Middle-aged Grumblings

When I turned 50 I made the declaration that “now that I am over 50 years old, I never have to be wrong again." In the years moving towards 50, I heard so many people that seemed to believe people younger than them couldn't possibly be doing something right because it was different then they do it. I looked forward two having that superiority.

Okay, that proclamation really was a tongue-in-cheek joke on my part. I personally think people that are that close minded and refuse to continue to grow are both people that should be avoided and pitied. My mom always told me that's the day you stop growing is the day you start dying. But the fun part of the joke is it's a joke that never ends. But sometimes I really have to wonder if complaining about what seems to be change for the sake of change is really a joke.

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My first complaint today, as a 52-year-old woman, is one that I'm a little suspicious might be something that's the fault of someone, or a gang, my age or older. When did it become the custom for hospitals to call patients a couple of days before a surgical procedure and press them for money? This happened with a different hospital and a different procedure a couple weeks ago too. It's something that never happened to me before. In the past, I schedule a procedure, the hospital and my doctors have all of my ID and insurance information, the procedure is done and a few weeks later I received the bill for the portion I owe. Now twice two different hospitals have called me just a couple days before the procedure disguising the call as if it's a courtesy call to be sure you're ready for the upcoming procedure and if you have any questions. Then they tell you that you have a patient responsibility of “X” amount of dollars and can you pay that right now? Wow. It's not enough if I have insurance? Both times I said I'd like to be billed and they said okay and that was really the end of the phone call, leading me to believe that that was the only purpose of the phone call. I haven't been into the emergency room in a while. Do they still treat people in an emergency even without insurance?

I have to be honest, I was both insulted and unsettled by the phone call, especially the one I got today. I'm having a surgical procedure done on Monday and, believe it or not, I’ve made it 52 years having never been under anesthesia. I'm nearing the end of the week where I haven't been able to take vitamins, half of my prescriptions or even drink herbal tea. I'm nervous and frankly, scared. The last thing in the world that I want is for the hospital to be calling me about money days before my surgery. Are they suspicious of something I fear? If I die on the operating table how will they ever get paid?

I don't truly believe that my impending death is the motivation for the phone call. Personally, I’d hate to be the person given a list of phone numbers and money that's not owed yet because services haven't been rendered, and be told that I needed to make phone calls to shake the patients up for their lunch money.

Yeah, it's business, right? It's no different than your favorite baseball player on the home team will probably not finish his career with your team and will probably be playing for someone else's team when he becomes a free agent. If I'm not so important to athletes or teams as a paying fan why should I expect hospitals to give a damn about me as a patient? Surely there are more hospital patients than fans of any particular team which makes us even more expendable.

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My other current social complaint truly is about the whippersnapper generation. I don’t, for the life of me, understand how Dr. Seuss and PG ever end up in the same advertisement. But there's a Grinch movie out this month that's computer-animated and rated PG.

I haven't seen the movie, nor do I have any intention of seeing it. That is actuallyone of the cool things about being 52. I am completely fine with the animated version of the Grinch on TV that's been out every year during the holidays since I was a child. I also don't actually have to see it to criticize it.

A bad guy with a network TV rating 

Oh, but work with me here. Those of you that cyber-know me and especially that know me in person or on the phone, know that I'm not going to criticize something I haven't seen. But what I'm criticizing, what I'm questioning, is what part of a movie that is made to attract young children makes it a PG rather than a G movie?

How is making a Dr. Seuss based movie with a PG rating incredibly different than marketing cigarettes in a way that’s attractive to children? Candy and bubble gum cigarettes don't exist anymore unless you find them in an "Old Timey" Candy store. I used to love the bubble gum cigarettes especially because if you blew on them they puffed smoke like a real cigarette. I think the fact that adults in my world smoked and I wanted to emulate them had a lot more to do with what ultimately made me try cigarette smoking than the fact that I occasionally indulged in the sugary puff. That's especially true since when I was a kid I was more likely to spend 15 cents on a pack of baseball cards or big pickle in a plastic bag with lots of pickle juice.

What did they do to a children's story to earn the PG rating? Does the Grinch say something like"Christmas sucks. I don't care if I'm an ass?" Or does the new version have him deciding to steal Christmas as a result of a drug trip? I just want to know what do you have to do to make a children's story a PG movie? And couldn't that have ended up on the cutting room floor so it's still a family movie that you can take young children to see?

I may be disabled and not working now, but as part of the greater entertainment media field, I'm truly disappointed that my former industry would create this.

