Archive for "Movies"
The Weekend So Far
Posted on October 15, 2005 by Ching under Life, Movies, Poker.
With the semester being as stressful as it has been, I can’t believe I made it to fall break in one piece (if at all). You all know how I’ve thought about jumping off a bridge a few times. Anyway, I have another take home exam in accounting to work on but since there are no classes on Monday or Tuesday I figured I would take this opportunity to relax a bit. Last night relaxing involved dinner and movie. Brian got out of work around ten-ish. We were going to play poker with Rush and his friends, but they play their cash games a little differently. I like the buy-in, tournament style format. I was going to go over there around nine thirty to hang out, but then I realized I still didn’t have a pin number to my debit card. There was no way for me to get cash out and I didn’t want to go and just hang out until Brian showed up with the cash. I just ended up calling Rush and canceling. Brian picked me up and we went to PF Chang’s for dinner. I love how late they are open. At least you can always count on getting good food after ten o’clock and not having to settle for Denny’s or something. Over dinner we discussed my debit card woes. As long as I can use my debit card as a credit card I am fine, but I am otherwise pretty helpless. I can’t get cash out. Isn’t that nuts? I have no access to money without Brian. We’ve talked about going to the bank to set up my pin number in case of emergency. That way I’m less of a damsel in distress and will actually be able to take care of myself. Then we never get around to doing it because my schedule is super tight and I guess we both don’t think it’s that much of a priority. I don’t even think of it really, until I need to get cash out. I typically only use my debit card for lunches and stuff and most places will allow me to use it as a credit card except for places like El Patio who are stuck in the middle ages. They only take cash or check. Is that dumb, or what? Brian actually doesn’t mind my inability to get cash so much. I mean, he worries about emergencies and stuff but he looks at it as a form of job security. He says this guarantees that I will always need him. He joked about fearing the day that I gain my independence because that will be the day that I leave him. That’s a pretty funny way of looking at things I guess. To date, Brian’s job is pretty secure.
After dinner we went home and popped one of our Netflix movies, Kingdom of Heaven. It was pretty good. Of course it helps that Orlando Bloom plays the lead character. I also recognized that one of the guys in the HBO series Rome (Vorenus) is in it. These days Rome is on top of our DVR list. That show is addictive. Anyway, we stayed up until almost three so I couldn’t get up early enough for my usual Saturday morning workout routine. I’ll be at the gym tomorrow, though, because when I saw Pam on Thursday I promised her I would come to try her new Sunday fitness class. They’re trying out a brand new class format. Before it was an our of pump and then an hour of step. Now it’s an hour of pump and then an hour and a half cardio medley consisting of hi/low, step and kick boxing.
We got up around eleven-ish today. Brian did dishes, I had some of my leftovers from dinner last night, and I started working on the laundry. We also watched Jet Li’s Unleashed. It was better than I expected. It had some pretty moving scenes (Brian actually caught me crying a couple of times; but I’m a cry baby, you all know that) and of course the obligatory fight scenes. Naturally. I don’t think I’ll ever see Jet Li in a movie without any kind of fighting. After the movie Brian went to the bank to deposit my reimbursement checks. He picked up some food and got the mail. Nothing interesting. Just catalogs and you all know I’m too broke to shop. Although, my birthday is coming up. I hope my mom gets me like a Visa gift card or something (hint, hint). I could use some extra shopping money to go towards a much-needed therapeutic shopping spree. It’s been like a year since I’ve bought something significant clothes-wise. Brian said he’s going to give me the $50 Visa gift card that he won at work since the memory stick duo that I bought a couple of weeks ago isn’t compatible with my phone. I thought it was going to be a plain memory stick duo but instead I got a memory stick duo PRO. I can’t use those with my phone, but it works with Brian’s PSP so he is the one using it now. We figured he could just have it instead of sending it back. I hate returning stuff. Anyway, I need a little bit more than $50 to get the stuff I want. I need to learn how to bargain shop, but sometimes I just see something I really want and I can’t find anything else that will suffice. For example there is this wide jeweled belt that I’ve been eyeing at Victoria’s Secret, but it’s $68. Back in the old days (when I had no qualms about spending $150 in just makeup), I wouldn’t even flinch. I would have ordered it as soon as I set eyes on it in the catalog. Ever since the epiphany of Thanksgiving 2004, however, I have changed. Now I have to save up in order to buy the things that I want. It’s been working out pretty well, though. I like the responsible version of me. We were going to play racquetball this afternoon, but I think I’m going to use the afternoon to work on my accounting exam (which is really what I should be doing right now). For tonight, we don’t really have anything major planned. I do know I want to hit Neighbors to try to win a seat in their current mini poker tourney. It started last week and it’s going to be a six-week event, if I’m not mistaken. You try to win a seat in the finals and what you ultimately play for is a $400 cash prize to first place and $200 for second. Not bad. I think it works because Brian hates Sharky’s anyway. I figured this way, we’ll still get to play poker and it’s going to be for pretty substantial prize and it won’t be at Sharky’s. So Brian is happy and I’m happy. It’s all about compromise. Wish us luck.
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Ads Disguised as Movies
Posted on October 1, 2005 by Ching under Movies.
