We have been movie watching fools lately. It's such a good thing, because I remember not too long ago, when watching anything, much less a movie, for any length of time in one period was a challenge. This is an indication that we have some semblance of an adult/together-time life back again. The movies that we've watched since Christmas:
1. The Hangover - hilarious. Not to watch with your mom :)
2. Julie & Julia - Yes, chick flick, but I really liked it. Both Amy Adams and Meryl Streep were good. Meryl Streep was great, actually. Good, inspiring story for writers.
3. Duplicity - (Clive Owen & Julia Roberts) - just OK.
4. Public Enemies - very good. By the same director, Michael Mann, who made Heat. This one had very much of a Heat-feel. It's long, but I recommend.
5. 500 Days of Summer - good indie film. We had recently watched "Away We Go", which has an indie-feel to it, too. I compared the two, and because of that, it lessened my preference for 500 Days of Summer.
6. The Heat Locker - intense. Great insight into what war does to soldiers and their assimilation into 'real' life back home. We can't thank the soldiers enough, for sacrificing in many more ways than we can comprehend, for us. Very much recommend.
7. Up - what you would expect from Pixar, as they evolve. Good story.
8. Inglorious Basterds - what you would expect from Quentin. Good. Pulp Fiction is better.
9. The Illusionist - (Edward Norton) - good movie.
Today, we are going to watch "Extract" from Mike Judge. Then, it is all about the SuperBowl. With the Stovalls for the first half. Go Saints. :)
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Nick's vocabulary - 7 words
Nick is starting to talk. Simple words. Yes, no, door, dadda, momma, ball, football.
Max not so much. He understands, but doesn't talk.
Gracie is learning how to spell. I would say that she has 2 words in her spelling cache. Gracie. Bell. We've got a spelling game that Steph (and I when I can) are starting play with her. In a month, let's see how many she's got under her belt. :)
Max not so much. He understands, but doesn't talk.
Gracie is learning how to spell. I would say that she has 2 words in her spelling cache. Gracie. Bell. We've got a spelling game that Steph (and I when I can) are starting play with her. In a month, let's see how many she's got under her belt. :)
Thursday, January 28, 2010
La Update Mi Familia
Maxi's sick. Real bad cold. He doesn't feel good at all. He's crying right now. Poor guy. Nick is getting sick right behind him. Gracie went to the movie theatre today with Alecia, Jackson & Katy to see Alvin & The Chipmunks. We love our friends. They are so good to us and our family. My work is intense right now. Steph has worked overtime, compensating for my late hours. God bless her.
I've made it easier for everyone to know when I post something new. You see the "Subscribe in a Reader" button in the right column? Click on that and select your RSS reader (for those of you that this makes sense to). Then, everytime I post something new, you'll know :)
Yes, I know, welcome to the convenience of the new interwebs.
I've made it easier for everyone to know when I post something new. You see the "Subscribe in a Reader" button in the right column? Click on that and select your RSS reader (for those of you that this makes sense to). Then, everytime I post something new, you'll know :)
Yes, I know, welcome to the convenience of the new interwebs.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Support in the New Age of Technology
So, from time to time, I've posted blogs here about my work. Most of my readers (or those who I believe are my readers) have no idea what I do for work and even when I explain it, they still don't know, so I try not to mix the two. I just started a work blog and I'd love to have anyone who's interested check it out and regularly follow me (http://11thscreen.com/). I'm on Facebook and Twitter, both of which you can find from my work blog. I just wrote a blog post for work that I feel compelled to share here, too. It is appropriate for the times and it is something that I'll want the kids to know about when they're older.
My thoughts are not ground-breaking, but they are my thoughts nonetheless. Here you go...
I am humbled, although not surprised, by the human condition and the outpour of support for all of the people of Haiti. Just like other major catastrophes of the decade (9/11, Thailand Tsunami, Katrina come to mind), people from all over the world are contributing in all sorts of ways. It’s awesome to witness how new technology – social & mobile – has enabled immediate outreach and support. Red Cross’s text message campaign has already raised $10 million plus. Say what you will about FarmVille and Mafia Wars, but their maker, Zynga, has utilized them as a platform and already raised $1.2 million plus. And Paste has partnered with musicians to offer up a library of exclusive MP3s to support the relief effort. Not to mention all of the companies, including mine, encouraging their employees around the world to contribute, and matching dollar-for-dollar those contributions. These are only a handful of examples that not only exhibit good will that I believe is inherent in people, but also exhibit the power of technology and how it can be used for productive, meaningful outreach and (global) connection. I’ve often told people that I wish there were a news channel dedicated to good news 24/7, particularly for events like this. Touché, there is such a thing, yet another example - if you follow the right people/sources, that is what Twitter has become for me. :)
My thoughts are not ground-breaking, but they are my thoughts nonetheless. Here you go...
