First Book of 2009

I finished my first one last night!! :) With the help of Mr. Right.

No, he didn't read to me - not sure how romantic that would be, given the book's subject matter (labor strikes during the great depression).

Last night (as always thanks to Redbox) was movie night. I took the free code and rented Run, Fatboy, Run.

Mr. Right wanted to get straight into the movie, so by the time I got home from the gym, cooked dinner, and we sat down to eat, it was already 6:45. I fixed Cuban Black Beans (will report back tomorrow on the recipe and details - I want to wait to get an accurate cost breakdown), so we were both too stuffed for our tradional Monday night popcorn.

After the movie was over I got up to do dishes. I had ran the dishwasher over the weekend, but hadn't had a chance to unload it. Mr. Right told me to stay on the couch and he would do dishes all by himself.

Now if I would have read this blog 2 years ago I would have thought "big deal, you cooked, he should have cleaned up". But the realities of having a self employed spouse don't work that way. Since he works far more than 40 hours a week, he is often returning clients emails after dinner and can't help with dishes.

I should also say, that he wanted to open his 6 lb can of jalepenos to give his beans and rice an extra kick. I told him that he couldn't use my good plastic storage containers for the leftovers, since I was quite certain the jalepeno twang would never wash out.

After dinner it felt sort of sinful really - me sitting on the couch, reading my book, while he found a home for 5.90 lbs of jalepenos, unloaded the dishwasher, and finished up dinner dishes.

But it was worth it. I finally finished Sea Glass by Anita Shrieve. I started it on our honeymoon over two months ago, and I just haven't taken the time to read like I should.

I've decided to post my reading list (as I complete them) on this blog, that way you guys can hold me accountable. I can be ashamed if I reach March without finishing another.

Movie Night Monday Review - Tropic Thunder

This is only my 2nd Monday taking advantage of the weekly free Redbox movie codes. I wrote down the code on a sticky note and tucked it in my wallet. Since I was headed to Walgreens for their monthly deals, I figured I would pick up the movie on my way out.

I entered the code 545D29 - invalid code.

I entered it again - still invalid.

Okay so maybe the 2nd "5" is supposed to be an "S".

54SD29 - invalid.

I sent a text message to a friend of mine. Just last week she and I had discussed the codes, and she had said she was on the lookout for free codes, but had only ever gotten one. When I got yesterday's code, I emailed her the link.

Thankfully her text message arrived just as I was pulling out of the Walgreens parking lot.

I pulled back up to the Kiosk and entered the code 545DZ9 - this time it worked! I know that my handwriting is horrible, but I couldn't believe it was so bad I confused a "Z" for a "2".

Thankfully my first choice, Tropic Thunder, was available. As expected, it was a hilarious movie. Full of fake partruding innards and profanity, but hilarious none the less.

Basically its a movie about making a movie. Robert Downey Jr.'s character undergoes pigment alteration surgery in order to fully immerse himself in his African American character. Some of the funniest moments are when the "other" black guy (who is actually African American) gets stick of Downey's charichatures and lets him have it.

I wonder how Jack Black felt, playing a drug addict - knowing the whole time the character was based on people like his costar Downey. From the credits (and to his credit), I believe Ben Stiller had his hand in almost every part of the movie.

I highly recommend it, unless you are a better Christian than me and can't stand to hear swear words thrown around like candy. Then you'd probably better stay away.