Weekend Update - Mixed Bag

Sorry, Norm MacDonald isn't here to do the nooz.

Friday I stayed in my snug, little apartment and cozied up with The Departed. Great flick. I love love love Martin Scorsese's flicks, no matter how violent they are (Raging Bull and Goodfellas are two personal favorites) so I was looking forward to the recent DVD release of his most recent movie.

I loved hearing a little bit of the Dropkick Murphys on the film (great Irish band that mixes Celtic tunes and raging hard rock) and I loved the Bahston accents. Damon/DiCaprio/Wahlburg and the rest of the crew made me feel like I was sitting on the first, second, third or fourth floors of Paddy Burke's enjoying a brew with the rest of Beantown. And I was glad that redemption became a "reality" in the movie (I don't want to say too much if you haven't checked it out), because MS certainly had me wondering whether it was going to happen.

This movie made me cry. A+ in my book.

Speaking of books, this weekend I also finished up an excellent worth-the-investment-of-your-money-and-time book, My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. This novel will challenge your beliefs on genetic engineering, the rights a person has over their own body and also just how far a family should go to keep a sick child alive. Picoult weaves an interesting tale all while switching the voice of the narrator between the main characters of the story. You hear accounts from the perspective of a mother desperate to keep her child alive, an attorney representing a 13 year old girl fighting for medical emancipation, the teen trying to assert her rights and a father who is afraid to voice his concerns. Picoult throws you for a total loop on this one at the end. I promise you'll be happy if you pick this book up.

And yes, this book made me cry. A+.

I also had a chance to watch The Matador, starring Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear. In this movie, a hit man and a struggling salesman have an unlikely meeting in Mexico. The two are polar opposites and yet they're able to reveal their weaknesses and form a strong, surprising friendship. It's certainly not up there with The Departed but the flick amused me and I was touched by the closeness of their relationship.

Say it with me: This movie made me cry.

Something else to cry about: What the hell is up with UK? I made it out to watch the second half of Big Blue's match up against Alabama. I spoke to Big Blue Blood before I made it to the bar and she gave me a heads up that UK was in dangerous territory. I sat down at the bar at Habit's Cafe for a Blue Moon and a bite (fyi: their grilled cheese with bacon and tomato is great), confident that UK could turn it around. I remember back to my college days when UK was the reigning national champion - they were a Second Half team back then and I was under the impression that was the case for this season, too. Well, Big Blue just couldn't pull Saturday's game out of the fire. The Cats lost to 'Bama 72 to 61.

This game made me cry (on the inside).

I finished the weekend with a bite out with Mom and Dad. We went to one of my favorite low key spots in Cincinnati - Allyn's Cafe. This is a perfect place for a UK fan to hang, considering they serve up Gator on a regular basis. Sunday I was looking for a little seafood, and ended up getting the Catfish Platter. The fish was lightly breaded, none of that heavy gummy crap, but the size of the fish was a bit disappointing. The dish was set up with a dinner salad. The creamy jalapeno dressing I chose was awesome. The jalapeno had just enough heat, but the creamy nature of the dressing helped compliment the salad's flavor. And of course, I had to wash it all down with one of Allyn's awesome margaritas.

The fact that I only had one makes me want to cry as I write this.

All in all, an emotional weekend - but nothing this chick couldn't handle.

Cheers,
KtG