The Life and Times of a Midwestern Movie Addict

Its always facinating to me how we work and work and tell ourselves "Everything will be fine if I can just make it to the holiday break"...and it feels completely true until after the holiday is over and we know that its time to go back to work.  Then we get the 'blahs'.  Its like Sunday night depression, only worse because you've had even more time off and you want even more. You go to bed knowing that the next day is not a holiday, but a dreaded work day, and you force yourself to go to bed earlier after being on a much more erratic sleep schedule so that you can get back into the weekday routine.  Oh, and after Thanksgiving and Christmas...you certainly have to get used to eating normal portions again.  There's nothing quite like stretching one's stomach muscles to capacity in just one day...and having to then drastically cut back on what the stomach has begun to consider the norm.  I wonder what the stomach would say about that if it could speak.  I im...

It's Black Friday...and its the first time in years that I haven't gone out to the stores.  I must say that, while I don't miss the crowds and craziness (and certainly the earliness) I do miss the activity, the spontaneous finding of deals, and the feeling that I've accomplished the majority of my Christmas shopping.  I will say that, even though I didn't go out, I still managed to do Black Friday the Amazon.com way and I've bought more of my Christmas gifts today than I usually do when I go out to the stores.  They had some really awesome deals today so I took advantage to get perfect gifts for the family.  I still have five gifts to buy, one for my uncle, one for my mom's boyfriend, one for a teacher at school (for secret santa), one for Bond, and one for J.P.  Its kinda funny how we get at Christmastime.  Most months we don't give a thought at all for buying things for loved ones or even what they might need (except maybe at birthdays) but suddenly at...

Well, its noon here at the family house...and we're still yet to open the gifts. I get the impression that we are waiting for after dinner before we rip into the colored paper. I can't help chomping at the bit...I've always been impatient when it comes to presents. Is one of them a fun DVD? A Playstation 3? Sock puppets? Who knows what it could be...and I suppose the anticipation is half the fun. Frankly though, I wish my Uncle Mike didn't drag his feet so much in getting things going. He likes to pretend that he's waiting for my grandmother to want to do things, but really the majority of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays is spent with us waiting on him to decide when he's ready to push forth. Its not surprising really, he's a fairly self-centered individual and always has been. I don't mean to say that he's a nasty person or that I don't love him, because both are false...I just mean that he's never had much use for worrying ...

Well, we finally arrived in PA this afternoon after 3pm after 7 hours of driving and 30 minutes of heavy traffic only a few miles prior to our exit.  So far so good, we're just doing the family and togetherness thing.  Its always nice.  Dad and I did a lot of catching up in the drive, talking about this and that...and bickering a little as only healthy families can.  I'm a little concerned about my gifts though...they might be too big for Mr. and Miss J to take back home on the airplane tomorrow.  Which means I might have to take them home and have them live with me until deeper into December....NOOOOOO!!!!!!  With all the space I have in my place, you'd think I have room for it but alas...I don't. I just found out that Miss J is actually going to be here Friday until her flight leaves at 8pm...which means I'm pretty sure that I'll have someone to Black Friday with.  I can't think of anything that I need, but there might be some things I can pick up ...

A riddle for you:  When does a Tuesday feel like a Friday?  Why, when its the last day of school before a holiday break of course!  I had forgotten the electric energy that pervades the school halls before Thanksgiving and Christmas...its kinda fun actually.  I wish I had planned more to be done today in class, but the kids don't really care one way or another.  It eases the pain a bit that today is an early release...we all are done at 1:45...less than an hour after lunch.  I'll get to Athens by 3 I imagine...if not earlier.  I'll have time to go running...but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I'm excited for the week, I've said that already I know...but I'll say it again anyway.  I love Thanksgiving because a) I get to stuff my face and b) its the official start of the Christmas holiday and I LOVE Christmas.  I love the music, the decor, the food, the shopping, and the unwrapping of presents on Christmas morning.  It all makes...

Three days till Thankschristmas and here I am...at school...wondering why we're even bothering to have school two days before a six day break for the students.  I mean, the kids are acting lazy, they don't want to do anything, the teachers are equally lethargic, and you can't start anything new because they'll forget it all by the time they get back anyway.  But the state says we have to have a certain amount of days in the calendar, so here we are.  Its so stupid.  What's the point of being here if minimal (at best) instruction and education is going to occur?  The kids even have an early release tomorrow.  I mean, its dumb with a capital DUH. I'm actually not in a foul mood.  In fact, I'm happy.  I have a nice sized break starting tomorrow afternoon and I couldn't be more pleased to be going to see family, and pleased to be getting gifts from a few people in the process (greed is constant).  Oh, and did I mention that there will be ham?...

