July/August 2001: My Dad plans a vacation for him, my sister, and I. We spent 8 days in the Pacific Northwest, traveling as far south as the Oregon state line and as far North as Vancouver, British Columbia. It was my favorite vacation of all time (and that's a bold statement compared to my Disneyland/Pacific Ocean/Orange County trip when I was six years old, LOL). The days that I enjoyed the most during that vacation were spent in Seattle, Washington.
The first thing I noticed upon about Seattle? Mount Rainier. I got a glimpse of it right before we started to land at the airport. Then, when driving around the city, I couldn't keep my eyes off of it. It was beautiful. There's something appealing about living in a city with a mountain as part of the landscape... and I would never get sick of it. We didn't visit Mount Rainier National Park during the trip, but that was fine with me. You can't beat getting a free show of Mother Nature's masterpieces (even if it's a deadly volcano).
One of the attractions we did was spend the afternoon at Experience Music Project (EMP). It's located next to the Space Needle and is one of the most unique museums I have ever been to. Not only does it feature artifacts from all kinds of popular artists and bands, but it also has a couple interactive exhibits that allow visitors to play instruments, mix songs, and go through a massive computer based library of songs for their listening pleasure (I recall listening to a lot of Dr. Dre's The Chronic that day). I absolutely loved the architecture of EMP (inside and out) and enjoyed walking around the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame exhibit. Now, since I've been there, they have added a Science Fiction museum. Just finding that out makes me want to go again, and spend all day there :-)
Now, if you look at a map of the Seattle/Tacoma area, you will notice that there are many bodies of water that contribute to the charm of the city. Around all of these locations are miles and miles of boardwalks. My family and I walked around the Pikes Place market area. We found a lot of unique stores, great restaurants, and enjoyed the beauty of watching the ferry boats in the water.
When we were in Seattle, we noticed that the Pigs on Parade were all over the city (which was the same thing as the Cows on Parade in Kansas City). I thought it was pretty cool to see what another city did with their animals. My sister and I have a couple pics posed in front of some of the pigs that were displayed along the Boardwalk.
In the Seattle area, we visited a few stores that featured a lot of art from tribes of the Pacific Northwest (my Dad is fascinated with the art and bought a couple things when we were there). My sister and I got excited over an indoor outlet mall called the Super Mall. We made our Dad go there twice since we found a lot of extremely cute and cheap clothing (which are found in department stores). I also got a glimpse of The University of Washington. At that time, I was starting to research colleges and I seriously considered applying to that university just so I can explore more of the city when not sitting in class.
Now, remember that I only focused on the Seattle portion of this vacation... one day I will share the things we did in Longview, WA and Vancouver, BC. There is only one thing I regret about this vacation... I didn't bring a camera with me. Looks like I'll just have to go again! LOL
Hello music listeners! I seem to be finding a lot of new music lately (which is a good thing... mostly). I am trying to find more variety in what I feature, since I seem to be sticking to a lot of Top 40 and Pop music. I'm an eclectic listener so I feel I need to do some more research (especially in the rock and indie genres). Anyway, lets get to the five new songs I have decided to share!
Kim Kardashian "Jam (Turn It Up)"
If you survived that song, congratulations and I'm sorry you just lost 4 minutes of your life. It's for people like Miss Kardashian that auto tune has made so much money for the music industry. I hope that most of the general public agrees with me that this song is absolutely horrible. I don't want to hear it on the pop stations every hour. Ugh!
Kayne West feat. Rihanna and Kid Cudi "All of the Lights"
If anyone wants to test to see if they suffer from photosensitive epilepsy, then you need to watch this video (looks like I don't suffer from it, lol). As with many of Kanye's videos, all the randomness doesn't make sense but it makes for some pretty good visual entertainment. Rihanna keeps popping up everywhere right now; I just hope she knows where to stop before it becomes an annoyance. I really liked Rihanna's top... I would so wear something like that! I don't really get all the random shout outs to other celebrities, oh well. The song isn't that bad either, I might have to consider getting this album (not just for this song).
