Tag Archives: Entertainment

30 Questions

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1. Where was the very last place you went besides your house?

Church, where I had a lot of fun playing with a bunch of preteen girls.  I’m going to miss those girls.

2. What are you doing tonight?

Chillaxing in front of the TV…does that make me seem more real?  See, I don’t spend all my free time in books.

3. Who last texted you?

Jen.

4. Do you have a secret that you’ve never told anyone?

Yes.

5. Do you get mad easily?

Not really, but sometimes if I’m stressed.

6. Do you talk about your feelings or hide them?

HIDE.  But I have done better in recent years of processing them through journaling. 

7. Do you prefer warm or cold weather?

Give me 100-degree dry heat any day over 32 and snowy.

8. Who was the last person you were in a car with?

Jen, going to Blockbuster.

9. What color are your eyes?

They once were described as poopy brown but a particularly unkind guy friend.  They are pretty light for brown eyes, with speaks of green and yellow in them.

10. Have you ever given up on someone but then went back to them later?

Oh yeah, story of my high school relationships.

11. Have you ever thrown your cell phone in anger?

Nah, I’m not really one to throw/punch/kick.  I DO clench up and tear up. 

12. Has anyone told you a secret lately that you aren’t allowed to tell anyone?

A few preteens, haha. 

13. Honestly, if you could go back six months and change something, would you?

I can’t think of anything, so no.

14. Are you wearing any clothes that don’t belong to you?

Nope.

15. Do you have a lot on your mind at the moment?

Not really.  As far as seasons of life go, I’m in a pretty stable one.  Of course, that could change any day.

16. What side of the bed do you sleep on?

I have a twin, and believe it or not, I prefer it.  I like to always be touching at least one edge of the bed.  It’s not like I’m going to be inviting anyone into my bed anytime soon, anyway.

17. What is your favorite thing to shop for?

Books.  Or maybe shoes.  Hmm, I would love a big shopping spree at a book/shoe store.

18. Who knows you better than you know yourself?

There’s a few people that might, I’m not sure.

19. What are you doing this summer?

Nothing different.  No trips at all planned, due to lack of cash and vacation days (saving them up for November).  I do plan on keeping up the building of good habits that I’ve been trying to do lately.  And watch SYTYCD.  It’s really the only show that I’ll watch that you have a hard time missing a week on.

20. Do you miss your past?

I’ve liked every stage of life I’ve been in, each one more than the last.

21. Did you ever have tea parties when you were younger?

Not really, though I did have a ceramic tea set that sat on my nightstand for years.

22. What is your favorite line from a movie?

If I were to cheat, it would be part of the Ocean’s 11 Danny/Tess conversation, but if we’re talking about one line, I’d have to say the Pirates quote I mentioned the other day, “She’s safe, just like I promised. She’s all set to marry Norrington, just like she promised. And you get to die for her, just like you promised. So we’re all men of our word, really. Except Elizabeth, who is in fact, a woman.”   I don’t know what it is about it.

23. Would you rather be the opposite sex?

Boys are yucky.

24. What would you never name one of your children?

If it weren’t for Gone with the Wind, I think Scarlet would be a neat name, but I’d hate her to turn out to be a spoiled brat.  If it weren’t for a high school boyfriend, I would love the name Grant.  So yeah, not those names.

25. What is the coolest restaurant you’ve ever been to?

I don’t know about cool, as I don’t tend to like fancier places.  My favorite restaurant though, is a steakhouse in Kansas called Timberline.  Their salads, cheese fries, honey mustard, and mashed potatoes are the best I’ve ever had.

26. Where do you go when you want to get a really good sub sandwich?

If I’m going for a good sub, I prefer Quizno’s, but I frequent Subway because they’re cheaper and healthier (at least what I get).

27. What style of house would you like to live in?

I don’t know the names of the style, but ideally it would have a garden, a good sized living area, and a library.

28. Do you flip the channel when commercials come on?

Rarely.  I don’t like to watch commercials though (I still think commercials can’t be healthy), so I’m usually doing something else.

29. Have you seen any of the Saw movies?

Have I ever seen any horror movie?  Yeah right.  Just today, someone scared me by walking around the side of the building while I was watering my flowers.

30. What was your favorite book as a child?

I’m not sure about favorite, but I really like the Boxcar Children, the Betsy books, and the Babysitter’s Club books.

(Found this on Ministry So Fabulous.)

