One of the perks of spending as much on a luxury car as my parents did on their first house is being invited to a special screening of one of the hottest movies of the year. Mercedes-Benz has some nice product placement in Sex and the City, and our local dealer held a viewing party last night. And the verdict is....
Manohla Dargis got it wrong. This was a really, really good movie. I was really happy with the way the series ended, so had some trepidation about the movie, but I thought it was really well done. Have I made myself really, really clear? The movie was more like a continuation of the whole series rather than a 2-hour stretched out episode, and that's why it worked. I watched the series religiously when it first aired, and for me, it was pure escapism. The characters were caricatures of themselves, the situations outrageous, the clothes fabulous and the lifestyle fantasy. The movie was more real--the characters may have been more fabulous versions of real women, but Carrie, et. al. were more real in the movie than they ever were on the small screen. Miranda and Steve's marital woes? Real. Miranda thinking she got stood up by a date when in actuality he died? Not so much. Samantha's feeling confined in a relationship? Real. Her fling with an octogenarian? Not so much. Etc., etc. I also disagree with Ms. Dargis about the roles for the male characters. I think the men should not have been a central part of the movie; their purpose was to really showcase the women, and were relevant only with respect to the situations the women got themselves into. This was a movie about women and their relationships. The men were ancillary, just like in real life--ha!
My one small quibble with the ending was Samantha's story arc. I feel conflicted about her ending her relationship with Smith, and I'm guessing many would say that's consistent with her character. But to me, her character showed a lot of vulnerability in the series (notably in her relationships with Richard and Smith), and I think underneath that tough-single-girl exterior lay somebody who really, just like the rest of us, just wanted to be loved.
Sure the storyline was a tad predictable, but the roller-coaster ride we took to get to the storybook ending was well worth the price of admission.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Top Chef is Torturing Me
Ugh--how is it that the talentless hack Lisa, she of the sourpuss face and crap disposition, is still around? Spike was arguably just as lacking in talent, but at least he seemed like the kind of guy you might actually hang around. I loved it when Rick Tramonto said at the judges' table that he was trying to judge on cooking, not personality--that was clearly a reference to the unpleasantness that is Lisa. What difference does it make--Antonia and Lisa shouldn't even unpack once they get to Puerto Rico since it'll be a Stephanie and Richard showdown. Go Stephanie!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Thumbs Up and Down and Everything In Between
I Saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall last week and while it was pleasant enough, I was a bit confused by it. It wasn't really a comedy, though there were a few laugh-out-loud moments. It certainly wasn't a drama. I guess someone described it best when they said it was a good date movie; of course, I saw it with girlfriends. One of the things that I found most annoying about the movie was that it was so unbelievable that he'd pick Kristen Bell over Mila what's-her-name. Mila was so much cuter and cooler in every way.
We also saw Before the Devil Knows You're Dead and I Am Legend. (Aside: blockbuster.com is awesome--I love being able to trade movies in at the store so we essentially get twice what our plan allows.) Before the Devil Knows You're Dead was good, but a little slow (A of course fell asleep, but then again, he falls asleep during most movies). And Marisa Tomei's constant nakedness seemed a bit gratuitous. I have mixed feelings about I Am Legend. I chose it knowing it's a bit of a horror flick, even though I'm a huge wimp. In fact, I spent most of the scary parts of the movie (when Will Smith found the next, the final fight scenes) reading my book (the grown-up equivalent of hiding under the covers) rather than watching because I was s-c-a-r-e-d. I actually really enjoyed the movie (the parts I saw, anyway). In fact, I even checked out the alternate ending, which I've never done for any other movies. The alternate ending answered some questions for me and was more consistent with some of the holes in the plot: When Will Smith commented about the complete de-evolution of the dark-seekers, that was clearly inconsistent with the elaborate trap they laid out for him, and I thought that point would be re-visited. So per the alternate ending, they hadn't completely de-evolved. In fact, they retained many human characteristics, including insight into the Will Smith character to know that his extreme loneliness would lead him into the trap. So the alternate ending made sense in this context: the distinctly human trait of love which would lead the main dude to go to extreme lengths to retrieve his main chick. But that ending seemed a little too pat, and I think I preferred the ending that made the final cut, even if didn't fully address some of the plot developments.
Off to see Sex and the City tomorrow night--I'm lucky enough to go to a pre-screening. I was a devotee of the show during its original run, so am a bit excited, but not in a Star Wars-geek kind of way. Side note, I have seen it incorrectly it referred to as Sex in the City almost as often as I've seen it referred to correctly.
