How to Take Advantage of a Sunny Day

In Iowa, we're finally starting to come out of the cold, awful winter and into spring. The temperature has been in the sixties this week. All of us want to take advantage of that perfect warm and sunny day and here are a handful of the best ways to do it.

1.) Fly a kite

I know it sounds a little silly, but you'd be surprized how many people I saw at the park the other day flying kites. It's a great way to enjoy being outdoors and is a lot of fun. Not only that, but it's a great way to spend quality time with someone. I used to love flying kites with my sister and my dad when I was very young.

2.) Take a walk

It sounds typical, but one of the things I enjoy the most on a nice day is taking a walk. It's even better if you live near an ice-cream shop. Having a place to walk to (whether it's a grocery store or a restaurant) makes it even better. I used to love walking up to the gas station and buying a candy bar and a can of pop on a nice day. Walking is not only a great way to enjoy the day but it's a great way to get exercise.

3.) Sit outside

It sounds simple, but one of the best things you can do on a nice day is just sit outside. When I lived at my old house, I used to sit out on the patio and read a book. Sometimes I'd sit on our swing and work on my homework on my laptop. You can do a lot of things outside, even chores. You can fold laundry outside. I always enjoyed husking corn outside.

4.) Go to a strip mall

I love shopping. I love going to the mall. And there is nothing better than shopping outside when the weather is nice. I went up to Iowa City recently and walked around the shops there. Find a place like Iowa City and plan to spend a few hours there. You get to enjoy being outside and also get to visit some interesting shops. It's a lot of fun.

5.) Eat Outside

Whether you go out on a the patio of a restaurant to eat your dinner or go on a good old-fashioned picnic, eating outside is a great way to spend a nice day. Who wants to be cooped up in a crowded restaurant on a nice day? Who wants to eat inside when its beautiful outside?

I'm sure there are a hundred other ways to take advantage of a nice day, but these are some of my favorites. I hope you enjoy the nice weather!

Wanderlust Review

Recently, I went to the movie theater. I very rarely go to the movie theater but I had a little extra money, some free time and thought that this movie I'd seen previews for looked funny.

I saw the movie, "Wanderlust" starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd. It was directed by David Wain. The movie follows a Manhattan couple, who lose their jobs and must leave New York to live with family. In this case, the family is George's (played by Paul Rudd) obnoxious older brother and his wife. On the way to his brothers house, the couple stumbles upon a bed and breakfast. The bed and breakfast turns out to be a rural commune called Elysium based around free love. George and his wife Linda (played by Jennifer Aniston) decide to stay there and have trouble adjusting to their new life.

Though the plot sounded funny enough, the movie was a huge let-down. It just didn't have the certain pizz-azz I was expecting it to. The movie seemed to drag on forever and the jokes were far and few between.

The other big problem I had with the movie was the nudity. It was a rated R film and I should've checked what it was rated R for before I saw the movie, in its defense. There's a scene where Elysium is having a meeting for nudist winemakers and all of the nudist winemakers go running from an out-of-control car. The scene was supposed to be funny, but was just disgusting. I didn't hear a single person in the theater laugh.

The other problem is the on-going theme of free love. Everyone who stays at Elysium must share their partner. George and Linda decide to stay and abide by this rule. Linda ends up embracing free love and has sex with one of the residents right away and George's heart is broken. This just weighed the movie down. I believe it was supposed to add some sort of drama to the movie, but it really just weighed it down.

If you're looking for a movie to watch this weekend, I don't recommend seeing Wanderlust. Overall, it was a dumb movie that dragged on and on. It's not worth your money.


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1655460/

Awkward Embraces Review

I recently had the pleasure of stumbling upon a charming web show on YouTube. The show, "Awkward Embraces" chronicles the adventures of Jessica, Candis, and Lyndsey. Many of the episodes focus on Jessica who is a Sci-Fi nerd and always seems to have the worst of luck with guys. Her two best friends struggle to help her through her dating misadventures.

"Awkward Embraces" is a quirky and hilarious show. It's easy to admire and even see yourself in Jessica's character. She is a strong woman with a great sense of who she is. She openly talks about her love of science fiction such as her adoration for Star Wars and enjoys playing video games. Although she hits it off with a couple different guys in the series, she still seems to remain clueless about men and often seeks her friends' help.

The actress who plays the character of Jessica's name is Jessica Mills. She not only plays the protagonist, but she also writes and produces the show under her own production company called Project A.

So far, there have been an accumulative twenty-two episodes (there have been two seasons). Each episode is between five and ten minutes long. I never cease to be amazed by how each episode has enough time to play out an edgy, hilarious scenario in that limited amount of time.

Besides being able to watch the hilarious episodes on YouTube, the show also has its' own video blog, where the actors from the series read viewer submitted comedic (some even disastrous) dating stories. This part of the channel is almost as fun to watch as the series itself, though I’m still hoping that the third season will be uploaded soon because I’m very eager to watch it. I made it through all twenty-two of the episodes the first day I stumbled upon it. I just couldn’t stop watching it.

I recommend this show for anyone over the age of sixteen considering there is a lot of mature humor in the series. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys shows like the Big Bang Theory and Sex in the City, considering the show seems to be a mix of the two. I guarantee you will love the show. It’s hilarious to see the three main characters bounce off of each other. The chemistry between the actors makes the show even more delightful for the viewer. If you look up the show and give it a chance, I’m sure you’ll be as charmed as I am by it.

http://awkwardembraces.com/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1833839/