Friday was Karen's birthday. Happy birthday Karen! Unfortunately, I suck at celebrating Karen's birthday. Luckily for me, Karen has never been big on celebrating her birthday. To her, her birthday is just another day. Her humbleness is very admirable.
I, on the other hand, actually believe that birthdays are an important day. Our son (Braden) was born extremely premature in 2008 and survived for a week. Perhaps my inability with Braden to actually do the things that parents do with their children when they grow up (like celebrating birthdays) is one of the reasons that I believe birthdays are important. After all, I would have liked nothing more than to see Braden reach the age of one... or two... or three, etc.
Regardless, Karen, our baby daughter (Briana) and I celebrated Karen's birthday by dining out at Not Your Average Joe's located in Norwell. We were actually hesitant at first about dining out with Briana because we were not sure how she would react. It turns out, Briana was very good.
In fact, Briana ended up stealing her mommy's thunder at the restaurant. Many of the waitstaff came over and played with her. A few of them remarked about how beautiful she was (to which I take with a grain of salt because really... what person ever tells parents that their baby is ugly even if it were true?). Probably most surprising is the fact that Briana let a stranger hold her. That stranger: our favorite waitperson (Renee) at Not Your Average Joe's. Needless to say, Briana enjoyed all of it. All of this attention will go to Briana's head, I'm sure.
Anyway, for anyone curious, the meal at Not Your Average Joe's was delicious as usual. Karen and I even tried a dessert that we never had before. Even though we are frequenters of Not Your Average Joe's, we really do not have dessert because we are usually stuffed from the meal itself. This being a special occasion, we decided to give dessert a try. Needless to say, we tried hot apple cinnamon sticks for dessert. They were absolutely delicious. (Cue Rachael Ray's "Yum-O" sound.)
All in all, I think Karen enjoyed her birthday celebration which is good. And naturally when Karen and Briana went to bed, I decided to stay up for some alone time. Instead of feeding my movie addiction, however, I decided to switch things up and feed my video game addiction.
The video game that I ended up playing (and completing) was Darksiders. For anyone curious, Darksiders is an action adventure game whereby you play the role of War, one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. The plot centers around War, who is accused of prematurely bringing about the Apocalypse. In an effort to clear his name, he finds the responsible parties and makes them pay to restore the balance between good and evil.
I had a great time playing the game. Mark Hamill (of Star Wars fame) lends his voice talents to one of the characters in the game. In my opinion, it was definitely a fun game. I would be curious to see how the sequel (due to be released in 2012) compares. As well, there has been rumored discussions of a possible comic book series and a movie adaptation of the game. Naturally, I would be intrigued by those options too.
Anyway, now that I have completed Darksiders, I can now move on to my next video game. Yay!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
I Suck At Shopping For Birthday Presents
Although it is rare, I do procrastinate with a few things. Among those things are shopping for birthday presents. Yes, I suck at shopping for birthday presents. In particular, I generally procrastinate when Karen's birthday rolls around.
It's not that I don't want to get her presents or anything like that. I just find getting Karen presents a very difficult task because I never know what to get her. It's like that on Christmas and anniversaries as well. If she had a video game or movie addiction like I do, finding a present would be so much easier.
Anyway, last night I decided to go out shopping for Karen's birthday present. Yesterday was a milestone of sorts. After all, last night was the first time I have ever been out of the house with just our baby daughter (Briana). Considering how Briana is seven months old, that is a very sad statement.
One of things Karen has wanted for awhile is for me to go out with Briana so that she can just have a couple of hours at home by herself, much like how I have the home to myself whenever Karen takes Briana while out galavanting with her gal pals. I have always found her request a little odd because if the roles were reversed, a bunch of guys hanging out with a baby seems very peculiar. I'm not so sure a bunch of guys would be as receptive to hanging out with a baby in comparison to a bunch of women.
As a result, I really have not gone out with just Briana. I suppose technically I could have taken Briana to visit her family, but then that requires... visiting family. Don't get me wrong. I love my family, but I see my parents enough during the week as it is with them taking care of Briana.
I don't know. Perhaps my never leaving the house has also added to my recent feelings about being in a rut.
That said, I may need to become a shopaholic just to get out of the house with Briana. If last night is any indication of how shopping with Briana will go, then things are looking pretty good.
After all, while shopping for a birthday present for Karen, many of the employees at the stores I visited simply started talking to me about Briana. Who knew? Briana was a chick magnet last night. She had all the female employees coming over to look and play with her. (And by play, I mean make faces and baby noises.) Briana was like a rock star.
And interestingly enough, Briana was quite good while we were out shopping. She did not make cry at all. Instead, she simply looked around and took everything all in. I think she rather enjoyed shopping. Perhaps we'll have to do a father/daughter weekly shopping tradition or something. I'm sure that will make Karen happy.
It's not that I don't want to get her presents or anything like that. I just find getting Karen presents a very difficult task because I never know what to get her. It's like that on Christmas and anniversaries as well. If she had a video game or movie addiction like I do, finding a present would be so much easier.
Anyway, last night I decided to go out shopping for Karen's birthday present. Yesterday was a milestone of sorts. After all, last night was the first time I have ever been out of the house with just our baby daughter (Briana). Considering how Briana is seven months old, that is a very sad statement.
One of things Karen has wanted for awhile is for me to go out with Briana so that she can just have a couple of hours at home by herself, much like how I have the home to myself whenever Karen takes Briana while out galavanting with her gal pals. I have always found her request a little odd because if the roles were reversed, a bunch of guys hanging out with a baby seems very peculiar. I'm not so sure a bunch of guys would be as receptive to hanging out with a baby in comparison to a bunch of women.
As a result, I really have not gone out with just Briana. I suppose technically I could have taken Briana to visit her family, but then that requires... visiting family. Don't get me wrong. I love my family, but I see my parents enough during the week as it is with them taking care of Briana.
I don't know. Perhaps my never leaving the house has also added to my recent feelings about being in a rut.
That said, I may need to become a shopaholic just to get out of the house with Briana. If last night is any indication of how shopping with Briana will go, then things are looking pretty good.
After all, while shopping for a birthday present for Karen, many of the employees at the stores I visited simply started talking to me about Briana. Who knew? Briana was a chick magnet last night. She had all the female employees coming over to look and play with her. (And by play, I mean make faces and baby noises.) Briana was like a rock star.
And interestingly enough, Briana was quite good while we were out shopping. She did not make cry at all. Instead, she simply looked around and took everything all in. I think she rather enjoyed shopping. Perhaps we'll have to do a father/daughter weekly shopping tradition or something. I'm sure that will make Karen happy.
I Suck At Gran Torino
On Wednesday, I fed my movie addiction by watching Gran Torino in the wee hours of night. Now, I suck at Gran Torino.
For anyone curious, Clint Eastwood directs and stars in the movie. He plays a recently widowed Korean War veteran who is angry with the world. He forms a surprising friendship with his new Hmong (an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand) neighbors after one of them attempts to steal his Gran Torino as part of an initiation into the local gang.
To my surprise, I actually enjoyed this movie. It probably is not a stretch for Clint Eastwood to play a grumpy old man. He definitely has some good lines in the film. All in all, the movie was entertaining.
For anyone curious, Clint Eastwood directs and stars in the movie. He plays a recently widowed Korean War veteran who is angry with the world. He forms a surprising friendship with his new Hmong (an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand) neighbors after one of them attempts to steal his Gran Torino as part of an initiation into the local gang.
To my surprise, I actually enjoyed this movie. It probably is not a stretch for Clint Eastwood to play a grumpy old man. He definitely has some good lines in the film. All in all, the movie was entertaining.
Monday, October 25, 2010
I Suck At Liver And Onions
Yesterday, Karen, our baby daughter (Briana) and I had dinner with Karen's parents. On the menu for dinner: liver and onions. Now, I suck at liver and onions.
Liver and onions happen to be one of Karen's favorite dishes. The meal has been a birthday tradition ever since she was young. So with Karen's birthday quickly approaching (this Friday), her parents invited us over for the traditional birthday meal.
I'm sure a lot of people dismiss eating the meal simply based on their preconceived notions of eating an organ. Luckily, those preconceptions don't deter me from eating. I have a very hearty appetite. Unlike a majority of my friends, I am willing to eat just about anything.
I suppose being Asian helps with that because there are a lot of Asian dishes that do not look visually appealing, but taste great. (There are also Asian dishes that do not look visually appealing and taste awful too.) As a result, I try to never judge a food by its looks or what I imagine it to taste like.
Needless to say, the liver and onions dinner was good. And naturally, Karen enjoyed it as well. I still would like to learn how to make the meal someday. Someday I will have to watch my father-in-law as he makes it.
Liver and onions happen to be one of Karen's favorite dishes. The meal has been a birthday tradition ever since she was young. So with Karen's birthday quickly approaching (this Friday), her parents invited us over for the traditional birthday meal.
I'm sure a lot of people dismiss eating the meal simply based on their preconceived notions of eating an organ. Luckily, those preconceptions don't deter me from eating. I have a very hearty appetite. Unlike a majority of my friends, I am willing to eat just about anything.
