Arthur and the Invisibles

Yesterday, I watched the movie Bridge to Terabithia, and I considered writing a review for it, but it was so bad that I don't even want to bother. I decided to review Arthur and the Invisibles instead. I watched it a few weeks ago, and I loved it! It's a perfect family movie - unlike Terabithia, which I found to be both boring, and depressing.

~ Movie Review ~

Arthur and the Invisibles
10-year-old Arthur is living with his grandmother in a quiet country house. He has recently lost his grandfather, and sees little of his parents. His grandmother entertains him by reading stories to him. One of these stories is about the Minimoys — tiny elfin beings living underground in the garden of his grandparents' house. According to these stories, the Minimoys hold a wondrous and expensive treasure of rubies given by an African tribe to Arthur's grandfather. Arthur has become enamoured with a picture of Selenia, princess of the Minimoys.

Arthur's grandmother has been given a two-day deadline to pay a large sum of money to a building developer named Davido, who has bought up her mortgage from the bank and plans to evict the two. Arthur takes it upon himself to find the rubies in order to pay off the debt. After stumbling across various clues written a few years previously by his grandfather, Arthur manages to find the key to the Minimoys' world...
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

I give this movie 4 out of 5 stars. ****

Voices:
Madonna - Princess Selenia Jimmy Fallon - Betameche Robert De Niro - King Harvey Keitel - Miro Chazz Palminteri - The Travel Agent Emilio Estevez - Ferryman Snoop Dogg - Max Anthony Anderson - Koolomassai David Bowie - Malthazard

Actors:
Freddie Highmore - Arthur Mia Farrow - Arthur's Grandmother Penny Balfour - Arthur's Mother Douglas Rand - Arthur's Father Ron Crawford - Archibald Adam LeFevre - Davido


~*Quote of the day*~
A bank is a place where they lend you an umbrella in fair weather and ask for it back when it begins to rain.

Robert Frost

Currently Listening to... "More Than Words" - Extreme

Creeping Paranoia - A.k.a.: Spooky Sunday

It's 12:47am, so I guess technically it's Monday morning, but anyway...

The tale of my Spooky Sunday:
I was reading a blog post by Sebastien on http://chronicallysickbutstillthinking.blogspot.com/. He was talking about mythological stories, fairy tales, etc... So I started looking around the internet, and I found a page on Wikipedia about the "Jersey Devil". I remember reading stories about it when I was a kid, and after I read the article, I followed the links and ended up spending a couple of hours reading about the Mothman, Werewolves, and the Chupacabra. Fascinating stuff - but most of it was completely unbelievable crap. I'm not a superstitious person. I don't believe in ghosts, aliens, Bigfoot, etc... but I do believe that there are some very strange things in this world. Things that can't always be easily explained.

Some things are perfectly innocent coincidences. For example: while I was reading one of the "Werewolf" stories (a supposed eye-witness account) all the web-pages I had open that contained paranormal articles closed themselves. None of the others did. I had six other web-pages open, and they all stayed open. A coincidence, yes, but an odd one.

Later Sunday night:
After a long hard day of doing absolutely nothing, I sat down in the den to watch a movie with my family. Which movie? Eight Legged Freaks - a story about giant spiders. A great movie to watch right before going to bed... especially if you are terrified of spiders. 0_0

Half-way through the movie, my dog Daisy jumped up and started barking (which is something she rarely ever does). Seconds later, we heard the doorknob of the front door being turned... It was around 11:30pm, so we definitely were not expecting any visitors. My brother jumped up, and crept quietly to the door. He turned on the floodlights, peeked out the curtains --- and saw nothing. No one was there.

No more than 10 seconds had passed between the time the doorknob rattled, and when my brother looked out the window. We have a large yard, but there are plenty of lights, and still we couldn't locate the source of the noise. That in itself is creepy enough, but the thing is, this was the third night in a row that this has happened.

Anyone who would like to offer up an explanation for this strange occurrence, please feel free to do so.

After all the spooky stories I read in the morning, the movie I watched at night, and the really weird, unexplained doorknob thing - I'm sure I'll have some memorable dreams tonight... assuming I even sleep at all.

Sweet Dreams everyone ~

Where the Heart Is

I watched this movie on TV tonight. I've seen it before, and I forgot how good it is! It's packed with wonderful actors. It stars: Natalie Portman, Ashley Judd, Sally Field, Stockard Channing, and Joan Cusack - to name a few. It's very moving at times, and the ending leaves you feeling good inside.

~ Movie Review ~

Where the Heart Is
Novalee Nation, 17 and very pregnant, has never been part of a real home. The closest thing to family for the hard-luck teen is her selfish, would-be musician boyfriend, Willy Jack, with whom she's traveling from Tennessee to California in a rust bucket that used to be a Plymouth. A bathroom stop en route, at an Oklahoma Wal-Mart, changes Novalee's life forever. For when she leaves the store, she discovers that Willy Jack and the Plymouth are gone. Only her Polaroid camera remains in the parking space. Alone and broke, Novalee surreptitiously moves into the vast store, borrowing food and supplies from its shelves. When she gives birth on the floor - and her hideaway is revealed - Novalee and her "Wal-Mart Baby" become instant celebrities. More importantly, over the next few years, Novalee finally becomes part of an unconventional, makeshift family comprised of her wonderfully eccentric new friends. Now, with the family she always wanted, Novalee is transformed from a homeless teen to a successful and strong woman. She has finally found a home in this small town where fate has dropped her.

(From wheretheheartismovie.com)

I give this movie 4 out of 5 stars. ****

~*Movie Quotes of the day*~

Lexie Coop: Americus? What kind of a name is Americus?

