I have to admit that I was terrible about seeing movies in 2008. Oh, I went to a few must sees like The Dark Knight, Quantum of Solace, Iron Man and Tropic Thunder (Robert Downey Jr. actually got nommed for it!), but most of the movies that are showing up on the Oscar noms…not so much. Whoops. Not sure if it was due to a crazy year for me or a crazy year for the movies. Probably the former.

Any must sees on the nomination list that you absolutely loved?

On an Oscar tangent, one of the things I’m excited for is the buzz around Kate Winslet. I love me some Kate Winslet acting and am thrilled she is in the major hunt for an award this year. Being nominated for one movie instead of two will likely help her chances too. She has some pretty stiff competition though, and with the Academy Awards sometimes you just never know whose name will out on Oscar night!

So who are you rooting for? What movies did you see that were nominated? Or what movies do you think should have been?

Here is a link to the Oscar nominees in case you missed ‘em!

more cat pictures

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more cat pictures

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more cat pictures

more cat pictures

more cat pictures

see more crazy cat pics

more cat pictures

more cat pictures

more cat pictures

more cat pictures

more cat pictures

more cat pictures

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

Before 48 hour election antics commence…some crazy cats for your viewing pleasure.

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

We had guests staying with us last weekend (very awesome) and after a dinner at a local joint we were walking back and talking about dessert when my friend said something about ice cream and Magic Shell.

I think the cogs in my brain stopped for a second before creaking back into rusty gear.

Magic Shell? Ohmigod. I hadn’t eaten Magic Shell in years. That sounded…that sounded…delicious.

Luckily the grocery store was on the way, so we stopped in, ran to the freezer section, grabbed some vanilla ice cream and then reached for the Magic Shell shelf…only to find no regular chocolatey Magic Shell anywhere. The horror. There was Caramel Magic Shell, Smores Magic Shell, Turtle Magic Shell…but no Chocolate.

We paced around a bit, looked in the back of every shelf, pushed aside every container, but it was a no go. What were we to do? We could get another type of Magic Shell, or…we could get a competitor’s brand. *gasp* Deep breaths were taken. There was a Chocolate Hershey’s Shell and Reese’s Peanut Butter Shell that made the group’s fingers itch the most. So we did a blind pick, ended up with the Hershey’s Shell – and a bit of apprehension – and headed home.

The ice cream was scooped. The bottle was run under warm water and shaken well. The chocolate was poured. The spoons were poised… Would this be as good as I remembered it? Would the Hershey’s even live up to the Shell reputation?

One way to find out. A dip of the spoon, crackle of shell, and…bliss. YES! A childhood favorite sated. Delish!

There is just something completely awesome about discovering that an old childhood favorite lives up to the good memories. And when we finished the bottle of Hershey’s (man, with the spout on those things, it doesn’t take long to pour it all out!), I went back to the store and picked up the Magic Shell in its original incarnation. Yup. Still good. I’ll eat either of them, if you serve one to me. Now just to get through all the rest of the flavors…

Are there any favorite childhood foods that you have recently rediscovered? Or do you have a Magic Shell fetish too? Excuse me while I go to the kitchen. What? No, I’m not going for more chocolatey goodness. I swear.

The annual Perseid meteor shower is once more upon us! The high point was this morning, but there are plenty to be found tonight if you find a nice dark spot to look up.

Did anyone look for shooting stars this weekend? Or are you planning to tonight or this coming weekend? And have you ever found one of these?

Blerarghra!!!

I saw this video the other week and it made me giggle. And having seen the latest Indiana Jones film a few weeks back, I suppose the Wilhelm has been on my mind. A good Monday video if you need to let out a little scream.

If you aren’t familiar with this movie staple, the Wilhelm scream is a movie sound effect of a “man being eaten by an alligator” — a sound which first showed up in 1951 and has turned into a Hollywood staple (the Star Wars and Indiana Jones series’ are filled with Wilhelms, and may be where you might recognize it best). In fact, it’s become so recognizable, that it often pulls me out of a movie (usually with a snort or laugh) when I hear it now. But that doesn’t mean it’s not funny. Especially when shown in quick succession. Here is a compilation to catch up anyone unfamiliar.

More information on the Wilhelm: http://hollywoodlostandfound.net/wilhelm/

Have you ever tried to reproduce this doozy of an effect? Quick, look around, if no one is about, go for it.

This past weekend our neighbors hosted a “How to Host a Murder” party. Have you ever played?

Verrrry fun. And if you play it while dining, it becomes a whole party experience.

So, for those of you who may be scratching your heads, here are the rules…

You get a character and a playbook. I think there were nine characters in our game – so nine players each with his/her own book. The playbook gives your character synopsis and perhaps one or two unsavory traits about your character that you might want to keep quiet. You do not share the contents of your book with any other character. And you do not turn the page until told to do so.

After you read your synopsis, it’s game on! The murder scenario is read from the view of the police/Scotland Yard/etc. Clues abound in the scenario. A map is also provided of the grounds/house/train/plane (wherever you scenario is taking place) so that you can visually track clues and character or victim movements as they are revealed. Four rounds are played, each round revealing new clues about each player and what they observed during the time/weekend surrounding the murder (in your playbook you get a couple of clues that you MUST share with the others – which means that sometimes other people reveal unsavory things/actions about your character too). As a character it is your job to try and put people off your scent (you don’t know IF you did it until the end though!) without lying. No lying allowed. But it is quite fun to try and explain sketchy actions and redirect attention elsewhere, all the time questioning other people and putting the clues together as to who YOU think did it.

At the end of the four rounds everyone takes a guess as to who they think did it. After the guessing/accusations are complete, each character turns to the last page in her booklet and reads a synopsis of her character’s less savory aspects and actions, how she “might” have done it had she really done it, and then gives her motivation. The murderer is revealed when the last person reads.

So, have you played before? Or played a similar type of game (like Mafia)? What did you think?