Wordless Wednesday

Currently - June

June has been good to me, y’all. It’s been good to all of us here, actually. We’ve spent time lounging and catching up on shows. Emery’s been able to spend time with her friends, and this week she started VBS. We’ve got her swimming lessons scheduled for the first two weeks of July. I’ve started looking into doing some remote side jobs to help bring in some extra income. Right now, I’m doing okay, but it’s still not enough for me to start putting into savings. I’m barely squeaking by, and that’s just not acceptable to me so I have to hustle. I’m also trying to work on my writing a bit more. If you were here last week and caught the last post I did before it was taken down just know that it’s being revised. It will be back up after I'm done editing. I had a nice little chat with my brother on Saturday where he took it upon himself to let me know, in great detail, just how much it sucked. So, I drafted it in order to go back and make some revisions. Otherwise, I’d never hear the fucking end of it. Ain’t that right, little brother? Anyway, more on that later. For now, let’s just jump right into the “currently” post for the month. 

Playing:  I’m not gonna lie, lately, there’s been a lot of Spanish music being heavily rotated in my house. Along with several podcasts. However, I recently discovered Dennis Lloyd. And whoa, baby. I want to go see this man perform live just as much as I want to see Dermot Kennedy. I’ve seen clips of his shows and it seems like one hell of an experience. I missed him this past weekend in Dallas, and I was definitely bummed out. HE. WAS. SO. CLOSE. Now, if you want to know a little more about him then check out this video. His first EP is called Exident, and it consists of five tracks that he wrote after a really horrible break up. And not to sound like a broken record but DAMN did it resonate with me. My absolute favorite track off of it is, “GFY”. Either give it a listen, or go read the lyrics and you’ll quickly understand why. So yea, I definitely recommend you check him out. Fall in love with him just as much as I did. 

Reading: I finally finished, “Manaos”, y’all. FREAKIN’ FINALLY. And you know what? About ¾ of the way through I found out that they did, in fact, have an English version. Though it’s very rare and hard to find. Still, had I known that BEFORE I had almost finished the book I may have attempted to hunt it down. Now, there won’t be a formal review on this book because it wasn’t that long and some of the stuff was still pretty hard to translate over into English. However, I will say that this book was pretty brutal. The story is about slaves on a rubber plantation, their rebellion, and trying to survive the Amazon. It takes place in the 1890s and there’s a lot of violence, sexual assault, prostitution, and bloodshed. Without giving anything away I will say that I was left very frustrated by the ending. When I returned the book to my friend I said, “Why would you make me read this if you knew it had THAT kind of an ending??” And all I got was a smug smile followed by, “That’s life sometimes.” I instantly wanted to smack him upside the head with the book for putting me through all of that. So yes, if you can read in Spanish, I highly recommend that you give this book a read. If you can find an English translation of it, snag it. It definitely doesn't sugar coat or romanticize life during that time period in Brazil. 

Watching: Not much really. I’ve been spending more time outside lately. I did find out that “Racer and the Jailbird” is now streaming over on Hulu and when I get some time this upcoming weekend I will definitely be watching it. It has Matthias Schoenaerts and Adèle Exarchopoulos which are two of my favorite foreign film actors. Though I know they’ve both been in US films I originally discovered them in foreign ones. Anyway, that’s probably the only movie I’m looking forward to watching in the near future. I've kind of thought about buying "Five Feet Apart" because hello, Cole Sprouse. However, I'm not sure if I'm emotionally prepared for this movie. So, that's still on the "maybe" table. Other than that, there haven't been very many films being produced that I've felt I just NEEDED to see. So, I'll stick to working out and tending to my flowers in the evenings like usual. 

And that concludes the currently for this month. If you have any other suggestions be sure to drop me a line either on here or any of my other social media pages. Links are all at the top. I'm always on the lookout for new artists, films, or books so I'm totally open to recommendations. Until the next post, Happy Friday folks!

Currently - April

What can I say about, April? It’s been one messed up month. I honestly don’t even know where to begin with all of it. So, I’ll just kick it off to the side for now. However, weather-wise it’s been pretty great. We’ve had a lot of warmer weather, and my plants are actually surviving. Woohoo! I did have really bad allergies/a cold over this weekend and it really wiped me out. This is why I’m posting today instead of on Monday. I was basically in bed all day Sunday & part of Monday. Nothing a crap ton of medicine & a lukewarm shower couldn’t help though. Anyway, let’s jump right into April’s currently post, shall we?

