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.