We also saw Before the Devil Knows You're Dead and I Am Legend. (Aside: blockbuster.com is awesome--I love being able to trade movies in at the store so we essentially get twice what our plan allows.) Before the Devil Knows You're Dead was good, but a little slow (A of course fell asleep, but then again, he falls asleep during most movies). And Marisa Tomei's constant nakedness seemed a bit gratuitous. I have mixed feelings about I Am Legend. I chose it knowing it's a bit of a horror flick, even though I'm a huge wimp. In fact, I spent most of the scary parts of the movie (when Will Smith found the next, the final fight scenes) reading my book (the grown-up equivalent of hiding under the covers) rather than watching because I was s-c-a-r-e-d. I actually really enjoyed the movie (the parts I saw, anyway). In fact, I even checked out the alternate ending, which I've never done for any other movies. The alternate ending answered some questions for me and was more consistent with some of the holes in the plot: When Will Smith commented about the complete de-evolution of the dark-seekers, that was clearly inconsistent with the elaborate trap they laid out for him, and I thought that point would be re-visited. So per the alternate ending, they hadn't completely de-evolved. In fact, they retained many human characteristics, including insight into the Will Smith character to know that his extreme loneliness would lead him into the trap. So the alternate ending made sense in this context: the distinctly human trait of love which would lead the main dude to go to extreme lengths to retrieve his main chick. But that ending seemed a little too pat, and I think I preferred the ending that made the final cut, even if didn't fully address some of the plot developments.
Off to see Sex and the City tomorrow night--I'm lucky enough to go to a pre-screening. I was a devotee of the show during its original run, so am a bit excited, but not in a Star Wars-geek kind of way. Side note, I have seen it incorrectly it referred to as Sex in the City almost as often as I've seen it referred to correctly.
Kids Today
My kids live like rock stars. They really, really do, and I hope they're not going to turn out to be spoiled rotten as a result. We took them downtown over the holiday weekend and stayed at an incredible hotel. They swam in the hotel pool, had a steakhouse dinner and watched holiday fireworks from the floor-to-ceiling windows in our hotel living room. While watching, H turned to me and said, "Do you know what would be really cool? Watching the fireworks from a boat." Actually, H, do you know what's really cool? Being able to watch them at all! Argh!
We had dinner at the Chicago Chop House. As of today, I'm going to start writing quasi-restaurant reviews in the hopes of parlaying my meager descriptions into one of my dream jobs: restaurant critic. Ha! The 4 of us shared a 48 oz. Porterhouse and some appetizers and sides. The steak was good, but nothing else was particularly notable, and in fact, the service was downright terrible. Terrible by any standards, and atrocious by steakhouse standards. I had a flavorless Caesar salad, T had the smallest shrimp cocktail I've ever seen, and H had not particularly good oysters (the only kid I know who's eaten and loved raw oysters since she was 2). To be fair, they give you a lot of food--the steak came with 2 salads and 2 potatoes, but if it's not good, what's the point? We skipped dessert because the service was s-l-o-w and we didn't want to miss the fireworks. I don't feel the need to go back.
Lunch at Luxbar was much more of a highlight, especially the truffle fries (which are a bit of a cliche these days, but still damned good when done right). The Kobe beef sliders were also awesome.
I love the flavor of kimchi: spicy and sour. In essence, it's pretty much Korean sauerkraut, which makes it a perfect accompaniment for hot dogs.
We had dinner at the Chicago Chop House. As of today, I'm going to start writing quasi-restaurant reviews in the hopes of parlaying my meager descriptions into one of my dream jobs: restaurant critic. Ha! The 4 of us shared a 48 oz. Porterhouse and some appetizers and sides. The steak was good, but nothing else was particularly notable, and in fact, the service was downright terrible. Terrible by any standards, and atrocious by steakhouse standards. I had a flavorless Caesar salad, T had the smallest shrimp cocktail I've ever seen, and H had not particularly good oysters (the only kid I know who's eaten and loved raw oysters since she was 2). To be fair, they give you a lot of food--the steak came with 2 salads and 2 potatoes, but if it's not good, what's the point? We skipped dessert because the service was s-l-o-w and we didn't want to miss the fireworks. I don't feel the need to go back.
