Sunday Social 17

1. What do you miss most about being a kid?

I miss not having to worry about my job and money. I miss having absolutely nothing to do on a Saturday. I miss my family living together and seeing my friends at school everyday.

2. Did you have a nickname growing up? What was it?

My dad use to call me Tiger Lily. It always makes me think of Peter Pan.

Then my oldest nephew came along. When he was learning how to talk he could not pronounce my name correctly so he called me Hilly. Now pretty much everyone in my family calls me Hilly, whether it’s on Facebook, through a text message, or on a phone call.

3. What was your favorite thing to do at recess?

I loved swinging, playing kickball, or hanging upside down on the monkey bars.

4. What did you want to be when you grew up?

Honestly I thought it would be cool to work anywhere that let me work a cash register.  That did not last very long. I remember always wanting to be a doctor or a nurse. I even remember playing with my pretend doctor's back. You know the one that had the plastic stethoscope, fake syringe and reflex hammer. 

5. What was your favorite toy?

I loved my stuff animals. I even tried to give my stuffed white tiger a hair cut once.This is really nerdy but I also really enjoyed pretending I worked at grocery store. I would save old cereal and cracker boxes and empty milk cartons and such. I’d put a price on each and then pretend that I was a cashier and I would run up a total for my imaginary groceries. 

6. What is the funniest thing you did as a kid that your parents still remind you about?

So when I first started music lessons and performing at recitals, I had major stage fright.  It also happened when I had to speak in church. I would get so nervous and overwhelmed I would just start crying.  I always tried to convince my parents that I wasn't crying but that my eyes were "sweating". For some odd reason I don’t think they ever believed me.

Have a great Sunday

Hillary

Awkward Moments

So I want to tell you all about a weird and awkward experience I had with a guy recently.

There is a customer that comes into the bank, who brings in deposits for his mom’s business. We’ll call him Jon. About a year or so ago, Jon’s mother called the bank to get my number. The mother talked to my coworker Emilie. Emilie explained the situation when I got to work and asked me if I was interested. I remember helping Jon, but he didn’t say one word to me and I didn’t even remember what he looked like. Jon just didn’t make a great impression, I had no idea how old he was, and let’s not forget that he had to have his mother call. So I told Emilie I wasn’t interested and she was so nice. She offered to call the mother back and tell her that I had a boyfriend. That was a safe way out of the whole situation without hurting feelings.

So a little while ago, my boss, known as K, came up to my station and said that she needed my number. I started writing my number down thinking that K wanted my number so she could call me in case I was needed to cover a shift or fill in for somebody. Strictly business right? Of course I am wrong as always! As I am handing over the number, K tells me that Jon’s mother is on the phone again and wants to know if I am single. The mother actually asked K where I was from, and if I was a good girl. Interrogation mode. During this conversation K was kind enough to find out Jon’s age. Jon is 30.

So a week or two later I get a text from Jon that is about 5 messages long. Apparently he is still too scared to call or talk to me face to face.

Keep in mind that we don’t know each other and haven’t said more than 5 words to one another.

Hello Hillary. My name is Jon. My mother got your number for me. I’m sorry it happened that way. I’m a painfully shy person at first. Anyway, this is going to sound strange but do you sing? If not, you should start because you have a great voice. I’m serious by the way. Even if your not interested..I can tell by the resonance in your voice and the way you pronounce words when you speak sounds crazy cool. So if you don’t sing you should start thinking about taking lessons if you think you would like to do that kind of thing because you would be good.

Who does that!! I was so shocked I didn’t know how to respond so I just told him “thanks for the message.”  That whole next week I was paranoid at work. Every time I heard the door open I was scared it would be Jon walking into the bank.

This is weird but it’s not even the best part of the story. Stay tuned for part 2. 

Amazing Animals (Pork Chops)

In a zoo in California, a mother tiger gave birth to a rare set of triplet tiger cubs. Unfortunately, Due to complications in the pregnancy, 

the cubs were born prematurely, and due to their tiny size, 

they died shortly after birth. The mother tiger after recovering from the delivery, suddenly started to decline in health, although physically she was fine. The veterinarians felt that the loss of her litter had caused the tigress to fall into a depression. The doctors decided that if the tigress could surrogate another mother's cubs, perhaps she would improve. After checking with many other zoos across the country,the depressing news was that there were no tiger cubs of the right age to introduce to the mourning mother.

The veterinarians decided to try something that had never been tried in a zoo environment. Sometimes a mother of one species will take on the care of a different species. The only orphans' that could be found quickly, were a litter of weanling pigs. The zoo keepers and vets wrapped the piglets in tiger skin and placed the babies around the mother tiger... Would they become cubs or pork chops? Take a look...you won't believe your eyes.

