random bits-

topic 1.

automatic flush toilets shouldn't be allowed. sure its nice to go into a stall and not have to look at other peoples' waste matter, but in this age of water saving AND toilet seat covers, they're wrong.

1. go into stall- toilet flushes
2. pull out toilet seat cover, start breaking out center- toilet flushes
3. unbuckle pants, unzip, sit down- etc. toilet flushes (pray toilet seat cover doesn't go down.)
4. final flush once you've actually used the toilet.

4 flushes for what should take one. so wasteful.

topic 2.

I went to Barnes and Noble-
a) The Dirt on Clean- I've wanted to read this for awhile.
b) another Phillipa Gregory book for light reading (how much do you want to bet that's a pen name?) This one is about a person with ESP in Queen Elizabeth the first's court.
c) a Kathy Reichs that was on sale for $5.
Plus I have my Barnes and Noble discount card, AND I had a 25% off coupon.

topic 3.

I saw Rachel Bilson's new haircut and now I want my bangs back. But he cut the rest of my hair too short for me to be able to pull off that hairstyle again.

Ow

Remember when I broke my toe last year?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v496/srokeeffe367/toe.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v496/srokeeffe367/toemorning.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v496/srokeeffe367/SKMBT_C45006112118530.jpg

Well, yesterday I dropped a book on it. The book happened to be War and Peace, hard cover. If ever there is a book you don't want to have hit your bad toe, its War and Peace.

The good news is, I've finished War and Peace. I admit, I skimmed the epilogue. I defy you to read that book and then not skim the epilogue. The bad news is, my toe really really hurts again. Not enough that I'm going to go to the doctor. But enough that I'm going to keep it wrapped up for a few days.

I went to the doctor for something else yesterday, and that was painful, unpleasant and he warned me the after-effects could last 2 days to 6 weeks. Wanna narrow that down a bit? I have a checkup in two weeks, and then again in 6 months. But this will probably never be fully over.

I'm slowly catching up at work. Maybe some day I'll feel like I'm not snowed under. I've put in 8.5 hours of overtime already this week, so at least that more than covers my massage yesterday. I've found an affordable massage place thanks to Maureen, so I think everytime I find an extra $50 around, I'm going to try to work one in. I'm pretty much a very tightly wound person, and they really seem to help.

Once-

This is why Jon Stewart rules.

I can't believe that I missed that Marketa Irglova and Glen Hansard were nominated for Best Original Song. It really deserved to win, and when Marketa got cut off from giving a thank you, she deserved to be brought back out to say a few words.

Once was a beautiful movie that probably couldn't have been nominated for more than it was, but Best Original Song it owned.

Who would have ever thought that someday Outspan Foster from the Commitments would have an Oscar?

There Will Be Blood

It was amazing. Maybe 20 minutes could have been cut, maybe. I wasn't ever bored. And I never actually thought during a scene, "well this isn't necessary." The lead character, Daniel Plainview, has no redeeming qualities. Until the end you think he might have one, and then he reveals something that lets you know he doesn't even care about that. The dialogue is hilarious for such a dark movie. You hear him say these things and think, "no human would really ever say that" and then realize, "he would." It was beautifully filmed, beautifully scored, and flawlessly put together. I have no criticisms.

Oscars- my picks are in red.

I haven't seen near all the nominated movies. Some of them I just didn't care to.

Best Actor- All I've seen are Eastern Promises and There Will Be Blood. I have to say, although Viggo was excellent in Eastern Promises, Daniel Day Lewis' performance blew his out of the water. That being said, if either of them win I won't be upset.

Supporting Actor- Seen- Casey Affleck in "the Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" and Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men." I'd give it to Casey Affleck in a heartbeat. No Country for Old Men was a flawless movie, but Casey's role was a lot more difficult than Javier Bardem's. Much, much much more complex.

