Hi Ladies,

For those of you here from the ICLW, there are big cyber hugs here for you! I wish I could be like Oprah and buy everyone a car, or better yet, make your biggest hope come true. I bet if we all put our hopes into the universe, someone will hear us…

When I started this blog. I felt a little like the elephant  from “Horton Hears a Who”, listening closely to that little dustball of mine and wondering if there was life within it. Wondering if anyone would believe or care about my story. Then I met others. Others with similar hopes and dreams, and together we proclaimed “We are here! We are here!”

I have said before that there is strength in numbers. I believe that there is healing and power there too….

I started RubyFeather Social Club in Boston because I wanted to break through that fourth wall of isolation and anonymity  that IF brings,and proclaim “WE are here, and we matter.” I have realized through this group, that women have a wellspring of wisdom and strength, and sometimes that strength grows exponentially when we are together. (If you are in New England, we welcome you to RubyFeather. If you are not, you can join us on facebook…)

We all have different stories, and I treasure reading as many as I can find. Please leave a comment so I can find you in the blogosphere…

No mater what your journey, I wish you the greatest success, happiness and love!

Shell

Ready, set, lift off of Macy’s famed giant helium balloon characters in the 83rd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®. This Thanksgiving Day the magic in the sky will once again wow millions of spectators as beloved characters return to the balloon line-up. Featuring a star-studded list of American pop culture favorites from a friendly neighborhood super-hero to a world-famous mouse, the stars of Macy’s Parade are transformed from pencil sketches to larger-than-life forms via a sprinkling of magic from the stars at Macy’s Parade Studio.

A Ballooning Tradition
Dating back to the 1927 edition of the holiday spectacle, Macy’s giant character balloons have featured a who’s who of characters from film, television, comic strips, and cartoons. From the very first inflatable of Felix the Cat to the four new giants –Pillsbury Doughboy®, Ronald McDonald®, Sailor Mickey, and Spider-Man® – the Macy’s Parade has brought to life 157 of the most recognizable characters in history during its 83 editions.

Balloonatics
Before the giant balloons inspire awe on Parade day, they start on a drafting table at Macy’s Parade Studio. There, the Parade team of “Balloonatics” transforms a well-known character into a high-flying wonder. A pencil sketch of the character is the first step in the creation process. This concept sketch showcases the character in balloon form, taking into consideration aerodynamic, engineering and aesthetic points. Under the direction of John Piper, lead designer of Macy’s Parade Studio, the Balloonatic team takes that initial pencil sketch through a months-long process that encompasses concept, aerodynamic and aesthetic design, construction and final test flights. The building process includes creation of clay and painted models, and of course, the cutting and sealing of fabric into chambers that will produce the final balloon. Macy’s conducts the high-tech process in collaboration with aerodynamic and engineering consultants, Aerostar, who together calculate the balloon design’s aerodynamics, buoyancy, and lift. Once the balloon has been created it will undergo many tests including indoor and outdoor test flights, inflation and deflation tests and final touch-ups before taking flight on Parade day.

On Saturday, November 7th, before their official Thanksgiving Day debut, the new giant character balloons take to the sky for a final test flight at Macy’s Balloonfest. At this outdoor event, each balloon’s Pilot and Captain, and the flight management team of twelve, guide hundreds of handlers as they fly the balloon in an extreme real world setting. Once the balloons have been awarded their flight wings, they will receive a comprehensive final check-up that may include air inflation tests, cleaning and paint touch-ups before the big day.

Following is the Complete Cast of Giant Helium Character Balloons in the 83rd annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade:

ABBY CADABBY
SESAME WORKSHOP®
With her wand at the ready, Abby Cadabby, the inquisitive fairy-in-training returns to the Parade for another magical flight down the streets of New York City. Originally from Fairyside, Queens, Abby will be right at home with the crowd cheering her on as she helps ring in the holidays and celebrate the 40th birthday of Sesame Street. Although Abby is still somewhat magically challenged, she is sure to delight millions of Parade spectators with her enchanting antics. Standing at 56-feet long, 37.5-feet wide, and 48.5-feet high, Abby is filled with 16,100 cubic feet of helium as she bounds happily down the route.

BUZZ LIGHTYEAR
DISNEY•PIXAR
Buzz Lightyear, the fearless Space Ranger from Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story trilogy, returns to the Parade for another trip to Herald Square and Beyond! The larger-than-life hero measures 67.7-feet long, 39.9-feet wide and 34.3-feet tall. On Thanksgiving Day, Buzz will be ready for the adventure with his jet pack guiding him down the route. From his green and purple space boots all the way up to his protective helmet, which is 17-feet in diameter, Buzz Lightyear is sure to create a big buzz for millions of Parade spectators.

DORA THE EXPLORER™
NICKELODEON
The adventure-loving, Latina heroine Dora the Explorer™ returns to the Macy’s Parade this Thanksgiving for a high-flying expedition as the Nickelodeon heroine prepares to celebrate her 10-year anniversary next year. As always, Dora will be waving ¡Hola! to the crowds on her way to 34th Street along with her trusty friends Backpack and Map. Filled with 14,250 cubic feet of helium, Dora measures 43.5-feet in length, 39-feet in width and 55-feet tall. A skilled explorer, Dora will lead her team of balloon handlers to Macy’s Herald Square, where she will be sure to exclaim, We did it! ¡Lo Hicimos! at the end of her journey.

FLYING ACE SNOOPY
UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE
Snoopy, the extroverted beagle with a Walter Mitty complex returns to the line-up as the Flying Ace. Snoopy is celebrating PEANUTS® 60th Anniversary and is marking a record 34th appearance in the Macy’s Parade. Holding binoculars and sporting an aviator hat, goggles and a red scarf, Snoopy is ready for another showdown with the dreaded Red Baron. Once again ready for the challenge standing at 52-feet high, 25-feet wide and 49.5-feet long and filled with 15,000 cubic feet of helium; Flying Ace Snoopy is a beagle with a mission on Parade day.

HORTON
TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
The wonderful Whos of Whoville are back in town taking a ride down Manhattan with their giant protector, Horton the Elephant, from the movie Horton Hears A Who. Keeping his eyes firmly planted on the delicate clover protectively wrapped in his trunk, Horton will take flight once again measuring 59.8-feet long, 31.8-feet wide and 43.4-feet tall on his return Parade voyage. With toenails the size of large beach balls, and ears that could cover a large van, Horton is filled with 14,060 cubic feet of helium on Thanksgiving Day.

KERMIT THE FROG™
THE MUPPETS STUDIO
Kermit the Frog, the world’s most famous amphibian, takes Manhattan again in the 2009 Macy’s Parade. Kermit the Frog™ stands “slightly” larger-than-life, flying over New York City at 78-feet long, 36-feet wide, 60-feet tall and filled with 11,000 cubic feet of helium. They say it’s not easy being green, but Kermit sure makes it look easy as he flies triumphantly down the route this Thanksgiving, to the roaring cheers of his many fans, friends – and maybe even a few of his fellow frogs.

