Such the Movie Watcher

I seem to be going through a movie spurt. Kelley and I watched "Wanted" the other night. Derrick and I watched "Castaway." Tabotha and I watched "Wall-E" and "Matagascar 2: Escape to Africa."

Here's the Aunt Mary short reviews:

Wanted - Kind of a stupid movie. I guess I had high expectations and it just didn't meet them. Not sorry that I rented it. But, it definitely didn't live up to the hype.

Castaway - Seen it a dozen times and could see it a dozen more. Love Tom Hanks. I don't know that I have ever seen a movie with him in it that I didn't like.

Wall-E - Oh sooo cute!!! I would watch it again. Fell in love with that little robot.

Matagascar 2 - Loved it! Funny, funny, funny!

Tonight we rented "88 Minutes", "Hancock", and "Burn After Reading." I'll be back to let you know my ever so important thoughts on these.

The Day After

It's the day after Christmas! The excitement of opening presents and enjoying family is gone. sigh...I have a full week and a half off and not sure what I am going to do with myself.

My Husband bought one of these:

I am really enjoying it!!! Then, my kiddo bought me this for it:

It is great! When you first start it up, the system takes you through a balance and strength test, calculates your BMI, and then makes you create a fitness goal. Yesterday, I tried the aerobics, yoga, and balance training. Kind of a fun way to get a little exercise in my day.

Tabotha (Kelley's daughter) and I went to see Marley & Me last night.

Wasn't impressed. It's a sweet movie but the plot lacks depth. I strongly recommend that you wait until it comes out on DVD.

Happy Day After Christmas! Time to get back to regular life.

Seven Pounds

Kelley and I saw it last night. Here is the Aunt Mary review that I gave to Lacy:

It is a very slow movie. But, it's well worth the wait. The storyline is beautiful. The director laid out the story in a way that keeps you guessing for quite a while. I would say that it's not really a man's movie. Kelley liked the story line too but didn't like how slow it was. Go by yourself or take a girlfriend.

What I didn't tell Lacy: Will Smith does an excellent job! The soundtrack is beautiful!

Go see it! By the end of it, I don't think you will feel like you wasted your $2000 to see it. (LOL - Sorry that's my pathetic jab at how much movies cost these days.)

Family Weekend is Over

Family weekend is over. We had a great time! Here are a few highlights:

"Wii" played lots of Wii!

Had some fun Karaoke moments.

Enjoyed the visiting!

Received an inspiring message from Derrick. He's going to be a policeman!!!! Go Derrick!!!

Family Weekend is Here!!!

My handsome son is on his way! I can't wait to see him!

The countdown begins until everyone else arrives. I love my family!!!

White Christmas?

Not quite! But, it really is snowing in Spring, TX!!!

Just Playin' Around

What do you think??? Okay - Okay! Some may not think it's funny. LOL - You have to read Lacy's Blog in order to get the joke.

Letting the Cat Out of the Bag

Hehe.. NO! This isn't another post about my most adorable animals. Whew!

It's time for me to let the cat out of the bag. (No! I'm not pregnant. Whew!) In early November, my company hosted a health fair. You know.. the ones where they check your cholesterol, weight, various measurements, and insulin levels. Needless to say, I was not pleased with my weight nor measurements. But, that's not what concerned me the most. My cholesterol was 244. That's 44 higher than it should be. After much contimplation over what this number meant in relation to my weight and age, I decided that it's time to make a change. This is not an "I'm going to diet and exercise until I am a size 6" change. I truly want to become a healthier person.

I researched cholesterol information to better understand what I should do. I then sat down and formulated some structured goals. Hesitation filled me as I began to make a committment to a different way of thinking. I didn't want to expose these goals only to fail later down the road and have to endure the mild disappointment of those who were rooting for me. But, this time, it's different. My goals are simple yet slightly challenging. They inspire me to see myself to a resolution. Lifelong resolution! I have posted them below. My ultimate goal is to reduce and maintain my cholesterol level. I even hired a personal trainer to help me jumpstart my "get moving" plan. The first thing that I told her was that I am not doing this to lose weight or gain a smaller waist (I don't mind if I do), but it's not my goal.

