We laughed, we cried, we spent too much money.....

I haven't done a movie review in FOREVER....

Most recent-
Frozen -
              I was going to skip this one.  Then news started floating around Facebook of the awesome music that fills this movie and the newer life choices for Disney Princesses.  Awesome.  I tracked it down, I even went out of my way to find the movie.  I managed to drag Tom and we both thought it was great.  It's been out since before Christmas and it's now middle of January and the movie theater was half FULL on a Thursday night.  No Kidding.  Sure there was a couple noisy kids, but heck it is a kids movie.  Great Music.


Catching Fire   (No. 2 of Hunger Games)
             Loved it!!!  Thought they did an even better job with this movie.  It moved you along quickly enough and had plenty of suspense without bogging you down for hours in the GAME itself.  I had completely forgotten how that book had ended and the movie took me right there.  I have high hopes for movie number 3.

The Desolation of Smaug   (or Hobbit 2- as it is otherwise known..)
            Some people I talked to loved it.  I thought it was alright.  I didn't feel that they had as good of music in this one.  There was no Dwarf awesome song in this one.  The whole bit between Smaug and Bilbo was cool, but you know it was rather predictable even for me - and I have to admit I never read the books. (None of them- I know - I'm a pathetic fantasy reader.)  We did not see it in 3D, maybe that helped bring Smaug more to giant size life.  I don't really like the OVERLY shaky camera work anyway.  I forget that I feel a little sea sick after watching his films.  All that crane camera work from long weird angles spinning around people and up into the air - it all just makes me feel like I'm on a roller coaster.  I am sure that is his main reason for doing it, to make you feel like you are right there riding the rapids in a barrel with them.

I can't think of what else we have gone to see.
I can tell you that we miss going with friends to the movies.  Getting to talk about and tear them apart with other people is really a lot of fun.
Which is why- I was thrilled that while the Dinosaur was here in Kentucky we watched the Hunger Games with her and her family.  It really is a good movie.

Link

Oh my Goodness - I totally forgot about Despicable Me 2-  Okay it came out last summer.  But I bought the Blue-Ray copy for Christmas.  It came with 3 mini-movies about the minions that Newbie directors got to make using all the cool gear they were using to make the big movie.  They were able to use already created characters and backgrounds in order to really get to the heart of a short story.  In animation the ground up phase of creating characters is always the hardest.  So, to be able to use the WORLD that was already up and running, really made it easier for the new directors to really get right to the point.  They were great little movies and I hope those new Directors get noticed because of them. :~)

Link

Mish Mash

Happy Halloween

Probably one of my favorite holidays of the year, and I haven't done a darn thing to celebrate.   Other than eat caramel cake a few times. (yum)

I've spent the last few weeks dealing with crazy online class content.  "Hello, tech support..."
AND health insurance weirdness,  "Hello BCBS".

Neither of these things were any fun.  I was very nice and pleasant every time I talked to someone from either place.  I managed to not bite anyone's head off and I also TOOK care of business.

The thoughts wiggling around the back of my brain really only consist of - I really hope the students realize that I have nothing to do with the problems we are having with the software.  I have no way to check and make sure the stupid stuff works from their end.  I have shared this particular thought with the associate professor at my school and the tech people at the company.

I keep telling myself - just be glad you are not afraid of the technology.  Imagine what someone with out your skills would be doing and feeling.......    This helps a bit.


The health insurance crap, well that could send anyone over the edge.  I understand that Doctors are not going to understand ALL the stupid ways that the insurance company can make life more difficult for all of us, but this was more annoying than usual. I believe it started with the FREE stuff that manufacturers of Medical stuff and drugs like the give to doctors.

The doctor gives you something saying, "Look, it's Free!"  And yet, the prescription you are given to get the items to use with it then cost an Arm and a Leg because it's not really a prescription - it's a medical device.  That has to be billed in a very different way and goes against the amount of your deductible for the year.

After several days of 12 or more phone calls, I managed to find a place that billed correctly and had the items. (yea)  The problem is - they did not take any money, they are going to bill the insurance and then send me a bill for the amount the insurance did not pay.  AND this is how people wind up in debtors prison --- I can't decide if prison would be preferable than the actual going bankrupt we have today........

Happy Halloween.   Eat some candy for me. 

Holiday Weekend

Hope your holiday weekend was full of fun, food and rest.
I on the other hand worked the whole time.

Too many hours in the store trying to get people to just decide on something to take with them or to order.
I have to admit that lots of people were nicer about ordering cameras and the free stuff than I expected. I totally planned on them being all mad that we didn't have it, but when they could get it at the same price by ordering it, they were fine.

I left work early on Monday to get some of my lights up. Especially the outdoor lights. It is cold out there today and the rest of my sub had there lights up on Sunday. We came home from the movies and the street was completely lit up.

Three more actual classes to attend and I have officially finished my Masters in Teaching.
Just have a couple more papers to write.
And finish paying them.

Tell you about Casino Royale later.