Sara Bareilles "Uncharted"
When I first watched this video, I immediately though of Nickelback's "Rockstar" music video. It's the exact same concept! Celebrities singing along to the lyrics... but I admit that this one is more entertaining. It starts with Professor Ben Folds (uncharted rhymes with farted..haha) then Ryan Tedder, Adam Levine, Pharrell, Josh Groban, Tegan and Sara, and more (here is an article that gives more insight to the video). Now, about the song? Absolutely beautiful and I shall be purchasing it on ITunes soon :-)
David Cook "Dont You Forget About Me"
I have been waiting since the beginning of the year to finally listen to David Cook's first single off his sophomore album. When I read the title of the song, I immediately thought of The Breakfast Club . It turns out my movie geekness was dead on, since it's a remake of one of my favorite 80's songs. I do admit I am a little disappointed that it wasn't an original song by Mr. Cook, but I can't complain that I get to her his voice again :-)
Jordan Knight "Let's Go Higher"
Why am I not surprised that Jordan Knight is taking advantage of the NKOTBSB fame to promote new music for a new solo album? This song is one I will expect to hear in a dance club. It's catchy, but not enough for me to jump at the opportunity to purchase the album in a couple months. I do, however, expect to hear Jordan perform it at the NKOTBSB concert I will be attending in July.
Well, what do we have here??? A blog challenge about my favorite movies. Some of you are curious about what I consider to be my favorite movies of all time... and I am more than happy to share that with you. Some of you know what my top 5 has been, but I have made some recent revisions (goodbye The Dark Knight). With so many good movies out there, I want to share with you my 10 favorite movies. Get ready for some great films (and some surprises).
#10- Chasing Amy
Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck) and Banky Edwards (Jason Lee) are partners in making comic books. While working at a convention, they meet Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams). Holden immediately has a crush on her and tries to pursue her, until he finds out that she's gay. They continue to hang out, but Holden's feelings grow stronger. He confesses his love to Alyssa, which begins a fight, but they end up as a couple. Despite their love for each other, obstacles get in the way. Alyssa's friends are disappointed in her, Banky is jealous that Holden is spending so much time with Alyssa, and Holden discovers a lot of things about Alyssa's past that he just cannot seem to get out of his mind. Holden has to decide whether to let the past go or make a change for the sake of the relationship.
Kevin Smith has a great way of storytelling through words, especially with a complicated love story. I related to Holden when he was finding out about Alyssa's past (the hurt, the anger, the not so discreet way of confronting her... yeah it was pretty obvious). I also related to Banky, since I had friends that resented me when in a new relationship (especially with blowing off the girls to spend time with a significant other). Alyssa... she is somewhat of a role model to me. She's independent, very straightforward about her lifestyle, and is willing to take a chance with her heart. Add all the geekiness (comic books, conventions, creative SAT questions) and I am a happy girl!
#9- The Boondock Saints
Two Irish-Catholic brothers, acting on their own behalf to eliminate the Mafia and their affiliates in the Boston area.... sounds like a pretty fucking good idea to me! Yes, they are offing people, but you can't help that they have the right intentions and cheer for them. They have very unconventional ways for getting the job done, like they've watched too much bad television (as Agent Smecker points out at one of the crime scenes).
This movie exceeded my expectations. I knew I was going to enjoy it, but not as much as I did. There's some great action sequences, lots of laughs (the more I watch the scene where the cat gets shot, the funnier it gets), and lots of attention to detail by the great Paul Smecker. I love *my* Irish boys and was happy to see them reunite for a sequel (which was pretty good, but lacking in the Rocco and Smecker areas... for obvious reasons). Oh, and if anyone wants to learn how to use the word "fuck" in every way possible, then this is the perfect movie use as a guide, LOL.
#8- August Rush
A very simple story with a very BIG heart. A boy named Evan is on a journey to use music to seek out his biological parents in New York City. Meanwhile, his mother, a cellist, is on a search to find him after discovering he is alive. His father finds himself at a crossroads in his life and ends up making a cross country trip to rediscover his passion for music. In the end, everything comes together... at a concert in Central Park.
One of my favorite things about this movie, aside from the story and the music, is how you see that New York City is full of musical arrangements. I know that if I ever need inspiration, I can just take a trip, sit on a bench and write down what I see or hear around me. I loved how Robin Williams played a character who hates Julliard, when he attended that same school in his youth. Oh, and I need to thank my best friend for raving about this movie. You were definitely right about it, Brandon :-)
#7- Cruel Intentions
Two high school step-siblings, who are experts at manipulation and seduction, make a pact to destroy the innocence of a couple new students before the school year begins. Sebastian goes for Annette, who has vowed to stay a virgin until she falls in love; Kathryn goes for Cecil, who's developed an interest in her music instructor. However, for Sebastian, things don't go as planned when he ends up falling for Annette, to the displeasure of Kathryn.
