Frugality MCS-Style

I've been feeling poor lately. Usually when I feel this way, I take inventory of my bills and question what I can do without. Unfortunately, since I run on bare minimum most of the time, there isn't much I can do to reduce my expenditures. So instead I count the many ways I do save money and that makes me feel a little bit better about my situation...sort of...until my bank account gets so low I start to panic. I know I am not alone as there are many chemically sensitive people out there who work only part-time due to health issues, are disabled and living on limited income, and/or homeless. Here are some strategies I use for saving money:


1.) I cut my own hair. I don't use toxic products on it either which are very expensive. No shampoos, conditioners, hairspray, hair gel. No color or permanents. Eeeww...I can't imagine. It sure saves money to have natural hair.

2.) I shop at the Free Store at my local food co-op for clothes. I have found shorts, pajamas, pants, coats, sweaters, and t-shirts. This takes patience and perseverance, but eventually something of good quality shows and I snatch it up.

3.) I shop yard, garage, and estate sales for basics: sheets, blankets, clothes, garden supplies, office supplies, anything and everything. Sometimes I find a house where the owner has my same taste. Jackpot!

4.) I get all books and DVDs out of the library. I have rarely purchased or rented either in the last twenty years.


5.) Because I get all my DVDs out of the library, I rarely if ever go to the movies. This takes an enormous amount of patience, too, to wait until the movie is released on DVD. I also don't subscribe to Netflix or HBO or other services.

7.) I watch free TV series also from the library, but I can find some series online. Again, this takes patience as one usually has to wait about six months for the DVD to be released and for online viewing, normally one needs to wait until a week after it was on TV to see it free.

8.) I check music CDs out of the library, too. There is often a very long wait on new releases. I listen to the CD until I'm sick of every song and return it. Later if I have a craving to listen again, I check it out again! I don't need to buy anything!

9.) I rarely eat in restaurants. I know this indulgence is nice. So wonderful to have someone cook for you, but it is very costly for all that pampering.

10.) I don't buy presents: Christmas, birthdays, wedding and baby showers, etc. Call me Scrooge. Sometimes I will make something for someone, but I avoid shopping.

11.) I don't wear make-up and, therefore, don't need make-up remover or special cleaning soaps.

12.) I avoid buying packaged or processed foods and instead I buy in bulk. I also avoid buying any kind of plastic storage bags and instead use glass bowls and containers. This cuts down on garbage, too, but in the city limits residents are required to purchase garbage service so there is no choice. If I lived in the country, I would pack my own garbage to the dump....and definitely do more recycling.

13.) I get free water from the free flowing artesian well using refillable glass bottles.

14.) I rarely go on vacation. I do staycations at home.

15.) Wait for sales and then buy in bulk! I have cases of dishwashing liquid and laundry detergent stored in my house. One can usually get a per case discount ON TOP of the discounted sales price.

16.) Use coupons. Every now and then I find a coupon for discounted merchandise, especially office supplies or paper products. I rarely, if ever, find coupons for organic food or healthy products. I've always admired women who keep large, massively organized coupon collections. That takes a whole lot of work!

17.) Memberships at warehouse stores like Costco. There isn't much I buy in terms of groceries at Costco since most of what they sell is junk food garbage AND more importantly the organic produce they do have is usually sold in large quantities. Unless one is willing to can or freeze any excess, it would go bad too quickly. In addition, I don't do canned food and I have limited space in my freezer for frozen. However, this would be a good option for families. Costco does have really cheap gas, eye glass prescriptions, and electronics.

18.) Eat less. I try. I'm a notorious overeater. Food is health, comfort, and entertainment. Heck, food is sanity! However, lately I've been doing a good job of limiting my portions and, WOW! food supplies actually last longer! I'm buying less. For a while every time I'd go to the store I'd think how cheap that was, what did I forget, and what was wrong with me before I remembered I'm not eating as much as I used to! (I can't lie...I'm hungry, but I know even when I'm full I'm hungry. I just like to eat.)

