Movie-o-holic

Some people read books, some obsessively read music reviews or blogs or news sites, others drink a lot of wine--but me, I watch movies. They're my comfort food, my relaxation, my escapism. I like well-made movies, but I have a number of guilty pleasures as well (but I won't tell you about those, otherwise known as chick-flicks). I just checked my netflix account and realized I've watched quite a few movies over the past few months for someone as rediculously busy as I am. Sometimes on a busy week I'll watch a half hour of one before bed. As such, I've downed a lot of flicks. Here they are, with their relative star ratings if your looking for something to watch.

(I'm waiting for my portfolio to download in the midst of a busy week, so no explanations of summaries will follow. Too bad)

From most recent to last:

Castle in the Sky: 5 stars!

Network: 5

Shine: 4 (because of the guy from pirates of the Caribbean)

The Deer Hunter: 5 (because I have a crush on a 70 year old man--Christopher Walken)

Grave of the Fireflies: 5

The Pianist: 2

Soylent Green: 1

Shindler's List: 4 (yes, this is the first time I've seen it!)

Ran: 1 (but Matt says "5")

Full Metal Jacket: 4

The Source: 3

Run Lola Run: 2 (way more lame than I recall from high school)

The Devil and Daniel Johnston: 5

Fahrenheit 451: 2

Trekkies: 2

Paradise Lost: 3

Ghandi: 4

American History X: 3

Empire of the Sun: 5

Rivers and Tides: 4

Rabbit-Proof Fence: 5

Amores Perros: 4

THX 1138: 4

Munich: 5


Ok, there you go. Now--go rent.

Birthday plans

Yesterday was the official birthday. I got up early, did homework, and then decided to treat myself to a high fat morning pastry! Hooray!

I went to school, and spent the entire day struggling with classes and homework, and basically rethinking my entire decision to switch to an art major. 2D design and architectural drawing are both proving to be more mathematical than I am capable of--not to mention the math courses I am currently failing. Plus, 2D emphasizes absolute prefectionism (as does all other art courses), which I've spent some time trying to get over in my life--and now it's back! It's ok, it's gonna be ok. That's what my male teacher said when I had a female tear breakdown when calculating angles, and thus in classic male 'freakout over unknown female tears' style, he did the rest of my homework for me. Maybe this will work out.

Anyhow, I'm chalking it up to something hormonal and a day full of work on my birthday. To compensate for my lousy work filled day, my wonderful husband took me to dinner. And he didn't even complain when I made the hostess switch us to better seats. And it was quite a lovely warm day, and I did spend lunch out on the beautiful terrace of a new coffee shop discovered on the canal in Fremont.

But in my birthday obsession (I'm from one of those "birthday families"--you know the ones) I've declared today my Faux-Birthday instead, because I don't like crying on my birthday. I think the husband is a little nervous, because I'm such a big birthday person (he's not)--he's afraid I'm going to insist on Birthday Week or something, and he'll have to keep topping it every year, eventually turning things into Birthday Year. But I wouldn't go that far because I'm not sure my body would thank me for frosting bedecked morning pastries every day for a year. Or would it...mmmm...

So far I've done nothing but get a free pedicure today, and watched a little Martha. M is coming home from work soon, bearing gifts for Faux-Birthday. My request was an expensive night at 'Chez M'. My genius chef of a husband will be slaving away in the kitchen all day preparing me my favorite meals of his. woohoo! We even talked about going out later to see my favorite live performance of all time--Ghostland Observatory, playing at the showbox. Now all I need is for the rain to stop, and I'll be in Faux-Birthday heaven!

I turned off the Martha Stewart Show

Because she just answered a reader from "Or-eh-gon"

(Never mind what I'm doing sitting at home on a friday afternoon watching Martha in the first place. It's not your place to question faux-birthday activities)

Again?

It's happening again! I'm getting older. And this time I'm not entering the metaphysical idea of my late 20's--I'm really there. So there it is. On Thursday I'll be 27. I'm in my late 20's. It's been said.



We've all heard this song a bit now, and it's not much a perfect metaphor for a birthday, but it reminded me to look back over this year anyhow. I went from a horrible break-up and a lonely singleness, a reconciliation, planning a wedding in three months, a marriage forged, a honeymoon, moving into a new house, and now almost an entire year of school for both of us. And that isn't counting actually figuring out how to be married. Damn.

Anyhow, I haven't seen the video to this song until swiping it up from Rachel's blog tonight. I think this video is supersweet! So therefore postable as my birthday treat to you! (We missed him in Seattle this year.)

Ok 27, here I come.