Best Actress- Seen - Cate Blanchett in "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" and Ellen Page in "Juno."
I might want to give it to Cate because she was robbed of it last time she played Elizabeth. (Gweneth Paltrow got it for Shakespeare in Love, and I don't think she was near as worthy as Cate Blanchett was.) But- then would that be robbing Ellen Page of it? I'm not sure how difficult it was for her to play Juno. She was good. If she wins, I'll cheer.

Achievement in Cinematography- This is one of those categories where I just vote on how good the movie looked. I saw Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, No Country for Old Men, and There Will Be Blood. I'd give it to There Will Be Blood.

Achievement in Costume Design- Elizabeth: The Golden Age- (Sweeney Todd might deserve it for originality but I didn't see it so I can't say.) I got to see the Elizabeth costumes in person at the Arclight and they're GORGEOUS. But Cate Blanchett must be tiny.

Directing- Juno, No Country for Old Men or There Will Be Blood- such a tough call- but I think I'll go for No Country for Old Men. I've never sat through such a tense movie. Juno was brilliant and cute and funny and everything that type of movie should be, but the atmosphere created by No Country for Old Men was not easy to achieve.

Original Score- the only movie i saw that was nominated was 3:10 to Yuma and what I'm going to say about this is how the hell was There Will Be Blood not nominated?

Best Picture- Juno, No Country for Old Men, and There Will Be Blood. I would love for Juno to get this though, because maybe it would encourage more people to make this kind of movie, but There Will Be Blood was so amazing.

I ain't got no cancer.

My brain is singing that while all the cells in my body are dancing in a conga line. The grammatically correct verson of that sentence doesn't have the right cadence for a conga line.



As some of you know, I had biopsies taken last Tuesday, and it has been a long, painful, stressful week of waiting. Finally today I could call for the results, and I'm good. I have to go in Tuesday to "have some work done." as I'm calling it. They're going to freeze off the abnormal cells and I should be good to go. I'm taking the day off work. I might treat myself to a pedicure or something after its over.



But now I have to catch up at work. I've been so stressed that I've let a lot slide, and I'm going to pay the price now. I can't say, "oh, well I haven't gotten to that yet. Remember, its from when I was worried I had cancer." It was nice to have President's Day off, but I swear it just made me further behind. Deadlines didn't change, its just one less day to get the work done.



The truly weird thing is, I'm still not destressed. I'm still just as tense and nervous as I was this morning, and I could cry at the drop of a hat. When I've been keyed up for this long, it takes awhile before my brain and body adjust. Maybe by this weekend I'll feel caught up, and I'll be able to fully relax from everything. We'll see.

Review Time!

So I saw movies. And went to a concert.

1. St. Vincent (that's the concert.)

It was amazing. Her CD is pretty mellow, not easy listening, but just mellow and heart-felt I'd say. But the live sound is absolutely amazing. The sound coming from the stage was absolutely immense. Its just her, a violinist, a multi-instrumentalist and a drummer, and there were times you'd have assumed that there were 12 other people on stage with her (probably fitting when you consider she's the guitarist for The Polyphonic Spree.) I have to say, if her CD sounded exactly like her live show, her CD would be one of my favorites. The opening band was Foreign Born, and I made a note to check their CD out too because they were great. Side nod to Jeanette- thanks for the invite.

Side note on this one- it was at the Echoplex. I hadn't been to the Echoplex in a few years. Not since one of my early vacations out here before I moved. I had recently been able to watch the pilot of Chuck, and was watching their first date scene thinking, "that looks like the inside of the Echoplex, but I'm not positive." I was pretty sure it was because the bridge they walk over to get there is the Sunset bridge over Glendale. (This is all right down the street.) So when we went there that night, I looked around and made some mental notes, came home, watched the episode again and said, "yep that's the Echoplex." what I REALLY had to laugh at was the fact that the band they see that night is none other than Foreign Born.

2. 27 Dresses-

It was okay. I always go see romantic comedies hoping I'll run into the one out of every dozen that I truly end up loving. This wasn't one of them. I can't remember the last romantic comedy I really loved. I'll have to think about that and get back to you.