19.) Free garden supplies. When possible I get plants for free. Take cuttings off of plants that will propagate easily and get left-over plants from friends cleaning out their gardens due to overgrowth. I have also dug up wildflowers along the side of the highway. If wild weed-like plants infest my yard, I strategically use them in my gardens and call them "native plants." I get rabbit manure from a friend's barn for fertilizer, ash from a friend's fireplace for soil amendments, and bamboo sticks from someone who ripped all the bamboo out of their yard. Every fall plants in my garden go to seed and I collect the seeds for planting the following year. I also collect seeds from foods, like squash.

20.) I love Freecycle. Lots of freebies of all kinds.

21.) Garbage. Sometimes I just find free stuff. For a while I was going to the dump regularly looking for cast offs that could be recycled. My neighbors sometimes put things out on the road with a "free" sign. I have a set of lawn chairs I got that way. Other neighbors put shelves or basketballs or whatever out for the garbage. I am not proud...I take what I like.

Latest acquisition!

22.) I buy expensive items in a state that doesn't charge sale tax.

23.) I get free cardboard from the local furniture store to use as painting canvases or protest posters.

24.) I do most of my house construction and maintenance myself. Not only is is less toxic and I can control any contamination, but it's just plain cheaper.

In conclusion, the key is patience. Waiting for the garage sale that is selling exactly what you need, waiting on hold for the latest movie DVD or music CD from the library, waiting for sales, waiting for freebies to show. Every little bit helps.

Also, my money saving ideas work for me because of my chemical sensitivity isolation. For social butterflies some of these ideas might be their worst nightmare: going without fancy hair and make-up or not having a social life. If you have MCS sacrifices are sometimes necessary...and also money-saving!!

Well, this makes it sound like I never buy anything and of course that's not true. I'm always looking for new ideas.

How do you save money?

Chemical-Free Mole Repellent

Something dead is under my garden shed. It smells to high heaven. The last time the garden shed stunk that bad is when Peter died. He didn't smell that bad, but it wasn't summer. He died in the winter. I found a dead baby opossum in my yard the other day. I have a feeling one of my horrible neighbors has poisoned his momma and siblings. I hate it when people kill things.

And on that note, my yard is overrun by moles. They moved in about a year ago and they make such a mess. I can't kill them. They are so cute. And there is a chipmunk living in my yard, too. Well, maybe. I haven't seen him for a while so he's probably been snacking on the neighbor's tasty treats. Regardless, I prefer to prevent the critters from making themselves at home rather than murder them.

So...moles...last year I tried castor oil. I read if you put two tablespoons of castor oil with two tablespoons of dish soap in a gallon of warm water and spray it all over they will go away. It makes everything taste bad. Do it when it rains so it soaks into the ground. It kind of worked. They stopped making mole hills for a while, but you have to constantly reapply it.

Someone mentioned sonic beepers and several people told me they work wonderfully. The moles hate the beeping and will leave. I found two for $25.00 plus three size "C" batteries each. You can get solar ones, but they were much more expensive.

Now I thought they would be like the rodent beepers you can get for your house. Silent. Not a chance. The mole beepers are NOISY. I can imagine they would definitely work because if I had to listen to that beeping noise day and night, I'd move. I can't do noise. I can't imagine my neighbors would like to hear it either. I returned them.

Another someone mentioned PINWHEELS. Oh! That would be cute. It seems the vibration from the twirling drives the rodents nuts and they will leave. Unfortunately the only pinwheels I could find are red, white and blue in anticipation of the 4th of July holiday. They are also $4.00 a piece. Since I would need too many that seems a little pricey. I found some online for much cheaper, but I was unsure of the quality. There are some much larger for much more money, but I don't know if the big ones would work as well as they would need wind. Then I went to a festival last weekend and one of the booths was giving them away. Each one of my friends took one so I got three orange pinwheels.

But they hardly ever twirl! The problem I have is my five foot fence. And the fact I don't get wind that often. Every now and then it got a little breezy and they still didn't twirl! No twirly action and the moles won't care. I've been repositioning them repeatedly and every now and then one will catch a breeze, but it's very short lived.

Twirling!

So then I decided to check online to see if I can make some. I found a pattern. Very easy. Directions:

1) Cut a square.
2) Draw or fold corner to corner for an X. (Folding for no lines.)
3) Cut from each corner 2/3rds to the center.

4) Make a hole in the center.
5) Put holes on every other corner.

6) Put a skinny nail through each hole gathering up every other corner and through the center.

