Susan is Sixty

Happy birthday to my amazing mother, who is 60 years young today.  She is a remarkable woman of many attributes, many of which I take after.  Most notably, one of her nicknames is Little General (my Grandma Huber was famously known as The General) and I have been, on more than one occasion been dubbed the Little Little General, a title which I wear proudly.  Otherwise, nothing would ever get done!

Smart Susi:  Mom always points out how smart she was for pointing to the camera man

Small Susi

Awesome bangs on Sophomore-in-high-school Susi

Saved by the Susi:  the College Years

So-excited-to-get-this-warm-up-suit-Susi

 Some more S words to describe my mom:
Stubborn, Self-sacrificing, sarcastic, sassy, sleepy, sedentary, strong, secretarial, sea hag, senile, short, seriously gullible (the Little Haubstadt Bakery, mom?  Really?), sociable, spotted, sour-loving, superhuman, supportive, scholarly, seamstress, sports fan, selfless.

She's also an amazing cook, and it's too late at night for me to come up with a synonym that starts with S.

Happy birthday, Mama B!  Love you!

Little Law School Lesson #1

Last night I learned something about the definition for first degree murder that I thought I would share with you all.  I've been mis-reading, or rather mis-interpreting, the definition for first degree (i.e. premeditated) murder for years.  I guess I'd never seen the legal definition spelled out in print before and always just heard the legal analysts referring to it during the hubbub surrounding a high profile murder case, so here it is.  I always thought it was "the killing of another with malice or forethought."  Turns out, it's actually "malice aforethought."  Who knew?  Ironically, what I thought the definition was saying, and what it actually says is the same thing, which works out nicely in my favor.

This has been your free piece of legal advice for the day.  Consider yourself just a teensy bit more educated than you were a few seconds ago.  And now back to studying I go!

Telling Time with Trees

Each year when my parents' Chinese Magnolia is in bloom, Bradley and I take a picture in front of it.  This year's photo was a rush job at dusk on St. Patrick's Day.  I realized suddenly that the flowers were just starting to bloom, but with my class schedule, it was likely that the flowers would be gone by my first free night on Thursday.  I'm glad we snapped these when we did because due to the finicky Tennessee weather, the cold snap killed all the blooms.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

I'm going to pick him up for this picture as long as I'm able

Something new this year

And now for a walk down memory lane...

2012

2011

2010

 I love the tradition, and I love the few precious days when this tree is in bloom.  Hurry up warm weather and get here, the flowers are way ahead of you this year, and I'm tired of wearing my winter coat everyday.

A Few Firsts

Bradley hit a couple of major milestones recently that I wanted to quickly stop and mention, in the middle of working on case briefs for my Torts class on a Saturday night.  Don't feel too badly for me.  Last night I got to go downtown and join the masses of Blue and see Kentucky play Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament...  On second thought, yes, feel sorry for me!

Big news number one:  Little Man is FINALLY potty trained at night, as in almost 5 years of buying diapers and pull-ups is at last OVER.  I was getting concerned and yes, admittedly frustrated, at the hassle and expense of buying pull-ups, but like many other kid milestones, there was nothing to do to speed up the process but sit back and wait for his body to make the connection on his own, and it came in its own sweet precious time.  I am thrilled!

Second piece of exciting news:  Bradley had his first-ever T-ball practice today.  It was both well-organized and chaotic at the same time.  Many dads were on the field running drills with the kids (Alligator - Skate Board- Throw it to First; get B to show you that one in person if you have the opportunity- it's adorable), meanwhile the head coach did batting practice with each kid one at a time.  Opposite of soccer, I can proudly say that Bradley was one of the better players on the field and he really seemed to get it.  And boy, does that kid have an arm!  Long term, I'm still thinking pitcher or quarterback.  So maybe t-ball will end up being a sport better suited to his abilities and interests.  As a sports fan myself, I am excited to begin the ritual of spring baseball and support my little guy on the field.  And who knows?  Maybe I will make some mommy friends of my own during this venture.

Swing! Batter Batter Swing!

When they weren't fielding a ball, they were playing in the dirt

Alright, peeps, back to the grind I go.

