My mom and brother came down to San Antonio for a VERY quick visit (arrived late Wed night, left Fri afternoon). We were plagued with bad luck - something went wrong with the rental car and Ryan had to go meet them in Boerne to escort them here. The steering went out, it was very dangerous to be driving it. Thurs we spent half the day trying to get a new rental car. Stay away from Budget, the customer service is horrendous!! Finally we did, and then went to Soup or Salad, where mom left her purse. We got home, realized it, called them, they found it, and we went to pick it up. She was missing 200 dollars but everything else was still in her purse. Then we went to a movie (Get Smart) where my brother proceeded to leave mom's phone in the theater. Its obviously genetic. So later that night when we realized it, Ryan took him back to the theater to find it. It was found, but apparently it was the kind of day where you must travel to every destination twice.
That night we watched About a Boy and went into the hot tub (new bathing suit, size 20 woot! I started in a 32s, 34s, and even a few 36s, so I am excited to almost be out of the 20s now). We were having a good time until a bunch of underage kids showed up with a lot of alcohol, so we left. Thurs morning we went to Magnolia Pancake House (which is a MUST if you visit San Antonio). Then we played mini-golf. Ryan won, and I lost. It was a freak of nature. Mom and Chris tied for second, and I got sunburned. Finally, we played trivia, and then they left. I wish they could have stayed longer, but I couldn't have taken anymore bad luck so maybe its good that it was a quick trip.
We've watched a few movies lately, so here are some reviews:
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly - B-
It started slow, and was a corny spaghetti western, but it was very entertaining as it progressed, and one of the characters reminded us of Ryan's dad, which was funny.
The Manchurian Candidate (original) - B
There were some really cool scenes, very intense for its time, but the famous conversation on the train was just bizarre and stuck in our heads. I still think the lady was assigned to Frank Sinatra's character and he was also programmed. Raymond Shaw would not have been the only one, methinks. It was 100% better than the remake of course.
The Out of Towners (original) - B-
Jack Lemmon was fantastic, but his wife was quite annoying. It was funny and entertaining.
Get Smart - A
I really enjoyed this, more than I expected. It has its stupid moments (as expected), but overall it was extremely entertaining. Steve Carrell was perfect, as usual. He has fantastic timing. I remember watching the Daily Show back when Craiggers hosted it, and Steve was the funniest then. Alan Arkin is one of my favorite actors, so it was great to see him in it too. And while I should have had a problem with the fat jokes, I thought they weren't too bad all things considered.
Grandma's Boy (unrated) - D
This would be really funny if one were chemically altered, but as it was it was just "ok" - it had its moments but wasn't as funny as I was expecting. And no movie is better for watching chemically altered than Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! If the opportunity presents itself, go for it. Its a whole new movie :)
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Spamalot and Boston Day 3 (Red Sox game!)
We saw Spamalot Thursday at the Majestic Theater downtown. We don't venture downtown if we can help it, but I really didn't mind, we found decent parking and made it to the show on time. What more can you ask for?
Well, I'll tell you. You can ask for a super cool theater, which we got. The Majestic is really an awesome atmosphere, much better than the old theater we saw Eddie in last week in Austin. Its really big, and really interesting inside. I can't imagine what it was like to see a movie there! I want to see more shows there (Avenue Q in October, and Wicked next summer for sure).
What else can you ask for?
Well, an awesome show would be nice. Ding ding ding, you are a winner! Spamalot was hilarious, even better than I expected. I looooved it, even though we were up so high I couldn't see the actor's expressions very well and every once in a while I missed a piece of dialogue. It was really funny, really really funny. They also did a nice job integrating a few local things in to the show (there's no basement in the Alamo, you know). I wish we had the money to see it again before their last show on Sunday, if we could even find tickets.
So, I finally got the Red Sox pics uploaded. How much fun was that? This has been such an entertaining month! I wish every month was like this! The game was great, albeit cold. We thought we might get a rain out, figures, it was sunny all week and then time for our game - rain. If it weren't for bad luck we wouldn't have any luck at all, right? Well it drizzled through the game, sort of a misty wet haze, and it was about 50. I was cold. I am always cold since surgery, but I was a shivery mess. My sweet husband went and bought me a blanket, even though we'd forked up a lot of dough on souvenirs from Fenway during the tour the day before.
The atmosphere at Fenway is awesome! Everyone is all squished together having fun and just happy to be there (thank goodness for big warm men on both sides of me and the biggest noggin on earth belonging to the man in front of me, he was my wind break, and I couldn't see much without some positional adjustments). Our seats were awesome, right behind home plate so you could see each pitch. Unfortunately, the netting made taking pictures a little less fun and a lot more complicated (manual focus, its not hard but it takes a lot of time when you are trying to capture action in a game). I did get some good shots though, and I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. My husband was like a little kid, he was so thrilled. That was the best part of the entire trip, seeing him so happy.
