It's the quiet ones . . . so I've been told :-)
What a freaking day! I so did not want to get out of bed at 5:30 this morning. The apartment seemed cold or something. I rolled over and fell into a dream instead.
I was sitting at big picnic table in someone's garage or warehouse. It seemed almost industrial. Concrete. Cavernous. Blah. The only other thing in the room was some sort of big radio on one end of the table.
I was just sitting at this table strumming my fingers, bored, and then I started to sing, just nonsense stuff, whatever came into my head.
So I was just sitting there, all alone, rocking and singing. Suddenly Sherry runs into the place screaming her head off, "Oh my God! Oh my God!" Scares the crap out of me. I jump and scream, "What?! What's going on?!"
And she's at the picnic table, grabbing onto the radio, frigging with it, asking me, "Didn't you hear it?! Oh my God!! Was that the new Alicia Keys?! Do you have the new Alicia Keys?!"
It took me a sec to get what was going on.
She heard me singing and thought I was Alicia Keys. Yeah, I was surprised too.
It took me a sec, but then I shrugged and said, "I didn't hear a thing. I don't even think that radio works."
And sure enough she couldn't get the radio to work, and she was looking around all puzzled and bewildered, scratching her head and muttering, "But what the hell?! I heard it! What was it? You didn't hear anything?!" I just shrugged and rolled my eyes.
In bed I rolled over and saw the clock edging on 6 so I got up and sang all the way into the bathroom where I promptly smirked with satisfaction in the mirror.
***
Went on a big run-around this morning, way back the Station Road, up by the recycling depot, then downtown to the old police station out behind Sears. Interviews. The going was pretty rough this morning I gotta say! At 8:30 nothing much had been plowed in awhile. By 11:30 when I was coming back up over the hill, things were much better. Even the King George Highway was pretty good going. That's one way to get my 10,000 steps. I should schedule interviews in town everyday throughout the winter. Of course by the time I got home I was sleepy again and just wanted to climb back into that bed. Think I'll make an early night of it.
It is 6:15 and still daylight!!
Mood: tired
Drinking: water
Listening To: where am i going, matt mays
Hair: very straight
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Blizzarding . . . Again!
The snow started just after midnight, then tapered off a bit, but is in full force out there now. All schools canceled yet again. This is the worse winter for snow in my life. For real. George Strombo told me last night. The last winter worse than this one happened in the early 60s, so if you're younger than 43 or something like that, then this is the worst winter of your life, older than that and you got no reason to complain.
I'm supposed to go downtown this morning to interview somebody, run to the bank, etc. etc. but I dunno, it's blizzard conditions outside, snow, blowing snow, more snow . . . I'm so concerned about getting hit by a passing snow plow (which seems to happen around here every couple of years, though with budgets blown the plow is not on the ball so much as it used to be) I think I'll have to call and reschedule or see if he can do it over the phone.
Yesterday I wrote 861 words on my play. F-U-N!
Mood: surprisingly sunny
Drinking: nothing, oj earlier
Listening To: the fridge kick on
Hair: needing shampoo, not just conditioner
I'm supposed to go downtown this morning to interview somebody, run to the bank, etc. etc. but I dunno, it's blizzard conditions outside, snow, blowing snow, more snow . . . I'm so concerned about getting hit by a passing snow plow (which seems to happen around here every couple of years, though with budgets blown the plow is not on the ball so much as it used to be) I think I'll have to call and reschedule or see if he can do it over the phone.
Yesterday I wrote 861 words on my play. F-U-N!
Mood: surprisingly sunny
Drinking: nothing, oj earlier
Listening To: the fridge kick on
Hair: needing shampoo, not just conditioner
Monday, February 25, 2008
Even in the Quietest Moment
Well I'm back from my weekend with the barnbonians. Pretty good weekend overall. I returned to an inbox stuffed with deadline meeting bnm submissions! Yay! I am so far ahead of the game for April. Thank the Goddess!
Gary picked me up after work on Friday and we drove straight to the Renous Rec for dinner theatre that was starting early at 6pm. The place was packed, sold out house, which was good to see. I was impressed with the stage, good and high, so everyone could see. The first play was about Peter Emberley. There were some really funny parts, and then there were some parts that I'm sure weren't meant to be funny, but nevertheless they were anyway. It was interesting to see the group try to incorporate new media into the production, even if it wasn't exactly totally successful. This was the first time performed, so there are kinks to work out, which is to be expected. After the first play ended, the cast served dinner. The food was pretty good, the execution of the meal needed some work, lol, but lessons learned, first time venue and all that. The second play was the one Sherry wrote/directed with mostly an all child cast. The kids were fabulous! They did really good. It was a light piece, fun. The evening ended with some choral readings, folk songs, fiddling, etc. I was beat and ready to go home. It was good, but felt too long for me. I don't know that it was really too long or not though. I was just really really tired. In bed before midnight on Friday night, and slept in until after noon on Saturday. So there you go. Tired!
Saturday afternoon I got caught up on Coronation Street. Jen, Jason and kids came over for supper. Then J&J went to town so I got to hang out with the kids and play a charades type of game with them. Jules and Samuel regaled me and Mom with tales from the classroom, the bus, the backyard, the woods, etc. More stories than Walt Disney! It was fun. Later Mom and I watched "Guess Who" with Ashton Kutcher and Bernie Mac. I hadn't seen that one. I love Ashton! It was pretty good, funny. Went to bed just before 2am, woke up around 3:30 when darts in the basement broke up, and proceeded to have an anxiety attack. Got so bad I got up at 4am and watched a movie "Cheaper by the Dozen" until about 6, then went back to bed until noon, which meant I missed two episodes of Coronation Street because they started an hour earlier than usual. So I still don't know where the baby was . . . I'm sure I can get filled in this week.
Sunday afternoon I made guacamole to go with my infamous jerk chicken nachos, watched some pre-oscar special stuff on tv, then gussied up and headed over to casa keenan for the annual to-do. A very small gathering this year, just me, my sisters and jason. My main competition for the Pink Panther bobblehead prize, Darcey, sent in an entry via email, and Jason decided he liked the look of the pink guy on his mantle so he spent some time that afternoon doing a little research on the internet, so competition was pretty steep. But there were some surprises and upsets in the evening, and as everyone who's ever done the oscar pool knows, nothing is ever really a lock. Sherry fluked some guesses and took an early lead, but I was not to be outdone. Pink Panther has returned home to his favourite resting place! Victory is mine! I think watching most of the movies gave me a little edge over the competition this year.
This morning I came home with Sherry and Gary on their way to work. Early morning. Thought maybe I'd go back to bed when I got here, but instead I made coffee and hit the computer. 65 new email in my inbox since Friday night. None of them junk. All of them needing a response. Mostly submissions, which is cool.
And now you're up to date.
Mood: happy happy, joy joy
Drinking: cold coffee
Listening To: i need you tonight, inxs
Hair: still pouffy from last night's glamour-do
Gary picked me up after work on Friday and we drove straight to the Renous Rec for dinner theatre that was starting early at 6pm. The place was packed, sold out house, which was good to see. I was impressed with the stage, good and high, so everyone could see. The first play was about Peter Emberley. There were some really funny parts, and then there were some parts that I'm sure weren't meant to be funny, but nevertheless they were anyway. It was interesting to see the group try to incorporate new media into the production, even if it wasn't exactly totally successful. This was the first time performed, so there are kinks to work out, which is to be expected. After the first play ended, the cast served dinner. The food was pretty good, the execution of the meal needed some work, lol, but lessons learned, first time venue and all that. The second play was the one Sherry wrote/directed with mostly an all child cast. The kids were fabulous! They did really good. It was a light piece, fun. The evening ended with some choral readings, folk songs, fiddling, etc. I was beat and ready to go home. It was good, but felt too long for me. I don't know that it was really too long or not though. I was just really really tired. In bed before midnight on Friday night, and slept in until after noon on Saturday. So there you go. Tired!