Brian and I went to see Serenity today with his dad and this kid named Alex. Before the movie started there was a preview of an upcoming movie Jarhead. The movie is like a huge Go Army commercial. I half-expected the slogan, “If we can turn Bubble Boy into a soldier you can be one too!” Seriously, what is the deal with advertising campaigns disguised as movies. There are more and more of them lately. I remember feeling like I just watched an anti-smoking documentary after the movie Constantine because of the stupid gum-chewing scene movie ending. I don’t smoke anyway and I think smoking is stupid so don’t waste my time by trying to convince me that smoking is bad. I know this! Which is why I don’t smoke. I paid to see a movie, not a freaking Truth commercial! The movie that we went to see, Serenity, was actually pretty good. It was better than I expected. They remained true to the TV series. Lots of funny scenes. I liked it more than I thought I would, considering I wasn’t as fond of the series Firefly (the TV show that the movie is based on) as Brian was. Anyway, Brian and I went to the mall after the movie. After a year of avoiding the mall altogether, I was forced to return because of a free panty coupon from Felicity’s. Felicity’s is this new lingerie store at the mall. The coupon was for a free panty or get a second free panty if you spend $20. Their lingerie items are pretty reasonably priced so Brian and I took the opportunity to buy some stuff. I really don’t need any more lingerie, but I got two free panties (actually, I ended up with three free ones because they were doing a buy three get one free deal on selected panties) out of it. Incidentally, they also carry men’s undergarments and cigars so Brian got something for himself. He bought a cigar. He doesn’t really do the whole underwear thing. While at the mall, we also took advantage of the opportunity to shop for gifts for Brian’s grandparents’ wedding anniversary, Brian’s grandfather’s birthday and mom’s birthday so our trip to the mall was actually pretty productive. It’s amazing how the mall looks so different now than it did on our last visit. Several stores have closed and opened since. I’m sure the next time we visit the mall, the place will look totally different than it did today. Hopefully we won’t wait another year to return. I miss shopping terribly. Although, I just can’t afford my old shopping habits any more.
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Don’t Dream It’s Over
Posted on August 7, 2005 by Ching under Movies.
There is freedom within, there is freedom without
Try to catch the deluge in a paper cup
There’s a battle ahead, many battles are lost
But you’ll never see the end of the road
While you’re travelling with meHey now, hey now
Don’t dream it’s over
Hey now, hey now
When the world comes in
They come, they come
To build a wall between us
We know they won’t winNow I’m towing my car, there’s a hole in the roof
My possessions are causing me suspicion but there’s no proof
In the paper today tales of war and of waste
But you turn right over to the TV pageHey now, hey now
Don’t dream it’s over
Hey now, hey now
When the world comes in
They come, they come
To build a wall between us
We know they won’t winNow I’m walking again to the beat of a drum
And I’m counting the steps to the door of your heart
Only shadows ahead barely clearing the roof
Get to know the feeling of liberation and reliefHey now, hey now
Don’t dream it’s over
Hey now, hey now
When the world comes in
They come, they come
To build a wall between us
Don’t ever let them win
“Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House is actually one of my favorite 80’s songs. It was playing on the radio on the way to poker. Incidentally, Brian tells me that this song is actually in the Real Genius soundtrack. You know, that movie that I’ve never ever seen. What a coincidence!
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Movie Geek-dom
Posted on August 7, 2005 by Ching under Movies.
So Brian and I are laying in bed. I can’t even remember what we are talking about. I must have been about to share a dream or something because he goes, “Was it a dream where you were where you see yourself standing in sort of sun-god robes on a pyramid, with a thousand naked women screaming and throwing little pickles at you?”
“Huh?!”
“Why, am I the only one who has that dream?”
It doesn’t make any sense, but I don’t have enough energy to respond so I just chuckle.
“Name that movie,” he said.
“I have no clue,” I replied. “I’ve never seen it.”
“It’s Real Genius with Val Kilmer. I can’t believe you’ve never seen it!”
“Nope. Never seen it. Then again, I’ve never been a Val Kilmer fan either.”
“But this is a young Val Kilmer.. Before Batman.. In his prime!” he insisted.
“Val Kilmer had a prime?”
So you’re scratching your head too, huh? You and me both.
I guess I just have to watch the stupid movie and find out what the fuss is about.
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And the Moral of the Story is..
Posted on July 2, 2005 by Ching under Movies.
We saw War of the Worlds today. I thought it was great. I was on the edge of my seat. Brian said it’s better than the original. I never saw the original, though, so I can’t make that assessment.
Anyway, here’s what I figured.. If the aliens ever come to attack our planet, you’re better off staying at home and hiding in your basement. The aliens will soon die or leave anyway. The people who panic and go out and try to travel with the mobs, those are the ones who die. If you stay away from the crazy people and those who are trying to kill one another, then you’ll have a better chance of survival. Which leads me to the conclusion that Brian and I need to hurry up and fix up our house so we can sell it. We need to buy one with a basement. 😛
P.S. I provided a link to the War of the Worlds web site because they have some cool desktop wallpapers for your computer. You all know how I am about sharing the cool things that I find online. Enjoy!
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