50 First Dates and HDTV

Just saw this movie for the first time. 50 First Dates stars Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler. It was a sweet romance with lots of laughs -- I loved it. I recommend it to anyone who wants to see a good romantic comedy.

I was lucky enough to see this one in high definition (my daughter has a nice HD set). The background scenes of Hawaii were breath-taking. In fact, nearly everything in high definition is breath taking. I sat there, stunned at the quality. Why is it taking so long for channels to convert? I want Sci-Fi Channel in HD! I want everything in HD. (For that matter, could someone redo all the walls in my home with HD screens?)

Make a Maze from any Word

This is fun and I made it for a Sunday School children's class. You can put in any word and it will make a maze of the word, easy or difficult at TheBigZoo.com (other mazes included). I had to use a screen capture program to save it. Here's an example made with my cat's name. Start with the green square at the top left and end in the red square at the bottom right.

Get Your Credit Report - Free

Thanks to George F., I got my credit report online for free at FreeCreditReport.com. (Apparently there's a law that says we can get a free report once a year.)

It was very, very interesting and detailed. Every credit card I had ever owned was listed and every major loan I ever got or cosigned on, was there. It also showed the companies that have inquired after my credit history such as the holders of our home mortgage who check about 4 times a year on my credit history. I never realized that mortgage companies keep such a close watch on people. It felt like the details of my life were there for anyone to see. Is there privacy anymore?

The Brothers Grimm

Thanks to a $1.99 coupon from BlockBuster, we rented The Brothers Grimm. I was surprised to find this to be a horror movie. All of the fairy tales had gruesome endings. This is no happy-type movie. It has humorous characters, but then seeing their gruesome deaths was not humorous at all.

My husband hated it. I liked the ending to this movie and felt that the ending saved it for me, so I did not put this in the "I Hate It" category. Be aware, this is a horror movie - no nice fairy tales here. If you watch it with that expectation, it is not a bad movie.

Yet Another Personality Test

This personality test, Personal DNA, (recommended in Bren's del.icio.us links) is longer than most and allows for a broader range of answers (which I like). An extensive analysis is given. I don't agree with all of the results (tests like these are just too short and unofficial to be completely true), but taking this test was interesting in how it uses sliders and boxes to post answers -- very modern way to handle answers that might be inbetween the choices given. Hold the cursor over a color to read more about me (supposedly).

Elizabethtown

I just rented this DVD with Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst. It was sappy, too-long and overly sentimental, but Orlando Bloom was fun to watch -- and it had a small amount of redeeming value. I wonder if people from Kentucky are really like this.

I also had seen Raising Helen. Both movies dealt with the death of a loved one as the background theme. Okay, I am tired of this theme. Note to movie makers: can you find something else to build a movie around?

Speaking of death, here's today's useless fact: I just read in Dick Eastman's newsletter "that twice as many Civil War soldiers died from insect-related disease than from direct combat." I was thinking of this as our weather turned warmer and the bugs came out. I hate having to swath myself with bug repellent before each walk -- although it is necessary, especially with West Nile Virus around (click on the link to see a map of the worst-hit locations). I live in a "green" area -- sigh. Oh well, maybe the bird flu will get me first, if an earthquake or tornado doesn't beat them to it.

I think it's time to rent another movie....

How to Choose a Cat

Some people can love any kind of cat, but others would do better with certain personalities, especially if it is to be a housecat. Some people want a constant lap-sitter. Others want only an occasional lap-sitter and still others might want no lap-sitting at all. Some want a "follow-me-anywhere" companion. Others may want one that will not stare at them all the time.

Some cats have a loud and persistent meow. Others can barely be heard. Some cats love constant attention and are very demanding while certain breeds are happy with just a little attention every few days.

If you are looking for a housecat, here is a good article with things to consider. I think its good to consider these things beforehand, if possible. Of course, sometimes a stray just shows up at the door and it is impossible not to love him, no matter what he/she is like.

This photo is of Rocky, my daughter's cat, who find Himalayans agreeable with her personality. They are extremely curious, vocal, energetic cats, who love brushing more than petting, but are playful and purr loudly, though do not prefer to sit in laps as often as other breeds. They like to climb and jump. It is almost impossible to train them not to climb up on the kitchen table (as we learned with Muddy). Both Rocky and Muddy abhore closed doors and do all in their power to keep every door in the house open, even if they do not want to go into the room.

Muddy is my ideal coloring for a cat. He is so beautiful to me that he takes my breath away. While he never sits in my lap, he sits next to me. Myst and Dandelion are glad to sit in laps, though. My husband and I both love the cats in our home and can't imagine life without them.