*in my humble opinion

Like many people, especially of my age, I have to say that my favorite Christmas movie is A Christmas Story which is about Ralphie and his quest for a “carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time” that will shoot his eye out. This movie, with its sweet dysfunction, really holds up over the course of time. Whether it was his cruse filled father or his gut wrenching desire for that perfect gift, I could relate to Ralphie a lot.

But over the Holidays I began to think what other Holiday movies do I still love? I, of course, still love Charlie Brown and his pathetic tree, and Rudolph with his nose so bright, but those aren’t movies; they are specials. Most  “Christmas” movies are for kids and aren’t that great. Some are just awful (see Dudley Moore’s “Santa Claus the Movie”). Most of the Holiday movies I do still love are just “kind of holiday movies” as they really could take place at anytime of year. But Christmas makes a nice backdrop, and the movie studios love to release films at Christmas time when all the kids are off.
 
So here are my Top 4 favorite (kind of) Christmas Movies:

4) Home Alone 2; Lost in New York
Ok. I know what you are saying, “Why not Home Alone 1?” Well, Home Alone 1 is still a sweet family movie and a holiday favorite of everyone. Home Alone 2 I now enjoy on a different level. Home Alone 2 shows us what a truly demented sociopath Kevin Macalister really is. This time he’s not defending his home and himself from dangerous criminals; this time, he’s conning his way into the Plaza Hotel, purposely baiting the criminals to follow him so that they can fall into numerous traps that are skull-smashing and brutally violent. All in good fun, but had this been reality and not a Tom and Jerry inspired fun family romp, he’d basically be facing serious jail time and most likely manslaughter charges as numerous concussive blows to a head will actually kill a man. [Read more →]

It’s hard to focus on my office job when I’d rather be at the beach.  Of course, in this economy I’m grateful to be working, but that’s beside the point.  When I’m feeling sluggish at my desk, my instinct is to make myself a cup of coffee.  Sometimes I think it’s more of an excuse to get up than out of a real need for caffeine.  If you’re a habitual coffee or soda drinker, here are five caffeine-free pick me up pointers to get you through the day:

1) Pick up the phone.  It’s so easy to get caught up in e-mails and instant messaging these days.  Making phone calls helps to build relationships with your colleagues and gives your eyes a break from staring at the computer screen.

2) Practice yoga at your desk.  I’m not talking about anything fancy, just simple stretches and deep breathing exercises.  For yoga postures at work, check out YogaJournal.com.

3) Take a brisk walk around the office.  Make it look like you’re on your way to a meeting and be sure to have a folder in hand.

4) Get a dose of sunshine.  Go out for lunch, but if you can’t, then at least take a brief break outside.  There’s nothing like fresh air and natural Vitamin D.

5) Drink ginger tea.  The spiciness of this herbal tea helps to reinvigorate, plus ginger is widely known for its health benefits.

Let me tell you a story about a friend of mine from when I was a kid. He always dressed in black and never spoke he had a white wolf, and one of his best friends was a sailor with a parrot. No this wasn’t my imaginary friend this was Snake Eyes from GI Joe.

Ok so the year is 1984, maybe 85.
I’m your average kid, watching TV everyday after school (and before) and I have to say my favorite show is G.I. Joe; A Real American Hero. While the show is filled with awesome characters like Roadblock, Duke, Flint, even the villains were cool like Despro and Tomax and Xamot. My all time favorite Joe was (and Is) Snake Eyes.

So this was the 1980s and nothing was cooler than ninjas! Years before the teenaged amphibian ones would come roaring into popular culture Snake Eyes existed every day on my TV, and did I mention he was really awesome? Snake Eyes was Badass! He was mute and dressed in all black (like Darth Vader), wore a grenade bandoleer and a visor. He had a pet wolf named Timber and was very handy with a sword (as ALL ninjas should be).

So as many of you know G.I. Joe was more than a cartoon show, it was essentially a 30 minute commercial for a Hasbro line of toys. Since it was a commercial I basically watched religiously I have to say I loved the toys. I NEEDED them like those poor Sally Struthers’ kids needed 80 cents worth of rice a day. Since Snake Eyes was my favorite of course I desired him the most!

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I recently read Deborah Norville’s bestseller, Thank You Power, and was pleasantly surprised.  In this book, Norville shares real life accounts about people who developed an attitude of gratitude despite tremendous challenges and setbacks.  Whether it’s thanking others or counting one’s blessings, gratitude is a wonderful practice.  Here are my top five reasons why it’s good to say thank you:

1) People enjoy feeling recognized.  Whether it’s a co-worker or a loved one, showing a little bit of appreciation goes a long way.

2) It’s good for your health.  Grateful people have more positive energy, which benefits the immune system.

3) Gratitude helps you get through a bad day.  Looking at the bright side can help you overcome a difficult situation.

4) Giving thanks can improve your marriage or relationship.  Singing praises sounds a lot better than nagging!

5) A daily dose of gratitude can make you happy.  Focusing on the good in people and situations is a great way to lift your spirits.

Thank you, PC World. We here at Stillgoodnews.com love, love, love lists. And this is one to love. Top 11 Lamest Blogs in the world. Included in top honors - A Paris Hilton Fan Blog, the Pepsi Obsession blog, Kim Kardasian’s Personal Blog (what DOES she do again? I’m sorry, it’s so lame… I can’t even link to it) and this one below (opening a cupboard? sounds interesting to me…)

http://tech.msn.com/products/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=13523062

Jon Stewart (via Fox News) informs us all of the good news: 30,000 Burmese pythons are on the prowl in Florida, heading for a plane near you – so according to Stewart, its great news for anyone that had “termination by snake” for the “how is the world going to end?” question.

According to Skynews, an Australian man woke up one night to find an intruder running around his house.

“The 42-year-old told Sky News Online: “I just saw this black thing. I thought it was a lunatic ninja, an intruder. It just fell on top of us on the bed. A couple of seconds later I realized it was a kangaroo.” [Read more →]