Currently feeling:
shiny!
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Thursday, December 06, 2012
Angry Birds Star Wars
Are you sitting down? Until today, I had never played Angry Birds before. I don't mean the Star Wars version. I mean I had never played any form of Angry birds at all. I know! I don't usually follow the trends just to follow them. If it interests me, sure, I'll try it. (Like my recent nail polish kick.) But if it doesn't interest me? I'll probably never get around to it, no matter how popular it is.
But come now, this is a Star Wars something. I *have* to try it, right? Especially when I'm spending 20-30 minutes at a time, waiting for a spreadsheet to recalculate. I can't touch the computer to do anything; no email, no nothing. And there's only so much web surfing I can do on my phone (screen too small, takes too long to load, etc.). I'd played Solitaire until I was sick of it, so I needed something new.
It's pretty fun, I'll give them that. It actually reminds me of the Wii's Boom Blox in many respects. Frustrating at times, but fun nonetheless. I'm playing the free version right now. If someone wants to convince me of the merits of the pay version, I'll consider it, but I'm perfectly happy with the free one at the moment. Just like in LEGO Star Wars, my favorite character/ability is Han with his blaster. I'm much more effective with it than I am with a light saber. I know I'm having some trouble grasping some of the nuances of the game, like what a laser bolt will bounce off of vs what it will destroy. And I'm having a heck of a time getting the hang of Kenobi's force ability. But overall, I'm quite enjoying myself.
Do you play Angry Birds? What is your favorite version? Are they substantially different or mostly the same (just different "decorations")? Any other games I should check out?
Currently feeling:
somewhat strong with the force, but trying to get stronger!
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
ready to light the way
Sunday, December 02, 2012
Movie Muse Shorts: Wreck-It Ralph, Rise of the Guardians, Skyfall
We've knocked off three of our holiday movie selections. Still hoping for 2-3 more before the end of the season. Enjoy!
What a fun movie Wreck-It Ralph is! As someone who grew up playing nearly every game referenced in this film, it brought back so many great memories. I was very impressed with the attention to detail for both "real" characters (Qbert, Bowser, etc) and in accurately capturing the flavor of the other games (Wreck-It Ralph, Sugar Rush, etc) in terms of both style of play and visuals. I was grinning from ear to ear most of the time! Except when I wasn't supposed to be. This movie was surprisingly emotionally complex, and I will admit to getting a bit misty once or twice. It is supposed to be a mostly fun movie, though, and it was; the interplay between characters from such vastly different worlds was absolutely hysterical! "Move your molasses" may be my new favorite line (not that I feel I can actually say that to my 8 year old, but I sure do think it several times a day now). I do feel they went a bit wrong near the very end with one of the reveals, but for the most part, it was extremely well done. (The short prior to the film is truly excellent!) So for me, as an adult, especially one who grew up playing these games, it was a blast!
However, due to all of the play on words like the molasses example, and a few other aspects of the film in terms of the characters' behaviors (things I really don't want my 8 year old mimicking), I don't think we'll be taking Luke to see it. Too much double meaning in too many lines that I don't want to have to explain, and too many behaviors I don't want him repeating. In that sense, it felt more like a Dreamworks than a Disney. Part of me says we could use it as a teaching opportunity, but the other part of me says that if he's not doing those behaviors now, why introduce them to him and then say "but don't do that," especially when they aren't behaviors that the characters get in trouble for or that cause them any issues, so we can't even use that as a talking point. I think he would really enjoy the film overall, and maybe I'm being an overly sensitive parent, but I just don't think it is a good fit for my child at this point in time. Which is sad, because I really enjoyed it myself. He'll see it in a few years. The credits are visually fun to watch, so stay if you want. There is no cut scene or bloopers or anything like that. If you're a hard core Pac-Man fan, stay to the bitter end for a teeny-tiny stinger. Most folks won't get it, but a few will. Enjoy! We did not see this in 3D (I'd have been sick as a dog with the racing scenes; they were hard enough to watch when "flat"), so I can't speak to that. I think it would be fine seen at the theater or at home.
Based on the previews, I wasn't sure what to expect out of Rise of the Guardians, so I purposely didn't read up on the film before we saw it. I wanted things to unfold without anything in mind for "where we were going." Regardless of my expectations (or lack there of), I don't think this was quite what I anticipated. Don't get me wrong, it was a good movie! Very imaginative in many respects, and I appreciate the point(s) they made. It's just very different from almost any preconceived notions you might have. That is fairly obvious from the previews, but it is still more different than anything you are likely imagining. It has all the right pieces to have been a great movie, but I think it suffered from some editing and pacing issues; it just didn't quite fully gel. My biggest issue is that I feel some of the "laugh beats" were very poorly timed. They were funny, yes, but to me, they came in the wrong places. I understand wanting a release of tension, but right in the middle of a scene where you've worked so hard to build suspense is not the place to put it! It just destroys the mood and takes you "out of the moment", and sadly, it happened more than once in the film. Some were right on target (especially with the Yeti), but several were not.
