It's Time To Get Things Started!!

I just got back from seeing The Muppets...and hopefully the Muppets are back to stay for a while. It has been 12 years since the last Muppet movie hit theaters (and let's face it: Muppets from Space really wasn't that great). I guess since I'm so familiar with the Muppets, that I forget how much of a generational thing they really are. My 57 year old dad can't distinguish between the Muppet Show Muppets and the Sesame Street Muppets. My 9 year old goddaughter has marginal a knowledge of Kermit the Frog. Other than that their collective knowledge of Jim Henson's creations/characters is extremely limited.

But the new movie just made me so happy!! It had every thing you expect from a Muppet movie: random celebrity cameos...check! (Mickey Rooney, Whoopi, Neil Patrick Harris, Jim Parsons, John Krasinski, Selena Gomez & that kid from Modern Family...and so many more that I'm blanking on right now), the signature self-mocking script...check! The fact that the characters know and acknowledge the fact that they're in a movie...check! Every Muppet was in attendance and Kermy sang Rainbow Connection!!

Amy Adams and Jason Segel were great...adding just the right amount of cheesiness to the mix!!

I'll bet even Statler and Waldorf would have a hard time heckling this movie! It was pretty Muppet-tastic!

After all this time...

I just sat (and sniffled a little) through 118 minutes of loud noises, battles, unnecessary blood-shed, the most awkward hug you've ever seen and a long overdue kiss. For the second time. And it was wonderful.

I took my goddaughter to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt 2. This movie has everything a Harry Potter movie should have: Harry being a hero, whether he needs to be or not. Hermione being kind of bossy, whether she needs to be or not. Ron being...well, Ron (and awesome!). Seamus Finnigan blowing crap up (although, this time, he is instructed to do so...BOOM!) and Professor McGonagall being her bad-ass self.

I loved Helena Bonham-Carter acting like Emma Watson playing Hermione while acting like Bellatrix Lestrange. Cause...she looked like HBC, but acted and sounded exactly like Emma...it was like real polyjuice potion.

I cried. Lily, Remus, Tonks, Fred, Sirius and James...all made me cry in turn. Even Snape made me cry (though I'm pretty sure there is no such thing as the Hogwarts boat house.)

Draco and Voldemort hugged. And it was painful and awkward to watch, but also awesome.

Neville decapitated a freaking snake. Because he's a true Gryffindor.

Ron and Hermione kissed. It only took 7 books and 8 movies, but it happened!

...and the wizard mother of year award goes to Molly Weasley!

It was nearly perfect, I even liked the epilogue!

I just can't believe it's over. No more books. No more movies. It has literally taken me half my life to read these books and watch these movies. I mean, my children will probably read and watch, but they will never know the feeling of waiting by the mailbox and attacking the postman the day the newest book is released. Or what it's like to go to a midnight premiere, and spot your geology professor and his wife in line between the guy dressed up as Hagrid and the rowdy group of Slytherins.

This series/franchise may be a fad, or it may continue in its popularity. But, no matter what I will always re-read these books and re-watch these movies.

ALWAYS!

lately...

So I've discovered that the unemployed lifestyle provides absolutely nothing to blog about. I thought trying to keep life exciting was hard before, but when you have to actually force yourself to leave the house because you've realized its 3pm and you've been inside all day, you really know something is wrong.

Last week, however, I did have a nice Disney-day with a friend. That was exciting. I'm always up for a trip to Disneyland and a catch-up with Tabby!! (More the Tabby part, though, since D-land is a crowded mess during the summer...and I'm not just saying that because she's one of the five people who reads this).

Um...I saw a community production of Fiddler on the Roof last night, that was good!! My goddaughter was in it, just as an extra, but I still love seeing her on stage!

Just trying to figure out how this 'being an unemployed adult living at home' thing works. I'm trying to be very careful with phrasing things. Like saying 'my parents house' instead of 'my house' so I don't get too comfy here and decide to never leave. I'm also trying to cut out some time for myself each day. I take my self on coffee dates, just so I can be sure to leave the house everyday.

There's no place like home for the holidays

Sometimes I wonder 'at what point in my adult life will I stop referring to my parents house as 'home'?'
My apartment in Simi Valley is very home-y, and when I am somewhere not in Simi I always refer to my return as 'going home', however, any trip up to Visalia can also be classified as 'going home'.
And talk about 'from Atlantic to Pacific, gee the traffic is terrific'...I think driving to the Atlantic coast would have taken less time than I spent on the 405. It took me 5 whole songs, and at one point I'm pretty sure I was part of a convoy...there were so many trucks, it was redic!
But I made it...I made it home to Visalia. Hanging with the 'rents watching Dog the Bounty Hunter.
I get to go to church with the fam tonight, and get to see some of my CLC peeps that I haven't seen in about a year, including my goddaughter.
I have been a terrible godmother lately, it's hard when you live so far away...but for a few short days I get to be around family and friends and to be surrounded by all Visalia stuff that for some reason I tried so hard to get away from.
When I come up here, I have little to no time to relax, my time is pretty booked because I have so many Visalia things to see and Visalia things to do.
Tonight is soup and church and PIE SOCIAL!!
Tomorrow gotta get up in time for the parade, Thanksgiving 'linner' and watching 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' with the sis
Finding time over the weekend to watch Deathly Hallows with Becca, and Tangled with the bff...hopefully going down and getting some lunch or at least a tea at 210 (assuming they're still open on Saturdays) and squeezing in time to be bummed about missing the "Monday after Thanksgiving Visalia's Candy Cane Lane Christmas Parade"