The Ultimate Blog Party 2011 #UBP11 - Party Post

My name is Candi. I am a 40 year old, single mother of a beautiful 22 year old daughter.

I was a teenage single mom at the age of 17, it wasn't an easy journey,

but the end result is a daughter, that has grown into an amazing young woman, I must have did something right. I love sharing my experiences, adventures & journey I took as a teenage single mom in my blog.

I am also a proud advocate for changing the stigma attached to mental health. I have been diagnosed with depression & find it very therapeutic to share my story with others. Being depressed isn't something I have ever been ashamed of, and in sharing my story I hope others feel less alone & inspired to share their stories too, and hopefully, feel less ashamed.

I love sharing anything & everything that crosses my path & impacts me in some way, be it inspiring, sad, funny or just random thoughts, my blog is a smorgasbord of topics.

Interested in learning more? Click on either the Twitter or Facebook button on the toolbar at the bottom of this page. I look forward to meeting many more bloggers.

The Origins of April Fools Day

April Fools’ Day, also called All Fools’ Day, in most countries the first day of April. It received its name from the custom of playing practical jokes on this day—for example, telling friends that their shoelaces are untied or sending them on so-called fools’ errands. Although the day has been observed for centuries, there are different explanations for its origin. It resembles festivals such as the Hilaria of ancient Rome, held on March 25, and the Holi celebration in India, which ends on March 31. The modern custom may have originated in France when the Gregorian calendar, which moved New Year’s Day from March 25 to January 1, was adopted in 1582. Those who continued to celebrate the end of New Year Week on April 1 were referred to as fools. The timing of the day also may be related to the vernal equinox (March 21), a time when people are said to be fooled by sudden changes in the weather.

There are variations between countries in the celebration of April Fools’ Day, but all have in common an excuse to make someone play the fool. In France, for example, the fooled person is called poisson d’avril (“April fish”), perhaps in reference to a young fish and hence to one that is easily caught; it is common for French children to pin a paper fish to the backs of unsuspecting friends. In Scotland the day is Gowkie Day, for the gowk, or cuckoo, a symbol of the fool and the cuckold, which suggests that it may have been associated at one time with sexual license; on the following day signs reading “kick me” are pinned to friends’ backs. In many countries newspapers and the other media participate—for example, with false headlines or news stor

5 Rules To Keep A Strong Friendship

via Answer.com

5 rules you should stick to if you want to form and keep a strong friendship with someone, if any of these things start to go missing, the friendship will weaken, like a brick being removed from a wall, and the more of these bricks that go missing, the weaker the friendship will become until it collapses all together...

1. Be Fun: no-one wants to be friends with a moody cow, so make sure you try and be happy and fun to be around for as much as possible. Learn how to entertain your friend and find things that you like doing together.

2. Honesty: It's ok to tell an occasional white lie where necessary, but generally, be as honest as you can, be yourself and don't try to be anyone you're not and most importantly NEVER LIE TO YOUR FRIEND!

3. Sympathy: Learn to know when your friend is feeling upset, what might upset them, and how to make them feel better when they do get upset. Being in touch with their feelings is key to making any friendship work.

4. Loyalty: If you ever hear any gossip going around about your friend, or if another person tells you something that they really ought to know, then tell them! This will ensure your friend that you are always looking out for him/her and will give them the impression that you are their knight in shining armour!

5. Trust: NEVER tell anyone else any of your friend's secrets, or gossip, behind your friend's back! If your friend doesn't trust you- the friendship WILL collapse


Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_in_a_friendship_contract#ixzz1IQu0eAGj

Need A Happiness Reminder?

Lately, I have felt like I really needed a reminder on what it takes to be happy. Prior to this recent episode of depression, I knew it was my choice to be happy or not, and I always chose to be happy & see the best in everything. Doing this becomes difficult when your days are filled with darkness & you feel like you are drowning & have no survival skills in the real world due to depression. I needed a change, fast!

When I'm feeling down I find doing research & being creative always helps me feel better. So I put my creative skills to work and created this little "Happiness" reminder for myself & would love to share it with you.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed creating it.

