Did you watch the Oscar’s last night?

I didn’t. 

I haven’t watched the Oscar’s in over ten years. Why? Because just like Barbara Walters, who after 29 years of doing Oscar night specials on ABC, said that she is giving up her specials. She said that there are very few stars now and the public is not in awe of them any more. What are showing in movies are animated features like “Avatar” and independent films. There are no more stars to inspire or awe us and basically they have nothing to say.

I couldn’t agree more with Barbara Walters. Just like her, I don’t care anymore. Hollywood is not what it used to be twenty years ago. Films have not inspired me nor have the actors. They all have their own agenda and have no mystique. Plus the Oscar show is slow, not very funny and seems more of a popularity contest than a real review of the best picture or actor/actress.

Sure, I like Sandra Bullock as an actress and Jeff Bridges has earned his dues to win an Oscar. But will their winning solve our economic problems in the country? What baffles me is that with about 10% or more of unemployment, people still have the money ($10-$20 worth) to spend on movie going. I may be cheap but I don’t want to spend that kind of money to help the rich, whacked out Hollywood types. Finally, many of these movies have an agenda that may be hurting the moral and ethical ideas of most of the American public.

That’s my two cents and I’m sticking to it!

Until later,

Linda

Every New Year most of us dream of owning a small business.  I’m sure you’ve dreamed those dreams.  Setting your own hours, no boss hounding you, no long commute just a small business where you are the boss and call the shots.

Have you ever thought of starting your own bed and breakfast inn? 

As a pragmatist I wanted to learn what it takes to own a bed and breakfast inn.  So I researched and talked with several owners of a bed and breakfast and then I wrote an eBook about owning a bed and breakfast inn.

First of all owning a bed and breakfast inn is more of a lifestyle choice than a business decision.  This may sound shocking but it’s true.  You need to have a passion for entertaining guests and opening up your home to complete strangers.  But the rewards you receive far outweigh any type of inconvenience to you.  You will meet new people; make a good living and most of all you are your own boss.

If this is what you have been dreaming about then I highly recommend that you read my eBook

HOME AWAY FROM HOME OPERATING A BED AND BREAKFAST http://www.startingabusiness.yourinformationcenter.com/.  This all inclusive and affordable eBook gives you a good look at starting a B&B business with the basics you need to know.  I’ve included interviews and advice from actual B&B owners.  I also give you ideas on going rates, how to handle reservations and cancellations, how to market your bed and breakfast inn and so much more.

So if your resolution is to start your own small business then you need to read my eBook before you buy or build a bed and breakfast inn.

Until later,

Linda

I’ve always enjoyed movies from Disney and really enjoyed the first Pirates of the Caribbean.  So I was looking forward to watching the DVD of Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest.  I thought Johnny Deep’s portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow was really good, comical but also creative in his approach to this notorious pirate.  He really didn’t disappoint me with the second of this trilogy of Pirates of the Caribbean.  I know some critics thought differently, but like I said, I like Disney movies as well as watching Johnny Deep perform.

Now this movie is rated PG 13 and I agree with the rating.  With sea monsters and Davy Jones’ crew looking like various sea creatures, younger children may have nightmares watching this.  Davy Jones of course is scary looking with his beard of tentacles and a lobster claw for a hand.  Also there are quite a few fight scenes which of course no one is killed but still a little violent for younger kids.  The scariest parts are when the sea monster attacks ships and breaks it in half and sucks the sailors into who knows where!  Even though this is rather gruesome, Disney still pokes some fun at it when Captain Jack Sparrow gets slimed by the sea monster just before being sucked into whereverville.  Sorry, back to the days of Ghostbusters.

The film moves along pretty well and has comical moments that even adults can laugh at.  Of course being a trilogy leaves the movie viewer knowing that there will be at least one more sequel. 

Heck, we’ve got to save Captain Jack!  He can’t give his soul to Davy Jones.  And who better but the former captain of the Pearl that Captain Jack pirated from. 

So if you are looking for some fun entertainment for your kids 13 and older, I would highly recommend this movie.  It will entertain them for over two hours so you can finish wrapping your Christmas presents or to just sit and relax and watch a movie for the holidays.

Until later,

Linda

Over the weekend I took my six year old granddaughter to see the first feature movie from Sony Pictures Animation “Open Season” rated PG. While this is no Disney movie, the actual pictures on the screen weren’t too bad to view. The movie is a computer-animated film with lots of three-dimensional effects and detail. Now I really don’t want to express my opinion of the film because I am an adult and the last cartoon I saw, with my granddaughter, was “Finding Nemo” which I thought was really great. So I questioned my granddaughter to get her movie critic opinion. This is what she said,

She thought the movie was sad. I asked her why? She said because the bear wanted to go home and was having a hard time getting home. I asked her if she thought it was funny. And she said, not really. Some parts were funny. She liked the part when Boog, the bear, had to go to the bathroom. You see he was raised in a garage and had toilet facilities so he didn’t know where to go when he was out in the woods. His buddy the deer, Elliot, told him to go wherever he wanted to. So Boog found a log and all of these bunny rabbits were watching him and told him that the log was their home. But she thought the funniest part of the whole movie was when Elliot told the rabbits to step back because the beer needed to take a cr_p. Well you get the picture, a potty joke that no 6 year old could resist. She also liked the porcupine who kept saying “my buddy,” because you see porcupines don’t have many friends. She just loved the way the porcupine said it.

I asked her if there was anything in the movie that scared her and she said no. Quite frankly, I don’t believe she came away thinking hunters were bad guys. But what we couldn’t figure out was at the end of the movie when Boog was flinging bunny rabbits all around as if they were snowballs.

So there you have it, a no thumbs up or thumbs down from a six year old, just an “okay” movie. I asked her if she would want to see it again and she said “No.”

My recommendation is that if you have a five year old or maybe nine or ten year old, they’ll probably would enjoy eating pop corn and candy and drinking soda for about 1 ½ hours more than watching the movie. Nice try Sony Pictures Animation for your first film but you need to get a better story line and keep out those “potty jokes” otherwise us adults won’t be inclined to take our kids and grandkids. As far as I’m concerned “Open Season” is closed for the Season.

Until later,

Linda