The visuals are absolutely stunning, though, and I did genuinely tear up at one point, so it was doing its job quite effectively in other places. We will probably take Luke to see this one. I'm not sure we would if he were much younger than he is now, but I do think he will enjoy it. Do stay about half way through the credits; there is a semi-lengthy additional scene. There is nothing else after that (other than more credits). We did not see this in 3D, but I bet it is stunning. I would have had motion issues with several of the scenes, though. I don't think it necessarily has to be seen at the theater, but you'll miss some of the lush detail on the small screen.
I thought Skyfall was good, but not great. I've been watching James Bond movies for 20+ years; I grew up with them (my father is a huge Bond fan!). Until Mr. Craig came along, Bond films had a certain feel to them. I appreciate them wanting to shake things up a bit and update the franchise, and I'm fine with that. (There is even a very thinly veiled jab at the "are James Bond films irrelevant" questions in Skyfall that have been circulating since MGM failed.) I quite like some of the things they did in Casino Royale, which I rewatched a few weeks ago; it's actually better than I remembered. It's not my favorite Bond by a long shot, but some aspects were quite good. (That's more than I can say for Quantum of Solace, which I would like to forget was ever made. Wow, what a terrible movie, particularly for a Bond film! So glad we missed that one in the theater.) Skyfall had some excellent throwback moments for us "old school" Bond fans, and a few other things I don't want to spoil for you (one should be blatantly obvious, and the other I should have figured out sooner than I did). I will say that, to a certain extent, Sam Mendes does make several attempts to "right the ship" in Skyfall; let's hope any directors who follow him stick to what he's done in those respects.
But some other parts were still not quite right, IMO. I do think the movie was way too long! The whole bit prior to Javier Bardem showing up should have been edited down to 10-ish minutes. I thought Bardem himself was excellent. His introduction scene is fantastic. It is a single long take, with no music or camera motion; it's just him walking toward the camera and speaking, and he is absolutely mesmerizing. You can't not watch him when he's on the screen. He looks terrible as a blonde, but I also think it makes him look that much more disturbing (and disturbed). I've only seen him in one film besides this one, and that one was not a good showcase for his talents. With Skyfall, I'm starting to understand the fuss about him. Overall, I just think the editing and pacing needed to be tighter. Again, mostly the right components were there, just in the wrong proportions. Still a good movie and worth seeing, though I wouldn't necessarily rush out to see it in the theater. No stinger or anything once the credits start to roll.
Currently feeling:
ready to take on The Hobbit
What a fun movie Wreck-It Ralph is! As someone who grew up playing nearly every game referenced in this film, it brought back so many great memories. I was very impressed with the attention to detail for both "real" characters (Qbert, Bowser, etc) and in accurately capturing the flavor of the other games (Wreck-It Ralph, Sugar Rush, etc) in terms of both style of play and visuals. I was grinning from ear to ear most of the time! Except when I wasn't supposed to be. This movie was surprisingly emotionally complex, and I will admit to getting a bit misty once or twice. It is supposed to be a mostly fun movie, though, and it was; the interplay between characters from such vastly different worlds was absolutely hysterical! "Move your molasses" may be my new favorite line (not that I feel I can actually say that to my 8 year old, but I sure do think it several times a day now). I do feel they went a bit wrong near the very end with one of the reveals, but for the most part, it was extremely well done. (The short prior to the film is truly excellent!) So for me, as an adult, especially one who grew up playing these games, it was a blast!
However, due to all of the play on words like the molasses example, and a few other aspects of the film in terms of the characters' behaviors (things I really don't want my 8 year old mimicking), I don't think we'll be taking Luke to see it. Too much double meaning in too many lines that I don't want to have to explain, and too many behaviors I don't want him repeating. In that sense, it felt more like a Dreamworks than a Disney. Part of me says we could use it as a teaching opportunity, but the other part of me says that if he's not doing those behaviors now, why introduce them to him and then say "but don't do that," especially when they aren't behaviors that the characters get in trouble for or that cause them any issues, so we can't even use that as a talking point. I think he would really enjoy the film overall, and maybe I'm being an overly sensitive parent, but I just don't think it is a good fit for my child at this point in time. Which is sad, because I really enjoyed it myself. He'll see it in a few years. The credits are visually fun to watch, so stay if you want. There is no cut scene or bloopers or anything like that. If you're a hard core Pac-Man fan, stay to the bitter end for a teeny-tiny stinger. Most folks won't get it, but a few will. Enjoy! We did not see this in 3D (I'd have been sick as a dog with the racing scenes; they were hard enough to watch when "flat"), so I can't speak to that. I think it would be fine seen at the theater or at home.
