Rating Hallmark Christmas Romance Movies

'Tis the season for some Christmas movies. This post will focus on Hallmark Romances. Next I might do Christmas Romances that are like Hallmark movies, but not by Hallmark. And then maybe I will focus on the Santa Christmas movies, specifically. While Santa does make a brief appearance (or a Santa look-a-like) in some of these to dispense some wisdom, the only one below where he seems to really play a role in the events is Snowed Inn Christmas. 

Finding Father Christmas: Cute and had a twist that I didn't expect, not overly dramatic and the couple was cute together. 8/10

• Has two sequels (Engaging Father Christmas and Marrying Father Christmas)

On the 12th Date of Christmas: A classic "optimistic, Christmas loving girl converts loner, Scrooge boy". It was cute, opportunity to make it overly dramatic and angsty, but did well at keeping it reasonable. 8/10

Christmas at Holly Lodge: Okay, a lot of different storylines to follow that didn't really seem to connect as well as they could. Classic happy ending for all, but people didn't really act rationally. Plus she spent 60% of the movie avoiding him. So, he had a grander than grand romantic gesture after knowing her for basically two days. 5/10

Christmas Cottage: Classic, "workaholic city girl returns home and falls in love with childhood sweetheart". Personally, it is always a knock against a movie if one or both is engaged to someone else. It just seems questionable to me to be declaring your love to someone less than 24 hours after ending a long-term relationship or engagement. She also bailed on work A LOT for someone who supposedly cared about her job. Plus, I feel like she made some selfish decisions that weren't necessary to get the happy ending. The couple did seem to have pretty good chemistry. 6/10

Snowed Inn Christmas: Really enjoyed this one. Opposites attract, cute chemistry. I think more could have been done to establish their relationship early on (i.e. kind of implies he might have been such a jerk to her for so long because he liked her but thought she didn't like him). Loses a point for ending long-term relationship and confessing to someone new within 24 hours. 8/10

Candy Cane Christmas: Too many misunderstandings and assumptions. They didn't just jump to conclusions, they flung themselves at them. Also they lived in the same small town and crossed paths like 6 times in two days, how had they never met before? Neither was new in town and they seemed to have mutual friends. He was instantly infatuated and spent probably $1000s of dollars on a grand gesture to make her happy in the end (not even something she needed, just on something she liked in the past). I think most people would be a little uncomfortable at someone going to such an extreme effort after just one date. 3/10

Our Last Love Song: Cute, but unrealistic. Classic Hallmark, "no one is really bad, even when they actually break the law", with a dab of "small town boy, city girl" and a sprinkle of "childhood sweethearts". 5/10

Lucky Christmas: My least favorite one yet. A guy and his brother commit arson and insurance fraud, then steal her car (which happens to have her winning lottery ticket in it). And the guy then inserts himself into her life, basically stalking her and using things he found in her car to get closer to her, because she is pretty. But also because he wants to decide if he should return the ticket or not. And then when she finds out what he did SHE STILL LETS HIM HANG OUT WITH HER SON. Like, I wouldn't let my son hang out with some stranger who I knew was both a criminal and a liar who stalked me and went through my things to insert himself into my life. She doesn't even turn him into the police. And he is like "I mailed the lottery ticket back to you". Like...okay, that doesn't change the fact that he was an accomplice to arson and theft. He also didn't send it back immediately. He dated her first and then when he decided he had feelings for her, he sent it back. So, like he only did the right thing because he was attracted to her. That's not really a win. And then she finds the lottery ticket and is like "he told the truth about sending it back!" And his brother says it was his idea to commit the crimes, which doesn't change the fact that he still was involved and he didn't have to be. So, she goes and confesses her love to him and they cash the ticket together. Like...why? He is clearly not someone you can trust and he will probably end up in jail. Oh, and the money you shared with him? Will be going to paying the legal fees when he gets sued by the insurance company. And they didn't even have chemistry to explain why she would be so eager to overlook his red flags. 0/10