Novalee Nation: I wanted her to have a strong name.

Lexie Coop: Well, I guess I shouldn't talk. I named my kids after snack foods: Brownie, Praline, Cherry and Baby Ruth.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Orderly: Lexie, one of your kids is on the phone.

Lexie Coop: Which one?

Orderly: Uh, I don't know, Twinkie, Pez... one of 'em.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Currently Listening to... "Butterflies And Hurricanes" - William Joseph

Been down and out...

You've probably noticed that I haven't written anything in a while. I've been sick with a cold (or something similar) for over a week. It's very annoying. I haven't given up on my blog, I just haven't really felt like writing lately. I have been watching a lot of movies in my downtime, so you can expect some movie reviews in the not-too-distant future.

Until then, I'm going to relax for a while...

Pecan Pie Cupcakes

I found this recipe on http://www.recipezaar.com. I made a batch this afternoon and they're great! They really do taste kind of like a Pecan pie, and it was so easy to make. This one's going into my recipe book!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pecan Pie Cupcakes

1 cup - chopped Pecans
1/2 cup - all-purpose Flour
1 cup - Brown Sugar
2/3 cup - melted Butter
2 - Eggs
1 tsp. - Vanilla
1 tsp. - Karo syrup (optional)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Preheat oven to 350*.
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Spray a miniature muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
Fill each 3/4 full.
Bake at 350* for approximately 18-25 minutes.
Top with Powdered Sugar.

My mini-vacation...

Yesterday, my Mother and I went to Tannehill State park. They were having a Gem, Mineral and Jewelery show, and we wanted to take a little time to break out of our usual routine. So, we first stopped by a gas station, filled the tank and washed the windshield, and with my usual ironic/bad luck, it started to rain moments later. The gem show is an outdoor event, so I was worried that by the time we got there, all the vendors would be packed up and gone. Fortunately, I was wrong. There were still several stands open. I love shows like this one, because I used to collect gemstones and fossils (yes, I was a nerd). There was so much cool stuff that I wanted to buy! I ended up spending 3 times the amount of money I had planned on using. I'm not usually an impulse buyer, but when will I go to another Jewelery show? I had to get some kind of memento. A pair of bookends caught my eye, and I got a really good deal. I guess I should have taken them back to the car instead of carrying them around (they are pretty heavy), and today my arm is sore.

Right as we reached the last in a long line of vendors, something else caught my eye again. It was a pink Opal. I love Opals... I love the way they sparkle. So I bought it, and the guy recommended another vendor who does gem setting. So I found his stand, picked out the perfect silver ring setting, and watched as he set my stone in the ring. Something about picking the stone and the ring separately makes it even more special to me. I love things that are unique and one of a kind. My Mom paid for the setting, and I paid for the Opal. I also bought two other rings. I'm not sure what they are made of... some kind of stone or metal (I think), but the Opal ring is the one I love. I'll always have it to remember the great day we had.

After we got tired of walking around, we went to the Furnace Master's Restaurant, which is the only restaurant in Tannehill park. They have great food there. I got the chopped steak, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and hash brown casserole. Mom got the fried catfish, turnip greens, fried green tomatoes, and macaroni and cheese. It also comes with a roll, or cornbread. I probably ate too much, but hey, what are mini-vacations for?

I love driving around that part of Alabama. It's so peaceful and relaxing out there, and there are animals everywhere. On the trip we saw: horses, cows, goats, emu, and one bat. I meant to take some pictures, but it was raining, so I didn't bother.

I really had a great time. : )

A few pics of the bookends:

I just put a few books together for an example. My actual bookshelf is much larger...

Musical discussion...

Those times when my brother and I are riding in the same car, there is a constant power struggle over who controls the radio. My brother likes classic rock, mostly songs from the seventies and eighties. While I also enjoy this kind of music, it is not my favorite genre. What do I love? Alternative rock - the newer, the better. A few days ago, we were out shopping, and I put the radio on my favorite station - 105.5 The Vulcan. The new Breaking Benjamin song was on, so I cranked up the volume. The conversation that followed went something like this...

My Brother (listening to the song): "Is he saying Diarrhea Jane?"

Me (looking at him strangely): ". . ."

My Brother: "What?"

Me (laughing): "Nothing..."

~ ~ ~

He's not great with lyrics... : )

(The song was The Diary Of Jane - Breaking Benjamin)

Seraphim Falls

~ Movie Review ~

Seraphim Falls
I watched this movie without knowing anything about it. I didn't even know the basic plot, or which actors were in it. Even though I had no idea what to expect, it turned out to be a pretty good movie. The basic story was well thought out, and the acting was quite good. It is rated R, but the language was not too bad. It was mostly rated for blood/violence. There are a few "icky" parts, but I've seen much worse. One thing I really enjoyed, was spotting all the different actors in cameo appearances. I liked the ending, even though the movie started to get a little "artsy" at the end.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The film is set after the end of the American Civil War. Gideon (Pierce Brosnan) is hiding in the American Rockies, contemplating a fire. A shot pierces the silence and hits Gideon, who quickly runs away, followed by his pursuers. Soon the audience learn why: Gideon is a hunted man. Colonel Morsman Carver (Liam Neeson), a Confederate officer, has hired several mountain men to kill Gideon...

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

I give this movie 2 out of 5 stars. **

~*Quote of the day*~

Folks never understand the folks they hate.

James Russell Lowell


~*Word of the day*~

Itai! (Japanese)

Meaning: Ouch!

Currently Listening to... "Umbrella" - Rihanna

Hogzilla's big brother...

