"I write, therefore I am."

Been kind of a dry spell for movies lately. This post originated back in August...2009. So it took me 11 months to see this round of 17 movies. Wow. That's kind of sad. That's like one a month. Blah. Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs - Grade: B-. I won't lie, I haven't seen any of these. Movies like this fall in the senseless kid humor category where I put other shows and movies I think are inane, crass, or just plain stupid (my opinion of this). But the S kids put it on while I was "nannying," so I watched (while doing other things like playing on Facebook (of course!)). I will admit to actually laughing once or twice. But that's all I will admit. Xmen - Grade: B-. I freaking LOVE Xmen, especially as a kid. From comics to cartoons to figurines, I was an Xmen addict. So you'll forgive if I was a little upset about them ruining many things. Granted there were cool things, and the special effects were everything, and I do love some Hugh Jackman, but sti...

Ack! I have so much posting to do! Two trips already to two different states and another one looming this weekend. Plus I'm up for a round of book reviews and *gasp* movie reviews! Been awhile on those. I need more free time. Sigh. Soon, promise.

“Where there is great love, there are always miracles.” – Willa Cather Love is such an incredible force, one which drives us to do unthinkable things – even at the cost of life itself – for those we care about. I would trade love for nothing in this world, especially when it comes to my family. I’m sure I’m not alone in my sympathies. In 1998, I extended my love to a new member of my family, a sister adopted from a lonely orphanage in faraway Russia. She was just four when we welcomed her into our home. What happened in those four short years will always be a mystery, but the impact they had on her life will not. Unable to do anything to stop her, my family and I watched helplessly as my sister’s past swallowed her in the present. Her pain seemed unmanageable, her behavior got progressively worse and nothing seemed to help. At the beginning of this year my parents made the terribly difficult decision to enroll her in a long-term residential treatment center - for her own protection. ...

Yes I know. It's pretty much 2011, and I'm still talking about 2009. Honestly, sometimes I get so far behind I feel like quitting and never writing another blog. Ever. But sigh. Let's forget about the fact that we are in month 5 of 12, and pretend it's still January. I mean, the weather outside TOTALLY reflects the "still-January" mindset. Why shouldn't my blog? (Other than the fact that I'm so sick of snow I might die). So in 2008, I joined the masses in the world of iTunes. One year (and 5 months we are erasing) later, I still abhor iTunes. But kind of love my ipod. Like alot. So I guess it's a love/hate relationship. Anyway, I already did my Tops of 2009 , except MUSIC. So let's get on with it shall we? First off, I must say that the play counts are all kinds of skewed. I had iTunes only for a limited time in 08, so the difference in clear. The #1 song of 2008 had 122 plays, whereas the #25 song in 2009 had 260, more than double, lol. 25. Li...

Sigh. Want/need to blog. No energy or desire. I just let the apathy consume me as life and my dreams keep walking. Here I sit.

Somehow I seem to have taken up reading almost purely books that are part of a series. Call it laziness? I dunno. I call it, hey that book was pretty good, there's another? Fantastic! Gimme, gimme. Heh... Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Dragons of Winter Night - Grade: A+. What I said before. Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief - Grade: A. I 100% felt like a 10-year-old prepubescent reading this book! L O V E. This book was...genius. The pacing was spot-on, the characters believable, lovable, AND validly humorous! Win, win, win. Let's just hope they don't screw up the movie. Suzanne Collin's The Hunger Games - Grade: A. I'm not sure what it says about me that I like this book. I feel in a twisted way that makes me just like someone from the Capitol. Hmm. But wow! What a great read! There were slow parts and things that annoyed me, and an occasional unbelievable moment, but I let almost everything slide because the story was so grippingly wonderous. Jame...

Here's to 2009 (screw you!) and all the memories (and nightmares...) Let us recap the best of the best. Best Trip of 2009: Idaho/Washington Trip with NFJ (which pretty much is the whole post). Hands down, no contest. That trip RULED my summer. Best Restaurant of 2009: I'm actually going to go with most FREQUENTED restaurant of 2009, which makes the best. Obviously. That would have to be Toaster's, the coffee shop right down the block where I work (hence part of why I frequent it so freaking much *grin*) Best Article of 2009: Yeah, I don't read too many articles, just blogs? So I'm going to opt out on this one. Best Book of 2009: Yikes. Hold on to your hats for this one. I mean how many books did I read in 2009? Oh wait 45 (including 11 I haven't reviewed yet - that's coming soon, don't worry!) In reviewing the thousands of pages I've devoured, I'll add myself a caveat here and make this best NEW book of 2009, because let's be honest I did m...