No, I won't be talking about the original novel, the Disney film, or its two remakes (yes, there were two...IMDB it if you don't believe me) I'm just using the title for dramatic effect.  I'm not even using it to make a comment about this particular Friday being a whirlwind or roller coaster ride of a day.  I guess one could say that that is somewhat of a cheat as far as titles go...rather like someone's ignorance to the title Naked Lunch , which features no nude brown bagged meals of any kind to my knowledge.  And now, I feel guilty about my title and may change it before I finish this blog. Can we talk?  Well, everyone can talk to me now, thank goodness.  What I mean is that I finally received my replacement phone yesterday and it was like receiving a jug of water after a 3 day trek through the desert.  I still have to re-save all the numbers into it, but that is a minor annoyance compared to not being able to make or take calls or be able to check my m...

Or maybe you can't.  Did I mention recently that on Friday night (the 13th no less) I dropped my cell phone in the kitchen sink?  Well, I did and it died poor thing...she was so young and beautiful.  Of course, after a suitable mourning period and a brief attempt at resurrection by burying the phone in a box of minute rice (I won't lie, I actually did have visions of my phone rising from death after the rice burial in the manner of Jesus Christ or a phoenix rising from the ashes...I know I would have sung hallelujah) I called the AT&T phone insurance replacement line.  I was told that I would receive the phone as soon as possible.  That was Saturday...it is now Wednesday and I still have no means of telephone conversation outside of my desk phone at school.  I decided against getting a land line as the cellular phone would be more convenient and less hassle in the long run.  Of course, that means I'm cut off from the world.  I don't know who's...

Ok, do you ever get that feeling that time is passing you by so quickly and you haven't gotten half the amount of work done that you meant to by this point?  I guess we all feel like that sometimes...it kinda drives me a little crazy though because we have so little time in school during the holiday season.  I'm trying to juggle several assignments and projects and yearning to wrap them all up before Thanksgiving and it is really very difficult considering that Thanksgiving is a week from Thursday!  Eeek!  Top that off with getting Xmas ready early and not having done any investigation into taking college course for renewing my theater teaching license and you have one crazed individual blogging for you today.  How did I let time slip away from me?  Ok, I admit that I tend to get lazy in my off time and usually I'm fully within my rights to do that...but sometimes I'm lazy when I really should be putting more things together.  I wish I knew what was th...

Actually, I'm not in love...but The Cure is an amazing pick me up at the end of the week.  It seems like only yesterday that I was mentioning that Fridays were magical, and the proof of that came to me this morning.  I really had nothing of value planned for today.  Oh sure, we were going to do things in class today in English, but it was going to be continuing to watch what we already read on the video of Julius Caesar and offering the kids a chance to go ahead and get the Act II test out of the way...we weren't going to progress forward into Act III or otherwise move forward.  So imagine my gleeful surprise when Mr. H, the junior guidance counselor, showed up to do an entire period lecture on college prep.  I was ecstatic!  I couldn't believe that I had completely forgotten that I had agreed to give him today's class time a week ago.  See what I mean about Fridays being magical?  Next week I hope to conquer two acts of Caesar so we can watch the...

I cannot wait till this time tomorrow. I expect Friday to go by rather quickly, they tend to do that. I'm not sure why...you would think that with all the anticipation for the weekend and lethargy following a five day work week that a Friday would slowly ooze by until you were stark raving mad from waiting for the clock to finally announce that it is time to go home. However, my Fridays seem to rush by in a wave of adrenaline and euphoria. I guess it comes from knowing that the week has passed successfully and you've got two fun filled (or rest filled) weekend days coming to you like a blessed reward for having worked so hard all week long. In that way, there's something rather magical about Fridays. Nevertheless, it is Thursday night so I'm not quite there yet...but almost is close enough for my little mind. Especially after staying an extra 4 hours at school this evening in order to participate in parent teacher conferences. I only had one parent scheduled ag...

Ok, so I promised drunk writing Tuesday night and I didn't deliver.  I'm very sorry to all who were hoping for it, but I just lost track of time what with the drinking, movie watching, and conversing.  For those of you who are curious, we watched The Holiday , The Incredibles , and Fantasia 2000 .  Its an eclectic mix, I know, but it was all in the name of getting Bond to watch more things.  He's a huge movie addict like me, but hasn't seen as many as I have.  So I take it upon myself to share my knowledge and good taste (something my friend Grumpy doesn't believe that I have because I don't enjoy the same things he does).  We did have a marvelous time, though, and stayed up really late.  I wasn't tired Wednesday morning though, I felt great.  It's always rejuvenating to have a day off in the middle of the week...I think the regular work calendar should include more of them. As for the day part of yesterday, well that was a little more dull....

I've never looked forward to a Wednesday as much as I have been looking forward to tomorrow.  Usually Hump Day is dull and lifeless, but this week it is the day that our school district has decided to celebrate Veteran's Day, so we're off for the day.  I have a doctor's appointment at 11 (you have to wonder why I'd do such a thing to myself on a holiday) but that's really it.  So tonight my friend (Bond, because he enjoys Bond movies) is going to come over and we're going to watch movies and drink.  Sitting at home and drinking isn't the most becoming of behaviors for a teacher, but I need to cut loose a bit.  How often does Tuesday get to feel like Friday?  I guess technically it will again in two weeks when we get out of school for Thanksgiving Break.  We don't get a full week for Thanksgiving, but its close enough. Speaking of Thanksgiving, I would just like to give my personal props to the holiday.  Who doesn't love a holiday that (desp...

