Dear new Curra’s Grill at the Parmer-McNeil Plaza,

Your food is pretty good. Four triangles is a little skimpy for the quesadillas, but your queso is tasty, and your fajitas are generous.

But I gotta tell you… you don’t look good.

I don’t know if it’s because you just opened about a week ago, but you’re kind of bleak. Not one piece of art on the walls, hard plastic chairs and laminate benches, metal tables, metal trim, metal ceiling and giant metal fan. It’s all way too modern and Scandinavian. It makes for a very cold and hard atmosphere, not at all fun and relaxing. And considering that there’s a brand new Chipotle with equally stark décor opening in the same shopping center- it’s an ill-conceived business decision.

Oh! And your metal patio furniture sitting in the July Texas sun isn’t such a great idea either.

Please consider copying your Burnet Road sister. She’s cozy and colorful, with lots of murals and soft lighting. Everything a Mexican restaurant should be. Trust me, I eat out way too much.

Sincerely,
Kandis

Seriously, where is Suri Cruise?

Tired of waiting? Make your own Suri!

because Sally complained about my neglected blog

Here are pictures from last night's dinner at Ichiban. We took our friend Brian out for a belated birthday dinner. These photos were taken with his camera phone (which explains the blurriness). But what is my hair doing I ask you?

a confession

Since most of my favorite TV shows are on hiatus for the summer, I find myself flipping around with nothing to watch way too often. This week I managed to catch the “Dharma and Greg” pilot on the WE network, and now I’m hooked on “Dharma and Greg”. I DVR it and watch all four episodes that air daily. For a typical sitcom, it’s not bad at all. And I really like that crazy Jenna Elfman. She should get more work.

So in addition to my new “Dharma and Greg” fixation, I also find myself watching movies that I’ve seen too many times before. You know how when you’re just flipping around, there are some movies that seem to be on TV all the time? And there are some movies that I find myself watching every single time they’re on. Even if I’ve seen them a hundred times before. Even if I own them on DVD. Even if they’re actually bad movies.

Some of these are really embarrassing, so if it’s ever brought up, I’m going to deny ever having said that.

• Bring It On
• The American President
• Office Space
• Where the Heart Is
• Dazed and Confused
• 10 Things I Hate About You
• The Object of My Affection
• Bend It Like Beckham
• She’s All That
• That Thing You Do!
• Dogma
• Footloose
• Pleasantville
• Fried Green Tomatoes
• The Matchmaker

And God help me if they run a teen marathon of Bring It On, She's All That, and 10 Things I Hate About You (it's been known to happen). Then I wouldn't leave the house all day.

Which ridiculous movies can you not stop watching every time they come on?

I wanna be Chicken for a day.

As you can see, sunning herself on a window sil is a full time job for our Chicken. It's hard out there for a cat.

Deadwood "Tell Your God to Ready for Blood"

"Has the body been eaten yet? Don't let the body be eaten."

Matt Zoller Seitz wrote in the Newark Star-Ledger that "Deadwood" is: "the greatest dramatic series in the history of American television."

And that is not an exaggeration.

The third season of "Deadwood" kicked off in classic fashion: a murder, a brawl, half naked prostitutes, and the most eloquent profanity laced dialogue.

And you know what? It's way too complicated to explain. So you're just going to have to watch the show.

An Inconvenient Truth

This weekend we saw two movies in the theater, which is completely unheard of for us. We always plan to do that kind of thing, when there are multiple movies out that are worth seeing, and we can't decide between them. But then our laziness wins out and we don't make it out of our pajamas.

The first movie we saw was Thank You for Smoking, the satire about the tobacco industry. We saw it at the Alamo Drafthouse where they ran old smoking ads on the screen before the movie started. It was like seeing scenes from an alternate universe. It's been so long that we'd actually forgotten how ridiculous smoking ads were. And when you see Fred Flintstone touting the benefits of Winstons, you wonder how the cigarette companies were ever able to claim they weren't targeting children. Everyone in the movie (with the exception of Katie Holmes) was really good. Aaron Eckhart was mesmerizingly effective as a "sultan of spin" for a lobby group representing the interests of big tobacco. Katie Holmes wasn't awful, but post-"Dawson's Creek", I always get the feeling she's just playing at being a grown-up. She 's continually cast in femme fatale type rolls, but how can I buy that of a woman who can best be described as "coltish"?

The second movie we saw was An Inconvenient Truth, the new Al Gore documentary about the environment. In its second week of release it has earned $1.33 million, even though it's only playing in 77 theaters. The film does suffer from the same problem that plagued Al Gore's presidential campaign- too many damned numbers. It gets dry in places where the statistics and graphs chronicling the amount of CO2 in the air over centuries nearly induces catatonia. But the movie becomes exceptionally effective when he's able to show photos of places like Mt. Kilimanjaro and Glacier National Park and you can see side by side, the amount of ice that covered those places 20 years ago and how much less ice covers them today. Gore makes an excellent teacher and he's passionate enough about his subject to really induce the liberal guilt (okay, we get it, we'll buy the energy efficient light bulbs and a Toyota). The film also does a great job of painting Al Gore as a lone maverick, traveling the globe on a mission to educate the world about the catastrophic threat of global warning- city by city. I found myself buying the image (but seriously, like the man carries his own luggage?) and I think he might just be a hero.

Today is a bad day.

I had a pretty bad case of insomnia last night. And due to my severe lack of sleep, I'm pretty out of it today. So out of it, that I put on two different shoes this morning and didn't even notice until I got to work. Luckily, they're the exact same style. However, one of them is black and the other is brown. So my crazy is on full display today.

Today is a good day.

Oh, and I almost forgot!

Also released today: Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival by my first love, Anderson Cooper.

I am ridiculously excited.

Taking the Long Way

I made my bed, and I sleep like a baby,
With no regrets and I don't mind saying,
It's a sad sad story
That a mother will teach her daughter
that she ought to hate a perfect stranger.
And how in the world
Can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Saying that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over

It's finally here! The Dixie Chicks new album is released today. I pre-ordered mine from Amazon so it shipped yesterday. The Chicks seem to be getting a ton of press coverage, as well as being named part of Time magazine's 100 most influential people of the 20th century, and heavily featured on last night's season finale of "Medium". And then Jerry Springer spent part of the morning talking about them on his Air America show and urging people to buy the album, since it isn't likely to get played on country radio.

So basically, you need to buy the album.

"I've never owned a refrigerator."

If you were startled by a loud noise last night around 8:55, that was me. Sorry about that. The season finale of "The Office" made me sqeal like a little girl.

And in news about other excellent shows, though not excellent news:

HBO letting the fourth season options for "Deadwood" cast members lapse, freeing the actors from any further obligation to the show, Daily Variety reports. The series has yet to be renewed for a fourth season, raising speculations that it may have reached its final frontier.

Al Swearengen is so going to kick someone's ass for this.

Veronica Mars "Not Pictured"

Sally and Rob must stop reading right now. You do not want to spoil the entirety of “Veronica Mars” season 2 before the DVDs come out.

"Where's your brother?"

"I think he took Ghost World up to his room. They're probably up there making loooove. Or playing Dungeons and Dragons."

Leave it to Beaver.