Lunch at Luxbar was much more of a highlight, especially the truffle fries (which are a bit of a cliche these days, but still damned good when done right). The Kobe beef sliders were also awesome.
I love the flavor of kimchi: spicy and sour. In essence, it's pretty much Korean sauerkraut, which makes it a perfect accompaniment for hot dogs.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
TV Injustice and Kinda Justice
Dale went home? And Lisa the Angry Lesbian is still around? Ugh. I couldn't have voiced my feelings about Top Chef better myself, except I would never call Lisa charming. There goes my prediction for the Top 3--now I'm hoping it's Antonia, along with Richard and Stephanie. Not enough Bourdain last night.
David Cook is the American Idol! While I'm happy for him because I think he's very talented and more deserving than David Archuleta, I feel sad for little Davey A because I think he needed the titled more. Plus I don't want his dad to beat him for not winning.
David Cook is the American Idol! While I'm happy for him because I think he's very talented and more deserving than David Archuleta, I feel sad for little Davey A because I think he needed the titled more. Plus I don't want his dad to beat him for not winning.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
American Idol (bigger yawn)
I thought David C's rendition of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" was underrated, and David A's rendition of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," overrated. Both songwriter songs sucked, but I think David C's sucked less and was at least not the predictable treacly ballad those things usually are. And boo on David A for reprising "Imagine," complete with embellishments and runs, and cheers to David C for ending with a beautiful, understated song. David A always looks like he's going to burst into tears while he's getting the judges' critique--is he afraid of the whoopin' his daddy will give him if he doesn't get good reviews?
I'm glad to know I'm not the only one out there who gets irked by poor grammar and punctuation.
I'm glad to know I'm not the only one out there who gets irked by poor grammar and punctuation.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
American Idol (yawn)
Good-bye Syesha. I don't hate you like I did at the beginning of the season, and I think you'll have a nice Broadway career. I think I figured out why David Cook is more appealing to me--his facial hair disguises some of the pastiness and doughiness that I found so off-putting. I don't dislike David Archuleta--I actually find his "gosh-ness" genuine and refreshing. I just don't care for his musical style. I think it's more likely that I'd go see a Rock the Cradle tour than I would the American Idol tour.
While walking to work this morning, I saw a woman wearing the tightest jeans ever. Now I wear my jeans snug, but these were obscene, and not flattering in the least. They were so tight they squished her butt and pushed it down halfway into her thighs, and she walked stiff-legged, like she's been horseback riding for the last 10 days. Who were here friends that let her buy these jeans? And if they weren't there shopping with her, haven't they seen them since? How can they let her leave the house like this?
While walking to work this morning, I saw a woman wearing the tightest jeans ever. Now I wear my jeans snug, but these were obscene, and not flattering in the least. They were so tight they squished her butt and pushed it down halfway into her thighs, and she walked stiff-legged, like she's been horseback riding for the last 10 days. Who were here friends that let her buy these jeans? And if they weren't there shopping with her, haven't they seen them since? How can they let her leave the house like this?
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
100 Things About Me, part IV
76. I have PMLE and a host of skin allergies
77. I once worked at a White Hen Pantry, where my duties included making deli sandwiches, assembling the Sunday paper and restocking the cooler (I took hits of Reddi-Whip when I was doing this)
78. I'm not religious, but sometimes hedge my bets, like an atheist in a foxhole (though I've never been in a foxhole)
79. I care about the environment, but am not fanatical about it
80. At one point, I could name the entire starting line-up of the 1983 Chicago White Sox, including pitching rotation and star relievers
81. I sometimes leave my earbuds in even if my iPod is off, to discourage people from talking to me
82. I believe you catch more flies with honey than vinegar (even if I think the saying is not quite right, because why would you want flies?)