Rumor Has It We Won!

Behind Stripes and Spots

Me and Rumor, Toledo area winner 

of the Westminster Dog Show

That's a picture of me, because it's my column, and my pal Rumor. Mommy says it's a picture of alternate fact, whatever. I read a tutorial about making friends with photoshop. I think it's a good first try.

I think Rumor is a great-looking dog and he'd be great to play Domino in the movie! Domino is one of the dogs next door. When Daddy lets me go outside with him and the dogs are out we sniff at each other through the fence. Mommy says "if they get together supervised, they might be friends. If they get together unsupervised, they'd be a Disney movie." I think that would be fun!

Neither one of my friends next door is a German shepherd, but I think one of the dogs should be a big dog for the movie. Rumor would have good star-power for a costar too! I learned a lot about movies after watching Keanu with Mommy and Daddy. Keanu's part was way too small for the star of the movie. The humans who costarred got most of the screen time. I think our movie will be better because dogs are easier to work with than humans. Humans have big egos.

This picture is from the Keanu movie

I'd have to see his current publicity shot to see if he could play me. Some kitten-actors just don't keep "the look." I'm almost 4 and still as adorable as a kitten, so an actor who plays me would still have to have "the look."

Mommy just said something about ego. I already said human egos were bigger than dogs which is why dogs are better to work with. Boy, she reads slow.

So, congratulations to Rumor for being the best dog in the dog show! Now how about being a movie star? I guess I should send Disney an email. I need to tell the dogs next door that we gotta write a script!

Friday Follows

Boy it seemed like a short week this week. I think it’s because lazy weekend was a long one, starting on Thursday with the girls’ graduation and that was in a week already shortened by Memorial Day and with Scotty’s birthday party that was a busy, busy weekend too! I’d like to say that this weekend will be the veg at home and relax weekend, but we have plans that include a concert and a baseball game. It’s not at all the kind of busy it sucks to be!
So let’s get into some Friday fun, shall we?


Five Question Friday





1. Did you do anything special for your kids on the last day of school? Or did you parents do anything special for you? 

Nah. My Mom worked mornings during the school year and the last day of school was usually a half day so we got ready for the summer on that afternoon. We made sure Dave and I had our summer passes for unlimited swimming at the high school, were signed up for vacation Bible School and we all agreed on what our allowance was for crafts and baseball cards. Okay, I’m the one who budgeted every week for baseball cards, but I needed to know what I had to budget. Most of my jewelry and gifts all summer were from Arts and Crafts at the middle school. Southgate was an awesome place for kids in the summer.



2. What's your favorite summer tradition with your children?

My nieces and I used to make picnic lunches and go to the park to picnic and play almost every weekend. Last week they told me they won’t eat chicken salad any other way than the way we always made it.


3. What was your favorite thing to do during the summer as a kid?

See above? Swimming at the high school, arts and crafts at the middle school, Vacation Bile School at the Baptist church and collect baseball cards. I never turned down the chance to go see the Tigers.


4. How old were you when you were married? Were you a Bridezilla?

I was 42. We eloped. The only thing I was even close to bridezilla about was the cake for the reception. I didn’t want a plain sheet cake which is normal for baseball picnic catering.. I wanted a baseball-wedding cake. Haas Bakery in Toledo did a fantastic cake that tasted as good as it looked!

Credits: With a Cherry On Top by Veelana Designs

5. What is your favorite girl name? (I'm needing suggestions.)

When I was in high school and everyone talked about baby names, I chose Miranda Scarlett, a literary name after Miranda from Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Scarlett O’Hara.



Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun






This week’s statements:


1. When I ___ I ____
2. I wish I was ___
3. If the world is my oyster then _________________
4. My favorite meal of the day is __________ and the food I think would be my favorite to eat then would be __________


My Answers

1. When I feel blue I look at my scrapbooks.

2. I wish I was just over half my size!

3. If the world is my oyster then I’m in trouble because I don’t like oysters.

4. My favorite meal of the day is breakfast and the food I think would be my favorite to eat then would be granola, yogurt and a latte. But granola can be very fattening and very addicting. So granola in the house is a once in a while treat. I usually get Caramel Pecan Kellogg’s Fiber Plus with almond milk. YUM!.



Friday Fragments

** I’ve been really appreciating the comments I’ve gotten this week! Thank you all so much! The next fragments will answer a few of the questions I’ve received.