Saturday afternoon I got caught up on Coronation Street. Jen, Jason and kids came over for supper. Then J&J went to town so I got to hang out with the kids and play a charades type of game with them. Jules and Samuel regaled me and Mom with tales from the classroom, the bus, the backyard, the woods, etc. More stories than Walt Disney! It was fun. Later Mom and I watched "Guess Who" with Ashton Kutcher and Bernie Mac. I hadn't seen that one. I love Ashton! It was pretty good, funny. Went to bed just before 2am, woke up around 3:30 when darts in the basement broke up, and proceeded to have an anxiety attack. Got so bad I got up at 4am and watched a movie "Cheaper by the Dozen" until about 6, then went back to bed until noon, which meant I missed two episodes of Coronation Street because they started an hour earlier than usual. So I still don't know where the baby was . . . I'm sure I can get filled in this week.
Sunday afternoon I made guacamole to go with my infamous jerk chicken nachos, watched some pre-oscar special stuff on tv, then gussied up and headed over to casa keenan for the annual to-do. A very small gathering this year, just me, my sisters and jason. My main competition for the Pink Panther bobblehead prize, Darcey, sent in an entry via email, and Jason decided he liked the look of the pink guy on his mantle so he spent some time that afternoon doing a little research on the internet, so competition was pretty steep. But there were some surprises and upsets in the evening, and as everyone who's ever done the oscar pool knows, nothing is ever really a lock. Sherry fluked some guesses and took an early lead, but I was not to be outdone. Pink Panther has returned home to his favourite resting place! Victory is mine! I think watching most of the movies gave me a little edge over the competition this year.
This morning I came home with Sherry and Gary on their way to work. Early morning. Thought maybe I'd go back to bed when I got here, but instead I made coffee and hit the computer. 65 new email in my inbox since Friday night. None of them junk. All of them needing a response. Mostly submissions, which is cool.
And now you're up to date.
Mood: happy happy, joy joy
Drinking: cold coffee
Listening To: i need you tonight, inxs
Hair: still pouffy from last night's glamour-do
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Long Road to Ruin
Oh boy! I think I'm taking sick again. The pain in my back/lungs has returned and I'm starting to hack the blood tasting cough. This explains feeling a little off today maybe. A little less energetic than other days this week. Of course, don't I always get a little sick just before I go up home? What the frig is up with that?
Tonight I just want to curl up and have someone rub my back :-( Wile E. Coyote, not so great at back rubs, unfortunately.
Tomorrow night is dinner theatre at the rec. Gary's picking me up right after work and then we have to hightail it straight there because the thing begins at 6pm, not 7 like I thought. And I've got an interview tomorrow afternoon to get in and done before I leave. Plus there's packing not just for a "normal" weekend but an Oscar weekend. And I've got to get myself presentable for the evening. There are some things I need to not forget to pack. I've already made a list.
But Saturday I can just lay around and sleep and watch the six hours of Corrie I've got on dvd. I'm looking forward to that. Especially right now, when all I want is to cuddle up in bed and get a back rub :-(
Mood: sickish
Drinking: water
Listening To: i don't care anymore, genesis
Hair: just boring
Tonight I just want to curl up and have someone rub my back :-( Wile E. Coyote, not so great at back rubs, unfortunately.
Tomorrow night is dinner theatre at the rec. Gary's picking me up right after work and then we have to hightail it straight there because the thing begins at 6pm, not 7 like I thought. And I've got an interview tomorrow afternoon to get in and done before I leave. Plus there's packing not just for a "normal" weekend but an Oscar weekend. And I've got to get myself presentable for the evening. There are some things I need to not forget to pack. I've already made a list.
But Saturday I can just lay around and sleep and watch the six hours of Corrie I've got on dvd. I'm looking forward to that. Especially right now, when all I want is to cuddle up in bed and get a back rub :-(
Mood: sickish
Drinking: water
Listening To: i don't care anymore, genesis
Hair: just boring
London Calling
The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in
Meltdown expected, the wheat is growing thin
Engines stop running, but I have no fear
Cause London is drowning and I, live by the river
A little Clash to get things going. I love living by the river. How about that lunar eclipse last night? I had an amazing view from my windows, without having to go outside and freeze. I sat in the picture window with my binoculars. It was very pretty by times.
Yesterday was a full busy day, lots of company. I walked down to the post office and Sobey's. It was a helluva lot colder outside than what my sunshiny apartment indicated. I had the heat turned off, the front windows open, and still the sweat was running down my back. So, I wasn't prepared for the wind chill of it all. Brrr!
Had a nice lunch with my friend. Talked about writing and upcoming writerly events we're planning. It's always so good to get together. Recharges the creativity for sure.
Later, in the evening, Lee & Charlotte came down for a bit to get some cds burned and have a little tarot reading. Funny, I've been thinking about tarot for about a week now, then at lunch yesterday we were just talking about doing our cards, and then out of the blue I get a request and out come the cards. Charlotte's cards are always good. I didn't do mine though.
Stacy dropped by much later to bring me some magazines and mail I got at the office. So then we chatted for a bit, catching up. Big Brother kinda sounds whacked this year! I haven't been watching.
I exercised in the moonlight after she left, for about 20 minutes or so, then watched the eclipse for awhile, then caught the last bit of The Hour, where they went to Coronation Street, fell asleep during Arrested Development, woke at 5:30 but didn't get up. The moon takes a lot out of me. Dream-wise. So I was stuck in some dreams and generally feeling like the truck had run over me. I'm looking forward to the weekend, seeing my dog, going to dinner theatre, making Jerk Chicken nachos, Oscars, catching up with Corrie and all that.
But first, I've got a crap load of stuff to do.
Mood: a little foggy
Drinking: coffee
Listening To: it's raining again, supertramp
Hair: closer to the razor every passing day
Meltdown expected, the wheat is growing thin
Engines stop running, but I have no fear
Cause London is drowning and I, live by the river
A little Clash to get things going. I love living by the river. How about that lunar eclipse last night? I had an amazing view from my windows, without having to go outside and freeze. I sat in the picture window with my binoculars. It was very pretty by times.
Yesterday was a full busy day, lots of company. I walked down to the post office and Sobey's. It was a helluva lot colder outside than what my sunshiny apartment indicated. I had the heat turned off, the front windows open, and still the sweat was running down my back. So, I wasn't prepared for the wind chill of it all. Brrr!
Had a nice lunch with my friend. Talked about writing and upcoming writerly events we're planning. It's always so good to get together. Recharges the creativity for sure.
Later, in the evening, Lee & Charlotte came down for a bit to get some cds burned and have a little tarot reading. Funny, I've been thinking about tarot for about a week now, then at lunch yesterday we were just talking about doing our cards, and then out of the blue I get a request and out come the cards. Charlotte's cards are always good. I didn't do mine though.
Stacy dropped by much later to bring me some magazines and mail I got at the office. So then we chatted for a bit, catching up. Big Brother kinda sounds whacked this year! I haven't been watching.
I exercised in the moonlight after she left, for about 20 minutes or so, then watched the eclipse for awhile, then caught the last bit of The Hour, where they went to Coronation Street, fell asleep during Arrested Development, woke at 5:30 but didn't get up. The moon takes a lot out of me. Dream-wise. So I was stuck in some dreams and generally feeling like the truck had run over me. I'm looking forward to the weekend, seeing my dog, going to dinner theatre, making Jerk Chicken nachos, Oscars, catching up with Corrie and all that.
But first, I've got a crap load of stuff to do.
Mood: a little foggy
Drinking: coffee
Listening To: it's raining again, supertramp
Hair: closer to the razor every passing day
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Revelations
I had a bunch of them, yesterday. Some pretty good A-Ha moments. But it kinda all came back to the same thing, and that's that I'm okay. No, I mean REALLY okay. You know I've been climbing the rungs on this ladder of self-awareness and growth for about 10 years now.It's been slow going, and lord knows I'm nowhere near the top, but yesterday a bunch of stuff that's been clattering round my brain for months finally clicked into place and I gained two rungs. Two! Just like that! Poof! Poof! And I don't have time to go into all the details (not that you'd even be interested) because a friend is coming over for lunch and writerly conversation and I need to get my head out of the clouds and shift my ass into gear so I'm ready to entertain! But I just wanted to note that I am REALLY okay, and I've had another personal development breakthrough, and I'm feeling really happy and super strong. Today is a good day, the sun is shining, my ducks are in a row, and I'm feeling really excited about today and tomorrow and all the great things in the works for down the road. My goal remains to be the woman I've always wanted to be by the time I'm 40, to be sooo much better than I was at 30. I've got a year and half left. Time's ticking and I confess in 2007 I kinda felt like I didn't make much progress, maybe even lost some ground, but maybe the mind just needed some time to gel because things have definitely accelerated in 2008.
