Black Widow

 

Black Widow                                                                    July 19, 2021

If you are a fan of the marvel movies, you would have been waiting in anticipation for this one. The pandemic has pushed all of the big movie releases back and everyone I know has been feeling a little marvel withdraw. I know Disney + has been releasing a lot of teaser shows such as Loki and Wanda Vision to name a couple. Sadly, these just don’t have the power to capture my attention as a movie does.

This movie also features a woman as the lead, which is almost unheard of. Thankfully, times are changing. Brie Larson played as Captain Marvel and although it did well at the box office – it was not that great. I personally had no connection to the character and found it lacking in every way. Black Widow, however, has been in our lives for ten years, we like her, we know her, we root for her. This movie was different. It was interesting, it had a great back story, it was well put together, it had emotion and familiarity. It pulled you in and kept your attention. Some have said it is too dark but I thought it had just the right amount of dark with a mix of dry humor and an interesting family bond. Scarlett Johansson was great, as is expected, the surprisingly wonderful new character was Florence Pugh, who plays the sister in this movie. It is because of her that I am looking forward to the next Marvel movie. I think we can expect great things from her looking forward.

Of all the marvel movies, this is my new favorite. If you loved the Natasha Romanoff character in the previous movies – you are going to love this one as well.

 

Wrath of Man

 

Wrath of Man                                                                  July 19, 2021

This movie was exactly as expected. If you have watched Jason Statham before – this is more of the same. He plays the same character he always plays, the strong silent type, with a strong sense of justice. He goes after the bad guys with a one track mind. This movie is violent with lots of action. No surprises with this one.

The Tomorrow War

 

The Tomorrow War                                                                             July 19, 2021

This movie was surprisingly good. When I saw it on Amazon Prime I had not heard anything about it and did not have high expectations but decided to watch and see what it was all about.

This is a sci fi movie about aliens, war, relationships time travel and of course, saving the world. It features Chris Pratt and Yvonne Strahovski (I remember her from Dexter and Chuck). I really liked the mix of these two actors. There were a handful of complementary sidekicks and an interesting story line that I had not seen before. My least favorite was the actress who played the wife. She looked similar to Chris Pratt’s ex-wife Anna Faris, so that distracted me a bit.

All in all, if you like action movies and want to escape reality for a while – this could be for you.

F9

 

F9                                                                          June 28, 2021

Fast and Furious 9. The making of nine of these movies boggles my mind! I understand that they are making a lot of money and therefore, why mess with a good thing. I even went and saw it, knowing it was going to be eye rollingly bad, but when you have seen all the others, you feel like you need to see the latest installment.

If you don’t know what these movies are all about – imagine Looney Tunes but with real people. Everyone does ridiculous things to get themselves killed but they never die. These movies all have the same three elements, stunts, family and saving the world. All of these concepts are taken to the extreme. No one in the world has a family like this, except of course on screen where they play make believe. These movies are for adolescent boys - cars, explosions, women and high ideals.

I did enjoy myself during this movie, I made fun of all the craziness, I laughed at the ridiculous and rolled my eyes at the sappiness. And there is a lot of sappiness, long drawn out looks at each other and gushing, unrealistic family bonds. My least favorite character is the main character, Dom. He is unbelievably pompous and high on himself. If this was a person in real life, he would have zero friends.

I know, as a female, I should appreciate that they have included competent, self-reliant women. And, I do appreciate this. Sadly, these women are dressed appallingly. I know that doesn’t matter in real life, but in the movies, especially one where everything is complete fantasy, couldn’t they make an effort where these characters are concerned. Apparently they are trying to make the layered tank top a trend. In fact tank tops are a staple in all the characters wardrobes. The one exception, where they made an effort, was in the case of Charlize Theron. She was wearing red leather pants, and you guessed it, layered tank tops throughout the entire movie. This outfit was the only spot of color, sadly the pants were ill fitting and the tank tops – seriously, what is with all the tank tops? Do they have a contract with a tank top maker? Did they spend so much money on unrealistic stunts that they had to use the cheapest clothing possible? Who knows.