Christmas in Montana: A little cliché, someone from the city going to the country to tell them how to run their business (be it a restaurant, hotel, inn, etc.) but then having that epiphany about how family and community are the most important things. I think this cliche annoys me, because it makes her look incompetent. It's almost always a woman coming into town and trying to change the small town business to the big city standard, but I've literally taken four business and marketing classes total and even I know that you look at the demographics and community of the surrounding area. And if she is really a VP or Executive, she would know that cookie cutter business strategies aren't going to work everywhere. Anyway, they had good chemistry and there were some twists that made it a little less cliché. 7/10

 

Christmas Under the Stars: Really cute, and while it had the "redemption for all" trope, it actually made sense without it just being a Christmas miracle. Lots of secondary characters that actually tied to the plot well. 8/10

Christmas in Homestead: Celebrity and non-celebrity romance, with a dab of "the grass isn't always greener on the other side". Cute overall with good chemistry, but the ending is a bit vague. The main issue separating them wasn't really resolved and it doesn't show any attempt or plan to resolve it. So, just by the power of love, I guess? 7/10

Heart of Christmas: Cute, liked that some of the early minor characters played a role in the end. Love when people doing good things early on has a ripple effect and the people they helped early on help them in return. Don't love the main female lead constantly yelling at a guy for doing his job. Not uncommon, but makes the female lead in this seem seem naïve at best, ignorant at worst. 7/10

Christmas Town: Loved this one. Was super cute, the pieces connected and it really did seem like fate without being too in your face about anything. Also, no one really had to give up anything. So often the female lead gives up her job in the city , but in this she actually still got her dream job, she just got it in the same town as her dream guy. 9/10

Miss Christmas: Really cute, liked the family. Certain scenes seemed unnecessary, but overall well done. The ending felt a little rushed and considering he was the one who yelled at her and accused her of basically being manipulative and faking romantic interest in him to get what she wanted, I was NOT happy that he basically never apologized. Like, he overhears her talking and leaps to conclusions, makes accusations, does something that he knows might risk her career and get her fired, while also making her look bad in front of basically the entire city, and then when he finds out he is wrong he feels bad about it but doesn't do anything. She is the one who makes the grand romantic gesture in the end, she gives up her apartment, AND quits the job she loves to return to him, before he even apologized. Like he thought some really horrible things about her based on two sentences out of context. If he loses trust in her that quickly, the relationship will not succeed. Other than the ending though, it wasn't bad. 5/10 

Snow Capped Christmas: It was cute. The characters got along fairly well. Relationship could have been fleshed out more, seems like a large part of it came from the fact that she got a long with his daughter. And while that's good for the relationship long-term, there needs to be more if they are going to last. Like, if she gets a long with her teachers and they are pretty, is he going to date them too? 7/10

Switched for Christmas: Twin drama as adults. Honestly, I wasn't a fan of the premise of this movie. One sister was a teacher and the other worked at some sort of property management firm. They had different jobs, different skill sets, different educations, etc. It doesn't make sense that they would swap jobs like that and then be surprised when things don't go smoothly. Also, it is technically against the law (identity fraud) and while they might not have gotten in trouble doing it as kids, as adults they might. 6/10

Dashing Through the Snow: They were trying too hard to make her seem nice and innocent. The whole premise is that she had her identity stolen and an incompetent FBI agent is convinced she is a criminal/terrorist. He has his team manipulate events (in a way that makes no logical sense) to get her in the car with an undercover agent who falls for her. But, she is so over the top with the positivity. I am a positive person and I'd find her annoying. And then the big climax happens and they basically gloss over her being arrested and proven innocent, only to cut to several days later with him (for some reason) in one of the towns they had stopped in, despite it not being where she was arrested, where she went after, or where he was based. Also, she basically knew nothing about him except that he was an undercover agent who lied to her and led to her getting arrested and several of her friends harassed and treated like terrorists. Also, the fact that their ending confession was basically "now you can believe in me like my dad" was a little awkwardly written and kind of screamed "daddy issues". The puppy though was very cute. Overall, think it had a good premise (and not a unique one, really) but could have been done better. 5/10

