• Updates

    The General World of Jen

    I love the holidays. There’s a purpose behind them: once a year we have to slow down and look around. Whether or not you like what you see it’s a chance for reflection and, hopefully, gratitude. I visited with my cousin and her daughter (cute baby at left) to exchange presents this afternoon. I won’t see them for at least three weeks and it’s bumming me out. But no present in the world can beat falling asleep with a baby on my chest while watching ‘A Muppet Christmas Carol’. That’s what life is all about right there. Sadly I can’t focus on the holidays quite yet. Heading home and seeing…

  • Opinion

    The State of Hollywood

    Quick review of some of this years Oscar contenders: Atonement – a chick flick and kinda too long, but a story that haunts youNo Country for Old Men – I was disappointed by the end, but there were some great performances and the infamous weapon is like another characterCharlie Wilson’s War – a humorous (apparently true) story of a congressman who fights Russians in Afghanistan. The meaning of our success and failures there are poignant.Eastern Promises – Viggo Mortensen is naked! But with good reason. It’s an incredible scene in a disturbing and disturbingly good movie. I’m hoping to see ‘Juno’, ‘Sweeny Todd’ and maybe ‘There Will be Blood’ this…

  • General Information

    Movie Love

    In honor of Valentine’s Day I thought I’d ignore the twelve steps and take a moment to discuss love in movies. Movies are largely responsible for our idea of what love should be, despite the fact that they’re rarely accurate to real life. The best example I’ve thus far seen is what I call the “end of movie coupledom moment”. Have you ever noticed that at the end of these romantic movies the couples seem to always end up in the middle of a city, kissing passionately in some public place? It’s almost always outside and everyone stops to smile at them or has to walk around them. I’m not…

  • General Information

    Oscar Schmoscar

    I know I haven’t written in awhile and it is a sad statement on my life that something as petty as the Academy Awards has driven me from my slumber, but there it is. First of all, I thought Jon Stewart did a great job as a host. He did appear to be nervous at the beginning, and who wouldn’t be, (have you seen the size of the Kodak theatre?) but he certainly got better as the night went on and I heard plenty of people laughing.But according to reports, none of those people were the “stars” and therefore, the word out on the street is Jon Stewart was a…