So I wasn’t completely shocked by how the bus crash went down. It was one of the two people that everybody figured it was. Luckily there were several other seriously unexpected moments in the episode.

Weevil got arrested at graduation! That was actually really sad, and with his Grandma and niece and nephew right in the audience? Lamb is an ass. And then we didn’t see Weevil again. So that’s it? He’s going to just rot in jail? Since when do we care about justice? I really didn’t expect Weevil to figure into the next season since everyone else will be at college. But maybe we’ll get lucky.

Veronica was really raped. That I didn’t expect at all. It was really horrifying. But I think it’s going to end up helping Veronica be more sympathetic next season when she’s investigating the serial rapist at Hearst College.

Aaron got exactly what he deserved. And on Duncan’s orders? That was awesome. If Duncan were to ever come back as a regular, that would throw yet another interesting wrench into the Duncan and Logan friendship. But… where was Kendall when Clarence Wiedman was in the room?

Beaver blew up Woody! That was actually a nice favor he did for everyone in town, and the entire faux tanning industry. I wasn’t really worried that Keith was on the plane as we were to assume. There’s no way this show could go on without Enrico Colantoni. But watching Veronica think Keith was on the plane as it blew up, was heartbreaking. Kristen Bell really deserves that damned Emmy already.

Jackie has a kid? I didn’t see that coming either, but I’m not really sure that I care. Jackie was only minimally interesting as a character. And once she left for “Paris” I ceased to care about her at all. But Poor Wallace. Although now it’s going to make more sense when Veronica ends up going to Hearst. Wallace and Mac are going to need her.

And Mac… poor Mac. Tina Majorino kicks so much ass with just two lines and a bed sheet. Veronica going to find Mac in the hotel suite was one of the best emotional moments of the episode. Excellent performances from both of them, but I thought what really sold it was the fact that Mac wasn’t the only one betrayed by Beaver. He wasn’t what anybody thought he was, including the audience. Tina Majorino must be a regular next season. She can keep doing “Big Love”, just like she’s been doing through this season. It can work, I just know it.

Now I have to confess, as it was getting to the 45 minute mark, I was really worried that we were not going to get nearly enough Logan. But then of course he shows up just in time to save Veronica’s life. I was seriously tense when he coaxed the gun out of her hands by telling her that she’s no killer. I was just sure that he was going to turn it on Beaver himself. And even though it would be somewhat a self defense move, Logan really has enough mental torment.

Loved the scene of Veronica passed out on Logan’s lap, which echoed the scene of him on her lap from the season premiere. And of course, love them together! The few moments we got to see of them as a couple were perfect. I actually believe they can be happy, as long as they don’t let the other stuff get in the way. Other stuff, like Kendall.

So how is it that Kendall and the Fitzpatricks don’t fit in at all? All that time spent on them and they had nothing to do with any of it? Although it looks like Charisma Carpenter has signed on for another season, since she showed up with a briefcase important enough to make Keith stand Veronica up at the airport. Can you believe Beaver left all his money to Kendall? The hell? That probably wasn’t intentional, but what a bizarre development.

Oh, and something occurred to me last night as I was drifting off to sleep. Lamb made Keith get off the plane so Keith wouldn’t be photographed as the one bringing Woody to justice when they landed. So does that mean Lamb was on the plane? Can that be? Lamb is an ass, but his interactions with Veronica and Keith are so great. And do we really want Keith to be Sheriff again?

Oh, and did I mention Beaver jumped off a building?

Okay, that’s everything I can think of. Now, I have to say this. And don’t get me wrong, because I think this show kicks the ass of overrated “Lost” on a regular basis. But, I felt like the season finale was… anti-climactic. Maybe because we didn’t know the bus crash victims that well, the finale lacked the same emotional resonance as finding Lilly’s killer? (Loved seeing Amanda Seyfried last night!) Maybe it was just over-hyped? I know some of the advance word on the finale insisted that it would be making our heads explode. And there was definitely an enormous amount of shocking revelations, but my head remains intact. Maybe it was because the last moments definitely lacked the squee value of last year’s ‘who’s at the door?’ Veronica standing alone in an airport waiting on her dad just doesn’t make me tear out my hair in anticipation of next season. Why didn’t she just get on the plane? He’d either catch the next flight or she’d see him in a week. Either way, my ass would be headed to NYC.

But all of that said, even in a slightly uneven season, this is a far better drama than anything else on TV. (And I can safely say that because "Deadwood” has been on hiatus for a year.)

But, what's in the briefcase?! So okay, maybe I will be tearing my hair out before next season.

On this very day, some 30 years ago...

When I was 16-years-old, I thought my friend Jimmy hung the moon. And for his 18th birthday, I wrote him a poem. A sappy, rhyming poem full of adolescent angst, written on a folded piece of notebook paper, that I tossed at him after Saturday detention.

Jimmy framed the poem and has been known to leave it in plain view. Several times he's introduced me to people who have read it already. Apparently, somewhere in Jimmy's house, my 16-year-old heart is laid bare. He has a souvenir of the melodramatic and burdensome love someone had for him when he was a sweet kid, and I have the humiliation.

You suck Jimmy. Oh, and I love you and Happy Birthday.

Veronica Mars "Happy Go Lucky"

Honestly, I don’t even know what to say. That was the most tense hour of television since… I don’t know. Last year’s season finale?

There was a freaking school shooting before the opening credits!

And Aaron Echolls is not guilty?!

Okay, kudos to Steve Guttenberg for really bringing the creepy this episode. I was actually very scared for Veronica when he caught her on the computer in his house.

Mac just gets more adorable with every episode. And I love that she’s got her sassy red streaks back. She and Beaver were so great tutoring Weevil in Algebra. He got a ‘B’! Can they tutor me next? Next week’s previews show Mac crying and looking scared and I’m really worried that either she or the Beaver will not be making it out of the season finale alive. And considering that “Big Love” got picked up for another season, it wouldn’t be surprising if this show loses one or the both of them. But please keep Mac? Veronica needs a girl friend for college!

So Veronica blew off her last final? I guess that means she’ll automatically lose the Kane scholarship, right? It seems like she could have rescheduled the final if she bothered telling her teacher that she had to attend the court verdict reading for the man who tried to kill her. If she doesn’t lose the Kane scholarship, then I really hope they show her making the decision to go to Hearst College instead of Stanford, rather than just hearing about it in a voiceover in the season premiere.

Next week’s episode looks completely insane. We still need to find out about the bus crash, confirmation that Woody is a freaking pedophile, and proper comeuppance for him and scary Aaron. Looks like Duncan will be back? And we need to know what’s up with Beaver buying up half of Neptune, whatever weird shit is going on with the Mannings, Kendall and her many cons, and Veronica needs to end up with Logan. Oh, and somewhere in all that, there's graduation. That is one tall order for a season finale.

Everybody's got an opinion.

Just today I have been called "demanding" and then "relentless" by two different people. Of the two, I'd have to say, I prefer "demanding". It makes me sound charmingly high maintenance instead of psycho. I've been told there's no such thing as charmingly high maintenance. But I beg to differ. Hello? I'm right here.

perfect presents

Desperate to find me an early birthday gift? Dying to be my new BFF? Or just wishing to get into my good graces for a while? May I suggest this?

