Catching Up..

32. Watch a classic movie each month - Ok, I know I haven't blogged about any movies since November, but I really have been watching movies. However, I am making a slight change to this goal, but it stays on the same concept.

I just recently joined Netflix (amazing so far), and with this, I am making a goal to see every Best Picture winner since 1950 that I haven't seen. I had seen 18 of them before starting this. These are all considered classics, so it stays on the rules of this goal.

I have seen 2 movies since joining, and they are:



The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) - I watched this in high school but didn't pay attention, so I wanted to make sure I watched it. I thought it was alright. I expected a war film, and instead got a slow-moving, dragging 2 hour, 40 minute movie about something I could have made in 15 minutes. The ending was awesome, but the middle parts just dragged. I know I have to view movies made in the 50's differently than in the 90's, but my attention span doesn't go much farther than 2 hours, and this movie was very hard to stick with. But in the end it was an interesting story line, I just wish they had made it in 2 hours instead of dragging it out. I believe I would have liked it much better.

IMDB rating: 8.5 My rating: 5.5



Million Dollar Baby (2004) - I had been wanting to see this movie for quite some time. I had heard about it, had heard it was depressing, but the hype around it made me very excited to see this movie. It was very disappointing. SPOILER ALERT!!: I thought that they tried way too hard with the end story line. It was mind-boggling to me that he ended up killing her. I know that she wanted it, and I know that he felt he had to do it for her, but what he did was highly illegal, and upon an autopsy, he never would have gotten away with it. Hillary Swank's acting was absolutely phenomenal, but it wasn't enough to save this movie. It was all a little too unbelievable. They tried too hard with her family being greedy, they tried too hard with her wanting to die, they tried too hard making her so successful. The underlying story-line with the retarded boy at the gym made no sense. What was the point of that?? So he's retarded and gets beat up by one of the other guys at the gym, he comes back in the end to train, what's the point? What did Morgan Freeman's character mean by "her ghost walked through the door?" I was just left puzzled at that. I thought the beginning of this film was so interesting and so awesome, but it became a train wreck about half-way through, and can only think the only reason it won Best Picture was because of the directing and acting by Clint Eastwood.

IMDB Rating: 8.2 My Rating: 4.0

The Bad Dog Club..

#6 - Read a non-fiction book - I might as well be a part of the Bad Dog Club the way I have been ignoring my blog and goals lately. But I did knock out a goal recently..

I finished reading "Marley & Me," something I wanted to do before seeing the movie. I am a sucker for dog books, and had heard this one was good, so decided to give it a go. I am so glad that I did.

"Marley & Me" is a phenomenal read that keeps moving and keeps you hooked from the very beginning. It has countless stories that involve laughter and sadness, leading to the imminent very sad ending. I read "Where the Red Fern Grows" when I was younger, and cried at the ending, and this book was no different to my feelings. It doesn't help that my Shadow is growing older and weaker and may not be around much longer, but maybe it did help me in that it began preparations for losing her. Whichever affect it has on me, I am so happy that I read this book. I will definitely re-read it down the road, and now I have to see the movie.

I highly recommend this book for a casual read for dog lovers, you will love it. Now it's time to find a fictional novel for another goal..

Seein the Texans and Da Bears!

83. Go to a sporting event with just my dad. - I have been slacking big time with my blogging, so this one will be sort of a catch-up blog on my goals.

First, some bad news, one goal is now listed as unachievable, as I failed to go to the dentist in 2008. I'm really upset at this one, but I waited too long, and before I knew it, I was way too busy to do it. I'm sure that being terrified of the dentist had nothing to do with it.

Second, I am in the middle of a few goals. I need to update my classic movies, I did watch one for November and December, just haven't written about them yet. I am 70% done with my non-fiction book, and I am almost done with Season 1 of my recommended t.v. series from the beginning (The Sopranos).

Thirdly, I was able to knock out a goal last weekend, when I went to the Texans-Bears game with my dad. My mom's doctor (shes a nurse) has season tickets and couldn't make it, and offered us his tickets. We said yes not even knowing how amazing the tickets were. When we got them, I freaked out seeing that they were Section 107, Row F (that's 6). I looked up Section 107 and found out that that's on the 45 yard line. Basically, you can't get much better seats than these.