** The Sweetest Thing came out in 2002 and stars Cameron Diaz and Thomas Jane. I confess I rented the movie after falling in movie star crush with Thomas Jane after seeing him in The Punisher, another awesome movie if you like comic book movies. It is a crazy funny movie. If you pick up this one to watch, and you’re not sensitive to sexual jokes, make sure you get the Director’s Cut with “The Penis Song.” I laughed hysterically

** I was so happy to receive some very nice comments to yesterday’s post. Whew! I don’t write political content on my blog often and of course anything negative about religion is touchy. Even more so for me because my religion teaches tolerance of other religions. But I do allow myself that gray area when religion is used for hate, I’m not sure that I recognize it as a religion anymore. It’s just a hot button for me when people are being denied basic rights for no good reason. This country was formed to stop that.

** By the way, in response to the question about my home state. I’m not at all from Washington. I’m in the backwards Midwest in a state that has great theme parks and hate speech written into our state constitution. I support equality even more because I’m ashamed.

** There are four things you can ask me to post a picture of and I’ll, beaming with pride, happily oblige. Those photos are ones of my nieces, my cats, our wedding cake and my trains. Mama Hen left a request to see a couple of trains this week. I’m proud of how my shot composition has improved since my “Railfan Intern” days. David has been a wonderful influence on my photography work!

Amtrak in Tipton, PA, May 18, 2012

CSX train in Deshler, OH, May 20, 2012

Okay, blog defragged for another week. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Did March come in like a lion or was it something less ferocious in your neck of the woods?

Well, we had snow for a couple of days but it melted, just like all winter. We had some nasty wind that along with the snow tamped down the crocus blooms a little, but they are starting to stand back up. I guess I’d say March made no grand entrance, but we’ve had pretty much lion cubs all winter.


2. Speaking of lions, which one's your film favorite...The Cowardly Lion (Wizard of Oz), Mufasa (The Lion King), Elsa (Born Free), or Alex (Madagascar)? You may notice I left Aslan off the list. Including him would have made this question way too easy for many of you.

I’m going to start by clearing up a misconception about me. Many people seem to expect me to know at least something about The Chronicles of Narnia because of the name of my blog. I don’t. I never read the book, never saw the movie. When I read the end of this question and the “Aslan would make it too easy for some,” I had to Google Aslan because I had no idea who Aslan was.

The first Chronicles of Narnia movie came out in 2005 and the pre-release advertising started early and was a regular staple on the TV channels and programs I watched. I had never heard of The Chronicles of Narnia before early 2005, but when I started my first blog in April of that year, I embraced the movie as just for me but misspelled and fixed the spelling to name my blog.

So, having still never read the books or seen any of the movies, I still don’t know who Aslan is. It would have been no different in choosing if Aslan was a choice.


As a favorite, I think the Cowardly Lion because I love the Wizard of Oz. I think the way they mixed black and white and introduced Oz in Technicolor in the movie was brilliant and they truly used the technology of the day to their creative advantage. I know that’s more liking the movie than the character, but the impressive production of the 1939 classic and the great development of all the characters make the Cowardly Lion stick out amongst movie lions to me.




3. What's your favorite spot from which to view the sunrise or sunset?

When I’m traveling on the eastern side of the country, if I’m near a beach, I want to be on that beach before dawn so I can watch the sunrise. There is nothing more inspiring and powerful that watching the birth of a new day rise up from the horizon over an endless body of water. I’ve seen sunset over the Pacific Ocean and Lake Michigan and they are pretty, but not as much an event as sunrise.



4. To what extent is knowledge power and to what extent is truth power? What's the difference?

Truth is unedited knowledge. I think they work in tandem and are personally very powerful. It is the foundation for understanding and peaceful coexistence with others who seek the same.

I don’t think knowledge or truth have any kind of power in the world. It would be a lot more peaceful place if it did.


5. What's something peculiar you've seen recently?

Me? I guess I’m peculiar in that I don’t really find too many things odd, just interesting. I was recently intrigued by seeing a shed with a large Ohio logo, similar to the Bicentennial Barns.



6. Bottled water...your thoughts?

I conserve water at home by filling a half gallon jug while dish water is warming up. I use that water for cooking or making tea and coffee. I have a 32 ounce water bottle I keep with me during the day and fill it a few times from the tap. We have good city water, so I don’t see a need to filter it or buy bottled water for home. Besides, that would take the fluoride out of my everyday drinking water and the Dentist would up my daily required amount of Fluoride Rin$e!

