____ are more human than the humans June 24, 2010

movies in which things that are created by or misunderstood by people are better than (at least some) people.

update: i haven’t seen some of the contributions. I’m adding them based on the trustworthiness of the contributors.

1. Blade Runner
2. Short Circuit
3. Wall-e
4. Batteries Not Included
5. Flight of the Navigator
6. A.I.
7. E.T.
8. Star Trek, the Next Generation – Data (there were movies. it counts)
9. Beauty and the Beast (technically an enchanted human, but it counts)
10. Terminator: Salvation
11. The Goonies
12. Avatar (Mollie F.)
13. I, Robot (Elizabeth P.)
14. Toy Story I – III (Jim S.)
15. District 9 (Mollie F.)

Children are wiser than adults

movies in which children are better at living life and understanding the world than their dimwitted/cold/socially stunted/career-driven/broken parents/teachers.  Often, this results in the parents learning a lesson from the children:

1. Dan in Real Life
2. Parent Trap
3. Freaky Friday
4. In America
5. The Squid & The Whale (at least at the end of the movie)
6. Smart People
7. Racing Stripes
8. Pleasantville
9. The Incredibles
10. Nanny McPhee
11. Breakfast Club

Twilight Series: Making Codependency Sexy Again October 4, 2008

the internets are all aglow with hub-bub surrounding Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series.  For those cave-dwellers out there, the (currently) four-book series is about a “vegetarian” vampire (Edward) and the girl he loves (Bella).  and also some wolves (Jacob, the main wolf-interest). and bad vampires.  i decided to go ahead and read the books since *everyone* is talking about them and i might as well know what they are talking about. 

before starting the list portion, i will say that i enjoyed the books.  they are fun, action-filled reads.  they’re written for teenagers, though, and it shows.  Bella and Edward’s (and Jacob’s, for that matter) relationship is scary.  SCARY. 

Warning: SPOILERS IN THE LIST

So, those who have read this collection, what have we learned from it?

1. The difference between a stalker and a boyfriend is reciprocated interest.
2. Codependency is romantic. (Jayda)
3. It’s okay to date someone who wants to kill you, as long as they love you enough to promise not to. (Emily)
4. Silver Volvos are sexy?! (Tif)
5. Vampires are, essentially, twisted versions of resurrected bodies: live forever, beautiful, indestructible, resembling their original (pre-eternal) bodies, powerful… but they have to drink blood.
6. A good boyfriend will totally understand if you are in love with another guy… at the same time… as you’re engaged to your boyfriend.
7. Friendship means smothering a person with presents, clothes, and parties that person neither wants nor likes.
8. Kissing rock is fun.
9. Being aggressively molested by your friend should be taken in stride.
10. Romantic love is to be worshiped above all other loves.
11. It’s totally okay to manipulate every guy around you as long as you a. dont know you’re doing it and/or b. are severely depressed.
12. Vampires can waste gobs of money on disposable designer clothes, BUT it’s important to reuse decorative lights for your parties. “Waste not, want not!” — Alice (Carrie)
13.  If you are feeling low, (Bella) it’s okay to use someone you know has feelings for you (Jake) to make yourself feel better. (Ameera)

Songs with Trains September 5, 2008

while driving home and listening to bruce springsteen, the husband and i were inspired to list all the songs that reference trains we can think of.  can you think of any others? 

to keep the list from becoming unweildy, no country songs, please… i mean, it would be easier to start a list of country songs that don’t reference trains.

1. Downbound Train, Bruce Springsteen
2. Midnight Train to Georgia, Gladys Knight and the Pips
3. Folsom Prison Blues, Johnny Cash
4. Don’t Stop Believin’, Journey
5. Crazy Train, Ozzy Osbourne
6. Downtown Train, Tom Waits
7. Radio Nowhere, Bruce Springsteen
8. Runaway Train, Soul Asylum
9. Nightrain, Guns and Roses
10. City of New Orleans, Arlo Guthrie
11. Morning Train, Sheena Easton
12. Love Train, O’ Jays
13. Train of Consequences, Megadeth
14. Last Train to Clarksville, The Monkees
15. Leavin’ Train, Bruce Springsteen
16. Take the A Train, Duke Ellington (added by Jim)
17. Chattanooga Choo Choo, Glen Miller (added by Jim)
18. This Train is Bound for Glory, Woody Guthrie (added by Jim)
19. The Angels Have Gone, David Bowie (added by Carrie, who once again shames me)
20. Train in the Distance, Paul Simon (added by Carrie)

Happy Earth Day April 22, 2008

that’s what today is; Earth Day.  Here’s 22 good ways to celebrate April 22nd:

1. shut off that water when you are brushing your teeth
2. walk or bike to a friend’s house or local store (rather than drive)
3. schedule errands with friends so you can carpool and have fun completing your errands together
4. take a hike
5. bring your own bags with you when you shop – get rid of that plastic
6. switch out your light bulbs to energy-saving ones (and when it’s time to throw away the energy-saving bulbs, dispose of them properly; they contain mercury)
7. plant a tree
8. cover that pot you’re trying to get to boil – it’ll boil sooner and with less wasted energy
9. going out with friends? carpool
10. recycle those empty bottles from the Earth Day party (or do some creative recycling – use them as garden waterers or mini greenhouses)
11. thinking about going out to eat? go to a local restaurant rather than a chain, particularly if that local restaurant buys local
12. shut off lights and appliances you aren’t using
13. you know those cell phone chargers? and the computer chord? and the printer chord? and the MP3 player charger?  if they are plugged in, they are using energy, even if they aren’t actively sending power to something.  put them on a surge protector strip and turn that strip off when you aren’t using those items
14. consider investing some time or money in a local organization that helps with animals or conservation
15. after you’ve shredded those personal documents, recycle them
16. compost your food waste and start a garden
17. when you are done with that milk jug, fill it with water and put it in your toilet tank – you’ll reduce the amount of water you use when you flush
18. consider buying some of your clothes second-hand
19. when it’s affordable, consider buying food and clothing that is fairly traded or made in America
20. turn off the TV and play a board game or work on a project you’ve been putting off
21. google your area to find some local farmers’ markets, then go to one to get some great, fresh produce.  or you could even consider supporting a local farm by joining their co-op and getting fresh produce every week
22. check out websites like coolpeoplecare.org, care2.com and pennenvironment.org (thanks for the correction, Mr. Garber!) (or your State’s version of it) for more ways to get involved in preserving our resources

added by others:

1. Turn off the shower when shampooing or shaving (from: e)
2. hang clothes out to dry rather than run them through the dryer (from: e)

come again? March 18, 2008

yes, it’s true; i have many pet peeves.  inappropriate lower-case spelling on blogs is not one of them.  but mispronouncing words is one.  i repeatedly come across folks in the blogosphere who cannot let go of that pesky “s” that keeps magically appearing at the end of “Revelation” (as in the book… of the Bible… you know; the one at the end).  So, to the list:

Words and their common misuses:

1. Valentimne’s Day
2. Psalms such-and-such (i.e. Psalms 81)
3. (The) Revelations (to John)
4. Lib(r)ary
5. From Foolish Sage – the mis-capitalization of ‘biblical’ when used as an adjective.  for example, “i want to have a Biblical world view”. 

strap your innuendo to my innuendo… March 1, 2008

conversation while cooking at a campfire: “[name], you’re on fire.” “you’re not the first to tell me that.”  “really, who else told you that?”  “well, Bruce Springsteen, for one.” “umm, do you know what that song’s about?” “what? it doesn’t have any bad words in it.”

 which brings me to the list of Bruce Springsteen songs that do not have bad words, technically speaking (but still should not be quoted in public by 12-year-old boys):

1. I’m on fire
2. born to run
3. because the night
4. Candy’s room
5. dancing in the dark
6. don’t look back
7. fire
8. i’ll work for your love
9. maria’s bed
10. prove it all night
11. Rosalita
12. secret garden
13. you’ll be coming down

yeah, probably not the best guy … February 11, 2008

*SPOILER ALERT!!* 

movies where women hooked up with guys who ended up wanting them dead:

1. sleeping with the enemy
2. gaslight
3. what lies beneath
4. what’s love got to do with it
5. scream 1
6. fear (compiler’s note: never watch this movie.  please.)

I swear, I didn’t do it February 9, 2008

Songs where the person is accused of murder, but swears he/she didn’t do it:

1. Hazard, Richard Marx
2. Jenny Was a Friend of Mine, The Killers
3. Long Black Veil, written by Danny Dill, covered by everyone
4. I Have Not Been To Oxford Town, David Bowie (recommended by Carrie,who reminds me of my shame for neglecting the great David Bowie in the first place)
5. The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia, written by Bobby Russell, sung by Vicki Lawrence (technically, the singer not the one claiming to be innocent, but, rather, his sister)

the good guys are the bad guys? February 7, 2008

movies where a person does something technically illegal, but gets away with it and that’s OK because, gosh, that’s a likeable character.

1. The Italian Job
2. All Ocean’s movies
3. The Thomas Crown Affair
4. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Contributions:

1. Pirates of the Caribbean (justin)
2. Shawshank Redemption (justin)

The Newton Boys will not appear on this list, since they *SPOILER ALERT* get arrested in the end; but good suggestion, Justin.

And a thought: justin’s suggestions are getting me thinking that we need another list of people who stick it to The Man and get away with it and we like that, because we hate The Man.  look for that list within the next week.