Post Script...

I woke up early on Christmas morning. Not because I was super-excited to open gifts. Not really because Gulliver was pacing around as though he was desperate to go out (which he was). But because I realized that I had forgotten a very important movie on my top ten movie list. And yes, I know that that will actually bring me up to 12 movies (I knew I wouldn't be able to keep it at ten), but I don't care.

What movie, you're wondering, could possibly be so important as to wake me up early on a day when I actually had the opportunity to sleep past 6 a.m.?

Well, here it is..........

.....wait for it.......

DIRTY DANC ING!!!

I don't even know where it goes in the list. Definitely closer to #1 than #10.

Because nobody puts Baby in a corner.

And a few more additions to the honorable mention category: A Few Good Men, Crimson Tide, Anna and the King, Whale Rider, The Matrix...this is getting ridiculous.

Enough about movies.

This is me with my fun new Christmas t-shirt.

Well, not "Christmas t-shirt," but t-shirt that was a Christmas gift.

Not that I really needed to clarify.

Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock.
I think Spock should always win, but apparently Lizard and Paper beat him.
I don't know why.

Gulliver is just a mess. And I look a little sleepy.




How about some music to get you through the morning?

I can't remember. I may have posted this video here before.
But it's a spectacular song and an interesting video. So enjoy.


And one more....

Merry Christmahanukwanzakkah

It's Christmas Eve.

There are a few more presents to be wrapped, a little tweaking to be done on the flower arrangements, and cards to be signed. But while I had a free moment, I thought I would say a few things to the great void that is the interwebs.

I love movies. Nearly as much as I love music. (And movies with great music? Pure magic.) So, I've often wondered if I could name my ten favorite movies. Can I even narrow it down that much? I'm going to give it a try. There's at least one Christmas movie on this list, so that makes it a seasonally appropriate post, right? Righto.

#10- Dead Poets Society

Carpe Diem.

#9.5- Labyrinth

David Bowie in spandex AND goblins. Pure entertainment.

#9- The Princess Bride

Mawiage. Mawiage is what bwings us toogevah today.

Classic.

#8- White Christmas

Oh, Bing. Nothing says Merry Christmas like this movie.

#7- You've Got Mail

I just love it. Can't help it.

#6- Juno

A movie about a couple of gawky teenagers, pregnancy, and adoption? Sure thing. And how cute is the ending?

#5- Waking Ned Devine

Ireland. Spectacular scenery, wonderful music, lots of laughter, and endless pints. What more could you ask for?

#4- Snatch

Jason Statham and Brad Pitt? Don't mind if I do.

#3- The Fifth Element

Can anyone explain why we love this movie? Don't know. Don't care. Doesn't matter.

#2- Last of the Mohicans

Beautiful soundtrack. And a great story. And set right here (even though the movie was filmed in North Carolina).

#1- Braveheart

Absolutely magnificent. And prior to Mel Gibson going entirely nutty.

Another wonderful soundtrack and a great story (even if it is largely shite).

So, that's what I'm going with for the top ten...fine. 10.5. Because I got to the end and realized I had forgotten The Princess Bride. But then I couldn't take out any of the others. So it's sharing a spot with Labyrinth. And there's nothing you can do about it. 

There are lots of others, of course. Monty Python and the Holy Grail, not to mention the Meaning of Life. Casablanca. It's a Wonderful Life. Just about any romantic comedy. Any number of Pixar movies. Most of the Harry Potter movies.

And of course, the Lord of the Rings. In fact...

Pippin has always been my favorite hobbit.

And he's Scottish. And he sings.All good things.

I suppose I'll leave it at that.

Please have a wonderful Christmas!

And tune in next time to revisit "My Life in Music."

(It seems that there were some complaints about a potential misrepresentation of my musical influences...)

A Quick Note

Hi.

Life has been crazy. Christmas is one week from today and thanks to the wonders of the internet, I am now just about finished with my shopping. It won't be a very expansive sort of gift-giving season. Which makes sense because as much as I love giving people things, I refuse to add greatly to my debt load in order to do so. And the extra cash available for--let's face it, often completely unnecessary--gifts is minimal. So many people will have to be okay with the knowledge that I love them. And perhaps some cookies and other treats.

I very nearly lost my mind over the course of the last couple of weeks as I attempted to complete papers for my three grad school classes. I was feeling a definite lack of focus which I suspect is quite apparent in the first two papers (I managed to buck up and write something decent for the last one).

