Fifteen Favorite Films Viewed in 2007

Bande à part (1964)
Grey Gardens (1975)
The Beales of Grey Gardens (2006)
The U.S. vs. John Lennon
Das Leben der Anderen (2006)
Water
Hairspray (2007)
Stranger Than Fiction
Marie Antoinette
Volver
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Christmas in Connecticut
Once
The Girl in the Café
Charlotte’s Web (2006)

A few numbers:
number of films watched 2007: 156
average watched per month: 13
average watched per week: 3
percent of Oscar nominated films watched: 32/45 films 71%

percentage of films viewed in a theatre: 10%
percentage of films viewed on DVD: 85%

A few genre numbers-- out of the 156 films
documentaries: 10
classic films: 17
foreign films: 15
animated films: 9
Bond/action films: 19

percentage of total liked: 67%
percentage of total ambivalent: 22%
percentage of total disliked: 12%

May your Day be Merry and Light.

Baking Fast and Furiously.

It's hard to explain why I woke up at 2:00 am on Christmas Eve and was completely unable to go back to sleep. I can't blame this one anticipation of Santa's arrival... after all, that would be one day too soon. Instead of wasting time lying in bed thinking of the things I'd like to get done the next day before I went over to my mother's house, I just got up. I did a few little tasks that I'd skipped before bed, I wrapped some gifts, ironed some clothes, burned a cd, and then the baking started.

First I made some yummy popcorn for snacking during movie watching.. generally after dinner and gifts we always watch at least one movie. The popcorn is nothing fancy (just butter, brown sugar and marshmallow melted and poured over 2 bags of microwave popcorn), but lately I've been indulging in this little treat.

Next I made some granola for mom. She's decided she really likes the vanilla almond granola I've been making so I made a batch and boxed it up and included the recipe. I like it too... and I'm out. I should have made a double batch!

Then I started sifting through my recipes. Planning on what I wanted to make for sweets. On Sunday, mom told me she didn't make any desserts so I decided to make a goodie tray, but that would have to include more than one type of treat.

I made three types of cookies:
Thin Mint Taste Alikes
Coconut Crispy Blondes
Ginger Snaps

Then I made two types of bars/squares:

Salted Nut Roll Bars

Chocolate Rice Krispie Cake Bars

Lastly I made these:
Mini Cheesecakes


Of course that was just the baking. I also made a pan of cheesy potatoes to go with mom's ham for dinner. And before the fun was done I had to try one new recipe:
Cranberry Salsa. It's a dip for chips

"On the First Day of Christmas...."

My aunt gave to me... a ceramic group of carolers.

This is something my mom made for my Grandma "way back when" (aka 1970s when mom was into ceramics). It has a wind up music box feature that plays the "Twelve Days of Christmas" and it plugs in to an outlet to light up the tree. This was always on display at my Grandma's house and I thought my mom might want to have it, but she said I should keep it. I really don't need "more holiday stuff" or "stuff of any kind." Yet, this one is chock full of memories so I think it's rather nice.

Purse Problems No More

I hate being at a restaurant or at trivia and having nowhere to put my purse. Especially on those high top tables when the only alternative seems the floor where it gets knocked over, stepped on, and caught under the chairs. I love the restaurants where they have hooks to hang purses and now I've found a portable purse hook that can work anywhere. I NEED this baby! It looks like a number of companies make them with all sorts of designs. Unless one of those designs is Wonder Woman I would just as soon have a plain silver looking one. I found one on Amazon for only $10.00 and one here for $8.95. Although there were some cute designs here for $20.00, why spend the extra money? Of course, even more pricey is the "Dangle" but it looks pretty cool too. I wonder if one of them works better than the other... Hmmm...I might have to treat myself after the holidays!

IMEEM Rocks!

Thanks to Sara, I discovered this site and have been loving it... I am going to start posting some songs on my blog in the future... so instead of just telling what I've been listening to, I can give readers an actual taste of the music. Sometimes it will load full songs, other times (due to copyright agreements) the embedded music will only play a 30 second clip. In those cases you might want to go to IMEEM and hear the whole song which WILL play on their site, if you like what you hear in the 30 sec. clip, that is. This song is one of my current faves by The Magic Numbers. Fingers crossed it is the full song... and not the 30 sec. variety since it's hard to truly appreciate it in such a small sliver of song.

My 101 List Status

Right now I've only accomplished 36% of my tasks on my 101 things to do in a 1001 days. If I can complete the "in progress" items (ones that typically involve a large list of films to view or books to read, etc) I will raise that percentage to a whopping 41%. Sigh.

