what a girl wants...

Dear Crissy is giving away an HP TouchSmart 310

I am still trying to get used to blogger so please be patient if my html shows up wrong and I edit the post 14 times to correct it. I do know basic html but I haven't used those skills in about 10 years.

Anyway, I am posting about the HP TouchSmart 310 contest because I would love one! I don't actually have a desktop computer. I *had* one when I moved from California but I gave it to my sister-in-law to use. My classes are online and it is really hard for me to be productive if I am not sitting at a desk. My old Macbook Pro died less than a year after buying it- not by product failure but due to a sleep-induced accident so I only claim partial responsibility. LOL I do use my phone now most often for the internet. Having a desktop computer would mean getting my assignments done on time and in the correct format! Being a user of Apple products for a few years made me unable to type things in Microsoft Word for class or take online skill tests for jobs- which has caused big issues. Oh how I would love a desktop PC again... and one that is so compact too!

take this sinking boat and point it home

FINALLY mailed my passport in for renewal today- despite it still being WAY below 0F. It will arrive in Philly on Friday, take 4-6 weeks (est) and be sent back to me via overnight service. Yeah!!

Now to finish the letter to my new future host family and find some family pictures as well. The translation of my form to the Italian consulate- in Italian- is completed but I want to send it to my Italian instructor to proofread. Making a mistake on a short answer-formatted form TO Italy would be beyond embarrassing.

I really shouldn't type so late at night. It's just not very poetic. But that's really all I have for updates regarding Italy today. This blog will chug along like my VW up my current nanny family's icy, steep driveway until closer to trip time.

Choo choo!

it's all happening...

My next round of paperwork for ITALY was turned in last weekend! Now we begin the more in-depth paperwork in order to match me up with a family, since I am doing a homestay. I have to translate some of this next batch of paperwork into Italian!



Today, I got my new passport photos taken so I can send my passport in Monday for renewal.

Last weekend, I bought new luggage for my trip (London Fog!) with the swiveling wheels. Instead of two 28" pieces, I opted for one 28" and one 24"- the 24" was on clearance for $64! My search continue for a carry-on that will match, otherwise I will be just fine with the one I got a couple months ago from a giftcard my part-time mall job had given me. It has a giraffe pattern so it doesn't quite match my classy London Fog luggage but it's a carry-on so I'm not as concerned about it matching. I haven't measured it yet though. Carry-ons can be 24" x 14" x 9". The LF dome bag carry-on I want is selling for $48 on sale, but I found a brand new one on ebay that I forgot to bid on for $17.99 (and it sold at that price too... *kicking self*).

My US Italian family that I part-time nanny for gave me a book of the "First 1000 Words to Learn In Italian." It's pretty awesome. It has pictures just like a kids' book to help learn faster. I also had my first Italian language class last Monday night!

Everything is becoming very real!!

Golden Globe Awards- My Picks

Tomorrow on NBC, the pre-cursor to the Oscars will air: The Golden Globes.

Each year, I try my hardest to watch as many nominated films as I can. This way, I can give a more accurate decision to who I believe *should* win both awards. There seems to be a lack of depth to the choices in several categories this year. I knew I wanted to see a film last weekend in the theater and one today but had a really hard time deciding which. This is not due to all the wonderful choices out there... and a few of the highly-acclaimed films still aren't widely released in my area.

Without further ado... and please note, these are my choices for who SHOULD win, not who I THINK will win:


BEST MOTION PICTURE DRAMA:

-Black Swan
-The Fighter
-Inception
-The King's Speech
-The Social Network

The Social Network actually blew me away. I wasn't expecting it to, to be honest. A film about our favorite internet time-waster doesn't exactly sound like award-season material. From the very first scene of witty banter, my hopes became high. The script held my interest throughout the entire film. I was intrigued by the background of a multi-billion-dollar empire that I didn't give much thought to when I logged in on a daily basis. Whether the story held truth or not didn't matter. The performances, script, direction and score were all spot on.

I am incredibly confused how The Fighter made it into this category. This film has been critically-panned more than praised and it lacks originality.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS- DRAMA

-Halle Berry (Frankie and Alice)
-Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole)
-Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)
-Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
-Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine)

I may be the critiquing oddball here but I think Jennifer Lawrence's gritty but understated performace should win here. There was no fancy makeup or costuming in this film. What you saw is what you got. The actors in this film all had to push through rough exteriors with emotional gusto. A bright future lurks for Jennifer Lawrence, who no doubt has casting versatility.