In Montgomery, Alabama...

Jamison Stone, an 11-year-old boy, used a pistol to kill a wild hog his father says weighed 1,051 pounds and measured 9' 4", from its snout to the base of its tail. If it's true, then it is bigger than the legendary Hogzilla, which was killed in south Georgia in 2004. Hogzilla was originally thought to weigh 1,000 pounds and measure 12 feet long.

Jamison was hunting with father Mike Stone and two guides in east Alabama on May 3rd when he bagged the Monster Pig. He said he shot the huge animal eight times with a .50-caliber revolver and chased it for three hours through hilly woods before finishing it off with a point-blank shot.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When I saw the picture on the news this morning, I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought it must be a prank, or something like that, but it's real! It reminded me of the movie "Princess Mononoke". I can't believe there was an animal like that here in Alabama. Personally, I wish they hadn't killed it. Think of how old it must have been! It would have been better if they could have captured it without harming it... but now they have enough sausage to last the rest of their lives!

If you give a Squirrel some toast...

...he'll eat it. : )

After the rage subsides...

Okay, so I've cooled down a little since my last post, and I've decided that my "scumbags" comment might have been a little too harsh. The Spurs did fight pretty hard too, but I still know the Suns should have won. I'm disappointed that things turned out this way, but there's always next year! The Phoenix Suns are a magnificent team, and I'll look forward to cheering them on again... next time.

Now I'm angry...

Noooooooooo!

The Suns lost... to the dirty, rotten, cheating scumbags known as the Spurs. Everyone knows that the Suns would have won, if not for some very dirty plays by the Spurs team. I hope this is a hollow victory for them, because they know they didn't deserve to win. This sucks, and now I'm going to have to cheer for the Utah Jazz. Why? Because the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I hope they crush the Spurs.

Crocs

~ * Product Review * ~

Crocs
I've wanted a pair of these shoes for a while now, and last week I finally got them. I'm so glad I did! They are the most comfortable shoes I've ever put on my feet... and that includes house shoes! They're cool, comfortable, easy to slip on, and I love the adjustable strap. There are so many styles and colors to choose from, and it took me a while to pick out the perfect pair. I went with the Cayman style, and I chose Cotton Candy Pink as the color. I wear them everywhere, and I'm thinking about getting another pair in a different color/style.

• the cayman is comfortable, cool, molds to your feet
• orthotic foot bed
• advanced toe-box ventilation system
• slip-resistant and non-marking soles
• anti-microbial and odor resistant; ergonomic italian styling
• wide, roomy foot bed made with croslite PCCR material; buoyant
• weighs only ounces

The only downside is this:
They should be available in half-sizes. They get small creases across the toes.

I give this product 5 out of 5 stars *****

It's the little things that get you...

I hate the freeway, especially at rush-hour... everyone drives like maniacs! Today we were driving down the freeway, and in the lane to the right, a ladder fell off a truck onto the road! Everyone started swerving to avoid it, and we barely got around it without getting hit. I've been in a car crash before (that was not my fault), and it is not fun. So I've become a very cautious driver, to avoid all the idiots on the road. I've seen people before who were eating, drinking, brushing their hair, and even applying mascara while driving. Not to mention all the people who drive while talking on cell phones... don't even get me started on that. No wonder so many people have "road rage".

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"I'm trying to cut down on my caffeine consumption

So when I get up I just have one cup of coffee.

And then I like to have another cup of coffee with my breakfast,

And on the way to work I like to get a cup of coffee

Like the kind of cup of coffee that you get with a donut,

'Cept I never get the donut, I just have the cup of coffee,

And when I get to work I like to have a cup of coffee

Because I like to have my coffee when I'm talking on the phone,

Except it usually goes cold, so I have to get another cup of coffee

And then I go to lunch and I have an espresso."

~

"And when I get back, it's not morning anymore

So I have a diet cola and another diet cola,

And by then I'm feelin' fine and I'm feelin' pretty sharp

And I'm feelin' pretty wired and I'm gettin' things done,

But right about 2:00 I get this little tiny migraine

And it starts behind my eyes and it moves to the back of my neck

And it moves to the bottom of my spine

But it doesn't get there until 5 or 6 o'clock

Which is the end of the day, so I'm fine,

So I'm FINE!, SO I'M -FINE-...

Except, when I have to work late,

When I have to work late, which I usually do..."

Addicted to Stress (Jimmy Infantino)

Daisy Tuesday

Yesterday we took our dog to the vet for her regular check-up. Poor little baby... she hates going to the vet. However, she was very good. She didn't even try to bite the guy who was holding her.

San Antonio at Phoenix: game 1

Ahhhhhh! The Suns lost!

Spurs 111
Suns 106

~ ~ ~

This game was crap! The Suns would have won, if not for some really bad calls, and the "accident" that happened. Stoudemire did not foul... he fell! Can't they tell the difference? Steve Nash... his poor nose! That must have hurt, and it kept him from playing the last part of the game because of all the blood. I hope his nose isn't broken...
The Suns will beat the Spurs next time.

Book-lover's link

I love this website. It has tons of books to choose from, and you can read them all on-line for free!
Here's just a few of the available authors:

Austen, Jane
Baum, L. Frank
Bronte, Charlotte
Burnett, Frances Hodgson
Carroll, Lewis
Dickens, Charles
Dickinson, Emily
Eliot, T. S.
Frost, Robert
Hawthorne, Nathaniel
Hugo, Victor
Irving, Washington
Kipling, Rudyard
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth
Melville, Herman
Stevenson, Robert Louis
Stoker, Bram
Swift, Jonathan
Thoreau, Henry David
Twain, Mark
Wells, H.G.
Wilde, Oscar
Yeats, William Butler


http://www.online-literature.com/

Welcome to The Literature Network!
We offer searchable online literature for the student, educator, or enthusiast. To find the work you're looking for start by looking through the author index. We currently have over 1900 full books and over 3000 short stories and poems by over 250 authors. Our quotations database has over 8500 quotes.