Christmas Everlasting: It was good and I liked some of the aspects a lot. I think that it could have been fleshed out more and some things were added to make it more dramatic, that weren't needed. They brought in a long lost relative, when I think more focus should have been on the main female lead overcoming the trauma and guilt she felt about her sister's accident. Like she clearly blamed herself for years and let the guilt she felt dictate the course of her life, but it really came up like once in a conversation and then it kind of implied through context that she didn't visit home because it was hard seeing her sister struggle. Like the pieces were mostly there but not well connected to give her that kind of moment of realization and closure, instead the focus was on the relative that doesn't even play a major part other than as a sort of twist. 6.5/10

Chateau Christmas: Cute, good chemistry between the leads. Not too much angst or drama. A little cliché with the reoccurring "she went to pursue her dreams and he stayed behind" thing. 7.5/10

Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses: Cute couple, some miscommunication issues that don't make much sense (i.e. why assume two people who aren't even dating will suddenly get engaged that very night?). She didn't need to have a kid. I feel like a lot of Christmas movies one of the two romantic leads will have a kid to kind of act as a bridge between the characters (i.e. guy with kid and girl bonds with kid first) or an obstacle (i.e. she doesn't want to date because her kid is her focus), but he didn't play much of a role at all. In fact, I had to start playing it again just to check if I remembered correctly that she even had a kid. 7.5/10

Christmas Bells are Ringing: She lost her inspiration and passion in the big city and finds it in her small hometown with her childhood sweetheart. They both give things up at the end, which seems a little unnecessary but its sweet and they seem happy about it. 7/10

One Royal Holiday: This was really cute and I liked the accents, but even Hallmark knows that the secondary couple took the show (Hallmark uses the second couple in a lot of commercials for Hallmark movies). First of all, the secondary couple had such a cute meeting. They had such a good story line that should be the premise of another Hallmark movie (royalty/celebrity ends up stranded in small town, head of security/head bodyguard works with town's mayor to ensure discretion and security). And I  LOVED her attitude. The main female lead was like "don't pursue this, it isn't real. He's going to leave. It will never work." And the she was just like "they said I wouldn't be mayor, but look at me now." And "it might be hard to do long distance, but I think it is worth trying". Loved them. They should have been in it more or the main couple. The main couple was still okay. Suggests she might be going to live with him or just visiting. I don't know. Honestly, not sure they do either. But the secondary couple, they buy tickets for her to fly out to visit him for New Year's way before the main couple even comes to terms with how they feel. 7/10

Jingle Bell Bride: They were a cute couple, felt like there were some plot lines that never were fully pursued. But it did make it lighter on the drama. Like her coworker seemed to be trying to sabotage her, but that seemed like a plot thread that was just dropped. In fact, it was made to seem kind of sketchy about her going to the main female lead's client sort of behind her back, but like they worked at the same firm and the lead was stranded in a Alaska, it made sense that someone else would work with her client while she was away and nothing came of it. 6/10

Cheerful Christmas: She was too much. They needed to tone her character down a little bit. She was so overly enthusiastic and hyper, that a lot of the time their meetings seemed awkward and forced with her trying to shove Christmas cheer down his throat. Like she constantly disturbed his work, got in his way, or was overly pushy but everyone encouraged her to keep annoying him to "save his Christmas spirit". But, she gets better about halfway through when they become more of a duo and they live in the same area so there isn't too much drama in regards to how they will maintain a relationship. 6.5/10

Christmas on My Mind: She basically magically (I guess) forgets two years of her life. But then it doesn't really make any sense. Like, she gets bits and pieces back, but it doesn't all seem to come back to her by the end of the month. So, she makes some pretty big decisions about her future considering she is still missing so much of her past. The main couple are cute, but I am not really a fan of people being all "I'm going to hold them back". Because a) 90% of the time there is nothing stopping them from going with them or pursuing a long-distance relationship and b) it reminds me of something from another show that I wish I could remember exactly, but it was something like "you can't expect her to pick you, if she doesn't know you are an option". All she really remembers was him calling off their engagement two years prior so he wouldn't hold her back and he then he doesn't even really say he still loves her and wants her to stay. 6/10