My Ten Favorite Movie Moments

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Every once in a while, there’s a scene in a movie that’s just perfect.  The lines are right, the actors are playing the part right, and the cinematography and music (or maybe the lack there of) put it in just the right life.  These are the scenes in movies that I want to watch over and over again:

1o.  This one will seem random, but I really like the scene in the second Pirates of the Caribbean between Lord Beckett and Elizabeth, and Beckett admits that currency, not loyalty, is the new currency of the empire.  The dialogue is witty, intriguing, and the whole scene is fraught with tension.

9.  In Mona Lisa Smile, when Julia Roberts’s character confronts Julia Styles’s, helping her to realize that maybe it’s not selling out if a woman chooses a family over a career.

8.  In the first Pirates of the Caribbean, when Will sees Jack and asks him where Elizabeth is.  I LOVE Jack’s reply, “She’s safe, just like I promised. She’s all set to marry Norrington, just like she promised. And you get to die for her, just like you promised. So we’re all men of our word, really. Except Elizabeth, who is in fact, a woman.”  Yes, I’m a dork.

7.  The Pop! “music video” in Music and Lyrics.  SO cheesy…but that just makes it better.

6.  In 10 Things I Hate about You when Kat is reading her version of Shakespeare’s sonnet listening all the things she hates about Patrick which is topped by the fact that she doesn’t hate him.  I’ve so been there.

5.  Ocean’s 11‘s exes in the restaurant scene (the one I quote here).  Julia Roberts and George Clooney are a couple of my favorites to watch on screen, but their verbal sparing in this scene is top notch, even for them.  When I watch the movie (which I do fairly frequently), I have to watch that scene a couple of times in a row.

4.  Mr. Collins’s introductory scene in the latest Pride and Prejudice.  Between only half his head being seen at our first glimpse at him (emphasizing he’s a half-wit) to his overdone compliments throughout the scene, I think that this scene is more entertaining to watch than it was to read in the original done by Austen herself. (Tom Hollander who plays Mr. Collins, also plays Beckett in the last two Pirates movies, so he actually makes this list twice.)

3.  When Libby talks to Bailey for the first time after she finds out that the girl has cancer in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.  I think it’s a mix of the look on Tibby’s face (brutally perfect!) and the straightforwardness of Bailey’s lines.

2.  In Mansfield Park, When Fanny is reading Edmund’s letter, and he professes that Mary, not she, is “the only woman he could think of as a wife.”  Not exactly the thing you want the man you love to say, is it?  The scene is all the more perfect when Fanny seeks comfort in Henry’s arms.

1.  Enchanted‘s “So Close” scene, the one at the end where Giselle and Robert are dancing.  The music, the lyrics, the whispered singing in the ear, the looks on their faces…ahh.

So what about you?

Dreams, Chipmunks, and Holidays

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Jacki asked, “So have you had nightmares yet about unfinished homework?? I went through withdrawal symptoms, and would wake up thinking I had to finish homework.”

Nope, not at all.  I had a two different dreams last night about taking a pair of church kids with me on a trip without their parents’ permission (they were begging me to go, I wasn’t kidnapping them!), but no dreams whatsoever about school or homework.

Brenda said, “Speaking of Enchanted…that is one of our favorites around here too. However, my oldest brother was appalled when the chipmunk pooped! He said Walt would roll over in his grave! I laughed so hard!”

I think it worked fine, but I appreciate more the humor in the dialogue.

Elizabeth, born and raised in NC, said, “Be careful! People in North Carolina generally drive crazy on a day when the sun is out and the road is dry much less cloudy with snow!”

Very good point.

Jennifer commented on my Valentine’s Day post, “This was wonderful. What I hate about Valentine’s Day is what I hate about all holidays – the commercialism (how very Charlie Brown of me). Even for the not so single girl it has become a day of obligation for husbands and boyfriends and a day to “prove” something.

I like your take on the holiday so much more. A focus on Christ enriches EVERYTHING. Makes it what it should be.”

And finally, Khadra is like me: “I used to play the same way as a kid. I would love to do taxes as a career. I have told my husband this before and he thinks I am insane lol!!”

I prefer the term “special.”

Have a great weekend, everyone!  It’s gorgeous here today…I’m about to go on a walk without a coat or jacket!

