Movies = neato.

I like movies.

I used to get mad at movies that were first books. See, more than I like movies, I like books. Books are The Shiz, ya dig? I used to read a book, then watch the movie and groan over how WRONG they got it. Or, I’d see a movie, and then realize there was a book, and get all depressed… see, now if I read the book, I’d have pre-defined ideas about how the people should look and act in my head. That takes away a large amount of the fun.

Books are cool partly because your mind can run away with all the imagery. My mind really likes to do that, so it likes books.

That said, movies also rock very much. I can seriously appreciate a good story line in a movie, and when the actors portray their characters well, it can be breathtaking. I’m also a sucker for a cinematographically beautiful shot.

(And I’m badass for using the word, “cinematographically.”)

Additionally, some killer modern Effects and a slammin’ soundtrack are always a good time.

Along that vein, John and I recently rented a movie called The Hitcher, because Netflix recommended it for us. I’m willing to take movie chances, so I often check out this kind of crap. It sounded interesting. I was totally ready to laugh at what I was sure would be “old looking” and “cheesy” and maybe even “crappy as hell” camera shots and effects, considering that the date on the movie was 1986.

I was a surprised bitch. The movie was rather weird, but actually interesting and entertaining (if you like freakball thriller-type movies, like I do). The time period was definitely noticeable in the quality of the film, but not in a bad way.

And here’s the thing – I was entirely captivated by stunt scenes that were REAL.

You don’t realize how much you have just gotten so incredibly used to seeing computer generated effects in movies until you watch something old. They really had to do stuff like set cars on fire, flip them in chase scenes, and break REAL glass! And it LOOKS DIFFERENT when it’s real.

“Wow, that effect is really great, it looks so real!” can’t compare with, “Holy shit! That car is ACTUALLY on fire, and some stunt dude is driving it – F’in A!”

Upon looking into the film, I also learned that one of the lead actors, Rutger Hauer, actually did a lot of the stunt driving himself. Could he BE any more awesome? No, no he could not. Apparently, he even knocked out a tooth in one of the stunt scenes, where he crashes through a windshield holding a shotgun. Hard core.

Other notable actors in the movie include C. Thomas Howell and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Personally, I enjoyed watching Ponyboy Curtis get all flustered over almost eating a finger, and, here, Single White Female does NOT survive until the end of the movie.

I came away from the viewing with 2 fun, memorable quotes (both spoken by Rutger Hauer’s character, “John Ryder”):

“So, how ya like Shitsville?”

And, the considerably longer, and much creepier:

“Well, he couldn’t walk far. [pause] I cut off his legs. [pause] And his arms. [pause] And his head. [pause] And I’m going to do the same to you.”

But, I digress.

I like movies.

So, from time to time, I’ll be talking about them.

Weekly Winners

Sundays are going to be “Weekly Winners” days around here… each Sunday, I’ll look through all the pics and vids I took the previous week, and post my favorites.

And I take a lot of damn pictures and videos.

This week’s winners…

Photos

 

Bathie Luv

I love you, or Rocker Sign?

Close-up of The Mexican

Staring at an Airplane

Action Dog!

6 Years Since We Met

Videos

Cute, even when annoyed

“Talking”

Lovin’ this fan

Aww, Shucks….

I’m feeling all, well, liked and stuff. Why? Because the very awesome Veronica took the time to give me this button:

How cool is that!? I have never received a blog button award thingie before, so she took my virginity, and I’m darn excited about it.

I’d give this to Dawn, because I just started reading her blog, and it’s great! but she already got it from someone else… hm.

I also just started reading Toddled Dredge, and am loving it… so I’d like to pass the button on to Veronica Mitchell. She doesn’t read this, so I guess I’ll have to send her a comment about it. Heh.

Thanks again for the luv, V!

Squish a Boobie

I thought this was cute, and the message is important.

So, you know… Squish a boobie, guys.

(Thanks to “di” on Myspace for this!)

Waking for Braden

Last night I awoke, at about 4:30 am, to mildly-annoyed-baby-whine sounds. Listening to the monitor intently for a moment, tapping into that special Baby Sound Meanings-Deciphering Super Power us mommies have, I decided Braden must be half asleep, but missing his paci.Sometimes, the sounds say, “I miss my paci… but it’s not a big deal, and in a few seconds, I’m gonna murmur off, back into deep sleep without it.” When they say that, I roll over and go back to sleep.

Sometimes the sleepy sounds say, “Uh-oh. I miss my paci. While I sound pretty deep asleep still, right now, if it doesn’t jump in my mouth soon, things are going to change pretty quickly.” When they say that, I’ve learned to get up quickly, walk quietly, search furtively, find the paci and plug the hole.

