On Loneliness: Social Media

I have a love-hate relationship with social media. I suspect that most people feel this way.

On the one hand, social media has been a boon to my existence. It’s brought people back into my life that I thought were lost to me forever. It’s helped me forge friendships with people I’ve never met in real life. It’s also let me stay in contact with all the wonderful people I’ve met these last six or so years, while we’ve been moving frequently. It helps keep me informed of what’s going on in the world. It makes me laugh every day, and sometimes it even helps me feel better when I’m down.

On the other hand, social media has been a bane of my existence. It makes me feel pressured, like I need to prove to everyone how popular I am. Whether I spend too much time on it or no time at all, I feel like the message people are getting is that I don’t have a “real” life. A lot of people (including people I think are awesome when I see them in person) are jerks on social media. It’s usually so full of bad news that it depresses me, or so full of everyone bitching about inane things that it annoys me. It also frequently makes me feel like I’m missing out on something.

I go through periods where I do a lot of “nothing.” I stay home, watch shows and movies, read, write, and play games. I try not to indulge too much in these periods, because I know that I’ll never get to the end of my life and wish that I’d sat around the house more. But sometimes it feels like how I want to spend my time for a few days, and I think that’s okay. I always enjoy myself. I never feel bad about it - until I get online and see all the awesome stuff that everyone else has been doing while I’ve been a boring homebody. Funny how that works, isn’t it?

I don’t blame social media for the bouts of loneliness and inadequacy I sometimes feel. Some of the loneliest periods of my life occurred well before social media ever existed. But I do think that it’s an extension of the human problem in general, and perhaps of America’s problem more specifically. It’s not truly a place to make connections. It’s a forum for us to show everyone how many friends we have, how successful we are, how attractive we are, and how much we’ve been doing. And it’s not easy to resist getting sucked into all of that. 

There’s nothing new under the sun. Everything you’ve ever felt or thought, people before you have felt and thought for thousands of years. That includes loneliness. I think that being a living, thinking, breathing human being is simply, on some level, an isolating experience. No matter how many loved ones you have, or how much you do, at the end of the day, you’re still alone inside your head. No one else can truly meet you in there.

So I don’t think that social media causes loneliness. I think it’s a symptom of a greater problem. It just happens to be a symptom that, on the surface, seems like a bit of a cure. You go online, like and comment on your friends’ stuff, and they like and comment on yours, and for a while, you feel a little bit happier. You feel loved and validated. But then you close your browser and all that goes away. You’re alone inside your head again. So maybe you go online for longer, or more frequently, trying to get that feeling back. It’s almost like a drug. Maybe it is a drug. I sometimes feel like a drug addict with it. “I’ll just post this real quick and not get on it the rest of the day,” I tell myself. “Oh, but now someone has commented on my post. I want to see what they said, perhaps respond to it. Oh, look, that George Takei is so funny!” Ad nauseum. Ugh.

In and of itself, it’s not the problem, but how we interact with it certainly can be. 

The people in my life I feel closest to, besides my husband, are the few people that I exchange physical, hand-written letters with. While all of these people are also friends online, we rarely talk there. I’ve always been best at expressing myself in the written word, a writer through-and-through. I tend to tell people things in my letters that I don’t tell even the friends I see in person. I’m not the type of person who can easily admit out loud that I’m depressed or lonely or scared. It seems like less of a commitment to write those things down, but I’m not capable of expressing them in one or two sentences either.

And perhaps therein lies the crux of the issue with social media. While it scratches an itch, it’s not the right itch. It alleviates the immediate need without addressing what’s both deeper and more important. I think that’s why, nearly every time I log off, I’m left feeling slightly (or sometimes greatly) disappointed. The more time that passes, the more I think that I need to find a way to disconnect from it, although probably not completely. I feel like I’d be happier without it, or at least without it so easily accessible.

I’m not sure what the right answer is for me on this issue. It’s a bit of a catch-22. On a professional level, as a self-publishing author, I see that I’ll need to become more involved with social media. It’s not a matter of what I want, but of what I need to do to succeed. 

