Although I love a good book, I really enjoy a good movie as well. But because I refuse to pay $9 to see a movie in a theater, I opt for renting or buying the movie instead. I am a big advocate of buying previewed movies. Maybe that's the green in me. I rarely ever buy a new movie unless it is on sale. Of the 200+ movies my family owns, maybe 20 of them were bought "brand new".
As I acquire "newer" movies, I donate the ones I am tired of or didn't really like to my local library. The librarian there loves me, she looks forward to my bag of goodies every three months or so. Not only am I recycling my recycled movies to the library for others to enjoy but it's a great tax write off as well. I have noticed that since I started donating my movies, others followed suit. It's nice to start a recycling trend.
Another way I recycle my movies is to give my kids "outgrown movies" to younger kids. I happen to have three young nieces that live near me so I give them a lot of the "outgrown movies". It's nice to know that the movies are being used over and over again. And for any of you out there with children you know what I mean, kids can watch a movie over and over again without skipping a beat.
If you are wondering how much I spend on a movie, I buy my previewed copies for about $3 to $4 a movie. As for renting I have a Blockbuster online account were I get 2 movies a week sent to me. I also get in store exchanges as well, that way I can see a new movie on the first day it releases. And don't forget your local library, plenty of oldies but goodies to view for free. You can't beat that price.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Face Book & Finding Friends
I have been on Face Book for over 3 years now. When I was invited to join by a friend, I thought why not. I wasn't a fan of My Space, a bit to adolescent for me. Anyway the first year on Face Book I only had 25 friends. Apparently it wasn't that popular three years ago. The next year I was up to 50 friends, of the 50 only 40 were actual people I knew. Three years later I have over 500 friends. Face book is amazing. I have found old childhood friends, former classmates, coworkers and bosses. I even found ex-boyfriends. The amazing thing is that almost everyone is Face Booking now.
The other day on FB I found a very dear friend of mine I had lost touch with. It had been over 18 years since I last heard from her. I had been looking for her for years, the one mutual friend we had, had no idea where she was. So you can imagine how excited I was to finally find her on FB. Once she confirmed it was me, she called me from the United Kingdom, where she now lives. We talked for hours, it melted all the those years away.
We talked about marriage, divorce, children, our jobs, lost loves, you name we talked about it. It was so nice catching up on our lives. All the while my kids were trying to get my attention. I just kept moving from room to room to find a quite place to keep talking. It worked because we were on the phone for a couple of hours.
Anyway, FB is amazing. If you aren't on it you don't know what you are missing. Try it you just might like it. You'll never know who you'll find.
The other day on FB I found a very dear friend of mine I had lost touch with. It had been over 18 years since I last heard from her. I had been looking for her for years, the one mutual friend we had, had no idea where she was. So you can imagine how excited I was to finally find her on FB. Once she confirmed it was me, she called me from the United Kingdom, where she now lives. We talked for hours, it melted all the those years away.
We talked about marriage, divorce, children, our jobs, lost loves, you name we talked about it. It was so nice catching up on our lives. All the while my kids were trying to get my attention. I just kept moving from room to room to find a quite place to keep talking. It worked because we were on the phone for a couple of hours.
Anyway, FB is amazing. If you aren't on it you don't know what you are missing. Try it you just might like it. You'll never know who you'll find.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Nasty Neighbors
I have lived in the same house for over 8 years. In those 8 years I have never had a problem with my neighbors. In fact, I considered them very good friends. Although when I first moved in, the woman next door wasn't very friendly. It took a good four years before she really warmed up to me. I guess I ignored the signs at first. I didn't want to believe that I lived next to someone who was prejudice. But after last night, what wasn't clear before became so vivid. After 8 years of dealing with this woman, she finally showed her true colors.
I have done favors for this women over the past 8 years and even invited her over for every major holiday. I tolerated her gossip about other neighbors, which I now regret. Most of her gossip was about the other "white" families, so I didn't think she was prejudice just noisy. She really didn't bother me, in fact she was generous to me. She gave me things that she bought and later decided she didn't want. She is a bit of a shopaholic. I would ask her why she didn't return it back to the store, she would say that it was embarrassing. So I ended up with brand new clothes and shoes every season.
