I was on a date night with my husband a few nights ago, and we decided to see "The Wrestler" with Mickey Rourke. I had no idea that the movie I was about to see was going to stick with me. Wow. I even cried at the end, and had to sort out my feelings why.

I don't want to ruin it for anyone who has not seen it and eventually wants to, so, if you are in this category, please stop reading this blog now. I don't want to be a kill-joy....

Okay, you have been forewarned. I will continue.



Mickey Rourke was brilliant. He managed to literally absorb the character into his core. If I had to describle his character's personality, he was the guy you went to high school with, that was good at _________(insert a sport), said hello to everyone, and drank a beer or two on a Saturday night. He occasionally forgot to pick up his date because he got a little wild with the boys, and felt terrible about it afterwards. He was amiable to all, and had enough humility to apologize when needed. He was genuine, and the kind of guy you wanted as your rock solid friend, but not as a boyfriend or a husband. I have known so many guys like this, and maybe this is why the movie left me in a pool of tears. m

I will say that watching the movie was difficult at times. The violence and blood made me squeamish, but a necessary componet to tell the story. A brilliant Rourke acting manuever that needs to be mentioned is his ability for the audience to experience his day-to-day trials, physically and mentally. He lumbers about, probably from arthritis, as well as aging, and not to mention the obvious aches and pains from being pummelled every day. After his heart attack, the laborious breathing is a constant backdrop reminding you of what he endures daily.

The Ending
While he departs his life on his terms, there is still so much unfinished business. Yes, he gets to "go out" in a manner which he deems to be respectable, there are still loose ends, like his relationship with his daughter. While I appreciated the non-Hollywood wrapping up their relationship, it still hurt to the core. I couldn't help but cry for them both. He was an absentee parent, and deserved her angst, but he was so likeable, contrite, uncomplicated and uncalculating. I was hopeful that his mature daughter would see beyond his irresponsible behavior and accept him, fake tan and all.

Moreover, the stripper that shows up at the ninth hour (Marisa Tomei) didn't bother me as much. Unlike his daughter, she was finished business and he managed to put that together before he departed.

The overall irony but part of the character development is that he views his fans as the only people who have unconditionally accepted him, and obviously, we all know how fickle the public can be. In the end, you feel so sorry for the one-trick pony that sees himself as not good at anything else but this sport. I disagree. He could have coached, or used his likeable personality to do something else. Or maybe I am wrong. Maybe he just reminded me of a good buddy that I would miss if he ever took himself out.

I loved Mainly a Midwife's posting about "Ten Things about me", and I thought I would do a blog in the same fashion. I am pretty much an open book, so I don't know if there is anything to uncover, but here goes:

1. I have a deep fascination about tornadoes. I love to watch anything about them. I was once near one---but it was only a F-zero. (F stands for Fujita, the rating of damage/wind speed a tornado reaches.) I have also seen a funnel cloud in the distance, but again, it was tiny and dissipated quickly. The West Coast doesn't offer much tornado entertainment, which is why I want to go on a real live tornado chase in the midwest one day.

2. My favorite food is Thai. I can't live without it.

3. I have been inside a now-empty missile silo, underground, at night. Probably one of the most interesting and simultaneously dangerous experiences that I have ever done.

4. I love to make up crazy dances for my kids and husband. There is the horse dance, the cat dance and the tick-tock dance, to name a few. They think I am a nut. They are right.

5. My music taste is all over the map. I listen to almost everything. My eclectic music library ranges from John Denver to Lifehouse to Barbra Streisand to AC/DC to some rap. I love music and could talk about it all day long. I love to sing, but unfortunately, I am terrible. This doesn't stop me from doing karaoke, however. Wild horses couldn't stop me from belting out my music in the car, either.
This topic leads me to #6...

6. I fantasize constantly about being a professional singer, and a piano player, oh, and a guitar player, too. Sometimes, I also play the drums, and I am wearing cool sunglasses while I am beating away. I am pretty much a legendary one-man band, in my own mind.

7. Sometimes I watch the trashiest reality TV out there, and my already-struggling I.Q. goes down 10 points every time. I can't stop. The worst one that I ever sat through (and also watched the re-runs!) was "Paradise Hotel." I know, it is complete brain garbage. I might as well stare at a piece of moldy bread all day.

8. I love to travel, but I sometimes get in the mood to visit off-beat places. If you ever want something out-of-the-ordinary to do, contact me. I have a list just for Northern California. One of my favorite places to tell people to travel to is Locke, Ca. I will let you Google it, but it is cool.