7) Put some beads behind the pinwheel on the nail or a small piece of plastic straw. (This helps keep the pinwheel away from the stick so it doesn't get caught.)

8) Nail it to a long stick.

9) Put the stick deep in the ground.

I did some experiments. I made one out of paper and it worked really well, but I made the mistake of turning on the sprinkler and it got wet and fell apart.

I made one out of some old laminated posters, but made the first one too big. Too heavy. You'd need a tornado to get it to turn. Light weight works best.

I made some smaller ones and experimented with different beads. Greased them up with olive oil and if the wind is just right, they work! When the wind hits the one below, it whips into a frenzy!

I made one out of a transparency sheets and instead of beads (because I ran out) I used a small piece of plastic straw. It's lighter weight, but I have yet to see it work. Waiting for some wind. (Once the wind picked up, it twirled!)

Will pinwheels chase the critters away? I have no idea. I don't know if I get enough wind for some consistent twirling.

 Time will tell. It was fun to make pinwheels. And they make my yard look happy.

The Man Hater

MCS is isolating, as we all know. Besides the need to self-protect 24/7 and besides the constant irritability that comes with each toxic exposure, I prefer my solitude. People just drive me nuts. I have no patience for them.

However, this year I have decided I need to be less reclusive. I need to meet new people, make new friends, form alliances, and find support. This is my New Year's Resolution and I'm doing a darn good job at putting myself out there, attempting to be less isolated, and being more friendly. However, believe me when I say, it's been a challenge.

Lately I've become talkative to anyone who will listen. I force myself. How else am I to meet new people if I don't expose myself? No engagement and I am invisible. My victims are the grocery store people, the librarians, the postal workers, people on the street. It's difficult for me. It somehow feels like a violation of privacy which is a clear indication of how reclusive I've become. I'm still not friendly with my neighbors. One step at a time.

So...When my postal guy said, "I know someone who is just like you."

My first question was, "What do you mean like me?" (I really need to check my apprehension if I want to meet new people.)

"Chemically sensitive." Really? Out in the middle of no where? On the edge of civilization? Someone who is chemically sensitive? Unbelievable. (I really need to check my skepticism.)

He asked if I was willing to share my email address and he'd deliver it. (He's a great postal guy!) He told me the Man goes to his church. Church-going didn't sound like chemical sensitivity to me.  Hmmm...My apprehension and skepticism was raging. Do I listen to my instincts or venture forth for some risk-taking people encounters?

I asked, "Is the Man weird? I mean is he going to stalk me or kill me or create so much stress my life would end up in the sewer?"

Postal guy didn't think so, but he informed me the Man is an artist. Oh! OK. I'm intrigued. A new artist friend would be good, someone who would not poison me if indeed he is really chemically sensitive.

I waited for about a month, but never received an email. I thought maybe the Man decided it was not a good idea and I was fine with that because I was having second thoughts myself. I like no stress in my life. I like feeling safe. The next time I saw the postal guy I ask if he gave the Man my email. He said yes he did, and he would check. The next day I received a note card in my mailbox addressed to my first name with the address added in another person's handwriting. His note was very cryptic. Or maybe he just wasn't good at writing notes? What does, "I feel for you in this new year" mean exactly? Hmmm...my instincts flared.

I emailed the Man. Much of his writing was incomprehensible, but he seemed pleasant, and I was determined to find myself a new fragrance-free artist friend so I threw all caution to the wind. We shared how we became chemically sensitive. The Man was poisoned in an industry job. I wondered if the Man had some brain damage which made writing (thinking) (spelling) difficult. We agreed to meet at a local park on Sunday morning. I worried. Is he weird? Will he stink? Oh god, this is a bad idea!

So Sunday morning I drive to the park chanting, "Be brave. Take a risk." I could see someone sitting at a picnic table halfway across the park. Is it the Man? Why is he sitting so far away? I walked toward him. He's all splayed out on the picnic bench leaning back against the picnic table, arms wide across the table, legs apart, nose stuck up in the air, refusing to look toward me. I kept wondering if his unfriendly, arrogant, self-righteous demeanor was just because he was nervous. I was nervous. I don't like meeting new people. There is always too much at stake. He had to have seen me approach him, but he refused to look at me. I walked right up to him and asked, "Are you the Man?"