I suppose being Asian helps with that because there are a lot of Asian dishes that do not look visually appealing, but taste great. (There are also Asian dishes that do not look visually appealing and taste awful too.) As a result, I try to never judge a food by its looks or what I imagine it to taste like.
Needless to say, the liver and onions dinner was good. And naturally, Karen enjoyed it as well. I still would like to learn how to make the meal someday. Someday I will have to watch my father-in-law as he makes it.
I Suck At The Museum Of Science
On Saturday, Karen and I took our nephew (PJ) out for his birthday. For some time, Karen and I have been giving our niece (Kaleigh) and PJ the option of going out for their respective birthdays or receiving an actual physical gift. Thus far, they have opted to spend time with their Aunt and Uncle instead of receiving an actual gift/toy. I'm curious as to how long this will last and how long it will be until they find hanging out with us to be lame.
Anyway, PJ wanted to go to the Museum of Science for his birthday. So that is where we went on Saturday. Unfortunately, I suck at the Museum of Science. I haven't been to the Museum of Science in quite a while. I think the last time may have been while I was in college and that was over ten years ago.
Needless to say, it was definitely fun to find out at the Museum of Science. I think I had about as much fun as PJ did with all of the exhibits and shows. A lot has changed since the last time I was at the Museum of Science. Sure, there is still the exhibit to let people know what makes an ocean wave wave. Speaking of which, I wonder why there are no commercials these days for the Museum of Science.
Regardless, I had a great time on Saturday. Karen, PJ and I spent practically the entire day at the museum. I have never been much for museums, so spending an entire day at one is something that I never thought I would have done. So to me, it was a pleasant surprise that the Museum of Science held my interest for so long.
Among the highlights of the day were the live animal show (about kestrels) and the lightning show. PJ also got to create a glow stick. As well, he built a satellite out of everyday items. For anyone curious, that was a fun activity. The museum had these tubes that blew air straight upwards and the goal was to build a satellite out of pipe cleaners, straws, empty film canisters, etc. that could hover between two given points on the tube. The majority of the satellites that were built shot straight up and out of the tubes. In fact, mine shot straight out and was consequently stolen by some random child who thought it was cool. He kept shooting my satellite out of the tube before absconding with it. I'm glad that I could make him happy.
Although Karen did not make her own satellite, she thought that activity was pretty neat as well. Needless to say, we had a great time at the Museum of Science where its fun to find out.
Anyway, PJ wanted to go to the Museum of Science for his birthday. So that is where we went on Saturday. Unfortunately, I suck at the Museum of Science. I haven't been to the Museum of Science in quite a while. I think the last time may have been while I was in college and that was over ten years ago.
Needless to say, it was definitely fun to find out at the Museum of Science. I think I had about as much fun as PJ did with all of the exhibits and shows. A lot has changed since the last time I was at the Museum of Science. Sure, there is still the exhibit to let people know what makes an ocean wave wave. Speaking of which, I wonder why there are no commercials these days for the Museum of Science.
Regardless, I had a great time on Saturday. Karen, PJ and I spent practically the entire day at the museum. I have never been much for museums, so spending an entire day at one is something that I never thought I would have done. So to me, it was a pleasant surprise that the Museum of Science held my interest for so long.
Among the highlights of the day were the live animal show (about kestrels) and the lightning show. PJ also got to create a glow stick. As well, he built a satellite out of everyday items. For anyone curious, that was a fun activity. The museum had these tubes that blew air straight upwards and the goal was to build a satellite out of pipe cleaners, straws, empty film canisters, etc. that could hover between two given points on the tube. The majority of the satellites that were built shot straight up and out of the tubes. In fact, mine shot straight out and was consequently stolen by some random child who thought it was cool. He kept shooting my satellite out of the tube before absconding with it. I'm glad that I could make him happy.
Although Karen did not make her own satellite, she thought that activity was pretty neat as well. Needless to say, we had a great time at the Museum of Science where its fun to find out.
I Suck At Shutterfly
I take a lot of pictures. I guess you can say that I perpetuate the stereotype of Asians and cameras with my picture taking. It's just that I like to capture memories, particularly because I have such a terrible memory. It is my hope that the pictures I take can jog my memory and help me remember those moments.
Plus, having a baby daughter (Briana), I have been told by others who have children of their own that the first years pass by very quickly. Some have even suggested that I take as many pictures as I can before I realize that she has grown up. Looking back, the time spent raising Briana has indeed passed by very quickly. I can't believe that she is already over 7 months old. To me, it seems like just yesterday that she was a peanut due to her premature birth.
Anyway, one of the downsides to taking so many pictures is storage. For many friends and family who wanted to see pictures of Briana, I originally set up a Picasa web album so that everyone could follow her development. For anyone curious, according to my friend Wikipedia, Picasa is "an image organizer and image viewer for organizing and editing digital photos, plus an integrated photo-sharing website, originally created by Idealab and owned by Google."
Needless to say, there is a storage limit to how many pictures I can have on the web album. I have not reached that size limit yet, but I foresee it happening some time in the near future.
Thus, I began experimenting with an alternative option. That option: Shutterfly. Now, I suck at Shutterfly. One of the reasons why I even looked into Shutterfly was because I had received a coupon for Shutterfly while registering for baby products. The coupon worked fine and it allowed me to test out the site.
Karen and I ended up creating a photo book through Shutterfly and were quite pleased with how the book came out. We were looking into creating another photo book about Briana when I noticed that they had an option to create a baby website. What mostly caught my eye was that I did not see any storage limit.
Naturally, that led me to think about trying Shutterfly as a viable option to share pictures and whatnot of Briana. Consequently I spent much of Friday night creating a test site for Briana. I guess I'll see how it goes.
Plus, having a baby daughter (Briana), I have been told by others who have children of their own that the first years pass by very quickly. Some have even suggested that I take as many pictures as I can before I realize that she has grown up. Looking back, the time spent raising Briana has indeed passed by very quickly. I can't believe that she is already over 7 months old. To me, it seems like just yesterday that she was a peanut due to her premature birth.
Anyway, one of the downsides to taking so many pictures is storage. For many friends and family who wanted to see pictures of Briana, I originally set up a Picasa web album so that everyone could follow her development. For anyone curious, according to my friend Wikipedia, Picasa is "an image organizer and image viewer for organizing and editing digital photos, plus an integrated photo-sharing website, originally created by Idealab and owned by Google."
Needless to say, there is a storage limit to how many pictures I can have on the web album. I have not reached that size limit yet, but I foresee it happening some time in the near future.
Thus, I began experimenting with an alternative option. That option: Shutterfly. Now, I suck at Shutterfly. One of the reasons why I even looked into Shutterfly was because I had received a coupon for Shutterfly while registering for baby products. The coupon worked fine and it allowed me to test out the site.
Karen and I ended up creating a photo book through Shutterfly and were quite pleased with how the book came out. We were looking into creating another photo book about Briana when I noticed that they had an option to create a baby website. What mostly caught my eye was that I did not see any storage limit.
Naturally, that led me to think about trying Shutterfly as a viable option to share pictures and whatnot of Briana. Consequently I spent much of Friday night creating a test site for Briana. I guess I'll see how it goes.
Friday, October 22, 2010
I Suck At The Lovely Bones
Last night, I fed my movie addiction by watching yet another movie. Yes, I may have a movie addiction problem. Movies are like crack to me. And thanks to Whitney Houston, all of us now know that crack is whack.
Interestingly enough, Verizon called yesterday offering me yet another trial movie package for three months. I found it funny that they called, seeing as how they just recently gave me a trial movie package. This package, however, was for Showtime and its sister networks. Verizon was ready to sign me up with the package until I reminded them that I was already on a trial movie package. Oh well, perhaps next time.
Anyway, the movie that I ended up watching was The Lovely Bones.
(The video below is a trailer for The Lovely Bones.)
Now I suck at The Lovely Bones. The movie is based on the book of the same name by Alice Sebold. Taking place during 1973 in Pennsylvania, the plot is about a 14 year old girl who becomes the victim of a serial killer who happens to live in the neighborhood. The story unfolds through her eyes as she watches from Heaven the aftermath of her murder and its affect on her family.
And for anyone curious as to why the book and movie is called The Lovely Bones, the title comes from the end of the novel:
"These were the lovely bones that had grown around my absence: the connections — sometimes tenuous, sometimes made at great cost, but often magnificent — that happened after I was gone. And I began to see things in a way that let me hold the world without me in it. The events my death brought were merely the bones of a body that would become whole at some unpredictable time in the future. The price of what I came to see as this miraculous lifeless body had been my life."
I was surprised to find that I actually enjoyed watching the movie quite a bit. I really was not expecting much from the movie probably because I had never heard of the award winning book. (Yes, I don't read much.) Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the movie.
Interestingly enough, Verizon called yesterday offering me yet another trial movie package for three months. I found it funny that they called, seeing as how they just recently gave me a trial movie package. This package, however, was for Showtime and its sister networks. Verizon was ready to sign me up with the package until I reminded them that I was already on a trial movie package. Oh well, perhaps next time.