PIKACHU™
THE POKÉMON COMPANY INTERNATIONAL
That rosy glow coming from Pikachu’s cheeks is not from the November chill, but from the electricity stored inside. Pikachu, the most recognizable character of the Pokémon® universe, returns to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade chasing after a Poké Ball. Charged for another electrifying trip, Pikachu, stands at 53.5-feet high, 36.9-feet wide and is 40.8-feet long, and filled with 15,000 cubic feet of helium.

PILLSBURY DOUGHBOY®
PILLSBURY®
The new Pillsbury Doughboy® balloon makes its Macy’s Parade debut in larger-than-life form, far outgrowing his normal 8¾-inch frame. On Thanksgiving Day, the Doughboy will march down the route with his arms outstretched and his bright blue eyes shining ready to ring in the holidays. At more than 63 times his traditional size, the Doughboy balloon will measure 53.7-feet in length, 34.4-feet in width and will be 46.4-feet tall. This Doughboy will rise to the occasion filled with 12,280 cubic feet of helium.

RONALD McDONALD®
McDONALD’S®
Ronald McDonald® first made his Macy’s Parade debut in 1966, holding a bouquet of party balloons that had taken him on a Thanksgiving joy ride. In 2001, a second Ronald McDonald balloon made its Parade debut flying down the streets of Manhattan bringing joy and laughter to millions. This year, Ronald is in a playful mood and has strapped on the world’s largest pair of ice skates for a fun-filled holiday activity. Measuring 76.4-feet long, 28.8-feet wide and 48.6-feet tall, Ronald will be inflated with 13,650 cubic feet of helium on Parade day.

SAILOR MICKEY
DISNEY CRUISE LINE
Ahoy matey! Get on board the ultimate family cruise with Sailor Mickey at the helm. Sporting his nautically-inspired red, white and blue sailor gear, Mickey will salute the crowds as he rides down the Parade route. Sailing aboard an anchor that is approximately four times the size of an actual cruise ship anchor, Mickey measures 48.1-feet long, 33.6-feet wide and 60.9-feet tall. Sailor Mickey will be filled with 14,750 cubic feet of helium on his maiden voyage on Thanksgiving Day.

SHREK®
DREAMWORKS ANIMATION
A giant ogre from Far Far Away will be returning to the sky over Manhattan once again this Thanksgiving. The truly larger-than-life Shrek® will take a break from life in his beloved swamp to help welcome in the holiday season. Everything Shrek does is ogre the top and his giant balloon is no exception standing at 44-feet tall, 47-feet long and 39.3-feet wide. Dressed in his signature woodsman outfit complete with oatmeal sweater, plaid pants and brown vest, Shrek will be filled with over 14,130 cubic feet of helium for his third trip through the Big Apple.

SMURF
LAFIG BELGIUM / SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT
The sky will most definitely be blue this Thanksgiving as the giant Smurf balloon returns for another smurferrific holiday trip. The loveable Smurf will wave hello to all his friends as he flies through Manhattan, to the sounds of Happy Thanksmurfday! Measuring 57.6-feet long, 38.7-feet wide and 47-feet tall, the whimsical Smurf is filled with 15,050 cubic feet of helium on Parade day.

SPIDER-MAN®
MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT
Millions of New Yorkers will feel their Spider-senses tingling on Thanksgiving morning when New York’s own neighborhood Super Hero™, Marvel’s Spider-Man®, makes a triumphant return to the skies over Manhattan to ensnare a new generation of fans. After a decade, the legendary crime-fighting web-slinger returns to the Parade line-up in celebration of Marvel’s 70th Anniversary. Spider-Man made his Macy’s Parade debut in 1987, becoming an instant classic. The new, more modern and muscular Spidey is in full crawling mode with one hand set to release his web. On Parade day, the Spider-Man balloon will measure 78-feet long, 37.8-feet wide and 29.1-feet tall and will be filled with 11,800 cubic feet of helium.

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS™
NICKELODEON
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS! On Thanksgiving Day SpongeBob SquarePants™ will take a break from the Krusty Krab and leave Bikini Bottom to soak up the sights, sounds and fun of the Big Apple. Celebrating his 10th Anniversary this year, SpongeBob returns to the Parade for his fifth flight. Macy’s Parade’s first-ever square balloon will absorb more than 16,200 cubic feet of helium to fly down the route. Dressed in his signature white shirt, red tie and brown square pants, SpongeBob stands at 62-feet high, 38-feet wide and 28-feet long. Although it may appear square the SpongeBob SquarePants balloon isn’t square at all, he is actually a single chamber sphere, intricately made square-shaped by more than 600 internal tie-lines.

“SUPERCUTE” HELLO KITTY®
SANRIO®
Returning to the line-up and celebrating her 35th Anniversary this year is Sanrio’s Supercute Hello Kitty. Hello Kitty will take flight dressed in her Supercute superhero outfit, complete with cape and tiara to complement her trademark red bow. Standing at 33.6-feet tall, 34.8-feet wide and 45-feet long, Hello Kitty will soar over the Big Apple bringing smiles to her millions of fans.

The following is a complete list of the supporting cast of Balloonicles, novelty/mid-sized and small balloons:

ARRTIE THE PIRATE
Returning to the line-up is everyone’s favorite one-eyed seafarer – Arrtie the Pirate. A recreation of the classic Pirate balloon of 1947, Arrtie stands at 36-feet tall and is filled with 3,600 cubic feet of helium easily plundered from various tanks. With map in hand, Arrtie is on a search for holiday treasure this Thanksgiving.

BASEBALL
Featuring a signature from R.H. Macy himself, the world’s largest baseball is destined to be hit right out of the park this Thanksgiving. Measuring 12-feet in height, this giant baseball is filled with over 900 cubic feet of helium on Parade day.

BASKETBALL
A brand new Basketball balloon is here to cheer on Macy’s All Stars. At 15-feet in diameter, this Basketball giant will be dribbling down the route filled with 1,766 cubic feet of helium.

BEACH BALL CLUSTER
A bright bouquet of balloons adds color and brings smiles to children everywhere. The Macy’s Parade Balloon Cluster returns to the line up with the biggest, brightest beach balls ever seen in New York. With a height of 25-feet and filled with 2,858 cubic feet of helium, the balloon cluster is sure to be a big holiday treat.

BIG MAN SANTA
UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT
The star of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the big man himself – Santa Claus. To pay tribute to his star status, Macy’s Parade Studio magicians have created a fantastic new balloon depicting the cheery man himself with a rather jolly belly, this time full of helium. Big Man Santa will make his Parade debut before heading south for the winter to star in Macy’s Holiday Parade at Universal Orlando®.