He responded without hesitation, but still refusing to look at me, "Sometimes I'm not sure."

I yelled, probably louder than necessary, but feeling pissed off at his apathetic attitude and rude insensitive inconsideration. "ARE YOU THE MAN OR NOT?!" Am I wrong to have expected him to get up off his ass and at least attempt to meet me half way through the park rather than have me grovel for his attention?

He jerked to attention, finally looking at me, and stuttered, "Oh, oh, yes, I am the Man."

I sat. We talked. It was friendly. He didn't stink. We discussed MCS. I asked him if he was following any health protocols or reading any books. No, he doesn't read because he's far to busy with life. Really? His arrogance was nauseating. I suggested a dietary plan since he was having so many bad allergy symptoms. He talked about himself constantly and he kept lying to me. About everything. I have a really good sense for lying especially when the liar keeps contradicting himself. He kept repeating how honest, respectful and moral he is. I wondered why he feels he must sell me on his honesty? After a while I started excusing myself to leave, but he'd keep stopping me with another question. Eventually I got up, said good-bye, and started walking away. He yelled after me, "OK. Now what is next?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do we do next?"

I told him, "Now we go home and the next time we email we'll say 'Hello friend, how are you?'" He seemed perturbed. Clearly he wasn't interested in just a friendship, but he wasn't taking my subtle hints and he obviously misinterpreted my emails that explained my friendship goals. I felt sick to my stomach. I probably should have again explained our relationship right there, but truthfully, I didn't think he would take it well and thought an email might be safer.

As expected, the next email he went off on how it would have been a perfect date if we had a picnic. Clearly, the Man was looking for a love connection. I made it clear this was not a date nor a love connection, but only a friendship. He became defensive. He blamed it on society for making people not appreciate his honesty. Whoa. I wrote back to him told him it was ridiculous to be defensive after he so highly values honesty and I was being honest, but more importantly, if our relationship expectations are different, then this will not work. He seemed to accept that, but then he decided he needed to send me a lengthy list of facts about himself. I thought it strange how much I know about him and how little he knows about me. He hardly asked me any questions about myself.

He began emailing me continuously with a play-by-play of his daily activities, more lies, and more justification for his perfect behavior. We argued about everything especially our impending relationship.

Since I was busy with my own life, I couldn't respond to every email. The Man emailed again stating I was going to support him with his health issues and told me he would do the diet but he expected me to supervise and pick at him to death.  Clearly he was under the impression this was my responsibility as a woman and his most-excellent new friend.

He informed me, "We've known each other for five hours."

My instincts were screaming RUN! HIDE! Amidst the feelings of suffocation and stress, like the good, well-trained man-pleasing woman I am from a generation long, long ago, I tried to second guess his intentions and his motivation. I thought about giving him excuses and blaming myself for not being more patient, understanding, and compliant. Should I be more forgiving? He's chemically sensitive, after all. Then I questioned as a reclusive, chemically sensitive person if I am the same: emotionally needy, high maintenance, demanding, and self-centered with a tendency for pathological bullshitting in hopes of manipulating someone into liking me. Is that me? Maybe? Damn, I hope not. Does he deserve my unconditionally devoted attention after five hours of talking about himself?

After lecturing him on gender roles and the archaic expectations of men in a male dominant society, I told him he was too high maintenance and he needed to find a woman who was willing to give him undivided attention. Although I didn't say this, I figured he goes to a Christian church. There must be a whole harem of subservient women there he can pick from.

He wrote eight emails in the next two hours with each email getting more hostile than the last. He whined about his inability to make a friend in the last fifteen years, then about all the losses he's had to endure as a chemical sensitive person and I have just damage him with yet another loss, then demanding a definition of friendship, then blaming society for not liking how honest he is. Am I that socially inept, manipulative and controlling? I didn't respond to him. I was afraid of what I might say.

I've been in fear the postman will give the Man my last name and my address. He might show up at my door one day. <Shiver> This is why I like being reclusive. I don't like people. Really.

Leave me alone.

