Lamest Blog Ever

Ok I think we may win the lamest blog ever award. We haven't blogged in way too long. It is not that we haven't been doing anything. We have had lot of fun things to report trips to St George, dinner with friends in fact several different friends trying to see all the movies nominated for best picture. The Superbowl party were Colt and I frightened the baby (no not ours) with our screams of delight as Pittsburgh became Sixburgh (a reference to the fact that we have 6 Superbowl rings for you non-footballers oh and that is more that anyone other team has)! And we haven't been blogging b/c we haven't had any funny or random thoughts that our blog readers would enjoy. I guess we are just in a blog funk. I know I blog less now that my schedule has changed with my new job. It just seems hard to find the time. I don't know what Colt's excuse is. So rest assured that this will pass and I'm sure one of us will come up with something to share with you all in the near future. That being said keep writing on your blogs I hate it when the blogs I love to read don't write anything for a long time!

Gran Torino

I decided to brush off some of my Pine View High School newspaper skills and write a review of a film we saw last weekend in St George. I am a huge Clint Eastwood fan and so I dragged my wife and mother to see Clint's latest movie Gran Torino.

To fully appreciate Gran Torino one must realize that this may be the third time Clint has saved the western. I know what you are saying, "I thought this was a movie about an old guy not wanting people on his lawn in Michigan." On the surface it is, but deeper this film is really a western set in the current day.

I say that this is the third time we have seen Eastwood revive the western because at its heart Gran Torino is a western. The very name Gran Torino, although referring to a classic car in this case, could easily fall in line with film titles like Rio Bravo. This movie could well have been made as a Sergio Leone western. If you had substituted the Hmong gang for a pack of Mexican Bandits or renegade Apaches, made Walt Kowalski (Eastwood's character) a civil war veteran haunted by his past and having a hard time adapting to the current world he now lives in the story line would make an excellent cowboy movie.

In the 1970’s when the western was lagging in popularity, it was Eastwood who rode to the rescue wi th the film The Outlaw Josie Wales. In the early 90’s when critics had declared the western dead Clint gave us Unforgiven. Recently Brokeback Mountain accomplished what no film had done before. It reshaped what an audience sees when they look at a cinematic cowboy. It deconstructed our classic idea of film cowboys that in large part was shaped by actors and directors like Eastwood.

Gran Torino reminds me of westerns and revives the Hollywood tough guy. Eastwood's Walt Kowalski is Bill Munny (Unforgiven) or Josey Wales (The Outlaw Josey Wales). He is a character pushed beyond his limits in a world he no longer knows. He may not be likable or do the right thing, but he will destory those who cross him or someone he cares about. Justice will be served. Gran Torino reminds us of those western movie heroes.

GO STEELERS!!!!!!!!!

WOOHOO WE ARE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was thinking it was time for another ring 5 just isn't enough! It's funny I grew up in Pittsburgh but didn't get into the Steelers spirit until I married a Bears fan from Utah. Now I get really excited and I am working on my trash talk. I think trash talking may be my favorite part about being a football fan and rooting for the Steelers makes it easy. When you root for the best team you always have something to say! GO STEELERS!!!!

A Suprise Christmas Guest

I am really sleepy so I don't want to write too much or it won't make sense when I go back to read it tomorrow. I just wanted to give our Christmas a little shout out, because it was amazing. This is due to my mother in law and husband. When we found out on Christmas eve that my little bro, Scott, was going to be all alone for Christmas Jodie immediately went on the computer and bought him a flight to get here in time for dinner! Then she went with Colt and they ran to the store on Christmas eve to buy stuff for him to open the next day. He was so surprised and excited to be invited to come and then to have a nice pile of gifts waiting for him Christmas morning and Christmas jammies that evening.

I was not able to go on the shopping trip for Scott because I was preparing my family's traditional Swedish Christmas eve dinner. My family has really extensive Christmas eve traditions. This was my first time preparing the meal all by myself. I am so in awe of my Mom that she does this every year! All of the food turned out good. I do have some areas I would like to improve on. My bread didn't rise enough. I was feeling bad about this and then I spoke with my Mom who said that her bread didn't rise well this year either. It is just such a dense bread! A lot of the food we make is rather temperamental. Scott said the food tasted like Mom's and that is the highest praise I could get.

My family flies into Utah tomorrow for a week of skiing and I can't wait to see them! I hope everyone had a Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas. Our was wonderful thank you to everyone who made it so special for me.

Fondue Festivus

Okay if you are not on my Faceboook account you may not have heard that Festivus is tonight! This has been an annual tradition for a long time. It will have Fondue, Feats of Strength, Airing of Grievances....and MORE!

The Party Begins at 5:30 and runs till when ever I get tired or 11ish which ever occurs first. The location is my Mom's house so call or comment if you need me to email you directions.

A New Year Coming and a New Start!

Well many of you already know that I am leaving my job at the Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Those of you who didn't know you do now. I am looking forward to the new year and a semi-new job. I have been doing freelance interpreting off and on since I certified but now that will be my job. I am so excited to get to use my interpreting skills everyday. I am really hoping this will help my skills and my confidence as an interpreter continue to grow! I was nervous to make this change but Colt has been very supportive and encouraging, so has my family and fellow interpreter friends. Thank you for all of your advice and support in this decision. I know it will be a good one!

The Tim Tam Slam!!!!!!!!

Delicious Tim Tams

Ah the Tim Tam slam where to begin. This tasty treat was taught to me by my research methods professor. It is an Australian treat that is being sold in America by Pepperidge Farms at Target but only through the Holiday season. The cookie itself is yummy chocolate wafers with a chocolate or caramel center (depending on which you get) and a nice chocolate coating. Yummy right? Well wait till you try the slam. This can be done with hot chocolate of coffee depending on your preference.

1.bite off a small corner of the cookie

2. take a small bite off the kitty corner

3. place one corner of the cookie in you hot beverage

4. drink through the other corner of the cookie (like a straw) for 3 seconds or until you are getting the drink in your mouth

5. pop the cookie in your mouth

6. enjoy the melty chocolatey goodness that is the Tim Tam Slam!

If you would like to learn more about the Tim Tam you can read up here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Tam