I wanna go... Take me, take me NOW...

Woe is me... Today is the last day of the Schaeffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil. I've never been, and I really, really wanted to go this year. What is it, you ask? If you're not from the south, you may not know about it, so I'll explain... The Crawfish Boil is a Birmingham tradition that's been going on for years. They have great bands, and great food. This year, the bands were as follows:

On Friday:

Operator
Cracker
Spin Doctors
Akon
Hinder
Cheap Trick

~ ~ ~

On Saturday (today):

Soul Asylum
Fuel
Papa Roach
Collective Soul
Barenaked Ladies

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Friday's lineup was good, but I'm dying to see today's show! I've asked everybody, but no one wants to go with me. Okay, so it might rain, and it's a pretty long drive from here --- who cares! It's worth it.

I need more friends with my kind of taste in music... I wish my brother was home, he's been there before, and he might actually go with me. I want to go! It's so unfair. I love music so much, but I've never been to a concert in my entire life! How depressing is that?

Now I'm sad... : (


History:
The Schaeffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil is a Birmingham tradition that like a child, started small then kept growing and growing. Eighteen years ago, Aaron and Phyllis Beam entertained friends with 50 pounds of hot boiled crawfish in their backyard, an annual ritual that dates back to Aaron's days at LSU. After a few years, things got out of hand
Because the Beams threw such a good party, they discovered people were getting invitations "for friends" and selling them. So, Aaron decided he could charge admission and give the profits to charity. The event moved from the Beam's backyard to Sloss Furnace, next to the Birmingham Race Course, and then to Southside. Although people enjoyed the event the proceeds were not great.
While Aaron was looking for corporate dollars to cover expenses, Dr. Jack Schaeffer was looking for a sponsorship opportunity for his Birmingham-based company Schaeffer Eye Center. The two visionaries partnered to turn the event into a free street festival in Birmingham 's Lakeview area. The benefiting charity, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, was chosen because both men served on its board of trustees. The corporate VIP area was born when Dr. Schaeffer suggested corporate sponsors could "buy" restaurants for the day to use as hospitality areas. The first official Schaeffer Eye Center / Beam's Crawfish Boil raised $15,000. As the event grew a few things changed, but for the better…
In 1995, the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center is added as a beneficiary, and a $2 donation is requested at the gate.
In 1997, Crawfish Chef Barry Gerald prepared 15,000 pounds of Crawfish for the 45,000 festival goers.
In 1998, the Crawfish Crawl 5k drew 300 runners and more media attention for the event. The children's area expanded and Cajun artist George Rodrigue painted the first of three "Blue Dog" posters for the event.
In 1999, the festival site moved to Pepper Place with an indoor warehouse for the VIP area. The event raised $100,000 for charity.
In 2000, the Schaeffer Eye Center/Beam Crawfish Boil moved to the Birmingham 's Railroad district at 1st Avenue South & 1th Street. This provided a new home for the Boil's future.
In 2002, Camp Smile-A-Mile and the Tanner Center for Multiple Sclerosis were the recipient charities.
In 2003, the event expanded to two-days with 17 musical acts. Benefiting charities included Camp Smile-A-Mile, the Tanner Center for Multiple Sclerosis and the Birmingham Junior League.
In 2004, the two day event brought acts like Sister Hazel, Cowboy Mouth and Collective Soul to Birmingham. Record crowds ensured that the Schaeffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil will remain a cornerstone event in Birmingham.
2005 continued the two day event format and brought a record number of people out to enjoy bands like the Wallflowers, Drivin' and Cryin', Tonic and Hootie & the Blowfish.

Night at the Museum

~ Movie Review ~

Night at the Museum
I watched this movie last week, and I forgot to review it until now. Let me start by saying that although Ben Stiller is not my favorite actor, I do like him in some movies. A lot of the time his acting is a little "over the top" for me, but this role fit him like a glove. It's a comedy (of course), and it's a good family movie. It has a great cast, including:

Ben Stiller

Robin Williams

Owen Wilson

Dick Van Dyke

Mickey Rooney

Bill Cobbs

I really enjoyed the performance of the three old security guards, and I loved Owen Wilson as the cowboy! It was fun and entertaining, which is pretty much what you look for in a family film.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Good-hearted dreamer Larry Daley, despite being perpetually down on his luck, thinks he's destined for something big. But even he could never have imagined how big, when he accepts what appears to be a menial job as a graveyard-shift security guard at a museum of natural history. During Larry's watch, extraordinary things begin to occur: Mayans, Roman Gladiators, and cowboys emerge from their diorama to wage epic battles; in his quest for fire, a Neanderthal burns down his own display; Attila the Hun pillages his neighboring exhibits, and a T-Rex reminds everyone why he's history's fiercest predator. Amidst the chaos, the only person Larry can turn to for advice is a wax figure of President Teddy Roosevelt , who helps our hero harness the bedlam, stop a nefarious plot, and save the museum.
(From Yahoo! Movies)

I give this movie 3 and a half out of 5 stars. ***'

~*Quote of the day*~

The nearer the dawn the darker the night.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


~*Words of the day*~

Ame ga futteimasu (Japanese)

Meaning: It's raining.