Natalie Portman has her best role yet but it also feels like it could be the beginning of the end to her serious acting career. Her next film is a rom-com with Ashton Kutcher. That speaks for itself. In the film after that, she's "The Other Woman" (literally)- a Hollywood cliche recycled in 3/4 films. Several recent Best Actress winners have nearly fallen off the radar upon winning. This is why I think she *will* win; the signs are pointing in that direction from all sides. Plus, it's really her only far-reaching role to date. The rest have all been consistently... similar.

I have to admit, I am personally surprised that Hailie Steinfeld (True Grit) wasn't nominated. She won the Critics' Choice Award last night, deservedly so, but it is obvious she was shut out of the Globes only because of her age. I think it could have been an opportunity to give notice for her potential in the long haul for Hollywood, instead of one to fail. For shame.

No comment on why Halle Berry and Nicole Kidman are nominated this year.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR- DRAMA

-Jesse Eisenberg (Social Network)
-Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
-James Franco (127 Hours)
-Ryan Gosling (Blue Valentine)
-Mark Wahlberg (The Fighter)

I honestly laughed when I saw Wahlberg's name in this category. He's proven to have a more serious acting future in "The Lovely Bones." I don't get the choice here at all.

Ryan Gosling is very much a method actor. I don't dislike the guy but I think he is incredibly predictable onscreen. His movements are calculated and as a Filmspotting critic pointed out, he is ALWAYS moving in a scene. He'll scratch his ear, fidget with something, wipe his nose... it's almost like a multiple-choice test. "Which one will he do next?"

It's an incredibly tough choice in this category between the other three but I think it is James Franco's YEAR in everything. He was on General Hospital, just because he could be. People who once hated his non-chalant attitude onscreen before suddenly began to respect him because he creates his own rules. He carried the entire film on his shoulders in this one and physically endured the conditions his character endured in a less than friendly environment. Audiences felt his pain (sometimes a bit too much so) and I have never been in a theater that was as quiet and focused as I did for "127 Hours."

Jesse Eisenberg still has a bright future ahead of him, in so far as I think he will have yet another phenomenal role in a few years. Here, he proved to be an actor with depth that I both loved and hated at the same time. That is one of the single-most important aspects I look for in a leading actor. I just don't think it will be his year. If it is, it will be the peak of his career, sadly.

Colin Firth is so likable and meek and sweet in everything he does. I regretfully have not seen "The King's Speech" yet and am dying too. However, he is so consistent in his films, I almost feel like it wasn't much of a stretch for him this time around. I may be proven wrong.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

-Amy Adams (The Fighter)
-Helena Bonham Carter (The King's Speech)
-Mila Kunis (Black Swan)
-Melissa Leo (The Fighter)
-Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom)

I feel like half of this category was chosen wrongly. Helena Bonham Carter is my pick because she captivates me in the film's trailers. She does in everything she's in. I think she would be the smartest bet, since the others would all be forgotten after this year if they win. Sad but true.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

-Christian Bale (The Fighter)
-Michael Douglas (Wall Street)
-Andrew Garfield (The Social Network)
-Jeremy Renner (The Town)
-Geoffrey Rush (The King's Speech)

That is not a mistake, I have two choices here! Since I haven't seen "The King's Speech" yet, I'm assuming Rush's accolades hold true. He is always brilliant. He will most likely win too. Bale is a strong contender but again: "The Fighter?" Andrew Garfield hasn't been recognized as much here in the US for his work but he is one of my favorite future stars. Re-watching "The Social Network," I think he earned his nomination here from his absolutely gripping scene in the Facebook headquarters near the end of the film. Watch it again and you will believe too.

BEST DIRECTOR

-Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan)
-David Fincher (The Social Network)
-Tom Hooper (The King's Speech)
-Christopher Nolan (Inception)
-David O. Russell (The Fighter)

A film cannot be brilliant without its director. Fincher is always respected and I think he should be incredibly proud of creating a film about Facebook that easily could have turned into a joke. Well-done.


"The Social Network" is deserving of a sweep. I think "The King's Speech" will win most of the awards though. It's a period piece, which the Hollywood Foreign Press Association loves and who isn't a sucker for British accents? The Fighter being nominated so frequently is mind-boggling and frankly, a bit ridiculous. Christian Bale is the only nominee that makes sense. 127 Hours should have earned a Best Director nomination in Danny Boyle but he was probably overshadowed by his previous work on "Slumdog Millionaire." "True Grit" is a surprising omission this year. Of course, "No Country For Old Men" was a recent accolade for the Coen Brothers but I think the simplicity of "True Grit," carried by a 12-year old girl and Jeff Bridges (another snub) still stick in my mind several hours after viewing it.