This is my number one guilty pleasure movie (I was fifteen when I saw this movie in theaters, so it's also my favorite coming of age film). I have been given a lot of crap for having this in my favorites list over the years, but I do need to point out that this was a remake of the novel Les Liasons Dangereuses (Dangerous Liasons) and it was aimed to introduce the classic to a younger generation. And yes, I have seen the films Valmont and Dangerous Liasons... but Cruel Intentions will always be my favorite retelling of the novel.
#6- The Departed
A movie with dirty cops, undercover cops, the Boston Mafia scene, and directed by Martin Scorsese. Talk about a great combination!!! It took me a couple viewings to comprehend everything that happened in the film, and I was highly impressed. I was very satisfied with how all of the angles were worked out to make the film very believable. Leonardo DiCaprio as Billy Costigan was so good that I forgot about the actor and just saw the character on the screen. I could not get enough of this movie when I first saw it; I think I watched it about a dozen times in a month.
#5- Forrest Gump
I don't see how anyone could hate this movie. It's full of wisdom, life's ups and downs, and southern hospitality. It's a wonderful story of Forrest's life and the people that touched him dearly through his journey. You cheered for him when his leg braces fell off. You were sad when he lost his Momma and Bubba. You laughed when he showed off his bullet wound. And, when Jenny and Forrest finally became a couple and married (with little Forrest as the ring bearer), you were happy. It also made me realize, at the age of 10, that people with learning and developmental problems can live a normal life and be happy. I will always love my Grandpa (RIP) and Grandma Savory for introducing me to this film... it was basically the first film that made me realize the beauty of a great story.
#4- Ferris Bueller's Day Off
I have loved this movie since I was about 3 years old... not kidding (well, that and Dirty Dancing... my family always had HBO). What teen wouldn't want to play hooky from school and spend the day doing all kinds of things in the city? I know I wanted to... even though I never actually did it. At one point in time, I dreamed of owning a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California. Ferris is one of those individuals who will remain true to himself and won't settle for a life that is monotonous or mediocre. He will always be one of the most interesting people you meet... which is probably why I always have been attracted to people like that :-)
#3- The Shawshank Redemption
What would you do if you were charged with murder and had to spent a lifetime sentence for a crime you didn't commit? For Andy Dufresne, he kept himself busy. During the day, he would write letters that eventually became a project for an enormous library for the inmates. He also used his banking skills to help prepare taxes for all the guards as well as do the books for the Warden, but he was a lot smarter than he let on. It wasn't until he escaped the prison and was hundreds of miles away that the Warden and his best friend Red figured out what he did at night to keep his sanity... behind a really big poster!
I was actually introduced to this movie by a convicted felon... my ex-husband. Of course, my views on the movie differ dramatically from his, since I have not served a sentence in prison (a few hours in my town's jail, yes... but it's not the same). You fall in love with all the characters, the story and the time period. I cannot find a single thing I dislike about this movie... or any flaws for that matter! If anyone reading this has yet to watch this movie... stop whatever you are doing and watch it. NOW!!! Then tell me what you thought about it.
#2- The Phantom of the Opera
Having just recently reviewed this on my Valentine's movie blog, I'm going to focus on a few key points as to how it made it at nearly the top. I am a hopeless romantic. That started when I was about eight years old when first seeing Disney's Beauty and the Beast. So as an adult, who has experienced love a couple of times, seeing the passion and the romance just made me feel like that eight year old all over again. This movie hones in on my theater background, my love for music and my emotional depth. I absolutely need to see a stage production of this before I die. Where's my Phantom (minus the murderous rage)???
Now you know what my favorites are... pretty good list, don't you think???
Yes, I am aware I didn't list my number one favorite movie. There is a reason for that; it gets it's very own blog later this month. It's different than my other favorites, but it's definitely a great one for any movie geek out there! For now, I'll give you a few clues to guess what it could possibly be: It is a 1994 film set in the Los Angeles area, there are a ton of big name actors/actresses in the movie, and the plot is complicated, in the sense that there are several mini plots in the film, which all ties together in a "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" kind of way. Good luck guessing!!! ;-)
Well... I did it. I signed up for a mail order movie rental program. No, not Netflix... Blockbuster. As a former employee to the video store chain, I want to give it a chance. I was given a 30 day free trial (which will convert to $11.99/month) at a store location that is in the middle of closing- they are offering it to keep customers (and I got a free DVD out of it- couldn't resist that!). So if I decide to continue to use it, be prepared to see a lot of newer films in my Movie Monday blogs.
