August 29, 2006

Gone to Montana.

Tomorrow morning, at the ungodly hour of 5am, we're headed off to the Airport. By 3pm we should be in Hamilton, Montana for the rest of the week with Rob's family. And then this weekend, we'll drive to Jackson, Montana where Rob's brother John, and John's fiance will be getting married. The high temperature shouldn't get out of the low 70's. Maybe I'll send you a postcard.

August 25, 2006

all TV, all the time

It’s that time again! You know, the time of year when I get inordinately excited about Fall TV shows? Here’s what I’ll be doing this Fall instead of having a life:

“Bones” (premieres Aug. 30): Procedural drama, but instead of cops, it’s an FBI agent and a forensic anthropologist. What can I say? I love David Boreanaz. It’s actually a nice change to see him getting to go out in the daylight. This show has a pretty good supporting cast. And Emily Deschanel is growing on me.

“Nip/Tuck” (premieres Sept. 5): Two plastic surgeons in Miami and their screwed up family. It’s shallow. It’s seamy. It’s twisted. It’s awesome. I’m a little concerned about the advance buzz about way too many guest stars. But the Carver is gone, and I can’t wait!

“Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” (premieres Sept. 18): Behind the scenes of an “Saturday Night Live” type variety show. It’s Aaron Sorkin y’all! Show some respect. This can’t be anything but great, it’s just not possible.

“My Name is Earl” (premieres Sept. 21): Loser wins lottery and tries to make up for his past wrongs. Everyone on this show is freakin’ hysterical, and I hope Jaime Pressly wins the Emmy. Who ever thought that sentence would ever be uttered?

“The Office” (premieres Sept. 21): The office of Dunder-Mifflin paper company. Jim kissed Pam! He told her that he loves her! But she’s marrying Roy! I can’t even tell you how much I’m dying to know where they go from there.

“Ugly Betty” (premieres Sept. 22): Based on the telenova about an ugly ducking in the fashion industry. The advance word on this makes it sound very The Devil Wears Prada. But I love America Ferrera (ever since Real Women Have Curves) so I’m thinking of trying this one out.

“Gilmore Girls” (premieres Sept. 26): Abnormally close mother and daughter live in quaint Connecticut town. Lorelai and Luke called off the wedding! Then she slept with Christopher! I’m actually kind of glad the Palladinos are gone (writers/creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino). The last two seasons have been lacking and a fresh show runner might just save this sinking ship.

“One Tree Hill” (premieres Sept. 27): The lives and loves of high school students in Tree Hill North Carolina. I don’t care what you say, I love this show. It’s a ridiculous and shallow teen soap opera, and I can not stop watching it. At the end of the season, there were at least four different girls who could be pregnant, and at least three people who could be dead. It was that good of a cliffhanger.

“Veronica Mars” (premieres Oct. 3): Teenage detective noir. Veronica is going to college! With Wallace and Mac! And Logan... sigh. Last season was uneven, but I still think this is the second best drama on TV. And I'll be brief now, because we all know I won't be in the future.

“Lost” (premieres Oct. 4): Forty plane crash survivors stranded on one creepy island. The hatch done got blowed up! Why is Charlie so creepy? Will Kate ever choose between Jack and Sawyer? What happened to the polar bear? And Lostzilla?

“30 Rock” (premieres Oct. 11): Yep, it’s completely ridiculous that NBC has not one, but two shows about an "SNL" type variety show. This one is a half hour sitcom written by Tina Fey and starring Tracy Morgan and Alec Baldwin. I’m gonna give it a shot.

August 22, 2006

My 25 Favorite TV Characters Ever

Inspired by James Gunn and Joss Whedon’s postings at Whedonesque:

Using their rules:

No puppets or cartoons (because then it’s just Daria, She-Ra, and Cookie Monster)

No mini-series (because there isn’t room for the entire casts of Lonesome Dove and Angels in America)

No reality show people (that means no Anderson Cooper on “The Mole”)

All characters must be regulars on the show (rules out all those people who came on just to improve flagging shows, like Robert Downey Jr. on “Ally McBeal” and Tom Selleck and Paul Rudd on “Friends”)

1) Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

2) Al Swearengen (Ian McShane), DEADWOOD

3) Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), THE X-FILES

4) Rayanne Graff (AJ Langer), MY SO-CALLED LIFE

5) Jim Halpert (John Krasinski), THE OFFICE

6) Chris Stevens (John Corbett), NORTHERN EXPOSURE

7) Reva Shayne Lewis (Kim Zimmer), GUIDING LIGHT

8) Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring), VERONICA MARS

9) Sam Seaborne (Rob Lowe), THE WEST WING

10) Christian Troy (Julian McMahon), NIP/TUCK

11) Darlene Conner (Sara Gilbert), ROSEANNE

12) Spike (James Marsters), BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

13) David Addison (Bruce Willis), MOONLIGHTING

14) Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham), GILMORE GIRLS

15) Doug Ross (George Clooney), ER

16) Joy Turner (Jaime Pressly), MY NAME IS EARL

17) Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda), MASH

18) Angelus (David Boreanaz), ANGEL

19) Fox Mulder (David Duchovny, THE X-FILES

20) Perry Cox (John C. McGinley), SCRUBS

21) CJ Cregg (Allison Janney), THE WEST WING

22) Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell), VERONICA MARS

23) Lorenzo Lamas (Reno Raines), RENEGADE

24) Karen Walker (Megan Mullally), WILL & GRACE

25) Billy Bob Davis (Billy Bob Thornton), HEARTS AFIRE


This was actually a really tough list because there are several shows that it’s nearly impossible to narrow down to single characters. Really, the casts of “My So-Called Life”, “The West Wing”, “Northern Exposure” and “Veronica Mars” are so uniformly excellent that I wanted to include every single person. But I persevered. It’s a tough job, but someone had to do it.

August 15, 2006

Hello 1990! How ya been?


You can always count on Urban Outfitters to bring back an unnecessary trend.

August 04, 2006

You Are How You Camped

What your enjoyment of summer camp, or lack of, says about your character.

According to that article, I should be a CEO or a governor.

Where did I go wrong?

Maybe next year it will be a mandolin.

Today is Rob's birthday. Since he's only 31, I'm not making as big of a deal out of it as we did last year. This morning he did get to open the banjo I got for him. So if you happen to be in the vicinity of our house and it sounds like Deliverance, you'll know why. Happy Birthday killer!