83. I like homey aphorisms like "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar"
84. I went to dictionary.com to make sure I was using "aphorism" correctly
85. I dislike people who refer to Bloomingdale's as "Bloomie's"
86. I dislike people who walk 3+ abreast on a sidewalk
87. I'm not very sentimental
88. But Grey's Anatomy makes me cry pretty regularly
89. I have been depressed
90. I think I may be allergic to certain red wines
91. I have never broken 100 while bowling
92. I have never scored par on any golf hole
93. I prefer tap water to bottled--you get fluoride and conserve plastic
94. I was a bit of a teacher's pet in grade school
95. I have never had a flat stomach, and don't believe I ever will
96. I am a bit fanatical about chap-stick and hand lotion
97. I floss every night; I used to brush first and then floss, but I recently read an article that said you should floss first to loosen all the stuff between your teeth, and then brush to sweep it away (when I flossed second, I rinsed afterward to accomplish the same thing)
98. My left eyeball squeaks when I rub that eye
99. My hips "pop" when I move them the right (which would probably actually be the wrong) way
100. I think my kids are really special
77. I once worked at a White Hen Pantry, where my duties included making deli sandwiches, assembling the Sunday paper and restocking the cooler (I took hits of Reddi-Whip when I was doing this)
78. I'm not religious, but sometimes hedge my bets, like an atheist in a foxhole (though I've never been in a foxhole)
79. I care about the environment, but am not fanatical about it
80. At one point, I could name the entire starting line-up of the 1983 Chicago White Sox, including pitching rotation and star relievers
81. I sometimes leave my earbuds in even if my iPod is off, to discourage people from talking to me
82. I believe you catch more flies with honey than vinegar (even if I think the saying is not quite right, because why would you want flies?)
83. I like homey aphorisms like "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar"
84. I went to dictionary.com to make sure I was using "aphorism" correctly
85. I dislike people who refer to Bloomingdale's as "Bloomie's"
86. I dislike people who walk 3+ abreast on a sidewalk
87. I'm not very sentimental
88. But Grey's Anatomy makes me cry pretty regularly
89. I have been depressed
90. I think I may be allergic to certain red wines
91. I have never broken 100 while bowling
92. I have never scored par on any golf hole
93. I prefer tap water to bottled--you get fluoride and conserve plastic
94. I was a bit of a teacher's pet in grade school
95. I have never had a flat stomach, and don't believe I ever will
96. I am a bit fanatical about chap-stick and hand lotion
97. I floss every night; I used to brush first and then floss, but I recently read an article that said you should floss first to loosen all the stuff between your teeth, and then brush to sweep it away (when I flossed second, I rinsed afterward to accomplish the same thing)
98. My left eyeball squeaks when I rub that eye
99. My hips "pop" when I move them the right (which would probably actually be the wrong) way
100. I think my kids are really special
American Idol
I remain as uninvested as ever, yet still have to watch. No question that Archuleta can sing, but not the kind of music I would ever listen to. Ditto Syesha--have fun on Broadway! And I do like David Cook and find him entertaining, but he's no Blake Lewis. (Though I have to sheepishly admit that I never bought Blake's album or even any singles--I wish he just straight up sang some of the songs on it rather than beatboxing on every single one.) I've gotten over DC's giant melon head and general doughiness, but I can't overlook that face he makes when he hits a high note. Carly made the same face, and it was worse on her because of the Brit-teeth. I think we're headed for a David v. David showdown, with Archuleta playing the part of Jordin Sparks and Cook playing Blake Lewis. I think the outcome will be the same, too.
I read about the cute kids dancing on DWTS last night and found the clips. Brandon and Brittany were definitely good, but how adorable were Jaryd and Cara? Cara and I even share the same taste in men.
p.s. Look who figured out HTML/linking/whatever you want to call it?
I read about the cute kids dancing on DWTS last night and found the clips. Brandon and Brittany were definitely good, but how adorable were Jaryd and Cara? Cara and I even share the same taste in men.
p.s. Look who figured out HTML/linking/whatever you want to call it?
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
100 Things About Me, part III
51. I've never been stung by a bee
52. I love massages
53. I wanted to be a television anchor when I was a kid
54. Andy Taylor was my favorite member of Duran Duran, I think because I wanted to focus on one of the less-popular members of the band because it would improve my chances with him
55. At various points in my childhood, I took the following lessons: piano, violin, tae kwon do, ballet, tap dance
56. I tried out for the girls' softball team once in high school; needless to say, I did not make the team (see #7)
57. My winter pedicure color is "I'm Not Really a Waitress"
58. I've never waitressed
59. I only starting wearing flip-flops a couple years ago because I never liked the feeling of something in between my toes--I guess I'm over that now!
