The Gang's All Here

Sorry for the delay in checking in, Peeps, but this week has been a full one at the Casa de Chicken Wing.  You see, my sweet friends (whom I'm indebted to for the rest of my life for introducing me to and setting me up on a blind date with Comanche) went to the beach and were going to board their sweet dog, Lily.  I was having none of that, because - let's face it.  When it comes to dogs, there is always a party going on over here.

CiCi, MuChi, Wilkie, and Lily have been conducting their own three-ring circus, and it's been quite entertaining, to say the least.  It's been a large amount of time since I've witnessed wrestling to rival these four, and so I had to take a little video to show you the hilarity that has been going down on a daily basis this week.

Okay, let me set up the backstory here, so the video will make a little bit more sense.  First, you have the wild child in my house, Wilkie.  While I absolutely love the stuffing out of him, he is the red-headed stepchild of the family because he has the attention span of a gnat, and he has what I call Dory-syndrome (you know, Dory, from Finding Nemo).  Like his fishy counterpart, he can be scolded or warned not to do something, and after a half-a-second rebound rate, he's right back to doing the same.exact.thing.  It's a good thing he's cute, because the only way I could tolerate that behavior for a long stretch of time is if Ellen Degeneres was around - what?  She's funny.

Next, you have CiCi, who has to decide whether she really, really, really wants to play or not.  Why, you ask?  Because Wilkie beats the crap out of her.  I don't know if he just dials in to the fact that she's a pomeranian, too, but she is the target of his playtime energy bursts 99.9% of the time.

Then, there's Lily, the new girl in town.  She began her interaction with the others as the one who would only join in the game once the others turned their backs.  Now, she's gotten her confidence up and she's ready to come off the sidelines!  (She's the light-colored dog in the video).

Finally, you have The Mooch.  He is the cutest darn thing, but he takes MAJOR issue to what he considers to be violence.  I mean, if someone hugs me too hard, or if Comanche and I are dancing in the living room and he dips me to prove that he could hold his own on one of my favorite dancing shows, MuChi flips his lid.  He automatically assumes that I'm hurt and he must express his despair.  Throughout this video, you will hear crying.  That's my son.  The rest of them are having a ball, and he's boo-hooing, "Can't we all just get alooong?!?!?"

So, enjoy, peeps - too much cute for one house, right?  I know you wish you were my roommate!



Absolutely adorable, right? Please excuse the excess of bottles on my coffee table waiting to be refilled by the Brita. Also, if you could look past the extreme mess and disarray - it turns out that four puppies want to play with all of the toys all of the time. (Who am I kidding - they all do that!)

Until next time,

SQUEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Okay, so I'm dying a happy death over here because the new BREAKING DAWN trailer just came out!!!!  I know, nerd alert, call the authorities!  I'm so pumped though because I loved the Twilight books and I've found each of the movies to be more than entertaining.  It will be nice to have the series completed, and as you all know by now, there will be two movies to cover the last book, Breaking Dawn.

I don't know how long Summit Entertainment will allow this preview to stay online, so watch it while you can!


Source

Is anyone else super excited by this or am I alone on my vampire-and-werewolf-loving island?

Until,

Let's Talk About Relationships

I've decided to create a small blog series about romantic relationships.  Lord knows I've learned a ton about relationships through the years, and I haven't even been married yet!  There are so many variables when it comes to relationships and I have a hard time stifling my uncontrollable laughter whenever I hear someone say, "You'll know you've met the one when everything is easy."

Yeah, okay.  My advice to you, friend? 



Source

Sure, things can flow very smoothly, and you may find someone that you're exceptionally compatible with.  There's still what is called the 80/20 rule.  Never heard of it?  Allow my good friend Tyler Perry to explain it to you through his sensational film, "Why Did I Get Married?"


Source

Basically, keeping the 80/20 rule in mind, you're going to continually be faced with choices in your relationships. Times will get hard, and you will never get 100% of what you need. That's why no one has the perfect relationship.

I actually was in a public place the other night and heard a couple in a drag-down, knock-out fight. I mean, they were really going at it. The man in the relationship was being extremely sarcastic and short. The woman in the relationship was so demeaning, loud, and rude. Ultimately, they were airing their dirty laundry IN PUBLIC and all that was successfully happening was that they were feeding off of each other's meanness to see who could verbally hit the hardest.