It's called a "spoiler" for a reason.

And don't even get me started on The WB promo department making sure we know that Lorelai is knocked up before the "Gilmore Girls" season finale. Bastards.

Veronica Mars "Look Who's Stalking"

"There was one girl. She was blonde, petite, smelled like marshmallows and promises.”











Holy hell. There is just too much going on. I think my head is going to explode.

Woody sleeps with women? What? Not buying it. And I can’t believe Keith helped him cover up the OD’ed girl in his bed. Why would he do that? Just because Keith’s a nice guy? Or because he feels like he can’t so 'no' to the mayor?

The Gia stalking subplot was lame. It’s Gia, so pffft, who cares? But it brought back Deputy Leo, so I won’t complain too much. Poor, dreamy, mumbly Deputy Leo who really should know better than to come running when Veronica calls.

Wallace and Jackie are grossing me out. Although now her personality makeover makes sense. Have to sacrifice the most recently redeemed character. Did you see the previews for next week? Lucky’s got a gun!

Alterna-Prom was awesome! Dick and the “hog”? Dick is one leisure suit away from being a swinging 70's caricature, but I still love him. Madison “on the Lamb”! Hee. And Mac looking so completely adorable? (I insist that she be a regular next year!) I’m just sad she didn’t get to go to prom with Beaver. Where the hell is that kid anyway? (Oh, and I may have forgotten to mention it before, but I don't believe Kendall is conning Beaver. I'm pretty sure it's the other way around.)

And poor, sad, drunken Logan. He thinks their love story is epic. How could Veronica walk away from a confession like that? As soon as she knocked on his door the next morning, I knew there would be a woman in there. It’s just his pattern- vulnerability and bad decisions. At least it was only shady (potentially evil) Kendall, so it’s not like he has feelings for her.

Oh! And speaking of Kendall, I almost forgot! Veronica has Chlamydia! Oh my God. I knew Duncan slept with Kendall! I called it. I maintain this is the only way Veronica could have gotten it. And I thought I disliked Duncan before…

Was the bus crash even mentioned last night? There’s only like two episodes left! There’s so much going on. And I’m hanging my head in shame, because I have no idea who did it.

Okay, here’s the thing, I don’t really care about the bus crash. I really just need Veronica and Logan to live happily ever after. Please Rob Thomas, please?

Edited to add: "This? This is my 'I'd rather be spelunking' look. It's like you don't know me at all!" Ha!

Just in time for the end...

"The West Wing" is yummy again.

Confessions of a MySpace Junkie

My official excuse for joining MySpace is that it's a good way to reconnect with old friends from high school. But the truth is, as Princess Melissa already learned for herself, it's really because I'm nosy.

Because MySpace is networking application, it allows you to view everyone's 'friends' lists and create groups for school alumni, clubs, and common interests. You can browse around and see that someone you went to high school with is also friends with one of your current co-workers. Small world. And you can see how a couple of your friends have hardly changed a bit, still basically up to the exact same stuff. And you can see that some unassuming girl from your high school Algebra class ended up married to an old dude. Weird. And then hey, there's that goth chick you used to see around. And she's still goth. Hmmm... I thought people outgrew that.

My step-dad likes to remind me of my goth phase when I wore black eyeliner and dark lipstick and my favorite Hole concert t-shirt (which I'd still be wearing the hell out of if the damned thing still fit). But actually, I was more grunge than goth. I'd love to still be living in oversized flannel shirts and Doc Martens, but fashion has changed so much. With the current trends of pointy heels with expensive jeans, and crocheted shrugs over little satin camisoles, I'm afraid the flannel would look a little too butch by comparison.

But I digress. Something I learned from MySpace: Apparently adults can be goth.

And the bulletins... those ridiculous surveys and memes that everyone fills out and then posts for everyone on their 'friends' lists to read. People are willing to share the most intimate details of their lives just because it's a question on a survey.

So yes, MySpace allows you to be all up in other people's business. Voyeurism is addictive isn't it? And by joining, you may be allowed to satisfy that inappropriate curiosity we tend to have about other people. But that's okay I guess. Because now that you've joined? They get to be all nosy about you too.

Blame it on the Voodoo.

"Jesus is not a zombie."

And to think, you silly people still aren't watching "Bones".

I have no idea who said this.

When placed in a container, Jell-O conforms to the shape of the vessel. You, however, should never conform. Unless, of course, you think you're Jell-O.

Veronica Mars "Nevermind the Buttocks"

The hell?

No. Seriously. I think I'm pretty astute, and I'm more than just a casual fan of this show. I never miss an episode and I always rewind if I missed any dialogue. But... what the hell is going on?

Does Veronica actually think Weevil tried to detonate the bomb in the Sharks bag? How would Weevil have planted the bomb? Why isn't anyone focused on the fact that the Sharks bag that's now been mentioned more than once, must have been given to Dick by Woody? And that Woody told his daughter not to get on the bus, and called her on the way home to ask where she was?

And how does Beaver figure in? Because he definitely does.

And the Fitzpatricks? I still have no idea how they fit into all of this. Working with Kendall is shady, but why the hell would they make a bus crash?

And Kendall? Con artist, identity thief, associate of the Fitzpatricks, and she has a secret house no one knew about, and she planted Duncan's hair for Aaron Echolls. That is one busy girl we don't get to see enough of.

And Aaron's Oscar (Was that for The Breaking Point? Or Beyond the Breaking Point?) burried under the pool with Duncan's hair and Lilly's blood on it? What? No, really. What? Someone planted it to make it look like Duncan killed Lilly and then tried to frame Aaron. Duncan, who if he had killed Lilly, would have done it in the midst of an epileptic seizure, then managed to frame Aaron? Or are we supposed to believe the Kane's did it? And I know Kendall got Duncan's hair from the shower drain, but where the hell did Lilly's blood come from?

Mac has to go to the prom with Butters! Hee!

Note to the powers that be: We need more Logan please. Thank you.

The Alien Pregnancy That Would Not End

Katie Holmes is the subject of yet another IM conversation.

from where I sit

It's a little Renoir-esque because it was taken with my camera phone, but this was taken from my seat at The Oasis. My team at work took out our supervisor for lunch (we treated him, but in exchange, we didn't have to stick to our one hour lunch rule). The food is so-so and the service is slow (lunch on a Wednesday took two hours) but the view is awesome, even on a cloudy day like today.

Veronica Mars "I Am God"

"Dick Casablancas is the bastard child of satan."

Yeah, but damn if he doesn't get all the funniest lines.

Hey, a bus crashed! Did you guys know about that? (And how come that joke doesn't get old?)

Show Killer is back! Why? I have no idea. Guess Veronica needed someone to spill her guts to about her crazy dreams with murder victims talking to her. But it seems like anyone could have filled that role. Especially if they're not bringing Show Killer back so that poor Keith can have a girlfriend.

Aw, Wallace likes Logan! Who could blame him really? Gotta love that kid for trying to knock Veronica's valedictorian rival out of the running. But why did they show us Wallace watching "Tinseltown Diaries" in Logan's hotel room? For a minute I thought Wallace was going to turn the TV off and apologize to Logan, to juxtapose Wallace and Dick to show which would be a better friend for Logan. But then that didn't happen, so I'm confused. So was it just so that Wallace would start sympathizing with Logan and lobbying Veronica on his behalf? My head hurts.