60. I hate wearing socks
61. I have low blood pressure
62. My heels don't touch the ground when I'm in the downward dog pose
63. I like trivia
64. I'm not a phone person
65. I got glasses when I was about 10, and switched to contact lenses about 2 years later
66. I'm a dog person
67. I once shared a hostel room with a noisy lizard (never saw it, only heard it)
68. I always reconcile my bank accounts, but have not gotten one checking account to balance in a couple years
69. I read all the Judy Blume books, including the dirty one "Wifey," when I was a kid
70. I once borrowed books from the local library on a school field trip, and did not return them for over a year (too embarrassed once I realize they were overdue)--my mom returned the books and talked her way out of a big fine
71. I don't believe in ghosts, but am still a little scared of them
72. I won free family portraits while on a family vacation to Hawaii
73. I used to be really good with names, but not so much since having kids
74. I don't mind doing laundry
75. But I hate ironing
52. I love massages
53. I wanted to be a television anchor when I was a kid
54. Andy Taylor was my favorite member of Duran Duran, I think because I wanted to focus on one of the less-popular members of the band because it would improve my chances with him
55. At various points in my childhood, I took the following lessons: piano, violin, tae kwon do, ballet, tap dance
56. I tried out for the girls' softball team once in high school; needless to say, I did not make the team (see #7)
57. My winter pedicure color is "I'm Not Really a Waitress"
58. I've never waitressed
59. I only starting wearing flip-flops a couple years ago because I never liked the feeling of something in between my toes--I guess I'm over that now!
60. I hate wearing socks
61. I have low blood pressure
62. My heels don't touch the ground when I'm in the downward dog pose
63. I like trivia
64. I'm not a phone person
65. I got glasses when I was about 10, and switched to contact lenses about 2 years later
66. I'm a dog person
67. I once shared a hostel room with a noisy lizard (never saw it, only heard it)
68. I always reconcile my bank accounts, but have not gotten one checking account to balance in a couple years
69. I read all the Judy Blume books, including the dirty one "Wifey," when I was a kid
70. I once borrowed books from the local library on a school field trip, and did not return them for over a year (too embarrassed once I realize they were overdue)--my mom returned the books and talked her way out of a big fine
71. I don't believe in ghosts, but am still a little scared of them
72. I won free family portraits while on a family vacation to Hawaii
73. I used to be really good with names, but not so much since having kids
74. I don't mind doing laundry
75. But I hate ironing
Monday, May 12, 2008
Happy Mother's Day
Happiness is the kids bringing me breakfast in bed. Bonus is it being totally edible! Hooray for toast, cut-up fruit and water! Bummer is having husband's birthday fall on Mother's Day, so you can't even play the "it's Mother's Day" trump card.
100 Things About Me, part II
26. I prefer Miracle Whip to mayonnaise
27. I don't like bananas, but I do like banana bread, banana Runts and banana Laffy Taffys
28. I have a graphite stain in my knee from when a freshly sharpened pencil fell straight into my knee in grade school--we pulled the lead out, but it left a stain
29. I like to tweeze stray hairs not only on myself, but also on A
30. I have had two root canals
31. I can't do sit-ups without someone holding my feet
32. I really, really want to be on The Amazing Race (and even applied once)
33. I've always wished there was that one thing I was really good at--still searching for it!
34. I like doing crossword puzzles
35. I get carsick
36. I don't like beer (except fruity Belgian beers), but will drink it occasionally
37. I have never bounced a check
38. I want to be friends with Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck
39. I play Mega Millions when the jackpot gets really, really big
40. I can type about 80 words per minute
41. I'm a pop culture junkie
42. I always have room for dessert
43. I have never colored my hair
44. I can't skate because I have weak ankles--that's my story and I'm sticking to it
45. I am impatient
46. I have been to 5 continents
47. I have bungee-jumped and sky-dived (or is it sky-dove?)
48. Gambling makes me nervous
49. Famous people I have met: Mario Batali, Derek Jeter, Henry Kissinger, Muhammed Ali
50. I think I'm a good judge of character
27. I don't like bananas, but I do like banana bread, banana Runts and banana Laffy Taffys
28. I have a graphite stain in my knee from when a freshly sharpened pencil fell straight into my knee in grade school--we pulled the lead out, but it left a stain