CANDY CANES
Kids will scream in delight wishing they could get their hands on these sweet treats. These 20-foot tall Candy Canes are a holiday favorite on a sky-high sugar rush.

CHLOE THE HOLIDAY CLOWN
A Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade staple, Chloe the Holiday Clown returns for another trip down New York City. At 28.5-feet tall and 18-feet wide, Chloe is filled with 2,242 cubic feet of helium.

ENERGIZER BUNNY®
ENERGIZER®
America’s favorite battery-powered pink bunny returns to the Parade this year to drum up some more holiday spirit. The Energizer Bunny® balloonicle is unstoppable, taking another super cool trip down the Parade route, wearing his favorite sunglasses and 45 EEE sized flip-flops. Marching to the beat of his own drum, he’ll be the king of stocking stuffers this holiday season. With all the power that the Energizer Bunny brings to the party fun, the holiday season will keep going long after he crosses the finish line.

FRIEDA THE DACHSHUND
It’s a dog’s life for Frieda the Dachshund as she returns for another year of playing fetch along the route. At 21-feet tall and 53-feet-long, Frieda may just be the world’s largest dachshund.

GEOMETRIC BALLOONS
Icosahedrons rule! For the mathematically challenged, each of the two brand new Geometric balloons are a 20 sided polygon made up of equilateral triangles. These icosahedrons measure 16-feet in height and will be filled with 1,700 cubic feet of helium.

HAROLD THE FIREMAN
Who better to salute the city’s bravest, the men and women of the New York Fire Department, and lead the Fire Brigade Clowns down the route than that lovable character Harold the Fireman! Originally seen in the Parade of 1948, Harold is a recreation of the original balloon. At a height of 32-feet, New Yorkers can rest assured that he will keep a watchful eye over the city. Harold is supported in the air by 2,800 cubic feet of helium, which makes blowing out fires a breeze.

KIT, CHARLIE & C.J. ELF
The Gnome Balloons from the 1940s and early ‘50s have been recreated and are now Parade standards. Kit, Charlie & C.J. Elf are back for another Thanksgiving Day jaunt. At 34-feet high, 18.5-feet wide, and filled with 2,100 cubic feet of helium, these novelty balloons give a new meaning to the word “elf.”

MACY’S STARS
Macy’s is the star of the Parade as its signature five-pointed star flies high in a variety of colors and configurations. Celebrating the famed red star that guided R.H. Macy to shore during his days as a seaman, the Macy’s star still shines today.

MACY’S ORNAMENT BALLOONS
Macy’s knows how to accessorize the holidays! From Poinsettias, Pumpkins and Snow Crystals to the Stars & Stripes, Macy’s ornament balloons add a splendid touch to the holiday palette.

PLANET EARTH
At 14-feet wide, Macy’s Planet Earth recreation is not nearly as big as the original, but still as breathtaking.

STRAWBERRY/PISTACHIO ICE CREAM CONE
Looking very delicious, the Strawberry/Pistachio Ice cream cone balloon stands 30-feet tall, top to cone tip and is a scrumptious treat for the sweet toothed crowds.

Source and Photo: Macy’s

Enjoy!

If you place an order for virtual office service online via our secure order form, please note that orders completed on a Holiday will be reviewed the following business day.

Make sure to check out our specials page for November’s NYC virtual office promotion.

With regards,
The Team at VH International Business Solutions, Inc.

Please contact us with any questions:
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VH International Business Solutions, Inc.
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This year, Santa is bringing kiddo books!  In celebration of the winter holidays, I’ve compiled two lists for you: one of the books that have gotten top reviews on the blog and the other of online storefronts that benefit veg-related charities.

Vegbooks Favorite Reads

1. Busy Kitties by John Schindel and Sean Franzen – ages 0-3
2. Who Is the Beast? by Keith Baker – ages 0-8
3. Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss – ages 3-8
4. Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey – ages 3-8
5. The Lady and Spider by Faith McNulty and Bob Marstall – ages 4-8*
6. All In A Day by Cynthia Rylant and Nikki McClure – ages 4-8
7. The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake – ages 8-12

* This book is out of print; look for secondhand copies.

Fabulous Book Storefronts That Support Charity

1. Shop at Farm Sanctuary
2. Natural Resources Defense Council: Shop for Books
3. ASPCA Bookstore
4. Humane Society Press
5. Vegan Action

Guy in hoodie to two guys carrying 24 pack of beer (after entering elevator with friends): You guys just curling up together with a movie tonight and drinking some beers?

Guy #1 carrying beer: No….

Guy in hoodie: Horton Hears a Who maybe?

Guy #2 carrying beer: No… (elevator stops and they get off)

Guy in hoodie (to friends): It’s always good to be polite to people with booze.

Lucky elevator

Overheard by horton

from April 21, 2008

“M. Blog went to see Horton Hears a Who?” you may be wondering. “Why didn’t he see The Forbidden Kingdom with Jet Li and Jackie Chan? That’s the film he really wanted to see.” Well, there’s a good story behind that. Too bad you won’t get it. You’re stuck with this review instead. Let’s just say that he  is a sweet guy and leave it at that.

Horton Hears a Who is an animated film (we used to call them cartoons back in the day) based on a children’s book by Dr, Seuss. Every kid for decades has grown up with Dr. Seuss- The Cat in the Hat, If I ran the Zoo, Green Eggs and Ham, Green Eggs and Ham Part Two: Sam Gets Botulism. Dr. Seuss must have been on some serious drugs. I take my hat off to him. As a writer who stubbornly insists on writing sober, I can only marvel at how he must have churned that stuff out as high as he must have been- talking cats, flying fish, the Grinch, and sexy little Cindy-Lou Who. Trust me- if Seuss wasn’t high as a flying tomato at the beach no way would he thought of anything more interesting than Timmy and Jane Get Syphilis. And trust me, venereal disease makes for a lousy children’s book.

I also have a great volume of wartime Dr. Seuss political cartoons. Entitled Dr. Seuss Goes to War, it reprints all of his WWII anti Japanese and German propaganda. Not only is this true, I used three of them in lessons at work. At any rate, none of his racism enters the acid trip he called Horton Hears a Who.

Horton is an elephant voiced by Jim Carrey. At one time Carrey was a major star in his own right. Now he’s a cartoon elephant. His last film was, I think, a bomb, and his previous film was, I think, I don’t know. It was forgettable.  Horton is a juvenile pink elephant, meaning that he is simply a figment of some young alcoholic’s imagination. As was Dumbo. Anyway, Horton one day is splashing around in a river in the jungle. Where is this jungle? I don’t know. This jungle contains elephants monkeys and kangaroos, so this jungle obviously only exists in Dr. Seuss’ trippy brain.

At any rate, there’s Horton, splishing and splashing away, playing with his trunk (this was a little risqué for a kids film) and just generally goofing around when a speck floats by. This wasn’t any ol’ speck, this was the speck with Whoville on it.

