Let's Get Comfortable

Let's get comfortable. I'm not feeling well (big surprise there...) and thought I'd share some of the ways that I try to make myself feel better and/or distract myself from the misery of a nasty respiratory infection (or whatever the ailment du jour might be.)

Pajamas. I have an old, faded set of pj's that I just adore. They were a big splurge on a snowboarding trip with my Amazing Aunt Risky. My favorite color, turquoise, with bears on them. And they came with a TANK TOP and long pants. Perfect for me who's always too hot, but wants the coziness of pants that are too long. I even have matching socks. Aaahh...

Pillows. I'm fairly high maintenance when it comes to pillows. I sleep on a tempurpedic cooling gel pillow, hugging a very old and broken down tempurpedic squishable pillow, with another pillow over my head. It's not really a pillow anymore, it's a bag of tangled rags after having been washed throughout its life, which as far as I can remember goes back to elementary school. But for lazing around in bed when you're sick, nothing beats my sleep number “rest and relax” pillow. On one side, it's just slanted, but on the other, it has a section of those tiny little beads right where your back goes. It's perfect for sitting up in bed and having the exact right back support.

Food. When I'm feeling lousy, I turn to soup. We usually have something homemade in the freezer, in two serving portions. Very convenient for melting when needed. I also have a thing about New England clam chowder. I'm still searching for the perfect store-bought version, but nothing compares to the seafood chowder at my favorite restaurant. Hmm...maybe it's a take-out kinda day...I can also wistfully dream about THE best clam chowder EVER, which was (surprisingly) at a hotel restaurant. OK, it was Seattle, but I've never found airport hotel food all that memorable. Until then.

Entertainment. Nothing comforts like an old movie. Also good for when I inevitably fall asleep watching it. I know how it turns out! Some of my go-to movies include Bull Durham, Devil Wears Prada, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Star Trek (JJ Abrams'), Dangerous Minds, Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride, Love Actually, A Love Song for Bobby Long, The Big Chill, Princess Bride, Big Night, Hunger Games, Miss Congeniality, The Proposal, and Juno. I never get tired of them – it's like playing a favorite album.

Activities. As few as possible. And a nap on the schedule for sure.

What do you do when you're sick or just down and out (or both?) What are your go-to movies?

~Tina

MMM: Monday Movie Meme, Tuesday edition, with some whining thrown in because it's my blog and I can whine if I want to...

It's MMM at Nicole's place, The Madlab Post, and I for one feel like I've finally found a blogging kindred “best of intentions but real life DOES come first, meme or not” buddy. I met Nicole in January and it was friends at first sight, but the way both of our lives are going, it's like we're traveling very parallel (as in equally crazy) but different (everyone has different issues plaguing their priorities) paths that leave not as much time for our “me” as our “shoulds”. So she published her MMM Monday evening. Great. I'm publishing mine Tuesday morning (this is where you say great). I mean seriously, if Monday Night Football can have a special Thursday edition...

Today's theme of the meme (it's early, let me use some stupid puns, will ya'?) is missing. Haha! Ok, seriously, it is. Kidnapped or missing people.

Ransom 

This was the first movie I thought of because it's a recurring nightmare. Young child gets kidnapped during a crowd scene. It stars Mel Gibson and Renee Russo. And yes, someone who's been on my top five list* for years: Gary Sinise. Here's where the stolen picture from imdb would go...but I'm being a good girl. Click on “Ransom” though...and you'll be at imdb reading all about the movie. Seeing the picture, too.  That's true whenever I do a MMM, by the way. Click on title. Got it?

Proofof Life

I loved this movie. But I wasn't rooting for them to find the husband, so sorry. I've got a serious crush on Russell Crowe, but five is a small number and since Bruce Springsteen's name is there in sharpie, never to be erased, I only have four working slots. (See foot note about top five game) Russell has occupied one, from time to time, depends on if he has a current movie out...yes, I'm fickle. It's my list though. I was rooting for the explosive chemistry between him and Meg Ryan. Did keep the movie interesting: satisfy the fans, kill of kidnapped husband, Meg and Russell run off together, leaving dangerous South America behind, or go with the Hollywood ending, find husband alive, family reunited, blah, blah, blah. I still recommend it!

     

Here's where the movie part of the post ends and the whining part starts. Feel free to leave. I'm certainly not in the mood to listen to whining today...

I'm in some kind of mood this morning, aren't? Yup. It's called prednisone.

I'm sending you to the NIH sight. Be sure to scroll down to the long list of side effects – that's my point in sending you...if you're interested in exactly the level of hell I've been occupying since 8/5. I have 90% of those side effects, including the serious ones (yes, I've called my doctor.  I've had four appointments in 10 days...) And have two more weeks of fun ahead of me (at least). Call me crazy, which I am, but breathing is a priority. I have an old post on bed rest from 2010 you can read since you're not busy...or are the sympathetic sort and want to write me an email and say, “Oh poor baby.” I've been on bed rest for almost all of August except for three glorious days when I felt OK. I went to the grocery store. And the bank.

*If you haven't played the top five game, or heard of it, it's probably not for you since it's been around so long. I feel you deserve all the facts though, so I'll give the tame version: your top five celebrities of the gender you'd enjoy...spending some quality time with.*  Mine?  You want to know MY list?  Well, OK.

Bruce Springsteen

Ryan Reynolds

Gary Sinise

Ed Harris

Bill Murray

Yes.  I suppose that makes me weird.  Is that really news?

Novel Films Blogfest 10

I've been having such fun with Life is Good lately! In striving to visit all the A-Z Challenge participants by the end of the summer, I've met some wonderful new people and have found great new blogs to follow. That hasn't (as you've probably noticed) left me much time for writing.  I decided to shake things up and jumped into this blog-hop. These community events tend to motivate me, and what can I say, I do like a good party ;-) For the next three days many of us (42 at last count) are going to be writing about the connection between books and movies.

I'm always, always disappointed when a book I've enjoyed is made into a movie. They start by casting the wrong lead. I know it's wrong because I've been "looking" at that character the whole book, and he/she doesn't look like that! Then they change the plot, sometimes completely destroying the story I so enjoyed. I understand a bit about the Hollywood scene, after all, I read tabloid headlines in the check-out line ;-) but sometimes it baffles me what they get away with.

In my opinion, the worst offender in the book butchering category is “The Horse Whisperer”. I loved the book by Nicholas Evans.  It had shifting points of view, a unique story, and the easy writing style all combined to please me.  I grieved with Grace. I understood Annie's feelings. The subtle undercurrents of attraction to someone inappropriate, the drive to “fix” whatever problem comes her way. The worry about her only child.

Don't get me wrong, The Horse Whisper wasn't a bad movie. If I hadn't read the book, I probably would have really enjoyed it. But how on earth can you get away with letting the main character live, when in the book, he dies? That's not a minor change. That turns the story upside down and forever alters its impact. And in my opinion, not for the better.

What's the worst offender in this category, in your opinion? Whose book got butchered the most?  Please chime in!  Tomorrow I'll be talking about the best movie adaptation. (And it's NOT “Adaptation”, I guarantee you that ;-) I'd love to have you come back and chime in with your opinion. AND you could even use the button in the side-bar and hop aboard this party train. After all, it's only three days.  Madeleine of Scribble and Edit is waiting!