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I can’t believe it’s almost September! Today is the last day of August. Summer is nearly over, at least according to the calendar. It’s a good thing that where I live, the weather only gets warmer from August until mid-October. The sun is out, & the skies couldn’t look more beautiful. It’s such a waste to be cooped up inside the house (or office cubicle). I’ve decided to take a personal day for myself today just to unwind & reorganize my life’s To Do list. Hey, even persons with less stressful jobs need some personal time to recharge his/her own batteries.
This summer, I feel like every day rolls by on one continuous loop. I don’t even remember when each day begins or ends. It has all been one big blur of the past four months. My niece’s 5-year old birthday, which coincided with my older female cousin’s bridal shower. My own birthday, which ended in a rather embarrassing way that I wish I could go back & do over again. Many more birthday parties of my close friends & family. Followed by the Mexican-destination wedding of my above mentioned cousin, which happened to take place on the exact date of our other cousin’s birthday (which truly upset him…but only for a short time). Shortly after that, San Diego’s International Comic-Con took up an ample chunk of my July days. Peppered in with a few extremely brief layover days in Los Angeles. More birthday celebrations! And now, here we are at the end of August.
WHERE DID ALL THE DAYS RUN OFF TO?! WHERE DID ALL THE TIME GO?!
Right now I’m sitting in my local coffee shop, in my “usual seat”, writing this blog post. I just finished eating a pre-made protein snack box filled with fruits, slices of cheese, a hard boiled egg, & a small slice of multi-grain bread. This is one of the regular food items I always order at this coffee shop. I am a creature of habit, & usually order only amongst the same three or four items I like every time. I don’t mind trying new things, but I dont like holding up the line behind me. So, I generally just pick the things I like/know, so that I can place my order quickly, pay the cashier, & step out of the line fast.
Since today is my so-called day off from doing my everyday work, I’m going to enjoy the sunshine, fresh air, & outdoors. Then, I’m going to watch a matinee movie, a movie that I am more than happy to pay to watch twice in the theaters. Yes, that’s how much I thoroughly enjoy watching this particular movie. (I will even buy this movie on DVD &/or digital download when it it released.) In two days I’m going to watch Brandon Flowers (the lead singer of the band The Killers) in concert. I’ve only ever seen him in concert at the Outside Lands music festival along with his fellow Killers bandmates. This will be the first time I will be watching Brandon Flowers perform music from his solo albums. I’m so excited to be going to another concert, especially since it’s Brandon Flowers, & he is a great musician that I admire very much. I. Can’t. Wait. Cheers!
Today’s song of the day:
In the 1960s with the Cold War in play, CIA agent Napoleon Solo successfully helps Gaby Teller defect to West Germany despite the intimidating opposition of KGB agent Illya Kuryakin. Later, all three unexpectedly find themselves working together in a joint mission to stop a private criminal organization from using Gaby’s father’s scientific expertise to construct their own nuclear bomb. Through clinched teeth and stylish poise, all three must find a way to cooperate for the sake of world peace, even as they each pursue their own agendas.
via: IMDB
I recently saw the film The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. This was one of the films in more recent years that has truly piqued my interest. I’ve been finding movies within this decade are so uninteresting and boring. Nothing has been grabbing my attention or even getting me remotely excited, until this movie came along. Upon the first time viewing the trailer for this movie, while I was in the theater watching Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, I was instantly hooked. Oh, yeah. I fell in love with this movie straight away.
This movie really caught my attention right from the start because it reminded me of all of my favorite classic/vintage/retro films from the 1960s. I absolutely adore films from the 60s…more so than the films of my generation or even in the current decade. This movie had a bit of James Bond, mixed with a little bit of The Italian Job, mixed with a dash of Charade, mixed with a small helping of The Avengers (TV show), mixed with a dose of To Catch A Thief.
There was plenty of espionage, sexiness, comedy, secret identities, evil-doing, just-in-the-nick-of-time moments, car chases, gun fights, explosions, & the hero(es) saving the damsel (sort of) in distress.
The incredibly soulful, Motown-esque music soundtrack really set a great vibe throughout the film, & it really got me tapping my feet (quietly) & bobbing my head the entire time. I’m debating if I should just pull the trigger (no pun intended) & purchase the deluxe soundtrack on iTunes.
