It's All About ME!!!

Memories: Answering Machine

2009-12-20T12:18:00.000-05:00

I never saw the movie that inspired the message but I noticed it's on on-demand and it reminded me of an answering message we had when I was around 8 years old. It's funny that I can't remember really big memories when this silly message is permanently wedged in my brain.

"Bob and Carol live here but Ted and Alice don't. We can't get to the phone right now but if you leave your name and telephone number, we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Get ready, here comes the beep to leave your message."

Not sure if that's verbatim but it's close enough

- Posted from my iPhone

RANDOM PICS 3

2009-12-06T11:44:00.004-05:00

Sue got me new Starbucks mugs on her travels. My collection is getting pretty darn awesome.

Bryn, Nadia and Alan at Halloween 2009.

Redskins' Game, don't know which one.

Carlos... still stretching...

RANDOM PICS 2

2009-12-06T11:38:00.004-05:00

Alan at a Redskins Game.

Carlos stretching before we head into the stadium.

Tobey and his new toy... which lasted maybe like 20 minutes.

Fireworks at Cathy's wedding.

Another firework (can you use that as a singular noun?) at Cathy's wedding.

RANDOM PICS 1

2009-12-06T11:27:00.003-05:00

I'm not positive but I think this one was at the Bourbon, Beer and BBQ fest at the National Harbor this past summer. Not sure why I took a picture of strangers and not the people I was with...

This was definitely from the Phish show in Asheville, NC this past summer.

This was during some shopping in Biltmore Village in Asheville, NC.

Barb at one of the Redskins games this past season... I'm sure we lost.

I think this was another Redskins' game entirely but I can't tell you which one.

We've Got a Bleeder

2009-12-06T10:16:00.001-05:00

I hit my head right above my eyebrow... It's just a tiny little cut and I'm sure it's going to bruise like crazy but what I did NOT expect was the blood. My cut isn't even a cm long but oh my god you would think I'd sliced my whole forehead open. Drama.

- Posted from my iPhone

NEW BLOG LAYOUT:

2009-08-08T00:34:00.002-05:00

In honor of my return to blogging... again, please hold the applause until I'm finished... I thought a new blog design was in order. That pinkish flower thing was great for a while but the older I get the more pink flowers just don't seem to cut it anymore.

I went hunting for the perfect new blog layout and well... I don't know that it's actually perfect but I like it well enough. The biggest changes are that I removed much of the added side crap that was just bogging down and cluttering the site. I also now have a pretty scrolling slide show of the 4 most recent posts now at the top of the blog. One more big change, and hopefully not too annoying, is that the full post will no longer be displayed on the front page. You will now have to click the actual title or picture thumbnail to read the post in its entirety. As I said, hopefully that's not too annoying.

Well... happy blogging to me and happy reading to you. (Hopefully I've maintained my 2 faithful readers even after I disappeared on them for so long!)

I DID NOTHING:

2009-08-07T20:13:00.007-05:00

There was this kid in high school, he was older than me - although I can't remember by how much. I was a sophomore so he must have been a junior or senior and unfortunately, I can't remember his name. What I do remember is he fit the quintessential stereotype for a sitcom nerd. The kid that everyone picked on, the kid that the boys did mean things to, the kid with glasses who had them broken again and again.

One semester during my sophomore year I decided to take Peer Helping. This is ironic simply because it was within this class that I remember seeing bullying in it's most basic form. The class was for sophomores, juniors and seniors so the sophomores were quick to stay under the radar and find their place slowly and quietly.

I remember being fortunate enough to have an acquaintance who was a senior, Kelly, in the class with me. I'm not sure she was excited I was there because I was young and unsure and Kelly was confident and popular. But she took me under her wing and never made me feel like it was a chore. We would tutor and read to kids at the local elementary school during class sometimes and she and I would always ride together in her car. She would ask me all about my life and really try and be my friend. I can't remember Kelly's last name but I remember how much it meant at the time. I'm telling you about Kelly because you need to know why I was the way I was.

Being class "friends" with Kelly allowed me entry into a world where, at least during that class, I had immunity. No one could pick on me. It didn't matter that I was one of the youngest and knew the least amount of people in the class; because Kelly liked me I got a free pass. This gave me confidence that I very much needed in my life at the time. So when the bullying started up, I did nothing to stop it, in fact I cheered along with the rest of them.

Emotionally I was a mess in high school. I know that everyone always says this but in my case it was true. I was lying, I was intentionally trying to hurt people and myself, I was so devoid of any sense of self-worth that I think I actually went a little emotionally crazy. I was desperate for attention and drama but for whatever reason I was never really picked on. I was lucky to have a few genuinely good folks on my side... and it didn't hurt that they were popular. I was lucky that they saw beyond my insane desperation (this was before someone finally diagnosed me as manic depressive and put me on the drugs that eventually turned my life around) and when I was around them I was balanced and okay. I think it's also important that you understand where I was emotionally my sophomore year to understand, again, why I did nothing to stop it.

It started fairly early on. We had a great teacher who tried really hard to keep everyone equal in that peer helping class but behind her back she had no control. This kid, this poor upperclassman nerdy kid, was an obvious target right from the beginning. I didn't know anything about him or his tormentors but there was a history I'm sure because it started right away. They would throw things at him when the teacher wasn't looking and they would corner him in the hallway outside the classroom just to scare him. They would even go as far as to repeat ridiculous "jock" behavior they saw on TV and in the movies by giving him wedgies and trip him in the middle of the locker bays in between classes... when everyone could see... and laugh.

The kid would get so angry and try so hard to stay tough but I remember on one particular day he broke down and started crying after one of the other more popular guys in the class just wouldn't stop verbally abusing him. It was mean and cruel and heartbreaking. I would love to look down at the boys and girls (now men and women) that teased him and wag my finger at them but I was no better. My laughing, my inability to speak up or try to help the kid - in Peer Helping nonetheless - was as deafening as the bullying itself. I egged on the bullies, I pushed them further because they gained confidence from our positive response. I can't look down on someone when I was right there cheering them on.

It's not that I actually thought any of it was funny, not even back then. But being a part of a group... well they call it mob mentality for a reason. But more than that I think it had a lot to do with the fact that in that class I felt safe... but not safe enough that if I spoke up they wouldn't turn on me. Or even worse, associate me with him - making my social life a whole lot worse for the rest of my days in that school.

I was already on unsteady ground due to other things going on in my life, the last thing I needed was to wreck what little security I felt I had. I wish then, as many do, that I understood in the end how little high school would mean after the fact. My junior year of high school was easily the worst year of my life, personally and internally I was falling apart and we had yet to regulate the meds I needed back then to balance myself and stop acting absolutely insane. But strangely enough, I don't remember my own personal pain - maybe I've blocked it out, maybe it's why I have so few memories and so many holes in the ones that I still carry with me. The moments I remember best are the ones where I inflicted or helped to inflict pain on someone else.

The kid might have been socially awkward, he might have even been a little inept, but he never deserved the kind of verbal and physical abuse he received. All he wanted was someone to give him a break, I don't even think he was looking for friends at that point, he was just looking to be left alone. I'm ashamed I was ever even a part of it and the older I get and the more comfortable in my skin I get, the more I wish I'd done something to be kind. Kids are cruel and we don't get wise until we get older but still....

It is said that you should live your life without regrets but I disagree. I have many regrets. I only dwell on them occasionally, like right now, but while I understand I can't go back and change what's happened in the past it was all of these regrets that made me a better, clearer and stronger person today. I am not the same person I was in high school because I've worked hard to get away from that teenage girl. Without those regrets... I might still be stuck as someone I'd rather not remember or know.

I only wish that I hadn't been trying to constantly keep my head above water (and failing miserably) because even back then I was a better person and I knew that the bullying was wrong. Still, I did nothing.

For completely irrelevant reasons, I changed schools my senior year and started fresh with a better version of myself. Had the situation happened then my senior-self would've said something, stood up for the kid, felt empowered to be kind and not care if it threw me in the line of fire. Unfortunately my sophomore self was a whole different story.

I can't remember the kid's name. I'll never be able to tell him I'm sorry but I hope he made it out of high school okay, I hope he went on to have a good life and to forget all the tormenting he recieved. I hope he's well adjusted and never gives any of us a second thought... after all, we certainly are not worthy of his time and energy - at least not the "we" that we were back then.

DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK:

2009-08-04T21:56:00.002-05:00

So it occurs to me today... I like blogging. I enjoy it. I need to do it more often. But I'm not really going to do it right now. So in reality... this is just a giant tease that sooner or later I might be making a COMEBACK! Seriously, I didn't mean for you to get that excited. Jesus, man, you need to f&%king chill out.

Oh and by the way, I went back and did a little reading from around the 2003-2006 era of this blog. Holy God I am sorry I was such a sappy ass loser. Really, why did you people indulge me so much. Crying over this guy, whining over not getting my way, posting IMs that I thought were funny that... well... aren't. I can't even believe you guys kept reading. Thank you my beloved 2 readers.

PERFECT DAY:

2009-04-05T08:21:00.003-05:00

My birthday is coming up and every year I buy myself a Television DVD box set that I want with money I get for my birthday. This year I have spent my time drooling over the Sports Night 10th Anniversary set. The only problem is that the economy sucks and I'm pretty sure that the money I get for my birthday should go toward more responsible things. This is okay. That DVD box set isn't going anywhere, I can always buy it when things are a little more stable - besides the price might even be lower then!

My point is this is just another string of little things that make me look down on my birthday this year. Aside from the fact that I am turning a nice round number that I would prefer to put off a year, I've been getting the feeling that if I thought people would look down on my being single in my 20s they are going to be even more brutal and judgmental in my 30s. It's unfortunate that I am the only single non-married or non-common-law-married person at my work. Nothing is ever said directly to me but there are lots of comments about people they know who aren't married. They forget I am in the room. And while I'm glad they're not targeting their comments right at me, the ones about getting older and not having a partner to get old with are starting to get to me again. I have to keep reminding myself that it's okay either way and I don't like when I have to remind myself of something that is already true. I may die the old cat lady (except with dogs) and I have to make peace with that.

Once again I've gotten way off track through the need to vent. But I have to say, despite the little shindig I am throwing for my birthday, I would be okay if it just came and went and no one noticed. Between the anxiety over money, the anxiety over not fitting a social mold, the anxiety over just about everything in general... well let's just say I'm not looking forward to my birthday.

But all of this crazy regarding a day that will pass so quickly I won't even notice is ridiculous. I was born on April the 14th and during that year I was born on a Saturday. This was EXCELLENT news because one day before and i would've had the pleasure of being born on Friday the 13th... and a day later I would've been born on Easter AND permanently share my birthday with the day taxes are due. I was born on the perfect day of that weekend, a day that while isn't ONLY my own is not one I have to share with a nationally hated day. And I certainly don't have to worry if my birthday falls on a Friday.

So right now I'm making a pact with myself to shut up and stop complaining about my damn birthday. I was born on a good day, people tell me their 30s are always better than their 20s, I have plenty of my life (cross my fingers and knock on wood) to still determine what path I want to take socially... and like I said... that DVD box set will be mine one day, even if it isn't this month! Things aren't so bad, I just have to remember to look at them in a positive light... as Lloyd Dobler once said "Why can't you be in a good mood? How hard is it to decide to be in a good mood and be in a good mood once in a while?" It's true. I'm deciding to get in a good mood.

Slowing Up

2009-03-24T21:42:00.003-05:00

Sorry to say that I just don't have the time to keep up with this blog like I used to. It's a good thing, trust me. I'll still post from time to time when I feel I have something to complain about but don't expect daily updates... obviously. Just wanted to let you know what's up.

:)

I CAVED... BUT IT'S OKAY:

2009-02-22T13:23:00.003-05:00

I broke down on Friday, after a week of craving junk food and avoiding it at all costs, I decided I wanted to try the new Johnny Rockets across the street. I caved and stopped on my way home from work. I kept it simple, cheeseburger, fries, and unfortunately I broke and got a shake. Don't do that one people. Trust me, once you look up the calories you won't feel good at all about that shake - no matter how delicious it was. I promise. But the burger and fries, they were high in calories, high in fat and I just didn't care.

The thing is ever since I found out that that silly dinner restaurant was opening across the street I couldn't wait to try it out. It was very important that I did it, because now that I have I'm not in any rush to go back. It was excellent and I really enjoyed it - I'm not trying to scare patrons away from Johnny Rockets - I'll go back eventually. But my point it is was something I really wanted to try and now that I have I can move on.

I put on a lot of weight between the beginning of the holidays and recently. I finally got my butt back in gear and I've been doing pretty well. So really, you would think that I should feel bad about that meal. But I don't. It was damn good and by the next meal I was back in gear so yay for me... but BOO for that stupid shake. 1000 calories. ARE YOU KIDDING?! Lesson learned - ALWAYS look up food BEFORE you eat, not after.

IT'S SO BACK:

2009-02-15T23:44:00.003-05:00

Darn it! The Amazing Race just ended didn't it? I wasn't prepared to have to take on so many reality shows at once. Between Idol, The Amazing Race, True Beauty - yes I'm watching - shut up!, Top Chef and sometimes Survivor... I am drowning here. Cut me some slack. I don't want to have to admit I actually LIKE reality television.

Regardless, Amazing Race was awesome. Midgets, Deaf, Old, Hicks, Auburn alumni... all the outcasts were represented. I joke. I didn't mean to offend little people, the deaf, the elderly, or those who live in the sticks... but you Auburn alumni... you deserve it. You don't know why, but you do.

Well you know where I'll be now on Sunday nights... stupid reality television.

IT'S GONNA BE A LONG 4-8 YEARS:

2009-02-13T19:12:00.004-05:00

Assuming (knock on wood) that I continue in my job for the next 4 or possibly 8 years, I'm going to have to get used to being surrounded by republicans ALL THE TIME. Christ, I am the only democrat in my office. Guess it's good I've learned to tune out. At least my republican dad will be happy!

CRAP:

2009-02-10T22:27:00.004-05:00

As if it wasn't bad enough that I have been addicted to watching some of my favorite shows online, CBS is now streaming past goodies like 90210 (you know - the original) on cbs.com. My life is spent in front of the television and the computer (bad, I know but you'll just have to deal) so adding more options that keep me planted isn't exactly great news. On the other hand - YAY! More options to choose from!

Watch 90210 and your other favorites HERE.

WEST VIRGINIA PHOTOS:

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JUST BREATHE:

2009-02-02T23:26:00.002-05:00

I had one of my brief panic attacks over money again tonight but this time I handled it much better. See I love my new job but I'm not making a whole lot - it's enough to live on but there won't be a whole lot of extras. The problem is the paychecks just started becoming steady so while I'm not really behind on bills I'm waiting till the last second to pay them. This means that all the money at the beginning of each month is still going to pay the bills for last month when what I want to be doing is putting the money I get in the beginning of the month into savings until it comes time to pay the upcoming bill. Get my point? Maybe it's a little confusing but I'm not sure how better to explain it at 11:31 at night. Sorry. So anyway, life has been looking up and I am getting back on track with a lot of things but the bills needed to be paid and that same old panic I know so well just kicked right in.

But this time I went straight to the computer and decided to take it on before I chickened out again. I was going to deal with it last night, originally, but the idea of facing my bills seemed like too much. But tonight I sat down and got to work. Needless to say I'm not out of the woods, it'll probably take a few months before I'm up to the system I'd like (hopefully by then business will be up and I will get an increase in salary... but if not I have to stick with the idea that what I make now is what I will make then). But the good news is once I took a look at what I owed it wasn't so bad, at least not nearly as bad as I had made it up to be in my head. It's not going to be easy but it's doable. It's time to get back in the budgeting game and stop spending any extras. I'm ready, bring it on.

THE ROO:

2009-02-02T23:12:00.003-05:00

The new lineup for Bonnaroo came out. You can see more on that HERE. I'm going to see Phish in Asheville, NC so I'm not too worried about missing Roo this year but still there are a few bands I would've loved to see. Phish was my driving force but it's cheaper to do the Asheville show than Bonnaroo and we all know right now my main theme is cheap. (Plus I hate to say it but the older I get the less appealing sleeping on the ground in a tent for 3-4 nights seems.) Regardless, here is a list of some of my favorites for the coming 2009 Bonnaroo:

Springsteen
Phish
Beastie Boys
Nine Inch Nails
Al Green
Snoop Dogg
Erykah Badu
Ben Harper
Gov't Mule
MGMT
moe. (DAMN THIS WOULD'VE BEEN COOL!)
The Decemberists
Bela Fleck
Band of Horses
Coheed and Cambria
Booker T
Neko Case
Santagold
Citizen Cope
Grace Potter
Kaki King (ridiculous guitarist by the way)

And there are so many more. You can check out more info at STEREOGUM!