I am humbled, although not surprised, by the human condition and the outpour of support for all of the people of Haiti. Just like other major catastrophes of the decade (9/11, Thailand Tsunami, Katrina come to mind), people from all over the world are contributing in all sorts of ways. It’s awesome to witness how new technology – social & mobile – has enabled immediate outreach and support. Red Cross’s text message campaign has already raised $10 million plus. Say what you will about FarmVille and Mafia Wars, but their maker, Zynga, has utilized them as a platform and already raised $1.2 million plus. And Paste has partnered with musicians to offer up a library of exclusive MP3s to support the relief effort. Not to mention all of the companies, including mine, encouraging their employees around the world to contribute, and matching dollar-for-dollar those contributions. These are only a handful of examples that not only exhibit good will that I believe is inherent in people, but also exhibit the power of technology and how it can be used for productive, meaningful outreach and (global) connection. I’ve often told people that I wish there were a news channel dedicated to good news 24/7, particularly for events like this. Touché, there is such a thing, yet another example - if you follow the right people/sources, that is what Twitter has become for me. :)
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Our different kids
So, the kids, of course, just keep developing by the minute.
Gracie is so very inquisitive and curious about everything. She talks, talks, talks. There isn't anything that she doesn't ask a question about (excuse the double negative.) She wants the attention that her baby brothers are taking away. We do everything we can to give that attention to her. She also needs to be engaged. Doing. We do as much as possible. Steph is very good at this. I could be better, but we (Gracie and I) have our moments.
Max is misunderstood. And I misunderstand him more than Steph. One could observe him, like I do, and think that he is grumpalupagous, but Steph says that he has so much that he wants to say and communicate, but he just can't do it. He speaks in his twin speak and he does a good job of hand motions, but there is still a lot to be interpreted. I think he is frustrated by us adults. Why can't we just see/know what he wants? To him, this is a simple subject and everyone who does not get it are morons.
Nick operates in his own little bubble. He doesn't really care if anyone is around or engages him or even understands him. He understands himself and Max understands him to the extent that he needs it and that seems to be good enough for him. If all kids were like Nick, the world would be a better place. He is simply adorable.
They all are.
Each day, we see how different they truly are from one another. Some traits of mine, some traits of Steph, some traits of their own. Despite their differences, they are awesome and we love them with all of our being.
Gracie is so very inquisitive and curious about everything. She talks, talks, talks. There isn't anything that she doesn't ask a question about (excuse the double negative.) She wants the attention that her baby brothers are taking away. We do everything we can to give that attention to her. She also needs to be engaged. Doing. We do as much as possible. Steph is very good at this. I could be better, but we (Gracie and I) have our moments.
Max is misunderstood. And I misunderstand him more than Steph. One could observe him, like I do, and think that he is grumpalupagous, but Steph says that he has so much that he wants to say and communicate, but he just can't do it. He speaks in his twin speak and he does a good job of hand motions, but there is still a lot to be interpreted. I think he is frustrated by us adults. Why can't we just see/know what he wants? To him, this is a simple subject and everyone who does not get it are morons.
Nick operates in his own little bubble. He doesn't really care if anyone is around or engages him or even understands him. He understands himself and Max understands him to the extent that he needs it and that seems to be good enough for him. If all kids were like Nick, the world would be a better place. He is simply adorable.
They all are.
Each day, we see how different they truly are from one another. Some traits of mine, some traits of Steph, some traits of their own. Despite their differences, they are awesome and we love them with all of our being.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Happy 2010!!!
Steph, nor I, can believe it's 2010. That is crazy. It was just yesterday that we were both in Austin, Steph looking to get into a prestigious graduate school and I looking to get financing for one of my films. So much has happened since then, not the least of which we look up and see that 10 whole years have passed.