Cranberry Christmas: This felt like it was meant to be a sequel to something, but I don't think it was. The couple is already married but are having some difficulties (mostly in communication). I liked that she called him out for basically doing a "maybe we shouldn't be together" in an attempt to not hold her back thing. I feel like I would have rooted for them more if I saw how they came together. So, if it isn't a sequel, then maybe we need a prequel. 6/10

Christmas Connection: I really liked this, but felt like we could have gone into her backstory more. Like, it seems to suggest she isn't big on Christmas because her parents died when she was young and she was raised by her grandparents, who have since passed away so she doesn't have family to spend it with. But, it doesn't really seem to talk about how her grandparents did Christmas. The kid was cute and I liked a lot of the story. 7/10

Merry & Bright: I'm going to start off by saying the framing device was weird and unnecessary. It starts with her being asked a question and goes into a flashback, but it is just not necessary and really kind of spoils the ending. The couple are cute, there were things introduced early on that came up later. Some things didn't make sense from a practical point, but overall very cute. 7/10

SoundHound: iPhone App

SoundHound is probably one of my favorite apps. It is also one I use fairly regularly. Essentially what the app does is listen to the audio and identify what it is. It is useful when listening to the radio when the song isn't listed or when you are shopping and a song comes on that you like. I have tried Shazam and musiXmatch. I found musiXmatch is best for lyrics, but not very good at identifying songs. I also found SoundHound seemed to have more songs that Shazam in its database.

I also found that SoundHound was better at identifying songs when I sang or hummed them, if the song was no longer on or I remember it later. Personally, I also found Shazam's layout a little disorienting.

One of the features I really like, aside from the main one, is that it saves your searches. So, if I hear a song when I am out that I like but can't use or connect to the internet, it saves so that I can search later. Which is really useful, because I often worry about going over on Data charges.

After finding the song it gives you the option to search on iTunes. So, you can buy it after you find it. I have used this to find a lot of songs I really enjoyed.

The most recent songs I used it to find are: Rewind by Neverest, 503 by Hans Zimmer, Dark Horse by Katy Perry, and Dream on the Dance floor by Basshunter.

I also use the app to see lyrics for songs. This is a feature of other apps as well, but I find SoundHound has a lot. (Or at least it did, since the last update it doesn't seem to have as much.)

I would recommend the app to those who find music out or on the radio they like. It is easier than writing down lyrics to search up later. Even if you don't, it is free and you never know when you might need it.

So, I recommend you check it out on the iTunes store, or the Android store (I assume the apps are the same).

Zoobe

So Zoobe is a pretty interesting and very popular app. People who frequent Tumblr have probably seen things from it before. Basically, what it is, is an app that provides people with minimalistic animations of characters that you provide a voice for. The lips move sort of in time and then you complete them and you have your own video. 

Often, they are used to make rant videos. People will complain about something and then post it on Tumblr or YouTube. It allows them the anonymity of not showing there face and tends to add some humor because it allows you to complain about serious situations through a bunny or shark as opposed to a person. 

There are other uses, people make funny videos or say 'I love you'. There are videos of people using an animated Smurf to ask their loved one to pick up certain kinds of cereal at the grocery store.

I find it a strange app, but amusing. However, I do understand some of the surrounding frustration that real animators have that their own work isn't getting as many views as some of these videos that were created by the poster with little to no effort.  

I'd recommend it to anyone who can find a use for it. I have some sample videos below. 

Grace and Frankie

Of things I regret this month, watching this show is one of my greatest regrets. Not to say that it is bad. In fact, it is quite the opposite. The reason I regret it, is that it was only after watching the first season, that I realized that only season 1 was out and that because it only came out a week or so before, it would be a long wait for the next season. And what a cliff-hanger!

As a fan of both West Wing (I even did a review for it) and Law and Order, it was strange seeing Martin Sheen and Lily Tomlin from West Wing. But even stranger seeming Detective Jack McCoy and President Barlet as a couple.

But, the show is interesting and it brings up some very real issues. The show is about two married couples that have been close, though also strained. The husbands confess that not only are they looking for a divorce, they are gay, and have been having an affair with each other for 20 years.