OPI Trial and Practicing What I Preach

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Last night I was on my way to the pool when my roommate called me to see what I was up to.  She and our ex-roommate were planning on hanging out at our place and ordering Chinese food.  It took me about 30 seconds to realize I should break my plans and routine–good as they were–to hang out with my roommate who I’ve not spent time with in a week and a good friend who I’ve not spent much time with in several weeks.  Plus, Chinese food is always a draw.
While we were eating dinner, I noticed a small package addressed to me and instanty knew what it was.  When I interviewed Smoochiefrog last week, I asked her if OPI is really worth it, as she really enjoys it.  She offered to send me a bottle to try, and so she sent me “Rosy Mistletoesies,” a sparkly pinkish-red.  I decided to paint my nails while we watched Enchanted
(I seriously love that movie, even if it’s a sad reflection on the modern-day fairy tale…I could listen/watch to those songs, especially “That’s How You Know” and “So Close” everyday for the rest of my life and not get tired of them).
Here’s what they look like:
My OPI fingers
My OPI fingers

 Cute!  I didn’t put my usual top coat on over it, though, so it’s starting to rub off on the tips of a couple fingers, but I really like it!  Smoochiefrog, I think I will invest in some different colors every once in a while.

My OPI fingers blog
My OPI fingers blog

Don’t Boo Me Off the Stage, Please!

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Today’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  I’d love to write a post about it, but my brain’s not just up for it.  The kiddies have worn me out. (I’m writing this Sunday night, knowing full-well that I won’t have a spare second tomorrow to write a blog post.)

I generally consider myself up-to-date with pop culture.  That said, I’ve hardly seen any recent movies because they simply haven’t appealled to me.  Ever since the summer of Ocean’s, Pirates, and Bourne, there’s only been 2 movies that have really captured my attention (Enchanted and 27 Dresses).  So, tonight, when my 10- to 12-year-old girls started talking about movies, I just didn’t know what to say.

They talked about Twilight and The Dark Knight, y’all.

One of the main reasons why I enjoy working with this age of girl is because we have a lot in common.  In many ways, I still feel like a 12-year-old girl.  Those were awkward, formative years in between childhood and adulthood, and since I still don’t feel quite grown-up, I totally relate.  I also like pink, pens, and talking, things that are big hits with the preteen crowd.  In general, I probably even like many of the same movies as they do.

But there is not one thing about Twilight or The Dark Knight that appeals to me in the slightest, but here are some of my favorite girls going on and on about what they loved about the movies.  Now I don’t want to alienate you Twilighters as I know there are a ton of you, but I JUST. DON’T. GET. IT.   And comic book movies?  The only ones I’ve seen are the Spiderman ones, and even those I have to take with a grain of salt.  (And, really, Toby Maguire may have had a lot to do with the reason for seeing those movies)

So, I guess if these girls are getting into them, it couldn’t hurt for me to give them a try.  I guess.  At least I should look into it…

Commercials Shmercials

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I’m not a fan of commercials or advertisements, period, but the commercials that are bugging me the most right now (from watching football) are the commercials for car insurance.  They all seem to have this “those that switch to us have saved an average of $XXX” approach (well, except Geico; they have some great commercials!).  The thing is, you’re not likely to switch car insurance unless you’re going to save money.  So it’s not like the average person will necessarily save move by switching to them, it’s just that they’re saying that those that could save money, switched.

On the other hand, there was a commercial in Kansas when I was there over Thanksgiving that I enjoyed.  It was a car commercial, no less.  Sadly, it betrays my lowbrow sense of humor.

Why did it make me laugh?

It had a dancing chicken.  A person, dresed in a chicken costume, dancing next to the cars they were selling.  Something that would terrify me in real life, made me laugh on screen, and I don’t know why.

Pesky, Little Commercials

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One of the main reasons I don’t like watching TV is the commercials. I could be watching a perfectly innocent show, and a commercial comes on with scantily clad actresses shimmying around on camera (or it might be for something like ED medication, as was one commercial that came on when I was watching Survivorman with one of the boys I babysit). Of course, it doesn’t just come from the TV, does it? There are ads on most websites, everywhere I look when I’m driving home from work, on the radio, in the mail, and even inside my home.

Regardless, commercials are always trying to sell something. They try to play my emotions, tell me I NEED this product, and tell me that if I was popular/normal I would be using their product. Sorry, but I don’t need that type of message. I don’t want the messages I hear to come from some advertising agency somewhere. I don’t want them coming from my culture. I want them coming from the Lord. And commercials often contain many voices that fight against the Message.