Anyway, if you loved the Looney Tunes as a child and you want a good eye rolling laugh or if you love the unbelievable – go see this movie, apparently everyone else has.

 

 

Cruella

 

Cruella                                                                            June 28, 2021

I can’t decide how I feel about this movie. As far as the new Disney remakes go, it was better than most. That said, it did not follow the original storyline at all, but provided us with Cruella’s backstory. I understand why Disney chose to do this, seeing how the population has become obsessed with villains over the past several years.

For myself, being a grown woman, I thoroughly enjoyed the fashion aspect. The two Emmas, Emma Stone and Emma Thompson were riveting and were both transformed into these characters. The mother in me wondered throughout, would I want my child to watch this movie? Good question. Yes they removed Cruella smoking and the fact that she was killing puppies from this movie – but they added so many more negative aspects. Death, murder, drinking and hurting other people are not values I want my child to think are normal or good.

I feel like Disney is trying so hard to hit all the politically correct trends lately that it has been missing the mark.

Would I watch this movie again, possibly, given time. Would I recommend this movie to other parents, probably not. Not unless your children are much older and you plan to use it as a teaching moment, having a long discussion afterwards about right and wrong, mental health issues, the value of all persons and garbage in, garbage out, to name a few.

 

 

The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard

 

The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard                                                            June 25, 2021

Wow! What a ride. This movie has it all, great actors who interact well together, intense non-stop action and humor! This movie is hilarious! Having enjoyed the first movie, I was looking forward to seeing this one as well. I was pleased that it had a complete story line, the action sequences made sense and humorous references were repeated. It was made even more special because it was the first one I was able to see in theatre since the lockdown. This is one you will definitely want to go see on the big screen.

Funny note: After I saw the first movie, I told a friend that I loved it and it was hilarious. He took his girlfriend to see it, telling her it was a comedy. She was livid with him, saying he had lied to get her to an action movie. So yes, full disclosure, this movie has laugh out loud material but it is also an action movie.

Please do not take your children or young teens to this movie. It is full of language, vulgarity and violence and it makes conscious people uncomfortable when there is a child present.

 

 

Christmas Bucket List for Couples

I hope you enjoy this couple’s bucket list as much as I did. 

1. * https://shyopinionated.blogspot.com/2020/12/jesus-is-reason-for-season-playlist.html?spref=pi

2. ** https://www.thedatingdivas.com/christmas-light-scavenger-hunt-date-night/

3. *** https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/easy-divinity/

4. **** https://www.thedatingdivas.com/merry-kiss-mas/

 

Jesus is the Reason for the Season Playlist

 

New Years Traditions to Start with Your Family

 

New Years Traditions to Start with Your Family

December 2, 2020

 

Sample Schedule:

-Have your evening meal with mocktails – use the conversations starters here. You can take turns reading them and then go around the table answering the questions.

-Play a game

-Write your New Years resolutions – or talk about them

-Watch a movie

-Take pictures (photo booth’s are a great way to get people to participate)

-Make a time capsule (can use the pics from the photo booth, depending on the camera you use)

-Have a countdown to “midnight” – reset the clock (or at least one of them), if you have young children, so midnight is at bedtime

 

Decorating Ideas:

-Disco balls make a big impact

-Feather boas and strings of beads can make a statement

-Use cheap picture frames to label things

-Using gold or silver or another metallic color, can make things feel fancy

-Use top hats or glass vases to hold noise makers, confetti packets (if you are that brave), midnight kisses (Hershey kisses), sparklers and tiaras or party hats

-Make your table look special

-I like to use clear plates and put a picture of a clock between the plate and charger. -These can easily be downloaded and printed using Google clip art.