Playing:  Well, Billie Eilish finally released her full-length album, and this has been on heavy rotation in our household. She definitely has her own unique sound which I absolutely love. I think a lot of her songs are on the slower side, but she’s really great at throwing in some unexpected stuff too. Emery is all about her right now though. We can not go a single day without listening to something off of, "WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?" If you haven’t checked her out yet, definitely give her a listen. My favorite track off of it would have to be “my strange addiction”. 

Reading: This one is gonna be off the wall. I’m currently reading the book, “Manaos” by Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa. This book is written entirely in Spanish. And it’s the book that my semi-friend is having me read. It’s very, very old; published in 1988. It’s about three men and a woman who try to escape a ruthless slave owner in Brazil through the jungles, and rivers of the Amazon rainforest. And let me just say, that this book does not hold back. There are some parts in here that I had to re-read because I couldn’t believe what was actually written in there. It’s also taking me a bit longer to finish because I don’t usually read in Spanish. So, it takes my brain a little bit to switch over to thinking in Spanish, and picturing the story that’s being told. But here’s hoping I’ll have it finished by the end of next week. Fingers crossed.

Watching: The other day our boss man told us that we should watch “Someone Great” over on Netflix. It has Gina Rodriguez in it and he told me that I’d probably end up really loving it. Since it was already on my “to-watch” list I decided to watch it on Monday while I was sick and slathered in Vick’s. And let me just say that I had no idea how much I needed this movie in my life until after those first five minutes. Damn, did it hit me in the feels. The plot: After a devastating break up on the eve of her cross-country move, Jenny enjoys one last NYC adventure with her two best pals. This isn’t just any old break-up though. It’s a nine-year relationship that slowly but surely shattered. We get glimpses of the good times and flashbacks of how everything started. The bad times too. Of course there’s plenty of comedy, and definitely, a lot of weed being smoked. However, none of that takes away from the story. So, if you’re needing to get your rom-com fix on then I say check this one out. 

And that concludes the currently for this month. If you have any other suggestions be sure to drop me a line either on here or any of my other social media pages. Links are all at the top. I'm always on the lookout for new artists, films, or books so I'm totally open to recommendations. Until the next post, Happy Tuesday folks!

Currently - October

I’d like to start off with saying that today is my husband’s birthday. Happy Birthday, love. Here’s to many more years for you to look forward to. And if those statements confuse you I promise it will all make sense soon. Anyway, moving on, this whole week has been cold and wet here in my little part of Texas. It hasn’t stopped raining since Saturday. I was totally good with the storms at the beginning of the week, but by Wednesday it was just this non stop pouring. So, now I’m kind of over it. Unfortunately, the forecast keeps telling us that there won’t be an end to the rain until the week of Halloween. I’m hoping that we get a few dry days in between because the ground needs it. Plus, some neighboring towns need relief from the flooding. Still, there’s not much we can do about it. So I’ll just keep thanking mother nature for whatever she brings our way; good and bad. Another thing on my mind lately has been writing. More specifically: blogging and the direction that it’s all heading. However, that’s a post for another time. I just wanted to give you a heads up for now. Anywho, now let's get into the currently post for this month.

Playing: I’m not listening to anything specific. It’s mainly been a random mess of songs that I’ve thrown together into a playlist called “Let Go”. If you follow me on Spotify you’ll quickly realize that I’m a creature of habit when it comes to my tunes. I’ll listen to the “Daily Mixes” & “Discovery Mix” that Spotify curates for me in order to get some new stuff thrown in from time to time. But my running playlists seem to be the ones I listen to, and edit regularly. Still, if you’re wanting some new material: Russ released a new album last month called “ZOO” which is pretty great. I’m a fan of anything this man puts out really. And Twenty One Pilots released their long awaited album “Trench” that’s been getting a lot of praises. Both albums are definitely worth giving a listen to in my opinion.

Reading: So, last month I mentioned wanting to read “The Simple Wild” by K.A. Tucker. It did not disappoint, y’all. You can read my review of it here, and I’m pretty sure there aren’t any spoilers. Anyway, it was a great read! I highly recommend it if you’re into some light contemporary romance. For this month, I’d like to read “IDOL” by Kristen Callihan. Now, I enjoy rockstar romances when they’re done well, and I’ve probably only read a handful that I can honestly say I’ve liked. The others were just “too much” if that makes sense? Too over the top, or too cheesy? The writing might have sucked, or it read more like a porno than a story. So, after I read the reviews for “IDOL” I decided to read the sample. It definitely caught my attention, and drew me in. So, I really feel like it’s going to be a good solid read for me. I plan on purchasing a copy it next week.

