Funky

I am in a bit of a blogging funk, if you haven't noticed. I'm in a bit of a regular funk as well. So I'm calling on you readers for topics. Is that pathetic or what?

For now, I'll just tell you a little bit about a book I just finished reading. "The Graveyard Book," by Neil Gaiman (author of "Stardust," "Coraline," and a bunch of others), is aimed at 12 to 16-year-olds. Maybe. I'm not sure. It was intriguing and a little creepy and captivated me so that I read it very quickly. (Plus, I had to read it fast because I needed to move onto "Warbreaker," by Brandon Sanderson, which is due soon and can't be renewed, due to the many holds on it.) Here's the rundown: A family is murdered, but the mysterious villain cannot locate the youngest child, who has slipped from his crib and wandered into the graveyard down the street. The bad guy is foiled from killing the baby, and the baby is given protection by the ghosts in the graveyard. It is a very unique story, which is refreshing, to be sure. There is a nice mix of humor and suspense, which kept me interested in what could have been a boring 100 pages. The boy experiences several little adventures, which were fun, but frustrated me a bit. I kept wondering when we would get back to the murder plot. Overall, though, it was an interesting read, and I would recommend it if you're looking for something a little strange and not overly deep for the weekend.

That's all I've got for today. Suggestions, please!

The flowers revisited

Here's a follow-up to the flower rearranging we did in our garden. As I mentioned in the previous post, Tim hit a sprinkler pipe with the shovel, got a mouthful of mud, repaired the broken pipe, and covered up the repair with fresh new dirt, which was promptly dug into by someone's dog and pooped into. Well, yesterday morning there was a knock on my door, and when I opened it I noticed muddy water dripping from the porch roof and that mud was covering the sidewalk. My neighbor was at the door, informing me that a sudden geyser had gone off in the garden, and he had turned off our secondary water to prevent the entire neighborhood from being covered in mud and flooding. When I looked in the garden there was a large hole (if only I'd taken a picture) and an exposed pipe. The repair hadn't held, despite my husband's best effort (the parts were a little on the crappy side, I think), and the water pressure in the pipe had blown the mud above it to kingdom come. So Tim was faced with yet another repair. I figured that, since there would be more work being done in the garden, I would go buy some new plants to replace the ones that hadn't survived the move (all but 2 shriveled up the day after I moved them--oops), and I could dig and plant while he repaired. While I was planting the new flowers, it occured to me that there was a pile of doggy poopy somewhere in the garden, and I was probably going to end up with it on my gloves. But I never found it. Last night Tim found it on the sidewalk by the park strip, about 20 feet away from the garden. And that's what my garden thinks of being pooped on.

Sheesh

Saturday, my wonderful husband spent a good part of the day rearranging my flowerbed so that the gigantic mum would stop blocking all the water. He dug up the flowers, put them in a wheelbarrow with some dirt and water, removed a good portion of the crappy dirt they were living in (clay with just a hint of sand), and replaced it with a lovely mix of manure, peat moss and garden fertilizer. And he did all this after hitting a pipe with the shovel, getting a mouthful of muddy water, running to Home Depot to get repair parts, and repairing the gash in the pipe. What a trooper. The plants were replanted in better spots so that those cute little zinnias had just as much chance for a good life as the mammoth mum (I'll post a picture of the mum). They received lots of water and attention, and this morning I thought I'd go check on the pretty, newly arranged flowerbed, and came across a horriffic sight. Someone's EVIL dog had dug out one of my zinnias, tossed it to the side, and POOPED in the hole!!!! I know by the size of the poop that it wasn't the boxer next door, or the retriever on the other side. So who has been letting their little dog roam into my garden to ravage my newly transplanted flowers and despoil my perfect dirt??? I have nothing against dogs. I think they can be lovely pets that provide love and comfort and companionship and a good laugh. What I dislike is owners who let their dogs roam free when they have their own big yard to poop in. Shame on you!

Here is the mum last fall. It's about twice as tall now.

Now, onto a better subject. I just made chocolate chip cookies. They are delicious, and I look forward to munching on them and having a fantastic evening. If you are having a bad day, come on over. There are plenty to go around.

Not so grumpy today

Wow, I was in a bad mood when I posted last. Sorry. I had been in the car all day. So how about if I do a cheerful post today?

We just switched to DirecTV, because, as much as we loved Dish Network, they didn't offer the Mtn (that whole can of worms is for a day when I'm grumpy again). When we switched, they gave us a few months of the movie channels, and I've been doing a ton of recording. It has provided me with the opportunity to see a few movies I'd forgotten I liked. I came across "Stardust" a few weeks ago and was reminded what a fantastic movie it is.

