Movies!

When I was growing up, all parents sent their children to the matinee on Saturday because for $.25 they could see two movies, cartoons, newsreels, and a continuing serial movie. The kids would be gone all day! Talk about a good deal! As a teenager the Scera theater in Orem was THE place to go. The Jr. High kids would go on Friday nights (they had bouncers if the kids got too rowdy) and the high school kids would go on Saturday nights with their dates.

The Ultimate Movie survey

Here we go....
What movie have you watched the most time?:Moonstruck. It's one of those movies that you can watch when there is nothing else to watch.
What is the first DVD you owned?: It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
What is the first movie you saw in theaters which you remember clearly?: My dad took us to see Bombs Away with Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin in 1954. We had just moved to Utah & he took all the older kids while my mom was coming on the train with two toddlers and a new born.

Genres
What is youre favorite comedy?: Scavenger Hunt and Waking Ned Devine.
What is the scariest movie of all time?: In 4th grade we watched The Day the Earth Stood Still in our auditorium at school. It was so scary! I remember we carried our chairs to the auditorium and we were all so scared. I don't know why they would show that movie to kids at school.
What is the best thriller?:Wait Until Dark or Signs
What is the ultimate action movie?: All of the Jason Bourne movies.
What is your favorite adventure movie?:The Harry Potter movies.
What is your favorite fantasy movie?: I hate fantasy except for Harry Potter movies.
What is your favorite Sci-Fi movie?: See above.
What is the most historically sgnificant movie in film history?: Tora, Tora, Tora and The Patriot are two of my favorites.

Themes
What is the most romatic movie?: I know it's cheesy, but I love You've got Mail. I watch it when I'm alone.
What is the best movie about friendship?: Beaches.
What is the best movie about sacrifice?:Imitation of Life which is about a mother's sacrifice for her daughter's social standing. It's up there with The Champ and Brian's Song as a tearjerker.
What is the best movie about war?:I love The Green Beret with John Wayne.
Which movie is the biggest in terms of epic scale?: The Ten Commandments because they didn't have the technology but they made it work.
What is the best coming of age movie?: American Graffiti. D

Scenes
What is the best action scene?: Any of the action sequences from the Bourne movies. When he jumps into a window from another building!
What is the funniest comedic scene?: Anything from What's Up Doc? and Wedding Crashers.
Decades
What is the best film of the 30s?: Wizard of Oz and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
40s?: It's a Wonderful Life.
50s?: African Queen.
60s?: So many good ones. West Side Story and The Sound of Music. My first date with Gordon was to see The Sound of Music. Lillies of the Field is also great one.
70?: Norma Rae, The Godfather, Bad News Bears.
80s?: Coal Miner's Daughter was so amazing I forgot I was in the theater. And E.T..
90s?: Titanic.And anything with Tom Hanks.
since 2000?: Walk the Line, Bandits, Ocean's 11.

Charactors?
Who is the best movie hero?: Where would you even start? The dad in Life is Beautiful is such a hero.
Who is the best movie villian?: Bruce Dern in The Cowboys. A great moment with Gordon involved seeing Bruce Dern at Sundance. Gordon was very upset and said, "You killed The Duke!!"
Who is the best movie charactor in terms of complexity?: Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof or he was a simple character and everything around him was complex.

And finally
What is the best movie of all time?: There's no way to answer this but one of my favorites The Sound of Music.
Tank you. please save youre answeres so i can view them :)

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Don't you love fall?

Laurie helped me put this new fall format on our bolg. I love days like today, BYU game on TV, windows open, temprature perfect and I'm making soup! By the way, how about BYU 59-0!!!

Laurie's BOOK Survey

Thank you for the survey...

What book are you reading now?
However Long and Hard the Road and Life is So Good.

What are your favorite books? ( specific books or genre)
All John Grisham, To Kill a Mocking Bird, The Magnificent Obsession, Jane Eyre, Anita Stansfield, Life of Pi, It's Not About the Bike, Into Thin Air, and Biographies.