Mood: optimistic & joyful
Drinking: coffee, instant, with skim
Listening To: humming, the fridge, the computer, the heater, the printer . . .
Hair: maybe i need to go razor happy again, spice this do up a bit
Mood: optimistic & joyful
Drinking: coffee, instant, with skim
Listening To: humming, the fridge, the computer, the heater, the printer . . .
Hair: maybe i need to go razor happy again, spice this do up a bit
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
My Hero
Too alarming now to talk about
Take your pictures down and shake it out
Truth or consequence, say it aloud
Use that evidence, race it around
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He's ordinary
Don't the best of them bleed it out
While the rest of them peter out
Truth or consequence, say it aloud
Use that evidence, race it around
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He's ordinary
Kudos my hero leaving all the best
You know my hero, the one that's on
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He's ordinary
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He's ordinary
I have recently discovered the Foo Fighters. I mean I always kinda sorta knew about them you know, but then I got some of their tunes and now I'm hooked. They're kind of like The Killers, they don't have any bad songs! I'll hear a song I've not heard before and it'll catch my attention because well, it's catchy, and I'll go look to see who it is and 9 times out of 10 it's Foo Fighters. Love them!
So I've been up since 4:45 this morning. Couldn't sleep very well, restless. Stayed up to watch the first episode of The Hour from London, England. Then watched about half of Arrested Development before clicking the tv off. Tossed and turned mostly until I finally got up. Company coming this morning. Yes, I have a new friend. Yes, he is a man. So, I think I've hit the highway heading west in a convertible with the top down, wind whipping my hair.
Mood: happy
Drinking: coffee, instant, with a bit of skim
Listening To: can't stop loving you, phil collins
Hair: damp from a rinse earlier
Take your pictures down and shake it out
Truth or consequence, say it aloud
Use that evidence, race it around
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He's ordinary
Don't the best of them bleed it out
While the rest of them peter out
Truth or consequence, say it aloud
Use that evidence, race it around
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He's ordinary
Kudos my hero leaving all the best
You know my hero, the one that's on
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He's ordinary
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He's ordinary
I have recently discovered the Foo Fighters. I mean I always kinda sorta knew about them you know, but then I got some of their tunes and now I'm hooked. They're kind of like The Killers, they don't have any bad songs! I'll hear a song I've not heard before and it'll catch my attention because well, it's catchy, and I'll go look to see who it is and 9 times out of 10 it's Foo Fighters. Love them!
So I've been up since 4:45 this morning. Couldn't sleep very well, restless. Stayed up to watch the first episode of The Hour from London, England. Then watched about half of Arrested Development before clicking the tv off. Tossed and turned mostly until I finally got up. Company coming this morning. Yes, I have a new friend. Yes, he is a man. So, I think I've hit the highway heading west in a convertible with the top down, wind whipping my hair.
Mood: happy
Drinking: coffee, instant, with a bit of skim
Listening To: can't stop loving you, phil collins
Hair: damp from a rinse earlier
Monday, February 18, 2008
Under My Skin
I've got you under my skin
I've got you deep in the heart of me
You're so deep in my heart, that you're really a part of me
And I've got you under my skin
I've tried so not to give in
You know I've said to myself this affair ain't gonna go so well
So why should I try to resist, when baby will I know so well
That I've got you under my skin
I'd sacrifice anything come what might
For the sake of having you near
In spite of a warning voice that comes in the night
And repeats in my ear
Don't you know you fool, you never can win
Use your mentality, step up to reality
But each time I do, just the thought of you
Makes me stop before I begin
'Cause I've got you under my skin
I'd sacrifice anything come what might
For the sake of having you near
In spite of the warning voice
That comes in the night and repeats how it yells in these ears
Don't you know you fool
No chance to win
Why not use your mentality
Wake up, step up to reality
But each time I do just the thought of you
Makes me stop just before i begin
Because I've got you, you're under my skin
And I love you, under my skin
Do I love Sinatra as much as Michael Buble? Probably not, but I think I might love Michael Buble doing Sinatra just as much.
I've made a mess in the kitchen! Chocolate, strawberries . . . it's not as easy as it looked in my head . . . that's all I'm saying. Freaking rain is trying to ruin my parade. I didn't really want to get soaked. I might have to postpone the planned run around for one more day. I am seeing sunshine in the forecast later this week. Maybe even tomorrow. I know I should just throw on a hat and go now . . . I know I should. Argh! Weather!
Mood: indecisive
Drinking: nothing
Listening To: dazed and confused, led zeppelin
Hair: definitely needing a hat if it's going outside
I've got you deep in the heart of me
You're so deep in my heart, that you're really a part of me
And I've got you under my skin
I've tried so not to give in
You know I've said to myself this affair ain't gonna go so well
So why should I try to resist, when baby will I know so well
That I've got you under my skin
I'd sacrifice anything come what might
For the sake of having you near
In spite of a warning voice that comes in the night
And repeats in my ear
Don't you know you fool, you never can win
Use your mentality, step up to reality
But each time I do, just the thought of you
Makes me stop before I begin
'Cause I've got you under my skin
I'd sacrifice anything come what might
For the sake of having you near
In spite of the warning voice
That comes in the night and repeats how it yells in these ears
Don't you know you fool
No chance to win
Why not use your mentality
Wake up, step up to reality
But each time I do just the thought of you
Makes me stop just before i begin
Because I've got you, you're under my skin
And I love you, under my skin
Do I love Sinatra as much as Michael Buble? Probably not, but I think I might love Michael Buble doing Sinatra just as much.
I've made a mess in the kitchen! Chocolate, strawberries . . . it's not as easy as it looked in my head . . . that's all I'm saying. Freaking rain is trying to ruin my parade. I didn't really want to get soaked. I might have to postpone the planned run around for one more day. I am seeing sunshine in the forecast later this week. Maybe even tomorrow. I know I should just throw on a hat and go now . . . I know I should. Argh! Weather!
Mood: indecisive
Drinking: nothing
Listening To: dazed and confused, led zeppelin
Hair: definitely needing a hat if it's going outside
Take a Chance on Me
I know, I know, ABBA in the morning, not everyone's cuppa, but just fine for me thank you very much. Finished out the weekend on a pretty high note. Actually sat down and planned my week ahead. A few deadlines looming. I feel on-track. Of course, from past experience I know that one week I can feel okay and on schedule, then lose some time for one thing or take longer than anticipated on another and all of a sudden I find myself scrambling. Yeah, that's how it goes . . . but not this time! This time, I am A-okay!
I've got one deadline on Friday, another on Sunday. The goal is to have it all done and put away by Friday morning. Yeah, both deadlines. I'm going up home Friday evening for dinner theatre at the Renous Rec. I'd like to come home again on Saturday maybe. There was some talk of having kids for a sleepover Saturday night, but I don't know where that's at or even if this is the "best" weekend to do something like that. There's also the Oscars on Sunday evening to take into consideration. Will the annual gathering as Casa Keenan happen on schedule? Will the Pink Panther bobblehead come home to me where he belongs? All up in the air.
I watched a couple of movies on the weekend. Notably, Sweeney Todd and Alvin & the Chipmunks. Johnny Depp is really quite good! I know, he's always good, right? But you know I was a little doubtful about the whole musical aspect, I didn't know whether he could pull off the singing. I mean yeah I was aware he had a band and all that, but I dunno, I guess I wasn't sold on the idea completely or something. Anyway, at the beginning the movie starts with the young man standing on the ship singing "No Place like London" and then Johnny steps into the frame with his part and with his first note all the hair raised on my arms and my skin went into goosebumps. I didn't watch a very high quality copy, I'm starting to just watch whatever I can find as the countdown to Oscar begins in earnest. I can only imagine the effect of the big screen in the theatre though. Really cool!
I enjoyed The Chipmunks too, but in a different kind of way of course. Jason Lee was good, totally able to shed Earl and be Dave. The Chipmunks themselves were adorable of course, and there were some pretty funny parts. It was a fun relaxing way to spend 90 minutes or so.