9. I hate watching eating contests. They are just plain foul.

10. One of my biggest fears: snakes. Need I say more?

And, now, for one more:

11. I am going to be "crazy cat lady" when I am old. I am a cat lover, and I have already decided that pursuit suits me best. So, when you visit me in my older age, try and ignore the woman in the purple hat talking to her cats. Just remember me when I was sane...oh, wait. I never was.

Happy Tuesday everyone!!!!

It has been 17 days past the first of January, and I am still struggling with what I want to accomplish in 2009. Perhaps this is a sign, a symbol of a year of sluggishness, or relaxation, depending on how you view it.



Here are my intentions:

1. Enjoy every moment as much as possible, and I mean every moment. I need to remember to find meaning in my work, appreciate menial tasks such as washing the dishes, and finding the time to relax more. I already cherish my time with my family, friends and of course, my husband, but I could have a better attitude about cooking, cleaning and grocery shopping. It is going to be a challenge, though, to find something enjoyable and/or meaningful about cleaning up the cat box.

2. Continue my quest to be in shape. Continue to exercise regularly. It makes all the difference on my health and my mental state of mind.

3. Fix what bothers me. Indecision is a spirit killer. If something is irritating me, then I am going to take measures to fix it, and not just talk about how I want it to change. I always feel much better when I make a decision to move forward, rather than agonize about something and then twist in the wind on how I am going to change it, which ultimately keeps me in limbo.

I think that is all for now. If anyone has any resolutions that they would like to share, I would love to hear 'em.

Bye for now!

Happy Birthday, Miss Keri!

I know that I am a day late, and a dollar short, as my grandpa used to say, but you were genuinely in my thoughts this week. I am looking forward to celebrating with you over some margaritas and nachos! You bring so much to everyone: with your ever-warm smile, great disposition and wit. We are all very lucky to know you, and your cakes are just a bonus!

Now...unfortunately, I need to switch the subject and write about a terribly serious topic. I am wondering where in Benicia can one get the best pedicure. I have since tried four places, and have found pros and cons to each and every one of them. Please let me know your thoughts.
My thoughts:
1. Lucy's Nails: great massage chairs, good paint job, and looooove the massage that the man gives. (I don't know his name.) Cons: Impossible to get in there at times, and reservations don't seem to matter.
2. The nail salon next to Baskin Robbins(I can't remember the name): excellent paint job, and the massage chair is also nice. Not as clean as Lucy's, and their interior space is cramped. I will say that their nail fills are the best, and last forever, but their overall retail space could use a little sprucing up. I also hate parking in that parking lot, but that is not really their fault.
3. Pretty Nails (Next to Rosanna''s Bakery): No massage chair, feet are put in a bath that they dispose of afterwards (it is supposed to be more sanitary, but it felt a bit wasteful to me...), the paint job is good, but overall, I was disappointed. It took forever to pay, and they are clearly understaffed.
4. Sanctuary: Now, to be fair, the last time I was there it was 5-6 years ago. The paint job literally looked like one of my daughters got a hold of me. The ambiance was unique and beautiful, but at the end of the day, I want my polish not to be all over my feet.

I get a pedicure every 6 weeks. I look forward to this like a perfectly made margarita or a sundae with all of the trimmings. I usually do it on a Friday when I am off work or a Sunday. It feels indulgent, and it is one of the few things that seem to calm me down (much like blogging). Anyway, I am in search of the perfect place, because I know that I am not alone in this much needed passtime.

Your thoughts on this pressing issue would be most appreciated.

I had to give it some serious thought on why I blog.

1. Foot in Mouth...no more
It forces me to really think before I speak (or publish!!!) I can take the time to reflect on how I feel about something, weighing the good and the bad, and deciphering what is relevant, and what is not.
2. Pure Reflection
It is obligatory to recall past events, current situations and ponder the mysterious future when I sit down to write. (I suppose personal content is a requisite, unless you are writing a biography or fiction...) Many times, these short moments of reflection introduce a range of thoughts: gratitude, wishes and sometimes, misgivings. While I enjoy recalling all that I am thankful for, I also find it necessary to look at the past day, and take a candid look at what I could have done better and how I should handle the same situation in the future. I also take a problematical look at how I can improve upon current circumstances.
3. Relaxation
My heart rate seems to slow down, and as a Type-A personality (more like AAA), anything that forces me to sit still is good.