29. I like to tweeze stray hairs not only on myself, but also on A
30. I have had two root canals
31. I can't do sit-ups without someone holding my feet
32. I really, really want to be on The Amazing Race (and even applied once)
33. I've always wished there was that one thing I was really good at--still searching for it!
34. I like doing crossword puzzles
35. I get carsick
36. I don't like beer (except fruity Belgian beers), but will drink it occasionally
37. I have never bounced a check
38. I want to be friends with Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck
39. I play Mega Millions when the jackpot gets really, really big
40. I can type about 80 words per minute
41. I'm a pop culture junkie
42. I always have room for dessert
43. I have never colored my hair
44. I can't skate because I have weak ankles--that's my story and I'm sticking to it
45. I am impatient
46. I have been to 5 continents
47. I have bungee-jumped and sky-dived (or is it sky-dove?)
48. Gambling makes me nervous
49. Famous people I have met: Mario Batali, Derek Jeter, Henry Kissinger, Muhammed Ali
50. I think I'm a good judge of character
100 Things About Me, part I
1. I like pedicures, but never get manicures
2. I can burp the alphabet (it's a hit with the kids and their friends!)
3. I'm pretty good at standardized tests
4. I think it's better to be naturally smart and maybe a tad bit lazy, then a little dumb by nature but very diligent
5. I love salty and sour food, like pickles, salt and vinegar chips and Buffalo wings
6. But I don't believe you're either a salt person or a sweet person, because I also love Milk Duds, strawberry shortcake (but only if it's really shortcake and not pound cake) and creme brulee
7. I'm pretty uncoordinated and unathletic
8. But I'm a decent runner and skier
9. I kept a diary when I was younger, and think there's a correlation between diarists and bloggers
10. I love shoes and bags
11. I delivered T without any anesthesia (I'm not a fool or a martyr--just got to the hospital a bit late)
12. I have scars on both shoulders: from a vaccination on the left and from arthroscopic surger on the right
13. I can't carry a tune
14. I am uber-competitive
15. I like dark men, which doesn't explain why two long-term boyfriends in college and law school were redheads
16. I clip coupons
17. I hate confrontations and conflict, yet still ended up as a lawyer!
18. I have back fat
19. I'm a bit OCD
20. I don't drink coffee in the morning, but like a cup after dinner once in a while
21. I can't tell the difference between regular and decaf
22. Asparagus makes my pee smell funny
23. Coffee too
24. I subscribe to The New York Times and Us Weekly
25. I was a member of the Rick Springfield fan club
2. I can burp the alphabet (it's a hit with the kids and their friends!)
3. I'm pretty good at standardized tests
4. I think it's better to be naturally smart and maybe a tad bit lazy, then a little dumb by nature but very diligent
5. I love salty and sour food, like pickles, salt and vinegar chips and Buffalo wings
6. But I don't believe you're either a salt person or a sweet person, because I also love Milk Duds, strawberry shortcake (but only if it's really shortcake and not pound cake) and creme brulee
7. I'm pretty uncoordinated and unathletic
8. But I'm a decent runner and skier
9. I kept a diary when I was younger, and think there's a correlation between diarists and bloggers
10. I love shoes and bags
11. I delivered T without any anesthesia (I'm not a fool or a martyr--just got to the hospital a bit late)
12. I have scars on both shoulders: from a vaccination on the left and from arthroscopic surger on the right
13. I can't carry a tune
14. I am uber-competitive
15. I like dark men, which doesn't explain why two long-term boyfriends in college and law school were redheads
16. I clip coupons
17. I hate confrontations and conflict, yet still ended up as a lawyer!
18. I have back fat
19. I'm a bit OCD
20. I don't drink coffee in the morning, but like a cup after dinner once in a while
21. I can't tell the difference between regular and decaf
22. Asparagus makes my pee smell funny
23. Coffee too
24. I subscribe to The New York Times and Us Weekly
25. I was a member of the Rick Springfield fan club
Thursday, May 8, 2008
New Beginning
I was writing a mass email the other day and had my entire contacts list up. Susan's name is still there. Obviously, I should delete it, but it seems too cruel to do it so close to her death. Mother's Day is this weekend, and I think it will be really hard for Phil and the girls. I'm thinking of calling, but I don't know if that would be too awkward. Nobody tells you how you're supposed to handle things like this. I've been thinking about Susan a lot lately. I am in decent health and decent shape, but I know I can do better. I was eating my beloved Swedish Fish the other day when I looked at the ingredients list and thought to myself, "Do I really need to be putting carnauba wax in my body?" Don't they clean cars with that? I was so inspired by the way Susan lived her life the last few years. She obviously had much stronger motivations with regard to her diet, but good clean living would do all of us a little good. So while I don't want to go to extremes or adopt a cheesy "this is for Susan" motivation, I do want to feel inspired by what she did and maybe think twice before reaching for that Milk Dud. I thought about making a "May resolution" or something stupid like that, but why does it need to be a big momentous occasion? So as of today, May 8, I am going to try to take better care of myself by being pickier about what I put in my body. No point doing all that damn running if I've got nothing to show for it a roll of Rolos later.