Here's what I liked about it (I like lists):

Warning, spoiler alert.
1) The fact that the hottest guy in the movie (Rupert Everett) gets shoved out a window in the first 5 minutes of the movie, and spends the rest of the movie with his face smashed in.
2) The fact that one of the most beautiful women ever (Michelle Pfeifer) is an old hag that gets uglier every minute of the movie.
3) The ghost brothers with their gruesome fatal injuries (like the one with an axe in the head) that pop in and out of every scene and comment on what's happening in a jolly and good-natured manner.
4) Robert di Nero in drag, dancing the can-can.
5) The fight with the voodoo doll/dead prince and the evil hag. So funny.
6) The story lines that converge into a great and exciting conclusion. That's my favorite kind of movie. You know, the kind where you're wondering how it could possibly all work out, and then it does.

I read the book last week, and decided that, as fun as the book is, it's missing a lot of my favorite elements (no drag queen pirate captain, no Rupert Everett, no voodoo doll fight). Some books, as great as the story is, are better as movies. I feel the same way about "Sense and Sensibility" and "North and South." I'm not sure if it's because I saw the movie first and loved it, making the book doomed in my estimation, or if it's just that the actors and the way the screenplay was written exceeded the book. I do know that the movie version of "North and South" has Richard Armitage in it, and that's pretty much all you need to top the book. Plus the book is super wordy. "Stardust," the novel, wasn't nearly as funny as the movie. At the end of the book I didn't feel like the characters had gone on any kind of an adventure. The movie was action-packed and still managed to fit all the comedy in.

In conclusion, you really should watch this movie. No matter how annoyed you are, or tired, or grumpy, you'll feel better after you watch it. I think I'm going to watch it again tomorrow while I do laundry.

A Rant of Randomness

I have been totally stuck when it comes to blogging lately. So here's a smattering of thoughts I've had lately:

First of all, driving...I don't mean to be a super grump, but can someone please explain why people think that a 5 foot space is plenty of room to turn in front of me? When there is no one for miles behind me? And if it really is urgent, could you please just head on over to the completely empty lane next to me? And if things are a bit busy, speed up a little after cutting me off so we can keep things moving. That's all. I don't think everyone needs to go as fast as me, but there are lots of lanes to choose from, and the one on the right is for the under 15 crowd. (Those who feel that going 15 under is appropriate.) Okay, maybe I am a super grump. I'm cutting calories. It makes me a little grumpy. But I needed to get that off my chest.

Next, movies. I started doing a detailed review of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and decided I need to see it again before doing a real review. For now, a few notes, based on my sketchy memory (it's been a week, for crying in the mud), will have to do. There's been a lot of talk about this one. It got outstanding reviews from the experts, but very mixed reviews from my peers. I quite enjoyed it. Ron was hilarious, Draco was perfectly angst-ridden, and there were truly intense and exciting moments. Even Harry got to do comedy for a few minutes while under the influence of Felix Felicis (is that right?). Although it is rated PG, it is not for little kids. I repeat, it is not for the 5-year-olds we sat by in the theater!!! (That's a whole new rant I will save for another day.) I will be seeing it again very soon, and will tell you how I really feel. My overall impression is positive. Two thumbs up. Also, if you have kids, take them to see Up. Is it still in the theaters? I don't know. If it is, take them. If it's not, get the DVD asap. Two enthusiastic thumbs up. Fine holiday fun.

Last, does anyone else watch America's Got Talent just to laugh at the Hoff? Because he is hilarious. He makes his entrances like a super rock star (which he is, in Germany), and cries like a baby whenever a contestant has a sob story or cries a little on stage. And he lights up light a Christmas tree when hot girls in scanty clothing appear on stage. Can you imagine doing a reality show that combines the Hoff with Tyra Banks? Can you say, megahit?

So, that's what's on my mind right now. That and chocolate chip cookies. Or maybe I'll skip to the chocolate chips.

Are you a freak or a geek?

There are countless TV shows that come and go in the blink of an eye. You see an ad for one, and before you know it, it's been cancelled and the entire series is already available on DVD. Why is it that so many of those little blips on the TV are the best ones out there? Here's a short list of series that shouldn't have been cancelled: My So-Called Life, Pushing Daisies, Arrested Development, and Freaks and Geeks. There are shows that really should be cancelled, and I am truly grateful to the networks when they agree with me. I understand it's a business, and the shows that make money stay. But do we really need to keep Big Brother on the air? I think it's season 11 or 12 now. What about Survivor? ER started out great, but lasted about 8 seasons too long. I'm guessing Michael Crichton would back me up on that one. There are 12 different crime dramas out there, all of which seem to be about the same: blood, guts, violence and sexy cops that hook up with each other all the time. I think there have got to be 8 or 9 Law and Order shows now. Can't we get rid of a few of those to make room for some of the more artsy shows like Pushing Daisies?