101 Ways To Make Other People Smile

A link to this list was shared with me on twitter. I loved it and had to share it with you & #101 says share with your favorite people, here it is:

______________

Smile is the best cure for any mental disease. It shows the victory on your face. Smiling with others is better than smiling alone.

Here are the 101 ways to make others smile. Read each one slowly and savor the thought..


01. Call an old friend, just to say hi.

02. Hold a door open for a stranger.

03. Invite someone to lunch.

04. Compliment someone on his or her appearance.

05. Ask a coworker for their opinion on a project.

06. Bring cookies to work.

07. Let someone cut in during rush hour traffic.

08. Leave a waitress or waiter a big tip.

09. Tell a cashier to have a nice day.

10. Call your parents.

11. Let someone know you miss them.

12. Treat someone to a movie.

13. Let a person know you really appreciate them.

14. Visit a retirement center.

15. Take a child to the zoo.

16. Fill up your spouse's car with gas.

17. Surprise someone with a small gift.

18. Leave a thank-you note for the cleaning staff at work.

19. Write a letter to a distant relative.

20. Tell someone you thought about them the other day.

21. Put a dime in a stranger's parking meter before the time expires.

22. Bake a cake for a neighbor.

23. Send someone flowers to where they work.

24. Invite a friend to tea.

25. Recommend a good book to someone.

26. Donate clothing to a charity.

27. Offer an elderly person a ride to where they need to go.

28. Bag your own groceries at the checkout counter.

29. Give blood.

30. Offer free baby-sitting to a friend who's really busy or just needs a break.

31. Help your neighbor rake leaves or shovel snow.

32. Offer your seat to someone when there aren't any left.

33. Help someone with a heavy load.

34. Ask to see a store's manager and comment on the great service.

35. Give your place in line at the grocery store to someone who has only a few items.

36. Hug someone in your family for no reason.

37. Wave to a child in the car next to you.

38. Send a thank-you note to your doctor.

39. Repeat something nice you heard about someone else.

40. Leave a joke on someone's answering machine.

41. Be a mentor or coach to someone.

42. Forgive a loan.

43. Fill up the copier machine with paper after you're done using it.

44. Tell someone you believe in them.

45. Share your umbrella on a rainy day.

46. Welcome new neighbors with flowers or a plant.

47. Offer to watch a friend's home while they're away.

48. Ask someone if they need you to pick up anything while you're out shopping.

49. Ask a child to play a board game, and let them win.

50. Ask an elderly person to tell you about the good old days.

51. During bad weather, plan an indoor picnic with the family.

52. Buy someone a goldfish and bowl.

53. Compliment someone on their cooking and politely ask for a second helping.

54. Dance with someone who hasn't been asked.

55. Tell someone you mentioned them in your prayers.

56. Give children's clothes to another family when your kids outgrow them.

57. Deliver extra vegetables from your garden to the whole neighborhood.

58. Call your spouse just to say, I love you.

59. Call someone's attention to a rainbow or beautiful sunset.

60. Invite someone to go bowling.

61. Figure out someone's half-birthday by adding 182 days, and surprise them with a cake.

62. Ask someone about their children.

63. Tell someone which quality you like most about them.

64. Brush the snow off of the car next to yours.

65. Return your shopping cart to the front of the store.

66. Encourage someone's dream, no matter how big or small it is.

67. Pay for a stranger's cup of coffee without them knowing it.

68. Leave a love letter where your partner will find it.

69. Ask an older person for their advice.

70. Offer to take care of someone's pet while they're away.

71. Tell a child you're proud of them.

72. Visit a sick person, or send them a care package.

73. Join a Big Brother or Sister program.

74. Leave a piece of candy on a coworker's desk.

75. Bring your child to work with you for the afternoon.

76. Give someone a recording of their favorite music.

77. Email a friend some information about a topic they are especially interested in.

78. Give someone a homemade gift.

79. Write a poem for someone.

80. Bake some cookies for your local fire or police department

81. Organize a neighborhood cleanup and have a barbecue afterwards.

82. Help a child build a birdhouse or similar project.

83. Check in on an old person, just to see if they're okay.

84. Ask for the recipe after you eat over at someone's house
.
85. Personally welcome a new employee at work and offer to take them out for lunch.

