Today is the last day of the month, and I have successfully completed the challenge of posting every day for the month of November. Some days I even posted more than once. I was never much of one to post every single day, but I think it was good for me. There was no way I could take part in NaNoWriMo. My fiction muses are fickle still, but I'm hoping to change that. The thing is I am writing again. Probably more than I have in a long while. I am writing for Blogcritics, and this week I signed on to write for TeeVieo. If you head over there now, you can find the latest update on the writers strike! It doesn't look good. I am proud to have stepped up to the challenge and being successful. It pushed me to a new limit, and I hope to continue on posting daily with the occasional day off here in there for a long time to come.
Thursday Thirteen #4
My Thirteen Favorite Cartoon Characters
1. Tweety Bird
2. Bart Simpson
3. Bugs Bunny
4. Goofy
5. The Care Bears
6. Rainbow Brite
7. Charlie Brown
8. Frosty the Snowman
9. Pop-eye
10. Casper the Friendly Ghost
11. Winnie th Pooh
12. Pinky & The Brain
13. Fat Albert
Yes, I know this is a bit late today! I've been a bit busy doing things, and I was having a hard time coming up with a topic. It finally came to me, so here we go. These are some of the cartoon characters I grew up with and loved. You can't have Pinky without Brain, and the Care Bears are adorable as a whole. I still watch cartoons from time to time. I didn't really touch on movie cartoon characters. That is a whole other ball of wax. Maybe next week! Have a great Thursday evening everyone.
The Wonderful Depp
I have always been a huge fan of Johnny Depp and his work. I have been since I saw him play on 21 Jump Street years and years ago. When he jumped into movies, I followed along. Never been a Pirates fan, but I've loved so many of his movies over the years. One of the movies of his that stands out to me is Cry Baby. I remember going to see the movie in the theater after it came out. It might seem like the silliest movie ever, and it really is. I loved it though. It was cheesy and fun. Some of the dialogue was wacky, but it was just a great movie. My favorite part of the movie is when Depp's character, Cry Baby Walker, is in jail and his girlfriend comes to visit. The song there just made me laugh. One of the best scenes of the whole movie in my mind.
Another one of my favorite Depp films is Don Juan DeMarco. This is just a great film, and one of my all-time favorites. With Marlon Brando, you can't go wrong. There is an amazing song on the soundtrack also by Bryan Adams. Have you ever really loved a woman is one of the greatest love songs of all the time, and I think of the movie anytime I hear it. For the past few weeks, I've been seeing previews for Depp's new movie coming out this Christmas, Sweeney Todd. I don't know much about the story behind it, but the previews have me really interested. I'm not sure if it the best Christmas movie with some of the scenes I've seen, but Tim Burton and Johnny Depp are really an unbeatable combination. You can visit the official Sweeney Todd movie site to find out more about the movie before its released. You can also visit Sweeney Todd on MySpace.
There are really so many good movies coming out in the weeks and months ahead. It is really making it hard for me to choose which to see first. Awake comes out Friday, so I'm hoping to catch that. The Other Boleyn Girl is on my list for February. So many movies, so little time!
Everything is going my way ...
At least it feels that way. Yes, the car is going to cost a lot to fix, but it should be ready tomorrow. After that, the car should be in perfect shape for a car its age. Things are just going well in other areas of my life. A few months ago, I was in horrible shape, but my outlook on life has changed. It has been a complete turnaround. I'm exhausted at the end of the day because I'm writing all day. It's good. My mind is working again. Now I just need to get into fiction mode again. That is the next step. One thing at a time. That is always the best way to approach things I think. Sort of like that old television show I remember watching growing - One day at a time. That is one of my life philosophies, and it has always worked for me.
A delight for the holiday season
With Christmas coming, it is time to really crack down and think about what to get the people in our lives. I still have no idea myself, but I have a few ideas. I like looking around at different sites to get ideas. I'm a huge online shopper as I've mentioned time and time again on this blog. Shopping online is so convenient. You don't need to deal with the traffic at the mall or in the stores. You don't have to fight for that last one of that super hot item that you know everyone wants. You don't even have to get dressed. You can be in your pajamas, your hair a mess and barefoot and no one will say a thing about it to you. I think that is part of the reason why I love to shop online anyway. There are some things you just don't want to chance buying online as I've learned, but small items are good. I'm an Amazon and eBay regular. Now if I'm not careful I might get hooked on other sites too.
Today, I heard about one that might just be ideal for those far away. Gifts delivered right to their door is what they will get, and what could be better or easier than that for your family and other loved ones? No dealing with mailing yourself, which we know around the holidays can be such a hassle. Mail is going to only get crazier in the days ahead. I don't even want to think about it really. The crowded stores, the hours on my feet ... damn. All of that is so easily avoided, and you can find that perfect gift for your loved one. Right now, it looks like they are even offering free shipping because of the holidays. Can't really beat that can you?
