The Final Countdown

Well, up to this point I've been fairly with my adventures into the world of Instant Netflix, but sadly that has come to an end. And as if seeing my win streak come to an end wasn't bad enough, it had to come at the hands of the worst kind of movie. You know those movies where you keep watching because you think the end might redeem the entire movie... and then it doesn't? That is exactly what kind of movie The Final Countdown was.

Made in 1980 and staring Kirk Douglas and Martin Sheen (those names were the reason I watched the movie), The Final Countdown tells the story of the U.S.S. Nimitz as it time travels back to December 7, 1941. The idea was that with the Nimitz's modern day firepower the would be able to prevent Pearl Harbor from happening again, and the entire movie it seems like it will do just that - which would be kind of bad ass if you ask me. The shoot down a couple Japanese Zeros, take some prisoners, rescue a Senator, and even launch a strike force to intercept the Japanese Zeros as they approach Pearl Harbor.

SPOILER ALERT: This movie isn't worth watching and I'm going to straight up tell you why. Right as the Japanese planes come into sight of the high-powered, loaded for bear American strike force.... the storm that brought the Nimitz to the 40s appears again and the Captain recalls the fighters and they come back to the present. End of story.

I'm not even that upset that they turned back. It's that at the end of the movie, I ended up right where I started having gained absolutely nothing. They have one little attempt at the very end when they bring back a guy the Nimitz left behind on an island and now he's all old and stuff, but it was a weak attempt to save a movie that was past saving.

So for the first time ever, I'm steering you away from an Instant Netflix movie - unless you happen to like wasting 2 hours of your life and getting nothing in return... I knew that it would happen eventually, but with my long string of success, I'm feeling somewhat bitter about the inevitable. In order to make myself feel better I'm immediately going back to Netflix and try and watch something redeeming.

Hope you guys are having a great start to your summer!

Official Rating: 4.5/10 (some props for the beginnings of a cool idea - but then wimping out at the very end)

Trollhunter

Wow! It's been a crazy long time since I've posted to this blog, let alone done a Netflix confession. I figure it's past time and I'm just gonna jump in!

Just look at that film cover! That about explains this movie in a nutshell. Yes, it just so happens to be another foreign language film (apparently I have an obsession with those) and yes, it is yet another lost footage film. It more or less says all of that in the little Netflix bio and because I've been hesitating on this movie for months. Finally I brought myself to sit down and watch it. I took the whole afternoon and turned out the office lights and didn't do anything else.

To be completely honest, I was incredibly surprised by how much I enjoyed the movie. It's the story of a government Troll Hunter who is secretly charged by the TSS (Troll Security Service - Yeah.. it's that intense) to keep all of Norway's trolls under tight wraps from the public eye. Fortunately for a couple of college-aged filmmakers he's getting tired of his secret lifestyle and is searching for a way out, even if it means punishment at the hands of the Norwegian government. Doubly lucky for the filmmakers is the fact that something mysterious has all the trolls stirred up and making trouble!

The thing I liked about this film - and probably why I like a lot of foreign language films - is the fact that I was familiar with absolutely none of the actors in this film. The best thing about not knowing any of the main actors is how you're always surprised at how good the talent is. I love George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Meryl Streep just as much as the next guy, but there is definitely something refreshing about seeing a new face every now and then. And, it goes to show that there is acting talent outside of Hollywood, America - you just have to know where to look for it.

A fairly decent plot line makes up for the lacking special effects that come with a low budget film making Trollhunter a surprisingly good film to watch on a rainy afternoon. It's not incredibly scary, but at the same time isn't something you'd watch with the kiddos. I wouldn't put this at the top of your queue; there are better movies out there. What I would do instead is save it for a day when you've watched the months batch of good new releases when there isn't anything else to watch.

Overall Rating: 7.5

The Happiest of Announcements!

I have always said that I am a simple man, and I know that I am not one for extravagance so I figure I'll just come right out and say it: I am now happily engaged!

Some of you already knew of my plans.  For others this is most likely expected.  But for those who don't know me, or my beautiful bride to be let me fill you in:

I am blessed to have been dating the most wonderful woman in the world for some time now.  We were high school sweethearts - in a roundabout sort of way - and our story is definitely one for Hollywood. (If you ever want to hear the full story let me know and I'll be more than happy to bore you with the details all afternoon.) This week marked our two-year anniversary and luckily it happened to fall on our Spring Break, so Reina and I planned to celebrate by taking our annual trip to Seattle.  Little did she know that I had a few little surprises up my sleeves!

One of the tree-houses. More
pictures to come in their own blog!