SCARLETT COVERS BUCKLEY - The OTHER song...

2009-01-28T19:24:00.003-05:00

Look I like Scarlett Johansson's voice - I do. It is a very cool throw back to a jazzier time and a style that I love. But I didn't like her Tom Waits album and I have to say I really don't like her cover of Buckley's Last Goodbye. We all know by now I love Buckley and I'm hypercritical of anyone who covers his stuff but I think maybe Scarlett had the opportunity to really shine here and she just copped out. I guess it's a good fit for the He's Just Not That Into You soundtrack - a cop-out song for a cop-out movie. Listen for yourself:

NOT TO BE MEAN...

2009-01-27T18:04:00.002-05:00

...but doesn't this picture look more like good Jen and evil Jen instead of Jen and her older sis?

PETA vs. THE SUPERBOWL:

2009-01-27T15:37:00.006-05:00

PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has a sexy 'eat vegetarian' ad that they were going to run during the Superbowl. Unfortunately NBC has given the no-go to the ad, claiming it is too sexy for NBC programming. You can read more on it HERE.

I am so torn on this. On the one hand if PETA was going to air one of their infamous cruelty to animals spots I would completely be on the side of NBC. But on the other hand I don't know if the Superbowl is the place to start banning 'sexy' ads. I admit... I am not the authority on this matter and I can't really come down firmly on one side or the other. I have no problem with PETA, I am not a vegetarian but I support all of those who are. I tend to "look the other way" when there is meat involved - it's just so damned tasty that I can't seem to stay away from it. But I block my mind from any thought of where the food originated. Since I tend to eat a lot of meat products on game day I don't want to see anything regarding the process of making that meat product. So the hypocrisy is that when I first saw the headline that a PETA ad had been banned I thought - yeah that makes sense. But then when I read it was banned because it was too sexy... well now I don't know that I agree.

After watching the video I am not sure what to think but you can decide for yourself:

VIDEO OF THE DAY:

2009-01-26T21:34:00.001-05:00

TWO MOVIES YOU MIGHT BE MISSING:

2009-01-26T17:43:00.006-05:00

FIREFLIES IN THE GARDEN: I really enjoyed this film. Ryan Reynolds plays Michael, son of Lisa (Julia Roberts) and Charlie (Willem Dafoe), comes back for his mother's graduation which unfortunately coincides with the same day his mother dies. It's a story about a son dealing with the past and what it means now that his mother has died. I was so impressed with this little indie film and if you have the chance to see it I really think you should take it.

THE EDGE OF LOVE: I really liked this one as well. Keira Knightley is Vera Phillips, the childhood crush and muse of poet Dylan Thomas (Matthew Rhys). The story revolves around Vera and her relationships with Dylan Thomas, Dylan Thomas' wife Caitlin (Sienna Miller), and William Killick (Cillian Murphy). Their relationships were never black and white and it is a great story of what may or may not have happened over the years.

VIDEO OF THE DAY:

2009-01-24T11:51:00.003-05:00

So much happened this past week but nothing more important than this:

TO NETFLIX OR NOT TO NETFLIX:

2009-01-22T20:32:00.007-05:00

EAGLE EYE: I don't know if it's because I never heard the hype on this one while the movie was in the theaters but I really ended up enjoying this flick. Pick this one up.

HENRY POOLE IS HERE: It was okay, I could really go either way on this one. I'm going to refer you to imdb.com and if you like the description then go ahead and queue it up.

THE HOUSE BUNNY: Nope. I like funny stupid cutesy movies and this had promise but not so good on the delivery. I say skip it.

THE WACKNESS: This movie wasn't all that great. I usually love indies but this movie bugged me for some reason. It was okay but I still say skip it.

SAVAGE GRACE: Holy cow talk about boring! This was supposed to be a crazy scandalous story about a son who kills his mom after one crazy life. But no. SKIP it.

SURFER, DUDE: I was just hoping that the perfect combination of Matthew McConaughey, a stoner flick about surfing and Woody Harrelson would end up being... well perfect. It was not. Skip it.

HAMLET 2: I don't know on this one - kind of cute and quirky but I don't know if I liked it enough to tell you to get it. I refer again to IMDB.com on this one.

THE DUCHESS: Eh... again it was okay. I saw a lot of sub-par movies in my opinion recently. It was good so I guess if you like period flicks you should consider it - otherwise skip it.

BURN AFTER READING: I didn't love it - I didn't hate it. I am getting really sick of Brad Pitt and he was just damn annoying in this film. I know he was supposed to be but that made it seem even MORE annoying. Oh well. You should really decide on this one for yourself.

UNITED STATES OF TARA: EPISODE 1: I loved this! I thought while a little fantastical it was a great 30 minute show and I'll be sure to keep tuning in (you can watch this first episode on netflix.com if you're a member).

THE OFFICE: SEASON 1: (The BRITISH Office I might mention). I've seen this before so it was sort of a cheat but it's been so long I decided to watch it again. No one can make me uncomfortably laugh like Ricky Gervais. Definitely get this one.

FRIDAY NIGHT AWESOMENESS:

2009-01-22T19:43:00.006-05:00

Here is my weekly plea for you to watch Friday Night Lights. I won't go on and on about how fantastic it is because by now you know how I feel. Perhaps that little title of the post there tipped you off... could be... yes? No? Huh. I really thought that was pretty obvious. Well I love the show and there is a good chance you will too if you give it a chance! If you didn't see last week I have given you my favorite "can't miss" scene from last week's episode and a 2 minute recap from NBC. Now you have no excuses. However if you want to catch the first episode before tomorrow night's new one you can head over to Hulu.com and watch it.

"Rebound for Jesus..."

2 Minute Recap of the Season 3 Premiere of Friday Night Lights:

A SELFLESS OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESS:

2009-01-22T18:22:00.004-05:00

If there was one celebrity that I can say I had an honest to god crush on it was Brad Pitt. Notice I use the word was - that crush no longer exists. And lately I've been wishing that the press really would leave him alone so that I could have a break too. But then this morning I woke up and found out he was nominated for Benjamin Button and already the blogs have gone crazy over the news. And here I am blogging about him now as well. Awesome. So from now until the Oscars and long after if he wins we will be hearing all about Brad Pitt. Yay. So I am going to do my good deed of the day here - my one big selfless act.

Dear Press and other Bloggers,

Please leave Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and their entire clan alone so that they might breathe and live without having to be in the media on a regular basis. I believe that Brad and Angie know the value of having private time where they don't have to see their faces on magazines, television, the internet for quite a very long time. We should allow them that time. We need a time where the word Brangelina sounds new and shiny and exciting all over again and to get to that time... we need a break... they, I mean they, need a break... a long long long... long long long long... break. Please press and bloggers - leave Brad and Angie be with their family - to watch them grow and flourish. I beg you... on their behalf!

Thank You,

E - A very concerned individual.

I LIED... THIS IS THE VIDEO OF THE DAY:

2009-01-18T14:36:00.001-05:00

VIDEO OF THE DAY:

2009-01-18T13:59:00.003-05:00

LOVE IT!

DAMN DAMN DAMN:

2009-01-17T19:17:00.003-05:00

I KNEW I needed to put in my ticket request for the Asheville Phish show by Friday - I knew it and still I forgot. Damn. Now I have to try my luck with the masses on the 30th - wish me luck. Damn.

Short Thoughts:

2009-01-16T20:48:00.001-05:00

I was just thinking - there is a post on here about how much I hated The Spirit and the photo doesn't seem to be working - I think my feelings are clearly made known by not wasting my time fixing the problem. Good day to you all.

I THINK YOU'RE BLUFFING:

2009-01-16T20:20:00.005-05:00

Everyone is all up in arms about how crazy Joaquin Phoenix has turned out to be now that he wants to quit acting to become a rapper. Now early on I heard he was quitting to focus on his music career and given that his brother once did the same thing (before his death) I bought the story. I didn't know nor did I care what Joaquin Phoenix was going to do with his life. I think he's a great actor but - do what you gotta do, right?

Then I heard he was planning to become a rapper and I thought maybe he was absolutely delusional and then I moved on with my life - quickly - like moments later.

