To know a pit bull...

I received this shirt in the mail yesterday from the fabulous Jess at Jasmine's House. I will be wearing it to work (with pride!) today. I absolutely love it.

If you're not already familiar with the famous Sports Illustrated cover model, Sweet Jasmine, please visit Jasmine's House online, and/or read The Lost Dogs by Jim Gorant. Jasmine will surely capture your heart!

Newest member of the family

I introduced him as Brownie on January 31st, but this little guy is now a permanent member of my brother's family. Name change pending. They're trying to come up with a UNC-inspired name, and trust me, all the obvious ones have already been thrown out there.

Let me know if you have any suggestions beyond the following: Roy, Tyler, TJ, Ramsey. Other names they like, but that I'm not partial to are: Humphrey; Joey (have a friend with that dog's name); Max (ditto); Obie. I mentioned Opie - like the yellow dog from Garfield.

I can't wait to meet him!

No more plastic bags!

Just like Faye Dunaway in Mommy Dearest feels about wire hangers, I try to keep plastic bags out of my house.

A good friend of mine gave me the bag below for Christmas and it (and the others I've ordered since) have helped me to cut down my plastic bag accumulation by more than two-thirds. The bag is the long-handled mini maxi by Reisenthel.



I now also own the above pattern in green and purple. I've purchased several others as gifts - some already given - but I still have some that I may or may not keep for myself. They hold more than most grocery store plastic bags and are super strong, too. Since they come in their own zipper case (when the bag is in the case the whole package is a just a bit smaller in length and width than a checkbook) I can carry one or two in my purse, and my purse isn't very big!

I bought a few of a different style from a seller on Amazon, but I prefer the long-handled mini maxi and found them reasonably priced at reuseit.com. They donate 1% of their sales to environmental causes, and both of my orders came with a coupon for a future purchase.

I have many other reusable bags, but I always forget to take them with me when going on a shopping trip. With one of these always in my glove compartment and one or two in my purse I have no excuse to NOT be green!

Quote of the day

"The more I get to know some people, the more I like dogs."

-Unknown

Keep life delicious

Lean Cuisine began a promotion on January 1, 2011 which offered dedicated customers the ability to earn a "red carpet" lunch bag. I eat one of those lean cuisines almost every day so I knew I could earn one quickly and I did. I ordered my chosen bag, pictured below, on January 28th and was pleasantly surprised to receive it in the mail on February 19th.



I've continued to enter codes on their web site because they promise to launch a new "loyalty program" after the end of the lunch bag promo. If you're a Lean Cuisiner, start collecting those codes!

Shiny Happy Burleighs

I had dinner at the Burleigh house last night and thoroughly enjoyed the antics per usual. In the photo below I've barely managed to tear Felton's attention away from his mommy's iphone.



LOVE!

So bad, but so good

Most people close to me know that I am completely smitten with Kip Pardue. I even dragged my pregnant best friend to the midnight premiere of The Wizard of Gore in Los Angeles hoping to see him there. I was devastated by his absence and disgusted by Bijou Phillips' attendance.

Anyway, he's not in many movies (of course I've seen them all) so when I saw Stag Night available at redbox.com my heart skipped a beat. I reserved it immediately (completely unnecessary I'm sure). Expecting a complete bomb, I was pleasantly surprised, and I'm pretty sure genuine gore freaks would love it.



There's eye candy for guys, too, as Vinessa Shaw (3:10 to Yuma, The Hills Have Eyes) is a stunner. Seriously.

There are cannibals and dark tunnels and lots of severed body parts. If that's not your thing, don't rent this one. While gore isn't my fave, I found this movie delightfully entertaining - and it's only about 90 minutes long to boot. There is also a genuinely heart-tugging scene about half way through that I was NOT expecting at all.

Not necessarily for serious-minded movie goers, but definitely a delight for those of us who are willing to throw reality to the wind and enjoy a good yarn.

Quote of the day

"Wine is proof that God loves us and wants to see us happy."

-Ben Franklin

Skittering

Not quite as bad, but the following video represents the action during my recent nightly walk with Zoe.



Complete with dizzy head shakes and looks that indicate, "What the EFF?!"

Blue Valentine for Valentine's Day

I saw Blue Valentine on Sunday with Jen and we both loved it - a lot.

One of Entertainment Weekly's "25 movies you need to see before Oscar night," Blue Valentine was only my third (I've also seen Black Swan and 127 Hours).

All great films. All have an aspect of deep sadness or regret, but Blue Valentine was the most affecting. Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams perfectly played a husband and wife whose marriage is circling the drain. He appears to be oblivious to the core problems dragging them both down, and she is constantly attempting to put her feelings aside as if she prefers to feel nothing at all.

