Confessions of an Unemployed Real OC Housewife

Dumbo

2019-03-30T16:22:00.000-07:00

To say I'm Disney obsessed would be an understatement. A few weeks ago I attended a special screening of Dumbo, directed by Tim Burton at the Disney Studios in Burbank. I had never seen the 60 minute original in its entirety, but I thought, I love Tim Burton and I love elephants, what the heck, I might as well. The movie was adorable. Tim Burton creates these amazingly "odd" characters, who don't entirely fit in, but "fit" all at the same time.

After the screening I was able sit and listen to the cast and crew at a press conference at the Beverly Hills Hilton.

First off, Danny Elfman of Oingo Boingo!!! That's it, it's not a complete sentence, and I don't really care. He's worked with the master (should I call Tim Burton that? It sounds like I'm starting some strange cult, but I really don't care. The cult of Tim Burton) 17 times. Danny Elfman was cool. I love his scores. It's not really a Tim Burton film without a Danny Elfman score. The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favorite Tim Burton film's of all time. I always love when Disney transforms the Haunted Mansion into The Nightmare Before Christmas.... (Take that Disney World!!)

Tim Burton was amazing to listen to. So were Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito. I could sit and listen to those three all day long. I really didn't want this press conference to end. It was one of the highlights of my career. Tim Burton was a little all over the place, but everything he said made sense. Tim Burton is truly a creative genius.

One of the most wonderful things that came out of the film is what Danny DeVito says at the end of the movie, that animals shouldn't be locked in cages. I agree wholeheartedly. Dumbo, with his big blue eyes and big floppy ears, can really melt your heart.

Anyway, this movie was a beautiful film about family and protecting those you love. Everyone should take their kids to see this movie. I may even go see it again.

I even got a Funko Pop Dumbo to add to my Pop collection!!! These were given out with our Dumbo "Swag Bags"!

Where Have I Been?

2019-03-16T13:02:00.001-07:00

Where have I been? Has anyone noticed I've been gone? Does anyone care? Probably not. I been here and there and everywhere. Sort of. My last post was in July 2018 and here it is March the following year. Last year at this time I was listing my three positive things of the day. Now, I don't have time for me. I don't "wish" that I had more time to do the things I love. I mean we all wish for more time to ourselves. There's that Facebook challenge where you post your first photo from your page and a current photo. Ten years ago I was without a job and miserable. I could cloak my fear of the future, but tiny knots would form at the pit of my stomach. What I'm trying to get at and am rambling about, is that in a way I'm happy I don't have a bunch of extra time. I know that sounds completely weird. What I'm trying to say is, I'm happy to have a job and unfortunately my blog has taken a backseat to what pays me. If I had more time, that would mean I wasn't working and I wouldn't want that again. The free time I do have is spent either at the movies or at Disneyland. Oh Disneyland, we spent so many years apart, I'm so happy to be back. It's like a homecoming!

So that's pretty much where I've been.

I do have some things coming up.

Stay tuned for my top 10 movies July-Dec 2018 and my top 10 movies of 2018. Hey, I needed time to watch them.

I'll also be posting a blog about my trip to Disneyland all by myself, I'm a big girl now!

When Life Gives You Lemons

2018-07-29T11:54:00.003-07:00

When life gives you lemons, what if you don't want to make the lemonade? Everyone has problems, sometimes they spring up out of no where, or in my case, drip from the ceiling out of no where. My problem didn't actually drip out of no where, it began in 2009. Instead of replacing the leaking air conditioning unit that was poorly installed during the 1995 construction of our home (my husband bought it in 2002), we decided to bandage it up, a quick-fix. You know what band-aides do eventually? They fall off. After numerous band-aide replacements, we had to bite the bullet and replace our air conditioning unit.

Of course we shopped around. After having multiple people come in to look at it, some never returned our follow-up calls, even a "family friend" (I use this phrase lightly). We finally found a company who decided to take on the challenge.

I better enjoy this new air conditioner, because this is my vacation for next year.

What did I learn about this entire experience? Well, as so many of you know I love makeup, movies, travel, books, shoes, clothes, electronics and handbags, but even with occasional "shopping spree" I am quite the "little saver". I'm not stressing about this home renovation project. I just want to get it done!

I also learned not to rely on the "cheap" band-aide fixes because those will just lead to a bigger, more expensive problem in the future.

My husband, the funny guy that he is, told me that I couldn't buy anymore books. This made me chuckle. I told him, "You needn't worry, I buy used."

A Year to be Thankful Day "I Don't Know Because I Stopped After a Month": Three Things That Make Me Happy

2018-07-25T14:16:00.000-07:00

In a time where I feel it's hard to be thankful, I have to remember that others have it worse off than I do. It's been a while since I posted (see the title above) this list because I, well, I just got too busy, I'd forget to post or I became too lazy. Here goes.....

1. For the first time in 11 years I have a Disneyland Pass. My hubby of 10 years surprised me with this for our anniversary in June.

2. As much as I get annoyed with him, I am married to a good man. I realized that my first visit back to Disneyland. He does his best to try and make me happy.

3. My air conditioning went out and I have to get it repaired. It's going to be expensive, but I feel I can get through it. It's making me a stronger person to know that I can figure it out. No one wants to spend the money, but we'll be ok.

P.S. I'm trying to complain less. How can anyone be upset when they get to come home to this sweet boy! Next post will have pictures of the other dog, Mia (Mama Mia).

Picture 1 of various stages of sleep.

Before people get their pantie in a bunch, I'm not laying on him.

I should model

Don't get me out of bed please

Picture 2 of various stages of sleep.

Picture 3 of various stages of sleep. What can I say, I sleep a lot.

Sammy intently watches TV with us. He's waiting for a dog!!

Top 10 Movies: January-June 2018 Edition

2018-07-21T13:11:00.002-07:00

I'm keeping this short! For the past few years, it has become tradition of mine to list my "Top 10" of January-June and then July-December. Without further ado here goes my first Top-Ten-Films list for 2018.

10. Solo: A Star Wars Story: PG-13 Action/Sci-Fi: I was going back-and-forth with deciding to add this movie on my list. I really liked it a lot and think that it got a bum rap being released so soon after The Last Jedi The Last Jedi Review a movie I really didn't like at all. Is Disney ruining the franchise? Maybe a lot, so yes.

9. Blockers: R Comedy: This movie was highly inappropriate and super funny. This is like a senseless beach read. A movie that makes it so you don't have to think, you just have to laugh and those laughs I got, were from John Cena.

8. Game Night: R Action/Crime/Comedy: I love Jason Batemen. This was a very funny movie. Creepy Gary was, well creepy.

7. Annihilation: R Sci-Fi/Horror: Padme and Poe in the same movie, it's like a Star Wars reunion. The horror isn't as bad as you would think. I'm not a fan of gore (gratuitous gore) but this was manageable. This was a creepy movie with an ending that is left up in the air.