-Using anything with glitter is messy and balloons aren’t environmentally friendly – I try to steer clear of these

-Here are a few pictures as examples

 

Evening Meal ideas:

-Order in Chinese

-Make lasagna with a big salad and garlic knots

-Order in pizza, garlic bread/fingers and add wings

-Order from a fancy restaurant you all like but don’t usually go to

-Have a potluck – if inviting extended family

-Make a ham with all the fixins’

-Everyone makes their own pizza from a spread of items (use small pie plates – you can get tin ones from the dollar store)

 

Whatever you decide – be prepared for that to be the “tradition” when you have children. We had to make homemade lasagna for years because it was the thing to do and somehow it got switched to Chinese take-out (on the busiest night of the year) when our daughter was a teenager.

 

Sample Mocktails:

Concentrated fruit juice, cranberry pop & ginger ale

Put cotton candy in a fancy cup (can be clear plastic) and at the appropriate time, fill with sprite or ginger ale

For mock champagne see the websites listed here:

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/32333/mock-champagne/

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/255557/pink-champagne-mocktail/ 

  

For a festive touch, rim your glasses with colored sugar and add a cherry, strawberry or raspberries

Desserts:

 

Dessert Ideas:

With any special meal, it is always good to have dessert or you can always save it for later in the evening if you are full.

-You can make a family favorite

-Try a dessert charcuterie board

-Order ahead from a bakery – cheesecake or macarons are always popular

-If you are brave, something flambe, or decorate a cake like a clock and add sparklers

-Arrange a candy or hot chocolate bar – both are good for movie or game snack time

 

Conversation Starters:

I highly recommend this tradition as it brings up topics you don’t usually talk about and it can lead to some teachable moments and also be a lot of fun. Here are a couple of links you can use or print the ones I have attached.

https://thedatingdivas.myshopify.com/products/family-conversation-starters-1

https://www.thedatingdivas.com/hot-topics-at-dinner/

 

 

Time Capsule:

This is a fun thing to do every 5, 10 or 20 years. You can do it every year or every other year as well.

Here are a couple of links with some time capsule ideas.

https://www.personalcreations.com/blog/time-capsule-ideas

https://www.thedatingdivas.com/our-year-in-review-printables/

 

-I keep my time capsule in my New Years decoration bin and then I always know where it is. You can choose to bury your time capsule if you wish. Just make sure it is in a waterproof container and make careful note of where it is.

-There are containers available on Amazon specifically for this purpose. For myself an old chocolate tin works great. Some of them I have spray painted and some need nothing extra at all. I don’t suggest using glass as there is a chance of it getting broken.

-These can tie in well if you are doing a photo booth and using a camera that prints pictures immediately. Otherwise you either have to plan ahead to have the pictures you want; or have them printed in the new year and put them in at a later date.

 

Movie Time:

-This is a time to slow down the evening and let little ones rest for a bit.
You can choose a new movie or a family favorite. In the Fall, if I see one that will work I usually pick it up and set it aside for the occasion.
-This is a fun time to use the candy bar if you set one up, or to make specialty popcorn, such as kettle corn or cheddar.
-Some movies lend themselves to fun games: for example, in Star Wars, every time you see a storm trooper you have to do five jumping jacks or eat a marshmallow or something of that nature. You can assign each family member a different character to make it more interesting. If a character in a movie keeps saying the same expression you can have everyone do something at that time.

Family Game Ideas:

-Sorry

-Charades

-Pictionary

-Skip Bo

Countdown to the New Year Ideas:

-Tie small bundles of sparklers together to set off just before midnight

-Bag up a few Hershey Kisses

-Buy some special crackers for popping

-If you are really brave - confetti poppers

-If you are actually staying up until Midnight you can participate in the countdown on TV or radio

Whatever you decide – make it special for your family

 

Snippets of advice:

-No matter what traditions you decide to start, make sure it is something you can maintain year after year. Children love tradition and once started they don’t want to deviate from the plan.

-If you don’t want to cook a big meal every year, plan something that works for you.