I share these with you really to hold myself accountable. I am not asking anyone to watch every morsel that I put in my mouth or every cigarette that I puff. I am making slow and steady changes. So right now, it's not about the food. It's about getting myself moving. It's about building a stronger, healthier body. It's about achieving my goals - one step at a time.

Goals:
Nov 10th - Begin exercise program with a personal trainer. My personal trainer will assist me every Monday and Wednesday for 5 weeks. I will work out for at least 30 mins per day at least 4 days per week. Currently, I am focused on aerobic excercise. Any exercises that puts my body in motion. I commit to walking the dogs for one mile on the days that I do not work out. I did promise my trainer that I would begin eating breakfast everyday on this date as well. We agreed that I didn't have to focus on what it was but that I HAVE to get in the habit of eating breakfast.

Dec 1st - Begin stop smoking program. I need to do some soul searching as to which method will be most effective for my success. By Nov. 22nd, I will know this method and incorporate it into my goals.

Jan 1st - Remove sodas and sugar drinks from my diet. This includes my daily Starbucks.

Jan 23rd - Go to Doctor to have my numbers checked again. Re-evaluate exercise goals and determine what new techniques should be incorporated into my program.

Feb 1st - Begin to incorporate healthier food choices into my diet. I will commit to changing 3 things in my diet for the month of February going forward. I will report and document the decided changes prior to this date.

March 1st - Add 3 more diet changes. I will report and document the decided changes prior to this date.

April 17th - Go to Doctor to have my numbers checked again. Sustain diet and exercise changes.

Right now, my biggest challenge is the cigarettes. I did quit on 12/1 but have since bought and smoked cigarettes. I have committed to continuing to quit until I don't buy them ever again! No matter how many times I have to go through stopping and starting. Eventually, I have to grow tired of them.

Felt Like Dressing Up

They just felt like dressing up. ;-)

Getting Ready for Family Weekend

TADA!!!! Getting ready for Family Weekend and Christmas. I think this is by far the cutest Christmas tree that I have ever had! I just think it is adorable.

YES, LEISA! That is your snowman. He's cute too huh? I guess he's not really 3 ft.. maybe 2.

Update: Zoe's BoBo

I took the poor Zoe girl to the vet today. I guess thankfully it appears to be a cat fight that caused the yucky injury. But, it does concern me that there is a cat THAT vicious strolling around our neighborhood.

Vet gave her a pain shot and some antibiotics. She should be back to her lovely self soon.

Zoe's BoBo

My poor Zoe has a bobo. I don't know what got her. But, it got her good! She doesn't act like it hurts. Yesterday, she was cleaning it with her paw.


Can I put regular antibiotic ointment on it??

Thanksgiving Day Parade

I went to the Thanksgiving Day Parade in Houston. It was my first time. I really enjoyed it! Here are some pics for you to enjoy:

Guilty

Do you remember these? (Mema gave me two of them.)

Well, now they look like this!! It appears that a couple of plant bandits have destroyed them.

And, here they are!!!

Bus Beats

This was my bus driver home today. He has no idea that I took his picture. Have no clue as to his name. But, I do know that he talks to hisself (himself?) during the entire ride. He's not the friendliest of the bus drivers.

This is the Cotton Exchange. This building is very old. Not sure what it was born as. I just like it. And, I like it's location.

For Kallie: The Cupcake Test

This one is for you, Kallie!

What Your Cupcake Says About You

At parties, you tend to be a social butterfly. You enjoy making conversation and making sure everyone is having fun. You hardly have any restraint. You only hold yourself back when absolutely necessary. The most important thing in your life is love. You are laid back, flexible, and easy to get along with. To know you is to care for you.

The Cupcake Test

Creamy Wafers - I Did It!

I finally made the creamy wafer cookies that my wonderful sister makes every year for the holidays. They are divine!

Lesson learned: She told me to use a shot glass as my cookie cutter. Unfortunately, I couldn't find ONE shot glass in my house. So, I used a small wine glass. The cookies are too big. I like her smaller ones that you can pop in your mouth. Otherwise, they still have the same delightful taste.

Stole This One From Jeanette

Yeah.. I stole it. But, it's kind of cool.

What's in a name?

What Mary Means

You are confident, self assured, and capable. You are not easily intimidated. You master any and all skills easily. You don't have to work hard for what you want. You make your life out to be exactly how you want it. And you'll knock down anyone who gets in your way! You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic “Type A” personality. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in. You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising. You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Gosh Darnit!