I think she likes it (:

First of which, I decided to take her on a visit to the beautiful Treehouse Point in Issaquah.  She's been looking at it for months online and been bugging me to visit so I figured what better time than now?? It was absolutely stunning.  We spent the afternoon touring all the tree-houses, walking around in the forest, and sitting by the river taking tons of pictures.  We could easily see why so many people choose to have their weddings there. The place has an amazingly organic feel to it and happens to be a photographers dream! Without a doubt she wasn't the only one enjoying herself on that visit!

After a quick change, it was off to Anthony's in Olympia for our anniversary dinner. We ordered our drinks, an appetizer and waited at our gorgeous window-side table.  The waiter, a life-saver named Andy, dropped off our order and it was SHOWTIME! Reina says it went smooth, but I felt like a bumbling idiot... I attempted to make a small little speech that turned into a whole lot of "I love you's" and me pulling out the ring box.  I opened the lid and asked her to marry me.  Through a lot of happy tears she said "yes" and after a big hug and the restaurants cheering approval we were engaged!

She said "Yes"!!!!!

Just about that time Andy led our two families into the restaurant and to the table where I had made a second reservation.  I'm not exactly sure which of our mothers was more of a mess but after what seemed like an endless line of handshakes, hugs, and congratulations we found ourselves sitting down to a fantastic dinner as the beginnings of a single family.

I can't begin to explain how elated I am to be engaged to such a wonderful woman, but don't be expecting us to be knocking on the chapel doors tomorrow.  In all likelihood we will be having a rather extended engagement in order to accomplish a few of our life goals prior to saying "I do."  I for one am currently entertaining the idea of studying a broad for a year or so and definitely want to get my degree and have a stable job in order to support a wife.  Reina also is completely focused on getting her undergraduate degree as well as fulfilling her roles and responsibilities as a MAO representative to Miss Yakima County to the best of her abilities. Since the beginning of our relationship our senior year of high school we made promises to ourselves that we would get our educations no matter what, and that Reina would put as much into being an MAO representative as is humanly possible with myself standing right beside her in complete support.

Thank you so much for all of the well wishes we have already received!  The support of our friends and family in this adventure means more to the both of us than we could ever express; but that won't stop of from trying!

And here's for all you ladies out there wanting to see the ring! I think I did pretty darned good, if I do say so myself!

Grocery Lists 101

I feel like there is one more major thing that I need to hit on before I start posting recipes. For those of you looking to really save money in the kitchen... this is where you're going to do it!

Grocery Lists 101

Let me be the first to tell you - from years of personal experience - that not having a grocery list will cost you anywhere between $10-20 A WEEK!  Yes that's right ladies and gentlemen, $10-20 a week.  You may not realize it at the time, but next time you go to the grocery store without a list just count how many things you came home with that you don't really need. Another thing to consider is what you got simple because you "thought you could use it" and three weeks later it's still in the fridge. To help combat that tendency, I've composed a little "How-To" lesson on compiling and implementing a weekly grocery list.

• First and foremost you should create a Weekly Menus. One of the easiest ways to save money is to simply plan ahead.  Whether you list out breakfasts, lunches, and dinners is completely up to you.  Personally, I just plan dinners and make my lunches from leftovers and buy breakfast stuff around once a month.  The reason I recommend only planning one week at a time rather than once a month is simply a practicality answer. The reality is that most things you're going to get at the local grocery store don't have a shelf life longer than a week.  There are a few things that you can plan farther ahead for but knowing what you can and cannot buy in bulk is essential.

Something along these lines would be helpful.  Things like this
can be found all over the internet and printed off for free!

Taken from the Costco website.

• That being said, Costco can be both a money saver and a black hole for money.  The key is figuring out how to utilize buying in bulk to the best of your abilities. Learning what to buy at Costco and what to buy at your local grocery store is going to be one of the single greatest ways to shave money off of your grocery bill. Below is a quick (and by quick I mean long) list of do's and don'ts for buying in bulk:

Do's

1.) Staple Items:  These include things like flour, sugar, most dry baking ingredients, and oils (vegetable oil, EVOO, etc.)

2.) Pastas/Grains: Things like uncooked pasta, rice, and quinoa take an incredibly long time to spoil if stored properly.  The key to storing them correctly means keeping them in airtight and dry containers.  Generally I try and store mine in darker places like a pantry or cupboard, but it's not absolutely necessary.  Things particular items tend to come in varying "bulk" sizes ranging from 2lb - 50lb sacks.  Be practical when considering what size to get.  Consider how much you use a particular item and in what quantities as well as where you'll be able to store it.

3.) Canned Items: In trying to keep with the organic/fair-trade motif, try your best to cut down on canned products as they contain lots and lots of preservatives. That being said, sometimes you just need a canned products so you might as well use those preservatives to your advantage. Most things you can either buy in one or two huge cans or a pack of normal size ones.  Again, consider storage capabilities and usage when buying.

