Lake 961 Blog

It’s Friday May 1st! These April showers better bring the most  beautiful May flowers!   I am cooped up at home again this morning. I have had the nastiest cold this week! I am ready to be 100% healthy again. I am whole and complete and see the light at the end of the tunnel . (The light is still a bit hazy but it’s there!)  I don’t get sick often so when I do,(to quote R.E.M) ‘it’s the end of my world as I know it!’   eeeeek!  Thank you Ted for filling in for me this week on the radio!

While I have been getting some R&R–I watched Jim Carrey’s latest movie “Yes Man”— Like any Jim Carrey movie, I was entertained and at some parts a bit disturbed. Below I am going to talk about the movie’s message and what it means for you. (Warning: I am on alot of meds right now so if my words a bit ‘foggy’ –please forgive me)
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The great Abe Lincoln once said, “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Although we cannot “control” events and circumstances around us, we can control our responses to them. This week, choose happiness. And  “be gentle with yourself.” Hope can live on today, tomorrow and next week if you let it.

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher put together the Presidential Pledge video that is inspiring.
What the video and then if your up for it join the pledge…
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO

What’s your pledge?
Mine is to be more loving and BE the difference that raises the bar in people’s consciousness.

To hope-
Katie

Happy Monday-

On top of snowing myself in… I went to a holiday party Saturday night and we played a very fun board game called PARTINI ….

It was a very involved game…lots going on…you never get bored but it’s a lot of work. Even though the holidays are over, I recommend it if your looking for good laughs and some silly entertainment. CONTENT WARNING— (more…)

Movie review: Nights In Rodanthe—

Starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane.

I am a huge Nicholas Sparks fan-I think he has a brilliant mind and the books that turn to movies are on my top favorite list.
I cry myself through The Notebook every time and A Walk To Remember. So you can only imagine my anticipation for the next one. One would say my hopes were very high, but why not, anything Nicholas Sparks turns gold to me.

So I had to go see Nights In Rodanthe opening night.
I expected the theatre to be packed-Showing up minutes late I walk in to the sound of my own breath. I think the debates were more appealing Friday night than a classic love story. The debate was important to me as well, but I needed to get away from it for awhile and Nights In Rodanthe was the perfect excuse to do just that.
Holding true to the books and past adaptations on the big screen-I didnt walk out with a dry eye but I was slightly disappointed. Maybe I set myself up for it but I read the book years ago and I kept getting the story line mixed up with Sparks book “A Bend In The Road”…so personally, for me that was a distraction to try and piece out what i knew and what i forgot.
I was expecting my heart to feel warm and fuzzy. It did everything but that. It was depressing the whole way through. The characters were dark, the environment was eerie-the whole movie scene was  anticipating a hurricane. Maybe its just me but high winds and dark clouds doesn’t make me feel relaxed.
The story lines were sad, a family in a very relate-able crisis-a woman heartbroken and angry trying to make one of the biggest decisions of her life. Then there is a man, who was another relate-able character, spending most of his time and energy at work which led to an estranged relationship with his son. On top of that, Richard Gere’s character lost a woman in a cosmetic surgery procedure leaving her family lost and devistated and wanting to confront Richard Gere’s character.
That is the basic ‘jist’ of the hardships these two people are going through. Relatable–yes. Not your typical mushy gooshy love story.
I would have liked to see the love story part be a bit more intense, a bit more happier moments between the two. It just seemed like the negatives over-ruled the cute love story part to make it just a very sad movie.

I am still sad. I might as well have watched the news.

Sorry if my spelling and punctuation is off…my computer is not agreeing with me today.

If you saw it, your thoughts?
Create a great week!
Katie

Happy Friday-It is a quiet day around here today–office wise. It is refreshing to have one of those days.
I have all this energy awaiting my first niece! My sister’s due date was today, so I barely slept last night. I watched the Jenny McCarthy episode on Warrior Mom’s on Oprah this week right before I went to bed–I DONT RECOMMEND THIS– at first I couldn’t sleep b/c I was so excited. Then, I started thinking about the bad stuff…what if questions can kill ya. I was worried about my sisters health, I was getting a weird feeling in my stomach and thinking I was going to loose my sister after child birth. The reason I was thinking this is because the Oprah episode I just watched had a “Mommy Warrior” on who had a baby, got an infection and lost her arms and legs. I cried…alot.
To top it all off, one of her girls was named Maddie! You guessed it, the same name of my niece.

