Movie Night: Repo Men

Repo Men was our compromise because I didn't want to watch a scary movie.

It is set in the future.  A big corporation now has the technology to mass-produce artificial organs and sell them (at a very high price) to people needing transplants.  A lot of lives saved - until you are unable to pay your bill and then repo men come in and cut out the past due organs from your body - leaving the patients to die afterwards.

The tables are turned for one such repo man, he suffers an accident with a defibrillator machine and ends up with an artificial heart from The Union.  Once a client himself, he could not face doing repo work anymore - yet he was not a good sales agent either.  Pretty soon his bill is past due, after ninety days he becomes the target for his repo buddies.  I didn't want to put too many spoilers in this post just in case you wanted to watch the movie.

It is an action-packed tale for adults with a surprise ending.  It reminded me of a lot of old Keanu Reeves movies with sci fi slants, not in the special effects department, but the setting where the the main characters fled from the repo men.  Decayed cities, trashed old buildings, no man's lands were always a big part of movies like these.  I must admit I liked the first ending - what can I say, I'm an optimist.

And it made me think about what science can do to prolong a human life.  We have long since known what our organs do, scientists have studied them thoroughly.  So mass-producing artificial organs is quite believable.  At first glance it seems like a great solution, but then comes the business side of it all - this movie puts this nightmarish business right in the viewers' faces.  Maybe it's not such a good idea after all.

I liked the science fiction part of it, but it could have been better.  This is a nice date movie though - so enjoy!

A Taste of Tuscany in Camarillo

Enoteca Toscana is a wine bistro in old town Camarillo. I stumbled upon it while googling places that serve wine in Camarillo. My husband talked about relaxing on the beach and drinking wine when we planned our weekend trip to buy this Earthlite Avila II massage chair for less than half of the retail price from a seller in nearby Oxnard (my husband is a quick learner when it comes to finding deals online).  I didn't want to disappoint him so I researched for a good place to have dinner that served great wine.

Enoteca Toscana was one of the few places that did not get bad reviews on Yelp - and with good reason.  They serve great food!  I read that the empanadas were good and my husband loves empanadas - the flaky pastry was the perfect foil for the delicious chicken stuffing.  The portions were just right too.  I had the Napoli panini, the ahi tuna tasted so delectable - you must try it when you find yourself here.

It was a Saturday night, they had wine tastings until 10 PM.  Their ambiance was a play on a cozy Tuscan villa - they even had Under the Tuscan Sun playing on DVD to remind you of their motiff.  They had this great musician playing the piano and singing great renditions of a contemporary selection of music.  My husband and I had a great time!

If you ever find yourself in Camarillo - try Enoteca Toscana, you will not regret going!  Thank you for the recommendation, Yelp reviewers - I would have hated to miss this place.

Cloudy Skies = No GPS

A very frustrating incident happened to me last weekend.  I had this craving for pasta and mixed cocktails - we were in the Alhambra area with my mother-in-law where most of your dining choices would be Chinese food.  I used the Where app on my Palm Pre to find the nearest Olive Garden and found one that it said was 1.49 miles away.

Then we got into a particular area where it was cloudy outside - not rain clouds - just white fluffy clouds.  And my Sprint Navigation just announce that my GPS signal is weak.  The error message said to make sure I had a clear view of the sky, which I did.  It wasn't cloudy everywhere, not even above where our truck was, but still it was unable to locate us.

I tried to manually type in an address of origin, but the navigation system got even more confused and pointed us towards the wrong direction.  Finally we gave up on the GPS, called the restaurant and they gave us directions.  So much for tech making my life easier at that time!

We had a fantastic meal of seafood and pasta (paired with our preferred drinks) - and our favorite bread sticks.  We had a great server who was also Filipino and all in all the meal and the service more than made up for the frustration of trying to find the restaurant!  Kudos to the team at Olive Garden, Alhambra - you saved my weekend from going south.  Sometimes personal touches go a long way when our gadgets fail us.

Twenties Girl: An Upbeat Ghost Story

I just finished reading Sophie Kinsella's Twenties Girl yesterday.  My husband had a late appointment after class and I walked to The Block where we agreed to meet at Borders at around 6:30 pm.  I felt that I needed to get away from my computer monitor for a while before I needed to start on my side work at home and the leisurely walk was just the thing.

