Movie Monday - Just Go With It

No. The title of this post does not mean you just need to play along with what I'm writing. That's actually the name of the movie we went to last week: "Just Go With It."

It was kind of a toss-up movie. I'm not a big Adam Sandler fan. The person I was going with isn't a big Jennifer Aniston fan (although I am). But we both wanted a comedy last week Tuesday, and it was at a good time for us to get to it.

So... plot... Umm... Well... there's this guy in Los Angeles who meets women by pretending he's married. And that works really well (insert comments about our society's morality), until he meets someone who really likes him who actually doesn't want to be "the other woman." So he makes up a shrew whom he is divorcing, and explains away the ring.

Which would be a really short movie. Except that the woman wants to get his soon-to-be ex-wife's permission before dating him. So he talks his office manager person into playing his wife. And, eventually, hilarity ensues when they - through the miracles of a convoluted plot - end up in Hawaii with her two kids, his best friend, and - of course - her college rival.

What I really need to point out, though, is that some hilarity actually did ensue. I mean... if you could see through the potty humor, it got pretty funny. And it also got a little sweet.

I know I've panned some movies because they tried to be more than one thing. The comedies that wanted to be romantic. The action movies that wanted to be funny. But, honestly, when we got to the end of the movie, I was okay with the funny and with the sweet. Kind of like one of those Lemonhead candies with the sugar on the outside but the tartness on the inside. Or, well, not really like that, but sort of.

Overall grade: B. And, you know, some movies really just are Bs. Not that they're bad. They're just never going to be good.

Pregnant Pause

Let me start by confirming that we are not - I repeat NOT - pregnant.

But some friends of ours are. And we got to see them today, even though the doctor has apparently told them that their family could grow any day now.

It's kind of exciting when people you know are going to be incredible parents are about to have a kid.

Strange and scary, but exciting, too.

And, wow... Very glad it's not us.

That Whole "Fiscally Responsible" Thing

Lately I've started back down the road to financial solvency, fiscal responsibility, and frank talks about money and savings and all that stuff.

It's kind of strange for me to have to pay so much attention to it. You see I've always been a "grown-up" in my life. While other people were partying through their teens and twenties (and thirties and...), I was usually the responsible one who was acting as designated driver. Okay, yes, Christopher has always insisted that there's a five-year-old in me trying to get out, but for the most part I'm the grown-up.

Which makes the fact that my finances have always been slightly out of whack that much harder for me to admit to. So I've watched my spending, and tried to keep things in line. But I've worked in the Non-Profit Arts, and I was unemployed for over a year (followed by more time of underemployment), and my savings went away and my credit card bills went up, and I've had to start re-analyzing my money.

So, at Christopher's recommendation, I started meeting with a Financial Advisor a few months ago. I was worried that it was going to be like going to the dentist and being nagged for not flossing - or going to the doctor and being reminded that you shouldn't eat carbs - but the advisor Christopher recommended is really cool. She's about my age (probably closer to Christopher's), and didn't even flinch when I told her I didn't have any idea the answers to some of her questions. She just kind of nodded and chatted, and said she could work with what I had.

And, just three months into the new year, I'm already starting to see a difference. It has felt a bit like going on a diet. Not a starvation diet, but just a trim-down diet. For instance, I talked myself out of buying Easter candy at the grocery store today, but I still bought flowers (seen above). But I figure that's better than going into therapy for my winter blues, so it works out in my favor.

I've started watching more closely the times that I take my wallet out, and for what. I've already gotten pretty good at not spending money (unemployment followed by low pay will do that to a person), but now I've started trying to spend my money in a more conscientious way. I'm looking at a monthly budget, and thinking of what I'm spending and what each purchase means to my bottom line.

And, you know what? It's kind of strangely exciting. (Oh, and if you live in the Twin Cities and want to know who my advisor is, let me know.)

Happy St. David's Day!

I realize it's almost over (or way past over, depending on when you're seeing this), but March 1st is/was St. David's Day.

In case you're not sure who that is, St. David is the patron saint of Wales. No, not of whales, but of Wales. (Anyone know who the patron saint of whales is?)

If you're feeling even more confused, now, Wales is one of the countries that make up Great Britain. In other words, like Ireland has St. Patrick, Wales has St. David.