I have a problem. I am a big fan of the Grinch. And this could not possibly be the same Whoville that he stole Christmas from. Yet the Whores (what, you prefer Whovians? Whovillians, Whoites?) look like the ones from the Grinch and the town looks just the same. So is the Grinch microscopic? Is Whoville just bad luck? So right away I am angry at the lack of continuity. Being a Doctor Who fan, however, I’m used to that sort of thing. For example, the very second episode establishes the Daleks as coming from the far future, but their very next appearance contradicts that. And don’t get me started on Douglas Adams and his Hitchhikers “trilogy.”

So Horton’s enormous ears pick up the Whores cries for help and saves them from drowning in the river by sucking up all the water. The very same water he was bathing and possibly pleasuring himself in. Yuck.

The Mayor of Whoville is played by Steve Carell, best known as the anchor of a fake newscast. Perfect for a politician. Anyway, Mayor Who has 97 kids. For real. He has 96 daughters and a son. Easily, Mayor Who is the biggest sex machine to star in a cartoon since Marilyn Chambers starred in A Very Special Smurfs Christmas.

The problem, from the Whores point of view, is that unless their speck finds a soft place to land, like Marilyn chamber’s bosom, the speck will be blown by the wind forever, and the whole town will go all topsy-turvy and no Who will ever get a normal night’s sleep or digest a meal again without severe nausea. Plus the town will probably eventually get crushed and all will die.

So Horton, like the genial buffoon he is, decides to take the speck to the top of a high mountain where it will be safe. Sort of like when Frodo decided to take the One Ring to the top of Mount Doom, except that Frodo wanted to destroy the ring and clumsy Horton will probably unintentionally destroy the speck. Wait- my comparison gets better, because Carol Burnett and Will Arnett show up, acting as Saruman and Sauron, maybe not respectively, depending on which one was Christopher Lee with the fake nose and which one lived on Z’ha’Dum. Honestly, it doesn’t matter, and I’m sure that the Lord of the Rings and Doctor Who references have grown a bit thin. Plus the one Babylon 5 reference I just sneaked in.

Carol Burnett played an evil kangaroo and what is a kangaroo doing in the jungle? I don’t know. But remember when, at the end of every Carol Burnett Show, she’d tug her ear? The big sly in joke here is that, as a kangaroo, she has huge ears. Obviously, she tugged them so much they just grew and grew. She doesn’t like Horton because- and hold on to your seat, this is revolutionary for a kids story- he’s different. Yep. That’s it. Just because Horton is pink and gay Carol Burnett wants to take away his right to pleasure himself in a public river. And she wants to take the speck away too, for no real reason other then SHE’S EVIL.

Will Arnett plays Vlad, an evil buzzard. If you don’t know Will Arnett shame on you. He was Gob (pronounced Job) in the brilliant FOX show Arrested Development. Now I know that “brilliant” and “FOX show” rarely got together, but do yourself a favor and get these DVDs.

Honestly, there’s little plot for me to make fun of. The Mayor of Whoville comedicly and broadly panics, Horton acts goofy, Carol Burnett hams it up, and Will Arnett does a funny voice. Then the Mayor’s gothic son (for real) turns out to have a social conscience and not really be totally depressed like most Goths, and Horton runs from the buzzard and gets to the top of the mountain. There’s a message about how everyone is equal no matter how small (or big or stupid) you are, and then it’s over.

The animation is great, the voices are solid, and despite the fact that I’m about thirty years past the target audience I liked this. Of course there was no Jackie Chan and the only nudity I saw was animated gopher butt, but I guess that’s true of most kids films.

Please read this post to get the background on The Project

See The Project for Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14

Here’s what we ready today with the running total: (R = repeat)

58. Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss

We’re really becoming Dr. Seuss fans. I love what he teaches, like “a persons a person no matter how small.”

59. Days With Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel

The kids really like these stories because they are simple and funny. They also teach good principles about friendship, happiness, enjoying life.

1. The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
Explore the fascinating comic book world of The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, an incredible indoor thrill ride that mixes live action, 3-D special effects and state-of-the-art ride vehicles that throw you right into the heart of the action!

2. Incredible Hulk Coaster
This high-speed roller coaster soars from zero to 40 miles per hour in two seconds, and reaches a height of 150 feet and top speeds of 67 miles per hour.

3. Dueling Dragons
Experience the world’s first inverted, dueling roller coasters, Fire Dragon and Ice Dragon, which are intertwined and soar 125 feet in the air and reach speeds of 55 miles per hour.

4. Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges
A thrilling raft ride that will guarantee to get you totally soaked, Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges winds its way around Me Ship, The Olive, twisting and turning through the rapids.

5. Jurassic Park River Adventure
Journey through a world of animatronic dinosaur habitats full of brachiosaurs, stegosaurs and hadrosaurs, and then plunge 85 feet into darkness as you try to escape a hungry T-Rex aboard the Jurassic Park River Adventure!

6. Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls
Plummet 75 feet down Ripsaw Falls at Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls, an amazing water flume ride that will get you totally soaked.

7. The Cat in the Hat
Climb aboard a spinning couch as you take a fun-filled journey through the pages of this classic childhood storybook.

8. Doctor Doom’s Fearfall
A “free-fall” thrill ride, Doctor Doom’s Fearfall rockets you 150 feet up in the air and then hurls you back down to Earth just as fast as you went up!

9. Jurassic Park Discovery Center
The interactive Jurassic Park Discovery Center boasts hands-on exhibits, fun-filled games, animated displays and more as visitors delve into the fascinating world of dinosaurs and Earth’s prehistoric era.

10. Caro-Seuss-El
A whimsical carousel ride, Caro-Seuss-El features all of your favorite animals from such classic Dr. Seuss stories as If I Ran the Zoo, Horton Hears a Who and many more.

Westgate Resorts offers spacious, comfortable and affordable accommodations that provide convenient access to Universal’s Island of Adventures. For more information about Westgate Resorts, visit www.westgatedestinations.com.

“This looks kinda… precarious. Well nothing to worry, obviously when they build a bridge like this they take into account that elephants will be crossing here.” -Horton Hears a Who! (movie, 2008)

Two years ago, we’d have never dreamed we would be where we are today with Thing One. At the time, the plan was still homeschooling. We had no map of the roads Thing One would lead us down, and there was so much fog that we never saw many of the cliffs and rocks along the way. Many days, surviving that day and using what worked for as long as it would work was key. Anything else – to be cliche for a moment – was a bridge we would cross when we came to it.

We realized a little over a year ago that Thing One needed more than we could give him, so he was evaluated and sent to the early childhood school nearby. With just what they saw in him and what we saw in him, and no official diagnosis, his teachers and counselors made miracles happen in Thing One’s development. The bridge was a tough bridge to cross, but about half way through the school year, we were happy we crossed it, as hard as it was to pretty much give up on our dream of homeschooling, and also confirming what we knew. Something was different for Thing One.

