Couple dating

I'm amused because we are currently couple dating. This is a term I created that means that we are looking for some new (couple) friends in the area and have been inviting people over and/or out to eat to see if they're compatible enough to be friends. We had our first date with a couple on Saturday--they came over for dinner. Now, do they like us? Will they call us in three days? What if they don't think we're compatible? Does my hair look okay?

Anyone out there just fresh out of gift ideas for yours truly? Try this. I found it while looking for gifts for various and sundry family members. I really need some of these, especially the last one. It would make grading papers so much more satisfying. Ka-THUNK! Done!

20 minute meals and movie reviews

I ate all three of my meals today in twenty minutes or less.

Breakfast: a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee, with the kitchen timer set so I wouldn't linger.

Lunch: Leftover chicken and potatoes, wolfed down in the 20 minutes between when I got it out of the microwave and when I had to be back up policing the halls.

Dinner: right now, blogging and eating simultaneously while in Derek's office. I just got here from work, and shortly I will be changing into my ballet clothes and walking down the hill to my class.

I guess it just makes me enjoy the meals where I can linger.

Movie reviews from Thanksgiving break:
1) Rent
If you already love the musical, see it. You will like it. If you don't (or if you're at all homophobic), don't bother. It won't convert people like Chicago did. Some good choices were made; the montages during One Song Glory and Without You were excellent. I also liked Rent (the song) and Tango: Maureen. Extra props to Idina Menzel, who was the original Maureen on Broadway and also the original Elphaba in Wicked.

2) Pride and Prejudice
Sorry guys, but nothing holds a candle to A&E's version. Colin Firth is the most excellent Mr. Darcy there ever was or probably will be. In fairness, though, I always have to give new versions a chance. Keira Knightley is just too dippy to be Elizabeth. In my opinion, Elizabeth needs a kind of gravitas that she just doesn't have. Wasn't much fond of the Darcy either. However, the Bingleys were both excellent, and I was happy to finally see a Mary who wasn't a total caricature. Donald Sutherland did well as Mr. Bennet. So...worth a rental? Maybe, but don't pay to see it in a theatre if you can help it.

HP4

At Angie's request, my thoughts/impressions of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, in somewhat chronological order:

(This is full of spoilers if you haven't seen it!!)

• Quidditch World Cup: kick-ass. The stadium was incredible.
• Death Eaters: Creepy. More creepy than Voldy himself.
• Triwizard Cup (the object): awesome.
• Other triwizard champions: great. Cedric was the perfect pretty boy, Fleur was standoffish but friendly in the end, Krum all Eastern European and tough guy.
• Harry and friends with the hormones goin' on: true to life and realistic. So high school.
• Dance lessons with McGonagall: perfect. Awkward. The girls loving it, the boys looking like they don't want to get cooties.
• Hermione's dress: great from the waist up, a disaster from the waist down. Ruffles were out in the 80s, folks!
• Christmas ball: rockin'. Moshin', even. Such a typical high school dance, aside from the choreographed waltz. Drama and tears just have to be there.
• Neville as a suave dancer: awesome. He still needs dental work, though.
• Dropping way too many hints about Moody's involvement: not cool. I prefer a more subtle approach. I wonder if those who had not read the book were able to pick up on all of them.
• Scene with the 3 Unforgivable Curses: great.
• Voldemort: honestly, just not creepy enough. This is weird because I adore Ralph Fiennes normally. I don't know what it was, but reading about the guy was a WHOLE lot scarier than watching it. And darn it, his eyes are supposed to be red!
• Voldy/Harry dueling: just like I pictured it from the book. Really, most of the graveyard scene was, except for Voldy himself.
• Ending: too darn happy. Harry just witnessed a murder, the other students have lost a classmate, why is everybody being so cheerful?

And to finish:

• Dinner before the movie: $50
• Movie tickets: $20
• Seeing HP4 on the big screen in Chicago with lots of other crazy adult fans at 10:30 pm: Priceless.