There are 25 things I believe I can accomplish if I try hard in the next few months. There are also 17 tasks I think can happen with help. And another 20 that I am pretty sure I will not possibly get done before my deadline on March 28, 2008. (the impossible tasks are now impossible because of the weather and resources like time and money etc over the next few months)

Here's what I believe I can accomplish:

2. Learn guitar well enough to play songs
4. Watch all the Bond movies
Only need to watch 3 more Bond films
5. Write 100 poems
Only need to write 94 more poems
9. Learn digital video editing
16. Read 50 of the hundreds of books I own but have never read
Only need to read 30 more books to reach goal
30. Go ice skating
65. Learn to identify at least five different constellations in the night sky
68. Sell, donate, or just get rid of 101 items in an effort to “downsize” my stuff
Need only 26 more items to make downsize goal
70. Create a living will and figure out how exactly to become an “official” donor.
71. Go roller skating (maybe in Winnipeg?)
46. Learn how to fillet a fish
48. Sew a quilt
50. Go on a retreat at a monastery
58. Improve my Spanish (take a class)
59. Learn to make overnight buns
61. Learn to crochet
74. Eat at White Castle
83. Go to a movie at the Fargo Theatre
80. Update my Ireland scrapbook (parts of it are falling apart)
85. Memorize a poem
87. Get a henna tattoo
90. Update my resume
91. Create a professional portfolio
98. Go Christmas caroling
100. learn to use chopsticks

All I Want For Christmas is a Nap!

I've been excessively tired lately. Not sure why. Barometric pressure? Lack of daylight? Either way, there are too many things to do and when I've got the time to do them I'm too tired. Sheesh. Yesterday I took my first nap in months and months. I've been very deliberate in cutting naps out of my life for the sake of ensuring a regular night's sleep. It turns out that I'm actually tired enough to have both!

Assuming my sleep cycle will right itself... here's a glimpse of what I'd really like for Christmas.




Clementines. Yum!

Suite Française by Irene Nemirovsky

Wool roving for needle felting projects

Stranger than Fiction, one of many films I would like to own

Dwight Yoakam's latest cd.

A magazine subscription to Real Simple

Jewelry from Wilk Designs. But only these two items. The bubble ring and the bubble pendant. They are the coveted ones. I discovered these in July of 05 and still like them..

I also love a lot of the jewelry to be found on Etsy. Like the compass ring. Or their art or virtually any number of wonderful and cool handmade things.

Reading Watching, Listening..... November in Review

What I Was Reading in November

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
Three Cups of Tea by David Oliver Relin and Greg Mortenson
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich
Flight by Sherman Alexie
Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie

This was actually a big reading month for me. I finished all these books. The Thief Lord is a young adult novel I read for school. It was "okay," better than the film which I also watched. I listed to The Golden Compass on audio, read by the author and a full cast. It's a wonderful audiobook and just a really interesting book as well. I'm reading the rest of the series, or I shoudl say, listening to the rest of the series in December. Lean Mean Thirteen is the latest in the Stephanie Plum series and as usual it was a pleasant, entertaining light read. Three Cups of Tea made me much more aware of the political situation in Pakistan. I was fascinated by Greg Mortenson's story and I"d encourage others to read it. Sherman Alexie wasn't as magical for me as he was for some people in my book club. I found him only "okay" and the book Flight, which others loved, I found to be "not my cup of tea." Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven is a collection of short stories. Some I liked better than others.

What I was Watching in November

On TV

Dancing with the Stars

The Bachelor

Desperate Housewives

Brothers and Sisters

Samantha Who?

Two and a Half Men

Big Shots

Grey's Anatomy

Private Practice

The Office

Pushing Daisies

Dirty Sexy Money
Project Runway

Good news: The Bachelor is over. Even better news, Project Runway has begun. It's too soon for me to have favorites... or maybe they are all just too blase to be excited? Who knows. I was satisfied with Dancing with the Stars ending. I wanted Mel B. to win, but I didn't mind that Helio did. Both of them were fab. The writer's strike has slowed down the production of new programs and some have moved into rerun phase but hey, what's new? I just really wish that The New Adventures of Old Christine would get a move on. I've decided that I watch entirely too much uninspired tv, but one show that is quickly growing on me is Dirty Sexy Money. I'm not sure why.


On DVD
Spider-man 3
Knocked Up
Licence to Kill
GoldenEye
License to Wed
The Thief Lord
Shrek the Third
Hands on a Hard Body
Wordplay
A Prairie Home Companion
Waitress
Oceans Thirteen
Bourne Ultimatum
In Theatre
Enchanted

Of the November films I watched none of them really stood out except Wordplay and Waitress. I got a big kick out of Wordplay, a documentary on the New York Times Crossword Puzzle and people who love it. Waitress is the Adrienne Shelly film she made before she was murdered. It's a nice film, funny, sweet, wry, and mouthwatering. It made me want to invent pies. And Keri Russell's names for the pies made them even better.

