Pamela has not been blogging there much lately, but it still surprised me when realized I had not yet done a blog feature on Something Wagging This Way Comes. I consistently enjoy Pamela’s writing, her positive attitude, and the lessons she is able to learn from her beautiful Golden Retriever, Honey. In fact, my favorite posts of hers are from her Puppiness Project series, where she attempts to learn lessons about how to be happy from Honey. The latest, The Blessing Accompanies the Curse, is a reminder to see a silver lining in every cloud, just like our dogs do.
Your Money Friday: Federal Student Loans
27
Apr
I can’t believe it’s already that time of year, but current high school seniors who are going to college next year are starting to get their financial aid award letters. So the question over at Your Money is about federal student loans- if both subsidized and unsubsidized are offered, do you have to take both? The answer is NO. Subsidized loans are a great deal- no interest while you’re at least half time in school and for a 6 month grace period after you graduate. Fur unsub loans, interest accrues and capitalizes. If you can afford it, subsidized loans only.
Movie Review: Real Steel
26
Apr
Robot boxing and Hugh Jackman- what’s not to like? I really did enjoy this movie. Yes, it was formulaic, and we all knew that Hugh’s character would end up having to “box” at the end (after all, we’d seen it in the previews), but knowing where a movie is going does not mean you can’t enjoy the ride. I like fun. I do not think every plot has to be complicated and full of twists to entertain. This movie satisfied.
My only issues were with our numerous “bad” guys, none of whom were fully formed characters. There were, instead, caricatures.
#TheVoice (s2, ep17)
25
Apr
For once, all of my predictions came true. I think that is because last night, we had the most clear cut choices of the season. I could see Cee Lo wavering, with the comment about Cheesa having a voice- she does. But I do not believe that diva voices are necessarily better voices than rocker voices. Juliet will never sing Whitney Houston, but Cheesa couldn’t pull off Stevie Nicks- who sang with last year’s winner of The Voice during the finale.
For Team Adam and Team Cee Lo, the best singers and performers are definitely made it to the semi-finals.
#TheVoice (s2 ep 16)
24
Apr
Can I just start by saying Tony Lucca singing “One More Time” was brilliant! It wasn’t the best singing done all night, but it was the best performance. Absolutely fabulous.
Elimination wise, Cee Lo made the only choice he could. My bet for going home tonight is Cheesa. Jamar and Juliet are just so powerful. But if America saves her, it will be a hard, hard choice for Mr. Green.
Either Pip or Mathai could have gone home last night from Team Adam. I think Mathai should go tonight. I believe America will save Tony, and Katrina wowed last night.
#MythBusters (ep 185)
23
Apr
I don’t disagree with the methodology or even any of the experiments conducted last night. However, I’m not certain that in most cases what the MythBusters were testing was the result of those differences. Maybe the emotional recognition and maybe the special recognition result from the physiological differences. But driving or map reading or grilling? Not so much.
They may have been a social construction. Women are worse drivers because we’ve heard comments all of our lives about “women drivers”. Men may have a harder time recognizing emotion because they are not raised with the belief that it is important.
Movie Review: Off and Running
22
Apr
Off and Running is a documentary a very untraditional family. Made up of a Jewish lesbian couple and their three adopted children, a Puerto Rican boy, an African American girl, and a younger Korean son. The focus is on Avery, the daughter, as she tries to establish contact with her birth mother and begins to connect to her African American heritage.
It was an interesting look into how rejection from someone you have never met can change a life. Avery responds by rejecting her adoptive family until she reaches a crisis point, when she reaches back out for their support.
Blog Feature: Family Money Values
21
Apr
I absolutely love the concept behind Family Money Values- basically, Marie believes money is a family issue, not something secret to be hid from your parents or your children. She believe the path to growing wealth, real wealth, takes generations, and specifically, generations working together to accomplish the goal.
This week, she wrote about the lessons learned from their first family meeting- what went right, what went wrong, and what they needed to change in the future.
I love this concept and hope that I will be able to take Marie’s teachings in to my own family as it grows.
Your Money Friday: Swearing in a Resume
20
Apr
I don’t care how young and hip the business. I don’t care how much they use social media. The hiring manager at just about any job (retail being the one place I could see this not being the case) is going to be over 25 years old. That means that you need to use proper grammar and spelling in your resume. There should be no text speak, and for goodness sakes, especially if you’re going to have any contact with the public what so ever, there should be NO swearing. Please demonstrate that you have at least a little sense.
Movie Review: Scott Pilgrim vs the World
19
Apr
Scott Pilgrim vs the World was an odd movie of contradictions for me. Subject matter wise, it’s a movie I knew I would enjoy. I definitely like comic books and fun fight scenes and all of that. And then I watched it, and it was full of those awful embarrassing awkward moments that make me want to look away from the screen. I hate movies filled with those moments. And yet, I enjoyed Scott Pilgrim. The awkward moments were frequent, but not long and not so intense that I found myself cringing, so the fun of it all won out.