Entering kindergarten has been a rickety bridge this year. We are now about 1/4th of the way across the kindergarten bridge. We had our parent teacher conferences today. Of course we heard things we were glad to hear, and things we had prayed we wouldn’t hear. Don’t look down! Don’t look down! Don’t look down! Essentially, look ahead and don’t give up! We have some things to work on. Thing One likes to do his own thing, which doesn’t mesh with those teachers, you know.  So we’re looking ahead to some more evaluations, questions, and tests to see what else we can do for Thing One.

I’m so glad that our school has plenty of supports under what feels like a very rickety and old bridge. Maybe it just looks old and rickety because we’re not the only ones to cross it. Maybe it looks that way because it is well worn. I’m just glad we seem to have a cheering section waiting for us at the end!

All in all… It seems as if someone took into account that Thing One would be crossing it this year, and we are very grateful! If only poor Horton had found the same support!

I’ve recently re-watched Horton Hears a Who, one of my favourite animations. Not only does it capture the artwork in Dr. Seuss’ books but it also happens to contain some of the best dialogue around faith and evidence, or faith and experience.

If you haven’t seen it I highly recommend it. You can also read a summary about the book on Wikipedia, but the more relevant article is the one about the film in another entry on Wikipedia. I’m quoting from two conversations in the movie:

Horton: I know I heard you say something. I just know it. Where are you?

Kangaroo: Horton! There is nothing on that speck!

Horton: But I heard.

Kangaroo: Did you? Really? Oh my.

Well, then how come I don’t hear anything? If you can’t see, hear or feel something it doesn’t exist. And believing in tiny imaginary people is just not something we do, or tolerate, here in the Jungle of Nool.

Horton: Really? Cause I bet if I tried I could find somebody who’ll believe me.

Kangaroo: You will do nothing of the sort! You will not breathe a word of this lie to anyone else … especially the children. I do not want you poisoning their minds with this nonsense. Our community has standards, Horton. If you want to remain a part of it I recommend you follow them.

Later in the film the Mayor of Whoville has a parallel conversation with the Chairman of the Board:

Mayor Ned: Horton believes me.

Chairman: Who’s Horton?

Mayor Ned: Horton is a giant elephant in the sky. Don’t bother looking he’s invisible. And he’s the one risking his life to get Whoville, which by the way is a speck on a clover, to safety.

I love the way that faith and experience are brought together in the movie, with two parallels:

Horton and the Kangaroo – where Horton has an experience and therefore believes that Who’s and Whoville exists, even though there is no effect on the observable world around him. The Kangaroo hasn’t, on the other, doesn’t believe in either and has had no experience of a Who or Whoville. How they live in relation to their belief is really worth chewing through, raising some serious questions about militant and fundamentalist atheism.

The Mayor of Whoville and the Chairman – where the Mayor hears Horton, who enlightens him regarding observable changes in his world, while the Chairman does not, and, despite observable changes in the world, continues pushing an ‘all is ok, the Mayor is an idiot’ agenda. The difference between the Mayor and the Chairman is interesting as the defining line is not so much the observable world around them but rather the Mayor’s openness to reality versus the Chairman’s denials.

—-

* I grabbed the image off a Google Search, it saved me having to screenshot it.

"head 1," 2009; acrylic, ink on paper; 4.5x6 inches

A brand new drawing listed in my Etsy shop, and I like it because I can’t quite figure out where it emerged from my subconscious. Is it a lost Who from Who-ville? Is it the ghost of Shari Lewis’ puppet, Lambchop? Is it what I imagine exists underneath those mascot costumes?

If it’s the latter, that would explain why I always back way the hell off when I see one of those huge-headed, ultra-happy costumed beasts heading my way.

“Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter.

Looking at its sad appearance who would think that

those stiff branches, those jagged twigs

would turn green again and blossom

and bear fruit next spring;

but we hope they will,

we know they will.”

                        -Goethe

This quote was recited on National Public Radio this morning during “The Writer’s Almanac”. It touched me in a way my own thoughts and words cannot.

It reminds me that we each have such a great capacity for beauty, grace and love. I used to think that if our lives resembled trees, family and children would be one of the branches. Now I know, that for me, it is the trunk, the root. The green core of my center.

I think I will go to the sea this weekend and throw in a stone in to the water. I will make a wish, and part of that wish will be reserved for YOU  (yes YOU, reading this!). If all of our wishes were cast out onto the sea at the same time, imagine how the current would change, the waves would crest and the weather would beckon different tidings.

What could it hurt? I think of the childhood story, “Horton Hears a Who,” when all the Whos shouted “We are here! We are here!” and a large, courageous roar was heard from the strata of a dustball. What if we all made a wish, for ourselves, for the other women and men experiencing this baby-making journey, for all the babies lost and found. What if we ALL did this, just put love and hope and healing power out there? Do you think we would FEEL IT?

I do.

It’s Goethe’s birthday  today. He was a famous German writer and philosopher who seemed to have changed the world in his time. Born in 1749, he lived for 83 years. What do you suppose Goethe would think, if he knew his quotes were translated to English in a COUNTRY that did not exist for most of his younger life, recited over the RADIO, pulled from the INTERNET and re-presented on a BLOG about IVF ?

Oh, the power of words….and progress!

What would my day have been like if I had not awoken to reading this quote from the Writer’s Almanac on my Blackberry this morning? The sun casting long shadows into our small bedroom. My body aching for a sign. Just something to hold on to today as we form the next steps of our journey and prepare for the emotional load.

I feel like I can hear my grandmother’s voice telling me to “breathe”, and reassuring me that all I need can be found inside myself, if I dig for it and believe in it. It will happen…Whatever that path or journey, wisdom and experience are to be found with each change of direction….

I don’t know what’s next for us. IVF again, a break, Donor eggs, Adoption? Each path offers it’s own bliss and shortfalls. What I can do TODAY however, is try my damnest to treasure these moments in between. The sun on my face, the strength in my backbone, a radiant, beating heart.

Wishing you strength, wisdom and JOY!

M

Another poem on the Almanac today:

Not Swans

by Susan Ludvigson

I drive toward distant clouds and my mother’s dying.

The quickened sky is mercury, it slithers

across the horizon. Against that liquid silence,

a V of birds crosses-sudden and silver.

They tilt, becoming white light as they turn, glitter

like shooting stars arcing slow motion out of the abyss,

not falling.

          Now they look like chips of flint,

the arrow broken.

          I think, This isn’t myth-

they are not signs, not souls.

                                        Reaching blue

again, they’re ordinary ducks or maybe

Canada geese. Veering away they shoot

into the west, too far for my eyes, aching

as they do.

      Never mind what I said

before. Those birds took my breath. I knew what it meant.

