Movei Review: Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)

29 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 29th,2012 | Movies |  Comments Off

I really think Brenden Fraser just makes movies he wants to make now, ones he thinks will be fun. I didn’t so much mind the plot holes, but the missing character development in Journey to the Center of the Earth got to me. And how much time was supposed to have passed? They supposedly walked and boated fromIcelandtoItalyunderground over the course of a weekend? And coins in jars aren’t enough for a last minute ticket toIcelandto begin with.

Despite all of my issues with the movie, I found it fun and actually enjoyed it.

Movie Review: The Tale of Despereaux

27 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 27th,2012 | Movies |  Comments Off

So this is what I knew about the Tale of Despereaux going in: it was about a mouse who wasn’t afraid of things, and that he could fly with his ears, kind of like Dumbo. So imagine my surprise when I found out the movie was mostly a bout soup, and a rat.

I enjoyed it. It just was not quite what I was expecting. There are things that confused me- like how much time actually passed in the story- mice don’t live very long, after all, but for the most part, I think it was a fun family movie.

Blog Feature: Take Paws @ GoPetFriendly.com

26 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 26th,2012 | blogging, Pets, Writing |  2 comments

Its Memorial Day weekend, and we all know what that means- start of the summer travel season. That means it’s the perfect time to highlight GoPetFriendly.com and their blog, Take Paws. The good folks at GePetFriendly are dedicated to helping you find great travel ideas that include your furry friends- from pet friendly hotels, to updates on airline pet policies, they have it covered.

This week, in prep for Memorial Day, they posted their Tips for Summer Pet Travel. These are great reminders for keeping you and your pets safe, and making sure that you remain welcome wherever you go.

Your Money Friday: Weight in the Workplace

25 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 25th,2012 | Discrimination, Finances, Food, Healthcare, Work |  Comments Off

So while we’re still talking about work clothes over on YM this week, the thread I’m highlighting only pretends to be about wardrobe- Does this Interview Suit Make Me Look Fat? It started talking about companies policies about not hiring fat people because of the insurance cost. It has morphed a bit to be talking about weight in general, and howUS society perceives weight.

The conversation has remained quite respectful (which is nice), but for someone who has struggled with their weight, it is also very frustrating to hear people tell me how “simple” it is to lose weight.

Calling Indiana Jones

24 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 24th,2012 | Science, Travel |  Comments Off

Some of the most fascinating archeological work currently being done is in Central and South America. One of the major sites is Pachacamac, outside of Lima, Peru. It’s currently under review to receive World Heritage status, which is only given to sites judged to have outstanding universal value.

Just recently there was a new find at Pachacamac- a massive burial tomb containing over 80 bodies, including a many infants, adults, and even some animals. The reasons for this tomb are still unknown, with many more questions than answers.

I am completely jealous of those working on finding out the answers.

Congratulations, #Egypt

23 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 23rd,2012 | International Politics, Politics |  Comments Off

I think one of the things it is easiest to forget in theUS,Canada,Great Britain, and other countries that have long standing, successful, democratic governments, is what it means to vote, to have a voice in choosing your own government. We often take it for granted. We threaten to move to a different country if the leader we want isn’t elected or if policies don’t change. And we forget what a luxury it is to have that freedom.

For the first time in 30 years, Egyptians today get to have an actual voice in who runs their nation.

A First and Final Mission

22 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 22nd,2012 | Science, Technology |  Comments Off

This morning, a private spacecraft was launched out ofCape Canaveral. Its mission is to deliver supplies to the International Space Station. It is the first every private vessel that will be allowed to dock with the space station. A new era is beginning.

Besides giving things cool names (the capsule is called Dragon, the rocket that launches it Falcon-9), SpaceX did one more thing right this morning. In the rocket, set for one final mission to space, are the ashes of Mercury astronaut Gordon Cooper and our favorite engineer, James Doohan- “Scotty” from Star Trek. Rest in peace, gentlemen.

#MythBusters (ep 189)

21 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 21st,2012 | Mythbusters, Television |  Comments Off

I tend to enjoy the mailbag specials, and last night was no exception. There was not a whole lot of myth busting, though there were some nice explosions, and shooting watermelons looks cool on the high speed camera. I was also not surprised that Kari kicked butt on the trivia contest.

At the same time, the last clip of the show, Kari’s originally unaired most embarrassing moment, from back before the build team were regulars, and she was “just” one of the background crew, reminded me of the pre everything must end with a bang MythBusters, and I miss it.

In Praise of Road Trips

20 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 20th,2012 | Friendship, Marriage, Relationships |  Comments Off

In my early 20s, road trips were fun adventures with friends. They were often about the destination, but the drive itself always resulted in some good stories. In my mid-30s, I still enjoy road trips, and I enjoy them for the trip itself.
These last two weekends, I have had the opportunity to take road trips with some of my favorite people. Last week it was with members of my critique group, and then yesterday with C.
It’s dedicated conversation time, where no one feels like they should be doing something else, and it’s just a nice way to connect.

Blog Feature: Frugal Portland

19 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 19th,2012 | blogging, Finances, Work, Writing |  3 comments

Frugal Portland is a new blog to me, but I enjoy it quite a bit. I’m featuring it because this afternoon, I am most likely making a road trip down to Portland in order to drop a bed off for my cousin (and maybe a vacuum). Since Portland is on my mind, I figured it should be on yours, too.

I want to highlight her post on getting your First Job Out of College, because I think that’s something a lot of college kids aren’t prepared for- not going to work, but not having a definitive end point in sight.

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