It’d be interesting to take a survey of all the different advertising I come in contact with in one day, and what types of ways they contradict God’s Message. That would take a lot of energy, time, and patience!

Name Your Distraction

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I’ve been so distracted today. I’m glad that it is Friday. As much as I’ve loved my J-term class, I need the weekend to regroup and complete reading and an assignment in order to be prepared for a whole ‘nother week of class. I’m SO sleeping in tomorrow, if only for a couple of hours!
Last night I was pretty distracted too. I decided to come up with a list of the top distractions that I had while reading for class.
Top 7 Distractions while Attempting to Do Assigned Reading
7. Toe nails – I glanced down and saw that my toe nails needed clipping. You wouldn’t expect me to put this off a moment longer, would you?
6. Presidential debate – I knew that there was a debate on last night, and even though I couldn’t watch it, I had to find out how everyone did.
5. A recently completed set of Gilmore Girls – Ah, I just love the wit of these characters. So funny!
4. Baby crying – No, I don’t have a baby (nor do my roommates, interestingly enough), but one lives in the bedroom directly below mine. She normally doesn’t bother me (except when we first moved in and I couldn’t tell what her lullaby-thingy was…I though it was someone tinkering around on a keyboard at first since it was so slow), but this last week she has been crying a lot in the 8-10 PM window. Unfortunately, this is my best studying time.
3. The nibbles – I just had to get up and grab some leftover chocolate chips to munch on. Since I was eating chocolate chips, I had to get a cup of water. Then…(if you give a Ronnica a chocolate chip…)
2. Blogs – “I just have to check on the blog. So-and-so is holding a contest? I have to enter now, not later!”
1. Not enough sleep – “Your eyes are getting very sleepy…” This is what ultimately ended the night for me.

Happily Ever After, You Sure Have Changed

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Last night for my birthday, my roommates and I went out for Turkish food and to see the movie Enchanted. We went to the 9:55 showing so I assumed that it would be pretty empty, but I was surprised by who else was in the movie theatre.

Besides the 3 of us, there were only 3 other people there: two guys in their mid-twenties who came together (though they didn’t seem like they were a couple) and a guy in his early-thirties who came by himself. What about this movie appeals to guys? Did they go to the 9:55 showing because they didn’t want anyone to see them?

We all enjoyed the movie which was clearly written for girls like us who grew up with Disney fairy tales: Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and The Little Mermaid (I can’t think of any other allusions, though I certainly might have missed them). Don’t be fooled, this movie is definitely written for adults though the “adult” content is quite mild, it is still there. Moving on.

***Spoiler alert*** (though who doesn’t know how a Disney movie will end?)

As we were leaving the theatre (and after we got done laughing about our fellow audience members), my roommates and I started to discuss the “happily ever after” that Giselle (from the fairy tale land) has. Despite the marriage of their former beaus, Giselle and Robert (from reality) aren’t showed getting married. Maybe it’s supposed to be assumed, but I specifically looked to see if either had a wedding band in the final scene and I couldn’t tell. I think it was intentially overlooked.

Giselle’s “happily ever after” scene consisted of a family (of one child) and running her own design business (of little girls’ princess dresses). (Update: Andie reminded me that she also saved her man from the dragon which is another part of the modern “happily ever after,” minus the dragon of course) What my roommates and I reflected on is that marriage is no longer what our generation dreams of. Sure we want the man, but we want the family and the successful career just as much (if not more so). Getting married to Prince Charming is not enough and not necessarily required for our dreams to come true. Living together is a perfectly legitimate substitute for marriage. In fact, they are interchangable.

I could get mad at Disney about this, but they are merely reflecting our culture. It’s sad, but God’s ideal of marriage is not deemed “necessary” to have a family.

What do you think? If you’ve seen the movie, do you think I’ve painted an accurate picture of it?

Movies Unseen

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Last night I watched Sister Act (1 and 2) for the first time. My roommate helped me to see that no well-respected child of the 90s should go without seeing this modern classic.

There are a few other popular 90s movies that I’m glad I haven’t seen: Titanic and Forrest Gump. No need to see them, I think. Can you think of any 90s movies that I have to see?

As the Reverend Mother aptly said, “I am a relic, and I have misplaced my tambourine.”

Ronnica
NaBloPoMo, Day 10