Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol

Last night I finally saw "Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol". Wonderful! It was a entertaining and well written twist on the Dicken's classic, and if I do say so the 'ghost of Christmas future' scene was clever and emotional. Steven Moffatt and Matt Smith are doing great things with this show.

FB - the week of Christmas 2010

Dec 21st

A sincere RIP to Barney Miller star Steve Landesburg. Dietrich was my favorite character on that great sitcom.

We just finished another horrendous day (two in a row baby!) by watching 'Easy A' w/ Emma Stone. It's a comedy about a high school girl who capitalizes on her (unfounded) reputation as a slut to gain popularity, then has to face the consequences of her actions when the line btwn reality and fiction starts to blur. It started off slow, but picked up steam. Very impressed by Stone.

Dec 23rd

‎'Bear', a 2010 movie directed by John Rebel, was just . . . yeah. I'm not sure who should be more embarrassed, the folks responsible for creating this drivel, or yours truly for thinking "well, crap, at least *they* managed to get something produced. What does that say about my own talent?"

Dec 24th

If a train is coming @ you, closing your eyes won't save you. But if u look right @ it, you at least have a chance to jump. - I don't remember the source

I finished Andrew Vacch's 'The Weight', which I quite liked six weeks ago when I was 50 pgs in. Then, through no fault of the book itself, I had to finish it in blocks of 20 or 30 pgs over a month long period. By the end I resented the hell out of the novel. Couldn't stand to even look at it. Anyhow, it's the last bk I'm reading in '10. I'm done read out for the year.

Joey McIntyre and his wife are expecting their 3rd child. Congrats!

Lisa and I are watching "It's a Wonderful Life" on NBC. It remains my favorite movie ever. No contest - there's not a scene that doesn't make me smile and/or cry. Just seeing it on the screen makes this awful Christmas week nearly tolerable.

Christmas Day

A record crowd of Christian pilgrims is celebrating Christmas in Bethlehem. The Pope has also offered prayers urging courage for Catholics in China. My prayer's are with them too; Christians must remain strong in the face of the adversity this world presents against them.

Today, while walking to buy some much needed booze, I found a brand new copy of the 600 pg Polish poem "Pan Tadeusz" by Adam Mickiewicz just laying in the snow. Huh. What are the chances that a) a book nut b) a Polack c) someone both familar with the poem and a fan of it would rescue it from the elements on Christmas Day?

Dec 26th

Happy Boxing Day. I spent Xmas PM making a dinner of ham, potatoes, green beans, and (1st x ever) homemade bread pudding. The latter was greeted with gag reflexes by the kids, but Lu & Smiley wound up liking it. Then, w/ our friend Chris over it was a nt of 'Survivor: Vanuatu', 'Kitchen Nightmares', & Anne Francis in an episode of 'Honey West'. Hope u all had a great & peaceful Christmas.

Until the recent discs from Netflix, we've only seen two episodes of any Survivor (the Richard Hatch finale and this yrs result show). Now, we're hooked. I can't believe how insanely competitive I get, rooting for this contestant or tribe o...ver the other.

BTW - LOVED the abrupt about face that got the snooty but incredibly delictable Ami booted from Vanuatu. Great TV.See More

"Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted, but to weigh and consider" - Francis Bacon Sr (quote on a leather book weight Lisa got me for Christmas)

Dec 27th

Quote

 You're born an original. Don't die a copy." - John Mason

Play Practice

 Love it, and btw, Junie was singing the song in the car, she loves the play - Grandma Jeanne

 Lisa took Grace (or Grac.E as she now writes her name) to Justice to use up a gc from her aunt katie (thanks!). She found a lot of bargains, even buying something for LuLu. Nice mother/daughter time.

Monsters

I watched 'Monsters' tonight. Despite its moronic choice of title, it was grand. The story involves 2 people trying to cross the "Infected Zone" & reach the US - the Zone being an area of Mexico that has been overrun with ET's who arrived when a space probe broke up on entry. Yeah, yeah, I know - but it's GOOD, even moving at times. IIRC it won several film awards in the UK, and I think it was well deserved.

A quick word from your host

It's been awhile since I've posted here, and while no excuses are required, I'll mention that part of it was due to a lack of internet service. I could access Facebook on my phone, but venturing here? Nuh-uh.

Anyhow, today is the 16th anniversary of the day I met Lisa. Happy Anniversary babe.

A few random thoughts:

The Sentry (grocery) store on 51st and Oklahoma is shutting its doors after what's probably a fifty year run. I remember it largely for the bulk bags of dog food stacked by the windows; as a kid I would lounge on them while my Mom was in the checkout line. I also stopped there on my way back from a tour of Pius. Both memories are irrelevant, but when else am I going to mention them?

By the standards of its day I'm sure it was large, but in today's world it's not leaps and bounds larger than the produce section of its competitors. As a co-worker said, they can't compete with Aldi on the price of canned goods, nor with Pick 'n Save for produce, but their bakery and deli always did well. Failing to expand and stress those areas hastened their demise.

* * *

Yesterday, while the rest of the family was at dance class, LuLu and I watched the movie Secretariat. It was quite good, and well deserving of a rental.