The film is laced with flash backs in which we see how they first met and fell in love. We also learn a bit about their respective upbringings and some past relationships that most likely nurtured their attraction to each other.

It's a very sad film, but not without its laughable highlights. One of my favorite lines is spoken by Gosling after they arrive in "the future room" at a hotel, "We're inside a robot's vagina."

On a side note, the little girl who plays their daughter Frankie (Faith Wladyka) is absolutely adorable and plays her part very well.

My vote for Blue Valentine is two thumbs up!

Quote of the day

"With each new day I put away the past and discover the new beginnings I have been given."

-Angela L. Wozniak

The original PA revisited

Somewhat like The Sixth Sense which I saw in the theater and hated, I've come to not hate the original Paranormal Activity as much as I did at first. I still can't stand the main characters: Katie's voice is like fingernails on a chalkboard and Micha is pretty much an ignorant asshole.

After loving PA 2 as much as I do, I felt it necessary to give the original a second chance so I set out to view it with a clean slate in mind.

I continue to find the 2nd film far superior to the 1st. I don't understand the critics that disagree. I want to muzzle Katie and bitch slap Micah. If the writers would've taken out at least half of the ridiculous bickering I might not still somewhat hate the original movie.

I admit that after paying extremely precise attention to many of the scenes I was genuinely skeeved. Creepy factor good. Still hate the people.

I know it's not fair to snap-judge things, but the original Paranormal Activity remains in my mind, pretty much a dud.

Scared silly

As you might recall, I absolutely hated Paranormal Activity (2009). I thought it was one of the most boring, annoying, stupid films I've ever wasted my time watching.

Regardless, and against my better judgement, I rented Paranormal Activity 2 at redbox last night. Holy crow, I can't believe how much better PA2 was than the first.

Now I'm stuck waiting until I can buy the dvd for myself because the rental versions don't contain any special features and I'm dying to see the unrated director's cut. Or at least I think I am. I honestly think I'll be sleeping with the lights on for the next few nights!

I blame Katie Featherston for much of my dislike of the first film. She irritated the sh!t out of me. As anyone who looks up the movie on IMDB or any similar site, you'll know that she is in the second film, too, but her role is not a prominent one.

The actors playing the starring husband, wife and daughter did a fantastic job. They really made me feel like I was watching actual video footage of their home and lives rather than a directed movie. I particularly thought Sprague Grayden (House MD, Six Feet Under, 24) was impressive. I wasn't necessarily a fan before, but she played a new mom living anxiously in a "haunted house" quite well.

If you liked Paranormal Activity, I don't see how you wouldn't like Paranormal Activity 2; but even if you hated the first film (like me) I highly recommend giving the second one a chance. And just a quick tip: If you can, watch it more than once. There are several subtle creepy instances that could easily be missed on the first viewing.

Hot man in a box

How bad could this movie be? Seriously. It's Ryan Reynolds in a pine box, and only Ryan Reynolds for 95 minutes. Whew.

In all seriousness and lust aside, I enjoyed Buried. Throughout the film I found myself identifying with the strangest things. For example, I'm a bit of a rager - meaning that when I get really frustrated or angry I completely lose it. Screaming, kicking, punching...all which never brings relief. Paul (Ryan Reynolds) does the same thing, yet when he finally gathers his cool he is able to make me laugh. For example, when someone asks him "if they don't get the 5 million what will happen?" He calmly replies, "They'll take me to Sea World...What do you think?"

One would think that watching a guy (even a HOT guy) tool around a pine coffin for 95 minutes might prove to be extremely boring, but I was fascinated.

The way the film was shot lent a great deal to expressing the urgency and desperation felt by the main (only) character. There were conversations where each point made my Paul was pronounced by a tighter view from the camera - until you're finally right on top of his face, realizing along with him how dire his situation is.

The tag lines are very appropriate: 170,000 square miles of desert. 90 minutes of Oxygen. No way out.

Paul Conroy Isn't Ready To Die.

If you hate Ryan Reynolds, maybe skip it (who does?!) - but honestly I found it to be a very well-made film. Taut, suspenseful and artfully directed.

Hot spot

As I've mentioned before, my house is quite cold in the winter. My heat is currently set at 61 degrees and has been for weeks. Zoe is not a fan. Therefore, she parks herself in front of the space heater or fire place whenever either is in use. On Sunday night I had the gas fire place set at full throttle and she backed herself up to it so closely that I had to move her (more than once) to ease my mind. I don't fancy a deep-fried Zoe in my near future.

Gotta love that tongue though!