86. While in a car, ask everyone to buckle up because they are important to you.

87. Let someone else eat the last slice of cake or pizza.

88. Stop and buy a drink from a kid's lemonade stand.

89. Forgive someone when they apologize.

90. Wave to someone looking for a parking space when you're about to leave a shopping center.

91. Send a copy of an old photograph to a childhood friend.

92. Leave a pint of your spouse's favorite flavor of ice cream in the freezer with a bow on it.

93. Do a household chore that is usually done by someone else in the family.

94. Be especially happy for someone when they tell you their good news.

95. Compliment a coworker on their role in a successful project.

96. Give your spouse a spontaneous back rub at the end of the day.

97. Serve someone in your family breakfast in bed.

98. Ask someone if they've lost weight.

99. Make a donation to a charity in someone's honor.

100. Take a child to a ballgame.

101. Share this list with 10 of your favorite people!

Symptoms of Inner Peace

SYMPTOMS OF INNER PEACE

by Saskia Davis

Be on the lookout for symptoms of inner peace. The hearts of a great many already have been exposed; and it is possible that people, everywhere, could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what, up to now, has been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world.

Signs & Symptoms of Inner Peace

A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences

An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment

A loss of interest in judging other people

A loss of interest in judging self

A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others

A loss of interest in conflict

A loss of ability to worry

Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation

Contented feelings of connectedness with others & nature

Frequent attacks of smiling

An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen

An increased susceptibility to love extended by others and the uncontrollable urge to extend it


WARNING

If you have some or all of the above symptoms, be advised that your condition of inner peace may be too far advanced to be curable. If you are exposed to anyone exhibiting any of these symptoms, remain exposed only at your own risk. © 1984

Progression Turning To Regression In My Life

I was so excited about my progress & the idea of returning to work in February. The therapy I was receiving was a huge help in this progression. Funny how fast progression can turn to regression.

Thanks to the system, I have not had a therapy session since February. Since my last session I have been waiting for approval to be accepted for rehabilitation services that my disability provider offers. To this day I am still waiting to hear from them regarding the funding they will provide for me to continue my therapy. These services will also work with me and my employer in making my return to work plan. The waiting is getting the best of me. Why didn't they offer these services right from the beginning of my long term disability? Instead they waited until my initial claim expired to offer this to me.

I am crying a lot lately. Alone, cut off from the world, isolated in my room, by choice, of course. The will do to anything is completely absent from my life. I do not want to get out of bed in the morning. I do not want to make any effort to be involved in life right now. Even the efforts of doing things for my friends brings me no pleasure. What happened to me? I've lost myself in this depression. I can't find or see the, once, positive & optimistic self I once was. I miss me.

I can't get over this feeling of the longer I am off work the more people at work are going to judge me. I know to be judged for something like this sounds ridiculous, but it happens. This judgment is a true sign of the stigma attached to mental health. I love my job and the corporation I work for, but, what seems to me, to be lack of support, is really affecting my feeling of self worth.

People do not seem to understand how badly I want to feel better and get back to normalcy of work, friends & family. I have done everything in my power & what has been requested of me to getting better & past all of this. It is no fault of my own that my progress is being hampered by process. Not only is it being hampered, but I truly believe it is causing me to regress.

I feel worse today, in a different way, than I did when all of this began. Im losing touch with everything. I feel nothing, but feel too much all at the same time. I want to call out for help, reach out to a friend, but I feel like I have burdened so many people with all of this. If I were them I would be tired of my shit too. I just want all of it to be over.

I want to be happy again. I want to be positive & optimistic about my life. I keep telling myself that this is just another bump in the road & that this, too, will pass, but those words & thoughts aren't bringing me the comfort that they use to.

The light at the end of the tunnel is no longer in view & Im completely lost on what to do. Patience needs to become my friend as I continue this journey.

My Sister Revisits The Past

I have shared this story with you in previous blog posts (Possible Closure After Two Decades: A Families Worst Nightmare, Possible Closure After Two Decades: A Families Worst Nightmare Part 2).

I am so proud of my sister for sharing her story with the world. The courage & strength it had to take to revisit this horrible event in your life, is inspirational.