Briefing a Sigh of Relief

I survived my first rite of passage as a law student:  I briefed my first case.  This means I was called on in class to stand up and give a short synopsis of a case from our reading assignment.  This was in my Contracts class, and the case was Hamer v. Sidway where the issue was to determine whether or not an uncle made a gratuitous promise to his nephew, or whether a contract had been formed.  As you stand and give the facts, the professor then puts you on the spot and interrogates you, asks your opinions, and leads a discussion that other classmates can chime in.  The entire time you stand (with your butt to your classmates - a downside to sitting on the front row), and the conversation is directed towards you, so you had better know the answers!  At one point I felt a little light headed and thought, oh my gosh, I'm going to pass out right here!  I guess it was just the adrenaline.  The whole ordeal lasted maybe 10 minutes or less before we moved on to the next case and some other poor soul got called on and I could sit back down and allow my heart rate to return to normal.

This is the Socratic Method, and it's how we learn, and so it will be a frequent occurrence for me in the future. I'm just relieved to have gotten the monkey off my back, so now I can relax in at least that class at least for a while since that professor is kind enough to call on us alphabetically.  My time won't come up again for several weeks; however, in other classes I am not so fortunate, and the instructors fire at will, putting you on the spot with zero notice.  This insures you will always come to class prepared.  So far I've dodged the bullet in those other classes, but of course, it's not if I'll be asked to brief, but when, and my time for my other classes is most assuredly coming.

Dear DIVA

In what I hope might be a recurring segment* on the DIVA Domain, I bring you the first of DIVA's spin on Dear Abbey, in hopes that practical answers to real life questions might entertain and educate our readers.  Names have been omitted to protect the not-so-innocent.

Dear DIVA,

I need to find a new lip gloss/chapstick with color that isn't sticky or drying.  Recommendations? I know you use to like the Fresh Sugar stuff.I kissed a boy the other night (yes, that's correct) and my lip gloss was extremely tacky and not pleasant. Since you're an expert in this area (yes, making out and lip gloss), I am seeking your advice. Thanks,

Sticky in Steamy Makeoutville

Dear Sticky,

Let me ponder... Yes, sticky, tacky lip glosses are no bueno when it comes to tonsil hockey.  I do really love the Fresh Sugar - there are multiple shades, and it smells fresh and lemony, and goes on creamy and smooth- however, it is NOT a gloss.  It just moisturizes your lips and gives them a soft stain of color.

If you want something glossy that isn't sticky, I like the C.O. Bigelow glosses.  I know Bath & Body Works sell them.  There are several "flavors" and again, just light sheer color, but this way you get the gloss.  I will say the tackier the gloss, the more staying power it seems to have.  These C.O. Bigelow ones don't seem to last long, so I would definitely start with a lip primer and/or lip liner and fill in your entire lips before layering the gloss to help it stay put.

The Juicy tubes by Lancome aren't that bad either as far as stickiness goes.  But if you're planning a makeout session, plan ahead and line your lips and go for a subtle lip color like the ones I mentioned above, or even Burt's Bees wax has some nice cheap tinted glosses and stains.  Point is, don't wear super glossy, sticky gloss (or red lipstick!) if you're planning to smooch right away.  You could wear these types of lip gloss at the beginning of a date and just not re-apply through the night, so that by the time dinner and a movie is over, the color has worn off enough that it won't be all over your guy.

However, if you're kissing from the moment you see him, you hussy, then he clearly doesn't need a glossy lip to draw him in, so forgo the gloss and go for the subtler stains as mentioned above.  

Yours truly,

the DIVA

*Have a question for the DIVA?  Send me your questions and your question/answer might get published.  You know where to reach me.

2013 Oscar Snarkiness

Yes, I have a ton of reading I should be doing for school, and hey, sleep every now and then is nice,  but what would the DivaDomain be without a snarky blog recapping the Oscars?

This year I saw several of the nominated films, including Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Zero Dark Thirty, Silver Linings Playbook, Pitch Perfect (wait, that wasn't nominated?  Well it should have been) and Lincoln.  I haven't seen Argo or Flight yet, although I intend to at some point.  Here are my observations from this year's Grammys (Grammies?  What is the correct plural?  It's too late and I'm too lazy to look it up) - I mean Academy Awards.