6. Adrift: PG-13 Action: Oh this movie broke my heart. I thought this was going to be a boring journey about being lost at sea. There was a "surprise ending" with clues leading you from the start.

5. A Quiet Place: PG-13 Drama/Horror/Sci-Fi: This movie was so good. I honestly don't know how they were able to stay so quiet. I wouldn't make it, I know that for certain.

4. The Incredibles 2: PG Family: I saw the original for the first time about a week before I saw this one. This is a case where the sequel (for me) was better than the original. It was a situation where my husband and I were out and decided to see a movie, but we had seen all of the other movies in the theater. Because I didn't like the original at all, I was hesitant in seeing this one. It was released 14 years after the first one. That's a long time to wait for a sequel. Unlike the first one, this held my interest.

3. Avengers: Infinity War: PG-13 Action: I already posted a review about this one. Thor is my favorite and I usually don't prefer blonds. Avengers: Infinity War Review

2. Black Panther: PG-13 Action: I already posted a review about this movie. Black Panther Review I'm hearing that it maybe even has the potential to be an "Oscar Award Winning" film?

1. Three Identical Strangers: PG-13 Documentary: AMAZING. This is the story of triplets who were separated at birth, and adopted out to three different families. They became a media sensation in the early 80's and even had a small role in Desperately Seeking Susan. I recommend this movie to everyone. Believe it or not this documentary came with some shocking twists and turns.

Here is a list of all films that I saw during this period. The ones in bold are those that I liked, but they just didn't make my Top-Ten-List. These are in no particular order and do not include those movies listed above. There were so many more movie that I wanted to see, but didn't because of limited release.

I Feel Pretty PG-13
Deadpool 2 R
Won't You Be my Neighbor PG-13
Book Club PG-13
Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom PG-13
Winchester PG-13
Fifty Shades Freed R
Pacific Rim Uprising PG-13
Pandas G (IMAX California Science Center)
Overboard PG-13
Life of the Party PG-13
Tag R
Ocean's 8: PG-13

Ant-Man and the Wasp, Paul Rudd and an Evening at Disney Studios

2018-07-15T14:52:00.001-07:00

Recently I was asked to attend a special screening and press day for the upcoming Marvel sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp starring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Laurence Fishburne, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Peña, Hannah John-Kamen and Randall Park. As with the original Ant-Man, Rudd was a part of the writing team. The movie was good, not great, but fun nonetheless.

So much is given away in the commercials for this movie, there isn't much left for us in the actual film. Radio segments are saying that critics are amazed with the surprise ending. There really wasn't much of a "surprise" ending to speak of. Unfortunately I wasn't on the edge of my seat. In the Marvel timeline, this comes before the events in Avengers: Infinity War and is a sequel to Ant-Man and Captain America: Civil War. It would have helped me to re-watch Ant-Man since I've forgotten the events of that film. It has to be hard to be the film that follows Thor Ragnarok, Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War. These three set the bar really high.

There were some laughs in the film. Michael Pena has some of the best scenes. His montage is the best. At the press day in Pasadena, Evangeline Lilly stated that Luis's "montage" was her favorite thing to film. Randall Park plays the FBI agent, Jimmy Woo, who is in charge of making sure that Scott Lang finishes out his house arrest after helping Captain America.

Hank Pym and his daughter Hope van Dyne are desperately trying to find Janet van Dyne in the quantum zone, where she has been trapped for the last 30 years. Laurence Fishburne leaves the DC to join the MCU. Will he return as Perry White in the next Man of Steel movie? Will there be another Man of Steel?

The movie, at it's core about family and the love of a family. That's evident in Scott's relationship with his daughter Cassie and Hank's relationship with Hope. There is one line I wish they would have changed. It's when Scott and Cassie are talking and he mentions that Hope reminds him a lot of Cassie. I know the message they are trying to convey. I just wish they could have conveyed it a different way.

My husband and I were able to watch Ant-Man and the Wasp at the Disney Studios in Burbank. I've been there before and I just love it! We were given drinks and finger foods before the screening and popcorn during. We watched the 3D version of the film and I wasn't a big fan. I don't particularly care for 3D films to begin with, I think they're a waste of money. There was nothing spectacular about watching it in 3D.

Being on the studio grounds is a very magical experience. My dream was to always work at Disney Studios.

A few days later I went to the press event at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena. I love the Langham. It's beautiful. My husband took me there once when we were dating. They have a beautiful courtyard garden. While walking through this garden to get to the other side of the hotel, I bumped into Paul Rudd. This was an amazing experience!! I've loved him since before Clueless. Anyway, I digress. I walked back into the hotel from the courtyard and ran into a group of people. within this group was Paul Rudd. We made eye contact, he smiled and I said......nothing. It took a minute for my brain to register the fact that this was in-fact-PAUL-freaking-RUDD!! Before I had time to whip out my phone for a selfie, he was gone and I was already on security's radar.

As with many of the press junkets I attend, some of the costumes are on hand. I really loved the Wasp costume. Evangeline Lilly is so much fun in this movie. Her fighting scenes are awesome! Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly have great chemistry. How can you not have chemistry with Paul Rudd. He's such a dream!!! They have this action figure that is so lifelike, its scary. I've never seen anything like it before. I has "facial hair".

My students know that I have an obsession with FunkoPop dolls. I have a "wall-of-pop" in my classroom. They give them to me as gifts. The Wasp, Hope and Scott are adorable!!

The few days that I spent in the MCU were terrific. Paul Rudd is still adorable. The movie was good, but not great. I'd give the movie 3 out of 5 Pink Gerber Daisies. Most of the action scenes were already given to us in the commercials. I wasn't surprised by the ending. I actually have some hope for the future, and by future I mean 2019's Avengers 4. Let's face it, we know that in the MCU, no one is really ever truly gone.

Han Solo, With Some Spoilers

2018-05-26T16:15:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago I was invited to watch Solo and then attend the Han Solo press conference in Pasadena. Let me start off by saying how much I hated The Last Jedi. Fans of the original Star Wars franchise were, made to feel ashamed and stupid for not "understanding" the film. The way they handled the Luke Skywalker character was shameful. (And) Disney is still using Rian Johnson to create even more Star Wars films, WHY???

Fast forward to May 25th. I'd heard all the rumors, watched all the videos, read all the stories. Solo: A Star Wars Story, was going to be terrible. You know what, it actually wasn't. Maybe it was the fact that I went into the theater with much lower expectations, but I really liked this movie. To make one thing clear, I'm not saying I loved this film, or that I liked it because I went to the press junket. I actually also went to the press junket for The Last Jedi and I panned that movie in a review. I loved the way the cast interacted with each other. It felt like they actually got along. I thought everyone had amazing chemistry and the story line was good. There were some new characters and I was interested in learning about them.