-If you want to have a candy or hot chocolate bar, think about having that earlier in the evening. They are fun and beautiful but can make for difficulty sleeping and upset tummies.

-If dancing, music or karaoke is your thing – add it to the schedule.

-Some people choose to end their evening with fireworks, this is a tricky tradition to maintain. If you move, laws change, etc. Some towns have a firework show and you can plan to attend that. If you do decide to have fireworks one year, make sure to tell your kids it is a special year and it may not be repeated the following year.

-It can be fun to dress up – but it’s not worth the fight if everyone isn’t into it.

-Think about how much prep time you have and want to spend. Things like time capsules, photo booths and cooking your own food can take a lot of time. They can make great memories but remember you want to enjoy this evening as well and sometimes simple is better. 

-Once you are set up with all your decorations and props, you can store them and just bring them out every year – this definitely cuts down on your prep time. 

 

 

 

Majestic

Check out that Body Language!

Home Safe During Covid 19 - Activity List

Home safe during Covid -19? No problem!                   March 31, 2020

Remember you get what you put in and creating moments of joy will take a little bit of work. If you want to look back at this time with good memories you will have to put in some extra effort. Make a plan for your days, make sure you stay in a routine, regular mornings and bedtimes, get dressed and take care of your hygiene, make a meal plan and eat healthy, make sure to move your body at least once a day, meditate, do yoga and get some fresh air.

Activity List

☐       Start on online club, cooking, painting, knitting, book etc.

☐       Spring clean your kitchen

☐       Cook something you haven’t made before

☐      Clean out your closet and get rid of anything you haven’t worn in a while, isn’t in good shape anymore, is outdated or doesn’t fit. Set these aside to give away.

☐      Do a virtual tour of a museum https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne

☐      Read a book you have been meaning to read. If you don’t have the kindle app, download it, you can easily add books from Amazon at good prices.

☐      Check out videos cams at the zoo https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/videos

☐      Or this YouTube video from the zoo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6UzpzMwwT8

☐            Choose a topic and find YouTube videos to share with each other

☐           Find reasons to celebrate, a birthday, holiday, international day, etc. https://www.calendarlabs.com/holidays/international/2020

☐           Choose a country and cook something they would eat and Google some traditions and information to share

☐           Do a tour of your house and make a list of all the little things that need minor repairs and take this time to do the ones you can

☐           Do the same with your closet, small rips, buttons need replaced – no time like the present

☐      Organize something, books, music, pictures, recipes, etc.

☐           Connect with old friends

☐           Take a free course, www.coursera.org

☐           Find a fun exercise routine online, an app or use a video

☐           Put a slideshow of old vacation pics on the TV and eat a snack/drink that reminds you of that time

☐           Plan your next vacation – even if it is five years away

☐           Have a spa day or evening

☐      Put your mattress on the living room floor one night and have a campout

☐      Make s’mores, if you don’t have a fireplace, use a candle (remember to use precautions around fire). Use what you have, peanut butter cookies, mint Areo bar, Nutella, fruit flavoured marshmallows, caramel filled Celebration cookies, etc. be creative.

☐      If you have a yard, BBQ, make a snowman family (if you have snow), have family Olympics, do some birdwatching.

☐      Experience the Harry Potter escape room https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSflNxNM0jzbZJjUqOcXkwhGTfii4CM_CA3kCxImbY8c3AABEA/formResponse

☐           Make popcorn with flavour boosters (peanut M&M’s) to watch favorite movies

Unspoken Rules of the Movie Theatre

Unspoken Rules of the Movie Theatre

I go to the movies a lot. I have a friend I go with on Tuesday, cheap night. I go most weekends with my husband. I love it when my daughter comes home from University and we can catch something we both enjoy. I watch girl movies with the girls and go on double dates to watch funny movies, I watch award winning movies with my friends who are a bit more "mature" and action movies with my husband. I enjoy loosing myself into another world. We've seen it all at the theatre and below are some of my pet peeves. Please read and pass this along to a friend who needs it. I will really appreciate it! :)

1.    Do not arrive late. I know in some areas you can pick out your seat beforehand and that is fine but don’t be walking in front of the screen when the movie has started. If you can’t pick your seat beforehand – get there early. Don’t expect people to move to accommodate your group – that is rude.