So my sister called today–she went into the doc. and the doc. said Maddie is not ready to take on this world quite yet so they will induce her on Thursday. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sooo excited but now I still have this strange bad feeling. Why? Any advice on how to make it go away? My-sister is already paranoid as it is, so will never tell her I am feeling this way…but I believe that THOUGHTS BECOME THINGS…so you can only guess what is going on in my head-energy to anxiety. I think I need to coach myself big time right now.
I dont like negative energy period, let alone with something like this…a human life!
My sister and her husband are going to be great parents and they will have a healthy baby girl and move forward. I know i truly believe that —but its like the angel and devil and the devil likes to chat it up on my right side.

‘this too, shall pass’

In the meantime I am going to distract my thoughts by going to see Nights In Rodanthe—a movie based on my favorite author-Nick Sparks! I have been awaiting this release so of course I am going opening night…Be sure to stop back for a full review. I have my hopes REAL high for this movie…so it should be interesting.
Check out more on the movie or watch the trailer here

Create a great weekend!
Katie

It’s Sunday, and what a beautiful September weekend we are having! I enjoyed a glass of wine and some girl talk with a good friend while watching Made Of Honor-My kind of movie.  (I needed some Katie time this weekend) One of the guys in hte movie was Dwayne Wayne from a Different World. He is the same, expect chunkier. Then I found one of the old Dawson Creek characters in the same show! (I always love to spot the old actors)

Since its the weekend let’s keep it light….I always love those “where are they now” websites. I stumbled upon one on aol-See your favorite tv/movie stars that have disappeared…

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE  NOW

Enjoy what is left of the weekend!
Back to cleaning the house for me

Katie

The Reviews are in! I braved the crowds to see the most anticipated movie of the Summer at midnight…

I am no certified critic but I do have a few things to say regarding this movie some are calling a ‘masterpiece’.
NOTE: I will not spoil the movie if you read this review.
First off, do not bring your youngins to see this film. Staying true to any of the Batman movies, it is very DARK and a bit gory..ok since this is my review I am going to say  gory. I closed my eyes…often. (Since I was a child I was afraid of clowns..that might have something to do with it)
Second, if your going for Batman, don’t blink you might miss him. It is more like Joker featuring Batman.
I take a bow for Heath Ledger’s amazing performance. Oscar nod for certain if you ask me.
The vibe in the movie theatre was bizarre. It was like this anticipated ’sadness’ to see Heath’s last appearance on the big screen. Of course all the rumors flying around in the long line awaiting admittance. “I heard he died before filming was over.”  Other whispers of “I heard he got into character so much that he couldn’t sleep because he was having nightmares and then had to take those sleeping pills!”
Lots of different “I heards” and it was… sad.
At midnight I thought I was the oldest person in line for a few minutes and thinking ‘these kids are going to ‘goof off’ the entire movie.
Contrary to my judgments the opening scene started and I don’t think there was a PEEP out of any of the 250 plus people in that theatre. I had to check my boyfriend’s pulse because the guy wouldn’t even blink! That was the whole theatre…simply captivated by this action packed blockbuster.

All and all-I didn’t fall asleep…I couldn’t. ALOT of action and special effects.
The plot moved fast…your trying to keep up with the joker scene by scene. It is filled with suspense, worry, gore,guns, explosions and enough violence provide you with a crazy dream …or two.

Heath Ledger’s performance is worth the 9 bucks and your time on a Friday night.
He raises the bar for future villains! Even if your standing by Jack as the  ’joker’.  Give Heath a chance, he pulls it off.

Here are more reviews from Chicago Trib guy Mike Phillips 

Create a GREAT weekend!
My plan for the weekend is finding the VHS boxes in my garage to find my Batman movie!
My best,
Katie Kruz