Of course, going to a mall always defeats my resolution to not spend money this week.  So I did the least expensive activity I could think of - I bought a drink at Starbucks and found a comfortable, well-lighted seat to finish the last 20% of the book I was reading.  When I sat down and brought out my Kindle there was this old Japanese-looking man who kept stealing glances at me from across the room.  It was a little creepy - then I realized that he must like gadgets and must have just been admiring my eReader - or at least that's what I told myself.  My coworkers have ogled it at one time or another - it just feels weird when it's a stranger doing the ogling.

But soon I was lost in Sophie Kinsella's ghost story (...and that's code for it's so good I forgot about the creepy man across the room). I fell in love with Sadie and her great niece, Lara.  I love how they got to know each other, helped each other out and defended each other when it mattered.  It was a paranormal tale about family - the good times, the bad times, the good relatives and the not-so-good ones.  It was funny, emotional and refreshing - a signature Sophie Kinsella.  I love her light-hearted tone, her ability to bring out emotions and her everyday heroines who always manage to find their extraordinary qualities along the way.  Her novels are always entertaining and fun to read - it doesn't bring you down, it is in no way dark (...imagine, a ghost story that's not dark!) and the plot is always easy to relate to.

If you're looking for a great beach read that will brighten your mood and uplift your spirits, make sure to check out Twenties Girl!  I give it two thumbs up!

Movie Night: Gamer

My friend and former coworker introduced me to SIMS a long time ago. I have never been very good at it.  The game is too demanding, I barely have time to live my life let alone a simulated one on my computer.

But a lot of online games like Second Life seem to take inspiration from SIMS and are very popular today. And now the movie, Gamer, takes it to a whole new level.  Instead of Avatars - gamers control real people in a controlled environment called Society.  It is a very perverted environment because inhibitions are forgotten by the player hiding behind his computer screen.

Another game, which can be likened to the violent video games of today spun off from the success of Society - it is called Slayers.  Death row inmates are controlled by gamers and go into battle with real weapons and can be killed in game.  If they survive 30 sessions then they are given their freedom.  Kable has survived 28 and the creator of Slayers and Society wants him dead.

I was entertained by the plot, but couldn't imagine the premise of the movie happening in real life - at least I hope not.  I feel very uncomfortable with surrendering my free will to anybody - especially since anybody can be corrupted because of our humanity.

It's a very techie look into the future, considering the popularity of video games today - not just with the youth, but with all generations.  If you've ever held a controller in your hands, you'll probably enjoy the concept of this movie.

Have a great movie night at home - this movie is out on DVD!

Blogger Inspiration: Julie & Julia

I've been meaning to see Julie and Julia for the longest time. You see I can relate to Julie's character because (1) I blog and (2) I experiment in the kitchen when time and my husband allows (our kitchen is a one-person space at the moment just like Julia's in the movie). This is the second movie I've seen about blogging this weekend and I must admit both films hit the nail on the head in terms of the reason why I blog.

Julie had tried for four years to write a novel and get it published, finally giving up on doing so and taking a nine-to-five job as a mid-level executive talking to people about the 9-11 monument in ground zero. She feels that she can never finish anything she starts (sounds really familiar, right?) so when she decides on her Julie/Julia project - she gives herself a one-year deadline to go through Julia Child's entire book.

Along the way her character, relationships and career improve immensely - and by the end of the project she's offered a book deal and her book is turned into a movie. She feels that once her book is published she will finally be a writer - her husband reassures her that she already is.  Sweet, right?

Julie's and Julia's respective husbands kind of reminds me of my husband too (of course, mine is much more attractive and dynamic).  They are the perfect complement to writer-wives - supportive, encouraging, patient, understanding and always positive that their wives have talent.

Not everyone would be able to relate - this movie lost my husband midway into it - but for the many bloggers, writers, creatives out there who need inspiration, this is a must-see.  Don't give up on your passion just because you can't get published.  Don't bury your true self in something you just endure - keep trying to reach your goals, to live your dreams.  Who knows, you may just find that one project that takes you all the way to where you want to go!