Everything seemed all right until another woman moved in two doors down from us. As usual I was the first to welcome her and invited her to my home. Although I had nothing in common with this woman, I befriended her and introduced her to the other neighbors. I invited her to every cook out or party I had. I even had her over for all the holidays since she told me she was alone.
Ironically, my next door neighbors didn't seem to like her at first. But when the Hispanic family moved in, all heck broke loose. The first thing out of the single woman's mouth was "I wish the Black family who looked at the house moved in because at least they speak English." My neighbor of 8 years said "There goes the neighborhood, I guess it's time to move."
I tried to ignore these comments, I chalked it up to their ignorance. But last night was the straw that broke the camels back. Since the weather was warm all the children on the block were playing outside. There are about 10 kids on the block, 2 Caucasian, 4 Hispanics, and 4 African Americans. They all get along and don't have issues about race or ethnicity.
All 10 children were playing from one end of the block to the other. Their favorite past time is tag and hide and go seek. As the children were running up and down the block, the two women were sitting on the porch yelling at them. Saying things like "you dirty children get away from my property" and "look at those muddy children". As if that wasn't bad enough, they threatened to call the police on them.
Why would two old women in their 60's be bothering children? I don't know. The kids have played up and down on the block for years. In fact last summer, the women who didn't associated with each other sat on their own porches and minded the children. Sometimes giving them treats or just talking to them. What changed???
Last summer there were 2 bi racial children, 2 Caucasian and 4 African Americans. Could it be that the addition of 4 Hispanic children upset their balance? The 2 bi racial children moved out and 2 Hispanic children moved in. The other 2 Hispanic children have lived here for 8 years but were just recently allowed to play with the other children. My home has always been the "hang out house". All children are welcome and I am the one parent who keeps an eye on them at all times.
Now being of African descent, I wonder what they really think of me and my cjildren. I guess you never really now someone until they show their true colors. I think the reason they are friends now reminds me of the old saying about "birds of a feather flock together".
I have done favors for this women over the past 8 years and even invited her over for every major holiday. I tolerated her gossip about other neighbors, which I now regret. Most of her gossip was about the other "white" families, so I didn't think she was prejudice just noisy. She really didn't bother me, in fact she was generous to me. She gave me things that she bought and later decided she didn't want. She is a bit of a shopaholic. I would ask her why she didn't return it back to the store, she would say that it was embarrassing. So I ended up with brand new clothes and shoes every season.
Everything seemed all right until another woman moved in two doors down from us. As usual I was the first to welcome her and invited her to my home. Although I had nothing in common with this woman, I befriended her and introduced her to the other neighbors. I invited her to every cook out or party I had. I even had her over for all the holidays since she told me she was alone.
Ironically, my next door neighbors didn't seem to like her at first. But when the Hispanic family moved in, all heck broke loose. The first thing out of the single woman's mouth was "I wish the Black family who looked at the house moved in because at least they speak English." My neighbor of 8 years said "There goes the neighborhood, I guess it's time to move."
I tried to ignore these comments, I chalked it up to their ignorance. But last night was the straw that broke the camels back. Since the weather was warm all the children on the block were playing outside. There are about 10 kids on the block, 2 Caucasian, 4 Hispanics, and 4 African Americans. They all get along and don't have issues about race or ethnicity.
All 10 children were playing from one end of the block to the other. Their favorite past time is tag and hide and go seek. As the children were running up and down the block, the two women were sitting on the porch yelling at them. Saying things like "you dirty children get away from my property" and "look at those muddy children". As if that wasn't bad enough, they threatened to call the police on them.
Why would two old women in their 60's be bothering children? I don't know. The kids have played up and down on the block for years. In fact last summer, the women who didn't associated with each other sat on their own porches and minded the children. Sometimes giving them treats or just talking to them. What changed???
Last summer there were 2 bi racial children, 2 Caucasian and 4 African Americans. Could it be that the addition of 4 Hispanic children upset their balance? The 2 bi racial children moved out and 2 Hispanic children moved in. The other 2 Hispanic children have lived here for 8 years but were just recently allowed to play with the other children. My home has always been the "hang out house". All children are welcome and I am the one parent who keeps an eye on them at all times.
Now being of African descent, I wonder what they really think of me and my cjildren. I guess you never really now someone until they show their true colors. I think the reason they are friends now reminds me of the old saying about "birds of a feather flock together".
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