And wow, is Big Dick gonna be a player in the big mystery now? I think I'm still on the "Woodman did it" bandwagon. I just don't know why he might have done it.

Next week... oh, who cares? There's only four episodes left! Holy God, they're gonna drag the story out four more episodes! Then they'll give us a freakin' heart attack in the last 20 minutes of the season. I have money riding on it.

something new

This is the tattoo I just got!

It's of a flaming chalice, and yes, it hurt.

Me? Insufferable? Never.

Elizabeth at Austinist has named her Favorite Random Blog of the Week as... mine! In your face other random bloggers of Austin!

You may continue to go about your day.

Please don't sue us.

The following conversation transpired after viewing this photo of Katie Holmes:


Jennifer says: ok, it looks fake again

Kandis says: basketball or alien? it's tough to tell

Kandis says: no way is she gonna be silent when that thing crawls out of her skinny body

Jennifer says: not only that, but it's really high

Jennifer says: why would they fake her being pregnant and then adopt a kid?

Kandis says: to prove he's hetero?

Kandis says: the man is obviously a little crazy, so I'm not sure

Jennifer says: and then I guess she didn't want to ruin her figure with a real baby

Jennifer says: so she has to wear the basketball

Kandis says: although the shots of her in the crotch snapping bodysuit made it seem like that's a real pregnancy. But she looks twice as round this week as she did last week

Kandis says: it's not that she didn't want to ruin her figure with a real baby, my guess is that he wouldn't actually sleep with a WOMAN

Jennifer says: well, but she could have gotten artificially inseminated with his freak seed

Kandis says: true, if that was in her contract

Kandis says: it all makes my head hurt

Jennifer says: it's pretty funny

Jennifer says: I don't get the argument that she already had it, when why would she have had one at all?

Kandis says: yeah, the argument that she already had it doesn't really make any sense. But maybe they're that paranoid?

Jennifer says: my god, it's not anywhere near where the uterus would be

Jennifer says: maybe she was just being rebellious that day?

Jennifer says: "ha! i'm going to make it look RIDICULOUS today, and Tom can't stop me!"

Jennifer says: next time, she's going to strap it on above her butt

Shocking. Simply shocking.

Bush Authorized Leak to Times, Libby Told Grand Jury

And...

Bush: Hands Possibly as Dirty as Scooter Libby's

Veronica Mars "Plan B"

"This face right here? My over-the-moon face."

This was a great episode. It's been a while, but I think I remember what one looks like when I see it. Fun interactions (Weevil instructing Veronica on the shocker... hee! Logan and everyone), plenty of drama (Thumper... damn), and even a little action. Although watching a building explode on a TV inside a TV? Not so much with the excitment.

I cannot believe after I professed my love for Beaver just a couple of weeks ago that he went and broke Mac's heart. If he wasn't so obviously gay and desperate to hide it, I might never forgive him.

Ah, LoVe. Is it okay, since it's just us friends, that I admit that I squealed like a little girl? Logan And Veronica snarking, high fiving, and dancing! Have you ever seen two people slow dance so intensely? It's better than a Harlequin y'all.

And I even liked Jackie! Tessa Thompson has come a long way. She was charming and complicated. And I actually like the friendship between her and Veronica. Though I gotta say, Mac is still my pick for Veronica's second BFF.

And was it just me, or was the Woodman coming on to Logan? Not that Logan isn't used to that kind of thing. Although he and Weevil do seem to be on the outs.

But next week? Yay Alona Tal, don't get me wrong. But does Veronica have to see dead people?

assistance please?

Today I saw a guy wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt with rolled up sleeves. Why? No, seriously. Why?

Veronica Mars "The Rapes of Graff"

Have I mentioned "Veronica Mars"? It's that awesome show on UPN that you're still not watching. And I know you have the time. "Scrubs" is on Tuesdays, "The Office" is on Thursdays, and "Deadwood" is on hiatus. What else could you possibly be doing with your time?

Hannah got shipped to Vermont! You can’t see me doing my happy dance, but trust me, it’s sassy.

Cliff and the gynecologist… hee! Lamb and Madison… wow, disgusting. "She's 18 -- It's Legal". Vote for Lamb!

I have to say that I'm really disappointed that we missed out on the conversation between Logan and Veronica that occurred in between episodes. So he told her how he'd been using Hannah and what he had agreed to do for her father? Of course she guessed all that, but I would have liked to have seen the interaction.

Love Wallace’s excitement for college. Hate that Logan was developing feelings for Hannah. Of course we know he’s sweet and vulnerable on the inside, but are we really supposed to believe that after dearly departed Lilly, Veronica and Charisma, that he’d be content with a child who has no personality and bad hair?

Besides Logan’s file getting stolen from Cliff’s briefcase (totally Aaron's doing!), and the demolition of the stadium, we didn’t really get anywhere on the whole bus crash. I’m starting to get the feeling that the bus crash storyline, unlike Lilly Kane’s murder, doesn’t have enough going for it to sustain it through an entire season.

Next week’s preview made me squeal like a 12-year-old: Veronica and Logan spending time together! Mac and Weevil are back! Steve Guttenberg is the mayor! (Yeah, we already knew that, but it’s been so long, I thought we needed the reminder.)

As far as fests go, it could use more funny hats.

We saw this guy at the rodeo last night. He is the Overall Reserve Grand Champion steer. (We thought he was better looking than the Grand Champion. You know it's all just politics.).

We ate what felt like a ton of junk food (Rob had a turkey leg, I had a really big corny dog, and we shared funnel cake), and we drank $5.50 tall boys.

We saw a travelling sideshow, one spectacular mullet, and a very pretty boy in a mini skirt, dangle earrings, and ruby slippers.

We came home covered in powdered sugar and smelling like smoked meat. And nobody threw up. Success!

Veronica Mars "The Quick and the Wed"

"Fine, I'm a barista!"

"Veronica Mars" last night.... Ack! Three minutes of previouslies that I think managed to show everything from the last season and a half.

So we got some advancement on the season arc, we got Wallace back, and Cliff!, we got dueling evils Aaron and Charisma (yay!). But what the hell was she doing in Duncan's bathroom?

And what is Beaver- I mean Cassidy- up to? I can't figure out if he's trying to buy up half of Neptune in preparation for the incorporation, or if he's trying set Kendall up? But Ryan Gallner has grown on me so much. Love him, don't care what evil he's up to. (It's gotta be evil right? It is Neptune after all.)

And speaking of evil (again)... Logan, Logan, Logan. "I think I've done something horrible." Shocker. (And I don't mean that kind.)

Oh, and two well behaved children.

Today is my mother’s 50th birthday. She likes to say that the first day of Spring falls on her birthday. To celebrate the milestone of her 50th birthday, she wants to get a tattoo. Though she hasn’t settled on just which of her hobbies to immortalize in ink.