• I think it is ridiculous to give the Oscars a musical theme, and then not allow all of the songs nominated for Best Original Song to be performed live.  If I were Scarlet Johannsen and my nominated song wasn't being sung live but I had to suffer through yet another rendition of Jennifer Hudson belt "And I Am Telling You," I would be ticked.
• Seth MacFarlane- no Stewy impersonations, the jokes were neither funny nor offensive, just boring.  Seems to me like he played it safe.
• Also not funny- what was up with Paul Rudd and Melissa McCartney?  Something didn't translate well tonight because I do think they are both great comedic actors.
• What WAS funny:  Jennifer Lawrence tripping up the stairs, Christopher Plummer's "Von Trapp Family Singers" intro, and Meryl Streep scratching her behind (she clarified and said she was stepping on her dress, but I still choose to believe she was working on a wedgie).

Poor girl!  Has this ever happened to anyone before?

• How classy and gracious was George Clooney for not trying to get some camera time during Argo's Best Picture win?  He let Ben Affleck (and the third most-sexy producer in Hollywood) have their time to shine.
• Ben's rambling speech-on-speed was endearing.  I supposed he had to cram in a Best Picture and Best Director speech into one since the Academy snubbed him on the latter. 
• Charlize Theron must have one heck of a publicist- she danced and presented, but has been fairly absent in films lately.  She certainly is beautiful.  Guess this screen time was her way of reminding the directors that she's still out there looking for work!
• Anne Hathaway is beautiful and classy and her speech, while it seemed rehearsed, still came off as sincere and poised.  
• Barbara Streisand, while no one questions that you can still sing the pants off of most anyone, can we all agree that your long, straight, platinum blonde hair is unnatural looking on a 75 year old woman?!
• My favorite dresses were Jennifer Anniston's, Amy Adams', and Jennifer Hudson's.

• Kristen Stewart looked high.  And perhaps the ladies who won the Oscar for Best Hair & Makeup got a hold of her tresses before the show.
• The 9 year old girl nominated for best actress was the epitome of not-humble when she whooped it up every time the camera caught her.  
• I was pleased that Quentin Tarantino won for best original script for Django Unchained, and that Christoph Waltz won for Best Supporting Actor and felt both were deserving.
• The orchestra was so loud that they drowned out the singers all evening.  It was annoying to not be able to hear or understand the vocalists while the glorious music swelled behind in front of them.

Because we needed to hear Russell Crowe sing one more time

• Though you couldn't always hear Adele (see above comment... and with a powerful belting instrument such as hers, it is a shame she wasn't heard over the music), she looked and sounded good.  I'm choosing to ignore the pitchiness at the end of Skyfall.  You would be flat too if you were being blasted by an orchestra and trying to be heard (or pushing, just trying to hear yourself!).  Real women have curves.  It's refreshing to see a woman on stage who looks beautiful but isn't stick-thin.  Kudos to her Oscar win for best song.
• I was disappointed that Hugh Jackman didn't win for Best Actor, but my second personal favorite nominee was Daniel Day Lewis, so I could handle the win.  Much better than Mama B anyways who threw a small Bradley-esque fit when Meryl Streep announced the winner.
• I love an excuse to say Jean Dujardin's name! 

This is your official Critic-of-the-Movie Critics, signing off!

All I Ever Need to Know About Law School I Learned by Watching Legally Blonde

Tomorrow is the big day, and I feel confident and prepared as I head back to school after a 10 year hiatus, thanks to one Elle Woods.

• I feel comfortable using legal jargon in everyday life
• Come prepared to class
• Bring laptop.  Leave the fuzzy pen and Hello Kitty notepad at home.

• Make friends and study buddies
• Find an older, eligible law student to date
• Glasses make you look academic
• Stay away from skeezy professors
• Combine studying with sunbathing or hair appointments to multitask

• This is going to be just like senior year... only funner!
• When in doubt, the Bend and Snap, works every time!

Let's get this party started!

Restaurant Review: Cantina Laredo

Due to paling around with some somewhat-swanky people, I’ve had the opportunity to go to the Gulch’s most trendy Mexican hot spot a few times, Cantina Laredo.  For the non-Nashvillians, who may not even know what “the Gulch” is, it’s a trendy spot in downtown Nashville with lots of condos, restaurants, and bars. 