Past Amazing Animals Posts

Koko

Alex   

Salty

George
Mila

Oscar

Oi
Kwibi

Leo

Jennyand Shirley

Movie News (September 24th)

Opening This Week (September 28th)

Hotel Transylvania

Looper

Pitch Perfect

Won’t Back Down

The Hole

New Trailers

42 (The trailer is very good but I don't like the song choice). Watch Here

Argo-Watch Here

Special Forces-Click Here

Stand Up Guys-Go Here

Les Miserables

First the bad news. Another late-in-the-game release shift. Universal has announced they're moving the release of Tom Hooper's highly anticipated adaptation of the musical Les Misérables just a few weeks. Originally set to open on December 14th, the same day as The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, they will now release the movie on Christmas Day, December 25th. Les Mis is supposed to be a strong late Oscar contender, but Anne Thompson says this "could have an impact on the awards race" if the movie is not ready to screen early. However, this just seems like strategy in placement, instead of going up againstThe Hobbit. The move comes just over a month afterWarner Bros. bumped "The Great Gatsby" from Christmas Day to 2013. "Les Miserables," Tom Hooper's musical follow-up to "The King's Speech," will now do box office battle with Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained," as well as wide-release comedies "Parental Guidance" and "The Guilt Trip."

Now of the Good News! This extended behind the scenes look. Eek! Its amazing.

And just today, new artwork was revealed for the movie poster. It is lovely! With a cast of stars that includes Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe, and Amanda Seyfried, "Les Misérables" has an embarrassment of riches to use on posters to promote Tom Hooper's musical adaptation. But rather than lead with one of those famous faces, the new poster uses adorable Isabelle Allen, who plays the young version of Seyfried's Cosette, mirroring the show's famous Broadway artwork.

Tom Hardy Facing Harsh Winter Again to Scale Doug Liman's 'Everest'

After facing a brutal winter in Gotham City as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, it looks like Tom Hardyis going to face even more bitter cold but at an even higher altitude. Deadline has word that Hardy is now in talks to lead Everest, an adaptation of Jeffrey Archer's book Paths of Glory set up at Sony Pictures with director Doug Liman at the helm. Sheldon Turner (Up in the Air) is adapting the book for the big screen with a story that follows climber George Mallory and his three attempts way back in the early 1920s to become the first man to scale Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain. Yeah, he's a big deal. Read More. 

Casey Affleck Ready to 'Race to the South Pole' for Damon & Affleck

After leading his brother's film Gone Baby Gone, actor Casey Affleck is collaborating with his brother yet again. THR reports Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are teaming up to produce Race to the South Pole, a new drama with the younger Affleck attached to star. The true story follows two explorers in the early 1900s and their pursuit to be the first person to reach the South Pole, which is the last uncharted territory on the planet at the time. Affleck will play Robert Falcon Scott, a British man who is up against a Norwegian Roald Amundsen (a role yet to be cast), in a race seen as heroic and internationally intriguing for the time period. Read More Here.

Matt Bomer & Lucy Griffiths Join the Cast of Goldsman's 'Winter's Tale'

If you're a fan of blockbuster movies, you're likely familiar with the name Akiva Goldsman. He's produced films like I Am Legend and Mr. & Mrs. Smith, but most people probably, unfortunately, know him as the writer of Batman & Robin, the terrible Joel Schumacher film widely considered one of the worst comic book movie adaptations ever. But soon, perhaps Goldsman will be better known as the director of Winter's Tale, an adaptation of Mark Helprin's fantasy novel that already has Will Smith and Russell Crowe set to appear in smaller roles. Deadline reports Matt Bomer and Lucy Griffiths have been cast in major roles. Click to read more

Director Len Wiseman to Helm Universal's Reboot of 'The Mummy

Say what you will, but I still unironically enjoy Stephen Sommers' first entry into The Mummy franchise. But after the series crashed creatively with Tomb of the Dragon Emperor back in 2008, it wasn't too surprising to hear that Universal decided to tap Prometheus writer Jon Spaihts and mega-producers Kurtzman and Orci to reboot it again and give us some new big screen adventures. Now Deadline reports that generic filmmaker Len Wiseman (os Underworld, Live Free or Die Hard and the new Total Recall) is set to direct this new version, which pretty much crushes our hope that this reboot will be any fun. Read More!

