Last night Jeni, Donita and I met Helena and Al at the Colony for the second showing of Labyrinth! Jeni and I got to the theater at 6 in order to purchase tickets in case it got crowded. I got the first one!Note that it stars "Numerous Goblins and Creatures" heehee:We went last March right after Henry was born and it was awesome. Jeni and I agreed the crowd was better at that show--more laughter and funny quips from individuals--but last night there were a lot of little kids! Like at least 10. We discussed this and wondered why that was and Helena said "They need to know." hahaha! It's so true! Right after Sarah calls the goblins and the lights go out a little kid yelled "Oh nooooo!" in the silent theater. Thunderous laughter ensued! And here is a picture of the cutest little girl who had on a Jareth shirt tied in a knot with a jean skirt and skate shoes. It was pure 80s awesome!The theater was packed. Nearly every seat was full by the time the movie started. I took this picture after 8pm when the movie was supposed to start but people were still filing in:Donita hadn't seen it since she was little and she said it scared her at the time so she was happy to see it with an adult perspective. She giggled and gasped throughout so I think she had a good time:) Here are the lovely girlies of the evening:And here I am with my boo-boo and our favorite movie!More pics here.

Posted In David Bowie, friends, Labyrinth, Movies | 1 comments | edit

Posted In faith, family, friends | 3 comments | edit

No, not Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince day, though it's that too. I'm waiting until Saturday to see that with friendlies. Today is Labyrinth at the Colony day! Been looking forward to this for weeks and I'm ready:

Posted In books, David Bowie, friends, Harry Potter, Labyrinth, Movies | 2 comments | edit

We just got back from visiting Jamie in the hospital, who I'm sure most of you now know has a benign brain tumor (his name is Monte) in her frontal lobe.

She went in at 5am today to begin the pre-surgery process. They cut off the bloodflow to the tumor successfully via a catheter in her groin attached to her heart attached to the tumor somehow, if I understand that correctly. She said she was awake the whole time and couldn't feel it but could hear them squirt stuff into it. Eeeesh. She and her parents waited from 9-5 in a cubby for her to get assigned a room. Oy. But they let her have a latte and food and she was goofy from the Versed.

Matt, Donita and I went over after work which is right about the time she got her room. She was in reeeally good spirits and was standing up repositioning her gown when we got there. Her friend Jason was there and Nick had just been there too but we missed each other coming in.

We were there for about 5 minutes when they came to get her for chest and skull X-rays. While she was out some work friends Corrina and Chad came and the nurse came to tell us they went ahead and took her back for another MRI so we'd have to wait 30-45 minutes to see her again.

Around that time Michele, Jenn and Heather from church came so all the girls waited on her bed and chatted and read silly magazines (read: listened to Heather read to us), the guys went to get food and her parents took a much-needed stretcher.

Jamie was back in no time and was so happy to see all the new faces. We visited/had a party for a long time and Jamie was very bubbly and talkative and we laughed a lot and forgot where we were and were told to hush more than once. Oops! The second time that happened her work friends and Jason bowed out and then her parents and the rest of us laid hands on her and took turns praying.

She was very happy and feels very blessed. She "want[s] for nothing" she says. She's nervous about tomorrow (they don't have a time set for surgery) but hasn't had enough time to think about it and everything today has gone so well. God definitely has His hands in this operation and like Heather said, it's wondrous to see.

Tomorrow is the day for Monte removal. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

PS: On the way out, there was totally a man passed out asleep in his bed. Balls. Out. No lie. It was TOO MUCH!

Posted In faith, family, friends | 3 comments | edit

Posted In books, Harry Potter, Labyrinth, Movies, TV, Twilight | 4 comments | edit

Lily turned 5 in June. Idk when her actual birthday is, but when we got her in November 2004 they said she was five months old so I just say her birthday is June 15th.

I love my little booboo. She's so pretty and lovey and wants to be with me all the time. She makes me feel special and needed.

She's a very vocal girl. If she's persistently crying she either wants food, water, her box cleaned, naps, or to alert me that she has cornered a bug that must be killed. Take for instance, a couple days ago. Our conversation went like this:

Lily: [pacing around me] ROWW... ROWW... ROWW... ROWW...
Cristin: What's up little girl?
Lily: [looks me in the eyes] ROWWW!
Cristin: [walks into kitchen to see what's needed] Oh! Your food bowl is on the counter!
Lily: [relief upon face] Reah.

No, seriously. She totally meowed in rhyme with "Yeah." My cat is awesome!!! I don't know what I did to deserve such a perfect girl cat but she is and I'm keeping her:)

Happy birthday, Lily!

