The Best Movie I've Seen Lately Is...

I love movies. Spending weekends in Raleigh without my family for the last few months afforded me the chance to actually see a few in the theater. (A rare occurrence in my life anymore. Sniff, sniff.) Really enjoyed "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" and "I Am Legend".

But the movie I wholeheartedly recommend is.....


Juno!

A cursory look at the film info might not leave you too impressed- yet another movie for the mtv demographic; about teenage pregnancy; complete with required sexual innuendo, language and rebellion; featuring the acting talents of one "Teen Wolf Too" Jason Bateman- and it is easy to see why you'd take a pass on this one. Watch Juno for yourself and you'll discover there's a rich, satisfying film under the bright candy shell.

Here's a short list of why I'm finding myself recommending director Jason Reitman's latest effort:
- Juno is funny. I've seen it in the theater twice, and both times the crowd (me included) laughed out loud multiple times- starting with Rainn Wilson's quip heavy cameo. ("Your eggo is preggo.")
- But fairly mainstream. I'd describe Juno as a more accessible Napoleon Dynamite. If you wanted to find Napoleon as funny as your friends (or the teens you know) did, but just couldn't- give Juno a chance. You won't have to fake amusement to fit in.
- The acting is good all around. Every cast member is believable. No one texts it in. Yes, even Jason Bateman pulls his weight.
- Nice sounds. The soundtrack fits the film really well and is engaging. After my first viewing, I went home and bought a few of the songs that were stuck in my head. The second time I saw it, I heard people in the crowd singing along with a few key tracks. Keep in mind, these aren't songs you've probably heard before. ("Anyone Else But You" by the Moldy Peaches is my current favorite.) You can hear full versions of the songs HERE.
- Strong messages. Although you can ingest Juno as merely satisfying entertainment, you can also digest slowly and savor some great conversations about any of the topics the film addresses. Juno opens the door for reflection and discussion on a slew of real life issues: teenage sexuality & pregnancy, abortion, infertility, consequences, disappointment, materialism, divorce, parenting, commitment, image management, judging others, being yourself, forgiveness, trust, real love, suburbia, etc. Without giving too much away, I'd encourage every parent or adult who works with kids to see this film. Aside from the cultural flavor, you'll be exposed to some interesting perspectives.

If you've seen or go see Juno, let me know what you think.

The best $1.75 I've spent lately...

Generic = Craptastic

On Wednesday I managed to take multiple layers of skin off of a couple of my fingers. After burning through the band-aids we had on hand in a few days, I rolled up on my local CVS to replenish our first aid kit. After tracking down the appropriate aisle, I found myself facing the age-old shopper's dilemma:

Name Brand OR Generic?

There I stood, wavering between the known quality of the brand name and nearly double the quantity of generic bandages. Trying to be the good steward, I went generic.

Now I've got twice the quantity of bandages that are 1/2 the quality of the ones I SHOULD have bought. Next time I'll get 1/2 as many that will last twice as long. Arrrggghh. And the worst part, I knew better.

How about you? When do you go generic? When does it pay to go with the name brand? Do you see a big difference between the two?

Cowboy Baby... (who needs more words)

Reunited...And It Feels So Good

They say that everything we ever experience gets filed away somewhere in the recesses of our brains. Every now and then, something we've assumed was buried in our cranial long- term storage shows up on the mental desktop. Exhibit A: The hook from a song from my childhood- courtesy of Peaches & Herb.

Yesterday, Jen, Addy, Colston, and the Balm grandparents made the trek from Lexington to Raleigh. They made good time (a relative term with kids) stretching the 8 hour drive into 10 1/2 hours. Translation- if you like car trips- don't have kids.

As I watched my road weary family roll into our apartment complex and get their first glimpse of the new (but short term- that's another post) digs- my internal mp3 player dialed up "Reunited and it feels so good". So good in fact, that it is a bit surreal.

I'm grateful to be playing with my kids today in our new city. Hope all of you who aren't local can come visit us sometime soon.

In case you find it helpful, our new address is:
4202 Village Cross Way
Cary, NC 27518

Icing On The Cake

Since we loaded our moving truck last Thursday, we've been bunking with Jen's folks, taking care of last minute errands and enjoying time with family and friends.

Here are a few of the sweet moments from the last couple of days:

New Year's Eve Bash @ The Carter's Loft
Two of our dearest friends in Lexington just closed on a downtown loft. In a matter of two days they furnished it and threw a prom themed dinner party to ring in the new year. Many of the folks we'll miss the most in KY were there. The food, dancing and conversation were top notch. The New Year's kiss, fruit bombs from the balcony and near streaking by one participant weren't too shabby either.

New Year's Day @ Walmart
Despite my best efforts, I've been unable to sell my Bronco. So, the gas guzzler (9 miles to the gallon) is heading to Raleigh on Thursday. Whether or not it will make it to my new hometown remains to be seen. To up the odds (and safeguard my life) I sprang for new tires all around. It took the tire techs about an hour to play pit crew. In the meantime I bought a magazine and breezed through hundreds of insights into how to make 2008 my best year ever.

I was also treated to two surprisingly nice conversations with fellow shoppers. One lady was in a motorized wheel chair in the middle of the Subway where I was sitting. As I got up to leave, I smiled at her and she started talking to me. I learned that she had a house full of people coming to stay for a week (thus the overflowing shopping cart) and that she was using a scooter because she'd been in a vicious car wreck in October. She's still receiving transfusions of some kind, but is hoping to be done with those soon. After a couple of minutes, I wished her well and headed to pay for my new treads.

When I reached the counter the clerk was helping someone else. Which left me standing next to a guy wearing a bass fishing hat- complete with large gold fishing hook on the brim. He was waiting to get his oil changed. He filled me in on his plan to travel to Leesburg FL tomorrow- designed to get him away from the cold and the plethora of grandchildren who invade his house here non-stop. Can't blame him. Our chat was only interrupted by a timely "Can I help the next customer please?"

Although I haven't made any resolutions for '08, I am hoping to be more present in the moment and aware of the folks around me. Guess I got a chance to practice today.

A Surprise Snowfall
Although the forecasters weren't calling for it, we got more than just a dusting of snow today. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to be heading to a warmer climate in Raleigh. But it was nice to see the snow today.

Jen's New Email Address

Since we turned in our cable box, Jen's old email address is now defunct.

Fortunately though, she was smart enough to join the gmail revolution.

You can now reach her at: 4jenturner@gmail.com

And for what it is worth- she's great at replying when folks write her.