Jake Gyllenhaal Now in Talks to Join Hugh Jackman in 'Prisoners'

After putting criminals away in the cop drama End of Watch this past weekend, it looks like Jake Gyllenhaal is ready to flash a badge at least one more time on the big screen. Variety reports that thePrince of Persia star is in talks to join Hugh Jackman and the recently-cast Melissa Leo in Prisoners, a thriller that once had Antoine Fuqua attached but will now be helmed by Denis Villeneuve(Incendies). The story follows a small town carpenter (Jackman) who turns vigilante after the police can't find his kidnapped young daughter and her friend. Along the way, he runs into the big city cop assigned to the case. Continue reading here.

Sunday Social Week 16

1. What is something you have wanted to do but are afraid of?                                      

I’ve always wanted to actually dive off of a high dive instead of closing my eyes and jumping off.  Another thing I have thought about for years was chopping my hair off so I had a pixie cut and dying it dark.  I can’t make myself do it.

2. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In five years I hope to be married. We’ll see how that goes ha ha.  In 5 years I will have my own classroom and finally be teaching. During my summers of I hope to be able to earn my Master’s degree in Speech Pathology.  Sometimes I feel like I’ll never be done with school.  I want to be more financially secure so I can travel more!

3. What are you looking forward to before the end of 2012?

Field Experience for school. My assignment is in a 4^th Grade Classroom and I will actually be teaching a few of the lessons!
Carrie Underwood Concert October 10^th

New Taylor Swift Album

Thanksgiving Break!

So many movies but in particular Les Miserables. (Check back for movie news tomorrow. I am posting an amazing behind the scenes video)

4. What are your hopes for your blog?

I hope to reach more readers. I really want to become better and more creative in picking the topics for my posts, Sometimes its really hard. 

5. Do you always see yourself living in your current town/city?

There are several places outside of Utah where I wouldn't mind living such as Denver or Chicago. If i had to find work out of state I would move, but I would prefer staying in Utah because I am close to my parents and other family 

6. What is your morning routine?

My routine is actually very simple. First a shower and then I eat breakfast. While I eat breakfast I will check facebook or read Yahoo News. Then I power up the laptop to catch up on my tv shows while I do my hair and makeup. After that I am off to school. 

And the Tiara Goes To. . .

So I have been doing some deep thinking this week, in particular Disney and Disney Princesses. But not all of Disney's tiara-toting ladies were created equal, however.  I found an analysis from starpulse.com and I completely agree with their opinions.

The Worst

Cinderella

Sure, it's true that the title character of Disney's 1950 film definitely deserves a certain degree of sympathy for the humiliating and abusive servitude that she suffers under her stepmother's dictatorial rule. However, what separates Cinderella from the aforementioned Disney princesses is that she lacks the spunk and backbone to do something about her situation. Rather, she opts to retreat to her attic alcove to sing about her sorrows to her posse of talking rodents. When it comes to getting herself to the ball to meet Prince Charming, Cinderella takes the entirely flaccid approach of "wait and see," selecting to rely on outside catalysts, like her Fairy Godmother, instead of her own ingenuity to make her dreams come true. 

Aurora

In the 1959 film "Sleeping Beauty," the shy and naïve protagonist, Princess Aurora, comes across as being very dull and flat. If this granola princess had a Facebook account, one could surmise that her list of interests would include things like cute puppies, bottled water, and new shoes, or as the fairytale case may be, glass slippers - but in Aurora's example, probably Keds. Throughout the duration of the film, her character demonstrates virtually no development and only actually appears in 18 minutes worth of footage. So, rather than serving as a commanding female lead, this Disney leading lady's primary role is that of a drowsy damsel in distress who needs to be rescued by her prince.

Snow White 

As the central character in 1937's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," Snow White's display of cream-puff naivety and goodness is the visual equivalent of being gagged with a spoon for 84 minutes. However, like Cinderella, Snow White is the victim of a very unfortunate stepmother, so she does garner a few sympathy points there - plus, she is proactive about her situation and does try to run away. The only thing is that when she does decide to flee, she winds up taking refuge with a band of seven very lazy men, and then, basically becomes a little Suzie-homemaker for them, doing all of their cooking and cleaning. If that weren't frustrating enough, Snow White subsequently demonstrates a total lack of common sense when she eats the apple from the outstandingly creepy-looking old lady and ends up turning into another damsel in distress relying on the aid of a male character. 

The Best

Ariel

Ariel, from the 1989 Disney classic "The Little Mermaid," is the spunky sea princess who refuses to take no for answer when it comes to realizing her dreams. With her fiery mane of hair, this packrat rebel wants more out of life than what her oceanic existence can afford her, and she isn't about to let anything break her feisty spirit. Not even a domineering dad or the ever so slight matter of appendage substitution can stand in Ariel's way of going after what she wants. So, for her optimistic and tenacious moral fiber, this maritime monarch earns some richly deserved kudos.