Posted In birthday, Cats, family, home | 0 comments | edit

Monday was Jeni's evening off so we hung out again:) We couldn't decide what we wanted to do since her curfew was 8pm. She suggested we get pedicures and omg was that brilliant!!! We both wanted pink toes and I nehhhver like the colors I pick based on the bottle. Her polish went on first and I realized it was exactly what I was looking for so we both got OPI "Party in my Cabana." Festive!

Posted In friends | 1 comments | edit

Last Saturday a bear cub escaped from the Museum of Life and Science! And on Sunday, Jeni called to invite me along with her and Henry to... the Museum of Life and Science. I guess they caught it cuz they were open and we left unmauled. I hadn't been to the Museum since high school (which is stupid cuz it's right by my house) and a lot has changed. It's totally awesome these days just like the zoo--which I really, really want to go to soon, please to holler if you want to go too.

We entered and made a dash for the outside so we could chill later in the a/c. But first we had to stop by the vapor machine so Henry could play and laugh at me blowing the mist in his face:Then we went outside to take the little Heart Breaker to see the farm aminals:He loved pointing and screaming at them, haha. And I swear he actually pointed at the duck and said "DUCK!!!"

Then we went down the "new" boardwalk area to view the bears and wolves. We only saw one bear (maybe the others escaped too?), whom we decided was Ursula:Check out their "new" pen. You can sort of see the baseball-field-like angled fence near the top of the waterfall and that is where you used to view the bears and it used to just be a cliff with some grass beneath:It's also where one was once sleeping against said fence and I brushed my hand on his fur and he got skeert and ran away. Hee.

We only saw one wolf too and he was totally pacing the fence farthest from the viewing area. Maybe there was a tasty morsel on the other side that we couldn't see. I'm hoping for that cuz otherwise his pacing is a bad sign.

We paid a token each to ride the Ornithopter. It rests on a scale and the operator made us and the contraption somehow weigh 5 lbs and then we operated the wings and it lifted us fifteen feet in the air. It also fanned us with a nice, cool, much-needed breeze.

We saw a flashy exhibit through the trees and went "Ooooh! What's that?" Turned out it was a sweet air gun exhibit that when you slap the back of the gun it poofs air onto a metal-chain curtain and makes it tinkle. It was very fun:

Then we made our way to the lemur exhibit. They had ring-tails in a big grassy pit and they were chilling in the shade. One couple was alternately making out and taking care of each others nits:Then we went to the Magic Wings Butterfly House. No butterflies lighted on us but the place was also home to 400 dozen pretty little partridges:As we made our way back inside we let Henry play some musical instruments in Lobolly Park. He had to have more cowbell, baby:And then we chilled inside while he played in the tunnel in the Play To Learn area:Thanks for the invite, guys! I had a blast! All pics here.

Posted In friends, music | 1 comments | edit

So last week was one heckuva time! Some bad news in my circle of friends and a lot of celebrity deaths... But Matt and I celebrated seven years since our first date so that was one light in the midst of the gloom. I won't go into my friend's business here but let me discuss Michael Jackson for a moment.

For unknown reasons, I don't consider him one of my favorite artists even though his music is on my iPod at all times and I don't for one second underestimate his impact on the world as a whole. He was one of those artists that everyone wants to be. And he definitely earned that honor.

He was a rather odd chap too with his plastic surgery, befriending little kids, owning a tiger, a chimp and trying to buy the Elephant Man's bones. I don't know if any of the rumors are true and I don't really pass judgment either way... Though that South Park episode is really funny... Every time I ever saw him on TV he was the epitome of nice. He was always happy to speak to people and seemed very comfortable with his fame and the important and impressionable role that came with that.

His videos were epic--whether they were strictly choreographed or just a wide angle of him getting his groove on, they were awesome. I'll never forget the first time I saw the "Smooth Criminal" video with that severe lean move: I'm like, certain he was on a wire, but dayamn it was hot and original and made me exclaim with a big "Whoooo!"

Don't get me and Donna started if "P.Y.T." comes on. Anywhere. We're breakin' it down. And the Moonwalker movie (was watched at school for educational purposes:)) with the claymation Spike the Rabbit dance-off:

And seriously, who can forget "Thriller"? I can't. It's absolutely perfect. From Vincent Price to the glowing eyes to dance moves that are rickety but still so tight, that video is on point... My Dadd had a ViewMaster slide from Thriller and, without my knowing, it got mixed into my box of Muppets and Sesame Street slides. Thriller's video came out in 1983 so I was 2 and certainly couldn't read the slide labels so in went the slide and the first image that came up was this:Lasting. Impression. For. Life. Even listening to Thriller brings up that memory and sends chills down my spine. Iconic, no? But it's freaking cool! "Killer! Thriller! Chiller! Thriller here toniiiiiiiiiight!"