Anyway, the movie that I ended up watching was The Lovely Bones.
(The video below is a trailer for The Lovely Bones.)
Now I suck at The Lovely Bones. The movie is based on the book of the same name by Alice Sebold. Taking place during 1973 in Pennsylvania, the plot is about a 14 year old girl who becomes the victim of a serial killer who happens to live in the neighborhood. The story unfolds through her eyes as she watches from Heaven the aftermath of her murder and its affect on her family.
And for anyone curious as to why the book and movie is called The Lovely Bones, the title comes from the end of the novel:
"These were the lovely bones that had grown around my absence: the connections — sometimes tenuous, sometimes made at great cost, but often magnificent — that happened after I was gone. And I began to see things in a way that let me hold the world without me in it. The events my death brought were merely the bones of a body that would become whole at some unpredictable time in the future. The price of what I came to see as this miraculous lifeless body had been my life."
I was surprised to find that I actually enjoyed watching the movie quite a bit. I really was not expecting much from the movie probably because I had never heard of the award winning book. (Yes, I don't read much.) Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the movie.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
I Suck At Zombie Outbreaks
For Karen, our baby daughter (Briana) and I, yesterday was our usual night to get together and hang out with some of our friends. After all, yesterday was Wednesday and Wednesday is Prince Spaghetti night. So joining in on the fun last night were our friends (Marc, Kelley, and Andrea) and my BFF (Kerry).
It has been a while since Kerry came down and joined us on a weekday. Luckily for us, she happened to be in the neighborhood due to an emergency training exercise. As much as it would have been cool, the emergency exercise was not for the possible outbreak of zombies. Consequently, if Massachusetts should ever experience a zombie outbreak... the Commonwealth is apparently in trouble as the state would be very ill-prepared.
Now, I suck at zombie outbreaks. Okay, perhaps not. I've seen my share of zombie horror movies. Heck, I've played my fair share of zombie video games. So I actually think I'd be pretty good should a zombie outbreak happen in Massachusetts.
Zombies aside, it was good to see Kerry again. As an interesting side note, before meeting up with all of our friends, Karen, Briana and I took a quick trip to the public library in Hingham. For Karen, Briana, and I, it was our first trip ever to the Hingham Public Library and I must say... the Hingham Public Library is very nice. The place is huge in comparison to our local library. I was actually surprised to see a bunch of teenagers at the library, because I didn't think teenagers did that anymore. Granted, they were probably just there to hang out, but it was interesting.
I would probably say that Quincy and Hingham are the top two libraries on the South Shore. Of course, I have only been to three libraries on the South Shore, but the Hingham and Quincy facilities are without a doubt the best that I have been to thus far. Norwell, by the way, still has the best librarians in my opinion and I'm not just saying that because my favorite librarian happens to be in Norwell. For anyone curious, my favorite librarian jokingly referred to Hingham's library as a palace... and apparently she was correct. Hingham's Public Library is very nice.
Regardless, on a whole the Norwell librarians are a much friendlier bunch. It is actually for that reason that Karen's grandmother goes to the Norwell Library instead of the one in her own town of Hanover.
Anyway, after being in awe of the Hingham Public Library, Karen, Briana and I met up with everyone at Marc and Kelley's. Prior to our arrival, Marc, Kelley and Kerry went out for dinner at Firefly's in Quincy after Kerry recent discovery of the exotic meal known as pulled pork. Needless to say, it was a fun time at Marc and Kelley's. I think having all of us there also provided them with a little distraction as they recently had to put down one of their cats. And for anyone curious, Marc and Kelley's cats are like their family.
I remember having similar feelings when my son (Braden) passed away. There were times where I wondered what I could have done differently. There were times I blamed myself for the causing the passing or failing to do something beforehand. After a while, a person can go insane with all these rationalizations. After thinking so much about Braden, there were times where I just simply did not want to think anymore and I think Marc and Kelley similarly wanted a little break from thinking about their cat's passing. By no means am I comparing Braden to a pet. I'm just saying I understand their need for a distraction during their grieving.
And of course, when it comes to making people feel happy, there is no better solution than ice cream! With Frozen Freddie's in Quincy still open for the season, a bunch of us drove down to pick up some ice cream. Truth be told, I was disappointed with my ice cream selection of the apple crisp flavor. There were apples in the ice cream... just no crisp. False advertising if I do say so myself.
Nevertheless, it was ice cream! Anyway, all of us just hung out, ate ice cream, and watched some episodes of Man Vs. Food. It was a good time. And apparently plans got set into motion very quickly last night for the upcoming month. What turned out as possible plans to celebrate Karen's birthday in November (instead of October) became a possible trip to the Cape in a matter of minutes. Of course, the plans were dependent on Andrea's move as her closing date got delayed due to her realtor. So we'll see.
It has been a while since Kerry came down and joined us on a weekday. Luckily for us, she happened to be in the neighborhood due to an emergency training exercise. As much as it would have been cool, the emergency exercise was not for the possible outbreak of zombies. Consequently, if Massachusetts should ever experience a zombie outbreak... the Commonwealth is apparently in trouble as the state would be very ill-prepared.
Now, I suck at zombie outbreaks. Okay, perhaps not. I've seen my share of zombie horror movies. Heck, I've played my fair share of zombie video games. So I actually think I'd be pretty good should a zombie outbreak happen in Massachusetts.
Zombies aside, it was good to see Kerry again. As an interesting side note, before meeting up with all of our friends, Karen, Briana and I took a quick trip to the public library in Hingham. For Karen, Briana, and I, it was our first trip ever to the Hingham Public Library and I must say... the Hingham Public Library is very nice. The place is huge in comparison to our local library. I was actually surprised to see a bunch of teenagers at the library, because I didn't think teenagers did that anymore. Granted, they were probably just there to hang out, but it was interesting.
I would probably say that Quincy and Hingham are the top two libraries on the South Shore. Of course, I have only been to three libraries on the South Shore, but the Hingham and Quincy facilities are without a doubt the best that I have been to thus far. Norwell, by the way, still has the best librarians in my opinion and I'm not just saying that because my favorite librarian happens to be in Norwell. For anyone curious, my favorite librarian jokingly referred to Hingham's library as a palace... and apparently she was correct. Hingham's Public Library is very nice.
Regardless, on a whole the Norwell librarians are a much friendlier bunch. It is actually for that reason that Karen's grandmother goes to the Norwell Library instead of the one in her own town of Hanover.
Anyway, after being in awe of the Hingham Public Library, Karen, Briana and I met up with everyone at Marc and Kelley's. Prior to our arrival, Marc, Kelley and Kerry went out for dinner at Firefly's in Quincy after Kerry recent discovery of the exotic meal known as pulled pork. Needless to say, it was a fun time at Marc and Kelley's. I think having all of us there also provided them with a little distraction as they recently had to put down one of their cats. And for anyone curious, Marc and Kelley's cats are like their family.
I remember having similar feelings when my son (Braden) passed away. There were times where I wondered what I could have done differently. There were times I blamed myself for the causing the passing or failing to do something beforehand. After a while, a person can go insane with all these rationalizations. After thinking so much about Braden, there were times where I just simply did not want to think anymore and I think Marc and Kelley similarly wanted a little break from thinking about their cat's passing. By no means am I comparing Braden to a pet. I'm just saying I understand their need for a distraction during their grieving.
And of course, when it comes to making people feel happy, there is no better solution than ice cream! With Frozen Freddie's in Quincy still open for the season, a bunch of us drove down to pick up some ice cream. Truth be told, I was disappointed with my ice cream selection of the apple crisp flavor. There were apples in the ice cream... just no crisp. False advertising if I do say so myself.
Nevertheless, it was ice cream! Anyway, all of us just hung out, ate ice cream, and watched some episodes of Man Vs. Food. It was a good time. And apparently plans got set into motion very quickly last night for the upcoming month. What turned out as possible plans to celebrate Karen's birthday in November (instead of October) became a possible trip to the Cape in a matter of minutes. Of course, the plans were dependent on Andrea's move as her closing date got delayed due to her realtor. So we'll see.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
I Suck At Whip It
On Monday, I fed my movie addiction yet again by watching Whip It. Now, I suck at Whip It.
(The video below is a trailer for Whip It.)
The movie, not to be confused with the song by Devo, was Drew Barrymore's directorial debut. The film itself is based on the novel Derby Girl by Shauna Cross, who also wrote the script for Whip It. Anyway, the movie stars Ellen Page (of Juno fame) as a misfit in a small Texas town who joins a roller derby league and starts taking charge of other aspects in her life.
Interestingly enough, I enjoyed the movie. Sadly, I still don't understand the rules of roller derby, but it does seem like an interesting sport now.
(The video below is a trailer for Whip It.)
The movie, not to be confused with the song by Devo, was Drew Barrymore's directorial debut. The film itself is based on the novel Derby Girl by Shauna Cross, who also wrote the script for Whip It. Anyway, the movie stars Ellen Page (of Juno fame) as a misfit in a small Texas town who joins a roller derby league and starts taking charge of other aspects in her life.