Mulan

Mulan, the protagonist in the 1998 Disney film of the same title, is not your typical Disney princess. Inspired by the legendary Hua Mulan from the Chinese poem "The Ballad of Mulan," this leading lady is plucky, outspoken, and super independent. Plus, she gets major props for not making her central, life goal revolve around locking down a mate, like most of the other boy crazy princesses. Rather, Mulan's main aim is to bring honor to her family by taking her ailing father's place in the Imperial Army so that she can help save China from the barbarous attacks of the Hun. 

Belle

(My personal favorite)As indicated in one of the opening songs, Belle is the "strange, but special" heroine of 1991's Oscar-nominated "Beauty and the Beast." She is found to be a bit of a deviant by most of the people living in her town, but this free-thinking non-conformist can't really be bothered with other people's opinions of her. As the princess with the most gumption and solid sense of self, Belle embraces the things that make her different, like her vivid imagination and love of knowledge. Additionally, Belle should be commended for her ability to look beyond external appearances to see a person's internal goodness, because, let's face it, the beast is no Prince Charming, and had any other princess been in Belle's shoes, the ending probably wouldn't have been quite so happily ever after. 

Who is your favorite and why?

So You Want a Scary Movie

It’s almost October and Halloween is just around the corner. If you are looking for a good scary movie I’m here to tell you about one of my favorites.

Wait Until Dark is an Audrey Hepburn film that you will probably never forget, because of a famous scene near the end. I can still hear the audience scream. Horror fans of today may be disappointed- no blood, no skin and all that, but the psychological unraveling of the story brings with it a sense of horror that is truly memorable. 

The film, actually playing well into the damsel-in-distress archetype, was derived from Frederick Knott’s play of the same name. Knott had the guiding hand in Dial M For Murder and so he knew a thing or two about scaring people. 

Audrey plays Suzy Hendrix, a blind person, to a tee. It is said that she prepared for the role by spending much time with a student from the Lighthouse for the Blind academy in Manhattan, and it is apparent that Audrey learned the mannerisms of a blind person well. She even took lessons in Braille, walked with a stick while her eyes were covered, and learned to do other things, such as putting on makeup without a mirror, a minor miracle for a Hollywood star, well. With her skill as an actress of the highest caliber, all this turned Audrey into a fully credible blind woman on the screen. 

The story tells us that Suzy lost her sight in an accident, and now three crooks are using her to try to recover a doll a blond woman in an airport had given Suzy’s husband for safekeeping. The blonde, Lisa, was a mule for a drug ring smuggling heroin. She tried to cheat Roat, the head of the drug gang played by Alan Arkin, and was murdered as punishment for her betrayal. Roat wants the doll back, and persuades his criminal compadres Mike Talman and Carlino into helping him search for the doll. No smart criminal likes loose ends, and this particular loose end is worth a lot of money to him. 

The chemistry between Audrey and Alan Arkin is what makes this great film work. Arkin was great as a character actor, though he seldom played the heavy. However here, he is one of the best villains ever, and the macabre beauty-versus-the-beast battle of wits makes this one truly a taut and engaging thriller. Arkin’s famous move toward the end, though, is worth the price of the DVD. You’ll never forget it. 

                                                                                     

Pros:Hepburn and Arkin scare the daylights out of you.
Cons:A bit cheesy in the story but the actors make up for that.
The Bottom Line:This is a film that is scary fun without all the gore and skin of contemporary horror movies.

Amazing Animals-Jenny and Shirley aka the Elephants

Jenny and Shirley were circus elephants, chained up for 23 out of 24 hours, transported in tiny train cars and performing on demand for screaming masses. Shirley adopted Jenny, still a calf at the time, as her surrogate daughter and the two formed a very special, albeit brief bond. Shirley was soon moved away and Jenny remained a circus elephant.

Jenny’s life had remained one of stress, confinement and cruel discipline for the next 23 years. She was only considered to be good enough for the performances she gave in the big top and, when she experienced a serious leg injury, she no longer served an economically beneficial purpose for the circus. She was soon dumped at a shelter for cats and dogs, barely equipped to accommodate a full-sized elephant, and now forced to care for the medical needs of one. A committed animal rights activist contacted an elephant sanctuary and Jenny was soon transferred to their care.

