Oh other blog...I've been neglecting you

So I am attempting to pose every day in the month of February on my other blog.

Which of course means I'm not posting here.

Two blogs!  That's a lot people!  Especially when you consider I get maybe a half an hour of computer time a day.

But I do love this blog, so here I am, however briefly.

I recently watched the fabulous Lifetime movie (is there any other kind?) The Pregnancy Pact.

So great.  Based on a true story, of course.  Here it goes (non spoilers ahead):  Girls in a small town all try to get pregnant.  Which is pretty easy since they're all having unprotected sex because all the boys are too embarassed to buy condoms.  But then once they're pregnant they realize it was probably a mistake.  Because having a baby?  Not so easy.

Shocking, I know.  The twists!  The turns!  The stupid, stupid characters.

Still, it was fun to watch..  There's just something about Lifetime.  It's like TV crack.

I promise to post more.  I just got Lauren Conrad's book, which I can't wait to read.  Perhaps next month I'll try to post here every day.

A blog I’m mildly obsessed with

So I’ve been enjoying Delilah Paints.
It’s a fun blog about a mom of two who’s an artist and is both clever and snarky (oh snarkiness…you are my most favorite-est of all personality traits).

Go, read, enjoy.

The odd side note about this blog is that I sort of know this woman in real life. She runs a baby wearing group and is the person who got me totally hooked on the whole concept. Plus I’ve since seen her a handful of times since we met.

It always feels a little weird to be reading someone’s blog when you only sort of know them. Usually they’re either complete strangers or actual friends. So reading her blog and feeling like I know her and then running into her and remembering we’re actually virtual strangers always makes me feel a little stalkerish.

Plus I think she’s super cool, so I really want to befriend her, but haven’t managed to. I have concocted potential “be my friend” emails and pretexts, but then they seem too lame, even for me, so I give up. Also I worry that she would find me too dull in real life. Even my imaginary friendships are rife with problems, sadly.

More with Meg Cabot? Seriously? Do you owe her money?

I know. I’ve blogged about her before. Repeatedly.
But seriously. I love Meg Cabot.

She’s just so good. And her series are so fun. Plus I just love series. Cause you like them, and then there’s more of them. Ingenious.

The Kindle and I just finished reading her 1-800-Where-R-You series. Well, we read four out of five. Because for some reason the middle one is not available for the Kindle. Grrr…

And they were so good. I just love her writing and her characters. Always fun and fiesty, with just enough added romance. They're about a girl who gets hit by lightning and can then find people who are missing.  And she has various adventures.  And a cute boy.  A nice addition to her stable of good books.

Who doesn’t love smutty vampires?

So in my search for post Twlight books (and the rereading brought on by watching New Moon and having ensuing age-inappropriate Jacob lust) I was looking for another enjoyable vampire series.

I did not find anything quite as engrossing as Twilight, but did find the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost.

These books are about a half vampire/half human named Cat. She hunts vampires and has various special powers. She meets up with a vampire named Bones and although she’s sworn to hate all vampires she ends up falling for him (I know…shocking). The books (there are four with a fifth coming out this year) follow them as they fight people and have kinky vampire sex. Always a good time.

Still, they’re a good read. I’ve been enjoying reading things far removed from reality at the moment as a break from being a constant baby mama and vampires/ghouls/whatnot fits the bill.

Snuggie? Not so much.

So I got two Snuggie’s for Christmas. I am sure this says something about me that multiple people who know me would think “She seems like a girl who would enjoy a blanket with sleeves.” Which, of course, I am.

I got both a normal Snuggie and then a Snuggie knock-off from Etsy. (Although isn’t the Snuggie itself a Slanket knock off? It’s a slippery slope of blankets-with-sleeves).

The results? Go for the slightly more expensive Etsy Snuggie (or Snugglie, rather). It’s thicker and warmer and much better made. The actual Snuggie started to rip the second day I had it and is super thin.

Still, I have discovered that I do, in fact, enjoy a blanket with arms. Perfect for couching.

Hello, Kindle

I got a Kindle for Christmas. And I am in love.
I had my doubts, at first.

Oh no, I said, snootily. I love books. The feel of them, their smell, their pages. I don't even like reading things on the computer. I would never like a Kindle.

And it's true. I don't like the Kindle. I love it.

It's so light and easy to hold.

I forget I'm even looking at a screen.

When I lay with the baby and he's napping? No wrestling with heavy books and page turning. Just the gentle clicking of the "next page" button.

And when I want a book? It’s there in a few seconds. No more waiting for it to arrive – and I like immediate gratification.

Are Kindles going to be the downfall of books and reading? I hope not…but if so I may be going down with them.