When I travel, it’s a different story. I like the convenience of bottled water and I’ve stayed in some hotels with hard water that tastes so bad a half a bottle of Mio can’t make it drinkable! So, I do drink bottled water when I travel.



7. What's your strongest sense?

My strongest sense is probably my sixth sense. When I “just have a feeling” about something, I’m often right. If we’re talking one of the five senses, probably taste? I think that helps my baking.


8. Insert your own random thought here.

I’ve been watching Degrassi for 10 years and I really think it should be required viewing for parents of teens because the situations are so very real. I’ve talked to teens who love the show because it depicts things that really do go on in high school, although maybe not all of them in one group of kids. But even the teens watching say that everything happening to one cast of characters is what makes it riveting to watch, these are real situations, but they are grateful they really don’t ALL happen to the same people.

I love teenagers; I remember from my own teenage years, that they were some of the best and worst times in my life. I admire them because I remember how hard it was socially to exist in high school. I enjoy the show for its realism and because there has always been a character or two who have aspects of their personality that remind me of myself as a teen.

Last week, they introduced the current class president’s Mom, who has MS. I was kinda surprised at myself about how cool I think that character is. It’s a character my age battling the same disease as me. So I have a character who is more like me now. It’s kinda cool. Of course, I covet her power chair and wheel-chair friendly house and the things that are more readily available to patients in Canada where MS is more common and healthcare is better and more affordable, especially if your house is a TV set and you are a member of the supporting cast, so you don’t have “issues” to be addressed. It still makes me feel good that the reality of MS, and kids living with parents who have MS, is part of the story.

Ah, Summer!

I love these bright sunny days! Yes, as much as I complain about the snow and cold, I revel in the glory of the summer sun! I’m a Leo after all. We lions have an identifying connection with the sun. Okay, but Lions are also cats, which explains why I dislike the humidity. Too wet! I’d still rather sweat than shiver.

I had a great weekend in Indy! David and I went to join my brother and fam to see the last Harry Potter movie. Tori, Rina and I officially saw every one of the Harry Potter movies together in the opening week. I cried at a few points in the movie, during deaths and the mushy parts, but I successfully did not cry after the movie because they were done, like I feared I might. Dave, my brother, replied to my facebook post that I was sad to see it end with a “don’t be sad, it’s a happy thing because you’re visiting us!” I truly appreciate the fact that baby bro was excited to see me, but he’s not seeing it from my perspective. Ten years later, those almost 7-year old girls that Mom and I took to see the first movie are almost adult witches themselves! They’ve grown up right with Harry, Ron and Hermione! The movies being complete means that we won’t be going to another one, a major event is gone and that chapter of their childhoods is closed.

Rina and Tori at breakfast Sunday

Rina and Tori at 7

Okay, truth is, they’ll be off to college by the end of next summer. It would be getting tougher to get all three of us together for opening week of a movie. Good thing Warner Brothers thought about that and planned accordingly!

Thinking ahead, Nanifest XLV starts this Friday! The girls will be in Michigan on their summer Grandparents Tour and Pop is hosting a birthday dinner for me on the mid-festival Saturday, rather than on actual Naniday, to be sure David can go and the girls are going to come back with us for two reasons. First reason is I’ll take them to the meeting point with their Dad Sunday evening and I’ll get to see Dave and Laura during the festival. The #1 and biggest reason is we’ll go to Ya Halla for lunch on Sunday! Ya Halla is our favorite Toledo Middle Eastern restaurant. I don’t go there alone because it’s a little bit of a drive, north side of town and we’re on the south side, and usually if I go to a restaurant alone, it’s something simple. We have a Cracker Barrel right across from the place I go for physical therapy and I have occasionally made it my lunch stop. So, Ya Halla is a “must go” when the girls visit.

Also for the festival, the Toledo Mud Hens are home and once again this year are having fireworks to celebrate Naniday. How can you say “no” when the home team is going to such lengths to celebrate for me? Hey, Naniday is a big enough deal to the Hens that they often have fireworks on my day even if I can’t make it!

K. Now I need to get ready or the rest of today, errands and a few more planning things for the upcoming weeks. Summer is almost half over! School starts up again next month!

--Summer-- Summer--Summer--Summer--Summer—

Beat The Heat

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Charter. All opinions are 100% mine.

With the stifling heat that’s been going on in these and many parts in the US lately, a little bit of indoor recreation is a good idea! Charter has a great way for you to unwind in the comfort of your own home!

