Nonsense Tip of the Week

When you are the only person singing along with the soloist performing the "Star Spangled Banner" at a public event, STOP.

Slumdog Millionaire

Another movie review, sorry. I know I need to post more than just movie reviews. I promise to do better. :)

However, don't hold it against the movie. It's fantastic. While, it doesn't shy away from some of the harsher realities of life in Bombay/Mumbai, it does manage to stay a "feel good" movie. The story is, ultimately, the story of the triumph of an underdog. I don't want to give anything away, but you immediately connect with Jamal and Latika and the ethical ambiguity of Salim keeps you guessing, is he a good guy, a bad guy, something in between? The way the story unfolds through a series of flashbacks anchored to the questions and answers during Jamal's appearance on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" is interesting and unique. And, in spite of all of the hoopla and Oscar buzz, it still managed to have me on the edge of my seat, which I guess also shows I didn't know the answer to the question. Once you've seen the movie, you'll realize just how embarrassing that it is.

The Reader

How far would you go to protect a secret?

The Reader explores this question and much more. It is one of the most beautiful, haunting and disturbing movies I've ever seen. The movie is deftly crafted and the understated, subtle performances by Ralph Fiennes and Kate Winslet are masterful.

Winslet's Hannah and Fiennes' Michael meet innocently enough, but things quickly change and they embark on an affair. The fact that Michael is 16 and Hannah is in her mid-thirties is disturbing, but I found myself connecting to Hannah anyway. Hannah's "big secret" becomes apparent to the audience, early on, but there is so much more to the story than Hannah's shame over her "horrible" secret.

Anything more and I'd ruin it. I was lucky enough to go in to the movie knowing absolutely nothing about it, which was the best way to go. So, don't read any spoilers, don't let anyone tell you anything about the plot, just trust me it's amazing, go see it.

Introducing Holly

Hi, my name is Holly. I'm hanging out with the Nonsense human for a few weeks. I'm learning all kinds of fun stuff, too, like I can fit under the backyard gate. The human lady did not like that at all. Come to think of it, I didn't enjoy being lifted back over the fence, so much. I do like to explore and I'm kind of sick of the tiny back yard. I get more shots on Friday, so this weekend we might go to the park. Til then I have tons of toys to play with even though I'd rather play with shoelaces or even better, the whole shoe. I'm also a very good guard dog. I protected the human from a dangerous piece of white paper tonight.

Exhausted human here. I'd forgotten how much work a puppy is and how much energy they have. Overall, we're having lots of fun. Holly is very sweet, smart and eager to learn. But, she definitely has a mind of her own. A shout out to the Monks of New Skeke and their book, "The Art of Raising a Puppy" It's been a huge help. Together we're learning to walk on a leash (without having it in her mouth), sit, come and my personal favorites off and drop it. She's catching on pretty quickly. I'm fostering Holly through Pup Squad. For more information on this great organization, please click on the link.

Holly will be available for adoption in about a month or so.

Cell Phone Etiquette Part 2

I've always thought it was tacky, if not downright rude to talk on a cell phone while completing a purchase. But, now that I've spent quite a bit of time over the past few weeks behind a cash register, I have a new perspective.

It doesn't (always) bother me as much as I thought it would. But, here's a secret, cashiers can tell if you're stuck on the phone and/or actually dealing with something important or not. If you're stuck in a situation beyond your control, no harm, no foul. The harried mother trying to deal with the kids with her while talking to the kids back home (and usually apologizing to me the whole time) has my complete sympathy. There are several other types of cellshoppers who also fall in to this category and, truly, I'm not bothered by these situations.

However, the people who are clearly just carrying on extended chit chat sessions are another story. Are you seriously so self-absorbed that you can't take two minutes out of your day to give the cashier your full attention, basic respect and common courtesy. Trust me the people behind you would appreciate it, too. While the first category of cellshopper usually tries hard to wrap everything up as quickly as possible, this second group takes their own sweet time with no regard to the line of people behind them as the fumble one handed with their purchases, their change, etc.

While the register line chatters are rude, there are a group of even worse offenders. People who ask for assistance and STILL carry on their conversations. This is so beyond rude I can't find the words. I have been monopolized by people who asked for my help and then forced me to wait around for them to take a breath so I can get a word in edgewise, usually with a line of other people waiting for assistance.