It brings up some real issues: from how the wives feel people will see them and how they couldn't see it themselves, and the husbands deal with coming out as two successful lawyers in their 70s, to how the kids come to terms with it. A big issue that comes up with the kids is, 'can we be mad?'

Which makes sense, their dads cheated. Their dads were leaving their wives. But the main reason they didn't do it sooner was because they felt ashamed and scared. Does that make it better? Does that make it more excusable? This is something they try to work through.

The issues are all treated with the right amount of seriousness mixed with the right amount of humor and respect. It was good. It was funny.

I liked all the characters too. Not to say any of them are perfect. they are flawed in some way and they are all the better for it: from the recovering addict to the way-too-blunt CEO.

I would reccomend it, and have. My friend Negin reccomends it as well. She also says that Nwabudike is her favorite character, and to pay special attention to him. Personally, I like Brianna. But, Grace and Frankie's relationship brings the most heartwarming moments and the most humor, in my opinion.

Etsy

So, Etsy is an online store. (It has an app too). It is all about made and vintage things. There are a lot of really cool options and it is a great place to get unique and one of a kind gifts. And because a lot of it is hand-made, there are a lot of options for customization. I, personally, love this website and use it all the time to find gifts for people. At the end of this post I will include some pictures of things I got for people and who they were for. It will be using Paint, so it will not be a beautiful work of art, but it will be a good example of some of the things they have.

One of the things pictured is a pearl 'peas in a pod' necklace. This is a good example of how customisable things are. The pearl colors can be chosen based on birth months or personal preference. You can also choose the number of pearls. The one I got has 6. The first two are my parents' birthstones. Then there is the divider, like the one pictured. And then the birthstones of my friends, Ashleigh, Negin, Jessica, and Jalayna. But it could also be a gift for parents. With their kids with birthstones. It could be a gift for an anniversary with both people's birthstones. 

It is a great website for gifts, as well because it is handmade, it also means that a lot of things are fan made. Like the shirt pictured below that I got for my friend Negin. The picture and shirt were both designed by a fan, so not only is it kind of cute and funny. It also is not available in stores. 

There are a lot of things that are not available in stores. Even things that are very different from things in stores. And because they are personally produced, that can mean both more selection on style but also quality. 

My step-sister is a huge fan of Harry Potter, so I was going to get her a robe in her House. And they ranged in style and price. Some were lined with silk and in the $200-300 price range. Others were pretty standard and closer to the $60-70 price range.

All in all, it is a nifty place to shop for things for yourself or others. The app is also useful and pretty user friendly.

iStudiez Pro

I love this app. I really do. I mean, on Graduation Day if I am asked to give thanks, this would be the first thing I thanked.

So, what is this fabulous app? Essentially, a planner. You know, the kind you used in school to write down your homework. Except it is so much better than that. There are a lot of different features, but let me tell you a couple of the one's I've found most useful.

The most useful has been the schedule/calendar. I put in all my classes and it looks like this. (This isn't my phone, but an image I found.)

So, you see, it says what classes on a particular day, as well as the assignments for the class, the professor, the location, and the time. But then in calendar view you can quickly see when things are. What's even cooler, it pulls from your phone calendar, so if I have a Doctor's appointment it will show up on the iStudiez calendar.

It sends you a notification 15 minutes before class starts, as a reminder, which has been helpful. It is really helpful having easy access to class rooms.

But that is just one useful component.

It also has a section for instructors. This allows you to have a sort of separate phone book for all your TAs, instructors, and Professors.

I love this because it is easier than trying to track down the syllabus if I want office hours, and sometimes the TAs don't have an official syllabus, they write it on the board during the first tutorial and that's it. That's all you get. And if you lose the piece of paper you wrote it on, switch tutorials, can't read your writing, were absent, or didn't think to write it down at the time you are in trouble. 

The third, and last feature, I will talk about is the assignments feature. 

It lets you put in the assignment information, what course it is, if you have partners and who they are, it lets you set a priority, and set up a reminder of anywhere between a week or a few hours before. It then keeps them all in a list and lets you sort by date, class, or priority. And once you complete it, you select it and it saves it but takes it off the list. 

