Bookcases - Before and After

This is how I had things for a few months.

After a while, I got sick of looking in and out of my boxes for my DVDs so I changed it.

So much better now.

Sunshine Cleaning

"Sunshine Cleaning" Description from Netflix (even though I saw it in the theater): Financially on shaky ground yet determined to send her son to a top private school, Rose Lorkowski (Amy Adams) teams up with her unreliable sister, Norah (Emily Blunt), to start a new company that specializes in biohazard removal and crime scene cleanup. Tired of doing all of the work for other people, whether in her job cleaning homes or in her failed relationships, Rose is finally ready to use her entrepreneurial spirit to tidy up her own life.

The movie itself is a little messy. It feels like there was a few scenes cut because there is a lot of missing information. Amy Adams and Emily Blunt are both amazing and make the movie watchable. I think it is trying to be "Little Miss Sunshine," which it is not. It tries to have the heart and the quirkiness, but falls short.

I would recommend this as a rental or to catch on cable.

Puyallup Fairgrounds

I went to check out the Puyallup Fairgrounds for a "Scottish Festival." I was under the impression that this was a festival and the highlander games, but it was just a lame gathering. So instead, I wandered the fairgrounds alone in the rain with my camera. The place is huge and when the Puyallup Fair is in full swing this place must be a mad house. However, when the place is empty, it just provides some great creepy photos.

This is a color photo.

Seriously, how creepy is this sign? What is this supposed to be? A squirrel? A potato in drag? How is this supposed to convince me to buy their fries?

Favorite Cuisine

The question came up at work, "If you could only eat the cuisine of one ethnic group, which would it be?" A few people said Mexican, one said Italian and one said Japanese. I thought about it for a while and then answered "Irish." I got some funny looks, but I stand firm that is my favorite.

I don't like spicy foods and I'm hit or miss on fish. However, I have never met an Irish dish I didn't like. The first time I was ever in a real Irish pub was in San Diego. Most Irish pubs aren't really Irish. They are just pubs that have Guinness on tap.

I found a real Irish pub here in Seattle called "Fado" which is Gaelic for "long ago." How do I determine if it is real or not? Easy. If they serve my favorite dish, boxty.

Boxty is a potato pancake that is rolled like a crepe. You roll it like a burrito and fill it with different things. Here are your choices at Fado, for example:

Trinity Steak Boxty
Grilled steak, sauteed mushrooms, and onions rolled in our own boxty topped with a whiskey-garlic sauce. Served with seasonal vegetables.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Boxty
Corned beef, buttered cabbage, and a creamy mustard sauce wrapped in a potato boxty. Served with seasonal vegetables.

Blackened Chicken and Shrimp Boxty
With tomatoes and mushrooms in a spicy cheese sauce. Served with seasonal vegetables.

I had the trinity steak and it was awesome.

In case you doubt Irish cuisine has other great foods, here are just a few examples from the Fado menu:

Appetizers - Béaloga

Smithwick’s Mini-Burgers
Two Smithwick’s ale flavored beef burgers with pickles, onions and melted cheese.

Guinness BBQ Wings
A dozen extra plump wings tossed in our own Guinness BBQ sauce. Served with blue cheese and celery. Also available tossed in hot sauce.

Cheese Dip And Wedges
A creamy blend of Irish cheddar, pepper jack cheese and green onion served with boxty wedges for dipping.

Traditional Fare- Bia Traidisiúnta

Homemade Shepherd’s Pie
Ground sirloin and diced vegetables in a rich beef sauce, topped with colcannon.

Corned Beef and Cabbage
Tender corned beef topped with a creamy white wine-mustard sauce. Served with red-potatoes and buttered cabbage.

Bangers and Mash
Irish pork sausages on colcannon with a savory onion gravy and peas.

All-Day Irish Breakfast
Two eggs, two Irish sausages, two rashers, two black puddings, two white puddings, two tomatoes, mushrooms and pan fried potato bread.

