A few movie reviews

I spent the last 2 and 1/2 days sick at home, with not much else to do but watch movies.  It's the best part of being sick, besides not having to do a THING!  The reviews below are very brief:

1. Insidious: (horror)  I love scary movies.  This was not one of those.  Don't waste your time.  -5 on the Melscale

2. Killers: (comedy/love) starring Ashton Kutcher as a retired spy.  Yes, this one is a little old, but I LOVE the story line and he's some really nice eye candy. +8 on the Melscale

3. Rain Man: (drama) oldie but goodie!  Re-visit it if you haven't seen it in awhile. I think it's pretty obvious that Tom has had some corrective dental surgery.  Or sumthin.... +10 on the Melscale
4.  The Stepfather: (horror/drama) this is a remake of the one starring Terry Quinn.  Very good edge of your seat drama. +8 on the Melscale

5.  Rango: (animated) Johnny Depp and Timothy Olyphant lend their voices to this.  I was a bit disappointed in this one, as was my 12 year old son.  But I guess it's hard to follow a Pirate movie.  Or Justified. 1 on the Melscale

6.  Season of the Witch: (historical horror?)  Really couldn't tell...I got bored with this one after about 20 minutes.  Thumbs down despite having the ever entertaining Nick Cage in the starring role. minus a billion on the Melscale

7.  Grownups: (comedy) I am NOT an Adam Sandler fan, but this one is worth watching!  +8 on the Melscale

8.  Just Go With It: (comedy/love story) Again, another Adam Sandler one with Jennifer Aniston that is cute and entertaining.  He keeps THIS up and I may become a fan. +7 on the Melscale.

9. Knock Around Guys...okay, I admit, I only watched this one up to the part where Vin Diesel came on.  Then I turned it off. Technically, it's a bad movie with the only saving grace being Vin.

10.  Paranormal Activity 2 (horror) Okay, technically, I watched this last week with my daughter.  Scared the CRAP out of me!  Seriously had the biggest goosebumps all over me and nightmares for a week.  +10 on the Melscale, just because I can't forget it!

Carpe diem!

It's the little things.....

This is the only gator I saw in New Orleans!

I joined Weight Watchers this past December for the 4th time.  The day I joined was the day they unveiled the new PointsPlus program that is changing my life!  Before I knew it, I was down 2 sizes!  And while that is great and I"m thrilled to death about it, it's other little changes in my body that I'm noticing that keep me going.  Here are a few:

*I can wear my wedding ring again and it SPINS on my finger.

*I lost weight in my feet, so now I wear smaller shoes.

*I can cross my legs again.

*I can sit "indian style" on the floor.

*I can GET UP off the floor without having to crawl to something to hold onto to pull myself up.

*I stopped taking and needing my GERD medicine.

*I can wear bangle bracelets again.  And fun rings!

*My knees don't hurt anymore.

*I bought a smaller size in clothes and now I can dry those in the dryer because they are getting loose.

And I"m not finished yet!  I can't help but be excited to see all the other little things I'll be able to do when I reach my goal.  Sometimes, what the scales say isn't enough...sometimes it's the little things that keep us motivated!

New car, new lessons

I may have mentioned before, that my Darling Daughter has begun driving.  She's been practice driving with me in the front seat for several months now.  My mantra has been "Relax your shoulders....lean back in your seat...loosen the death grip on the steering wheel."  Last night, our family purchased a new Chevy Traverse, a crossover SUV that is larger, longer and taller than the Saturn VUE I've been driving for the past 9 years.  (which incindentally, Darling Daughter inherited last night!).  After negotiations and tons of paperwork, we were finally able to take our new car home.  The kids piled in with me driving.  Now here's where it gets WEIRD....as I'm driving down the road, Darling Daughter turns to me and says "Relax your shoulders...lean back in your seat...loosen the death grip on the steering wheel."   Ahhhh....the student become the teacher!

At least I know she's listening to me!

Carpe' diem

Beauty and The Beast and My Adventure in Down Town Tulsa

My wedding to the "boyfriend" with
Peanut as the flowergirl

In 1991, Beauty and The Beast was released at the movie theater and I took my then 3 year old niece, Peanut, to see it on an Aunt/Niece Day.  She sat on my lap throughout the entire movie and at the end, when the Beast dies, we both bawled.  She turned to me and said "Aunt Sissy, it's so sad!"  That  year, she had a Beauty and The Beast birthday party and I bought her a stuffed Beast from the Disney Store. For ever after, when I hear the theme song, I think of my Peanut.  Such great memories.  Now, 20 years later, I got an email from the Tulsa PAC telling me that Beauty and The Beast Musical was coming to Tulsa!  So I took my now grown Peanut, as well as my daughter, to see it.  It was fabulous! The music and the costumes and the set were everything I was hoping they would be! Absolutely magical!  It looked like the storybook came to life up on the stage.  At the end, when the Beast dies, I wasn't breathing...and, yeah, I was crying. :)  Another priceless memory with my Peanut and this time, my daughter. 