A Salute to Mommy Bloggers

One of my favorite blogs is written by a mother of four who lives in a ranch. She blogs about her life, cooking, homeschooling, her home and garden. She also manages a community of cooking aficionados. She is a very successful blogger who has written her own cookbook and has around 59,000 fans on Facebook.

I read her blog and I think, "Wow, she has a great life!"

And then I saw the movie, Motherhood, starring Uma Thurman. I can relate to her even without the two young kids. Her life is a whirlwind of things to do - and she sneaks blogging in whenever she can. She was a writer before she got married - a talented one who had been offered scholarships for writing. But she chose to marry the man she loves and have her kids, which are the joys of her life - and there is never enough time to actually sit down and write about what she wants.

But writing is in her soul - sounds familiar? This is her passion and blogging offers her a tiny window of hope that she will be able to write again. Blogging offers her a place to rant, to express herself and her frustrations in ironic details.

For most of the movie, it seemed as though she was fighting to get through all the tasks involved in parenthood all by herself. Her husband doesn't seem to be helping at all! But in the end, his perspective comes out - his true feelings about her writing and role as a provider is revealed.

I must admit I enjoyed this movie. Because there are times when I feel like Eliza, Uma Thurman's character in the movie. I feel that I am working on our family's future on my own - that I am trying to reach my dreams alone, but then comes the realization that I have a husband who loves me - who believes in my dream of writing a novel/screenplay/TV script someday - and who is working hard to become a great provider so I can have time to focus on my goals.

This movie has made me appreciate mothers more - all the sacrifices they make for their children. I have greater respect for mommy bloggers now - you must really be a passionate writer to juggle your schedule and still be able to blog. Thank you for your wisdom and sage advice. Thank you for sharing yourself with your readers. You rock!

Google Location-Based Search

My 83-year-old mother-in-law left us a voicemail saying she was going to her doctor Friday morning and she was afraid that the doctor might have her hospitalized like he had last week (without calling to inform us). So we tried calling her at home Friday morning to see if we could meet her at her doctor's or bring her there. She did not answer.

My mother-in-law does not have a cell phone - she had one that she was unable to figure out so I had discontinued her subscription. All I knew was the last name of the doctor she was going to and that it had something to do with her stomach again.

So I Googled the doctor's name. As Chinese family names go, there were probably hundreds of Dr. Lai's, but thanks to Google's local search, my results were narrowed down to nearby areas - the nearest of which was Monterey Park. The doctors' listings had their specialization, I found one that was a gastroenterologist - and whose first name sounded familiar. I called them up and they confirmed that my mother-in-law was in the waiting room.

I was able to check up on her all throughout her doctor's visit and was pleased to have found out that everything was ok. Now if only her transportation arrived in time, but that is another story for another time.

Google is part of my life. I Google everything, but this is the first time I have used it to locate someone. It definitely is a daily tool I use that makes my life infinitely easier.

My webOS Upgrade Experience

I've had several webOS updates since I bought my Palm Pre last November. The upgrades were always quick and non-intrusive. My phone got the webOS 1.4 update yesterday, it took more than the promised 15 minutes to get it installed properly. I think it was the longest upgrade time I ever experienced.

The first change I noticed was that every time I pulled up an app, a teal/grey rectangle appeared with the icon of the app in the middle before it loaded the actual app. I don't know about faster loading of apps, it seems about the same to me - having the time when the rectangle has the icon in the middle seems to add load time.

Video capture, yes it was added to my camera's functionality. I don't know if it's just me though, but being used to an SLR I am not too happy with the pictures or the video produced by my Pre. I did not purchase it to take pictures so this is not really a let down for me.

Enhanced CSS support - our company website is a full CSS driven website and it looks perfect on my Pre - except for the videos not showing up. It read our complex CSS styles perfectly - so this is a winner.

It allowed me more open apps and the transitioning between the apps was faster. I think the improvement to the multitasking features alone was worth the more than 15 minutes it took to upgrade my webOS. I found it really frustrating whenever I got the too many cards open error - one of the main reasons I bought this phone was because I can open multiple cards at the same time! So good job on this one.

Among the promised changes was a longer battery life. I have yet to thoroughly measure this, but I'll tell you how it goes when I do. Overall, it's quite a good upgrade. Keep up the good work, team! Hope your future prospects look brighter in the coming months.