Read more about Delicious Deliveries below.
DelightfulDeliveries.com Recognized as Hot 100 Retail Website
Internet Retailer Ranks Website Among Best in Nation for 2008
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DelightfulDeliveries.com, the premiere Internet Gift Retailer and America’s #1 Gift Basket Website, today announced it has been named one of The Hot 100 Retail Websites for 2008 by leading industry magazine, Internet Retailer. The Hot 100 list represents the best of what retailers are doing online, highlighting innovation and setting the standards in online for what the rest of the industry should be doing.
DelightfulDeliveries.com, a privately-held company, with one of the largest and most unique selections of gourmet gifts, ranked alongside larger sites such as Dell, Nike and Amazon.com, by building its award-winning site on selection, functionality, speed and the complete customer experience. A recent re-design has improved the customer’s shopping experience to make holiday gift-giving easy and enjoyable, including rating and reviews, behavioral recommendations and free shipping offers.
“We are extremely honored to be recognized as a pacesetter in online retailing,” said Eric Lituchy, Founder and CEO of DelightfulDeliveries.com. “We pride ourselves on using the latest technology to make gift-giving fun and easy. Being named among the best in the nation validates we are succeeding in our efforts to deliver the best possible customer experience.”
In addition to making Internet Retailer’s The Hot 100 list for 2008, DelightfulDeliveries.com was recently recognized by Inc. Magazine as part of its Inc. 5000, which highlights the fastest growing private companies.
DelightfulDeliveries.com offers over 2000 unique and delicious gifts from America’s best brands to the finest boutique shops. Consumers can easily shop the site by gift or food category, occasion, type and best-seller. Corporate gift-givers can choose from hundreds of customized gourmet treats.
For additional information, and to see a complete selection of gifts available, visit www.DelightfulDeliveries.com.
About Delightful Deliveries
DelightfulDeliveries.com is an award-winning website that began in 1998 and quickly established itself as one of the premier Internet gift retailers. Its mission is to bring great products to gift-givers, while providing world-class service. The company selects its offerings from a broad variety of fine food gift products for consumers and for corporate gifts, and gathers them in one place to make the selection process quick and simple.
Wordless Wednesday #4
Four of these already! This is the picture released this week of Heath Ledger as The Joker in Dark Knight. I'm so excited for this to come out next year. I loved the new Batman that was released last. I love Christian Bale, and I really think he fit the role perfectly as Bruce Wayne and Batman. I know they made some changes with the cast this time around, but Bale and Freeman are coming back. I'm also excited about Bale in the Terminator movie coming up. I heard Vin Diesel might be cast as the role of Terminator. No Arnold though! That bugs me. Arnold is the Terminator.
Reconnection
Last night, one of my cousins called to tell my father and I he was in town for a visit. Most of today was spent visiting with this cousin and a couple of others, laughing and catching up over food and drink. It was good. Really it was. It was good watching my dad laugh and be amongst family. All our family lives in California. We now know one lives rather close now, and it'll be good to see him again. We're not as isolated from our family as we once thought, and that is really a good thing. For me. For my dad. For my brother. I like seeing my dad happy.
Happy Tuesday!
Today is going to be a busy day. I just feel it. Last night's Dancing With The Stars Finale didn't impress me all that much. I think Helio will end up winning it all, but not even he was all that impressive with his scores. It'll be interesting to see the scores tonight and see who wins. Good news on my side of things, I have been added on a staff writer for another blog covering television. I start immediately, and I'm excited about it. I talk about television so much here that putting together short little news articles elsewhere won't be all that hard for me to do. I've done it before. We're still waiting to hear back on the car. Hopefully today. We have family stopping in today for a visit. See? It is just a crazy day with a lot to do.
I've been thinking a lot about my blog lately as well. Changing things around on my sidebar. Taking out things. Adding on things. I'm trying to make a clean looking sidebar. Simple. I keep looking at different templates, and maybe after the holidays I'll look at getting something new. Perhaps even paying for something. I like looking at all the little gadgets you can pick up, try them out and see if they work. Today, I found this one site full of Blog Stuff. Just little quizzes and widgets you can add. They have a countdown timer, and I was just thinking of adding one of those the other day counting down to the Bon Jovi concert in April. I received my ticket for that yesterday. I'm so excited for that. I just wish it wasn't so far away!