Coincidentally, this was the same sanctuary to which Shirley had been taken years earlier. Her first day there was spent in isolation, but Jenny was miserable without the company of her peers, and it was decided that she should join the rest of the herd. On seeing one another, the two old friends recognized each other immediately. They trumpeted as they bumped their ample bodies together in a typical gesture of affectionate camaraderie. Right away, the two old pals were again inseparable, roaming the sanctuary side by side. They were joined by another duo, Bunny and Tarra.

Sadly, Jenny was only well for a few years before her previous injury (for which she had been ousted from the circus) caused her to become very ill. Eventually, she became too weak to cover the vast distances to which she and Shirley were accustomed. Shirley, the ultimate ‘mother’, led her to a shaded valley and lay her down on soft underbrush. As Jenny shifted uncomfortably, Shirley stayed with her day and night, even using her trunk to help her to change her position. Tarra and Bunny joined in this vigil and the four elephants trumpeted consolingly for 3 hours. They were celebrating Jenny’s amazing life, a rare performance. When the sun rose the following day, Shirley could no longer bear to watch her friend’s suffering. She left the scene to mourn the imminent death of Jenny. Bunny and Tarra remained with their ailing friend, stroking her with their trunks and trumpeting in response to her moans. That night, Jenny died and Bunny and Tarra remained with her body until day break.

Shirley’s mourning was real and evident by her appearance. Her trunk dragged along the ground, her shoulders slumped, and she was unable to open her eyes completely. She could not eat, and refused to trumpet. Bunny even went in search of her, staying with her in the hills for two days. Fortunately, Misty arrived at the sanctuary and proved to be a good influence on Shirley. Misty was fun-loving and cheerful, and Shirley found a new friend in her.

Past Amazing Animals Posts

Koko

Alex   

Salty

George
Mila

Oscar

Oi
Kwibi

Leo

Cinema City

Its Monday Again and time for Movie News!

Featured Video. My favorite part of The Princess Bride

Coming out this week.

Hollow

Trouble With the Curb

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The House at the End of the Street

End of Watch

New Trailers

Full Lincoln Trailer!! Watch here.

Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2

Wreck-it-Ralph

Brad Pitt to Produce & Maybe Star in Historical 'IBM and the Holocaust'

The events of the Holocaust have been depicted thousands of times on film before in everything fromSchindler's List to X-Men, but here's a fresh take on some familiar subject matter. How were the Nazis able to locate and single out so many Jews during the 30s and 40s amid political upheaval? Vulture reports that Brad Pitt will produce and possibly star in IBM and the Holocaust, a historical drama based on Edwin Black's book that chronicles the true story of how computer giant IBM's chief executive Thomas Watson contributed to the eradication of Jews in Europe years before the personal computer arrived. Click here to read more.

Universal Snags 'Safe House' Writer's Plane Crash Movie 'Black Box'

The success of writer Davis Guggenheim became as much of a story surrounding his first film, Safe House, as the movie itself earlier this year. Guggenheim was previously the editor of the magazine US Weekly and began writing scripts in his spare time, selling Safe House on spec (meaning nobody hired him to write it beforehand) to Universal before it went on to be a surprise hit in February. Now he's done it again, as THR reports Universal won a bidding war for Guggenheim's latest effort, the plane crash thriller Black Box. It's being compared to Enemy of the State and Three Days of the Condor, so we're in. Read more here. 

Gareth Edwards' New 'Godzilla' Will Stomp into Theaters Summer 2014

We've been anticipating Monsters director Gareth Edwards' take on Godzilla ever since it wasannounced in January of 2011. Thankfully, Comic-Con this summer brought a surprise teaser trailer that will excited audiences who may not even be excited about seeing another Godzilla film. Warner Bros. and Legendary are still behind the film with Edwards expected to direct from a screenplay by David Callaham (The Expendables), David S. Goyer (the Dark Knight trilogy) and Max Borenstein (The Seventh Son) and the film has been slated for release on May 16th, 2014. That's right, we only have to wait a year and a half. Read more. 

Michel Hazanavicius to Direct Tom Hanks 'In The Garden of Beasts'

Even before The Artist won Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards, we reported that directorMichel Hazanavicius had signed on to direct a remake of The Search, a film that took place in the aftermath of WWII. Nothing has come of that project yet, but now the French director could tackle a film that takes place just before WWII, as Deadline reports he's in talks to direct In The Garden of Beasts, which has Tom Hanks attached to produce and star as the first American ambassador to Hitler's Germany. Natalie Portman is also reportedly being considered to play Hanks' daughter. Sounds great to us. Read more. 

I hope everyone has a great week!

Hillary