Double Movie Day

Two years ago, my sister insisted that I needed to see Wreck-It Ralph before Christmas.  I turned around and said that she needed to see the first Hobbit movie (although she’s not really a fan of Middle Earth, she loves Martin Freeman).  We decided, what the heck?  Let’s see them both in the same day.  Thus Double Movie Day was born.

This year was our third year in a row to celebrate Double Movie Day.  Last year, we saw Frozen and the second Hobbit.  We could very well have kept up with tradition and gone to see a Disney movie and then the final film in the Hobbit trilogy, but the big white thing in the new Disney movie scares me and I have way too many problems with what I’ve heard of the third Hobbit movie to sit through it in the theater.  Instead, we decided on The Theory of Everything and Night at the Museum 3.

Now, I’m not a reviewer at heart.  However, I do very much love giving my opinion on films.  Instead of making this a beautiful and eloquent piece about the highs and lows of the movies, I’m going to format this post the way I did when I “reviewed” Godzilla over the summer: https://jackiesmith114.wordpress.com/2014/05/18/godzilla-a-very-girly-review/  

WARNING!  SPOILERS AHEAD!

Thoughts on The Theory of Everything

*This movie looks so good.  I can’t wait to see it.

*Stephen Hawking is really smart.  I hope I understand this movie.

*I wonder what young Stephen Hawking would have said if someone had told him that he would grow up to be a guest star on The Big Bang Theory.

*I had no idea Stephen Hawking was English.

*Eddie Redmayne is really cute.  I’m attracted to a guy playing a young Stephen Hawking.  I don’t know how to feel about this.

*I love guys in glasses and cardigans.

*This movie is just beautiful.  It’s just a beautiful movie.  The music, the cinematography, the lighting, the camera angles.  Everything about this movie is beautiful.

*OMG his roommate is Khaleesi’s creepy brother.

*He’s hot too.

*Stephen Hawking asked her to dance! This is so romantic!

*OMG his professor is LUPIN!

*He’s not hot.  Sorry, Lupin.

*Must stop thinking about The Big Bang Theory.  

*This movie constantly has me on the verge of tears.

*I’m loving this movie because it makes math, science, and intellect so beautiful.  It’s brilliant and artistic.

*Eddie Redmayne deserves an Oscar nomination.  His portrayal of Stephen Hawking and his initial diagnosis and progression of his Lou Gehrig’s Disease is raw, passionate, and heartbreaking.

*At least we know Stephen Hawking doesn’t die.

“What do Sheldon Cooper and a black hole have in common?  They both suck.  Neener neener.”

Thoughts on Night at the Museum 3

*Robin Williams.

*Rami Malek.  You are so cute.  Why are you not in the first two movies more?  Why are you not in more movies in general? I need more of your cuteness.

*Steve Coogan and Owen Wilson are hilarious together.

*Octodaddy.

*Love Ben Stiller’s caveman doppelganger.

*I LOVE Rebel Wilson!  “What, have you never seen a gorgeous woman before who could be a model if she didn’t love pizza so much?”

*Teddy Roosevelt + Sacajawea = OTP

*MATTHEW FROM DOWNTON ABBEY IS LANCELOT AND OMG HE IS HILARIOUS.

*The whole exchange between Pharaoh Ben Kingsley and Ben Stiller about basically everything in Exodus is, quite frankly, one of the funniest scenes I’ve seen in a movie theater in a long time.  “Laugh out loud.  Yeah, that’s what I did.”

*Seriously, Rami Malek.  Be in more movies.  You were so cute in Breaking Dawn but you only had like, two scenes.  You deserve your own saga.

*Why is this movie so funny?  Why am I laughing so hard?  What am I even watching?

*HUGH JACKMAN WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!

*I’m glad Dan Stevens ditched Downton Abbey.  He was never this funny as Matthew.  “Yes, hop, hop, hop!  You are REAL!”