3. In Bruges

It was really good. It would have been much better had the audience not talked through it. People in Los Angeles take their movies seriously, and don't talk through them. I decided to give the new Arclight up in the Valley a shot, and never again. Valley movie patrons don't appreciate the Arclight, nor do they appreciate movies. I'll stick to Los Angeles. (I haven't been here a year and a half and already I'm a snob, but really.) Back to the movie. I realized Colin Farrel is good looking. I don't think I've ever seen him in anything. But he's good looking. (wait, was he in that horrible Jennifer Garner superhero movie?) Its just weird watching a movie where you keep constantly thinking, "That person was in Harry Potter. That person too. Oop, that person too." This movie had Mad Eye Moody, Fleur Delacour, and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Bruges is Beautiful, with a capital B. Of course if this movie is big, you're going to have to wait a good long while to go there so it won't be so crowded. (and the midget in this is great too.)

I also got my tires aligned. Got an oil change. Went to Target. And watched 9 episodes of Gilmore Girls. That was my plan today- to spend all day watching Gilmore Girls.

I've been reading The Other Boleyn Girl. I'm trying to figure out which, if any, is more historically accurate, this or The Tudors. The time lines are off between the two, and they paint the sisters very differently. And of course The Tudors makes no mention of Mary having children by Henry. Of course they're both historical fiction, so neither has to be accurate. What's funny is that I'm reading it picturing everyone played by the person playing them in the Tudors, so it will be funny when I go see the movie and see Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johannsen and Eric Bana playing the King, Anne and Mary. (although I don't really remember Mary from the Tudors, they wrote her out pretty quickly.) Anyway, I did not finish War and Peace. My mind couldn't stay on it this weekend. Maybe next weekend. Maybe.

Movie Weekend

I usually go see a movie every other weekend- and this weekend is definitely one of those weekends I need it.



I'm trying to decide.



There Will Be Blood- a "good" movie. Award contender. Something people talk about here.

27 Dresses- feel good fluff movie. Probably what I need right about now.

Step Up 2: The Streets- I see dance movies and I don't appologize for it.

In Bruges- I saw the preview a few months ago, and it looked funny. And I heard a really good review of it the other day.

The Band's Visit- I keep hearing really good things about this one as well. Its a comedy. But it doesn't excite me, so this is at the bottom of the list.



Then I get to decide which movie theater I want to see it at.


Landmark- free parking and there's a Barnes and Noble.

The Grove- More shopping (I am SO not allowed to spend money right now). Good pizza at the Farmer's Market. or Chipotle

Arclight- My favorite. And its next to Amoeba, but I can't spend money.



Or I could branch out and try a new theater. We'll see.

Other things to do this weekend:
Get tires aligned
Get oil change
Major Target shopping*
Finish War and Peace (I'll have time during my oil change and tire work.)

*necessities- does not apply to the "i can't spend money" rule above. Things I can't buy right now are clothes, CDs, pedicures, etc. I can treat myself to a movie. And I never deny myself books.

(Spell check isn't working still. unless I forgot how to use it and am doing it wrong.)

OH NO!!!! ITs LENT!

Every year for Lent I give up fast food. Its tough, but I can do it.

So today I was reading my sister's blog, and she mentions Lent, and I realize, Lent started on Feb. 6th. How did I miss that???? I had one soft taco from Taco Bell on Saturday, so I was techinically 4 days late starting.

My solution, I'm going to go to 4 days after Easter (March 27th) without fast food to make up for it.

I didn't even get to have a last supper. Fat Tuesday I usually go out and get a fast food dinner.

Things I will miss most:
1) sausage and croissant only sandwich (meaning no egg no cheese) from Burger King
2) Bowl of Crap
3) Wednesday lunches with Maureen at the Ghetto Target McDonalds.

Note: I will not be counting Chipotle as fast food. Nor is pizza considered fast food. Fast food is McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King, In'nOut, Taco Bell, KFC, etc.