Cnn.com ran an interesting article about bloggers yesterday and mentioned this blog: http://snickollet.blogspot.com/ (sorry, still haven't figured out the linking thing--man I'm a Luddite). Anyway, not only is it a really good blog, but I really connected with it on so many levels: parenting issues, husband was Korean, the C word. And I was inspired to write more frequently. So as of today, May 8, I'm going to write more frequently and hopefully more substantively. But I won't give up writing about reality TV.
Speaking of which, good riddance to Nikki on Top Chef last night. Dude, step up to the plate and take some ownership--her abdication of responsibility was totally ridiculous. Hung Lite--I mean Dale--was a little annoying at Judges' Table, but man, I wouldn't have been able to bite my tongue either.
Cnn.com ran an interesting article about bloggers yesterday and mentioned this blog: http://snickollet.blogspot.com/ (sorry, still haven't figured out the linking thing--man I'm a Luddite). Anyway, not only is it a really good blog, but I really connected with it on so many levels: parenting issues, husband was Korean, the C word. And I was inspired to write more frequently. So as of today, May 8, I'm going to write more frequently and hopefully more substantively. But I won't give up writing about reality TV.
Speaking of which, good riddance to Nikki on Top Chef last night. Dude, step up to the plate and take some ownership--her abdication of responsibility was totally ridiculous. Hung Lite--I mean Dale--was a little annoying at Judges' Table, but man, I wouldn't have been able to bite my tongue either.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Why Can't This Be Love?
When you sit down next to a stranger in a crowded public place, and this stranger has terrible B.O., is it rude to get up and move to another seat?
Imagine a graceful segue here....
So American Idol is probably down to the most boring Final Four ever. Jason Castro's coffeehouse schtick is wearing old--it seems even he's tired of it. I don't hate Syesha like I used to, but she pushed me close to that last night--likening your personal journey on AI to the civil rights movement? OMG. David Cook has gotten less pasty and doughy-seeming to me, and I like his musical style, but he's still a (very) poor man's Blake Lewis for me. And David Archuleta. What more can I say? Your glory notes and runs are getting very, very old. I really, really don't care who wins and would never see the tour.
On the other hand, I would totally go see a Rock the Cradle tour, especially if the House Band played. Jesse is entertaining as hell, and though Crosby's hawt-ness has faded a bit for me, I'd still watch him. Is it wrong that I find Kenny Loggins strangely attractive? And I thoroughly envy Lara Johnston's perfect body, especially her bodacious badonka-donk.
Saw Sammy Hagar in Tahoe last weekend. Two observations about Sammy: the dude's a stud--rock star, tequila maker and bar owner. What more could a guy want? Second, he's a great performer--he's having a great time and seems really invested in making sure his fans are having a great time as well. What more could a fan want? Tahoe was awesome, too--would love to go back to ski or in the summer. Am also going to read that book about MIT card counters in Vegas before hitting the casinos again....
Imagine a graceful segue here....
So American Idol is probably down to the most boring Final Four ever. Jason Castro's coffeehouse schtick is wearing old--it seems even he's tired of it. I don't hate Syesha like I used to, but she pushed me close to that last night--likening your personal journey on AI to the civil rights movement? OMG. David Cook has gotten less pasty and doughy-seeming to me, and I like his musical style, but he's still a (very) poor man's Blake Lewis for me. And David Archuleta. What more can I say? Your glory notes and runs are getting very, very old. I really, really don't care who wins and would never see the tour.
On the other hand, I would totally go see a Rock the Cradle tour, especially if the House Band played. Jesse is entertaining as hell, and though Crosby's hawt-ness has faded a bit for me, I'd still watch him. Is it wrong that I find Kenny Loggins strangely attractive? And I thoroughly envy Lara Johnston's perfect body, especially her bodacious badonka-donk.
Saw Sammy Hagar in Tahoe last weekend. Two observations about Sammy: the dude's a stud--rock star, tequila maker and bar owner. What more could a guy want? Second, he's a great performer--he's having a great time and seems really invested in making sure his fans are having a great time as well. What more could a fan want? Tahoe was awesome, too--would love to go back to ski or in the summer. Am also going to read that book about MIT card counters in Vegas before hitting the casinos again....
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