Here’s my short and sweet restaurant review:  This place is way over-hyped.  Their home made salsa is quite good, but their guacamole, which is what they are supposedly known for, is bland, and their food is too.  I’ve eaten there twice, and both times I was seriously underwhelmed.  The group I ate with the last time all came out complaining about how bland their entrees were, so I was glad that it wasn’t just me who felt this way.

 

I’m not one to be downtown at the see-and-be-seen times these days, so I’ve heard that Cantina Laredo is one of those places that trendy hipsters and downtown dwellers go, so I would guess if you stick to the chips and salsa and margaritas you might be alright, although when I went this summer, I tried one of their signature margaritas, and it was nothing special either.

So if you’re around the area looking for great Mexican food, skip Cantina Laredo.  Try Rosepepper Cantina, or TacoMamacita.  Nashvillians, help me out, what other legitimately good Mexican food is out there?

Gallery Night: Preschool Style

Last night Bradley's school held an Art Exhibit night.  All of the classes worked on various art projects to display, some modeled after famous artists' works.

4A's art inspired by Kandinsky

The artist and his work (B's is the middle one, bottom row)

The preschool was hopping on a Friday night - a far cry from his previous daycare's lame attempt at nighttime events.  These parents and kids actually showed up!  Bradley had fun running around with his friends, and I had trouble keeping up with him through the throngs of people.

Caught playing with a friend

Diarama made by B and a few friends

And of course, what gallery night would be complete without cheese and crackers, and a little sparkling grape juice?  They really know how to host an event!

Bradley's class made objects out of clay as one of their projects

He's been in a bat phase for a while

This cracked me up

Painting with Salt

Bradley was channeling the minimalists' with his art - less is more!  Some of his classmates' sheets were filled with color, but this little one just has not patience for art.  When he was younger, I thought it was just a matter of maturity.  Now I've come to accept that it's just boys being boys, so when it comes to him drawing me a picture, or sitting down to attempt an art project with him, I'll take what I can get.

Stockwell, Angel

Baby Stockwell with Lucky

Christmas 1998

This past Monday, as Heather so aptly stated, Stockwell became the angel he never was while he was with us.  We're all in mourning as we had to say goodbye to a family member who happened to be a pet who spent 14 years with us.  I stop short of declaring him a good dog, however.  Because when I think back on all of Stockwell's antics, he was anything but a good dog.  He was, however, an animal with personality who always got a second glance by a stranger at his odd shaped body, and who was loved by all who knew him.  I can't begin to cover all of the funny Stockwell stories, so I'll try to hit some of the highlights.

Stockwell & Mom in their Christmas shirts

Food Stockwell has stolen over the years

• Baguette (read that story here)
• Haubstadt cake from Christmas Village
• My entire box of Valentine's Day Godiva truffles
• A smaller entire box of Schokolaud truffles
• Mass quantities of sugar cookie dough out of the trashcan (earning him the nickname "Sug")
• Countless other foods from counters and tables

Stockwell Sunbathing

Nicknames

• Precious (or "My Precious" as in LOTR)
•  Bull dozer
•  Stockily Wockily Broccoli
• Stocky
• Stockwell Angel (as in "Stillwell, Angel" from A League of Their Own)
• Sug (the sugar cookie dough incident)
• Little Heater
• Devil dog (the early years!)
• StockHELL (another early years name!)

Snuggling in bed

Quite possibly the biggest lapdog you've ever seen

Stockwell was a bassadore (half basset hound, half black lab) given to our family by Jenni and Tara Stockwell.  The Stockwell sisters picked him up free from the Brentwood Kroger, and then gave him to us when their parents told them that they absolutely could not get a third dog!  So they brought him over to our house where Laura and I fell in love with the adorable black puppy and reminded our parents that they had promised us that we could get another dog when we moved to Brentwood, several years earlier.  We named him Stockwell in honor of the family who was the reason we got him.  