Dancing With The Stars Finale Tonight
I've been hooked on this show since season one, and I'm all ready for tonight's finale. I'd been Team Garth since day one this season, but she is no longer in the running. I'd really love to see woman win this year. We haven't had one since Kelly Monaco won season one, and that was just a joke. Don't get me started on what a joke that was. The lone man left this year is actually favored to win it all. I am throwing my support behind Mel B. Who are you wanting to win it all this season?
Blogging Your Blessings Sunday 11/25
This is late today because I wasn't feeling very blessed this weekend. I'm thankful for many things. Many which I talked about in my post on Thursday. This has just been a bad few days, but I know I'm blessed because tomorrow is the start of a new week. Sometimes all you need is a fresh start.
The No Good Very Bad Day
As it turns out, it wasn't just the fuel pump with the car. They talked about water pumps and timing belts and God knows what else. Thing is it is our only source of transportation in the house. The bad news is to fix it we will need to pay out nearly $1500 dollars. I know the streak of good luck wouldn't last for long. Hopefully, nothing else happens. I'll just try re-crossing those fingers, and I'll try to distract myself with a movie or two. Saturday is always good for that at least. I have a bunch of new DVD's too. Today has just been a lousy day.
Oy car problems!
Last night, as I mentioned, the family car died on the way to go pick up the fixings for Thanksgiving dinner. With everything closed yesterday, we couldn't do much to have the car fixed. We thought it might just need a quick jump, but now it looks to be a bad fuel pump! I swear if it isn't one thing with this car it is another. Something is always happening with our car. It is used and nearly ten years old. We really need a brand new car. We're working on it. This one just keeps acting up on us. We should just let it set at the car repair place we take it to. The amount of money we've spent in the last few months is horrible to. I'm hoping it is just the fuel pump. Crossing my fingers on that.
Cars are so touchy though. Anything can go wrong with them. When I think of car repair, one of the first companies that come to mind is AAMCO. In California, I used to see them everywhere. Right now, they are having a new promotion that will send one lucky winner to Hollywood, California. My hometown! The name of the contest, Drive Hard/ Die Hard amuses me because I plan to be watching the latest movie in the Die Hard movie series sometime this weekend as a review for Blogcritics! Right now, I'm starving, and I'm waiting to hear back on the family car. It would be great to get away for a few days to California!
Black Friday Is HERE!
But I'm not out in the stores like I have been in past years. My mom used to love the Black Friday sales. We used to spend all day at the mall shopping, but after she passed on I stopped seeing the point. These days you can shop online, and I have my eye on a couple of deals. I might check out a few of the sites now to see if anything catches my eye. The stores were probably insane this morning anyway. I had planned to go out and see August Rush today, but there is still no car here. We're having it looked at later today. Plus, somehow August Rush seems to have been rated 1/2 out of a possible 4 stars. Ouch. I could go see The Mist instead, but I might just wait for my movie trip until next Friday.
Awake, the new Jessica Alba movie, comes out then, and I am really excited to see it. She filmed it a couple of years ago, and some are saying it is her break out role. I'd love to see her do something serious and get more recognition than she does. She is always cast in these roles as the hot chick, and she has some great potential. At least I think she does. She has been one of my favorite actresses since Dark Angel came out years ago. I still love that show, and I even have the DVD's for both seasons. It really got a bad deal from Fox, but Fox is known for giving it series trouble. What movies are you venturing out to see this weekend? Check out the trailer for Awake below.
Let's Walk For Art
Most everyone has had their Thanksgiving dinner, and they are stuffed on pie and turkey. Our own dinner here has been postponed. Last night, when my father was going up to get the rest of the fixings for today's dinner, our car died. We'll be taking it in the morning to get fixed, but all we had was a turkey. It is great, but it isn't much without the rest of the goodies. Right now, I'm watching the ASU vs. USC game, and we'll be eating chicken tonight. Not a bad dinner. I can wait a day or two for turkey.
I'm an ASU alumni, and I still live in the city the college is located. This year has been a good year for the Sun Devil football team. I lived on campus, and right up the street they used to turn the main boulevard near the campus into this huge art festival every month or so. I used to love attending those. Walking along and looking at the different vendors, listening to the musicians on the street. I haven't been in awhile, and I'm not even sure they have the event anymore. That part of town has been so built up over the years since I graduated.
Today, I saw about the St. Augustine Artwalk in Florida. I have a few friends that live there, and one has asked me to come visit. It is on my to do list of places to visit someday. The First Friday Weekend Art Walk is a monthly event. The artwalk sounds good. Just walking around and looking at pretty things. Sounds just about perfect to me. I hope everyone had a great day! I'm off to watch the rest of the game.