So here's the photographic evidence (at least a small sample)
Go Red Sox!
Well, I'll tell you. You can ask for a super cool theater, which we got. The Majestic is really an awesome atmosphere, much better than the old theater we saw Eddie in last week in Austin. Its really big, and really interesting inside. I can't imagine what it was like to see a movie there! I want to see more shows there (Avenue Q in October, and Wicked next summer for sure).
What else can you ask for?
Well, an awesome show would be nice. Ding ding ding, you are a winner! Spamalot was hilarious, even better than I expected. I looooved it, even though we were up so high I couldn't see the actor's expressions very well and every once in a while I missed a piece of dialogue. It was really funny, really really funny. They also did a nice job integrating a few local things in to the show (there's no basement in the Alamo, you know). I wish we had the money to see it again before their last show on Sunday, if we could even find tickets.
So, I finally got the Red Sox pics uploaded. How much fun was that? This has been such an entertaining month! I wish every month was like this! The game was great, albeit cold. We thought we might get a rain out, figures, it was sunny all week and then time for our game - rain. If it weren't for bad luck we wouldn't have any luck at all, right? Well it drizzled through the game, sort of a misty wet haze, and it was about 50. I was cold. I am always cold since surgery, but I was a shivery mess. My sweet husband went and bought me a blanket, even though we'd forked up a lot of dough on souvenirs from Fenway during the tour the day before.
The atmosphere at Fenway is awesome! Everyone is all squished together having fun and just happy to be there (thank goodness for big warm men on both sides of me and the biggest noggin on earth belonging to the man in front of me, he was my wind break, and I couldn't see much without some positional adjustments). Our seats were awesome, right behind home plate so you could see each pitch. Unfortunately, the netting made taking pictures a little less fun and a lot more complicated (manual focus, its not hard but it takes a lot of time when you are trying to capture action in a game). I did get some good shots though, and I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. My husband was like a little kid, he was so thrilled. That was the best part of the entire trip, seeing him so happy.
So here's the photographic evidence (at least a small sample)
Go Red Sox!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Stephanie Meyer's The Host
I picked up Twilight at Barnes and Noble before our trip so I'd have something to read. I picked it up EVEN THOUGH it was about vampires and was targeted to the young adult audience. I'd heard good things about it. It was enjoyable, a good fast read. It was a bit melodramatic, but enjoyable, and I was happy to find a new author with a few books out.
So I picked up the next two in the series, also quite enjoyable. I read the second one in a day. They look like big books, but they've got HUGE print so they disappear disappointingly fast. They were good, I am not going to deny enjoying them, the same way I enjoy a spur-of-the-moment supermarket novel now and again. I am excited that the fourth one is coming out August 2, and I will buy it, probably August 2. I will also see the movie in December.
That being said, those books are not remotely comparable to Stephenie Meyer's first adult novel (which incidentally is safe for mature younger readers, no sex or anything). The Host is exceptional. Its definitely the best book I've read in a long time. I couldn't put it down, but I found myself trying to, so that I could ration it and make it last a little longer. On the surface it seems to be sci-fi, but even if you are not a sci-fi fan this is an excellent choice. There is something deeper here than simply a good story. The novel examines what it means to be human, what our essential humanity is, both the good and the bad - but it examines it from the point of view of an alien parasite inhabiting a human host, disgusted by humanity's violence, but captivated by our strength and emotion. It also examines love in two ways - physical love, our body's response to the person we love, as well as emotional or mental love, and that they aren't always interchangeable. Another major theme is acceptance, the need to belong, to deal with the essential loneliness that our existence entails as best you can. Its about kindness and humanity, but is definitely not all happiness and sunshine. The main character, Wanderer, is absolutely fascinating. I think the character of Ian is the most important in the book, however. He represents our true potential.
I was touched, I cried, more than once. It had its faults, but very few from a very critical reader. I will consider this a favorite for the rest of my life, and I encourage anyone looking for a good summer read to pick it up. Its only in hardcover, but drop the bucks, its worth it. I loved it so much I didn't take it into the bath with me like most books - I didn't want to risk damaging it.
So I picked up the next two in the series, also quite enjoyable. I read the second one in a day. They look like big books, but they've got HUGE print so they disappear disappointingly fast. They were good, I am not going to deny enjoying them, the same way I enjoy a spur-of-the-moment supermarket novel now and again. I am excited that the fourth one is coming out August 2, and I will buy it, probably August 2. I will also see the movie in December.