Lisa and I have also just completed watching Season 8 of Project Runway. The winner, Gretchen Jones, is a good designer, but we both felt Mondo Guerra should have taken the gold.

* * *

"BabydollAngelCakesHoneyBunchesofOats" = my term of endearment for the girls. It comes out naturally, and as one word, all in a rush.

* * *

I'm annoyed by how the girls, especially YaYa, are stressing the last syllable of every word. "want" becomes "wanttttt". Have them say 'uh' and it comes out as eight syllables and takes half a minute to complete.

* * *

"No offense, " = another verbal tic of the girls. They use this phrase to inevitably launch into an offensive tirade about your faults.

* * * *
"Me a Robot. Me a Robot" - a phrase Ginger uses as she walks around with her arms out like a TV sleepwalker, a bucket or box on top of her head.

Happy Anniversary

16 years ago today I met Lisa for the first time. 2/22/95 will always rank as one of the pivotal days of my life, and she remains the best thing to ever happen to me. Happy Anniversary.

TJ

This evening's soundtrack: Edith Piaf, George Harrison, Amy Winehouse, Fleetwood Mac, Rihanna, David Bowie, Black Sabbath . . .

News

"I find it ironic that the same day that thousands of people skipped work to rail against our “undemocratic” leader [Walker] fewer than a quarter of the registered voters in Madison bothered to vote in an actual election." - Phil Hands of the Wisconsin State Journal

"Republicans. . . are holding possible bargaining chips in their efforts to end the stalemate. . . one of those chips may be a bill to require voters to show ID at the polls . . the ID bill could come another day if Democrats don't return. Without Democrats present, the Republicans have enough members to be able to hold votes on non-financial bills but not on a fiscal bill such as a budget"

Coincidentally . . .

YaYa: That's the third time today you've called me a liar!

Me: Coincidentally, that's the third time today you've lied.

 

Ugh, I keep posting and then deleting because i dont want the drama. I need to just stay off facebook. I don't pick friends by politics, nor do I intend to lose friends that way either, so what's the point? It's just hard, passion runs deep. - Lisa

You Again

 After a nice dinner w/ the kids Lis & I sat down to watch "You Again". Despite some nice buzz here on FB I thought the script was paint-by-numbers, w/out an original thought to be found. BUT it did pick up steam in the last third, so not all was lost.

Piranha 3D

I had a great day post-work. Capped it off by watching 'Piranha 3D' with Lisa - believe it or not, her Redbox choice, not mine. It was campy, gory, featured a lot of boobs and an awful soundtrack. I thought it was swell.

Don't Trust Junie with your Beverage

That's supposed to be a clear bottle of water. What you're looking at is the typical, persistent backwash of Junie.

That's why no one let's her take a sip!!!! And furthermore even, I, mom of "nothing grosses me out" will no longer be letting her take sips...I've been drinking brown soda too long, who knows how much of this shit I've ingested, YUCK!!!! - Lisa

Eleven Minutes

After work tonight we sat down & watched "Eleven Minutes" a documentary about the creation of Jay McCaroll's 2007 fashion line. Fascinating to watch, and Jay is certainly a character. Interesting fact: he turned down the prize $ from his win on Project Runway, citing the fact that the contract gave 10% of his earnings, in perpetuity, to the PR production company.

Other than Molly, is anyone on here going to Madison to support Gov. Walker? Someone asked me to go, but I have to work this morning - insert lame joke about how only teachers can skip work w/out penalty. Anyhow, if you are heading to that mess, stay safe. It could get ugly, esp since unions are bringing in folks from out of state to swell their numbers. (that's a fact out of the JS front page article, not opinion).

Fail

 tried and failed to secure Taylor Swift tix for YaYa . The only ones i could get were out of my price range, and efforts to borrow the xtra $ were for naught. So I failed my 1st born again. Wonderful.

The Best Quote about Writing. Ever.

 I can't understand why a person will take a year to write a novel when he can easily buy one for a few dollars. - the late great Fred Allen

True Grit by Charles Portis

 I've finished Charles Portis' novel 'True Grit'. It's a very short book, written as a monologue by the teenage heroine a half century after the events. I love the voice Portis gave the character; think Huck Finn with a bad temper and a cranky disposition. Well worth a read.

ISO

YaYa's junior troop is doing a service project and needs to collect a few things. If you'd like to help her troop out they need: men's socks, men's underwear, wash cloths, travel size soap, shampoo, prayer cards/coins, tooth brushes/paste. Our goal is to make 50 small care packages for a shelter, so it's a great cause. No donation too small - Lisa

I'm Done

Done with the political bullshit. Both sides. I'll say no more. I now only care about important things like what's on bravo or which drag queen has to lip-sync for their lives. I also hate you all. - Lisa

update: My sealed lips lasted 18 hours, almost a record for me. It's so hard, as you know. Passion runs deep

Teacher "Flu"

 Woke up to discover MPS is closed with the teacher 'flu'. Not that I'm cynical or anything, but I do note that with the scheduled day off on Monday MPS teachers have now guaranteed themselves a 4 day weekend with which to spend their average salary of $46K (for working 9 months a yr w/ wknds and holidays off). But it's not about $ people, it's about their rights!

MY kids have school today. So glad we chose this school. Catholic schools, consider them! - Lisa