Easy A
Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone), in an attempt to avoid a weekend camping with her best friend's parents, makes up a lie that implies that she lost her virginity to a college freshman. It is overheard and spreads throughout the school. Olive tells the truth to her friend Brandon (Dan Byrd), who then asks if there is a way to further the lie by acting like they had sex. This gives Olive a chance to help others like Brandon by pretending to sleep with them (in exchange for payment- in the form of gift cards). As the rumor mill dives further, Olive finds herself in situations she did not expect and must find a way to save her reputation.
I am starting to get to the point where teen movies are losing my interest. Yes, that can happen when you get older. I'm not saying I'm done with them; it's just that I am picky about the ones I decide to watch (looking for more quality). This one, being a modern day remake of The Scarlet Letter, I couldn't resist. Emma Stone finally gets a leading role, and she did very well. I look forward to seeing her in more leading roles in the future (and that she broadens her horizons past comedy). I loved how many big name actors had supporting roles in this film: Thomas Haden Church, Amanda Bynes, Lisa Kudrow, Stanley Tucci, and many others.
I loved how this movie was approached in a very smart manner, and full of 80's nostalgia. This film paid homage to Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Olive in the shower with a Mohawk), Say Anything (the scene in the yard, with speakers overhead), The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Pretty in Pink. I also loved the fashion decisions that Olive made, especially with the corsets. She had a lot of really cute ones that I would want to own myself (and thank you for acknowledging dress code in high schools in this movie... that omission has always annoyed me in teen flicks). This is a film that I recommend for a guilty pleasure. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
The Social Network
Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) is a Harvard undergrad. In fall 2003, he creates a site similar to HotOrNot.com that rates all the females at his university. This shuts down the server and catches the attention of a few fraternity brothers. They present them with an idea for an exclusive social networking site and want Mark to front the project. He ends up doing his own project and calls it The Facebook. After noticing the popularity, Mark expands his site to other schools. Then Facebook explodes into the massive social networking site that it is today, but not without a few lawsuits from the people that helped Mark get him to where he is today.
I've always had an interest in watching movies about the formation of companies (although most of them are documentaries). It's amazing to me how one drunken night in a dorm room perpetuated the beginning of Facebook. Yes, Mark is a confident, know-it-all asshole, but aren't many company CEO's like that, no matter the industry? One of the things that blew my mind was that I had no idea that Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), the Napster guy, was one of the people behind Facebook's success. This is one of those films that you will highly appreciate, but you will also realize that it's a film that you won't find yourself watching over and over again (and yes, I was on Facebook while watching this movie... it seemed highly appropriate to do so). Rating 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.
Rango
Rango (Johnny Depp) is a lizard that, through a traffic situation, gets thrown out of his family's car and finds himself in the middle of the desert. After escaping hungry hawks, he finds a local named Beans (Isla Fisher) who takes him to her hometown (named Dirt). After he brags (okay lies) about how he has killed and defeated many others out in the West, he proves his stories to the townsfolk when he somehow kills a hawk. He is made Sheriff and helps the town investigate why the water supply has run dry, but not without a few complications along the way.
This is one of those movies that, if I didn't have a kid, I would not have seen. I was glad to find a lot of adult humor in it. In the first 10 minutes, there is a very obvious reference to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Also, toward the end of the film, there is a Clint Eastwood lookalike driving a golf cart, giving Rango advice. I didn't think it was Eastwood voicing the character; it sounded more like Timothy Olyphant. Turns out I was right. This movie had a lot of the stereotypical western cliches: the stranger walking into a bar causing complete silence from the patrons, the newcomer becoming a sheriff, and lone walks through the desert. I thought it was a pretty decent way to introduce kids to western flicks, even if it was about animals. Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
I'm going to drift a tad off subject with today's blog. Yes, I will be talking about something that makes me happy.. in terms of preschool educational programming.
As a mother, I have been up to date on educational shows on PBS and Nick Jr. While it's awesome that my son watched Sesame Street like I did, there are a few new shows that have caught my attention. Some of them include Blue's Clues, Ni Hao Kai Lan, and Wow Wow Wubbzy. There is one show that has caught my attention more than the others and it has caught the attention of teens, college students, and Brangelina.