You see the time on this post, right? I was jarred out of bed by a huge crash of lightning. Had I not looked out the window, I would have sworn that it struck something right outside my bedroom. It seriously sounded like it hit the light pole or Kelley's truck or something. I DID hear a crash!!! But, to no avail, at this late hour (or wee, wee morning hour), I don't see the lightning's damage other than my sleepy reflection in the mirror. I'm up, gosh darnit!!! And, can't get back to sleep.

So here are some questions that I thought might cause you to wonder as well...

• How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of murdered?
• Why do you have to 'put your two cents in'... but it's only a 'penny for your thoughts'?
• Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?
• How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?
• Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?
• Why is 'bra' singular and 'panties' plural?
• If the professor on Gilligan's Island could make a radio out of a coconut,why couldn't he fix a hole in a boat?
• If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn't he just buy dinner?
• If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
• Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

Sweet dreams!

Saturday Night Sillyness

Here we goooo....

Saturday Night by The Bay City Rollers


Saturday Night Fever with John Travolta


Saturday Night At The Movie by The Drifters


Yes, I was bored.

I Love Technology

I truly love technology. I know that it causes us to be more sedentary than our ancestors. But, man, you can't beat these things:

• Cell Phones with internet, music, bluetooth, email, games and whatever else floats your boat.
• Being able to download the song that you like from an album instead of having to buy the whole thing


• Recording all of your favorite shows on your DVR (I don't have one but hope to get one someday.)

• Blogs
• Car Radios that allows you to plug in your iPod - Just bought one 2 weeks ago and I love it!! Good bye transmitter.

• GPS Navigators - Don't have one of these either but can get it on my phone. One day, I'll have a car with it built in.

And more....

What would we do without it all?

"Animal"ation

Does This Bother You???

First of all, I think I have a bus infatuation. LOL .. here is yet another blog about a bus. But, it's not about MY bus this time.. How about that???

Today, I travelled across town for a class. (Boring one at that.) While sitting at a red light, I watched as a school bus passed me carrying elementary students. To my shock and dismay, there were students standing in the aisle of the bus. What?????

I am one to believe that school buses need seat belts. Why do we make our children wear them in our cars but they don't have to wear one on the bus??? Children standing in the aisle of the bus while it's moving makes absolutely NO SENSE!!! Clearly, the bus was full which caused this scene. I continue to be shocked by the value (or shall I say, devalue) we place on our children.

Tell me.. does this bother you as much as it does me???

Blogger's Block

Sigh!!! Suffering from blogger's block these days. Don't really have any fun topics or even interesting ones to blog about. What do I typically do when I am not blogging and just plain bored?? Play this:

	I love to play Canasta Play with 4 wild cards and a 104-card deck!
Pogo.com — play hundreds of fun games online!

I keep meaning to take my camera to work. There are some really cool buildings downtown that I never noticed.

A bit agitated with the hub tonight. In all fareness to him, I can't really blog about that.

Stay tuned!!! Something FUN has to be coming my way.

Rocky Horror Picture Show

Oooo.. Rocky Horror Picture Show was playing on one of our local stations last night. Memories!!!! When I was in High School, I had my own Rocky Horror moments. One of my girlfriend's sister took us to see it at the old Alabama theatre on Shepherd for the first time. Wow! I was completely amazed. If you have never been, it's a sight to see. It's an interactive show complete with props, actors, actresses, and crowd participation. I was hooked!

My girlfriend and I then began a long stint of seeing it every Friday and Saturday night. (It was also my excuse for staying out later than midnight.) We would go to each show ready for the activities. Squirt gun, newspaper, cards, ready to do the Time Warp, and whatever else that was needed for the experience. We thought we were sooo cool because we would have breakfast with the cast after the show. My girlfriend even began dating one of the main characters.

At that time, it was a big deal as to how times you had seen the show. "I've seen it 120 times." "Well, I've seen it over 300 times." And on and on...

Watching it on TV is not quite the same. But, I must say that it was fun to realize that I still know the words of the songs. I find the plot amusing. It's the stupidest movie you'll probably ever see but keeps you entertained.

Sadly, the Alabama Theatre no longer exists. It's now a Bookstop.