Alden Ehrenreich is actually a lot of fun as Han Solo. He may not look like Harrison Ford, but he's cute, and he has this adorable twinkle in his eye and adorable smirk on his face. I also loved Donald Glover, as Lando Calrissian. The two of them together is amazing. Unfortunately, the next time we see them together is in Empire Strikes Back, so a sequel with the two would be out of the question. Chewie is amazing. All of the actors in this film are good. I really liked what the writers and Ron Howard did with Solo. We even get to see some of the events mentioned in A New Hope through Return of the Jedi. For that reason alone, I was pleased with the film. They didn't forget about the fans.

Qi'ra, Solo's love interest, is mysterious and now I want to know more about her, thank you Disney and Lucas Films. Could we please get another movie with Qi'ra? Is this what they are opening the door to? Solo learns from his "master" smuggler (remember there is always "one master and one apprentice"), Tobias Beckett, (played by Woody Harrelson) to, “Assume everyone will betray you, and you’ll never be disappointed.” Words he's lived by ever since.

Now, the big event at the end of the movie, the big unexpected WOW, the return of Darth Maul. I knew he didn't die, we all knew that. Rebels and The Clone Wars already establishes this fact. We also know that Obi-Wan eventually kills Darth Maul. Here's my hope. Obviously an Obi-Wan film has been rumored for a long time. Everyone LOVED Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace. Let Obi-Wan and Darth Maul's story line continue in the new films. Could this be their plan anyway?

Obviously my mind is running with all of the possibilities. Looking at the Rotten Tomatoes Scores of both films, there is a huge disconnect between critics and fans. Right now Solo has a 71% Fresh rating with critics and 57% with fans, whereas, The Last Jedi has a 96% with critics and 46% with fans. Did the critics inflate their ratings with The Last Jedi, just to stay on the "right" side of Disney? Is their slight disapproval of Solo a way to appease the audience? I really think Solo deserves a much higher score from both critics and fans.

No Disney, we are not trying the sabotage the franchise. We just want to be heard. I think Ron Howard did a fantastic job with telling the Han Solo story. There was some nostalgia to this film, that I didn't feel with The Last Jedi. There are no light sabers in this one, but I'm ok with that. There were a couple of scenes I thought didn't work, like Qi'ra and Han's reunion, but at least no one is floating in outer space like Mary Poppins.

Things I don't want moving forward with this franchise 1. a Boba Fett movie. I never knew why there was so much interest in him anyway. 2. Stop putting out a new Star Wars film every six months. I think Disney and Lucas Films should have waited a bit before releasing Solo. Many still haven't gotten over the disappointment they felt with The Last Jedi.

Something I want moving forward, an Obi-Wan film starring Ewan McGregor.

Ok, so I did also attend the press conference and I saw some pretty awesome things. I'm obsessed with Funko Pop! figures. As a matter of fact, I have a wall of Pop at my work. My students love them. As with most movie releases, there were so many new figures released with this film.

Look at all these Pop! figures, I just bought a Chewie last night

The highlight of the press conference for me was sitting on the Millennium Falcon with Chewie as my co-pilot.

I got to see many amazing costumes from the film as well.

Overall, I really liked this movie. Were the story and acting perfect, no but it held my interests from start to finish. In essence, it was a cowboy movie in space, starring a much beloved scoundrel. I would give Solo: A Star Wars Story 4 out of 5 Pink Gerber Daisies.

Sugar Bloom Beauty Boutique: Pamper Yourself

2018-05-06T17:55:00.000-07:00

It's not a secret that I'm obsessed with makeup, skin care and all things organic. I had the pleasure of trying out a spa that recently opened in La Mirada called, Sugar Bloom Beauty Boutique. Sugar Bloom Beauty is owned and operated by makeup artist and esthetician, Kristy Bradvica. Full disclosure, I've known Kristy for a very long time. She was the makeup artist for my engagement photos and wedding, over ten years ago.

Sugar Bloom Beauty Boutique is located at the Phoenix Salon Suites in La Mirada, California. The cool thing about Phoenix Salon Suites is that it's like a one-stop-shop for beauty lovers. Each proprietor rents their own suite, not chair. The experience is more personal and relaxed. Each suite is decorated to the owner's tastes.

The space was very cozy and comfortable. The products that Kristy has chosen for her facials are organic. She pays particular attention to the ingredients she uses on her clients. She said she did a lot of research before choosing the skin care line, Skin Script. She likes how she can customize facials to her clients' needs and knows that the ingredients she is using, are healthy for us too, both inside and out.

I had the May special, the anti-aging Blackberry Facial. Kristy stated that, "Anti-aging care should begin in your twenties." The smell of these products was amazing. You think, 'it's blackberry and it smells amazing, maybe I could eat it', but I was told, unfortunately, it wasn't edible. The facial was divine. The Blackberry Mask, Kristy said, might tingle on the skin. I didn't notice much of a tingling sensation, for me it was more of a cooling sensation. No one likes pore extraction, but it's the price we pay for beauty. You can ask to skip that part if you're too sensitive, but what's the point of a facial if you don't clean your pores. After the pore extraction, Kristy used the cooling globes all over my skin. These glass orbs cool and refresh the face.

Kristy doesn't just specialize in facials and makeup, she's also licensed in spray tanning and sugaring. This was the first time I tried sugaring. Sugaring has been around since the time of Cleopatra. It's organic, water soluble and works with the temperature of your body. To find out the benefits of sugaring over waxing take a look on her Facebook page Sugar Bloom Beauty Boutique. To say that sugaring is like tiny kittens licking the skin, would be a lie. You do feel it, slightly, but you also feel waxing, hello you're pulling out the hair from your body. Sugaring had a resurgence in the 90's, remember when Monica, Phoebe, Joey and Chandler were stuck in Monica's room on Friends? That was sugaring. There are numerous benefits for the skin in sugaring. 1. The ingredients are natural 2.There's no damaging the skin, like in waxing and 3. Sugaring smooths and exfoliates the skin.

Kristy also sells many of the amazing products that she uses. Facials begin at $65 with the option for add-ons, (like the refreshing cooling globes). Make sure to check for specials, like May's Blackberry Facial for $60. Right now Kristy does accept walk-ins, but it's always best to make an appointment.

Products used in my Blackberry Facial:

Green Tea Cleanser
Glycolic Cleanser
Ageless Hydrating Serum
Vitamin C Serum
Acai Berry Moisturizer
Blackberry Enzyme Mask
Vanilla Bean Hydrating Mask
SPF 30

I think that it's so important to support local businesses and to support companies using organic products.

My Ranking of the Marvel Films

2018-04-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

Here is my ranking of Marvel films that have been released over the last 15 years. Remember this is just my personal opinion. I'm curious to see how others would rank these films. I didn't include anything from Fox or Sony. Bravo Disney for acquiring the rights to the X-Men and I guess The Fantastic Four.

20. Hulk, 2003: I don't know if this can count? I only saw it on cable, once, and I don't think this is considered a part of the MCU, whereas Edward Norton's version is.

19. Captain America: The First Avenger, 2011:  This was a snooze fest. I've watched it only twice, the first time, not really watching but more along the lines of napping. We did not see this in theaters, it was a rental at home.

