Seeking A Date Movie For The End Of The World

Last night Thomas and I watched Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. If you haven't seen it, I am about to spoil everything, so you have been warned.

I was expecting it to be a funny movie, but it was really more serious. At the end of the movie...

(last chance to bail on this post before I spoil the movie)

...Steve Carell and Keira Knightley lie in bed together listening to explosions as the asteroid hurls towards earth. The room gets brighter and brighter, until a white light fills the screen.

I turned to Thomas, and made a sarcastic comment about them finding love before the world ended. To which he replied, "I didn't think they really died." Thus demonstrating his optimism and my pessimism-mixed-with-cynicism.

It occurred to me that this movie could be the perfect first date movie. Based on the answers to a few movie-specific questions at the end of the date, you would be able to know for sure if there should ever be a second date. Because I love you, I have developed the test for you, and am going to share it here for free (although I'm sure that as a good blogger I should probably develop it into an ebook and charge you $17.99 for this brilliance).

Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World First Date Test
1. Do you steal your neighbor's mail?
1b. If so, do you read it, or just throw it away?

2. Would you leave your ex-boyfriend at the mercy of an angry mob if there was a possibility of getting a plane ride home?
2b. Does the fact he tried to use you as a human shield a few minutes earlier factor into your decision?

3. What do you do if your friend's spouse hits on you days before the world is going to be destroyed?

4. Do you stop the car when a cop tries to pull you over for a speeding ticket days before the world is going to be destroyed?

5. When you break into your high school sweetheart's parent's house, do you do the dishes after making yourself an elaborate dinner?

6. Would you send the possible love of your life home to her parents, or would you keep her with you?

7. Are the explosions small pieces of the asteroid hitting, or the sound of neighbors shooting themselves?

8. Did they actually die at the end of the movie?

You are now prepared to see if you should have a second date by watching Seeking a Friend for the End of the World and taking this quiz.

You also now know what it is like to watch a movie with me late at night after I've been taking cold medicine for three days.

In related news, we need tissues and tea (*sniffle - cough - sneeze*), and I should probably go back to bed.

What is your perfect date movie?

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The Disney Collection By Vera Bradley

This morning I attended a media preview for the new Disney Collection by Vera Bradley. We got to see the two new Disney-inspired patterns, and meet the Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Vera Bradley, Barbara Bradley Baekgaard.

Barbara shared a little about the origins of Vera Bradley, and I learned that Vera was a real person, not just a company name.

In 1982, Barbara and her friend Patricia R. Miller were inspired to make handbags and luggage with a feminine feel when Barbara's daughters were going away to college, and couldn't find the kind of bags they wanted.

With an investment of $250, Barbara and Patricia started creating bags. They named the company after Barbara's mother, Vera Bradley, and eventually hired friends and family to work with them. It started as a small business, two friends who had no formal design experience or education sewing handbags in Barbara's house, and grew into an internationally recognized company.

As Chief Creative Officer, Barbara was involved in the creation of the new Disney Collection by Vera Bradley. The two new patterns have signature Vera Bradley names, the pink pattern is “Just Mousing Around,” and the black pattern is “Midnight with Mickey."

They are both awesome, but Midnight with Mickey is my favorite.

Aren't these Vera Tote Bags beautiful? I think I need one for library visits and other book-carrying needs.

The Disney Collection by Vera Bradley has eight styles, ranging in price from $15 for the Zip ID Case to $99 for the Large Duffel.

One nice thing about Vera Bradley bags is that they are all machine washable, so you don't have to worry about them getting dirty. When we go to Disney World, we always take a backpack with us, and these would be the perfect size.

The official release date for the Disney Collection by Vera Bradley is September 21, 2013. The event begins at 7:30 a.m. in Orlando, at the World of Disney in the Downtown Disney Marketplace. The parking lot will be open at 3:00 a.m., and guests will be able to get in line at 4:00 a.m.

The Disney Collection by Vera Bradley will also be available in select locations at Disneyland in California on September 23rd, and on the Disney Parks online store starting in October 2013.

Barbara Bradley Baekgaard will be at the release party on September 21st from 8-9 a.m. There will be a limited number of wristbands distributed to meet with Barbara, so you definitely want to get in line early. It really enjoyed meeting her this morning; she was very sweet.