Socially, it can depend on one's circle, whether or not social media is necessary. Fortunately, here in California, my friends tend to make plans via email and text, but when I lived in Texas, most invites came via social media. Right now, it's not necessary for me on the personal level, but I think I'll stick with it so long as the positives outweigh the negatives. And when the bad begins to outweigh the good? Well, I suppose I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

A-Z Movies, Q: "Quiz Show"

Recommended by:

Al (friend)

Movie Stats:

Released 1994 (Canada)

American, in English

Director - Robert Redford

Stars - John Turturro, Rob Morrow, Ralph Fiennes

Plot Summary:

Set in late 1950s America and based on a true story. When former contestant Herbie Stempel (Turturro) accuses the producers of the quiz show Twenty-One of match fixing, federal investigator Dick Goodwin (Morrow) becomes involved. Fiennes co-stars as fellow Twenty-One contestant Charles Van Doren.

Warnings:

Blue language.

Bad Stuff:

Didn’t like the cold opening. It was so confusing and I didn’t understand what was going on, especially since I didn’t know any of the characters yet. I’m still not sure what it was about.

I found it painfully long, dry, and boring.

Good Stuff:

Great acting. Fiennes was, as always, a joy to watch, a true master of his craft. I also really enjoyed Christopher McDonald as show host Jack Barry. Even Morrow was pretty good. I liked his accent.

The costuming is very good.

I enjoyed the exploration of the camaraderie that built up between Goodwin and Van Doren. I thought it was really interesting and complex. I liked that, as much as Goodwin came to like and admire Van Doren, he remained skeptical of him and wasn’t taken in. It was nice to see a shrewd character (although he turned out to be naive in other ways).

The Verdict:

I’ve heard so many good things about this film. It’s one of those that people really seem to love. And here I am, scratching my head, wondering why. I thought it was a total snooze. Part of me wonders if the nostalgia factor is in play, like with Forrest Gump; the Baby Boomers loved it because it reminds them of their childhoods. As for me, I’ll take a great, big pass on ever watching it again. I could barely sit through it once. I honestly just did not find it that interesting at all. I think it would have been better if it had been a little shorter. It was definitely way too drawn out. 

I give it 2.75 stars.

A-Z Movies, P: "Pan's Labyrinth"

Recommended by:

Emily (friend)

Movie Stats:

Released 2006 (France)

Spanish, Mexican, and American, in Spanish (English subtitles available)

Director - Guillermo del Toro

Stars - Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez, Maribel Verdu, and Doug Jones

Plot Summary:

Set in Spain during 1944, when young Ofelia (Baquero), along with her pregnant mother, goes to live with her stepfather Vidal (Lopez), a brutal Spanish army captain, she escapes into a mysterious and creepy world of fantasy. Verdu co-stars as Mercedes, the family housekeeper, and Jones as the titular faun (in Spanish the title reads “The Faun’s Labyrinth”).

Warnings:

Very graphic violence, including against children; minor blue language.

Bad Stuff:

My only major nitpick is that I felt that Vidal jumped to the correct conclusion far too quickly based on little evidence most of the time. Perhaps I’m just too used to movie characters being really stupid because the plot calls for it, but in this case it sort of felt like he was too smart because the plot called for it. He also borders on mustache-twirling levels of evil, almost-but-not-quite a caricature.

Good Stuff:

Almost too many to list. The acting is consistently great from everyone. Loved the strong female characters, especially Mercedes. I adored sweet, innocent, creative little Ofelia. Eight years on, the special effects still look pretty great. It’s creepy in all the right ways. Visually, it’s stunning. The story is engrossing, both the fantasy piece and the real-world piece. Each scene, the tone was exactly right; I felt grossed out when I was supposed to, scared when it was appropriate, creeped out and tense most of the film. Can I also say how much I loved that Ofelia’s fantasy world, while it promised rich rewards, was tinged with a certain level of the grotesque, scary, and bizarre, because that’s what her real life was like? It was magnificently well done.