Mood: content
Drinking: coffee, fresh ground, black
Listening To: goodbye yellow brick road, elton john
Hair: sort of longing for a colour change
I've got one deadline on Friday, another on Sunday. The goal is to have it all done and put away by Friday morning. Yeah, both deadlines. I'm going up home Friday evening for dinner theatre at the Renous Rec. I'd like to come home again on Saturday maybe. There was some talk of having kids for a sleepover Saturday night, but I don't know where that's at or even if this is the "best" weekend to do something like that. There's also the Oscars on Sunday evening to take into consideration. Will the annual gathering as Casa Keenan happen on schedule? Will the Pink Panther bobblehead come home to me where he belongs? All up in the air.
I watched a couple of movies on the weekend. Notably, Sweeney Todd and Alvin & the Chipmunks. Johnny Depp is really quite good! I know, he's always good, right? But you know I was a little doubtful about the whole musical aspect, I didn't know whether he could pull off the singing. I mean yeah I was aware he had a band and all that, but I dunno, I guess I wasn't sold on the idea completely or something. Anyway, at the beginning the movie starts with the young man standing on the ship singing "No Place like London" and then Johnny steps into the frame with his part and with his first note all the hair raised on my arms and my skin went into goosebumps. I didn't watch a very high quality copy, I'm starting to just watch whatever I can find as the countdown to Oscar begins in earnest. I can only imagine the effect of the big screen in the theatre though. Really cool!
I enjoyed The Chipmunks too, but in a different kind of way of course. Jason Lee was good, totally able to shed Earl and be Dave. The Chipmunks themselves were adorable of course, and there were some pretty funny parts. It was a fun relaxing way to spend 90 minutes or so.
Mood: content
Drinking: coffee, fresh ground, black
Listening To: goodbye yellow brick road, elton john
Hair: sort of longing for a colour change
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Nothing Compares
I got no problem with this.
And this is . . . well . . . kinda scarily accurate!
Awww, and this is just so damn true!
I'm not totally sold on this though . . . maybe I've evolved.
I made pineapple chicken and rice for supper. Scrum! Yum, Yum, Yummy!
Mood: all over the place
Drinking: nothing
Listening To: an ode to no one, smashing pumpkins
Hair: still needing some tlc
And this is . . . well . . . kinda scarily accurate!
Awww, and this is just so damn true!
I'm not totally sold on this though . . . maybe I've evolved.
I made pineapple chicken and rice for supper. Scrum! Yum, Yum, Yummy!
Mood: all over the place
Drinking: nothing
Listening To: an ode to no one, smashing pumpkins
Hair: still needing some tlc
Crash, Boom, Bang
Blogging and merlot, not a good combo :-) I went to bed fairly early last night, well before midnight. Around 2:30 I was awakened by the sound of screaming snowmobiles. They were circling the building for some reason, maybe trying to find a path down to the river, though it's pretty much a sheer cliff here, straight drop, so they didn't find anything and moved on. Still, the damage was done, I was wide awake. I watched the ending of the Edmonton/Vancouver hockey game. Lots of fights, made it semi-interesting. Then the Late, Late, Late Show came on . . . The Gods Must Be Crazy. Yeah. So I watched about 45 minutes to an hour of that and I roamed around the apartment in the dark, looking out the windows for signs of life, sipping water. I listened to buddy upstairs come home from clubbing. Alone. Had a girl up there yesterday for awhile. So it was after 5 this morning before I fell back to sleep, and then I lounged around in dreams until well after 10. I didn't even turn on the tv to watch Corrie, despite having missed Wednesday night's episode and most of Thursday's and Friday as well.
Today I'm making some rice and chicken. And I think I'll dip some strawberries. Yesterday's spinach salad was a hit! Pretty darn tasty.
The problem with staying up all night and sleeping in late is that I feel tired all day and the day is too short to do all of the things I had hoped.
Mood: dozy
Drinking: cold coffee
Listening To: every rose has its thorn, poison
Hair: needed some grooming
Today I'm making some rice and chicken. And I think I'll dip some strawberries. Yesterday's spinach salad was a hit! Pretty darn tasty.
The problem with staying up all night and sleeping in late is that I feel tired all day and the day is too short to do all of the things I had hoped.
Mood: dozy
Drinking: cold coffee
Listening To: every rose has its thorn, poison
Hair: needed some grooming
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Please Forgive Me
It still feels like our first night together
Feels like the first kiss and
It's gettin' better baby
No one can better this
I'm still hold on and you're still the one
The first time our eyes met it's the same feelin' I get
Only feels much stronger and I wanna love ya longer
You still turn the fire on
So If you're feelin' lonely.. don't
You're the only one I'd ever want
I only wanna make it good
So if I love ya a little more than I should
Please forgive me I know not what I do
Please forgive me I can't stop lovin' you
Don't deny me
This pain I'm going through
Please forgive me
If I need ya like I do
Please believe me
Every word I say is true
Please forgive me I can't stop loving you
Still feels like our best times are together
Feels like the first touch
We're still gettin' closer baby
Can't get close enough I'm still holdin' on
You're still number one I remember the smell of your skin
I remember everything
I remember all your moves
I remember you
I remember the nights ya know I still do
One thing I'm sure of
Is the way we make love
And the one thing I depend on
Is for us to stay strong
With every word and every breath I'm prayin'
That's why I'm sayin'...
Bryan Adams . . . makes me think. There's a part of me who needs forgiveness. There's a part of me who almost picks up the phone to ask for it. I mean, logically, I know it's not there, I know I will not be absolved of my sins down that avenue. I could very well pick up the phone, but it would only open the can of worms, not seal it forever. Still, there's a part of me that feels the weight of the guilt, that hopes for release. And this part listens to Bryan and wishes to be forgiven . . . or forgotten. I hope I've been forgotten, but I fear I haven't been.
A tad melancholy.
No good news today. Difficult to remain stoic and optimistic in the face of it all.
Mood: what i just said
Drinking: nothing, but I've perhaps had one too many glass of red wine
Listening To: lust for life, iggy pop
Hair: short 'n sassy
Feels like the first kiss and
It's gettin' better baby
No one can better this
I'm still hold on and you're still the one
The first time our eyes met it's the same feelin' I get
Only feels much stronger and I wanna love ya longer
You still turn the fire on
So If you're feelin' lonely.. don't
You're the only one I'd ever want
I only wanna make it good
So if I love ya a little more than I should
Please forgive me I know not what I do
Please forgive me I can't stop lovin' you
Don't deny me
This pain I'm going through
Please forgive me
If I need ya like I do
Please believe me
Every word I say is true
Please forgive me I can't stop loving you
Still feels like our best times are together
Feels like the first touch
We're still gettin' closer baby
Can't get close enough I'm still holdin' on
You're still number one I remember the smell of your skin
I remember everything
I remember all your moves
I remember you
I remember the nights ya know I still do
One thing I'm sure of
Is the way we make love
And the one thing I depend on
Is for us to stay strong
With every word and every breath I'm prayin'
That's why I'm sayin'...
Bryan Adams . . . makes me think. There's a part of me who needs forgiveness. There's a part of me who almost picks up the phone to ask for it. I mean, logically, I know it's not there, I know I will not be absolved of my sins down that avenue. I could very well pick up the phone, but it would only open the can of worms, not seal it forever. Still, there's a part of me that feels the weight of the guilt, that hopes for release. And this part listens to Bryan and wishes to be forgiven . . . or forgotten. I hope I've been forgotten, but I fear I haven't been.
A tad melancholy.
No good news today. Difficult to remain stoic and optimistic in the face of it all.
Mood: what i just said
Drinking: nothing, but I've perhaps had one too many glass of red wine
Listening To: lust for life, iggy pop
Hair: short 'n sassy
Sway
When marimba rhythms start to play
Dance with me, make me sway
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Hold me close, sway me more
Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with ease
When we dance you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me
Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my eyes will see only you
Only you have that magic technique
When we sway I go weak
I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now
Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my eyes will see only you
Only you have that magic technique
When we sway I go weak
I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now
You know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now
My God I love Michael Buble in the morning! Gets me dancing, every time!
So I just had a visit from some gals from the Kingdom Hall down the road. They left me some books. I feel bad for them. I probably should not have taken their books without giving them some money. You know, they have to pay for those books out of pocket. I used to work with a guy who spent every last extra cent buying books to give away, to spread the message. We're kind of in the same business, me and that church, publishing. Anyway, now they know where I live . . . I could probably do with some good honest Christian fellowship in my life, but the idea of preaching totally turns me off. I wonder where the Jehovah Witness stand on the big issues like gay marriage, abortion, etc. I know they're strictly Old Testament. But other than that, I know very little.
