Summer movies, Part one of Awesomeness

Yes I am excited for this year's summer movie season. There are a bunch of super hero movies coming out as well as comedies that I am excited to see. I know some of these movies below have not gotten great reviews or are one the same level of quality movie making like Iron man but I enjoyed them and wanted to share why.

So Far I have seen & enjoyed: Fast Five, Bridesmaids, X-Men First class, Thor, and Green Lantern.

Fast Five
Despite most of the movies in this Franchise being poor quality I am a huge fan of this franchise! It has Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and great supporting cast who nail their roles. The story & drama are well done...not too cheesy but real & believable. Aside from fast cars, heists, and exotic scenes we get to see Vin Diesel got toe to toe with the Rock!

Bridesmaids
From director Jude Aptow who continues to entertain in the vein of movie making like Knocked up & The 40 year virgin. This movie also shows likable characters of a questionable modern society who have hang ups but are trying to figure out life and make it work. This movie blended the comedy, action, characters, and story telling well.

X-Men First Class
Spectacular action sequences, great characters, interesting story & dialogue...WOW! Go see this movie!! It seems like each X-men movie gets better and better and this one was amazing.

Thor
While I am not a Thor fan I enjoyed the movie. It was easy to get into & the stories are well done. Thor & X-men do not seem to over the top with story line or characters so they have a certain reality similar to Iron Man or Spider Man which despite being imagined seems very real. This effect was perfectly captured with Thor and what is revealed of Thor and his story was very well told. Spoiler: There is another tie at the end alluding to an Avengers movie! I was impressed at how the costumes & effects seemed real and believable. The cinematography has great quality which adds to this film.

Green Lantern
While I am not a Green Lantern fan I enjoyed the movie. It was new but well done. Parts of it seemed a bit choppy and rushed. Reynolds holds his own and is a great Hal Jordan but the rest of the cast seem lopsided and unable to portray their characters as well. The special effects and story kept me interested but I will not see this one again.

All the other movies I would gladly see again in this first quarter of the summer of awesome summer movies!!!

Getting in touch with leisure time

I do a leisure time & relaxing and often I do not spend enough time doing relaxing or leisurely activities. While house sitting I had the opportunity to indulge my tastes a bit at the place I am house sitting in highlands ranch. Staying in a nice upscale house with mood lighting, a deck with an amazing view of Denver, a huge TV and living room. I don’t always get the chance to indulge myself in pursuits that are relaxing & quiet. I dimmed the lights & played some jazz while doing the dishes. I sipped on port while reading. Before bed I stood out on the deck by my bedroom which has a view of almost the entire metro area. Glittering lights covered the metro with the mountains off to the west & stars and moon lighting up the clear sky. I enjoy these quiet moments. It is so easy to get caught up in running around that I neglect taking time to take it slow, relax and enjoy the simple things in life. I need to find ways to incorporate these moments into my life style.

I like highlands ranch

I never thought I would say it but I like highlands ranch.

I have not been in highlands ranch often. I was first down here delivering pizza and met a couple friends for movies at the Highlands Ranch 24 off Broadway & County line. Over the last few years friends have moved into the Ranch and I have driven through more frequently but it is not the same as living some place and getting the chance to get a feel for the neighborhood. I never thought I would get the opportunity to live in the Ranch (I can't afford to live down here!) until a house sitting gig in Highlands Ranch became available.

Maybe I like it because it is upscale and a nice neighborhood. I noticed it did not take more than a few days for me to feel comfortable in the house I am staying at, which is odd as it usually takes at least a week. I am on the south side of the Ranch where there are many hiking trails. I have explored a couple and thoroughly enjoyed the view of Denver which is amazing and rivals the view I have in Lakewood. Most people seem friendly and there are many families down here. I have yet to check out restaurants but found a wine & tapas bar I plan on checking out.

It is not all roses & rainbows down here. Some of roads are insanely bumpy and could be repaved. Speeding & tailgating seem to be habits of drivers out here and the speeding is as bad if not worse than what I have seen in other parts of Denver.

I never knew what to expect but I am pleasantly surprised with life in Highlands Ranch. If I had a family & could afford it I would live here.

Since I am single and like a more urban feel I don't plan on moving in anytime soon! I still dream of living near city park or Sloan's lake.

Boldness

Most people who know me would not describe me as bold. I have diplomatic & tactful skill and am sensitive to issues but not necessary bold. I can be firm and assertive but not usually bold.

The church I have attended off and on had a bit on personality types and mine is the gentle type that is encouraged to be bold.

It is odd thing to hear as I have been challenged with many situations over the last few months to step outside my comfort zone and be bold. Many of things I have done. Some have ended well and some have not ended very well. It is interesting to see how I approach each scenario and handle the issues. It is difficult in some ways as part of me identifies with the reluctant hero type and it is easy to walk away or not engage stressful & tense situations. I seem to forget my strengths for these type of situations which are the ability to communicate, the ability to keep my calm & composure, and the ability to provide options and think outside the box.

I have more situations coming up and it looks like this will be my personal growth story for the rest of this year. Not a bad one or one to complain about but interesting.

What I don't like about dogs

I do not own a dog and do not have pets but I still dog site for dog owners. I have been doing the dog sitting for over 12 years and you would think that after that amount of time I would start to like dogs...but no I do not. Each time I house sit I realize what I do not like about dogs and why I do not own one.

- I notice dogs always have to be near me or in the same room as me.
- Dogs can not let themselves out and I must do it for them.
- Dogs can not feed themselves and I must do it for them.
- Dogs eat their own pooh.

They annoy me and get on my nerves. Any pet that can be left in a cage or container I could see myself owning (like a fish, a bird, or a turtle).

When talking about this a couple weeks ago with a friend I realized I probably would not even date a woman who owns a dog.

That is scary as at my age I can not afford to limit my dating options! In a few years I hit 40!!