That being said, those books are not remotely comparable to Stephenie Meyer's first adult novel (which incidentally is safe for mature younger readers, no sex or anything). The Host is exceptional. Its definitely the best book I've read in a long time. I couldn't put it down, but I found myself trying to, so that I could ration it and make it last a little longer. On the surface it seems to be sci-fi, but even if you are not a sci-fi fan this is an excellent choice. There is something deeper here than simply a good story. The novel examines what it means to be human, what our essential humanity is, both the good and the bad - but it examines it from the point of view of an alien parasite inhabiting a human host, disgusted by humanity's violence, but captivated by our strength and emotion. It also examines love in two ways - physical love, our body's response to the person we love, as well as emotional or mental love, and that they aren't always interchangeable. Another major theme is acceptance, the need to belong, to deal with the essential loneliness that our existence entails as best you can. Its about kindness and humanity, but is definitely not all happiness and sunshine. The main character, Wanderer, is absolutely fascinating. I think the character of Ian is the most important in the book, however. He represents our true potential.
I was touched, I cried, more than once. It had its faults, but very few from a very critical reader. I will consider this a favorite for the rest of my life, and I encourage anyone looking for a good summer read to pick it up. Its only in hardcover, but drop the bucks, its worth it. I loved it so much I didn't take it into the bath with me like most books - I didn't want to risk damaging it.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Eddie Izzard is freaking awesome, and more pictures (Boston Day 2)
We definitely enjoyed the Eddie Izzard show. It was great fun, even if we were way up high and kind of far back. My tailbone was killing me by the end of the show, and I was miserable on the car ride back from Austin (you gotta love a city that leaves you stuck in traffic at 11:00pm on a Sunday night). Eddie was hilarious, we each had our favorite parts of the show (I thought the Latin bit was great, and the Spartans stuff.. Ryan lost it on the giraffe section of the show).
Next, Spamalot.
I uploaded pictures from the second day in Boston (Fenway park tour and my husband in the complementary gigolo zebra robe in the hotel). Here are some highlights:
For more, check out my flickr account. I'll post pictures from the game (Day 3)in another blog. Its time consuming to cull through them all, but I'm making progress.
Oh, I jogged today. Me. Really. I did, I swear. Not very far, but it was officially a jog. I rock! :)
Next, Spamalot.
I uploaded pictures from the second day in Boston (Fenway park tour and my husband in the complementary gigolo zebra robe in the hotel). Here are some highlights:
For more, check out my flickr account. I'll post pictures from the game (Day 3)in another blog. Its time consuming to cull through them all, but I'm making progress.
Oh, I jogged today. Me. Really. I did, I swear. Not very far, but it was officially a jog. I rock! :)
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Back from Boston and 10 month anniversary.
We had a fantastic time!
Ryan was in heaven in Fenway, we loved public transportation, the people were super nice (?) and the conference was great.
We didn't get to do as much as we could have if there hadn't been a conference, haha, but we did go to the science museum, take a sunset boat tour down the Charles River, toured Fenway park, and attended the ballgame. We walked a TON - I would have died last year from that much walking, but it wasn't too bad at all this time around. I slept hard though, and when we got back I slept for about 14hrs.
My 10 month surgery anniversary was Friday - I was down 160lbs total (now its 165, I think I was holding some water with all that travel). I feel really good, and I'm losing inches and weight faster than I was for a while. My surgeon told me to eat more, 100g protein per day, 1200 calories. I don't think I've made it to either goal since I talked to him, but I'm working on it. Well, maybe the calories once or twice during our trip.
I froze at the ballgame, but it was so much fun! Our seats were great. I'll post another blog about that once I upload those pictures. In the meantime, here are a few pictures from Monday in Boston.
That's only a few. My camera was smoking after this trip!!
Oh yeah, tonight is awesome too, we are going to see Eddie Izzard in Austin!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!
I am so super crazy excited! I never would have thought I'd have this opportunity. And bonus, its almost like I have a life or something now. Wow.
Ryan was in heaven in Fenway, we loved public transportation, the people were super nice (?) and the conference was great.
We didn't get to do as much as we could have if there hadn't been a conference, haha, but we did go to the science museum, take a sunset boat tour down the Charles River, toured Fenway park, and attended the ballgame. We walked a TON - I would have died last year from that much walking, but it wasn't too bad at all this time around. I slept hard though, and when we got back I slept for about 14hrs.
My 10 month surgery anniversary was Friday - I was down 160lbs total (now its 165, I think I was holding some water with all that travel). I feel really good, and I'm losing inches and weight faster than I was for a while. My surgeon told me to eat more, 100g protein per day, 1200 calories. I don't think I've made it to either goal since I talked to him, but I'm working on it. Well, maybe the calories once or twice during our trip.
I froze at the ballgame, but it was so much fun! Our seats were great. I'll post another blog about that once I upload those pictures. In the meantime, here are a few pictures from Monday in Boston.
That's only a few. My camera was smoking after this trip!!
Oh yeah, tonight is awesome too, we are going to see Eddie Izzard in Austin!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!
I am so super crazy excited! I never would have thought I'd have this opportunity. And bonus, its almost like I have a life or something now. Wow.
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