THHHHEEEEENNNNNNNN I heard that Casey Affleck, oddly enough Phoenix's brother-in-law (evidence I know too much wasteful info), is going to make a documentary of this transformation from an actor to a rap star. SO NOW I call your bluff Joaquin. This is either all for a laugh on the general public, this was always to make a 'mockumentary' and not a documentary, or both. I'm voting for both.

Now if it turns out after all that it's true and Joaquin Phoenix is absolutely serious about being a rapper and Affleck is a big supporter of this - I will beat my head senselessly into a wall over and over again with unabashed shame that I cared enough about this to not only pause and think about it but also because I just blogged about it. Yes I know that was a run-on sentence. SHUT UP!

PLEASE WATCH FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS!

2009-01-16T17:12:00.004-05:00

Possibly the greatest show I've come across in my long history with television Friday Night Lights IS the show to watch. I've seen season 3, it has already aired for DirectTV viewers, but for the rest (and for those who want to live it all over again - I'M BEGGING YOU TO WATCH IT AGAIN) it begins airing on NBC tonight. I wish I had put this post out yesterday or the day before because my 2 loyal readers only seem to read this sucker on weekday mornings but alas I am still making my last ditch effort. But what I can tell you is this season, in my opinion, surpasses the first season and makes you forget all the little mistakes of season 2. For those who haven't seen and don't know if they should try it - I have yet to meet someone who watched it and didn't like it.

So I am begging, down on my hands and knees, to watch this show because I really want a season 4 and while NBC would like to keep it around without decent ratings the season 3 finale (while AWESOME) will be the last Friday Night Lights we'll see. Please check it out.

MY NEW FAVORITE:

2009-01-13T19:03:00.003-05:00

A friend of mine introduced me to F*CK YOU, PENGUIN today and I haven't stopped laughing since. It's too funny and really a must read in my opinion. But be warned: the language is a little strong so make sure your kid or your boss isn't standing over your shoulder. See what I'm talking about HERE.

OMIGOD NPH I TOTALLY HEART YOU:

2009-01-11T15:16:00.005-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, the man I am backing for RULER OF THE WORLD....MR. NEIL PATRICK HARRIS!:

HAPPY WAY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING:

2009-01-10T00:12:00.001-05:00

I'M BACK...

2009-01-09T23:55:00.002-05:00

I had managed to stay away from MySpace for so long - the empowerment I found when I deleted my profile and knew that my picture no longer showed up on any other MySpace page... well it didn't last. And now the evil empire known as MySpace has sucked me back in - with a few changes. This time I will be okay if you don't accept me as your friend. This time I will not worry because I left you a comment 6 days ago and you still haven't said a damn thing to me. THIS TIME I will not care that I only have 8 out of the 342,983,928,374,928,374,928 MySpace friends I will have add over the next year. I will not cry when I'm not listed as anyone's top friend.... Okay well maybe it really wasn't that bad but this time, it's just a page and a way to keep in touch with some friends - and maybe stalk a few celebrities but hey whatever!

That being said I guess I should say that if you DO want to be my friend on MySpace you can find my page HERE. But hey *sniff-sniff* - no pressure.

TOP THAT:

2009-01-09T16:48:00.004-05:00

When I was younger I caught a little movie called Teen Witch on the Disney Channel one night and I was smitten. It didn't really take much back then, big hair, late 80s clothes, a bad plot, really cool 80s tunes in the background - loved them all!

Fortunately over the years my taste has matured and I've moved on to wittier entertainment - Like 30 Rock. Weeks ago 30 Rock ran an episode in which Liz and Jack attend Liz's high school reunion. One of her fellow high school alumni was played by Robyn Lively, the star of Teen Witch. I assumed it was just a fluke, an actress playing a part. But this week there was this:

CROSS YOUR FINGERS:

2009-01-08T19:07:00.001-05:00

I'm trying for ASHEVILLE!

VIDEO OF THE DAY:

2009-01-07T17:52:00.003-05:00

I found this little gem over at ROLLINGSTONE.COM. I've been pretty indifferent in my opinion of Zac Efron during his career so far; of course I haven't seen High School Musical or it's sequels so maybe I'm missing out. I doubt it. I still consider the High School Musical 3 trailer one of the funniest things I've ever seen. But regardless of his past work, he cracked me up voicing The Joel on Robot Chicken:

***FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH ROBOT CHICKEN - IT'S NOT A FAMILY SHOW - YOU'VE BEEN WARNED***

HALLELUJAH:

2009-01-06T22:19:00.002-05:00

I go back and forth with my opinion of Sheryl Crow's music. Some songs are just simple and beautiful and some are fun but like this version of Cohen's Hallelujah, most are just okay:

TOO LITTLE TOO LATE?:

2009-01-06T22:11:00.006-05:00

So get THIS! Michael Jackson, who basically bought the rights on The Beatles music, outbidding both Yoko and Paul. I remember that back in the day, before I knew anything on what it meant to hold the rights to a catalog, I thought this was pretty underhanded but now that I understand fully what it means I think it's down right wrong. Regardless, Michael Jackson is making a half ass attempt at amends - he's planning on leaving Paul McCartney the rights to that catalog in his will. You can read more about it HERE.

SO THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT:

2009-01-05T18:30:00.003-05:00

Honestly I have never bothered to look it up before and until now I never really knew how to take a screen shot with Leopard on my MAC. I finally looked it up today and there are a multitude of options. For those with Leopard my favorite is the Shift+cmd+3 (or the space bar), then you get something pretty like this:

NOTE: There are several other key short cuts that allow you to save the picture several ways using resizing and whether you want to save to your desktop or clip board. I recommend doing a quick Google search - it will be worth your time.

BRING ON THE CHICK FLICKS!:

2009-01-04T16:25:00.004-05:00

So while I have loved all the dramatic gems I've seen in the theater lately I am ready for Spring, not just for the weather but because starting around Valentines Day and up until the Summer Blockbusters begin we get Chick Flick Season, aka Romantic Comedies ABOUND! So in honor of the Oscar films going by the wayside and the fun fluff taking over I offer you this trailer:

HALLELUJAH:

2009-01-04T16:11:00.003-05:00

Everyone in the U.K. is going crazy over X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke's rendition of Cohen's Hallelujah so I figured I'd post it here for you to hear:

MORNING TOAST:

2009-01-04T10:48:00.003-05:00

WINTER SUNDAYS: My favorite day of the week is Sunday regardless of the season. Most dread Sunday, the last day we have left before we have to get up the next morning and get back to our weekly routine - be it school or work. I know that tomorrow will be particularly hard for many of us as we return to this routine after vacations or at the very least a long weekend. However none of that changes my opinion of Sunday, I love it. No matter what I choose to do on Sunday it seems to have a particular shine to it, my free day, my day. As the days inevitably start to get warmer in a few months I will spend my Sunday mornings taking long walks and spending more time outdoors and I do love that time of year. But I have to say it's my lazy Winter Sundays that I enjoy the most, particularly the morning. I love taking my time getting out of my warm bed and rushing quickly to get the dog out so I can get back in that warm bed. I could spend all morning sitting there reading or surfing the internet or blogging... or as I am now, watching those Netflix movies that have been sitting here for a while and I want to return them so I can get others on my list. Raise a toast to Sunday, the best day of the week.