Now On Demand TV is not just movies! You can catch up on your favorite shows, pick music video, pinpoint shows for the kids to watch indoors during the hottest parts of the day and of course, there are movies too! When Rina and I were at my Dad’s a couple weeks ago we enjoyed the magic of movies at you fingertips!

My aunt’s grandkids were there, so when we felt like a movie before we left and they went to bed, Pop clicked the “kids” tab. Voila – a list full of movies that were family-friendly, many even ones the adults would enjoy! We picked the Original Herbie movie from the 1960s. That one was a favorite from MY childhood and the under 10 crowd loved it as much as I found I still do!

I checked out Charter’s On Demand home page and found tabbed listings for movies, premium movies, music, kids TV, HD programming and even a tab just for free On Demand choices. You will ‘Like’ their Facebook page as well, social networking brings convenient entertainment to your homepage! An air conditioned evening at home is fun, convenient and not muggy!

So pop a bag of popcorn and relax while Charter entertains you On Demand!

Movie Marketing Jumps the Shark

Open Screen Day at The Chronicles of Nani. My honey requested a photo on my digital camera when I was grocery shopping and a little space for a guest blog spot. I'm only too happy to say, "yes!"

Guest blog written by Nani's wonderful, sexy, loving husband:

Did you have a big party at your house this week because the movie Avatar was released on home video? No? Neither did we. But apparently lots of people were expected to do so, at least by the people at Kroger supermarkets. Not only was the movie itself available for sale at the grocery store, so also were specially decorated cakes and cupcakes, slathered with blue icing and festooned with movie imagery.

Now, I'll admit right up front I'm not a big movie buff. I don't go to the theater very often, and the three DVDs I requested for Christmas were all of films from the 1970s and 1980s. I haven't seen Avatar, and I understand it was a big moneymaker, if for no other reason than way-out-there special effects. And I suppose if you have kids who like to watch the same shows over and over again -- I did see the original Star Wars about five times when I was 11 -- you might be able to justify buying more movies on video than I do, too. But a party at home to watch a movie you just brought home from the supermarket? Really?

This is not completely new territory at Kroger. Every year they have specially decorated foods on display for the Ohio State-Michigan game, and for the Super Bowl. They even had special-color M&Ms for OSU-Michigan a few years ago, but around here that game is BIGGER than the Super Bowl, even when one of the two teams stinks. Guess that's because the Lions and the Browns have never been to the Super Bowl. But I get why they do the special spreads for events like the football games: people really do get together to watch them. So my question returns: Did you have a big party at your house this week because the movie Avatar was released on home video? Do you know anyone who did? Or did most of those blue cupcakes end up at your local homeless shelter by Friday?

Alvin! Alvin!!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Alvin and the Chipmunks. All opinions are 100% mine.

Maybe you remember them from your own younger days. If you have kids you know them! Heck, I have teenage nieces and I hear about them often! I’m talking about the Chipmunks!

Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Squeakquel is available now on DVD, blu-ray and Digital Download. If you buy the double DVD pack, it includes the bonus “Squeak Along” disc. buy it now and you’ll have the fun disk for your summer trips!

No joking at all there. When the girls were littler, I had sing along cassettes when we traveled that kept the “are we there yets” to a minimum. I sent them a text from Florida last week when I was reminded of one of those old songs and at 15 years old I got a text back from Rina with a smiley face and told now I had her singing the song. That’s what a fun movie like the Chipmunks Squeakquel and the bonus Squeak Along disk do. They create great family memories that bring smiles for many years!


As if the fun family movie and bonus disk aren’t enough for you and the kids, there’s More Munk Mayhem! Follow the link to see clips of the movie and other Chipmunks games including the opportunity to Munk Yourself! I make my Nanimunk and listened to The Chipettes do Beyonce! I’m ready to Squeak Along. Come join me!

Demand What You Want When You Want It

With the holidays coming up you have a busy schedule ahead of you, don’t we all? But you also need some relaxing time too. After work, shuttling the kids, holiday shopping and oh yeah, the house needs to be kept up for visitors too, a nice break for family movie night keeps the stress level down and gives a good break.

But think about it, can you really PLAN those breaks? When you get a couple hours for family time, it’s a little too late to order a movie in the mail and even driving out to rent a DVD that may or may not be available is such a hassle. If you’re a Charter Cable household, the movies you want are there all the time and ready for you at your leisure!