This is what life looked like, at least in the beginning...later it turned into utter insanity with books being propped open with assorted fruit and printed articles strewn about the desk, plus thirty PDFs, a few Word documents, and a game of Mahjong Titans (ever played that game? I was obsessed while writing) all open on my laptop.

But it's done now. I'll find out in another week if I completely bombed. But at least I don't have to stress about this stuff now.

Until next month. When I have to deal with writing my thesis.

That's about all I have time for this morning. Now I should get ready for work.

Here are some enjoyable tunes to get you through the day.

Accordian solo, anyone?

An odd song (as one might expect from Bjork) and an even stranger video...and I can't help but love it.

My Life in Music

Before I get into the music aspect of today's post, let me tell you a little something about me and exercise: I have become obsessed. I realized it a while ago and it was confirmed earlier today. You see, a few weeks ago I started having this horrible pain in my left shin. I have no idea what happened. It didn't hurt all the time, but when it did I could barely put any weight on that leg. So, I took some naproxen (leftovers from that time a couple months ago when I fell down the stairs), rotated between applying ice and heat, and kept it elevated whenever possible.
And I took a day off from going to the gym.

That's right. One whole day.

For the last few months I have been at the gym every day of the week anywhere from one hour to three hours each day. If I couldn't make it on Sundays because of work, I would go for a run instead. And today was a Sunday that I had to work, so couldn't go to the gym. And I tried to go running. Except my shin started hurting about three minutes into it.
And I thought that maybe I shouldn't ignore that I was in severe pain.
So I slowed to a walk and begrudgingly turned around and headed home.
I hated doing that.

A few hours later while talking to a friend about my shin pain and the benefits of giving my body time to recuperate between workouts, I realized the reason for my obsession with exercise: fear.

I am terrified that if I go for just one day without working myself into an exhausted sweat, that everything I have worked so hard to change about myself will be undone. I am afraid that I will wake up the next morning, look in the mirror, and see the face and body of the obese 12-year-old girl that I remember being. And yes, I realize that I haven't been that girl for nearly two decades and a day without strenuous exercise is probably actually good for my body, but my mind remains terrified. And so I will continue my (nearly) daily excursions to the Fitness Firm. 
But I will do my best to remember that a day off is a good thing.

 This is my brother Joe and I in the Spring of 2009...

This is us on Thanksgiving. He also decided that being fat isn't as much fun as it's cracked up to be and so has been working out and trying not to eat crap. As of  Thanksgiving 2011 (and prior to eating a whole lot of food), he was down 36 lbs. and I was down 34. (We've both lost another pound or two since then.) Of course, I still weigh more than him.
But it's okay because I'm taller.



And now for something completely different:

I always thought my life would be better if set to music.
And I was thinking earlier today about how it has been in a way.

I think it began with my mom...

And her love of the Beach Boys.

 

Or my love of muppets and cartoons...

A little ditty from the Little Mermaid...

 

Later on, the music I listened to was heavily influenced by my brother, Stewart.

Really, Stew? This song has always freaked me out.

Meanwhile, I was listening to somewhat less angry songs in my bedroom.

 

The funny thing is, I still enjoy all of those songs.
And now there are wonderful (and often less angry/sad/ridiculous) additions.

Flogging Molly "Black Friday Rule"

 

Don't let the name (or the tombstones) fool you. It is a spectacular song.

Oh these guys. So talented. So fun.
And who doesn't love a man who can play the accordian?

I've also noticed that my current musical leanings are based heavily in the British Isles/Ireland...curious. Perhaps it's a sign that I should move that way...


And then there is the stuff that fills my hours at the gym.
Songs at which I would once have scoffed, but which are growing on me now.
Like a tumor.

So, that's my life in music. Aren't we all happy that I finally figured out how to put the videos right there in my post instead of including irritating links? Yeah. I thought so.

And now for some Christmas things.

This commercial makes me cry. Always has. Still does.
Of course, in my head I was combining it with a Folgers commercial involving another brother coming home for Christmas.

But that one didn't have O Holy Night.
And it is just about my favorite Christmas song ever.

These tears are brought to you by Hallmark.

Of course, my favorite horribly inappropriate quasi-Christmas song is this one:

Those crazy Irish.

And I suspect that you're all just about fed up with me now.

So, if I don't make it back here before the end of the year, Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!
Have a magnificent Solstice, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, Bank Holiday, etc.!

Here's one for the road:

A multi-cultural sort of holiday tune...

I'm impressed if you actually made it to the end of this evening's ravings.

Congratulations!