4.) Dry Snack Foods: First thing that comes to mind is Trail Mix. Costco sells 2lb (I think) bags of Kirkland brand trail mix for dirt cheap. The best thing about it is its GREAT trail mix.  Other items like this include: Beef Jerky, Chex-Mix, Nuts, and Dried Fruits.  They're almost always sold in resealable packages that make for extended shelf life.

5.) Meats: I was incredibly hesitant when adding this to the "Do's." My only stipulation is that you can only buy meat in bulk if you have the ability to freeze it.  Places like Costco sell giant bags of chicken breasts (usually already frozen), sausage, and ground beef.  If they're not already; divide them into meal-sized portions, put them in zip-lock baggies and straight into the freezer.  If you don't have good freezer space, save meats for the local grocery store.

Don'ts

1.) Dairy: This, like most of the things on this list is obvious why you shouldn't buy in bulk. Unless you're absolutely crazy about milk and such, save it for the grocery store otherwise your double-pack of milk is going to go sour before you can get to it.  The only exception to this rule is non-soft cheeses. Cheese like cheddar, Swiss, and harder cheese tend to have a longer fridge-life and even if it starts to mold you can simply slice it off and keep on cheese'n!

2.) Produce: Again, it'll spoil before you can get through your jumbo pack of lettuce.

3.) Toilet Paper/Paper Towels: This is simply a matter of storage practicality.  If you have the space to store  the 48 roles of two-ply toilet paper... knock yourself out.

4.) Condiments: Unless you're a ketchup freak, go to the grocery store where you only get one bottle at a time rather than two or three.

5.) Seasonings

• Remember, whenever you're compiling your list or find yourself wandering the grocery aisles there are always a few things to keep in mind.  You must always consider your storage capabilities, the shelf-life of whatever it is your buying, and last but not least; is the item your considering practical and/or necessary?

• Another notable thing would be to keep a running list. There are a few things that will crop up in the middle of the week as you run out.  I highly recommend keeping a magnetic list on your fridge.  As you think of something or use the last of an item be sure to write it on the list immediately.  Speaking from experience again, if you don't do it the minute you run out, more likely than not you will forget it at the store and find yourself scrambling when you need it again next.

I know that this was a rather long and boring post, but I hope that it helps in some little way. I've found repeatedly that lists can and will save you money on a weekly basis. There are a lot of different things that you can do to help save money in the kitchen, but at the base of everything lies a well organized and planned grocery list so.... 

Go ask your mom for one of those awesome magnetic list thingers (because you know she has one!) and get your list started tomorrow!

Until you read again, 

Connor!

A New Look and A New Mission!

Noticed something a little different today? Nope. Not a new haircut! Glasses? No, not that either. Give up? Fine I'll tell you...

We've renovated our blog!!

*sigh* You'll have to forgive me..  I've just spent the last few hours working on this and my brain is now fried extra crispy.  Staring at HTML code and color swatches for time on end will do that to ya I hear.

Anyways, back to the point: Over the past month or so I've noticed a certain trend in my posts. The majority of them have been about or somewhat related to DIY projects and/or saving money. As a result I've decided to refocus my blog in the direction of living a sustainable and ecologically responsible life all while saving YOU money.  Sounds pretty good right?

Admittedly, the things discussed here will be aimed more towards the young adult/college kid demographic simply because of the fact that what I'm writing about tends to resonate a little more within the world of a poor college kid or starting professional - especially in this economy. Also, the whole "sustainable/ecologically friendly" lifestyle tends to hit home more with that group.  That is not to say it is an unrealistic choice for older generations as well. Regardless, if the composting workshops and gardening DIYs aren't hitting home maybe the yummy-licious recipes will!

DIYs, lifestyle choices, and recipes will make up the majority of this blog, but you might just happen to see the occasional social commentary piece as I am an avid people watcher. For those of you who know me or were readers before this particular renovation might be aware that I had a small photography section.  If you are particularly concerned about where that went (as I know you all are.... *awkward silence*) you can find it here; on the Tumblr I have set up specifically to showcase how I see the world "Through My Eyes."

Overall I hope that you find this new look and mission enjoyable and helpful.  If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to drop a line in the comment section below.  Likewise, if you have any requests or questions regarding DIY projects and/or recipes please feel free to do the same.  And remember: Any comment, question, or response to a blog post is greatly appreciated - and that goes for every single blog online - so don't be afraid just to say hello or let me know what you thought.  Whether it be positive or a bit of "constructive criticism," it will be appreciated either way!

So without further ado...

Until you read again,

Connor