Interestingly enough, I enjoyed the movie. Sadly, I still don't understand the rules of roller derby, but it does seem like an interesting sport now.
Monday, October 18, 2010
I Suck At Celebrating My Friend's Birthday
On Saturday, Karen and I celebrated my friend's (Kelley) birthday. Happy birthday Kelley! Too bad I suck at celebrating my friend's birthday. Luckily for me, there were others there to celebrate Kelley's birthday. In addition to Karen and I, joining in on the celebratory fun were my friends (Marc, Cass, Andrea), Kelley's co-worker (Rianna), my BFF (Kerry) and my BFF's significant other (Pat).
To celebrate Kelley's birthday, Marc and Kelley invited a bunch of people over to their place to hang out, grab some dinner, and enjoy the upcoming UFC fight later that night. Interestingly enough, Karen and I were the first ones to arrive. The only reason why I think it is interesting is because since having a baby (Briana), our schedules have been slightly off. And by slightly off, I mean it takes Karen and I a little longer now to get ready because there is always baby things to pack and prepare for whereas before it was just Karen and I.
Of course, even if we are running late we can always count on beating my BFF, who has a penchant for being tardy. She'll of course say her tardiness is due to her living in Salem and meeting us down on the South Shore. Having driven through Salem on the days I visit the office for work, I am inclined to agree. I hate driving through Salem. It takes forever. It almost reminds me of driving through Quincy, which I equally dislike. Alas, I don't think it's just Salem.
Anyway, sure enough we did beat Kerry who was running a little late. It was actually pretty comical early on at the party. As a sign that all of my friends are getting older, the topic of discussion included things like gout and sciatica and how we're just getting old. Luckily for Karen and I, neither one of us are experiencing those physical symptoms. Karen, unfortunately, already happens to be an old person trapped in a young person's body with her Golden Girl addiction.
After ordering takeout from the Little Duck in Quincy (and neighboring Nick's because Kerry doesn't like Thai food... and also since Marc forgot to order himself some food), we hung out and had some fun. Kelley's co-worker simply cracked me up with her vomit story. She actually has a bunch of interesting stories. One of them even included her meeting martial arts icon Chuck Norris. And as we all know... "If you meet Chuck Norris in real-life, and he talks to you, 'Hello' will be the last word you'll ever hear." Luckily for Rianna, she survived to tell the tale.
For me, probably the highlight of the night involved seeing Marc and Kelley dress up in their respective Halloween costumes for this year. Marc donned on the ever form fitting costume of legendary superhero Green Lantern, while Kelley dressed up as Phoenix, another costumed superhero. Apparently, they were planning ahead because they have been toying with the idea of going to Comic-Con 2011. Coming in as a close second to best costume of the night was Marc wearing his football jersey from when he was a freshman in high school. Let's just say the jersey is likewise very form fitting these days.
All in all, it was definitely a fun night. The UFC matches that we did end up watching were rather vanilla this time around. No third eye. No exploding cauliflower ears. No blood. It was very disappointing. Don't UFC fighters know that blood sells? That's the only reason why I watch it... the blood! That, and also seeing Brock Lesnar get his butt handed to him. Unfortunately, that has not happened since he became so dominating in his weight class.
Anyway, it was fun. And hopefully Kelley enjoyed her day.
To celebrate Kelley's birthday, Marc and Kelley invited a bunch of people over to their place to hang out, grab some dinner, and enjoy the upcoming UFC fight later that night. Interestingly enough, Karen and I were the first ones to arrive. The only reason why I think it is interesting is because since having a baby (Briana), our schedules have been slightly off. And by slightly off, I mean it takes Karen and I a little longer now to get ready because there is always baby things to pack and prepare for whereas before it was just Karen and I.
Of course, even if we are running late we can always count on beating my BFF, who has a penchant for being tardy. She'll of course say her tardiness is due to her living in Salem and meeting us down on the South Shore. Having driven through Salem on the days I visit the office for work, I am inclined to agree. I hate driving through Salem. It takes forever. It almost reminds me of driving through Quincy, which I equally dislike. Alas, I don't think it's just Salem.
Anyway, sure enough we did beat Kerry who was running a little late. It was actually pretty comical early on at the party. As a sign that all of my friends are getting older, the topic of discussion included things like gout and sciatica and how we're just getting old. Luckily for Karen and I, neither one of us are experiencing those physical symptoms. Karen, unfortunately, already happens to be an old person trapped in a young person's body with her Golden Girl addiction.
After ordering takeout from the Little Duck in Quincy (and neighboring Nick's because Kerry doesn't like Thai food... and also since Marc forgot to order himself some food), we hung out and had some fun. Kelley's co-worker simply cracked me up with her vomit story. She actually has a bunch of interesting stories. One of them even included her meeting martial arts icon Chuck Norris. And as we all know... "If you meet Chuck Norris in real-life, and he talks to you, 'Hello' will be the last word you'll ever hear." Luckily for Rianna, she survived to tell the tale.
For me, probably the highlight of the night involved seeing Marc and Kelley dress up in their respective Halloween costumes for this year. Marc donned on the ever form fitting costume of legendary superhero Green Lantern, while Kelley dressed up as Phoenix, another costumed superhero. Apparently, they were planning ahead because they have been toying with the idea of going to Comic-Con 2011. Coming in as a close second to best costume of the night was Marc wearing his football jersey from when he was a freshman in high school. Let's just say the jersey is likewise very form fitting these days.
All in all, it was definitely a fun night. The UFC matches that we did end up watching were rather vanilla this time around. No third eye. No exploding cauliflower ears. No blood. It was very disappointing. Don't UFC fighters know that blood sells? That's the only reason why I watch it... the blood! That, and also seeing Brock Lesnar get his butt handed to him. Unfortunately, that has not happened since he became so dominating in his weight class.
Anyway, it was fun. And hopefully Kelley enjoyed her day.
I Suck At Double Features
On Friday, I fed my movie addiction by watching a couple of movies on our dvr. Those movies were 9 and The Time Traveler's Wife.
I originally recorded 9 because I thought it was a family movie (with the movie being computer animated and also on HBO Family). Similarly, I recorded The Time Traveler's Wife to watch with Karen because I figured it could be a possible date night movie. Needless to say, both movies have been taking up space on our dvr for some time. We just never got around to watching the movies because we really have not had a family night, nor have Karen and I had a date night in some time.
So, I figured that I would feed my addiction and just watch the two movies as a double feature while Karen and our baby daughter (Briana) were fast asleep. Too bad I suck at double features.
(The video below is a trailer for 9.)
(The video below is a trailer for The Time Traveler's Wife.)
I guess it's a good thing that I did watch them on my own.
For starters, 9... not exactly the family movie I thought it would be. I probably should have guessed that since Tim Burton had a hand in producing the movie. The animated film directed by Shane Acker is based on the short animated movie of the same name that he created while as a student at UCLA. The plot surrounds a rag doll in a post-apocalyptic world where machines have eliminated mankind. (Not exactly family material for a baby.) For anyone curious, the rag doll 9 is voiced by Elijah Wood (of Lord of the Rings fame). All in all, I actually thought the movie was pretty entertaining.
As for The Time Traveler's Wife, that movie is based on Audrey Niffenegger's 2003 novel of the same name and stars Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams. Eric Bana plays Henry, who has a genetic disorder that allows him to time travel. Needless to say, the movie is a love story.
I was actually surprised to find out that Karen was not that interested in watching the movie because she had heard that the story was very sad. So, I guess it's a good thing then that we did not watch it as a date movie. Of course, I did not find the story that sad.
For me, I thought the saddest part involved the failed attempts at having a child. Rachel McAdams, who is the time traveler's wife, loses her child twice while pregnant. Both times, the child apparently time travels out of the womb due to the genetic disorder and high stress. Having lost a child myself, I found myself thinking about my son (Braden) and the possible causes that led to his extremely premature birth (and subsequent passing).
Anyway, the movie was entertaining. Both movies were actually entertaining.
I originally recorded 9 because I thought it was a family movie (with the movie being computer animated and also on HBO Family). Similarly, I recorded The Time Traveler's Wife to watch with Karen because I figured it could be a possible date night movie. Needless to say, both movies have been taking up space on our dvr for some time. We just never got around to watching the movies because we really have not had a family night, nor have Karen and I had a date night in some time.
So, I figured that I would feed my addiction and just watch the two movies as a double feature while Karen and our baby daughter (Briana) were fast asleep. Too bad I suck at double features.
(The video below is a trailer for 9.)
(The video below is a trailer for The Time Traveler's Wife.)
I guess it's a good thing that I did watch them on my own.
For starters, 9... not exactly the family movie I thought it would be. I probably should have guessed that since Tim Burton had a hand in producing the movie. The animated film directed by Shane Acker is based on the short animated movie of the same name that he created while as a student at UCLA. The plot surrounds a rag doll in a post-apocalyptic world where machines have eliminated mankind. (Not exactly family material for a baby.) For anyone curious, the rag doll 9 is voiced by Elijah Wood (of Lord of the Rings fame). All in all, I actually thought the movie was pretty entertaining.