Yo Gabba Gabba!
This show was created by Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz, two fathers that felt disappointed in children's programming. They had done some amateur videos as teens, but had no experience in creating a television show. They just wanted something that was entertaining and featured popular musicians and celebrities. They got their big break after posting their pilot on the Internet and found themselves sitting in an office, talking to the creative director at Nickelodeon Preschool. Yo Gabba Gabba debuted on August 20, 2007.
What I love about the show is that it expresses all of the creative mediums out there: art, music, computer design, dance, and expanding the imagination. Kids learn to create simple art projects with Mark Mothersbaugh (lead singer of Devo, among many other talents). Biz Markie demonstrates different styles of beatboxing. Children are featured showing off their dance skills as well as making silly faces. There are video game styled activities that resemble classic Atari games (like Pitfall). There is also a segment called Super Martian Robot Girl, which is a comic book styled story segment featured in every episode.
Now, about the guest bands and artists.... they are featured on the Super Music Friends Show. DJ Lance and the group gather together to watch a performance by underground and indie rock artists. Some of the guests include The Aquabats, Jimmy Eat World, The Ting Tings, Cornelius, The Shins, and Electrocute.
In the segment called Dancey Dance, a celebrity makes an appearance and teaches everyone how to do a simple dance. Some of the funnier teachers include Andy Samberg, Elijah Wood, Tony Hawk, Sugarland, Jack Black, and Sarah Silverman.
Now that I have introduced many of you to the awesomeness that is Yo Gabba Gabba, I will end this with my favorite song from the show (which Hot Topic sells a t-shirt about this song... and I just might have to buy it, hehe).
Well, it's the beginning of March. At this time each year, I'm not thinking about St. Patrick's Day or Spring Break, just yet. Before either of those things happen, I get to celebrate something else: my sister's birthday (March 10th). Instead of finding a song to match my mood (per se), I am going to share a few songs with you that remind me of her.
Bobby McFerrin "Don't Worry BeHappy"
When my sister was 4-5 years old, she was a bit of a whiner and a drama queen. In some of the instances where she would act like this, my Dad would play this song to help get her in a better mood. It worked every time. :-)
Hanson "MMMBop"
When my family and I lived in Lee's Summit for about a year, my sister and I really got into discovering our own personal tastes in music. I had become a hardcore fan of No Doubt (this was when Tragic Kingdom was climbing the record charts). In 1997 a new wave of pop music emerged, starting with the Spice Girls. Then Hanson arrived and started to take over my sister's CD player, her clothes, her walls, and the television. By my 14th birthday, I knew the words to every single song on the Middle of Nowhere album (yeah, she played the CD a lot). So whenever I hear a Hanson song (aside from "Yearbook") I think of my sister and the days where she was all about the brothers from Tulsa.
The Rembrandts "I'll Be There For You"
This is one of the few shows that my sister and I watched together in our teens (and, for me, my early 20's). She is the one that got me to start watching the show (and I'm so glad she did!). I actually have this song as her ring tone.
So as I get ready to celebrate my sister's birthday in a few days, I will probably play these songs, just for fun. You know, after I think of something to get for her. :-)
Ah, my parents... the reason why I exist (yes, I am technically giving them a shout out for having sex). I am happy to be their daughter and would like to share with you some things about their past, how they met, and how they are doing today (not too much, but just enough to get a backstory).
My Dad was an only child. He was born in Brooklyn, NY. When he was in grade school, his family lived in Warrensburg so my Grandma could attend classes at UCM (which was called Central Missouri State College at that time). They moved to Independence where my Dad graduated high school before attending Central Missouri State College and the University of Missouri, where he received his education degree and competed in swimming and diving.
My Mom was the fourth out of five kids. She was born and raised in the Ballwin/Manchester/Ellisville area of the St. Louis metropolitan area. When she was five, her sister (my aunt Brenda) was killed in a car accident, and it greatly affected the entire family. Several years later, my Grandpa had a job transfer, so they moved to Grandview, MO (only my mom and my aunt went with my grandparents since both my uncles were already establishing their own lives in St. Louis).
My parents met when my Mom decided to join her friend in competing on a trampoline and tumbling program. My Dad was the coach. After a few years having the coach/athlete relationship, it transitioned into something more. Although they were in love, they had to deal with the fact that they have a 16 year age difference. It was hard for my Mom's parents to be okay with the fact that my Dad was so much older than her. I don't know all the details regarding this, but it ended on a happy note. My parents were married on August 16, 1980.
