madameblogalot

The Hunger Games: This young adult novel was captivating! It will be made into a movie this spring and I can see how it will be a hit movie with the teen crowd. The themes of hunger, entertainment, fire, “Big Brother” government and even reality TV make for an interesting story. One I could hardly put down. My daughter and I rate this a HIT.

Catching Fire: This second book in the Hunger Games picks up where book 1 leaves off. It is also a good story, very political. The themes of hunger and fire still figure largely in the book. I rate this one a HIT as well.

Mockingjay: Wow! This trilogy really drew me into the story. While this third book was probably my least favorite in the series, I really like the way it was all wrapped up. As I got into this book I felt like the author had sights already set on the movie screen while writing it (and author’s notes seem to confirm that.) This one is more violent, more “graphic” though not overdone. As I read the author’s notes though, and “hearing” what she was taught by her parents, I can see how the ideas in the book were important to her to convey. I enjoyed the author’s imagination. I like how she used futuristic techniques, while at the same time making some things seem present day as well as including some archaic feel to it. I really like how the themes of hunger and fire resonate throughout all three books; a really good job on weaving that throughout the series. I will rate this book, and the whole trilogy, a HIT for older teens and adults.

Gnomeo and Juliet: I watched this goofy little movie while on my bike. It was a good enough way to pass the time, though I know many of the references from the play were lost on me (too long since I’ve read it.) There were some funny moments and it was light enough (being more of a comedy than a tragedy.) I am sure those who are more into Shakespeare could appreciate the humor better. I will rate it as neither a HIT or MISS but could be an all right way to help pass a bit of time.

Pompeii: Back From the Dead: This new documentary seemed interesting in the fact that new skeletons have been unearthed from Pompeii. The skeletons are all that remains as the ones found in the 19th century are ruined by the casting done to them. I thought it would be interesting to hear what they have found through testing these skeletons. Overall I did not like the “way” in which the film was done; just the overall tone seemed like they were appealing to a younger generation. Overall I gave this documentary a MISS.

Beauty and the Beast: This high school musical featured a few of my daughter’s friends, including her best friend’s sister as Belle. In taking the lead she truly carried the show. While the show and music are fun, this girl truly carried the show with her singing, acting, and poise. She was spectacular and it was fun hearing the little girls in the audience dreaminess over Belle (”it’s Belle”; “she’s in her yellow dress”; etc) I give this show a HIT for the lead actress as well as the girl who played Babette and even the boy doing Lumiere did all right in his role, a tough one to carry.

Micro: Another interesting Michael Crichton book, finished posthumously by Richard Preston. While some of the premise could be mistaken for other cheesy sci-fi hits (The Incredible Shrinking Woman, Honey I Shrunk the Kids) there is some very interesting ideas in here too (maybe more like an “M” rated Magic School Bus.) This one was too violent for me and I felt like some “sexiness” was added just because that is the thing these days-it wasn’t needed at all to advance the story along. I felt the same way about the language as well. Overall I will give this one a HIT though there were moments I was afraid it might be a MISS.

Is that what you call a slacking blogger? I have been pretty distracted from the blog so far this year! Between my workouts, my chasing a toddler around, taking care of household chores and taking my nephews hiking once a week, there is not much time left for blogging! I have my HIT/MISS list ready to go in a couple of days. Other than that, I will try not to be such a slogger!

I heard a clip on “The Doctors” today stating that testosterone levels in men are lowering about 20% over a generation ago. The doctor stated they don’t know why the levels are lowering but feel like there is some biological issue taking place, whether caused by pollution, the environment or some other cause. I do wonder if environment does play a role in this. I also wonder if it is just a reflection of demographics. With the baby boomers aging and getting into the years where testosterone levels will decline, then there will be more men reported with lower testosterone levels. I also wonder if the pressure we put on our boys to “feminize” them, or at least “urbanize” them (ie-the “metro male”) is somehow quashing the levels of testosterone output. All very interesting and I guess we’ll see in the future how this question can affect all of us….