“Not Swans” by Susan Ludvigson, from Sweet Confluence: New and Selected Poems. © Louisiana State University Press, 2000

FIND IT HERE: The Writer’s Almanac http://www.elabs7.com/functions/message_view.html?mid=837262&mlid=499&siteid=20130&uid=6959020fe3

La Blue Sky è uno studio d’animazione in computer grafica fondata nel febbraio del 1987 da un gruppo di artisti provenienti dalla Disney. Fu acquisita nel 1997 dalla 20th Century Fox. A lei si devono veri e propri gioielli…

2004: Robots di Chris Wedge e Carlos Saldhana

Benché la stampa italiana non sia stata concorde nel giudicarlo, il secondo lavoro dei creatori de L’era glaciale è un capolavoro di fantasia e di tecnica prodigiosa.
Visivamente una delle cose più belle che il grande schermo ci abbia mostrato, ma anche un contenuto intelligente e piacevole al contempo, imperniato sulle contraddizioni della nostra società dove il consumo e il danaro la fanno da padroni (alcuni hanno visto nel film una metafora di ciò che è diventata Hollywood: il regno di esperti di marketing che col cinema non sanno bene che farci, e con le idee creative nemmeno).

Innumerevoli le citazioni e gli omaggi, tutti inseriti benissimo e con gusto: da Frank Capra a Stanley Donen, da Michael Jakson a Busby Berkeley, da Terminator a Il Signore degli Anelli, da Metropolis a Cantando sotto la pioggia, da Guerre stellari a Il Mago di Oz…
Impresa ardua rendere espressivi ed accattivanti dei pezzi di acciaio, degli oggetti semoventi di latta e di ferro ma l’operazione è perfettamente riuscita e lo spettatore di qualunque età segue con interesse la vicenda, e con un coinvolgimento raro nei cartoon (“La perdita del lavoro, lo sfruttamento, la dignità dei lavoratori più umili, addirittura l’accettazione del deperimento del proprio corpo, e il culto dell’apparenza e dell’esteriorità, con qualche divertente stoccata alla chirurgia estetica, creano un ampio sovrastrato tematico che rende estremamente piacevole e partecipe la visione anche agli adulti” scrive giustamente Simone Spoladori).

Originalità, leggerezza, ritmo travolgente, battute brillanti e mai banali, gag irresistibili, inventiva visiva visionaria e delirante, immagini smaglianti (“il mondo dei robot è veramente una gioia per gli occhi dello spettatore, azzeccatissimi i suoi colori vivaci e le sue forme bizzarre; Robot City è particolarmente affascinante, con le sue architetture sì slanciate e futuristiche ma allo stesso tempo piene di influenze retrò, che vanno dall’art deco al design anni ‘50…” afferma Michele Serra): innumerevoli i pregi di questo piccolo gioiello (che il doppiaggio italiano purtroppo tende a sminuire non avendo trovato voci che potessero eguagliare Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry, Greg Kinnear, Mel Brooks, Robin Williams…)

p.s. Robots è il primo film di animazione realizzato per essere proiettato nel formato super panoramico IMAX, su schermi alti come un edificio di otto piani e larghi circa 36 metri e il sonoro può contare su un sistema di diffusione di altoparlanti in grado di diffondere una potenza di 12.000 watt (“Filmtv”).

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2006: Ice Age: The Meltdown di Carlos Saldhana

Dopo il successo straordinario di L’era Glaciale, era inevitabile che si arrivasse ad un secondo episodio (più facile e sicuro produrre un numero due piuttosto che rischiare di costruire un film differente: i sequel nelle ultime stagioni non si contano…).
Contravvenendo alle regole, L’era glaciale 2, come sottolineato da molti critici, è all’altezza del primo capitolo, se non addirittura superiore.

Migliora la parte grafica, notevole il progresso dal punto di vista tecnico dell’animazione in 3D (anche perché il primo episodio era un prodotto dal budget basso), eccezionali gli effetti visivi… ma anche la storia narrata è importante. Non solo perfezione estetica ma anche trama ben strutturata, personaggi esattamente delineati, contenuti importanti (la relazione con gli altri, la convivenza, la riscoperta dell’amore, la capacità di osservare il mondo e il desiderio di migliorarlo) conditi con azzeccatissime incalzanti battute e gag esilaranti.

Spiritoso e commovente al contempo, dal ritmo veloce e omaggiante quel genio del musical che fu Busby Berkeley, un film che è da apprezzare per il perfetto equilibrio (tutt’altro che facile) fra le esigenze educative e quelle di intrattenimento e soprattutto per l’amabilità degli innumerevoli personaggi (comici surreali ingenui… accattivanti al massimo): divertimento (non banale) assicurato non solo al pubblico dei bambini.

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2008: Horton hears a Who! di Jimmy Hayward e Steve Martino

Tratto da un racconto del 1954 di Theodor «Dr. Seuss» Geisel, il film in America (ma non solo) è stato giustamente in testa al box office 2008.

Poetico e fiabesco, leggero e al contempo profondo, è un lavoro che non può non entusiasmare il pubblico più giovanile ma ha il merito di contenere messaggi che hanno qualcosa da dire anche agli adulti: l’uomo è una minuscola porzione dell’immenso universo quanto mai fragile, tutti sono importanti anche gli esseri più piccoli, non è vero e reale solo ciò che si vede e si tocca, doveroso il rispetto per tutte le persone e per tutti i mondi (l’autore del racconto scrisse la sua storia “di ritorno da un viaggio nel Giappone del dopoguerra, dopo aver scoperto l’indifferenza del proprio Paese verso il nemico sconfitto”, Marco Giusti).

Il celebrare la fantasia e l’immaginazione contrapposte a regole rigide e conformiste, l’esaltare “l’indipendenza di giudizio, la difesa dei più deboli, la forza delle convinzioni” (Roberto Nepoti), nonché il ritmo e i colori sfavillanti, la grafica massimamente raffinata, l’umorismo intelligente a profusione… fanno di Ortone e il mondo dei Chi uno spettacolo altamente godibile, quanto mai delizioso, consigliabile a tutti.

Il film è uno dei migliori prodotti di animazione tridimensionale confezionati negli ultimi anni ed è stato elogiato da tutta la critica: “Sei piccolo, ma vali. Sei tanto minuscolo che gli altri non ti vedono neppure, ma nulla può mettere in dubbio l’importanza della tua esistenza. In Ortone e il mondo dei Chi, gran bel film d’animazione diretto da Steve Martino e Jimmy Hayward, il messaggio si accompagna a un divertimento da ottovolante” (Il Sole 24 Ore), “…un intero arsenale di prodezze digitali, una gamma cromatica infinita” (Ciak), “Una favola di amore e tolleranza universale con l’ausilio di un’animazione stupefacente” (Cinematografo.it), “Una pellicola per niente banale” (FilmUp), “Un film d’animazione che fa della semplicità e della genuinità i suoi punti di forza” (Cinemovie.it).