BRITNEY BRITNEY AND BRITNEY: So I was reading THIS post at celebitchy.com and I found myself once again forging a subconscious "free Britney" campaign in my head. It's gone now but this time last year I remember shaking my head and thinking this girl just needed to get it together somehow. Watching her melt down before the world she was like a car wreck, you felt bad for her but still you couldn't look away, you were fascinating by her. Now, a year later, we are seeing a completely different Britney and somehow she's done the impossible, going from the charity case every wished would just quietly go away to becoming the front running cause of celeb lovers everywhere. Even I, who actually remained fairly indifferent to Britney during this time, find myself pulling for her whenever I read about her. But now the girl has gone from too much freedom to what sounds like a dictatorship run by her father and manager. I am the first to admit the press don't always know what they're saying or they make their speculations sound too much like truth that we are fooled often but from all accounts this seems to be a very unhealthy way of getting Britney back on track. Let's face it, none of us really care about Britney's music, it's fun we like it, I sing Womanizer at the top of my lungs with the windows rolled up - I dig it - fun song - but none of us wait to hear what song she's going to put out on the next record because it's going to change our life. I feel for those who thought Hit Me Baby, One More Time was a life changing song. But Britney is a cause now - we want her to succeed just to believe she can, we want to believe that she can go from the bottom and rise up again to the top, she's a symbol, a hope in some way. But maybe we're so keen to see her succeed that no one is really paying attention to how the change is taking place. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

LORI DREW: Lori Drew is the mom that made up the fake myspace.com page and harassed her daughter's friend. It was a tragic story that led to the girl's suicide and the charges were dropped against a few days ago. This enrages me. I understand the law is not black and white on this type of thing, she didn't actually kill the girl physically but she is what is to believed the sole reason that the young girl was pushed over the edge. This is a grown woman who is a mother of a teenage girl nonetheless and yet she was all too happy to help her daughter shame and emotionally torture this girl. Inadvertently that shame and despair ended the girl's life. This is just ridiculous, there has to be some form of punishment out there for a grown MOTHER who tortures a child to the point of suicide. At least when they replayed this story on Law and Order: SVU they made it apparent that the Mom got her due. Let's home somehow this plays out the same way.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Imagine a world where under a new regime dishonesty is a crime punishable by instant death. Now imagine that under this new regime you are forced to get a tattoo on your forehead that consists of the most honest one word negative adjective best describing you. You cannot lie and yet you know everyone will see this tattoo at all times, your friends, family and business associates. What would your word be? Honestly?

A PICTURE IS WORTH:

2009-01-04T02:42:00.001-05:00

HAPPY SUNDAY WINTER MORNING :)

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:

2009-01-03T20:28:00.002-05:00

I found this little YouTube video over on totalfilm.com. I particularly liked the quote: "To call the characters cardboard is to insult a useful packing material." Haha. I didn't need the video to convince me but I'll throw in my vote, just tell me where :)

WHAT AM I WATCHING?:

2009-01-03T13:32:00.003-05:00

MILK: I really had no idea what I was getting myself into with Milk. I knew nothing about Harvey Milk other than he was an openly gay politician before seeing this movie and now I have a hard time believing I went for so long without knowing about this man. First of all I thought all the actors gave very honest performances, only a few made me wonder if they were overdoing it a bit as sometimes straight actors playing gay can. But for the most part I bought it all hook line and sinker, they were fantastic. Sean Penn is transformative and most of the supporting cast is the same. Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna, James Franco, Victor Garber and Alison Pill were all convincing but I think in the end it was Penn and Josh Brolin that stole the film.

What I found to be the best part of the film was how much I actually learned about the gay movement before the 1980s. There was plenty of old footage and information regarding Anita Bryant and the fight against equal rights for gay men and women. The fight continues to this day but to see the roots of the fight was just fascinating to me.

I thought this was a fantastic movie from start to finish and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a really great snapshot of our history. It might not be something you want to see given your feelings on homosexuality but I personally think it's something everyone should see regardless.

THE CABLE NETWORKS HAVE IT:

2009-01-03T13:13:00.006-05:00

We are all growing more and more disillusioned with the shows on the main networks, we still have a few gems to turn to on the premium networks although their heyday is no more either, so where are we all turning to find something worth watching? Cable networks. I've been obsessed with Mad Men and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia since I found them, while I'm not a fan of Raising the Bar several of my friends are and there are the standby favorites like The Shield, Rescue Me, and The Closer. Cable networks are having their time now and I have to say I'm intrigued. I had the fortunate luck of catching Leverage before it aired on TNT and I settled in for disappointment considering I had the same privilege with Raising the Bar and... well you can read my opinion for yourself right HERE if you haven't already. But surprisingly I found Leverage to be a fun experience, still I wasn't sure and left it alone until now. I just ran through all the episodes on my DVR and I have to say I'm still a fan... plus I'm intrigued by the ads for the upcoming Trust Me at the end of this month. You find these cable shows drawing in more and more talent and the caliber seems to be getting higher while most shows on the networks (ahem... Grey's Anatomy) seem to be dying a very tragic and drawn out death. Plus, I might add, the major networks are now trying to find ways to schedule less non-scripted programming... for example NBC is now putting Jay Leno on at 10 o'clock every weeknight so they no longer have to provide scripted television during that hour - now they only have to fit the 8 and 9 o'clock hours. I say boo, I'll take my business elsewhere... like FX, AMC, TNT and many other cable networks producing quality scripted programming.

I TWITTER - BUT I DON'T GET IT:

2009-01-03T11:17:00.005-05:00

So I have a Twitter account and from time to time I remember I have a Twitter account so I go and update it but still I don't really get it. I only follow roughly 5 people and of that 5 I've only hung out with 2 of them and of those 2 only one of them was ever my friend. Still I like that I have a Twitter account. I have a total of 2 or 3 people following me, probably sure they're not hanging on my every word and wishing I would update my status... if that's even what it's called. I'm not down with the lingo of the Twitter. I keep searching for the meaning behind it, the big point that is going to make me just laugh with glee and wonder why everyone doesn't have a twitter account. Crazy. But I don't think there actually is one. Maybe because I don't know too many people that use Twitter that I don't see the need for it but hey I'll keep updating from time to time and checking out what my 5...2... okay 1 former friend is up to.

TO NETFLIX OR NOT TO NETFLIX:

2009-01-03T10:23:00.008-05:00

TROPIC THUNDER: EVERYONE told me this movie was going to be terrible. Maybe it was my low expectations but I laughed quite a bit in this flick, plus the dance scene at the end by one Mr. Tom Cruise was worth it anyway. I don't want to tell you this is the funniest movie you'll ever see but between Tom Cruise and Robert Downey Jr. alone it's worth picking up the DVD on Netflix.

WANTED: This on the other hand is not worth your time. I really like James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie so how could this movie possibly go wrong? Much like I wondered how a Frank Miller flick could go so wrong while I was watching The Spirit, but it did. Skip this one. If you're looking for sexy Angie with a gun I say go back and get Mr. and Mrs. Smith - even that was better than Wanted.

THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES: This was cute. A nice little family flick. I don't know that I'll remember much about it next week but it wasn't bad at all for what it was supposed to be.

WEDDING DAZE: I actually really liked this movie. I had never picked it up even though I'd seen it on the shelf for years but because of my new girl-crush on Isla Fisher I decided why not. It's nothing to write home about, 2 people scorned by love or lack of love get engaged the minute they meet. Silly but still cute. I love romantic comedies - good and bad - so I don't want to tell you to pick this one up but I will say that if you're flipping through the channels and see it's on you might want to consider checking it out.

MORNING TOAST:

2009-01-03T09:35:00.012-05:00

HOLLYWOOD WANTS NEW IDEAS: I have to believe that statement is true because otherwise SCREAM 4 is going to be the new trend of recycled films. Sure we've been recycling and "updating" scripts for years now but now they are hitting movies I saw in high school... which was now only *sigh* over 10 years ago! I knew we were in trouble when 90210 got remade and then became by all accounts (it's still on the air isn't it?) popular. Does Hollywood think that I have forgotten movies only 10 years old by now?

TV REJECTS FIND FUNNY ON THE INTERNET: Jerry O'Connell can't carry a sitcom to save his life - all of his past ventures have failed. He ends up in dramas from time to time and seems to do really well but every time he tries to get funny or be the main attraction of the show it just fails miserably. Rebecca Romijn, O'Connell's wife, is pretty much the same. She does great in smaller roles but from what's been said on the Ugly Betty set, give her an inch and she'll take a mile. Notice the supposed diva hasn't been on the show lately? It's not because she's pregnant. But here to capitalize on her pregnancy is what I thought to be a pretty amusing Funny or Die video:

RIDICULOUSLY FUN iPHONE APP: I am all about the videos this morning. Yesterday, while having lunch with my Dad after seeing The Spirit - don't see that movie... please - I decided to download my first "pay for uselessly fun app". I got the iSteam. A lot of people are way into iPhone apps and while I do use several they've all been free or served enough of a purpose that I felt it was worth the money. Still despite the frivolity behind iSteam, I've been having way too much fun with it. Check out the YouTube video I found on GIZMODO just to see some of the ridiculous fun you could be having.

SAVE ME A SEAT: It's official, I just ran through my usual blogs for the day and more people are reporting between yesterday and today about Lindsay Lohan's ups and downs with her girlfriend than the tragic loss of Jett Travolta. We really are just waiting out the Apocalypse on our way to hell. Nicely done Lohan... nicely done.