2.    Choose snacks wisely. I know the theatre frowns on you taking your own snacks but I don’t really care – the prices there are highway robbery, BUT… Don’t take food that has a strong scent such as take out from KFC or McDonalds. Don’t take food that is overly crunchy or the wrappers overly loud. Don’t take in Halloween candy that is individually wrapped and spend the entire movie rattling packaging. A guy came in late, crowded in front of me during the movie and then opened up a big smelly sandwich and began to munch on it loudly with his mouth open and then pulled out his 2 l bottle of pop. That is way too much and gross! When in doubt, ask yourself if it would bother other people.

3.    Don’t thump the seat in front of you. If you are a kicker, sit at the end of the aisle, don’t be kicking the back of the seat in front of you – don’t even nudge it. I know when you are running back and forth for things you have to get in front of people and pull on the backs of their seats – try not to! Do you really need to leave the theatre, is it an emergency?

4.    Be prepared when taking children to the theatre. This includes a number of things such as making sure they have all been to the bathroom before the movie starts. Talk to them beforehand about talking all through the movie, in fact if you have a child going through the million question stage – wait until it comes out on video or Netflix. Make sure the movie is appropriate for your child’s age before going. Check www.pluggedin.ca , this is a fantastic resource for educating yourself before attending a movie. There is nothing I hate worse than not enjoying a movie because a child is either too young and doesn’t understand or it is too old for them and I’m uncomfortable because they are watching something totally inappropriate and the parent isn’t smart enough to leave. I saw a mother leave one time from Deadpool and I was impressed that she was smart enough to do that but really, they were advertising everywhere that it wasn’t for children. Please, please I beg of you, do not take your children to movies that are too old for them! Especially if it is just because you want to go. I’ve seen this at Star Wars, Maze Runner and Jumanji just lately. Basically – be a good parent! Please!

5.    Be clean. I know this sounds very basic but the last movie I went to a couple came and sat in front of us and they literally had drowned themselves in a bucket of cologne and the smell was so strong I immediately got a headache and had to move – even though I had gotten there early enough to get the seats I wanted. I moved and the person in front of me had severe body odor. I ended up having a headache the rest of the day and had to go to bed early. The moral of this story is – if you stink so bad people are disgusted or you have to dose yourselves in cologne before going so you can stand the scent of yourself, don’t go to the movie theatre. Your time would be better spent in the shower. Please think about the people around you.

6.    Don’t talk all through the movie. If you have someone who speaks another language and you need to translate – wait until it comes out on video or ask the theatre if there is a time when the theatre will be near empty. If your child is a talker, explain to them before the movie that this is not the place. Turn your phone off. If you can’t hear – wait until the movie comes out and you can listen to it in your own house as loudly as you want and turn on subtitles. If you don’t understand or you missed something, just wait, it will be explained later in the movie and you will catch up. If you are a teenager and all you want to do is flirt with the guy two seats down – go to the lobby. If you are catching up with a bestie, go somewhere else.

7.    Don’t run in and out of the theatre. If there is some reason you have to run in and out, you are sick, your phone is ringing, you need to keep buying more and more food, etc. Please don’t come to the theatre that day. If you think you need to buy more food – you probably don’t, that is called gluttony.

8.    Pay attention in the line-up. Take turns, be polite, know what you are getting before you get to the counter, have your money, coupons, scene card, etc. ready to go.

9.    Don’t be a pig. If you make a mess, clean it up or at least tell an attendant before you leave so they are aware. Carry your garbage out and put in the appropriate garbage receptacle. Don’t put your gum under the seat, don’t spill your pop on the seat and don’t leave melted chocolate on the seat. Don’t be gross!