As for The Time Traveler's Wife, that movie is based on Audrey Niffenegger's 2003 novel of the same name and stars Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams. Eric Bana plays Henry, who has a genetic disorder that allows him to time travel. Needless to say, the movie is a love story.
I was actually surprised to find out that Karen was not that interested in watching the movie because she had heard that the story was very sad. So, I guess it's a good thing then that we did not watch it as a date movie. Of course, I did not find the story that sad.
For me, I thought the saddest part involved the failed attempts at having a child. Rachel McAdams, who is the time traveler's wife, loses her child twice while pregnant. Both times, the child apparently time travels out of the womb due to the genetic disorder and high stress. Having lost a child myself, I found myself thinking about my son (Braden) and the possible causes that led to his extremely premature birth (and subsequent passing).
Anyway, the movie was entertaining. Both movies were actually entertaining.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
I Suck At Hanging Out With Andrea
Last night, Karen, our baby daughter (Briana) and I got to hang out with my friend (Andrea). Now, I suck at hanging out with Andrea. It has been a while since I've hung out with Andrea. Or, at least it seems like it has been a while since I've hung out with just Andrea.
Originally, with it being Prince Spaghetti Wednesday, we were supposed to get together with our friends (Marc and Kelley) and Andrea. Unfortunately, Marc and Kelley had to cancel due to an issue with one of their cats. Even though I'm allergic to certain felines, I do enjoy their cats. So hopefully everything will work out. To Marc and Kelley, their cats are like what Briana is to me... except with fur.
Needless to say, it was just Karen, Briana, Andrea, and me... or as I like to call Andrea: "Zuckerman". Andrea has actually pointed out the fact that she is 1) not Jewish; and 2) not a 30 year old playing a teenager; As well, she does not wear glasses, does not write for a high school newspaper, was not married to a guy named Jesse, and did not have a baby named Hannah. Nevertheless, I get a kick out of calling her "Zuckerman".
It was fun hanging out with just Andrea. Essentially, we hung out, ate ice cream (Yum!), and watched Man Vs. Food. For anyone curious, Cupcake Wars was not on. Andrea seems pretty excited about her upcoming home purchase. She is schedule to close on her new place in a few weeks. Of course, adding to the fun was the fact that Andrea made and brought peanut butter balls. (Cue Rachael Ray's "Yum-O" sound.)
All in all, it was a great time. When Andrea left, I decided to do what I do best: feed my movie addiction. So last night I made it a double feature night. The first movie I watched: The Box, starring Cameron Diaz. (And for anyone curious, the title does not refer to anything pornographic.)
(The video below is a trailer for The Box.)
The movie is based on the short story "Button, Button" by Richard Matheson and takes place in Virginia in 1976. Interestingly enough, parts of the movie were filmed at Milton Academy. The plot involves a couple receiving a "box" whereby if they hit the button, they would receive a million dollars. The consequence of doing so, however, is that someone unfamiliar to them would die. And from there, the box gets passed on.
I suppose it is an interesting premise. It's too bad the box gets passed off after one use. If it were me, I would be slamming that button non-stop. Granted, making the millions and millions of dollars would be a nice benefit. In a world full of stupid people though, it would be interesting to see how many stupid people can get weeded out in the name of population control.
Anyway, it was an okay movie. The premise was interesting, but the movie on a whole was just blah. And naturally, after such an intriguing movie like the Box, I needed to dumb things down a little. So of course, I decided to follow that movie up by watching Fast and Furious.
(The video below is a trailer for Fast and Furious.)
For anyone curious, Fast and Furious is the fourth movie in the Fast and the Furious franchise. The movie also marks the return of Vin Diesel to the franchise (unless you count the cameo appearance in the Tokyo Drift sequel).
Needless to say, the movie was entertaining if you are interested in street racing and guns... and Paul Walker. Interestingly enough, I did enjoy the movie. This movie was actually the first film in the franchise that I have seen from start to finish. Sadly, I am now curious as to the other movies. (And if anyone is really curious, a fifth movie installment is set to be released with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.)
Originally, with it being Prince Spaghetti Wednesday, we were supposed to get together with our friends (Marc and Kelley) and Andrea. Unfortunately, Marc and Kelley had to cancel due to an issue with one of their cats. Even though I'm allergic to certain felines, I do enjoy their cats. So hopefully everything will work out. To Marc and Kelley, their cats are like what Briana is to me... except with fur.
Needless to say, it was just Karen, Briana, Andrea, and me... or as I like to call Andrea: "Zuckerman". Andrea has actually pointed out the fact that she is 1) not Jewish; and 2) not a 30 year old playing a teenager; As well, she does not wear glasses, does not write for a high school newspaper, was not married to a guy named Jesse, and did not have a baby named Hannah. Nevertheless, I get a kick out of calling her "Zuckerman".
It was fun hanging out with just Andrea. Essentially, we hung out, ate ice cream (Yum!), and watched Man Vs. Food. For anyone curious, Cupcake Wars was not on. Andrea seems pretty excited about her upcoming home purchase. She is schedule to close on her new place in a few weeks. Of course, adding to the fun was the fact that Andrea made and brought peanut butter balls. (Cue Rachael Ray's "Yum-O" sound.)
All in all, it was a great time. When Andrea left, I decided to do what I do best: feed my movie addiction. So last night I made it a double feature night. The first movie I watched: The Box, starring Cameron Diaz. (And for anyone curious, the title does not refer to anything pornographic.)
(The video below is a trailer for The Box.)
The movie is based on the short story "Button, Button" by Richard Matheson and takes place in Virginia in 1976. Interestingly enough, parts of the movie were filmed at Milton Academy. The plot involves a couple receiving a "box" whereby if they hit the button, they would receive a million dollars. The consequence of doing so, however, is that someone unfamiliar to them would die. And from there, the box gets passed on.
I suppose it is an interesting premise. It's too bad the box gets passed off after one use. If it were me, I would be slamming that button non-stop. Granted, making the millions and millions of dollars would be a nice benefit. In a world full of stupid people though, it would be interesting to see how many stupid people can get weeded out in the name of population control.
Anyway, it was an okay movie. The premise was interesting, but the movie on a whole was just blah. And naturally, after such an intriguing movie like the Box, I needed to dumb things down a little. So of course, I decided to follow that movie up by watching Fast and Furious.
(The video below is a trailer for Fast and Furious.)
For anyone curious, Fast and Furious is the fourth movie in the Fast and the Furious franchise. The movie also marks the return of Vin Diesel to the franchise (unless you count the cameo appearance in the Tokyo Drift sequel).
Needless to say, the movie was entertaining if you are interested in street racing and guns... and Paul Walker. Interestingly enough, I did enjoy the movie. This movie was actually the first film in the franchise that I have seen from start to finish. Sadly, I am now curious as to the other movies. (And if anyone is really curious, a fifth movie installment is set to be released with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.)
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
I Suck At (500) Days of Summer
On Monday, I fed my movie addiction by watching yet another movie. That movie: (500) Days of Summer. Now, I suck at (500) Days of Summer.
(The following video is a trailer for (500) Days of Summer.)
The romantic comedy is about a woman (played by Zooey Deschanel )who does not believe in true love and the man (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who falls in love with her.
Truth be told, I knew very little about this movie. The extent of my knowledge about the film was that its soundtrack contained a catchy song (Sweet Disposition) by Temper Trap. Heck, before watching the movie, I thought the movie was a romantic comedy that took place during the summer (just based off of the title). Little did I know, Summer was the name of the character played by Zooey Deschanel. Needless to say, I was curious about the movie and decided to give it a try.
It turns out, the movie was very enjoyable. Interestingly enough, the movie sucked Karen into it as well. So in essence, the night turned into a little date night for both of us as we watched the movie while our baby daughter (Briana) fell asleep. All in all, it was a good night.
(The following video is a trailer for (500) Days of Summer.)
The romantic comedy is about a woman (played by Zooey Deschanel )who does not believe in true love and the man (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who falls in love with her.
Truth be told, I knew very little about this movie. The extent of my knowledge about the film was that its soundtrack contained a catchy song (Sweet Disposition) by Temper Trap. Heck, before watching the movie, I thought the movie was a romantic comedy that took place during the summer (just based off of the title). Little did I know, Summer was the name of the character played by Zooey Deschanel. Needless to say, I was curious about the movie and decided to give it a try.
It turns out, the movie was very enjoyable. Interestingly enough, the movie sucked Karen into it as well. So in essence, the night turned into a little date night for both of us as we watched the movie while our baby daughter (Briana) fell asleep. All in all, it was a good night.
Monday, October 11, 2010
I Suck At Birthday Parties
Yesterday, Karen, our baby daughter (Briana), and I were invited to a birthday party by my favorite sister-in-law (Janine). Now, I suck at birthday parties. Luckily, this party was for my nephew (PJ) who turned the ripe old age of 9. It's amazing how time flies. I can't believe PJ is 9 already.