LATE BLOOMER: Everyone has already caught It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, I know, but still for those of you not watching it... HILARIOUS! Previously I had caught 2 episodes from the first season that didn't leave that big an impact on me so I never really understood the hype. Well not having too much on television I visited one of my all time favorite sites: hulu.com, and decided to give IASIP another try. Success! I hate sitcoms, at least the normal everyday family sitcoms, I have never watched The Old blah blah girl that used to be on Seinfeld show and I have tried The Big Bang Theory per some friends of mine - terrible and while Charlie Sheen seems to be a funny guy and that show does well - I've made it through 3 episodes without even a chuckle. My point being that I tend to lean toward the off beat sitcoms like The Office, 30 Rock, Samantha Who?, and now It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. If you haven't checked it out head over to hulu.com and you can watch them all or just sit around and wait for the 5th season to kick up on FX.

GROSS NOTE:That's it for this morning, not a lot going on this Saturday to write about yet. Also, on a gross note, my stomach is now vetoing fake butter topping for movie theater butter only it didn't decide to start until around 1 in the morning and it's still rejecting it... so I'm going to try and catch another round of naps before that happens again :) How's that for a pleasant ending thought :)

RIP: JETT TRAVOLTA:

2009-01-02T17:41:00.003-05:00

I think it's always so sad when someone passes away but it's even more tragic when the person who dies is so young. Despite your feelings on them in their profession I hope your heart goes out to John Travolta and Kelly Preston right now. Luckily I have no first hand knowledge on this but losing a child is possibly the most painful experience anyone can go through. Jett Travolta was only 16 years old.

You can read the details HERE.

WHAT AM I WATCHING?:

2009-01-02T17:21:00.005-05:00

THE SPIRIT: I won't even bore you with why but this movie was terrible. It was just awful. I mean I have seen some bad movies but this one may have them all beat. The visuals were cool enough until you realized the plot, dialogue and remainder of the movie just sucked from start to finish. Please don't waste your time on this flick.

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE: This movie on the other hand was great from start to finish. You might recognize 1 or 2 actors but this movie full of unknowns will break your heart over and over again but you'll still love every second of it. I love Danny Boyle, his movies have been favorites of mine since I first discovered Trainspotting in high school and while I loved Sunshine a lot of people thought he lost his touch after 28 Days Later. Well if that's the case he's certainly back on track now. This story is about a young man who ends up on India's version of Who Wants to Be A Millionaire and over the course of his taping he files through many important memories that led him to being a contestant on the show. It's such a sweet story but poignant and effective all at the same time. I definitely think you should consider this one.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!:

2009-01-01T00:08:00.000-05:00

Cross your fingers that this one's better than the last...

WHAT AM I WATCHING?:

2008-12-31T19:31:00.005-05:00

THE CHANGELING: I really enjoyed this movie but like many of Clint Eastwood's movies (i.e. Million Dollar Baby) this one is NOT a feel good movie. Even when it has it's uplifting moments they aren't that uplifting and they're gone just as soon as they arrive. I think that Angelina Jolie was good, I have to admit that while I do like her and think that she's a great actress I don't really feel like I saw anything new or different. Every actor pulled their weight but no one stood out as something amazing to watch, as an ensemble they worked well. There were a few parts when I did have to look away from the screen for a bit because the content and imagery were just too much to handle, it was the same for me with Million Dollar Baby. These scenes aren't necessarily too gory or visually violent but due to the reality of the scene and situation it was just too much for me at times. But despite those few scenes it really was an excellent movie, I just wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for something "light and fun".

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON: No this is not a special Brad and Angie version of 'What Am I Watching?', it just so happens that I saw these 2 movies most recently. I really don't have anything bad to say about the movie, Brad Pitt was great, Cate Blanchett was stunning, Taraji Henson stole every scene, but still it wasn't my favorite. The story that wrapped around the tale of Benjamin didn't really seem needed, I won't give away details but while it mixed into Benjamin's story it didn't seem necessary in any capacity. Plus I will say the story also seems to involve a now very well known hurricane for no apparent reason. I should take that back, there's a reason but not a reason good enough to once again use this hurricane in the wrap around story. But that being said the bulk of the story is the tale of Benjamin and I found it sweet and sincere and in many respects it gives you a fresh take on life in general and how we should be measuring it. I will mention that while you think I might be creeped out by seeing Brad Pitt aged 20+ years older it was actually when he was aged 20 years younger that something just didn't look right.

VIDEO OF THE DAY:

2008-12-31T16:08:00.004-05:00

So I don't know if any of you watched The Kennedy Center Honors last night but I made a point of recording it. Aside from being a fan of many of the recipients... I really wanted to see Barbara Streisand forced to sit near Dubya for an entire ceremony without doing something obnoxious. I will agree she can sing but damn that woman's crazy... let's just say if Bush had run against her I would've voted for Dubya... no joke. But I digress, when the tribute to The Who arrived I was pleased to see Jack Black presenting, happy to see Joss Stone, Rob Thomas and Dave Grohl pay their respects through The Who songs... but CLEARLY it was Bettye LaVette who brought down the house. It was amazing, just perfection from start to finish.

You can watch the entire tribute but if you don't have the time skip ahead to the 2:55 mark and at least watch/listen to Bettye Page make Love Reign O'er Me her own:

TOO MUCH READING, TOO LITTLE TIME:

2008-12-28T14:36:00.003-05:00

So for Christmas this year I made out pretty well. I've spent hours playing my new Wii and taking advantage of all the other gifts I've been given, but one in particular is causing me to experience quite a dilemma. I received an Amazon Kindle, which I wanted and I'm very excited about, but I already belong to bookswim.com not to mention all the books loaned to me still waiting to be read. As I mentioned before I was reading The Historian but I haven't had the luxury of reading time lately so I'm only 50 pages in (and it's long) and while I'm enjoying it I've decided to take a break. See that book was loaned to me indefinitely and my books from Bookswim.com arrived early last week and I can't justify reading a loaned book when I pay $20 a month for all the books I can read from bookswim.com. If I'm reading a book loaned to me those bookswim.com books are going unused and I'm paying to store them rather than read them. That's my mindset at least. So the loaned books (in this case The Historian) is being put by the wayside in order to get to the books I pay hard earned money for. I hate stopping books before finishing but financially this makes more sense. Right? In a strange way I wish people would stop loaning me books, they just bring them over or hand them to me and I for whatever reason can't say no. I know these people are loaning me these books because they have an attachment to them however many of the books I am told I will love I have no real interest in from the beginning... but again, I can't say no. Then I feel as if I am committed to reading them at some point but bookswim.com is fast enough with their turnaround that I rarely find myself without a book to read from them. And that's a minor problem I've been dealing with for a while now, I just try and balance as much as possible.

But now I have a Kindle. And really what I should do is give up my subscription to Bookswim despite my love for it because my Kindle can go anywhere and it's a really great tool. But I love having a real book and beyond that in the summer I like to read in the pool, get on a raft and read for hours... I would hesitate to take my Kindle (an electronic device) in the pool... even if I am on a raft. I know it seems like a great problem to have but I am finding myself slightly anxious over what the best decision is here. Perhaps I'll simply downgrade my bookswim.com account giving me more time for the books on my Kindle and the books that others have loaned to me but still I'm not sure if that's the best solution.

And in the words of a friend who had to listen to this rant about my insignificant problem... At least I can read!

WHAT AM I READING?:

2008-12-28T14:21:00.003-05:00

HALLELUJAH:

2008-12-28T14:17:00.003-05:00

Here is Katie Voegele doing Cohen's Hallelujah. Unfortunately it's been pulled from an episode of One Tree Hill so you get some of that mixed in as well... of course if your guilty pleasure is One Tree Hill then it's not so bad, is it?

TO NETFLIX OR NOT TO NETFLIX:

2008-12-28T13:19:00.007-05:00

CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF: I had seen the play but never the movie, I am a big fan of the late Paul Newman so it comes as a surprise that there are still so many of his flicks I haven't caught yet. Slowly, I am working on that little glitch. I was always fascinated with Tennessee Williams' ability to write an entire play that takes place in such a short period of time but is still packed full with so much dialog and content. I am envious of this. I felt that the movie did Williams' story justice and if you haven't caught this classic yet I highly recommend it.