One of their favorite social activities my parents did in the early 80's was go to the Bijou Theater in Westport every Friday and Saturday night to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show. They went twice a night with some of their mutual friends and have seen it with a live audience approximately 300 times (for me, it's going to be difficult to break their record since Kansas City only has a monthly showing... oh well... they better be proud that their passion for the cult film has rubbed off on me LOL).
When I was born, I was immediately introduced to a lot of their activities. They took me to movies (like Return of the Jedi and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom... even if I was asleep most of the time). I went with them to trampoline meets and was passed around between the other coaches and athletes. I also knew how to do the Time Warp when I was still in diapers.
After my sister was born, we were a complete family. We traveled together to meets (and my sister and I joined the team when we were old enough to compete). We went on family vacations to California and Las Vegas. We established our own traditions for family activities, which included dining out, miniature golf, going to the movies, playing board games, shopping, and spending time with both sides of the family. My sister and I are very well versed in pop culture and music because of their tastes in music, movies, and celebrity trivia.
After moving to Lee's Summit, my parents got out of the trampoline world. All of their athletes were moving on with their lives. But, after a few years, my Mom wanted to do it again so she started coaching a team in Lees Summit. Dad eventually came back to it as well (and I even started working at the gymnastics facility).
My Dad retired from teaching a few years ago. He now coaches the swimming and diving teams for Blue Springs High School and has led the girls team to state a couple times (and once they won state). He's also on the board of a Credit Union. My Mom works at an orthopaedic practice. They both still coach the trampoline and tumbling team, with a new generation of athletes that have done very well in competitions.
My parents celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary last year. I wish them to have many more years of happiness.
March 26th, 1998:
I am attending an in-school workshop with an author I enjoyed, Vicki Grove. My friends Theresa, Ashley, and Ben sat with me. The girls and I were discussing the school dance that was a couple months away. As we were discussing it, Ben turns around (he was sitting in front of me) and asks me to the dance. I had a crush on him for a few months and I happily accepted.
Ben and I had our first date shortly after that. We went to see the movie Lost in Space with a couple others (I think it was his twin brother Nathan and one of his two girlfriends at the time-- yes he had two girlfriends). We saw the movie at the AMC theaters in town (which not long after our first date closed for good. It is now an Office Max). Sometime after the 8th grade spring dance, we officially called ourselves a couple.
Between 8th and 9th grade, we spend a decent amount of time together. I went to some of his baseball games, he wrote me letters from Boy Scout camp, and we saw several movies. One of them was Armageddon, which gave us our song, Aerosmith's "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing."
We entered high school ready for an awesome four years. We figured out when we would see each other between classes and sat together at lunch. I attended his football games occasionally. One Friday night, watching the varsity game, we somehow got into a conversation about kissing. We were with his twin brother and my friend Kathryn. Both of them knew we hadn't kissed yet (which at that point we were together for about six months). Nathan demonstrates that it's easy and kisses Kathryn (to her surprise). Hours later, my Mom picked all of us up and took the twins home, Ben was retrieving his bag from the trunk of the car and decided to kiss me. I felt like I was in heaven that night. A couple weeks later (and a lot of kissing later), we go to Homecoming together and have a blast!
Christmastime 1998:
Ben calls me two days before Christmas and breaks up with me. I am upset and seek out my friend Ashley for moral support. The next day, Ben's mom brings him over to my house. He gives me a present and asks me to forgive him for breaking up with me. I forget about how hurt I felt and was happy we got back together.
Over the following year, we have many enjoyable times. We see several movies, hang out at birthday parties, go mini golfing, and I even attended church with his family. I attended his football and baseball games and saw him perform with the high school orchestra, like any good supportive girlfriend should. :-) We also fell in love. We were open and honest with each other and loved when we had time for just the two of us.
During our sophomore year, Ben gained several friends through orchestra and theater. Several of them were girls and I sensed that they were jealous of me because I was with Ben, especially at my Sweet 16 birthday party, where he serenaded me with a song in front of everybody. I ignored the feelings of animosity with those girls and reminded myself that Ben was with me.
Yeah, that didn't last much longer.
Christmastime 1999:
Two days after Christmas, Ben called me. His best friend Khalid was in town and I was ready to go over and visit with them. That never happened. Ben broke up with me instead, and this time it was for good.