The theme for PJ's birthday party was brunch. So, it was basically a brunch party complete with boil-in-the-bag omelettes. (For anyone curious, omelettes were to be made by placing two eggs and its ingredients into a plastic bag, shaken, and then placed in boiling water for 13 minutes.) When I first heard of this omelette making idea proposed by Janine, I thought it was very peculiar. After awhile, I started to think that essentially it's like poaching an egg.
Needless to say, I was curious as to how the omelettes would come out. And truth be told, the omelettes were actually pretty good. Everyone else seemed to have liked the omelettes as well.
Anyway, the birthday party was nice. PJ seemed to have a great time, enjoying all of his presents. Following the party, Karen and I decided to watch a chick flick. That chick flick: Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.
(The video below is a trailer for Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.)
The film is basically A Christmas Carol with the romantic comedy twist starring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner. Matthew McConaughey is the main character who must change his womanizing ways or be visited by the ghosts. Personally, I thought Emma Stone was the funniest part of the movie as the Ghost of Girlfriends Past in her 1980s hair and attire.
Truth be told, the movie was actually entertaining and I'm not a big Matthew McConaughey fan, primarily because he always seems dirty. But the movie, which was filmed in Ipswich Massachusetts, was enjoyable.
And shortly after Karen and Briana went to bed, I decided to make yesterday a double feature by following up Ghosts of Girlfriends Past with yet another movie. That movie: Diary of the Dead. The movie was definitely not a chick flick, but it continued the "dead" theme for the double feature night.
(The video below is a trailer for Diary of the Dead.)
Diary of the Dead is the fifth film in George Romero's dead series of zombie movies. The plot centers around a group of college students who are making a movie themselves as the zombie outbreak happens. One student, in particular, then makes it his mission to film the zombie outbreak like a documentary. Hence, the Diary of the Dead.
Despite the student who films the outbreak, the movie was entertaining. Granted, I'm always a sucker for zombie movies... and zombie video games. And really, what's not to enjoy when zombies get blasted in the head?
The theme for PJ's birthday party was brunch. So, it was basically a brunch party complete with boil-in-the-bag omelettes. (For anyone curious, omelettes were to be made by placing two eggs and its ingredients into a plastic bag, shaken, and then placed in boiling water for 13 minutes.) When I first heard of this omelette making idea proposed by Janine, I thought it was very peculiar. After awhile, I started to think that essentially it's like poaching an egg.
Needless to say, I was curious as to how the omelettes would come out. And truth be told, the omelettes were actually pretty good. Everyone else seemed to have liked the omelettes as well.
Anyway, the birthday party was nice. PJ seemed to have a great time, enjoying all of his presents. Following the party, Karen and I decided to watch a chick flick. That chick flick: Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.
(The video below is a trailer for Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.)
The film is basically A Christmas Carol with the romantic comedy twist starring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner. Matthew McConaughey is the main character who must change his womanizing ways or be visited by the ghosts. Personally, I thought Emma Stone was the funniest part of the movie as the Ghost of Girlfriends Past in her 1980s hair and attire.
Truth be told, the movie was actually entertaining and I'm not a big Matthew McConaughey fan, primarily because he always seems dirty. But the movie, which was filmed in Ipswich Massachusetts, was enjoyable.
And shortly after Karen and Briana went to bed, I decided to make yesterday a double feature by following up Ghosts of Girlfriends Past with yet another movie. That movie: Diary of the Dead. The movie was definitely not a chick flick, but it continued the "dead" theme for the double feature night.
(The video below is a trailer for Diary of the Dead.)
Diary of the Dead is the fifth film in George Romero's dead series of zombie movies. The plot centers around a group of college students who are making a movie themselves as the zombie outbreak happens. One student, in particular, then makes it his mission to film the zombie outbreak like a documentary. Hence, the Diary of the Dead.
Despite the student who films the outbreak, the movie was entertaining. Granted, I'm always a sucker for zombie movies... and zombie video games. And really, what's not to enjoy when zombies get blasted in the head?
I Suck At Angel
On Saturday, my friends (Marc and Kelley) came over. On the agenda for the night was completing the third season of Angel. Yes, I suck at Angel.
Awhile ago, we had been pretty dedicated in watching the complete series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Unfortunately, our dedication started to wane simply because of time commitments and all of that. It's similar to the Veronica Mars plans that I had with my BFF (Kerry). We just kept putting it off. The next you know, a great amount of time has elapsed.
In the case of Angel, I think one of main reasons why we kept putting it off was that we left off just as the show was re-introducing Angel's son, Connor. For me anyway, I dislike the Connor character. He is to Angel what Dawn is to Buffy: a show-ruiner. Although I would have to say that I dislike Connor more than Dawn.
Anyway, it was great as usual to hang out with Marc and Kelley. After ordering takeout from Uno's, we watched the final three episodes of season three. And interestingly enough, I still dislike Connor.
Truth be told, I think I was more into pitching my random sitcom idea than watching Connor on Angel. Among the things that came up during our get together on Saturday was my idea to create a comedy called "The Home", which is about a group of elderly people... in a nursing home. Essentially, I thought it could be like the Golden Girls, only much older and with both men and women. I suppose if I were to reference Golden Girls, I guess I would say the "The Home" would be a bunch of Sophias.
The show would have its usual character types like the very old slut or man-whore taking Viagra. There's usually a dumb or naive character. There could be a recurring situation like how the main character always has to reintroduce himself to one of the old folks at the home, because that old person keeps forgetting things... yet miraculously can provide words of wisdom much like Wilson from Home Improvement.
And the best part of course is that the show can be totally inappropriate because old people say the darnedest things. Perhaps there could be an Archie Bunker type of character. Who knows? The possibilities are endless. And I suppose the idea has more potential than the other brainstorm idea that all of us had: Tard the Musical.
Needless to say, I may have spent more time thinking about this television pitch than paying attention to Connor on Angel. Speaking of which, I am dreading season four of Angel simply because of Connor.
Anyway, it was a great time on Saturday. Sadly, after Marc and Kelley left, I decided to watch yet another movie. That movie: Fighting, starring Channing Tatum and Terrence Howard. The plot is about an ex-wrestler who turns into a street hustler in New York. He meets up with a ticket scalper, who consequently leads the hustler into a world where they can profit from his fighting skills.
Sounds dumb? Yes, it absolutely was. The dialog was terrible. The plot was predictable. I'm surprised the movie made money.
Awhile ago, we had been pretty dedicated in watching the complete series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Unfortunately, our dedication started to wane simply because of time commitments and all of that. It's similar to the Veronica Mars plans that I had with my BFF (Kerry). We just kept putting it off. The next you know, a great amount of time has elapsed.
In the case of Angel, I think one of main reasons why we kept putting it off was that we left off just as the show was re-introducing Angel's son, Connor. For me anyway, I dislike the Connor character. He is to Angel what Dawn is to Buffy: a show-ruiner. Although I would have to say that I dislike Connor more than Dawn.
Anyway, it was great as usual to hang out with Marc and Kelley. After ordering takeout from Uno's, we watched the final three episodes of season three. And interestingly enough, I still dislike Connor.
Truth be told, I think I was more into pitching my random sitcom idea than watching Connor on Angel. Among the things that came up during our get together on Saturday was my idea to create a comedy called "The Home", which is about a group of elderly people... in a nursing home. Essentially, I thought it could be like the Golden Girls, only much older and with both men and women. I suppose if I were to reference Golden Girls, I guess I would say the "The Home" would be a bunch of Sophias.
The show would have its usual character types like the very old slut or man-whore taking Viagra. There's usually a dumb or naive character. There could be a recurring situation like how the main character always has to reintroduce himself to one of the old folks at the home, because that old person keeps forgetting things... yet miraculously can provide words of wisdom much like Wilson from Home Improvement.
And the best part of course is that the show can be totally inappropriate because old people say the darnedest things. Perhaps there could be an Archie Bunker type of character. Who knows? The possibilities are endless. And I suppose the idea has more potential than the other brainstorm idea that all of us had: Tard the Musical.
Needless to say, I may have spent more time thinking about this television pitch than paying attention to Connor on Angel. Speaking of which, I am dreading season four of Angel simply because of Connor.
Anyway, it was a great time on Saturday. Sadly, after Marc and Kelley left, I decided to watch yet another movie. That movie: Fighting, starring Channing Tatum and Terrence Howard. The plot is about an ex-wrestler who turns into a street hustler in New York. He meets up with a ticket scalper, who consequently leads the hustler into a world where they can profit from his fighting skills.
Sounds dumb? Yes, it absolutely was. The dialog was terrible. The plot was predictable. I'm surprised the movie made money.
I Suck At Body Of Lies
On Friday, I fed my movie addiction by watching Body of Lies. Now I suck at Body of Lies.
(The video below is a trailer for Body of Lies.)
The film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe is based on the book of the same name by David Ignatius. Set in the Middle East, the story details their efforts to capture a terrorist leader.