Hands on a Hard Body was a recommended documentary that was alright but nothing earthshattering. It is about a group of people in an annual radio contest giveaway in which people must keep at least one hand on a vehicle until they are the last one standing and then they win the pick up. A Prairie Home Companion was entirely NOT my kind of film. I thought someone told me they really liked it. Hmmm... Why?

License to Wed was a bit irritating, but I tend to find some Robin Williams films that way in general. Knocked up is one I'd seen and loved in the theatre and so this time I watched it with teh commentary track and laughed my butt off. What a hoot.

Spider-man 3 reminded me that Spiderman is NOT my favorite of the superheroes, is it just me or does he seem like a total whiner? On the contrary, Bond, James Bond is wonderful as played by Pierce Brosnan in GoldenEye. And License to Kill was good in that it was the end of my least favorite Bond, Timothy Dalton. I liked nearly everything in GoldenEye but the freaky orgasmic moans of the bad bond girl as she was getting ready to squeeze people to death with her thighs.


As far as sequels go, Shrek 3 was not that great. It wasn't terrible, but I guess I just prefer the first one over all. Bourne Ultimatum was good and it made a nice Thanksgiving viewing. Oceans 13 was later that evening with mom. I hated Oceans 12 and so I was pleased to discover I liked this one better, but again, it is hard to recreate the magic of the first film. I'm not sure they should have tried.

My sole theatre experience this month was the Disney animated/live action film Enchanted starring Amy Adams who was, as usual, enchanting! I got a real kick out of this film and would recommend it to most anyone. Only disappointment for me was the whole dragon sequence toward the ending... it was a bit too much for me. I mean, reality was stretched in this film, but that part really crossed the line for me. tee hee.


What I Was Listening to in November

My new cds:
Kid Rock Rock N Roll Jesus
Feist The Remainder
Alison Krauss and Robert Plant's cd Raising Sand

a random sampling from my MP3 player here are my posted shuffles:

Nov 5
Amen by Kid Rock
I Only Want to Be With You by Dusty Springfield
Just One Time by Connie Smith
Physical by Olivia Newton-John
These Days by Nico

Nov. 17
Paradise by the Dashboard Lights by Meatloaf

In the Ghetto by Elvis Presley
Just Like a Pill by Pink
Honky Tonk Women by The Rolling Stones
Rocket Man by Elton John

Flip and Tumble

Despite my attempts to be frugal this holiday season I had to splurge and pick up one of these. (Yes, the person I tend to spend the most on each year is ME) And I've had more comments/compliments on this thing than I ever expected. Virtually every time I've used it!

It is a sturdy sack that scrunches to fit inside a small stretchy pouch cleverly attached to the inside of the bag. You can get the idea from the pictures. I love this thing and wouldn't mind buying one for everyone I know, but my generosity has limitations or at least my credit card does. The flip and tumble bag fits in my purse or in the cubby in my car and then I never have an excuse to get "plastic bags" from Target again. I have other bigger bags I can bring with me to get groceries but this works wonderfully, especially if I'm not buying too much.

Holiday Baking In Progress

Thin Mint Taste-Alikes

Ingredients:
¾ cup butter
1 ½ cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp water
1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 ½ cups flour
1 ¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Andes mints (cut in half—get the ones that are chocolate with a little green)

Makes about 60 cookies

In a pan cook butter, sugar, water on low heat until butter is melted
Add in chocolate chips and stir until partially melted
Remove from heat and keep stirring until completely melted. (don’t let them burn.. they will if you get them too melted)

Pour into mixing bowl and let cool for 10 minutes

At high speed beat in eggs one at a time
Turn it to low speed and add dry ingredients until blended

Chill dough for an hour.

Preheat oven to 350
Bake 8-10 minutes

Add Andes mints … pushed down just a little in the middle right after they come out
They’ll melt. Enjoy!

I Heart Etsy Art!

You can find her work here, on Etsy.
There is an air of spookiness,
of Tim Burton quirk to some of her stuff. I like it.
She has a blog here too.

I Am More Than the Sum of My Parts

I read about this on another blog and I can't quit thinking about it. Maybe because I have a similar body type. I agree she's got a pretty "normal" (as in non-supermodel) look to her bod and I hate that anyone would suggest she's a "porker." I love food and I try to be healthy but that doesn't mean I can't indulge in the rich, calorie laden comfort foods once in awhile, so why must Nigella sacrifice? I admire her for taking a stand. I copied my favorite bits from the article below for your edification.

