Life As A House

I know, I totally said that Stand By Me was going to be the next premier, alas, Life As A House took it's spot as movie number two knocked off the list.

I must admit, it was the first Kevin Kline movie I've ever seen. I guess I should also shamefully admit that I had to google image "Kevin Kline" to make sure it was the actor I thought it was. The good news is, I got it right... and now I know without a doubt what Kevin Kline looks like! How is that for educated!? Super proud of myself.

The movie was sentimental and touching. As the parent of a boy toddler, it both scared the witts out of me and gave me hope for what may become of him as he reaches his teenage years. Over all, it was a beautiful, moving story and I'd definitly recommend this film if you've never seen it before. I'd love to talk about it more, but I'd just be dishing spoilers and those are no fun!

I give this movie a B+ as well.

In other news, the list got altered a bit yesterday.

Added:
Police Acadamy
Star Wars: A New Hope
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
Robo Cop

So two down, 133 to go...

The List
12 Monkeys
A League Of Their Own
Airforce One
Airplane!
Akira
Aliens
American History X
Animal House
Best in Show
Better Off Dead
Beverly Hills Cop I&II
Big Trouble in Little China
Blade Runner
Blazing Saddles
Boondock Saints
Bull Durham*
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Caddyshack
Casino
Casablanca
Chasing Amy
Child's Play
Christine
Clerks
Cliffhanger
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Commando
Con Air
Dazed and Confused
Deliverance
Demolition Man
Die Hard 1 & 2
Dirty Harry
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Down Periscope
Evil Dead
Evil Dead II
Evil Dead: The Army of Darkness
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Field of Dreams*
Fight Club
Fletch
Fletch Lives
Flight of the navigator
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters II
Glory
Gremlins
Heat
Heathers
Highlander
Hot Shots
Jaws
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Johnny Dangerously
Jurassic Park: The Lost World
Lethal Weapon I
Lethal Weapon II
Life as a House
Lost in Translation
Mallrats
Momento
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
My Blue Heaven
My Neighboor Totoro
National Lampoon's Vacation
No Country for Old Men
Office Space
One Crazy Summer
Pale Rider
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Platoon
Police Acadamy
Porkys
Predator
Primer
Pulp Fiction
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Rambo: First Blood
Rambo: First Blood Part II
Raw Deal
Real Genius
Red Dawn
Reservoir Dogs
Robo Cop
Romancing the Stone
Stripes
Say Anything
Scarface
Short Circuit
Sixteen Candles
Spaceballs
Spies Like Us
Stand By Me
Star Wars: A New Hope
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
Stripes
Terminator: Salvation
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
The 6th Day
The Big Lebowski
The Breakfast Club
The Fugitive
The Godfather
The Golden Child
The Good the Bad and the Ugly
The Goonies
The Great Outdoors
The Jerk
The Karate Kid
The Monster Squad
The Naked Gun
The Natural
The Professional
The Running Man
The Terminator
The Three Amigos
The Usual Suspects
The Virgin Suicides
The Warriors
Top Gun
Top Secret
True Romance
Uncle Buck
Unforgiven
Untouchables*
Up In Smoke
Weird Science
What about Bob
Young Frankenstein
Young Guns I
Young Guns II

The Breakfast Club

As promised, my movie of choice last week-and the first movie watched to kick off this adventure, was The Breakfast Club!

I'm not great with words (I know, you're probably wondering why I even have a blog then) so I'm going to do an unconventional sort of review sharing what stood out to me in the movie and what I learned.

Thoughts about The Breakfast Club

• I learned that it is a John Hughs movie and that almost all John Hughs movies take place in Shermer IL.
• “Don’t forget about me” was made famous by this movie. That information was confirmed by this encounter: I was in the lobby waiting for my Left 4 Dead 2 match to begin, sharing this very information with 7 other people, I said "I watched The Breakfast Club and I learned that it made that oldies song famous. Shit. I can't remember the name of the song though..." and right on queue, about 3 people started SINGING or humming the song, while the rest of the people exclaimed the name of the song was "Dont' you Forget About Me." True story.  
• “Mess with the bull you get the horns”. A reference also suposedly made famous by this movie. NICE!
• The punk kid was humming a song that's in Guitar Hero! I recognized it. Just sayin’
• Haha there was use of the word 'Buttface'. Love it.
• And I quote “eat my shorts”. Oh yes, I will be using this one. Golden nugget right there.
• Weed brings people together who would otherwise not have been friends??
• The entire movie was filmed in one room (with the occasional viewing of halls of the school and two shots of the front of the school). I've never watched a movie that was so...simply done.