The Verdict:

I loved this movie. It’s beautiful and touching and inventive. It’s also gut-wrenching and kicks you in the teeth at the end. Consider yourself forewarned, but watch it anyway (perhaps with a hankie on-hand if you’re a big sap like me). I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. 

I give the movie 4.75 stars.

Up with Geography: Bangladesh

Country Name:
Bangladesh

Capital:
Dhaka

Continent:
Asia

Maps:

Map of the Asian continent. Bangladesh outlined in bold,
shaded, and with an arrow pointing to it.

A close-up of Bangladesh & its neighbors.

Neighbors:

India, Myanmar

Water Border:

Bay of Bengal

Total Area: (added March 2015)
56,977 square miles

Five Largest Cities:

Dhaka, Chittagong, Narayanganj, Khulna, Rajshahi

Famous Geographical Point:

Chittagong Hill Tracts

Famous Person:

Al Mahmud, writer

Book Set In/About:

Dead Reckoning: Memories of the 1971 Bangladesh War by Sarmila Bose

A historical account (not a memoir) of the 1971 war between India and Pakistan over an area then called East Pakistan, which eventually became the independent nation of Bangladesh.

Movie Set In/About:

"The Clay Bird (Matir Moina)" (2002), directed by Tareque Masud

A coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of the same war mentioned above.

Headline of the Day:
"After Oil Spill in Bangladesh's Unique Mangrove Forest, Fears About Rare Animals" in National Geographic.

(The above story is soooo depressing.)

AIIW: Knights of Badassdom

Movie Stats:

Released 2013 (Israel)

American, in English

Director - Joe Lynch

Stars - Ryan Kwanten, Peter Dinklage, Steve Zahn, Jimmi Simpson, Summer Glau

Plot Summary:

Friends Joe (Kwanten), Hung (Dinklage), Eric (Zahn), Ronnie (Simpson) and Gwen (Glau) accidentally summon a rampaging succubus while at a weekend Live Action Role Play event in the woods.

Warnings:

Blue language, extreme violence, heavily implied sexy times, and drug use.

Bad Stuff:

It’s a tad boring.

There are only two female characters, Gwen and Beth (Margarita Levieva), and neither of them is particularly well developed. Who is Gwen? The only thing you learn about her is that she’s there to chaperone her cousin Gunther (Brett Gipson), who takes the whole thing far too seriously. I wanted to know more about her.

[SPOILER]

I guess this is a spoiler because it mentions the fate of this character. Speaking of Gunther, I didn’t understand him at all. Gwen says that he’s “always” in character (I guess that’s why he needs a chaperone since he’s apparently mentally ill) but a follow-up card at the end of the film says that after fighting a real-life demon, Gunther now thinks he’s always in-game. Didn’t he already? It didn’t make sense.

[SPOILER]

Good Stuff:

I liked that it didn’t always do the expected thing, especially in terms of who lived and who died. It gave me a sense of anticipation.

There are some very funny moments.

A lot of times, a character like Ronnie will quickly descend into caricature territory: the villainous, power-hungry nerd (see: Ken Jeong’s character in “Role Models”). Ronnie had more nuance than that, which I really enjoyed. I suppose it helps that I’m a big fan of Jimmi Simpson.

The Verdict:

We all know that this isn’t the kind of movie you go into with high expectations. You don’t watch movies like this for depth or meaning. You watch them to enjoy yourself. In that sense, this movie is immensely entertaining. It feels like one of those films that a bunch of friends got together and made. They looked like they had a blast doing it. Whenever I see a movie like that, I tend to enjoy it more.

You’ll probably get more out of it if you’ve either played D&D and/or are a LARPer or know people who LARP. It was certainly funny to me for those reasons because of how close to the truth it strays. During the big battle scene, I said to my husband, “This is basically every LARPer’s wet dream.” He agreed. 

I give the movie 3 stars.