Some people love food writer and TV host Nigella Lawson. She's bright, successful, forty-something, and loves food, unapologetically. But some people -- who have been commenting on the BBC website -- think the British star is a "porker" who sends the wrong message, reports The Times of London. "What sort of an example is she setting with her weight and her appetite for high-calorie sweets and cream?" one reader asks. Nigella tells Times writer Shane Watson: "Maybe I have put on weight, or maybe it's a bad camera angle. But in real life, this is normal size. Everyone is so critical. All must be sacrificed to the great god of skinny. You must say no to everything." Ms. Watson claims that the "god of skinny" has dethroned the "god of beauty." She writes, "Beauty without a slim body is now almost pointless."

Nigella has her own theories about why we live in a society that would target both herself and other women "I think it is a fear of flesh," says Nigella, "maybe of vulnerability and softness. I do think that women who spend all their lives on a diet probably have a miserable sex life: if your body is the enemy, how can you relax and take pleasure? Everything is about control, rather than relaxing, about holding everything in."

Plus, since Nigella's mother, sister and husband died of cancer, thinness is not something she aspires to. "I associate thinness with dying," she says. "When [my mother] had cancer, she said, 'This is the first time I have eaten without worrying,' and that is chilling."

excerpted from this article.

A Perfect Snowball Every Time

Seriously? I guess this is for kids who just can't seem to use their hands to round out a snowball on their own. It is pretty tough to do...

Let it Snow!

Well, it's here. Winter, I mean. And Christmas is sure to be white. Right now I want to do a million things all at once, I want to blog... and I have blogger's block.

Here are just some of the things bouncing around in my brain:

• Shopping... I need to buy some gifts for my siblings and get them in the mail before too much more time passes.
• Pepparkakor (Finnish Gingerbread Men) ... a recipe I found in the newspaper today. It looks yummy and fun.
• The Subtle Knife... I am obsessed with reading and am not finding a lot of time to do so.
• My grain shovel ... WHERE the heck is it? I want to put it in the trunk like every other good North Dakota girl in case I need to dig myself out... there is a LOT of snow out there.
• Cards or Letters ... Once again, I must decide what to do about my Christmas letter. I agree with Rachel and with Sara and find myself torn and still undecided. Best figure that out soon.
• Audacity ... a new program I downloaded that allows me to split mp3 versions of songs so it will be easier to make round 2 trivia cds in the future.
• Correcting... not even going to think about the STACK of papers and assignments calling my name.
• Bell Ringing... later tonight I'll be joining my colleagues at the mall to ring a Salvation Army bell.
• Pictures... I want to try to capture some seasonal shots with my camera. Who has the time or the proper lighting?
• Movies... I have Sicko, Christmas in Connecticut, La Vie En Rose, and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End all enticing me to veg on the couch.

Waiting for Winter's Solstice

Christmas is nearly upon us and I'm still fighting to keep fall. It feels like time is spinning by so quickly I'm dizzy. I'm nearly done with my Christmas shopping and I'm a little nervous about the bills that will soon be wending their way to my little mailbox. Send Christmas cards, friends; it will counter the evil of the bills. It's probably time to break out the Christmas music and start decorating and baking but I look helplessly around my apartment trying to figure out just WHERE I can even put my tree this year. Maybe I can just decorate my elliptical machine! Though I HAVE been using it more lately. Sadly, my energy levels seem to be in direct correlation to the sunlight and as it gets darker earlier and earlier I am tired that much more. I truly do watch and wait for the winter solstice knowing that after that the days will begin to grow once more.

I am loving my new car yet I'm frustrated that I don't have a garage so if it's not sap from the trees that overhang our parking lot, it's the frost and snow that I have to remove from my car each day in the winter. My poor baby. My car doesn't have a headbolt heater and I'm rather nervous that one day it might not start. The people at Honda truly didn't seem to think I would need one. I just wonder if that's because they all have garages and think nothing of it or if they really "get" how exposed my sweet car is.

I've been urged to decorate quickly and submerge myself into the holiday spirit, the holiday season I typically love. Yet, there is some sadness for me as I think of the trips to the hospital a year ago and miss my grandmother. She was my anchor to my family and to holiday and to God. Without her some days it just seems like I'm only getting by. Christmas brings with it a kind of idealism that is housed in favorite holiday films and songs, the memories of a past that seems better than it ever really was and a longing for a future of traditions and memories of my own making. I understand why this season is so hard for so many people and I believe it is because we are reminded of how we long for more. The question is do we wallow in the realities however grim or do we do we work toward making more out of our lives?