The most graceful swimmer

He much preferred jumping in after frisbees to riding on the floats

Stockwell thought he was a lap dog from the get go, and even when he was 60+ pounds and full grown, he preferred to be laying on laps, and sleeping on top of legs in bed with you.  If you have ever visited our house, chances are Stockwell has climbed in bed to snuggle with you.  His shiny black coat smelled of Fritos according to Laura, and for the first four years of his life, he was a hyperactive dog who had to be given "puppy downers" who liked to steal shoes, socks, and hats and take off with them, dig up rosebushes repeatedly, chew speaker wires, hump and chew up throw pillows, and destroy pool cushions leaving a yard full of cotton snow in the heat of the summer.  He loved the pool, and his favorite spot was sitting on the top step in the water where he would sunbathe and help himself to a drink.  He would go swimming whenever a frisbee was tossed in the water, and would run the length of the pool barking whenever anyone would jump in.  You would think a black dog would seek the shade, but Stockwell always wanted to lie in the sun.

A lapdog from the get-go

Howling along to the harmonica

Stocky was true to his nickname, long and short to the ground, but the long body allowed him to stand on his hind legs and reach for food which he would steal and swallow quicker than you would even realize it was missing.  He had a major sweet tooth, and would sniff out candy or desserts throughout the house, and making him sick on occasion from over-indulgence.

Bed party - June 2008

A curious Bradley climbs on Stockwell

He was a cuddly animal who would let you lay on him, and snuggle his silky ears and meaty thighs and almost every picture we have of Stockwell is of him snuggling with one of us.  His favorite toys were a yellow bear, and Larry the Cucumber, and he sang bass in the trio of canines whenever anyone played the harmonica for him, Julius and Oscar.

I will share one funny Stockwell story.  When I was a senior in college, I lived in the Sugar Shack (an off campus condo), and mom and dad came to visit and they surprised me by bringing Stockwell.  I was so excited to see him, but the minute he ran in like a wild man into the strange condo, Stocky immediately saw this picture of Kramer on the wall and began to growl at him!  He was not a fan of the Kramer portrait!

Several days have gone by since Stockwell left us, and the gaping whole he left behind is still ever present.  I know he was just a pet but he literally followed us from room to room and went everywhere we went.  Though he couldn't talk,  you would swear he was thisclose to speaking English by the inflections of his moans and howls.   He was as close to being a person as a pet could be. Many have suggested he's in Doggie Heaven now, playing with Lucky, and swimming in that big swimming pool in the sky.  I myself would like to think he's found a nice lap to climb up in, and he'll be waiting for us with wagging tail someday.

waiting for his next lap to climb into

I'm late for a very important date

My practical New Year's resolution this year is two-fold:  to give up the snooze button, and to be on time.  

I hate being early for things.  Something about the way I'm hard-wired makes me think that being early is a waste of time.  Why get somewhere 10 minutes early, when I could have spent that ten minutes fixing my hair, talking on the phone, or grabbing a coffee?  At the same time, I despise being late, which is how I typically operate.  I'm late, I'm grouchy, Bradley is slow, and I am stressed.  My habitual tardiness makes me 10 minutes late for choir, or 15 minutes late to work, and it's become a habit I am none too pleased with.  So I am trying to change that mentality and be more proactive about getting up earlier and leaving earlier so that I'm not constantly in a rush, and allow myself to relax and enjoy the 10 "extra" minutes I might have by arriving to my destination with time to spare.

So hello 2013, and goodbye snooze.  

Since we are a good ways into the month now, I will admit that old habits die hard, but there has been a vast improvement, and I am headed in the right direction.  What are your resolutions, and are you keeping them?

Oh Say Did You Sync?

Lip Sync, that is.  Yes, Beyonce, I am talking to you.  Say it isn't so, Mrs. Jay-Z!  Why would you feel the need to pre-record and perfect the national anthem when you are standing still and singing the Star Spangled Banner for such a momentous occasion?  It's not like you were dancing and huffing and puffing, or singing in a stadium where the echo would throw you off.  And you are a darn good singer.  So I don't see why you would cheapen the song and reduce it to singing along to a recording.

When I heard you sing Monday, your rendition of the national anthem was amazing, or at least it was before I heard rumors that you were lip syncing.  Now it's just a big old fat disappointment.  Just like the first lady's red inaugural gown.

Too Much T.V.?