Over all I give this movie a B+. If you have any comments or further opinions on the Breakfast Club please feel free to share!! I'd love to hear what you think.

Next movie... Stand By Me

One down... 129 to go...

12 Monkeys
A League Of Their Own
Airforce One
Airplane!
Akira
Aliens
American History X
Animal House
Best in Show
Better Off Dead
Beverly Hills Cop I&II
Big Trouble in Little China
Blade Runner
Blazing Saddles
Boondock Saints
Bull Durham*
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Caddyshack
Casino
Casablanca
Chasing Amy
Child's Play
Christine
Clerks
Cliffhanger
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Cobra
Commando
Con Air
Dazed and Confused
Deliverance
Demolition Man
Die Hard 1 & 2
Dirty Harry
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Down Periscope
Evil Dead
Evil Dead II
Evil Dead: The Army of Darkness
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Field of Dreams*
Fight Club
Fletch
Fletch Lives
Flight of the navigator
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters II
Glory
Gremlins
Heat
Heathers
Highlander
Hot Shots
Jaws
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Johnny Dangerously
Jurassic Park II
Jurassic Park: The Lost World
Lethal Weapon I
Lethal Weapon II
Life as a House
Lost in Translation
Mallrats
Momento
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
My Blue Heaven
My Neighboor Totoro
National Lampoon's Vacation
No Country for Old Men
Office Space
One Crazy Summer
Pale Rider
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Platoon
Porkys
Predator
Primer
Pulp Fiction
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Rambo: First Blood
Rambo: First Blood Part II
Raw Deal
Real Genius
Red Dawn
Reservoir Dogs
Romancing the Stone
Say Anything
Scarface
Short Circuit
Sixteen Candles
Spaceballs
Spies Like Us
Stand By Me
Stripes
Terminator: Salvation
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
The 6th Day
The Big Lebowski
The Breakfast Club
The Fugitive
The Godfather
The Golden Child
The Good the Bad and the Ugly
The Goonies
The Great Outdoors
The Jerk
The Karate Kid
The Monster Squad
The Naked Gun
The Natural
The Professional
The Running Man
The Terminator
The Three Amigos
The Usual Suspects
The Virgin Suicides
The Warriors
Top Gun
Top Secret
True Romance
Uncle Buck
Unforgiven
Untouchables
Weird Science
What about Bob
Young Frankenstein
Young Guns I
Young Guns II

Quest For Pop Culture

I wish I would have done this earlier in life, but I guess better late than never right? I've basically created my own version of what Julia, from the movie Julie and Julia, did (come on.. I know you saw that movie, didn't you?) but instead of cooking recipes, I'm watching movies!

I've decided to embarking on a quest to get educated in pop culture. Some (and by some, I mean Bob) may say that it seems as if I've lived under a rock for 21 years. Some are absolutely stunned while I sit silently as everyone around me is laughing at a Ferris Beuer, Mork and Mindy, Animal House, A Christmas Story... well, lets face it, pretty much almost every classic or 'must see' movie joke/reference/quote. Heck, I've even had someone say I made a part of themselves died inside after I stated that the only part of Ghostbusters I’ve ever seen was the part when the guy is using a vacuum to get the ghost.

I guess I'm ready to be the one jumping in on the jokes, laughing along, and-gasp- even maybe some day the one MAKING the funny jokes in reference to these classic movies.

So, I asked my friends on SeasonedGamers to come up with a list of 'must see movies' for me and they did with much success. So much success in fact that watching just one movie a week would take me 130 weeks to see them all. That is over 2 years (I tried to break it down into years, months, and days... but alas, I’m going to go with simply saying 'over 2 years').Yup, that's right folks. I now have a list of 130 movies to watch. And trust me, that list could have been longer, but in hopes that I don't end up trying to pry my eyes out with a fork from watching so many movies, I cut off  the movie submissions when the list reached 130.

What's the plan? Watch at least a movie a week. As I knock out movie after movie on the list, I plan to write a review and post it on my blog, but lets be real... I doubt I'll write a blog review on each and every one. Hell, I"m hoping that I stick to my guns here and actually watch EVERY movie on this list. I will say though, that I promise to do my best and I will update the list, crossing out movies I watch as I go until every one has a strike through it. So, without further adieu I present you 'The List":

