Archive for June, 2011

This Is How My Garden Grows!
 

Just some photos of my gardening so far. I just noticed today I have my first tomatoes (four of them) coming in. Two of my several plants are flowering.



(Left) My Topsy Turvery planter has three seedlings John brought me. One is of the Ramapo variety, a classic Jersey Tomato. The other two are 589s and Tie-Dye Tomatoes . . . which I don’t believe I’ve ever tasted.

(Right) I also have several tomato plants in planters that I grew from seedlings and transplanted. These are just your run of the mill Burpee seeds, i.e. beefsteaks, cherry tomatoes and whatever else I had bought (I forget!)



My sunflowers are coming in. I planted them on all three sides of the garden this year. Unfortunately at first only two came in (the ones in the right photo). I found that odd, since these were the ones most in the shade! I think animals might have eaten the others. I did not give up and kept planting though, and the others are all slowly coming in.

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Super 8 Review
 

With all the talk of “Super 8,” I knew I had to see it ASAP, otherwise I was going to google for spoilers of what exactly the monster is . . . . even though I had an idea. I will post some spoilers later on in the review, and warn those who want to be spoiler free.

So in case you never saw the trailer, or the commercials, here is the basic spoiler free plot. It’s the summer of 1979 and Charles and Joe, two best friends, are making a Super 8 monster (well zombie) movie. Charles is the writer, Joe does the make-up. Several of their other friends are in it, or helping as well. Charles has hopes of winning a Cleveland young film makers contest. Charles, needing more emotion and drama, asks the local hottie Alice to be in the film. This leads to much of the back/side story in the film . . . Joe and Alice become “teen first loves,” but in a not so mushy and in your face way. Alice’s dad and Joe’s dad have a beef, which has to do with the tragic death of Joe’s mom at the local factory months earlier. However that’s just the side story. The real story is that while filming one night at a local train station, the kids witness an event, as well as capture on their film. The insane destruction of a train, millions of weird cubes flung everywhere, and something (which at first don’t get a look of) escaping from one of the cars. A local middle school teacher of biology, involved in the wreck, warns them to run . . . and speak of this to no one . . . .otherwise they and their parents will be killed. Most of the kids are pretty complacent at this request, especially when the Air Force rolls into town. But Alice, Joe and Joe’s dad the deputy sheriff start asking questions . . . . .

The film itself is top quality. Unlike other films of the summer, the stunts look real, as do the explosions, and your convinced your not watching a 90% CGI film. Clever hiding of the monster for most of the film also helps in this regard.

It’s also well acted. The kid actors are great, especially when they’re trying to be cheesy for purposes of the Super 8 film. The adults are great as well, but make no mistake, the kids are the stars of this film.

The scare factors are there. I jumped several times. However it is very light on gore, save for a few scenes. This isn’t a violent film at all . . . and I think it was done so with the intent that families with older kids could enjoy this one together.

Is it the film of the summer? Probably not, we all know that one will go to Harry Potter. Is it the film of the week? For sure. Is it a film, amongst the onslaught of films this summer, that will stand out? Yes most definitely . . . . . . But is it original? Yes and no. Obviously the storyline is original in part, but at the same time it almost seems like a masterful retelling . . . or perhaps a mash-up of well loved 80s kid adventure movies.

*SPOILERISH FROM HERE ON OUT!*

(more…)

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Kitty Has A Name, Still A Monster Though
 

So monster kitty had her second vet appointment, and I HAD to give her a name. I told them it was Baroness Tangina Von MewMew. The lady at the desk then had to go an tell every one of the staff the cat’s name . . . .

They just put down Tangina, but we call her MewMew. That’s what she has learned and responded to.

MewMew also met her first BIG dog at the vet. She hissed, which I never heard her do. She growled too, never heard that! She shot straight up me (I was holding her at the time) and went to the back of my neck.

She was scared shitless . . . no really she had an accident on me . . . .

The lady behind the desk said “You should have a cat carrier!”

Yes I know, but she was small enough at this point still I didn’t bother. I won’t make that mistake again!

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Oh Shannan, Our Love, Holds On
 

I made this for my friend Shannan, who constantly goes on and on about how much she hates the band Journey . . . .


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