I can't decide if this is a matter of being unbelievably self-centered, completely oblivious or deluded into thinking that acting this way makes them seem important. (Trust me, no one thinks you're so busy/important/special that you can't get off the phone, they just think you're rude.) I guess it really doesn't matter why they do it, just that they do it. So, once again people, I'm going to say GET OFF THE PHONE!


And don't even get me started on the people who can't take their iPod earphones out...and guess what it's not teenagers.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I can't comment on the quality of the adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story, since I've never read it. (Okay, let's be completely honest here, I didn't realize it was based on a F. Scott Fitzgerald short story until about two weeks ago, quite an embarrassing gap in my literary education.) However, I am definitely going to read the short story now, I'm in awe of sheer imagination of such a unique story. The concept of aging backwards completely fascinates me.


What I can say, is that the movie is fantastic. The deft storytelling draws you in and somehow makes aging backwards seem completely plausible. It's at once heart warming and heart breaking. The entire cast was amazing, but Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett disappeared in to the characters, which given Pitt's current state of celebrity is quite a feat. Don't be intimated by the 2 hour and 47 minute running time, the movie doesn't feel long at all. One final note, telling the story against the backdrop of Hurricane Katrina could have been heavy handed or preachy, but somehow it was brilliant.

Gnome Adventures

Somehow after spending all day behind the register on Christmas Eve staring at the display of goofiness in a box, I ended up with my very own Wee Little Garden Gnome. He'll appear periodically to share his adventures.

His first adventure was on New Year's Day. I took him to visit my pony. {No, I don't actually have a pony. My friend Kim and I helped build a playground recently and we decided to tackle the pony on a spring. We're inordinately proud of our pony because, due to a lack of appropriate tools, it took us three hours to install 8 bolts. }

Unfortunately, our first adventure was a little disappointing.

As you can see, the playground was locked. In addition to being disappointed that we couldn't visit our pony, we are also very confused as to what the point of a playground the neighborhood kids can't actually play in is.

Anyway - you can't really see him all that well, but here's our pony:

Marley & Me

Cute puppy, crazy antics, what's not to love? Run, don't walk and go see this movie. You'll laugh a lot, cry a little and generally have a very good time.

Fame vs. Privacy

It's not a new debate, how much privacy does a public figure deserve? Some people say, not much, they make their living (usually a pretty damn good one) at least in some part, because we (the public) are interested in them. Others say, they should be left alone, their work should speak for itself. I, personally, fall somewhere in the middle. If you're out promoting your work, you should be accessible (and PLEASANT). However, if you're trying to have dinner in a restaurant or otherwise just trying to live your life, you should be left alone. (Sidebar - I'm not talking about the stalkaratzi, I'm talking about normal people, the autograph hounds and the cell phone photog. Profesional photographers taking pictures at public events is one thing, camping out at people's homes, chasing them down the street or using super-telephoto lens to snap pictures of people in their own backyards should be against the law.)

However, I will admit that I am guilty of reading those vapid "entertainment" magazines (People, US, etc.) and discussing in great detail the latest celebrity gossip. It's not something I'm proud of, but I but can't seem to help myself. In the interest of full disclosure, I'll admit I followed the Anna Nicole story, almost bought a "Team Jen" t-shirt and most recently discussed the tragedy that befell the Travolta family with my girlfriends in minute detail. However, I heard something on the news today that stopped my in my tracks:

...."an EMT on the scene reported that Travolta held his son's hand the whole ride to the hospital."

Seriously, doesn't everybody, regardless of how they choose to make their living, their level of fame and even their not-quite-mainstream religious beliefs deserve a little privacy while attending to their dying child? Suddenly, I felt like I was intruding in a profoundly private moment, probably because I was.

My condolences to the family.

Random Photos

I've been tagged by Mrs. Squirrel Assassin over at The Ramblings of a Hunter's Widow. For the people I'm going to tag here are the rules:

You take your folder in which you keep your digital photos, choose the fourth folder, then the fourth picture. Explain. Tag four people.

Now for the irony - here's my picture:

This was taken at my 10 year anniversary celebration at my previous employer...yep, the people who laid me off in October. Maybe it's not really all that ironic, but it still feels a bit strange.






And to pass along the fun. I'm tagging Lu over at Lu's Dirt. Ms. McCall at McCall's Manic Merry-go-Round, Bee at Bee's Musings and Storm at Rambling's a Mad Chica.

Looking forward to seeing your photos!