I find most older male humans to be man-babies. They expect women to cater to their every need, support them unconditionally, to cook and clean for them, to shop and organize their lives. I know this is the way society has trained them as well as the effects of hormonal changes that make them mushy. The dutiful expectation for a woman is compromise, compromise, compromise. This man-baby encounter has made me ponder why my youthful self was trained to catering to the needs of men that in a society that gifts them control and power: my behavior on dates, my subservience during relationships, and my views of gender roles and marriage. I can look back now on the marriages I have witnessed and don't even wonder why I've never wanted to be "institutionalized" as Cher once referred the state of matrimony. It takes a certain kind of woman to be married. With age comes wisdom and I've pretty much discovered I'm not that kind of woman.

You'd think with feminism we would have grown out of these gender roles, but I don't think so. I met a man a couple years ago who all he wanted to do was to talk about himself and have me talk about him. He also bragged about having a whole stable of women who were catering to his every whim. I backed away from that really fast.

In addition to outdated gender roles, the older I get the more aware I've become of gender inequities. I'm watching the men in my life retire early with a bank load of money from doing menial jobs that didn't require a college education. My highly educated women friends are not retiring early. Why not?  And I've become more aware of the difference in the way society perceives and treats older men vs. women. Older men are distinguished and experienced; older women are hysterical and ugly. I supposed menopause symptoms play a role in this perception.

Last but not least, with age comes health issues. I don't want to be anyone's nurse maid. It's one thing to meet a man when one is young, grow with him, invest in a life with him, then take care of each other as the two of you grow older together, but it's completely different to meet men when they are already old, sick, and needy. I'm not finding anything attractive about it. And I cannot even imagine imposing my own health issues on another person.

I think I've become a Man Hater! Well, in reality, I've never gotten along with manipulative, controlling man-babies with entitlement issues.

June Movie Reviews

*****  Exceptional

****    Great

***      OK

**        So So

*          Blah

Aftermath was about a man (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who lost his wife and pregnant daughter in a plane crash and blames the air traffic controller for their deaths. He just wants someone to apologize and the airline refuses. The air traffic controller is tormented, psychologically tortured and damaged. He's forced to move to another state and separate from his family to give him time to heal although that gives him little relief. It all goes really wrong when Arnold finds out where the ex-air traffic controller is living. I don't know much about air traffic control but I would think if the pilot didn't wait for approval to descend, the crash was the pilot's fault, not the air traffic controller's. The whole story was tragic. It was based on the true events surrounding the crash of Bashkirian and DHL airplanes in 2002. ***

Black Butterfly is about a writer (Antonio Banderas) who is living out in the middle of Colorado country with writer's block. He drinks too much, misses deadlines, his wife left him, and he's trying to sell his property. He drives into town and ends up behind a logging truck that won't let him pass. In town we hear on the radio about a serial killer who has killed four women and our writer meets his real estate agent for lunch. The truck driver shows up, mad, and starts to pick a fight, but a stranger (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) at the counter goes after the truck driver. On the way home the author passes the stranger hitchhiking, thankful for helping him at the diner, offers him a ride and then offers to let him stay the night at his house. It's so wrong...who is stupid enough to do that? The stranger is scary strange, talks himself into staying to help around the house and then just gets weirder the longer he is there, paranoid when people come to the door, making himself at home, becoming very demanding, shooting off the author's gun, holding a knife to the author's throat, giving him advice on his writing,  and then disclosing he just got out of prison. Then it all gets very twisted...not once but twice. The whole time I kept thinking some of the plot was a little unrealistic, but by the end, I get it. I think that was on purpose. ***

A Coffee in Berlin was a gorgeous black and white German film with outstanding photography about the 24 hours of a young man who seems lost in life: breaks up with his girlfriend, drops out of law school, unemployed, after a DUI he goes through a psych eval and they refuse to give him back his license, he runs into a girl he used to bully when she was overweight, and has bizarre encounters with his strange friends. All day long he's trying to get a cup of coffee, but where ever he orders one they are out, he doesn't have enough money, the machine is broken, the machine has been just cleaned, his father bullies him to order drink instead, or they aren't serving anymore. Very creative and beautiful film and interesting because of that, but the story itself wasn't very interesting. ***