18. The Incredible Hulk, 2008: Better than the 2003 version, but I get annoyed at reboots. I can remember when and where I saw this film. My husband and I had just gotten married. We waited until the 4th of July holiday to watch it.

17. Thor: The Dark World, 2013: This was bad, definitely worse than the original. It felt very rushed.

16. Iron Man 3, 2013: I wish Iron Man's final solo outing could have been better.

15. Thor, 2011: Thor's first outing was really bad, sorry Kenneth Branagh, nice try though. There were some funny parts to it, but I just didn't care for the character, The God of Thunder with long hair and a hammer. He was nice to look at though.

14. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, 2017: I thought it was ok, not a favorite, but not bad enough to be at the bottom. Mantis was a great addition. The scenes with Drax and Mantis are the best.

13. Iron Man 2, 2010: Just ok.

12. Avengers: Age of Ultron, 2015: I felt it was just another rushed film and I was a little lost. Those damn infinity stones!!

11. Captain America: The Winter Soldier, 2014: This was a much better movie!

10. Spider-Man: Homecoming, 2017: I hope Marvel gets to keep the rights for this film. Sony did a horrible job with the reboot and should have left the films alone. He should be called Spider-Boy, not Spider-Man.

9. Guardians of the Galaxy, 2014: Chris Pratt and Dave Bautista are really funny, the end.

8. Iron Man, 2008: The movie that started it all.

7. The Avengers, 2012: I really enjoyed this movie, but there are so many more that I love. It was a fun.

6. Ant-Man, 2015: I love Paul Rudd. I really thought the movie was going to be stupid, but I was wrong. It was good.

5. The Avengers: Infinity War, 2018: I can't wait to see how this ends and bravo for bringing Nick Fury back! P.S. I saw him at LAX on my way to Chicago. I forbade my husband from yelling something out to him. We had to keep our cool.

4. Doctor Strange, 2016: Come on guys, I'm waiting patiently for a sequel. I LOVED the special effects!!

3. Black Panther, 2018: I think the hype ruined it for me. Sorry, as much as I LOVE Chadwick Boseman, and I think Black Panther is awesome, I didn't love the movie.

2. Captain America: Civil War, 2016: I loved this movie!! It was like The Avengers: Infinity War Jr. This was the best of the three and one of my favorite Marvel films! Captain America Civil War

1. Thor: Ragnarok, 2017: This is still my favorite Marvel movie!! I wrote a review a few months back, so I won't say anything more here. Thor Ragnarok

So here is my ranking of the MCU. I can't wait to see what they have in store for us next!

Avengers: Infinity War

2018-04-29T13:18:00.000-07:00

I love Thor, I love Black Panther, I love Captain America, I love The Avengers. For years now, we have been awaiting the arrival of the "big bad" Thanos. It's no secret that he is the baddie in The Avengers: Infinity War. With that being said, this review comes to you with spoilers. If you haven't yet seen Infinity War and you don't want to be spoiled, turn back now. You've been warned.

At the end of Thor Ragnarok, doesn't Thor meet up with the Guardians of the Galaxy? It was the last "end credit" scene, I mean, am I wrong about that? So here's my idea of a plot hole. Infinity Wars opens up with Thor and Loki being attacked by Thanos. He wants the infinity stone in the Tesseract. He kills most of the inhabitants of Asgard who were saved in Ragnarok. Loki gets killed again. I hope that this time he stays that way, but more on that later. Thor is flying in space (why does Disney continue to this?? It's lame) and lands on the Guardians spaceship. There is a hilarious exchange between, Thor and the Guardians. Chris and Chris nail it. What a great comedic duo. Drax and Mantis are amazing! But again, why are Thor and the Guardians being reintroduced? Someone please explain this to me, seriously.

The setting takes place in various locations, with various members of Team Avengers working together to try and stop Thanos from collecting all of the Infinity Stones. The purpose to have all the stones is to rid the universe (not just the world) of half the population, so that those who do make the cut, can live happy lives without the fear of starvation and poverty. He succeeds in collecting all six infinity stones, even the Soul stone which is being watched over by Red Skull from Captain America. In order to do this he must trade a soul for a soul, so he kills the only thing he ever loved, his "daughter" Gamora. This annoys me, but more on that later. Apparently, Thanos is a kidnapper who abducts Gamora from her home planet, after he nearly destroys it.

In the end Thanos, with the snap of his finger, kills almost everyone in the universe, except for all of the ORIGINAL AVENGERS, oh and Rocket. So, we are left with: Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Captain America, and Bruce Banner. All of the characters who only have one movie left in their Marvel contracts, which means, something will happen and everyone will be resurrected again, a la Justice League's Superman.

Now this is where I have the problem. We know contractually the recently obliterated Avengers will be back. I think that Vision and Loki are truly dead. I hope they are, not because I didn't like their characters, but because we need to have some loss. They didn't turn to dust like the others. Vision's body was still intact. Loki, we just didn't see again. Thor even states, "He's been dead before." Gamora we know is already coming back. She'll be in Guardians 3. I'm really over the "resurrection" story-line. It's been played out, it doesn't work.

Overall, the movie was wildly entertaining. It kept my attention from start to finish. When Captain America and Thor showed up to the fight, the audience went wild. My husband took a nap, but that's typical. Ragnarok is still my favorite film in the MCU. I definitely liked this movie better than Black Panther, and would recommend it if you're already a fan and have seen the previous films. Newbies would be lost. Articles I've read, stated how connected the Avengers were when they got together to fight, I would have to disagree. My dream is to see everyone working together. I would have LOVED to see an Iron Man and Captain America reconciliation, is that too much to ask? I wish I watched all of the previous films leading up to this one. That would have been helpful. I mean we're talking a ten year span of movies.

This movie only had one end credit scene. Nick Fury calls on Captain Marvel right before he turns to dust. So chances are, she'll be in the next one. Pay close attention to Chris Hemsworth's eyes. Rocket gives him a new eyeball, so no more patch. I was disappointed to not see Ant-Man. I love Paul Rudd so much! I'm thinking, he might be in round two.

Overall, Avengers Infinity War gets 4 out of 5 Pink Gerber Daisies.

UPDATE: One thing I forgot to mention that really irked me, why didn't they just cut off Thanos's arm when they had the chance???

Spring Break in Chicago

2018-04-14T17:03:00.001-07:00

I saw snow fall for the first time and it was the most magical thing ever. Don't get me wrong, I've seen snow on the ground before, in Big Bear and New York, but being a Socal native, I've never seen a snowfall. Every year my husband and I travel out of state. The last two years we traveled to warmer climates, this year we went to Chicago and had a fantastic time.

Happy at the beginning

I lost these glasses and I loved them so much!!

I love the big city. I love the shopping, the art, the food and the nightlife. I love the ease of getting around. Chicago was one of the last "big cities" for me to travel to and it didn't disappoint. Be prepared, public restrooms rarely have seat covers, there are only hand driers (these spread germs and spray feces on your face) and charge for bags.