Man, oh man, I sure did love all the eye candy that were the costumes & accessories used in the movie (especially the sunglasses & smart dresses with matching coats)! I love fashion from the 1960s, & this movie showcased all the best 60s retro couture & accessories. I often wish I had lived in the 1960s, so that I could walk the streets wearing the colorful, chic clothes of that era.
After all that whiz, pop, pow, & bang, what could possibly be the icing on the cake? How about a slow burning romance between two very hot characters? There’s sexual tension AND chemistry afoot, & it sizzles just beneath the surface between the hardened yet soft (on the inside) KGB agent played by Armie Hammer & the sexy yet strong decoy/bait played by Alicia Vikander. Oh, how I wish the two of them would just get the kissing scene over with & just do it already! I was & still am dying to see the pair steal a sweet kiss. Armie Hammer’s character Illya Kuryakin was one of my favorite characters from the film. This particular character reminded me of my favorite fictional character from one of my all-time favorite books. The character from the book I mentioned was also Russian (from Siberia) & also had a hardened personality that was softened by the touch (& love) of a strong female lead character. Because of that, I strongly gravitated towards Armie Hammer’s character Illya. I also enjoyed Alicia Vikander’s character Gaby Teller. She’s strong, sexy, sweet, funny, cute, innocent, & above all…a classy lady with a killer fashion sense that I wish I had. Sometimes I dream of being like her with a lover of my own just like Illya Kuryakin. Hahaha!
Overall, I truly enjoyed the storyline of this film. I often tend to gravitate towards spy & action movies, & this film fit the bill all around! I loved the acting by all of the actors, the espionage, the car chases, the scenery backdrops, as well as the 1960s setting. It almost makes me wish I were a secret agent myself. Almost. Until then, I shall wait for the DVD to be released, so I can watch this movie again. Cheers!
* All photo credits belong to IMDB and Google Images.
Today’s song of the day:
It’s just been one event after another with me these days. That’s the reason I’ve been spotty with updating this darn blog. So many family gatherings & personal events are keeping me occupied & away from all electronic devices. Believe it or not, all this running around business has helped me to recharge a bit, because I got to take a step back from my smartphone (named Alphonse) & iPad (named Roger). I’m not going to get into why I like to give names to inanimate objects right now.
After coming back from my cousin’s wedding in Mexio, I had about a week to unpack, wash my laundry, clean up the house, & prepare for my sister to visit with her two extremely lovable children. I often thought that as children grow older, especially from the toddler stages to older childhood, they would become increasingly independent & not want to be around “grown ups” as much, play with their friends more, & spend less time with family. I thought this would eventually happen with my sister’s kids, but that has just not been true. The more I spend time with my nephew & niece, the more attached they become with me. I absolutely adore this & adore them, & I’m going to treasure these moments for as long as I possibly can. My nephew & niece are obviously loud & rambunctious kids at ages 7 & 5 respectively. However, they are also loving, fun, caring, & weird. Yes, I said weird. My nephew is incredibly sensitive. He will get upset if everyone is at home, but not all in the same room playing together. No, that doesn’t make him selfish. He just wants to be surrounded by the people he loves. My niece has an unhealthy obsession with makeup at such a young age. C’mon! She already knows what mascara is & how to put it on! Fortunately my sister has placed boundaries on makeup & only allows my niece to wear lip gloss…sometimes eyeshadow if she has a ballet recital.
I love my nephew & niece. They always love having me around & playing with me. My nephew & I text message each other often. That sounds strange, to be texting with a 7-year old kid, but he only does it when he gets permission from his parents, & it truly helps him learn to spell & learn proper grammar. Ever since my nephew was born, we’ve had an unbreakable bond. We’ve always been super close, sometimes to the point where my sister gets a bit jealous (she has admitted this aloud). I’ve only recently become close with my niece. Before, she would generally gravitate towards males, like her uncles & my dad, but we are now close & she trusts me. I’m so unbelievably happy to have these kids in my life. They truly brighten up my life, & I always look forward to seeing them, even if only in a picture or by text message. Recently, I’ve been teaching my nephew & niece to write letters. I’ve already sent them a few letters by post, & they like receiving colorful things in the mail. It’s been fun. Well, actually, I’m heading to the post office now. Until then, cheers!
P.S. I’M GOING TO SAN DIEGO COMIC CON NEXT WEEK!!! YAAAAAAAASSSSS!
Today’s song of the day:
Rabbits & Foxes 
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