Here is her segment on CBC Winnipeg News from Tuesday, March 22.

Now Tell Me Something Positive

We all come across people in our life that always seem to do nothing but complain. Maybe most of them do not even realize they are being negative & would love a little reminder that their positivity is lacking.

Right after they finish complaining, say to them, "Now tell me something positive" Some people have no idea how negative they have become. That is what they surround themselves with, day in and day out, so it is just a way of life for them. Being given a reminder, they may realize that is not how they want to project and start working on becoming more positive.

Just my thoughts.

(picture & concept from http://www.rileywynnhr.com )

Most Common Face in The World

National Geographic Magazine released a video clip, below, showing the most "typical" human face on the planet as part of its series on the human race called "Population 7 billion."

7 Billion: Are You Typical? — National Geographic Magazine @ Yahoo! Video

My Mental Health Stigma Project

Internatioinal Women's Day - March 8, 2011

I’m writing to let you know about a fabulous women’s event being held tomorrow.

It’s called International Women’s Day ~ “This is Our Time". Check it out ~ www.InternationalWomensDay.org. Tomorrow there’s going to be a global celebration of women past, present, and future ~ the largest gathering of women in the history of the world!

The Women’s Information Network (WIN) is the women’s global community that’s presenting LIVE celebrations in 10 cities across America that will be simultaneously live-streamed to women in 176 countries! www.theWINonline.com

I love the fact that women will be celebrating and honoring women all over the world on the same day! I’m going to participate and thought you might want to hear about it.

How To Say 'PEACE' in Other Languages (A Day Of Peace March 4th)

Peace: a state of harmony, the absence of hostility.