Okay, moving on. I went grocery shopping last night and bought many wonderful things! Spinach by the bucket! Lots of leafy greens. I came home and cleaned out the fridge of some expired condiments. Filled it up with the good stuff. Today I'm looking forward to trying the spinach/strawberry/almond salad with a couple of chicken wings.
I think I'm going to attempt to put together my book shelves today. Yeah. That could be interesting. If you'll remember it took me 6 hours to put together my Christmas tree. I am not practiced at assembly. I've never had to do any of that stuff before. I tried to entice JC to take it on as a project the other night. And while he did appear to ponder the prospect, inquired about what tools were needed etc. I'm not expecting him to show up with a hammer any time soon, lol. So, I'm going to take the plunge and put these freaking shelves together on my own! I can do this! Yes, they are crazy heavy, but no matter! I am woman with a hammer! I can do anything! And finally my books will leave their boxes and come join me in this home I love.
Mood: optimistic
Drinking: coffee, mexican morning, fresh ground, organic, fair trade, black
Listening To: this river is wild, the killers
Hair: very straight all of a sudden, cute 'n sassy too methinks
Dance with me, make me sway
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Hold me close, sway me more
Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with ease
When we dance you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me
Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my eyes will see only you
Only you have that magic technique
When we sway I go weak
I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now
Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my eyes will see only you
Only you have that magic technique
When we sway I go weak
I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now
You know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now
My God I love Michael Buble in the morning! Gets me dancing, every time!
So I just had a visit from some gals from the Kingdom Hall down the road. They left me some books. I feel bad for them. I probably should not have taken their books without giving them some money. You know, they have to pay for those books out of pocket. I used to work with a guy who spent every last extra cent buying books to give away, to spread the message. We're kind of in the same business, me and that church, publishing. Anyway, now they know where I live . . . I could probably do with some good honest Christian fellowship in my life, but the idea of preaching totally turns me off. I wonder where the Jehovah Witness stand on the big issues like gay marriage, abortion, etc. I know they're strictly Old Testament. But other than that, I know very little.
Okay, moving on. I went grocery shopping last night and bought many wonderful things! Spinach by the bucket! Lots of leafy greens. I came home and cleaned out the fridge of some expired condiments. Filled it up with the good stuff. Today I'm looking forward to trying the spinach/strawberry/almond salad with a couple of chicken wings.
I think I'm going to attempt to put together my book shelves today. Yeah. That could be interesting. If you'll remember it took me 6 hours to put together my Christmas tree. I am not practiced at assembly. I've never had to do any of that stuff before. I tried to entice JC to take it on as a project the other night. And while he did appear to ponder the prospect, inquired about what tools were needed etc. I'm not expecting him to show up with a hammer any time soon, lol. So, I'm going to take the plunge and put these freaking shelves together on my own! I can do this! Yes, they are crazy heavy, but no matter! I am woman with a hammer! I can do anything! And finally my books will leave their boxes and come join me in this home I love.
Mood: optimistic
Drinking: coffee, mexican morning, fresh ground, organic, fair trade, black
Listening To: this river is wild, the killers
Hair: very straight all of a sudden, cute 'n sassy too methinks
Friday, February 15, 2008
A Wind-Up Man Walking Round & Round
Gotta love Bowie! I've been straightening out my tunes library these past few days. I bought some cds so I can burn some stuff and maybe not have to start over completely next time we crash . . . cuz if there's one thing I know for sure, crashes are inevitable. Speaking of crashes, my microwave has crashed in a blaze of glory. Sparks, fire, death. Freaked me out. And then I thought, this is no big deal, I don't really use my microwave a lot anyway. And now it seems like every time I turn around I'm looking to use the microwave. How on earth did one ever melt anything before the little nuker came along?
Going out later for some groceries, a bottle of wine. I'm having a hankering for something different, maybe I'll make some guacamole, a spinach salad with toasted almonds, perhaps some chocolate covered strawberries. We'll see. No more crispy chicken for me! Suddenly I want to get back in the kitchen and do some real cooking. Time to dust off the wok, maybe. It's good to have a hankering for salad again. It's been awhile since I've wanted anything green and leafy. I've also gotten back into exercising this week. Thank the gods! Every second day, so far so good.
A little arthritic in the weather today. Kinda tired. I overslept. Having strange dreams. Toronto ghosts among others. I woke up rationalizing to someone why I'm no longer there. The kind of dream that stays with me, comes back on me throughout the day. Subconscious senses something's afoot.
Mood: a little foggy and groggy
Drinking: water
Listening To: you want to make a memory, bon jovi
Hair: perfectly messed
Going out later for some groceries, a bottle of wine. I'm having a hankering for something different, maybe I'll make some guacamole, a spinach salad with toasted almonds, perhaps some chocolate covered strawberries. We'll see. No more crispy chicken for me! Suddenly I want to get back in the kitchen and do some real cooking. Time to dust off the wok, maybe. It's good to have a hankering for salad again. It's been awhile since I've wanted anything green and leafy. I've also gotten back into exercising this week. Thank the gods! Every second day, so far so good.
A little arthritic in the weather today. Kinda tired. I overslept. Having strange dreams. Toronto ghosts among others. I woke up rationalizing to someone why I'm no longer there. The kind of dream that stays with me, comes back on me throughout the day. Subconscious senses something's afoot.
Mood: a little foggy and groggy
Drinking: water
Listening To: you want to make a memory, bon jovi
Hair: perfectly messed
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Feeling Good
Michael Buble sings to me . . .
Birds flying high
You know how I feel
Sun in the sky
You know how I feel
Reeds driftin' on by
You know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good
Fish in the sea
You know how I feel
River running free
You know how I feel
Blossom in the tree
You know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good
Dragonfly out in the sun you know what I mean, don't you know
Butterflies all havin' fun you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when the day is done
And this old world is a new world
And a bold world
For me
Stars when you shine
You know how I feel
Scent of the pine
You know how I feel
Yeah freedom is mine
And I know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good
Mood: feeling good
Drinking: water
Listening To: michael buble
Hair: bed tousled
Birds flying high
You know how I feel
Sun in the sky
You know how I feel
Reeds driftin' on by
You know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good
Fish in the sea
You know how I feel
River running free
You know how I feel
Blossom in the tree
You know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good
Dragonfly out in the sun you know what I mean, don't you know
Butterflies all havin' fun you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when the day is done
And this old world is a new world
And a bold world
For me
Stars when you shine
You know how I feel
Scent of the pine
You know how I feel
Yeah freedom is mine
And I know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good
Mood: feeling good
Drinking: water
Listening To: michael buble
Hair: bed tousled
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Kel And the Real Boy
I was really sick last week. Chest cold. Fever. Headache. I went down early Wednesday afternoon and didn't surface until Friday morning. Had not been feeling well for about a week prior. Continued to feel poorly even after getting around. This morning is kind of the first morning that I feel like I can accomplish something in the day. I woke at 5:55. I've been having trouble sleeping through the night because of my sinus problems. Maybe I have a deviated septum. I'm snoring so loud I wake myself up. Sometimes I wake up because I can't breathe, choking on mucus. It kinda sucks. Will a neti pot help sort this out? Will I ever be "normal" again?
So in the lead up to Oscar, and having been feeling poorly and listless, I've been watching movies like a person getting paid to watch movies. I need to see Michael Clayton and Sweeney Todd still in order to accomplish my goal of seeing all the big Oscar buzz films before the awards night. But I haven't just been watching nominated pictures, I've been watching a little bit of everything. Recently I've watched:
30 Days of Night - Yes, I crush on Josh Hartnett, which makes me a little bias, and though the vampires are a whole lot less sexy than the ones I normally enjoy, I liked this movie. The concept of vampires descending upon an Alaskan town when they're in their month without sunshine is simple and brilliant. Why didn't anyone think of that before? Why didn't I think of that?! Yes, the vampires are butt ugly and the look of the film is necessarily dark and dull given that it takes place without sun in winter in Alaska and the story is predictable in that whole "Night of the Living Dead" kind of way, but nevertheless I enjoyed watching this. I think if you like vampire movies in general, you'll like this one.
