Teacup of Kindness - Randomness #18-16

Almost halfway there! As it is the end of June, I am excited that I've stayed on track with my random acts of kindness. I must admit, it is hard to come up with ideas that don't revolve around money and/or will actually make a small difference.

This month I surrounded my acts around picking up after other people. What an interesting concept, it was almost like playing "mom" to people around me!

#18 - Store pick up - As I walked around stores in my travels the month of June I made sure to put things back. If I saw a cucumber in the cereal aisle, I walked back to the produce area. If I saw a movie in the shoe department, I walked the movie back. Even though the stores staff people to tidy up each night after everyone leaves, I figured it would help that one person get out a few minutes faster at the end of their shift. Plus, it just makes the stores look nicer. I actually find it annoying when I'm shopping and I see things drastically out of place (more so at the people then the staff of the store).

#17- Store pick up part 2 - Whenever I was in the parking lot I would make sure to return the carts to their proper area. I actually had an elderly man watch me rather confused as I pushed two carts from my parking spot at Michael's to the front door of the store, only to return to my car. Why did I do this? So that they don't crash into other cars, or clutter up the parking lot as people are trying to find parking. Again, I'm sure they have staff that periodically come out to check the parking lots for carts. But I'm sure coming out and finding that the carts where they were suppose to be allowed them to return to their job, and it spared someone from getting a nice dent in their car from a runaway cart.

#16- Trash pick up - As I walked from my car, around the neighborhood, to lunch, or anywhere for that matter I made sure I picked up trash that was in my path. Usually it was only one or two pieces as I went, but every little bit helps. Baltimore County/City had a trash clean up project where they asked every person to pick up one piece of trash a day. Just think how clean our streets would be if everyone did this. The other day I picked up an Arizona Tea can that was covered in ants, and quickly ran it to the dumpster. May not have been the smartest thing I've ever done, but guess what, no one else would have probably done this.

Yesterday as I was driving to the grocery store I saw a man walking down our street with a trash bag and a stick. He was walking up and down the road collecting trash. It made me smile knowing someone else is trying to make his neighborhood a cleaner place, and inspired me to do more. I think I will continue to pick up trash as I go about my days as it is something everyone should do on a daily basis. Just becasue you didn't put it there, doesn't mean it's not your responsibility to throw it away. Every little bit helps!

Teacup of Trendy : Movie Review of THE KINGS OF SUMMER

I'm going to keep this short and sweet. If you get a chance to see this film, GO! 

Some well known faces that appear in the film are Nick Offerman (you may know him as Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec) who plays Frank a sarcastic, uninvolved father of Joe (Nick Robinson). And  there is Megan Mullaly (Will and Grace) as Mrs. Kennan an overbearing mother of Joe's best friend Patrick (Grabriel Basso) The film stars Joe who is having a hard time adjusting to his life in general. His father has started dating a new woman, his sister lives far away with her boyfriend, he gets picked on at school, and generally it appears he just feels smothered by his life.

Parallel to Joe's life is his best friend Patrick who IS actually smothered by his life. His overbearing parents micromanage his life, and ask trivial questions all throughout the film like oh you eat your burger first before eating your fries? The poor boy has started to get hives over the attention! Both boys in the film you can easily tell are trying to find their place in life amongst their chaotic living conditions, and come to terms with growing up. What better way to escape from your home life, but to build a house in the middle of the woods!

After a late night party in the woods, Joe finds himself with Biaggio, the school nerd from what you can tell. At first I was like who is the actor playing Biaggio and why does he look so familiar? OH it is Rico from Hannah Montana! What a different and serious role for him. He definitely came out of his shell and showed a completely different side to his range of acting. He was more of the odd sidekick who kept the boys on their toes during the film, while showing extreme loyalty to his new found friends. One of the comical parts of the film was when Patrick asks Joe where Briaggio came from, and Joe says I don't know but I'm scared to ask him to leave!

After Briaggio and Joe find the woods in the film, this is when the film really takes off. The three boys start building their home in the woods that is paired with a great montage of scenes and music. As a participant in their wild ride, you really start to feel a connection with the boys and their need to escape away from their lives. After they have finished building their home in the woods, they decide upon a night to finally leave their parents. It is pouring rain and you think this is where they discover they can't make this happen. But behold, when they wake from their sleep it is a brightly sunny day! They spend the next four weeks living in the woods from the stolen goods and money they got from their parents. Again, another great montage of hanging out in the woods, bonding, and obstacles they overcome tell the story of their time together. The artistry of the scenes really brings you into the film as you enjoy running through the fields, jumping off of rocks, and hiking through the woods with these boys.

There is a twist to this story. A love interest of course. Before Joe leaves you are introduced to Kelly (Erin Moriarty) who Joe has a crush on. She is why he ventured out of his house to the party that night, and she is why he leaves the confines of the woods to go talk to her. Joe invites Kelly and her friends back to their house in the woods for a night of partying and drinking. He day dreams about their time together, and how he vanquishes Frank when he tries to come between him and Kelly. Once at the party, you realize that Kelly has other plans. I do not like to do spoiler alerts, but things do not go the way Joe plans. Even though Joe does not want to be like his father, he finds himself acting like Frank and drives his friends away after an angry outburst. Joe now alone in the woods, slowly starts to realize that you can not push everyone away that you care for and still expect to be happy. You do need to rely on others for help and support.

At the end of the film you find yourself thinking, how are they going to rap this up? How are they going to bring everyone back together after living for four weeks in the woods? Kelly not wanting to lose her friendship with Joe,  tells Frank where Joe has been hiding after Patrick and Briaggio return home. Frank has been relying on Joe's sister Heather (Alison Brie) for emotional support, and has come to terms with his bully-ing behavior after a sarcastic outburst towards Heather and her boyfriend. Kelly leads Frank to the woods, and finds Joe in a duel between him and a poisonous snake. In an effort to not sound cheesy, you'll have to see the film to figure out how this situation ends.

This was one of the most refreshing, well crafted, and lighthearted films that I have seen in a while. My biggest gripe with the entertainment industry lately is how unoriginal films have been lately. This was a saving grace for me that there is still some great filmmakers out there that can pull you in emotionally to the characters, and leave you laughing and smiling through a plot line.

Rating: FULL Teacup