My mother can knit you a sweater (or a scarf or gloves), and sew you a Halloween costume (or curtains), and remodel a room of your house (or install your garbage disposal), saw down your tree (or plant your garden), design you a website (disability accessible of course), make you the very best lasagna (or whoopie pies!), and volunteer for your political campaign (or your impromptu soup kitchen), and identify endless species of birds (snakes, bats and various other animals, fossils and bugs). And she can force you to go to summer camp (or church youth group) against your will, knowing that one day you’ll learn to love it.

But as she says of my sister and I (who are 23 years apart), she can only raise one kid at a time.

Happy Birthday Mother! We love you.














Edited to add: Birthday tattoo is done!

I got a new camera phone! These are a couple of the very exciting photos I've taken so far: Everyone will recognize the infamous fat Moe, and then the other is a blurry shot of my desk at work, complete with Buffy acton figure.

And Beaver too?

HBO's "Big Love" now features three "Veronica Mars" cast members! They sure know the way to a girl's heart.

Hey Tom Cruise? Why do you hate freedom?

"So, Scientology, you may have won THIS battle, but the million-year war for earth has just begun! Temporarily anozinizing our episode will NOT stop us from keeping Thetans forever trapped in your pitiful man-bodies. Curses and drat! You have obstructed us for now, but your feeble bid to save humanity will fail! Hail Xenu!!!"

New Dixie Chicks album, "Taking the Long Way" comes out May 23rd!

Big Love

We watched the premiere of "Big Love" last night. It comes across as a lot tamer than you would expect from a show about a dude with three wives. It was a relief that the story doesn't take place in one of those creepy Mormon communities where old men get to marry 12-year-olds. I think it takes place in that other creepy Mormon community, Salt Lake City. (Think marginally less polygamy.)

Bill Paxton plays polygamist and home improvement store owner Bill Henrickson. Jeanne Tripplehorn plays his first wife Barb. I'm usually very "meh" about Jeanne Tripplehorn, but I'm looking forward to seeing how they explore her character. The always skanky Chloe Sevigny plays compulsive shopper and second wife Nicki. And the currently awesome (because she was in Walk the Line) Ginnifer Goodwin plays overwhelmed third wife Margene.

However, I have to tell you, the best part of the show: Lilly and Mac from "Veronica Mars"! How excited am I?

Natalie Portman will fuck you up.

Lingering Oscar Questions

Slate writer Troy Patterson said of the Oscars: "I will pay a sum in the mid-three figures to anyone who can provide me with a full and accurate transcript of Nicholson's conversation with seat-neighbor Keira Knightley."

Word.

And I must know how Busy Philipps came to be sitting in the front row next to nominees Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger. I know Busy and Michelle know eachother from their "Dawson's Creek" days, but the most work Busy has gotten lately is on a UPN sitcom. So how did she end up front and center at the Oscars??

I flubbed the best original screenplay and cinematography categories. Otherwise, I kinda rock.

My Oscar Picks at 2:22pm on March 5th

Performance by an actor in a leading role:
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Capote"

Performance by an actor in a supporting role:
George Clooney in "Syriana"

Performance by an actress in a leading role:
Reese Witherspoon in "Walk the Line"

Performance by an actress in a supporting role:
Rachel Weisz in "The Constant Gardener"

Best animated feature film of the year:
"Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit"

Achievement in cinematography:
"Brokeback Mountain"

Achievement in directing:
"Brokeback Mountain" Ang Lee

Best documentary feature:
"March of the Penguins"

Adapted screenplay:
"Brokeback Mountain" Screenplay by Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana

Original screenplay:
"Good Night, and Good Luck." Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov

Best motion picture of the year:
"Crash"

I [heart] The Office

Jim Halpert: Last night on "Trading Spouses," there's... did you see it?
Pam Beesley: No, I have a life.
Jim Halpert: Interesting, what's that like?
Pam Beesley: You should try it some time.
Jim Halpert: Wow. But then who would watch my TV?

Someone found this site by searching for "family guy meg her underwear". Sicko. She's a cartoon! Have some pride.

the Stapp

Scott Stapp telling AP Radio that he thinks it's suspicious that a tape showing him and Kid Rock having sex with strippers surfaced just days after he tied the knot. "Obviously someone wants to hurt me and doesn't want me to be successful in my solo career," he said.

A day after his wedding, Stapp was arrested for investigation of being drunk at Los Angeles International Airport. He is set for arraignment on March 8.

"You don't want to say it's laughable, but it's just like, my God, there's so much stuff," he said. "Somebody does not like you and somebody wants you to fail."
Apparently it's completely improbable that Stapp is to blame for any of his own behavior.

Sometimes when I haven't blogged for a while, it's because the thing that's uppermost in my mind, isn't something I really want to write about.

My oldest friend lost her mom to cancer last week. It wasn't sudden, but it is heartbreaking just the same. If you're able to, consider donating to Hospice Austin.

To Laser My Eye Open Or To Not

Today I went for a Lasik consultation, and I'm most likely a candidate for the surgery (I have to stay out of my toric contacts for at least three weeks before going in for a final exam to make sure I can have the surgery). And now I have to decide if I actually want to go through with it.

Sure there's the end result of not needing to wear glasses or contacts anymore. But living in my glasses instead of contacts for weeks is extremely bothersome. And after the surgery, I wouldn't be allowed to wear eye makeup for at least two weeks (the horror!). Then there are also the possible risks: developing a post-op infection that would leave me blind, having my vision over-corrected so that I go from being near-sighted to far-sighted, possibly needing more than one procedure to correct my vision, or having my night vision or dry eye condition worsened- for life. There are probably other possible issues that I haven't even worried about yet. Oh, and it's gonna cost about $2700.

In other news... how much do I need this??

None of my favorite things involve ice skates.

"Oh my God y'all!" That is the extent of my Britney impression.

"One Tree Hill" was really good last night, and next week they're going to go all Columbine on our asses. Someone is going to die. Can it be Rachel? Please? I'm going to be really upset if this show doesn't survive the move to The C.W. (And no, I'm actually not a 13-year-old.)

I caught up on some of my taped "Oprah" episodes last night. The Valentine's episode with Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood was the best. How adorable are they? And the way Garth cries at the drop of a hat? Love him.

The next issue of Maxim features Kristen Bell, the awesome star of "Veronica Mars" in her underwear. Well that's one way to get people watching the show.

And finally, wanna know why I hate the Olympics? Because it means "The Office" isn't on! This week's Entertainment Weekly features Steve Carell on the cover and the cast of "The Office" inside. So hurry out and buy one! Oh, and when you're done, can I borrow it?

Email received from The Smoking Gun in response to a local news story I sent them:

thanks very much.

regards,
bill baston
eeditor
tsg

They probably won't post my story, but hey, they're quick to respond.

Not Suffering From Da Vinci Fever

I finally finished The Da Vinci Code over the weekend, and I guess I'm still wondering what all the fuss is about.

It's not the worst book I've ever read, but I found the entire first half extremely slow and tedious. And even though as they said on "Family Guy", the chapters are like two pages so you feel really smart, I really had to force myself to get through it. And I only did that simply to figure out where the hell Dan Brown was going with all of it. There was a complete lack of characterization for the two main characters. Aside from their jobs, and that one of them wears a Mickey Mouse watch, I felt like I knew nothing about them. The author was constantly placing them into intense and dangerous situations where it seemed like we were supposed to care about their welfare, but how can I when I don't know anything about them?