Feast of Love - I love Greg Kinnear! I mean I really love him. Who would have thunk back in the days of TalkSoup that the man could act? He's so good at being the completely oblivious self-absorbed average everyday Joe. I didn't have high expectations going into this movie, maybe that helps, I dunno, but it touched me, and got me thinking about life and love and family, and I cried toward the end. But don't movies with Morgan Freeman always make you cry a bit? Make time to see this one.
In the Valley of Elah - Paul Haggis' contribution this year didn't get him an Academy nod but Tommy Lee Jones is up for Best Actor. Impressive cast in this one, including Susan Sarandon, Charlize Theron, Josh Brolin, Jason Patric, and James Franco. It's based upon a true story of a soldier who disappeared after returning from a tour of duty in Iraq. I'm at a bit of a loss for what to say about this one. Paul Haggis has this subtle way of delving into complex human issues that isn't over the top and in your face but yet you can't help but see it for what it is. He lays facts bare without adding judgment. This isn't an anti-war film, but it will get you thinking about war in a way that maybe you haven't before. If you enjoyed Crash, then you'll want to see this one, if you didn't then maybe this one isn't for you either.
Redacted - Brian De Palma's take on the war in Iraq is another kettle of fish all together. Controversial to say the least, this will definitely not be for everyone. The film is put together like a documentary montage of footage shot by soldiers and various news media. Lots of hand held scenes, security video footage, etc. The story is about American soldiers raping and killing a 14-year-old Iraqi girl. It's very real and disturbing. I think it's courageous and necessary.
Rendition - Ok, so it seems like I'm watching nothing but war movies, but hey, maybe there are just a whole lot more war movies out there these days. And this one is not really about the war, but more about terrorism. I kinda wanted to see this one just to see if Reese and Jake had any obvious chemistry. But unfortunately they don't share a single scene together so who knows how they even managed to meet during the filming of this. I don't know why, but I had absolutely zero expectation for this movie. But it's really a good movie, surprisingly. Meryl Streep is an absolutely bone-chilling bitch in this one. Worth watching just to see her performance. I haven't been a big Jake Gyllenhaal fan up til now, but he kind of won me over in this one. And I love Reese Witherspoon no matter what she does. In this movie she's married to an Egyptian man who gets on a flight from North Africa to come home to his family after a business trip and never arrives at the gate. It's engaging and there are some plot twists I didn't see coming. It's another one that leaves you thinking about the state of the world right now. Kinda heavy. But I thought it was definitely worth seeing.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - I've wanted to see this one for a long time now. Brad Pitt as Jesse James, can there be any better fit?! Nah! But when Oscar nods came down and Casey Affleck was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, I admit I was a bit . . . skeptical and stunned. Casey Affleck? C'mon! You've got to be kidding! I mean big brother Ben has moments of brilliance but I've not seen anything in Casey to indicate anything other than a kid getting a free ride on his sibling's coat tails . . . until now! Oh my freaking God! The Best Supporting Actor category is tough this year, but Casey Affleck totally deserves the nod from the Academy. See this movie! I think he's brilliant. Now if you're into the western genre and looking for a shoot-em-up outlaw type flick, this one's not gonna do it for you. I didn't know much about how Jesse James came to meet his final demise, and that's what this story's about. It's interesting. It's sad. It's the kind of movie that propels me immediately into action as soon as the final credits roll, Googling everything I can find on the James Gang and Robert Ford. If you like those kinds of movies, then you'll love this one.
The Heartbreak Kid - So after all that drama a girl needs to chill and have a laugh, so who does she turn to? The Farrelly Brothers of course! I don't know that they'll ever be able to top There's Something About Mary, but they never seem to blow it completely for me, so watching one of their movies isn't much of a risk. I pretty much know going in what I'm going to get and this one was no exception. Ben Stiller is a guy afraid to commit who goes a little freaky after attending the wedding of his ex on Valentine's Day and pretty much marries the first single girl he meets. I enjoy Ben Stiller! And real life dad, Jerry, plays his father in the movie, which is like a double whammy for me. I enjoy Jerry Stiller! I don't know if this was one of those movies where you saw all the funny parts in the previews or not, because I don't watch much traditional tv with commercials, so I hadn't seen any of the funny parts. And there were some funny parts. This is a great movie to watch when you just want to kick back with a glass of wine and giggle without having to think.
Rambo - Yes, I voluntarily subjected myself to this movie. Not only that, but I sought it out, I chose it over an endless quantity of movies I could have watched instead. You see, back in the days of First Blood I was a big fan of the John Rambo franchise. I had the Rambo video game and spent entire months of my lifetime being John Rambo and trying to free POWs. So when Sly said he was making another one, I was so on board with that! Rambo is still the strong silent cool guy. He's too old for the girl, which kind of surprised me but at the same time props to Sly for that. The plot is . . . well, you know, the same plot as all the others--Rambo goes behind enemy lines to perform a daring rescue as only he can do. There's a lot of action in this one. A lot! I very much would like to see the earlier ones now to see if they relied so heavily on action scenes or if there was more going on. So it wasn't great, I wasn't as pleasantly surprised as I was by the most recent John McClane excursion, but by the end I was satisfied that Rambo had moved on and now so could I.
10 MPH - By accident I stumbled onto this documentary film about two guys who quit corporate America to live their dream of becoming film-makers and decide to experience the USA unlike anyone else before by crossing the country on a Segway riding from Seattle to Boston. What a neat little movie! It's so inspiring to see how strangers welcome and help them. The road is not easy. They max out their credit cards, cash in all their retirement savings, it takes everything they have in order to complete the journey. They sacrifice everything to realize their dream. Able only to go 10 mph, they cross the country on roads not normally traversed by coast to coast travellers. They pass through towns that are normally by-passed by the interstate highways. They ride through some of the roughest neighborhoods America's cities have to offer. And they find that people are people no matter where they live. I have no idea whether you can see this movie anywhere but online, but if it pops up on the Independent Film Channel or in a theatre near you or if you watch things online like I do, then give this one a look. It's all about slowing down and doing what's important to you. And that's a message I can't hear enough.
Meet Market - This is one of those direct-to-dvd releases I think. If not, it probably should be. The plot centres around lonely LA singles hooking up in their local grocery store. Well, I'll say this for it, it's not Cameron Crowe's Singles, which I love, love, love! No, this one is nothing like that one. Why not just skip this one all together and instead once again bask in the brilliance that is Cameron Crowe. "Meet Market" is worth watching if you catch it as the late, late show on a Sunday night when you're in the grips of insomnia and you know you have to get up early for a Monday breakfast meeting. Yep, it'll help you get to sleep!
Cold Heart Canyon - Wow! I don't even know how I started watching this and why I continued watching through the end. I was sick. I was weak. It took more effort to get off the couch and turn it off than it did to lie and watch it. This is a terrible movie. I think it suffers from an identity crises. The movie wasn't sure whether it wanted to be a Harlequin Presents featurette, a psycho-thriller, or a porno. And there are all these flashback moments and extended scenes that have absolutely no bearing on the movie, you gotta wonder what's going on. For some reason the film maker needed to add time to the movie? I dunno. If you stumble across this one in a discount bin, do not pick it up, stumble right on past.
Things We Lost in the Fire - David Duchoveny, Halle Berry, and Benicio Del Toro. Need I say more. That's pretty much all the ingredients I need for a recipe of movie I will enjoy. Halle is the recent widow of David who invites the former heroin addict best friend Benicio to move in with her and her two kids. To be completely honest, I haven't watched the whole thing yet. Not because I'm not drawn into the story, but because I experienced technical difficulties. I watched about 3/4 of the movie though and I liked it. Unless the ending screws up the whole thing for me, which I can't conceive that it will, I give this one the thumbs up. It's another that gives me pause and makes me think. What if?
Lars and the Real Girl - And in the tradition of saving the best for last, I've saved the best for last. Run, don't walk, and see this movie! I cannot imagine why this movie was only nominated for one Oscar (Best Original Screenplay). Robbed!! This was one of the most unique and entertaining movies I've seen in a very long time. Ryan Gosling is absolutely brilliant and I think should have been nominated for Best Actor as Lars, a delusional young man who buys a sex doll on the Internet and brings her home as his girlfriend. I laughed out loud. I edged closer to the screen. And yes, I even shed tears, as I watched this. It's quirky, yet realistic, and it's got a lot of heart. This is one of the best movies of 2007. Hands down. If you haven't seen it, you're gonna love it!