I have been on a TV binge for the last month and a half.  Ever since I took the LSAT, I have been playing catch up on all the fall TV shows I neglected, and let me tell you, I am Loving it!  Every night after I put Bradley to bed, it's like a whole new world!  2 episodes of Grey's Anatomy here, an episode of Glee there, a season's worth of Nashville;  I could really get used to this!  My current shows, in alphabetical order, are:

• Downton Abbey
• Glee
• Grey's Anatomy
• Nashville
• New Girl
• Parenthood

If Nashville weren't my hometown I wouldn't waste my time on this one, but I love the shots of the city and the fact that the show centers around country music.  New Girl makes me laugh out loud every single week.  Grey's has gotten good again and keeps me hooked every week with cliffhangers.  Parenthood makes me cry every week, and Glee is the guilty pleasure I just can't give up.  The big group numbers just take me to my happy place of singing in choirs.  Downton Abbey I'm watching on Hulu and catching up (currently started season two) so that eventually I will be able to watch the current season three on TV.  Lately I dream in British accents, and being a maid seems like such a glamorous lifestyle. 

And of course, whenever the Wildcats are on I'm glued to the tube as well.  It sounds like a lot when it's all written down like that, but my television habit is not an addiction or anything.  I can quit anytime I want to.  No big deal.  Anyway, why haven't there been any new Tori & Deans?  Seems like it's been forever since the last season.  I must nurture my love for Tori, and it's hard to do that with no new shows.  I've had several other recommendations by people, but there literally aren't enough hours in the day for me to add any more, but here they are, in no particular order:

• Big Bang Theory
• Modern Family
• Suits
• Game of Thrones (thanks to Ari, I will forever think of this as Game of Thongs)
• Portlandia
• Justified
• Breaking Bad
• Boardwalk Empire
• Some show that's supposed to be the modern-day FRIENDS?  Can't remember the name.

What else am I missing that I absolutely must watch?  What should I bump to make room for any of the above?  What are you watching?  Yes, you.  

Law School Bound

We interrupt these regularly scheduled movie reviews for some important information:  as most of you know, I have decided to get off my rear end and pursue a childhood dream of mine to become a lawyer.  21, oh alright, 32, is not too late, and so next month I will begin my 4 year adventure into law school.

I admit that when I look at the paltry amount of blogs I posted last year that I am ashamed.  Though 2012 was a turning point for me as I navigated the waters of dating once again, and spent almost half a year studying for the LSAT, as well as working full time and of course taking care of the Little One.  There were many pictures not posted, and many stories not told in the blogosphere, and I hope to step up my game in 2013.

I love to write, and I do enjoy sharing the humorous anecdotes I can pull out of life, encouraging testimonies of faith, things of the contemporary world such as political commentary, movie and concert reviews, and yes, documenting the family life in words and pictures.  I'm sure I'll have more dating horror stories to regale you with (I'm still saving a good one for you all) and of course gripe about school and being tired I'm sure, but I hope the three or so of you who have stuck by me and still read this blog from time to time will hang around a little longer.

And if not, that's okay too, because I'm happy to keep on writing even if it's just for me, and won't have too much time to cry over lost readers!

Movie Review: Zero Dark Thirty

Zero Dark Thirty, directed by Kathryn Bigelow (Oscar winning director of the Hurt Locker, and formerly married to James Cameron), staring Jessica Chastain and a bunch of other men, is based on a true story centering around the CIA hunt for and capture of Osama Bin Laden.  Jessica Chastain just won the Golden Globe for best actress and is the frontrunner to get an Oscar for her performance.  I haven't seen any of the other Best Actress noms this year, but they all seem like a bunch of randoms so it will shock me if Chastain doesn't win.

Here are my take-aways from the movie:

• this movie is long (over 1 1/2 hours) and it feels every bit that long
• It's interesting to see how Bin Laden's hideout was finally discovered and ultimately raided
• the film focuses exclusively on Chastain's character Maya, a CIA agent.  Other characters (predominantly men) wander in and out of the film, but for the most part, names aren't given, and you don't know who any of them are.  This was annoying.
• Hey, Tony Soprano's in this movie!  Who is he supposed to be?  I dunno.  Some CIA big wig.
• Maya likes to say Mother Effer a LOT.
• Zero Dark Thirty does nothing for the tourism industry in Pakistan.
• I must have missed the one insignificant line in the film that references the title.
• Kudos to a prominent female director for tackling a subject matter like this with a strong female lead
• Call me cinematically uncivilized, but this film was a character study on Chastain's character, and I am not particularly fond of Chastain as a matter of personal preference.
• I'm giving this one thumb up.  It was long, it drug, and it was a little more conversation, a lot less action than I would have preferred.

