Sunday, February 25, 2007

Favorite five movies quiz

Okay, this is a very simple quiz. If you can only watch five movies for the rest of your life (or you're stuck on a desert island with a dvd player, tv, portable generator and five movies), what are they? And why? They can be from any genre, era or country.


Mine would have to be:
1. 1776 - The perfect musical. It has action (cane fights), drama ("The slavery clause has to go."), comedy ("My name is Richard Henry Lee"), romance (John and Abigail Adams are great as long-distance lovers) and of course, a (slightly-flawed) history lesson, all wrapped into two hours of pure bliss.
2. The Mummy - Brendan Fraser, Oded Fehr and Arnold Vosloo for eye candy; Kevin J. and John Hannah for the comic elements and a LIBRARIAN (Rachel Weisz) as the heroine! Need I really say more?
3. Arsenic and Old Lace - Cary Grant being Cary Grant, with Peter Lorre added to the mix in this classic, oh-so-wonderful black comedy.
4. The Creature From the Black Lagoon - Gillman is my favorite classic movie monster. The giant Gila Monster comes cloes, but Gillman is the best. He's human at the same time he's alien. He's the ultimate what-if.
5. Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home - This was a major toss-up between that and Wrath of Khan, let me tell you! However, in the end, that whales of the non-Moby Dick variety had to win out.

It was actually painful to not be able to put movies like the first three Star Wars, the other Star Treks (minus the first, of course) and practically the bulk of Steven Spielberg's work. However, limiting the list to five meant I had to be ruthless. I'm so sorry to: Steve, Dean and Roland, George, Bud and Lou. There are many more actors and directors to apologize to, but I don't have enough room.

My Mother's a Jinx! (A Grandma Update)

We had a day off. TAFH came in for the weekend and Mom and I jumped ship on Saturday. After much wrangling, we decided to go down to Jim Thorpe for the day, stay overnight, then head back this morning. I think Mom jinxed us.

Grandma hasn't been feeling 100% lately. About a month ago she had a bad bout of constipation. The doctor recommended Magnesium Citrate and the problem was solved. He also added Colace to her pills and the problem has pretty much been in control. About the middle of the week, she told us she was constipated again and we used Correctol, which, according to her, helped. She neglected to tell us it didn't totally clear the problem up, which has been getting worse.

When Mom and I were talking about going places, the wretched woman kept saying she didn't want to be too far away in case Grandma went into the hospital. The jinx! Last night we got a call at the hotel from TAFH asking us what we did the last time Grandma had this problem. We elaborated and it turns out that this time it was much worse than the last. TAFH called the doctor's service and was told to take Grandma to the hospital. All of us decided to hold off on that a bit.

Around four in the morning it got too much for Grandma and TAFH brought her to the hospital. It turns out that she has some obstruction in the upper part of her intestines, too high for an enema to reach. Basically, she's on a liquid diet for a few days and lots of suppositories. The docs think it'll clear up on its own after massive doses of liquids added to her suppository indignity. There might be an infection going on in there, so she is going to be at the hospital at least tonight. There is the chance of her coming home tomorrow, but I somehow doubt she will.

So, Mom is still at the hospital with my eldest aunt. I bailed around 2pm. I was hungry, had laundry to do for work tomorrow, and had no interest in wearing a hairshirt or proving how devoted I am by staying cooped up in a hospital all day and night. My youngest cousin and her mother had no problem leaving after a visit of less than an hour, so I asked them for a ride home. It's not like Grandma even reacted to my leaving at all. She ignored the kiss I gave her and stared right through me when she realized I wasn't my youngest cousin giving her a kiss goodbye. So be it.

It just means that tomorrow, I'll actually be able to take my time coming home. (Borders, baby!) Grandma may or may not be getting out by the time I do. Mom has to work until at least five. My eldest aunt gets out after school around 3pm, but might have to teach CCD. My uncle works until 6pm. I think that, if she gets out tomorrow, my eldest aunt will pick her up. TAFH had to go home to meet some deadlines for a project she's working on and can't afford to miss by getting stuck here by snow. Good for her, even if she actually feels guilty that Grandma ended up in the hospital on her watch.

*snort* Does that mean I have to feel guilty every time something happens to Grandma when I'm home alone? Nope! I think I'll deal with the guilt I actually deserve and no more. Anyway, that's the latest Grandma Update.