Boston

This is my current introductory paragraph:

Fernando Meirelles 2002 film City Of God is about life in one of the most dangerous favelas in the world, Rio De Janeiro’s Cuidad De Deus. The film takes place over two decades as the slum turns from a poor community on the outskirts of Rio to a warzone controlled by druglords. Although the film takes place in the sixties and seventies, life in Rio’s slums hasn’t changed much today.

I gave a rough draft of my paper (which is due Monday) to my professor and she told me that I should re-word/change/expand my hypothesis but I really have no clue where to take it... My paper is completely written but I have some points where I don't clearly tie what I'm writing to the hypothesis, so I have to re-write it so it's more general and I can connect it to the broader aspects of my research paper.

For example, one paragraph I wrote is about the cinematography of the film and how it changes over the course of the film (as the crime rates soar and the war on drugs escalates), but I don't know how to relate that to the fact that life is still similar to what is depicted in the end of the film...

So, if there's anyone in here who has seen "City Of God" and is good with words I'd really appreciate your help!

Thanks!

Brittney

My boyfriend of nearly six years proposed to me right after midnight this morning!

We have talked about marriage in the past and we both decided that we would like to wait until I graduate from college (which is this June) and he is discharged from the Navy (supposed to be this coming September) before we get married so we can settle in one place with our 3 year old daughter.

We are thinking of getting married in early 2010 and we know that we'd like to get married at this resort in Santa Barbara, Ca, but aside from that I'm clueless as where to even begin. I don't even really want to start planning the wedding until after I graduate in June because I have so much on my plate as it is, but I'm so excited and it's hard to not think about it... LOL

So really, where do I even begin? I know who my maid of honor is going to be (my sister), but how many bridesmaids/groomsmen should there be? Should I make it a small or big wedding, because most people will have to travel. Should I try to do it on my own with the help of my mom, sister and stepmother or should I get a wedding planner? How much does a wedding planner charge?

I guess I would just like some input from married women who have planned their own weddings or some ideas/suggestions. Thanks!

If you are, what did you get and for who?

If you aren't, what are you planning on getting for everyone?

I'm almost done, only one more person, thank God!!!

I got my daughter:

-V-Smile V-Motion TV Learning System with a few games

-Leapfrog Leapster 2 Handheld system with a few games

-Cranium Hullabaloo game

-Fisherprice Loving Family Dollhouse

-You And Me Too Cute Twins dolls

-Elmo Live

-some small stuff (books, DVDs, clothes)

I got my mom and my stepmother 8BG iPod Nanos with some accessories

I got my dad a Wine Of The Month 6 Month Membership

I got my Grandmother, my stepmother's mother, my boyfriend's parents and my aunt digital photo frames which I'm going to load with a bunch of pictures. I also got my grandmother a massaging foot spa thing, because that's what she told me she wanted... LOL

I got my little brother a few gift cards to American Eagle and Hollister and two video games (Shawn White Snowboarding for the Wii and Fable 2 for the XBox 360)

I got my baby sister some clothes and toys

I got one of my cousins tickets to see her favorite band in concert (I'm going with her of course... LOL)

I got 2 of my other cousins $25 Best Buy gift cards

I got my 7 year old niece a pink Nintendo DS lite with a few games and accessories

I got my 3 year old niece a Leapfrog Leapster 2 and a few games

I got my boyfriend's 4 year old nephew a Powerwheels ATV (it's from both of us, he paid for it, I just bought it... lol)

I got my older sister a new digital camera because my 3 year old niece got a hold of her old one and it ended up in the toilet...

I got my uncle a new printer

I got my friend Heather a $50 Gift Card for Hollister (she's like another sister to me)

I got Heather's little brother Matthew (who's like my nephew) an Elmo Live

And the only person I have left to shop for is my boyfriend. I have to get him at least two gifts, one from me and one from our daughter and I'm stuck... He's 25, he's in the navy, he likes music (has an iPod), loves sports (he's a Patriots/Red Sox/Celtics/Bruins fan), he isn't really into video games or movies or clothes... So any ideas?

Thanks for your help!

My dad and stepmother have been together for 5 years now, and she and I don't have the best relationship... My dad and I have a wonderful relationship and I have a great relationship with my 14 year old stepbrother, but my stepmother and I haven't ever really spent quality time just the two of us... Sometimes I think that she thinks that I don't want to get to know her better or something, but it's kind of hard because I'm a single mom (my daughter's father and I are together but he's in the Navy and stationed in Virginia), I'm a full time college student, I work part time, and I live 3,000 miles away from them, so I really don't have a bunch of time...

Anyway, I want to get her something nice for Christmas to tell her that I do love her and do care, but I'm stuck...

I got her an electronic photo frame and I loaded it with a bunch of pictures form the last few times my daughter, sister, nieces and I visited, but then I realized that her birthday is next week so I'm going to send her that for her birthday,

So, any ideas on what to get her for Christmas?

She's hard to shop for, she's in the jewelry business so that's out, she has a camera, she loves to run and go to the gym so I was thinking an iPod because she uses a little FM radio, but I don't know if she'll really use it or what ind of music she likes... She and my father love to go out for dinner and they love wine, but I can't afford any of the places they like... I was thinking a wine of the month club but there isn't an option to get a 6 month or year membership, it's all by the month and I don't want to do only one month. She is really into fashion and loves designer clothes and high end stuff, again, I can't afford it...