There are over 6000 shows and movies that you can order at any time! No car, no waiting on the mail, just select and make the popcorn! See hit movies, TV shows you missed, even those favorite shows the kids love and are impatient to wait to watch at Charter On Demand. Accessing the channel for ordering is free and right there as part of your Charter channel line up! You CAN keep the holiday rush a bit more sane! Click to learn more at charter.net/ondemand

If you want up to the moment information you can get updates and fun extras on Charter’s Facebook page. It’s a fun way to be in the loop!

Take a stress-free break from stress with Charter On Demand!

A Little Pre-Easter This and That

I love THIS!!


But seriously, who eats the tail first?? The rest of the bunny will fall!


You gonna see THAT?




A new old Star Trek. How Captain Kirk became Captain Kirk, meeting Bones, Spock’s decision to leave Vulcan. I think it looks interesting. Going to talk to the Mr. about it. :)





I can’t believe THIS!

I made Middle Eastern dinner for both of us, David too! I made chicken shwarma on hummus, which I figured was the only way he’d try hummus. He said he liked it as a sauce for chicken! He like the seasoned rice too but he wasn’t crazy about he green beans with tomato sauce. I make a modified eggplant preparation with zucchini that I’ll try next. Or maybe he'll try one of the great Lebanese restaurants we have in Toledo!!



I’m glad THAT

There’s no snow in the forecast this weekend! Regular Easter...but I think I’ll kinda miss Frosty Cottontail!

Everyone who is celebrating it this weekend,
Have a Happy Easter!
But do eat the ears on your bunny first!

I’d Rather Hear It From YOU!

I’ve talked to you before about that awesome site where we ignore the professional critics and let the real people do the talking about entertainment. You can read real paying customers giving their take on the films with action, family or Mystery Movie Reviews. If you’ve seen it and have an opinion, good or bad, you can become the critic too!

I went into length about the volumes of reviews for Movies last time I talked about this awesome site. This time, let’s talk music! When I went to the page for music reviews , on the front page was a review for Rissi Palmer. I became familiar with her music through a free download of her single, “Country Girl” via an iTunes download coupon at Starbucks. It was the pick of the day download and I’m so glad I grabbed that card and downloaded the single! It’s fantastic!

Rissi’s reviewer at the customer review site was pleased as well. She’d heard the single, which I just found out reading the review is NOT on any album. It’s only available by download. But the review promises that the album is what I’d expect after hearing the single. I LOVE that. It’s real hype, not paid hype. It’s not someone getting perks or a paycheck from the record company. It’s a real fan with opinions that are not obstructed by who or what she can’t say because that artist records for a different label. She can tell you that if you like Natasha Beddingfied and Carry Underwood, you’ll like Rissi, because she like all three and knows what sound is similar that makes her a fan. It’s a REAL review!

So for the best reviews, the best ways to spend your entertainment time and money, check out this site! You won’t be disappointed! And if you find yourself really up or down on something in the entertainment industry, get on board and share your views! In the long run, artists or fans, it helps everyone!

Everyone's A Critic

This is just a fun site to check out. EverHYPE is a site where real people get to be the resident experts, the critics, for movies, music and games!

It’s simple. You go to the site and select the entertainment you’re interested in. Imagine, get real Movie Reviews from people paying the same ticket prices you do to see them. That’s what I think is great. I don’t want to read reviews from professional movie critics who see the movies for free and look for things to be unimpressed with. I want to read reviews from people like me. There have been a lot of times I have definitely disagreed with the professional critics and when we’re talking a movie, that’s money and increments of my life I can’t reclaim if they are wasted!

My first stop at EverHYPE was the Action Movie Reviews category. I needed to see if anyone had hyped the new Punisher movie. I absolutely love movies made of comic books. Now, I don't read the comic books so much, but the stories in the comics seem to make the best movies! I bought the last Punisher movie, starring Thomas Jane, and I don’t but many movies, so I am naturally a little hesitant to run out and spend my meager earnings on the new one which does NOT include Jane and Frank Castle!

The review I read was favorable, but I take that with a grain of salt since the reviewer was less impressed with Thomas Jane than I was. I think, perhaps in the world of my current personal economy, I may just wait for the DVD release and rent first. But it’s also free to sign up to BE a critic and I know I’ll be at the new Harry Potter movie in 2009! So maybe I’ll spread a little...a little more, of my opinion around cyber-space!

Check out EverHYPE and revel in the glory of your inner critic!