Our "adventure" began with driving to Tulsa and eating dinner at The Olive Garden.  We were only about 14 miles from the resturant to the PAC, according the the GPS on my iPhone, so I wasn't very worried about making it on time.  Until I actually GOT downtown.  It seems that Sugarland was in concert at The BOK that night, and that's pretty much in the same area as the PAC.  Some of the streets were blocked off, the traffic was HORRIBLE, and the 2 policeman I stopped and asked directions from were useless. I was getting frustrated and worried that we'd miss the show.  Finally, my 15 year old daughter took my iPhone, pulled up the GPS and started giving me driving directions from the back seat.  I started listening to her, because, after all, I had screwed this up about as much as I could on my own.  Street by street, she guided us straight to the PAC and we found parking RIGHT across the street!  She saved the night!. When the show was over, she repeated the directions in reverse and got us back on the BA Expressway in no time at all.  I told her later that she could never use the excuse "I got lost" if she was late for curfew. :)  When my bestest friend, Cara, heard this story, she reminded me of the time I had tried to drive in downtown Tulsa to see my boyfriend at TCC one day.  I called her when I got back home, (no cell phones in the 80's) crying.  I had apparently driven around, lost in all the one way streets, for 4 hours!  She got a big laugh out of that.  I have NO memory of that day whatsoever.  I guess my pride blocked it out.  Too bad I didn't have that cool iPhone with GPS on it  back then!!!

Weight Watcher 1 point snack idea

In December, I joined Weight Watchers.  I'm down 16.4 pounds, and I'm not finished yet.  The new  Points Plus program is WONDERFUL and it makes it so much easier to follow and to lose,  as long as you write down what you eat and keep track of your points. I even lost weight during CHRISTMAS break and never once felt left out or deprived!  I found this recipe yesterday on the Weight Watchers website and tried it out.  Then I hid them so I would have something to snack on.  My kids loved them.  (which is why I hid them!!)  Sometimes, it's okay to be selfish. :)  2 crisps are1 Points Plus

Parmesan Cheese Crisps

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place scant tablepoons of grated Parmesan cheese on the paper and gently flatten. (I used a small soup spoon)  Sprinkle with chives, parsley and pepper.  I also sprinkled a little bit of onion powder on them.  Bake in a 425 degree oven for about 6 minutes, until the edges are brown. I think it would be fun to substitute other herbs for different flavors, or just leave the cheese plain.  They are great, crisp snacks or you can eat them with soup. 

Carpe diem'

Music Festival Update

I did it.  I went to the Ponca City Music Festival and I played the piano for a judge. I walked into the church, where the festival was being held, and a nice lady said to me "Do you have a piano or vocal student?"  I looked at her and said "I'M the student."  Her eyes flew wide open and she said "WONDERFUL!"  As it turns out, I was the ONLY adult playing in the Festival.  Add that to the fact that I was also the FIRST adult to play in the Festival.  I"m so glad I didn't know this at the time.  I would have run back to my car without even seeing the piano.  When it was finally my turn to play, I walked into that room, took one look at the baby grand piano sitting there and my heart started racing.  I have ALWAYS wanted to play a baby grand piano!  I am pretty sure I was actually drooling when I sat down on the bench.  And when I touched the keys, OMG!  It sounded GORGEOUS!  All I wanted to do was sit and play around for hours. But, I don't think the other people waiting to play would have appreciated it. 

 So I played for the judge...a stranger I didn't know. Yes, I was nervous. Yes, I messed up a little.  Yes, I had to start over.  BUT!  I was NOT forbidden to ever play again, nor did they send someone to take my piano away from me.  I faced a fear and I conquered it. The Superior score I got for playing was a nice touch, too. :)

Opening Night!

I need to have a tshirt printed that says "I survived Opening Night!"  After weeks of practice, Town and Gown opened The Odd Couple, Female Version last week.  I was a little nervous all day, but nothing too out of the ordinary.  Until I was standing backstage waiting for my cue.  The mild butterflies I had all day long had morphed into bald eagles.  By the time I stepped out and sat down at the table, my heart was racing and I didn't have a single drop of spit left in my mouth!  I was seriously scared.  There were actual PEOPLE in the audience and my mouth was so dry, my tongue was stuck to the roof of it!  I knew my lines...I just wasn't going to be able to say them.  And then.... we got our first laugh and I wasn't scared anymore!  The audience was having a good time!  They were laughing in all the right places and at times, it was all I could do not to laugh right along with them.  It was truly an incredible feeling...like I really HAD been drinking cough syrup! I can't WAIT to get back out there this week!!