Grilled Pub Steak and Chips
A tender flat iron steak grilled to order with a red-wine sauce, mushrooms, broiled bleu cheese, tomatoes and thick-cut chips.

Desserts- Milseog

Black and Tan Brownie with Guinness Ice Cream
A warm, rich chocolate brownie topped with home-made Guinness Ice Cream, whipped cream, pecans and chocolate sauce.

Harvest Bread Pudding
A flavorful pudding with apples, cinnamon, sugar and walnuts topped with our own brown bread ice cream.

Brown Bread Ice Cream
A blend of vanilla ice cream and caramelized brown bread topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce.

Fadó Irish Coffee
Cleanse your palate with an age-old recipe. The Fadó signature drink features Bushmills Irish Whiskey, brown sugar, coffee, and fresh whipped cream with cinnamon swirls.

March Madness Mix

I've been making a music playlist for each month and sending the CD to a few people. I thought I would share the music I've been sending.

1. “Tahitian Moon” by Porno For Pyros

2. “Another Way to Die” (James Bond Theme from “Quantum of Solace”) by Alicia Keyes & Jack White.

3. “A Minha Menina” by Band of Bees

4. “Hello” by Cat Empire

5. “In These Shoes” bu Kristy Maccoll

6. “Little Toy Gun” by Honey Honey

7. “Don’t Bother Me” by the Blakes

8. “Baby Fratelli” by the Fratellis (I am a huge fan of this Scottish band)

9. “You Got Your Cherry Bomb” by Spoon

10. “Troublemaker” by Weezer

11. “Hot in Here” by Jill Souble (this is a cover of the original)

12. “Lights Out” by Santogold

13. “Sex on Fire” by Kings of Leon (I joke that this resulted in another song’s lyrics “the beds are burning”)

14. “The Fear” by Lily Allen

15. “Pull Shapes” by Pipettes

16. “Becky” by Be Your Own Pet

17. “Stickin’ to the Floor” by Artic Monkeys

18. “Rent-a-cop” by Ben Folds

19. “Don’t Bring Me Down” Electric Light Orchestra (ELO)


Just a sample of some music I've been listening to.

This Week In Netflix

"I've Loved You So Long" (2008) Description from Netflix: After more than a decade apart, estranged sisters Juliette (Kristin Scott Thomas) and Lea (Elsa Zylberstein) try to rebuild their fractured relationship. But the task is hardly easy, considering Juliette's past. She's been in jail for 15 years -- for killing someone. As she settles into small-town life with Lea's family, the locals can't help but talk. Philippe Claudel's feature film debut garnered him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

This should have been nominated for Best Picture. It was one of the top 5 movies of last year for sure. It unfolded perfectly and all of the characters were very well developed and acted. It didn't have any wacky french symbolism or strange dream sequences. For a French film, it was very British. I highly recommend. Watch in French with subtitles.

"Shackleton" (2002) Description from Netflix: Ernest Shackleton (Kenneth Branagh) was one of 20th century's greatest explorers. Bound for Antarctica in 1915, Shackleton's ship, the Endurance, became trapped in the Weddell Sea ice pack. The ship sank, stranding Shackleton and his crew in hostile environments. Based on diaries and first-person accounts of expedition members, this film recounts their ordeal.

A&E miniseries I have had on my list for a while mostly because of Branagh. It was very well done all the way around. Not sure how accurate it was on the history since I don't know all that much about Shackleton himself. It was very entertaining and well done. I recommend.

"Let The Right One In" (2008) Description from Netflix: Twelve-year-old Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), the constant target of bullies, spends his time plotting revenge and collecting news items about the grisly murders plaguing his town. Things change for Oskar when he meets new girl Eli (Lina Leandersson), a misfit vampire who steals his heart. As a serial killer continues to prey on teen boys in the small village outside Stockholm, Sweden, Eli helps Oskar find the courage to stand up to his tormenters.