Currently Listening to... "Possession" - Sarah McLachlan

Anything worth doing...

" If you have a strong enough why, you can bear almost any how."

I wake up; it's a bad dream...

I always have strange dreams, and a lot of them are really cool. Sort of like watching a full length movie in my head. Most of them are nightmares, but sometimes even the nightmares are pretty cool... or interesting, at the very least. A few days ago, I woke up from a particularly good one...

I was some sort of government agent, and I was undercover as a photographer in a huge mansion. A lot of people had disappeared from there, and I was trying to figure out why. It turned out that the owner of the mansion was doing genetic experiments on people in a laboratory in the basement. Just as I had figured all this out, the bad guy discovered that I was a spy. So he released one of his "experiments" to hunt me down and kill me. The "thing" was sort of a cross between a traditional werewolf, and the wolf man. The rest of the dream was pretty much just me trying to escape the mansion and the monster. I woke up before it ended (like I usually do), but I'm fairly sure I got away.

It was kind of like a supernatural James Bond movie: starring me.

Hooray ~ My computer's still alive...

My computer has been screwing with me all day. Earlier, it locked up completely and I was forced to do an emergency reboot. When it finally came back on, it tried to start in Safe Mode. I hate it when it does that. As it was slowly starting back up, I started thinking about all the stuff that I haven't made copies of yet. I promised myself that if my computer would start (without going to the "blue screen of death") I would immediately start making backup files. That's what I've been doing for the last hour. It's taking forever, because my hard drive is buried under piles of home movies and digital photos. My poor computer is in dire need of a major overhaul. I've been putting it off for so long, because the task seems so daunting. I still have a lot of things to do (move, copy, and/or delete various files) , but I'll probably stop for the night... my wrist is starting to hurt.

Happy Earth day

A few conservation tips:
1: Dispose of motor oil, paint and pesticides properly by taking them to a certified disposal or recycling site.

2: Switch to an ultra low-flow shower head. This could save you as much as 2.5 gallons every minute you shower.

3: Set your central air conditioning for 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Turning your temperature up to 78 from 72 degrees can save you hundreds of dollars a year. The savings are greater the hotter the climate.

4: In cold climes, turn the temperature down to 68 degrees Fahrenheit during the day when you're home, and 55 degrees at night and during days when no one is home. For every degree you turn your home's thermostat down you take about 2 percent off your energy bill.

5: If you want to keep it cool inside on a 90-degree day, close the shades and drapes to block the sun's rays.

6: Turn off unnecessary lights. Halogen bulbs and even incandescent bulbs actually give off a great deal of heat. Your standard incandescent bulb emits 90% of its energy as heat. The light it sheds is really just a by-product.

7: Replace your regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. They use just a fourth of the energy. Most take up a little more space than regular bulbs, but they will still fit in lots of light fixtures.

8: Look around your apartment for those black "wall pack" boxes (DC transformers) that are powering your portable TV, cordless phone, hand-held vacuum, answering machine, rechargeable tool, and electric toothbrush. As long as those boxes are plugged into the wall they are drawing 2-6 watts of power, even after the appliance is fully charged. (Don't believe me? Put your hand on one. It's warm. Yup, it's wasting electricity.) So unplug the wall packs for appliances that are not often used.

9: Repair leaky faucets.

10: Take a short shower instead of a bath. While a five minute shower uses 12 to 25 gallons, a full tub requires about 70 gallons.

Color your world...

I love making new wallpapers for my computer. It's kind of a hobby, and I'm pretty darn good at it, too. I have hundreds of them, and I thought I'd post a few here for everyone to enjoy. It was hard to narrow it down, but here are a few of my favorites...

A valuable lesson in bread making...

Tonight I'm making yeast bread. I read a tip on the internet, and it said that you should microwave a glass of water, and set your dough in the microwave with the glass of hot water. The heat helps the dough rise faster. So I tried it, and it works. One little problem: I microwaved the water three times, and I didn't notice that most of the water had boiled out. So the third time, I microwaved it for 1:35 and there was only about an inch of water left in the glass. When I opened the microwave door, the water exploded! It almost got me, and it would have really scalded my hands. It was too close for comfort. I've heard of "Exploding water" before, but I never thought it would happen to me. Next time I'll be more careful.

Exploding Water - Microwave
A 13 year-old girl decided to make herself a cup of hot chocolate. She used the microwave to heat her mug of water, which is something I'm sure all of us have done. When the timer went off, she removed the cup from the oven. Just as she noticed the water was not boiling, the water in the cup 'blew up' into her face. Nothing happened to the cup, until she dropped it and it broke. It seems the water had exploded in her face because of some kind of energy build-up. Her whole face blistered and she suffered 1st and 2nd degree burns to her face that will probably leave scarring. There is also a chance she may have lost partial site in her left eye. While at the hospital, the doctor who treated her explained that this happens a lot and water (alone) should never be heated in the microwave. If you absolutely have to heat water in a microwave, something should be placed in the cup to diffuse the energy such as a wooden stir stick, tea bag, etc. From the sounds of it, using a tea kettle or even a pot would be a safer choice.

http://www.snopes.com/science/microwave.asp

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Here's the recipe I used:

Easy Yeast Bread
1 (1/4 ounce) package - Active Dry Yeast
3/4 cup - Water
1/4 cup - Sugar
2 tbsp. - Vegetable Oil
1/2 tsp. - Salt
1 - Egg, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups - Flour, plus more for kneading
Margarine
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Heat the Water to between 105 and 115 degrees. Dissolve the Yeast in the water in a large bowl.
Stir in the Sugar, Oil, Salt and Egg.
Stir in 1 cup of Flour until smooth.
Cover with a dishcloth and set in a warm place (over a bowl of warm water, in a slightly warm oven, in the microwave beside a cup of warm water, etc.).
Let rise for 15 minutes.
Stir down the dough, and add 1 1/2 cups Flour. Blend until well mixed.
Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead 3 minutes - adding Flour if the dough is sticky.
Grease a 9" pan.
Put the dough in the pan, and smear the top with softened Margarine.
Cover the pan with the dishcloth and set back in the warm place.
Let rise for 25 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°.
Bake at 425° for 12 to 15 minutes, or until light brown.
Remove from pan to a rack or plate to cool.
Brush the top with melted Butter.

