All In For "21"

Winna Winna Chicken Dinna!

Last night being Tuesday night Leslie and I went out for our date night (bad on me for not posting review on our excellent dinner with friends Susan and Dan at La Parolaccia on Broadway in Long Beach for our date night last week--we want to hit new place near us that is also Italian cafe style and then I will do a dish by dish comparison; back to the show..). It was movie night so we headed to the theater.

Tuesday night is a great night to go to movies. The ticket sellers and takers we have noticed are more mature than the ones we see on the weekend matinees with the kids, therefore more friendly, engaging and helpful. There are no lines at either the ticket window or the concession stand. The theater is almost empty. The advantage of no lines and no patrons is that you can take your time.

Typically for a 4:00 show with the kids on a Saturday or Sunday we know we need to get there about 3:40 to get in line for tickets and be able to secure four seats in a decent location (personal preference when with kids in a crowded theater is I want an aisle--many of these movies are from Z to ZZZ so I want to stretch out a bit) which means we see all the ads and all the trailers. We learned a couple of weeks ago that the actually movie starts twelve minutes after the posted time on the marquee. Thus a 7:00 movie allows us to hit dinner around 6:30 and stroll into the theater at 7:12 right as it starts. We can do this because not only are there no movie patrons on Tuesday nights but there are no restaurant patrons either.

Last night we saw "21" (official site here; IMDB site here). I had read the book "Bringing Down The House" that was the basis for the screenplay and was excited when they made it into a movie. The book is a great read and while there is some Hollywood license, the movie does a really good job of portraying the story. Kevin Spacey does not disappoint and the kid who plays the lead is very good at creating sympathy when needed. I happened to notice that Kate Bosworth who plays the female lead is somewhat easy to look at for a couple of hours. The plot moves, makes sense and there is no sudden non sequitor taking you into fantasy and ruining the movie.

The only thing that almost ruined the movie were the two jerks sitting a few rows back. With only ten people in the theater everything is magnafied, especially when those burping long and loud, talking in normal conversational voices as if they were watching in the privacy of their living room and otherwise behaving boorishly are directly behind you. Thankfully the theater was empty so we were able to move to seats well behind the jerks and enjoy the film.

One more observation pointed out by my hot date; it is easy to see the connection between the butt that is thrice as wide as mine and the extra large popcorn that you pour the fake melted butter over, then dump out the top half into a carry-carton so you can pour even more fake melted butter into the bottom half, shaking to ensure even coating of the latex like additive then pouring the original back on top. Of course the 64 ounce soda was diet.

Rating for "21" : Wide Awake Go see it.

To refresh the rating system

Wide Awake: Excellent, go see
Comfy on the couch: Good movie, worth the theater money or top of the Netflix list for home viewing
Z: Dozed off for a few minutes
ZZ: Slept through "critical" plot development/resolution
ZZZ: A $10 nap

Mappin' "Anchor's Aweigh!"

photo courtesy of tripod.com

The beauties of Netflix are many, among them is the opportunity to expose the kids to some classic movies (one of Leslie's plusses is the ability to watch Gene Kelly again, and again, and again, and...) Recently we viewed Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly in "Anchors Aweigh" and it remains a wonderful movie. It was an easy one to put in the DVD since both girls, especially Jenna, love "Singin' In The Rain" and this one does not disappoint. Seeing a very young Frank Sinatra crooning and playing the dumb rube from Brooklyn, Gene Kelly performing amazing dance after amazing dance and a great love story plot made for a great MAPN (pronounced "Mappin' " for MovieAndPizzaNight).

Every Friday when we are home we have MAPN and rotate who gets to pick the movie. We started this a couple of years ago and it has become a great routine/tradition for us on Friday nights. We all start to think ahead when it is our week to pick a movie we enjoy. Netflix has really opened up to variety we watch, for some reason it is so much easier to browse and pick on-line than it was to cruise the aisles of Blockbuster. We have seen a lot of the old Disney movies from the Sixties (Appledumpling Gang, the original Flubber, Ugly Daschund...), plus the musicals and movies from the '40s and '50s.

As an added variable we also rotate which local pizzaria to enjoy the different offerings and pies (Dad has a rule: no Dominos! tastes like cardboard!). So while keeping a routine we add some variables to keep it from being a rut.

I envision the time far in the future when the kids are back from college, or visiting over a holiday and we all gather for Mappin', we will have to, it's Friday night!

"Anchors Aweigh" gets a solid: Comfy on the couch

(See below for rating system).

Start your own Mappin' with your family!

If you are like Leslie and a big Gene Kelly fan here is a site of pictures

True Musings For Friday Afternoon

If the kid is a jerk I bet one or both of the parents are as well. While there is a certain amount of behavior that is genetic disposition, there is a lot that is learned; including but not limited to being rude, obnoxious, self-centered and mean.

Why would anyone raise their children in a church, or school, or community organization, in which they are told they have no hope of success, that they will be the subject of systematic and organized oppression from all directions and to mistrust everyone but "us?" Then while doing this falsely preach "hope" for everyone but your kids--and their ethnic group. Anyone caught preaching and/or teaching my kids they have no hope, are doomed to oppression or otherwise give them the foundation of hopelessness instead of the foundation of striving to be the best and a success will not be seeing much of my kids.

Starbucks Grandes have an average price of $3.00 per cup ($48 total divided by 16 offerings). A Grande drink is 16 ounces. There are 64 ounces in a gallon; there are four Grandes in a gallon. Starbucks costs on average $12.00 per gallon. Think of this when someone you know hits Starbucks, or other high end coffee place, religiously...then bitches about the price of gas at the pump.