Watching: So, if you have Amazon Prime, I highly recommend that you check out "Jack Ryan". If you didn’t already know, this series is based off of the Tom Clancy book character. However, they will not follow the books as this series is intended to be set in the present day. John Krasinski is really great in this series, y’all! Some of his best work, acting wise, I think. Then again, I haven’t seen “A Quiet Place” so I might be wrong? Still, this series kept me guessing during every single episode. All of the actors did a wonderful job in this series too. Definitely keep an eye out for Dina Shihabi. Man, she was fantastic!  Now, I have seen plenty of government/action/spy type of works that are out there and I'm comfortable saying that this show can stand on its own. If you’re into films like the Bourne series I definitely think you’ll enjoy this show. Over on Hulu I’ve been watching “The Good Doctor”. To simplify it, the show is about an autistic doctor named Shaun Murphy who has savant syndrome and aspires to be a great surgeon. However, his journey is not an easy one, and is often met with resistance from his colleagues. Now, this show takes an episode or two to get you warmed up to it, but what eventually drew me in was how they took on the obstacles that Shaun has to face. And even though I’ve never personally met anyone who is autistic it definitely shed a light on the condition for me. I’m only halfway through the first season, but it’s definitely promising. If you like shows that are similar to Grey’s Anatomy (minus all of the hooking up) then I think you should check this one out. It also airs on Monday nights on ABC, and is currently at the beginning of season two.  

And that concludes the currently for this month. If you have any other suggestions be sure to drop me a line either on here, or any of my other social media pages. Links are all at the top. I'm always on the lookout for new artists, films, or books so I'm totally open to recommendations. Until the next post, Happy Friday folks!

I Need To Talk About My Love for #TATBILB

As many people have already heard, on August 17th Netflix released the movie "To All The Boy's I've Loved Before" which is an adaptation of a young adult trilogy by Jenny Han. Now, I've seen the books and even downloaded a sample a few years ago thinking I'd eventually get to it, but never did. So, when I first saw the trailer I thought "Oh, this looks cute! I need to read the book before it comes out." Again, that never happened. I marked it as a "to watch" and then quickly forgot about it. Before I knew it the day of the release had arrived, and my sister-in-law sent me a text that Saturday telling me to watch it as soon as possible. It was cute, she loved it, and we needed to discuss it. So, after we got back from New Mexico I took one afternoon to pop some popcorn, grab a few chocolates, and sit down to watch the movie. At worst, I'd waste an hour and a half of my life. At best, it would be a cute high school rom-com like "The Kissing Booth". What was completely unexpected was how this movie made me feel though. How it made me rethink a few things about my life. From growing up to even now in my adulthood. And y'all, I completely fell in love with it! I've watched it a total of six times already; no shame. I'd probably go steady with it if I could. Of course, it has its flaws, but what movie doesn't? What I enjoyed most about To All The Boys is that it took me back to some of the good moments in high school. It made me feel giddy again, and allowed me to remember the butterflies that I got when I had a crush. Or how intense I felt about my first love. And oh my gosh, can we talk about Peter Kavinsky?! Can we talk about how amazing it is to see a woman of color as a lead? If you're down, keep reading. Before you continue just know that there are spoilers below. So, if you haven't watched the movie yet, I suggest you do so before reading this. For everyone else, I'll go back to my regularly scheduled programming soon, I promise. 

First, I want to talk about how Netflix was one of the only companies that was okay with pushing a film that kept the lead as originally written. Several other offers were presented to Han, but none seemed to care about the importance of having an Asian American actress play an Asian America character. As someone who grew up watching rom-coms that for the most part only ever had white females as the leads, it was so awesome to see another group of women have this representation in a movie. I know this stuff is all make-believe, and even the "based on true events" kind of movies exaggerate the stories for the purpose of entertainment. But when you're a person of color, it's surprising what a difference it can make to see someone with your same skin tone portraying a lead character in a movie. Playing someone that's being "swept off of their feet". Or when they're the girl that's "falling in love", or "gets the guy in the end". It really can make you think, "Wow, she's just like me. I can have this too." And I think that is so damn important. So, I feel like Netflix deserves a lot of credit for leading the way, and setting an example that other companies can follow. 