5 reasons why trampolines are dangerous...

1: Once when I was jumping, one of my legs went between the springs.

2: The little girl across the street fell off our trampoline and got a bloody nose.

3: My friend fell off and hit his head on a rock.

4: Another friend did a flip, and hit his face on the metal bar... knocking his tooth through his lower lip.

5: I did a move where you raise up on your hands and kick your feet straight up... and I broke my elbow.

Even after I got the cast removed, I couldn't straighten my elbow all the way out for months. We still have the evil trampoline, but no one has used it in a long time... I wonder if those "net" things they put around them now make them any safer?

Trampoline Injury Facts
According to the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), 246,875 medically treated trampoline injuries occur annually in the U.S. Of this total, 186,405 of these injuries occurred among children aged 14 or younger.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) hospital emergency room-treated trampoline injuries almost tripled in the last decade - from an estimated 37,500 in 1991 to almost 100,000 in 1999.

The commission has received reports of 11 deaths relating to trampoline use from 1990 to 1999. Those victims ranged in age from 3 to 43. Six were between the ages of 12 and 19.

Falls off the trampoline often resulted in crippling injury and/or death including paralysis from spinal cord injury. Somersaults and coming into contact with other persons on the trampoline's surface likewise resulted in many serious and crippling injuries as well as death.

Nearly two-thirds of trampoline injury victims were children 6 to 14 years of age.

About 15% of trampoline injuries involved young children under 6 years old.

In 1999, injuries to the leg/foot were reported most frequently, accounting for 40% of the total. Injuries to the arm/hand accounted for 29% of the total, head/face/neck accounted for 20%, and shoulder/trunk were associated 10% of the total.

Approximately 4% of all trampoline emergency-room treated injuries result in hospitalization.

Most trips to the emergency room are the result of jumpers colliding with one another, falling on the trampoline springs or frame, falling or jumping off the trampoline, or attempting somersaults and stunts.

http://www.fscip.org/tramp.html#facts

The 'Burbs

I just realized that I haven't done a movie review in a while, so here's a new one...

~ Movie Review ~

The 'Burbs
This movie has been vastly underrated. I love Tom Hanks; he's one of my favorite actors, and this particular film is way at the top of my list of favorites. I remember the first time I watched it: I was around twelve, and my brother, myself, and all our friends were crowded around the den TV. I remember thinking that it was a strange movie, but I loved it! To this day, it remains one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. It's packed full of great actors.

{Side Note: My parents were extras in a Bruce Dern movie.}

There are certain scenes that crack me up every time I see them. For example, the scene with: the sardines, "Pinocchio", and when Tom Hanks walks down the Klopek's front stairs for the last time. You would have to watch the movie to understand what I mean... which I seriously recommend that you do. If you like Tom Hanks, Corey Feldman, or "dark comedy", you'll love this film.

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The 'Burbs is a 1989 black comedy directed by Joe Dante, starring, amongst others, Tom Hanks, Carrie Fisher, Corey Feldman, and Bruce Dern, and written by Dana Olsen The film pokes fun at suburban environments (particularly in the US), and their eccentric dwellers.
In his typical "good guy" mode, Hanks plays Ray Peterson, a loving family-man with an ordinary life. This changes when a mysterious family, the Klopeks, move in next door. Ray's two neighbors (work-shy slacker Art and paramilitary nut Rumsfield) believe the Klopeks are actually a family of murderers who killed Walter, the old man in the next house over. Ray and the other two turn detective to solve the mystery.
The film was one of the few starring Tom Hanks that failed at the box office. However, it did establish a large cult following that still exists.

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars. *****

Interesting Trivia:
Mayfield Place, as it is called in the movie, is actually Colonial Street, a set on the backlot of Universal Studios. The houses (many of which are just façades) have been used in countless television shows, movies, and music videos through the years. Perhaps the most notable is The Munsters' house, which is home to the Butler family in The 'Burbs. Two new houses, which were built specifically for the movie, were Walter Seznick's (which is still there to this day, see Desperate Housewives) and the Klopeks'.
The Klopeks' house was not completely destroyed, and remained almost intact as it appeared in The 'Burbs for a number of years, albeit without the tower. The whole building can be clearly seen in a Season Two episode of Quantum Leap. The Klopeks' house no longer exists in an easily recognisable form (the Van de Kamp house in Desperate Housewives) but the right-façade does still have some features of the original style. The original Klopek garage sits alongside the house, in much the same style as in The 'Burbs.


~*Quote of the day*~

Ray Peterson:
I've never seen that. I've never seen anybody drive their garbage down to the street and bang the hell out of it with a stick. I-I've never seen that.

~*Words of the day*~

Tenki wa dou desu ka? (Japanese)

Meaning: How's the weather?

