All by myself... Read the book first...

Ok, now, see.... this is why one must read a popular book first before going to see it at the movies.
Today, after having gotten a babysitter in order to go out with a friend during the day, and after having been then told by the friend that she couldn't go out, I decided to keep the babysitter and head out by myself. I went to Books A Million and got an In Style magazine, a Family Fun mag cause it was about things to do for back to school, and a small coffee. Then I went to the Movie Tavern to see The Time Traveler's Wife. I never read the book, but I'm ABSOLUTELY sure the book must be 100 times better than the movie. (that's always the case) This book was beloved by most women that I've spoken with.,.. Now, I'm a lover of romance novels and even time traveling, but I never read this book. Wish I had...I might even now feel some sympathy for the characters of this movie. However, right now, not having read the book, I have ZERO tolerance for these characters... The storyline and even the acting was pretty insipid...The beginning of the movie was mind-numbingly corny. Wide-eyed and jerking tears already by the first ten minutes, the protagonists basically continued to keep their eyes wide and jerk those tears until basically the end. I NEVER felt much sympathy for the actual time traveler, and I do usually like Eric Bano... The only time I really liked the story was when we meet the daughter...I don't want to spoil the movie for anyone, but those who read the book, you know what I mean...
One thing I must say about movie-going these days: WHO GOES TO PAY FOR A MOVIE IN ORDER TO SIT THROUGH TEN MINUTES OF COMMERCIALS? WE PAID FOR THE MOVIE! THE ADVERTISER PAID FOR THE MOVIE TOO! THESE GUYS ARE MAKING MON EY HAND OVER FOOT, IF YOU'LL PARDON THE PUN...
Ok, there, I've ranted enough, but I just couldn't believe that even after the commercials about M &Ms and other rancid candy, we then had to sit through ten more minutes of preview...
By the time the movie started, I think I was about to go into a diabetic coma..
And then, the afternoon was topped off by two and a half hours of , you guessed it, ...insipidity...
Can you say -Read the book first...

Gilmore Girls Fan - What would Lorelai say?

My daughter and I watch the Gilmore Girls episodes season through season almost like music. We begin at Season One, first episode, and continue until the ending with Season Seven. Then we go back to Season One and start all over again. The writing is so clever and the acting is so good, you hear and see new things with every showing. When I can NO LONGER watch any more Spongebob Squarepants or ICarly or Suite Life of Zach and Cody et al... the ONLY show we can agree upon to watch together always turns out to be - you guessed it - Gilmore Girls. We both like the caring relationship between the mother Lorelai and her daughter Rory. But the show is all about the networking that happens within a small town like Stars Hollow, the state of Connecticut, a college/university - first Harvard, and then Yale, and all of the permutations possible within the nucleus of an immediate family of parents, grandparents, child, and grandchild. The show does a beautiful job of showing friendships that span decades, and the development of community. My daughter is learning all sorts of great lessons that will help her in the future. Yes, some of the themes are a bit adult for her, but we talk about what happens in the show, and we LOVE some of the sayings that we heard in some of the shows. Such as.... "Oy with the poodles already.." and "Copper Boom." Some of my favorite characters include the incredibly anal fellow student of Rory's - Paris. Paris is always incredibly specific and insulting, but in an affectionate way. Her friendship with Rory is one of the most wonderful parts of the show. However, my favorite characters are definitely Lorelai and Luke. Lorelai's dialogue is so funny and so intelligent and reference-specific, one never gets bored listening to her. Her relationship with Luke, whom she has known in the show for many years,is an incredibly solid and strong one.
As I go through my day and experience the inevitably ridiculous and surprising occurrence from day to day, I often think "What would Lorelai say?"

