Friends With Benefits

Very light summer fare.

Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis have great on-screen chemistry as Dylan and Jamie in this raunchy romantic comedy. The plot centers around these two principal characters who have decided that long-term relationships are problematic and a waste of time. Instead, they opt for sex without baggage. Complications arise as the film alternates between New York and Los Angeles.

Patricia Clarkson and Woody Harrelson provide comic effect with their supporting roles as Jamie's hippie mom and Dylan's unlikely mentor. Note: Harrelson plays the part of a gay sports editor.

Less than two hours in length, the film moves quickly.

Watch the trailer.

Inspired by Derek Foster

Last evening, I joined a large group of Guelphites who had gathered at the main branch of the Guelph Public Library. We all hoped to glean valuable knowledge and advice from Derek Foster, one of Canada's youngest millionaires.

This dynamic young man spent his twenties travelling around Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia. During that time he continually invested and, one day, he realized his investments had made him a millionaire. He retired at age 34 and wrote a number of national bestselling books about investing.

In the hour-long presentation, he shared many of his strategies with us.

• Do not invest in any stocks dependent upon the economy. For example, airlines and RIM. 
• Select simple, recession proof stocks. Look for products that are used daily and dominated by few players. For example, Crest and Colgate are two dominant players in the toothpaste industry. 
• Buy stocks that pay dividends.
• Use a discount broker.
• In his latest book, The Idiot Millionaire, Derek recommends over 40 stocks. 

The Art of Racing in the Rain

I love the summer book clubs. We meet at different restaurants in Guelph and discuss the month's selections over drinks and wonderful meals.

Earlier this evening, ten of us gathered at the Red Papaya restaurant in downtown Guelph. After ordering a variety of Thai dishes, we discussed Garth Stein's entertaining novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain.

We all agreed that the book is a delightful and uplifting read. It is a story of family, love, loyalty and hope told from the perspective of Enzo, the philosopher dog.  On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life and recalls all the experiences of the Swift family.

I was very impressed with how Stein incorporated symbolism into the novel. He related the art of race car driving to living life with its many ups and downs.

A great summer read for dog lovers and wannabe dog lovers of all ages.

Dinner with Writers Ink

Last night, our group was a very small one. We discussed our respective writing journeys and plans for the future.

We were all glad to hear that Dennis Fitter has completed the first draft of his novel and will be polishing it up in Mexico this summer. We look forward to hearing more about the editing and publishing process.

As usual, the food was wonderful and we left inspired to continue writing.

Larry Crowne

I chose to ignore the critics who lambasted this movie in the reviews. I shook my head when I read Peter Howell's review in yesterday's Toronto Star. I do not agree with the following description:  "It's a movie of unbelievable characters, fake emotions and unearned resolutions, cynically pitched as a summer feel-good flick about coping with unemployment."

When summer rolls around, I enjoy watching light, funny and feel-good movies. Larry Crowne delivers on all counts. The movie touches on many timely themes--unemployment, foreclosure of homes, and new beginnings. Unlike recent movies dealing with similar issues, Larry Crowne provides an uplifting and optimistic message.

Tom Hanks plays the part of Larry Crowne, a 50something store employee who deals with his downsizing by returning to school. His teacher is played by Julia Roberts. Although the storyline is a predictable one, there are many humorous asides along the way.

Watch the trailer.

Book Club Night

A few of us gathered at the East End branch to discuss this month's selection, The Book Thief. It was a different kind of book, one that I would not have picked up. Classified as Young Adult, it appeals to readers of all ages.

Set in Nazi Germany, the book is narrated by Death, who tells the story of Liesel Meminger, her foster family and friends. A bit disconcerting at first, but I adapted to Death's voice. At times, he appeared almost human. I could easily visualize him holding souls in his hands and interacting with the newly dead.

Unlike many other books of that period, the story is told from the German perspective. We see glimpses of the horror and bleakness of those days. But we also see many sparks of compassion and humanity among the poor German people living on Himmel Street in a small town outside of Munich.

Liesel, the protagonist of the novel, has a growing need for books and resorts to stealing them. Illiterate at first, she learns to read and later starts writing, using a strong, powerful voice.

Thyroid Information

Last evening, I attended a lecture at Country Hills Library in west Kitchener. The back lecture room was filled with over 50 men and women from the Guelph/KW area. Most of us are experiencing thyroid issues.

Endocrinologist Dr. Terri Paul presented an informative and interesting talk on thyroid cancer. She discussed the different types of cancers and risk factors. She calmly assured us that dental x-rays and mammograms do not give enough radiation exposure to cause cancer. Also, the risk of dying from thyroid cancer is very low.

Some interesting facts and statistics...

• In 2011, 5700 new cases of thyroid cancer will be reported in Canada.
• Ontario and New Brunswick are thyroid cancer hot spots. According to Dr. Paul, there is no apparent reason for this trend.
• There has been a definite increase in thyroid cancer between 1993 and 2007. Among women aged 20 to 39, there has been a 10 percent increase. Dr. Paul attributes this increase to better imaging studies and CT scans.
• Thyroid cancer is more common in males.

Thanks to the Canadian Thyroid Foundation for organizing this event.