This one was on a few people's lists for their top films of last year. I don't know why. I admit we watched it dubbed, but only because we couldn't figure out to swap it out to subtitles. This was the first movie I watch on my new couch and the first time I watched a movie with a friend in my apartment. I didn't think it was all that ground breaking. It was just a vampire movie done with junior high kids instead of teenagers. It was just okay.

"La Vie En Rose" (2007) Description from Netflix: In this biopic, director Olivier Dahan creates a loving portrait of legendary Parisian singer Edith Piaf (played by Marion Cotillard in an Oscar-winning performance), whose passion for music saw her through a life filled with tragedy. The film follows the chanteuse from her forlorn childhood in a brothel to her big break at Louis Leplée's (Gérard Depardieu) nightclub and her premature death at age 47. Sylvie Testud and Pascal Greggory co-star.

Marion Cotillard completely deserved her Oscar. Amazing performance. The movie itself was just okay. Very sad story about a very tragic singer whose voice and song is what you think of when you think of Paris. It moved slow in parts and the other actors were not nearly as good as she was.

Couch Before and After Photos

From blankets in a couch-like shape to an actual couch in seven months!

It is very comfy. Actually, it is the most comfortable couch I have owned and the boldest in color. I bought it off one of the managers at Amazon who has had it in storage for over 2 years.

My friend Linda's husband, James, and I moved it. The couch is massive and honestly, it should not have fit in my apartment. There were a few moments where I didn't think it was going to fit at all, but it all worked out. It didn't fit in the elevator and the stairwell is partially enclosed. There is only so much of this that you could do:

Happy First Day of Spring!

A time for flowers, rain, fools and new beginnings!

Let the buds of spring begin to bloom!

Apology

I am sorry I have been so bad at blogging lately. I am planning to catch up today and fill in all the holes from the last ...geez...six weeks. It really hasn't felt that long. I keep meaning to do it and just kept putting it off. Be prepared for a bunch of posts to fill in as much of the gaps as I can.

I blame the new couch the most. It's very comfy and away from my computer. Pictures will follow I promise.

This Week In Netflix

"Transporter 3" (2008) Description from Netflix: Buckle up and hold on tight for the third installment of the action-packed Transporter series, which follows the thrilling adventures of Frank Martin (Jason Statham), a mercenary driver who makes his living by delivering important cargo, no questions asked. Co-written by French director Luc Besson, Transporter 3 brings back co-star François Berléand and welcomes the addition of Robert Knepper to the cast.

All of the Transporter movies are created equal. Once you have seen one, you know what you're going to get. Okay action, plot lines you can drive semi-trucks through and Jason Statham. This one was no different. Could have been worse. Could have been better.

"Role Models" (2008) Description from Netflix: Slackers Danny (Paul Rudd) and Wheeler (Seann William Scott) have coasted their way through jobs at an energy drink company. When their goofing off catches up with them, they're sentenced to community service with the Sturdy Wings mentoring program. The assignment is supposed to teach them responsibility, but it just proves that they're the last people who should be in charge of kids. Elizabeth Banks co-stars in David Wain's sidesplitting comedy.

Meh. I didn't really care for it until the ending. The ending redeemed it a bit. I also think the R rated sex and language really don't fit in all modern comedies. I found it more off putting than anything. Pretty much since "Knocked Up," I've been over it. It doesn't make it funnier or better or more realistic in any way, shape or form.

"Rachel Getting Married" (2008) Description from Netflix: When drama queen Kym (Anne Hathaway, in her first Oscar-nominated role), a former model who's been in and out of rehab for 10 years, returns to her parents' home just before the wedding of her sister, Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt), long-standing family conflicts begin to resurface. Directed by Jonathan Demme, this touching and humorous drama co-stars Debra Winger and was nominated for a Best Feature Independent Spirit Award, among others.

I think this movie is the perfect example of how a script in the hands of a good director can make a good movie. This script in the hands of an independent director or first-time director could have easily turned into self-indulgent crap. I thought that Demme chose to show all the characters in such a way you can see all of their view points. You can see both how the character sees something and how the other characters react to it. Had the guy who directed "Squid and the Whale" did this, I probably wouldn't have made it 10 minutes. Demme understands that you can show flawed characters and show how you can understand them despite that.