He'll definitely be missed. R.I.P.

Photo credit, credit.

Posted In family, friends, music, TV | 1 comments | edit

Posted In books, friends, Harry Potter, Movies | 1 comments | edit

Tonight I got home to see our wascally neighborhood wabbit friend chilling in the middle of the yard munching on all the clover. He bravely hung out there, frozen stock-still, while I walked to the door. And was still there happily eating away for at least 30 minutes. So I got out my telephoto lens and took his picture... A few times. He's so cute. Check him out here. His name is Warren... Cuz that's where he lives, get it?? :)

Posted In home, Photography | 1 comments | edit

Last Thursday I opened the front door to go to work and imagine my horror when I saw on the porch... MY IPOD!!! COVERED IN RAIN WATER!!! Poor little chica really lives up to her namesake, Red Fraggle, making a dive for it out of the confines of my purse. It's my fault. I haven't been listening to her but instead playing music from my computer. I am sorry, Red. I won't leave you so lonely ever again.

But still. iPods ain't cheap. At all. So I was quite worried that she was done for. But I had hope. Hope in the form of one of those jelly skin cases. It also has a very thick screen-protector that the skin fits snugly around. So I picked her up. Dried her carefully on my shirt. Then slowly unwrapped her from the skin to find there was hardly any water on the iPod herself... But still. The wheel. It sits wide open and unprotected--and was lying face up on the porch (of course). I switched off the Hold button to dry out the other side with a Q-tip and it turned on. Life! (?) I turned her back off and went to work.

My IT friend from work said I got lucky turning it on like that. Eep! Was just trying to get her all nice and dry! He said to to Roger-Daltrey it a few good times, then prop it upright so any remaining moisture might drain out the bottom ports, and leave it off for three days.

I did all this. And waited. And waited. And waited. Sunday morning I tried her out. She turned on! The headphones worked! The USB cable worked! The iHome worked! The car tape adapter and charger worked! My sweet little Red Fraggle is A-OKAY! AND! There was some gunk stuck in the wheel that I couldn't remove before but it quite nicely dislodged and fell away. I am so happy and relieved!

Photo credit.

Posted In friends, music, The Who, work | 2 comments | edit

I was not with it this afternoon so don't have any Father's Day pictures to share. But HAPPY DADD'S DAY anyway, Dadd! You are the bestest Daddams ever and I love you!

Posted In family, Holidays | 0 comments | edit

A couple years ago, I found a supercute free pattern on Knitty called "Feline Dim Sum" by Julie Falatko. I meant to make them for my two cats for Christmas but ran out of time and since they don't know the difference, I took a long time to finally do them. However, they're really quick to make up...

First, the wonton. You basically knit a square, fold diagonally and sew up one side and fill with stuffing and catnip:Then you sew the other side closed:Then you fold it over again and stitch the tips together:Second, the eggroll. It's a little more complicated but once you knit the pattern you fill with stuffing and catnip:Then roll it up and sew around the edges:The cats love them. I see them with them all the time playing with them, licking them, rubbing them on their faces and generally being happy:Lily would like to let you think she's a lady and has no time for such shenanigans. I gave one to her and she glared at it. But when I left the room, I heard a rumpus and when I came back in the toy was on the other side of the room:)

Posted In Cats, crafts | 3 comments | edit

Matt wanted to see Terminator Salvation last weekend so we went. The Terminator films are some of my very favorite movies but I'll admit, I was not bouncing up and down to see this latest edition. I figured it would be enjoyable, as T3: Rise of the Machines was not bad, but not great either... Don't get me wrong. I own it and it will pass the lenses of my eyeballs many a time before I die but it's no T2: Judgment Day. That movie rocks my world.

I was probably 11 when I saw my first glimpses of it. My family was visiting my Dadd's friends' new house. And by new house, I mean they had it built and pulled out all the stops, including installing a state of the art entertainment system with surround-sound. Back when surround-sound was thee rich-people thing to have after a big-screen TV. The sounds of "Bad to the Bone" and the T-800's stolen motorcycle absolutely filled the house and captivated my attention with this scene (check the hilarious waitress at 1:44).

I love all the quotes. And I'm not referring to the ones everyone always quotes like "I'll be back" and "Hasta la vista, baby." I'm talking about the hilarious Ahhnuld-voice quotes like "I need yuh clothes. Yuh bootz. And yuh motuhcycle." and "Knives. And stabbing veapons." Too much.

The soundtrack is much improved from the original film. The original sounded like it was ready for the Nintendo game. It was very electronic and nerdily 80s, also awesome. But for T2 it's a moving score.