I have been looking for a part time weekend job since October. I have been extremely surprised at how hard it is to get this kind of job. I thought particularly at this time of year it would be pretty easy. So far I’ve only had one interview, a handful of rejections and many no-answers.

I heard on the radio the other day part of a conversation about this very fact, that there are many advertised job openings but companies are not actually hiring! It did not really make sense to me until my latest attempt at a part time job.

I filled out an application for an “off hours stocking” job thinking that would be just perfect (evenings and weekends.) Most jobs now have to have the application filled out online, so you never really get to talk to anybody. After filling out this most recent app, I immediately got an email back saying they are unable to consider my application at this time. I truly don’t know why. But the one idea that struck me is the fact that they will hold on to my app until Feb. It’s almost as if they are just trying to collect a pool of applicants that they can pull from if needed. So I am still unsure why there are so many advertised positions and so many people looking for work and so many rejected applications….

Whew! What a busy couple of weeks. We traveled to Phoenix to watch (help) my husband participate in his first Ironman triathlon. I don’t think it will be his last!

It was an amazing day (weekend; nearly a week for him) with Ironman village being set up out in the Town park. I was blessed to be able to volunteer for race day, beginning at 5:45 am with the swim exit. It was a lot of fun to see everyone get to the finish of the first third of the race. Nearly everyone made it to the cutoff time of 2hrs 20min. We cheered those who were close to the cutoff time and were saddened with those 10-12 who did not make the cutoff.

After lunch I helped in the women’s change tent for their T2 transition from the bike to the run. After their 112 mile bike ride through the desert and back to town, the athletes headed out for their 26.2 mile run. It was fun to see all the different kinds of ladies who undertook to finish the Ironman race (my husband’s aunt being one of them!) I learned different ways the ladies prepare themselves for such an undertaking and the different things they pack to help them through the day. So many asked me if I was going to do next year’s race. I think I surprised many with my “no” answer! (Volunteers get a preferred registration, after race day and this year’s athletes. Many people volunteer just to be able to get in that line! Lots of this year’s racers were last years volunteers!)

Earlier in the day I met the lady who was captain of the finish line and she said I could come help that evening at the finish to be able to greet my husband. I was glad for that, since by volunteering all day I was never able to see him out on the course (luckily he spotted me at the swim exit and came over and gave me a big wet kiss!) I sat that evening opening medals and rolling t-shirts waiting for him to come in. I was thrilled to hear his name announced and got to him seconds after he crossed the finish line, now and forevermore an IRONMAN!!

Today the neighborhood kids strung a rope across a yard and we had a neighborhood volleyball game. It was great fun and we hated to have to leave. Later when we got home it was still going on. The little 15 month old girl I keep was with me and she ran to get in on the action. When she tripped over one of the older girl’s legs and fell face down on the sidewalk, all the kids came over to check on her. She got up squalling and a little red on the forehead but seemed ok. As I picked her up and carried her to the house to get some ice, all the kids started applauding for her! It was so cute and so sweet! While it may have been a simple playground ovation, it sure made a big statement. I sure am proud of how all those big kids treat a little one year old! (And I would bet her uncle who plays football for Tulane would be impressed that his little niece has gotten such an ovation!)

We heard a sermon today about the effect each of us has on everyone around us. And also those we may not ever be around. It is the “butterfly effect”. What you do affects someone, who touches someone else, which leads to….and on and on. Even when you feel like what you do (for good or bad) is not a big thing, those small things touch other people in ways may we never know or realize.

It makes me think of something that has happened a few times to me as I am running. It is a sort of corny example but the first time it happened I thought it could be made into a tv commercial! As I ran by this older couple who walks every day, the man came over and handed me a small sucker. He had apparently just received it from a neighbor child of his. For whatever reason, he decided to give it to me. When he first gave it to me I just smiled and went on to carry the sucker til I got home. I did throw it away but while I was running with it, my “dream” of how it would make a commercial was if I were to hand it to someone else, who then passed it to someone else and on and on….

