3 MORE MOVIES!

Okay, this has been a very productive staycation for seeing movies. My first was "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". Sooooo awesome. Then I saw "Doubt" with Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Now, because "Benjamin" was soooo damn good, I thought "Doubt" was good, but the story (about a priest who may or may not have touched an alter boy) just didn't grab me like "Button". Then I saw "Milk."

Wow. First off, it is rare a movie makes me want to be a gay man in the 70's....but anyway. What a facinating person this Harvey Milk was. It was a such a well done movie about his life and how he became the first openly gay man in a pretty major office in San Francisco. And mark my words, it will be Sean Penn's first Oscsar win...hands down. He was simply amazing. Brad Pitt was great as Benjamin Button, but Sean Penn was mesmorizing as Harvey Milk. He was awe inspiring.

That movie made me want to be an activist. It was a tie for first place between "Milk" and "Benjamin Button" for what movie I liked best. Then I saw "Slumdog Millionaire." We have a winner.

Now, it may be because I saw it last, but "Slumdog Millionaire" is one of the best movies I've ever seen...period. I realized the thing that has been missing from most movies I see is a great story, and "Slumdog" is a great story. It's about a kid in India who is one question away from winning millions on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" He is accused of cheating and in explaining how he knew all the answers, we learn about his life.

I laughed, I cried...I was emotional. It's the kind of movie that sticks with you for a couple of days after...lingering....tugging. I was unable to sleep last night thinking of that movie. Well that and the fact that my Christmas cold finally got here.

So, let's review this rambling blog about movies. Go see:

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Milk"
"Slumdog Millionaire" and if you have money and time left over
"Dout"

If you are not completely moved by "Slumdog" well...I don't know what to tell ya. I found it amazing. Now...where's my Nyquil. I like taking it during the day.

MOVIE REVIEW "BENJAMIN BUTTON"

Went and saw my first movie on my winter staycation. I hope to see a ton of them! I saw "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". Let me put this in a way you will totally get. Jeff would HATE the movie and Meredith would LOVE the movie.

I loved it! I thought it was soooo good and I couldn't help but think that it had a "Titanic" feel to it. Not in the story at all, but in the grandness of the movie. Love or hate "Titanic", you cannot deny that sucker was a huge grand movie.

"Benjamin Button" has that same feel. It's a beautiful movie, in both the story and the look of the movie. And I don't think I have ever said this before, but Brad Pitt was amazing and perfect for this movie.

I can only hope the other movies I hope see are half as good. (oh Christmas was good too!)

CAN'T BEAT THEM, JOIN THEM

Broke out the ol' snow shoes this weekend. Seemed liked the thing to do with this amazing snow! I'm loving it on the weekend! Not sure I'll be as happy tomorrow morning around 2am before work.

Anyway, back to the snow shoes. This is the thing that ripped off the back of my heel last year and I could feel it rubbing it, but I survived.

Now, about snow shoeing...IT'S HARD! My God, I huff and puff like I'm 90! I go with my BFF (so I can be sure to have a witness to my exhaustion). At one point she was saying something to me like, "Isn't the snow pretty?" And I was seeing stars from being completely wiped out plus, sooo cold and sweating - all at the same time.

My BFF repeated, "Isn't the snow pretty?" 5 times before I understood what she was trying to tell me. I explain this as SSBD or Snow Shoe Brain Damage. I think I pulled a muscle out there and that muscle is the gray one inside my skull.

Thank God for the Patriots kicking total butt!

IT'S HERE! THE AMAZINGT SNOW SCOOP!

Christmas has come early in the Voornas household! The Amazing Snow Scoop (or the Amazing Rip-Off) has come! I read an article in the paper a few weeks back about this sled looking scoop with a wheel! It's apparently suppose to make life SOOO much easier when it snows. I'll be the judge of that.

Now all I need is snow! Not too much snow, 4 inches and below please. After that we have someone come and plow out the condo. Check out my new Amazing Snow Scoop!

I just got it and have to put the wheel on the other side...that cardboard thing is extra blades (yes...I bought extra blades!) Okay everyone...wish for snow!!

ICE STORM GUILT

The second ice storm. 10 years ago I was on the hill in a different spot and uh, I didn't lose power...not even a flicker. This ice storm I'm still on the hill (that's Munjoy Hill) and again, I didn't lose power.

I know, I know. I'm sorry. Hell, Teddy STILL doesn't have power! (by the way, he is REALLY sick of all the bad luck).

Everyone I know lost power. I swear, every single person. I haven't said a thing because...well - I have power! I have a shower, I have tv, a computer, fridge, stove...my God I love power. I am not even going to mention how pretty the storm was, cuz that might get me lynched.

I hope to God no one asks me if I lost power...cuz I might be forced to mumble or even lie!

THAT WAS VERY PLEASANT

The first Saturday in December is reserved for my "crazy" friends of friends from Connecticut. There are 7 of us and we bombard Freeport with shopping and eating as our only goals. We always start nice and early, break for the buffet at the Harraseekett Inn and then BAM it's back out to shop. We end with stuffing our pie holes at home - this time it was taco night.

This year I was certain there would be a less festive feeling in the air because of the economy. I know I did more window shopping than actual purchasing, and I didn't pay full price for anything.

But, the retail workers were amazing. Rose at Burberry's was soooo nice. April at Polo Factory - hello, she's like family now. Even the gang at Horny Toad was above and beyond (would have remembered their name but was entering shopping coma by that point).

I have heard horror stories about how mean customers AND retail workers have been. That's too bad. I even had cramps and could muster up a smile and a "hi". I just don't get why some people have to be douche bags - it's the holiday season for cripes sake! I wanted to give some shout outs to everyone who made my big ol' Freeport shopping day a great, fun day!

DID I MENTION IT WAS SNOWING?!

It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing!

Did I mention it was snowing?