Linda Hamilton is riiiiiiiipped in that flick. RIPPED. She was kind of a wuss--not like in Children of the Corn, omg--in The Terminator with her million "REESE!!!"es but ultimately she got her act in gear and embraced her (no) fate (but what we make). So her first scene in T2 doing pull-ups with her pitched over mental hospital bed is hardcore. She's also a madwoman the entire time. Her hair is always in her eyes but it just makes her all the more awesome when she takes that T-1000 stab to the back like a champion. And that hospital nurse. The creepy one that licks her face. UGH. She totally effs his ess up. And yes, I cheer. Every time. As well as that sniveling Dr. Silberman, who, btw, exhibits some of the best acting in the film when she clubs him across the back of the knees. I'm still impressed with that.

Edward Furlong had his first and srsly like, only good role as the young John Connor. I enjoy his squeaky, pre-pubescent shrieks, his Public Enemy shirt and angled hair. Plus he's friends with Bobby Budnick and that makes me wanna fart.

The T-1000 is terrific. Liquid metal. I'm assuming that was an original idea cuz it was the bomb. I like how they make you think Arnold is going to be the bad guy again by mirroring the same entrance as the first film. Arnold arrives first. And busts somebody up for their gear. The other guy arrives second and hits up a cop. Switcheroo! Arnold's the good guy and Robert Patrick is one bad-ass bad guy. With running skills only riveled by that of Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon. I love that the T-1000 steals cop stuff the whole movie. First he's got a car and the uniform and then he's all "Say. That's a nice bike." and we're lead to believe he jacks up the motorcycle cop for his ride. HI-larious.

And let's not forget the SNL parody, The Tooncinator. How much do I bwahaha when Phil Hartman says "I'm scarrrrr-ed!" Linda Hamilton says "He was just trying to catch up to us, to be our kitty!" Of course this video cuts off Linda. Oh well, still priceless!

The TV show, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles looks eh. I've never watched it and don't plan on it simply because in the trailer she's rather whiny and not convincing as the badass Sarah Connor pumping screwy doctors full of cleaning fluid. Goodbye.

I think the whole idea behind the movies is frightening. Humans kill themselves by creating intelligent machines that eventually kill most of us in a nuclear war. It's crazy and though, I don't see it actually happening, isn't all that far-fetched. But the line "[Skynet] becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th [1997]" is chilling. "Self-aware." Machines? *shudder*

All that being said, Rise of the Machines was enjoyable but ultimately I was disappointed because it was a cliff-hanger and the famous quotes were cheasily used ("Hasta la vista? Baby?" *waves hands* Oy.) Also, they changed John Connor and I hate when they change actors, esp when they change to someone that looks nothing like the original. So when they changed John Connor again, to freaking Batman, I was all: "Meh." However. It was pretty good.

*************************SPOILERS***************************

-The action scenes were intense without being over-the-top. I believed the people that escaped were able to do so. But those giant Terminators with the biker-Terminators that detach from their legs. Whoa! Scary-cool. I also was happy that they used the same haunting "bwaaaa" sound (think War of the Worlds--2005) for the giant Terminator-walkers. Idk what part of them makes this sound but they make the same sound in the battle at the beginning of The Terminator so I was happy for the throw-back.
-The Rudy Huxtable little girl was not at all annoying, nor did she feel like a lame attempt to throw something in for kids or women to relate to. She didn't have a lot of scenes and she was mute so she didn't have precocious (read: infuriating) lines.
-I completely believe Anton Yelchin as Kyle Reese. He's got enough of the look and he doesn't over-act or appear to be full of himself so his style comes off as natural and heart-felt. Which I appreciate, being a big fan of the series.
-John Connor was like, not the strongest force in the movie. I kind of don't remember him. What he did was fine and they gave him the scar he has at the beginning of Judgment Day, but it was more about the Terminator-with-human-parts guy Marcus Wright. Whom I enjoyed.
-Specifically I liked the part where he teaches Reese to use the arm-strap on his gun so it can't be yanked out of his hand... Like what happens in the scene linked above from T2.
-IMDb credits Linda Hamilton as the "unconfirmed" voice of Sarah Connor but I really think it was redubbed. It seemed slower and didn't sound exactly like her final scene in The Terminator.
-The Terminator eels were kinda stook.
-Helena Bonham Carter is always scary as hell.
-They totally CGI the naked Governator at the end.
-When they quoted the old phrases "I'll be back," "Come with me if you want to live" and the final line "There is no fate but what we make" they were very moving like they were new lines.
-The first I heard about Terminator 4 it had something along the lines of "this is the last one" in the article. Then once I saw the trailer it totally looked like it was not going to end this time either. And after seeing the movie, it still doesn't. They could do more and more. Knowing Hollywood, they probably will... Please don't mess it up.

Photo credit.

Posted In family, Movies, TV | 1 comments | edit