...Christmastime should not start until after Thanksgiving Day has come and gone.  Honestly, I'm already getting tired of Christmas decorations, party platters, and Christmas carols and its only the 2nd week of November.  Maybe I am being a little Grinchy, but I remember back when I was a kid and I didn't see any toy catalogs or window displays until we were eating all manner of turkey leftovers and it made it more special for me.  I know that some of you out there really get into Christmas and just can't wait for it to start (one of you is my ex, we shall call him Ducky).  Ducky spent all summer making a special video to give to his family for Christmas.  Even I can't help but say 'AW', but really?  Starting a gift in the summer?  Don't get me wrong, I'm all about getting my shopping done early.  If its two weeks to Xmas and I'm not done and wrapped, something is wrong.  I usually get my buying done on Black Friday to tell the truth...and on...

I love Fridays, even when we're reading Shakespeare. Actually, most of my kids are doing better with Julius Caesar than I would have expected, though its still a big struggle in the later classes of the day. Do you realize what happens to high school students after lunch?  Its kinda like when mogwais eat after midnight and change into gremlins.  They eat and then when they return to their later periods, they've changed.  They've stopped being reasonable, quiet, and drowsy teenager and have metamorphosed into chatty, rude, and crazed creatures that delight in giving their teachers gray hairs.  6th period, which is our next to last period, is a chore on its own, but it can't compare to 7th.  One wonders why they don't just schedule all electives for 7th period, because at that point (a scant 50 minutes until the end of the school day) the students have decided that the work day is over.  They want to talk, move around, and do anything that does not include l...

Do you ever sometimes look at a film that isn't terribly great and think to yourself 'Why?'  I mean, the film came out of a good studio, had good technical and acting talent attached, came out in a decent year for it's genre, and even had a decent script.  So what went wrong?  This happens so often in film that people tend to forget to ask the why and rather, just choose to write of the film as a failure and try to punish it with venomous comments.  Me, I'm a more diplomatic person I guess.  I like to ask the whys and hows and I like to put myself in the filmmaker's shoes and wonder "Would I have tried to make a failure of a film?"....of course not.  No one tries to make a bad film (even the people who make 'bad' films on purpose, like Grindhouse or Killer Klowns from Outer Space because these are supposed to be successful at being entertaining and skewering B movies).  Anyway, what I'm working up to is a discussion of Disney's The Bla...

I'm not in much of a writing mood today so I'll make this short. I'd say I have the typical Wednesday depression that hits everyone when Hump Day rolls around. It must really suck to be Wednesday. No one looks forward to you unless you're a holiday that week and no one likes it when you're around because you're equidistant from the weekend on either side. Thursday is much nicer because you're that much closer to Friday and Friday...well Friday is the party animal. But Wednesday can't even hang out with Monday or Tuesday. Mondays blow, sure, but the relief of finishing one almost makes the 'going back to work' part worth it (and more holidays occur on Mondays). And on Tuesday you're still riding the high of a productive or pleasant Monday evening. Wednesday is just there, a reminder that its still two more full days till the weekend. I kept up my comedy kick last night (as I watched a lot of horror the last few weeks in honor of Hall...

Ever have one of those nights where anything seems possible so you set into motion some sort of challenge for yourself?  I had one of those last night.  For some reason, I got to thinking about the film Julie and Julia and I thought..."Whatever happened to my idea to make one of Julia's recipes?"  So I looked up the recipe for her Boeuf Bourguignon last night on the computer and, after wading through the 30+ list of instructions for it, I said to myself "I can do that." So I invited a friend to dinner Saturday night and I plan to serve him my first attempt at cooking the Julia way.  God I hope I don't crash and burn.  Well, if Julie Powell didn't crash and burn, I can do it too.  Thank god its a new month, I can put all the ingredients and paraphernalia on my Mastercard. Also last night, while I was wading through the mire of complicated recipes a'la Julia, I decided to watch one of my 'movies I'm not supposed to like'.  I love movies ...

Wow, so its really hard to justify missing two post days last week when I honestly had nothing to prevent me from doing so.  Thursday was a bit of a rush though, as I had decided to miss school on Friday for doctors appointments and had a mad dash after school to put together sub plans and class lists so the sub would not be lost the next day.  I also had to call my thespian club parents and make doubly sure that they really wanted to cancel the fundraiser we had planned for Saturday's Halloween Parade.  Then, since I knew I didn't have to be up Friday morning for school, I stayed out late with a friend of mine.  So, its easy to see how frivolity can really sap your day of post writing time.  That's only Thursday though.  Friday I really do have no excuse, I didn't do all that much.  I just forgot about it because I had Friday evening, and all of Saturday's events on my mind.  I know, I know...excuses, excuses.  But at least I am back with a ...