Second, I feel like this movie was really well received because of how simple and innocent it was. We need more movies like this, y'all! It's a story about first love, acceptance, inclusion, and growing up. Lara Jean is sixteen years old, and just like any other girl her age, she's had several crushes. However, "love" in books/movies is rather different than experiencing it in real life. I totally understand her views on this. So, when she finds herself having feelings that seem to be too much, or too complicated she writes a letter to that person. BUT there's no intention of ever sending them out. Instead, these letters serve as a way for her to get her feelings out while also helping her figure out how she truly feels. So, when these letters eventually do get out, not only is she mortified but it causes some complications in her attempt to stay off the radar. Now, I remember the first time I talked to someone about a crush that I had, and I said things that I NEVER in a million years would have said directly to them. We were in an above ground pool late one night, and neither of us saw that my crush was standing off to the side. Within hearing distance. It wasn't until he cleared his throat, and stepped up onto the platform that I turned around and almost died of embarrassment. And who hasn't had a moment like this before? So, this was something that allowed me to relate a bit to Lara Jean's situation. Of course, there's so much more to the story, and you'll have to watch (or read) it to find out. But there's also a lot of innocence to it as well. LJ is definitely more old fashion,  and takes physical intimacy seriously. She's not as experienced as the rest of her peers which was something that I thought was cool to see. In a time when every other "high school" movie that gets cranked out portrays young adults as these constantly horny sex crazed kids it was nice to see a movie that didn't focus on that. Yes, it does insinuate some stuff, but Lara Jean isn't like that and makes no apologies for it. For once, this story focused more on building a relationship based on things that the two characters had in common. With the whole "fake relationship" scheme as kind of a front it left room for these two to get to know each other without all of the pressure. In the end, this story focused more on the emotional side than the physical one and it definitely paid off. 

And finally, let's talk about Peter Kavinsky! First, his character is played by a young man named Noah Centineo. He has one of the cutest smiles, and a few fun facts: he plays in The Fosters, and has another Netflix film coming out next month. And I'm not going to lie, after Noah makes his first appearance in the movie I paused it in order to ask my sister-in-law how old he was because it's super awkward to find yourself thinking an actor is pretty hot only to find out he's under 18. So, I'm happy to report that he's 22 years old. Feel free to drool during that hot tub scene without getting that guilty feeling, ladies. *Ahem* Now that we've gotten that out of the way let me just say that Noah's character "Peter" was simply amazing! Yes he's a jock, and there are a few times when he messes up. BUT he's also a teenager and he's still a really decent guy. From being kind and respectful. He doesn't pressure Lara Jean into anything and allows her to take the lead when it comes to displays of physical affection. To him being mature and thoughtful. The kombucha scene after LJ's dad says no alcohol, and he talks about having to drive responsibly. And even when he's in a fake relationship he still takes interest in what Lara Jean likes. There's one scene when he watches "Sixteen Candles" with the Covey sisters, and even though it's a film he originally had no interest in watching he does so because it's a movie that Lara Jean likes. Yes, it's in the contract, but he actually follows through and discusses it with them. Then there's another moment when he goes to the Korean grocery store across town to buy Lara Jean her favorite yogurt. All of this to show that he's paying attention. And even though things are kept pretty friendly he still lets her know that he finds her interesting, and attractive. And I feel like this made him seem so genuine, and likable. He's the kind of guy you would love your daughter to bring home one day. Hell, I wish we had more guys like him when I was in high school. Would have made it more bearable I think. All around, I think Peter's character is very much needed in this day and age. I think he's a wonderful example of how to treat someone you're in a relationship with, and I hope that that sinks in for the thousands of young women out there that have seen this movie. Girls, find yourself someone that has similar qualities to Peter.

