Movies I have watched over the last six months & have not reviewed

The Great Gatsby
I read the book recently and this one did follow the book closely. I enjoyed the special effects & cinematography. The director was trying to recapture a look from the 1920’s but mixed in elements of comedy & over the top pizazz which at times gave the movie a zany & gaudy feel. The cast were all start actors which did not give great performances, except for Leonardo Dicaprio who seemed to carry the movie at times. While it is not a must see I do recommend the movie if one enjoyed the book The Great Gatsby or if one wants to watch Leonardo Dicaprio give another amazing performance.

The Butler
All in all the basic premise of the Butler, an African American butler is hired at the White house during a period of racial conflict & lives to see a time of interracial acceptance, is not a long enough or captivating enough to be made into a movie. What stretched out the story is adding different eras of history, the various political characters, and drama with in the protagonists family which make this story into somewhat of an interesting tale. I am not sure how much of this movie is based on actual events and how much is made up. If any of it resembles historical events I would love to know more about the story.

The Counselor
This cautionary tale doesn’t cover new ground but the story is told in such a way that it is deeply personal. Many of the conversations are not dialogue or monologues but a series of personal secrets one would divulge to a counselor, priest, or confidante. While the acting is good & it is peppered with many great lines this movie seems to stray from cautioning about one bad decision & shows the results of making very bad decisions. I enjoyed the movie but cannot rave about it or recommend it to everyone due to the adult nature of the film.

Colorado Bucket List

I was reading an article in Westword that was titled the Colorado Bucket list. The main idea was there are quite a few unique things to do in Colorado and there were about one hundred items listed. I like the idea of having a bucket list for goals or activities I want to accomplish my life but I have never thought of having a bucket list of items to achieve while living in Colorado. It makes life here more interesting.

While reading the Colorado Buck list in Westword I was stunned to realize I have accomplished many of the items from there list. Which lead me to question if I should continue to pursue activates from their list or create my own Colorado Bucket List. While doing things other people have done is great for having a story to tell or find things in common there are still many items I would like to achieve. I will most likely steal a few items from the List in the Westword and add a few of my own.

So web friends, do you have a bucket list of items to achieve for where you live? Or maybe a buck list of items to achieve for a hobby or related to an activity? I guess I have a new project to focus on & will post my Colorado Bucket List once it is complete.

B.O.B.

I discovered a new Bar in Englewood which I enjoy. It is Brew on Broadway or B.O.B. which serves Beer, coffee, & tea. Currently they do not serve food but welcome deliveries from nearby restaurants. While they brew their own beer I am not sure if they brew the coffee & tea or if they serve a different brand (I cannot rave about their coffee as I strikes me as average & run of the mill). The manager / brew master described most of their brews as having a noticeable hoppy taste. For those of you who do not like hoppy beers I recommend the Coffee Milk Stout. It is darker brew with hints of coffee & chocolate that go down smoothly & is my favorite drink at the B.O.B.

More Urban Snow Shoeing

Most people stay inside during snow storms which is the smart thing to do.

This last weekend during a snow storm I drove out to a near by park & went snow shoeing. The park has a golf course & plenty of wide open space. I hiked around for almost two hours. It was a good day & fun time!

Dry like an alligator

My skin is horribly dry. The new place I live in has a shower without a bath tub. I cannot soak which is helpful this time of year when my skin gets awfully dry.

I have able to soak my hands & feet in my trash can a few times a week so I do not look very dry.

Everyone else is celebrating the year of the horse while I am having the year of the alligator.

New Year’s Resolution

Every year I have New Year’s resolutions. I make a list of ten to twenty goals I have for the upcoming year. Many years the goals are similar, eat healthy, read a few books, journal & engage in creative writing, engage in some sort of physical fitness regime, find a way to give back to society (volunteering, involved in church, feed the homeless, etc., etc.) engage in social various social groups (church, volunteering, classes, fantasy football, or organize a few dinners or card games, etc., etc.). Every year I fail to achieve all my goals but I do achieve fifty to seventy percent of the goals I create.

This year I was talking with a coworker about New Year’s Resolutions and all her goals were short & specific. She wanted to have goals that she could achieve so she only had four goals. She also wanted goals that challenged her & would better her in some shape or form (one of her goals was to start taking graduate school courses). She could then build or grow from a goal set one year for the next couple years (within a couple years she could have a graduate degree degree and then move to a different field, position, or company). She was adamant about having goals that she benefited from.

Some of my goals have been similar to hers but I have not consistently focused with my goals on a specific outcome that I could achieve nor have I only had a few goals. During this time of year when I set my goals the conversation we had will linger in my mind. I am considering following her lead and only having a few goals. The challenge will be picking a few and consistently following them.

New Years

I spent New Year’s at a private party in a wine bar. It was not far from home so I walked there. There was food, wine, and many versions of happy birthday were sung (The host was also celebrating his 40th birthday). There was a semi formal dress code which I followed making it the first New Years I have dressed up for and that made the night seem a bit more fun. I was able to ring in the new year with food, good people, and in a safe environment.

I hope you have a safe & happy 2014! Happy New Years!!