My film critiques are typically a lot better. I should not wait until the end of a night to even try explaining myself. ;)

this is the new year.

I'm working on starting this blog over for 2011. There is a lot I still need to learn, as it is nothing like LJ, ahaha. I have gotten so used to LJ's design for the past 7 years that anything else is a challenge for me. However, I will be adding links to other blogs that I have been enjoying, as well as more about the process for my trip to Italy (and then ABOUT my trip when I get there!).

Enjoy today's featured blog:
Turning The Clock Back

Check out the GIVEAWAYS over there, which are awesome. My favorites are the Barista Bath & Body and Libretea giveaways. Yum.

:)

does your memory stray to a brighter sunny day?

Today was composed of "things nightmares are made of," with part "things dreams are made of." Think of one of the worst daily rites of modern civilization and combine that with one of life's greatest blessings. Yes, my friends... we are talking about shopping malls and time with friends.

The Mall of America is a place I covet and loathe at the same time (did I mention I'm a Libra?). As far as Minnesota's offerings go, the MOA is tops. It's a beautiful mall on the inside. There are live trees, indoor rollercoasters- yes, plural- and stores for every want. Having the largest shopping mall in the US has its obvious disadvantages though. Wall-to-wall tourists, lack of adequate parking ("you think they'd have the parking lot of America to go with the Mall of America" -Drop Dead Gorgeous), the lingering smell of Sbarro and Panda Express... it's a regular mall times 400.

Imagine making a trip to the MOA right after Christmas. I would never dare do such thing if I didn't have a choice. My part-time j.o.b. has us pick up our paychecks there, even though I do not work remotely close to the MOA. Out of respect for a job I enjoy (minus the paycheck pickup hassles), I will spare the rant of the pay ordeal- and no, they do not offer direct deposit. On my day off from my day j.o.b., I make the trek to MOA in search of my Italy funding, I mean check. Leaving at 10:30am, I figure traffic on a Monday shouldn't be much of an issue, considering it's post-rushhour. Not only did it take me well over an hour to get there, finding parking was nothing short of horrendous. I settled for the farthest spot in the farthest ramp from my store after circling all the ramps. Then I nearly ran through the mall to go get my check, er weaved slowly through the billions of people trudging as slow as possible. Everything seems so slow when you're in a hurry.

Fast-forwarding to leaving the mall, you first must realize that MN drivers aren't very aggressive. By that, I mean they will wait all day to make a RIGHT hand turn. Of course, no one lets them in either. Common sense and driving here do not mix but I'll move on. Once it was finally my turn to exit the ramp, I was instantly calmed just to finally be in the flow of (slowly but) moving traffic.

Only to be directed back IN to the ramp. WHAT?!? There were guys directing outgoing traffic back through the ramp. Bigger problem: there wasn't any sort of organization to get back out. Everyone drove around like bumper cars and I drove all the way to the top of the 4th level of the ramp and had to find my way back down again. Once I finally made it back to the mall exit, the rest of the drive to the Southdale mall was a breeze. Thankgoodness for one back road to avoid the highways.

Why on earth would I attempt to battle another mall? The better part of my day, meeting up with Jeanette! I hadn't seen her since this summer and we were going to Francopalooza 2010, aka to see "127 Hours." Southdale is the only theater showing it in limited release here. It's always good to see a friend you haven't in awhile and to have one who shares a mutual love for James Franco is priceless. Since I was running late from the MOA debacle, we didn't have time for lunch and grabbed concessions instead. The theater was busy but people were polite. Okay, with the exception of one guy who rudely came into the theater late (with 2 young kids in tow, to a rated-R film) and yelled at Jeanette so he could sit in the seat in front of her. For 1.5 hours, it was all Franco on the screen. I want to write a review of the film so I'll skip my opinions for now. Jeanette had to go straight to work post-film so we gave a quick hug and away I went... into the mall.

Pretty much repeat the first part of this entry with a few less people.

And that was my day off.

I'd rather be working. Or hanging out with friends.

would you leave your life and ride?...

Update from the last post...

Stacey did pass away overnight last night. She endured 6 years of cancer. 6 years.

For that, I say she won. That is a LONG fight. May she be resting peacefully now.

~S