Slumdog Millionaire (Spoiler Alert)

I enjoy a great film especially if it is at matinee price in a near empty theater, in the middle of the day. I applaud cleaver writing that delivers from start to finish. There is nothing worst than a smart powerful start that fizzles as if someone stood over the writers shoulder screaming "Hurry up the producer is waiting" so they type "The End". You think to your self, "That person wouldn't do that." or "Why did the story take that quick lazy turn?". Fasten your seat belt you are in for a bumpy intelligent ride that will have you crying, laughing, on the edge of your seat and cheering. It is filmed in India but it is a great American story. We think poor people in our country have it hard but in countries like India they would consider an apartment in CHA an amazing upgrade. Each person character's was developed as a result of the hand that life dealt them. I don't condone children that steal and con people but this was their way of rising from the ashes of their circumstances. Dev Patel, the actor who portrays the lead was outstanding. He grew up in England and prior to the film he had only been to India once at 7 years of age but he nailed the core of a slumdog. I regret my husband and teen sons did not express interest in seeing this film, it really makes you understand what it means to win the genetic lottery by being dropped off on this part of the planet. If you were lucky enough to be born in America that's half the battle, the rest is up to you. 

"I'm Mad As Hell And I'm Not Going To Take It Anymore!"

"I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" As I remember that is close to what Peter Finch's character shouted out of an open window in the movie Network (1976). I spent the entire President Day weekend painting my son's room which gave me the opportunity listen non-stop to conservative talk radio and my iPod, yippee. It is no secret that I listen to WLS 890 AM and now 560 AM all the time, every radio in my house is programed to either one of those and 820 AM on Saturday morning, Go Jake Hartford! Sunday night I had steam coming out of my ears, by midnight I could have powered a locomotive. It finally hit me what has happened to Americans, it started slowly 2 years ago and now it has grown to an unbelievable level. One of my favorite movies includes all of the remakes, Invasion of the Body Snatchers ((1956). Kevin McCarthy's character looks directly into the camera and pleads for help in disbelief that no one will listen to him (IMBD). Just prior to the election I sent an email to friends (Libs & normal people alike) looking for answers from Democrats as to how they could vote for a person with Obama's record. I was ripped to shreds for daring to ask such direct questions, I was told never to talk to certain friends about politics ever again, I was ordered to remove folks email from future political mailings, they were much to delicate to read such harsh words like "lack of experience" or "Christians supporting unlimited abortion" but I never got and answer to one question asked. We were told he was the candidate of Hope/Change and if we wanted the country to be saved he had to be elected. I normally get along with Dems/Libs in fact some of my dear friends and family members are from the other side of the aisle but prior to the election these mild mannered individuals became blood thirsty trail blazers for the first black president. America had to right the wrong of slavery and the treatment of blacks by electing a bi-racial man who is not a descendant of slaves. But now all those supporters with the yard signs, bumper stickers and tacky knock-off t-shirts have become emotionless drones that are either silent, uninformed or just to darn busy to be passionate enough to follow what the media appointed Messiah is up to since he became president, to quote one of the greats Dana Carvey as the Church Lady on Saturday Night Live, "Isn't that special, how convenient." Day two since he signed it and I have yet to hear a liberal say one good thing about the stimulus package. This bill was like Christmas morning for every liberal cause from global warming (I am sure God laughs at the concept that we can effect his creation), ACORN, endangered mice etc. Let us alone President Obama, we are Americans we have survived worst without a boost.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMBZDwf9dok&feature=related

I Don't Have a U!!

In 1983 after a very short time away I returned home from a nearby university. There were a stack of reasons why I came home but I honestly felt I would continue my education at a time when my life was less crazy. Well, surprise surprise I never went back. I have had good jobs mainly because of my long work history and my embedded work ethic. There were times when I convinced myself that college didn't make a difference in day to day life. I now know that finishing school is very important. I assume that had I graduated I could diagram sentences, speak confidently about Greek mythology, chug a mug of beer at a bar designed for fellow alums. Years ago I was shocked to learn that there were bars that catered to a specific clientele that attended certain schools. I had no idea that downtown Chicago had a bar that I.U. (Indiana University) students and alums can go and mingle. Since January I have gone to the gym regularly and as I pound away on the treadmill that faces a walkway I see that 50% of the patrons don university t-shirts. I have several shirts from a local university because my daughter attends the school but I don't have my own "U". I am bothered more than ever that I cannot proudly display my support of my almamater. I am a little bitter and jealous.

