Tuesday 5: The Force Awakens and so does my Soapbox

1. Yes, we did see Star Wars opening night, but I really want to see it again. Rick and I both had New Year's Day off, so I was going to watch it again while he and my SD Ashley watched Krampus. We went to the 4pm showing. I did not purchase tickets ahead of time. It was sold out again, y'all! 2 weeks after the release and still selling out. Wow. That's quite a feat. For the record, while I love the new characters and the *SPOILER* light saber battle in the snow was amazing, I really didn't like the way they jammed it down my throat that this film was going to be like the OT (original trilogy for you normal folk) and definitely not like the prequels. I get it, I get it. People despised the prequels. Yes, I don't like them nearly as much as the OT, but TFA was TOO self-referential. I was actually kind of glad *SPOILER* that not all of the OT characters will be in the next ones. Focus on Rey and give me a sweet back story for Poe Dameron and I will love you forever JJ!

2.  So, instead of watching Star Wars like I wanted, I ended up seeing Sisters, with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.  It was hysterical and there were several spots I laughed 'til I nearly cried. Yes, it's raunchy. Yes, it's a party movie, but it is a party movie for 40 year olds! Plus, it has awesome cameos by lots of funny people, including Maya Rudolph, Kate McKinnon, Bobby Moynihan, John Leguizamo, Rachel Dratch, and Samantha Bee. All hilarious! Reviews are divided, but what bothers me is that the biggest complaint from the naysayers is that it isn't cerebral enough. That's right, apparently Tina Fey and Amy Poehler can only do comedies that are smart, like Parks and Rec. or 30 Rock. Yes, they are smart women, but they are entitled to cut loose every once in a while. Seth Rogen and James Franco aren't the only ones allowed to do those types of movies. They have enough comedy cred to do whatever the heck they wanna do! Tina Fey as a writer was one of the best SNL staff writers of all time! This feels a little personal to me, because a lot of those people doing reviews make it seem like smart women over 40 can only be certain things. They can't be raunchy without being sluts. They can't be sexual without being trashy sluts. They can't act silly without being stupid, trashy sluts. Look, I am not saying we should advocate binge drinking and drugs as a regular lifestyle. I am merely saying that women can portray those roles for the purpose of a funny movie without degrading women by that portrayal. I think Fey and Poehler do a good job of that. Yes, these women are a mess, but they aren't setting feminism back through these characters. What does set it back though, is when reviewers make it seem like Fey and Poehler MUST portray only cerebral funny roles in order to make a statement. Sometimes there is no statement. Sometimes it's just frickin' funny.

3. Oh my, that soapbox got a bit lofty, didn't it? Let me bring it back down. Speaking of statements, I made one this weekend when I was crowned CHAMPION of my Fantasy Football league. I am the only female in a league of 10 players, comprised of my husband, my brother, and their coworkers. This group includes 2 guys making a career out of sports broadcasting and a couple others who have been in leagues for years! I am so proud of myself, as my first year in the league was last year and I ended up in the middle of the pack then. I studied players quite a bit and I feel like I managed my team pretty well for a relative newbie. If you're a nerd who likes numbers, FF may be for you. I played my brother in the championship and won $225. Now to find something(s) fun to spend it on. I foresee a few hours on Etsy!

4.  I have been listening to my mp3 at work a lot lately. I ended up setting it to play every soon it (391) in alphabetical order. What a hodge podge that is! Alt. Rock, Beatles, Johnny Cash, 90s country, Les Mis, Edith Piaf, among others. Music is integral to the wellbeing of my soul. That is not an overstatement. Music feeds me spiritually. I have done music-related posts on here before. Seek them out, read them, and let me know the one current song you could listen to on loop. One current, one old, one hymn...how's that? I am so looking forward to your answers! For the record, mine are: nothing new, so I will say a new-ish one, The Cave by Mumford and Sons. Old one would be: Folsom Prison Blues. Hymn? Hmmm. I actually love the Gloria (Glory to God in the Highest) in the Catholic mass. I hum it a lot, in the middle of the week.