Movie Review: Django Unchained

The second movie I saw over Christmas break was Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino's new flick.  I am a Tarantino fan, so I knew what to expect going in:  quippy dialogue, hilarious cameos, and gratuitous violence.

I LOVED Tarantino's last film Inglourious Basterds, and Christoph Waltz who won an Oscar for his role, so Django did not disappoint as the feel of both movies is similar.  The little vignettes played out scene by scene, and by the time certain actors made their entrance, I was so engrossed in the unfolding plot that I'd forgotten that they were in the movie.  That said, there were maybe 3 vignettes too many as the movie did tend to drag in places.

With the premise of the movie being about a German bounty hunter (Waltz) offering to help a freed slave (Jamie Foxx) rescue his wife from an evil plantation owner (Leonardo DeCaprio), this film has gotten a lot of press about being too violent and disrespectful when it comes to depicting the treatment of slaves.  Yes, the things done to the slaves in Django were horrific.  Some were shown, but most surprisingly were not.  Allusions were made, and then the camera panned away.  I'm sure I would feel differently if I were black, but I actually thought Tarantino tackled this subject matter in his usual snarky way without making it over the top violent or offensive.  

I could not get enough of Christoph Waltz. His delivery of text is perfection in my eyes.  I don't know this to for certain, but I'd bet money that Tarantino crafted this role specifically for Waltz, and shine he did. Leonardo DeCaprio dominated his scenes with palpable tension as the role demanded, and there was one random scene with one random actor that will be known by all who see it as the comedic high point of the film.  Jamie Foxx was good, but overshadowed by the brilliance of Waltz and Decaprio, in my opinion.  

Overall, I'd say One and a half thumbs up.  If you're a Tarantino fan, you've probably already seen it.  If you're not, you can wait to rent this one.

Did you hear the people sing?

It’s a rare occasion nowadays that I go to the movies (flash back to my early 20s when this blog was a happening place for movie and concert reviews, and humorous anecdotes staring my twenty-something friends). However, having spent Christmas away from Bradley this year, I had time to see not one, but two new films. Here comes movie review #1.

Of course, I had to see Les Miserables. Not only am I a musical junkie (Sorry, Eric!), but the movie had plenty of star power, and I was intrigued at the way Les Mis was filmed. In case you didn’t know, the actors sang the parts live, with an accompanist following them, heard by the actors only through an ear bud, and then the orchestral accompaniment was added to the vocal tracks later. I would imagine that was maddening difficult for the conductor and musicians who had to follow the actor’s whims of subtle tempo changes throughout.

So Christmas Day came, and I was all set to see Les Mis. Just as we were ready to leave, I checked to make sure it wasn’t sold out. It was - along with every other showing of the movie that day at every nearby theater. Turns out, everybody and their mother goes to the movies on Christmas Day. Who knew? Immediately, I secured tickets for the next day, and thus I finally settled into my seat the day after Christmas, ready to hate Anne Hathaway.

I’ve been annoyed at the way the previews and movie posters have made her out to be this huge part of the film, when I and anyone who has seen the musical knows that Fontine isn’t around for very long, so I couldn’t understand why she was being billed seemingly as the star of the show.  I tried to dislike Anne Hathaway for this very reason, but alas, I could not. Her performance, small in part, but grand in delivery was one of the highlights of the film.  Plus, let's face it.  Anyone who makes themselves look ugly and cut their hair for a role is practically guaranteed an Oscar.

Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean was also outstanding, and the benefit to film versus theater in this case is that the audience gets to see in detail the physical aging transformation of Jean Valjean up close and personal.  Due to the scoring of the music, Jackman was able to take his time and give real feeling behind the lyrics, staying true to the music, but also allowing for the rubato that the circumstances needed.  He's a strong contender for the Best Actor Oscar.