I wanted to go to a sporting game with just my dad so that we could bond. We had gone to countless Astros and Oilers games together growing up, and as I got older, I started going with girlfriends and friends instead, so this was a perfect opportunity for us to go to a football game together and have a good time. My sister and her boyfriend were also going to the game, but their seats weren't anywhwere near ours, even though they came down and sat in 2 seats behind us in the 4th qtr.

We had an amazing time at the Texans game. The seats were unreal, getting to watch the players in all their motions right in front of us. Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter and Steve Slaton (my favorite player) all sat on the bench right in front of us, about 20 feet away. It was surreal seeing all this in person, I felt like a kid all over again. My dad and I had a good time, getting to bond and talk and enjoy the game in front of us. Plus, the Texans won and knocked the Bears out of the playoffs!!

I took a ton of pictures, here are a few of the best ones:

Movin On Up...

66. Move into my own apartment - Wow, it has been forever since I have blogged. I have been so busy with the holidays and the Big Move that I have totally forgotten to post, but I am still knocking out goals in the process.

I finally moved out of the lease house that I had lived in for over a year and got my own 1-bedroom apartment. It is really, really nice, and I was the first person to sign a lease in the whole place. It is brand new and they are still working on the other buildings.

The clubhouse has a Resident Lounge with a plasma tv, chairs, pool table and demonstration kitchen (Benihana style); the fitness center has tv's on each treadmill and eliptical and is open 24 hours; the Wi-Fi lounge has a plasma tv, chairs, computers, and a free coffee bar; and the pool is a wade-in pool with fountains, grills on both sides and outdoor fireplaces with lounge chairs.

My apartment is about 800 square feet, 1 bed, 1 bath, and it is just awesome. I haven't been able to take many pics yet, but everything in my living room is brand spankin new, including brand new furniture and a 42" plasma HD tv and tv stand.

I am so happy to have been able to take this step in my life and I feel so fortunate to be able to have a place of my own. I can't express how happy I actually am that I have accomplished this goal.

Here are a few pics from a house-warming get-together I had:

22. Get a physical - I know, I know, corny picture, but I got a physical this morning!! This is one goal that I can completely credit to this list. If I hadn't have made this a goal, I wouldn't have done it.

I figured I was 25, it was time to get one, and I'm glad I did. I took the morning off of work and Jennifer went up with me. Turns out, I'm very healthy and don't have any problems.

I did have to give blood for the blood tests, and for those of you who know my history, I don't do too well with that. But I did make it through this time, just got a little light-headed.

I'm waiting on the blood tests to come back, but I'm not all that worried about it. I am just very happy that I knocked this goal out by the end of this year. Now comes the hard part...the dreaded dentist appointment..

Let's Go Clubbin!

95. Go to 10 new Houston bars (2/10) - A few weeks ago, it was our President Ginger's 40th birthday, and we all (about 30-40 of us) got together to celebrate. The night started at the Rockstar suite at Hotel ZaZa (coolest hotel in Houston, and then we all took a party bus to Status.

I had never been, and even though I am not a clubber whatsoever, we had a great time. The outside is the coolest part, away from the dancing. They have a patio that stretches from the building to the street, and it's all Miami-ed up. They have little sections separated by walls, with couches and tables in each one, so you could have your own little private area. There was even a bar outside.

I definitely want to go back sometime. Not neccessarily to dance or for the inside, but to hang out on that patio. I have also heard the crowd can get very interesting there. But overall it was a very fun experience.

Nothing Like NFL Sundays..

95. Go to 10 new Houston Bars (1/10) - I need to get onto these goals, I have a lot of stuff left to do and time is ticking along. I know I've been to some new Houston restaraunts but of course I have forgotten them and not blogged about them. It's hard to always be thinking about the goals.

I have been to Norton's Pub & Grill twice so far this NFL season for the games, and we have had an amazing time. The food is above average and there's a huge selection, and the setup is great for watching NFL games. They also have the new Big Buck Hunter and Silver Strike. I give this bar a 8/10.