Toys My Dog Destroys: Blue Pig

I gave Blue Pig to Major on November 9. Look how happy he is to be of service:

 Major got pretty much all of the stuffing and the squeaker out on November 19:

After that, Blue Pig was kind of hard to play with. Since he was basically flat and empty, he wasn’t conducive to throwing. I’d try to toss him and he’d go maybe a foot or so. Therefore, Major quickly lost interest in him. I threw him away on December 12, but I only kept him around that long because I didn’t have any back-up toys (fail, I know).

Look at this small hole Major made that he somehow pulled all the stuffing through:

I bought Blue Pig from a major pet store retailer for $2.50. He lasted approximately one month.

A-Z Movies, O: "On the Beach"

Recommended by:

Fark (online community)

Movie Stats:

Released 1959 (simultaneously in Australia, Sweden, USA, and W. Germany)

American, in English

Director – Stanley Kramer

Stars – Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, Anthony Perkins

Plot Summary:

Set in 1964 after all-out nuclear war has destroyed the northern hemisphere. When an American submarine lands in Melbourne, they find that Australia is still going on business-as-usual, although nuclear fallout is heading their way and they only have about five months to live. American commander Dwight Towers (Peck) meets local Moira Davidson (Gardner), who begins to fall for him, despite the fact that he’s still mourning the loss of his wife and children. Astaire co-stars as Julian Osborne, a scientist assigned to join the Americans on a reconnaissance mission; Perkins co-stars as Peter Holmes, an Australian naval lieutenant assigned to do the same thing.

Warnings:

None.

Bad stuff:

Australian characters speaking without Australian accents. It drove me nuts.

There’s some stuff that’s supposed to be dramatic & poignant that just made me laugh, especially because the music was so incredibly overblown.

There’s not a lot of action. It’s more of a thinking-man's (or woman’s) movie.

Good Stuff:

The acting is superb. I thought everyone was great, very believable. I would point out who was the highlight, but they were all so good that I can’t pick just one. Everyone seems to have a scene where they truly shine.

This is the most realistic end-of-the-world movie I’ve ever seen. My problem with a lot of these movies is that they show people completely descending into chaos, like we all turn into mindless beasts when faced with the prospect of our own deaths. The truth is that disaster research shows that this is not the case. When faced with life-or-death situations, most of us resort to the roles that we play in regular life, because they’re so ingrained in our systems. That’s why I liked the reactions in this movie. I think it’s how people would truly behave.

The Verdict:

I saw this movie on a list of the best end-of-the-world movies, and several posters on Fark affirmed that it not only belonged on the list, but that it was one of the best movies they’d ever seen period. That intrigued me, so I had to watch it.

I really liked it a lot. It was both believable and relatable. Even though there isn’t a lot of action, it still held my interest. It’s definitely not a movie you want to watch if you’re already feeling depressed, or if you’re not in the mood to be brought “down” or contemplate your own mortality. This is a movie that makes you think. It’s maudlin. There are no happy endings here.

That having been said, it’s a great movie. I highly recommend it. You don’t often get to see such a great ensemble cast with such consistently good performances. Grab your hankie and give it a chance. 

I give the movie 4.25 stars.

A-Z Movies, N: "Notorious"

Recommended by:

Roger Ebert (movie critic), on his Top 10 list

Movie Stats:

Released 1946 (USA)

American, in English (some non-translated French)

Director - Alfred Hitchcock

Stars - Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains

Plot Summary:

After her father is sentenced as a traitor, Alicia Huberman (Bergman) is asked to spy on a group of Nazi sympathizers in Brazil by seducing Alexander Sebastian (Rains), a man who once had a thing for her. Grant co-stars as Alicia’s actual love interest, D.R. Devlin.

Warnings:

Minor violence.

Bad Stuff:

To quote my husband, “It felt like it was building and building but then nothing really happened.” To me, it never felt tense or suspenseful or creepy, which are typically the best things about a Hitchcock film. Frankly, I was bored throughout.