You can find more information about the release party for the Disney Collection by Vera Bradley, purchase limits, and prices on the Disney Parks blog.

Which Vera Bradley pattern is your favorite?

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Blog Against Child Abuse - September 2013 Edition

The Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse is a monthly event. Its purpose is to raise awareness about the serious issue of child abuse. All forms of abuse (physical, emotional, sexual, spiritual, verbal) are discussed.

Welcome to the Blog Against Child Abuse - September 2013 Edition!

Aftermath:
-Sandra from Don't tell... submitted Capturing the Thoughts
She wrote: In my misery, I can still marvel that one memory can cause a cascade of pointy fragments.

-David Pittman from Together We Heal submitted Waiting To Be Found
He wrote: The loneliest feeling in the world...is waiting to be found.


Healing & Therapy:
-Paul from Mind Parts submitted The Hole Reality
He wrote: After somewhat of a break, I am back to writing on my blog again, writing in a somewhat different voice than I have in the past: with more perspective on what my healing has been about. Thank you to all the wonderful survivors contributing to the collective healing voice we all have!

-David Pittman from Together We Heal submitted You Have Worth And Are Worthy
He wrote: It's an uplifting post for all survivors or for anyone feeling less than worthy of love.


In The News:
-Mike McBride from Child Abuse Survivor submitted Another Convicted Molester gets No Jail Time
He wrote: Let’s not assume that all of our efforts to raise awareness of the damage done by child abusers has gone for nothing. There are still other examples where it is making a big difference. These are disturbing stories, but they are outliers.


Survivor Stories:
-EmmaSurviver submitted My Bio

-iamnotbubba from Perpetually Healing submitted Homicide
He wrote: My website is devoted to sharing my story as well as inspiring others to heal and thrive. A way to "redirect the shame" back to the perpetrator.

***************

The Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the serious issue of child abuse and to share important posts with others who might not be frequent readers of an author's blog. There are so many wonderful bloggers who are contributing to the cause of ending and recovering from child abuse. If you, as a reader or author, know of other blogs that you find helpful, please encourage them to submit to an upcoming issue of the Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse so we can continue to receive high quality submissions from a wide swath of bloggers.

Many thanks to all of you who shared your hearts and stories with us, and to all of you who read the submissions and show your support. You keep this carnival, the awareness, support, and healing going each month.

To provide another way for you to stay in contact with the blog carnival, and make sure you don't miss any updates, we have a Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse Facebook Page.

Thank you for raising your voice and speaking out against child abuse!

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Art In The Shire

This is the joy of homeschooling.

Tomorrow is art day, which instigated this special exchange.

Katarina: "Now, Dad, today I need you to bring home some art supplies. I need a big rock. I need twigs. I need mushrooms...

Thomas (retrospectively): "You do not need mushrooms. Mushrooms are very bad. By the way, don't ever pick mushrooms; they are poisonous, and mostly evil."

Katarina: "Okay, well...I need moss. I need berries. I need flowers. I need mud. But listen, dad, you can buy the berries in the store."

Thomas: "Really? In the store? Did you think I was going to frickle along the paths of the Shire and happily gather berries from their stems in the prime of Spring?"

Thomas then grabbed his walking stick and his cape, and merrily whistled a J. R. R. Tolkien tune as he stepped out the door.

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can.

Art day is tomorrow. It is going to be epic.

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The Nothingness Of Grief

Nothing burns like the tears you hold back, willing them to melt back into your eyeballs as if they never threatened to spill over your lashes.

Nothing feels as cold as the words you never wanted to read as they move from your eyes straight to the middle of your stomach, sitting there like dry ice, cold and foggy.

Nothing screams like that place deep inside your mind where the echo of "WHY?" reverberates through your head over and over again.

Nothing feels as tight as the first breath you take after the punch of grief, pulling air in almost just to remind yourself that you are still alive.

Nothing is as wet as the blanket that catches your tears (because fall they did) and wipes your face, as you wrap it around you, trying to warm the cold settling deep in your bones.

Nothing.

Grief. Then nothing.

*Thomas, Katarina, and I are all okay, but we lost some special people on both sides of our family in the last two weeks. The grief is strong. The promises of Jesus and heaven are stronger.

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