Of course for us adults, who know that relationships take a lot of work once you get passed the "honeymoon" phase, this movie may seem just like every other teen movie at first glance. But several of the takeaways I got, as 30-year-old watching this movie, was the importance of the "little things". Like doing stuff that we may not have done on our own just because our partner enjoys it. If he/she wants to go hiking but you don't, do it anyway. And don't complain about it. Or having simple conversations, actually listening, and not being afraid to communicate with our significant other. Even when it's about the hard stuff. Or acknowledging the other person's interest, and actually taking an interest in them because it makes our partners happy. Yes, it may seem completely boring to you, but if he/she finds something to be truly fascinating ask them to tell you more about it. And sure things may not be all hot/heavy anymore after kids and work, but wouldn't it be something to walk hand in hand from time to time or get a kiss after a long day? Let them know that you still see them. When I saw these simple interactions in the movie for the first time I remember thinking, "Whoa...when was the last time I walked in somewhere holding someone's hand?" When was the last time someone did something for me simply because they knew I liked it? When was the last time I said something to let someone else know that I valued them in my life? As I sat there with the credits rolling all I could think about were how these small gestures of intimacy in this movie were what I wanted in my real life. They made me think about how often we let that stuff fade away once we get to a certain point in a relationship. And what the hell is up with that, y'all? Again, I know young love is vastly different from what we end up with as adults, but does that mean we shouldn't incorporate some of that into the relationships we have now? Regardless of our age?  

Peter Kavinsky Come On GIF from Peterkavinsky GIFs

So, that about sums it up for this post. I could go on and on, but these are the highlights. Since this is a trilogy, Netflix has left the door open for the sequel which I'd totally be down for. Though, if we don't get it I'm satisfied with the ending that we did get in this one. Also, after doing some digging online I've seen that a good chunk of the book was left out. Apparently they would have added a bit more depth, and incorporated Josh a bit more which would have been nice to see. So, if a second movie is made there may be a bit more story. Sadly, I did read some spoilers about book three, and just "NO", Jenny Han. NO. So, I'm a little on the fence about how far I'd like them to take these. I'm still happily floating on the cloud of PETER + LARA JEAN= FOREVER. And I don't want anything stomping all over that. Capiche?  So, have any of you watched the movie or read the books? What are your thoughts? Did you hate it or love it? Are you down for a sequel? How great were all of those 80's - 90's references? Was I the only one who noticed some "10 Things I Hate About You" similarities? And hello John Corbett, am I right? Gosh he just gets better with age, doesn't he? Now, if you need someone to talk to about all of the feels I'm here for it! Y'all know where to find me on the interweb. 

📷: Netflix stills

Currently

Now that I'm at the end of a pretty nasty cold my allergies have kicked up a notch. I feel so stuffy, and my throat hurts every morning. At this point I'd just give anything to feel normal again. No aches; no dizziness. I can't wait for the day. Until then, I thought I'd share some of the stuff I've really been into lately from books, music, articles, and apps. I'm warning you now that this gets to be a bit long. I blame it on being a pretty decent English Writing student back in the day. So due to my professor's praises I make sure that everything that I write about has a good amount of detail. You're welcome. Anyway, here we go:

Playing: Here are just a few artists that I've really been feeling as well as their current albums. In the hip hop genre I have Silence by Russ, and SweetSexySavage by Kehlani. We saw Russ live last year, and he puts on such a great show! He's always putting out new songs too which rarely leave me disappointed. Everything you hear, is all him. Now, Kehlani's first album didn't do much for me. Unpopular opinion, but it is what it is. Recently she dropped her new album and I was hooked from the intro. A really great album about self love, learning from mistakes, owning what you want, and knowing your worth. Truly stunning. In the alternative realm I'm digging Night People by You Me At Six.  These guys were the band that I usually only listened to the singles they put out. But I heard great things about their most recent album, and after checking it out I spent an entire day just listening to everything they had put out over the years. "Night People" definitely sounds like they've grown, and have taken the time to craft their sound. And finally in the country category I've been listening to the self titled album by Kane Brown. He's an up and coming younger artist which I came across by accident on Facebook. I'm not that familiar with him, but in April my sister-in-law and I will be going to see him perform. Pretty excited to see how he does. 

Reading: In fiction I've been reading Evelyn, After by Victoria Helen Stone. I actually won this ebook over on GoodReads. The subject matter, according to the blurb, was relatable to me so I entered. I didn't think it would be so hard to get through though. And not because it isn't good. It's because of what it's about, and how I've been in those shoes. Felt those same feelings. I had to stop a bit in order to get myself in check. In non-fiction I've been re-reading The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz. I originally bought it per my counselor's recommendation. I go back from time to time in order to soak it all back in. As a reminder on the low days. If you're feeling lost, or confused about who you are I definitely recommend this book to you. One of the main takeaways I received from this book was that I am only in control of myself, and my choices. What others do, and choose is not something I have a say in. It's about them, and not about me. As is everything in life. 