What foreign languages can you read?
Eliza's Spanish version of The Little Red Hen

What's the funniest book you ever read?
Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid!!!! The series of All Creatures Great & Small, Anything by Ferroll Sams, David Sedaris

What books have changed the way you look at the world?
Left to Tell, World War II Series, The Children of the Promise. The Diary of Anne Frank.

What are some of the scariest books you have ever read?
The Hot Zone.

How many books do you own?
Lots and Lots!! Thank you to my children and Bonnie for gifts of books!

About how many books a month do you borrow from the library?
4 or 5. I go in streaks. I love the library because of the books on tape. I love educational books on tape, like Lives of the Great Composers

Do you read in bed?
Yes, Bruce wouldn't know how to sleep with the light off.

Do you ever read while walking or driving?
No, I'm senile and need all my brain cells for driving. Can't multi-task like before.

Do you read aloud to others?
The grandkids and if someone is in the room when I'm reading something really funny, I'll read it to them.

What book was the most difficult to read?
The Brothers Karamazov and other Russian novels. Also, Moby Dick, but like you, Laurie, I still love the hard books.

What books do you intend to read but keep putting off?

Do you buy new or used, hardback or paperback?
I have never bought a used book. I buy more paperback books than hard cover because I read in the bathtub!!

What is the worst book you remember reading?
Hands down, anything by Nicholas Sparks.

Do you lend your books?
Yes, that's why I end up buying paperbacks and don't really expect to get them back. I lent 3 copies of Life of Pi, so I was very grateful to Carly for getting me the illustrated hard back version (which I won't lend) Thank you to all of you who do lend me your books.

What books were your favorite as a child?
Heidi, Black Beauty, Tom Sawyer, Box Car Children

What books do you recommend to young people?
I'm not up on any of the new books for youth, but I would say Island of the blue Dolphins, Little House on the Prairie, any Judy Blume

Do you ever read the ending first?
No, but to tell a family secret Grandpa (Dad) used to find our romance novels and skip to the bad parts. I know he reads the ends first on other books.

What books have you read more than once?
The Book of Mormon, and all of my favorites listed.

What frequently recommended books have you been unable to finish?
The Work and the Glory.

List some of your favorite authors
Already listed

You are stranded on a desert island and you can only have one book what would it be?
The Testament, by John Grisham and (not to copy Laurie too much) The Book Of Mormon.

Mrs. Crab

I'll have some of whatever she's on ! ! !

I love Drugs !

One more week of this and then to a regular cast.

Thank you Laurie and Bonnie and Bruce for doing my hair and makeup...

21st Century!

Now we have high speed Internet and Bruce is trying to teach me how to blog... (it is the blind leading the blind - brm). I only have one arm right now, so I am dictating and Bruce is typing.

Bruce enjoying the water slide at the Allen Family Reunion.

We had a great summer with Bruce building grow boxes in our garden spot. We are still experimenting with what will grow best, but we are having a great time being city farmers.

Spring is Here

Spring has always been a great time of year for me. I love to work in the yard and get everything perfect - in time for #%$&$%# to destroy it all... so I can start again.

These little chicks are no bigger than a quarter and are annually just out side my office window. It's great to see them again... my boss had to rescue them from a deep window well... not too bright - how dooo they survive? Enjoy the season....

Happy Birthday - Gordon

Today is Gordon Jennings Birthday...
Scott and Girls - -
Remember Him in your own special way...
never forget He brought you into this world and He loves you .
Thank you, Gordon, for sharing your family with me - -
they are ALL doing very well. - - You are not forgotten.

We are on our way...

Another trip to Boisetown and the anticipation is overwhelming... I look forward to the road trip and the time in the car with such a great person next to me. We have great memories on our road trip to see "the Kids". See you soon and Happy Mother's Day! ! !

Can You Find Him

Can you find the boy who left more then a year ago? He has become more of a man... All reports from the Mission are things are going very well and life is good in Georgia.

Have You Ever Had a Bad Day?