Source

That horrific scene caused me to think about relationships and the lessons I've learned throughout the years, and I thought I'd share two posts with you - the first post is about relationship do's. The second is about relationship don't's.  Keep in mind, these are not scientific.  I am not a therapist nor an expert.  These are just some lessons I've learned or things I've learned to be true along the way. I'd also love to hear any insights that you all  have to offer!  The more we share with one another, the better we all will be!

Until next time,

Just For Giggles!

I've shared this with you all before but I just couldn't resist the urge to share it again!  It never fails to make me laugh hysterically, between the action itself and the followup commentary!  Word of advice (especially to those of the male persuasion):  Don't make me mad, or you'll get the "YKW" treatment from me!


Source

Happy Hump Day, Peeps (unless you're the guy in the video)!  :)

Until next time,

Chicken Wing Movie Review: Once

This Chicken Wing Review will be an atypical one, because although I saw and liked the movie 'Once,' I am more excited about the soundtrack!

The movie was entertaining enough. 'Once' is the story about a guy and a girl who happen to love music and try their hands at writing and composing individually and then discover what beautiful music they can make together. It's shot documentary style, and there are tons of awkward silences and weird pauses, but that's what's endearing about it. You watch the film and think that it's the little movie that could.

While the acting wasn't my favorite, the songs are fantastic. Glen Hansard (who plays the guy) and Marketa Irglova (who plays the girl) complement each other so well. I would say that Glen's vocals are the standout, but Marketa has the most haunting tone to her voice. To see either of them, you would fail to see the immense talent that each possesses, but luckily for you, you have me! I will share some of their incredible songs with you, and you can thank me later!

Here we go! As always, I own absolutely nothing you are about to hear. I am simply a lover of movies and music, and I want to share my love with all of you.

First up is 'Lies.' The lyrics, vocals, and music are painfully beautiful.


Source

I love this next one, too, called "When Your Mind's Made Up." This one I think anyone could relate to when dealing with someone who is so stubborn but you happen to love them anyway.


Source

This one allows Marketa to shine. It's called "If You Want Me," and I just adore the tone of her voice. It's so sweet, and definitely unexpected.


Source

And, the last one I will leave you with is the song that earned these two an Academy Award. It's gorgeous, and I love the lyrics. Their voices intertwine with each other so well on this track, called "Falling Slowly." It's the theme song for the movie, and I hope you love it too.


Source

So there you have it! Get out there and buy that soundtrack! You will love it, and will be performing your own Grammy-winning renditions in your car! :)

Until next time,
Miss Chicken Wing

OMG I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am beyond excited because the ECLIPSE TRAILER was released to the public today!!!!!!!

For those of you who have been living under a massive rock for the past few years, Eclipse is the third novel in the four-novel Twilight Saga series!!!!!!!

Check it out, right here!

Source

Yup, Miss Chicken Wing has got your backs, Twilight fans!!!!!

Who else is dying until 06.30.10?!?!?!?!

Until next time,
Miss Chicken Wing

My Mantra - I'll Share It With You

There are many ways that people deal with times when they are tested. Some people get mad, some people get sad, some people turn to friends, some have a favorite song, and some have a quote or motto - a mantra, that when uttered, changes their perspective.

As for me, I'm in the last group. I have a mantra. It comes from my absolute favorite Broadway production, the everlasting goodness that is RENT.

You can catch this production "off-Broadway" or you can rent/buy the movie, which features an all-star cast. I saw this production for the first time when I was a junior in high school. I was privileged enough to be accepted into Governor's School (a supplement to high school that truly changed my life personally in addition to academically). My G-School (as we called it) junior year field trip was to New York City, a dream of mine to begin with. When we all went to the actual Broadway, we didn't know what we were getting into with RENT.

I wish you could have seen our faces when we realized the depth and the meaning beautifully framed by the entertainment that the actors and actresses gave to us. There were tears, there were laughs, there were mostly smiles - we had all been touched, and I don't think a single one of us expected that reaction at all.

