bunchofgrapes | The Usual Stuff

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The Usual Stuff

I'm so behind on everything internet related, specifically, reading and commenting on some fics, mostly because the last two weeks at work have been hell. I think the worst is over but Monday and Tuesday of next week are going to be more of the same. The bright spot? I came home last night to a nice, clean house and that means I only have a couple of things to do around the house this weekend. Those cleaning elves are wonderful but it's still interesting to see how they put things back. I had to hunt for everything that's usually on my bathroom counter. I think they're trying to tell me I have too much crap on the counter. I'm paying attention and have put a lot of it away. It does look much less cluttered.

I am absolutely loving the new recumbent bike! So far it's much easier to get on the bike than it was to get on the treadmill plus, my feet and heels don't hurt. But the best part? I've dropped a size since November! I have this pair of Life is Good cargo pants that I bought over the summer. I ordered them online and when they arrived, they were too small. I tried them on a couple of weeks ago and not only could I get them on, I could zip them up and sit down in them without feeling like I was going to explode. I've changed my diet (not on a diet but changing how much and what I eat) so I know that's contributed to the weight loss.

It's been really cold here and although we still have some snow on the ground, we haven't gotten any more than an inch where I live. It's just too cold to melt. A couple of nights ago it got down to around 10 so I tried to get Pudgy the stray into her little box in the backyard. Lured her in with food and happily she got in the box. It's not the best but there's a fleece blanket in there so it's got to be warmer than outside. This morning when I went downstairs to feed the cats, I opened the blinds to the patio and several minutes later, Pudgy was sitting by the door. She slept in her little box! This makes me happy because it means she climbed over the fence to get into the backyard and her box.

And speaking of cats, so far Tucker is still doing great. He is a completely different cat now - lovable, sociable, chatty, all the things he didn't do before the November surgery. Plus, he's terrorizing Harry, which is always good because Harry terrorizes Sophie and Tucker regularly. It just amazes me.

My dad called me yesterday to see if I wanted to do a movie and dinner with him and my stepmother tonight. Dad wants to see "True Grit". I have mixed emotions because I really loved the John Wayne version. But I haven't been out to a movie in forever and I thought it was nice that he asked so I said yes. If nothing else it's movie popcorn and then probably Thai food after. Plus, I have to admit that I love that I do this stuff with my parents. I once went to visit my mother in NJ. She was there for a training class so I drove up from VA to see her. We spent an enter weekend in a hotel room. Never went out to dinner, barely talked. She smoked, napped and read a book. The only time we went out was for me to drive her to a drug store so she could buy snacks. I had just purchased this Nissan Sentra (my first car purchase) and I mentioned to her that no one had ever smoked in the car. She whipped out the ash tray, lit up and said "until now". It was the worst weekend of my life and the biggest reason why, when I go back to OK, I don't stay with her (when I did, she bitched at me because I was bored sitting around the house doing nothing). So the fact that I go out to dinner with my dad and stepmother or just my dad when my stepmother is in CO, or they invite me to go out with them, really means a lot to me.

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I want cleaning elves!!!

YAY! For the weight loss and double YAY!!! for Tucker doing well.

Let me know how you like True Grit. I want to see it, but am almost scared. My younger brother (who feels the same way I do about a lot of film) said it was very good but not like the original and "not a feel good movie". He also said best work Jeff Bridges has ever done.

Cleaning elves are worth every penny - even though it sometimes takes me a while to find stuff after they leave. The way I see it, my time to do all this stuff costs me a lot more than what I pay them.

Speaking as a person who loved the John Wayne version immensely (it's one of my two favorite JW movies), I have to say I also liked this movie. I still love the John Wayne version more but Jeff Bridges really was quite good and to me he played Rooster Cogburn very John Wayne. Matt Damon was a much better La Boeuf than Glen Campbell and while the girl who plays Mattie was excellent, I still like Kim Darby.

I've probably seen True Grit 25 times and I could quote this remake as easily as I can the original. However, while this one does follow the other, this one has enough differences to stand on its own. It's not a feel good movie but neither is the original and the violence and grittiness is the difference between 1969 Henry Hathaway and 2010 Coen brothers. I was amused that my dad laughed through a lot of this because as I pointed out later, most of what he thought was funny was the same stuff that was in the original.

All in all, I'd say go see it. I wasn't disappointed and hopefully, you won't be either.

Sounds like life is perking up for you! Glad to hear all the good news but must confess that I'm a little jealous. My yearly holiday weight gain has yet to show any signs of going away. Guess I'm going to have to get serious about it this year.
I've avoided True Grit because of the JW version, as well. In many ways it was the perfect role for him in his last years, as was one of my favorites, The Shootist.

So we have a love of John Wayne as well? I think True Grit and The Cowboys are my two most favorite John Wayne movies. I really liked The Shootist too but it makes me so sad because he was dying when he made it. True Grit, the remake, is actually pretty good. Jeff Bridges plays it very John Wayne and honestly, I thought he was very good. It would be interesting if he won a best actor for the role as well. Oh, and Matt Damon was much better than Glen Campbell.

You know, I kind of think my love of rugged authority figures came from John Wayne. His movies were a fixture of my childhood.

So glad Tucker's doing well! And that the bike is working out for you. I can't see using those on the street, but stationary sounds good.