Also a week before something is due, no matter the priority or reminder date, a little number will appear in the corner of the app just as a subtle reminder. 

I have taken online classes and gotten in trouble, because I lost track of dates and then had to rush or missed something. I have forgotten about small assignments. I have lost track of professor information. I am kind of scatter-brained and this app keeps that scatter in line. 

I would definitely recommend this app to ALL students of EVERY grade. It is really useful as an University student, but I feel like there are features that are here that will help students of every grade. Who knows, there might even be features that will help non-students as well. 

Chopped (TV Series - 2009)

Chopped is another reality TV Show, like Kitchen Nightmares, but it is much friendlier. The only reality TV shows I really watch involve cooking or kitchens. Another one I watch is called Cutthroat Kitchen, but it really isn't very nice.

Chopped is nice because contestants compete against the clock more than each other. In Cutthroat they are forced to sabotage each other, which means they are much more antagonistic. Sometimes in Chopped, they even help each other out.

I like the show because it is so amazing what these chefs can do with the ingredients they are given. Some of the worst ingredients they they've been given (in my opinion): durian, whole chicken in a can, pork rinds, bacon popcorn, a three-tiered vanilla fondant cake (for the appetizer round), pickle juice, and pickled pigs feet.

How the show is set up is that there are three rounds. The first round is the appetizer round, the second the entree, and the third is dessert. There are four contestants to start and each round the chef that did the worst, goes home. The last one standing wins $10,000 (or more - some rounds have money for charities or money for scholarships).

Somethings that I think people should really have learned by now:

Taste everything. A lot of people who get in trouble, get in trouble for not tasting things and making things too salty or too bland. If they had just tasted it, they would have known.

Include everything. There are four ingredients give to each contestant and they have to use all four. They don't specifically say in the rules that the ingredient needs to be highlight or transformed, but you lose points for not, so - that should be kept in mind.

And the one I think is the most important and most overlooked...

Check the equipment! Like every other episode someone goes to use something and it doesn't work! The ice cream maker doesn't always work. The meat grinders in the hamburger episode didn't work. And people will count on ice cream or something being apart of their dish and then, oops! Not going to happen.

I like the show because contestants show a lot of creativity. And it really is impressive what they can do with what they are given. But what is also interesting is how much variety there ends up being.

Four chefs given the same four ingredients and yet they can end up four completely different dishes. In one episode, the first round gave the contestants things like cotton candy, corn dogs, peanuts, and scallions - and the contestants created things from Pad Thai to Hot Dogs with Pesto and Cotton Candied Peanuts.

I'd recommend it to people who like cooking and people who like puns. Because Ted makes a lot of puns.

BoxTrolls (2014)

Cute and creepy, the two words that would succinctly wrap up what this movie was. The BoxTrolls are cute, but creepy. The little girl was cute, but disturbed. Like really disturbed. Overall, I am not sure whether the movie was weird or inspirational, or really if it was trying to be either.

There seems to be a message that: material things do not make you who you are.

But the overall message ends being kind of diluted by the sheer ridiculousness that someone would really be willing to murder for cheese, or rather the right to wear a white hat and eat cheese. They don't even get to keep the cheese themselves, and this person is ALLERGIC to cheese. I mean, his face swells up and they have to use leeches to stop it.

I think that overall I liked the movie, but would have liked a few more laughs. It looks like a kids movie. But it isn't really what you would expect from a kid's movie.

It starts off with rumors spreading around town of a baby being kidnapped and taken down into the sewers by monsters where he is supposedly eaten alive, while his father is murdered when he tries to save him. Creepy, right?

Then it jumps ahead, the kid wasn't eaten but was adopted as one of their own (like with Timon and Pumba in Lion King, except...not). The BoxTrolls are being captured and killed. The boy-BoxTroll decides to go find out why and see if he can't stop it.

He meets the crazy little girl who seems a little too interested in BoxTrolls and spends a lot of time thinking about them and romanticizing the idea that they might come tear off her face and wear her toes as a necklace. She meets BoxBoy and one of the first things she asks him is if they LET him watch them murder his parents. LET HIM. She later corrects it to MAKE him, but she meant let. She is psychotic. I mean, I found her to be one of the scarier characters and she was meant to be one of the good guys!