Obviously I know what I'm supposed to do.

Looky-here!

This is from Lookybook.com
I just stumbled upon this site and thought the idea was really cool. I like the idea; though, I think it's a little tough to read them when they are so small. There were a few titles or authors I liked but not enough to be very comprehensive in showing all the amazing children's titles out there. I wish I could show off all my favorite picture books in this format. This particular title is one I'd not seen before but in the past I have loved Zoom and Re-Zoom by Istvan Banyai.

In Your Eyes...

"She's gone. She gave me a pen. I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen."--Lloyd Dobler

Sara found this little gem for me. What a riot. If it wasn't sold out, you could buy one here.

Oooh.. I NEED these.

These would really help in my shaky organizational methods that usually result in me having stacks of random papers littering my kitchen counter. Buy them here.

Wooden Wonderfuls.

I love these.
There is something about these tiny hand-painted German figurines that says, "pure and innocent childhood" to me.
You can buy them here and here.

Make it Work!

I almost missed it. I was browsing Bravo programs and discovered I'd missed the first episode of Project Runway's season four. I quickly set my DVR to record one of the kajillion repeats and then the "new" episode this week. Yay. Just as Bachelor lets me down with a resounding thud. (I should have known that grammar stuff was an indicator... though Jenni used that same wrong pronoun while on the After the Rose show Tuesday).

Dancing with the Stars continues to mystify. Do you suppose it's the fans or the Mormons that keep Marie in there. Sure, she's been doing better and if we had another 8 weeks, maybe she could reach the level of the other dancers. If it is the mormons, maybe we ARE in trouble with Mitt Romney. Gulp. I just had a wicked chill run down my spine.

Project Runway is always good fun. In part to see the interactions between the designers, to check out their tattoos and strange pecadillos. Yet, for me, it's always more about the designs. I LOVE seeing what they can create in such little time. I have great admiration for both Dancing with the Stars and Project Runway. These people have to WORK HARD to make it work each week. With Dancing with the Stars the reward is a cheezy mirror ball trophy... though I guess they are elevating their level of celebrity by staying on the show and that could help career-wise for some. On Project Runway they get money to start a line of clothing, they get to show at fashion week, they get a car, and more. It's truly that boost to get them going in their fashion careers. I don't know if that's worked out well for any of the winners, but it's sure fun to watch them get there.

I'm not much for reality shows, though this post would indicate otherwise. I just really like dancing and fashion. The Bachelor? I guess I get some kind of sick thrill from seeing how far people will go to declare their love for someone they've only just met.... and I have long wondered how long before it blows up for someone and I am afraid it finally imploded on Brad. Poor kid. But then again, it's like he didn't understand the show?

Will 2008 be the Year?

The year when things start to turn around for this country? As the 2008 primaries approach, (at light speed, it seems) I find myself struggling with the heavy choice of which candidate I want to support for the presidency. I know MY backing will surely make ALL the difference in the world, so it's imperative that I am fully confident or knowledgeable in that choice!

I've tried to examine the issues and I've taken a ton of "online quizzes." All signs point to one candidate so far. Dennis Kucinich. Usually close behind is John Edwards and Obama and Clinton are tied somewhere a bit further down the list... Dead last evey time is Fred Thompson. I guess that makes sense since when I was listening to one of his little video clips on MSN I was struck speechless and could only jot down on my notepad, WTF. I am not even sure which issue he was discussing, nor what it was that he said that was so offensive. But I am pretty sure he wins the award for my least favorite candidate. That much is clear.

The thing that makes this whole process difficult for me is that in every speech, debate, summary statement of a candidate's position I find a plethora of jargon I don't understand. Things like fair tax, consumption tax, kyoto accords, nuclear power, NAFTA, World Trade Organization, trade with China, current immigration policies, the range of health care solutions is a bit mind boggling too. (Don't worry, I've been working on this) Apparently I need to revisit my Economics 101 notes and then some. I need a political tutor and I am pretty sure I have one friend who is beginning to tire of my endless questions... I fear that people like me (uninformed) who lack the tenacity to figure this stuff out may end up choosing or supporting a candidate for the wrong reasons. Sigh.

If you are interested in doing some exploring. Here are three links that might help you out.

Try this USA Today Candidate Match Game.

or

Try the MSNBC Interactive matrix that examines the candidates views on 5 key issues without messing about with unimportant issues like abortion, same sex marriage, gun control etc. This one focuses on Economy, Energy, Immigration, Health Care, and the War with Iraq.

or

Try the CNN Election Center for an "at a glance" look at some of the issues and the candidates stands.