Wow! I sure can watch a lot of movies in a couple of days when I decide to spend all my time doing nothing but watching movies. Huh? And as for me and the real boy, we'll have to wait and see.
Mood: filmy
Drinking: coffee
Listening To: electrical appliance humming
Hair: cropped
So in the lead up to Oscar, and having been feeling poorly and listless, I've been watching movies like a person getting paid to watch movies. I need to see Michael Clayton and Sweeney Todd still in order to accomplish my goal of seeing all the big Oscar buzz films before the awards night. But I haven't just been watching nominated pictures, I've been watching a little bit of everything. Recently I've watched:
30 Days of Night - Yes, I crush on Josh Hartnett, which makes me a little bias, and though the vampires are a whole lot less sexy than the ones I normally enjoy, I liked this movie. The concept of vampires descending upon an Alaskan town when they're in their month without sunshine is simple and brilliant. Why didn't anyone think of that before? Why didn't I think of that?! Yes, the vampires are butt ugly and the look of the film is necessarily dark and dull given that it takes place without sun in winter in Alaska and the story is predictable in that whole "Night of the Living Dead" kind of way, but nevertheless I enjoyed watching this. I think if you like vampire movies in general, you'll like this one.
Feast of Love - I love Greg Kinnear! I mean I really love him. Who would have thunk back in the days of TalkSoup that the man could act? He's so good at being the completely oblivious self-absorbed average everyday Joe. I didn't have high expectations going into this movie, maybe that helps, I dunno, but it touched me, and got me thinking about life and love and family, and I cried toward the end. But don't movies with Morgan Freeman always make you cry a bit? Make time to see this one.
In the Valley of Elah - Paul Haggis' contribution this year didn't get him an Academy nod but Tommy Lee Jones is up for Best Actor. Impressive cast in this one, including Susan Sarandon, Charlize Theron, Josh Brolin, Jason Patric, and James Franco. It's based upon a true story of a soldier who disappeared after returning from a tour of duty in Iraq. I'm at a bit of a loss for what to say about this one. Paul Haggis has this subtle way of delving into complex human issues that isn't over the top and in your face but yet you can't help but see it for what it is. He lays facts bare without adding judgment. This isn't an anti-war film, but it will get you thinking about war in a way that maybe you haven't before. If you enjoyed Crash, then you'll want to see this one, if you didn't then maybe this one isn't for you either.
Redacted - Brian De Palma's take on the war in Iraq is another kettle of fish all together. Controversial to say the least, this will definitely not be for everyone. The film is put together like a documentary montage of footage shot by soldiers and various news media. Lots of hand held scenes, security video footage, etc. The story is about American soldiers raping and killing a 14-year-old Iraqi girl. It's very real and disturbing. I think it's courageous and necessary.
Rendition - Ok, so it seems like I'm watching nothing but war movies, but hey, maybe there are just a whole lot more war movies out there these days. And this one is not really about the war, but more about terrorism. I kinda wanted to see this one just to see if Reese and Jake had any obvious chemistry. But unfortunately they don't share a single scene together so who knows how they even managed to meet during the filming of this. I don't know why, but I had absolutely zero expectation for this movie. But it's really a good movie, surprisingly. Meryl Streep is an absolutely bone-chilling bitch in this one. Worth watching just to see her performance. I haven't been a big Jake Gyllenhaal fan up til now, but he kind of won me over in this one. And I love Reese Witherspoon no matter what she does. In this movie she's married to an Egyptian man who gets on a flight from North Africa to come home to his family after a business trip and never arrives at the gate. It's engaging and there are some plot twists I didn't see coming. It's another one that leaves you thinking about the state of the world right now. Kinda heavy. But I thought it was definitely worth seeing.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - I've wanted to see this one for a long time now. Brad Pitt as Jesse James, can there be any better fit?! Nah! But when Oscar nods came down and Casey Affleck was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, I admit I was a bit . . . skeptical and stunned. Casey Affleck? C'mon! You've got to be kidding! I mean big brother Ben has moments of brilliance but I've not seen anything in Casey to indicate anything other than a kid getting a free ride on his sibling's coat tails . . . until now! Oh my freaking God! The Best Supporting Actor category is tough this year, but Casey Affleck totally deserves the nod from the Academy. See this movie! I think he's brilliant. Now if you're into the western genre and looking for a shoot-em-up outlaw type flick, this one's not gonna do it for you. I didn't know much about how Jesse James came to meet his final demise, and that's what this story's about. It's interesting. It's sad. It's the kind of movie that propels me immediately into action as soon as the final credits roll, Googling everything I can find on the James Gang and Robert Ford. If you like those kinds of movies, then you'll love this one.
The Heartbreak Kid - So after all that drama a girl needs to chill and have a laugh, so who does she turn to? The Farrelly Brothers of course! I don't know that they'll ever be able to top There's Something About Mary, but they never seem to blow it completely for me, so watching one of their movies isn't much of a risk. I pretty much know going in what I'm going to get and this one was no exception. Ben Stiller is a guy afraid to commit who goes a little freaky after attending the wedding of his ex on Valentine's Day and pretty much marries the first single girl he meets. I enjoy Ben Stiller! And real life dad, Jerry, plays his father in the movie, which is like a double whammy for me. I enjoy Jerry Stiller! I don't know if this was one of those movies where you saw all the funny parts in the previews or not, because I don't watch much traditional tv with commercials, so I hadn't seen any of the funny parts. And there were some funny parts. This is a great movie to watch when you just want to kick back with a glass of wine and giggle without having to think.
Rambo - Yes, I voluntarily subjected myself to this movie. Not only that, but I sought it out, I chose it over an endless quantity of movies I could have watched instead. You see, back in the days of First Blood I was a big fan of the John Rambo franchise. I had the Rambo video game and spent entire months of my lifetime being John Rambo and trying to free POWs. So when Sly said he was making another one, I was so on board with that! Rambo is still the strong silent cool guy. He's too old for the girl, which kind of surprised me but at the same time props to Sly for that. The plot is . . . well, you know, the same plot as all the others--Rambo goes behind enemy lines to perform a daring rescue as only he can do. There's a lot of action in this one. A lot! I very much would like to see the earlier ones now to see if they relied so heavily on action scenes or if there was more going on. So it wasn't great, I wasn't as pleasantly surprised as I was by the most recent John McClane excursion, but by the end I was satisfied that Rambo had moved on and now so could I.
10 MPH - By accident I stumbled onto this documentary film about two guys who quit corporate America to live their dream of becoming film-makers and decide to experience the USA unlike anyone else before by crossing the country on a Segway riding from Seattle to Boston. What a neat little movie! It's so inspiring to see how strangers welcome and help them. The road is not easy. They max out their credit cards, cash in all their retirement savings, it takes everything they have in order to complete the journey. They sacrifice everything to realize their dream. Able only to go 10 mph, they cross the country on roads not normally traversed by coast to coast travellers. They pass through towns that are normally by-passed by the interstate highways. They ride through some of the roughest neighborhoods America's cities have to offer. And they find that people are people no matter where they live. I have no idea whether you can see this movie anywhere but online, but if it pops up on the Independent Film Channel or in a theatre near you or if you watch things online like I do, then give this one a look. It's all about slowing down and doing what's important to you. And that's a message I can't hear enough.
Meet Market - This is one of those direct-to-dvd releases I think. If not, it probably should be. The plot centres around lonely LA singles hooking up in their local grocery store. Well, I'll say this for it, it's not Cameron Crowe's Singles, which I love, love, love! No, this one is nothing like that one. Why not just skip this one all together and instead once again bask in the brilliance that is Cameron Crowe. "Meet Market" is worth watching if you catch it as the late, late show on a Sunday night when you're in the grips of insomnia and you know you have to get up early for a Monday breakfast meeting. Yep, it'll help you get to sleep!
Cold Heart Canyon - Wow! I don't even know how I started watching this and why I continued watching through the end. I was sick. I was weak. It took more effort to get off the couch and turn it off than it did to lie and watch it. This is a terrible movie. I think it suffers from an identity crises. The movie wasn't sure whether it wanted to be a Harlequin Presents featurette, a psycho-thriller, or a porno. And there are all these flashback moments and extended scenes that have absolutely no bearing on the movie, you gotta wonder what's going on. For some reason the film maker needed to add time to the movie? I dunno. If you stumble across this one in a discount bin, do not pick it up, stumble right on past.