The Three Minute Rule

Ok, y'all, has anybody else ever heard of the 3 Minute Rule for pumping gas at a self serve station? My daughter and I went to this station to get gas, regular, not premium of course. Paid 15.00... and suddenly my daughter says she must get a Subway sub right now. She wants to put it in the fridge when we get home so she can have it for dinner. Ok. So, we get in line at the Subway inside the station, order a 6"spicy Italian, with chips. This takes all of 6 minutes. We then go outside to pump the gas. I push the button, nothing, I push the button again, nothing. I"m waving to the attendant, and waving.... and nothing. So I grab my daughter's hand and we huff back inside. I am then told that because I took longer then three minutes to pump my paid for gas, my "transaction" was voided. OMG!! I don't have time for this, I'm thinking. So, I ask for the voided receipt. Oh no, that receipt was done at the closed cash register. So we have to move to the closed cash register where they proceed to search for 5 minutes for the voided receipt. Next step... to again pay for the gas. I am told that I now have to go back to the other cash register to rebuy the gas. So we move again. Wait in line for another 5 minutes.........Where I finally rebuy the $15.00 gas. Last step, go back outside and attempt one more time to pump that gas. By this time, I am fuming, have said "pissed" about 5 times, and I'm getting really used to the number 5. Finallllllllllllllly get the gas pumped, slam the car doors, and head home. Just in time to get behind a car going 25 miles per hour on a 55 mile per hour road. Ahh, the pleasures of a Monday. What's the lesson here you ask? Never forget the Three Minute Rule...

Halloween....

Well, here it is mid-August, and she really really wants to make plans for Halloween. She's decided that she's going to be a "dark" goth cheerleader complete with furry boot covers, black tights, black top, black skirt, black pom poms, and black makeup. Oh, and let's not forget the black shiny spray for her hair. I asked her, what's the fun with that, and she's just convinced that that's the outfit she has to have. Today, she really wanted me to call in and order her entire outfit from the costume catalog we got a week ago. Wow, why can't the catalog people send out those catalogs in October? Anyway, I'm gonna do my best to get her the outfit that she is convinced she wants. After all, what kind of mother would I be if I didn't make sure she looked as "dark" and gloomy as she wanted? Who knew that the teen angst would start at ten?

Halloween...?

American Girl

My daughter is currently really into reading the American Girl book about slumber parties. She's planning a Spa party based on the ideas in the book. So... today after I picked her up from last night's sleepover, she realllllllllly wanted to go shopping for things for her Spa Party. I decided to first go to a Flea Market and just look around. Guess what she found? An electric foot bath. It was one dollar and she was sooooooooooo excited that this could be a part of her Spa party. From the foot bath, which she spent about 45 minutes cleaning after we got home, she decided she needed to make a list of toenail polish, toe dividers, cotton balls, nail clippers (she didn't want the one we already had, it had to be a new one) and all the fixins for spa appetizers, like puff pastry to fill with Kool Whip. The next step is to get zip lock bags and fill spa things as a goody bag. In the bag she wants to put a brush, pipe cleaners - God knows why the pipe cleaners - and all sorts of other things. I absolutely love her enthusiasm, but lord knows when we'll be able to schedule this party. Her school begins soon. We'll get it done, and it'll be great!

This evening... what to do without child...

Today, my daughter went on a day long and night-long sleepover. Oh my lord, she was so excited! Anyway, after I took her to the party, I had to figure out what to do with my extra time. When in the world have I had extra time to myself in the past year? Can't remember... Anyway, decided to go see a movie all by myself. What a revelation... I've never actually done that. I went to see Julie and Julia. It was a very affectionate look at Julia Child, her first cookbook, her relationships, and her twenty-first century blogger. I loved it. But there I was, having bought a medium sized popcorn, eating that popcorn all by myself, with a bottle of water. I came in when the credits were just beginning and the place was kind of packed, so I decided to sit up toward the front. During the entire show I felt like people were watching me eat that popcorn. Hey, I was in the front, anybody could see. After a while I decided to let them...
Did not finish the popcorn.
After the show, I decided to try something else all by myself. There is a great sushi place right next to the theatre. I went there and had a California roll, raw tuna appetizer and flying fish eggs. Oh, and of course tons of coffee. You must drink something if you're by yourself. ...or with someone. Anyway, having been seated in the corner, because I was alone, the management decided to seat a couple literally one foot away. I was privy to their entire conversation, whether I wanted to be or not. Can you say uncomfortable? Great sushi though! Loved it.

Life After 40 - or otherwise known as life after 48

I just began this blog to kind of get my thoughts together about all of the changes I've been experiencing in my life. I'm 48 years old and I have a 10 year old daughter. I've been separated now for over a year from my soon-to-be ex-husband of 17 years. I have a Masters of Education and teach at a local high school.
To tell you the truth, I can't wait until I get the divorce. I figure this blog will give me the chance to talk about some of the scary and possibly fun things that are happening and potentially will happen in the future. Anyway, with this first posting... here goes...
Welcome to my life...