A to Z Challenge post – E is for Epilate and Eastern Promises

Happy Monday all! Today is my extra day off and I’m down in Portland to take Mom to the dentist today. Last Monday I took her in to see a doctor about hearing aids – talk about an eye opener. Holy budget-breaker, Batman! The pair she tried on was $6500. Yep. And does Medicare cover any of it? Not a dime. Jerks.

But, I digress.

Today’s fun word is: epilate. Definition: to remove hair from by means of physical, chemical, or radiological agents (that last one seems a bit extreme, but there you go). This reminds me of a funny story.

How many of you out there remember that hit of the late ‘80’s and early ‘90’s – The Epilady?

 

This fabulous little bastard contraption cooed promises of silky smooth skin, WITH NO PAIN! AT ALL! Seriously – ignore the wicked looking metal coil and listen to my calm voice – we swear it won’t hurt! There just some mild discomfort as your leg, face and/or underarm hair is mercilessly yanked out by the root! No – wait – come back! It probably won’t even bleed (much)!
My sister and I fell for it; then after getting it home, argued who would have to use it first. Eventually Sissy lost out in an epic two out of three Rock, Sissors, Paper challenge and fired that little sucker up. Now, keep in mind that my sister had given birth to three children – two of them at home with NO DRUGS. She only managed to handle a spot on her leg about the size of a quarter. The kids were found later hiding in the bathroom, standing in the tub with the shower curtain drawn around them. The girls used to threaten their brother with it when he was giving them a hard time; Alisha actually pinned Jeremy to the floor one night and stuck it in his arm pit, then threatened to turn it on. Even now, on the cusp of his 40^th birthday, you can whisper “Epilady” to him and he will fall to the ground in a fetal position. Suffice it to say, that thing never really caught on in our house.

And now, today’s film choice: Eastern Promises.

This 2007 film stars Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel, and Armin Mueller-Stahl. Viggo plays the mysterious and ruthless Nikolai, who is tied to one of London’s most notorious organized crime families. His carefully maintained existence is jarred when he crosses paths with Anna (Naomi), an innocent midwife trying to right a wrong, who accidentally uncovers potential evidence against the family. Now Nikolai must put into motion a harrowing chain of murder, deceit, and retribution.

Some nice twists; it is worth watching the extra material on the DVD. Something interesting – Viggo is covered with (temporary) Russian prison and organized crime tattoos. One day after shooting, he went to a local pub without removing any of them (they cover his body, including his hands as in the picture above). Apparently an elderly couple saw his tats and recognized them. They very quickly and quietly got the hell out of there.

This film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Viggo Mortensen). I loved it, and not just because you get to see *ahem* all of Mr. Mortensen’s…erm…assets while he fends off assassins in a bath house. Just a warning there.

Well, I hope you all had nice weekends, and here’s hoping we all have a great week. Thanks again for stopping by, and thank you so much to all who leave comments. I try to answer or leave comments on your blog, but I’m not completely sure they are going through. I promise I’m not ignoring you!

TTFN.