Two movies that sucked much less than I thought they would

I realize this post begs the question – why are you watching movies you think are going to suck?

To quote Lorelai Gilmore, I like movies “good, bad, and indifferent.” As long as it’s not too serious, long, scary, or bloody I am up for watching it.

And I had two pleasant surprises lately, which just goes to show…something. That low standards can sometimes pay off, perhaps.

First was My Life in Ruins.

This has the woman from My Big Fat Greek Wedding as an American working as a tour guide in Greece. She’s unhappy, she doesn’t like her job, etc. We watch one tour and she finds the meaning of life…falls in love…etc.

I think I remember reading that this was cheesy, which it totally is, but it has some funny parts and nice scenery.

Last night I watched I Love You, Beth Cooper which I think was supposed to be horrible.

I actually thought it was pretty funny and entertaining.

Typical coming of age movie with craziness and teenage hormones, which I always enjoy.

So…don’t judge a book by it’s cover or a movie by its reviews. That’s today’s moral.

Yay! Random British TV

I love the Brits and their television, despite the somewhat cringey-ness. I randomly got the first season of Gavin and Stacey from Netflix and heartily enjoyed it.

It’s the story of two people who have been talking on the phone through work and decide to meet and fall madly in love and immediately get engaged, you know…as you do.

The two writers are also in the series as their friends and are very funny.

It has the added benefit as being a nice glimpse into a different culture. Lots of British slang and jokes about people from Wales that I didn’t get at all.

Go...watch...enjoy.

A Christmas movie I hadn’t seen? Shocking.

But true – the other night I watched Holiday Affair with Janet Leigh and Robert Mitchum.

I love 40’s movies pretty much across the board. They’re so fun and cozy I just want to crawl into my TV and live there. Plus I love the clothes. And this one was no exception.

Not overly Christmas-y, except that it takes place during the holidays, but a cute little love story.

So go and watch it. They’re playing it on TCM so check your Tivo.

'Tis the Season (sort of)

It’s officially the Christmas season (although my decorations have been up for a couple of weeks now – don’t judge me!)


So in that vein, I present:

Leisure Girl’s 5 Favorite Christmas Movies of All Time (and I watch them all)

1. White Christmas

My number one classic. I watch this one every year, along with Holiday Inn, which is remarkably similar. I love it, except for some of the extended dance numbers that I fast forward through. But the songs! “Snow” and “White Christmas”! And Bing! It’s a winner

2. Elf

I think this is the very best newer holiday movie. Just odd enough to be fun. My husband and I spend an oddly large amount of time repeating “Santa! I know him!” to each other.

3. Christmas in Connecticut

Another classic, although not nearly well known enough. Star crossed lovers, secrets, possible kidnappings, a cow, this movie has it all.

4. Charlie Brown Christmas

I have blogged before on the oddness of the Charlie Brown universe, and this one is no exception. But I love it when they all dance, and the magical tiny Christmas tree. And Linus, of course.

5. The Santa Clause

The top four are the ones I love, and I waffled over the fifth. It could also have been Miracle on 34th Street or Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation. But The Santa Clause is a fun concept and I love watching him turn into Santa for some reason.

So there they are - I can't wait to go another round with them before the holiday!

I'm hooked on e - well, actually on E!

I somehow had managed to go almost 30 years without watching E! (the entertainment television channel).  And then I had a baby.  And I had a LOT of time laying around, napping, nursing, etc.  And it was winter.  And my husband was working.  And I don't get Tivo up in my bedroom.

And somehow all of these factors led to me watching every season of The Girls Next Door on DVD. 

I figured my son was already seeing a lot of boob action, so a few (hundred) more couldn't hurt.

It's not that the show is good, exactly, it's just that it's fascinating.  Like a nature documentary - except instead of chimps it's very young girls who cannot keep their clothes on and a very very old man who should really know better.

I was hooked, and am in fact watching the current season now, which is much worse and the new girls are a lot less interesting.  Although grown twins who still dress alike and sleep in the same bed is odd enough to be intriguing.

And, sadly, The Girls Next Door was just a gateway show.

I watched the whole season of Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami and just got my first disc of Keeping Up With the Kardashians in the mail.  It's a slippery slope strewn with dumb topless girls.

Dipping my toe into romantic comedies

Leisure Girl almost always enjoys a romantic comedy, and The Proposal was certainly a good time. Cute cast - Sandra Bullock is always fun and I love me some Ryan Reynolds (cause he's tall, and funny, although I worry about the fact that he's married to Scarlett Johanson, who I hate...it makes me think he and I wouldn't really get along...then I try to relax and just enjoy the movie...)

Plus it had Betty White! And Alaska! And Canadian humor! It was fun.

Less fun? Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.