Currently Listening to... "Maroon 5" - Wasted Years

Anime Eccentric

I know I said that someday I might write a review for an anime series, but I just haven't gotten around to it. Besides, there are literally hundreds of websites devoted to anime reviews... I'm not saying that I never will, but it's unlikely to happen anytime soon. However, that doesn't mean that I can't discuss anime in general. Prepare for more random ramblings...

I'm going to assume that no one reading this has any idea what I'm talking about, so I'll start with the basics:

Anime
an·i·me [an-uh-mey]
A Japanese style of motion-picture animation, characterized by highly stylized, colorful art, futuristic settings, violence, and sexuality.

Manga
man·ga [mahng-guh]
Manga is Japanese for "comic book, graphic novel". Anime largely are based on manga and until the 1970s, anime were known as manga eiga or "TV manga."

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From what I understand, people in Japan use the word "Anime" like people in America use the word "Cartoon". It can refer to anything from Rurouni Kenshin, to South Park, or Disney movies. Most of the rest of the world, however, think of anime as strictly Japanese animation. So for clarification: if it wasn't made in Japan, it's not anime.

One of the many things I love about anime, is how diverse it is. It can be targeted towards any audience. It doesn't matter if you're in pre-school, or if you're a 40 year old business man. Teenagers, children, housewives; there's something for everyone. There's a vast number of genres to choose from. If you're looking for action, adventure, comedy, coming of age, demons, drama, ecchi, fantasy, games, horror, historical, kid's shows, magic, martial arts, mecha, music, mystery, parody, romance, samurai, science-fiction, shoujo, shounen, sports, or vampires... you will find something to suit you. You could sit around all day, every day, and still not have time to watch every anime series ever released.

Of course, it's somewhat harder to find what you're looking for if you don't live in Japan. There is a wide variety of anime to choose from at any Blockbuster, but it's only the tip of the iceberg. New anime series and movies are released in Japan all the time; it just takes a while for them to make it to the shelves here in the US. That's why I thank goodness for Fansubs. To all those wonderful people who spend their time delivering subtitled anime to the masses - Thank You. You are the unsung heroes of the internet.

Something to keep in mind: english voice overs, or "Dubs", are terrible. 80% of the time, they just plain suck. If you want to fully enjoy the experience of watching anime, you have to watch the subbed version (Japanese language & English subtitles). I don't want to put down American voice actors, but they really can't compare to the original Japanese talents. The important thing when doing voice acting, is to put some passion into it; make it real. A large portion of english VAs have trouble putting emotion into their character's voice. Without emotion, it just sounds like someone's reading from a script (which is exactly what they're doing).

When I think back to the first anime I ever watched, it probably had to be either ThunderCats, or Speed Racer. Both of which I watched as a young child - before I had ever even heard the word "anime". The first show I watched that I knew was anime was Dragonball Z, or Sailor Moon. They used to come on Cartoon Network in the afternoons when I was in elementary school. I'd like to think my taste in anime has matured a bit since then. Although, if Dragonball Z were on right now, I might secretly turn it on and watch for a while. I've never paid much attention to what people refer to as "age appropriate" material. Even when I was a child, I was already reading books that were "too old" for me, and I don't mind watching a few shows that might be considered "too immature" by some. Hey, if I wanted to watch Big Bird dance around on Sesame Street... who cares? It's nobody's business but my own. I'd like to say that that's my outlook on life, but truthfully, I do still care what people think.

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A few anime series/movies that I like:

Naruto - particularly Naruto Shippuuden
An action/adventure/drama/comedy series about Naruto: a boy who is feared and detested by the villagers of the hidden leaf village of Konoha. The distrust of the boy has little to do with the boy himself, but it’s what’s inside him that causes anxiety. Long before Naruto came to be, a Kyuubi (demon fox) with great fury and power waged war with the villagers, taking many lives. The battle ensued for a long time until a man known as the Fourth Hokage, Yondaime, the strongest ninja in Konoha, fiercely fought the Kyuubi. The fight was soon won by Yondaime as he sealed the evil demon in a human body. Thus the boy, Naruto, was born. As Naruto grows he decides to become the strongest ninja in Konoha in an effort to show everyone that he is not as they perceive him to be, but is a human being worthy of love and admiration. But the road to becoming Hokage, the title for the strongest ninja in Konoha, is a long and arduous one. It is a path filled with betrayal, pain, and loss; but with hard work, Naruto may achieve his dream of becoming the next Hokage.

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xxxHolic
An action/mystery/comedy series about a boy named Watanuki Kimihiro who can see spirits and ghosts. All his life he has unwillingly attracted evil spirits. One day he meets a mysterious woman named Yuuko. She claims to have the means to end his torment, but she never works for free, and she won't grant his wish until he works enough to pay for her services. He works in her shop as a cook and an errand boy, and discovers that in that place, nothing is what it seems... and everything is connected by fate. "There are no coincidences".

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Slam Dunk!
An action/sports/comedy series about Sakuragi Hanamichi: a punk used to getting into fights and being rejected by girls. Upon entering high school he meets the girl of his dreams, Haruko Akagi. He will do anything in order to win her heart, including joining the school basketball team. The problem is that Sakuragi has never played basketball before, and a freshman sensation is stealing the spotlight and Haruko's affection from him. So begins a fierce rivalry, on the journey to "conquer the nation", and become the best basketball team in Japan.

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Inuyasha
An adventure/comedy/drama/fantasy/historical/romance series about a half-demon named Inuyasha, and Higurashi Kagome. Kagome, after being pulled down a well by a demon, finds herself in Feudal Japan, where she learns that a powerful jewel has been reborn inside her body. After the jewel shatters in an attempt to retrieve it from one of the many demons who was after its power, Kagome must join forces with Inuyasha (also after the jewel's power) to track down the shards of the jewel before its power falls into the wrong hands.