Its funny-

Yesterday I was so ambivalent towards voting. I didn't really care about the two candidates. I was only going to vote for the propositions. I was thinking all day at work today, and I really settled on a candidate, and I was anxious to leave work and go cast my ballot. Now that I'm home, and checking the news sites every 2 minutes to see the results come in, I realize how much I do care. I would not be able to live with myself right now had I not voted.

And I realized how much I really do back my candidate. As I check the returns, I'm upset when this person hasn't won, and very excited whey they have. Its not that I think there's anything wrong with the other candidate, I just think this person is the better choice.

(I did for 2 seconds contemplate voting for Kucinich while I was in there. His name is still on the ballot, and I would have loved to just make that statement that he's really my man.)

So Wrong

This is so wrong, but I'm contemplating not voting tomorrow.

I really have no strong opinion either way between Hillary or Barack, and I kind of just want to leave it up to the people who care. I think where they stand on the issues is the typical saying what they think will get them in to office, and then doing what they want or what is easiest when they get there. At least where they stand on the issues is the liberal side of the spectrum. Either one of them is my choice over McCain or Mitt any day.

Something about Barack rubs me the wrong way, but I can't put my finger on it. Is that what I want to base my vote on? Hillary is a fake and a hypocrite, but we know it. When it comes down to it, I'd make up my mind by saying, "who can beat the republican?"

Hopefully whoever wins tomorrow can gain the support of all of the other side's camp. We need to go into November strong.

Hey, at least McCain won't be hiring Karl Rove.

NEVERMIND!!!- I'm voting tomorrow. I forgot there are other things on the ballot besides the Hillary/Barack thing. totally can't skip out on those.

My Wedding Cake-

I found my wedding cake (stop laughing) kind of. I'd want the pattern a little less flowery and a little more abstract, and obviously leave off the hideous pink boa.

2. (in case you weren't going to pick up on it- today's blog is a collection of random things) I went to see Juno today. I loved it. I think I had some of the same critisicms that other people did (would a 16 year old really talk like that?) but I know there probably are some 16 year olds out there like her. I loved her dad and her step-mom. Allison Janney was hilarious as always. This is her second best role next to Loretta's best friend in Drop Dead Gorgeous. I hope we see more of her on Weeds as Mary Louise Parker's attorney. But, some day I would like to see Michael Cera not play Michael Cera. Not that he's not cute and adorably akward, it would be nice to see him stretch.

I could probably watch Juno about 20 more times. Good thing Allen (Ben's roommate) discovered the wonderful world of bit torrents and has downloaded it and burned it to a DVD. Now just to get him to bring it over.

3. Sunday dinner at Malo. We've got the ongoing debate as to which is better, Malo or El Conquistador. Malo is more expensive, but I think the food is better. (You know- quesidilla vs. quesidilla.) Margaritas are better at El Conquistador, but considering I have a marg about once every two months, that's not really a factor for me. Leslie has put a one month ban on eating at El Conqustador, so that she doesn't burn out on it. I think I'll make it.

4. I bought myself a trash book to read after I finish War and Peace. The Other Boleyn Girl. After finishing "The Tudors" season one, I'm interested to see what take this has on the Anne/Mary saga. I'm exactly 200 pages from the end of War and Peace. (Something devastating happened. I'm so sad.) I wish they'd hurry up and defeat Napoleon already so that I wouldn't have to read any more war scenes, but I guess I shouldn't complain too much as the book is called War and Peace.

5. I did laundry. The thrill of the laundry mat has finally worn off. I want a washer and dryer again. I let it go too long in between going, and then its a pain because I have so much to do.

Future Blog topics-

101 LA things

Jane Ausen Books and Movies (That might be tomorrow's if I have time to sit and write it out well instead of junk spewed on the page like today.)

The Bottom Shelf of My Bookcase.

Why is spellcheck still not working? (That's not a topic, for some reason Blogger isn't letting me insert paragraphs correctly either.)