ONCE: People have been telling me since the inception of this movie that I needed to see it. I am assuming it is because of the musical aspect - although it was recommended I see Mama Mia! and I'll get to that in a second. This movie is NOT a musical, that much should be said, it's a genuinely sweet story about street musicians and the songs in some respects remind me of Damien Rice tunes... and no I don't think that because both the movie and Rice are Irish. Regardless, I found this movie to be so sweet and adorable and even though it seemed to take me forever to see it I am so glad I finally did.

LOVE AND OTHER DISASTERS: You know, it's cliche', but Breakfast at Tiffanys is my favorite movie, Audrey Hepburn is hands down my favorite actress of all time. This movie circumvented a girl who loves Breakfast at Tiffanys and basically wants to be Holly Golightly... I hated this movie. Terrible.

DINNER FOR FIVE: 50th EPISODE: This particular episode had the cast of Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show (HEREAFTER REFERRED TO AS VVWWCS) as the guests, and FYI if you haven't seen VVWWCS documentary GET IT! Back to Dinner for Five - I love this kind of stuff, seeing actors and producers sitting around discussing things without the filter of their PR people standing by. I particularly love this crew of actors when they are around each other - evidenced by my love of the VVWWCS DVD so while I say yes you should consider watching this I think you'd have to be a fan of things like Inside the Actor's Studio and shows like that - except without question cards and a lot more chaos. You make this choice for yourself.

MAMA MIA!: Which brings me to this piece of crap. I have a special place of hatred in my heart for the movie Deliverance... I can't STAND that flick. This movie now has a very special place of ALMOST PURE HATE sitting right next to Deliverance. Let's just put it that way. How did this flick out gross Titanic? Seriously, it did what Dark Knight couldn't do in the theater and this BAFFLES ME. The only thing I can think of is that maybe Mama Mia! was thought to be more of a family flick opening it to a wider audience or else people out there just really love GOD AWFUL movies. I don't think I need to say anymore, I think you get how I'm feeling about this one.

MY NEW FAVORITE:

2008-12-28T12:42:00.003-05:00

Back in the beginning of August I was on vacation with my mom and sister and clarity began to seep in as to what needed to happen to make my life just a little less stressful. I made plans to lessen the frivolity in my life and to start paying off (and not using) my credit cards, put more in savings, pay all my bills on time and stop incurring random fees, etc. I had already started the credit card trend, paying off quite a large one back around this time last year and trying desperately to get the other 2 under control. I had managed to pay the remaining 2 down significantly by late August but then something completely unexpected happened. I found myself without employment, my company went under, there was no notice and only the paycheck coming that following Friday - no severance. Now no blame was placed by me because I knew the situation with the company and those in charged harbored significant and sincere guilt regarding the employees. But still... after this big plan and push to get my finances under control I didn't have a job... which means no income... which means all bills come to a standstill. Eventually unemployment started coming in but if you've ever been employed in VA you should know they pay EXTREMELY low in comparison to other states and it's not even half of the weekly paycheck I was basing my budget on. More cuts had to happen and more creativity ensued to try and get bills paid close to their deadlines but it was difficult and sometimes impossible. Late charges started racking up and as if my life wasn't already bad enough there were no jobs to be found and the economy was only getting worse. More unemployment, banks raising interest rates, card companies looking harshly at those they've given credit to and sometimes punishing them further... all of these things hit at once and all of these things were making my life a little more difficult.

Finally I found a job that had the promise of turning into something more in a couple months, but until then I was surviving on a paycheck that was a little more than unemployment but not much. I was working for the state and as we all know the state government is the safest place to be - they're never going out of business. This is what EVERYONE told me. So again I readjusted my budget, made some more cuts to ensure I could do this long term and set out to be financially responsible once again. I created my own working spreadsheet, took the time to figure out the best formulas and really got on board with my own created budget plan. Then the state started cutting budgets left and right and the last in were the first out... including me. I think I was only there for a six weeks before the news came down.

Fortunately the day after my last day with the state I coincidentally spent the day with the owners of perpetualkid.com and they mentioned that if I wanted to they were looking for holiday help. It was hourly and not exactly work I had ever seen myself doing but being that budget was my #1 priority and it paid more than unemployment... well it was an easy decision. Fortunately after busting my proverbial a$$ in the warehouse I apparently impressed the owners who have now moved me back into the white collar side of the business (where, let's face it, I am more suited) and after the first of the year I'll start on salary and have a steady income. So in preparation of finally (here's hoping nothing negative and unforeseeable happens soon) having a secure place of employment and a steady amount of money coming in monthly I am getting back on track with creating a new and fiscally responsible budget.

And now we come to my new favorite. I guess I am late in stumbling onto THIS ONE because as far as I can tell the website was heavily used in 2008. I spent all morning setting up accounts (let me tell you some of these accounts I had to go DIG up information - like my IRA which I haven't contributed to in over 6 months now). This works better than my previous self-made spreadsheet and is easier to deal with in every way. I am not the only fan out there, if you Google the website you'll find high praise from many. So if you're like me and haven't yet discovered MINT.COM I highly recommend taking some time to go over and check out this fantastic free website. You don't need money to be happy, this much I have come to understand in the last 6 months, but you do need to have your own personal finances under control before you can decrease that stress that wakes you up in the middle of the night, MINT.COM is a step in that direction. It definitely deserves to be on the My New Favorites list.

WHAT AM I WATCHING?:

2008-12-27T20:53:00.003-05:00

Tonight I saw Seven Pounds with Will Smith and Rosario Dawson. Previously I had read that critics found the movie too confusing and once the "mystery" was revealed at the end the audience didn't really care. I am not sure how to respond to this now having seen the film. Here is what perplexes me. I am fairly certain, without meaning to or trying, I had the big "mystery" figured out within 20 minutes of the opening credits. True story. Now, this could mean one of 2 things: 1) I am a genius or 2) the men and women getting paid to critique this film are morons. Which answer do you prefer? #1 is correct, thank you and let's move on. But in all honesty it's a very good thing that the answer is so easy to come by, I think it is because I discovered the whole point of the film early on that I was able to sit back and really find lots of meaning within each and every scene. I'm not sure why they even try and mask that in the first place. I really thought this flick was just sweet and endearing, while it wouldn't make my top 10 list I really found myself enjoying the movie and publicly crying (FOR SHAME) my way through the end - take the Kleenex. So I guess I would say wait for Netflix but I would make a point to check it out.

BACOLICIOUS:

2008-12-25T10:28:00.003-05:00

Okay honestly I don't get the hype with bacon. But there is an obsession out there, bacon air fresheners, bacon flavored mints, bacon wallets, bacon floss (I know this because we sell most of that on the website - www.perpetualkid.com - if you are a true bacon lover). But now you can slap a slice of bacon right across the screen of any website you are surfing just by typing http://bacolicio.us/ in front of any actual web address. I tried it with my blog, you can see what randomness I'm talking about by going HERE. Merry Christmas Bacon Lovers!

MERRY CHRISTMAS:

2008-12-24T16:09:00.000-05:00

VIDEO OF THE DAY:

2008-12-24T16:06:00.001-05:00

HALLELUJAH:

2008-12-19T21:02:00.001-05:00

Hear is Alter Bridge doing Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah:

HALLELUJAH:

2008-12-17T22:28:00.005-05:00

I have never actually heard K.D. Lang's cover of this before. I am so-so with Lang, sometimes I really dig her music but I have to admit it's usually when she's covering someone else's song. I know the big joke about the lesbian looking like the guy and I know that a lot of people stay away from her for those superficial reasons. I find it sad because she really can croon when she wants to - and because of that no one should give a damn about who she sleeps with and what she looks like. She does Leonard Cohen proud in the following video:

BUCKLEY IS THE NEW TUPAC:

2008-12-17T22:21:00.003-05:00

Tupac is still alive. At least that's a common joke/thought among most of us as more and more albums are being released. No one actually believes (at least I don't think) that Jeff Buckley is still alive but much like Tupac albums of his are still being released. The difference is it's albums of the same stuff over and over again. Tupac recorded a ridiculous amount of stuff before dying/going into hiding on his own private island with Biggie, Jeff Buckley only ever released Grace. The album is perfection but it's still only one album nonetheless. I thought that Best Week Ever's OPEN LETTER from Jeff Buckley was pretty spot on.