*Owen Wilson, I thought you should know, I’ve always had a weird Texas crush on you.

*Why is no one in London questioning the Knight in Shining Armor riding through the streets on a white steed?  Is this just an everyday thing in London?

*Bus scene.  Hilarious.

I do need to take a moment to be serious here before I end this post.  This was Robin Williams’ final live-action film.  I went in to this film knowing that I probably wouldn’t make it through without tearing up, but I didn’t expect to break down completely.  I’m not going to tell you his final lines in the film, because I think they’re something you need to experience for yourself.  All I can tell you is that they broke my heart.  It seemed a goodbye message, not only to Larry from Teddy, but to all movie-goers from an actor we all loved dearly, and whose absence we still mourn.  It’s not fair that so many movies will exist without Robin Williams.  It’s not fair that such a great and wonderful life was cut short by such a tragic and shattering disease.  I will undoubtedly be seeing this movie again, and I will undoubtedly shed tears once again listening to Robin Williams bid us farewell.

“For Robin Williams. Magic Never Ends.”

My Christmas To Do List

Christmas is less than ten days away.  The most wonderful time of the year is undoubtedly in full swing, and there is still so much to do.  Yes, there are presents to be bought, but they’ve never been the most important of holiday traditions.  As my friends and I have gotten older, very few of us actually exchange gifts anymore.  Instead, we go out to eat, share a meal, and just enjoy the time together.  I like that better than exchanging gifts that may or may not actually go to use.  Don’t get me wrong, I love giving and receiving gifts, but as you get older, they become far less important.

Unless it’s a gift card.  Gift cards are actually the best.

I’ve got to tell you though, I’m really excited about the gift my family is getting for my sister.  She’s absolutely convinced it’s a gag gift because we keep laughing about it, but the truth is, it’s a really great gift.  She’s going to love it, even though I know she doesn’t think she will.

Some of our Christmas traditions have already taken place, for example decorating the family tree.

This tree is actually pretty awesome.  We’ve got some great ornaments.  For example, my very favorite ornament, my Mimi’s bells.

Then there’s Rudolth the Red Nosed Reindeer.  No, that’s not a typo.

There’s the Scottish flag and Santa in a kilt…

And of course, we have One Direction, because who wouldn’t have One Direction on their Christmas Tree?

We also have the Magic School Bus.  Talk about a classic.

Along with an array of other old and oddball ornaments.

It’s a great tree.

But just because the house is decorated, it doesn’t mean that Im ready for Christmas to be here just yet.  For example, I still need to drink a holiday hot chocolate and drive around looking at Christmas lights.  My sister and I also need our 3rd annual Christmas Double Movie Day.  In years past, we’ve seen the newest Disney movie accompanied by the newest Hobbit movie, but this year, we’re branching out and seeing Night at the Museum and The Theory of Everything.  There are other Christmas movies I still need to watch.  There are Christmas songs to be sung.  I still have Christmas fudge to make, as well as our family history scrapbook, which I’ll be sharing with my mom’s side of the family.

For the record, we have a lot of ancestors.  Who knew, right?

On top of all of this, I’m working to finish the first draft of my upcoming book by December 31.  I’m pretty sure I’ll make it.  I was planning it out, and I estimate I only have six chapters left.  That’s kind of awesome.

Please keep in mind also that there are only 9 days left to enter my Christmas GoodReads Giveaway!

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/117688-between-worlds

I hope you are all having a festive countdown to Christmas!  What are some of your favorite traditions?

So… How was YOUR Christmas?

The day after Christmas.

I only had one glass of wine yesterday, but I definitely have a Christmas hangover.  Way too much food, fun, and laughter.  Not that that’s a bad thing.

The holiday festivities began with our annual Christmas Eve trip to Santa’s Village.  Santa’s Village is a fun little thing that the Public Library does every year.  They set up a bunch of little fun houses for kids to go in and get cookies, Christmas ornaments, write letters to Santa, etc…  My sister and I have outgrown the actual houses, but it’s still fun to walk around and look at lights.