The book covers a lot of information about art and the history of the masons and Christianity and Da Vinci and Mary Magdalene, and on and on, and did I mention on? about the sacred feminine. Some of the theories advanced in the novel have previously been published in other works and others are crazy outlandish. I was fascinated by the theory that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married, seeing as how Jesus was a 30-year-old-man living in Israel 2000 years ago, it made sense to me that he wouldn't have been a bachelor. However you can find just about every theory in the novel debunked has been by someone or another.

I thought the novel came to a satisfying conclusion, considering its shortcomings. However, I've really read better trashy romance novels. As entertaining as a modern thriller can be, it's amazing how worked up people have gotten. It really is as if the whole world suddenly remembered "Oh yeah! Pages with words on them! And instead of watching TV, you actually just read the words." Good thing the upcoming movie will take care of that whole pesky reading part.

Modern air travel is such a surreal experience. Yesterday morning I was walking through snow in central New York and this morning I'm back in Austin with our absurdly mild 50 degree weather.

I am completely devastated that UPN has invited a bunch of bloggers to a "Veronica Mars" Press Day (all expenses paid), and I wasn't invited. How is it possible that I don't blog enough about "Veronica Mars"? Are my entries not verbose enough? I don't link to their site enough? Not enough squeeing? I think I'm going to cry.

Ain't No Winter Carnival Like a Neptune Winter Carnival

Veronica Mars loves Weevil! Okay, maybe that’s just my opinion. Great episode! It didn’t advance the season’s arc that much, but it did seem to advance several relationships.

But seriously, what is Logan doing wasting that ridiculous amount of charm on some giggly sophomore with no personality and bad hair? Considering that said sophomore is the daughter of the witness who falsely accused Logan of murder (you know, the plastic surgeon in the Fitzpatrick’s back pocket), I’m really just hoping it’s all a setup. It’s not like he’s hard up. Where is Charisma anyway?

"Why is the Beav snuggly with that girl from Ghost World?" Mac and Beaver! Yay! Perfect pairing. I love them like Weevil loves Logan.

And Jackie is human? Who knew that? I had no idea.

Oh, and the final scene with Keith and Terrence Cook. There’s nothing more heartbreaking than a grown man crying about baseball.

I've recently taken up beading (as in making beaded jewelry), although so far my wire loops look like they were made by a 10-year-old and I don't have nearly the amount of supplies that I need to craft an inventory that allows me to one day quit my job and open my own home based business. Beading is great because I can do it while I watch TV! And if it can't be done while watching TV, it's really not worth doing. (And believe it or not, yes, I read.)

Shows I'm completely obsessed with (picture 1989, New Kids on the Block, and a 12-year-old-girl- that's what I'm talking about):
"Veronica Mars" (The best show on TV. The end. I even got Rob watching it!)
"Gilmore Girls" (although they're rapidly losing my devotion)
"One Tree Hill" (which makes me their oldest viewer I'm sure)
"The Office" (Jim and Pam forever!)

Shows that I'm dying to have back from hiatus:
"Deadwood" (The other best show on TV. When it's actually on.)
"Nip/Tuck"
"Real Time" with Bill Maher
"The Dead Zone"

Shows that I'm DVRing, but they're not life-changing:
"Scrubs" (don't get me wrong, this show is super funny- but it's no "Veronica Mars")
"Medium"
"Bones"
"My Name is Earl"

Shows that I watch but leave me feeling very "meh":
"Everybody Hates Chris"
"The West Wing"

This t-shirt is currently for sale at Urban Outfitters.

Help! The irony... it's actually killing me...

go vikings!

In honor of my ten year high school reunion this spring, I gave in to web crap and filled out this survey about high school memories:

1) where did you graduate from and what year?
Sidney Lanier High School (Austin, TX) Class of 1996

2) did you have school pride?
Sure! I was always proud to go to Lanier. That place makes you tough.

3) was your prom a night to remember?
Well I was sober, so I do remember it. But it really didn't live up to my expectations of what prom would be like.

4) do you own all 4 yearbooks?
Nope. I went to three different schools my freshman year so it's highly possible that I appeared in no yearbooks that year. But I bought my sophomore and senior yearbooks since I worked on the staff (and I admit it, since I knew that there were multiple pictures of me in them).

5) what was the worst trouble you ever got into?
I don't really remember getting into any trouble. How weird is that? If you're reading this, and you went to high school with me, please let me know if I have suppressed some memory of being in trouble. Otherwise, I'm a big loser.

6) what kind of people did you hang out with?
Drama freaks!

7) what was your number 1 choice of college in HS?
Besides NYU and Vanderbilt? Those were ruled out early on due to the fact that they exist out of state. So I guess Southwest Texas State (now Texas State University at San Marcos) was my first choice, and the only campus I visited. I got accepted to East Texas State (now Texas A&M at Commerce) but it was just a backup.

8) what radio station did you jam out to in high school?
Probably a combination of Mix 94 and 101X.

9) were you involved in any organizations or clubs?
I was the president of the Golden Myth Players drama club! I was also an anchor for WLHS, the video announcements. I also dabbled in yearbook, UIL Prose, and student advisory council. (I needed the extra curriculars to balance out a very mediocre GPA.)

10) what were your favorite classes in high school?
Broadcast journalism and senior English

11) who were your biggest crushes in high school?
Sorry, ten years isn't long enough to risk the embarrassment.

12) would you say you've changed a lot since high school?
Physically, yes. In emotional maturity? Like totally.

13) what do you miss most about high school?
Getting to work on plays, and generally how easy life was.

14) your worst memory of HS?
Well, four years of high school, so there's no way there's just one. Freshman year one of my best friends moved out of state suddenly. That was really hard. Sophomore year one of my classmates was murdered. We weren't close, but it was awful and sad. Isn't high school supposed to be a series of bad memories?

15) did you have a car?
1979 orange Mazda station wagon. It was groovy.

16) what were your school colors?
Gold and black I think. Or gold, black and white? Sorry, that is just too trivial.

17) who was your fav. teacher?
Oooh, that's hard. I'd probably have to say Cummins.

18) did you own a cell phone in high school?
What? I wasn't a drug dealer.

19) did you leave campus for lunch?
Yep, we had an open campus for lunch. It was awesome!

20) if so, where was your fav. place to go eat?
Double Dave's

21) were you late to class?
Constantly. By senior year I had my own stack of hall passes and I would just forge a teacher's name to get where I needed to go.

22) did you ever have to stay for Saturday school?
Yep, had to make up for excessive absences. Oops.

23) did you ever ditch?
See previous answer.

24) when it comes time for the reunion will you be there?
Well, first we have to wait and see if my class even gets it together enough to have a reunion. Then I guess I'll decide. Although it would help if I could finish college, get an awesome career and lose like half of my body weight before then. It would make the decision a lot easier.

25) do you wish you were still in high school?
Yeah, sometimes. But then I remember that I now have credit cards, a car that has working air conditioning AND a stereo, and a job that keeps me in cute shoes and hair highlights. Oh, and I never have to ask for a bathroom pass.