Blog Posts: I hardly ever get online these days. Sure my twitter gets some sporadic use, and I normally post a photo to Instagram once every week or so. But when it comes to reading material, I stick to my blogger feed when I log on and that's about it. But on occasion something catches my eye, and it's either fascinating or misleading. Today I want to share two posts I found over on Scary Mommy: What My Single Mom Taught Me About Strength And Resilience, and This Is What Parenting With Anxiety Is Like. Lately, I had been experiencing this feeling of failing. I had a tiny little melt down one day over what kind of mother I was. What exactly were my actions teaching my daughter? Was I really enough? Then I came across that first post, and it felt like I was letting out a breath I had been holding. No matter what I want my daughter to see that her mother did her best, and always cared for her. Loved her truly, and was able to do so because she loved herself. Flaws and all. The second post on anxiety hit really close to home for me. Though my anxiety tends to come and go, with some pretty big spikes when it does, this post basically put into words what my worst days are like. I know several people suffer from this, and some more sever than others. But it was still nice to see it written; to know that I truly was not alone in it.

Watching: I finally watched the Pride and Prejudice series with Colin Firth in it. And again, unpopular opinion, I enjoyed the 2005 version better. Matthew Macfadyen is my Mr. Darcy. Though I will admit that the most recent version skipped a lot, and rearranged some of the story to flow better within the time frame it was given. The mini series stays true to the book so if you're a lover of all things authentic I definitely recommend you watch it. Hulu has both up to stream if you want to check them out. Another great movie is Love At First Fight. You can find this film over on Netflix, but be warned that this is a french foreign film. I have always enjoyed foreign films as well as independent ones, and this definitely satisfied both for me. It's a different love story, and I enjoyed how the lead female character came off as hard & awkward. It's worth mentioning again that this has all the aspects of an indie film so you've been warned. Not sure if it was popular on the other side of the world or not. AND finally I started to watch Lo Que La Vida Me Robo because I'm a sucker for a good novela. This is a Spanish soap opera with over 180 episodes, and Netflix has them all. I had already seen some of this novela with my parents a few years ago, but once I started it from the beginning last weekend I decided I had to finish the whole thing. So, the journey is still on. 

Phone Apps: Twinbody App has been my go to for motivation on my current weight loss/healthy living journey. It takes your numbers (start, current, and goal weight), and shows you others who have similar goals, body types, and stats. You can branch out by checking out those that don't land in your range too if you'd like. This community is beyond amazing though. The support, the motivation, and the tips are great! You can share pictures, motivational stuff, recipes, and more. I have no idea why I didn't sign up sooner. I think the only thing missing is the ability to share videos, which I hope will come later. But the best thing of all is that it's free! So if you need that extra bit of encouragement to keep you on track I definitely think it's worth checking out. 

And that concludes the currently for this month. If you have any film suggestions be sure to drop me a line either on here, or other social media outlets. Links are all at the top. I'm always on the look out for new artists, films, or books. Next time I do one of these I'll try to shorten it a bit. Until then, Happy Tuesday everyone! 

The Movie

First, let me get it out there that hardly ever will a MOVIE be better than the BOOK it's based off of. That said, The Hunger Games movie was awesome!! There were parts that I didn’t expect, and a few changes that I’m interested in seeing how they’ll explain later on. But overall they did an amazing job in keeping it with the book. Now if you’ve read the books, you know they’re all in first person. So I understand that they had to condense some things and make some changes so the movie would flow along smoothly so I fully except the changes as a good thing. These books are pretty lengthy and as much as we’d all love to see every little detail, it would take up about ten hours to capture the entire thing exactly as it was in the book. And I don’t know about you, but I’m not sitting through a ten hour movie. At first, I felt a bit of disappointment just because I wish that they had included some of my favorite parts from the book, but that was me just wanting what I wanted. Once the movie was over though, I felt completely satisfied. Which is more than I can say for other books turned big screen movies. And I absolutely loved the choices they made with the actors. I really felt like they brought the characters to life and they all did much better than I had anticipated. :) I can honestly say that Kim and I had a blast and we left feeling really excited for the next film!!

Before the movie, I skipped out on tutoring so I could just head on home. I wanted to get some time in with Emery before leaving again for the night. I also thought I was going to be able to fit in a nap, but that totally didn't happen. 9 pm came around, and I headed into town. We waited in line for an hour and a half and then they let everyone in to wait the other hour in our seats. Kim and I sneaked some candy in, that we didn’t even eat, to help soften the blow to our wallets. Our theater completely screws you over in the snack department. But, I still spent the extra money to get a “Hunger Games” cup for my drink. It had to be done. Once the movie started, I was so happy that the audience was not like the audience at the Twilight movie showings. There was no screaming, no hyperventilating, and no moaning (yea, you read that right). Everyone was there to enjoy a good movie.