Who was that guy who played Marius? Eddie Redmayne is his name.  I'm not usually one for blondes, but he was a cutie patootie, even though his vibrato was visible by his shaking throat.  Redmayne was well cast for this part, and his heartfelt rendition of “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” was moving to the point where I understood this song in a way I never had before.  (That’s the song Marius sings after he survives the battle and goes back to the barricade ruins, for those who aren’t as familiar with the musical) which brings me to the best/worst song of the fim:

Favorite song – Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

Least Favorite song – Anything by Russell Crowe

Russell Crowe was an abomination to this movie.  Les Mis surely didn't need his star power.  I can remember seeing the previews for the film months ago, thinking to myself, "huh, I didn't know Russell Crowe could sing."  And then I saw Les Mis.  "Nevermind, he can't."  The meaty role of Javert as the pious villain has the powerhouse songs of Les Mis, and Crowe's vocals were in tune (though with the modern technology available through autotune, you can't necessarily credit Crowe with that), they were thin and flat and had no power behind them.  Even his acting was subpar so not even that could make up for him being cast in a major role in a MUSICAL.  As someone who knows and loves Les Miserables, I waited for Javert's songs, only to be majorly disappointed.  He was by far the weakest link of the cast.

2nd weakest link was a tie between Amanda Seyfried as Cosette and Sacha Baron Cohen as Thenardier.  Seyfried doesn't have a strong voice either (Hello, Mama Mia!) and so what should be light soft vocals ended up being overtaken by birdlike vibrato and an inability to sustain endings of songs, so the vocals were abrubptly cut off.  Sacha  Baron Cohen did a decent job as Thenardier, but he wasn't as hefty and grotesque as Thenardier is supposed to be, and when you're up next to Helena Bonham Carter, you're gonna lose.  Bonham Carter stole the show as Madame Thenardier in every scene she was in.

Overall, I give Les Miserables 2 thumbs up.

Back to Blogging

Hey, remember that time I posted regularly to the blog?  Yeah, me neither.  I'm trying to turn over yet another new leaf and resurrect this thing as far too many events have gone by undocumented.  For starters,

• Bradley turned 4 and had a Star Wars themed birthday party at Monkey Joe's (and I didn't even capitalize on the "May the 4th Be With You" theme when I could have - old age man, I tell ya, I'm slippin')
• I visited Mexico for the first time with "my best friend Heather from home" in July
• Fall soccer, the Green Dragons, went better than last year, but I am not certain soccer is going to be a sport my son enjoys
• Halloween as Darth Vader and Princess Leia
• I turned 32.  Yuck.  I like to pretend I'm at least a youthful 29.
• I finally got off my rear end and decided it was high time I gave law school a shot.  Being a lawyer was a childhood ambition of mine that fell by the wayside when music took over my life, and so better late than never, I studied as much as I could for nearly half a year, and am currently awaiting the LSAT results.
• I am cautiously treading through the waters of online dating, so I'm sure I will be bringing you many tales of woe from my trusty laptop; however, if any of you knows any amazing eligible bachelors, feel free to send them my way!
• Laura and George welcomed baby Atticus into the world, and there is not yet a single picture of him on here. 
• I am still coming to grips with the fact that I am not Superwoman, and there are not 36 hours in every day.  I fall short of my expectations and to-do lists every day of my life, and am trying harder to strike a balance with everything.
• Bradley is learning all about sarcasm.  I bet you'd never guess in a million years who felt it was necessary that he familiarize himself with this literary mechanism.  What's funny is that he grasps the concept. 
• I just experienced my first Christmas spent away from Bradley.  In short, it sucked.  Mothers should never have to spend holidays away from their children.  But my wise old father helped me put things in perspective, and that lifted my attitude considerably.  It's been a long week, but I'm anxiously awaiting celebrating Christmas II tomorrow when I pick him up.
• Happy early 39th anniversary to my amazing parents!  As Sarah Palin said, Learnin's hard, but marriage is harder.  Okay, that was admittedly a paraphrase.  But in a society where divorce is more common than not, I am blessed to witness first hand the sacrifices a husband and wife make for one another to remain in a committed relationship.
• My big 2012 resolution was forgiveness, both for myself and for others.  I'm not there yet, but I am definitely closer than where I was last year at this time. 

Welcome new readers and old, subscribers and silent lurkers.  I've got plenty of things to say, so I hope you'll read it.  But even if you don't, I'll keep on writing as this virtual log is a way to track my amazing, blessed, hysterical life, that I am happy to share with you, or keep to reflect for myself for years to come.