Steph did go to graduate school, The Actors Studio, and still has mixed emotions about her time there. It was no doubt valuable - she learned from incredible teachers, made some incredible friends, and had an adventure like no other. I didn't end up making my movie, but have parlayed that experience into a pretty good marketing career. We got married in 2001 and I moved to NYC, after Steph's first year. Nine wonderful years (albeit trying at times) of marriage, a four-year old daughter and 1.5 year old twin boys, another cross country move later and everything in between, here we are. Ten years later.
2009 was a tough year. It was a transformative year. I hope that the effects of all of the transformations lead to more positives than not. It is with that that we look into 2010. This is in more ways that just another 'new' year, a new chapter. Our lives will proceed in a new decade (some would technically dispute me on this), making new experiences, growing, transforming more and more into the best versions of ourselves. My hope, more than anything, is that we strive to be better people (because we all can) - better spouses, parents, siblings, sons/daughters, friends, workers - in this new time. The type of people we are shapes our experiences and that, at the end of ten years, is really all we have to look back and reflect on and take with us.
May this year bless each and every one of us in ways that we can't imagine right now.
Steph did go to graduate school, The Actors Studio, and still has mixed emotions about her time there. It was no doubt valuable - she learned from incredible teachers, made some incredible friends, and had an adventure like no other. I didn't end up making my movie, but have parlayed that experience into a pretty good marketing career. We got married in 2001 and I moved to NYC, after Steph's first year. Nine wonderful years (albeit trying at times) of marriage, a four-year old daughter and 1.5 year old twin boys, another cross country move later and everything in between, here we are. Ten years later.
2009 was a tough year. It was a transformative year. I hope that the effects of all of the transformations lead to more positives than not. It is with that that we look into 2010. This is in more ways that just another 'new' year, a new chapter. Our lives will proceed in a new decade (some would technically dispute me on this), making new experiences, growing, transforming more and more into the best versions of ourselves. My hope, more than anything, is that we strive to be better people (because we all can) - better spouses, parents, siblings, sons/daughters, friends, workers - in this new time. The type of people we are shapes our experiences and that, at the end of ten years, is really all we have to look back and reflect on and take with us.
May this year bless each and every one of us in ways that we can't imagine right now.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Our Christmas season
This Christmas season has been incredibly fulfilling. It's been a fast season, and at times hasn't seemed to be filled with the Christmas spirit, but it has nonetheless been meaningful.
Our time in The Woodlands with the Woodyards was nice, but lonely. We all missed Bob more than can be expressed. I think all of us quoted him at one time or other throughout the days. We were all together on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. He would have been happy. He's still there, very present in each one the kids and Teddy. It is clear to me.
Our time is Austin was equally nice. We were blessed to be surrounded by my entire immediate family, including my dad. It was me, Michelle, Mark, mom, Kyle and my dad. It was the first time that any of us can remember that we've spent Christmas day with our dad in a house. It was surprisingly comfortable, which makes me happy and relieved. It was, as my mom said, what Christmas is supposed to be about - grace, redemption and love. My sister is now engaged (thanks to Damon Knight), so it was even sweeter.
Life is good. We are certainly blessed.
Our time in The Woodlands with the Woodyards was nice, but lonely. We all missed Bob more than can be expressed. I think all of us quoted him at one time or other throughout the days. We were all together on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. He would have been happy. He's still there, very present in each one the kids and Teddy. It is clear to me.
Our time is Austin was equally nice. We were blessed to be surrounded by my entire immediate family, including my dad. It was me, Michelle, Mark, mom, Kyle and my dad. It was the first time that any of us can remember that we've spent Christmas day with our dad in a house. It was surprisingly comfortable, which makes me happy and relieved. It was, as my mom said, what Christmas is supposed to be about - grace, redemption and love. My sister is now engaged (thanks to Damon Knight), so it was even sweeter.
Life is good. We are certainly blessed.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Check out our videos
It's not just the one video, it's a whole channel: http://www.youtube.com/ploppintoopy
Saturday, December 12, 2009
The Juice - A Cearley Short
Starring Max. Nick, Gracie and dad round out the supporting cast.
http://www.youtube.com/user/ploppintoopy
http://www.youtube.com/user/ploppintoopy
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Let's start Christmas
Bass Pro Shops. The Cearley 5. Santa Clause. Fun times.
I think Steph and I were the most excited out of the bunch.
And what a perfect Santa Clause, right?
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