In this scenario the candy represents the effect we have on the people near us but also that we never know. If I had passed the candy on, it would have ended up with someone who was indirectly impacted by that little neighbor boy who first passed it on……

The Prestige: Wow! What an interesting movie! This show about magicians at the turn of the 20th century and their obsession with the perfect prestige was a bit confusing at first but in the end it was a good show with plenty of plot turns. I did figure some of it out before the end, but all in all an interesting show and I will rate it as a HIT.

The Great Divorce: I had been wanting to read some C.S. Lewis works and was able to get my hands on this one. I did not really enjoy the “story” though I did find the last few pages of the next to last chapter to be interesting. For the majority of the book I would rate it a MISS but since the one bit had some interest I will rate the book as neither a HIT or MISS.

Dead Girls Don’t Write Letters: This is daughter’s book for an English project. She has read it twice and said she just didn’t “get” the last chapter-even after reading the book twice. I told her I’d read it and see what I thought. I actually enjoyed this book, except for the language (WHY do they do that, especially in kids/young adult’s books!) And I liked the ending. The author left it a bit ambiguous, making it a great question in the reader’s mind. I think I “got” it, at least as far as my guess as to how it ended. And I liked the twist upon twist upon twist. With that last little twist added in at the end. I will go ahead and rate this one a HIT for older teens or adults wanting a fun, quick, quirky, easy read.

Four Blind Mice: I tried a new author this month. The book was fine, not outstanding. I liked the story (language and violence disclaimer) good enough. So I guess I will rate it as a near HIT.

Wintergirls: Haunting. Very descriptive imagery. This is a very real look at a pair of girls who struggle through the winter wastelands of eating disorders, and I hope it can be helpful to girls (and guys) who are in the midst of disordered behavior. A very thought provoking book. I can’t really call it a HIT in the sense of “enjoying” the book. But I think it does rate as a HIT in the way it deals with the subject.

Having an older teen, one who is stuck in the middle of the teen years and keeping a toddler everyday, I started thinking about how much these ages are alike. At first I thought I would say that teens and toddlers are in the same world only on opposite ends of the spectrum. But I think they are pretty much going through the same things-physically, emotionally, and mentally. I mean, we can see a toddler’s body growing and changing, and for the most part that is the same with teens. It is harder to tell the emotional and mental changes going on inside a toddler, but again, maybe not any harder than it is to tell with teens! I mean, they are both figuring out who they are apart from Mom, Dad and other family members; who they are in their own right, in their own community, and they are adamant about expressing their individualism. The mental changes and growth going on within toddlers could probably be said to be about even with teens. Even though a lot of people might think that there is nothing going on in that space between a teenager’s ears, there is plenty of observation, thought processing, reflecting, stewing, percolating and making pronouncements and assertions about the world in which they live. I guess the one advantage that toddlers have over teens is that most people think they are still “cute”.

In all the swirl of life we are going through right now, there are so many needs that have to be taken care of. I cannot believe the amount of money that has been spent by us this year. Money for physical therapies, college fees, eyeglasses, driver’s ed, the dentist, sessions with specialists, required health insurance for a college student…and this is all among the regular expenses required just to live and run a household!

I know some changes are in store for the next year’s budget planning. Things like driver’s ed are over. Physical therapies have ended. And for eye wear I will definitely check into cheap eyeglasses . This year I let my daughter talk me into “glasses in an hour.” In the future I want to check out some prescription eyeglass web sites to help control some of the outrageous costs while still meeting my family’s health needs. I hear they can provide sturdy, affordable and yet stylish eyeglasses to help meet any budget. So while health care often feels like a luxury I am hopeful to be able to meet all my family’s needs while remaining safely within our budget.