From the Inside Out

The highly anticipated James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, opened in theaters today. It’s the second movie to feature Daniel Craig as James Bond and the first film where the storyline picks up moments after the previous movie ended. If you haven’t seen Casino Royale, I highly recommend that you pick up the DVD and watch it before seeing Quantum of Solace. If you have already seen Casino Royale, but don’t remember it, then you should watch it again before checking out the new flick. It will help you follow the storyline.

The new Bond movie is all action. The plot is weak, and character development is limited. Bond is out for revenge and will stop at nothing until he takes down the bad guys — that’s about as deep as it gets. I don’t usually expect a complex plot from a Bond movie, but the last film raised my expectations. Too bad it didn’t live up to those expectations.

It’s not all bad, though. If you like non-stop action, this is the movie for you. There’s an overabundance of fight scenes and chase sequences. So much that it doesn’t really build to a climax at the end. It simply offers a continuation of the same frenzied pace that was set from the beginning. If you like that, you won’t be disappointed.

Guidelive.com gave it a “C” rating. I don’t think it was quite that bad, and Gary really liked it, so the movie is going to earn a solid “B” from me.

If you watch the film this weekend, weigh in with your ranking and review by leaving a comment below.

Have you ever had a bad experience with a law enforcement officer and wished that there was a place to provide feedback? Perhaps you had a pleasant experience and would like to applaud the officer for his/her service and professionalism. If so, check out RateMyCop.com.

RateMyCop.com lets you rank police officers based on three criteria: Professionalism, Fairness and Satisfaction. You can also post written comments to share stories about your interactions with law enforcement officers.

The site lists the names of all of the cops on the payroll at hundreds of police departments nationwide. You can browse the rankings and read real feedback written by citizens. In addition, it offers forums where you can ask police officers questions, discuss officers in the news, and provide praise and raves.

The next time you have an encounter with a police officer, you can hop online and rate your cop’s performance. Just remember to rate responsibly. Don’t offer unfair ratings simply because you got a ticket.

We’re traveling to the French Riviera in January! Nice will be our final destination with day trips to Cannes, Monte Carlo and the Southern Alps. After our October vacation plans were foiled (because of a hefty workload), I thought we’d be going elsewhere. Possibly New Zealand or Australia because the weather is warm and sunny in January.

I changed my mind after investigating the flight options. The best case scenario had us arriving in New Zealand about 24 hours after departing. With the time difference, we’d lose an entire day just traveling (i.e. depart on Sunday, arrive on Tuesday). While the charm of New Zealand is appealing, the thought of spending two entire days on plane is not. We’ll save that trip for a time when we can be gone for more than one week.

Even though the weather will be a little chilly, I’m really excited about this trip. We’re staying at the Palais de la Mediterranee, an oceanfront property located on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. And since there are ski resorts about 60 miles inland we can stroll along the beach in the morning and ski in the afternoon. How cool is that?

Viva la France!

The Palais de la Mediterranee

View from the pool area

Unlike Memorial Day which is celebrated on a Monday, Veterans Day always falls on November 11th. Have you ever wondered why? Well, back in 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as Armistice Day to commemorate the end of World War I. The end of the war happened at the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month, so that’s why November 11 was chosen as the date for the holiday.

In 1954, Congress changed the name to Veterans Day. It is on this day that we honor all who have served in the nation’s armed forces, whether they are living or dead.

Take A Moment To Thank A Veteran

When you see someone in a uniform
Someone who serves us all,
Doing military duty,
Answering their country’s call,

Take a moment to thank them
For protecting what you hold dear;
Tell them you are proud of them;
Make it very clear.

Just tap them on the shoulder,
Give a smile, and say,
“Thanks for what you’re doing;
To keep us safe in the USA!”

By Joanna Fuchs

My sincerest thanks go out to all who have served. You have my highest respect and gratitude for your unselfish support of our country. God Bless!

I woke up today with an unbearable headache and minor fever. It amazes me how one day you can feel fine, and without warning, you wake up the following day feeling as sick as a dog. It’s so NOT cool.

Unfortunately, it happens to me more than I’d like to admit. My body seems to be unnaturally attracted to every illness that that’s going around. So, I’m sitting on the couch feeling miserable and uninspired. That means it’s time for some pathetic whining about why being sick sucks:

6. Congestion. The pressure created by sinus congestion can make your head feel like it’s going to explode. When you add a runny nose and drainage, it just gets even more miserable.

5. Fever. The only time I get really hot is when I have a fever. I also get a pain right behind my eyes. That pain is a sure sign I’ve got a fever. I get it every time — it’s a neat little gift that comes along with the fever. Lucky me.

4. Headache. What goes best with a fever? Well, a headache…of course. It’s like love and marriage…you can’t have one without the other.

3. No energy. When I get sick, my body decides to shut down. I have absolutely no energy, and all I want to do is sleep. If I was smart, I’d give in to that urge, but I’m stupid, so I fight it. That’s probably why it takes me so long to get over colds. Oh well, maybe one day I’ll learn to listen to my body — or not.

2. No appetite. I’m not a big fan of eating even when I do feel good. When I’m sick, it gets worse. I know I should eat, but I have no appetite. I have to force myself to choke down food. Good times…

1. Lack of concentration. The worse offender is the fog that attaches itself to your brain, making it virtually impossible to have a coherent thought. It’s what makes trying to work when you are sick so painful.

Speaking of work, I need to feel better tomorrow so I can be productive (unlike today). As such, I’m going to sign off for the night and stop fighting the urge to sleep. Hopefully, this cold will be gone soon.