"Battle In Seattle" (2007) Description from Netflix: With the World Trade Organization about to convene in his city, Seattle's Mayor Jim Tobin (Ray Liotta) tries to make sure all events go smoothly. As tensions between protestors and authorities rise out of control, activists and bystanders get caught in the crossfire. Based on the 1999 protest referred to as the "Battle of Seattle," this drama features Charlize Theron, Woody Harrelson, André Benjamin, Connie Nielsen and Michelle Rodriguez.

Bit preachy and there is one horrific scene involving violence to a pregnant woman. Ripped my heart out. Really don't think that scene will ever leave me. However, as a movie goes, it's not good. Too many characters, too many subplots, too much politics and way too much preaching.

"Happy-Go-Lucky" (2007) Description from Netflix: Poppy (Sally Hawkins, in a Golden Globe-winning role) is a perpetually cheerful 30-year-old London teacher. When her beloved bike is stolen, she decides to take up driving, and is paired with Scott (Eddie Marsan), an instructor who's her polar opposite. Their relationship is strained until Poppy's bright personality attracts a co-worker, making Scott unexpectedly jealous. Alexis Zegerman and Karina Fernandez co-star in Mike Leigh's effervescent comedy (nominated for a Best Picture Golden Globe).

I heard a lot of people talking about this one. Sally Hawkins was great, but the character was super annoying. The best moments were when she was being serious. Still, a very good movie and fun comedy. Poppy's accent reminded me a lot of Catherine Tate's accent in Dr. Who. I kept waiting for her to yell "Oy!"

"Synecdoche, New York" (2008) Description from Netflix: After his painter wife (Catherine Keener) leaves him and takes their daughter to Berlin, theater director Caden Cotard (Philip Seymour Hoffman) stages a new autobiographical play in a massive warehouse amid a life-size replica of Manhattan. Meanwhile, Caden must contend with the many women in his life -- including a box-office worker, an actress and a shrink -- in this beguiling directorial debut (winner of a Best First Feature Independent Spirit Award) by ace screenwriter Charlie Kaufman.

This is probably my least favorite Kaufman. I like and own Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine is great and I even liked Adaptation. Maybe because he wrote and directed it. I think that is a bit too much Kaufman to handle. All of the performances were great and I think it got overlooked because of it being too much Kaufman for the mind to handle.

Let the Green Beer Flow

Movie Quote Game from Facebook

1. Pick 15 of your favorite movies.
2. Go to IMDB.com and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. When someone guesses correctly, write who guessed it and the movie.
5. You don't have to be tagged in this to play...but if you are tagged, please play along...

I'll start off easy...

1. Well, someone's got to break the ice, and it might as well be me. I mean, I'm used to being a hostess, it's part of my husband's work. And it's always difficult when a group of new friends meet together for the first time, to get acquainted. So I'm perfectly prepared to start the ball rolling. I mean, I-I have absolutely no idea what we're doing here. Or what I'm doing here, or what this place is about, but I am determined to enjoy myself. And I'm very intrigued, and, oh my, this soup's delicious, isn't it?

2. Burton Mercer: [to Trooper Daniel] Hi! Wanna hand me the mike?
[Daniel gives him the police radio]
Burton Mercer: Thanks a lot.
[speaking in radio]
Burton Mercer: Hi, this is car um...
[to Officer Mount]
Burton Mercer: What number are we?
Officer Mount: Five-five.
Burton Mercer: [to radio] Car 55. Um... we're in a truck!
[chuckles nervously]

43. [a baseball game is on television]
Ed Rooney: What's the score?
Pizza Joint Owner: Nothin' nothin'.
Ed Rooney: [not really listening] Who's winning?
Pizza Joint Owner: The Bears.