I'm really stuck, I want to get her something meaningful and that she'll love, so please, any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Okay, so here's the story, sorry that it's kind of long...

One of my good friends, who is only 19 years old, has custody of her little brother because their mother is in jail. Basically either she took him or he went into foster care. She didn't want to lose him, so she decided to take him in, she goes to community college part time and works and she's having a tough time with it. Anyway, he'll be 3 on November 6th and my daughter will 3 on the 4th. I was planning on having a party for my daughter and I'm wondering if I should make it a joint party. I know Heather (my friend) can't really afford to have a party for him or get him any gifts or anything, because she's barely getting by with the rent, bills, food, etc... I want him to still have a good birthday, because he's so young and has been through so much trauma in the past few months, I just want him to be able to be a kid and enjoy life for a change... The main thing I'm worried about though, is would it be okay for me to ask the guests to bring two gifts, one for each of them? My daughter already has so much and I was thinking maybe I could ask them to get her a cheaper gift and to get Matthew something too. Like if they were going to spend $20 or $30 on Kennedy, maybe they could split it and get each a $10 or $15 gift instead. Do you think that would be acceptable? Most of the people that will be coming don't know him and I don't really want to explain the whole thing to everyone, but do you think that people would be okay with this?

Well, thanks for listening and answering!

-Brittney

I go to update software and it says that it is totally up to date but it's only version 1.1.4 and I can't get the new apps on there...

I got these breast cancer research stamps before the price went up. The are non-denominational and they say "special rate of postage" on them... I'm wondering if they are still good without having to use the other one cent ones...

The freezer of the mini fridge in our bar had frozen over so my sister was defrosting it and using a hammer and screwdriver to pick the ice away. She punctured a hole in the freezer and a ton of gas (Freon I think) started coming out... She tried to patch it up using some super glue and then some duck tape over it. She plugged it back in and the gas isn't coming out anymore, but she thinks tha the freezer will freeze again (the fridge portion is working alright) and I don't believe it will. Anyone know what will happen and if the fridge portion is even stil going to work the way it used to?

Me, my daughter, my mother, my sister and my two nieces are going to Greece on April 4th for Spring break.

I gained about 10 pounds over the holidays (I'm currently 130 lbs. and 5'2) and I would like to get back down to 115-120lbs. I tend to gain all right on my stomach and I have this layer that I just can't get rid of.

I work out at least 4 days a week (it's usually 5 or 6 times though...) I do cardio and I work my stomach everyday and then I switch off between upper body and lower body...

I am also eating very healthy, lots of protein, lots of fruits and veggies, very little carbs and sugars and I'm taking my vitimins and drinking protein shakes and also drinking tons of water...

Even with all of this I am not losing any weight or the fat layer on my stomach. Does anyone have any ideas of other things I can do to lose the weight and look good in my bikini when I'm on vacation in the Greek Isles in about 6 weeks???

Thanks in Advance!!!

What is the significance of the name Death Cab for Cutie?

I was playing it the last week with no problems what so ever... I packed it up and brought it over to my uncles house so my nieces and cousins could play and when I went to set it up the remotes weren't working at all. I put new batteries in both and that didn't do anything so I tried to sync both of them and the four blue lights just kept flashing on BOTH!!! I did everything they say to do, I unplugged the Wii, took the batteries out of the remotes, waited a while, tried everything again and I still got nothing. I gave up on it then and decided to just unhook the whole thing and I figured I'd give it a little while and try again when I got home... Well, I gave it 4 days and I just got Guitar Hero and I really want to play my Wii... I tried everything again, all new batteries, tried syncing the remotes and it's still not doing anything except the four lights flashing when I push any buttons, I'm getting really irritated with it now, can anyone help me???

I am all done with all my Christams shopping except for my mom's boyfriend John. I want to get him something nice, because he has always been good to my family, to my mom, me, my sister, my daughter, my nieces and even to my father... He is into sports, he plays golf, loves to watch baseball and football. He likes tools and fixing up his house, but the problem is that he has everything... Any suggestions???

Meridth has to have an appendectomy and Mark Sloan decides to stay after finding out that there is a race for cheif of surgery. What is the episode name and season?

Richard Gilmore went on a business trip to Prague and he brought Rory a gift back... What did he bring her?

I have the Sims 2 PC game and I was wondering if I could use it on my Mac as well...

I kind of want twin names...

Just something I have always wondered about...

I had a facial last week and I have noticed in the past few days that my skin is breaking out like crazy... I've never had this kind of reaction before when I've had facials...

Ok, so I know the song from One Tree Hill (Tyler Hilton and Bethany Joy Lenz). Now I know that it wasn't written by/for them and I knew when I heard it on the show for the first time that I had heard it before. Lately I have heard like 4 different versions of it from The Corrs and Bono, Ryan Adams and Tim McGraw. Does anyone know any other versions of the song that are out there? Also, does anyone know who wrote the song and who the original artist to sing it was?

I choose to do the project on Apple Inc. It is pretty straightforward, but I am having trouble finding the answers for a fewof the questions... I was wondering if anyone might know or might be able to suggest a website where I might be able to find what I'm looking for...

And I've already used Wikipedia...