The views from our room at the Wyndham Grand Riverfront were amazing. I love staying in the timeshare. I feel like I'm at home. Of course you have to deal with the constant sales calls. My hubs and I just ignore them.

Chicago is known for it's stuffed deep dish pizza. I'm not a fan of deep dish myself, but when in Rome. Our first stop was Bella Bacinos Italian Restaurant. The pizza was good and I enjoyed it. We also had deep dish at Giordano's. This is supposed to be a popular tourist destination. By the end of the trip, I was tired of pizza.

The first thing we did was brave the freezing temperature to go on a sightseeing tour of Chicago's architecture on Wendella's boat tours. I enjoyed learning about the city's history. The tickets were a bit pricey, but the 75 minute ride was well worth it.

Tax in the city is ridiculously high, be forewarned. It's 10% in the city. I didn't shop a lot. I didn't have room in my suitcases anyway. I had to bring heavy winter coats. You see, because I live in California, it takes my body a few days to adjust to the cold weather, and oh boy was it cold. I thought it was colder than my trip to Massachusetts in November. I don't think that temps reached higher than 34 degrees.

We spent a lot of time going to the museums. It was a cultural trip. We first went to The Museum of Contemporary Art. I wasn't a fan. Looking back, I wish we would have gone to the Art Institute of Chicago. It holds one of my favorite van Gogh's.

We also visited one of the public libraries in the city. We went to the Adler Planetarium and Shedd Aquarium. Adler and Shedd were both located near each other. If you have the time, it's easier to kill two birds with one stone. Since we didn't leave our room before noon any day that we were there, we had to make two trips to the area. Take the 146 bus, not Uber. I also suggest getting a city pass. It gets you to the head of the line in most places. You get tickets to The Field Museum, The Museum of Science and Industry, Shedd Aquarium, Willis Tower, and either the Adler Planetarium or The Art Institute of Chicago, but not both.

Public transportation makes getting around the city a travelers dream. We took the Metro to Wrigley Field. We couldn't go on a tour of the stadium, but we had a good time walking around the Wrigley area. I suggest getting a metro pass for the week. They aren't that expensive and can be used on bus fare too. Parking in the city is ridiculously expensive too, that's why we didn't rent a car, parking would have cost us $66 a night.

One night we went on a "Gangsters and Ghosts" tour of the city. It was ok. I think I would have preferred to also go on just a gangster tour and had drinks at a former speakeasy. I didn't find that there was much of either gangster or ghost on the tour, so we were slightly disappointed. I had a good time nonetheless, looking at the beautiful historical sites. Our tour guide showed us the beginning of Route 66. Now I can say I've been to the beginning and end of famous Route 66.

Did you know that Sears Tower is no longer called Sears Tower? It's called Willis Tower now. It's super sad, because the last Sears store in the city is closing down this year. I think I would have liked to visit the Hancock building and "Tilt". The day we went, it was closed for a private party and a visibility of zero. From the Willis Tower, you can see three states on a clear day; Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin.

Navy Pier was another tourist trap. We had a lovely dinner at a seafood restaurant called Riva's on the pier, but the pier itself is geared more towards kids. They have a children's museum, and arcade. There was a lot of remodeling going on, and it probably wasn't the best season to visit the pier. It did snow the night we were there.

The shopping is of course amazing. I feel like if I can get it back home, I shouldn't be buying it on vacation. Michigan Ave. has Magnificent Mile. A mile of upscale shops on both sides of the street. We visited two Macy stores and two Sephoras. I just loved to window shop.

I love movie While You Were Sleeping. To be able to watch that film and identify the locations is really cool. Of course we heard about Ferris Bueller's Day Off, which ironically was also filmed in Long Beach. I was wishing that there was some sort of John Hugh's tour, but sadly, there wasn't.

The city views were amazing. There was so much to do, I don't feel that we even scratched a portion of the surface. Oh well, it looks like I'll have to travel back to this gorgeous city!!

My favorite picture

One of my dreams has always been to work in the media. It was a privilege to see the Tribune building.

My sad face having to leave this magical city!

Overall, we had an amazing, cold adventure in the city. I was sad to have it come to an end, but life isn't a vacation. now, we can't wait to start planning our next destination.

Spirit Airlines Customer Beware!!

2018-04-14T14:28:00.000-07:00

Every year my husband and I take a trip during spring break. This year our destination was the tropic, I mean snowy and cold, Chicago. Before we get to that post, I have to tell you about my experience with Spirit Airlines, one of the worst airlines, I've ever flown.

This airline claims to be the "Bare Fare" because of their "cheap flights". The only thing that's bare is, well, it's the entire experience, so here it is.....

Unfortunately my travel agent (my husband) booked our flights last minute, even though the trip was planned June 2017. We purchased our March 31st flight in February. From now on I'm making the travel arrangements. Our departure time wasn't that bad. LAX at 8:30 in the morning, with an estimated Chicago arrival time at 2:50. This wasn't bad considering our check-in for our place was after 4.

The price of the nonstop flight wasn't that cheap. I had found cheaper in September, when I was booking my "flying solo" Thanksgiving trip to Massachusetts.

The check-in wasn't easy. You can't go up to the counter to check-in if you choose. You must check-in at the automated station, weigh your own bags and tag your own cases. There was a long line, but we got to the airport in time, so that wasn't a problem. This was the problem, the fact that bag check is $50 PER CHECKED BAG!!!!! That's right, we spent $100 before we even got to Chicago because we had TWO checked bags. BEWARE, they charge you $50 a bag AND it MUST be under 40 LBS. Anything over is an additional fee. Most airlines only charge a $100 added fee if your bag is over 50 LBS. I couldn't believe it!!! Buyer BEWARE, they will also charge $25 if you have a carry-on with wheels, which I did, but I carried it with the straps, so they didn't charge me.

The seats were just awful! They were super cramped, both in leg room and hip space. The guy next to me, who just happened to be an employee was really tall. I can't image what he was going through.

You know how most airlines offer complimentary beverage services? Well, you don't get that with the "Bare Fare" airline. Every beverage, including water, has a price. SERIOUSLY? The airline sucks. I travel a lot and never in all of my 21 years on earth have I experienced something so bare. At least on Southwest you get pretzels!

I really don't care if you have the youngest crew in the air. The service I experienced was poor. Once we arrived in Chicago we had to wait a long while for our luggage. I was talking to some unfortunate fool from my flight, who said she only 'flys' Spirit in a jam and each time the service gets worse and worse. She said, "Well, at least we're home." To which I replied, "Oh no honey, I'm from California, just beginning my trip."

The only thing I got out of this HORRIBLE airline is a dirty bag (which was brand spanking new BTW) and less money to spend on the things that I happen to enjoy (visiting new places).

This new travel culture is pretty sad. You constantly hear of people being mistreated on their flights, poor quality service and expensive ticket prices. There really does have to be a change. I'm not at all expecting to fly for free, and travelers shouldn't act like jerks, but the service you get for the price you pay is truly depressing.