Based on the previews, I wasn't sure what to expect out of Rise of the Guardians, so I purposely didn't read up on the film before we saw it. I wanted things to unfold without anything in mind for "where we were going." Regardless of my expectations (or lack there of), I don't think this was quite what I anticipated. Don't get me wrong, it was a good movie! Very imaginative in many respects, and I appreciate the point(s) they made. It's just very different from almost any preconceived notions you might have. That is fairly obvious from the previews, but it is still more different than anything you are likely imagining. It has all the right pieces to have been a great movie, but I think it suffered from some editing and pacing issues; it just didn't quite fully gel. My biggest issue is that I feel some of the "laugh beats" were very poorly timed. They were funny, yes, but to me, they came in the wrong places. I understand wanting a release of tension, but right in the middle of a scene where you've worked so hard to build suspense is not the place to put it! It just destroys the mood and takes you "out of the moment", and sadly, it happened more than once in the film. Some were right on target (especially with the Yeti), but several were not.
The visuals are absolutely stunning, though, and I did genuinely tear up at one point, so it was doing its job quite effectively in other places. We will probably take Luke to see this one. I'm not sure we would if he were much younger than he is now, but I do think he will enjoy it. Do stay about half way through the credits; there is a semi-lengthy additional scene. There is nothing else after that (other than more credits). We did not see this in 3D, but I bet it is stunning. I would have had motion issues with several of the scenes, though. I don't think it necessarily has to be seen at the theater, but you'll miss some of the lush detail on the small screen.
I thought Skyfall was good, but not great. I've been watching James Bond movies for 20+ years; I grew up with them (my father is a huge Bond fan!). Until Mr. Craig came along, Bond films had a certain feel to them. I appreciate them wanting to shake things up a bit and update the franchise, and I'm fine with that. (There is even a very thinly veiled jab at the "are James Bond films irrelevant" questions in Skyfall that have been circulating since MGM failed.) I quite like some of the things they did in Casino Royale, which I rewatched a few weeks ago; it's actually better than I remembered. It's not my favorite Bond by a long shot, but some aspects were quite good. (That's more than I can say for Quantum of Solace, which I would like to forget was ever made. Wow, what a terrible movie, particularly for a Bond film! So glad we missed that one in the theater.) Skyfall had some excellent throwback moments for us "old school" Bond fans, and a few other things I don't want to spoil for you (one should be blatantly obvious, and the other I should have figured out sooner than I did). I will say that, to a certain extent, Sam Mendes does make several attempts to "right the ship" in Skyfall; let's hope any directors who follow him stick to what he's done in those respects.
But some other parts were still not quite right, IMO. I do think the movie was way too long! The whole bit prior to Javier Bardem showing up should have been edited down to 10-ish minutes. I thought Bardem himself was excellent. His introduction scene is fantastic. It is a single long take, with no music or camera motion; it's just him walking toward the camera and speaking, and he is absolutely mesmerizing. You can't not watch him when he's on the screen. He looks terrible as a blonde, but I also think it makes him look that much more disturbing (and disturbed). I've only seen him in one film besides this one, and that one was not a good showcase for his talents. With Skyfall, I'm starting to understand the fuss about him. Overall, I just think the editing and pacing needed to be tighter. Again, mostly the right components were there, just in the wrong proportions. Still a good movie and worth seeing, though I wouldn't necessarily rush out to see it in the theater. No stinger or anything once the credits start to roll.
Currently feeling:
ready to take on The Hobbit
Friday, November 30, 2012
November 2012 Pinterest Inspirations
I realized that a while ago, actually (not today), but the statement still holds. So how many things did I do this month from Pinterest? Um, I don't think there were any. I know!! I was rather surprised myself. I thought surely I had tried one single thing, but I could not find one. Guess that shouldn't be surprising since I don't think I'd even been on Pinterest in 2-3 weeks until I went to see if I had done something early in the month. I'll try to do better next month!
Currently feeling:
completely and shockingly unpinned for the month!!
