Summer of Epic Movies!

If you are a movie nerd like I am, you have come to terms with the fact that your local movie theater is going to be eating a large portion of your income this summer. If you're like me, you're very excited about this. I read somewhere that there are something like 32 scifi movies coming out this summer. That is ridiculous! This also means that a lot of us are going to have to be choosey about what we actually pay money to see.

Here's what I'm excited about:

The Avengers - (duh) I'm going to wear my Thor mask and I know that my tech office is going to be SUPER TIRED on the morning of May 4th. But we'll have seen this movie and that's what matters.

Dark Shadows - I love Johnny Depp and I love Tim Burton. Despite this love, if I had to sacrifice one movie and wait until it came out on Bluray, it would probably be this one.

The Dictator - This is a boyfriend movie. This is to make up for all the weekends were I'll be dragging him to see superheroes and stuff.

Men in Black III - How could this not be awesome?

Snow White and the Huntsman - I am a little deterred because that stupid girl from Twilight is in it but I can't help myself when it comes to fairy tale movies...

Rock of Ages - This is one I have promised to go see without my boyfriend.  I can't say I blame him. I might have a little bit of shame.

Brave - Disney Pixar redhead! Dude!

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter - Again, how could this not be cool?

the Amazing Spider-Man - Do I think they were too quick in rebooting? Absolutely. Will I go see this movie just in case? Probably...

Ted - This is also a boyfriend pleaser. You have to admit, this looks really funny...

The Dark Knight Rising - This trilogy is SO GOOD. I can't wait. I can't.

the Bourne Legacy - I need to get caught up on these movies first...

Oh geez... This is going to be an awesome summer!

Nielsen and Me

I don't know if I should be excited about this as I am, but I can't help myself! I'm stoked! A month or so ago I got a preliminary survey from Nielsen to see if I can be a representative household. I filled it out, sent it back and didn't expect to hear anymore about it. Today I got a call that I have been chosen! I am the one household that will represent something like 10,000 tv viewing households.

This excites me. I feel like I am watching the best that television has to offer and I don't want to see my favorite shows canceled. I would also love to see some of the less good shows off the air. I think it is time to show tv produces that the public is is ready for quality television and reality television is over.

This is a vote I know will actually count for something...

Hot Nerd Friday: Eliza Dushku

One of my best friends growing up was and potentially still is OBSESSED with this sexy woman. Who can blame her? She's basically Joss Whedon's right-hand girl, she was Faith on "Buffy," Echo in "Dollhouse," a sexy burglar in "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," basically if a director needs a smoking hot badass bitch, they call Eliza. Hot, smart, cute, ass-kicking, hard working... God DAMN is this woman fine!

Mirror, Mirror

This is an absolutely adorable film. Simultaneously sweet and stinging. Julia Roberts plays an absolutely amazing and believable evil queen. I mean, what evil queen ever realizes that she is, in fact, evil? And Lily Collins is a pitch perfect, pure, innocent princess with a warrior's heart.

I adore the fact that the fairytale was somewhat tweaked to turn this from a story about a wilting flower and the prince swooping in when he damned well pleases into a story about a warrior princess who saves herself as well as the unfortunates in her village. In this movie, the dwarves are not cute little singing miners. They are the people who were excommunicated from the nearby village for not being aesthetically pleasing to the queen.

the costumes in this film are FANTASTIC and yet, light-hearted. It is clear that the queen is an eccentric dresser and everyone is just too scared to say so. The Bollywood influence made me incredibly happy. Be sure to stay for the credits so you get to see the awesome dance sequence!

I was skeptical a first going into this movie because I was hoping so hard that it would be based off the Gregory Maguire book. It is not based off the book (but you should read it anyway) unfortunately but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it regardless.

I give this movie and 8 out of 10 and absolutely recommend that you all go out and support this movie! It isn't a heavy-hitter in the box office but the colors are fantastic on the big screen.

The Indulgence of Solitude

I will start by saying that I am an only child.

It is my unscientific opinion that there are two types of only children: There are those who felt deprived by this status and want to collect friends as if they were Pokemon. Then there are those who think of their status as a gift and relished in every quiet moment they got alone with their thoughts.

I am the latter. I have always had better relationships with books rather than people, I could be kept busy for hours given just a tape recorder with a microphone and I'm usually that person who forgets to invite other people when I go on outings. I used to be very shy as well but summer camp, acting classes and the realization of a the necessity of human contact has driven me to become merely somewhat quiet around those I don't know well. Outgoing is socially acceptable. No one has ever said, "Gee you really have to wonder what that loud guy over there is thinking," because he tells you. People are afraid of the quiet ones because no one knows what they are thinking. (My darling boyfriend can attest to the fact that quiet people should not try to become loud people because those thoughts no one knows about? Yeah, sometimes it's better that way...)

I currently work in one of the quietest places in a very loud office. I am a tech for an internet marketing company. The people outside my office are peddling our wares to strangers all day while the tech sit quietly in our little office and make things go. Really, this is an ideal situation for me. I'm not alone in the office so I get to say that I'm having social interactions all day and there's a physical door between extrovert and introvert world. I've been thinking a lot about the quiet, comfortable bubble I've built for myself lately and I have come to realize that my solitude and my peace are a major indulgence that I don't think most people even consider taking.

I have one full day every week that I get to spend however I like, for the most part. This usually involves going to yoga, the farmer's market, catching up on chores that are important to me and working on my own projects. I get to run on my own schedule and I don't have to worry about how my decisions impact anyone else. While I do interact with society and walk through the social experiment, in a lot of ways I'm on the outside watching. Instead of being involved in my own social interactions, I get to watch how people treat each other and it is amazing.

It has been said that one cannot expect to be loved by another until she loves herself. Along this line, I would have to argue that no one person can expect others to wish to spend their time with her until she can enjoy spending time by herself. If you're bored, you're boring and those who can entertain themselves will never want.

Next time you have an afternoon or an evening by yourself, don't immediately start calling everyone you know to "do something." Sit in the quiet in the presence of yourself and just enjoy you. Enjoy the company you give to yourself. Having the opportunity to explore your own thoughts and feelings without interruptions is a gift.

And then when you're amongst friends and loved ones again, that too will be a gift.

Hot Nerd Friday: Harley Quinn

Cartoon character so count for this, okay? Happy Friday everyone! Sorry I've ben lax recently but it's been super busy at home. Today I would like to present to you Miss Harley Quinn, one of many very sexy Batman villains. I adore her for her craziness, her loyalty to The Joker and really, that costume makes for some amazing cos-play! So please, do yourself a favor and go stick your face in a nice google search for Harley Quinn cos-play.

Non-sexy true fact: Kevin Smith named his daughter Harley Quinn.