If you can, stay away from this airline at all costs. Spirit Airlines gets 0 out of 5 Pink Gerber Daisies. Find a better airline if you can!!!! If you see this airline on your Expedia page or app, scroll as fast as you can away from the Spirit Airlines option!!!!!

My dirty new bag wah wah wah

Day 39: My Happiness Journal

2018-03-03T19:53:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in quite a while and I feel bad for that. Here is what I'm happy about......

1.The Oscars are on tomorrow and I love watching them with my mom.

2. I finished my report cards.

3. I lost 5.6 pounds.

4. With adorable pets like these two, who could be angry???

My Encounter with the Prince of Persia

2018-02-25T12:18:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure exactly what those who read this post will get from it. I wrote it because I felt the need to vent my annoyance with the person sitting next to me in my favorite spot, the coffee shop. Sorry for the ramble, but happy reading and I hope you chuckle a little too.

I'm thinking of a title for this post and the following rant is definitely not about a prince or Persia. Today I decided to visit my favorite hangout, the coffee shop. I won't state the location or the name of the coffee shop in the off chance that my former neighbor to the right might happen to come across this blog. On a scale of 1 to 10, my annoyance level peaked to around 20. Sometimes one happens to listen in on the conversations around oneself, especially if said person (me) was flying solo for the day. It's like Shikata Ga Nai, "It can't be helped, it must be done."

I had just finished my grading and whisked out my laptop to start writing my review of Black Panther, when a male entered the coffee shop (this is beginning to sound like a police report). Tim, not the Tim I'm married to, but the gentlemen who walked into the coffee shop and sat down next to lucky ol' me. He asked very politely if I could please plug in his laptop. I was sitting by three empty plugs so I was happy to oblige. He proceeded to tell me that he loved sitting in the seat that he chose because it look very regal. I didn't realize I was going to be sitting next to the Prince of Persia or the King of England. He was neither Persian nor English and I highly doubt he was of royal blood. I said I like my chair because it looked comfy and was close to the outlet, my laptop needed some juice. He then told me a strange story about semi-colons and emails, I tried to tune him out. I wished him happy writing and then went about my business.

Suddenly, in walked his friend. She had just come from the gym, but according to my seat neighbor she smelled like she had just done her laundry. He started to tell his friend about a time that he forgot to put his car in park and his car rolled into another car. He said that he was more concerned about his car and didn't care that the other car was damaged. He did leave a note (I wonder if he was the person who hit me in the CVS parking lot while I was picking up a prescription). He said that on the day the accident happened, he walked out of wherever he was, and saw the car crash. He stated that he felt bad for the person who had the car like his, a Mazda Miata, and that his car was better with amazing added features, but upon closer examination, realized the Mazda Miata in the accident was actually his and how unfortunate it was that he had to pay for the damages he caused to the other person's car. WHAT????????

First off yes dude, your new haircut IS STUPID (I heard you ask your friend if she thought so), second, who gave you the award for participating as a bench warmer? (this is why not everyone should get a trophy, because then you create entitled people like this guy) and third, who put it into your head that you're better than everyone else. Maybe these were your insecurities talking, I highly doubt you're insecure. (Run-on rant approaching) You told your friend the only reason you want to run, whatever it is you run, (not a marathon because you're a short distance runner, yes I heard that too, all the while trying to review Black Panther) is because you want to win and you won't compete in a marathon because you can't win a marathon, wow entitled much??

There is an amazing essay written by Marta Salinas that I read with my students called, "The Scholarship Jacket." It's about a young girl, whose family were farmers and couldn't afford to pay for the various sports, extracurricular activities that I know cost parents a fortune. Martha, (the girl in the story) is very studious and at the end of her eight years at her school, is expected the win/earn the scholarship jacket, however, the school wants to give it to another student, one whose father is very prominent in the town that they live. I read this with my students in the hope that they, work hard and don't expect accolades and pats on the back. My students say they can relate to it. One even went so far as to say that when everyone gets an award, it cheapens the meaning for those who truly earn it. Good job kids, you're already doing better than this guy!

Listening to the conversation next to me, I realized that I was basically listening to a grown man talk as if he was a five-year-old. This is our future, thanks planet!! This isn't a Generation X vs Millennial thing, (according to MetLife, I would be considered a millennial. All other sources say I'm GenX thank God for that!). This is a respect people and be humble thing.

I hope that Tim, my seat neighbor, not my husband, realizes how pretentious and entitled he sounded and I hope that he changes his "all about me" outlook on life. He was polite to me and I wish him all the best, but please sir (I'm calling him sir, but I know I'm older than he is) try being a better human.

Black Panther Review

2018-02-24T16:30:00.001-08:00

****For some reason, the coloring is off on this blog. I tried to fix it the best I could. Sorry in advance.

How can I come across in this review and not sound like a Debbie Downer? I had super high expectations for Black Panther and while my expectations weren't quite met, I still enjoyed the movie.

First off, the last Marvel outing, Thor Ragnarok, blew my mind. Every other Marvel film will now be set to that standard. It took Thor, three outings before they finally succeed in making a cool film. Even Kenneth Branagh couldn't get it right.

Black Panther is such a multi-faceted character, he's a king and a superhero. He must protect the people of Wakanda, and yet also be a part of regular society. I loved his (Black Panther's) first outing in Captain America: Civil War. I love Chadwick Boseman! He's very nice too look at, especially on the cover of Rolling Stones Magazine. On that note, here's what I thought about the characters/actors.

I've loved Chadwick Boseman since 42 and he was great in Marshall too. He is amazing as T'Challa. Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia is great too, but I couldn't help but hear the voice of Maz Canata (I wonder why?). My favorite character by far was Letitia Wright as T'Challa's sister, Shuri. She was funny and strong willed and kicked some butt on her own. I couldn't help but feel annoyed at Michael B. Jordan's, Erik Killmonger. I get that he's upset about being left behind, but what about his mother? She isn't mentioned except for once, when they say that his father, Sterling K. Brown (Randall from This Is Us, the BEST show on the planet) fell in love with an American. We don't know much about his life growing up. T'Challa had no idea that this man existed. Why must T'Challa pay for the sins of his father, who wasn't a bad guy to begin with. I don't clearly understand why T'Challa's dad didn't take Erik with him in the end anyway. This is the problem I had with the movie. The fact that Michael B. Jordan's character felt to entitled to a throne that didn't belong to him. In the end there was no redemption in his character either, and that annoyed me.

The action was just ok. There weren't too many on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments. I thought those very few moments, were what we were given in the promos/commercials for the movie. There were a few fight scenes, but nothing to wow me the way Captain America: Civil War did. My husband fell asleep in this movie and he didn't fall asleep when we watched Fifty Shades Freed. What does that tell me. This couldn't hold his interest. He did say he wanted to see Black Panther again, probably to watch all that he missed when his eyes were closed and his snoring got too loud.

The visual effects were great, except the spaceship in the sky. I didn't like that. I thought it was silly. Why would no one mention this fancy spaceship in the 80's or question why it was flying overhead? I love how Wakanda is so exotic.