12 Monkeys
A League Of Their Own
Airforce One
 Airplane!
Akira
Aliens
American History X
Animal House
Best in Show
Better Off Dead
Big Trouble in Little China
Blade Runner
Blazing Saddles
Boondock Saints
Bull Durham*
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Caddyshack
Casino
Casablanca
Chasing Amy
Child's Play
Christine
Clerks
Cliffhanger
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Cobra
Commando
Con Air
Dazed and Confused
Deliverance
Demolition Man
Dirty Harry
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Down Periscope
Evil Dead
Evil Dead II
Evil Dead: The Army of Darkness
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Field of Dreams*
Fight Club
Fletch
Fletch Lives
Flight of the navigator
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters II
Glory
Gremlins
Heat
Heathers
Highlander
Hot Shots
Jaws
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back 
Johnny Dangerously
Jurassic Park II
Jurassic Park: The Lost World
Lethal Weapon I
Lethal Weapon II
Life as a House
Lost in Translation
Mallrats
Momento
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
My Blue Heaven
My Neighboor Totoro
National Lampoon's Vacation
No Country for Old Men
Office Space
One Crazy Summer
Pale Rider
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Platoon
Porkys
Predator
Primer
Pulp Fiction
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Rambo: First Blood
Rambo: First Blood Part II
Raw Deal
Real Genius
Red Dawn
Reservoir Dogs
Romancing the Stone
Say Anything
Scarface 
Short Circuit
Sixteen Candles
Spaceballs
Spies Like Us
Stand By Me
Stripes
Terminator: Salvation
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
The 6th Day
The Big Lebowski
The Breakfast Club
The Fugitive
The Godfather
The Golden Child
The Good the Bad and the Ugly 
The Goonies
The Great Outdoors
The Jerk
The Karate Kid
The Monster Squad
The Naked Gun
The Natural
The Professional
The Running Man
The Terminator
The Three Amigos
The Usual Suspects
The Virgin Suicides
The Warriors
Top Gun
Top Secret
True Romance
Uncle Buck
Unforgiven
Untouchables*
Weird Science
What about Bob
Young Frankenstein
Young Guns I
Young Guns II


Wish me luck!
  

This and That

PJ bowling for the first time!

It’s been a while since I’ve written. I thought maybe it was because I lost my muse but then decided it is more probably because life has been rather hectic…but hectic in a more emotional as opposed to ‘busy’ sort of way. Does that even make sense? Anyway, moving on..


You’re probably sick and tired of hearing me talk about Dave and his big move to Dominica. Well, don’t worry, in just 27 days August 28th will have come and gone. Dave will be studying away in a paradise of sorts and I’ll be…well, enjoying life in Louisville. As each day goes by though, I get more and more stoked for Dave and the beginning of his new journey as a Med School Student!!!!

I’m excited to say that I finally looked into financial aid and student loan options for myself and am hoping to start at UofL in the spring of 2011. I’m almost 100% positive that I will qualify for the Pell Grant, which will give me about $5,000 per school year…but I’ll have to be registered as a full time student. I’m just not sure that it is emotionally or physically possible while parenting PJ and working part time at the least. I suppose it’s time to just bite the bullet, apply for all that I can, meet with a school Counselor, and go from there.

Hmm….so there really hasn’t been much else going on in my life.

Oh! I was sick for almost three weeks with a crummy viral infection, then bronchitis and two ear infections. That was super icky and unfortunately was bed ridden for almost 4 days. Thank goodness for Dave who helped TREMENDOUSLY with PJ. Being a single parent really has it’s less spectacular moments and having to depend on someone else to help take care of your child when you’re sick is one of them. But I guess that makes me that much more lucky to have someone like Dave in my life who is ready and willing to be here for me and my son. I'm fully recovered now and am so happy to finally be feeling normal again!

Ok…lets see…what else…

I guess I’ll resort to bringing out my nerdyness and talking about what is going on in my video game world. I’m currently in two leagues, one is with the game Left 4 Dead 2 and one is with Halo. The Halo league is coming to a close with just one match left (which includes three games) before the playoffs. I’m so proud of my Seattle Spartan team as we are currently number one in our division and have the best overall record in the league. Anything can happen though, and it ain’t over till it’s over, so *knock on wood*.

The L4D2 league is quite interesting to say the least. I never played the game before, but decided to sign up to have some fun with SeasonedGamer buds. My team has been doing fantastic. We’re only three weeks in and up until last night, were number one in our division. Unfortunately, we went three losses and only one win last night which I’m sure dragged us down at least one spot. It’s ok though, we have plenty of time to rally. I have to say, I haven’t had this much fun playing a video game since…well, possibly since Halo2! Lots of laughs and good times.