Appropriate things to do on St. David's Day:

1) Speak Welsh. Start with "Dydd Dewi Sant Hapus" which means "Happy Saint David's Day!" (and... umm... no. I don't have any idea how it's pronounced.)

2) Buy some leeks. You know, those oniony things with the wide green leaves. Wear them on your lapel. Or your hat. Or, well, maybe just eat them.

3) If leeks aren't really your style, buy some daffodils. Prettier on the lapel. Bouncier on your hat. Nicer in a vase. Not -- I'm guessing here -- as tasty in soup.

4) Sport some red, white, and green. Just don't go to an Italian restaurant, because you'll have to keep explaining to people that you're not celebrating their flag.

5) Fly the Welsh flag, and watch the dragon flap in the wind. Don't know what the Welsh flag looks like? It's this:

(cool, hunh?)

Happy Saint David's Day, y'all!

Weather or Not

I was just reminded, by the evening weather forecaster, that March is typically our 2nd snowiest month of the year.

On the plus side, it's not typically the snowiest.

I may need to start looking for a winter home somewhere warm and snow-free.

When the Weekend goes Wonky

Christopher and I had big plans for this weekend. We didn't have anything going on during the weekend days, but we had plans for each of the evenings.

We were going to have dinner and go to a concert with his sisters on Saturday night. We were going to go out to dinner at a restaurant we meant to go to for his birthday (in January), tonight.

And then things got a little strange. I started feeling kind of under the weather on Saturday morning. Nothing major, just my stomach feeling a little "off." I blame the fact that I had to take my car in to the shop and so I was stressing over how much it would cost (although, so far, they haven't found what is wrong so it didn't cost anything). But, for whatever reason by the middle of the afternoon when I tried to have a nap, I was in knots. So I bowed out of dinner and the show. Christopher went out to dinner, and then he and his sisters actually all came back here to watch a movie, because the concert they wanted to go to was sold out.

Last night, well, last night was going along okay until, at about 1:30 in the morning, the pup got a little sick, too. So we were awake for a while, then. And I woke up for no good reason around 4:30, then got back to sleep in time to get up around 7:30. Which meant that today didn't go so well, either. And we cancelled our dinner reservation (again), and stayed in.

So here we are just hours away from the end of the weekend with no real "weekending" to show for it. Okay, yes, we had a good time hanging out last night and watching a movie with his sisters. And the house got cleaned. And I did some editing I needed to finish. And we ignored the two or three inches of new snow on the sidewalks because it was the weekend. And I got a start on my taxes (until I got hung up on one little box which I have no idea how to complete). And I'm watching the Academy Awards while Christopher gets caught up on some things in the office.

But we never really got that good "weekend" time in.

You know how they say that people who are sleep-deprived have issues dealing with day-to-day life because of that lack of down time? Well, here's hoping that tomorrow isn't too harsh. I'm not sure I could deal with a hard week since I seem to have missed out on the easy weekend.

Friday Food - Bribery

You know, most people hear the word "bribery" and think of bad things. But tonight I'd like to make a case for the positive sides of bribery. For instance:

At work, when one of my co-workers needs me to step in and deal with something she doesn't want to do, I'm much more likely to do it when a bag of peanut butter M&Ms appears on my desk. (Does anyone else remember "Oompahs"? They were a "Willy Wonka"-branded half peanut butter/half chocolate in a candy shell candy back in the 70s. I don't know if they exist any more, but they were the forerunners of these M&Ms.)

At home, when the pup needs a little enticement to go somewhere -- such as into her kennel before I leave for the day -- bribery in the form of a treat is very helpful. If nothing else, it keeps her from whining and whimpering at least until I'm out of earshot. Which makes is possible for me to feel a little less guilty.

When you're in need of a big favor, though, that's when the bribery has to be good. Like when you're moving, so you promise everyone who helps that they'll get pizza and beer when you're done. Or, say, you have to drop your car off at a garage at 7 in the morning and need someone to pick you up. That's not really a good time for pizza and beer, but it's so early that there definitely needs to be some recompense. Tomorrow, in just that case, Christopher will be getting treated to croissants from Patisserie 46 on the way home. And I just might get something for myself, too. After all, it would be sad to make him eat all on his own.

So... A question for you: What food bribery do you prefer? (Go ahead... leave a comment on here so everyone can see it... I think it could be interesting to see what you all say.)