I recently read in Chemical & Engineering News magazine, on the last page, that 2 young ladies had come up with a way to make ice cream that will actually get you drunk. I thought, this is PERFECT for Superbowl Sunday 2012! I read on.
They can get up to a cup of alcohol in one small batch of ice cream while still being able to freeze it. They're not even trying to keep the key ingredient a secret! But. I will not take away from their page views by mentioning it. I recommend Googling them or buying their book as I did for this weekend - "Ice Cream Happy Hour" by Valerie Lum and Jenise Addison.
I decided to make their White Russian ice cream for this Sunday and recruited my fiance, who knows more about cooking than I do, to help prepare this delicious recipe. It's a cooked recipe, mind you, so it's still cooling off in the fridge. It's supposed to take several hours. We'll see if it ends up being as good as it sounds...
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Take Note: It took all night for the ice cream to freeze, but the result was delicious!
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Limitless
Limitless = 10/10
I loved everything about this movie.
The main character was a loser in the beginning, just like he's supposed to be. The actor played up the desperation behind writer's block, the disorganization of his life, his bad habits. He was the perfect mooch, but transformed into a cool, sleek, badass gentleman effortlessly.
The villain was smart and crafty, just full of life experience to challenge the hero. Plus, come on, it was Robert DeNiro!
The pill was a great inanimate villain. It was representing the most dangerous path to the greatest side of the hero. It's a mystery in the beginning. A "what's the worst that could happen?" type of pill for the main character as a loser. Everyone knows what that line leads to - Murphy's Law.
I loved everything about this movie.
The main character was a loser in the beginning, just like he's supposed to be. The actor played up the desperation behind writer's block, the disorganization of his life, his bad habits. He was the perfect mooch, but transformed into a cool, sleek, badass gentleman effortlessly.
The villain was smart and crafty, just full of life experience to challenge the hero. Plus, come on, it was Robert DeNiro!
The pill was a great inanimate villain. It was representing the most dangerous path to the greatest side of the hero. It's a mystery in the beginning. A "what's the worst that could happen?" type of pill for the main character as a loser. Everyone knows what that line leads to - Murphy's Law.
Captain America
Captain America = 9.5/10
I'm giving Captain America a 9.5 because I didn't want to watch it again immediately. That's it.
Cons:
The only con I can think of is that the bad guy's acting was a little corny.
Pros:
The WWII Captain America outfit was WELL DONE. The costume designer paid attention to minute little details, which made the clothing stand out without making it corny. And that seen where he comes back with all of the escaped prisoners to the surprise of everyone that had belittled him earlier? Breathtakingly momentous.
The villain's makeup and nazi-like outfit, but without being a nazi (mostly) himself, made sure that this bad guy didn't fit in to the overdone stereotype.
The characters were all likeable, or hateable in the villains' case. There were no glaring plot holes. This was just a very well done film.
I'm giving Captain America a 9.5 because I didn't want to watch it again immediately. That's it.
Cons:
The only con I can think of is that the bad guy's acting was a little corny.
Pros:
The WWII Captain America outfit was WELL DONE. The costume designer paid attention to minute little details, which made the clothing stand out without making it corny. And that seen where he comes back with all of the escaped prisoners to the surprise of everyone that had belittled him earlier? Breathtakingly momentous.
The villain's makeup and nazi-like outfit, but without being a nazi (mostly) himself, made sure that this bad guy didn't fit in to the overdone stereotype.
The characters were all likeable, or hateable in the villains' case. There were no glaring plot holes. This was just a very well done film.
Cowboys and Aliens
Cowboys and Aliens = 7.5/10
I'm giving this movie a 7.5 due to plot holes and out of character moments.
Plot Holes:
The movie never explained how the female alien, the last of her species, was able to travel to Earth. Did she have her own single-pilot ship? Did she stow away on the vast enemy alien ship? Did she arrive before or after the enemy aliens? (She obviously had time to integrate herself into the local population for the townspeople to recognize and trust her.)
The movie never explained how no one noticed the enemy ship. If the heroes were able to successfully hide in the landscape and ride out to gather the troops, then how were there no passersby on any given day to say, "What the hell is that? I think I'll bring more people to check it out."
Out of Character Moments:
The kernel was a man who liked control over a situation. He controlled his cattle hands, his worthless son's fate, and even who could use his military title. The beginning of the movie enforced this. He wanted to steal Jake from the sheriff for crimes committed against his business, but as soon as Jake proved to be able to shoot down aliens, the kernel backed off. He gave away control. He didn't set a night watch to keep an eye on the criminal during rests, or send someone to follow Jake when he set off to find his old gang. The kernel just let go. A control freak doesn't suddenly stop being who they are, let alone trust the man who stole company gold.
The kernel was a mushy mess when his adopted cattle hand was dying. He didn't even see the guy as an adopted son until the end of the movie. Tough guys internalize those situations (especially control freaks).
BRIGHT SIDE:
On the bright side, this movie had likeable characters. The aliens that they fought were menacing and well crafted - enough to you jump a bit. Oh yeah, and a healthy dose of fear that you'll be organ-sliced and probed by aliens makes the human offensive way more effective once they reach the interior of the alien ship.
I'm giving this movie a 7.5 due to plot holes and out of character moments.
Plot Holes:
The movie never explained how the female alien, the last of her species, was able to travel to Earth. Did she have her own single-pilot ship? Did she stow away on the vast enemy alien ship? Did she arrive before or after the enemy aliens? (She obviously had time to integrate herself into the local population for the townspeople to recognize and trust her.)
The movie never explained how no one noticed the enemy ship. If the heroes were able to successfully hide in the landscape and ride out to gather the troops, then how were there no passersby on any given day to say, "What the hell is that? I think I'll bring more people to check it out."