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Rurouni Kenshin
An adventure/comedy/drama/fantasy/historical/romance series about Himura Kenshin: a vagabond with a dark past and sunny disposition. Not a ronin but a rurouni, he was never a samurai, but an assassin of utmost skill in the Meiji restoration, who in the turning point of the war simply walked away. His travels lead him to Tokyo in the 11th year of the Meiji era, where he befriends a female Kendo master, a former thief, a brawler and a doctor, all with their own secrets. Together they fight off the enemies surfacing from the dark past that Kenshin cannot escape.

Howl's Moving Castle
An adventure/comedy/drama/fantasy/romance movie about a plain young hatter named Sophie, who's life changes when an evil witch transforms her into an old woman. Unable to face her family in such a condition, Sophie runs away in search of a way to become young again. Along the way, Sophie helps a turnip headed scarecrow, who repays her by leading her to the moving castle owned by the dreaded wizard Howl. There she befriends Howl's apprentice Markl, Howl's fire demon Calcifer, and eventually, Howl himself. Sophie then becomes the castle's cleaning lady in an effort to not only find the solution to her problem but to save Howl from his own terrible secrets as well.

Hunter X Hunter
An adventure/comedy/drama/fantasy series about Gon Freecs: a young boy that lives on a small island. He learns that his father, (who he doesn't remember), is an extremely famous man and has become somewhat of an amazing hunter. Gon takes the hunter exam to seek out his father, while teaming up with 3 other candidates, Kurapica, Leorio, and Killua. He learns that there is more to becoming a hunter than he imagined, and the challenges that he must face will be beyond his wildest dreams.

Shounen Onmyouji
An adventure/fantasy/historical/supernatural series about Abe no Masahiro: the grandson of the great omnyouji Abe no Semei, who passed his teachings on to his grandson. Masahiro has a sixth sense and the ability to see spirits, and with Mokkun as his guide, he works to become his grandfather's successor.

Full Metal Alchemist
An adventure/comedy/drama/fantasy/ series about Alphonse and Edward Elric. After losing their mother, Ed and Al attempt to bring her back using the forbidden science of human alchemy. However, alchemy operates on the theory of equivalent trade, and breaking the human alchemy taboo carries a heavy price. Ed loses his leg, and Al loses his body. Ed is able to seal Al's soul inside of a huge suit of armor, at the cost of his arm. Years later, Ed (now with two mechanical limbs) and Al (still trapped in the armor) leave their childhood home, each brother concerned with the other's happiness. Ed, who has a natural talent and skill for alchemy, becomes nationally certified and is soon known everywhere as the "Fullmetal Alchemist." Their true objective is to search for any information on the fabled Philosopher's Stone, hoping it will allow them to regain their old bodies. All of their hopes rest with this mythical stone, which may not even exist at all. However, the brothers soon learn that they are not the only ones after the powerful stone.

Samurai Champloo
An adventure/comedy/drama/historical series about Mugen, Jin, and Fuu. Mugen is a fierce animal-like warrior with a unique Bboying (break-dance) inspired fighting style. Jin has a more traditional style but don't think of this as a weakness, because his skills are amazing. The two contrasting samurai warriors are far from friends, yet their separate paths seem to cross anyways. Mugen is wandering aimlessly through the city when he stumbles upon a teahouse where he meets Jin and Fuu (A ditzy waitress, but don't think she doesn't have anything hidden up her sleeves). Fuu convinces them both to come with her in search of a mysterious samurai that smells like sunflowers, and their journey begins. This modernized hip-hop tale breaks the barriers of the common, historical, samurai anime.

Ouran High School Host Club
A comedy/drama/fantasy/romance series about Haruhi: a poor tomboyish student at a school for the ultra-wealthy, able to attend because of a scholarship, and unable to even afford a uniform. One day, she stumbles across the decidedly peculiar but very popular Ouran Host Club. She tries to leave, but accidentally breaks a vase, and unable to pay for it, she's told that she'll have to stay and do odd jobs. That is, until they decide she would be more valuable as a club member. Not realizing she's female due to her appearance, they fix her up and give her a male uniform. She's an instant hit, so they decide to have her keep up the charade even after they find out the truth. Haruhi, being average almost to a fault, doesn't know what to make of the unconventional activities of the Host Club (or of the even more unconventional members), but having little choice, she plays along. Before long, real bonds are formed, friends made, and Haruhi finds herself accepted in a way she could never have been otherwise in this affluent school.

Spirited Away
An adventure/comedy/drama/fantasy/romance/supernatural movie about a girl named Chihiro. On their way to their new home, Chihiro and her parents stumble into what appears to be an abandoned theme park. But all is not as it seems, as the theme park is a resort for the gods, and not a place where humans are welcome. Chihiro must fend for herself and rescue her parents, as they have been turned to pigs as punishment for eating the food meant for the gods.

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Well, that was my longest post yet. I hope I was able to shed some light on the subject of anime for you.

For more information on any of the shows listed above, simply Google each one.
Many of these shows can be found on Youtube.com

Bad Luck/Good Luck?

Here's what happened this afternoon...

The Bad:

I was out shopping with my Mom and Brother. On the way home, the car started sputtering, and then it died.

The Good:

We were only two blocks away from our house when it died, and fortunately we live on a hill. So... we coasted home. My Brother is a good driver, which is good, because it's really hard to drive when the power steering stops working.

I don't know much about cars, but it seems that someone forgot to check the water level. Either that, or a hose broke.