I thought I was going to LOVE this one. I am a huge Jennifer Garner fan and who doesn't love Matthew McConaughey?

Me, apparently.

I know he always plays the cool playboy with the heart of gold, but I kinds think I'm over it. Mainly he seems sleazy. And a little greasy. And not so cute. I ended up feeling like she could do better.

Perhaps it's over for me and Matthew? Only time will tell.

New Moon makes me want to be 15 again

And I am back. Yes, for reals, people. This is me re-committing to this blog. Also me emerging from a baby soaked haze. But he’s old enough that he can enjoy a little leisure of his own (don’t judge me…it’s only the occasional Baby Einstein) which allows me to be able to actually sit and blog.

And what better movie to start with than New Moon.

I was a little too excited to see this. It felt a tad unseemly. But they sucked me in with their hype and endless ads and cute cute boys.

And we all know that I love her books. And anything geared towards teenage girls.

Anyway, I took my over excitement and a purse stuffed with candy to the movie yesterday and it totally lived up to my expectations. I know it’s getting bad reviews, but I am not entirely sure why. It’s true to the book and fun viewing.

It is a little slow? Yes, but so was the book. Is it a little cheesy? Seriously, people, what were you expecting?

All in all, I say it was delightful. And despite that fact that the actor who played him is just baby faced enough to make me feel a little dirty, I love me some Jacob. Not for me the pale and tortured Edward, I say bring on the hot built werewolf.

I'm still here, but does anyone care?

I've been away for ages!

Why?

Had a baby, which results in WAY less leisure time.

But I still manage to read and watch trashy television. So I could still post...if anyone is still interested in my musings...

Is it me or are the Charlie Brown specials oddly trippy?

As an early present to myself, I bought the Peanuts Holiday Collection, which has the Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Charlie Brown movies.

These are some of my favorites, and definitely a tradition, but I do find the Thanksgiving one, which I watched last night, to be excessively weird.

First of all, where are these kid's parents? How are they free to wander around alone on Thanksgiving? And, okay, the best meal Charlie Brown can come up with is popcorn, toast, jelly bean and sundaes, but most of that was cooked by a dog, which I find pretty damn impressive. I have two dogs and they would have been absolutely no help, whereas Snoopy not only cooked but also set the table and folded the napkins into little shapes. He's really the unsung hero of this piece.

Every year I watch and every year there are more unanswered questions. It's a holiday mystery.

Looking for love...

I think it takes guts to decide your life is interesting enough to write an autobiography when you're only in your 30s. That said, Bridget Harrison's Tabloid Love is realtively interesting, if somewhat unfinished.

It's the story of the author - a British writer who comes over to work for a New York newspaper and the various romances she has.

I ended up wishing it were a fictionalized account so I could have a more satisfying ending, but it was fun.

Twilight is here!

Yesterday I went and saw "Twilight." I couldn't wait and had to go on opening day.

As I have blogged about before, I really enjoyed the books and the movie did not disappoint.

I thought it stayed very true to the books and was similar to how I pictured things in my head.

The actors and actresses were all pretty and fun to watch, especially Edward, who only makes me wish I was still 13 so I could better justify having a crush on him.

Go and see it, you won't be disappointed.

I admit, everyone else was right

The history of "The Office" and me is this: Several years ago I started watching the British version, which everyone said was so funny, and I absolutely hated it. It was just too awkward and not funny to me.

So when the American version came out and people said this one was great too, I completely ignored it and thought it would be more of the same.

This is despite everyone I know telling me that it was really funny and I would like it if I watched it.

That is, until this weekend.

My husband and I curled up in bed and decided to try a few episodes off of Netflix with their watch now option.

And now I'm in love. All I want to do is lay in bed and watch "The Office". Luckily we have four whole seasons to get through.

So, yes, everyone else was right.

More fun with Lee Nichols

A little bit ago I blogged about a book by Lee Nichols that I had liked. I have since read two more by her and enjoyed both of them.

Wednesday Night Witches is about three women with various girl type problems who also end up having magical powers (and who hasn't been in that situation, after all). It was fun and girly, plus I always enjoy the addition of magic.

I also read Tales of a Drama Queen, which I think is her best known book. It was fun, but like the Shopoholic series you spend the whole book wanting to reach in and slap some sense into the main character as she makes a series of bad choices.

Both were a good time.

Fun for boys of all ages

I feel a strong need to support Brandon Fraiser movies, because he's such a cutie. Unfortunately, many of them are very, very bad.

Journey to the Center of the Earth was not one of those, however. It was a little cheesy (another Fraiser hallmark) but enjoyable enough.

There is apparently a 3-D version available, and I think that one would have been a lot more fun.

Still, even in 2-D it's a good way to spend a couple of hours.