4. Grandpa: She doesn't get eaten by the eels at this time
The Grandson: What?
Grandpa: The eel doesn't get her. I'm explaining to to because you look nervous.
The Grandson: I wasn't nervous. Maybe I was a little bit "concerned" but that's not the same thing.

5. John Bender: Screws fall out all the time, the world is an imperfect place.

Those were the easy ones. Now for some trickier ones from some of my fave films.

6. Martins: Have you ever seen any of your victims?
Harry: You know, I never feel comfortable on these sort of things. Victims? Don't be melodramatic. Look down there. Tell me. Would you really feel any pity if one of those dots stopped moving forever? If I offered you twenty thousand pounds for every dot that stopped, would you really, old man, tell me to keep my money, or would you calculate how many dots you could afford to spare? Free of income tax, old man. Free of income tax - the only way you can save money nowadays.

7. Walter: Mozart? Mozart is dead, his problems are over, help MEEE...

8. Robert: I never thought I'd find an answer at the bottom of a pint glass.
Cutter: Hasn't stopped you looking, has it?

9. Droz: What's this? You're wearing the shirt of the band you're going to see? Don't be that guy.

10. [Translating with a Swahili phrasebook]
Lyle: Pardon me, girls. I know you're feeling pretty hey sailor up here about now. But if you would just let me order a bowl of fried clams we can all have smallpox tomorrow morning.

11. Darius: Yes, I am in CATS. Now and forever. The way I see it, I was too young for Chorus Line, and too "happy" for Les Mis. I never did get that show. It's about a guy, who steals a loaf of bread, and then suffers for the rest of his life. For toast! Get over it.

12. Maude: David, you're like my own son.
David: I am your own son, Mother.
Maude: Exactly! Now, I endured twenty-one hours of hard labor to bring you into the world. The doctors begged me to take drugs, but I kept saying I wouldn't do anything to hurt my child. Well, I've changed my mind - you screw up with Elizabeth and I swear I'll kill you.

13. Eleonore: This year you bring a lady guest?
Jamie: Ah, no. There's a change of situation. It's just me.
Eleonore: Oh, am I sad or not sad?
Jamie: Uh, I think you're not surprised.

14. Diana: I watched your 6 o'clock news today; it's straight tabloid. You had a minute and a half of that lady riding a bike naked in Central Park; on the other hand, you had less than a minute of hard national and international news. It was all sex, scandal, brutal crime, sports, children with incurable diseases, and lost puppies. So, I don't think I'll listen to any protestations of high standards of journalism when you're right down on the streets soliciting audiences like the rest of us. Look, all I'm saying is if you're going to hustle, at least do it right.

15. Lloyd: I got a question. If you guys know so much about women, how come you're here at like the Gas 'n' Sip on a Saturday night completely alone drinking beers with no women anywhere?
Joe: By choice, man.


*****************************************************************


If you would like the answers:
1. Clue
2. Blues Brothers
3. Ferris Buellar's Day off
4. Princess Bride
5. The Breakfast Club
6. The Third Man
7. Money Pit
8. The Prestige
9. PCU
10. George of the Jungle
11. Jeffrey
12. Sabrina (remake)
13. Love Actually
14. Network
15. Say Anything

Happy Friday the 13th Again

I think I'm dying...

I don't feel well and I'm staying home from work. Ugh.

This Week In Netflix

"Kung Fu Panda" (2008) Description from Netflix: When China's Valley of Peace is threatened, lazy Po the panda (voiced by Jack Black) discovers his destiny as the "chosen one" and trains to become a kung fu hero. Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) and the Furious Five -- Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Crane (David Cross), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Monkey (Jackie Chan) -- impart their knowledge to Po, but transforming this slacker into a brave warrior isn't going to be easy in this Oscar nominee for Best Animated Feature.

Bit disappointing. I think I liked the behind the scenes documentary better than the actual film. Doesn't come close to anything Pixar and really wasn't even as good as the first two Shrek movies.