So, since that day, I've had a relationship with RENT. When the movie came out, I went to see it, and something surprising happened - I wasn't disappointed! I was ecstatic! Then, years passed. I got invited by a friend to see a local theatre's production of RENT. Mr. Chicken Wing (after I had forced him to watch the movie with me and he had decided on his own that he LOVED it) decided to come with me, and we made a date night out of it. I thought that there was no way our little city could produce the caliber of talent that I'd seen both through the Broadway production and the film. Boy, was I ever wrong. I got teary-eyed, I sang along, and Mr. Chicken Wing was equally blown away.

The cool thing about RENT is that not only does it touch the people who are watching - but it deeply affects the actors/actresses that step up to the plate and try to do the production justice. They have so much respect for the work that it's not even an option - they have to be great. And I think one thing that seeing this local production taught me was that it's not about the production as much as it is about RENT. The show is just that good, that profound, and that meaningful.

If you haven't seen it, I would highly suggest you do. I hope it changes your life as much as it did mine. I will forewarn you that it does touch on issues that people are still sensitive about today, so if you aren't open-minded, it might not do as much for you as for me. But, the songs, the characters, and the topics that this work touches on will stick with me forever.

I guess all that's left to do is to introduce you to the four words from RENT that changed the way I live my life.

Are you ready?

"No Day But Today." - RENT

That's it. And so you can get a sense of what those words mean in the movie (as they don't have workable footage of the Broadway production that I know of), I've included the last clip from the movie, when all the friends come together and remember what's important - each other, and life.


Source

What's really awesome is that several of the actors and actresses in the movie were also in the Broadway production! (Some of you reading this blog may know that!) :)

So there it is: you have to live your life like there is no day but today. Don't wait to tell those around you that you love them. Don't get so caught up in the stresses of life that you don't enjoy life. Don't take the ones you love for granted. I know all too well that they won't always be around, and you have to cherish whatever time you get to have with them. Don't wait until tomorrow to start that project you've been wanting to do. Send your Christmas cards now. Stop and bake a cake with your family. Take your dogs outside and go wild! LOVE while you have the time. Make a difference.
NO DAY BUT TODAY.

Until next time (and SNOW posts!!!),

Miss Chicken Wing

Rest In Peace!

I apologize for my delay in blogging - we've experienced the largest snowstorm we've had in years, and therefore, I have been outside enjoying it! :)

But, I wanted to take a quick moment to post on a terrible tragedy that came out of Hollywood today before I get back into the swing of things and begin posting fabulous coverage of the snowstorm!

Today, at the age of 32, actress Brittany Murphy passed away, supposedly of cardiac arrest. While an autopsy is set to be done in near future, it is truly a sad day for those who loved her in films such as Clueless, 8 Mile, Little Black Book, Don't Say a Word, Girl Interrupted, Sin City, Uptown Girls, and my personal favorite of hers, Just Married.

Source

In fact, I loved it so much, I put mine and Mr. Chicken Wing's faces into on FaceInHole.com. See?

That movie produced one of the most profound statements about love and/or marriage that I'd ever heard at the time, and it's stuck with me since the movie came out in 2003 (I'd say that almost 7 years is a pretty decent amount of time to remember a movie quote, wouldn't you?).

In the movie, Ashton Kutcher's father, Mr. Leezak, says the following thing after the newlyweds encounter some tough times directly after getting married:

"Some days your mother and me loved each other. Other days we had to work at it. You never see the hard days in a photo album...but those are the ones that get you from one happy snapshot to the next."

How true is that? When you look at someone's photo album, you never see them fighting, mad, or arguing about something - you usually see them smiling or laughing. But, that doesn't mean that they don't go through tough things. Brittany Murphy helped make that movie for me, and it is still one of my favorite romantic comedies. It is truly a sad time for Hollywood now that she's gone, and at such a young age.

So, I hope she rests in peace, and that she knows just how much she touched the world in such a short time. Thank you for sharing your gift with us, Brittany. You will be truly missed.

Until next time (and a more fun post),
Miss Chicken Wing

There's No Time Like Christmas To Show People That You're Crazy!

And I'm going to let the following pictures and movie speak for the title! :) I told you Christmas was my favorite time of year, and I love to be crazy and fun around the holidays!

Take this, for example. When else can you dress like an elf and people not think you're crazy?



You know the holidays are upon you when you wear an elf hat around your guy friends and they still pose in a picture without minding!



You also know that the holidays are drawing near when you are actually requested to wear your elf hat at the company Christmas party! :) Holiday cheer, anyone? Presents, anyone?




