Random Dozen - September 29

It's time for another Random Dozen from 2nd Cup of Coffee.

1. Do you believe, somewhere deep inside, that blondes do indeed have more fun? That they are "dumber" than brunettes or redheads? Be honest!
I don't think blondes have more fun or are dumber than brunettes or redheads, but I think they are noticed more than brunettes (but not more than redheads). Personality, intelligence, and (true) hair color are genetic, and I seriously doubt those stereotypical combinations show up more frequently than not. I've also known my share of fun brunettes and smart blondes. :o)

2. Which animal would you most like to observe in its wild habitat?
Giraffes, of course! My second choice would be some sort of ape - gorillas, orangutans, or chimpanzees.

3. This week the U.N. announced that Dr. Mazlan Othman has been appointed the official "Alien Ambassador," should any extraterrestrials contact us. Have you, or has anyone you know, ever seen a UFO?
I have never seen a UFO, nor has anyone I know seen one. I don't believe they exist.

4. Name your favorite Hitchcock film.
It would have to be Rear Window, with Dial M for Murder a close second.

5. Would you rather spend time at the library, the mall, a craft store, or home?
Ha! It depends on if the boys are with me or not! If I'm alone, I love to spend time in one of my favorite bead shops (a craft store, since I use them in my craft). If the boys are with me, I'd choose either the library or home. The mall is a distant last place. The only time I go is if I have to buy something, and then I want to get in and out as quickly as possible.

6. Which Disney princess is your favorite? (Or Disney character, if you are a guy)
Being a mom of boys, we don't watch many Disney movies - especially ones with princesses in them. Does Pixar count? If so, I'd have to say Jesse, the cowgirl from Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3. Oh, and Boo from Monsters, Inc.. If Pixas doesn't count, the first one to come to mind is Ariel - and I can't remember the name of the movie right now. Instead I keep hearing Sebastian singing, "Under the Sea". :o) Gee, I might need to ask my friend Emma. She's the biggest Disney princess fan I know of. I'm feeling a little embarrassed by my lack of princess knowledge right now... There's Belle, Cinderella, Snow White, Pocahontas, and that's about it for me.

7. What kind of art is your favorite?
This is broad! I'd much rather browse a photography gallery than paintings, but if I could see the work of the masters, that would be pretty awesome. I'm not so much a fan of sculpture, however the bronze sculptor in Grapevine had a lot of interesting pieces he had done. I like things I can recognize, not abstract. And nothing obscene - no matter what's it's classified as.

8. How do you feel about viral videos; that is, videos made by amateurs that end up on YouTube receiving thousands of hits?
I usually ignore them. The only time I really watch one is if someone I trust tells me it's funny, wholesome, etc., and then I usually only watch it if it's linked on Facebook or a blog or an email. I rarely go to YouTube to watch anything on my own.

9. Where do you buy your jeans?
I buy them wherever there's a good sale. Of the four pairs of blue jeans hanging in my closet, all of them were purchased at Wal-Mart. Two pair of denim capris that I bought at Kohl's have worn out - and not because I liked them so much I wore them that much. They weren't durable. I bought my two newest pairs of denim capris last spring at JCPenney, and I love them! I wish I had another pair or two. I'll wait until Mother's Day and get some more for myself.

10. Tell me about your first automobile accident.
My first automobile accident, as in the one I was in while I was driving, happened when I was a freshman in college. One Wednesday around noon, my friend Janis and I were headed over to the Baptist Student Union for the weekly worship service and lunch. Since I was still unfamiliar with other routes to the BSU, I left from the front entrance of the school and waited to turn left, where there was no arrow. I had eased out a bit too far and the light changed to yellow. The person across from me stopped and motioned for me to go ahead and turn before the light turned red. As I started across, another car came across the intersection, through the changing light, and hit me. Thankfully neither of us was traveling very fast and there were no injuries.

11. Have you ever been honest when you knew you would benefit more if you would be dishonest?
Yes, though I can't think of any specific instances right now. And I must also say there have been some times when I should've been honest, but I wasn't.

12. If you were appointed "Ambassador to Aliens," what would you show and tell first about life on Earth? What would be the most difficult thing to explain?
First of all, I think the post is ludicrous. I hope that man has something else to do with his time. What a waste. I have no idea what I would show/tell about life on earth. Maybe I would give the aliens a copy of the Bible - if they could even read it. I think communication would make everything difficult to explain.

Ten Best Movies I've Seen Recently

I used to participate in a weekly meme called Ten on Tuesday. I don't remember the last time I answered one, but I'd venture to guess it's been at least a year. I'd like to start posting my lists again as part of my goal for blogging more this year.

We don't go out to movies often, but since we now have DVR, I've been recording several things I've wanted to watch. We hardly ever rent movies from Blockbuster or even RedBox, and the ones I've checked out from the library have been scratched and usually quit working 30 minutes into the movie. That said, most of the movies on my list are going to be older ones.

1. Return to Me - David Duchovny, Minnie Driver
I love Minnie Driver! I think she's beautiful and the few movies I've seen with her, I've liked. This one was great - a new favorite. I just finished watching it just before starting this post! I cried like I cry when I watch Steel Magnolias, my all-time favorite movie.

2. Diary of a Mad Black Woman - Tyler Perry
I love the Madea movies! Sometimes I wish I could get away with saying some of the things Madea says... This has been coming on TV a lot lately, so I almost always watch it. The storyline is good, and I really like the character of Orlando (played by Shemar Moore).

Last weekend I watched Madea Goes to Jail, but it wasn't as good as this one or Madea's Family Reunion. I think it might be the same old jokes, which are getting old.

3. Where the Heart Is - Natalie Portman, Ashley Judd
Here's another older one I had always wanted to see but never took the time to watch.

4. Up - Disney Pixar film
I love all the Pixar films, and this one was no exception. Since I fell asleep during the last 20 minutes or so, I need to watch the end.

5. Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith
Surprise! The only Star Wars movie I haven't seen is Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones. The originals were okay; I mostly found things to make fun of in them, which isn't hard to do after having seen Space Balls any number of times. Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace was okay. I wasn't wild about the boy who played Anakin Skywalker. But I really enjoyed episode 3!

6. Bewitched - Nicole Kidman, Will Farrell
Fun movie!

7. The Stepford Wives - Nicole Kidman, Matthew Broderick, Glenn Close, Christopher Walken, Bette Midler, Jon Lovitz
Lots of great actors! The movie was surprisingly good. I gave my mom the DVD for Christmas several years ago, but she said she was disappointed in it. I think she prefers the original.

8. The Proposal - Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds
We watched this movie Christmas night with my parents and sisters. I like almost anything with Sandra Bullock!

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I've watched other DVRed movies recently, but I erase them after I watch them. Now I've forgotten what I've seen. Maybe I'll save numbers 9 and 10 for two I haven't watched yet: Julie & Julia and Night at the Museum 2. Oh, and Star Trek for a bonus 11. Maybe I'll find one more for an even dozen!

It gets me every time.

I was channel surfing this afternoon and came across Steel Magnolias - one of my favorite movies. Yes, the accents are overdone and the cliches are somewhat cheesy, but there are some classic lines, too. And no matter how many times I watch it, it always makes me cry.