I'm not all too familiar with the Black Panther mythos. In fact, I'm not too familiar with much of the Marvel mythology, just what I've read and learned in the more recent years. I think that because I heard so many amazing things about this movie before I went to see it, my expectations were just too high. As I mentioned Thor earlier, I had low expectations for that movie. Thor and Thor: The Dark World weren't that great, then they released Ragnarok, which was a super fun ride. The opposite could be said about Iron Man. I thought the first in the trilogy far surpassed the two sequels. Anyway I digress (as per my usual).

I liked the acting, that wasn't the problem. The storyline wasn't as great as I thought it could be. I feel a bit burned out by the amount of Marvel/DC action films being released, and yet I feel the need to watch them all.

I would give Black Panther 3.5 out of 5 Pink Gerber Daisies.

On a side note someone I know asked me if this film was about the rise of the Black Panther movement of the sixties. I had no words.

A Year to be Thankful Day 30: Three Things That Make Me Happy

2018-01-31T20:56:00.000-08:00

Day 30 of this crazy happiness thing.

1. I'm helping my hubby update his resume. He e-mailed me the sweetest thing.

2. I'm very far a head of my book, and I'm actually liking it better than Something Borrowed.

3. I'm finished with the Hall of Fame for my 8th graders!!

A Year to be Thankful Day 27: Three Things That Make Me Happy

2018-01-28T14:50:00.002-08:00

Day 27 of being happy....

1. I bought a most adorable mug that says, "No drama for this Llama."

2. I bought the most adorable calendar/journal for 2018. It's also used for journaling.

3. I had a fantastic time in Hollywood Hills last night with my friends and hubby! What a gorgeous view from Yamashiro. My husband and I celebrated our 8th anniversary there two years ago. We heard that it was closing to make way for homes. Thank goodness someone saved this beautiful Hollywood landmark. This makes three visits for me overall. I hate traffic, but once I'm in Los Angeles/Hollywood, I feel a sense of peace.

I'm so very relaxed right now and I LOVE IT!!!

A Year to be Thankful Day 26: Three Things That Make Me Happy

2018-01-27T15:51:00.001-08:00

Day 26 of things that make me happy.

1. I'm going to Hollywood for a friend's wedding reception. I love Hollywood.

2. I lost a pound, only one, but at least I didn't gain.

3. I paid mom my some money I owe her. This makes me happy because it weighs heavily on me when I owe people money. I can't say the same for a number of people I know.?.?.?

4. Here's one more just because I have so many today, I'm giving myself a mini facial.

Things That Make Me Happy in 2018: Day 25

2018-01-26T20:49:00.000-08:00

Because I want to make sure that I post daily, and sometimes I'm not near my computer, I posted a few days on Twitter. Here is my list of things that made me happy today.

1. My little dog Mia was so happy to see me today when I got home from work, that she hijacked my Snaps. It melts my heart that she loves me so indiscriminately.

2. I got a bunch of amazing makeup in the mail today!! Two Violet Voss Palettes and the ABH Prism Palette.

3. It's Friday and my little bugger Sammy won't leave my side. I have two pups Sammy and Mia. Here's a photo for good measure.

Top 10 Movies of 2017

2018-01-21T02:34:00.004-08:00

Looking over my two lists of top 10 movies of 2017, I've decided to do an overall top 10 of both lists. Narrowing my top 20 to an overall top10 is a wee bit harder for me. This is how I decided the list: 1. In the course of the year, did I watch this movie more than once? 2. Is this a movie that I would like to own or ran out to buy when it was released on DVD? her

Here are the links to the other two top 10s.

January-June 2017

July-December 2017

Here goes.....

10.  Coco. I have a Disney movie collection.

9.  Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tells. I collect Disney movies, especially if Orlando Bloom is in them.

8.  How to Be a Latin Lover. This movie is so freaking hilarious!!!

7.  The Greatest Showman. I love the music!!

6.  Girl's Trip. Another hilarious movie.

5.  Ingrid Goes West. This is twisted on so many levels.

4.  Logan. What can I say, I love Hugh Jackman.

3. Thor: Ragnorak. What can I say, I love Australians.

2. Hidden Figures. This is a beautiful movie that everyone should see and then own.

1. Wonder Woman. Little girls want to be just like Wonder Woman. I know I did when I was young, underoos and all.

So, that concludes my 2017 movie viewing. This year, I'm making it a goal to watch a film outside of my immediate comfort zone. I'll try something new, like maybe a military movie.

My Favorite July-December 2017 Movies

2018-01-20T16:02:00.002-08:00

Here it is ladies and gentlemen, my top 10 films, July through December, 2017. It took me a while because there were a few I wanted to watch before I posted my list. This is going to be short, I promise I won't go into too many details. The format will be Title, Genre, Release Date, Rating. Here is the link to January - June. January-June 2017

10. The Big Sick, Comedy, July 14, 2017, R: Starring Kumail Nanjiani, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano and Zoe Kazan. It's an interracial love story and then some. Go see it. It's just good.

9. Spider-Man Homecoming, Action, July 7, 2017, PG-13: Starring Tom Holland, Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr., Michael Keaton. I'm glad that Marvel had a chance to make their movie, I just don't think he's that interesting of a character. Tom Holland is so much better than Andrew Garfield in the role. I'm just not completely sold on Spider-Man. I like his interaction with The Avengers better.

8. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Action, December 15, 2017, PG-13: Starring Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan. I never saw the first one, so I have nothing to compare this one to. I thought this was hilarious. You have Dwayne Johnson (hot) and Jack Black and Kevin Hart (both hilarious). What more could a girl ask for?

7. Girl's Trip, Comedy, July 21, 2017, R: Starring Jada Pinkett Smith, Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, and Tiffany Haddish. Four friends go on a girl's trip and chaos ensues. Tiffany Haddish is one of the funniest ladies on screen. I laughed so hard I was in tears. The comedy is crude, so it's not for the faint of heart.

6. Coco, Family Adventure, November 22, 1017, PG: Starring Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, and Anthony Gonzalez. It's a Disney cartoon so we know it must be good. This was very cute. It had me laughing, crying, and missing my dad.

5. Molly's Game, Biography, December 25, 2017, R: Starring Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Michael Cera, and Kevin Costner. It says that this was released in Jan. 2018, but I watched it in limited release in 2017, while vacationing ironically in Vegas. This is about a girl named Molly Bloom, who hosts poker games for the Hollywood elite. How true to life is this version, with what really happened? I don't know. Speaking about Spider-Man....... Tobey Maguire sucks. It's ALLEGED that Michael Cera's character was based on Tobey Maguire. That pair, Tobey and Leo, I really don't care for. I know many will disagree, including my husband who must watch every Leo movie. Seriously though, name the last movie Tobey Maguire has been in where he doesn't spin a web.