Extortion was about a family vacation in the Caribbean, they rent a boat, stop to explore an island, and the boat doesn't start. No water, no food and no one in sight. After a day or two and desperate, the man puts his wife and six-year old son in the boat and paddles out in hopes of finding boats, but they lose consciousness, and drift ending up on the beach of another island. A Haitian fisherman with his Hispanic boat captain find them, offer to save them for one million dollars. They hit the guy over the head and take him to a bank leaving his family on the island. He said no million and you will never find your family again. Desperation builds with each scene and the man goes rogue while everything goes wrong one step at a time. It's a roller coaster ride! Wow! ****

The Foreigner is a conspiracy/government/shoot-em-up/karate chop-em movie starring Jackie Chan who's daughter is murdered in a terrorist attack organized by the IRA. He can't get any answers from law enforcement or the government, but of course, he is Special Forces trained and goes after the Irish Prime Minister (Pierce Brosnan). Chan's still pretty nimble for being in his 60s. I can't even remember the last time I saw a movie about the IRA. ***

The Great Gilly Hopkins is about a very angry foster child who is on her last family before being shipped off to an institution. Her foster mother (Kathy Bates) and math teacher (Octavia Spencer) attempt to help her adjust, she writes a letter to her useless, piece-of-garbage mother (Julia Stiles) telling her she's living in a filthy, abusive house. Just when she begins to feel at home and loved, her grandmother (Glenn Close) who got the letters takes her away. Sweet movie. Love her name: Galadriel. ***

I Am Yours was about a Pakistani-Norwegian woman who is divorced with a six-year old son. She jumps from man to man, most of them using her, not wanting to be in a relationship with her. Her parents disown her because she brings shame on the family. She's kind of confused and puts up with everyone's disrespect. Didn't see the point. Crappy title. **

The Last Movie Star is about an elderly movie star (Burt Reynolds) who was once the most popular actor in Hollywood. He is sent an invitation to receive a life time achievement award promised free airfare, first-rate hotel, and award presentation. He's not interested, but his friend (Chevy Chase) talks him into thinking this is the prestigious "Nashville International Film Festival" not realizing it's an amateur event called the "International Nashville Film Festival". He is picked up at the airport by a bad-attitude mentally-ill messed-up girl (Ariel Winter) dressed in sleazy shorts with her butt hanging out driving a beat up old car, taken to his seedy motel by the freeway that smells like pee and Pinesol, then driven to the bar where the event is held to watch his films projected on the wall. The event organizers are his most devoted fans and they are thrilled he was willing to participate when no other celebrities would. He's appalled. Growing old is bad enough and trying to negotiate each day, but this just reminds him he's now a second-rate has-been. He starts acting resentful, entitled, and rude to his hosts, skips the event to go reminisce about his youth in neighboring town where he grew up taking the bad-attitude girl with him. Excellent theme: Don't take your youth for granted and use each day of your life in the best possible way. Love the flashbacks as he talks to his younger self from film footage outtakes.  That was brilliant. I can't imagine anyone else but Burt Reynolds in this role! It was practically his life story, tweaked to be fictional. Good lord he was good looking when he was young!!!!! We forget how gorgeous these guys were in their heyday. I think Bette Davis said, "Getting old is not for sissies." So true. It's damn hard work. ***

Loving Vincent was this amazing, hand-painted cartoon in the style of Vincent Van Gogh's paintings.  Absolutely amazing. It takes place a year after Van Gogh's death and addresses the controversy. I've always questioned the theory that Van Gogh killed himself...according to historical accounts he shot himself in the stomach then walked a quite a ways to the hotel he was staying and died a couple days later. So strange. Who shoots themselves in the stomach to commit suicide? Some interesting ideas were presented in the film, first that some witnesses say they heard a gunshot coming from a nearby barn dispelling the account that he shot himself while painting out in a field. The village doctor says if he would have shot himself at close range through the gut, the bullet would have exited his body. This indicates someone else shot him and historically there is another theory that he was accidentally shot by some teenagers which makes much more sense. The story itself was interesting, but the hand-painted film was really spectacular. ***

Lucky was a very compelling, touching story about a little boy in South Africa who's mother dies. She leaves him instructions to go to his uncle in the city who will pay for school, but his uncle who was given money by the mother is a sleazy pig and throws him out. The Indian neighbor lady attempts to take him in, get him into school. Since they don't speak each other's language communication is a little difficult but not impossible. The uncle finds out, threatens her, and wants the welfare money for himself. She tries to help him find his family to keep him safe, but he doesn't have any. It was a great story. So sad there are orphaned homeless kids all over the world with nowhere to go. The movie has won a lot of international film festival awards.***

Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine is about the life and death of Matt Shepard the gay college student who was viciously beaten by two low-life thugs and left to die tied to a fence post in freezing weather. It's told by his friends, family and the people connected to him. Such a heart breaking story. ****

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life is about a cute kid who is on his last school having been kicked out of all the others. Instead of sleeping, he spends his nights drawing cartoons. There is some indication that someone died which is why he's having problems, but every time it's mentioned I thought, "What? Who?" and each time I considered backing the DVD up wondering why I missed it. At first I thought it was his father since his mother is dating a horrid man he and his sister hate. And he has this adorable side kick who is with him at school. Finally this all comes together and I realize how utterly sad it is...so it's an unusual teen-themed movie, filled with quirky characters, pranks on adults, but takes detour into grief a few times. Nice cartoons. ***

The Names of Love was an outstanding, incredibly hilarious, unconventional love story between a middle-aged scientist (veterinarian for dead animals) and a crazy liberal "political whore" who rights the wrongs of the world while saying whatever she wants when she wants. She's a bit of a scatterbrain and really poor at multitasking...she forgets her clothes in one scene because she gets so distracted. They both grow up in "hybrid" homes dealing with their respective family histories. It was wonderful with exceptional writing, excellent performances, and LOL moments. The dialogue was fast, furious and French so the English subtitles were really difficult. I just can't read that fast! ****

So B. It is about Heidi, a twelve-year old girl who lives with her mother, So B. It who is mentally challenged with a vocabulary of 22 words. All she knows about her past is from Bernadette, an agoraphobic who never leaves the house, who has told her of the night she heard So B. It out in the hallway screaming with a newborn baby in her arms. Bernadette took them in and cared for them, opening a closet wall so she can go between apartments without leaving hers and never questioning how So B. It's next door apartment bills are always paid. Heidi finds some old photos, questions her existence, and takes off on a bus trip from Nevada to New York on her own to get some answers. She also has a knack for luck - wins at games of chance or gambling machines. I'm not sure the point of her mental talents nor how that fits into the story, but it did add some interest. Sweet story. ****

Strange Weather is about a woman (Holly Hunter) who's son committed suicide seven years prior. In conversation with a friend she finds out her son's college friend is making lots of money after stealing her son's idea for a restaurant based on a thesis project. He's even used her son's family memories and history for the restaurant's origins. She wants to confront him, but what she really needs are answers so she can move on. Hunter was absolutely wonderful. The southern accents were a little hard to understand. Stupid title. ***

Tumbledown is about a woman (Rebecca Hall) who's folk singer husband who has a cult following dies and she is attempting to write his biography. A university professor (Jason Sudeikis) contacts her to write a book about her husband and after some resistance she hires him as a partner to help write the biography. It was a great movie about grief and love. ***

The Wave is a Norwegian movie about a Norwegian natural disaster waiting to happen. It starts off with historical footage of the first time the mountain fell into the fjord causing a gigantic tidal wave that wiped out the village of Geiranger. Fifty years later and the mountain is again separating from the cliffs - "it's only a matter of time." This is the modern day fictional simulation of what could happen centering on a geologist, his wife and two children. The mountain starts acting up but the warning center thinks it's just faulty wiring or whatever so they don't hit the panic button until it's too late. The residents and tourists have ten minutes to make it to high ground. It was very excited! Norway is so beautiful when it's not crumbling. ****

When the Bough Breaks is about a couple who desperately want a child. They hire a surrogate to carry the child not realizing she's part of her sleazy boyfriend's scam to get money then sell the baby to someone else. But the girl is crazy. She falls in love with the husband, kills her boyfriend, and just gets crazier with each passing moment. Very scary. ***

Wonder was a sweet movie about a ten-year old boy with a facial deformity who goes to school after a lifetime of homeschooling. Of course, he deals with bullying and feeling like he doesn't belong because no one likes the way he looks. I like how it addresses all the kids who feel alone but who's pain is invisible on the outside. It dealt with a whole lot of serious issues kid's are faced with today. ****

Wonder Woman was cool. Excellent kick-ass women. Great role models. Nice story. Great themes. ***