the book, but the fact that the movie premiere date got pushed back a few times, and with Scarlett Johanson in it, I think I'll wait for the DVD to rent. I know, I just am not a Scarlett fan. She was great in Lost in Translation, but after that I just couldn’t get into her.

Thoughts? Anything I'm missing? Drop me a line!

Seeking a Decent Movie . . .

2007-08-07T11:33:00.001-04:00

This has been on my mind lately, and I just need to share my disgust. I was sitting blissfully unaware, watching the previews before Harry Potter, and one flashed on that began with something like, "Will Stanton was an ordinary boy . . . "

Now that made me sit upright, because Will Stanton is a character in some of my most beloved books, The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper. I inherited them from my brother (aka, stole) and we both fell in love. Looking back, I think that was what started my love of fantasy. From there it was Redwall, Terry Brooks, Lloyd Alexander, and now it's J.K. Rowling, Tolkien, and Robert Jordan. But I digress.

Anyway, these Dark is Rising books are amazing, all about a boy named Will and how he comes into the circle of the Light (called Old Ones) to fight the powers of the Dark. The first book, The Dark is Rising, is about how he discovers he is an Old One and his quest to collect the six Signs of Power. It's my least favorite of the series, but still really well done.

So when I heard this name, I bolted upright. But as the preview went on, it showed a 14 year old boy living in modern America and worrying about girls, fighting with his family, and getting caught shoplifting in a mall. "Must be a coincidence," I thought. "This doesn't look anything like the Susan Cooper books." But oh no, it is indeed. The preview made me so ill, I was disgusted that they thought to put the same name on the movie (although it recently changed from "The Dark is Rising" to "The Seeker: The Dark is Rising." Wonder why. Couldn't be the fan backlash, could it? Seriously, just read what fans are saying about the movie. I don't think I've read anything positive.)

So for those who care, here is what is wrong with this movie.
* It takes place in America. Really? The books took place in the rural UK, like Buckinghamshire and remote villages in Wales. Cooper's descriptions of the landscapes caused me to run to an atlas, where I sat pouring over the UK, trying to find some of the places she talked about, because I wanted to go see them. I fell in love with Wales from Cooper (and went to go there, specifically because of her books.) I still haven't made it to Snowdonia, or the Brenin Lloyd, but I will someday. To me, this is like Harry Potter being set in Los Angeles. It's unthinkable.
* Will. In the books, he is just 11 and already wiser than his years. He does not flounder or sputter. He is quiet and self-possessed.
* Merriman. All fantasy possesses a wise, all-knowing guide to mold the young one and reassure him/her. Like Dumbledore, Gandalf, or Obi-Wan Kenobi. That is what Merriman is to Will. But in the movies, he apparently fights (the Old Ones do not have weapons, people!) and the actors playing him hates the movie and says the book is dense and outdated. In an interview, he (Ian McShane) said "No, I never heard of them. I did try to read the book, but they were a little...I think...I don't know how...There's four of them apparently. Or five. Oh, god. That means I might have to do a sequel." Could you imagine Michael Gambon or Ian McKellen saying that? Read the whole interview if you're interested. I'm surprised he got away with saying some of the stuff he did.
* Gregory Smith. Will's brother goes along for the ride? What? That never happened! I quite enjoy Gregory Smith as an actor, and think he's great. But it just didn't happen. The role is Max is very small.
* Christopher Eccelston. Oh wait, that is one good thing about this movie. He is wonderful. Good choice.

Anyway, I could go on. Like I said, I don't want to turn people away. It may be a good movie on its own, if you haven't read the books. If you haven't, and you want to see the movie, please go. Let me know your opinion, because I am curious what a non-Cooper fan thinks. Then go read the books. Just don't read them first, because you will hate the movie.

Prologue

2007-08-07T10:24:00.000-04:00

My first post in my first blog. It's a little intimidating, huh? I've been resisting for a while, mostly out of fear that I would get tired of it and not ever update it. I don't think anyone will actually read it either. It's both scary and heady to think that total strangers may be reading my inner thoughts.

Anyway, right now I'm planning on this blog being about many different things; movies, tv, books, and teaching (probably in that order). An odd mixture, I know, but it's what I know best! I may be reviewing things, keeping track of things that excite me (mostly movies) and recounting a tale or two from my beloved classroom of children.

This is going to start with movies, since that will probably be my primary focus. I have an extensive list of movies that I anally keep track of, update, and follow. It includes movies I am looking forward to coming out, upcoming DVD releases, and movies I want to add to my Netflix queue (whoa, had to look up how to spell that word, even though I look at it every day! Strange, huh?)

Anyway, I guess I should share some of general movie views before getting more specific. I love dramas, that's my main favorite. I've lately been getting into indie movies and noir as well. Basically though, if it's well-directed and well-acted, then I like it. I love fantasy and super hero movies as well.

Some of my favorites include Tim Burton, Danny Elfman, Kate Winslet, Christopher Nolan, Patrick Wilson, Kevin Smith, Christian Bale, Ang Lee, Johnny Depp (of course, being a Burton fan), Rufus Sewell, Paul Bettany, JJ Abrams, Joss Whedon, and many others that I can't think of right now.

Some of my favorite movies are Little Miss Sunshine, Eternal Sunshine for a Spotless Mind, Lord of the Rings, original Star Wars, Everything is Illuminated, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter movies, The Princess Bride, Empire Records, Spider-Man, X Men, Brick, and many others.

The first few posts aren't going to be very exciting. I'm going to get more specific about what I like and why I like it as time goes on. Until then, I will be enjoying my vacation (yay for being a teacher!) and visiting my niece and nephew, whom I adore.