Thursday Thirteen #3
Another Thursday is here. A special one for us here in the US as it is Thanksgiving Day. I'm thankful for a lot this year, so that is what my thirteen will be about this Thursday. These are in no particular order.
1. I am thankful for my health. Even with my migraines, back and neck problems and various other ailments I know I have better than most, and I am grateful for that.
2. I am grateful for my dad. He's a big part of my life. We may fight and disagree sometimes, but I still love him.
3. I am thankful for my brother Joe who lives here with us. He is a big pain half the time, but he has his moments of good. I'm also thankful for the family I have that is far away.
4. I am thankful for little sunshine, my cat Mikey, who loves me and I know it. He's a terror, but he is the sweetest thing alive.
5. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to have my cat JJ in my life. Watching him leave me and this world was one of the hardest things in my life. I know he is in a better place.
6. I am thankful for my friends, both online and offline. They make me smile on a constant basis, and there are some I do not know what I would do without.
7. I am thankful for the friends I have made through my writing, the Divas especially. I know I disappeared for a long time, but I am glad to be back among you all, even if I lurk a great deal. You've always been supportive of my writing efforts, and that means a lot.
8. I am thankful to have a roof over my head, food on the table and a place to call home.
9. I am thankful that I had a mother that raised me the best way she knew how. She was always in my corner, and even though she is no longer with me in body, she is still with me in spirit.
10. I am thankful I am getting to see my favorite band in concert in April with a really kicking seat. Yes, I am counting down the days to Bon Jovi!
11. I am thankful to be able to share the gift of the written word with others, and I hope to continue to do in the time to come.
12. I am thankful for music, as it the one thing that sometimes helps me through the bad times. A song can lift me like not much else can, other than my friends.
13. Lastly, I am thankful to everyone that stops by here on a daily basis, leaving comments and sometimes emails. You keep me going here, and for that I thank you.
Have a great Thanksgiving those that celebrate.
Now we can say the holidays are here.
It is Thanksgiving eve, and tomorrow is Thanksgiving day. I bought a stuffed snowman the other day, and I'm as ready for Christmas as I can be right now. I know next on my list is sending out cards. I saw a cute box of them at the store the other day, but I didn't end up picking them up. My sister sends out this pretty cards. You know the type right? Those pretty little photo cards like the ones you see on that site.
Every year they send us their Christmas card, and the family is so cute. My youngest niece is a senior in high school this year, and I keep asking myself how time flies. I'm not sure, but it is another holiday season, and that means it is time to break out the Christmas cards. I was checking out this site, and I love the cards they offer. It might be too late to get something this year, but maybe next year. I'll have to look into it.
Right now, I'm off to think about tomorrow's dinner.
More Terminator Movie news
Rumor has it that it looks like Christian Bale is being cast as John Connor in the next Terminator flick, Terminator: Salvation. The next film will be the start of a new trilogy with the battle of the machines and Skynet against the remaining humans left after the events that ended Terminator 3. I've always been a huge fan of Christian Bale, and if the rumors are true, I think he would make an excellent John Connor. Now, I wonder who they will cast as his wife, Kate Brewster. Any guesses anyone?
Oh internet, my internet!
This December will be the start of my third year of high speed internet service. Before that, I was stuck on dial-up hell on AOL. Things were so slow. It used to drive me mad. I now have high speed cable internet, but things still aren't perfect. My provider isn't the best, but they are pretty much the only ticket in town. I've looked into DSL, and I've even thought of going wireless or using a satellite connection, but I've stayed with my cable company, even with all the problems. I'm not even sure how many times I've had them come out to visit with no real solution.
Today in searching I found a sute that helps you compare the various internet providers available out there. Every thing from dial-up and cable to wireless providers. They even have comparisons on VOIP. As whenever you go on the Internet, it is important to remember to protect your computer. I don't have as much of a problem now, but when I was on dial-up, I always had viruses popping up. It is important to have spyware protection for your PC computer. MAC's have it easy. They don't get with spyware or viruses. It is only us Microsoft Windows people that need to deal with them! What a pain huh?
What a day
I'm anxiously awaiting tonight's episode of Dancing With The Stars. I've been Team Jennie from the very beginning, and I would love to see her make it into next week's finals. I truly think the last spot is between her and Marie Osmond. The other two spots will be snatched up by Mel B. and the lone male dancer left in the competition. That is a bit of a switch from past years. It is usually the women that end up going first. I think this might be the best competition we've had for this series yet. Everyone is on top of their game, and they all really deserve a spot in the finals. Who are you hoping makes it? Speaking of dancing shows, what do you think of the new spin-off ABC has been promoting with Bruce and Carrie Anne, Dance Wars? It looks interesting.