For the most part, I find a lot of Leonardo DiCaprio movies interesting. Unfortunately, I did not like this movie that much. I actually fell asleep during the movie. Of course, that could have been because I was tired and it was in the wee hours of night. (For anyone curious, when I woke up amid the film, I had to rewind all the way back to where I had dozed off, which was only about ten minutes.)
So for some reason, I just didn't find the movie that entertaining. Perhaps it could have been that I did not like Russell Crowe's character. I don't really know. As a whole, I would say the movie is rather blah.
(The video below is a trailer for Body of Lies.)
The film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe is based on the book of the same name by David Ignatius. Set in the Middle East, the story details their efforts to capture a terrorist leader.
For the most part, I find a lot of Leonardo DiCaprio movies interesting. Unfortunately, I did not like this movie that much. I actually fell asleep during the movie. Of course, that could have been because I was tired and it was in the wee hours of night. (For anyone curious, when I woke up amid the film, I had to rewind all the way back to where I had dozed off, which was only about ten minutes.)
So for some reason, I just didn't find the movie that entertaining. Perhaps it could have been that I did not like Russell Crowe's character. I don't really know. As a whole, I would say the movie is rather blah.
Monday, October 4, 2010
I Suck At Retirement
Yesterday, Karen, our baby daughter (Briana) and I went out for brunch at the Inn at Bay Pointe located in Quincy. The special occasion for the brunch was my mother-in-law's retirement. Now, I suck at retirement.
It was a small family affair at the Inn at Bay Pointe. Joining us were Karen's parents and my favorite sister-in-law (Janine) and her family. The food was pretty good at the Inn at Bay Pointe. Granted, I practically had the same thing the last time I was at the Inn at Bay Pointe: an omelet and a waffle with strawberries. I also had some haddock and some other lunch time dishes as well. For anyone curious, the breaded haddock was good. My mother-in-law mentioned that a couple of times as well.
Anyway, the brunch was a nice celebration for my mother-in-law. Following brunch, we headed back to Janine's whereby we presented my mother-in-law with a little retirement present: a Pandora bracelet. I think my mother-in-law enjoyed the day. Apparently, she has been quite busy since retiring.
I can't imagine retiring. My favorite brother-in-law (PJ) already has retirement planned out for himself at the ripe old age of 55. Truthfully, I don't know what I would do with all that free time. I'd prefer to travel, but we'll see how that goes.
I remember when I had so much free time, a result of being laid off... twice... that having so much free time was a blast early on. I could wake up late. I could play video games all day. But after a while, things got a little boring. It's like when things are slow at work and you can only surf the Internet for so long.
There is still a long ways to go for me. Nevertheless, I'm happy for my mother-in-law. I am sure she will definitely enjoy having free time. Of course, part of her plan is to now watch Briana. Originally, she never wanted to watch over Briana in a day care provider manner. Apparently, all of that changed the day my son (Braden) passed away.
Anyway, it should be an interesting time.
It was a small family affair at the Inn at Bay Pointe. Joining us were Karen's parents and my favorite sister-in-law (Janine) and her family. The food was pretty good at the Inn at Bay Pointe. Granted, I practically had the same thing the last time I was at the Inn at Bay Pointe: an omelet and a waffle with strawberries. I also had some haddock and some other lunch time dishes as well. For anyone curious, the breaded haddock was good. My mother-in-law mentioned that a couple of times as well.
Anyway, the brunch was a nice celebration for my mother-in-law. Following brunch, we headed back to Janine's whereby we presented my mother-in-law with a little retirement present: a Pandora bracelet. I think my mother-in-law enjoyed the day. Apparently, she has been quite busy since retiring.
I can't imagine retiring. My favorite brother-in-law (PJ) already has retirement planned out for himself at the ripe old age of 55. Truthfully, I don't know what I would do with all that free time. I'd prefer to travel, but we'll see how that goes.
I remember when I had so much free time, a result of being laid off... twice... that having so much free time was a blast early on. I could wake up late. I could play video games all day. But after a while, things got a little boring. It's like when things are slow at work and you can only surf the Internet for so long.
There is still a long ways to go for me. Nevertheless, I'm happy for my mother-in-law. I am sure she will definitely enjoy having free time. Of course, part of her plan is to now watch Briana. Originally, she never wanted to watch over Briana in a day care provider manner. Apparently, all of that changed the day my son (Braden) passed away.
Anyway, it should be an interesting time.
I Suck At The Sea Dog Brew Pub
My Saturday began with a little visit from our financial planner. The funny thing is, our financial planner is not really a financial planner per se. Our financial planner (Daniel) is our life insurance representative. And as luck would have it, part of the representative's duties is financial planning.
Anyway, Daniel didn't really tell Karen and I anything new. I knew, as well as Karen, that our future outlook for retirement as well as our baby daughter's (Briana) possible college funding needed some improvements. Sure, Briana is still only six months old, but it's never too early to plan for her education. After all, by the time she is ready for college, the cost of tuition is probably going to be insane.
Plus, it's always good to have contingency plans in the event something unexpected does happen. And if there is something that the passing of my son (Braden) has taught me, it's that life is very unpredictable. You would think that having been laid off twice in my lifetime would have taught me that. Sadly, I'm a slow learner.
Needless to say, Daniel was great at suggesting possible solutions for Karen and I. The funniest part of our meeting was finding out that if Karen were to pass away, I'd have a surplus of funds to raise Briana on my own. I got a kick out of that projected outcome because Karen would still need help should I pass away.
All in all, the financial planning meeting was good. In my case, it was definitely worth the time.
Later that day, I was invited to go out for dinner at the Sea Dog Brew Pub located in Hull. Now, I suck at the Sea Dog Brew Pub. I have never been there. Apparently, Maine's famous brewery decided to open shop in Hull.
Apparently, I'm not the only one who sucks at the Sea Dog Brew Pub because everyone got lost trying to find the place in Hull. Joining us for dinner were my friends (Hot Amy, Jen, and Andrea) and Hot Amy's fiance (Mark). Karen and I assumed the restaurant would be near the beach. We were quite mistaken as the pub was located on the third floor of a building way in Hull and way away from Nantasket beach.
It was good to see everyone. I haven't seen Jen and Hot Amy in quite some time. In fact, I don't think I've ventured out that much since Briana was born. Karen has gone out a lot more than I have. I guess that has added to my feelings of being in a rut.
Nevertheless, it was a good time. The food at the Sea Dog Brew Pub was delicious. Granted, I had a simple mushroom and swiss burger, but it was good. (And sure, I may have had some of Andrea's meal as well... and Karen's too... I was hungry...) Andrea, Jen and I also had ordered the samples of beer at the Sea Dog. Our waitperson told us that it was the first time she had a table that ordered so many samples. I think of the samples, my favorite was the blueberry. Jen had a spiced pumpkin which was pretty good as well. (Jen was kind enough to share.)
All in all, it was a good dinner... at a non-circular table. Andrea apparently will be a home owner soon enough; and Hot Amy and Mark seem excited about their upcoming trip to Australia. Interestingly enough, I think Briana enjoyed the dinner too. She received a lot of attention from random strangers.
One random woman approached us and asked how old Briana was because it was the first time that this particular woman had gone out since having a five month old baby. Seeing Briana had reminded her of her own baby. It was very bizarre to be approached by so many people saying how cute Briana was. I'm glad Briana doesn't understand English yet because I wouldn't want all these compliments to go to her head.
Anyway, it was definitely nice to go out on Saturday.
Anyway, Daniel didn't really tell Karen and I anything new. I knew, as well as Karen, that our future outlook for retirement as well as our baby daughter's (Briana) possible college funding needed some improvements. Sure, Briana is still only six months old, but it's never too early to plan for her education. After all, by the time she is ready for college, the cost of tuition is probably going to be insane.
Plus, it's always good to have contingency plans in the event something unexpected does happen. And if there is something that the passing of my son (Braden) has taught me, it's that life is very unpredictable. You would think that having been laid off twice in my lifetime would have taught me that. Sadly, I'm a slow learner.
Needless to say, Daniel was great at suggesting possible solutions for Karen and I. The funniest part of our meeting was finding out that if Karen were to pass away, I'd have a surplus of funds to raise Briana on my own. I got a kick out of that projected outcome because Karen would still need help should I pass away.
All in all, the financial planning meeting was good. In my case, it was definitely worth the time.
Later that day, I was invited to go out for dinner at the Sea Dog Brew Pub located in Hull. Now, I suck at the Sea Dog Brew Pub. I have never been there. Apparently, Maine's famous brewery decided to open shop in Hull.
Apparently, I'm not the only one who sucks at the Sea Dog Brew Pub because everyone got lost trying to find the place in Hull. Joining us for dinner were my friends (Hot Amy, Jen, and Andrea) and Hot Amy's fiance (Mark). Karen and I assumed the restaurant would be near the beach. We were quite mistaken as the pub was located on the third floor of a building way in Hull and way away from Nantasket beach.
It was good to see everyone. I haven't seen Jen and Hot Amy in quite some time. In fact, I don't think I've ventured out that much since Briana was born. Karen has gone out a lot more than I have. I guess that has added to my feelings of being in a rut.