I occasionally see someone riding one on the street and they just look...dorky. But as a stationary bike, they are awesome! So much more comfortable on the butt than a regular stationary bike.

I always wonder how the heck they save themselves if they start to fall over!

A Sentra was my first "real" car (I inherited my Mom's Geo Metro and that was more a rollerskate than a car) and I LOVED it. I won't buy anything but Nissan from now on ... they are ROCK SOLID cars.

I know you said you're behind but I wanted to make sure that you did see that I wrote some more Brillows. No worries about commenting or anything ... but I want to make sure you know it's there. Actually put Jim and Cath in bed this time around and it was pretty. damn. spicy.

Enjoy!

I agree with you about Nissan's. First was the Sentra, which I eventually ran into the ground. Second was a 240SX that I loved dearly but it was a mess in any kind of bad weather. Now it's a Nissan Murano. I bought it in 2004 and when I eventually buy a new car, I'll get another Murano. I really love it.

I did see that you posted but I've been getting home so late, I haven't had the time to read it. I want to give it my full attention. Oh, and I want to read what you posted of POTMS too. I read a little of it and it had me instantly.

POTMS???

It's something un-CSI related.

I want a fairy godmother to clean my apartment.

YAY for weight loss and Tucker doing well.

I am sorry work is so sucky. I will keep an eye open for anything with the FBI. *hugs*

I think it is great you go out with your dad or your dad and stepmom.
I like when my dad and I can just go to a bookstore or watch something alone together, it's much more relaxing than when my mom and sister are around.

I also had problems going to the new version of True Grit, but it was a decent version of that story. Although I think I still like the Wayne version more.

It occurred to me during the film that there are people who will never know the JW version and that's sad. I definitely think this version has some things over the original (Matt Damon's La Boeuf vs. Glen Campbell's) but I have to give the edge to the original.

I think it's because I get along so well with my dad that I have so much resentment towards my mother. She made me think I was supposed to hate him when I was growing up so I lost a lot of my relationship with my dad because I was so angry at him.

YES that is the problem with reboots and remakes!
These films and tv shows were great and have lasted because of that.
Rebooting it doesn't do anything and If I was one of the directors - I would just feel like i was stealing someone else's creativity.
The fact that people don't explore more films and tvs really upsets me.

For example, I like that there is a UK version of Law and Order but I hate that they just take the scripts from previous Law and Order Episodes.
Law and Order is a great show that should be watched in it's own right.
and law and Order Uk should be doing more UK stories to explore that city.

That is not good. I am glad you are closer with him now. I had similar problems with my immediate family. My sisters like to pit themselves and me against one parent or another or one sister or another. It's all very frustrating.

Hooray for all the good things 2011 is bringing you. So glad about the bike and weight loss and cats and spending time with Dad. My little bro and family went to the Caps game Friday night (his first but nephew has been to several). He thought it was very exciting and all came home with bobbleheads. Go Caps!

I can't go the True Grit. Everyone keeps asking me about it, because I have been an obsessive John Wayne fan since I was 7 yrs old and saw McClintock for the first time. My new house has a "John Wayne" room with all the pictures and posters and JW stuff I've gathered and received over the past 40 years. I've been told the remake is very good, and I'm glad folks enjoy it as a good western. I don't see myself getting past "It's a remake!" I just think there are some iconic movies that are so interwoven in our film culture that cannot be improved upon. And many of my younger family members have not see the original and think the remake is good. But I would feel the same way if someone re-made Casablanca or Gone with the Wind. I even have Portis' novel in paperback and applaud the Coen's for making the remake more as following the book than re-doing the screenplay. Maybe by the time it's on PPV I will have a more open-minded view and watch. I'm such a loyalist...maybe a labrador retriever in a past life :-)

Ugh, that game Friday night! The Caps have been playing so crappy lately. However today the team finally showed up and kicked it in the 3rd period to beat Ottawa this afternoon. Tuesday is a big one to watch against the Flyers.

I know exactly what you mean about the remake and if my dad hadn't wanted to see it and if I hadn't wanted to do something with the parents, I never would have seen the movie for much of the same reasons you mention. I sat through the first forty-five minutes or so with my arms crossed. I'm not sure why I liked it because when I first heard they were remaking it, I was pissed!

I can't recall the first John Wayne movie I ever saw, although it might have been McClintock, but I've been a fan for as long as I can remember and True Grit is one of my top two favorite JW movies. I've seen it so many times that I sat through this remake, quoting the same lines as in the original. I think my ability to quote True Grit is only surpassed by The Cowboys (I still to this day despise Bruce Dern). I can't say I have a JW room (mine is more like a shrine to Paul G, Richard Basehart and The Avengers) but he was a much loved fixture of my childhood and I still remember bawling my eyes out when he died. I think if Jeff Bridges hadn't played Rooster Cogburn like John Wayne played him, I'd have hated the movie. But to me it was like an acknowledgment that JW was Rooster and that's the only way to play him. Or maybe that's just how I reconciled it in my head. The one thing that really does bother me about the remake though is that there's a whole lot of younger people who will only know this version and will probably never see the original.

Oh, and while we're talking remakes, I absolutely, positively refuse to see any of the Mission:Impossible movies because of the way they dissed the TV cast and what they did to Jim Phelps. Hated The Avengers movie as well and refuse to see it too.

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The Usual Stuff

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