Rambling Post

bpic4, originally uploaded by Sandra Maynard.

Jon and I both dodged a bullet known as "layoffs" at our workplaces (whew I might add), and we both renewed our committment to setting aside enough money in an emergency fund so that if we both lost our jobs we'd have enough to live off of for 6 months.

After that, we have several projects around the house - namely, put gutters up, sod the yard (and install a sprinkler system so our sod doesn't freakin die), and get the concrete around the pool repaired. Basically now that the house is %100 completely ours, we need to make it pretty.

We're also going to be taking the vacations that we didn't take last year, namely Puerto Rico and the Disney Cruise (which is also completely paid for except the drinkin'). We're going to visit Massachusetts soon - I find it completely funny that my brother Ed moved there, about 60 miles away from where my husband grew up.

We're also thinking about going to Disney World around June for an extended weekend to take advantage of the "get in free on your birthday" promotion for Brenden. He loved the hell out of Busch Gardens so maybe a couple of days in the House of Mouse might rock his world.

Since that cruise is coming up in March, both Jon and I are back on the diet hamster wheel so that we don't gross anyone out too bad when we run around in our bathing suits and stuff. In some ways this is probably pointless - most people don't look like fashion models anyway so our flabby white butts won't be out of place. But still I guess it's important to actually be able to fit in your bathing suit... I'm too cheap to buy a new pair of board shorts and I'm only about 5 pounds from fitting comfortable into my old ones.

It's nice to be able to blather about things like this considering the economy. I can't tell you how great it is to not feel much worry about our finances. Getting out of debt is like getting out of prison!

What I'm Watching

Quite a lot, apparently!

The Dark Knight: Good, not great. Yes, Heath Ledger was awesome. I think much of it can be laid at the hands of the writers for interpreting the villain as someone who likes to fark things up just for the fun of it. I still think Aaron Eckhart looks like the middle of a morph between Viggo Mortensen and Thomas Jane. *Nifty* makeup on Two-face!

Mongol Foreign film about the origins of Ghengis Khan. Good movie and John Wayne is nowhere to be seen. Oh, come on! You've seen The Conqueror, haven't you? The Howard Hughes film that was filmed near a nuclear testing site? The film where many participants died from cancer? Or maybe it was shame.

Prince Caspian: Second and probably last (boo!) installment of the Chronicles of Narnia. Good! Lotsa battles and dying soldiers so it's not *quite* a children's movie, but still an engrossing 2 1/2 hours of niftyness.

Stepbrothers: If you want to see a good movie with Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly see Talladega Nights. I spent the movie thinking about how I was going to kick my son out the minute he turns 18. If you are really curious about what the term "teabagging" is this movie will explain it to you, however.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets: I spent this movie wishing anyone but Nicholas Cage was in it. I just don't like him. I was glad to see Helen Mirren - but the two main women were harridans. And you know, I can't think of where the two women actually talk, except maybe to mention Cage's character. So Beschdel test: FAIL Also: total waste of Bruce Greenwood.

24: Yeah I'm watching. Glad to see Tony, Bill, and Chloe back as a renegade CTU because the government is filled with EEEEEEVIL people! EEEVIL!!! It took two episodes before Jack actually said "WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME!!!" but only one to torture someone. Actually he just threatened and the guy, and seeing it was JACK BAUER doing the threats, he folded like a bad poker hand. It's a good thing the guy's wife wasn't there or Jack would have shot her. I have missed the Jack Bauer Jokes!

American Idol: This is the "Nobody Cares Anymore" season.