Of course, sometimes they say, “OMG, I’M NOT GOING TO MAKE QUIET, SLEEPY SOUNDS AT ALL! I JUST WOKE UP, MY PACI IS GONE, AND WE’RE GOING STRAIGHT INTO DEFCON-5! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Those are the nights when I really, really wish I hadn’t given up the sweet, sweet alcohol. (Because getting drunk while rocking a child back to sleep for the next seventy-eleven hours is a good idea. ? )

So, anyway, while I was standing by his crib reaching into the corner to retrieve The Paci, the soft glow of his crib-side light gave me one of those sweet glimpses of my Nighttime Braden. He was nestled near the corner of the crib right next to me, on his back, sleepily rubbing at one eye, with both eyes still shut. His blonde hair was falling back softly from his forehead. He had that, “I’m an angel in dinosaur pajamas” look. I sighed as I put the paci back into his little mouth, and listened to his sleepy, happy sucking sounds.

Back in bed, I spoke to him in my head for a few minutes.

“Braden, you have amazed me just recently.

I can’t believe how much you JUST changed on me again. I can’t believe how often you are talking to me, and that you’re asking me QUESTIONS!

I can’t believe that you can RUN and point at things and ask me, “Ish?” (this?) and “Wah-DAHT?”

I can’t believe that you spit out large paragraphs of garbled baby-language about the things I identify for you.

Braden, I’m just amazed by you and I don’t know how to tell you that. I still can’t believe that God decided to let you live with me.

But, you know what, Braden?

I hope He never changes His mind.”

Because He Rocks

Just felt like throwing this picture on the proverbial table.

It’s an old favorite of mine. He rocks.

Codeine and God

My back is actually feeling better today. I’m pretty surprised, considering I’m usually laid up with this type of pain for about a week before it gets better. It’s still a little tender, but much better.

So, last night I drank a cup of coffee at about 10pm. Why? Because I’m a loser and lately I’ve been getting really tired before I’m ready to sign off for the night. A little later, we popped in our latest Netflix DVD, Lord of War (pretty darn good). I kept shifting around on the couch trying to find a comfortable position.

Shifting really doesn’t help.

I caved and took a BC powder dose. Wee! This crap not only has a butt-load of aspirin in it, but it also has a nice shot of caffeine. Yay, now I had more than just the cup of coffee running through my blood.

About 30 minutes later, still in agony, I really caved and took codeine (co-codamol).

Later, at bed-time, I rolled over on my side and felt a warm hand on my lower back.

“Lord, please make my wife’s back feel better.”

Silence.

[John] “I love you.”

“Are you still talking to God?”

“No.”

“Oh. I love you, too.”

Pause.

“Amen.” (smart ass)

Pause.

[Me] “Stop trying to have a 3-way with me and God.”

I blame the codeine.

Random Sharing, While in Agony

Kind of random and pointless post today, since my back is acting 159 years old again.

Something I did in the past few days (not sure what, exactly) has paid off by resulting in sciatic pain shooting down my leg yesterday morning, followed by tender, nervy pain in my lower back last night, and climaxing as serious, hobbling-type back pain for me all day today.

It has worsened as the day has worn on, no matter what I have done. Usually I can minimize the pain with a combination of Ibuprofen/Ice Gel Pack/Hydration/Rest. Today, the Back Pain Demon is having none of it.

So, I hobbled down the steep-ass driveway this morning to sweep up the mulch that some Butt Raper’s dog flung out of the flowerbed I’ve been nurturing alongside the driveway. If I see this happening again, I swear I’m going to run out there, bad back or not, and kick that freakin’ dog as hard as I can.

Then John mowed the lawn, since it was starting to look like no-one lived here, and a kid came to my door last week and asked me, “Can I, uh… mow your lawn for some money?”

John has been gone all this afternoon to do work on Chris Cagle‘s next album. He’s at Scott Hendricks’s studio, much to his delight. He’ll probably be there all night. Yay @ the work and the experience for John. Boo @ John being gone while I’m all decrepit.

Braden has been increasingly vocal in the past month, with a sharp upturn in the jabbering activity just this past week.

He’s been making a sound for some time that I SWORE was him asking “What’s this?” It sounds kind of like “Huh-Ish?” He confirmed my suspicions a few days ago when he held up his little, fake cell-phone and CLEARLY asked me, “Whas-tis?” He has said it semi-clearly only once more since then, but has been repeatedly making the “Huh-ish?” and now “Teh-Iss?” sounds while pointing, or staring, at something. It’s wonderful.

For the record, he’s been saying, “Dadada” for awhile. Sometimes it seems discriminate, sometimes it seems random. Today, twice, he’s whined, “Maaaaahh” to me in a needy way.

Also for the record, TEETHING SUCKS. I would like to petition Our Creator for a change in this process, ie: all teeth should arrive overnight, at one time.

Have I mentioned that my back hurts? Right now, it’s feeling like Satan’s Torture Playground Rehearsal Scene, in the movie, “Lotus: The Later Years.”

I need a nap. Where’s MY paci?

*grumble*

At least Braden’s having some fun today.