It took me a really long time to get over him. For one, we never stopped hanging out. It's very difficult to move on when we continued to sit together at lunch and hang out with the same group of friends. Then he cheated on his next girlfriend with me, which made me feel like he wanted me back so I let it happen for several months. After that whole mess ended (as in he and I stopped seeing each other in secret and after they broke up), our relationship with each other had shifted. We became friends.
In our first semester of college, we had a mini reunion of sorts. We visited each other a few times (I was in St. Louis and he was in Kirksville, which was about a 3 hour drive). To me, it was enjoyable because it was comforting and it brought back good memories.
Today, we remain friends. Even though Ben was my first love, I don't have any loving feelings for him anymore. After all the years, I finally realized that we were never meant to be together and I was fine with that. I also think that it's really unique that we continue to have a great friendship and any feelings we had for each other in the past will never get in the way. I attended his wedding last fall and have become friends with his wife. He was my high school sweetheart and I will never forget the good times we had as a couple.
Yay! I finally finished reading a book since I declared doing Literary Thursday blogs! I apologize for those who were anxiously waiting for me to do a book review, but the book I read took me longer to read than I thought.
The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold
Helen Knightly is a middle aged woman who is taking care of her ailing mother. They have had one of the strangest bonds as mother and daughter, but a strong one. Helen soon finds herself doing the unthinkable. In a moment of anger, she suffocates her mother, leaving her dead. Helen then finds herself doing a lot of unthinkable things for the following twenty-four hours while reflecting on the past with both of her parents.
When I first read The Lovely Bones in 2004, I was amazed at how brilliant Alice Sebold had written the story. I wanted to read more of her works. The Almost Moon came out in 2007 and I read a couple reviews that portrayed that it wasn't very good. As it turns out... the reviews were right.
I normally enjoy all the books I've read, so to finally find one that disappointed me makes me a little sad. The most prominent reason for my disappointment was how the present day to past events were just all over the place. You'll read about how Helen is driving from her mother's to her house and you suddenly are reading about two to three past scenarios that she's reflecting on. I mean, I know that's how the mind works sometimes, but to try to represent that kind of thinking into words were not executed well. There were a few instances where I didn't realize the story transitioned and had to reread parts.
Helen did a lot of things in the 24 hours after killing her mom. She cleans and hides her mother's body, she has sex with Hamish (the adult son of her best friend), she gets her ex-husband to come in town to help her, and other things (hey... I can't spoil all the details of the book to others that want to read it). If I were in that situation (which I don't see that ever happening, murder is one of those things I'd never put on a to-do list), I don't think I would be able to keep my composure, let alone do a bunch of activities.
With all the characters in the story, my favorite was Mr. Forrest. He was the neighbor of Helen and her family while growing up. He was extremely cultured in the arts and photography and Helen was fascinated with his lifestyle. To be honest, I wish the book was about him because that would have been a more interesting and exciting read.
Overall... this was not worth the read. I'm glad I only paid two dollars for the book (at a Borders that was closing their doors). I might give it another try in 10 years or so and see if I connect to it as an older woman. Hey, you never know!
This one is pretty obvious. KC stands for Kansas City, the place that I have called home for my entire life (with the exception of my semester in St. Louis and a couple months in Fort Scott, KS-which is technically on the outskirts of the KC area). Movie Geek... come on! I'm a self proclaimed movie geek and have blogged a lot about movies in general, so my nickname is part of my blog address.
Organized Chaos!:
Organized Chaos is a phrase I have been using since I was 16. When deciding on a theme for my high school's yearbook my junior year, someone suggested Organized Chaos. I loved the idea and remembered designing some spreads with that theme. We ended up using a different theme, but the phrase stuck with me. When I was a senior I took an English class that gave me college credit through UMKC. Our final project was to come up with a portfolio showcasing what we did that semester. The phrase Organized Chaos immediately came to mind and became the theme for my portfolio.
To me, Organized Chaos represents life and all its unpredictability. But in life, we have our own standards that make the chaos in life manageable. For my blog, I do have a focus that pertains to movies and pop culture, but I tend to blog a lot about other things (not to mention I enjoy taking on blog challenges, obviously). So in my crazy little world of blogging, I have it all organized and labeled so everyone can have access to certain types of blogs like the ones about movies or the ones that focus on my personal life.