Things We Lost in the Fire - David Duchoveny, Halle Berry, and Benicio Del Toro. Need I say more. That's pretty much all the ingredients I need for a recipe of movie I will enjoy. Halle is the recent widow of David who invites the former heroin addict best friend Benicio to move in with her and her two kids. To be completely honest, I haven't watched the whole thing yet. Not because I'm not drawn into the story, but because I experienced technical difficulties. I watched about 3/4 of the movie though and I liked it. Unless the ending screws up the whole thing for me, which I can't conceive that it will, I give this one the thumbs up. It's another that gives me pause and makes me think. What if?
Lars and the Real Girl - And in the tradition of saving the best for last, I've saved the best for last. Run, don't walk, and see this movie! I cannot imagine why this movie was only nominated for one Oscar (Best Original Screenplay). Robbed!! This was one of the most unique and entertaining movies I've seen in a very long time. Ryan Gosling is absolutely brilliant and I think should have been nominated for Best Actor as Lars, a delusional young man who buys a sex doll on the Internet and brings her home as his girlfriend. I laughed out loud. I edged closer to the screen. And yes, I even shed tears, as I watched this. It's quirky, yet realistic, and it's got a lot of heart. This is one of the best movies of 2007. Hands down. If you haven't seen it, you're gonna love it!
Wow! I sure can watch a lot of movies in a couple of days when I decide to spend all my time doing nothing but watching movies. Huh? And as for me and the real boy, we'll have to wait and see.
Mood: filmy
Drinking: coffee
Listening To: electrical appliance humming
Hair: cropped
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Have You Noticed?
Have you noticed my blogging has tapered? It's not quite a trickle, but definitely not a raging river. I think this is indicative of me battling with procrastination, doing things as they come up, going to bed early, maintaining focus on work. There's not a lot of time to blog. I'm starting to get a little concerned that it's not humanly possible for me to do all that I'm supposed to be doing. I always believed if I maintained focus and became more productive that I could do everything. But as I step things up and get really productive and still don't see the top of the mound within reach, doubt begins to creep in. Maybe I've bit off more than I can chew. Maybe. I'm not stressing about it though. I'm more curious than anything. Curious to see what I can accomplish versus what I "thought" I could accomplish. I'm certain there is a difference between my mind's musings and the real deal. It remains to be seen how large a gap and in which way it runs. It's already February 6th! Unbelievable! 2008 is just charging along.
Mood: contemplative
Drinking: coffee, black
Listening To: a dripping tap
Hair: unkempt and short
Mood: contemplative
Drinking: coffee, black
Listening To: a dripping tap
Hair: unkempt and short
Monday, February 04, 2008
Month in Review
I'm back after spending the weekend with the family. I watched many movies, slept a lot, cuddled much with my baby boy. It was a pretty good weekend. Feeling rested, relaxed, rejuvenated, raring to go!
A new month began on Friday so I thought I'd take a few minutes to check in on my goal progress so far this year. No sense waiting until the end of the year and then trying to get on track at the last minute. It's good to see how I'm doing and understand where I need improvement.
If you forget what my goals are you can read them again here. I don't really have any way to track procrastination other than by my lists in my day planner and of course, it's only been a month so it's all fresh in my memory at this point anyway. In January I was strong and focused, on top of the procrastination situation, every week consistently except for one little relapse mid-month that lasted about 3-5 days, brought on by a bit of an emotional crises (I didn't just get lazy). The thing I noticed during this relapse was that even though I lost focus, I was still getting some stuff done. Everything didn't go by the wayside, only some things. To me this shows progress, that the world didn't come to a complete stop. Also my bounce-back was quite good, speedy and total, which impressed me. This might only make sense to people prone to falling into depression. One major accomplishment this month was the cleaning out and organizing of all the files in my email. Every day I dealt with email as it dropped in, never keeping any email until the next day. Then I took time here and there and started going through the build-up, dealing with it, filing it in My Documents where it automatically gets backed up to the server, or scheduling it into my calendar with a reminder that automatically gets sent to me when I need to perform a follow-up action. I started this New Year post-PC-Crash with close to 6000 email messages in my inbox and another 100 or so in email folders. Many of the 6000 had been dealt with already, but they were in the back-up, so they came back. Regardless I still had to look at them and see if I had dealt with them before I deleted them again, so it wasn't a small job. Today, I have 29 items in my inbox, none in other files. And there would have been less than 29 had I not just arrived back from a weekend away without checking email. This is definitely progress.
On the walking front, I wore my pedometer everyday in January and wrote down my steps at the end of each day so I would have a record. There were good days, and there were terrible days. I only got over 10,000 steps on three days. I averaged 5107 steps per day. This is actually what average people average on a daily basis without trying. So for me that's progress. I've gone from a sod to average joe. My average when I'm not paying attention drops drastically because so much of my day is spent on my butt in front of a computer screen. It's good to have the data though, very helpful.
On the creative writing front, I need to do some work. Yes, I tracked my word count. I wrote down zero upon zero upon zero day after day after day . . . But I did write a few days and by write I don't mean blogging and I don't mean bnm work stories or essays or anything else. By writing I mean completely creative for no other reason than it makes me happy fictional writing. I shudder to think how many words I write a day when you factor in all that other crap, but when it comes to my own personal creative writing I averaged 131 words per day, which I gotta say is 131 more words per day than all of last year, so it's a beginning.
And with that, I'm declaring January 2008 a raging success! Onward into February!
Mood: giddy
Drinking: nothing at the moment
Listening To: the door slamming downstairs
Hair: spiky
A new month began on Friday so I thought I'd take a few minutes to check in on my goal progress so far this year. No sense waiting until the end of the year and then trying to get on track at the last minute. It's good to see how I'm doing and understand where I need improvement.
If you forget what my goals are you can read them again here. I don't really have any way to track procrastination other than by my lists in my day planner and of course, it's only been a month so it's all fresh in my memory at this point anyway. In January I was strong and focused, on top of the procrastination situation, every week consistently except for one little relapse mid-month that lasted about 3-5 days, brought on by a bit of an emotional crises (I didn't just get lazy). The thing I noticed during this relapse was that even though I lost focus, I was still getting some stuff done. Everything didn't go by the wayside, only some things. To me this shows progress, that the world didn't come to a complete stop. Also my bounce-back was quite good, speedy and total, which impressed me. This might only make sense to people prone to falling into depression. One major accomplishment this month was the cleaning out and organizing of all the files in my email. Every day I dealt with email as it dropped in, never keeping any email until the next day. Then I took time here and there and started going through the build-up, dealing with it, filing it in My Documents where it automatically gets backed up to the server, or scheduling it into my calendar with a reminder that automatically gets sent to me when I need to perform a follow-up action. I started this New Year post-PC-Crash with close to 6000 email messages in my inbox and another 100 or so in email folders. Many of the 6000 had been dealt with already, but they were in the back-up, so they came back. Regardless I still had to look at them and see if I had dealt with them before I deleted them again, so it wasn't a small job. Today, I have 29 items in my inbox, none in other files. And there would have been less than 29 had I not just arrived back from a weekend away without checking email. This is definitely progress.
On the walking front, I wore my pedometer everyday in January and wrote down my steps at the end of each day so I would have a record. There were good days, and there were terrible days. I only got over 10,000 steps on three days. I averaged 5107 steps per day. This is actually what average people average on a daily basis without trying. So for me that's progress. I've gone from a sod to average joe. My average when I'm not paying attention drops drastically because so much of my day is spent on my butt in front of a computer screen. It's good to have the data though, very helpful.
On the creative writing front, I need to do some work. Yes, I tracked my word count. I wrote down zero upon zero upon zero day after day after day . . . But I did write a few days and by write I don't mean blogging and I don't mean bnm work stories or essays or anything else. By writing I mean completely creative for no other reason than it makes me happy fictional writing. I shudder to think how many words I write a day when you factor in all that other crap, but when it comes to my own personal creative writing I averaged 131 words per day, which I gotta say is 131 more words per day than all of last year, so it's a beginning.
And with that, I'm declaring January 2008 a raging success! Onward into February!
Mood: giddy
Drinking: nothing at the moment
Listening To: the door slamming downstairs
Hair: spiky
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