So, you can see why I'm not really thinking of this as a kids' movie. Which makes the whole message a little murkier, because who is it even for?

Anyway, it wasn't bad. It had some cute moments and it had a happy ending. Would I recommend it? Sure. Would I recommend seeing it in theatres? No. No, I would not. Wait until it comes out on DVD.

Candy Crush: iPhone App

I have joined the madness. I used to hear people talking about this game all the time and, eventually, I just had to find out what it is. It is a game. An annoying, frustrating, fun, repulsive, entertaining, addictive game.

It doesn't even seem like it would be that complicated either. You are just trying to line up three colors in a row. That's it. That is all you have to do. Except you have to get a certain number. And you only have so many moves. And there are time limits for some. And there are score minimums for some. And if you connect with Facebook you're competing with your friends. Not to mention the jellies and weird shaped boards.

It reminds me of Candyland. That is what the board looks like to me, at least. Except, I don't remember Candyland ever making me want to throw my phone out the window. This game has made me feel like that. Honestly, I feel like it should have a horror theme. The candy down plays the menacing nature that is held with in the games coding. It makes you lower your guard. You assume it is harmless. But it isn't.

I've never played flappy bird or angry bird, because I've always worried that I would be really stressed one day and one 'game over' too many would lead to a broken phone or a busted window.

But, I think if I can handle this game, I can handle those.

I like that the game involves some strategy, but a lot of it is luck. It is like cards. Yes, you need to have some strategy and you have to know the game, but all the card prowess in the world won't guarantee a win if you are running low on luck.

I like that there isn't a time limit on a lot of the levels. You can be in the middle of a level, but then just put your phone away if you need to without worrying about dying or losing your place.

Also, the games are short. They don't usually take more than minute so they are good for waiting for the bus or waiting while the tea is steeping (which were the times I intended to play before the intense desire to beat the game and the annoyingly perky person saying I failed to compete the level again took over).

So, I would recommend it to those who like short games that aren't so enthralling you won't automatically be sucked in just by playing. But, warn those that get easily frustrated to stay away.

Vij's Restaurant

That's right, I'm doing a restaurant. A relatively well-known and pretty highly rated Indian Restaurant, called Vij's. My plan for this review is do more than just provide brief commentary on the food. I am going to catalogue the whole experience, starting from when I first arrived to the moment I walk out the door.

(HEADS UP: I tried to get pictures of all the dishes, but my fellow dinners go a little impatient and chowed down before I could get most of the pictures.)

The Beginning: 

4:22pm:

I am walking up to Vij's. Way to early to actually eat but they don't take reservations and people start lining up at 4:30. By 5 it is going to be chaos. So, I'm there early. 

The first thing I see is the outside. Obviously. The attached restaurant (same owner but not as highly rated and different in style) is busy and loud. It is sunny out so the patio is pretty full. 

When I get to Vij's patio, I sit on one of the small stools around one of the two small water features. They are pretty. The elephant on each side of the concrete is a little odd but the roses are beautiful. 

Then I notice a fish. There are lots of fish in the water but there is one on top and in center. I think it's dead. It's twitching though. So I'm not sure. 

I move the roses aside. It is, in fact, dead. I'm not Sherlock Holmes but from the looks of it, he got run over by a rose and it pushed him sort of up and onto the light. The sun, the air or just plain fear at not being able to move got him from there. 

Thinking about how if I owned a restaurant, I definitely would not want a dead fish to be the first thing my customers would see. Unless it was a beautifully prepared fish on a plate.

I poked my head in the doorway and when someone came by I let them know. She let out a small chuckle. Not so much because the fish was dead, I think, so much as that I had told her. But whatever. 

5:00pm: 

There is almost no one here. This is so weird! Last time we came here we got here at 5p.m. and didn't make it in the door because there were already too many people here. Today there are 3 groups of two. Where is everyone?

Well, I guess it is Thursday. Not a major date night. Last time was a Friday night. 