Out of Character Moments:
The kernel was a man who liked control over a situation. He controlled his cattle hands, his worthless son's fate, and even who could use his military title. The beginning of the movie enforced this. He wanted to steal Jake from the sheriff for crimes committed against his business, but as soon as Jake proved to be able to shoot down aliens, the kernel backed off. He gave away control. He didn't set a night watch to keep an eye on the criminal during rests, or send someone to follow Jake when he set off to find his old gang. The kernel just let go. A control freak doesn't suddenly stop being who they are, let alone trust the man who stole company gold.
The kernel was a mushy mess when his adopted cattle hand was dying. He didn't even see the guy as an adopted son until the end of the movie. Tough guys internalize those situations (especially control freaks).
BRIGHT SIDE:
On the bright side, this movie had likeable characters. The aliens that they fought were menacing and well crafted - enough to you jump a bit. Oh yeah, and a healthy dose of fear that you'll be organ-sliced and probed by aliens makes the human offensive way more effective once they reach the interior of the alien ship.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tornado season
You may lose an arm or a leg, but lose your head and you're dead.
This was the mantra that I lived by one Monday per month as a child. Our elementary teachers would file us into the hall, tell everyone to tuck their heads between their legs, and link our hands over our necks in protection. No talking, no moving, and keep away from the windows! This was a tornado drill.
We all knew how important these days were. We lived in Tornado Alley, where the winds were fierce and the schools were bricked/concreted/minimal windowized.
We had grown up with the chaotic summer skies, and a peculiar fascination of deadly storms. And most deadly things are beautiful. Unfortunately, it is this characteristic beauty that destroys lives in one careless moment of, "Oh, just let me see it this once!"
Let me make this perfectly clear. If you're close enough to see a tornado, then you're likely in its path, depending which way the wind blows. So if you feel the need to stand and watch destruction unfold nearby, do yourself a favor and set a camera to run instead. You never know which way the wind will blow.
This was the mantra that I lived by one Monday per month as a child. Our elementary teachers would file us into the hall, tell everyone to tuck their heads between their legs, and link our hands over our necks in protection. No talking, no moving, and keep away from the windows! This was a tornado drill.
We all knew how important these days were. We lived in Tornado Alley, where the winds were fierce and the schools were bricked/concreted/minimal windowized.
We had grown up with the chaotic summer skies, and a peculiar fascination of deadly storms. And most deadly things are beautiful. Unfortunately, it is this characteristic beauty that destroys lives in one careless moment of, "Oh, just let me see it this once!"
Let me make this perfectly clear. If you're close enough to see a tornado, then you're likely in its path, depending which way the wind blows. So if you feel the need to stand and watch destruction unfold nearby, do yourself a favor and set a camera to run instead. You never know which way the wind will blow.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Maple season
My fiance's mother had her birthday yesterday, so I bought her a magazine on maple trees, the best chicken pens, and beekeeping. It's a hobby she's been thinking about starting. Anyways, it reminded her that she had sugar maple trees on the property. A friend then mentioned that maple sap began flowing 2 weeks ago and 3 hours later we have a tapped tree in the front yard.
Apparently, it's started a trend with the neighbors. One woman immediately walked over to ask the nature of the project and offered up her own sugar maple trees for tapping. We politely turned down the offer, but the next day (today), we get a call from a guy across the street who wants to borrow a tap for his own maples. This is a guy who parties and changes up his cars all the time. Tapping maples. Who would've thought we would be such trend setters?
There's already 1/3 of an office water jug full of sap. In a few weeks we'll have enough to boil it down. I hear that it takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup...
Apparently, it's started a trend with the neighbors. One woman immediately walked over to ask the nature of the project and offered up her own sugar maple trees for tapping. We politely turned down the offer, but the next day (today), we get a call from a guy across the street who wants to borrow a tap for his own maples. This is a guy who parties and changes up his cars all the time. Tapping maples. Who would've thought we would be such trend setters?
There's already 1/3 of an office water jug full of sap. In a few weeks we'll have enough to boil it down. I hear that it takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup...
Monday, January 17, 2011
The Green Hornet
8.5/10
The movie had a solid plot and opened with an unexpected twist, but made the mistake of having 2 main characters be entirely based on cliches, aka the eager journalist and the playboy with daddy issues. The main character's moment of realization and growth was forced. It was a welcome surprise to find that Kaido made up for the two major flaws. The dialogue was fast, witty, and leaves you wanting to know more about the characters.
Would I rather have a spin-off based on Kaido? Hell yes.
My scale of awesomeness...
10= Perfect and would watch again immediately after it ended
9= Perfect, but would not watch again immediately
8= Marred by cliches, bad lines, or actor/ess clearly being a spotlight hog, but otherwise a solid good movie
7= Underdeveloped characters or plots, but a decent movie
6-1= Here and below the flaws just add insult to injury
8.5/10
The movie had a solid plot and opened with an unexpected twist, but made the mistake of having 2 main characters be entirely based on cliches, aka the eager journalist and the playboy with daddy issues. The main character's moment of realization and growth was forced. It was a welcome surprise to find that Kaido made up for the two major flaws. The dialogue was fast, witty, and leaves you wanting to know more about the characters.
Would I rather have a spin-off based on Kaido? Hell yes.
My scale of awesomeness...
10= Perfect and would watch again immediately after it ended
9= Perfect, but would not watch again immediately
8= Marred by cliches, bad lines, or actor/ess clearly being a spotlight hog, but otherwise a solid good movie
7= Underdeveloped characters or plots, but a decent movie
6-1= Here and below the flaws just add insult to injury
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