Welcome to three-star Thursday where I find the underrated gems amongst the most average of ratings. I never pick a movie by the viewer rating. I look at the cast and the director and choose names I trust. That's not to say I never watch anything by knowns, but I still go off instinct and the movie trailer rather than reviews. Why you ask? If you actually read most of reviews....well, some actually review the movie but others go off on all sorts of weird tangents. Pointing out plot holes and character inconsistencies, wonderful, that's useful info! Reviewing the quality of the font used for the credits or stating that the lead actors chin dimple is distracting, what? My first buried treasure is Killing Gunther (2017), written and directed by Taran Killam. It is a smart, hilarious, and fast paced dark comedy. Think every Bond villan stereotype uniting to take out Keyser Soze, all filmed documentary style. The writing is sharp, the chacterization and acting is on point, the...

Being firmly rooted in  Gen X , I can't tell you how surreal it is to read Tweets from the Dalai Lama . Though given what I understand of  Buddhism , his Twitter presence makes perfect sense. Wisdom isn't something to hoard or make accessible to an elite few. Wisdom is to be shared and built upon through democratization. And as good wisdom usually is, one of his latest Tweets is perfect in its simplicity: "The basic foundation of humanity is compassion and love. This is why, if even a few individuals simply try to create mental peace and happiness within themselves and act responsibly and kind-heartedly towards others, they will have a positive influence in their community." -- The Dalai Lama It's the last two words that, to me, resonate the most, "their community." I've admitted often enough to feeling as though I'm screaming into a void, but one reason I stay part-time at the EDJ is not only the supplemental income, but also the feeling ...

Yes, I know I am forty-something, and  yes, I know the word "fangirl" is an insult to womanhood everywhere, but, who cares?! OMG, OMG, OMG, Deadpool is back and as bad as he wants to be! Nothing gets my blood pumping like Ryan Reynolds in a tight red and black superhero outfit.... okay, except Christian Bale as Batman (yes, he will forever be my dark knight) and Christopher Reeve as Superman (sorry, Henry Cavill, you're good, too). But Deadpool, oh, sweet, foulmouthed, tragic anti-hero, Deadpool. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. And to think, today, for diStraction Saturday I was gonna blog about King's Blossom Blast alleviating my SAD. Ha! That is just sad. But nothing, NOTHING, has me anticipating summer like Deadpool 2. Why I love Deadpool? Here's my top 5 reasons: 1. He's played by Ryan Reynolds . Go obvious early, right? When it comes to the wise-cracking anti-hero, nobody does it better. Yes, please, insert Carly Simon song here. Don...

Welcome to the inaugural #FollowYourPassion Friday. Every week I’ll bring you inspirational stories of people who followed their bliss to a better, happier, more fulfilling life. If you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work. My first guest is a little unusual because his employer’s rules and regs regarding social media dictate that he remain annonymous. How mysterious! That combined with the mythos surrounding his career choice make him most intriguing. Please, welcome Firefighter X (FFX)! Cindy: Thanks for being my first guest and allowing me to share your story, Firefighter X. FFX: Your welcome. Thanks for keeping this all on the DL. Cindy: No worries. A writer must protect her sources. FFX: I feel like Deep Throat Cindy: LOL, let’s not go there. This is my radio edit blog afterall. FFX: Agreed. But seriously, thanks for showing interest in my humble origin story. Cindy: You forget, I’ve known you for a while and there’s very little about you that’s...

It's WIP Wednesday here on Clean! I found this manuscript as I perused my bag of bones. I started the novel for my son, as bedtime story. We got pretty far along into our world of make believe. The book is almost complete, just needs a little spit polish. Hope you enjoy the excerpt! Chapter One Once upon a time―because all important stories begin with the words “once upon a time”―there was a boy named Zach. He went to school and did his homework and played baseball. He liked video games and building castles and occasionally his toy pirates would attack his superhero action figures. These things happen in the life of a normal child and Zach appeared for all intents and purposes to be perfectly normal. But he wasn’t. Every time it rained, Zach would run outside and splash in the puddles. When he came inside wet and splattered with mud his mother would sigh. “Why must you play in every puddle you find?” she would ask. With a shrug and knowing smile, Zach would dry off ...

Let me preface this article by saying I am in no way, shape, or form trying to discount the battle of ANY cancer sufferer or survivor anywhere ever. It is my intent to make peace with MY experience and mine alone. Stay strong, brothers and sisters! It's #TellItTuesday here on It's Complicated and Clean!, the day I open a vein....no, not a vein, an  artery  and let the blood of my meandering existence spurt all over my laptop. There's something about me a lot of folks don't know and it's something I don't often talk about: I am a cancer survivor. Why would I keep this fact to myself? Doesn't make sense, especially in this day and age when we're all trying as best we can to throw money and attention at an insidious disease that not only robs people of their futures, but of their dignity, their hope, and more often than not, their livelihoods and nesteggs. Thanks, broken US healthcare system! First of all, I never want to appear to capitalize on my ...