I really hated Grant’s character. There’s something about watching a grown man act like a petulant, self-righteous thirteen-year-old that irritates me to no end.

The special effects are dreadful, even for a 1940s film.

Good Stuff:

Bergman was amazing. She impressed the heck out of me. Her opening scene, where she’s drunk at a party, is probably the only time I’ve ever seen someone accurately portray how drunk people act.

He didn’t have much to do, but when he was given the opportunity to spread his acting wings (like in the final scene), Rains was pretty great.

The Verdict:

I always liked Roger Ebert. He seemed like a nice guy, a real class act. But I have no idea if I generally agreed with him as a movie critic. I haven’t read enough of his reviews to say. Of his Top 10 list, the only other one I’ve seen is “Casablanca,” which I love. As far as this film goes, he and I don’t see eye to eye. I don’t understand why he liked it so much. I thought it was dull, annoying, and, ultimately, pointless (What were Sebastian and his buddies even up to? They never really say, only insinuate). It felt like a waste of a perfectly good plot. 

I give the movie 2.5 stars.

Final Reflections on November 2014

I think November 2014 was the best month I’ve had in a really long time. There’s a lot to be said for achieving the things you’ve been meaning to achieve. I enjoy feeling accomplished. In November I: got the finished manuscript back from my editor; found and began working with a cover artist; and got a part-time job. I’m only working about 6-10 hours per week, but at this point it seems to be more than enough. With work, writing a thousand words per day, doing pretty much all the household chores/errands, and a much improved social life, I’m feeling very busy right now!

In addition to the huge leaps forward with the book, I also had a visit from my brother. That was a lot of fun. I took him to a few places I’d already been. He also helped me explore some more of the city, going places I hadn’t been before: namely Malibu Creek State Park and Catalina Island. I’ve already been back to the park, with friends this past weekend. I’d really like to return to Catalina Island, since we only got to spend an afternoon there. I’ve been floating the idea to my husband that we go for my fortieth birthday next year.

Thanksgiving was a lot of fun. It’s my favorite holiday. I love taking one day a year to stop and reflect on everything I have to be grateful for (although I do try to be grateful every day). I also love good food, conversation, and friends. So it’s the perfect holiday for me. A friend of ours hosted and we really had a splendid time.

In December I’m looking forward to a weekend trip to Austin to celebrate my friends’ wedding. I’m also looking forward to publishing my book (hopefully releasing it by the end of the year!) and attending holiday parties. It will be a nice cap to a year that has, like usual, been full of lots of ups and downs (although mostly up I’d say). 

November was a nice month, full of so many great things: family, friends, work, writing, accomplishments, and the rain that LA has so desperately needed all year. If you’re stopping by to read, why don’t you tell me what made your November special?

A-Z Movies, M: "The Motorcycle Diaries"

Recommended by:

Katherine (friend)

Movie Stats:

Released 2004 (USA)

Eight different countries, in Spanish with subtitles (some native languages, both translated and not)

Director - Walter Salles

Stars - Gael Garcia Bernal, Rodrigo De la Serna

Plot Summary:

An adaptation of the book of the same name, it tells the true story of two friends, Ernesto “Che” Guevara (Bernal) and Alberto Granado (De la Serna), who took a motorcycle trip across South America together.

Warnings:

Lots of blue language; implied sexy times.

Bad Stuff:

It’s pretty boring and slow. I spent the whole movie thinking to myself, “I bet the book is way better.”

I was congratulating the movie for subtly showing how transformative the trip was for Guevara and then it had to go and ruin it at the end by having him make a big speech about how transformative it was.

Good Stuff:

The cinematography is amazing.

I liked watching both young men grow up during the course of the trip. In the beginning, they’re boys, immature and naive. By the end, they’re men with a new sense of purpose and gravitas. It was sweet.

Bernal turned in a particularly fine performance. Watching his face as he cared for people who were sick (Guevara was a medical student one month shy of graduating when he went on the trip), I got pulled into the moment. I truly believed that he cared for those people. You can see the whole weight of everything Guevara has discovered come crashing down on him just by watching Bernal’s facial expressions.