Have any of you ever had one of those days and didn't have a dog to kick or a ball to throw? Here's mine... last Saturday I was heading to work at the Blue / White football game [it's really only a scrimmage]. I was mentally prepare to be tired and sore from being on my feet for 9 - 10 hours. At the end of that time I was told to help with counting money... one more hour... then shuttle people around to other events on campus... another hour - plus... then the killer was - to go work another event [five to six more hours... ]. The difficult part of this is to stay "customer service happy". Well, enough about me... share your despair and be free to have a blue sky holiday.

What a Conference

Hello,

How wonderful it is to hear from such inspired leaders. Let us all spend a little more time with our families - away from the distractions of our everyday world... less phone / cell phone time when our loved ones are near. Less complaining about "our lot" and more understanding for those who really have a difficult lot. Be... Express how we feel toward one another - - I Love You.

Dad-Uncle-Grandpa-Bruce

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Top-o-the-morning to you all:

This is my most favorite "holiday" of the year. Bag pipes could play all day and the rivers & the beer should have to run green. I am wearing my "Made in Ireland" shirt. People look funny at the shirt and then at me and say, "Is it really?" I say, "Yes I am". They must think the words are telling them where the shirt was made. - - what shirt is made anywhere but China... come on.

Some history: Saint Patrick's Day has come to be associated with everything Irish: anything green and gold, shamrocks and luck. Most importantly, to those who celebrate its intended meaning, St. Patrick's Day is a traditional day for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries worldwide. - - I add my prayers to Missionaries everywhere... Matt Allen, Austin James, David T., Parker Bond, and my Son: Alexander Ryan McCarty.

Good day!

Athena - Happy Birthday

It seems like only a few days ago, I went with the women I was engaged to, first grandchilds birth. Now that beautiful young lady is turning 13... today.

Athena - it has been great to watch you grow to a young women and see you become a wonderful person. May your day be full of joy and happiness.

Happy 13th Birthday...

Grandpa - Bruce

Grandma - Katie

Day Lights Savings Time

This year, more then any other, the day lights savings time change has kicked my butt. I can't sleep - then I can't stay awake. It's only an hour change, isn't it? I look out side today and can't keep my eyes open. Last night I looked out and saw the stars and couldn't get to sleep.

Yesterday we went to Ryan's first talk in church. It was so smooth and so grown-up. I Laurie's last blog she said something about Ryan in Junior High. How can it be? Athena will be 13 this week and next week will be St. Patrick's / Anniversary. It seems like yesterday and two life-times ago.

Thank you to all who have assisted in Katie's recovery from knee surgery... It is still tender, but improving.

Have a great day.

Uncle Grandpa Bruce

Knee Recovery UPDATE:

The Recovery is going well... good days and bad. Grandma Katie will be in Boise this weekend and will recover some more.

Katie's Recovery

Hello,

Thank you for all your prayers and meals and visits and gifts... they have all helped in the swift recovery - Things are going very well and Katie was able to remove the bandage and shower today... always a great feeling.

We recieved several meals form the friends in our ward and neighbors... We thank them too.

We Love yuo all and thank you for your Love.

Uncle Grandpa - Bruce

Knee Time

Grandma Katie will be having her knee operated on - thank you girls for encouraging her to see the doctor - this Friday. She thinks she will be up to going into work Monday - Girls!!! Encouragement to stay down?

Thanks for all you kids do for me and your Mom.

A Week at IKEA (One Night)

This past weekend I was able to go to the grand store - IKEA - I had been to the Ikea store in Seattle many years ago and looked forward to going to the "new Ikea". I was blessed to go with my wonderful wife and darling daughter (Carly)... they spent the time looking for specific things they needed and would take back to Boise with Carly. - - - I looked at a way to remodel the bathroom and the master bedroom in my house and use the many styles and configurations to use the space more wisely with the space saving furniture. I also should see my unfinished office completely furnished and decorated - at a reasonable price.

Somehow the time flew by and I found myself wanting to stay longer - so I did. I haven't really left yet... My body came home with the family, but the mind and the dreaming have remained. I'm not sure I will really ever get out of that store. . . it has been nearly a week.

Now what? Do I leave and get home? Do I go back and feel the wallet lighten? Or - I'll just enjoy the time I have left here at the fine IKEA.

I Kind of Enjoyed this - Alot.