Now, if you enjoy any of those shows I mentioned above that I wish would go away, please forgive me. We are all entitled to our own tastes and opinions, and I am only expressing mine here. This is coming from someone who has watched all 11 (12?) cycles of America's Next Top Model. I'm just saying, why can't we keep the unique stuff around?

Why this sudden rant? Our Netflix queue has been kept busy by past seasons of cancelled shows. We recently finished Arrested Development, and mourned the fact that it was over so soon. Ah, the laughs we had from that show. Our current show is Freaks and Geeks, and, having just checked my queue, I discovered that we only have 2 discs left. That's 6 episodes. Why, oh why do the good shows die young? And believe me, this is a good show. The cast includes a young Seth Rogen, who's facial expressions (or non-expressions) give him no need for lines, although everything he does say is delivered just right; James Franco, who is not that stiff kid in Spiderman, but a James Dean-inspired stoner with a great smile; and the perfect trio of Star Trek-loving geeks, all of whom are loveable and painfully nerdy. The writing is relatable and funny, and includes situations we have all faced at some time or another in our education. The show centers around Lindsay, a geek who is trying to break away from geekdom by hanging out with the freaks. She is a good girl who has always followed the rules, participated in Mathletes, spent holidays and weekends hanging out with her parents, and studied hard in school. Suddenly she finds herself in with the "freaks," who sometimes get high (some of them are perpetually stoned), who egg trick-or-treaters, who skip class, and who have no real goals. It's painfully funny and entertaining, and also quite touching at times. If only it had kept going a little longer, maybe Seth Rogen would be making quality shows instead of stuff like "Knocked Up." No, he'd still be doing the same thing, but at least I'd have more good TV to watch!

Crazy 8's

I don't usually do these tag thingies, but I don't get tagged that often, either. So here I go.

Here are the rules: Post the rules on your blog, and answer the six "8" questions.

8 Favorite Shows:

1) So You Think You Can Dance

2) Lost

3) Chuck

4) Psych

5) Arrested Development (cancelled)

6) Pushing Daisies (also cancelled)

7) The Office

8) 30 Rock

*These are not in order of favorites. And I can sub in America's Next Top Model and Dancing With the Stars with SYTYCD when it's their turn to be on.


8 Things I Did Yesterday:

1) Walked to the bread store

2) Drove to lunch at the park, only to find the road to the park was blocked off by guys tarring the cracks.

3) Drove to another park and had lunch with my boys.

4) Started a new book.

5) Watched Mulan again with Jacob.

6) Watched So You Think You Can Dance.

7) Updated my status on Facebook.

8) Ate an ice cream cone.

8 Things I'm looking forward to:

1) My sister and her fam visiting from Germany.

2) Lagoon again in August!

3) Christmas. Who doesn't look forward to Christmas?

4) Halloween, because I love to dress up, and this year I'll have 2 little munchkins to dress up, too!

5) Tyler being weaned. He has teeth.

6) The weekend.

7) Going on a real family vacation some day.

8) My 32nd birthday. I think 32 is a very distinguished and fashionable age. Aug.25th everyone. I'll be expecting flowers and gifts.

8 Favorite Restaurants:

1) Tucanos

2) Ruby River

3) Cafe Rio

4) Macaroni Grill

5) Wendys (classy, I know, but they have frostees and the big bacon classic)

6) Bombay House

7) La Dolce Vita (little place in Provo)

8) Burger Supreme (another place in Provo that has divine fry sauce)


8 Things on my Wish List:

1) A cruise

2) Pretty shoes (always on my wish list)

3) To fit into a size 4 again

4) Patience

5) Delicious chocolate that doesn't make me fat

6) A Dreamer Design double jogging stroller

7) Tyler sleeping past 5am.

8) Total and complete job security for Tim.

The next one is supposed to be 8 people to tag, but instead I'm going to do

8 jobs I've had:
1) Hot dog cart girl (best job ever, seriously)

2) Janitor at the dorms (worst job ever--cleaning up after EFY kids is gross)

3) Bandits' Texas Barbecue (free food made this job bearable--good food, bad management)

4) Grounds crew at BYU (best tan ever)

5) Sheet music specialist at Keith Jorgensens in Orem (oh how I miss that job--40% off everything)

6) Taco Bell (do you know how fun a guac gun can be?)

7) Dish room (do you know how fun a high pressure sprayer can be?)

8) Office manager at Germane Engineering (accident reconstruction firm=police photos=horror, complete horror)

Now I tag anyone and everyone who's interested!
P.S. The format on this is really bad. I blame blogger. I gave up fixing it.