Abenaqui = Olakamigenoka

Alabama = Ittimokla

Albanian = La Paqe

Algonquin = Wâki Ijiwebis-I

Amharic = Írq

Arabic = Salam

Aranés = La Patz

Armenian = Khanhaghutyun

Basque = Bake

Bemba = Mutenden

Blackfoot = Innaihtsi'iyi

Bulgarian = Mír Bosnian

Buli = Goom-jigi

Carolinian = Gúnnammwey

Catalán = La Pau

Chinese = Pingan

Choctaw = Achukma

Chuuk = Kunammwey

Comanche = Tsumukikatu

Cree = Wetaskiwin

Creole = Lapé Haitian

Duala = Musango

Dutch = Vrede Afrikaans

Ekari = Muka-muka

English = Peace

Esperanto = Paco

Estonian = Rahu

Fanagolo = Kutula

Farsi = Ashtee

Finnish = Rauha

French = La Paix

Gaelic = Sìth

Gaelic = Fois Scots

Gafuleya Chontal = Aylobaha

German = Der Frieden

Gikuyu = Thayu

Greek = Iri'ni

Guaraní = Ñerane'i

Gujarati = Shanti Bengali

Hausa = Lùmana

Hawaiian = Maluhia

Hebrew = Shalom

Hungarian = Béke

Icelandic = Friður

Igbo = Udo

Ila = Chibanda

Indonesian = Damai

Indonesian = Rerdamaian

Irish = Síocháin

Japanese = Heiwa

Javanese = Rukun

Khmer = Soksang

Koasati = Ilifayka

Korean = Pyong'hwa

Kurdish = Hasîtî

Lakhota = Wolakota

Latin = Pax

Latvian = Miers

Lithuainian = Taika

Luxemburgish = Fridden

Magindanaon = Kalilíntad

Malgache = Fandriampahalemana

Maltese = Paçi

Manobo = Linew

Maori = Rangima'arie

Mapudungun = Uvchin

Maranao = Diakatra

Maya = Ets'a'an Olal

Micmac = Wôntôkóde

Mongo-Nkundu = Boóto

Munsterian = Echnahcaton

Navajo = K'é

Nepali = Saanti

Nhengatu = Tecócatú

North Alaska Inuktitut = Tutkiun

Northwest Alaska Inupiat Inuktitut = Kiñuiñak

Norwegian = Fred Danish

Ntomba = Nye

Nyanja = Mtendere Chewa

Otomi = Hmethó

Palauan = Búdech

Pali = Nirudho

Papago/Pima = Dodolimdag

Pashto = Amniat

Perce = Éyewi Nez

Persian = Solh Dari

Pig Latin = eace-pay

Polish = Pokój

Ponapean = Meleilei

Portuguese = A Paz Galician

Rapanui = Kiba-kiba

Romanian = La Pace Italian

Ruanda = Nimuhóre

Sa Lao = Kwam

Sa'a = Däilama

Samoan = Filemu

Sesotho = Khotso

Setswana = Kagiso

Sioux = Wo'okeyeh

Somali = Nabad -Da

Spanish = La Paz

Swahili = Amaní

Tagalog = Mabuhay

Tagalog Filipino = Kapayapaan

Tahitian = Hau

Tamil = Amaithi

Thai = Santipap

Tiaykuy Quechua = Sonqo

Tibetan = Shîte

Tlingit = Li-k'ei

Tonga = Melino

Turkish = Sulh

Turkish = Barish

Twi-Akan = Asomdwee

Uighur = Saq

Urdu = Aman Malay

Usilal Kékchí = Tuktuquil

Vietnamese = Hoa Bình

Welsh = Hedd

Wintu = Mina

Xhosa = Uxolo

Yiddish = Sholim

Yoruba = Alaáfía

Zapoteco = Layéni

Zulu = Ukuthula

15 Things You Can Do for 'A Day Of Peace' - Friday, March 4th

Below are 15 things you can do to participate in 'A Day of Peace' to be held tomorrow Friday, March 4th. These are things we should practice doing all year round to help make the world a better, more peaceful, place.

1. Say something nice to everyone you meet today.
2. Smile and say "Hello" to people you do not know.
3. Say a prayer or whisper a kind wish for someone
4. Compliment a stranger
5. Praise generously
6. Show respect equally to all human beings
7. Give someone a chance to prove him or herself
8. Encourage someone to pursue their dream
9. Allow someone to let his or her light shine
10. Smile at someone who’s sad
11. Smile at strangers
12. Offer sincere, kind words to someone who’s hurting
13. Inspire someone to be the best that they can be
14. Give someone the benefit of the doubt
15. Replace an angry or bitter thought toward someone with a loving thought (or at least try)

A Day Of Peace - Friday, March 4th

Time: Friday, March 4 at 12:00am - March 5 at 12:00am
Location: Worldwide
Created By: Stephen Danger Shoemaker

Please read the whole thing!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have an idea... for a day of peace. Wouldn't it be amazing?
Just one day in the year where we all held our tongues.
A day where we ignored others' shortcomings and made a valiant effort to be kind and understanding.
...A day where we all got along. It's sad that we are all at a point where we should do this, but it's even sadder to know that we easily could every day, but refuse to do so.

My proposition is simple:
One day, March 4th, we all stick to three simple rules that will make the world a little bit more bearable. Feel free to partake in this before and long after then; the only reason I have the event set that far into the future is because I want word to spread and allow this to have as big of an impact as possible.
This event is to take place everywhere we go in the world, preferably all the time.
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Rule #1.
Say not a single unkind thing about anyone or anything. If at all possible, try not to even think a nasty thought. If we do, reflect on why it was that we thought to say it in the first place.
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Rule #2.
Show everyone we cross paths with some genuine human compassion. Be it with a smile or kind words, just spread some love.
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Rule #3.
Make not one person the exception to the rule. Not everyone deserves to have roses thrown at their feet and have a holiday in their honor, but nobody deserves to feel alone. Reach out. Talk to someone new. Care about them, and we will be cared for in return.
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Please invite everyone on your friends list. Every single person, regardless of how often you talk to them, if ever at all. This can be done very simply and quickly by pasting this into your address bar and hitting enter. This will select all of your friends and you can then choose to send the invitation:

javascript:elms=document.getElementById('friends').getElementsByTagName('li');for(var fid in elms){if(typeof elms[fid] === 'object'){fs.click(elms[fid]);}}

There seems to be some confusion about this, so....
PLEASE ADD A PERSONAL MESSAGE TO THE INVITE TELLING THE PEOPLE TO CLICK ON THE EVENT TO SEE THE INFO.
Seriously, make sure you do that, because most of the "Not Attending" people didn't know to click on this and just dismissed it.
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Please spread this as much as possible, and please actually attempt to do this.
I know many of us will simply accept the invite with no intention to give this any genuine effort, but "Attend" anyway, not to look like a good person, but to look like we aren't a bad one. And for those of us who do that, please just remove yourself from the event.