Milk is also more expensive than gasoline but is falsely so since it is supported by U.S. government subsidies and guaranteed prices.

How do you get a volunteer to quit? "Please go spend your free time somewhere else?" "We want to put you on payroll so we can fire you?"

I was reminded a while ago of a study a guy I knew did on high achievers. He found there are very few people he would designate as "Happy High Achievers". Most high achievers are very driven, their drive prevents their complete happiness as they are always searching for the next success, the next challenge to conquer that they feel will make them happy. I would rather be happy than be a high achiever; I think I am a happy achiever, let's leave out the "high" modifier.

We have an employee who is really good at her job, call her Judy. Her co-worker in the same position is a perfectionist and really gets bogged on small details that usually are not as relevant as she feels they are, call her June. I told June that Judy is excellent at being really good; I need June to quit trying to be really good at being excellent and be like Judy--be excellent at being really good and every one will benefit.

Often when I am by myself cooking I pretend Alton Brown or Tom Colicchio is either watching or will be eating what I am preparing.

Achieve happiness, be an achieving high happier!

It's A Date!

Photo courtesy of filmpeek.net

Since Leslie and I have been in the habit of having a sitter the past thirteen Tuesdays for a class we decided to continue the sitter and schedule and actual date night on Tuesdays. In the past we tried to have a couple of Friday or Saturdays a month but often found social and community obligations ate up those nights and then when we did not have those we just wanted to spend time with the kids and relax. No one schedules fundraisers on Tuesdays--and restaurants and movie theaters are empty!

Last night we decided to see a real adult themed movie for the first time since...I think that really bad gambling movie with Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey (sp?), "Two For The Money" I think. So it has been a while. We agreed on "Leatherheads" (IMDB link here), it has sports, football and is historic themed for me and George Clooney for Leslie. For some reason we now get "Entertainment Weekly" at home and they gave it a "C+" so I figured it must be good.

And it was, good that is. The only issue I had with the movie was there were some historical inaccuracies (literary license) but easy to get past those to enjoy a fun plot, good acting, great music from the 1920's and good dialogue. I enjoyed it, chuckled a few times, a laugh or two, overall enjoyable. While a romantic comedy it did not follow the bait and hook to lure guys into a chick flick the way "Forget Paris" with Billy Crystal did (the guys know this one, Billy Crystal is NBA referee and all the promos had funny lines with him and NBA stars--if you saw the trailer you saw all the funny parts and sports aspects of the movie)--that was a total chick flick and I'm still bitter about being suckered in ten plus years later.

"Leatherheads" is a good date movie, nothing overly serious, something for him, something for her, no sex scenes, no violence--except 1920s football, no bogus special effects, no vulgar language--a "sh*t" once or twice is as far as it goes. The comedy is clean and well written, the romance is somewhat subtle and relevant.

I rate this: Comfy on the couch

Rating system: I came up with this for the kids' movies we see where I inevitably take a nap during the show:

Wide Awake: Excellent, go see

Comfy on the couch: Good movie, worth the theater money or top of the Netflix list for home viewing

Z: Dozed off for a few minutes

ZZ: Slept through "critical" plot development/resolution

ZZZ: A $10 nap

Oh, dinner. On a budget we hit the Greek food place in the food court with a coupon--gyro plate and a beer, delicious!

Very Random

** Okay I will admit to voting more than once on the silly poll at the left--I like pie and cookies!

** My sister has a new view from her office, she over looks San Francisco Bay at Alcatraz and Coit Tower.She sent me this pic this morning, I think those are ferry boat that ply the bay between San Fran and Marin County.

This is Coit Tower in the background.

Pretty view.

**My view is of a parking lot, not a bad parking lot view as parking lot views go. I have a standing desk so I am looking down on the parking lot all day watching the comings and goings.

Next to us is a decent size building which houses the Huntington Beach High School District Administration. They seem to employ quite a few people who smoke. Something that has intrigued me are the smokers who do power walking around our parking lot while smoking a cigarette.

I guess that is like ordering a salad for lunch or dinner and then getting a big slice of pie for dessert; balance out the universe.

** Watching this primary season I think the Democrats need to change the name of their party as their selection process for the Democratic nominee is not very democratic. They have disenfranchised all the voters in Michigan and Florida. And their party is set up with "superdelegates" who are beholden to no process or standards for whom to cast their very precious votes at the convention--thereby usurping the selection process from their party members and voters. Maybe they should change the name to the "Authoritarian" Party, or the "Oligarchic" Party. Points to the person who can best rename the party to match their selection procedures.

** Back to parking lots, people driving through parking lots drive like they are on a street, people walking through parking lots walk like they are on a sidewalk. I am surprised more walkers are not run over by drivers.

** Too many people in Southern California complain about the weather. Seriously. In the summer it is too hot, when we finally get rain for the first time since May, April, March in October or November they wish it was sunny. When it rains for the third day in a row they are "so sick of all this rain." It rained last night--after dinner time mind you--and someone this morning was complaining because...I don't know why she was complaining but, "it's April already I am done with the cold (sixty five degrees) and wet."

** My position on taxes is this: I would rather pay taxes in America than any other country on Earth...just not too much.

** I will be 46 in three months, for the first time today someone other than my wife told me

my hair was getting gray...she also told me, "at least you don't have a bald spot." Inside half a decade for me AARP card.