Random Acts of Kindness

A little over a month ago, I arrived at work to find the most amazing gifts on my desk.  They were not wrapped and there was no card to let me know who had given them to me.

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Today marks the 44^th anniversary of the premiere of the Zombie classic, Night of the Living Dead. The film was directed by George A. Romero and stared Duane Jones, Judith Dea, and Karl Hardman. 

This film was created on a mere $114,000 budget and to date has earned $12 million domestically and $18 million internationally.  Initially the film received negative reviews from the critics; New York Times critics labeled the film as a “junk movie” as well as “spare, uncluttered but really silly.” . Likewise, Variety called the film an “unrelieved orgy or sadism”.  Roger Ebert spoke out against the theater owners and parents who permitted children to see the film due to its lack of a MPAA Film Rating which it was not given until November 1968. According to Ebert the film affected the audience instantly:

“The kids in the audience were stunned. There was almost complete silence. The movie had stopped being delightfully scary about halfway through, and had become unexpectedly terrifying. There was a little girl across the aisle from me, maybe nine years old, who was sitting very still in her seat and crying... It's hard to remember what sort of effect this movie might have had on you when you were six or seven. But try to remember. At that age, kids take the events on the screen seriously, and they identify fiercely with the hero. When the hero is killed, that's not an unhappy ending but a tragic one: Nobody got out alive. It's just over, that's all.”  

Despite the vast negative responses the film received it has been selected by the Library of Congress for the conservation in the National Film Registry as a film judged, “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.”  Also more than 40 years after its premiere, the film holds a status as a classic and has been named on numerous lists as being one of the best films of all time.  

Little Otsu Film Diary

A few weeks ago my friend and fellow Blogger,  FuriousBow, told Informed me that Little Otsu created and sold these marvelous little journals for keeping track of my reviews regarding films. This gem is titled, 'The Film Diary' and I am so very excited that I listened to her about this product and made a point to order one for myself.

I anxiously logged onto my laptop and followed the link she had sent to me. I found that the Little Otsu website was cleverly arranged and exceptionally easy to navigate. I was delighted to find that not only does this company produce ‘The Film Diary’ they also sell many other varieties of journals as well as planners, calendars and much more.  

Adieu Blackheads

Blackheads are a skin condition that plagues virtually every person.  I feel it’s safe to assume that most people have searched high and low for that ‘magic solution’ for becoming blackhead free which is something that I have done myself.

While we all know there is no fool proof method for ridding ourselves of these unsightly blemishes, we can somewhat battle them with the right products.

Being an avid Pinner I often see DIY posts for beauty concoctions. One of the recent posts that caught my eye boosted such claims of waging war against the enemies known as ‘blackheads’.  The post was linked to 'Bye-Bye Blackheads' which listed the ingredients, brief instructions and the fellow blogger seemed pleased with the outcome yet indicated that some tweaks could be made if the product proved to be too harsh for the readers skin.  I browsed the comments left by previous readers and decided that this might be worth a shot!

 

The ingredients required are more than likely already in your kitchen which is always a bonus because who really wants to add more strain to their pocketbook?

'Memory Terrarium' DIY

Since moving to Southern California I have been fortunate enough to become friends with a handful of ladies whose husbands are in the military. While these friendships have not only allowed me to meet people from all walks of life but it has also permitted me an inside look at just how much these families sacrifice. 

One of the ladies that I felt very much connected to and had developed a friendship with, told me that when her husband came back from his most recent deployment they would be moving to Virginia. I knew that I would miss the puppy play dates and massive amounts of frozen yogurt we had been known to enjoy.  Even more than the laughs and days spent at the local dog beaches, I knew I would miss her company and her friendship.

As her farewell lunch date crept closer I began to think of some small token that she could take with her as she began this new chapter in her life. I wanted her to be able to reflect back on the years that she and her husband had lived here and remember the beauty of San Diego and to be reminded of the people she had befriended.

I decided to make a terrarium of sorts using elements that remind me of life in San Diego and would also represent memories that she and I have created with our pups. 

DNA 11 Art

DNA Portrait @DNA11 

I was extremely fortunate this year to receive a DNA11 Portrait as a birthday gift.  Being a Science Geek at heart this was quite an exciting gift to be given!

This creative and insanely personally gift is the result of DNA11's "pioneered application of genetic science." The DNA11 website sells this product with the statement, "Frame your inner beauty" which could not be more charming.

Tie Thursday

::I work for a company that can be compared to most other major corporations across America. I am sure that 'Tie Thursday' in some form has been a weekly activity that is meant to break the  monotonous  drone employees suffer from.::

Today is Thursday... 

I came back from lunch to find this laid across my desk..

                       "Join US :) ..."                    "OR else ;)"                       

Moments later, Furious Bow, comes to my desk and shows me this......

'Join the Dark Side.. We have Ties...'