In sostituzione di Jim Carrey, Steve Carell e Carol Burnett… ottimo il doppiaggio di Christian De Sica, Paolo Conticini e Veronica Pivetti (…ma il romanesco lo si poteva evitare).

p.s. Riporto quanto scritto da Spaziofilm.it con cui concordo in pieno: “Ortone e il mondo dei Chi, nella sua leggiadra semplicità, può essere letto sotto molteplici punti di vista, perfino politico-sociali, se intendiamo la storia dell’elefante e del Sindachì come il tentativo di due culture lontanissime di stabilire punti di contatto per vivere in armonia reciproca, pur nel rispetto delle proprie specificità. Ne emerge un esplicito messaggio di fratellanza universale, verso un mondo in cui ognuno, a prescindere dalle dimensioni e dall’importanza, possa trovare il proprio posto e far sentire la propria voce”.

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I just watched the film Horton Hears A Who!. It was very philosophically troubling.

No, really.

I never read the book, so this rant will apply to the movie version only. And I’m sure this is one of those times where Your Mileage My Vary, as to how much I should be reading into all this or whether any of it matters. But I’ll summarise the outline of the story in a way that highlights what bugged me about it. This isn’t a review of the film, which I mostly found sweet and adorable and entertaining, but just a discussion of this one point.

(Spoilers abound, obviously, though given that it’s a family-friendly animated film based on a Dr Seuss book there really aren’t many ground-breaking surprises for me to undermine.)

Horton’s an elephant. He becomes aware of an invisible world that nobody else can see, full of hundreds of tiny little people, on a miniscule speck of dust on a small clover flower. He gets chatting to one of these little guys – the Mayor of Who-ville – and realises that he is responsible for their fate. He determines to find somewhere safe and stable to place the speck, so that the inhabitants of Who-ville can live safely.

However, a mean old kangaroo hears about Horton’s fanciful notion of a community of strange little people living on a speck, and is having none of it. She demands that he stop putting such ludicrous notions into the heads of the jungle’s children, and tries to steal and destroy the speck in her efforts to cease this nonsense. She repeats her mantra that “If you can’t see it, or hear it, or feel it, it doesn’t exist”.

As Horton continues on his quest, the kangaroo becomes increasingly furious at his behaviour, and turns the whole rest of the jungle against him, insisting that he must be stopped. They surround and capture him, taking the clover and the speck to be destroyed. They almost succeed, but at the last moment the Whos of Who-ville manage to make enough noise that they can be heard by the rest of the animals (whose ears aren’t as large and sensitive as Horton’s). The speck is saved, and the animals realise that Horton was right all along. Even the kangaroo eventually comes around.

A similar process pans out in Who-ville itself. The mayor tries to convince everyone of the danger their world is in, of which Horton has warned them, but is voted down by the council. Eventually they all hear Horton’s voice, and realise that they should follow the mayor’s advice.

Let’s paraphrase all that in more loaded terminology:

Some guy makes a pretty unlikely claim about something which seems impossible. He can’t offer any proof, but it’s very important to him. He heroically stands up for what he believes (which of course turns out to be entirely correct). He has to fight against others who don’t believe him, and who insist that nothing can exist beyond the directly experienced world. These non-believers seek to oppress him and brutally condemn him for his belief, and blot out the source of any such dissent from accepted materialism. They use fiery rhetoric to incite anger, and refuse to listen to his pleas to be given a chance and his protestations of sanity. But slowly the masses are swayed, and come to realise that his imaginary friend is really real after all.

So, can anyone guess the parallel I’m drawing here?

I know my interests and priorities differ from your average movie-goer, so maybe to most people it wouldn’t seem too heavy-handed, but I’m not the first person to have noticed this. It feels like a parable about those horrid, angry atheists trying to stomp on people’s faith and get rid of God, take the Christ out of Christmas, and so forth. And it grates because it’s such a contrived, unnecessary caricature.

Look, Horton and the mayor are both making some pretty far-out claims. The ridiculous-sounding nature of what they’re saying – about a town on a speck, or an invisible elephant in the sky – is played for laughs more than once, as people chuckle at the lunacy of it all. And frankly, they’re right to. The people refusing to take these outlandish claims absolutely and immediately at face value could be behaving entirely correctly. But no, they all – or at least, the ringleaders – are shown as spiteful, venomous, mocking, and completely intolerant of any ideas that differ from their own.

It’s played as a battle between belief and skepticism, but in a way everyone’s using the same principles of empiricism as each other. Horton knows there’s a town on the speck, because he’s spoken to the mayor who’s told him all about it. None of the others have experienced any of this, and what convinces them of it at the end is not some blind leap of faith, but evidence, in the form of the sound of the Whos finally raising their voices high enough to be heard. So when there was no evidence beyond the testimony of one lone elephant, they had doubts, but once new data arrived, they swung around and amended their preconceptions. So, why do they have to be cast as the baddies for just not being as gullible as would have suited the protagonist?

The kangaroo is a pretty obnoxious example of a straw man. Generally speaking, people who dare to publicly doubt things, and don’t accept the truth of every idea maintained by every individual to whom it personally matters, aren’t out to destroy anybody’s liberties, or to castigate and imprison them for what they think. I know they want to play up the dastardly villainousness of the dastardly villain for dramatic reasons, but it makes the skeptic/believer dichotomy seem incredibly and unfairly one-sided.

So, because I’ve taken such offense to this film, I shall of course be campaigning for its prohibition and destruction, and the prosecution of all those involved in its creation. Because that’s what we atheists are like when someone tries to express ideas that don’t mesh with our own.

(I know the title’s weird, but my pun muscles aren’t feeling well today. They’re both gods, I think, and I’m sorta talking about religion… so… yeah.)

Source: http://www.despicable.me

A new animated feature from Universal, with Steve Carrell, Jason Segal, Will Arnett, Danny McBride, Kristen Wiig and Julie Andrews lending their voice talents. The film is produced by Chris Meledandri, whom is responsible for the first two Ice Age films, and Horton Hears a Who. I couldn’t find an embeddable copy of the trailer, so go here to view it.

I am most excited by the fact that Sergio Pablos is co-directing the film. He is an incredibly talented animator. The following is his pencil test for the character “Dr. Doppler” from Disney’s Treasure Planet.

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

From the moment he first declared, “I am the Lorax… I speak for the trees,” I fell in love with Dr. Seuss’s diminutive environmentalist. Needless to say, I was thrilled to learn that Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment will be creating a 3-D feature film based on the 1971 children’s book, The Lorax. I can’t wait to see the Truffula trees in all of their three-dimensional glory, and I can only imagine how they’ll computer animate the Barbaloots in their Barbaloot suits. It’s scheduled for a March 2012 release, so I guess I’ll have to exercise some patience. Luckily, I learned patience from the Lorax.

