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.