This can be big. If we all band together, well, maybe we can all start living a little bit nicer lives. Maybe this won't work for more than one day; maybe it will. I honestly don't know what will happen, but what I do know is this: if we can get at least one day of happiness and peace out of this, well, I'd more than consider that a success.

This is not intended to be a "Let's be nice for one day and go back to our old ways the day after" kind of thing. It is meant to give us all a little more incentive to be better people.

This is not a hippie or a religious movement. This is just an attempt at brightening the world up a bit.

You have no reason why you cant do it. None of us do.
Thank you all for your kind words, support, and enthusiasm,
~Stephen Shoemaker

Please help this message spread to as many as possible.

Here is the event on Facebook: CLICK HERE

Bonus Oscar Opening: Grease Tribute with Anne Hathaway & James Franco

The Oscars: Behind The Scenes with James Franco

I do not know if this is a first or not in Oscar history, but the host, James Franco is posting video live from the oscars from behind the scenes. The one below is from the start of the night, click more at the end to see all the videos as they are posted. Awesomeness!

Reactive Candy's Top 5 Best & Worst Dressed at the Oscars!

It is always exciting to watch the celebrities arrive for the biggest award show of the season, the Academy Awards. The red carpet is probably just as fun. Getting to see what everyone is wearing is just as big of an event for some, then the actual show itself.

Here are my top 5 picks for best & worst dressed of the evening:

TOP 5 BEST DRESSED

Mila Kunis was stunning in this lavender Elie Saab dress. She has come along way from the 15 year old girl on 'That 70's Show'

Halle Berry never disappoints. Breath taking in this drop-dead gorgeous Marchesa gown.

Anne Hathaway, this years host of the Academy Awards, was the lady in red, in this red hot strapless Valentino.

Helen Mirren always elegant in this silk gray gown by Vivienne Westwood.

Jennifer Hudson, showing off her new, sexy curves in this tangerine Versace gown. It complements her skin color perfectly.













TOP 5 WORST DRESSED

Jennifer Lawrence looked like she threw on her 'Baywatch' evening gown! Had no idea Calvin Klein had a 'Baywatch' line. Meh!

Melissa Leo, good thing she can act better than she dresses. Hire a new stylist, this Marc Bouwer dress looks like something my grandmother uses on her dining room table.

Cate Blanchett wore a Givency Couture dress with coral growing on it or something. I have no words for how I feel about this dress. It speaks for itself!

Marisa Tomei in this 1950 couture Charles James dress from Lily et Cie. When I first saw this dress, I thought the top was stunning, then it spanned down to the mess attached to the bottom of this dress.

Florence Welch in this lemon-yellow Valentino reminds me of a bad bridesmaid dress.

James Franco Hosting The Oscars: Mmmmmm

Im a huge fan of Oscar night. I look forward to the last Sunday in February every year. I watch all the movies, make my predictions and patiently wait for this night.

This year is no different, except for one thing, JAMES FRANCO!!!! Yes,yes, yes...I love this guy. He is an amazing actor, super smart, very creative & artistic, and of course, SUPER SEXY! This will be the first time EVER that the host has been one fine piece of eye candy. It is going to be an amazing night! Don't you agree?

Oh yeah..Anne Hathway won't be too bad either! LOL

It's Almost 'Oscar Sunday' - Reel of 'Best Picture' Nominees

I am a big movie buff. I make a point of watching all the best picture nominees every year before 'Oscar Sunday'. This year was no different. You can click here to see my predictions for this years Oscars.

There were so many great movies this year, it is a difficult choice to just choose one. Im going with my heart and standing by 'The King's Speech'. This was absolutely this best movie I saw this year and it deserves all the accolades it is receiving.

Below is a great reel of all the 'Best Picture' nominees. Take a watch & then let me know where your vote for 'Best Picture' lies.