Funny story real quick… One year, my sister and I took our little cousins around.  Our oldest cousin was probably about nine or so.  Anyway, we took her and her little sister into Mrs. Claus’ house, where she was handing out Christmas cookies.  As expected, she smiled, wished us a Merry Christmas, and handed each of my cousins a sugar cookie.  Upon receiving her cookie, my cousin looks her straight in the eye and says, “Thank you.  I’m just getting over strep throat.”

I’m sure the look of sheer alarm and panic that poor Mrs. Claus sent me at that moment mirrored my own stunned expression.  It only took me about half a second to recover.  “Okay, then, thank you, Mrs. Claus!”  I said and quickly ushered my cousins out of her house.

After we met up with their father, my older cousin, he asked how it had gone and I told him the story.  He gives me this bewildered expression and goes, “No she isn’t!”

Anyway, that’s one of my favorite Santa’s Village stories.  This year’s trip wasn’t quite as eventful.

Although, my sister almost did get run over by a reindeer.

Afterword, we went to Midnight Mass.  It’s a beautiful service.  We sang my favorite Christmas Carol, “A Stable Lamp is Lighted.”  However, being the High Church Episcopalians that we are, we had incense that not only stinks up the entire church, but also stinks up your hair and your clothes.  Seriously, that smell sticks with you.  I also happened to be acolyting, so I had to stand right behind the thurifer (or the guy who swings the incense).  At one point, I took a deep breath because we were singing “O Come All Ye Faithful” and I inhaled a mouthful of that holy smoke and started choking in front of the entire church.  Fortunately, Episcopalians are really into their Christmas music, so no one noticed.

After the service, we headed home to wait for Santa.

Midnight was excited for Santa also, even though she knows climbing up on the table might land her on the naughty list.

After about three and a half viewings of A Christmas Story (“Agggggghhhhhh I can’t put my arms down aaaaghhhh!”), we finally headed to bed to wait for Christmas morning.

We had a lot of surprises waiting for us!

For example, I got a whole elliptical!  I love it!  I only hope it isn’t my parents’ way of telling me I need to work out more.

I also got Monsters University and Allegiant, so I’m a pretty happy camper.

My sister on the other hand…

She told my parents that she wanted checks for Christmas.  Well, they delivered.  (She actually got some really great presents.  This photo was just too funny to pass up).

After a morning of Christmasy goodness, we headed back to our friends the Kisers’ place (In case you don’t remember them, they’re the ones we spend every Thanksgiving and Christmas with… https://jackiesmith114.wordpress.com/2013/11/29/its-the-holiday-season/).  I’m not even sure how the tradition began.  We’ve all just been friends forever.  The stories I could tell… maybe one day I’ll write a book.  The Annual Kiser-Smith Holiday Shindigs.

Mr. Kiser always has a fun new holiday toy for us to play with.  Last year, it was Robot Fighter Bugs.  I named mine Horatio.

This year, it was Robot Fighter Spiders.  Remote controlled and slightly bigger and creepier, because they actually walk on creepy little robot legs.

Just like any good Christmas gathering, there were Christmas cookies.

However, if you look closely, you’ll notice that someone ate the head off of one of the gingerbread men and then put him back.  Morbid.  And a little gross.

We (the “kids”) took a Christmas walk to the park.

December Skies in Texas are actually very beautiful.

We’re all adults, so naturally, we played on the swing set.

This is Bobby, my brother for all intents and purposes.

While we were at the park, we met the absolute cutest little boy named Keegan.  He came right up to us, with his dad looking on, and began patting our friend Ashwin on the leg and saying, “Buddy… buddy.”  Then, he walked over to Bobby’s little sister, Jenny, and said, “What a mess!”  His dad explained that he’d had a lot of health problems, and that he really liked playing with big kids.  I got a high five from him.  So, so, so cute.   I hope he had the best Christmas ever.

