Boy, Girl, Boy, Girl

I grew up watching a great many Christmas movies, but White Christmas was never one of them. I could probably recite line for line entire segments of It's a Wonderful Life, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Grinch,...even The Little Match Girl, starring Rudy Huxtable, is burned into my memory. The Ondrey's watch Christmas movies. It's what my people do.

In a gift exchange freshman year of college, I received a DVD of White Christmas after having a friend tell me I had been deprived of holiday cheer throughout my youth having never watched it. Little did she know that I had never even heard of it, let alone watched it. Well, fair readers, Christmas has never been the same since freshman year. If you don't already know, it's super cheesy, at times ridiculous, and a little far-fetched....but I was HOOKED instantly! Watching this film is sort of like when something is in your line of sight that you know you shouldn't look at or know is bad for you to look at, but you look anyway cause you just can't resist. Every year like clockwork it makes its way to my DVD player and I have to push play.

My appreciation for White Christmas grew to even larger proportions when TK's roommate, Josh, and I discovered our mutual love of the movie. We both had the day off on a day leading up to Christmas a few years ago, so we baked cookies, made hot chocolate, and sang along with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and that other chick. In the years since, we've convinced our significant others to join us in our annual foray into the musical wonders of "Snow, Snow, Snow," "The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing," and much, much more.

If you're looking for some laughs or some good old-fashioned fun, get White Christmas this year. When the clerk asks why you'd want to watch an old classic, "just tell them you're doing it for an old pal in the Army." After you watch the movie, you'll know that's a good excuse for anything.

Why So Serious?

Early this morning, 12:02 AM to be exact, we went to see The Dark Knight in all its glory. I'm telling you, go see this movie! The late, great Heath Ledger served up a chilling performance and trumped even the best of Jokers played in the past. Christian Bale, my childhood crush (I still can't believe we never met and fell in love), thrilled the audience as he donned his bat-suit once again. Chicago, our fair city, shined on the silver screen.

Why are you still sitting there?! You should be on your way to the theater!

Sabbatical

Pardon my absence, friends. Since graduation, I've been enjoying some down time...not reading, writing, or really doing much of anything, but I'll end my blogging sabbatical and come back to life here. Some highlights of the last few weeks include, but are not limited to the following:

TK and I went to see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull last week with the Daigles. It was exciting to see Docta Jones back in action (and with the wonderful Cate Blanchett no less)! I was completely satisfied with the acting, script, lack of special effects, and filming. I was not so enamored with the plot device, however, and wonder how other fans felt. I know it was the 50s and all, but (I don't want to give too much away) I really didn't care for the ending. I mean, come on. Even the Nazis melting and having their evil souls taken away from them in the Last Crusade was more believable than what we were forced to experience with numero cuatro.

It wasn't really even much of a nail-biter, but Big Brown easily won the Preakness...onto the Belmont Stakes for the Triple Crown on June 7th! Mark your calendars.

My cousin Beth got married over Memorial Day Weekend to a lovely gentleman named Mike. The wedding was followed by a picnic reception held at a park in Syracuse, NY. A cover band played throughout the reception until my Uncle Paul, Beth's dad, and his band "Johnny Baptist and the Total Immersions" (true story) took over. The newlyweds are back to New York City where they live and work.

My family spent the rest of the weekend in our fair hometown of Jamestown, NY playing and hanging out in my parents' beautiful yard together. There is nothing in life I really enjoy much more than being with my mom, dad, sisters, brothers, and my man, and this weekend spent together in Jamestown couldn't have been better.

It's beginning to look a lot like summer and I, for one, can't wait!

Securing Her Throne

I've been pretty busy these days, but not too busy to go see Elizabeth: The Golden Age, sequel to the ever-inspiring Elizabeth. Not surprisingly, Cate Blanchett shines like the jewel she is, playing 16th Century England's Protestant Queen once again. If you don't get chills while watching this movie, you're not paying attention. This time around, the costumes, music, and scenery were even better and the stakes (an impending invasion by the Catholic Spanish Armada) were higher. Just look at how cool she is!

All Hail Ms. Hepburn!

Katharine Hepburn is my absolute favorite actress. A rebel in so many ways, she was a feisty, upper-class lady who lived on the edge and didn't let society to dictate who she was or how she should behave. She had an attitude. Say what you want about her, but she was original and intriguing... and one can't hold their tongue when they have as many interesting things to say as she did.


I have loved her for quiet some time, but just finished her autobiography titled, Me: Stories of My Life. It is written in such a way that you can just hear her talking in the background, with her Bryn Mawr accent and her non-stop chatter. She's a riot in so many of her movies and consistently portrays an independent sort of woman with class, dignity, and humor...and looks good doing it.

You should read it if you have the chance...but only after getting to know her a little bit in the following movies, my favorites so far. The ones with the asterisk are the BEST and you must watch them!

Bringing Up Baby, The Philadelphia Story*,
Woman of the Year, Adam's Rib,
The African Queen, Desk Set*