Overall, it was awesome! If you’re a fan of the book, or even if you've never read the book at all, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the movie. I really recommend you go watch it! 

It's ON!

Today is going to be ridiculous. But only because I’m going to voluntarily put myself through it. Kim and I are going to “The Hunger Games” midnight showing tonight at our local theater, and I can not wait!! It’s pretty much all I can think about. I’m so excited to see how close (or not close) to the book they kept the movie too. But first, I have to go to work, then class, then tutoring, and then drive back home, take a nap, and then wake up at 9 pm to get ready to wait in line for 2 hours. Crazy? Maybe. Worth it? Completely.

Tomorrow however, is going to be BRUTAL. I won’t get home till around 2:30 am, and then I’ll have to be up at 6 am for work. Which is ridiculous, but I forewarned my boss and coworkers that I will be utterly useless tomorrow. I’ll be loading up on a 5 Hour shot or two throughout the day to keep me awake. So expect a scheduled post manana. I'll talk about the movie on Monday if I've recuperated by then. :) Good luck to anyone else heading out to the showings! 

Bummer

First, let me just say that I finally got to go see The Lion King in 3D! This past Saturday my husband suggested we have a date night. With class, work, and pretty much being broke we haven’t really gone out and done anything. So, we decided to go to a late showing of 50/50 after my mom got out of church. But, this mom wasn’t sure if she could make it to 12 am without falling asleep. That’s when I saw that the Lion King was still showing!! I thought I had missed it because they said it was only going to be in theaters for two weeks, but apparently they decided to keep it longer. So in we went. Can you believe us? We have a night to go out in order to have some adult time, and I pick a cartoon in 3D to go watch? LOL! It was awesome though. I loved it. It’d been awhile since we’d seen it, and it totally took me back. My husband said he really enjoyed it too. I was reminded of how much I love, love, love "The Lion King". Now, I’m pretty sure I’m going to get it in 3D, just so Emery can experience it when she gets a bit older.

After we left the theater we got some fast food and headed home. This is when we talked about maybe taking a trip out to California over my break between semesters. My vacation time at work starts in December, and classes don’t start up again until the end of January. Emery will still be ONE, so she can still fly for free. But when I looked at dates, the prices at the end of December had gone up, leaving us with January as our only option. I talked to my husband about the dates, and he said we needed to start saving money. So, I bought our tickets! Unfortunately, my excitement was short lived. My husband called me and told me that it was too fast, I shouldn’t have bought the tickets because it now looked like he might not get his vacation time till after February. I felt like someone had given me a shiny new toy and then took it away as they shoved me to the ground.

So, I had to cancel our flights. *insert lip quivering, teary eyed face here* Thankfully, Travelocity lets you cancel your tickets within 24 hours for free if you didn't buy the "insurance". I’m sooo bummed now though. I was already picturing getting to see our family, Kami’s new addition, and the beach. Yes, even though it would be freezing, I’d still take Emery to the beach. I want her to see it. I pictured getting to see our old friends, and at least one night of cooking out, beer, and a fire. I could almost taste the saltiness, and breathe in that deep amazing “mountain” air. I had already pictured my double double with animal style fries. *sigh* DAMN YOU, HUSBAND’S WORKPLACE!! I know I should be grateful he has a job. And I should be grateful to have saved up enough money to even think about going for a visit. But what’s the use if we can’t even go because of work?

I’m not going to lie, I’m a little devastated. I really hope that this changes and we can go. I really really want to go visit. I miss it so much. And I need a vacation! Hopefully they tell my husband he can go, and that he does get his vacation. Because there were only 5 tickets left at that price for those dates, and I really really want us to be able to get two of them! 

Breaking Dawn Trailer

The clock is ticking and I can't wait!! I saw this new trailer a few days ago, and thought I should share!

Happy Friday!!