After that, it started getting really cold, so we scurried back to the Kiser home, where we engaged in another holiday tradition: Mario Kart.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it.  I’m not very good at Mario Kart, but my sister is absolutely disgraceful.  This year, however…

She came in third place!!!  It’s actually a Christmas Miracle!

I don’t know how to bring up the highlight of our Yuletide Celebration, so I’ll just say it.  There was a toilet.

Yes, you read that correctly.  Jenny got a toilet for Christmas.  It actually wasn’t the first Christmas toilet in the family.  Bobby got one when he and I were still in high school.  Let me tell you, he was not amused.  His mom (and the rest of us) thought it was hilarious, but he was so angry.  It was just about the funniest thing.  Now that we’re older though, we know how to appreciate the value of a good Christmas toilet.

He’s over 21, I swear.

You can use it as a wine table.

Or a gaming seat.

And of course, you should never pass up the opportunity to take an Awkward Family Christmas Photo around the toilet.

The evening ended with a delightful chocolate cheesecake dessert.

Good thing I got that elliptical, because I’m not letting this beauty go to waste!!!

Dessert and more battle bugs.

I hope everyone had the most delightful and merry of Christmases!

Now onto 2014!

It’s the Holiday Season

Greetings and good tidings, all!

I hope my American friends had a splendid Thanksgiving and that all my Jewish friends had an amazing first night of Hanukkah.

As usual, my family spent the first part of Thanksgiving watching (and critiquing) the Parade.

After the parade, we headed over to our family friends’ house, where we spend every Thanksgiving and Christmas.  The day always starts off with pre-dinner refreshments…

Followed by a bit of holiday shoot ’em up games.

Thanksgiving and Christmas… the only two days of the year I indulge in video games.

Then, once dinner is ready, the kids (i.e. those of us ranging from ages 25 to 16) mosey on down to the kitchen, where those of us over the age of 21 prepare the alcoholic beverages.  This year, however, we had a bit of a mishap.

In case you can’t tell what this is, my friend tried to open a bottle of wine… and somehow managed to push the cork INTO the bottle. So far, in fact, that it got stuck.

Seriously, how does this even happen?

The absolute failure in this picture is overwhelming.

Once the cork has been freed and the wine is finally flowing, we head into the dining room to claim our rightful seats…

At the kiddie table.

Yup.  25 years old.  Masters degree.  Published author.  Still at the kiddie table.

I can’t lie.  We all secretly love it.  Seriously, who wants to sit with the grown-ups?

After we’ve thoroughly stuffed ourselves, it’s time to decorate the Christmas tree, or as the grown-ups say, to earn our desserts.  At the Kiser-Smith Thanksgiving Dinner, we have to work for our right to cheesecake.

I think that looks pretty cheesecake-worthy.

Finally, before the night ends, it’s time for the annual years-of-friendship photo shoot.

This includes the traditional Kristen Stewart Face group photo.

Kristen Stewart Face 2011

Kristen Stewart Face 2012

Kristen Stewart Face 2013

And of course, I had to get a picture of the newest edition to the family in front of the Christmas tree…

In case you’re wondering, yes, everyone did make fun of me for this.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we are in full-fledged Christmas mode.  That means non stop Christmas music, decorations, and regular viewings of The Muppets’ Christmas Carol.

On the Cemetery Tours front, I’m still hard at work on the sequel.  I am still aiming to have the first draft of the manuscript finished by the end of the year.  That’s going to mean some serious focus and dedication on my part, but I think I can do it.  Cemetery Tours is still receiving amazing reviews on Amazon and that motivates me more than I can even tell you.

http://www.amazon.com/Cemetery-Tours-Jacqueline-Smith-ebook/dp/B00F7CHQ08/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385762091&sr=8-1&keywords=cemetery+tours

Well everyone, let the Christmas festivities begin!