VIDEO OF THE DAY:

2008-12-15T22:24:00.004-05:00

I have to admit I don't know much about X-Men or Wolverine other than what I've seen in the movies. I don't know the history, lore or any other part of it. But I do know that although the sequels for X-Men were just so-so I really dug the first one, particularly because of this practically unknown guy named Hugh Jackman at the time. I am glad to see him returning to the role that made him an international success story overnight. And while Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds and Liev Schreiber are exciting enough... did anyone else see Taylor Kitsch from Friday Night Lights all over the second half of this trailer?:

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE HD

HALLELUJAH:

2008-12-15T22:17:00.002-05:00

This is one of the most original covers of Cohen's classic. Of course I might be a little biased since I love Bob Dylan:

I LOVE BARNEY:

2008-12-15T22:09:00.003-05:00

And trust me it has nothing to do with my love of Neil Patrick Harris. Okay well maybe that was a huge lie but it doesn't mean that Barney isn't my favorite character on How I Met Your Mother, evidenced by the following:

WHAT AM I READING?:

2008-12-15T19:00:00.002-05:00

Well I knocked out Confessions of a Shopaholic in a night. No surprise there considering it was a quick read and just a fun book overall. But now I am on to try out The Historian. I have already decided even before reading page 1 that if I can't get into this one I'm going to let it go. Why waste my time on a book that is so long and in depth if I'm not enjoying it. I've heard mixed reviews from people I know and certainly I looked up some reader reviews online and found them to be all across the board. I'm not entirely sure what to think on this one. I don't particularly care for fantasy style books and vampires are something I'd rather watch than read about. I suppose the friend that just brought it over one day (completely unprompted from me since I had never heard of the book) thought because I mentioned I was reading Twilight at the time that I am a vampire fiction fan. Not really so but it doesn't mean the book won't be interesting. From everyone though I have heard it's just terribly long and that alone can become tedious. I have to admit after reading the horrible crap that is the Twilight series I'm nervous about starting in on another fantasy genre book but at least this one should be more three dimensional than the Stephanie Meyer books. We'll see how this one goes.

TO NETFLIX OR NOT TO NETFLIX:

2008-12-14T18:44:00.003-05:00

X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE:I was only ever a mild fan of Fox's The X-Files when it was on television but I remember very clearly taking a trip to Nags Head, NC with my dad and one night we decided to catch the first X-Files movie. I loved it. It was a fun romp that managed to thrill fans of the television show and those who hadn't seen it. I really thought that was the kind of movie I'd be getting with the sequel. Not so. It was very much an extended version of an X-Files episode and while that doesn't sound so bad, did I mention that it was an extended version of one of those episodes you didn't actually give a crap about? Where were the aliens? Where was the humor? Why, out of EVERYTHING they could have used for a plot line did they choose this one? It wasn't awful but it wasn't worth making as an X-Files movie. I probably would've enjoyed it more if it had been about 2 unknown former FBI agents not named Mulder and Scully and not titled as an X-Files movie. If you're going to bring back the X-Files franchise so late in the game wouldn't you want to recall everything that fans loved about the show? I wasn't even really a fan and I was looking for anything to hold onto that reminded me of the original series. Except the names Mulder and Scully and the fact that both David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson returned I don't know that there was anything at all to actually care about. Oh sorry, save that one scene in Mulder's home "office" with his paranoia all over the walls and a quick reference to his sister. I don't know what to tell you about this one. As a regular movie it wasn't too bad. As an X-Files movie it was awful.

GET SMART: I wasn't around for the television show and honestly I've never seen a single episode but I personally thought this movie was very cute. I did pick up on some of the lines the show made popular because they've been around pop-culture for a while now and I definitely recognized the reappearance of the shoe phone. I really enjoyed all the characters and they all had me laughing at one point or another, to include The Rock. I say this one is worth putting in your queue.

WAR, INC.: Skip it. Oh I wanted it to be good. I mean come on John and Joan Cusack, Hillary Duff, Marissa Tomei, Ben Kingsley... the plot sounded funny and the ideas behind it aren't necessarily that far fetched in the future. But really it felt like someone watched the plot for Grosse Point Blank (one of my favorites) grabbed hold of the Cusack duo and then decided to put that into some twisted commentary on foreign policy. It was awful and I would recommend skipping it entirely. It was a long waste of my time and as much as I love John Cusack this one will not be added to my DVD library.

WHO THROWS A SHOE?:

2008-12-14T18:40:00.001-05:00

Haha, I am not a fan of Dubya but that doesn't mean I think he should have shoes thrown at him. I have to admit he has developed some fantastic reflexes over the years, he dodges those shoes like a pro. See for yourself:

CHEAP HOLIDAY FUN:

2008-12-14T18:16:00.005-05:00

A friend of mine came in from out of town this weekend and while I was working my butt off at work most of the weekend I took today off so I could spend a little time with him. Most of you know my financial woes lately (oddly enough as my finances go down my perspective on life goes up - go figure) so I made a point that we could do whatever my friend wanted as long as it was within a certain budget limit. We opted for lunch and decided on Reston Town Center. I love Reston Town Center at Christmas time. We grabbed lunch and then hit Starbucks and did little more than walk around window shopping, checking out the holiday fun like watching the ice skaters at the outdoor rink, seeing the random holiday flair like Santa on a motorcycle and elves riding around on a unicycle, not to mention the elaborate Gingerbread village that the Hyatt had up. It wasn't an expensive day by any means, partially because my friend picked up the lunch check so I picked up the Starbucks check - nowhere near similar pricing so THANKS for that. But the day was really nice, had we more time we probably would've caught a movie but I had to be somewhere and he had a flight to catch. Again it really brought home once again the life lesson I've been subconsciously learning over the last several months - money does not actually buy happiness and while it can provide peace of mind there are many simple cheap activities that are overlooked when you have it. Even if we had skipped lunch and just gone straight to coffee and walking around it still would've been a great day. Between driving through the neighborhoods last night all decked out in their holiday glory and sitting sipping coffee next to the Christmas tree in the middle of the square today I'm finally remembering why it is I usually love the holidays. I've been caught up in not having enough money for gifts for everyone and dealing with the same family crap that comes along with the holidays and this year I've just been praying for Christmas to pass quickly. Today, while hanging out with a long time friend, I remembered why it was that in the past Christmas has always proven to be one of my favorite times of year.

And FYI as random as it is, if you find yourself at Jacksons Restaurant in Reston Town Center I highly recommend the Deviled Eggs and Sugar Cured Bacon appetizer. It's random I know, which was why we ordered it - we had to see what it was all about once we saw it - but it was definitely worth it.

PROP 8: THE MUSICAL:

2008-12-14T17:15:00.003-05:00

I am a huge fan of equal rights for all people. Over the course of my interesting jobs recently I have worked with several people who don't necessarily feel the same way and while I do nothing to correct it at work in my personal life I rally for my friends who are of all races, all sexual persuasions, all religions, etc. I have a a vast friend base and I consider myself significantly lucky to have them all in my life. So when I heard about the decision for Prop 8 in California of all places I was SHOCKED. Of any state I thought that California would lead the way for equal rights. A friend of mine who is a proud successful gay man has mentioned often it feels like right now gay rights are where the civil rights movement was decades ago. Sure they're not being regulated to the back of the bus but they are being bashed and killed and their rights as people are being taken away. Much of this is done in the name of God and I have to say I can't believe that God in any capacity is so vengeful and hateful. I don't hate people who hate gay men and women but I feel sorry for them. I feel sorry that they cannot open their minds and they can't see people as people but rather they see them for who they're sleeping with. How does it make sense that 2 men or women in a committed relationship cannot marry while the 30 year old straight chick down the street with 6 kids by 4 different men while on welfare can continue to marry over and over again? How is that fair? I am sad for people who cannot open their hearts and minds and the violence especially continues to shock me. That being said I hope that the gay men and women and their friends and supporters continue to fight the Prop 8 decision. I am happy to see all forms of protest and pieces bringing attention to the matter and this one is particular made me smile. Aside from the fact that I am a fan of Jack Black, Andy Richter, John C. Reily, Adam Shenkman, Margaret Cho, Maya Rudolph, Allison Janey, Sarah Chalke and so many more... and aside from the fact that I am the founder of my own personal Neil Patrick Harris fan club (member count: 1 - ME), I think this little number was extremely entertaining and refreshing.

"Prop 8 - The Musical" starring Jack Black, John C. Reilly, and many more... by Jack Black

HALLELUJAH:

2008-12-14T12:21:00.002-05:00

Here is a version of Cohen's Hallelujah done by Imogen Heap - I always love her covers, they are always so unique.