Lemme guess...you totally didn't think it could get any better, right? Well, HA! Now, there are two elves. BOOM! :) Meet TayTay, the second Christmas elf! (He also happens to be my boss's son!) He did a great job helping the Boss Elf (yours truly) pass out gifts to the employees! I must admit that I was happy to have the help...all that elfing sure makes ya tired!

And finally, I leave you with this. A family full of elves dancing in a hip-hop style. Does it honestly get better than this?!?!?! Yeah, I agree with you this time - PROBABLY NOT! I hope you enjoy my family in this Elf Yourself video!

Without further ado, I present to you Miss Chicken Wing, Mr. Chicken Wing, Momma Chicken Wing, Little Sister Chicken Wing, and Little Brother Chicken Wing - the hip-hop dancing elves!!!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Love this? Want to make your own? Click here!

Until next time,
Miss Chicken Wing

Chicken Wing Movie Review: This Is It

Source

This Chicken Wing Movie Review is one that touches my heart, as you all know that I am a HUGE Michael Jackson fan, and have been all my life. I wasn't sure what to expect out of this film as we pre-ordered our tickets to see the behind-the-scenes footage of the King of Pop's last show. In his words, it was a "curtain call," and as he told all of his fans, "This is it."

I don't think he could have ever realized how true those words would be when he uttered them, and to watch the movie, Momma Chicken Wing and I both agreed that it made us sad. Not sad because it was disappointing (it most certainly was not), but sad because the overwhelming feeling of "it wasn't his time" came over you.

After watching the film, I had no new revelations. I already knew how hard Michael Jackson worked to perfect his art - he was the pinnacle of entertainment. I already knew how passionate he was about his songs and his moves. I already knew how he championed many causes, the top two being protection and advocation of children, and preservation and sustenance of the planet we all call home.

What touched me was watching the "chosen ones," the dancers hand-picked from thousands to be extensions of the man himself while on stage, talk about what it meant to them to work with the King of Pop. Their love and admiration of this man was completely evident, and they were different ages, from different countries, and different ethnicities. They were a good picture of our world - a world that was touched by a gifted individual. The director, choreographer, vocal leader, music director, backup singers, and band members all discussed what an honor and a privilege it was to work with a man so "kind, generous, and dedicated."

I also loved the fact that Michael was taking this show to the next level - yes, it was going to feature songs that he made into record gold in years past, but he had added things to make them current and even better! To be frank, I would have probably considered giving my first born child to go to that show! (Just kidding, future first born child!) Bottom line: It would have been one of the highlights of my life - to see someone of that level of genius in his element for the last time.

Months ago, I took advantage of an opportunity to become a part of this movie by submitting my photo to the Michael Jackson: This Is It Fan Mosaic. Basically, they wanted to recreate the movie poster, and they wanted to make it out of the pictures of Michael Jackson's fans. I thought it was a really cool way to show your support of the artist, and I really was hoping that my photo would be selected. I wrote myself a note of the date in which to check the website.

Here is what the finished mosaic looks like (zoomed out, of course):

Source

Imagine my surprise and happiness when a search of the mosaic produced this:

Source

I was completely overjoyed that my photo had made it! I did some editing of the photo above so you could see just where my picture was placed (see the red arrow). All you had to do was search by name, country, or favorite Michael Jackson song (and believe me, that was a TOUGH one!). And, when you zoom in, you can see the thousands of pictures that they used to make this portrait of the man himself. It was a really cool experience that I am privileged to have had.

Basically, I will be buying the DVD of this show, and I hope that people who didn't understand MJ will watch it. There were many people whose only goal was to bring him down when he was alive. That is unfortunate, but there is nothing we can do about that now. He didn't let it beat him down. His priorities were his children, his family, his fans, his causes, his world. I think that he is a shining example of perseverence.

(I also think it's pretty cool that a 50 year old man can still dance better than twenty-somethings that idolize him!)

So, that's my biased wrap-up. :) I love the King of Pop, and I loved this movie. It gave me the chance to "see" him in concert. So, if you are a fan, or are just curious, take a look at it. You might just find yourself enjoying. You'll most likely find yourself singing along!

Until next time,

Miss Chicken Wing

Taking a Mental Break

Well, two things seem to be very consistent lately....I am super busy and frazzled at work, and thunderstorms must be in fashion!

