End of the Month Wrap Up

At the beginning of the month, I was amazed that it was 2019. Now, I'm amazed that we're already at the end of the month! I've been slowly trying to get back into the good habits I abandoned during the holiday season for bad habits like junk food. Candy. Cookies. Spending time with the kids and skipping the gym.

I've returned to the gym, or when there is snow, I have the treadmill and yoga on demand. I found a 30 day yoga challenge on Amazon Prime. Sure, it might take me 300 days to finish the 30 day challenge, but I'm still doing it.

Weaning myself off the cookies and candies is also a work in progress.

Then there's also this:

In 2019, I'll be turning 50, so health and aging are suddenly a obsession concern. Osteoporosis and arthritis are common problems for my family. I was visiting Life Away From The Office Chair blog and blogger Lisa suggested taking collagen supplements to not only reverse the effects of aging, but to reduce joint pain and promote bone growth.

Sounded like a great plan to me, so I ordered a jar. While waiting for it to arrive, I checked into the research. It seems to be legit. Which is good. It comes from natural sources. Also good. And those natural sources are ground-up animal bone, hair, teeth, etc.

Not good. I told my husband. He said, "You eat gelatin. What do you think it's made of?"

I suppose...

It finally arrived. I tried to tell my brain not to imagine it was made of ground up bone, fur, teeth and whatnot, but I never made it over the hump. Somehow, the idea of mixing it up and drinking it was  too much.

My husband wasn't so squeamish. He mixed up a glass and gave it a try. He assured me it wasn't too bad-- just don't smell it before drinking, because it had the same smell as when the dentist grinds your teeth to fill a cavity. 

Needless to say, that whole jar is now his. I ordered some collagen in pill form. 

Wish me luck. 

It's the end of the month. Time to reflect on the best of January's entertainment. 

Movies

Spider-man: Into the Spiderverse. Double thumbs up. I'm not usually a big fan of cartoons, but this was a well-written script. The characters were likable. The story was fresh. And the action was balanced with poignant moments and humor. 

Hector and the Search for Happiness. I love Simon Pegg movies. This one didn't let me down. It was funny and thoughtful. I bought a used DVD from a video store. A great way to stock up on movies for a few dollars. 

Television

Brooklyn Nine-Nine. It's back. It has a new home over at NBC, but it's funny as ever. 

Quantum Leap. I bought my husband the full series on DVD for Christmas. We started watching it and I still love it as much as I did in the 90's. 

Books

The Baroness: The Search for Nica, the Rebellious Rothschild. An enjoyable, informative read. From the beginnings of the Rothschild dynasty to the early days of jazz, this book takes an honest look at the humanness of those who live in worlds that seem so much larger than life.

That's it for January. See you in February!

March Entertainment Wrap-Up

It's hard to believe another month is almost done and gone! Here in West Virginia, we welcomed spring with a few inches of snow. Enough of that! I am ready to say goodbye to winter.

Since it's the end of the month, let's do our end-of-the-month entertainment wrap-up. 

On Netflix, Hush is an excellent thriller. A deaf writer goes to a cabin in the woods to finish a story deadline, but instead becomes the target of a crazed intruder. A great edge-of-your-seat movie. 

6.6 on IMDb

Rented from Redbox, The Disaster Artist, is wonderful entertainment. Based on a true story, this movie is a hilarious and thoughtful look at the making of the cult classic, The Room, and its writer and director, the eccentric, but endearing Tommy Wiseau.

7.6 on IMDb

Also rented from Redbox. The Florida Project was a good movie. I believe The Florida Project was a contender for this year's Oscar Best Picture. Honestly? I thought this movie was way better than this year's winner (The Shape of Water). This movie was like looking in on a snippet of American reality that is at times touching, but also scary, especially now as America looks on at the violence of our youth and asks, "What's wrong with our kids?"

7.7 on IMDb

I must mention that this movie is enjoyable, but the most impressive part is Brooklynn Prince. This young actor is amazing. If I hadn't watched the making of the movie in the bonus material, I'd have thought this adorable child really was just a natural at being a precocious pain in the rear.

As for books to recommend this month, did you know you can download excellent books for free? Project Gutenburg has lists and lists of titles that are now public domain, so they are free to download onto your Kindle or whatever e-reader you use.

Entertain Me

Feeling bored? Watch some TV, read a book!

I have three kids in college. Next year, there will be four in school. My husband and I toast our success over Ramen noodles, water, and cheap entertainment.

That's a joke, but not too far from the truth. Honestly, we are doing fine. Every now and then, we have peanut butter and jelly...just to keep it fresh. Again, a joke.

But I'm not joking about cheap entertainment. My husband and I watch a lot of TV and read a lot of indie books, because that's frugal entertainment.

I thought I'd share some of the best of my entertainment this month.

MOVIES

IMBd rating 6.1; Read the profile here

This movie only got a 6.1 on IMDb, but I liked it. It was a horror movie and I have noticed that horror movies seem to have lower numbers on average, so a 6.1 is actually pretty decent. The plot of this movie was fresh. It's about a boy whose dreams come true, which is sometimes amazing and other times a nightmare only a child can imagine. There was very little in this movie, but plenty suspense.

IMDb rating 7.4; read profile here

I loved this movie. It's cute. It's unique. It's poignant and endearing. As a baby, a young man was kidnapped as a baby and raised by some very quirky people in an underground shelter. He is freed and returned to his family as a young adult. He knows nothing of the world. His kidnapping "parents" did not expose him to the world. No television, no books. Instead his "dad" created him his own personal TV series, Brigsby Bear. As James becomes oriented to his new world, he does it with the help of friends and family who help him finish his Brigsby Bear series. (Purchased DVD from Amazon)

BOOKS

4.5 stars on Amazon

I'm not choosing this story because RRH blogger, Tara, wrote it. I chose it because it was a good read. I don't usually read much middle grade or young adult stories, but Tara is a friend, so I picked up this novella in 2017. I finally started reading it and enjoyed it.

In the war between humans and trolls, it's not the men whip will find the solution and keep the peace. It's the princesses. Strong willed and big hearted, the troll princess unites kingdoms by being the best self she can be. An enjoyable story that keeps you turning the pages.


What are you watching/reading that I should know about? Be sure to share!