So, I guess that’s really all there is in league regards. I am back playing WoW again, grinding my way to level 80 (currently level 68-sigh). Got to PvP and go to Northrend for the first time the other day. Pretty cool stuff I must say! Also, I have the privlege of playing StarCraftII (thanks to Dave!!!!!!!!!!). Of which I’m having a blast with. It brings back so many memories, and those graphics are DARN good. What a spectacular game. If you're a gamer and have never played a PC game, or even if you're a PC gamer and have never played Starcraft.... try SCII. I gaurentee you'll be blown away.

Oh… how could I forget to give an update on little PJ!?

He’s doing great. He got bumped up early (about 4 weeks early to be exact!) from the two year old room to the three year old pre-school room at day care. He’s getting incredibly smart and he amazes me everyday. He is also eating me out of house and home. Every second it’s “I’m hungry mommy”, it cracks me up, but he needs all the food I guess because he's growing like a WEED. Potty training is still going spectacularly, no accidents in a LONG time (except at his babysitters for some reason – sorry again Steph!). He also went bowling for the first time about a week ago and LOVED it. All in all he’s growing up like a three year old should be. Well, technically he’s still two years old but his birthday is in just 16 short days! Dave and I are taking him to the zoo to celebrate.

That’s all folks. Until next time…

XoXo

A New Happening

On June 23rd I got a phone call around 4:45PM. My boyfriend and best friend, David, got accepted to Ross University Medical School. For those of you who don’t know, that is located in Dominica…an island in the Caribbean.

I don’t think I’ve been so excited or so overjoyed in my whole life. What a rush of emotions! After hanging on to the dream of med school for years, it is finally becoming reality for Dave. Words can’t express how proud I am of him for this accomplishment.

So, what does this mean?

On August 28th, my darling will be flying out of the country and settling down in Dominica. The length of time he will be a resident and med student there depends wholly on him. It can be as short as one and a half years or as long as two full years. Not too shabby!

The race to get everything in order before he leaves has begun. Two months feels entirely too short for one to take care of affairs before leaving the country, but maybe I’m just looking through tunnel vision because I can feel the squeeze of two short months and the limited time Dave and I will be able to have together after he leaves.

What will he do after two years in Dominica?

He’ll be placed at a hospital doing Clinical Rotations somewhere in the U.S. for 2 years, then must complete four to five years of surgical residency and THEN a fellowship of two years is optional if he chooses to specialize.

Whew, that’s a lot of years! But if you know Dave as I do, he is a strong willed, intelligent man who will succeed beyond expectations in all that is required of him on this journey.

I hope you will all wish him luck and cheer him on from the side lines along with me.

Dave, you are an extraordinary person, every good thought and well wish is with you as you start this new chapter in your life!


Love,

Nikki

Unpacked and Settled

Most all of you know at this point that I moved to my own apartment in downtown Louisville. This past weekend I finally got unpacked and settled. Welcome to my new home...

Unbridled Spirit

Unbridled; With all restraints removed.


The very first thing that I saw when I crossed into the state of Kentucky was the logo shown above on a huge water tower. How ironic that it’d be the first thing I’d see when crossing over in the State of my new home, and more than that, my new life. Unbridled Spirit. All restraints in my life gone. The freedom and ability to change my life waiting to be taken. And I did. I took the opportunity.

I see that logo all around. On water towers, on the border between Kentucky and Indiana… it serves as a great reminder of why I’m here. To be honest, it’s been stressful. Since I’ve arrived (back in March) a lot has taken place and it’s been quite an experience juggling all of the craziness. I often lose perspective on why I’m doing what I am. Why I moved all this way. Why I uprooted myself from friends and family. Why I quit a job that I thoroughly enjoyed, a job which more than supported my son and I. All the 'Whys' start to cloud my vision making me lose sight of the big picture. A lot of times I get down about things, I’ll even question going back…but then I see one of those 'Unbridled Spirit' signs and think back to the moment I drove into Kentucky and said to myself “This is it. This is my chance to make a life for my son and I. Never give up.”. Hope is renewed, vision is cleared, ambition is strengthened.

The path to acquiring all my dreams and goals has surly been bumpy, but at least I’m on the journey. At least I’m not sitting on the side line of my life watching it pass before me. I’ve got a new job that supports me. I’ve got new friends. I’ve got PJ. I’ve got a boyfriend and his family who love and care. Stepping back and looking from a bigger perspective I can honestly say I am so blessed.

No matter how hectic, chaotic, and sometimes miserable this journey has been… I’m so glad to have had the courage to step out of the boat, so-to-speak, and be pursuing this new life.

We only live once and I want to take full advantage of every second I have to enjoy it.

Nikki

P.S. Update: I'm all moved and settled into my new apartment! PJ started new day care this past Tuesday (June 2nd) and is doing great! Everything is on the up and up at the moment :)