5. Finally, my husband just got called out for work, so it looks like I am by myself tonight. Dig in to The Martian or a book on mercy? Decisions, decisions.

Have a great week everyone and thanks for reading and sharing!

Tuesday 5: I'm still alive!

Hey lovely readers!  All of you that managed to stick around after I have alienated you for the last several months.  I'm sorry, y'all.  I'm really sorry, but I have found myself appallingly uninteresting lately and instead of subjecting you to my dull self, I have refrained from writing full stop.  I guess I should at least try to get back up on that horse, but my fat ass is gonna have a hard time lifting itself up into the saddle.

We'll start out nice and slow, with a little Tuesday 5 to let you know I am, in fact, still here.  No in memoriam for me, at least, not yet.

I'm still a dullard, but I'm YOUR dullard on duty, got that?  *snicker*  Duty.

Anyway, here we go!

1)  So, I finally watched Trainwreck last week and I have to say, I had probably one of the most improbable reactions to it.  I cried.  A lot.  Like really, a lot, to the point where my husband asked me if I was crying in a voice that sounded like he was really weirded out by it.  I was weirded out by it.  I'm still not fully sure why I was crying, but I think it may have had something to do with a conversation Amy had with the good doctor toward the end when she was admitting her vulnerability.  Full on tears flowing.  I'd like to say that was out of character for me, but well, it's not.

2)  I am not a touchy feely, super emotionally in touch person.  I close myself off a lot and try to project a slightly intimidating exterior, if only to save myself from questions.  However, I cry at a lot of things.  I cry at commercials, I cry at Youtube videos of dogs being reunited with their military service family, I cry at that scene in Anne of Avonlea when Anne Shirley turns down the rich dude.  I cry at a lot of important things too, though.  I don't know that I've cried harder at a movie than I did while watching Hotel Rwanda.  It's a true story, people!  TRUE.  STORY.  Full on sobbing for half an hour after it was over.  Watch with caution.  Someone at work asked me why I baked so many damn Christmas goodies this year and I told them it was to fill a small void in my cold, cold heart.  I guess what I'm saying is that I feel big emotions in GIGANTIC ways and even though I am a hardass sometimes, it's not without some deep thinking and some compassion that I make certain decisions.

3)  I received an adult coloring book in my stocking this year.  I am excited, because I haven't just sat and colored in years.  My daughter is going to lend me her gel pens for use and I cannot wait to try it out!  I was the OCD kid that outlined the picture, inside each separately lined area before coloring in the middle.  I actually won a contest at Easter when I was 6 through a local Wal-Mart because my picture was the one they chose as the best colored.  I won a plastic wheelbarrow that was chock full of Easter candy and a huge fluffy pink bunny.  We broke the wheelbarrow that same night, pushing each other full speed around the dining room.  Whoops.

4)  Currently reading a book called The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown and cultivating a lot of deep thinking during it as well.  The sisters are all named after Shakespearean heroines and all come back to their parents' home when they find out their mother is ill.  I am engrossed.  That is what I will be doing as soon I post this sucker up.  The book is outstanding so far and the sisters all read constantly.  It makes me want to gather up a thousand books and get lost in the words.  Reading is the bees' knees y'all.  Bee's knees?  Eh, one or all of the bees may be thrilled.

5)  My husband and I are two big nerds who saw Star Wars VII:  The Force Awakens on opening night Friday (not to be confused with premiere night Thursday).  We really, really enjoyed it and I have a lot of questions now.  Love the new characters and I am excited with the way it's headed.  Our priest gave a homily that included Star Wars that gave us some insight into our viewing.  He said that George Lucas is Buddhist or admires the tenets of Buddhism and that one of the central beliefs is that everything is cyclical.  That helped me absorb a bit more of the story.  I do have several nits to pick over the movie, but overall was satisfied.

How about all of you?  How have you been since I took my mini-break?  I hope everyone has had a spectacular holiday season and are ready to be mentally refreshed in the New Year.  I know 2016 will keep me on my toes.  Thanks for reading and I appreciate any time you share this page with friends.