The waitress just brought out a drink menu to ask if we'd like anything to drink. I said no. 

Some time has passed and with it, it has brought more people. There are now almost 10 more people. 

There should be more seats, I think. Or remove the grey, plastic stools and put in concrete benches. It would probably fit more people and they wouldn't have to worry about people breaking the stools or taking them. Not that I suspect that happens often. 

People are sitting on the water features and it doesn't seem comfortable. There are also people standing. There aren't that many people here yet either.

5:20pm:

The other people I am dining with finally arrive.

5:30pm:

We are seated first and shortly after things start circulating.

First there are fries. They're okay. Mostly they taste like your average fries with a little bit of chili powder. There was also pakora, which is fabulous. There is also a chutney and mung beans thing on  a cracker. I don't know what it is, but its good.

Everyone gets Chai tea. It is very good. Not too sweet and nice and warm. I order pear juice, which is good but a little sweet on its own.

5:45pm:

We order a few dishes and appetizers to get a taste for everything.

6:22pm:

Appetizers arive.

Acorn Squash and Beets: A little too sweet for me, but  not  bad. 6/10
Chick Peas with Ricotta and Sweet Potato Cookies: Amazing! At least, the cookies were. The curry was also quite good. 9/10
Samosas: Not bad, not a major lamb fan but it wasn't overwhelming. Good crunch, not too greasy. 7/10

6:51pm:

Dinner arrives.

Pork Tenderloin: Good. Charred very nicely. Even none pork fan in the group really liked it. 8/10
Lamb Popsicle: I didn't try these myself, not a lamb fan as I said. However, the lamb eaters in the group liked it. And the curry it was on top of was good on its own. 8/10
Koftes: Very good as well. Crispy not greasy and very flavorful. 9/10
Chicken: Good. Tomatoes were a nice touch and I'm a big fan of green onions in dishes.

The Chicken and Kofte curries were relatively similar. As were the Pork and Lamb curries, while the pork curry had a stronger lemon flavor and spinach.

7:20pm:

Paid the bill.

Overall: They paid good attention to allergies. Went to the chef and made sure things were safe for everyone in the group. They also had very good service.

Total: 9/10

The Butterfly Project (Idea)

This is not the type of thing I normally have reviewed, not that I have done many, but it is something that I want to talk about and it is something that means alot to me. 

The Butterfly Project is something that was created and thought up by somene online. I don't know who, but whoever they are I thank them. 

The Butterfly Project is kind of a social idea for people who cut themselves. 

I do not, but I do know who people who do. In fact, I know more that one person who does, or has in the past. It is surpising. I mean, even people who do not feel that depressed but did it for one reason or another. 

The idea behind the Butterfly Project was that if someone felt like cutting, they draw a butterfly on themself in the area instead. They give the butterfly a name, and  then if they still cut it 'kills' the butterflly. It is basically meant to be a preventive thing. 

Here are the specific rules from the site: 

1. When you feel like cutting, take a marker or pen and draw a butterfly wherever the self-harm occurs.
2. Name the butterfly after a loved one, or someone that really wants you to get better. (Doesn't have to be a person you know, I think it just needs a name.)
3. No scrubbing or washing the butterfly off.
4. If you cut before the butterfly is fades away, it dies. If you don't cut, it lives.

5*. Someone else may draw them on you. These butterflies are extra special. Take good care of them.

6**. Even if you don’t cut, feel free to draw a yourself a butterfly to show your support.

I found this after I found one of my closest friends was involved in self-harm. I sent her the link and talked her into trying it as best I could. She has talked about it since, and I think she has stayed with it too. 

I think this is a good idea. It may not actually stop people from cutting, but it does seem like it would help lessen the chance that they would. Not just because they have to draw and name a butterfly, but because it gives them time where they are focused on something aside from what is upseting them. 

This is not the most widely known thing, but I do hope that it becomes more well-known and more utilized. 

Here is the link to a site that explains more about it and has real people telling their stories and showing their support: 

(So if you cut or know someone who cuts, you should check it out.)

butterfly-project.tumblr.com