The Verdict:

I would really like to say that I loved this movie but it wouldn’t be the truth. I didn’t hate it either, not by any stretch of the imagination, but something about it just didn’t speak to me. It didn’t quite connect. I enjoyed learning more about Che Guevara. To me, he’s one of those radicals that college kids latch onto because he espoused ideals that seem really romantic and righteous when you’re 18-22. I never knew much about him. I had no idea that he’d ever been a doctor, or that he became radicalized when his eyes were opened to the plight of the native peoples of South America. So the history was good, as was the acting and the scenery. And yet, I can’t imagine ever watching it again. I think it falls in the category of “watch (or read the book) once just so you understand that piece of human history a little better." 

I give it 3.5 stars.

Up with Geography: Bahrain

Country Name:
Bahrain

Capital:
Manama

Continent:
None; it's an island chain. It's very close to the continent of Asia.

Maps:

Continent of Asia. You can see how close Bahrain
is to it.

A close-up of Bahrain.

Neighbors:

The closest neighbors are Saudi Arabia, to the west, and Qatar, to the southeast.

Water Borders:

Gulf of Bahrain, Persian Gulf

Total Area: (added March 2015)
295 square miles

Five Largest Cities:

Manama, Riffa, Muharraq, Hamad Town, A'ali

Famous Geographical Point:

Jabal ad Dukhan (Mountain of Smoke)

Famous Person:

Mahmood Al-Yousif, aka "The Blogfather," writer

Book Set In/About:

Looking for Dilmun by Geoffrey Bibby

One man's archeological quest to find the lost kingdom of Dilmun, which once covered much of the Arabian gulf.

Movie Set In/About:

"Absence (Ghyab)" (2008), directed by Mohammed BuAli

This short explores the topic of loneliness in modern society. Note: it was very difficult to find a movie either set in or about Bahrain, so I chose a movie made by a Bahraini director.

Headline of the Day:

"Bahrain Police 'Raid Home of Top Shia Cleric'" in Aljazeera. 

A-Z Movies, L: "Lost in Yonkers"

Recommended by:

Ken (brother)

Movie Stats:

Released 1993 (USA)

American, in English (some very minor non-translated German)

Director - Martha Coolidge

Stars - Richard Dreyfuss, Mercedes Ruehl, Irene Worth

Plot Summary:

Set in 1942. When their father needs to travel in order to make money, brothers Jay (Brad Stoll) and Arty (Mike Damus) are left in the care of their mean tyrant of a grandmother (Worth) in Yonkers. Ruehl co-stars as the boys’ childlike Aunt Bella and Dreyfuss as their thieving mobster of an uncle, Louie.

Warnings:

Minor blue language and very minor violence.

Bad Stuff:

The beginning of the movie was difficult to get through. I didn’t understand what was happening and Bella was acting like a nut job for no reason and it was very frustrating. Until the situation was clarified, it truly tested my patience.

I didn’t really like the ending either. It felt abrupt.

The whole thing was a bit of a hot mess. In the beginning, it seemed to be about Jay and Arty. In the middle, Louie seemed to be the star of the show. By the end, it seemed that Bella’s story was the point. So what was the point? I think the honest answer is “shrug.”

Good Stuff:

Dreyfuss was a hoot. The movie shone whenever he was onscreen.

I sort of loved the evil German grandmother. She was a bit stereotypical but sometimes you just have to enjoy a character that’s an unrepentant jerk. I liked that she was never truly redeemed. It felt honest.

It was pretty funny in parts.

The Verdict:

It took a while, but this movie really grew on me. If I’d given up on it in the first half hour, I would be writing a very different review. But I stuck it out because I had to and I ended up enjoying it for the most part. It has a certain charm. The characters are all very likable (yes, even the mean grandma). I found myself rooting for everyone, wanting them to work out their problems, although I wasn’t disappointed when they didn’t because that’s life. Not everyone gets their act together. I don’t think this is a movie for everyone, but I do recommend giving it a shot. 