This announcement got me thinking about other recent big screen adaptations of Dr. Seuss classics. Back in 2ooo, there was How the Grinch Stole Christmas starring Jim Carrey. Mike Myers took on the title role of The Cat in the Hat in 2003. Last year, Jim Carrey and Steve Carell provided voices for Horton Hears a Who. Which one of these movies is your favorite? Voice your choice in today’s featured poll.

Portada de The Lorax

Universal Pictures anunció que está preparando un nuevo proyecto en CGI para fechas próximas, nuevamente basado en The Lorax, una historia del Dr. Seuss, el famoso autor de libros infantiles. Si bien los trabajos de este escritor ya habían llegado antes a otros medios, su debut en CGI fue con la cinta Horton Hears a Who, que obtuvo una respuesta lo suficientemente buena como para justificar este nuevo proyecto. Hasta ahora, el mismo se encuentra en etapa de planeación, por lo que no se tiene aún una fecha o un posible director, pero se espera poder dar los primeros avances antes del fin de año.

listening to: The Sounds.
an amazing band from Sweden.
man, Sweden keeps producing such amazing people.
well, these guys and ABBA anyways. fear not fellow disco haters, The Sounds sounds nothing like ABBA.

i really don’t want to update but y’know, i have to. i promised myself i would update this regularly because i never update anything regularly. anyways, i haven’t been watching Trek in forever. and i don’t really care. don’t get me wrong, i still love it but i couldn’t get through an episode last time i tried. it’s kind of scary but i’ll get over it. like that 70s show is getting to the part of the show where Eric and Donna almost get married but then Eric bails and blah, blah and then Eric puts off college and the he goes to Africa and…basically, i’m almost to the end and i really dislike the sixth and seventh season. then y’know, Randy comes and it gets a little weird but it’s fine. i like them better as stupid college kids. also, the episodes right after Graduation Laurie changes and some other chick plays her. i HATE the new Laurie but what can you do? anyways i started playing the guitar again. (: so much fun. this week i’m practicing strumming this weird down, don’t hit up, down, up, don’t hit down, up, down, don’t hit up, down rhythm. it’s confusing and my hands refuse to get the hang of it but whatever, i’ll deal. and to finish this post off, i watched Horton Hears a Who. good movie, defiantly deserved 5 stars.

So, I was reading Horton Hears a Who to my children tonight before they went to bed and all manner of parallels between the classic Dr. Suess tale and current events began to jump from the page.
Of course, I left the book in Malcolm’s room so I can’t take it out to make a complete and accurate analogy, but I’ll get back to you when I have the chance.
In the meantime, I suppose you could come up with your own analogies (or would it be allegories).

Thanks to Korean Air Lines, I was able to catch up on a bunch of movies during the 13+ hour flights to Korea and back. So here are some thoughts on them!

27 Dresses. Okay, let’s be honest, I wasn’t expecting too much from this movie…I just love Katherine Heigl! The entire movie was basically laid out before you even pressed play if you saw the trailer. Nothing really interesting went on in the movie, and it was very cliche. Recommended only if you want to watch an okay chick flick without much substance.

Enchanted. I wasn’t expecting too much from this movie either, especially since I heard mixed reviews about it. And…I hated it. I wanted to stop it half way, but I also wanted to give it a fair chance. And I still hated it. I thought the plot was ridiculous, and for some reason I did not like the mixed live actors and animation together…it didn’t work in this movie. And I wanted to punch the main girl. In my opinion, Disney failed, even with McDreamy. Not recommended.

Bella. After watching two pretty crappy movies, I was glad that I finally watched a really really good one. The acting was great, the story was heartwarming, moving, and powerful. Very well done in all aspects. It made me laugh, think and cry! It really is a “must-see.” Definitely highly(!) recommended!

Annapolis. So Jeff and I watched this when stuck in a hotel without internet. And as lovers of “really good bad movies,” we decided to watch it. I think we missed the first few minutes, but the story plot still played out really nicely. It was highly entertaining and definitely made you root for the protagonists. Plus, the cast was made up of a lot of Fast and the Furious alums! Recommended if in a mood for a quality good bad movie!

Definitely, Maybe. Finally, a quality chick flick. Ryan Reynolds and Abigail Breslin made a cute father and daughter duo and there was a good amount of insight into each of the characters. It was definitely an enjoyable romantic comedy, but can you really expect less from the makers of Love Actually? Recommended for a quality chick flick…probably a good date movie.

The Bucket List. I had heard some pretty decent things about this movie, and I wouldn’t say that it fell short…nor did it exceed my expectations. I don’t really have much to say about. It was just a pretty good movie, nothing spectacular. Recommended for a decent feel-good movie.

Vantage Point. This is a movie I was looking to catch on DVD eventually (it didn’t look good enough to watch in theaters), so I was glad I got to catch it for free. And let me tell you, it was highly entertaining and pretty intense. Although it got kind of frustrating to keep going back to the same point in the movie, it was a really interesting way to shoot and present it. And all the pieces came together really nicely to wrap things up. Recommended for a decent action flick.

Penelope. I actually never wanted to see this, but I figured I would keep going on my movie-watching streak on the way back to New York (I eventually watched 6 movies back to back). And to my surprise, it wasn’t bad, actually. It was quite fun to see Reese Witherspoon play a funky sidekick to Christina Ricci also. The plot didn’t get old, but a bit cliche at the end, but remained decent. Recommended for a new take on an old tale.

Horton Hears a Who. Not a bad take on a Dr. Seuss book. The animation was pretty good, as well as the story plot. My favorite has to be the emo son of the Mayor of Whoville. Jim Carrey also scares the crap out of me, so I’m glad everything was just voice, haha. Recommended for Dr. Seuss lovers.

So there are some brief thoughts on the movies I saw. Check some of the better ones out when you can!

Perfect, perfect, perfect!  Green Eggs and Ham en francais! Now we can learn and read real literature at the same time.

“Would you eat them / in a box? / Would you eat them / with a fox?” translates as “Veux-tu les manger / avec un renard? / Veux-tu les manger / dans un placard?”

Beside “Les Oeufs Verts au Jambon,”  “Horton Entend un Zou!” is also available.

From the article Je Ne Les Aimes Pas, Sam-C’est Moi in Paper Cuts at the New Yorker.

I found this on the interesting blog educating alice.

Horton Hears a Who

We’ve just added Horton Hears a Who to our long list of birthday party themes. If you are searching for fun ideas for your next Horton Hears a Who party look no further!

We’ve brought together all of our favorite free ideas for these catagories:

Invitations
Decorations
Activities
Games
Food
Party Favors
Goody / Loot bags

all in the Horton Hears a Who theme.   Fun an unique ideas – we’ve done all the searching for you!

You’ll also find pages of fun birthday party games, activities and more on our site – Birthday Party Ideas 4 Kids.  We are always looking for great ideas for add to the Birthday Party Ideas 4 Kids website.  If you have some ideas that you’ve tested at a Horton hears a Who party let us know and we will include them on the website.