I just decided to take a mental break from databases/Excel spreadsheets and create a quick post for my faithful followers, who have no doubt been bored at my lack of posting lately! I'm truly sorry. Sometimes, after looking at a computer all day at work, it is the last thing I want to do when I get home.

Plus, my first (and second) issue of Real Simple magazine finally came!!!!! So, I have been preoccupied reading that! What a great weekend I just had, though! Friday night, Mr. Chicken Wing and I went to dinner with two of our best friends, Mr. & Mrs. Hokie (again, nicknames to protect the sources). Then, we all went to see The Hangover which I already explained in a previous post was the funniest movie I've seen thus far in my existence. Then, as if that wasn't enough, we went to Dairy Queen and enjoyed some dessert!

After all of that fun, Mr. Chicken Wing and I went to Mama Chicken Wing's house to spend the night. Saturday morning consisted of the fur-babies' haircuts (also known as the dogs had grooming appointments), and then we all went to Grandma & Papa Chicken Wing's house to spend the morning portion of the day. Then, it was back home for Mr. Chicken Wing and I.

We weren't done yet! Mr. Chicken Wing decided to relax at home and watch some movies that he had Netflix'd. (None of which were of interest to me, and as it turns out, neither were very good to him, as well.) I, on the other hand, decided to relax at a pool party with my work buddies! Great times!

Sunday was a relaxing day...I spent a good amount of time on my back patio getting a suntan and reading the first issue of my magazine. Of course, there had to be time allotted to cleaning the house and playing with the puppies!

So, all in all, it was a great weekend! On this hectic Hump Day, it all seems so far away! Hopefully, this weekend will be just as fun! :)

To all my readers, I hope you're having a great week and staying dry where you are!


Back to my 5'x5' box,
Miss Chicken Wing

Chicken Wing Movie Review: The Hangover

Okay, in all seriousness, this movie can be summed up in five words.


1. FUNNIEST
2. MOVIE
3. I'VE
4. EVER
5. SEEN

Yeah, that pretty much covers it. The language was vulgar (which is typical), there was nudity (who's really surprised anymore?), but the overall package should easily add up to the most hilarious movie of the summer. What a knee-slapper!

Oh, and hopefully this was NOT based on a true story! HAHA!

So, my advice: If you're in need of a laugh and don't get offended easily, get your behinds to the theaters and go check out "The Hangover." I think you will find that it's worth the money!

Until next time,
Chicken Wing

Chicken Wing Movie Review: Taken

Well, Mr. Chicken Wing and I watched 'Taken' with Liam Neeson the other day, and I thought I'd take this opportunity to give you a quick Chicken Wing Movie Review.

I thought the movie was great! Liam Neeson absolutely captured the essence of his role - I wouldn't want to make him mad and then meet him in a dark alley! :-)

I think the BEST part, though, was that the movie was not scary...I wasn't terrified to go to sleep after watching it. I'd describe it as intense, but thrilling...it definitely kept you guessing and there were some cliffhanger moments where you wondered if he'd accomplish his goal in time.

Was it the best movie I've ever seen? No.

Was it worthy of making it onto our Netflix queue? Absolutely!

You should check it out if you get the chance! Feel free to let me know what you thought about it - I don't mind if your opinion differs from mine. Who knows? You might just find a movie that you decide you have to buy because of this review! (Just kidding. I'm not that vain, really!)
[Insert halo here.]

Until next time,
Chicken Wing

Saying that I'm SO EXCITED doesn't even begin to cover it!

It seems that the second installment of the Twilight phenomenon, New Moon, is set to be released on November 20th. I, for one, CANNOT wait.

Last night on the MTV Movie Awards, they showed a much-anticipated clip of the film, and it looks absolutely AWESOME!!!!!!

SPOILER ALERT: IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE SECOND BOOK, NEW MOON, PLEASE DO NOT CLICK THE LINK BELOW, BECAUSE IT WILL RUIN SOME THINGS FOR YOU!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ9afRgToxE

The anticipation is absolutely killing me, and based on the trailer alone, it looks like it could be even better than the original Twilight movie, believe it or not!

Are there any movies coming up that you are very excited about? Are you Twilighters out there?

Can't wait until 11/20,
Miss Chicken Wing