Survey snagged from Bif

CNN correspondent and my first love, Anderson Cooper, is now blogging! Who else could get Christiane Amanpour to blog for them when they're just too busy?

well I used to know a girl and I could have sworn that her name was Veronica

It’s that time again! Boy Veronica sure does get over losing her boyfriends fast. She spent a lot more time moping over her fake breakup than her real one. But I suppose it’s a good thing she wasn’t too mopey to help her BFF Wallace out of a big ass jam.

I can’t believe it! A bus crashed? When did that happen? You’d think if something that big happened that people might have been talking about it for months, or that Veronica and Keith might have, I don’t know… investigated?

Weevil got jumped out! By some biker named Thumper for God’s sake. What will Weevil do now? My prediction is that he’s going to go live with Logan at the Nepture Grand and they’re going to be the new Odd Couple!

"I have the perfect pantomime horse costume. Do either of you have any experience being a horse's ass?"

Huh, this doesn't look like pizza.

This week we're trying out a new service we heard about on the local news. Food comes to our door! Um, more specifically, organic produce delivery. Greenling is a local company that offers home delivery of locally grown organic produce. And for items that aren't in season locally, they obtain them from other organic growers. You can set up weekly or bi-weekly delivery, and you can choose the package size that best suits your needs.

For our first delivery, we ordered 3 grapefruit, 5 bananas, 2 apples, 2 pears, one bell pepper, one onion, celery, 5 tomatoes, 1 lb of new potatoes, mixed greens, a bag of baby carrots, basil and 1 lb of broccoli. This is enough for one big batch of chicken soup, a basil pasta entree, as well as several side dishes for meals and snacks. We set up bi-weekly service for around $30 per delivery. So far everything has been pretty yummy and I'm mainly just worried that we won't be able to eat all of the vegetables before they go bad. (It's a little bit possible that we eat out too much.) Next time we might order more fruit than veggies. At least if bananas go bad you can freeze them and make muffins later.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Beware of my poisonous bite! I was born in the year of the snake:

Diplomatic and popular, the Snake has the sensual art of seduction down. This Sign is an interesting mix of gregariousness paired with introversion, intuitive reasoning paired with savvy business skills. Snakes are considered to be lucky with money and will generally have more than enough to live life to the fullest, regardless of how important it considers money to be; this may be due to the fact that Snakes tend to be rather tight with cash. They're not stingy, they're simply more mentally than physically active. Snakes tend to hang back a bit in order to analyze a situation before jumping into it. Their charming, seductive quality actually belies a rather retiring nature; this Sign is perfectly happy to spend the whole day curled up with a good book and, thus, can be mislabeled as being lazy. (Mislabeled it says!)

The Snake is somewhat insecure deep down and tend to be a rather jealous, possessive lover, behavior that can end up alienating loved ones. Despite these less-than-stellar tendencies, however, the Snake often proves irresistible and is a generous, loving partner. Slightly dangerous and disarmingly smart, the Snake's philosophical and intuitive mind generally supersedes logic in favor of feelings and instinct. Snakes will rely on their own gut reactions and intuitions before turning to others for suggestions. This makes this Sign a great hand in any business venture, possessing the caution and smarts needed to get ahead.

Snakes are hard workers (when they see good reason to be!) and are possessed of a keen intelligence. Snakes have incredible follow-through, once they get going, and they expect the same from others. Thus, their coworkers and employees had best stay on their toes, lest they anger the Snake and suffer its poisonous bite!

In general, of course, Snakes are generous and genteel, charming and appealing. Snakes must try to learn humility and to develop a stronger sense of self. Once Snakes realize that confidence comes from within, they will finally be comfortable in their own skin.

True love stories never have endings.

"Veronica Mars" kicked ass in typical fashion last night. Although with "Bones", "Lost", and "Veronica Mars" on at the same time, it was a logistics nightmare.

I love Joss Whedon, and Kevin Smith, and Lucy Lawless (can't hate someone who did an "X Files" spot), but the stunt casting MUST STOP.

Lamb went to SWT!

Does anyone else feel like no one has really grieved for Meg? Sorry, but I didn't buy the fake break-up scene at school for one second. Oh, and the whole bit with the cop inviting Veronica to the club he's a bouncer at? That will totally come up again.

I'll admit it, they blindsided me with the twist with sleazy Vinnie Vanlowe at the end. It's going to be interesting to see how Veronica is going to repair her relationship with her dad. But the whole Fitzpatricks and Felix storyline is leaving me very 'meh'. I don't love the Duncan character to pieces, but I didn't suspect that he'd be the budget cut. And awww, gotta love the new Lilly Kane.

It's kind of sad that even lounging around in my pajamas on a Sunday, I am better groomed than Britney Spears. All that money for ferraris, badly chosen trophy husbands, cheetohs, and red bull, and she can't buy one hairbursh?

four

Okay, I didn't actually get tagged on this. I've always been picked last for team sports. But I wanted to play anyway. So here's my fours.

Four Jobs You’ve Had In Your Life:
1. data analyst (current)
2. summer camp counselor (for 7 years!)
3. grocery store clerk at Simon David
4. assistant manager of a Claiborne outlet

Four Movies You Could Watch Over and Over Again:
1. 10 Things I Hate About You
2. Office Space
3. The American President
4. Pleasantville
(hours later, I'm still worrying about the movies I left off)

Four Places You’ve Lived:
1. Austin, TX
2. San Marcos, TX
3. Wimberley, TX
4. Fredericksburg, TX

Four TV Shows You Love To Watch: (I only get four??)
1. “Veronica Mars”
2. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”
3. “The Office”
4. “Deadwood”

Four Places You’ve Been On Vacation:
1. Port Aransas, TX
2. Cozumel, Mexico
3. Cooperstown, NY
4. South Padre, TX

Four Blogs You Visit Daily
1. freakgirl
2. pamie
3. dooce
4. gofugyourself

Four Of Your Favorite Foods:
1. pepperoni rolls from Double Dave’s
2. cheese fries from Outback Steakhouse
3. fettucini alfredo
4. thin mints!

Four Albums You Can’t Live Without:
1. the Buffy musical episode soundtrack “Once More With Feeling”
2. the “Great Days” John Prine box set
3. Dixie Chicks’ “Wide Open Spaces”
4. and that’s all I can remember, everything else is on the iPod

Four Vehicles You’ve Owned:
1. 1979 orange Mazda station wagon
2. 1992 blue Mitsubishi Precis
3. 2001 silver Saturn SL
4. 2002 maroon Saturn SL

Four People To Be Tagged:
Oh let's be honest. I don't have anyone to tag.

I will never swim again.

This is the creepiest thing I've ever seen. (Well, since the giant snails anyway.)
Jumbo Jellyfish Invade Japan
They can weigh up to 440 pounds!

I'm trying to not be offended that someone found my blog by searching for "huge ass".

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Today kicked off Girl Scout cookie season! Yay! What better way to enjoy "Celebrity Fit Club" than by eating an entire box of $3 cookies? Now trans-fat free! Happy Girl Scout cookie season to one and all.