Nevertheless, it was a good time. The food at the Sea Dog Brew Pub was delicious. Granted, I had a simple mushroom and swiss burger, but it was good. (And sure, I may have had some of Andrea's meal as well... and Karen's too... I was hungry...) Andrea, Jen and I also had ordered the samples of beer at the Sea Dog. Our waitperson told us that it was the first time she had a table that ordered so many samples. I think of the samples, my favorite was the blueberry. Jen had a spiced pumpkin which was pretty good as well. (Jen was kind enough to share.)
All in all, it was a good dinner... at a non-circular table. Andrea apparently will be a home owner soon enough; and Hot Amy and Mark seem excited about their upcoming trip to Australia. Interestingly enough, I think Briana enjoyed the dinner too. She received a lot of attention from random strangers.
One random woman approached us and asked how old Briana was because it was the first time that this particular woman had gone out since having a five month old baby. Seeing Briana had reminded her of her own baby. It was very bizarre to be approached by so many people saying how cute Briana was. I'm glad Briana doesn't understand English yet because I wouldn't want all these compliments to go to her head.
Anyway, it was definitely nice to go out on Saturday.
I Suck At Jennifer's Body
On Friday, I fed my movie addiction by watching yet another film. That movie: Jennifer's Body. Now I suck at Jennifer's Body.
(The video below is a trailer for Jennifer's Body.)
The film stars Amanda Seyfriend with Megan Fox as Jennifer. Truth be told, I was not expecting much from the horror film because most movies starring Megan Fox are not that good. But, I figured I had to watch the movie because of Amanda Seyfried, not because she is shiny, but because of her ties to Veronica Mars. (For anyone curious, she originally auditioned for the role of Veronica Mars, but ended up with the role of Lilly Kane.) Speaking of Veronica Mars, Kyle Gallner who played "Beaver" in Veronica Mars was also in the movie.
Anyway, the plot is about two childhood best friends who live in a small rinky-dink town. Amanda Seyfried plays the insecure friend, while Megan Fox plays the slutty popular high school girl. While attending a show at a local dive bar, Jennifer gets kidnapped by the band and is sacrificed to Satan so that the band can receive fame and fortune. Unfortunately, since Jennifer was not a virgin, the sacrifice goes slightly awry and Jennifer becomes possessed by a demon. And then the body count begins as Jennifer needs to feed in order to survive.
I actually was quite surprised that I enjoyed the movie as much as I did.
(The video below is a trailer for Jennifer's Body.)
The film stars Amanda Seyfriend with Megan Fox as Jennifer. Truth be told, I was not expecting much from the horror film because most movies starring Megan Fox are not that good. But, I figured I had to watch the movie because of Amanda Seyfried, not because she is shiny, but because of her ties to Veronica Mars. (For anyone curious, she originally auditioned for the role of Veronica Mars, but ended up with the role of Lilly Kane.) Speaking of Veronica Mars, Kyle Gallner who played "Beaver" in Veronica Mars was also in the movie.
Anyway, the plot is about two childhood best friends who live in a small rinky-dink town. Amanda Seyfried plays the insecure friend, while Megan Fox plays the slutty popular high school girl. While attending a show at a local dive bar, Jennifer gets kidnapped by the band and is sacrificed to Satan so that the band can receive fame and fortune. Unfortunately, since Jennifer was not a virgin, the sacrifice goes slightly awry and Jennifer becomes possessed by a demon. And then the body count begins as Jennifer needs to feed in order to survive.
I actually was quite surprised that I enjoyed the movie as much as I did.
Friday, October 1, 2010
I Suck At From Hell
Last night, Karen and I ordered takeout from Not Your Average Joe's located in Norwell. We were probably going through withdrawal because we have not been there in some time. And needless to say, the food was delicious. I've missed their bread!
Anyway, I ended up watching another movie when Karen and our baby daughter went to bed. That movie: From Hell. Now, I suck at From Hell.
(The video below is a trailer for From Hell.)
Based on the movie title, you wouldn't know that the movie starring Johnny Depp and Heather Graham is about Jack the Ripper. In fact, the movie is loosely based on the graphic novel of the same name by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell.
The story follows Police Inspector Frederick Abberline as he attempts to solve the Jack the Ripper murders in the Whitechapel district of London. The interesting spin on the whole Jack the Ripper thing is that the murders were part of a conspiracy that involved the British throne and Freemasons. It's always the shady Freemasons! Just kidding.
Anyway, the movie was okay.
Anyway, I ended up watching another movie when Karen and our baby daughter went to bed. That movie: From Hell. Now, I suck at From Hell.
(The video below is a trailer for From Hell.)
Based on the movie title, you wouldn't know that the movie starring Johnny Depp and Heather Graham is about Jack the Ripper. In fact, the movie is loosely based on the graphic novel of the same name by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell.
The story follows Police Inspector Frederick Abberline as he attempts to solve the Jack the Ripper murders in the Whitechapel district of London. The interesting spin on the whole Jack the Ripper thing is that the murders were part of a conspiracy that involved the British throne and Freemasons. It's always the shady Freemasons! Just kidding.
Anyway, the movie was okay.
I Suck At No Ordinary Family
On Wednesday, Karen, our daughter (Briana), and I hung out with my friends (Marc and Kelley). It was our usual get together for the week where we just hang out and have a few laughs. My friend (Andrea), who also usually joins us for the weekly shindig, unfortunately could not make it that night. It was probably just as well because there really wasn't much on the agenda for the night in terms of television.
With shows like Lost finally over and Wipeout done for the season, we really did not have anything queued up to watch together. Our backup plan was to return to the greatest television series ever: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off, Angel.
Interestingly enough, we decided to save Buffy and Angel for a later date. Instead, we decided to give No Ordinary Family a try. Now, I suck at No Ordinary Family. But seeing as how there was the Buffy/Angel connection, we figured we'd give it a try. For anyone curious, the connection is Julie Benz, who played Darla. Shiny!
The premise of the show is that an ordinary family develops super powers through a freak plane crash. It's like the Fantastic Four, which is funny because Michael Chiklis, who stars in the show, played the Fantastic Four's Thing in the movie series. And interestingly enough, his character's powers are like the Thing's, just without the orange poop-like exterior. Truth be told, the pilot episode was pretty vanilla. I'll probably still watch it for Julie Benz of course.
Julie Benz's character happens to have the super power that I would want, if I had super powers. That power: super speed. It is probably not surprising that I would want super speed. A lot of geeks love the Flash... and I just so happen to be a geek.
Anyway, it was a fun time as usual to hang out with Marc and Kelley. And as if I didn't get my share of entertainment, later that night I ended up watching... what else... another movie. That movie: A Perfect Getaway.
(The video below is a trailer for A Perfect Getaway.)
The premise of the movie is that a couple goes to the perfect getaway, only to discover that there is a couple-murdering couple there as well. According to the movie, the perfect getaway happens to be in Hawaii. Having been to Hawaii, I would probably agree. Things are just beautiful in Hawaii once you get out of the city and into the smaller islands. Of course, I haven't been to many places. (Ireland ranks up there as well for me in terms of scenic beauty.)
Regardless, the movie was okay. It was entertaining. I did enjoy the twist that the movie had, just because the twist was something that was not the norm.
With shows like Lost finally over and Wipeout done for the season, we really did not have anything queued up to watch together. Our backup plan was to return to the greatest television series ever: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off, Angel.
Interestingly enough, we decided to save Buffy and Angel for a later date. Instead, we decided to give No Ordinary Family a try. Now, I suck at No Ordinary Family. But seeing as how there was the Buffy/Angel connection, we figured we'd give it a try. For anyone curious, the connection is Julie Benz, who played Darla. Shiny!
The premise of the show is that an ordinary family develops super powers through a freak plane crash. It's like the Fantastic Four, which is funny because Michael Chiklis, who stars in the show, played the Fantastic Four's Thing in the movie series. And interestingly enough, his character's powers are like the Thing's, just without the orange poop-like exterior. Truth be told, the pilot episode was pretty vanilla. I'll probably still watch it for Julie Benz of course.
Julie Benz's character happens to have the super power that I would want, if I had super powers. That power: super speed. It is probably not surprising that I would want super speed. A lot of geeks love the Flash... and I just so happen to be a geek.
Anyway, it was a fun time as usual to hang out with Marc and Kelley. And as if I didn't get my share of entertainment, later that night I ended up watching... what else... another movie. That movie: A Perfect Getaway.
(The video below is a trailer for A Perfect Getaway.)
The premise of the movie is that a couple goes to the perfect getaway, only to discover that there is a couple-murdering couple there as well. According to the movie, the perfect getaway happens to be in Hawaii. Having been to Hawaii, I would probably agree. Things are just beautiful in Hawaii once you get out of the city and into the smaller islands. Of course, I haven't been to many places. (Ireland ranks up there as well for me in terms of scenic beauty.)
Regardless, the movie was okay. It was entertaining. I did enjoy the twist that the movie had, just because the twist was something that was not the norm.
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