Ode to the Alabama Theatre.. Here is one of my favorite scenes:

Bus Beats

I know that I have mentioned my bus rides from work on several occasions. But, I must admit. They can be very interesting at times.

Two days ago, I listened as one woman attempted for 30 mins to sell a Mexico vacation to the women occupying the seat next to her. Interesting how the conversation flowed. The women being sold was clearly feeling as though she was making a friend. But, the seller was rolling with the conversation and kept bringing it back to that vacation. In the end, they parted ways with an assurance that the sellee would surely be checking out this great deal.

This morning, I enjoyed listening to another set of women admire pictures from a recent wedding. Friendly pleasantries and compliments were exchanged.

But, this afternoon, well, it takes the cake. A man and woman sat right behind me. We shall call them Man & Woman. Their conversation began with Man telling Woman about his trip to Spain. At first, I thought she was just acting interested. He told her about how one of their tour guides was flirting with his 22 yr old daughter. During this conversation, Woman stated, "Well, you like to flirt.. why is it so wrong for her to flirt?" Hmmm... not to alarming right? Then, they began looking at his vacation photos. Woman kept making what I felt was really statements. For example: Man showed her a picture of an Iguana "That's an Iguana." To which Woman replied, "Oh, a lizard?" Ok?? She continued to make comments about his pictures that seemed a bit obvious. As we neared the bus stop, Man says, "Well, I enjoyed seeing you. I won't be at work tomorrow. Seems like I never took time off." Woman says, "I missed you while you were gone. I bet you didn't miss me." Man says, "Actually, I did miss you."

The moral of this story: My instincts tell me something is going on with these two. I would guess they are tinkering on the verge of an affair. This is not really my business.

But isn't it interesting the things that I get to hear on the bus?

Checkin' Out My Tunes

Just scanning through iTunes looking for some new music and was wondering.... who have you not seen in concert but would like to?

Me?

• Elton John
• Van Morrison
• Al Green
• Akon
• Beyonce
• Aretha Franklin

I've Gone Green - kind of

No, not because my last name is Green. And, not because I really like the color green. And, not because Green is my son's favorite color. I just realized today that by riding the bus to my job everyday, I am actually contributing to the Green efforts. Woohoo!!!

I have always wanted to contribute. I am not quite ready to put my plastics in a separate bag for recycling everyday. I try hard to turn the water off while I brush my teeth. And, I've always thought it would be cool to live in a house that is powered by Solar. (Don't quite have the money for that yet.) Other than these, I never could figure out how I could be Green for my lifestyle. Now, I am contributing!!!

What are you doing to contribute? And try to not rub it in my face.. :-)

Comfort in a Bowl

We all have those foods that just seem to make us feel better at times. They are called "Comfort Foods." For a brief moment, placing that comfort food in your mouth sends a pleasing signal from your taste buds to your brain. I can't help but wonder if they actually cause your brain to release serotonin too. Hmmm..

Depending on the day and the moment, I have several comfort foods: chips & chili con queso, oxtails, ice cream, chocolate, and...

POPCORN.. yep, I said popcorn.
No matter what movie I am seeing at the theatre, I would swear that I actually get more excited about the popcorn than the movie. Popcorn is dinner for me on occasion. Unlike those who choose to scoop up a handful and throw it in their mouth, I like to eat it one piece at a time. Love the crunch and love the flavor.. with the right toppings, of course.

I used to eat it regularly with M&M's. Salty, sweet.. YUMMY! Now my taste buds prefer these two toppings...

Parmesan and Butter Topping. The butter gives the popcorn that oily flavor like at the movies. The parmesan adds just the right cheesy flavor. Either way, when I am in the mood, popcorn most certainly serves as one of my comforts.

What do you like on your popcorn?

Sassy Sunday

Today has been an exciting day in the Green household. I present to you the newest edition to our animal kingdom: Sassy. She's an 11 wk old pomeranian. We decided to get her more for Sophie's sake than ours. We thought it would be nice for Sophie to have a companion. But, Kelley and I have fallen in love with her just as much.

Sassy absolutely fits her personality. She is a furry mess. Gets into everything already. Best of all, Sophie loves her!!! Zoe has been indifferent about the situation. I can just imagine her thinking, "Sigh! Not another one."