10. Do not go to the movies if you are sick or contagious. This sounds like common sense but you would be surprised. Please do not go to the movies if you are coughing and sneezing, if you have lice or bed bugs, shingles or any other contagious illness.

Please! Be considerate!

Twenty Dates to go on This Winter

Feeling a bit down this winter? A little blue? Change things up a bit this winter, get out there, do something fun and enjoy each other.

This is not a dinner and movie date

 

Enjoying each other’s company can enrich your relationship like nothing else. That’s why it is a good idea to make date night (or day) a priority in your relationship. Not every date has to be expensive, although once in a while is nice, it’s about the quality time set aside to communicate and to focus on each other. The following is a list of date ideas that are more than your average dinner and a movie. Nothing against dinner and a movie, I love that kind of a date but if you find yourself getting into the rut of dinner and a movie for every date night, check out these 99 ideas instead.

Picnic (if you don’t want to do all the work, take a blanket and take-out to the park)

Swimming pool

Skating

Couples yoga class

Go to a museum

Build a snowman

Make dinner at home for the two of you but dress up and make it special

Give each other massages

Play naughty Jenga

Build a birdhouse

Go for a walk in some quaint little town and have ice cream

Have a bonfire and make s’mores

Go on a hike

Spend time at a waterfall

Go to a waterpark

Visit the zoo

Go bowling

Make gingerbread houses

BBQ using a fire pit and charcoal

Try a new type of food

Have a You Tube date and see who can find the funniest, cutest & grossest video

Go fishing (try deep sea fishing or a stocked pond where you do not need a license)

Laser tag

Walking path (most towns have these now and some are more interesting than others)

Do a 5K (something fun like a foam fest or mud run)

Go for a beach walk

Build a sandcastle

Go snorkeling

Watch a sunset and moonrise

Get a couples package at the gun range

Laser tag

Check out a local fair, kiss at the top of the Ferris wheel

Attend a festival in another town

Go to a B&B, or try out several

Apple picking

Go for brunch

Have roast “beast” while watching the Grinch (at Christmas time)

Go strawberry picking and then make jam

Water balloon fight

Go fly a kite

Go to an escape room

Washer toss tournament

Octoberfest

Attend an outdoor concert

Rent kayaks or go on a guided tour

Indoor rock climbing

Walk the waterfront of a seaside town

Explore a lighthouse

Walk on the ocean floor

Have a picnic by a waterfall

See a play

Go to a sporting event

Find a pond, feed the ducks, skip rocks, watch the sunset

Get up early enough to watch the sunrise

Go to a corn maze, a haunted house or both

Pick out pumpkins in the fall and carve them

Go on a fall hike

Find a recipe on Pinterest for an interesting drink and make it
Go out for just dessert

Go people watching

Spend the night in a tent

Take a cooking class

Go for a hayride

Take a horse drawn carriage ride

Play darts

Volunteer together

Go to an open house and dream of the future together

Plan what you would do if you won a million dollars

Set some future goals together
Karaoke – or just watch

Play pool

Go to a vintage car show

Plan a trip

Go white water rafting

Go stargazing

Zip line

Go to a flea market or check out the local antique shops

Visit an island

Go to a local clay café and make coordinating coffee mugs

Check out the local tourist attractions

Go geo caching

Go to a spa or have a spa night at home

Go on a guided four wheeler trip

Visit a local vineyard

Take a bus tour

Make a medieval feast and watch an historic movie or show

Find the nearest suspension walking bridge and check it out

Have someone take your photos

Get a character drawn of the two of you

Try a dinner theatre

Visit Butterfly World or the equivalent

Go to a monster truck show

Pick out a tree and plant it together as a symbol of your relationship

Go to an aquarium

Make fudge together

Visit a botanical garden

Race on go carts

Get matching air tattoos (booths usually found at local fairs or festivals)

Pay it forward (do something kind for someone in need)