4. The Greatest Showman, Musical Biography, December 25, 2017, PG: Starring Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson. The visuals were stunning, the music was amazing. I liked this movie better than Les Miserables. I'm don't like the circus or the mistreatment of any animal, including human, but I loved learning about the birth of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. I remember going to the circus when I was little. This was a very fun and beautiful movie.

3. The Disaster Artist, Biography, December 8, 2017, R: Starring James Franco, Dave Franco and Seth Rogen. This is a film about the making of the cult film, The Room (2004) starring Tommy Wiseau. How much of what went on in the film actually went on in real life? My husband and I are looking into showings of The Room. James Franco is amazing, Dave Franco is amazing. If Tommy Wiseau is anything like the way James Franco portrayed him, he's absolutely insane, not bad insane, just splendidly crazy insane, if that's a thing. I really liked this movie, I'll just leave it at that.

2. Ingrid Goes West, Comedy, August 25, 2017, R: Starring Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, O'Shea Jackson Jr. and Wyatt Russell. This was one of my FAVORITE movies of the year. Everyone should see this. Aubrey Plaza is outrageous in this film. It made me realize how much time I waste on social media, and here I am wanting everyone to read my social media. I reviewed this film, so I will link that review here. Ingrid Goes West Review

1. Thor: Ragnorak, Action, November 3, 2017, PG-13: Starring Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba and Tom Hiddleston. I reviewed this movie, so I won't say much and link the review. This is one of my FAVORITE Marvel films to date. Thor: Ragnorak Review

I'm sitting here in the silence of my mom's house, just the ghosts and me, alone, reflecting on my choices and I realize that, while yes a blog like this can be helpful, there are movies that I pass on just because they don't look interesting to me or because I just flatly refuse to watch that particular genre. I hate horror films, so you won't see many on my lists, EVER. I'm not a critic and therefore am not required to sit through every film ever made.

Here is a list of all the films that I watched, July- December, 2017:

These are in no particular order. The highlighted films are those that are worth seeing, but didn't make my list. I had no more room.

Victoria and Abdul
Spider-Man Homecoming
War for the Planet of the Apes
The Big Sick
Girl's Trip
Dark Tower
The Glass Castle
An Inconvenient Sequel
The Hitman's Bodyguard
Ingrid Goes West
Home Again
IT: IT Review
Geostorm
Justice League
Star Wars: The Last Jedi: The Last Jedi Review
Thor: Ragnorok
Jumanji
Molly's Game
Coco
The Shape of Water
All the Money in the World
I, Tonya
Lady Bird
The Post
Disaster Artist
The Greatest Showman
Daddy's Home 2
Marshall
Phantom Thread

A Year to be Thankful Day 18 and 19: Three Things That Make Me Happy

2018-01-20T12:22:00.002-08:00

I skipped yesterday because I fell asleep early. Today I'll post Friday and Saturday.

Day 18 Friday:

1. I got a lot of work done at the coffee shop.

2. I'm back down (weight wise) to where I was before the Holiday. I only gained 4 pounds, but still.

3. It's rainy!! We get so little rain, so when it does, I enjoy it.

Day 19 Saturday:

1. It's so cold and windy out. I love it, especially because we don't normally get it. The last two weeks have been in the high 80's so a little relief is nice. It makes me happy to use a blanket.

2. I met my friend at the coffee shop.

3. I'm enjoying some quiet time at my mom's house.

A Year to be Thankful Day 17: Three Things That Make Me Happy

2018-01-18T20:10:00.001-08:00

I didn't skip my day of happiness yesterday. I actually posted it to my Twitter account and not my blog. When it's late or I don't have access to my computer, I just post there. Anyway, here are the things that made me happy today day 17.....

1. I met up with my cousin for coffee.

2. I'm going to start my list of best movies July-December this weekend. I watched all that I wanted to watch.

3. We didn't have a meeting after work today, that was nice.

A Year to be Thankful Day 15: Three Things That Make Me Happy

2018-01-16T21:17:00.000-08:00

Today I'm celebrating my 15th day of writing down three positive things.

1. My coworker likes my positive posts.

2. I got my nephew's save the date for his wedding.

3. I made myself a delicious fruit smoothie.

I Spend TOO Much Money on Stuff.

2018-01-15T21:12:00.001-08:00

Looking back on my 2017, I've realized that I spend way too much money on "stuff" (a word I tell my students never to use in an essay). I'm not talking about the essentials like groceries, gas, car payment and utilities, I'm talking about all of the other things. Do I think that I'm a compulsive shopper? Maybe, that's why I'm trying to set some goals for myself. I have to STOP shopping.

I was unemployed for 2 years and didn't shop at all. I wore clothes with holes and spent all the money that I had saved. Don't get me wrong, I have a savings now, but It doesn't have quite the amount that I would like or that I once had prior to my unfortunate circumstance (unemployment). I learned at that time, that I didn't need "stuff" just because I wanted it. I really have to go back to that way of thinking. Just because I want something doesn't mean I need it.

Listed below are the things I spend my money on. I use my gift cards, but often times I go over the amount and have to spend some of my own money.

1. Makeup: I'm obsessed with it. Days that I go without, my husband tells me I look beautiful. I know I don't wear it for him. I wear it for me. Putting on a face of makeup is very relaxing to me. It's like an art project, where you're painting a picture, in this case the picture is your face.

2. Clothes: What girl doesn't like clothes? (and weights fluctuate, unfortunately).

3. Shoes: See the comment from above.

4. Jewelry: Same sentiment as point #2

5. Purses: Same as above, BUT!!!! Once a year my husband go to Vegas. There is an outlet mall that we go to and I usually hit up the Coach outlet store. I have one not to far from me. For some reason we never shop there. In 2016, my husband and I went to Orlando and also went to the outlet mall there. I bought a bag, so when we traveled to Vegas in 2016, I didn't buy a thing. When we went to Vegas for the new year, I bought two.

6. Books: I love to read, but I have a backlog of books that would keep me entertained for the next five years. Many of my books (except those purchased at Barnes and Nobel with a gift card) are bought at used book stores or library book sales.

7. Movies: My husband and I got to the movies often. I love movies because I don't have to give them the long term commitment I would a television show. Don't get me wrong, I have a few shows I watch on regular T.V., I just prefer film. We know how expensive movies can be.

8. Coffee: I get Starbucks for free, It's a Grind I have to pay for.

9. Travel: From this list, this is probably my favorite thing to do. An airplane ticket is very pricey, let alone two.

10: Entertainment other than movies: My husband and I like to do new things. This means tickets to Cirque de Soleil, concerts, musicals, plays, art exhibits, etc. These things cost money, but they're also giving us AMAZING experiences. This isn't considered "stuff", therefore these are the things that I will continue to spend my money on.

For the month of January I implemented a "no buy zone", meaning that I am not buying anything other than food for the household. I will be shopping from my own stash. And as I write this, I realized that I did buy some shower gel and a blush from Flower Beauty. I also needed cotton balls, so I'm not sure if that counts.

Moral of this lesson, I hated being unemployed, I really did, but I liked having a more simple life.