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
ready to feast
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Thanksgiving 2012 and the Folkston Funnel
We had a good Thanksgiving. Hope all of you did, too. I swear the trip to and from Brunswick gets longer and longer every year. The Google Maps app helped us take some super secret ninja shortcuts around the traffic, though, which was nice. It only took us an hour to get from North Avenue to Jodeco Road. That's unheard of on a normal day, much less the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. As we drove, we kept flipping through the SeriusXM Radio stations. I finally got to hear all of Adele's Skyfall theme song from start to finish. If the theme songs for Goldfinger and Diamonds are Forever had a baby, you would get the Skyfall song. No doubting it is a Bond theme! We also had Christmas music to keep us company. Now, I am normally opposed to listening to Christmas music before Thanksgiving, but I also knew I wouldn't have to monitor the songs quite as closely to make sure they were "safe" for little ears. We actually arrived at my parents' house before 11 PM! I wasn't even thinking we'd be there by midnight. Yay, more sleep! Except that I then stayed up until 4:30 AM talking to my brother. Oops. But it was worth it!
Thursday was ultimately very low key, just the six of us and lots of good food. If you've ever wondered how to make the best cornbread dressing in the world, we're showing our secret in the above picture: destem your sage leaves (and cut out the center vein), then fry them in butter! Mmm-mmm-mmm. It is anything *but* healthy, but oh so yum. Thursday night, DH and I went to see Wreck-It Ralph at the theater. We were hoping it would be a good one for Luke, so that my parents could take him to see it while we went to see the new James Bond. Alas, it didn't work out that way. (Read my full Wreck-It Ralph review here.)
Friday was supposed to be spent visiting my grandfather and my mother-in-law, but we ended up not seeing my grandfather. As badly as we wanted to go, they had a stomach flu virus running rampant at his care facility about 10 days ago, and there are still cases of it in the building. Stomach flu is not something any of us can afford to have right now, so I was not keen on willingly exposing everyone, especially when we still had to drive home in a couple of days. I am still terribly sad that we couldn't go, but as a mom and wife, it was the right call.
With our unexpected "free time," we decided to finally visit the Folkston Funnel. My dad heard about it several years ago, and we've been meaning to take Luke for quite a while, but we never "found" the time until now. Per their website:
"The Folkston Funnel is a double track which serves as the main artery for railroad traffic into and out of Florida. From the viewing platform in Folkston, visitors can see trains passing on their way to and from Jacksonville, Florida in the south, and a split north of town where trains go west to Waycross, Georgia, and north to Savannah. The platform features lights, ceiling fans, and a scanner to listen in to radio traffic between trains."
Typically, there are several trains an hour that go past, but being the day after Thanksgiving, there was very little traffic. One of the platform volunteers was there with a laptop, monitoring the track traffic. He said there was a train that was 30-45 minutes out. We had intended to watch 2-3 trains for 30-ish minutes, then go eat lunch. I know my child, and he needed to eat soon, but we didn't want to miss the *one* train that was within waiting distance. So, we decided on an impromptu picnic. Mom and I left the boys at the tracks and went to grab food, which turned into more of an adventure than we intended. First, the Michael's Deli where we planned to get food was now out of business. Plan B was Dairy Queen, but they were out of milk for the kids meal. I knew Luke would be crushed, so I walked across the five lane highway to the teeny-tiniest convenience store I've ever seen (my living room is bigger than the floorspace in that store, I kid you not), but they didn't have milk either! So we stopped at a second convenience store for milk, and just about then, we heard the train. ::sigh:: At least the boys got to see it.
As fun as the train was, I think Luke was more excited about the picnic! He is always begging us to eat outside, usually when we walk up to a restaurant that has outdoor seating, which means I didn't have any of my sun protective gear. Ms. Melanoma here usually has no choice but to nix the idea, but not knowing how much shade might be there, I had prepared for some sun exposure (had my shirt and was wearing sunscreen, plus borrowed one of Dad's sun hats from his car). Trains *and* a picnic? I'm not sure life gets any better than that for an 8-year-old boy.
We hoped another train might be "on the radar" by the time we finished eating, but the next closest train was over an hour away. We will definitely make some time to go back the next time we're around on a non-holiday weekend (whenever that may be). We packed up and headed to MIL's house. She is still quite weak from her ordeal back in February and March, and though she is doing *much* better, she had some rather distressing news for us. Her kidney function never did improve after leaving the hospital, so she will be starting dialysis after the holidays and will be added to the transplant list. Her family (siblings and children) are all still trying to decide what to do about getting tested and/or donating. I envision next year being a very long and possibly traumatic one. If you could keep all of us in your thoughts and prayers, I would appreciate it. Other than that, the visit was very good. Luke is both thrilled with and a little afraid of her dog, and they mutually tired each other out.
After much debate, we finally decided to head home Saturday evening instead of waiting until Sunday with everyone else on the planet. We didn't get home until about 1 AM, but I still think it was the right call. With Luke still getting over his sinus infection and everyone just being so tired and worn down from all the stress of the last few weeks (with the new job and all), it was nice to have a down day before plunging into another week. A very very busy three days, but well worth it. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Currently feeling:
full of turkey
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