Charlie St. Cloud & My Love For Zac Efron

For some reason this movie makes me happy. The story itself is not believable to everyone, and it is adapted from a book. If you're like some people *cough* KIM *cough* you might actually think that it downright sucks. But it makes me wish I knew how to sail. It makes me wish I lived by the ocean. It makes me want to go live in a place that has lots of green colors to it. It also makes me wish I were Zac Efron’s girlfriend, LOL! Yes, I totally have a "not-so-secret" crush on Zac Efron. My future sister-in-law says he looks fake but I think he’s kind of dreamy. He's also one of the few men who's all muscled up that I actually enjoy seeing shirtless. If you knew my taste in guys back in the day you'd understand that statement better. He also seems to be a pretty private and down to earth person in real life, but I could be wrong. Still, I'd like to think that he's just the sweetest guy on earth. 

Gushing aside, I've honesty never seen any of those High School Musical movies before. I'd see him on the pictures, and posters and always thought he was a pretty cute "kid". Until I found out he was legal, my age, and then I watched him on Hairspray. The original movie is on my list of favorites. When I found out they were remaking it, and then that he was the lead I was really excited to see what he could do. After watching his performance I can now say he's on my list of favorite celebrities. I'll watch anything that he comes out in. 

Anyway, if you haven't seen this movie, you should. It made me cry a bit, and of course it's a bit romantic too. Ok, who am I kidding? I watch this movie when I need to feel all giddy and excited about finding that first love. When I need to be whisked away to a seaside town with a cute guy too. LOL! Anyway, go rent and watch! If nothing else, it makes for some nice eye candy. ;-) Have a great Friday everyone!

Ohhhhh....Myyyyy.....Gosssshhhhh!!

This is purely for me. So, if you hate Twilight, feel free to skip this post. 

I had seen "Twilight" (the book) when I was a bit younger at our local bookstore. I was caught up in my own doom and gloom, that I never read it. Then, "New Moon" came out, and I still thought the cover was pretty but never actually read the back or inside cover to see what it was about.

Fast-forward to 2008, and we were back in Texas. My sister-in-law told me that I had to read them. She loaned me all three and told me Breaking Dawn (the last book) would be out in a few months. -sighs- Sometimes, I wish that I had never opened up that damn book! I, like most of the female population, fell COMPLETELY in love with the books. I could not put them down. Edward was my soul mate, and I totally wanted him to bite me. Ha! I finished all 3 books in 4 days (remember, I had a JOB.) Breaking Dawn, when it came out, took me two nights. Cause I'm a badass like that!

Then, they wanted to make the FILM?!?! SQUEEEEEAAL! I was tickled fucking excited!! I became one of those obsessed "young adult" girls that was swooning over Edward and criticizing who the "options" were to play him. I wanted it to be perfect. Had they chosen someone else, there is a good chance I would have not even gone to see it. Hmm, who am I kidding?!?! LOL! So, needless to say, I'm TEAM EDWARD all the way!! Yea...the wolf boy just doesn't yank my chain. Maybe it's because I still see him as that little boy from Cheaper By The Dozen 2? And when I see him shirtless I get all "Whoa..hey, hubba, hubba...what tha? You're how old?!?!" Yea, I feel a little creepy. A little dirty too.

So, once they announced all the actors, I gave my seal of approval- because you know that's what it all depended on, right? The first movie was underway!! Now, by my independent film standards, it was decent. Low budget, gritty director, so it was bound to be a bit "independent" looking. Still, I loved it. New Moon was fabulous, and Eclipse (I could have done without the redhead switcheroo) was just as awesome. But, I was so pissed that we'd have to wait SOOOO freakin' long for Breaking Dawn! And not only that, but they were going to split it in two?!? WHHHYYYY?!?! I was so looking forward to closing this chapter in my life!! I was so ready to be upset that, that was it. No more Twilight movies. You know, to get the "mourning" period started, and over with already. But now, I had to wait soooo looooong for just ONE half of the book?!?! DAMN YOU!

So, despite being pissed and whining like a baby for a few weeks, I realized that that was not going to change Summit's mind. Although, it should. -hmph- Anyway, as so many of you FELLOW Twihards know, last Sunday they released the official trailer. Now, I didn't want to hyperventilate, or do my happy dance and squeal like a little school girl in front of everyone. And I didn't want to bring on my "Twilight fever" this soon, I held off on watching it. Until NOW (way to hold out, huh?). Happy Saturday, everyone!! Enjoy.

p/s Still pissed that they released the trailer this early?

I mean c'mon?!?! FIVE months before we even get to see it? 

You should be ashamed of yourselves!! 

p/s Isn't Edward gorgeous?! 

And ladies, did you see the HEADBOARD!!?!?! 

I blush every time I see it!