I give the movie 3.75 stars.

AIIW: Goon

Movie Stats:

Released 2011 (Canada)

Canadian & American, in English

Director - Michael Dowse

Stars - Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, Liev Schreiber

Plot Summary:

A not-so-bright bouncer, Doug (Scott), finds his calling as a hockey enforcer, aka “goon.” Baruchel co-stars as Doug’s BFF Pat and Schreiber as Ross Rhea, an elder statesman “goon” on the verge of retirement.

Warnings:

Lots of blue language, including what felt like a billion f-bombs (IMDB lists the actual number as 263 lol); extreme violence; sexy times; brief female nudity (breasts only); and IMDB tells me some drug use but I don’t really remember it.

Bad Stuff:

I gather that it’s supposed to be funny but I didn’t find it funny at all.

Anyone who knows me in real life can tell you that I’m certainly no prude when it comes to blue language but it really felt over the top here. It actually got kind of annoying.

I really hated the way that every time they mentioned Doug’s brother Ira (David Paetkau), they had to say that he was gay. Every. Single. Time. It was so weird, like they wanted to make up for all the homophobic “jokes” by having a gay character but since you only see him kiss a man once (chastely, I might add), they had to keep talking about how gay he was. It made the movie feel like one of those bigots who insists they can’t be a bigot because they have a “black friend.”

Good Stuff:

I liked the central message that once you find something you’re good at, and which you also enjoy, you should pursue it in spite of objections you might receive from the people you love and/or society.

I really enjoyed the character of Doug. It was refreshing to have a lead who was dumb but likable, and not in the goofy “Dumb and Dumber” way but in a genuinely “not bright” way. I loved that Doug was unfailingly kind, loyal, and genuine.

I liked Scott in this role. I know he often plays dumb, but he also usually plays wild/crazy/wacky on top of dumb and I felt that his performance here was really understated.

The Verdict:

Side note: Do you know how difficult it is to convince your computer that you really are trying to say, “Liev” not “Live”?

This movie has been in my queue for a long time. My husband watched it once while I was away and liked it enough that when my visiting brother chose it to watch on the final night of his stay, hubby sat down and watched it again with us. I have to admit that I don’t really see the appeal. I like “gross out” comedies, toilet humor, and “boy” movies as much as the next person, but this one just didn’t do it for me. The strange thing is that it has this heart-warming quality at its core. I ended up liking Doug, and rooting for him to succeed, which prevented the movie from being completely awful. However, it simply wasn’t funny, and that sunk it. 

I give the movie 2.5 stars.

Toys My Dog Destroys: Little Piggy & Colorful Dragon

A two-for-one post. As you may recall, I kept Little Piggy around long after Major had mostly destroyed her, curious to see if he would go back to playing with her after destroying new toys. I discovered that, like most everyone, my dog pretty much always prefers new toys. It's best that he has only one at a time.

Here is Little Piggy on the day I gave her to Major, June 16:

He tore a hole in her on July 4 & pulled out her squeaker and most of her stuffing:

He managed to finagle some more stuffing out of her on July 12:

Here she is on the day I threw her away, November 9. Like most of his toys, he never managed to get the stuffing out of her head. She cost me $3.00 at a major pet store chain and lasted nearly 5 months, although he really didn't play with her much after July.

Here is Colorful Dragon on the day I gave him to Major, August 20:

He got the squeaker and nearly all the stuffing out on September 5:

Sometime in early November, Major pulled more stuffing out of Colorful Dragon, although I'm not sure where he found it because it wasn't from his head. My husband cleaned up this stuffing before I could take a picture of it.

I threw Colorful Dragon away the same day as Little Piggy, November 9, in order to make way for a new toy.

Major liked Colorful Dragon a lot. He continued to play with him long after the squeaker and stuffing were gone. This toy cost me $2.50 at a major pet store chain and lasted approximately 2.5 months.