"Without A Clue" (1988) Description from Netflix: Part mystery and part comedy, this film tackles the origins of the world's most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes. Here, Holmes is depicted as an invention of Dr. John Watson (Ben Kingsley), who acts as if Holmes really exists. But when Holmes's popularity grows, Dr. Watson finds himself inundated with requests for detective service. In need of help, Dr. Watson hires a bumbling local actor (Michael Caine) to masquerade as the great detective.

Very funny. Ben Kinsley and Michael Caine are so good in general, but they really work so well together. You can see Watson's complete hatred of Holmes. Fun to watch a whole new take on just an over done storyline.

"In Bruges" (2008) Description from Netflix: In Martin McDonagh's dark comedy, after accidentally killing an innocent boy in London, hit men Ray (Colin Farrell, in a Golden Globe-winning role) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) are sent by their boss, Harry (Ralph Fiennes), to lay low in Bruges, Belgium. Uncomfortable in this foreign city, the two professional killers meet ecletic characters (including a drug-dealing beauty, a little person actor and a pregnant hotel owner) and soon get into trouble.

Meh. Not sure why it got the Golden Globe attention. However, I do want to see Bruges now. Colin Farrell was decent. His reaction to the little person actor were the best parts of the movie.

"A Cinderella Story" (2004) Description from Netflix: In this modern take on the classic fairy tale, Hilary Duff plays the Cinderella character -- a California high school student named Sam, who scrubs floors at her selfish stepmother's (Jennifer Coolidge) diner while dreaming of attending Princeton. When an anonymous email pal (Chad Michael Murray) -- the object of Sam's affection -- confesses he's the quarterback of the school's football team, Sam panics, certain she's not cool enough to date him.

Better than I thought it would be. It was watchable, but thought it was more of retelling of the "Ever After" version of Cinderell than the Disney version. Still a Disney film with Hilary Duff, but not as painful as a High School Musical movie.

"Mamma Mia" (2008) Description from Netflix: Based on the international hit musical featuring the songs of pop superstars ABBA, this charming tale centers on a bride-to-be (Amanda Seyfried) and her plan to uncover her father's identity by inviting three of her mother's (Meryl Streep) former lovers to her wedding. This Golden Globe nominee for Best Picture (Comedy or Musical) also stars Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård and Christine Baranski.

Physical pain. This movie caused me physical pain. This was so god awful. GOD AWFUL. This is why people hate musicals. None of those actors should do musicals. The pain. The pain. I do not ever want to go to Greece now on the off chance it could remind me of this movie. Same with Abba music. GOD AWFUL.

"Across the Universe" (2007) Description from Netflix: An American girl (Evan Rachel Wood) and a British lad (Jim Sturgess) fall in love amid the upheaval of the 1960s in this musical featuring classic Beatles songs and a mix of live action and innovative animation. On an excursion to America, Liverpool dock worker Jude (Sturgess) falls for Lucy (Wood). When Lucy's brother (Joe Anderson) is drafted, Jude and Lucy take a stand as anti-war activists. Dana Fuchs, Bono and Eddie Izzard co-star.

I liked the idea of this movie better than the execution. It didn't feel as forced as Mamma Mia. The songs all worked, but I think this would have been better with another director and less stylized 60s effects. I would actually buy the soundtrack if I saw it. Some of the covers were pretty good.

Pretty much this group of movies was a bust. I have no desire to see any of them again and some cause pain. Pain!

Coraline

"Coraline" is based on a book by Neil Gaiman and the animation is done in the style of "Nightmare Before Christmas."

"A young girl walks through a secret door in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to her real life - only much better. But when her adventure turns dangerous, and her counterfeit parents (including Other Mother) try to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to get back home - and save her family." - IMDB

I saw it with my friend, Linda, her daughter and her daughter's friend. Of course, we sat apart from them in the theater. Halfway through the movie I leaned over to Linda and said, "I guess the morale is to appreciate your parents."

When we were walking out, I asked the girls what the morale was. To which the response was, "Don't go through strange doors" and "Trust cats. They are usually right." This made us both laugh. We informed them of the real morale and they shrugged and continued comparing it to the book.