Crop circles are Chuck Norris’ way of telling the world that sometimes corn needs to lie the fuck down.

fug wear

Urban Outfitters is trying to convince us these items are actually fashionable. Fight the power ladies.

drunks in evening attire

The Golden Globes were actually really entertaining last night. The best part of the show is when they go to commercial break and for just a second you get to see people get up from their tables to schmooze and you can see all sorts of bizarre connections and wonder how does Pierce Brosnan know Melanie Griffith and what do they have to talk about?

Highlights: Isaac Mizrahi feeling up Scarlett Johansson on the red carpet. Ryan Phillippe drunkenly yelling at Joaquin Phoenix as he's accepting his award "You owe me $220!" Reese Witherspoon telling the press backstage that Ryan and Shirley MacLaine are now best friends, because Shirley knows everything about everyone. Which means Ryan Phillippe will soon be blackmailing half of Hollywood. Harrison Ford bringing his drink onstage and then handing it to Virginia Madsen so he could open the envelope. And I love that Felicity Huffman seemed totally thrilled to be beaten out by Mary-Louise Parker (who dedicated her award to John Spencer) for best actress in a comedy show. And Larry McMurty thanking his typewriter? The man wrote the great American novel, so he can be as eccentric as he likes.

Steve Carrell, Reese Witherspoon, and Mary-Louise Parker: So far the Golden Globes don't suck. Yay!
Oh, and Nancy Walls should write everyone's acceptance speeches. That would make this show so much more fun.

I hate being wrong.

Okay, fine, so it's not actually possible to die from a sinus infection. You could not have convinced me of that three days ago. Although there is still the possibility that the dizziness caused by my antibiotics will cause me to crash my car and die in a fiery explosion. In which case, the sinus infection will actually have killed me, albeit indirectly.

If you're wondering where all the kleenex in the state went...

Rob and I came down with colds the week after Christmas. Immediately after finishing the bedroom remodel, we became sick. So all of the things we planned to do during our vacation, that we put off until the room was finished, yeah, we didn't do any of them.
So we're recovered from our colds, for the most part, just battling some residual congestion and drainage (don't you love it when people share?). And then yesterday afternoon, Rob starts feeling achy and weak, and wakes up with a fever in the night. And this morning I woke up with a cough, accompanied by chest pain every time I cough.
Rob is sure he has the bird flu. From all that time he's been spending in Turkey lately I suppose. But me? SARS.

The President's Reading List

White House spokesman Trent Duffy said "The president is an avid reader. He reads books of all kinds and stripe and persuasion."

Now why do I find that so hard to believe?

Yeah, but at least my socks don't match.

Our new loveseat was just delivered. We needed more seating in our living room and took the easy way out and bought the loveseat that matched our sofa. I now own matching dressers, matching nightstands, and now matching sofas. My mother will be so appalled.

snack attack

As much as I liked all of my Christmas gifts, I'm kind of disappointed that no one got me this:

What I Did Over My Christmas Vacation

It took about five days to remodel our bedroom. That's counting the days that we were really lazy and got a slow start, and the time it took to move all of our furniture in and out of the room. And the time it took to tape around all of the doors, and windows. And that short sentence doesn't convey how freakin' long it took to tape around everything. The walls have been painted with American Tradition satin in Autumn Sky, and the floors are Kronotex wood laminate in Heirloom Cherry. The baseboards were replaced and painted in a white semi-gloss.

I did the majority of the taping and cutting in (except for the ceiling). Rob assisted with taping and pried off the old baseboards. My mother came over and ripped out the carpet and padding, pulled up tack strips and nails from the concrete foundation, and helped with painting and cutting in at the ceiling, which I had been dreading. She also assisted with shopping for baseboards, and loaned us tons of supplies for painting and prying glue up from cement (who knew they made a tool for that?) which we didn't have. Then she came over the next day and helped lay the underlayment padding over the concrete floor. Then her friend Tami came to install the floor. My mother, Tami, and Tami's friend Frank laid the laminate flooring for the entire room while Rob and I said "Hey, that's cool!" and tried to stay out of their way. They also installed the new baseboards which Rob and I had painted. Then Rob caulked the baseboards once they were installed. All we have left to do is install thresholds in both doorways, and buy curtains.

Thanks to my mother, and Tami and Frank.

(More photos can be found here.)

I've been off all week working on remodeling our bedroom. Pictures to come soon.

Cyber Festivus Greetings

I was a lazy twit this year and didn't manage to get any Christmas cards out in time, so here's my virtual Christmas card:

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and much love to...

the Poiriers
the Seavers
the Gregorys
the Stricklands
the Kellums
the Schemms
Jennifer & Matt
Brian & Ainsley
the Bursts
Jimmy & Heather
Ben & Caitlin
John & Heather
Leslie
Nicole & Kevin
Shug & Kim
Jamaica
Kelley
Steve
the Roebucks
Michella
Emily
the Cummins
Cacedra
Susan
and anyone I might have missed...

Praise the Lord and pass the Little Debbies.

She's lucky I didn't post the one where she's "Strokin" all hopped up on Asskicker at The O.B.

Happy Birthday Sally! Sally (otherwise known as Nicole) is 29 years-old today. Wow, that is scary close to 30! I didn't get her a birthday present, or a Christmas present, or a wedding present. Mostly because she's been living in Prague for the last year and half or so. And she and her new husband are bohemian vagabonds who refuse to buy a house in the suburbs and stay put, so that I can give them tacky knick knacks. What kind of wedding present do you get for people like that?

Seriously, what is wrong with her?

Yesterday, Ann Coulter wrote in her syndicated column:

I have difficulty ginning up much interest in this story inasmuch as I think the government should be spying on all Arabs, engaging in torture as a televised spectator sport, dropping daisy cutters wantonly throughout the Middle East, and sending liberals to Guantanamo.

Jay Marvin, sitting in for Jerry Springer this morning on Air America read that paragragh on the air. Jay Marvin was of the opinion that like her hero Joe McCarthy, Ann Coulter has a serious character flaw. Um, try mental illness? Bitch be CRAZY.

Some dweeb on a Rotten Tomatos forum did not understand the greatness that is "The Chronic of Narnia" posted:

Okay, call me stupid and for the record I don't listen to rap music but why is this so funny. It was a little funny but I really don't get this for the most part.

And Malchickiwick, some really clever persona who is my new best friend responded:

The style of the rapping is "gansta rap" which is generally performed by muscular, rich, hip, black artists, and the subject of the songs is usually "thug life," which involves drugs, womanzing, being hip, and having a lot of money.

In this case, however, the rappers are two, white Jewy guys with unimpressive physical attributes and little money or fashion sense.

Their song is about watching a geeky fantasy movie for kids, cutting corners on prices, and other unhip or mundane activities.

Thus, the form of the song is the opposite of the song's content, creating irony. Irony is one way of achieving humor.

Lazy Sunday

Yo stop at the deli, the theatre's overpriced,
'you got the backpack?' 'Gonna pack it up nice'
Don't want security to get suspicious,
Mr Pibb plus Red Vine equals crazy delicious.

I reach in my pocket, pull out some doh
girl acted like she never seen a ten befo'.
It's all about the Hamiltons, baby!
Throw the snacks in the bag, and I'm Ghost like Swayze