My Last Rant....maybe

If I don't get this out I will explode, my last Obama speech until he makes a move to turn us into a western European country. We must give him a chance even though it has been open season on Bush for 8 years. Clarence Thomas, Condelezza Rice and Colin Powell didn't get this kind of support. Condie is black and has a funny name, show her some love. They are minorities just like Obama but they are a double minorities, they are black Republicans (Powell sold out). We were not urged to support them because the black liberals called them "Uncle Toms & Sellouts"....We all know Obama is a great basketball player but now we are watching him at back-peddle on some of the pie-in-the-sky ideas that got him elected. "I am my brother's keeper" was used to make the rich feel responsible for the poor, well unlike Obama I help my family and they have helped me, none of my whole or half siblings live in a hut. I read his first book, after he finishes with the White House gig Harlequin Publishers have their next author, more fluff then a Brownie troop's barn fire. When you get to speculate on what your grandparents "probably said" it is not fact it is fiction....When is he trying to mirror Lincoln's trip to White House, does he know how that ended, next he will be attending a play...How will those talking heads on CNN, MSNBC and all the other liberal "reporters" react when Obama does something they disagree with? How can they comment on the first black president and not be considered a racist? I am a Martin Luther King Jr./Ronald Reagan conservative. I judge people by the content of their character not the color of their skin and I love this country and believe that anything is possible if you are willing to work hard and sacrifice.  Yes, there is a history of racial injustice but that is not unique to America, it is still happening today all over the world. My ancestors were captured, enslaved and died to help build this country, I won the genetic lottery and I am not going to waste it trying to figure out who doesn't really like me because I'm black. People don't like me because I am a conservative, because I'm black, because I married a white man, because my empty trash cans are on the curb to long, there are a lot of reasons not to like me but I don't allow that to define me. Black people call each other "brother" all day long but don't treat each other like brothers, 10,000 black men die each year at the hands of other black men but if a white cop makes a mistake and kills a black man that causes riots. Riot when you can't go to work because the drug dealers are blocking your path to the bus or when kids are on the way home from football and get shot in a drive-by. Tomorrow will a be wonderful day in, we have a bi-racial president because anything is possible, only in America. I wish my dad, and his dad had lived to see this day. Daddy and I would have had some heated conversations and I would have called him election day to concede. I was determined to make him a conservative, oh well.

I Love Cash Cab

Last week I worked out four days in a row. Friday, Saturday and Sunday were days off because my husband was out of town and I was the only driver. I felt good by the third day, I actually missed not going. This past Tuesday I worked out twice, once after Reagan's swim lesson and again when the boys wanted to go after school. Today was bitterly cold but I went. If I go in the late afternoon I watch Cash Cab. That guy is great and the characters that enter the cab are very amusing, they must edit out all the duds. Today there was one man who answered only one question correctly but he was thrilled that his wife was shooting out correct answers as if she had swallowed the answer book, they left with $1300. Another couple the girlfriend was on fire but the jerky boyfriend kept saying " I knew that" whenever his girlfriend blurted out the correct answer. Thanks to Mr. "I was about to say that" they left empty handed. Some men can't accept it when his women is out shining him. The show was still playing when my session on the treadmill ended so I started another workout on the computer, the time flew by.

Al Gore, Al Gore, Calling Al Gore, Where are you?

Global warming my eye, I have not seen the Inconvenient Truth, I will admit. I am no scientist but I am a Christian that believes that God created this amazing universe and how arrogant of us to think we can effect something he created.  In my uneducated opinion it would be like an ant effecting my commute to work. We can tell you if it will rain (100%) the next day but they know that farting cows (God made them too) is changing the global temperature. Where is Al Gore? Conveniently missing. I love limousine liberals that tell you how to live, do you as I say not as I do. I will hang my laundry on a clothesline with my 3 inch nails, yeah right Babs, I love your singing voice but stop talking. 

It's is a Family Memership

My two boys ages 13 & 15 joined me for a trip to the gym. We were there for at least 90 minutes. I went for the treadmill again and they started with a pickup game of basketball. When I had five minutes remaining of my 35 minute session they started weight training. I thought it would be good to cool down by walking the track. I dutifully started in the lane marked "Walkers", I know my place. I don't run or jog on the treadmill because I fear that I am to uncoordinated and will end up on You Tube because someone caught my Lucy moment with a cell phone camera. I don't like running on solid ground because I never have run and I figure it is to late to start. Sure enough there was a young chippy lapping me in the "Runners" lane. At first I didn't give her much thought she looked about 23 so I was not going to break a hip trying to keep up with a fetus. A middle aged couple (about 10 minutes older than me) joined in and I realized that if I pushed myself I could lap them. I did that a couple of times and realized that young chippy was just ahead. My goal was to keep her in sight preventing her from lapping me again. In an effort to pass some kids I sped up and suddenly young chippy was arms length away so I passed her, yes I was running. I decided that I would quit once I lapped young chippy, so I found a second wind, put it in fourth and off I went. I was looking for her familiar thick ponytail, I couldn't wait to triumphantly leave her in the dust, but there was a problem I couldn't find her. Was she afraid of my heat, did I bruise her ego by passing her and she was now burning her Nike in the locker room or worst, was she behind me? No, it was a bladder matter, I spotted her coming out of the ladies' room then she picked up her workout next to me. I kept pace with her for one full lap and I declared myself the Winner!!