For a kids story, it's kind of creepy. The buttons on people's eyes and the ghosts were disconcerting. All in all, I liked it and would recommend it.

Christian Bale or Kermit the Frog?

All of the pics are HERE. These are some of my favorites:

Lex Luthor Requests Bailout Money

"Lex Luthor Bailout" is a funny short with the guy from "Mad Men" (Jon Hamm) as Lex Luthor. Even Lexcorp is effected by these financial times.

If you can get over the bad bald wig, I think you'll find it pretty funny. Jon Hamm would make an excellent villian. He has Lex Luthor's condensention down perfectly.

This Week In Netflix

"A Bit of Fry and Laurie: Series 1" (1989) Description from Netflix: Brits Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie serve up a tangy blend of eccentric characters, witty wordplay and spontaneous shenanigans in this clever sketch comedy series. The funnymen refuse to play by the rules, crossing conventional lines with madcap abandon. Season 1 features skits with Fry and Laurie's recurring characters, including genteel secret agents Tony and Control, uptight yuppies John and Peter and light metal rockers Bishop and Warlord.

After watching 5 seasons of "House," I was in need of a reminder of how funny Hugh Laurie is. He and Stephen Fry work so well together as demonstrated here and in their other BBC series "Jeeves and Wooster." Amazing how the two of them can fill a half hour of multiple sketches with just themselves.

"Maybe Baby" (2001) Description from Netflix: Sam Bell (Hugh Laurie) and his wife, Lucy (Joely Richardson), are the perfect couple, complete with perfect careers and perfect lives. But one thing is missing: The Bells want a baby -- and they can't seem to conceive one. Doctors advise in-vitro; a friend advises creativity; and the couple soon finds their love put to the toughest of tests. Emma Thompson and Rowan Atkinson make cameo appearances.

I really like this movie. It had both humor and heart in talking about infertility. The writer/director did a great job and I'm guessing a lot of this much have come from his real life. Rowan Atkinson plays the fertility doctor. Do I really need to say more?

"13 Going On 30" (2004) Description from Netflix: It's 1987, and geeky Jenna just wants to be popular. After her 13th birthday party goes awry, Jenna wishes she could just be 30 instead -- only to wake up and discover that she's flash-forwarded 17 years. Now a sexy, successful magazine editor, Jenna (Jennifer Garner) finds out that being an adult isn't necessarily all it's cracked up to be. Mark Ruffalo, Judy Greer and Andy Serkis co-star in this charming romantic comedy in the tradition of Big.

A modern and girly version of "Big." I liked it more than I thought I would, but I really haven't liked Jennifer Garner in anything since "Alias." I am being to think Judy Greer is brilliant and needs to be in way more movies. She is under-rated.

On Netflix Instant:

"Little Britain: Series 1" (2003) Description from Netflix: Featuring shamelessly puerile comedy sketches, the eight-episode premier season of this BBC3 series takes viewers on a hysterical tour of the British Isles, introducing a wealth of warped characters played by Matt Lucas and David Walliams. From monosyllabic teen Vicky Pollard to the government aide lusting after the prime minister (Anthony Stewart Head), the show will keep you in stitches. Extras include behind-the-scenes segments and more.

I tried, I really tried to like this. I made it through 2 episodes and I just couldn't watch anymore. David Walliams was brilliant in "Spaced," but this breed of humor I just couldn't stand. Fry and Laurie in the past and Catherine Tate currently does the same kind of thing 20x better. I'd put it on par with "Ali G" whom I can't stand either.

Before and After

I got 2 bookcases from Wal-Mart this weekend. I put them together, put all my DVDs on them alphabetically and then pulled out some of my things and actually decorated. It almost looks like someone lives here now and isn't just using the place to store boxes. I cannot wait to get a couch now!

This is what it looked like for the first month:

Then I got sick of searching through boxes to find movies so I converted it to this:


And now it looks like this:

*sigh* Starting to feel like I live here.